Nothing Intelligent Here!

Ha, nothing but the end of the semester. I am pleased with myself that I just knocked out yet another final. Whether it is good enough always remains to be seen. I am just happy and am finally able to take a deep breath. The end of the semester is so frustrating. Anyway, have a great summer everyone and we'll see who keeps on blogging!

Breath of Fresh Air

For me, when my son spends his evening talking to me about his day and how much he adores being home is such an amazing feeling. I mean think about it, as adults we see the economy, stress, life in general as being so intense that when a child says how much he enjoys his day at school makes a person really appreciate the simple things. Not too many children are happy with their school and what they learn throughout the day. My son is really smart. He is in a science based school and in the 1st grade, he brought me home his homework which is all about the vertices. Hell, I think I just learned about that not too long ago at the college level. Boy do I feel inadequate. Regardless, this little boy said to me that he has decided that he wants to be a bio engineer when he grows up. He wants to discover the cure for cancer. Isn't that just crazy to hear from an 8 year old? He really makes me proud to be a part of his life, watch him grow and see him change into the person he is going to be. I really feel lucky to be able to be a part of it. I can truly only aspire to see things as clearly as he does at 8 years old. He is my inspiration to be better and more simple in my day to day life. To appreciate simple beauties and be fascinated by things that I take for granted during my day is a type of magic that I (as an adult) work for is something to learn from.

Bye Souter

I woke up this morning, turned on the news which is normal in my household and behold, the announcement came over the television (and of course was also in my morning paper waiting eargerly for me when I opened the door) Justice Souter is stepping down. Retirement. Souter is the Republican that was appointed that kept the block going on behalf of the controversial cases involving Roe v. Wade et al. This is Obama's chance to appoint and as we all know, this is one of the most telling legacies that a President can leave is an appointed Justice to the Supreme Court. This is going to be really interesting to follow even though it is said that the person appointed will not likely make a significant change but at least uphold the status quo. Souter is expected to end in June but will most likely be staying on until October when the next term takes over. As quoted in the NY Times, "Replacing Justice Souter with a liberal would not change the basic makeup of the court, where he and three other justices hold down the left wing against a conservative caucus of four justices. Justice Anthony Kennedy, a moderate Republican appointee, often provides the swing vote that controls important decisions."

Take a look at the article yourself. Good luck Souter, and Good luck to Obama and the rest of the Nation for the next pick.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/02/us/02souter.html?_r=1&hp

Swine Arrival

So I have been following the swine flu like everyone else recently. I received a phone call from my sister who lives in Santa Clara and behold, she has been hospitalized for the pig flu herself. She was given Tamaflu and is feeling better but is still being held under observation. The pandemic alert status went to 5 today and now, schools are closing. One that I have heard of is in Chicago and one now in Santa Clara. Crazy. I keep seeing photos of people in Mexico walking around in face masks etc. and the news just says to wash your hands and eat at home. Really? That is the best advice so far? Crazy, Crazy world we live in. Yesterday I was reading an article that Mexico was closing down any non-essential government due to the pandemic. How in the world does that work? I was curious exactly how that was going to fair. I mean, how do you shut down a country? What really happens when it is attempted? My attention is definately on it right now and considering all of the countries that are in danger, it is a real worry and a true concern. I am a big advocate of WHO so I normally follow what they do in neglected countries. I have no answers, I just thought it was worth mentioning.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30471035

http://www.who.int/en/

Feeling at Odds

I have come to see that this semester seems to be really getting to people. I really feel bad sometimes for students that are so stressed out (even myself) that we end up taking our frustrations out on each other. Academia at its best I guess. So many students seem to be pushing themselves so hard that the frustrations seem to be shot off in all directions. This is honestly the strangest semester yet. I find it funny that because I keep my blogs simple (because everything else is not) that I am even getting rough feedback because of it. Hey, we all do what we do to get through life and through the day. You can't please everyone, so try with the self. I am ok with that. So, for the students that are stressed out and really feeling it....take a moment, breathe and keep swimming. (I will be taking my own advice too.)

