Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Scratching in the Wall

I half expected to wake up this morning to a family of possums snuggled up in my living room. The scratching began underneath the bathtub and has remained there for months. I told my landlord, and when he didn't seem concerned, I tried to take the same stance. Unfortunately, the creature that lives underneath my house and now inside the walls is not quiet! A couple native Floridians have told me that it is most likely fruit rats seeking warmth. I think it is a bigger animal,  but maybe this fruit rat just has really big claws and is really clumsy. Whatever it is, it is nocturnal and loves nothing more than to keep me awake. C'est La vie.

Yesterday, was a day riddled with obstacles. Monday afternoon I spent quality hours of my life completing my Experimental Design and Analysis (for IBM SPSS Statistics) final project. This class has certainly been my nemesis and has kept me frustrated all semester. I put a lot of effort into this project and was very satisfied with it as I sent it off to my professor via Turn-it-in. I went to Sawgrass Lake Park with Tommy and afterward to work, feeling light and free. Monday night I come home from work to find an email waiting from my Professor. He did not receive my word file, only my SPSS output file. !!!!!!!!

For the first time EVER! I had not saved my work or sent myself a copy. There was some kind of glitch with Turn-it-in and now I am shaking with panic. Ander, my friend who tutors in the Student Success Center where I had completed my work said not to worry, the file would be there in the morning. Unfortunately, Ander was wrong. The computers in the lab go in to deep freeze overnight and most files are erased to save space on public computers. Curtis (one of our Tech wizzes on campus) did all he could to thaw the deep freeze but was unable to recover my file. So I did it all over again. I don't think it was as spectacular as it was the first time, but it was the best I had...

Furthermore, my thesis documentary fought me as I tried to copy it from my hard drive. It first wanted to take six hours to render. It is One hour and ten minutes long! I bought two hour dvd's. Somehow it wasn't long enough. It got to the very end of the documentary (after almost two hours of rendering). I am talking the last thirty two seconds and told me the DVD wasn't large enough. AGGHHHHHH! So after redoing my Statistics final project I went to five stores trying to find the right DVD's. Finally I found them at Office Depot.

Then, Stacey calls and says the city (after we have received inspection and approval by the fire marshall) said that we cannot have anything outside in the parking lot the night of my show. We were wanting to put the food and vendor tents outside to make room for our guests inside the intimate venue.

That was my day yesterday. The good news is, I turned in my thesis (DVD's and all), Stacey and I are meeting today to put our creative heads together and find a way to make Saturday night smooth and beautiful, and I have one more final left to take.

I swear, someone should teach me how to do cartwheels so I can cartwheel my way across the stage at graduation!

Thank you all for the continued love and support.

~Rain.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Her Last Stand


            America the great has stood as a hegemonic power since the 1890’s (Flint & Taylor, 2007: p. 55). Large portions of this semester we have discussed how long we envision America remaining in the seat of hegemony. The world has become more connected thanks to the digital age. The world has begun to see America for who she truly is. The world has begun to contest much of what we stand for. In a brilliant article, Socialization and Hegemonic Power (Ikenberry & Kupchan, 1990), the authors state how imperative it is for the elite (as opposed to the masses) to emulate the hegemonic culture that has been articulated. Socialization of the hegemon simply cannot take place without this emulation by the elite. This is America’s greatest threat.

            Already the world is juxta-positioned on the precipice of a catalyst. We are hovering between the way the world once worked and the new global digital society being forged daily. The new hegemon may be a corporation or perhaps this newly forged world will need not hegemonic power at all. Of course there are still international theorists who use American exceptionalism to argue that she will not fall to the same fate as past hegemons (Layne, 2006). Only time may tell what shall truly come to pass.

            What is obvious at this moment is that America is no longer this great mystery miracle melting pot to most of the globe. Most of the globe now has access to the same internet we do and those who do not most likely soon will. Our façade of “justice and liberty for all” is now recognized as a mask and much of what we do is being questioned by countries which are beginning to think for themselves. What will America mean to the world of tomorrow? How long can America stand strong in the face of truth? How long can America convince the world she always cared? How long can America make this new digital world believe her way is the best?    

            The greatest opportunity lying dormant for America would be to roll with the changing times. If America were to become more global; if America were to become involved in other cultures around the globe; if America were to be as passionate about learning as she was about funding wars; if America was willing to evolve, America may show the world why she became a leader in the first place. This generation of up and coming American leaders are studying hard, they are getting involved in global politics, they are travelling the world and reading incredible books, and they are ready for the world of tomorrow. America’s greatest opportunity can be realized through her youth.

            The only way we can make a sound tomorrow for this undulating world, is to recognize how we impact one another not merely economically but culturally, intellectually and spiritually. This generation of graduates is looking at things without the rose colored glasses of American exceptionalism. This generation of graduates is willing to debate for what they believe in. This generation of graduates is well versed on the wars and politics that drive them around the world. What the United Nations began, a true global council could finish. The best thing America could do to solidify her status in the upcoming global shift would be to lead the way into the dawning of a new age. Of course, it is most certain there will always be wars, and there will probably also always be greed and manipulation; however, the countries of the world stand to learn much from one another and America should lead the way. The articulation of the American culture did not honor the original statements made in the declaration of Independence. This is the day and the time for America the Great to redeem herself. Should she choose to refuse this great opportunity, she will instead witness her Last Stand.



References:

Flint, C., & Taylor, P. J. (2007). Political geography: world-economy, nation-state, and locality. Pearson Education.



Ikenberry, G. J., & Kupchan, C. A. (1990). Socialization and hegemonic power. International organization, 44(03), 283-315.



Layne, C. (2006). The unipolar illusion revisited: The coming end of the United States' unipolar moment. International security, 31(2), 7-41.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Dragonfly Life!

Yesterday morning, I woke up physically exhausted from the thirteen hour day I put in on Sunday. But there was something extra. There was a spiritual pressure, and a beyond physical exhaustion that felt heavy as I tried to orchestrate my day. I tried to give myself a pep talk: "This is it young lady, the final five weeks of semester. You have your third album to release, your fourth to record, your thesis to finish and defend, your stats grade to pull up to an A, your house to give away/sell/pack, your family and friends to say see ya later to...a drive up the coast, a lot to be rendered in Rochester, the Peace Corps, Pacifica, WOW!" None of that seemed to help.

