The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia (a French colony, btw) started when a street vendor, and primary breadwinner for his family, was told he could not sell his fruit without a permit. Unable to provide for his large family, he set himself on fire in front of the govt office. I'm not sure how that helped his family, but the video went viral! And it led to a bunch of protests, a President step-down, and regime-change in Tunisia, 2011. Egypt followed same year in revolution, led by youth/secular activists, but after President Mubarak stepped down, the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group, was voted into power.
Self-Immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi
While the youth focused on ousting the regime, political groups prepared to seize the impending power vacuum. The MB was popular, well-organized, and ready to win/dominate elections. Arab world, religiously conservative, want Islam in life affairs. Islamist groups want to enforce Sharia Law, oppressive to women. So far, revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain.
This period of revolutions was known as the "Arab Spring." It was followed by a period of wide-scale violence and political instability in the region, known as the "Arab Winter." Destabilized by rebel groups, like Houthis in Yemen, who ousted the new government while it was still fragile.
The Jasmine Revolution and Arab Spring in 2011 were uniquely Arab upheavals, other ethnic groups were not involved. Thus, these political stirrings are invariably connected to ISIS, current Middle Eastern instability, and international terror.
-Although their situations are different, and certainly their methods for obtaining what they want are different...
-What Islamic State wants politically CAN be compared to what the Communist Vietnamese wanted, after hundreds of years of degradation and European/Chinese occupation: National Sovereignty! I never even understood that phrase in AP Euro. But it makes sense now, they want Independence, their own state, they wanted to be sovereign rulers of their own land.
-Problem is, we don't trust them, and they're not proving themselves to be trustworthy. And their Sharia law is oppressive to women. End of the day, they're being jerks, and people would rather "bomb the shit" out of them than give them what they want, ESPECIALLY when...
-They seem to have no forward-moving plan, aside from barbaric mass killings and beheadings, and smuggling/selling oil. There is a reason all these Syrians are FLEEING THEIR COUNTRY EN MASSE. Their actions are saying "Fuck THAT shit."
The Positive Side of Islam:
-On that note, I want to say something about Muslims that I've personally known and interacted with. Many of them are great people, diligent students, wonderful artists/musicians/activists, welcoming shopkeepers, and so forth. We should not hate them. They are subject to bullying and hatespeech in schools. I knew this poor kid when I was teaching, sharp student, but outcasted by his peers. I wish you the best, Ahmed! Unfortunately, that type of thing goes on in adult groups too, so we shouldn't direct anger toward our Muslim brothers and sisters, we should try to understand them, most of them want peace too.
-I've also found almsgiving(donation of food/money to those less fortunate), one of the 5 pillars of Islam, is a worthwhile and spiritually rewarding charitable practice.
-Abstaining from pig meat and intoxicants is commendable too, I can't do it, but I try.
-Many rappers are Muslim or have espoused Muslim-derived ideologies, my favorites including Nas, Guru, Busta Rhymes, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, Akbar, Jay-Z, Jay Electronica, and Wu-Tang Clan. The number of Muslim hip hop artists is not limited to my list.
Nature of Islam:
-Because the religion lends itself to syncretization (merging with other people's existing beliefs), there are many types of Islam in different regions, and some are bound to be Extreme...ly obnoxious. Most are not Radical or violent. Many are peaceful, from American factions, like the Nation of Islam and the Nation of Gods and Earths, to Southeast Asian variants in Malaysian, Indonesia, and Thailand. In fact, I think there are more Asian Muslims than Arab Muslims... and I thought right, after a google check, 62% of world's Muslims live in South/Southeast Asia, and the largest Muslim country is Indonesia (ha, but knew that without Google). You don't hear from them as much because they're not as violent, and the Dalai Lama said most people just want peace and happiness, not violence and barbarism. Our intelligent species must know better than that if we are to save ourselves from ourselves.