Stuck

Don't you hate it when your brain just gets stuck? I mean really, we are students and when a person can't think of an issue (or anything for that matter) that is on the brain to blog about, it is really a frustrating experience. Maybe it is just end of the semester frustrations. So many classes and so little time to complete everything that is due so the brain just gets bogged down and then, gets stuck. So, that is where I am at right now. Stuck. I am trying to maintain my blog but when there is nothing coming from my brain to write about, then it just doesn't happen. Don't get me wrong, I have had important issues come up, but nothing I necessarily wish to share with the World Wide Web. So, here I go with meaningless trite bullshit in order to make sure that I don't leave my participation points, hanging in the breeze. Nothing would be more frustrating to me than to have worked so hard this semester and then blow it all off at the very end. Know what I mean?

What to Blog?

I have been sitting here since Friday trying to figure out what in the world I am going to blog about this week and quite frankley, the only thing that has been on my mind is everything involved with Law School. This is not a little thing for a person who worries as much as I do. For example, I have to worry about studying for the LSAT's, hoping they are good enough to get me into Law School. Now, will those scores be good enough to get me into the school I want to get into? Once you actually get into a law school I have to worry about the debt, as well as not flunking out. If you make it far enough to actually complete law school and not flunk out, well then there is always the BAR exam to thwart me. So, these are my current worries, along with making sure that I enroll in my next set of classes by the 22nd, and hopefully the classes I want are not all taken. Not to mention that I have finals for this semester and I have to apply for my graduation certificate by a certain date or I am not graduating. Are you kidding me? I feel like I am in some sort of rat race. This is insane.

Unpopular at Parties

I remember at the beginning of the semester that our Professor said that if we actually answered the statement at a party in regards to being founded as a Christian Nation, we probably would become, well, not so very popular. This Easter, well, thanks to Newsweek ( http://www.newsweek.com/id/192915 ) the subject came up and of course, knowing me, I had to answer the "Well the answer is both Yes and No and here is why...." I was totally entertained as I saw my family members' eyes glaze over, people got fidgety and then wandered off, changing the subject. I had to laugh. As a matter of fact I told my mother, "My Professor said that would happen". So, I wanted to enlighten everyone that it is true, people have a pre-determination of how our country was founded and if by some chance you try to actually answer someone about the subject, people don't want to hear it. I can totally understand that since the answer is so damn conveluded anyway that getting to the point is quite difficult to do in a short time frame. I just wanted to report back that the Professor is right, don't mention it at parties or holidays.

What Happened to Easter Break?

Interesting thoughts I am having this month. I have really noticed a complete "pull away" from Easter Break. That is what it was called when I was a kid, then again, we also practiced the Pledge of Allegiance every morning also. Things became really apparent to me this month because my son, my daughter, my husband and myself are all in school, and different schools to boot. Everyone but my daughter's break is called "Spring Vacation or Spring Break". My daughter's school is calling it "Easter Break" which is no real surprise since she attends a Christian private school. She even gets "Good Friday" off. The rest of us has had our breaks, each on a different week. It seems that not only are schools not calling it "Easter Break" but also seem to be moving it as far as possible away from the holiday to ensure that their is no possible connection made to the holiday. Really? Funny how you can go to the store and see Easter promotions everywhere, but now schools are totally afraid of connecting themselves with the religious holiday. Hell, for that matter, Christmas Vacation is no longer called that, it is called "Winter Break". I am a bit worried that the politically correct montage is going a bit too far. I don't really have any answers, it is just a topic that has been on my mind this month and I am definitely growing more concerned that are holidays are falling more and more into spending holidays and not remembering what the holiday in particular is all about.

WHY?

Honestly, I have been a little perplexed in regards to our school's latest holiday choice. I am curious that our school elected not to take the day off for President's Day (a Federal holiday I might add). The rest of the country took the day off, yet our University was in session. The day we did get off was Cesar Chavez Day. huh? I don't really like the vibe that this sends out and I am hoping that there is a good and valid reason for it. What is interpreted is that we are not going to celebrate the fathers of the country but we are going to celebrate the farm worker. Interesting. The way I see it, we wouldn't be able to celebrate the farm worker if we didn't have a country in the first place so the honor should remain for the fathers of the country, for better or for worse, to celebrate all of them that have taken on the huge undertaking of running our country. I am so at odds with this little issue it is crazy. It just got me thinking so ultimately, I was interested in what the reasoning behind it was.