I have been living alone for four years this December. I am proud of the distance my soul has travelled in that time. There are those of you I could not have done it without. I am utterly grateful for my friends. I have adjusted rather well to living by myself. I rather like it. But there are definitely times I could use an extra pair of hands for laundry, cleaning, recycling, grocery shopping, washing the truck, or any of the other sundry things that must be done to keep a household running smoothly. I miss love. I miss kisses in the morning. I miss kisses before bed. I miss making and sharing meals. I miss sharing the story of our days. I miss love.

My mother believes that my destiny requires this of me. She believes that while there are plenty suitors who would take good care of me and make a beautiful daughter with me, that my destiny is better served with me as an Army of One. There are some moments when that is nothing more than a burden. The thought alone is a weight that bogs me down. Most of the time, I can see why she might be right. Most of the time, I align myself to the realization that I know there is a calling on my life and no matter what I am willing to serve my purpose.

Yesterday however, all I wanted to do was be held on a strong chest, look into eyes that loved me, and maybe cry a little.

I called one of my dear friends. I asked if he had a little time for me. We met up after class and the bear hug I received was certainly of great aid to my soft soul. I thanked him. I told him I just wanted to reflect in his strength to remind myself how strong we truly are. I felt up against the wall, and after the hug, I was still drained but I knew what I had to do. I had to wake up this morning ready to conquer the world. So I did.

At work last night, there was a woman who sat in my section outside. She had a dragonfly charm around her neck. "I have a dragonfly tattoo on my back," I told her. They are very sacred to me. She smiled and told me her husband had gotten the necklace for her and she loved it. The next table that was seated was inside, and I greeted the couple surprised to see the lady had a dragonfly tattoo on her arm. I told my friend Diana there was a message to be had and I intended to figure it out.

I asked each woman, one outside/one inside remember, what the dragonfly meant to her. They each said one word. Strength. Honestly, I have never connected the dragonfly to the word strength. Yet, each of these women had. Earlier that day, I had told my friend I needed to reflect in his strength to remember mine. It seemed the Divine was telling me that all the strength I needed was at my disposal. I felt loved.

That was my Monday, and it was good.
I Love my Life!!!!!

SuperHero: 2015


Enter stage left, Miss Esmerelda Towns, ready to address the press conference with their multiplicity of questions. Her quick wit and poetic tongue allow her to answer anyone regarding anything. Her golden brown skin and her hazel green eyes make her stunning to look at and this is part of her charm. Her curvy athletic frame makes it impossible to ignore her clad in the classic tight-fitting world saving uniform of a superhero. From a very young age her Latina mother and African-American father prepared her for the life she was destined to lead. They never spared her from the truth and the injustices of the world never went unnoticed within the walls of her struggling household.

            Esmerelda went to an inner city school just like most other minorities in the great United States. The real education came on the streets of her neighborhood, inside the walls of her home, and in the dojo with the mixed martial arts master she studied with all her life. He agreed to barter with her father. Harper Towns was a hard-working and intelligent man. He was a carpenter and agreed to work on the dojo any time it needed work in exchange for his gifted daughter studying with the master. The building was old and it worked out over the years to be a reciprocal situation that satisfied both men. Esmerelda was beyond gifted in her studies. No matter what she applied herself to, she excelled. The master knew a very special destiny stretched out before this talented young woman.

            Esmerelda really excelled when it came to interpersonal relationships. From a very young age, she could talk to anyone about anything and really connect with the person she was speaking with. She was excellent at solving problems and with her quick wit she was fast on her feet as well. As a young child she tended animals and those weaker than her making sure things were as fair as she could make them. It really mattered to her that everyone received an equal chance in this world. As she began getting into her martial arts training around six or seven, she realized she had special abilities that other little girls did not have. When she practiced, especially when she was alone, she realized she could jump higher, stay suspended longer and move in a way that was unlike even the movements of the master. She kept it to herself for a couple years until one day the master saw her in the mirror and confirmed what he had always suspected.

            From that day, she worked even harder to honor her destiny. She knew she had to be stronger than all the rest. She knew that she had to work harder than everyone else. She knew she had an obligation to the rest of the world. This is why she was here. This is who she was. The more she focused her abilities she realized not only did her body move differently than others, she also had the ability to move objects around her. At first it was a shaky process but with the help of the master, she began practicing meditation. She learned how to focus her mind. She worked hard after school every day on her profound abilities. The master had her also begin yoga and Pilates. He also taught her the art of Reiki. She was able to control her qui (or inner life force) and she advanced rapidly. By eleven years old, she had won the national conference for mixed martial arts twice! Her parents were thrilled with her progress. They knew their daughter was special. Little did they know how very special she would become.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Hello From Space

