Well, obviously marijuana is a hot topic in Mass.
But I don't really want to spend the majority of this semester doing anything towards that, I do my fair share outside of school, and as much as I am for it, I don't see myself making much a difference towards it happening.
I really don't know what I want to change. Hell, I don't even know what I want to do with my life. Im going to need more time to think about what I want to do.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Malcom X
The video marked "Malcom x"
"The black people in this country have been the victims of violence of the white man for 400 years..."
A stirring comment. He goes on to talk about how black people should be able to stand up for themselves, defend themselves.
His stance on M.L.K is that he is actually working for the white man, and actually teaching people to be weak. Calling him a modern day "Uncle Tom"
The interview is a bit eerie, albeit in many cases true. The fact that Malcom X has become a lesser known figure in the civil rights movement is odd. His speaking is wonderful, he is articulate and interesting. Listening to it I feel his plight, his reasons are quite interesting
I spent a while after listening to the speech talking to my roommate about it, and most of us have some knowledge of him. But, as we spoke something clicked to me. He uses races in his speech, but if you simply take out the race (black and white) and replace them with terms such as "american" (in place of white) and replace black with islamic/muslim, anything like that, and you've got a modern speech that could be heard on the news today.
The speech itself was meant to bring forth his cause to people who have otherwise not known of it, and to turn people off of M.L.K's ideas, and onto his own path.
Overall, an interesting video. A charismatic speaker, and in todays world, with our current media, it is not unthinkable to look at what may have been. In todays world, with so many people willing to listen to someone who is well dressed, well educated and can speak well, his views may have reached a wider audience. In the 60's, much of the racial tensions were so tight that non-black muslims may have viewed malcolm X as radical, but today, he would have been seen as a different man.
Interesting to think about, check the video out, its pretty rad.
"The black people in this country have been the victims of violence of the white man for 400 years..."
A stirring comment. He goes on to talk about how black people should be able to stand up for themselves, defend themselves.
His stance on M.L.K is that he is actually working for the white man, and actually teaching people to be weak. Calling him a modern day "Uncle Tom"
The interview is a bit eerie, albeit in many cases true. The fact that Malcom X has become a lesser known figure in the civil rights movement is odd. His speaking is wonderful, he is articulate and interesting. Listening to it I feel his plight, his reasons are quite interesting
I spent a while after listening to the speech talking to my roommate about it, and most of us have some knowledge of him. But, as we spoke something clicked to me. He uses races in his speech, but if you simply take out the race (black and white) and replace them with terms such as "american" (in place of white) and replace black with islamic/muslim, anything like that, and you've got a modern speech that could be heard on the news today.
The speech itself was meant to bring forth his cause to people who have otherwise not known of it, and to turn people off of M.L.K's ideas, and onto his own path.
Overall, an interesting video. A charismatic speaker, and in todays world, with our current media, it is not unthinkable to look at what may have been. In todays world, with so many people willing to listen to someone who is well dressed, well educated and can speak well, his views may have reached a wider audience. In the 60's, much of the racial tensions were so tight that non-black muslims may have viewed malcolm X as radical, but today, he would have been seen as a different man.
Interesting to think about, check the video out, its pretty rad.
Monday, September 20, 2010
A bit on the Islamic faith
disrespectful or progressive
It would seem that the topic of the mosque near ground zero isn't just striking me as a bit of bigotry in action.
In the post I linked to, it is said that people could see it as a "slap in the face" but isn't that a bit general?
Isn't that saying that every person who practices islam is/was involved with the attacks?
I'm going to agree with the part on bigotry, but it just bothers me that people still view Muslims as a whole as responsible for the attacks.
Many Muslims are also American citizens, and some were effected by the attacks no doubt.
Many Muslims are also American citizens, and some were effected by the attacks no doubt.
But, mainly i just wanted to talk about the whole situation:
Islam isn't a faith built on violence. While it does reference violence in the Quran, it also brings in acts of huge charity.