Internet Gone Too Far

So, I have been believing that the internet has been going to far in regards to invading people's privacy but as I was reading yesterday, even MSN has gotten into the vibe and is forewarning people about privacy issues that are not out of control. Apparently, there are search engines out there that are literally tracking various bits of information about each and everyone of us from blogs, youtube videos, flickr, myspace etc. and combines this information all together to give a tabulation and snoop of private citizens. This is crazy because none of this information is illegal to obtain (tickets, civil cases, divorces and marriages are also included in the information). This is getting out of hand. We are all being subject to a collection of data that promotes to the world, who we are and the footprints that we are leaving from the internet. They even search the wish lists from Amazon on the books we like and the movies we are interested in. The article which gives more information is http://tech.msn.com/products/articlepcw.aspx?cp-documentid=18632762&GT1=40000 which gives a more detailed article of exactly how at risk we really are. We have no privacy ladies and gentlemen. I am really concerned. Take a look at the article and tell me what you think. The scary thing is, as I said, this is all legal.

Short Story

Since I am not getting a lot of feedback from my workgroup in creative writing, I am posting my story here to see if I can get some critiques elsewhere. This is a true story. Please let me know what you think.

Friendly Fire

John Fields and I have been together since grade school. Inseparable since childhood, we’ve joined at the hip like Siamese twins. Back home in California he lived across the street from me throughout our childhood; our parents still live there on that same, unchanging inner city cul-de-sac. We even enlisted into the Army together. We finished basic training 6 months before my 20th birthday. The night we graduated we sat together upon my bunk, legs crossed Indian style and facing each other.

We each pulled out a razor sharp knife that had been freshly cleaned and drug in across each of our palms, one at a time. I held out my hand and John clasped it tightly. We pressed our cut palms together, held them tightly and declared our blood oath to each other, and to God himself in the dead of the night. Our oath echoed through the barracks and hung in the air, the pronounced words heavily laden with loyalty “My brother, my brother, in life and death. We will make it out of Vietnam. To come back home together or never.” The next day we shipped out, to the bowels of hell itself. The Ho Chi Minh Trail waited eagerly to greet us, greedily anticipating the fresh new men that would soon be sent to suckle from its breast of death.

I have two dog tags that hang from a cold silver chain around my neck. My name glimmers in response to the moon on the embossed tag, Charles Bright it reads. My social security number befriends my name on the next line, followed by my blood type and religion. These lifeless pieces of metal will be my identification if I die in this satanistic version of Eden. I can hear the loud thumping of my chest in my ears so loud I swear that the booming of my panic will be heard by the Viet Cong. I can smell my own fear as the sweat rolls down my face, or are they tears? Can a body sweat tears?

The Captain’s orders sent us to this foxhole off to the side of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. We are less than a klick away from the boarder of Laos. We have been under heavy fire all day and now into sunset. The beautiful sunsets of gold and red are amazingly deceptive. A sense of peace comes with the setting sun, but it is an illusion. Death comes with the setting sun in Vietnam. The Viet Cong wait for the cloak of night to hide themselves. They know this landscape like the back of their hand while we are the strangers and unwelcome. I haven’t slept in at least 24 hours and my body is complaining to me through the dull aching in my bones. Everything hurts, even my hair hurts. I bury my face in the mud as bullets race past my head. Those crazy bullets that scream as they fly through the air keep me so jumpy. I feel as though I could jump right out of my own skin.

The black of night surrounds us, engulfing all that can be seen. Ignited Napalm scorches the sky in colors of red and orange. American soldiers are blown in all directions, littering the floor with their charred flesh. The screams of young soldiers are deafening to the ears as their lungs erupt in their bodies. John and I crouch down low in a foxhole trying desperately to blend our bodies into the thick cocoon of mud that encases us. John bent his head, touching his chin to his chest. I could barely hear him with all the heavy gun fire overhead. “Charlie” he hissed through clenched teeth, “Are we gonna die here?” “I dunno man” I quipped. My eyes darted back and forth, watching men run like scurrying rats. The image before me was in perfect harmony with my racing thoughts.