So stepping out my door at 6:19am this morning, I saw the moon. I said "Oh shit! The eclipse!" And I hurried my backpack and bookbag and all my workstuff into my car, then tried to take a picture of the moon on my phone. The picture turned out looking like straight bullpoo, cuz you can't take pictures of celestial bodies with a phone. I was running kinda late too, so I RAN back into my house, pulled out the Nikon, ran back out, put it on zoom and higher exposure, and snapped a few shots!
This first shot came out right!
I had not expected to catch this so-called "impossible lunar eclipse," because I read it was only visible from the East Coast, at 6:25am EST, and only for 9 minutes. So not fitting the viewing criteria in both space and time, I had settled into thinking I was not going to see this eclipse. Apparently it's the 2nd, in a series of 4 consecutive, and an impossible occurrence of the Sun rising and Moon setting at the same time in a less than 180° view of the sky, only possible because the atmosphere refracts light and yada yada.. But I saw it anyway, and it lasted for a while too. Throughout my entire commute to work, the moon was eclipsed, made for distracted driving on the overpass, and even when I got to the school, I was still able to snap some pictures of it.
The 2nd picture:
2nd shot came out tricky.
3rd shot, using the powerlines as reference, shows how fast the moon was setting/moving/
relative to Earth rotating (compared to 1st shot)
They say these celestial events coincide with shifts on earth. I don't think causation is provable, but with many new advances in technology and progressive changes in society, human civilization is at a pivotal and extreme point. We are also shifting from an industrial-based political-economy to an information-based political-economy (that's a topic for another day). Also there are at least 2-3 major wars/political conflicts going on right now... Turning my awareness toward celestial bodies in the heavens brings about calmness in the present, excitement for the future, as well as connectedness to the ancients, in a world that's really crazy these days.
Election time again, so you know what that means.... Plenty of depressing commercials and smear campaigns about people we don't really know.
These campaign dollars are starting to take over YouTube. Mostly attack ads. It must mean the 2014 Mid-term Elections are coming up!!!
There's one big problem though. First, I consider myself to be pretty engaged in civic matters... I mean... I majored in History, minored in Civic Engagement. Compelled to do my civic duty. I even drive a Civic. That's a cool palindrome, I just realized.
So I figured, for someone like me, who is engaged and interested in local, statewide, national, and international matters, frequently scouring the news, it is still a struggle to be informed. Being a voter is pretty easy, but being an informed voter, and knowledgeable about what/who I'm voting for, that's another challenge.
"But if it's just midterm elections, then it doesn't matter as much," says maybe 85% of people.
That's not a real statistic, nor is it a real quote, but you get the idea. Most people ignore midterm elections... Why? Idunno, cuz it's democracy and we have freedom to vote, or not. Maybe because there's no charismatic President. But I was just talking to this college guy about his political science class, while tutoring math, and it REALLY IS important, because we're electing SENATORS to hold seats for 6 years???!
Do you know how many U.S. Senators there are?
Not many people do, apparently. What goes on in this "Senate" anyway?
There are 100 Senators, because there are 2 per state, therefore 2x = 100 must be true, and confirms that there are 50 states. 100 Senators making important decisions for the rest of us, for 6 years of their lives at a time. So who ARE these people? How do we vote the shitty ones out, and how do we know which ones to vote in? Even more important, House Representatives who draft bills, propositions, and respond more directly to constituents (us), they are also campaigning, but do I know anyone running? NO. How can I vote for the right one that won't mess us up for 2-6 years (2 for house reps, 6 for senators)? Who knows?
Also, what Propositions are up for a vote in your area? Does anyone know??? It's such a struggle to be informed, but why? I thought we lived in an INFORMATION age? Nah, I guess people would rather play with their flappy bird.
If that's difficult for me, I can't imagine what voting would be like for someone who's not politically engaged.
Anyways, most midterm elections tend to go overlooked. But we are in a pretty critical place right now. I hope this was a little informative.
