Environmentalism

           This weekend, we turned off our lights from 8-9pm to show solidarity for “Earth Hour.”  As I sat in darkness, watching the basketball games and looking at the relatively dark Sears Tower, my mind naturally turned to the issue of environmentalism, which I guess was the point of the exercise.  Like many topics today, this one has turned into quite the hot-button topic over the past few years.  People are allowing themselves to be swept up in the tide of being environmentally friendly and conscious of our “carbon footprint.” (By the way, I have to say that I think this phrase is ridiculously stupid.  I can barely say it without busting up in laughter.  I appreciate the sentiment, but can’t we use a different phrase?)  The issues of environmentalism are many and varied.  The topics I want to focus on are three-fold: the fact that it is a travesty that the issue has become politicized – it’s a problem that could destroy the movement itself; the rabid ideals associated with saving the environment could quickly infringe on our Constitutional rights without providing adequate alternatives; and being environmentally conscious is, at its base, an issue of respect – for nature and for the generations of people who will (hopefully) come after us.

            I’m not going to lie, I did find the idea of “Earth Hour” mildly ridiculous.  While there were many cities around the world that participated in Earth Hour and the point of it was to raise awareness that people really don’t need to leave lights on all the time – the people who are leaving lights on all the time have to be aware of the energy they are wasting.  I think the big cities show a prime example.  When I look at a city’s night skyline (one of my favorite views), it is not just apartment lights and street lights that are brightening the night sky.  Office buildings leave their lights on at night for the inhabitants.  One of the most glaring deficiencies of the ideas surrounding Earth Hour is that people aren’t aware of the energy they are using up.  I can guarantee that the people keeping these lights on in the office buildings are very aware of the cost to keep certain lights on all the time.  And it’s not going to change unless those leasing the office space start accepting that they shouldn’t be at their office at midnight, so those lights shouldn’t be on.  If you take a good look at downtown and midtown Manhattan, those lights are not from individual people being irresponsible, they are from businesses and companies either promoting their business or just leaving their lights on ALL THE TIME.  While I hope that Earth Hour can raise awareness (because otherwise I sat in the dark for an hour cutting ribbon for no reason), it seems that the awareness it does raise won’t do much good. 

            One of the worst things to happen to environmentalism was politics.  When politicians began to do the work of scientists, they immediately started destroying the cause from within.  Why do I say that?  Well, look at the polarization of the US government.  As I have mentioned before, both Republicans and Democrats have issues compromising with eachother, and the frequent stalling of bills, etc, in Congress easily reveals that problem.  Neither side seems willing to give an inch to the other side unless they get something for it in return.  The topic of environmentalism has become one that if people know you are a Republican, you are immediately thought of as anti-environment and if you are known to be a Democrat, you are immediately thought of as an environmentalist.  Completely ignored are the scientific facts, instead it is more the way the political wind has decided to blow that decides critical factors involving the environment.  The topic of global warming has illustrated this fact far better than any words could. 

            Here’s the thing about the climate.  It cannot be denied that it’s changing.  Yes the earth is warming up.  But scientific reports also show that other planets are warming up as well.  From the 14th Century to the end of the 19th Century, the earth was going through a mini-ice age.  There is scientific evidence for this, and many books have been written about it (a fantastic one is The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300-1850by Brian Fagan).  So after coming out of the Little Ice Age, naturally the world is going to start warming up a little more.  However, right around the time the Little Ice Age melted (ha!) was also when the Industrial Revolutions really got going around the world.  The thing is, smog didn’t exist until fossil fuels were used during and after the Industrial Revolutions.  Air quality wasn’t something people had to worry about.  But then again, they also didn’t have the technology to understand what air quality was.   As we become more and more advanced in technology, to devote our resources to finding less hazardous means of running our machines is not an unworthy cause.  HOWEVER, until we find those solutions, please do not think that forcing unhealthy alternatives upon the populous is the answer.

            What do I mean by “unhealthy alternatives?”  Well, for starters, the wonder of the new fluorescent light bulbs the EPA is trying to force on us.  Do you realize what is in these light bulbs?  Mercury.  You know, the stuff that is found in thermometers, and used to be involved in making hats.  The same toxic material that helped give us the term “mad as a hatter.”  Studies have also shown that people with certain diseases, for example eczema, should not be around the fluorescent bulbs because they will aggravate the disease.  AND, when removing a broken bulb, you have to treat it as a hazardous waste spill!!  You have to LEAVE THE ROOM for 15 min and turn off central air/heat, among other alarming precautions!  I’m not making this up, either, it’s on the government website (http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf)!!!!

            So now, the EPA wants to completely phase out incandescent light bulbs and replace them with energy saving bulbs.  In fact, by 2012-2014, all light bulbs must be 25-35% more efficient according to a law signed in December 2007 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/12/20071219-6.html).  So what alternatives do we have?  Fluorescent bulbs (hazardous), LED bulbs, and halogen bulbs.  While these certainly save energy, the technology is not there yet to have a phase-out law!!! It is no wonder that there are people so opposed to the environmentalist movement when stuff like this is happening. 