John angled his body in my direction, “Charlie, get to my left man”. John reaches his right arm across my back and clenches my right shoulder, tugging me as he speaks. I pull my rifle closer to me and tuck the base under my left arm. Before I can utter a word, John begins to slither his body over mine like a snake. John’s right boot digs into my left ankle as he tries to get his footing and throw his body over. I smear the mud away from my eyes with the backside of my right hand, trying to clear my vision from the sludge that had taken refuge there. John’s weight falls upon my back as his face buries itself in my uniform.

John's body lay across my back, his body motionless on top of me as I squirm underneath him. “John get off me man, move your ass” I yell as I gasp for breath. John doesn't respond, doesn't answer. I tuck my legs underneath me and haul myself up onto my knees. I lift my back straight up and John rolls down my body like a sack of uncooked rice. I turn to face him as fear creeps up my spine in cold icy waves.

John’s body lay distorted in the mud at my feet. The skin of his face portrays an etching of surprise as he stares at me with lifeless eyes. Dead. Death poures from his head in red waves underneath his brown locks of hair, flowing to the earth like an erupting volcano. I try to scream but there is only silence. I look right. I look left. Realization attackes me like a jilted lover, beating me with what has actually happened. I feel the sledgehammer that blasts me in my stomach with no mercy as I gasp for air. There is no oxygen left of the planet for me to breathe. Out of the corner of my eye I can see the billowing smoke coming from the barrel of my gun. It is my gun. My fault. I blink at the stinging tears that prick at my eyes. My mouth gapes open as my jaw drops.

John’s lightless eyes keep staring at me. I turn my head to the left once more to see the smoke rise from the barrel and drift up into my nose All I can smell is that smoke from my gun and the strong stink of blood all around me. God sends no wind to cleanse the air and save my senses from my sin. The sin of friendly fire.

Global

What exactly is going on with the world today anyway? CNN is constantly reporting how Russia is going to increase their military forces by the year 2011. North Korea is actively working on launching "satellites" and of course not to mention China deciding to get active over what they consider to be a cross on their waters from the US. It seems as though we are all currently living the game of Risk and everyone is mobilizing to move into each other's countries. Sometimes it really just gives me a headache, or is it just fear? Recently, I just can't decide.

Of course I haven't even touched on what is going on with the Afghan onslaught. So what do we do? Just sit around and watch the news unfold? Do you ever feel as helpless as I do? I must admit it is rather scary to see all of this coming about while I am working on my degree in school. Here I am going to school and the world is going to hell. I feel at a loss of what can come of this. It is all rather frightening especially when you throw in the world economy going to shit as well.

I have no answers, just a bunch of questions and really no direction on what is the right thing to do for our global issues at the moment. I am glad I am not in a position where people are asking me what to do. I definitely have no answers.

Where Has Our Socity Gone?

Good Grief! Our society never ceases to amaze me. So check out this one...Apparently a Japanese company called Illusion has created a video game that simulates rape. Can you believe this? In the game a person actually stalks, hunts and violently rapes women. Oh My God! This truly is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard of. To make things worse, Amazon was one of the companies that had been selling the game. Apparently they just recently decided to pull the game. http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/988/1050988/rape-video-game-pulled-amazon

This is one of the most horrific and most disgusting ideas I have ever heard of and quite frankly, coming from me that really is something. I can't believe it actually was being sold via Amazon. Who is doing product control over there, serial killers? People have no shame. Our society has many issues that it is dealing with. Some of these issues are important, and as we have just learned, some are completely disgusting. As I heard about the game via CNN today, someone actually "twittered" a comment that suggested that maybe this would help curb rape against women if people were able to act it out over a video game. Is this person for real? Are people really that stupid? I believe it was a few weeks ago that a 6 year old drove himself to school (I believe 20 miles) because his mom was sleeping. When the 6 year old was asked how he learned to drive he stated "Grand Theft Auto". Yeah, ok, sure, a rape game won't encourage people or teach them how to do it, the kid driving the car wasn't a good judge of what could happen.

This is so disgusting!

Comments anyone?