This year, 2014, marks 9 years since I started taking writing more seriously... Fall '05 senior year of high school... And 6 years since I started performing in spoken word/jazz club settings, back in '08 college years.
It's been a good run. I do want to punctuate the 10th year, 2015, with something new. We'll see as the current year unfolds. Almost everywhere I go, audiences have received me warmly and I have been encouraged to write more and perform more. That means the world to me. I owe a lot to those who supported me, from my UCLA friends who saw me when I was first starting to perform, to all the great artists and people I've met along the way at different venues. I'm still creating new work, but not all of it is made for publication. I share some old and new Original Compositions on here: www.powerknowledge.org
I am just beginning to explore the Spoken Word scene in New Orleans, they have a pretty dynamic slam team here, I hear. And I'm here for another year, so I'll be sure to see more before returning back to where I started. LA/OC, California!
Anyway, I just came across this new spoken word video, The World is Coming to an End, thought it was pretty relevant for us this year. Not that I believe the world is coming to an end, but it is kinda crazy these days. It's going somewhere it's never been before. And this guy illuminates some of that craziness.
Happy Autumn season, enjoy the fall equinox and don't get zapped by a solar ray!
Happy Day of Independence,
I am... watchin the pen dance...
Just getting my write on.
Using my left and my right arm.
Right on.
Just having some pun to start my day.
Goodness, I've been on vacation from this blog! Summer started over a month ago for me, and I've been spending time with the girl, with the family, and back in Cali. Summer Break for teachers is lovely, I don't feel tied down by work; I got no strings!
So Independence Day...usually associated with the Declaration of Independence, 1776, America's separation from the British Crown, and fireworks (cuz they sound like bombs bursting in air?).
Sometimes associated with alien attacks
That's cool, but the day got me thinking about independent people that I know, and how we should celebrate them as well. We should celebrate the free-thinkers, the creatives, the artists, the entrepreneurs, the (r)evolutionaries, those who initiate their own projects and are unafraid to walk alone. And, saving the best for last, the SINGLE people!
Being single is the definition of independence. Untethered, like a slave liberated. Like a dog off its leash. Not having to shoulder other people's burden. I haven't been single in a while, but it was those days when I was single (2008-2009ish) that I made a lot of changes in my life; I got my personal shit together, and I was able to learn more about myself.
This is me when I was single. aka, Tom in his Prime.
Single years are transformative! Whether it transforms a person positively or negatively is up to them.
It wasn't from some class or book (though classes and books certainly guided me in the right direction*), but it was from that self-knowledge, uncovered from being independent and single, that I strengthened my sense of self, my belief in my own gifts. I saw my potential to elevate BEFORE stepping on the elevator. I perceived my ability to climb, from the bottom of the mountain. And I love my life now. Still growing and trying to change up my routine so I don't stagnate. The past year in New Orleans has definitely been a good change and a move up. And even though I was still with my gf, we were 2000+ miles apart and I spent a lot of time alone, which is valuable. I look forward to more of that.
It's not easy being single/independent, but it's not good being stagnant. In fact, stagnant water stinks.
On the topic of independence, is also the topic of dependence. What are you dependent on? Whether it is a person, an object, an organization, or a substance... Can you free yourself from that dependence?
Sometimes, I think spending too much time with OTHER PEOPLE can hinder my productivity and inclination to create and write. I've been out so much, on this summer vacation, that I totally neglected my blog, my website, and other projects that I have to do. I've still be journalizing though, and writing when the inspiration hits.
But still, this is a day to celebrate INDEPENDENCE! Freedom!
Don't feel held back by your shackles, whatever those may be.
I'm reminded of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who wrote in her essay, "The Solitude of Self," about the solitude and uniqueness of each person. You are special and should not allow yourself to be held down by invisible chains or glass ceilings.
Independence Day: A great day to break up with your domineering boyfriend/girlfriend.