From the nursery to international government, the mechanism that runs the world could well be described as a search for power. It can be broken down effectively to those who have the power and those who do not. Power, when viewed as a resource harnesses the capacity to mobilize certain ends such as military strength, diplomatic relations, and economic stability. Power viewed as knowledge ascribes validity to people who then get to create what will be the normative behavior for a culture or cultures. Even ideas such as the lifestyles of such idolized families as the Kardashians can create symbols that later become the norm for a given culture. Power can be viewed from many angles including many we have not mentioned. Inscribed power is possessed by institutions depending on their relative position to other institutions (Flint & Taylor, 2011: p. 28-32). Using the nursery as an example, power is simply one infant taking a toy from another infant and being powerful enough to keep it.
From the foundation of how power is approached and defined we arrive at the notion of hegemonic power. According to our text (Flint & Taylor, 2011: p. 310) hegemony is defined as “a position held by a state or a class when it so dominates its sphere of operation that other states or classes are forced to comply with its wishes voluntarily. States are defined as hegemonic at the scale of the world-system, classes at the scale of the state.” A state becomes a hegemonic power when it achieves primacy in production over rivals, commercial advantage, and financial dominance in the world economy (Flint & Taylor, 2011: p. 50-51). A state as a hegemonic power must lead the world in production, profit, and cultural expressions. It is widely accepted that the United States is the most recent hegemonic power. However it is also widely speculated that the United States is in the B2 phase of Kondratieff’s cycles, otherwise known as declining hegemony (Flint & Taylor, 2011: p. 55: table 2.1). Wallerstein (2003) points out that a large portion of the world now harbors negative views toward the United States and that is largely affecting the US as a hegemonic power.
The question then arises if the United States is in fact a declining hegemonic state, who will the next hegemonic state be? There is however a far more intriguing question in the realm of political geography. Will there be another hegemonic state or will hegemonic power come from another source altogether? Perhaps, it will be a corporation and not a territorial state (Beer, 2009; Cox, 1992; Krasner, 1976; & Nye, 1990). This conversation has been entertained for decades within the scholarly discourse of political geography. The answer still has not made itself clear. Will the United States find its way back to the top of the world? Will it continue to decline and watch another state gain hegemonic power? Will we see a corporation or a multi-national individual with large funds and public sway become the next hegemon? Are we perhaps witnessing the end of hegemonic power all together (Callahan, 2008)?
The Pilgrims left Great Britain in search of many things. The tyranny of King George had to come to an end. They demanded space to be themselves, freedom to make their own laws and the right to worship as they saw fit (Fliegelman, 1985: p. 5-6). Perhaps, young America was truly sincere when the forefathers spoke of justice, freedom, and liberty for all. However, the exploration of the West, the thousands of acres of land stolen from the Native American and the gold rush of California (Paul, 1965) changed everything. It was not long before gold became currency and with the advent of this new currency, capitalism took off like a bird released from a cage.
A little more than a century after her birth, America began rising to her power as hegemonic state (Flint & Taylor, 2011: p. 55). She had come to be a rival with Germany and had become a master at mass-production. In the early 1900’s the world witnessed the collapse of Great Britain’s free trade and the decisive defeat of the German military. At the time, Lady Liberty was known to have open arms for the tired and hungry masses and thousands of immigrants flocked to American shores in waves. The United States rose to hegemonic maturity in the 1940’s and New York became the world’s center for financial trade.
Like a bully gone unchecked, the United States took what they wanted from the countries which held the resources they needed to collect the greatest profit. Between 1945 and 1960, the world shifted yet again and Big Oil became a large global focus challenging the United States in her hegemonic power and causing both public and private warfare all in the name of oil (Jezer, 1982). The fight for oil continues on. The fight for resources continues to lead one country or a group of countries to holding global power and leading the rest of the world as they see fit.
Wallerstein (1974) defines three structural geographic political positions: the core, the semi-periphery and the periphery. The core is defined as “one of three major zones of the world-economy…in world-systems analysis. It is characterized by core processes involving relatively high-wage and high-tech production (Flint & Taylor, 2011: p. 308).” The core is not always known for being friendly or supporting the periphery or the semi-periphery. The core is however known to take what it wants and thrive. Core countries are often known to take from the resources of the periphery and semi-periphery and bloodshed is often associated with this procurement of resources.
The semi-periphery is defined as “the middle category of the three-zone division of the world in world-systems analysis. It is characterized by a mix of both peripheral and core production processes (Flint & Taylor, 2011: p. 314).” The semi-periphery countries are middlemen. Some are known to take of the resources of the periphery to their own benefit. However, they are always forced to remain mindful of the core countries and the political and monetary dues they are constantly owed. The semi-periphery does not stand without the core; however, it does have some power and authority over the periphery.
The periphery is defined as “one of three major zones in world-economy…characterized by peripheral processes consisting of relatively low-wage and low-tech production (Flint & Taylor, 2011: p. 312).” Many periphery countries might stand on their own were they left alone. The constant involvement of the semi-periphery and especially core countries make the periphery living off their own natural resources problematic at best and often completely impossible. Periphery countries are often lands rich in natural resources that are stolen by the core countries especially and with no means of defending themselves must live at lower than subsistence levels while struggling to survive.
Capitalism is a very Westernized idea. It is a money-monger. It is selfish and obscene. Capitalism looks out for the wealth of the elite and cares not what pain and suffering it causes to those who struggle to survive. Capitalism is a beast that must be destroyed. It is vile and murderous. It is fueled by hatred and greed. It seeks only to satisfy its own momentum and worries not for the lives lost in its wake. There are plenty of resources on this planet for all her people and the only reason some suffer without nutrition and die is due to greed.
The core countries are strong in military power. The core countries are strong in production. The core countries are good at taking resources from the semi-periphery and periphery countries in order to sustain their high income lifestyles. Core countries do not always manage to get along. Each core country has the capitalistic ideal at being the best in the world, the richest in the globe, and the most unstoppable in warfare. However, sometimes core countries form alliances for political and/or financial reasons. These alliances only make the core countries that much more formidable.
The semi-periphery countries are forced into buying into the capitalistic model. They work hard to please the core and stay in good graces and just like the middle child, they turn toward the periphery and exact what they believe they deserve from those less fortunate. This is the largest problem with this model. Meanwhile, the periphery does what it can to survive. It does what it can to thrive. It may just be the periphery that truly has an idea of what life is meant to be.
Follow me to Guatemala. Four college students were determined to live at the subsistence level of poverty which is one dollar per day (Wagstaff, 2003). These college students travelled to Guatemala and set up an intense algorithm for randomization of the amount of money they were allowed to have each day (Huffington Post, 2012). They faced the same problems that the locals faced: days without money, worms and intestinal diseases, and poverty level standards of living that would shock an American-born citizen. The most amazing part of the documentary created around this story, was the vibrant nature of the lives of the citizens of Guatemala. Their lives focus on laughter. Their lives focus on joy. Their lives focus on family activities such as work, exercise, and meals.
Perhaps the greatest weapon the citizens of the world have against capitalism is to put down our material possessions, to stop buying into their model and to truly remember what it is like to enjoy life. Capitalism has no power without the wealth of the citizens. Capitalism has no power without the resources she sells. Capitalism has no power without the existence of greed. We feed the belly of the beast and it grows infinitesimally.

In his powerful story, The Story of B (Quinn, 2010), Daniel Quinn talks about those who take and those who give. He goes into great detail about the advent of agriculture and the departure of the hunter-gatherer lifestyle. He discusses how it affected humanity and how a new culture arose around this new way of life. He challenges each reader to privately admit whether he is a taker or a giver. He challenges the culture based on a greed and accumulation of wealth. He speaks deep into each listening soul and asks them to see what this way will eventually do to our planet.
Flint and Radil (2009) make an astute observation regarding the connection between terrorist activity and the status of a country as a core, semi-periphery or periphery country (Flint & Taylor, 2011: p. 69). Those that suffer the most are the most powerless to defend themselves against the machine.