Oh Well

So, yesterday was a rather interesting day for me. I was at a birthday party for my niece who just turned 19 years old. Maybe I am getting old but I really don't remember being so young at 19 years old. Of course I am talking mentally. It is a real difference having little children who have not even reached 9 years old to a grown child of 19. I find I spend a lot of time policing the activity between the older teen and my younger kids. I have left my title of "Aunt" behind for the new title of "Referree".

Regardless, I have realized that no matter how much further we get along in life, our family is still there to make us feel as though we haven't grown at all. Does anyone else feel like a complete child around their mom's and dad's? It feels to me that the minute I go home to visit my family, I regress into a little kid again. I wonder if I will feel the same way for my children when they are grown. I think I have heard people say that our children will always remain babies in our own eyes. I think I am starting to understand that statement now. My niece that is 19 years old is treated like a little girl by her dad. No wonder she hasn't grown up yet. It is completely understandable when the childhood comfort coccoon is kept around a little too long.

Anyway, this is what has been batting around in my brain for the moment. I really didn't want to think any further about the OctoMom, Chris Brown and Rhianna, etc. I am really quite tired of the trivial data that the public thinks is the news. I am interested in the economy turning around and how to make that happen. I guess I am a bit burnt out on REALITY NEWS so therefore I just tuned everything out for a moment and realized that my family wasn't necessarily a good exchange either.

I Record Everything

Alright you students, you intelligent individuals..... I am going to pose you a question that I do not have the answer to that is really quite relevant in today's legal society. So let us go with a scenario of recording an individual without their knowledge. Now, from what I understand it to be, there must be at least one person of the party in knowledge of a audio/video recording of the conversation or the interaction. There is also the other opininion that both must be aware that a recording is in play (i.e. "this phone call can be recorded" blah blah blah) or in essence the infamous "beep" during a recorded phone call conversation.

Now that we have the initial generic background set up established (the conversation in some fashion is being recorded) comes the "make you think" question.

Can a person wear a shirt that says "I Record Everything" be enough to validate a secret recording if worn in eyesight? I understand that this will not work over a telephone conversation, but let us assume it is a person to person conversation on the street. One person is wearing the shirt labeled "I Record Everything" and the other is not. The person that is wearing the shirt is actually recording (whatever they deem necessary) through a device on their person. Question: Is this admissable in court? Is it actually valid? Does this shirt serve as valid notificiation that the conversation or the interaction is being recorded and that it would be admissable in court? GOOD QUESTION. I am not sure I have an answer to this and am extremely interested in various points of view.

Free Speech?

Well, this week I have really been thinking about free speech and most importantly responsibility. The reason I have been thinking about this is because a member of my family seems to speak without using common sense to back up what is being said. Maybe it is because she is young, and maybe not. The reason I say maybe not because that would bring on the additional question of "Does age bring on common sense?" I think that answer would be "no". So based on that idea, where does the responsibility come from? Where does common sense actually come into play in the mind of a person? Does it show up like a birthday? Does it magically appear or does it show up once a person starts experiencing life for themselves and all of the effects that go with it. I guess it is growing up and those years that really signify it. I remember my mother always saying that "Youth was wasted on the young" and now that I am older, I am really appreciating what she meant.

So now, at the moment I am in the middle of common sense debates (otherwise known as responsibility) with an 18 year old girl (family member) who has not really lived much outside in the world, yet thinks she does. I found myself actually thinking "Man, does free speech really have to apply to everyone?" The answer of course is yes. I began thinking that maybe this class should actually be given on the High School level just to assist in the young teens starting out in the world. It isn't an actual fix but a little direction is better than no direction at all, don't you think?

Regardless we have free speech and all that goes with it, for good or for bad and what happens with that is the ever changing and developing world around us that moves when we open our mouths and let our thoughts out. Even I, writing this post am acknowledging that what I am writing, what I am saying will have an effect on people. People will either agree with me, have experienced it themselves, or not. A good dose of responsibility is definately important that people seem to miss these days.