*Classes that helped me from 2008-2009:
History of Southeast Asia
History of Vietnam
History of Hip Hop Dances
American Intellectual History
History of Science
History of Religions
America in the 1960s
History of Social Change
Books that helped me from 2008-2009:
Chang, Jeff. Can't Stop Won't Stop.
Asante, MK. It's Bigger Than Hip Hop.
RZA. The Wu-Tang Manual.
Miyakawa, Felicia. Five Percenter Rap.
Rodman, in this interview, is not a coherent speaker, sounds like he's on one, but Charles Smith is delightfully articulate. Too bad the CNN host kept interrupting him.
Interesting part to me:
The host kept bringing the topic back to Kenneth Bae. Rodman, sounding offended, replied: "Kenneth Bae did one thing ... If you understand what Kenneth Bae did. Do you understand what he did in this country? No, no, no, you tell me, you tell me. Why is he held captive here in this country, why? ... I would love to speak on this." But he didn't speak on it. And no, no one really knows why Bae is held captive, that's why people are mad that Kenneth Bae an American imprisoned in a PRK labor camp. So what did Kenneth Bae do?? That's what I wanna know.
In a quick search, I found that Bae, an American, gave tours of North Korea, from a business he ran, based in China. From CNN: "[In 2006] [Bae] established "Nations Tour," a China-based tour company that specialized in tours of North Korea."[1]
So I guess Bae would drive into North Korea and give tours???
"He created a tourism company called "Nations Tour" for North Korean special economic zone visits that were secretly Christian missionary trips"[2]. Gotta mention, it's illegal and punishable by death to practice Christianity or to own a bible in North Korea[3]. And if he gave tours of outskirt areas? What do you think his tours would have been like? Not a good depiction. And that's why the Kim Jongs would be mad. Plus they, Bae and his tour groups, were trespassing. He invaded North Korea with his tours. That's why he was imprisoned. Now we know, right?
From Wiki, North Korea claims these are the reasons Kenneth Bae was prosecuted:
Working with evangelical organization Youth With A Mission (YWAM), Bae is accused of preaching against the North Korean government in American and South Korean churches.[33]
Planning an anti-North Korean religious coup d'état called "the Operation Jericho", a reference to the biblical city whose walls were toppled by the sound of the Israelites'trumpets. Which began in the US, South Korea and China long before Bae traveled to North Korea.[33]
Admitting to setting up bases in China for the purpose of toppling the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Encouraging North Korean citizens to bring down the government.
SOMEBODY KNOWS that the best way to PREVENT PEOPLE FROM RISING UP against a broken system is to keep them divided against each other. The sensationalization of the Zimmerman case is divisive in multiple ways, I will enumerate just a few:
1. Friends against Friends - Disagreement on the Verdict - Everyone's gonna have a different opinion on whether the verdict was right or wrong. This has caused more than a few arguments on social media networks. This "touchy topic" has even turned some friends against each other. No. Bad. Stop it.
2. Color against a Different Color - As evidenced in Baltimore, the Zimmerman verdict has turned minority groups against each other. Black vs. Brown, White vs. Black, Color vs Non-color... ain't no good. Can't we just get along and dance?
3. Community against itself - What does it mean to be colored and stigmatized in America? What does that do to one's self-worth? We got people criticizing their own people and reinforcing their own negative stereotypes.
For people who want justice and real change, we have to UNIFY against a common enemy, which is a broken system with corrupted parts—corrupted cops, along with incompetent political and business leaders. Instead of thinking in terms of "I" or "you," think in terms of "we" and "us."
Not all of them are corrupted, in fact, probably just a minority are. That's why it's no time for generalization, it's time for specificity.
Together we rise.
Divided we'll die.
Let's end the racism and start the embrace-ism. Let's give free hugs, literally or figuratively, and embrace our true relationship to each other, as Earth Citizens, of the Human Family, on Planet Rock aka Earth!
Rock, rock... Planet Rock.
A lot of us have experienced racism. It's real as shit.