If the accumulation of wealth is the be-all, end-all of the capitalist model, and those that have the wealth, have the power, what do we see to be the outcome of this culture? If terrorism is connected to the stability of the core, where does the cycle end? If the nature of hegemonic power is changing, is it possible that the nature of power is changing as well?
The core has been fighting for resources for so long that they did not take the time to listen to the cries of the periphery. The semi-periphery has been stuck in the middle confused as to which way to align but knowing that they must take in order to gain status in this capitalistic world. As long as money is power and power is revered as the top of the world systems structure, we are raping a planet that has no method of defending herself against this parasitic species called Human.
What comes next? Since World War II, we have boomed in population. We have boomed in our use of resources. We have a continued and growing problem. We are depleting the Earth’s resources (Chichilnisky, 1996). While the core is busy stealing from the rest of the world; while core countries are at war with one another; while the periphery struggles to survive, we are ignoring a progressing problem of the depletion of our planet’s resources. Would it not be nice if the next hegemonic power was a multi-billion dollar corporation funded by an honestly global representation of her countries in order to come up with ideas for allowing the earth to thrive for many millennia to come? Would it not be nice if we formed a global council that actually met together to facilitate all of the earth’s residents the right to resources they need to survive? Would it not be nice if the current hegemonic power led the way in creating a sustainable future for all of Earth’s inhabitants? Go ahead! Call me a dreamer. “I’m not the only one (John Lennon).” The real question is: what will the next chapter on power be?




















References:
Beer, D. (2009). Power through the algorithm? Participatory web cultures and the technological unconscious. New Media & Society, 11(6), 985-1002.
Callahan, W. A. (2008). Chinese visions of world order: posthegemonic or a new hegemony? International Studies Review, 10(4), 749-761.
Chichilnisky, G. (1996). The economic value of the Earth's resources. Trends in ecology & evolution, 11(3), 135-140.
Cox, R. W. (1992). Towards a post-hegemonic conceptualization of world order: reflections on the relevancy of Ibn Khaldun. Governance without government: Order and change in world politics, 132.
Fliegelman, J. (1985). Prodigals and pilgrims: The American Revolution against patriarchal authority 1750-1800. Cambridge University Press.
Flint, C. & Taylor, P. (2011). Political geography: world-economy, nation-state and locality. Taylor & Francis, 2011.
Huffington Post, 2012: Living on a dollar: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/28/living-on-one-college-students-one-dollar-a-day_n_2034537.html.
Jezer, M. (1982). The dark ages, life in the United States, 1945-1960. South End Press.
Krasner, S. D. (1976). State power and the structure of international trade.World Politics, 28(03), 317-347.
Nye, J. S. (1990). The changing nature of world power. Political Science Quarterly, 177-192.
Paul, R. W. (1965). California gold: The beginning of mining in the Far West. University of Nebraska Press.
Wagstaff, A. (2003). Child health on a dollar a day: some tentative cross-country comparisons. Social Science & Medicine, 57(9), 1529-1538.
Wallerstein, I. (2003). The decline of American power: The US in a chaotic world. New Press, The.
Wallerstein, I. (1974). 3.3 The rise and future demise of the world capitalist system: concepts for comparative analysis. Comparative Studies in Society and History, 16(4), 387-41.

Quinn, D. (2010). The story of B. Bantam.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Subdivisions

It really bothers me that so many in my ethnic subdivision (caucasian american) do not recognize the depth of pain in the African history. I suppose some "white" people fail to recognize what is actually going on in this country and some honestly do not realize the history we were never taught. Some see the picture and fail to claim responsibility. Whatever the angle of the perspective, ignorance is NOT bliss!

I have heard countless heart wrenching phrases from the "white" population such as, "They need to get over it." "No one alive has been a slave anyway". "I never owned a slave". "They get more welfare then we do". Some have even believed themselves when they stated that there are equal rights in this country. This is exactly why we cannot "all just get along".

There are many subdivisions of this massive imbalance in our country's equilibrium. It is not sane to simplify it. However, if we continue to ignore it and brush it under the rug and tell "black" people to "get over it" all we will end up with is a race war. There is no harmony in denial.

Please take time to realize that people were stolen from their country, and put on ships where thousands of them after being brutally abused arrived harshly at their own demise. Death for so many Africans who were stolen to become slave labor. Those that did arrive on this foreign shore were forced into labor, void of human rights, treated as animals in young America's chattel style slavery. Women were raped, families divided, human rights removed, dignity denied. For anyone that thinks abolition was the end of slavery, you really need to hit the books and catch up on inherent knowledge!

Slavery "ended" yes, but segregation became "separate but not equal" and "black" people were treated as sub-human. Do those of you who assume that there is actually equality in this grand facade of a country know that in our own constitution slaves were considered as three fifths a person?! Post abolition, "black" people were denied so many rights and lynchings were still rampant and "colored" folk were still beaten, arrested, and even murdered for LOOKING at a white woman!

The Civil Rights movement was an incredible chapter in this horrendously sad story; however, Martin Luther King's dream has NOT been realized! "They get more welfare!" "More money for college!" Really? Walk into any business in America and tell me it is not segregated. Tell me please that there is an equal number from the African population as there is from the Caucasian. Walk into any restaurant, any store, any neighborhood and report your findings to me scientifically! I implore you! And while you are at it, please explain to me how the "black" population of America is about 12% and yet the percentage of "blacks" in our American prisons is about 85! Please present an algorithm to me that allows that to make sense!

Once, I was with a group of lyricists in a small town in upstate New York. One of my fellow performing artists and I decided to get breakfast on the way home together the morning after the show. As we walked in, he "black" and I "white", the din of forks dropping to plates was worthy of a well orchestrated movie set as people dropped their jaws and stared demonstratively in our direction! I took his hand in mine and asked him gently, "Do you wish to leave?" He responded "No", and so we stayed. Our entire breakfast was laced with eyeballs popping out of sockets in our direction. He remains a loyal friend and is one of the most intelligent men I have ever known. Who knew such a scholar could be born to us wearing "black" skin?

We all know enough about Ferguson. Boston. But who knows a word of the devastating story of the murder of Lennon Lee Lacey? Small North Carolina town. KKK, still alive and well. Seventeen with promises of football scholarships. He was found hung from a surface too far about his head for him to have reached on his own with a belt that did not belong to him, at one of the highest points in his beautiful young life. The local police called it suicide. Even worse, the people who murdered him stole his sneakers and replaced them with shoes too small for his feet. He was "black" and his girlfriend "white". Was that enough to take his life? And how does the KKK still thrive?