            Another example is the use of ethanol.  A derivative of corn, it was being hailed as the next alternative energy source that was going to revolutionize the industry – we weren’t going to need oil anymore, etc.  Well, then they found out that the use of corn ethanol was actually MORE harmful to the environment than oil!  It’s worse in carbon dioxide emissions, VOCs, and takes up unnecessary amounts of land (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel).  Now people have, finally, started to back off the ethanol fuel thing, but at what cost? 

            Don’t be under the mistaken assumption that I am not an environmentalist.  I most certainly am.  I think it’s devastating to the movement that it has been politicized but I am also aware of the alarming effect humans have on the planet.  There are over 6 billion people living on this earth.  There have never before been numbers like that.  We are all interacting with each other, many enjoying a style of living never seen before.  It would be foolish and ignorant to presume that we would have no effect whatsoever on the fragile ecosystems of the world.  Whether or not we are causing global warming should not be the issue.  What should be the issue is that we need to preserve the world for the generations to come.  We need to protect the species of animals so that our descendants can see them in person instead of reading about them in history books.  If you want a perfect example of the effect of humans on an ecosystem, look at the extinct dodo bird and other animals that have felt the wrath of overhunting.  There is most certainly a cycle that is being disrupted, and the more we as humans ignore it, the more perilous the situation becomes.  For those of you who may remember, there was a cartoon show on for a while called Captain Planet.  Remember?  There were the 5 teens from around the world who had rings and represented the elements – earth, fire, wind, water, and heart (what?) and they would come together and call upon Captain Planet to save the world from evil-doers harming nature and the environment.  And then at the end, it would have an eco-friendly message.  Totally indicative of the early 1990’s cheeseball shows, it nevertheless had a good message.  Like most superhero shows, it made the evil-doers obviously evil, and the do-gooders obviously good.  Unfortunately for us, it’s not that simple.  But it did show that by many people doing a little can have a lot of impact.

            So in the changing climate (ha!) of being environmentally-conscious, it’s important to note that at least we are trying.  To be dependant on oil from foreign sources is a horrible mistake, but so is being dependant on oil from internal sources (ref: oil in Alaska).  History has proven that to be dependant on one source for all methods of energy is definitely not good, so we must try to find new, alternative forms of energy as the technology is available to us.  But until that technology is better proven, we cannot assume that forcing it on the public is the correct answer.  However, caring for the environment is, most importantly, a matter of respect for our surroundings and for our future.  So until we have this technology – recycle, reuse, buy a hybrid car instead of a normal one, turn off your lights and electronics when you don’t need them, and be conscious of what you are destroying.

Be part of the movement that rebuilds rather than destroys.     

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

How many songs out there have been written about respect?  Why does that simple, two-syllable word have so much weight behind it? 

As a verb, respect can be defined as “to show regard or esteem for.”  As a noun, respect can be defined as “deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment” (dictionary.com). The word itself has many meanings, I just chose the two that I want to discuss right now. 

Why, then, is it so hard to respect other people?  If respect is defined as showing regard or esteem, and, I think, can be easily defined as a common courtesy, why is it so hard to do something as simple as respecting your fellow humans?  Why is respect for nature and animals and other religions and other cultures so hard for some to grasp? 

The answer: it isn’t hard.  It is not difficult to be respectful of another person – of their faith, way of life, looks, or even personality.  The fact of the matter is, people choose not to be respectful.  Plain and simple.  And, a lack of respect can be easily defined as racism, prejudice, anti-Semitism, sexism, ageism, etc. 

A few stories if you will.  Yesterday, I went to interview at a restaurant for a serving position.  As I was sitting, waiting for the manager to decide he wanted to start the interviews, one of the servers there fully turned around in her seat, and blatantly looked the other candidate and me up and down with that I-am-so-better-than-you look on her face.  She caught my eye and I smiled at her, because what else are you going to do when someone is being blatantly rude to you, and she just stared at me with that look on her face.  And then she turned back around.  She never said a word.  Frankly, I was appalled at that, and I couldn’t believe how disrespectful she was.  And she did it while the bartender she was talking to was in mid-sentence.  It was unbelievable.  Those of you reading this may wonder why I’m making a big deal out of something seemingly so minor, but this situation really got me thinking about the importance of respect. 

My grandfather has been selling insurance for over 50 years.  And he is pretty successful at it.  My cousins, sisters, and I have all learned one of the most important lessons from just watching how he interacts with people.  No matter what you think of a person, you treat them with respect when you first meet them and in every encounter after.  You have no idea when you might see this person again.  They could be in the same position, worse off, or they could be in a position to further your career, love life, or whatever.  That reason alone should be enough to show people respect when you encounter them.  My sister and her husband are probably two of the greatest examples of a lesson learned from my grandfather.  My sister always said that she learned how to treat people by watching how Grandpa and Dad treated people – no matter who they were.  My sister and her husband are two fantastic people who completely understand the importance of respect.  And it shows in their friendships with other people.  I can honestly say that I have never heard a bad word said about them.  More than that though (because of course people aren’t going to say bad stuff about them to their family), the people who know them rave about them.  One of the things I hear the most is how classy they are.  And that’s a special word that you don’t hear as often as you should.  And it’s totally true. 