Middle school, high school, even now it still exists.
This court case, and the subsequent fallout over its verdict, makes me question the justice system, the education system, the media/news media landscape, AND democracy as a whole.... more on that in a later post...
Just got back from a jam at CSUF: Clash of the Titans.
I. Intro
At first, I didn't want to go because it's a school jam... and because there was no prize money/tournament to win. 3 exhibition battles though. Sounded interesting.
My initial reluctance to go was defeated by the promising line-up of Foundation FunKollective DJs, the $3 entry, and because it's a SCHOOL JAM!
^seems like a contradiction since "school jam" was a reason I didn't want to go, but I really just changed my perspective. Plus, if I preach open-mindedness without keeping my own mind open, it would be wack.
School jams are dope, cuz it's dancing students. They get their chance to shine, in a way that they wouldn't in bigger jams like FreestyleSession. So they go hard! You got engineers, scientists, dudes in pre-med, designers, grad students, Internationals, etc.. Basically, a diverse group of cool ass people...who share a love for dance/music/hip hop culture. School jams are tight! Especially LMU jams....tf was I thinking.
On an aside: Hip hop is arguably the greatest culture of our time. As a historically new, yet fundamentally ancient, set of traditions, it is continuing to grow in a "glocalized" way. Glocalized meaning it is global (borderless), but also local (regional distinct). It is owned by no one, yet shared by everyone. Hip hop is both mainstream and underground. It's a culture of contradiction, which is a topic to be discussed in a later post.
II. Back to the jam though...
It got pretty hyped considering most students are in midterms/finals mode.
Especially the last two exhibition battles! TINacious (CSUF) vs Archer (UCLA) and JC (UCR) vs Bangkok Dangerous (CSUF) - Go UCLA! Music was on-point. Tasteful DJs are so critical to a jam; DJ Abel, DJ Mel, and DJ Dwenz kept the dancers sweatin'—At least I was. Haha. I'm wack as fuck coming back from injury, and I still managed to get down the whole night. It's that Boogie music.
III. Competition Is On The Rise
The cyphers were fun too, but either I'm losing my touch, or these young whippersnappers are just getting fucking good. I've seen cats who started breaking after I did, get better than me! They definitely got some moves that I don't got. I mean, a lot of them still aren't better than me YET, but a good amount are on their way if they stay hungry.
I'm still training and doing my thing though, so if you're coming to get me, do it already. Quit talkin' shit. And don't call me out right after I just battle a cat, you weak ass fuck! You know who you are AHAHAHA.
IV. In Conclusion
Anyway, I'm happy to see more bboys in higher education. I don't think it was like this when I started. I creditz the Internet, TV, and Movies for the exposure. I also credit the dope ass bboys, promoters, movie producers, etc. who inspired a new generation of bboys, as well as the new generation itself that prioritizes dancing AND academics.
What are the implications of having so many bboys/bgirls/dancers in college? I don't know, but it definitely points to a changing landscape for hip hop. And a healthier, cooler generation of adults.
One day, there will be a Bboying Grandpa's tournament. Can't stop the rock.
Continuing that aside: Hip hop can be seen as a social evolution.
"Gangs put down their weapons upon the mutual awareness of their common enemy, and their common struggles. Born out of the urban ghettos of a stagflated economy, the practices of hip hop are sustainable, recession-proof... We session through recession." ^To be continued in a later post.
Last final note: I was extra glad to see people at this jam because I fly out to New Orleans at the end of the month. Damn, dope seeing you all. Community shit.
BOOM! It hit me like a People's elbow: The realization that THE ROCK was one of my first Southeast Asian-Pacific Islander HEROS!!!
I wouldn't t say I have too many heros, but I can't help it.
I like to see minorities repping hard... ESPECIALLY marginalized groups.
And The Rock counts as a Black/Asian/Pacific Islander dude, definitely marginalized!
Dwayne Johnson's been at it since the 90s. Remember the WWF ATTITUDE era???