Any African scholar reading this blog or a well-versed "white" person knows I am merely scratching the very surface. This is the tip of a very deep iceberg. It cannot be fixed if "whites" won't even confront it.

Sure, if you like to justify your foul doings, then continue to believe that just because slavery ended that everything is equalized in this country. Pretend that "blacks" have the same chance of getting the jobs and the houses and the degrees and the neighborhoods and the schools that "whites" do. Brush under the rug your passive aggressive commentaries, and tell them to "get over it". That will certainly solve the problem.

And I wouldn't be intelligent at all if I did not recognize that there are extremists in every category. It is just like hating all Muslims because an extremist terrorist group bombed our country. However, not for one second should any "white" think that "black" people do not have a right to be angry, to not trust our system, to fight for change and liberation of oppressed peoples.

We speak of reparations. Extra welfare or minority job placement or scholarships. I hope no one really believes themselves when they suggest that generic Band-aid actually healed the wound.

"Liberty and Justice for ALL!" I will not stop. I too have a dream. Love me or hate me; at least I stand for what I believe.


Thursday, August 6, 2015

Within a letter to Agape

Under the shade of the mango tree
We sat like Confucius pondering
Our path of existence
Like motor bikes
We found the path of least resistance
Insistent
On the meaning of the burning bush
We saw upon our entrance
First night in Hanoi
The construct of society
Culture in the making
Waking up in Vietnam
The beginning of a song
Long lines never carry
Quite as well as a wave
Paved paths travel to expected places
We face East and pray

Simple

I am drowning in my weightlessness
Evaporated oceans
People spooning ignorance
Idealistic notions
I hold up your silver spoon
And show you all the darkness
The size of your spoon
Blots out the summer sun
No longer fit for potions
You wander through your
Simple life
Trying not to see
Lies you choose to believe

Size Matters

Watching through the heat vision goggles
I see the soul of a dead man rise

Parsecs and participles
Dancing propositions
Permission given
In rhythms with strange Cadence
I see elegance in your apathy
Your eyes are looking
But they don't see me
Freedom gained
But what's the definition of free?
And all I really wanted
Was for you to hold me

I used to go "all in"
Now I circumnavigate
The periphery
What is it you see in me
The size of my breasts
Or the size of my heart?

L.O.E.'s
Lines of Engagement
What is this promise
Of the war we are waging?
Sages of rhyme
But who is out there
Listening
Poet on the mic
While her soul stand out glistening

Semper fi

Young adulthood
Smells
PTSD
Wells
Trigger happy trigger thoughts
Wrought with iron
Souls are bought
Depth of control
Girls at home
Children die
Lonely bones
In our cells
We are
Living ghosts

Living in a cell
Living as a ghost
Alive in a tomb
Is what hurts us most
Every visit made
Is like visits to a grave
I'd rather be a slave
Than living dead while alive

Size me up if you can
This military man
Semper fi till I die
Do or die
I'm still alive

War

We were once sublime
Aligned
Children of the stars
Now we wear our scars
Like some rite of passage
Mark of the beast
We seek streets of peace
But find only the darkness within
Sin
What is this war we wage?
Against ourselves...

On the train to Auschwitz

The acrid, fetid air
Pungent and robust with death
Stench postures itself to attack
Cannot be ignored
"the banality of evil"

Storing people like pieces
Whisps of memory
Hurt more than any torture
A body could endure
On the train to Auschwitz
Nothing remembered
Would be better
On the train to Auschwitz
It would be better to forget her

Those of us that survive
Could not have imagined
The map of our lives

On the train to Auschwitz
No man
Proclaimed to be wise
On the train to Auschwitz
We were forced to give our lives

Marching to a music
Nothing like our own
Taking away our everything
That reminded us of home

Alone on the train to Auschwitz
Every man for himself
Survival became
A complicated wealth

Alone on the train to Auschwitz
I knew I must survive
Alone on the train to Auschwitz
I found life

Powerless

Spider veins become her tattoos
Story lines mimed the times
She danced
The times she walked for miles
The times she stood
For what she believed
The truth perceived
Fantasies become real

Scars for days
Slaves in ways
The common man
Simply cannot recognize
Cognizant
Reminiscing times gone by
Wise words spoken
Fall upon deaf ears
And revolution is led by
Those that see
But never by those in power

Retrograde

Mercury goes into retrograde
And we wade in waters
Disconnected and cold
Soul rolls over and tries to sleep
Weeping eyes
Simply seek to say words
That mouths could never speak
And no one hears the verse
Berth wide but no volition
Ship sets sail
Never intending to return home
Alone in my thoughts
I am wrought with iron
Wrestling things unseen
Dreams stray from my fingertips
And my music become dissonant
Wisdom wishes Mercury
To remain as constant as she
Yet he dances away elusively
Bursting with layered poetry
She continues listening
But not even Wisdom understands
Cold hands; warm heart
And empathy will reconvene
When Mercury once again returns

Black Silk

his skin slick with sweat
from painting the stone red
in the hot Florida sun
I am stunned by
the beauty of him
black silk skin
drinking his beauty in
he regards me silently
saying nothing
yet taking everything in
his attention to detail
assures me he
misses nothing
composing what he sees
into orchestrated movements
his attention to rhythm
cadence & melody
truly moves me
magnetizing me
always in his direction
the perfection of his erection
is irrelevant to the depth
of his silent reverberating soul
offers nothing against
the resolve of my control
i stroll softly
along
the corridors of dreams
that weave themselves between
us

Didactic

Inspired by reading George Orwell for my Politics and Literature class Summer A semester.

I love the way he poignantly points out the vicious dichotomy between the upper and lower classes. Without the crowd there is no leader. Without the workers in the belly of the hotel there are no lavish rooms for the guests to enjoy. The upper classes disdain and look down on the very people who are the mechanism they flourish because of. The working class are the inherent part of the machine that runs the empire yet are not satisfied by the value they create. The hatred this stimulates is the beetlejuice they spit upon the dresses of the rich.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Like a Thief in the Night! Forever, I rise!