There is a girl I know, who is dating an acquaintance/friend of mine.  She is the type of person to give you the once-over when she sees you before saying hi, or even pretending to smile.  You know when you see someone smile, and you know it’s totally insincere?  The smile doesn’t reach their eyes?  It’s like that every time I see her.  And it’s not just me, it’s everyone.  And it amazes me how she thinks that’s okay.  Because now, every time I think of her, I think of how she acts when I first see her.  And the best part about it is that it’s just totally unnecessary.

Another story in which I was in a very precarious position, and thankfully, I did the right thing and everything I learned from my father, my grandfather, and my sister came full circle.  I had been accepted to a university’s grad school program.  I received the “Congratulations” letter and information on who to contact, etc.  I even had a login on their student web page.  10 days after I was accepted, I got home at around 7pm to a letter saying that I had been rejected from that very same university.  Same letterhead and everything.  I, naturally, freaked out.  I called everyone I could think of, including an attorney friend of mine because I knew that he could properly advise me as to my next steps.  Potentially, this could have been a real big issue.  I emailed the head of graduate studies for the department, I called the history department and left them about a 5 minute long message on their general machine, trying to be as nice as possible (you never know who might hear it), but also trying to emphasize that I was really freaked out.  The next morning, I received an email from the head of graduate studies apologizing and saying that mistakes happen, he hopes I understand, and that he will look into it right away to get things cleared up.  I also received a phone call from the woman who sends the letters.  She told me that it was just a mistake, the second letter was sent by accident.  I was still accepted to the university.  She felt so badly and couldn’t apologize enough for it.  I thanked her profusely for getting back to me so quickly, told her not to worry at all and that I was just glad it worked out for the best.  We spent about five min. going back and forth about how sorry she was and I said not to worry about it, etc.  About an hour and a half later, I received another email from the head of the graduate studies telling me that I was definitely admitted and apologizing for the mix-up.  And then, he said the best thing I could have heard at that point.  He said that he had spoke to the woman who spoke to me and said that she told him how nice, respectful and understanding I was about the situation.  He told me that he appreciated that greatly.  He knew that I could have flipped out on the woman for making the mistake, but I didn’t.  And she relayed that straight to him.  And now, not only am I on the map for a silly mistake made, but I’m on the map in the best possible way.

This just goes to show how important respect is when dealing with people.  There are a lot of people campaigning for respect for nature and animals and all sorts of things.  This is incredibly important as well, but I wonder, if you can’t learn the value of respecting other people, how in the world are you going to be expected to respect the world around you?

Abortion

So here’s the thing: abortion, no matter how you feel about it, is an awful thing.  It’s definitely traumatizing no matter what the circumstances.  The problem that has arisen regarding the legality of abortion is that it is a “black and white” issue to so many people involved, especially politicians.  For a Republican to be “soft on abortion” is like a political death sentence.  Democrats are viewed as traitors if they are for outlawing abortion.  Many voters on both sides say that this one issue is the tipping point for them.  Forget all the other issues, if someone is pro-life or pro-choice can be the (only) deciding factor for certain voters.  And for those of you reading this who say that that isn’t so, you’re wrong.  I can name people who feel that way, on both sides of the political spectrum.  And that’s the other problem.  The issue of abortion has become a political hot button.  Just like environmentalism, Republicans and Democrats have polarized on this issue and it seems as though no compromising can be done.

Note: I will be citing internet sources since I don’t have access to actual books or JSTOR – the best journal resource EVER.  So please forgive me for citing wikipedia every so often, I’m trying my best.

The history of abortion is not new.  There are records going back thousands of years documenting abortion.  Unfortunately, since history has been primarily written by men, we do not have much first-hand evidence from women documenting the practice of abortion and birth control, but historians have been able to piece some things together.  For example, in Ancient Sparta, if an infant was not worthy of living, they were thrown off the Taygetus Mountain.  More girls than boys were killed this way.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta#cite_ref-22).  Technically, this is a form of infanticide and not actual abortion, but isn’t it kind of the same thing?  Getting rid of an unwanted entity?  It is practiced today in the Chinese government.  Since families are only allowed one baby in an effort to get the country’s population under control, and having boys was favored for years, they now have an overwhelmingly male population, which is causing huge problems.  There are records and oral tradition of all kinds of methods women used, or have tried to use, to rid themselves of unwanted pregnancies or to prevent it from happening at all.  The pomegranate and rue are just a couple examples.  In ancient Egypt there are records of mixing together some pretty vile potions used as suppositories.  When I read about that, I wonder if maybe the baby was lost just because of the incredible lack of hygiene when using those mixtures.