Before the World Wildlife Foundation got on Vince McMahon's case... changing WWF to WWE?
It was the era of Rock and Mankind, Rock and Sock Connection! The Rock Says... Know Your Role! What's your name? IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR NAME IS. The People's Eyebrow???
When I watched wrestling back in 5th-6th-7th grade ('98-2001 era), I knew it was scripted, but what interested me was when I learned there were HEELS (bad guys) and FACES (good guys). And a crowd-favorite "good guy" can sometimes make a "heel turn" and become a bad guy, or a bad guy can make a "face turn" and become a good guy!
I actually played that as a social experiment in 7th-8th grade, much to my friends' annoyance. Sorry for my "heel turn" in 7th grade guys. I was an angry kid rebelling. Fuck it though, I made an effort to "face turn" in 8th grade, so that's how I ended up President of the school. Haha.
So, the point of this post... I just saw THE ROCK again, on the big screen. While watching the previews for Scary Movie V (an awesomely bad movie, I highly recommend). He's in that movie Pain and Gain, with Markey Mark the rapper. The Rock's still in wrestling shape!
X-Pac falls to the PEOPLE'S ELBOW!
Good for him!
Samoan genes are BIG.
It didn't take much research to find his philanthropic charities! Check out Dwayne Johnson's Charity work, events, and causes! He's not just a good guy entertainer, but he's given back in a big way.
You gotta love THE ROCK man... he's the People's Champ!
Here's one of my favorite moments, when he fought Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine on Star Trek Voyager.... Combine my love for Star Trek with Sports Entertainment... game over!
If you don't have any problems, I feel sorry for you.
Because then you're not a candidate for a miracle.
You can't have a miracle without a problem.
The point is:
There's a relationship between the problem and the miracle."
~~~~~~~
That brings me to the idea of struggle,
And what it takes to overcome your individual struggle.
Struggling is a global theme, in Eastern and Western beliefs*.
I also see it as a theme, or at least a relevant factor, in hip hop.
We all know there is struggle in life, but what can be done about it?
Negativity or adversity has to be acknowledged; negative is normal.
But negative is not successful; the negativity/adversity is to be defeated.
^that was from Jim Rohn.
~~~
Here's something I learned while studying History:
Hip hop is something that emerged out of a struggle,
and out of problems that existed within the country.
After the Civil Rights fervor of the 1960s, problems were still unresolved.
New laws were passed, key leaders were killed**, some progress was made,
but OLD PROBLEMS CONTINUED, and NEW PROBLEMS EMERGED.
In the 70s, America hit stagflation.
It wasn't super bad, but it was like "the Recession."
Stagnated economy, inflated prices.
And the urban areas were looking like this:
"Broken glass, everywhere,
people pissing in the stairs,
You know they just don't care.
Can't take the smell, can't take the noise.
Got no money to move out, guess I got no choice."
^that about says it all. Melle Mel!
While one part of the country was better equipped to handle the downturn,
another part of the country was neglected and abandoned.
In the South Bronx, the Cross-Bronx Expressway was knocking down residential buildings,
Lowering property values, and kicking people out of their housing.
Born out of these conditions, was hip hop.
^that's my paraphrase from Jeff Chang! Can't Stop, Won't Stop!
~~~~~
But, here's from a book review that says it better than me:
“The birth of hip-hop out of the ruin of the South Bronx is a story that has been told many times, but never with the cinematic scope and the analytic force that Chang brings to it. Robert Moses unleashes the destructive juggernaut of the Cross-Bronx Expressway; landlords set fire to worthless tenements; police stand by and do nothing; and, against a backdrop of gang warfare, peacemaking d.j.s lay down the heavy beats and spidery loops around which a rapping, dancing, graffiti-painting culture grows."
And kids who wanted to have fun in a not-so-fun hood
This is what they did/started:
Setting up the DJ booth and mic, in the park.
