Job

I have always made friends with people who were older than me, not by much maybe one or two years, but in high school my senior year all my good close friends graduated, and I was left alone my senior year my junior year was what was really fun for me. Here I am in college and the same thing is happening all over again my closest friends have graduated already except for one. I still have friends just not really close ones, but that is not the point of this post. What I want to address is that most of my friends who have graduated can't seem to find any jobs I mean I know people who did get jobs, but I also know a lot who can't. One of my friends who has a studio art degree has no job, another with a Graphic design degree has no job, sure these are artsy degrees so that is not so far fetched, but some with degrees like computer science can't find jobs either. They have all had jobs since they graduated, but they are extremely underemployed. This makes me worry about my own future. Will I be able to find a job when I graduate. I want to work in DC in government foreign policy hopefully but coming out of college I will take what I can get. Still the question persist. I really have no point to make here just expressing a concern. I am getting ready now I am taking the Foreign Service Test in October hopefully I will pass that and I am asking people now to put me in contact with some people I hope if works out. How many College graduates are un/underemployed?

Fear

One thing I can say about people in this nation of ours is that we are adept in using fear against each other. During the 2008 Presidential election the Right wing or conservatives manipulated the fear of white Americans. I watched the HBO documentary Right America: Feeling wronged, that documentary was interesting it also hurt I could see the passion they were scared of Barack Obama. They said many reasons why some were so ridiculous. They called him a terrorist, Arab, socialist, communist basically any word that has a negative connotation. Some even were just honest with themselves they didn't want a black man to be president, but he was elected and I hoped we could put this ugliness behind us. I was wrong. I was so very wrong. First they say President Obama isn't even an American that he is a Kenyan, it was on the news for so long. I could not go a day without hearing about it. Why can't he just be the President, he won fair and square. Let him serve us to the best of his ability. Then this "Town Hall" thing happened. These people are yelling to to be yelling. I have heard "I want my America back" " I don't like what my country is becoming" "what happened to the America I grew up in" "This isn't my America". Maybe I am being sensitive, but I feel that despite all the problems that they claim it all boils down to one thing a so called black man is president he is really mixed, but either way it doesn't matter he is considered black. I feel that these people feel that they are losing not their country to black people, but that they are losing their superiority over all minorities. A black president, A Latino Supreme Court Justice. They are scared this hurts me. The conservative leaders of this nation are doing nothing to prevent attitudes like this. In fact they are encouraging it. Glen Beck is a fear monger, he says the most ridiculous things. I mean he has said thing to the effect of President Obama is a racist, Health care reform is just a way to get reparations, he alluded to eugenics. Glen Beck is promoting hate and Rush Limbaugh and so many others. I feel that it all boils down to they feel they are losing their superiority over minorities. How am I supposed to feel about this as a Black man? That average Americans, people who I grew up around, who taught me is school, people I went to and do go to school with are so afraid of being true equals with black people and other minorities that they fight with a passion I have never seen them tap into is the thought of being my equal in every way that much of a threat? There is enought racial tension and problems in this country the way that conservative leadership support these attitude is not helping. I feel hurt. Can someone tell me why?

Polarized

This country has always been a place where ideas and morals were always on the opposite ends. The Colonist debated independence or loyalty, the founding fathers states rights vs federalism, then slavery against abolition, industry tackles progressiveness, The civil rights battle. Now there here is where the current polarization of America started to make itself visible. Present day, we have liberals and conservatives. Neither are completely wrong or right, but both do have one thing in common they have their extreme people. Recently in the news this has been extremely obvious. Recently Bill Maher said that America was stupid. He said this probably his anger over how certain ideas and people can become popular in America. Ok misunderstanding, but when asked to clarify he would not or even change what he said apologize or anything. Maher has always been a hardline liberal and has criticized America plenty of times, but so have I. Criticizing this nation means you hold it to a standard and want to uphold it, but saying America is stupid is just wrong and hurtful to the American Cause of Liberals. Liberals have been labeled as anti-america or not American and saying things like this hurt us. Then on the opposite spectrum is Glenn Beck he said that President Obama is a Racist. This is not good with the recent Gates situation race tensions are already too high. Saying unfounded things like this is just wrong and hurtful to the process of healing that this nation needs. He has also furthered the stereotype of conservatives. There was a time when saying things like that would have ened the careers of both of them. What they said was uncalled for. America has become so polarized that people can say thing and press ideas that are simply wrong and it is ok Maher and Beck will fell little to no fallout over the things that they said. What has America come to when one man can say America is stupid and the other can call the president a racist? Well this has been happening for a long time, The Kanye West thing and the many Rush Limbaugh things it is so sad to me that America is so split.