Of course, people in the US and around the world today have their own reasons for being pro-life or pro-choice.  For many, it is a religious decision.  According to the Catholic Church, life begins at conception.  I find it very interesting that politicians who are strongly Christian, and I can look to Obama especially for this, yet still refuse to understand that their religion and moral values clearly advocate a pro-life argument.  And for some reason, this is hard for people to understand.  The law says that a fetus that is not viable does not classify as a life.  Recent murder trials of pregnant women have brought that law into the gray area it so belongs in.  It’s interesting that, in California, a state that allowed late-term abortion until the Supreme Court upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act in 2007, Scott Peterson was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of his son – 8 months in utero – which was considered acceptable for late-term abortions. 

So here is the crux of the matter:  why is it that it that people think that the abortion is okay?  I have heard pro-choice people say that it’s not that they would ever have an abortion, they just don’t feel that it is okay to make that decision for other people.  Well, here is another question for you:  what do you think the baby would say if they were asked the question of whether they should live or die? 

And then you have the statistics that say that there are people out there who think of abortion as birth control.  And I have heard that directly from people’s mouths.  Or the statistics that say that a good portion of abortions are from middle-class women who already have families but don’t feel like they can support another child.  The problem with both of these issues is education.  People are all about helping others these days, but to say that it’s okay to have an abortion because the prospect of a child or using the pill/condoms is an unwanted burden is extremely selfish.  Unfortunately, because of these people, abortion cannot be outlawed until education has stepped up to bat and is able to teach women that abortion just isn’t the answer.  Not only are there preventative measures that can be taken, but do you realize how many people out there want to adopt a child but can’t because of the bureaucratic red tape? 

There is a huge problem today with a lack of responsibility.  People don’t want to take responsibility for their actions.  If you make a mistake, you own up to it. 

But getting back to the matter of abortion being a clear cut issue, this is the biggest problem in the debate.  You have to either be for it or against it.  And if there are laws, so many people say that it has to be for it or against it.  Well, what about rape and incest victims?  What about the depressed or women who have been diagnosed with post-partum psychosis?  There have to be provisions for women who are a danger to themselves or others for whatever reason.  And there has to be a better understanding within families.  You hear about

 Clearly, I am not in favor of abortion.  However, I do strongly feel that outlawing abortion and making it a murder 1 or 2 charge is not the answer and cannot be the answer until society wakes up and says, why do people feel that it is the answer?  When we can answer that question, then maybe abortion won’t be necessary anymore. 

History

Clearly, I love history.  I am one of those people who want to make their careers their passion.  There are people who want to have their careers, which they enjoy, but then go home and have their hobby be their passion.  I’m not one of those people.  I can’t imagine having a career in something I’m not passionate about.  So this is why I study history.  As cliche as it sounds, I have always known that I wanted to study history.  Sure I toyed with the idea of going to medical school or law school, or making a career in publishing.  These ideas, though, always turned back to the study of history.  When I thought about medical school, I wanted to study medical history or at the very least, be a history major while completing the pre-requisites for medical school.  When I thought about law, it was to study legal history and if I was just going to go to law school, I would have studied Constitutional law because of the history involved – especially the Enlightenment ideals that helped develop the theories that the Constitution is based on.  (I know there are people shuddering at how boring that sounds, but I would love it).  When it was publishing, I would have wanted to be involved with some kind of educational magazine or publishing company – I have always wanted to work for National Geographic.  So eventually I gave up trying to deny my inner history geek.  I have come to embrace it wholeheartedly and no longer care about the weird looks I get when I am on the bus reading a book titled Origins of Nazi Genocide. 

How did I come to this love of history?, you may be asking yourself.  Well, that’s a rather interesting story.  You see, my father is a huge WWII buff.  He has books and books about the War and always encouraged me to study it, saying that it was vitally important because “Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it” – a spin-off of George Santayana’s quote “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  I grew up with the knowledge that I could do whatever I wanted to do in life as long as it makes me happy.  I also grew up in a household with two parents who are MDs.  The bar was always set high – and rightly so.  In 7th grade, or around there, I did a book report on a book called The Nazi Doctors.  As you may imagine, it’s not a light read and certainly not something that you would expect a 12 year old to be reading.  After this point, I knew that I would be studying history.  It’s so important for people to know about these events!  It’s so important for people to understand why a culture acts the way it does or why an event that happened maybe 500 or more years ago is still shaping world relations.   