I feel as though the situation could be remedied if people weren't so against learning about each other. There have been many things learned from the Western world and the Mid-East, why not go back to the days of peace and trade, as opposed to tensions and invasions?
Respect
R.E.S.P.E.C.T
Find out what it means to me.
Er, actually Aretha Franklin. (thats a link to the song too)
Well, lets just look at the lyrics of the song:
http://www.bluesforpeace.com/lyrics/respect.htm
It would seem she is singing about how women just ask for a bit of respect in return for giving pretty much anything to people. But it would seem she is talking about it in terms of money and respect. That seems a bit wacky. Money =/= Respect, at least in my world.
But maybe to Aretha Franklin, giving somebody money meant they get respect. Honestly I'm not sure whats going on in this song. It doesn't strike me as particularly feminist, nor does it strike me as any super political movement. Maybe I'm not reading into it enough, but it really really doesn't seem to fit into the topic of feminism.
But, the song is pretty dope. I mean come on, who can't enjoy listening to that tune. It's one of the few where you can really just enjoy it regardless of the situation.
Find out what it means to me.
Er, actually Aretha Franklin. (thats a link to the song too)
Well, lets just look at the lyrics of the song:
http://www.bluesforpeace.com/lyrics/respect.htm
It would seem she is singing about how women just ask for a bit of respect in return for giving pretty much anything to people. But it would seem she is talking about it in terms of money and respect. That seems a bit wacky. Money =/= Respect, at least in my world.
But maybe to Aretha Franklin, giving somebody money meant they get respect. Honestly I'm not sure whats going on in this song. It doesn't strike me as particularly feminist, nor does it strike me as any super political movement. Maybe I'm not reading into it enough, but it really really doesn't seem to fit into the topic of feminism.
But, the song is pretty dope. I mean come on, who can't enjoy listening to that tune. It's one of the few where you can really just enjoy it regardless of the situation.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Middle Class
Will the Middle Class Have Room for Baby Boomers' Kids?
An eerie blog about our generation. John Schneider speaks of how the youth of today is struggling to make it by, and that in today's grudgingly slow job market, even the college educated struggle to find jobs.
From a standpoint of a person that this is speaking directly about, it's frightening. The fact that when I finish my stint in college and start looking for a job that I may end up in the same position, or even lower then where i am now is one of the most depressing thoughts you can give someone.
Hopefully things turn around. Hopefully this blog post in a few months is viewed as just another wrong idea in a long long road of success for many of us. But, truth be told I think the near apocalyptic picture painted by Schneider may be closer to the facts of life. In ten years, holding a steady job, regardless of the pay may be incredibly difficult. If there is no change, we may end up just as John Schneider predicts - jobless, homeless or just stuck back behind that counter at McDonalds.
An eerie blog about our generation. John Schneider speaks of how the youth of today is struggling to make it by, and that in today's grudgingly slow job market, even the college educated struggle to find jobs.
From a standpoint of a person that this is speaking directly about, it's frightening. The fact that when I finish my stint in college and start looking for a job that I may end up in the same position, or even lower then where i am now is one of the most depressing thoughts you can give someone.
Hopefully things turn around. Hopefully this blog post in a few months is viewed as just another wrong idea in a long long road of success for many of us. But, truth be told I think the near apocalyptic picture painted by Schneider may be closer to the facts of life. In ten years, holding a steady job, regardless of the pay may be incredibly difficult. If there is no change, we may end up just as John Schneider predicts - jobless, homeless or just stuck back behind that counter at McDonalds.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Voodoo Economics
Voodoo Economics
Here is a nice throw back to the 80's, a time where people where really worried about the economy and jumping to conclusion daily about the problems and whose to blame.
Sounds mighty familiar doesn't it?
But we've got a president that seems more controversial then any before, economic dilemas and social tragedy. So how do the 80's and today co-inside?
Right now, they don't. The youth aren't nearly as active as they were. Blame it on MTV, video games or the internet, but either way we aren't active. Our voices aren't being heard, and in the end we end up speaking our opinion rashly and without incentive. We speak for ourselves, not for others and most of our thoughts just cloud up the mind, much like a commercial on the t.v.