I had no idea what it would feel like to return home. I feel like a stranger in my living room. Like I am a little too communist to be American and a little less than socialist to belong to Vietnam. I told you all Seoul swept me away. I wanted to stay. I come back to the tidal wave of things I must accomplish. Life. I feel my destiny pulling me to the next dimension. I have no idea what it will look like. I simply know I am not the same me that left for California, let alone Southeast Asia. Several of my closest people went through major life events when I was away. Kirstie was in a severe car accident. Kamahria's boyfriend (who had just professed his desire to marry her) dies young and unexpected. Leslee is in a terrible motor cycle accident and her boyfriend is STILL in a coma. Tampa floods. Chicago has tornadoes and California has wildfires that tear up portions of the state. I feel like a thief in the night. I feel restless and wanting. I feel lonely and afraid. I feel needed in too many places. I have to discern these premonitions coming to me. I have other things pending that I cannot discuss that add to the pressure. I am a constantly moving force of nature. I feel like I am orbiting some strange new planet. I keep sneezing like I am allergic to my own home and that is the one place I should NOT be having allergy attacks! School starts on the 24th. It is my last semester as I graduate. Bachelor's in Psychology. I am psychoanalyzing me at the moment. The things I cannot share are affecting me deeply but the sharing of them would be detrimental to those they involve. Pray for me. Send me love and the white light of healing. I am hurting. I am searching for the next step. The comfort is that faith I have in the power of my destiny. I know I will find it. As it nears the new moon, I know the pieces will rearrange themselves. I will see the puzzle piece. I will find its relevant space. I will grow and augment as necessary & I will march ever onward. This trip changed my life in ways I still cannot yet see. I look forward to the next few months of redefining me. I look forward to the next step. The next chapter. The next stage of my existence. From my mother's solemn and devout Christian perspective, The Devil would not work hard to pull you off your path if you were not solidly on your path. It just makes me try even harder. I love you all and am blessed by your constant love and support. I need you so very much right now!

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Good Morning Vietnam!

Well boys & girls, I am leaving Tampa in the morning. The first stop will be Santa Barbara, California where I will see the lovely goddess, Asia Wilcox!!!!!!!! I cannot express the excitement I have over this singular event. If my entire travel was only to see Asia's face, it would be worth it all.

We will be staying near Pacifica Graduate Institute where I will meet the faculty and tour the campus where I will be attaining my doctorate. WOOOOHOOOOO!

After two days in a plush hotel in Santa Barbara, I will be traveling down to Los Angeles where I will fly to Seoul, Korea and from there to Hanoi, Vietnam.

USF is taking excellent care of us and we will be staying in a hotel in Hanoi for a couple days. From there we take a bus along the countryside to board a boat where we will stay for one night. We will cruise to an island resort and stay there for two nights. From there we will return to Hanoi and take a train to Vinh City where we will stay in the dorms and study with the locals. My class, Vietnam in Transition will open our eyes to many things and I cannot wait!

We will also be touring Paradise Cave...Google It! I tell you...it is AMAZING!

I fly back to LA and then home to Tampa August fourth.

I will have unlimited text...so please reach out to me whenever you like.

Thank you all for contributing whether spiritually or monetarily or both. I am beyond grateful. I know I will return a changed woman!

While I am gone, Ebony & Ivory (album three) is being mastered by GFI Studios in New York. I should have it released this Fall.

I thank you all for your constant love and support.

~~*~~

RAin Christi.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Milk Does a Body Good