The 5 Year Old Mind

So, something interesting happened the other morning when my daughter came home from school. She handed me a parchment certificate that read her name and underneath it stated "Knows the Pledge of Allegiance and its Meaning". Hmmm. My daughter is 5 years old. I thought how interesting it was that she was taught the pledge and it was verified that she understood its meaning. I was thinking back to when I first was taught the pledge and I can not say that I understood its meaning until I was in Junior High and even then, well, I am not really sure I understood the concept.

I decided to do a little investigating and asked her to recite the pledge to me. She did it in her wonderful 5 year old glory, every word recited correctly and precisely. I was impressed. She then went on to quiz me about each line. She asked me if I understood what allegiance meant and then asked me if I was "allegied to the United States". Sometimes children just make you smile. "Yes" I told her, "I am allegied". She asked me if I understood the meaning of "One Nation Under God" and I said yes. I asked her what she thought it meant and she said "Well, God watches everything and everyone and the nation is the brotherhood, the family that all work together to make a better place". In theory, I thought to myself. What a beautiful sentiment isn't it from the mind of a child? She has no predisposed notions of the world, not corrupted by all of the politicians, crime, hate and trauma that the world has to offer. She only sees the simple things. Wow, 5 years old is a beautiful thing isn't it?

She asked me the other day what color she was. I told her she was white and asked her "Why? what color did you think you were?" "Oh", "I thought I was flesh colored". How cool is that? This is the age where the world is really just as it appears. I told her she was flesh colored. "Yep, everyone is colored in flesh, just in different shades" she stated and tottled off. As I said, the mind of a child is a beautiful thing. You have to love the statements that are just oberservant truths.

Directions and Poetry

So here's my thought of the week. School is an interesting dynamic with many different types of people all congregating to achieve some sort of academic achievement to then go out into the world and make a difference. Sounds like the right idea right? On the one side, great, good, awesome for the new and upcoming but on the other hand, have you ever really takin a good hard look at the fellow students? I wonder at times where in the world the job markets will take these other students. At the same time, I wonder where mine will end up taking me. Everyone I know seems to have changed their major at least once as they redirect their ambitions. I hear everything from legal aid for animals to assisting trees. ok, I'm not here to judge.

I look at the classes that are offered and sometimes I question the line-up. For example, Intro to Creative Writing sounds great on the surface but as I have now been involved with it since the beginning of the semester I have realized that it is Intro to Poetry. This reminds me of false advertising. Quite frankly, I would never have taken an intro to poetry class. We all need to accept our limitations and I for one am not a poet. I never have been a poet and never will be. I would never subject my readers to such a complete disaster of such a thing. Regardless, I am faced with having to give it the "old college try" just to complete the class. Since I am Pre-Law I look at this class and think to myself, where in the world am I going to use poetry in my future? Am I going to look at the Jury one day and say: Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, My client is not guilty and you will think so too! Yea, that will happen.

Some of my classes are great and some, well not so great. I am hoping by the end of the semester I will see things a bit more positive or on at least be able to choose more wisely because in the end, I did it to myself right? I chose it, I'm stuck with it. Whatever. I'll be happy when I begin to work on my Capstone (final thesis) and then on to graduate work. Now, the big and upcoming delemma for me is to choose which school which in student language that means, who will accept me and what kind of debt do I want to go into.

What Vibe Do You Get?

Alright, so check this out. Last week I went out for a service learning position (otherwise known as internship). I went to a local community that is predominantly Latin for the internship interview. Understand that I am a pre-law student and have been in the legal game in one form or the other for the past 5 years already. I am blond and green eyed and my family's heritage is German-Irish. Obviously I looked like a fish out of water in the Latin community but I didn't care, I went to put my skills to use and become a benefit not just to fit-in. Well, upon arriving in the interview the first thing that was told to me after I was looked up and down was that "This is not LA Law". Really? I had no idea I wasn't applying for a Hollywood acting position, I thought to myself. I found the first statement that they made rather insulting. Do I look as though I would not like law if it wasn't displayed on the T.V? My resume depicts the trenches of the legal work that I have done, not the glitz and glamour. Were they judging me on the fact that I am a woman that is of German heritage trying to assist in a community that is Latin? Of course other questions were asked of me that led me to the possibility that I was being judged on my ethnic background and appearance. Now this is interesting and something I didn't really see coming. After leaving the interview I quite honestly felt discriminated against. Understand that I did not include all of the pointed questions that were given to me due to the fact that I really do not feel comfortable posting the statements that were made to me that led me to the ultimate feeling that I was being discriminated against. I also sensed an air of elitism in the things that they said to me over other minorities such as Asian, African American etc. I guess stereotypes, assumptions about race and gender, ethnic background etc. are all still alive and well in today's job market. This is all a real shame because as a student, I wanted to intern with this particular company since last semester. I was a big advocate for their organization and quite frankly now, well, I believe that I will be removing my name from their list because I do not wish to intern with a company that I believe to be discriminating, possibly racist as well as an organization that feels one minority is superior to another minority.