Now I know some of you are thinking "But I was active, I registered to vote, I helped out!"
Voting isn't enough, you gotta get up off your ass and actually do something.
I've gotten off the main point quite a bit, so back to that. The title of the song I referenced is Voodoo economics, a "slanderous" term used by George Bush (no W. there) for the style of economics reagan used (for those of you in the know "reaganomics"). Just so I don't clutter this up with some real crazy technical stuff, if you don't know what that is just go here for a nice summary.
So this all goes to economics. I'm not an expert on economics, my highest point in that field is a good ol' B in a high school class. But I do understand the basic principles of supply and demand. At this point, many people are demanding a lot of things. Yet there is a limited supply of answers, and an even more limited supply of people willing to do anything to actually get things done.
Sure, thousands of people can show up to vote. You'd think seeing the power of the masses being able to do anything would incite people to do more. Our president is black, but our country is still in the red. And whose to blame? Not Obama, not George Bush, and as much as I'd like to say Wall street, this isn't the answer.
No.
It's you. It's your credit cards you carry around with you, and the money you spend without actually having it. It's the loans you take out without any plans to pay them back, and the investments you make that have such a low chance of success you'd be better buying scratch tickets.
How do we fix this?
I got a pretty simple idea. "You can't afford it, don't buy it"
Seriously. How hard is it to not buy that flat screen tv? From a kid who went from being able to spend money frivolously to now being broke 100% of the time, I'll say its easy. Just think for a moment "is it better to eat well for the next three weeks or have a giant TV that probably will break and cost a fortune to fix"
Here comes the tie in:
You gotta tighten your bootstraps, be prepared to live with what you have, and of course enjoy the little things.
Here is a nice throw back to the 80's, a time where people where really worried about the economy and jumping to conclusion daily about the problems and whose to blame.
Sounds mighty familiar doesn't it?
But we've got a president that seems more controversial then any before, economic dilemas and social tragedy. So how do the 80's and today co-inside?
Right now, they don't. The youth aren't nearly as active as they were. Blame it on MTV, video games or the internet, but either way we aren't active. Our voices aren't being heard, and in the end we end up speaking our opinion rashly and without incentive. We speak for ourselves, not for others and most of our thoughts just cloud up the mind, much like a commercial on the t.v.
Now I know some of you are thinking "But I was active, I registered to vote, I helped out!"
Voting isn't enough, you gotta get up off your ass and actually do something.
I've gotten off the main point quite a bit, so back to that. The title of the song I referenced is Voodoo economics, a "slanderous" term used by George Bush (no W. there) for the style of economics reagan used (for those of you in the know "reaganomics"). Just so I don't clutter this up with some real crazy technical stuff, if you don't know what that is just go here for a nice summary.
So this all goes to economics. I'm not an expert on economics, my highest point in that field is a good ol' B in a high school class. But I do understand the basic principles of supply and demand. At this point, many people are demanding a lot of things. Yet there is a limited supply of answers, and an even more limited supply of people willing to do anything to actually get things done.
Sure, thousands of people can show up to vote. You'd think seeing the power of the masses being able to do anything would incite people to do more. Our president is black, but our country is still in the red. And whose to blame? Not Obama, not George Bush, and as much as I'd like to say Wall street, this isn't the answer.
No.
It's you. It's your credit cards you carry around with you, and the money you spend without actually having it. It's the loans you take out without any plans to pay them back, and the investments you make that have such a low chance of success you'd be better buying scratch tickets.
How do we fix this?
I got a pretty simple idea. "You can't afford it, don't buy it"
Seriously. How hard is it to not buy that flat screen tv? From a kid who went from being able to spend money frivolously to now being broke 100% of the time, I'll say its easy. Just think for a moment "is it better to eat well for the next three weeks or have a giant TV that probably will break and cost a fortune to fix"
Here comes the tie in:
You gotta tighten your bootstraps, be prepared to live with what you have, and of course enjoy the little things.
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