Rain Christi    
June 10, 2015
Politics and Literature
Milk Does a Body Good
            Here in the great United States of America it is pretty much guaranteed that a politician is lying to his hopeful constituents to gain their votes. Most politicians speak in brown sugar coated sentences making promises of what they can do to make our lives better. Most of them rarely, if ever, live up to those promises. Granted, a politician’s life is under constant scrutiny in the public eye. Those that do make a difference are discounted once they commit some “atrocious crime” sending the media into a feeding frenzy. Take President Clinton for instance. He made a tremendous amount of positive difference in our nation and was highly esteemed until he received fellatio from Monica Lewinsky. Public figures must sacrifice their private lives in order to stand before us, honest or not. Once in a while, an honest politician comes along.
            Meet Harvey Milk. Born in Long Island, New York on May 22nd, 1930, he was the first openly homosexual person to take public office. In the wake of his assassination in 1978, many books have been written; policies on homosexuality approached and even the rise of special schools for gays and lesbians. The Harvey Milk High School was founded in 1985 in Greenwich Village and was segregated to the enrollment of gays and lesbians only (Hedlund, 2004). The Harvey Milk Institute in San Francisco, California was founded in 1994 and focuses on bettering life for the gay and lesbian community (Ellis, Highley, Schaub and White, 2001). Much media has been devoted to the story of Harvey Milk.
            In 2008, Universal Studios released a major motion picture dedicated to his story. Confucius said, “Wherever you go, go will all your heart.” For a gay man in 2008, that is trying enough. For a gay public figure in the seventies, it was a whole different story.  For Harvey Milk, there was no other option than to be himself. A charismatic figure, he entranced his audience with his poise, with his passion. His honesty was a refreshing change in public figures. People trusted him. People believed he would be what he said he would be. People believed he would accomplish what he said he would accomplish. However, being a gay man made his political path that much harder.
            Harvey Milk did not set out to be a politician. In 1970, in a public stairwell, on the eve of his fortieth birthday he met and fell in love with Joseph Scott Smith. His charm convinced Scott to come enjoy his birthday with him and they soon moved in together. Shortly after moving in to a quaint apartment on Castro Street, Harvey decided to open Castro Camera. An enthusiastic photographer, Harvey hoped to make enough money to enjoy his life with Scott. As they were hanging the sign for their new business, a neighboring business owner came over to welcome them. Once he realized that Scott and Harvey were lovers, his tune quickly changed. He warned the men that their shop would never survive. It was about this time that the wheels began turning for Harvey Milk, the politician to be.
            Harvey’s shop became a home away from home for gay men everywhere. He compiled a list of shops that welcomed gay business and a list of those who did not. The gay community only purchased from those shops that were on the support list. Soon, many of the non-supporters were closing their doors forever. Castro Street quickly became a haven for gay men. Castro Camera became more than just a home away from home; it became a spot for political activism. Castro Street drew the attention of more than just the gay and lesbian community. Savvy business owners with political agendas realized how much of an advocate such a thriving community could be. Teamster leaders visited Harvey Milk, and asked for help boycotting Coors beer. They were able to successfully remove Coors beer from all the gay bars winning the approval of the teamsters. Soon driving positions were offered to openly gay men and this is when they received their first taste of power. It was about this time that people began to call Harvey Milk the Mayor of Castro Street.
            By 1973, Castro Street belonged to the gay community; however, this did not ensure their safety. Police brutality was an all too often occurrence. One particular night while treating Scott for a head injury due to the police, Harvey realized that just like the black community, the gay community needed political representation. Standing on a box on which he painted “Soap” he spoke through a loud speaker about the relevant issues of the gay community. He announced his candidacy that day as their City Supervisor. He ran and lost the race for City Supervisor twice; however, Harvey knew that it was not just winning that mattered.
            He stood on every stage, and echoed through every campaign microphone speaking in advocacy not only for the gay community but also for the elderly, the youth, the minorities, and every group big politics had forgotten. His campaign lifestyle was not easy for Scott at times, yet he remained loyally at his side for years. However, after a third loss, Scott proclaimed he could not make it through another campaign, packed his bags and left. Harvey soldiered on. Voting protocols by district had been changed so that those voting for or against Harvey would be voters from Castro and Haight only. He was confident this would give him the winning votes. Once again, he campaigned for City Supervisor.
            On January 9th, 1978, Harvey Milk was inaugurated as City Supervisor for San Francisco. His years of campaigning had finally paid off. In an interview by Channel Five News he was asked if he would represent all people or only the gay community. He replied with exuberance that he would of course represent all people. His new position brought a lot of new responsibility. He was constantly on the go. Jack, the lover that he began seeing after Scott left was very lonely without him at home and was jealous of his life in the public eye. One night as Harvey arrived at six fifteen rather than six, he found notes strewn all along his apartment. Jack had hung himself and was dead when Harvey found him. With the upcoming vote for Proposition Six right around the corner, Harvey didn’t even have time to mourn.
            On November 7, 1978, Proposition Six was voted out. Sponsored by John Briggs and supported by Anita Bryant, Proposition Six would have banned gays and lesbians and perhaps all who supported them from working in the school system. This would have caused a colossal loss of jobs within the gay and lesbian community. Harvey Milk and all who supported his cause won a victory that changed America forever on that profound day in November. Only twenty days later, the fear of assassination became a reality.
            Harvey stated in tapes he had been making prior to his murder that he hoped tens of thousands would rise in his wake if an assassination became a reality. Over thirty thousand people marched from Castro Street to City Hall to honor his life and mourn his death. Dan White, a City Supervisor who had resigned his post and turned around and asked for his job back was denied. In a rage, he snuck into City Hall through a window to avoid detection of his weapon by the metal detectors. He shot both the Mayor and Harvey Milk that tragic day in November. However, the legacy of Harvey Milk lives on to this day.
            Harvey Milk was more than just the first openly gay man to hold public office. Harvey Milk was a man who spoke the truth, who stirred the crowds, who accomplished great things. I wish he could have taken a sneak peek into 2015 in order to see just how far we have come where gay rights are concerned. More than thirty states (along with the District of Columbia) now allow the right for same sex couples to engage in marriage (http://www.cnn.com). Please see the Reference Section for the full link. As far as we have come on the matter of rights for the gay and lesbian community, there is still a long way to go.
            As a young girl, I already knew that I was different. I knew I was attracted to girls by the age of four. I kept it buried inside me for so many years. My father was a Baptist Minister and my mother a teacher. There was no room for my persuasion in my household. By sixteen, I had kissed my first girl, and by nineteen I knew it was time for me to come out of the closet. I was shunned by much of my family. My great-grandmother called me crying hysterically. She wanted to know what had caused me to become this way. I lost friends. The part that shocked me the most was the judgment laid upon my breast by the LGBT community. According to many gays and lesbians, I was not bisexual; I was confused. I felt like I didn’t belong to any group. It was a very hard period of adjustment for me.
            In our Western society we are trained to focus on an ideal way of being. We are also trained to scrutinize those who are not the same; those who do not fit that ideal. Many have taken their own lives in order to escape the hatred they face daily for not being considered normal by society at large. Many live their life in fear of being beaten or abused. Some choose rather to live a lie and never let anyone know that they are homosexual. It is unfathomable to some, how painful living a life as a homosexual in this country can be. Yet, some still proclaim that being gay is a choice. Harvey Milk spoke out at a time when not many knew how to lift their voices and be heard on the subject of gay rights. Harvey Milk paved the way for many developments in the gay and lesbian community.
            If we hope to see a day when America is not afraid of the color of skin; if we hope to see a day when America is not afraid of the religion of choice; if we hope to see a day when America is not afraid of sexual preference; we must stand up and speak out just like Harvey Milk. It amazes me how bold and brave he was during a time when it was much less acceptable to be gay than it is today. We cannot change what we do not discuss. In the film, there were a couple instances where a young man called Harvey Milk and thanked him. He saved lives. He set young men free. His life was not a life of luxury, but it was a life fulfilled.
            Just before his assassination, two poignantly powerful and excruciatingly sad things occurred. Harvey loved to listen to opera. Just before he was murdered he saw his first and last opera. That night from his bed, he called Scott and told him about his evening. Scott suggested that Harvey call him the next time he was going to go because he would very much like to accompany him. Harvey said he would love to. Scott told him in that conversation just how proud of Harvey he was. It seemed obvious that they would rekindle their love. If only someone had stopped Dan White from entering City Hall that day.
            In 1984, just five short years later, Dan White was released from prison. It is hard to understand what the judicial system was thinking. Two murders and five years later, a man should not be free. His lawyers defense was coined “The Twinkie Defense” claiming that his junk food diet has impaired his judgment. However, Dan White committed suicide shortly after his release and return to San Francisco. Perhaps Harvey’s suspicion that Dan was gay was correct.    
            Harvey Milk made a tremendous impact on the gay and lesbian rights movement. His courage and passion drove him to speak even after recognizing the probability of his own assassination. May we all find the courage to stand for what we believe in. May we all find the strength to march against our opposition. May we all live a life that we can die proud of. “My name is Harvey Milk and I am here to recruit you”.
           












References:
Ellis, A., Highley, L., Schaub, K., & White, M. (2001). The Harvey Milk Institute guide to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer internet research. The Haworth Press, Inc.
Hedlund, R. (2004). Segregation by any other Name: Harvey Milk High School.JL & Educ., 33, 425.
Jinks, D., Cohen, B. (Producers) & Van Sant, G. (Director). (2008). Milk [Motion Picture]. United States: Universal Studios.