Oh, and one more thing, in regards to socio-economic oppression....... well, last time I looked we are ALL in the same boat suffering greatly at the hands of our country's recession.

What Happens When We Lie?

Yesterday in class we were reviewing Virginia colonial free speech punishments and laws in regards to various matters. One that stuck with me was the basic "no lying" under punishment of death. That's pretty harsh for lying. It made me think of what our consequences are today in regards to punishment for lying. If you stop and think about it, our Presidents and Politicians don't normally get in trouble for an abusive act, it normally is the lying about it later that gets them. Regardless, lying is a troublesome deal which made me remember a story.

Many years ago when I was married to my ex-husband he had a business trip to New York that he was not very excited about. He had a 3 hour delay before his plane even took off, 2 hours extra up in the air and 3 hours extra on the tarmac waiting in the plan to taxi in off the runway. He was miserable and wanted to get off of the plane. When the airline stewardess asked if there was anything she could do for him, he decided to lie and say he was feeling very very ill and had to get off of the plane. Of course, no one on the plane was happy to be sitting there. All of the passengers had a miserably long travel day.

My ex thought that this lie would get him off of the plane faster. Wrong. An announcement came over the loud speaker declaring his illness and that everyone must REMAIN seated until emergency personnel had come to the gate. No one was allowed to get their bags from the overhead compartments and my ex had to remain seated as well. 20 minutes later, the doors opened and emergency crews came in with a portable fold out wheelchair, designed to the specific isle size of an aircraft hallway. My ex was a very big guy so the image I can give you all reading this blog is that it was like trying to stuff an adult into a 5 year old's shirt. He tried to decline the wheelchair but at that time, they INSISTED! He squeezed into this wheelchair and allowed the medical technicians to push him to the front of the plane, all the while completely embarrased because the glaring of the other passengers. The wheelchair hit the metal barrier and could not clear itself onto the ramp. My ex let the techs try and try and try to get him over this until finally he stood up (the wheelchair was still stuck to him) he hobbled past the barrier and sat dutifully back down so they could wheel him to the airport medical station. All in all, he didn't leave the airport itself for another 5 hours. When I finally received his phone call the next day he told me the story and said..... that is what I get for lying! It took me a day longer than it would have if I had only told the truth. My only response is that I couldn't stop laughing and giggling. I love karma when it acts immediately.

Who we are represents us

So, I was giving some thought to our latest reading in our Free Speech and Responsibility class in regards to Raed Jarrar http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/jarrar.html and his shirt “We will not be silenced”. I believe that a lot of this has to do with something we really hope we can avoid in our culture but inevitably we succumb to the inevitability of who we are and what we look like truly defines us. For example, a woman that wears a shirt with the phrase “we will not be silenced” takes on a different meaning. If a woman wore the shirt, it would be taken into context that she is speaking out for women’s rights or abuse. If a man or woman of color other than white wore the shirt it would be looked at as a racial equality stand. If a child wore the same shirt, it would be perceived that children have a voice as well. If a convict who displays a bunch of prison tattoos wore a shirt for example that read “3 can keep a secret if two are dead” takes on a heavier meaning of his social existence. Anyway we look at it, who we are represents our class, our status and the trials and tribulations of our represented nature for everyone in the world to see and interpret. Our history has shown us this as well as our present day. What is that age old saying? Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it? Apparently we have not learned anything.

Pictures from:

http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/jarrar.html

http://store.crime-inc.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=cic&Category_Code=menstshirts

Free Speech

I am the writer Faust here to talk freely of good and evil.