So what is the point of this entry?  Well, I think I’m going to start giving bits of history lessons.  I’d like to start with eugenics just because that is what I’m reading right now.  I’ll try as hard as I can to make it as captivating as possible.  The problem with historians, I think, is that we think all this material is absolutely fascinating (which it is!) and then often present it in the most boring way possible.  I will try to inform and inform in a way that will hold your attention.  If it’s boring, let me know, I’ll figure something out.  I have many things I want to talk about, so it will probably be broken up.  These topics are the stuff books are written on, so you will be getting a short summary a lot of the time.  It will also help me enhance my writing and research skills and I will try my best to reference books I think would be beneficial to read.  I will also put my pending entries on my “List of Thoughts” so that people can see what I may be writing about next – if they care to look of course. 

This may seem like I am anticipating a wide love for this blog, but really, it’s just me trying to organize myself.  I often think of topics to write about and then forget about them and then remember and get annoyed that I forgot. . . seriously. 

So I hope you enjoy and continue to read.

The Madness of March

March is a special month. . . it heralds the coming of Spring, it usually means that there are no more really awful cold days.  But most importantly, March means the end of the NCAA Basketball season.  And with the end of the regular season comes March Madness.  It’s a time for brackets, seeds, office pools and excitement.  The annual tournament is always exciting, and, especially in the past few years, have included some very close games.  I discovered my love for college basketball while at UCLA (obviously).  During my junior year abroad, I found myself missing the oddest things.  One of them was the camaraderie associated with watching basketball games.  UCLA has a great basketball history and it always generates a lot of energy during the season.  To see John Wooden at every UCLA home game is quite the sight to behold.  So when I returned to LA, I found myself swept up in the fervor of Bruin basketball, and I was completely hooked.  For the entire tournament of the 2005-2006 season, all I watched was college basketball.  That year, UCLA went to the finals and lost to Florida (boo).  But since then, I have avidly followed Bruin basketball.  This year has been fantastic.  Of course, my bracket has been destroyed by the craziness of the tournament.  I mean, who would have thought Davidson would beat Georgetown?  I mean, where the heck is Davidson anyway?  (I guess the South – it sounds like it has a Southern name.)  This past weekend, all the number 2 seeds almost lost to their opponents, and most of the 1 seeds barely scraped by – including UCLA.  I think UNC was the only team to completely blow out their opponent – which doesn’t bode well for the rest of the tournament. 

I think I can say, though, that I associate a sense of pride with being a Bruin who enjoys basketball.  If you have ever met John Wooden, you would know what I mean.  This unassuming man, the Wizard of Westwood, who never turns down a request for an autograph and still goes to every single home game he possibly can.  He’s 97 years old!  And Ben Howland, who now coaches the team, decided to hire on because of his admiration for John Wooden and the desire to try to live up to Wooden’s name.  I had the pleasure of meeting John Wooden at a book signing once.  I was able to get a few books of his signed and as you talk to him, you really get the sense that you could learn so much from this great man.  And people have. 

So as we fans wait anxiously for the Sweet Sixteen games (I guessed 8 picks right – awesome), the madness of March continues to entice us away from the day-to-day mundane tasks.  For a few weeks out of the year we can celebrate and commiserate with our team as they win, lose and play the game. 

I love College Basketball. 

 

Author’s Update:  UCLA lost in their Final Four match Saturday 4/5/08.  It’s awful and I’m so sad.  But like always, there is next year to look forward to.  Now if only we can convince Kevin Love to stay ONE MORE YEAR and I’ll be totally fine.

Volunteer Warriors

 It disturbs me that this issue has to be addressed, but as we pass the fifth anniversary of US entry into Iraq, many questions and debates over the war have, inevitably, arisen.  It cannot be denied that the war in Iraq has caused numerous arguments and, especially with the presidential election nearing, much debate between candidates.  Bush recently told us that we need to stay the course (again).  We have been told that entry into Iraq was done under false pretenses, that Saddam Hussein had no weapons and was not connected to Al-Quaeda at all and had nothing to do with the attacks on 9/11.  People blame the failing economy on war spending and lack of confidence in the American dollar and America itself on this “failed” conflict.  Recently, Angelina Jolie made a visit to Iraq and told the world that America should stay there.  There are reports that our recent efforts are working.  Clearly, both sides of the issue have many factors to back their arguments. 

And yet, we haven’t heard very much from the Americans who have suffered the most from this.  Our soldiers are out there, dying for us, and the most we can say is that we should bring them home.  These soldiers believed in a cause that they felt was greater than their own lives.  And they are volunteers.  We have an entirely volunteer army in Iraq and Afghanistan right now.  Because of their courage, there was no need to really consider instituting a draft.  What I really want to talk about is the tragic way our soldiers have been treated, by the government and by the people.  There is no excuse for this and it makes me so mad to see this happening.  On both sides of the fence – by Republicans and Democrats – our soldiers, our brave men and women, are being deserted.  In an effort the be anti-war, the Democrats have often lumped the soldiers into it and have become anti-soldier as well.  The Republicans, especially those in charge of soldier care, have denied them their basic needs while in Iraq and Afghanistan and their needs when they return home.  Plus, they keep sending them back!