The iRan

Well it has been a long time since I have blogged my life has gotten hectic work school plus other things, but I am just going to try and jump right back into this.

One of the big stories in the news lately has been the fall out from the Iranian elections. The elections were rigged obviously, but the situation is a very complex one from all sides even from the so called reform candidate. I am glad that the people of Iran are standing up for their rights. The Ayatollah was always gonna be the one who decide who won that election the fact that is was rigged in favor of Ahmedinejad should be no surprise to anyone. Even if Mousavi had won what difference would that have made? Mousavi had been Prime Minister, he was a follower of Ruhollah. The truth is I hope Americans are not thinking that the election of Mousavi would bring about change in the Islamic Repubic of Iran. The biggest things that Americans want changed, Iran's Nuclear program would not stop if Mousavi was elected he was the one who started their nuclear program afterall.The country is a Theocracy and until that fundemental factor is overturned real change will never occur in Iran. The truth is that no matter who is elected the Aytollah is in command of Iran and his will dictates policy in Iran so until Iran is no longer a Theocracy and/or the Ayatollah is out of power Iran will have no real change.

Sacrifice

I was at work on my break and I was reading the newspaper and I came across an article about a group of children in Haiti that died from malnutrition. A young boy, five years old, weighed 19.5 pounds another little girl couldn't stand so she was hung on to the scale. The children were literally skin and bones. Another article in the same paper talked of a man in Africa that doesn't sleep at night to protect his family's food. At that moment I realized what I have known for a long time my role in this world has to be to help the less fortunate of the world. when I read the article about the children I wanted to cry, I did inside. Americans consume many times more than we produce.I worked at a summer program that fed urban children during the summer, we threw away pounds of food everyday. I work at wal-mart now and they throw away food to make room for new food, or if it is one day bad. This food could feed so many. I have decided that I will not longer eat food on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a holiday of excess. Don't get me wrong I am not putting down and saying don't celebrate cause I will be, but one American will possibly eat more in this one day than many people around the world will eat their entire short lives. This is how I will give thanks for the life I have. I will sacrifice food this day to show my gratitude for being safe at night, a warm place to sleep, at least two meals a day. leisure time and the many luxuries I own or enjoy. I have to help these people cause I truly hurts me that things like this are allowed to happen people should not have to live like that. What makes me so angry is that most people really don't care. They say that they have to look out for their own, but before you are an American, black/white/Asian/Latino,liberal/conservative, catholic/protestant you are a human being. How dare anyone turn their back to the plight of their fellow man. I have to help these people. I can start by making a sacrifice, as a token of goodwill that I will help more one day. A sacrifice for the greater good.

Post Election Racism

Wow it has been a long road, but we made it Americans, we have taken another leap toward true equality. I was so happy and proud when I saw the words PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA on CNN. I had joy in my heart and was thankful for the direction that our great nation was taking. I must tell everyone to hold President-elect Obama to the same standards that we hold President Bush to. Now to the subject, the day after the election I heard the story of Lindesy Boggs woman who goes to my University who made some very racist comments on her Facebook profile. One thing that this historic event did do that is good or bad depends on how you see it was to open up wounds and expose many people as the racist that they truely are. This hurt me to a certain extent, but I guess this could be healthy. Our nation has been very PC for a long time so it will be hard to see what people really feel. I believe that most racism today is institutionalized racism that is just apart of the culture, but is so tame that once educated would quickly fade, but then you have people like Lindsey Boggs who are just classically racist. Then I found a post someone made on Facebook that had a pic of people and racist statements that they made, I wish that I could link it. I can't do that cause it will tell you to sign in, but this is just sad. I really hope that President-elect Obama can begin to unite this nation cause we need it bad from what I have seen, but this could just and I hope is only a minority. Another thing whether it that a lot of black people are claiming that if you disagree with President-elect you must be racist. That is far from the truth. This is the same argument People make with if you disagreed with President Bush you were anti-American. Stupid! Then I was at work and someone said they were leaving the country cause Obama was elected, and a coworker said he was racist. This is the same thing plenty of people Black people included when Bush was reelected so are they racist. This needs to stop, please stop being so sensitive. Racism is stupid and it need to stop.

Though it seems Heaven sent, America isn't ready for a Black President

I bought a new iPod and I've been putting a lot of new music it, and I've notices something that I knew already. I realized that Obama has truly inspired and given hope to black america. Black Americans have for a long time felt that they were not actually apart of this country, that they were residents of this country, but not citizens. Pride in ones country was not an aspect of Black culture in America. Now I listen to songs like Black President, and My President, and it shows that people who typically have no interest or concern for the politics of this country and now interested and showing their sensitive side in a sense that they have a stake in the outcome of this election. You may not like this, but Senator Obama's nomination has validated Black Americans showing that they are apart of this country that they matter that they cannot be ignored as a force in this nation. Senator Obama win or lose has made history in this country and will forver be a Hero in the Black community. The sad part of this story is that if he does not win in November he will send Black America into a depression. They will feel that they put their hopes and dreams into this one man only to be let down by the same people who have been letting them down for years, because of the multicultural nature of this country we see things in that lense, and we now cannot see the importance of Senator Obama's campaign.