Bronx: 1973
Every miracle starts with a problem.
Without a problem, you can't have a miracle.
*Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Hip Hop all have their own concepts of struggling
**MLK, Malcolm X, Robert F. Kennedy, and don't forget BUNCHY CARTER!!! Among MANY others...
***Long Live the King!!!
A lot of people don't realize that this song was written by Afrika Bambaataa,
The Godfather of Hip Hop,
Former Black Spades gang member,
and founder of the Universal Zulu Nation.
It was made popular more recently by Rage Against the Machine.
Of course, bboys usually dance to the RATM version.
but WHO ARE the Renegades?
"Renegades are the people.
With their own philosophy.
They change the course of history.
Everyday people like you and me."
And the Renegades of FUNK? Who are they?
Of course, the generation born out of Funk,
Which is the HIP HOP Generation.
HIP HOP HEADS.
The Renegades of TODAY's Time and Age.
Half of yall don't realize your own significance.
Hip Hoppers are the Renegades of Funk.
They changed the course of history.
It would be incorrect to discuss the Origins of Hip Hop without mentioning Funk.
And it would be incomplete to talk about the origins of Funk without mention of the Civil Rights movement, and Blues music before that. It's all part of a larger struggle.
Are you taking part in changing the world for the better?
If you love Hip Hop culture, then you very well may be!
You heard it here: Hip Hop is a sustainable culture for the future.
The culture is tied to Knowledge, which invariably ties it to Education.
Ever heard the phrase "Each one, Teach one"?
If you have a light, you can light 1000 candles.
Know what I mean?
Because of that, Hip Hop is here to stay.
Still only 40 years young.
Still going strong.
What lays ahead?
Consider the famous first words of the song...
"No matter how hard you try, you can't stop us now."
4 more years of Barack-racy! Some Americans are elated, while some want to secede from the union!
Others don't care, retreating from politics altogether. And... Maybe they have a good reason not to care! I will actually argue for this position, to an extent.
Who's living in the White House? And how much does that matter to the person living in YOUR house? Sure, their White House policies might affect you, but not as much as how YOUR OWN policies and philosophies affect you, your relationships, your bank account, and your quality of living.
^that's my thesis. Let me support that:
As with most Presidential campaigns, both sides made hard-to-keep promises to garner support! The winning side has done it twice in a row. Hope, Change, and Progress... Yes we can! Yeah, that's all good, BUT... There's a lot of political friction... and that's not supposed to be a gross double-entendre about government officials type-of-thing, but it could be... either way, it means that change from Washington happens pretty slowly, and is met with resistance. Institutions are slow-moving. Their changes can take anywhere from months to years to have an effect on society.
Not to mention, there will ALWAYS be people in America, by way of democracy and freedom, fighting adamantly against whoever's in office. Like I say, "when you have a top position, you'll also have opposition."
From the home-owners to the homeless...
As much as Americans want change, there's a lot standing (or possibly sitting comfortably) in the way of that change. At least from the top. But for me and my friends, change starts from the bottom. Change starts where the people are.... The people change, the politicians respond. The businesses respond. The institutions respond. And the nation changes.
What's wrong in your life? If you don't like where you are, change that! Do something different in the next 4 years, so that you end up somewhere you'd prefer to be. Exercise your imagination. Change can be fun, it doesn't have to be torture! In your house, you are the commander-in-chief!
All I'm saying is: Take Responsibility!
Your actions (and inactions) yield your results.
Your situation is your creation. The solution is you, friend.
When you take more responsibility, you receive more direct control.
Don't rely on anyone else for the specific matters of your own life.
Here's my conclusion:
Candidates saying they'd do this and do that.
But when they get elected, well they can't do jack.
Change within the office hardly matter, that's a fact.
Change within the self is where the power's really at.
-Tom T. N.
2012
(the topic of this post has been on my mind, but I wasn't compelled to write about it until I got THIS in my email)
(and I got the picture from disappearingromney.com)