I have a hard time believing that people can behave with such casual disregard for the people who are out there, protecting our Constitutional rights.  The thing is, if there was ever another attack on US soil, it would be the soldiers that would protect us.  If the soldiers weren’t there, would the people protesting the NRA be able to help?  Let me tell you, a man with a gun is not going to stop just because you say there should be peace in the world.  And a man with a bomb is going to try to blow you up just because you are an American whether or not you support the war.  It is the men and women of our armed forces that stop these people.  Our First Amendment rights are sacred in this country and it is the people who put their lives at risk every day in Afghanistan and Iraq who are protecting that right. 

Let me say for a moment that I am not going to tell you my position on the war.  It doesn’t matter.  What matters is that men and women of my age and my generation are being treated like dogs because of political games and the love of money – ON BOTH SIDES.  Here are a few examples that have made headlines in recent years:

June 2005: Senator Durbin of Illinois makes statements to the  Senate comparing American soldiers to Nazis and Soviets (from their treatment in the gulags), saying that the soldiers are just as bad as these groups.  Later, he “tearfully” apologized after backlash from conservatives, but initially defended every statement he made. 

2005-Present: Protests at military funerals by a fundamentalist group, saying that these soldiers shouldn’t be mourned because they had died for a country that supported homosexuality, and that God killed them for that very reason.  Signs like “Thank God for IEDs” sparked national outrage and a group known as the Patriot Guard Riders was developed who travel to funerals to put a barrier between grieving families and the protestors.

2006: John Kerry spoke to Pasadena City College students in California, stating that if you are uneducated, you end up in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He basically called the soldiers uneducated idiots who never had proper schooling and that why they ended up in the army.  He never apologized for his remarks, saying only that he would never insult soldiers since he was a veteran himself.  Outrage at these statements was fueled by an article written in the New York Times about the incident in which Kerry’s statements were distorted to make them seem less insulting to the soldiers.  

March 2008: Reports surface of contaminated water provided by KPR to the soldiers from 2004-2006.  For two years, soldiers had to put up with smelly water for personal hygiene and laundry.  This was caused by a contractor that was previously owned by VP Dick Cheney’s company.  This was only corrected after KPR was called out for it and it still didn’t solve the problem completely. 

These are only a few of the reports that I have come across regarding negligence and abuse towards our military.  It’s bad enough that they have to see their friends shot, mangled and killed, but they have to suffer abuse from all aspects of American society.  I will admit that lately there has been a change of tide in the mindset of Americans.  No longer are politicians attacking the soldiers as much as they are attacking Bush and the war itself.  With the growing attention on bringing soldiers home, their situation in Iraq and Afghanistan is brought to the forefront.

But the fact that this was ever a problem really makes me mad.  Shame on everyone for making this an issue at all.  These are our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, friends.  They willingly put their lives in danger every day in support of America and what she stands for.  The very least we can do is acknowledge it and support these men and women.  They are dying so that you have the right and the freedom to protest what they are doing.  And these soldiers will stand before you and block bullets for you as you debase them and abuse them. 

That is what makes them heroes. 

Faith

  Today marks the beginning of the three most important and holy days on the Christian calendar.  As a Catholic (a practicing one at that), I find the Easter Triduum a fascinating and beautiful tradition.  For those of you who don’t know, the Triduum is the Latin phrase for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter celebration (the Vigil and the Sunday masses).  This week is also known as Holy Week, and Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday and the celebration of Christ’s re-entry into Jerusalem after 40 days of fasting in the desert.  Palm Sunday technically marks the end of Lent (the 40 days of fasting which begins on Ash Wednesday).  However, since Holy Week is also supposed to be a time of reflection, fasting, and prayer, the end of Lent can get muddled sometimes. 

Now that you have had that nice little religion lesson, I’ll get into what I really wanted to talk about.  The thing is, I often find myself saying, when/if the topic of religion is brought up, that I am a “practicing Catholic” – I even did it at the beginning of this entry.  I often question this phrase, wondering why it’s necessary to define myself as one who goes to Mass every Sunday and actually enjoys it.  The sad fact of the matter is that there are three types of Catholics:  Catholics who go to Mass every week; twice a year Catholics who attend on Easter and Christmas (as if that’s supposed to ease their conscience or something); and those who were raised Catholic and have converted or do not ascribe to any one faith.  I define myself as a practicing Catholic because I am proud to be one.  The twice-a-year Catholics are not truly Catholic as defined by the faith itself.  The ones who have converted, I think, find it necessary to say that they converted from Catholicism because it most certainly puts them into a growing group of people. 