Dirty

I was on a break at work and I was listening to the radio and the Comedian D.L. Hughley was talking about the Dems. He said that the Dems need to start playing dirty, because the reps use fear and dirty tactics and they win. I hate Dirty campagins, but I had to think about what he was saying. Sen. McCain has been running an almost if not entirely dirty campaign. So I was watching the Democratic National Convention and they could not stop praising Sen. McCain. I can guarentee that you won't hear the at the Republican convention. The reps use fear to manipulate voters. Hughley said everyone uses fear it is how it is why you pay bills on time go to work on time and so on. The Reps are playing a game, McCain just announced that Palin is his runningmate The Governor of Alaska. This is a ploy to anger the Hilary supporters against Obama. It is basically saying that look I am man enough to choose a woman as my VP why isn't Obama. It is all a game to Reps, but what hurts me the most is the idea that the dems with their idealism are naive. Perhaps I am naive. Is it the only way to win, playing dirty. Are we so far gone as a people that we can't believe in hope and honesty. That an administration can treat America with respect. I don't want to believe that. Do you have to sell your soul to do right by this world? If you want to serve this world and the people of it do you have to give your soul to do so, the ultimate sacrafice. If so is it justified to do that? I am really confused by this.

God

I was talking to a a coworker about the the Rick Warren interview or whatever it was, and he said how this was like a step back. I agree what kind are we coming to when a Church official gets to question the United States Presidential Candidates. I know that the evangelicals vote so the candidate have to pander to them, but what does this mean for our country? The thing that bothers me the most about evangelicals, extremist, fundamentalist whatever you wanna call them they is that they feel that their way is the only way. Lately something else is bothering me. their view of God, The God they believe in is Cold, Unforgiving, not understanding, and Closeminded. This bothers me the most Living in the south I can't offer a different idea without being told that what I said was Blasphamy. If I met God and he was like this I think I would be disappointed. I just can't believe that God is so Black and White. They make it seem that it is this way and no other way and no way around it. This bothers me I just can't belive this I won't belive this. The God I believe in is Warm, Forgiving, Understanding, Wise and much more complex than anyone on earth can begin to comprehend. I just feel that God is more complex than what people portray God as a Man the first and ultimate being has a gender that is ridiculous. That is just one of the things that bothers me. People say that you have to give ten percent to the church. What does God want with your money! Then there is this whole idea that if you are not christian you are going to hell. well the years before christianity everyone went to Hell? What about native Americans who for years and years were never exposed to any version of Judao-Christian society all went to hell. I'm sure that all religions are a gateway to God. It just makes me upset that people are so Close minded especially about something as huge religion.

Audacity

I work at night now 10 P.M. till 7 A.M. so leaving for lunch would really not be in my best interest. So I read the newspaper, and there are a variety of papers who lean to the left and right. When I am at home not much is on during the morning so I watch the news and one thing that I keep seeing in the coverage of the Race is that Senator McCain is constantly using negative and demeaning tones when referring to Senator Obama. He handed out tire gauges to mock Senator Obama saying that good tire pressure increases gas mileage, then he talked about the Senator's views on the war by saying "The Audacity of Hopelessness" mocking the title of Senator Obama's book. I'm not saying that Senator Obama doesn't criticise Senator McCain, but he attacks his stance on the issues. Senator McCain does the same, but he seems to me to be demeaning, and putting the senator down as below him almost like a child. Neither Senator McCain or Senator Obama are children and have earned to be where they are. I just feel that there should be mutual respect among the two candidates. Senator McCain seems spoiled or arrogant to me every time he treat's Senator Obama that way. He acts like he deserves to be president like it is his right and that Senator Obama is a nuisance in his way. Any man who feels it is his right to be president obviously is not a man this country needs or deserves. Senator McCain in my opinion only gives off the feel that because of his time as a POW it is his right to be President like this country owes him. I am more that grateful for the Senator's service to our country and hate that he had to spent that time as a POW, but being President is another form of Service to this country, not a gift. I just feel that senator McCain needs a new approach, but maybe he is doing it just right for the votes he is targeting. Maybe it is just stand offish to me as a Liberal. Senator McCain is a conservative. The Ad comparing Senator Obama to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears was out of line and in bad taste. We only two more months till the election It will most likely only get worse. I just hate negative campaigns. The Audacity of Senator McCain.