I think that Catholicism is in danger of destroying itself from within.  I love the tradition associated with the Mass, I firmly believe in the 7 Sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Last Rites).  They are beautiful to witness, and powerful as well.  At the Easter Vigil, adults are baptized and Confirmed into the Church – it’s awesome to behold.  However, I have many issues with the Catholic Church itself, the dogma, and how it is run.  Pope Benedict XVI wants to revert the Church back to before Vatican II – he wants to reinstate the Latin Mass for example.  While I think that would be really neat to hear (and I would totally go), I also understand Latin.  How many people today do?  Let me tell you, not many.  And he has basically said that priests can never marry.  Let me tell you something – going backwards in time is NEVER recommended.  AND going backwards to a time when priests were abusing children and very obviously getting away with it is an even worse idea.  It saddens me to see that so many are leaving the Church.  But in many ways, I don’t blame them.  I have reconciled myself with the laws the Church states are venial and mortal and, I follow the ones that I feel are necessary to follow.  I do not think myself more holy than anyone else (certainly not!), but I have issues with old, never-married men telling me, a young woman, how I should be living my life.  I use what they say is guidance and I choose to believe that God is not going to send me to Hell if I miss a Sunday mass once in a blue moon and am sorry for it.  I don’t think that those of other Christian faiths are going down the wrong path and are not part of the true Church.  I don’t believe that just because you are not a Christian, you are automatically damned to Hell.  I also don’t believe that contraception is a sin (one of the major beliefs I think is destroying the Church from within).  By the same token, I don’t think that sex before marriage is a sin – and if it is, then I am going to be perfectly happy in Hell because most of my family and friends will be there too.  (This may seem like blasphemy, but I’m trying to make a point here.) 

A little story, if you don’t mind – when I entered college, I didn’t go to Mass or really practice my faith for almost 2 ½ years.  I didn’t think it was necessary and many of the rules went against my personal beliefs – like deep down beliefs.  Then I went to Europe and experienced life in a predominantly Catholic country.  Ireland is losing its Catholic-ness, but it is still amazing to see people of all ages crossing themselves when the pass a church.  And then I went to Rome.  And visited the Vatican and had Confession in the Vatican with an American priest.  If you want life-changing events, you can’t get much better than that.  And then my Dad found out he had Pancreatic Cancer.  He survived, but it was quite the experience.   I realized that there had to be a different way.  I am an intelligent person and I know that change is necessary for survival.  I hope to be the tide that changes the Church for the better so that more and more people are coming into the Church and less and less are leaving. 

To sum this up, this is the most important week of the year, for any of the Christian faith.  It should be celebrated and honored appropriately.  No matter what Christian faith you are, you should realize the importance of Easter and how wonderful a celebration it can be if you pay attention.

Infidelity

The recent news about former NY governor Eliot Spitzer and then his replacement, Gov. David Patterson have sparked a media frenzy about the “science” of infidelity.  When the story of Spitzer broke, everyone was in shock that a man who had done so much to “clean up Wall Street” could possibly do something like engage in prostitution, especially over state lines (a federal offense).  And then, after he resigned and Gov. Patterson took over, Patterson and his wife BOTH admitted to having extra-marital affairs during difficult periods in their marriage – in a national news conference!  I mean, really, these issues have just given the media enough to feed on for the next month.  Every time you turn on the news at night or in the morning, there is some segment on cheating.  And then there are segments for how the people who have been cheated on feel and what they can do to move past it. 

I don’t think it can be denied that cheating happens.  But I think it can definitely be said that men like Spitzer and Patterson (and apparently women as well) feel that, if they can get away with it, it isn’t hurting anyone.  You know, what you don’t know can’t hurt you.  Well, let me tell you, what you don’t know definitely can hurt you, and, in a lot of cases, in many different ways.  And people ALWAYS find out.  Either later on, or while you are still together, I can pretty much guarantee that your significant other will figure it out.  And I don’t think all this crap about it being ingrained in us is the entire deal.  I mean, come on.  It’s part of our genetic make-up, so humans don’t really have a choice?  Give me a break.  A lot of it seems to be the fascination of it.  Men and women become dissatisfied for one reason or another and then go looking for some excitement.  It’s clandestine and a social taboo.  People have a tendency to go looking for trouble, and then when they find it, they are all surprised at the ramifications.  I’d bet money that it was less about the sex for Spitzer than the idea that he could blatantly break the law and get away with it.  He prosecuted prostitution rings for crying out loud!  And this idea that people are willing to risk everything to get out of whatever rut they are in is also bull – especially for those with a lot of power.  It’s all about the mind games and the sense that they are above the law. 

It makes me sad that this has happened.  It wasn’t long ago that adultery (for women at least) was a hanging offense.  And in some countries today, adulteresses are stoned for their crimes.  Men have never really been persecuted for adulterous behavior, and society has always made it perfectly acceptable for a man to cheat on his significant other.  There is no penalty and a lot of states don’t allow adultery issues in divorce proceedings.  But the thing is, infidelity is like a cancer.  It just eats away at a union until there is nothing left.    

I think that the almost acceptance of adultery stems correlates with the divorce rate in our country.  Clearly, couples get divorced for adulterous activities on the part of one or both people, but what I mean is the fact that people get married too soon, or the minute some kind of adversity pops up in a relationship, people look for an easy out or a way to distract themselves from it.  Did you know that the divorce rate is the highest among couples who had been married a year or less?  People today have no idea how to handle any kind of dissonance in a relationship and run away the minute anything gets hard.  And I think too many people today are getting married for the wrong reasons and then want a way out. 

I really have a hard time accepting that cheating is in our genetic makeup and therefore it should be excused.  

Author’s Note:  I am not entirely a fan of this post mainly because it’s not very well written.  However, I decided to post it because I think a blog should be for both the good and the bad, and it’s for my thoughts, either as a coherent, thoughtful piece or a jumbled mess. 

Fool me once. . .

I firmly believe that everything in life is designed to teach you a lesson.  How you react to that event not only tests your fortitude, but your character as well and prepares you for the next step.  Whether or not this is actually the case is not the point, it’s what I believe and it is how I choose to view the high and low points in my life.  Until about a week ago, I was unemployed.  For exactly 2 months, I sent out my resume almost daily, went to countless interviews and walked into dozens of restaurants.  In the middle of the coldest part of the year in Chicago.  I’m completely broke and I had to ask my parents for money.  However, I think this gave me the wake-up call I desperately needed regarding my finances.  To continue going along not really thinking about the ramifications of all my spending and moving would put me at a great disadvantage while I am in grad school and after I’ve obtained my PhD.  I have since started to use a financial software, and I plan to visit a financial planner in the near future so I can begin investing while trying to pay off all my bills.  A fantastic lesson, don’t you think?  Of course, while I was stomping through the snow in -20° F weather, I wasn’t thinking about the wonderful lesson I was learning . . . I was concentrating more on not letting my fingers and my nose freeze. 

Another lesson I recently learned is how something can seem so worth the effort and the trouble and the compromising of your moral values, but when you really think about it, nothing is worth compromising your moral values for.  This may seem like a given, but when you get into certain situations, it is so easy to just forget about them, or completely justify them because of whatever reason.  That most certainly is not the case, and it makes me so happy to know that I have learned that.  Recently, I almost started getting involved with this guy who has a long-distance girlfriend.  In my mind, I justified it by saying, well, she’s long-distance, it would never work out with them, I think we would go well together, etc, etc.  And then, thankfully, he went on vacation for a couple weeks, and I was able to completely separate myself from the situation and see it for what it was.  And you can think badly of me if you want, but like I said, it is so easy to justify things sometimes.  But I can honestly say that I learned my lesson.  No guy is worth compromising yourself for.  Very few things are.  I would go as far to say that nothing is.  Everyone wavers, and sometimes it’s easy to stray and hard to get back onto that path, but if you know yourself, and know your convictions, then you will get back on that path.  Especially if you just listen to what your conscience and instincts are telling you.

The best part about that story is that it could easily happen again with a guy I’ve recently become acquainted with.  He has a girlfriend, but cheats on her a lot.  And I could probably help him cheat if I wanted to (I don’t know if he wants to, though).  But I’ve learned that not only can I not do that to myself, but I could never do that to another person.

I just always remember -

“Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.”

Moving. . . Part V

This may have become apparant from my earlier posts, but I have pretty much decided that I will be moving again.  Not just to a new apartment in the city where I will still know people and have the same job, etc, but to a completely new place where I know absolutely no one, I have to drive at least 50 miles to reach and it’s in a different state.  This will be the fifth major move I have made in as many years.  I have to admit, I’m getting a little tired of it, but you know, it will provide me with a fantastic opportunity.  I won’t be moving until August, but I have to start preparing now.  There is only one thing that will keep me here (an acceptance and full aid to Loyola) but I don’t know if that will even keep me here.  The graduate school I have been accepted to is awesome.  I’ll be driving up there in a couple weeks to visit the campus for their Recruitment weekend.  I’ll be able to meet the professors, grad students, and staff and I’ll be able to take my first look at the city I’ll be living in.  Everyone who knows me and knows of the decision I am about to make says that I will really enjoy living there.  It’s not a big city (although, after living in the three largest cities in the US, every other city is a smaller city), but I hear that I am “going to love it.”  I went to UCLA without even seeing the campus before I made my decision and I moved to Ireland without ever having been there.  I’m sure I could adjust very well without visiting first. 

However, this time, I vow to be prepared.  I will go visit and introduce myself to my potential advisors.  I will scope out areas to live and where I should be close to.  This time I will not venture blindly into the unknown – I will have a path.  A narrow and shaky one to be sure, but a path nevertheless.  There are still so many obstacles to overcome, but I’m working on them and I know that every day I grow closer to beginning my actual career, I realize more and more that all this will be worth it.  I will (hopefully) be able to live in one place longer than a year (by place I mean city).  I will (hopefully) make lasting friendships that won’t have to stand the test of distance for a while.  And, most importantly, I will be able to begin studying towards a goal that I knew I wanted before I finished my first semester in college. 

It’s a wonderful feeling that will get me through the next 5 months.  I’ll do whatever it takes to get me to graduate school in August.