The High Road

Rain Christi
June 17, 2015
Politics & Literature
The High Road
            I began my young adult life naïve and disconnected from the general population. I was and am a highly empathetic being yet I knew not the common tales that most people my age knew well. I was raised in a household without television and secular influences such as popular music, magazines, books and movies. I was sensitive to the news and stayed as far from it as possible. I could not believe the things that went on in the world around me. Granted, much of what the general population believes is highly influenced via the popular media. Stories told of war, poverty, famine and the like have political angles that can be hard to register while taking in the message of those telling the story. It then becomes the responsibility of the consumer of knowledge to search avidly for the truth regardless of the propaganda.
            I began working at City Hall in Rochester, New York in my early thirties. I worked there for three and a half years. My function in City Hall was to run the City Hall Café serving those that worked within her walls and even guests from without. I spoke frequently to the Mayor, to Commissioners, to the Chief of Police and so many other political figures responsible for running my city. Prior to my time working in City Hall, I counted all politicians as liars and I had never registered to vote or had any active interest in politics. This, of course, horrified my city officials. My attitude changed when I realized that I played an intricate role within my city. The City Hall Café, under my care, became a place of music, art, poetry, knowledge and a brilliant cup of joe.
            By affecting the way the City Hall mornings began and offering those that frequented our café a place to relax and rejuvenate, I directly affected the operations of my City. I came to know many of the city leaders well. During my employment there Mayor Bob Duffy left in the middle of his term to accept the position of Lieutenant Governor of New York. Our interim Mayor, Carlos Carballada (Commissioner of Economic Development) told me I should run for Mayor. I believed he was joking at first, and when I realized he was not, the comment profoundly changed my life. Carlos and I had forged a friendship and have a great mutual respect for one another. He gave me a list of reasons why he felt I would lead well, and I listened carefully. My perspective on City Hall and the world of politics began to change. Upon my resignation (I moved down here to return to school near my family) I was presented with a Proclamation from the Mayor and the mayoral staff. I would not be surprised if one day I fulfill a political role in leadership.
            Upon leaving New York, I began gleaning as much political knowledge as I was able. I registered to vote and voted for the first time as my vote was counted among those that won President Obama office. I took a Global Conservation class with Dr. Johnny Wong and it opened my eyes to the politics of world resources and those that are in control of them. Dr. Deby Cassill presented a new angle for me to add to my repertoire. In her class we looked at the biological perspective of diversity. Dr. Gaskin-Butler taught us to see from the perspective of individual cultures in her Cross-Cultural Psychology class. Nayvi Hernandez taught us about the culture and religion of the Latino people as she instructed us how to speak the language. She sparked my interest in the politics of literature as she offered me an example with an Earnest Hemingway novel. In this novel he spoke of voodoo and presented his words as fact. Ms. Hernandez was troubled by what this did to the popular culture as they accepted the words presented as truth. All of these things and more whet my appetite and continued my growth. Imagine how excited I was to learn of a class called Politics and Literature.
I knew this was the correct next step in my development as a woman of global presence. I signed up eagerly and began reading our assigned coursework. The first book assigned, White Tiger (Adiga, 2008) broached the topic of the caste system in India. Of the books we were assigned to read, this story remains one of my favorite. One of the most profoundly disturbing images in the story is the author’s description of the rooster coop. Wired in, these animals in the market are packed so close to one another and have no means of escape. They must defecate in this close proximity and wait to be purchased to be turned into food. Adiga uses this as an analogy for the caste system and the fact that there is no way out for those in the lower castes. Yet our white tiger does find is way out; albeit, the price is high.
Much like the roosters, the White Tiger begins chewing at the wires caging him in. He finally finds his way out but it stains his hands in the blood of the murder he committed and the consequential murder of perhaps his entire family. Those in the higher levels of the caste system have no need to find their way out of it. Some may argue that their system works because it assigns people to each needed layer of society. A system needs people that pick up trash, clean toilets and other less than glamorous jobs. What would society do if there were no one to pick up trash? This story forces the reader to wrestle with the question: what must be done to be free? Is the murder the White Tiger committed justified? Certainly none of us would like to believe we would willingly risk the murder of our entire family for our own individual freedom. What is justifiable in the caged animals pursuit of freedom?
In Sofia Petrovna (Chukovskaya, 1967) we have to ask how successful Stalin’s purges would have been without the individuals who participated in turning in friends and family members. Stalin believed in moving people around and purging those who did not fit his ideal society. If we were considering this from a biological point of view only, it might make scientific sense. However, when considering that each of these units removed from the general population had families, friends, lovers, co-workers, and others who cared for their well-being, the empathy of our nature takes over. So many people during Stalin’s regime turned in their friends or neighbors so they would not be included in the purge. This book left me with the riveting awareness of what the individual role has been in sagas like Hitler’s Nazi Germany or Stalin’s Russia. One can place all the blame on the charismatic leader; however what power would these men have had without those blindly following them?
With every book I read in this class, I felt a pressure building. Each story offered me a building block for my brilliant destiny in the making. We discuss revolution. We discuss war. We discuss politics. We banter and debate our views and philosophies in a class with a brilliant age range. I soak it all in. I am a planet shaker. I believe in the power of the individual. I know we all have an exponential potential we have the power to reach in this life. Why then do some still choose to murder, rape, pillage and destroy? Why do some leaders have the power to raise their fist and command murder while the population at large simply obeys?  Why do some men like Martin Luther King know to stand up and speak and persuade the people to greater things? What causes some humans to be the best of themselves and others the worst? How can one use this awareness for the greater good?

Under the Red Flag (Jin, 1997) really reached me in a dark, disturbing place. It reached me in a place where children emulate their leaders, no matter how corrupt those leaders are. It reached me in a place where men can kill their children due to jealousy and fear. It reached me in a place where women do not have the rights they deserve. It reached me in a place where what you work for does not matter and the people you call your friends will turn on you the first chance they get. It reached me in a place where the construct of society has a power over a people who simply desire to follow; simply desire to be as free as that society allows. It made me wonder what would happen if a society was earnestly formed on “liberty and justice for all”.  What could the individual become then?
I believe if I could go back in time and sit in at the signing of the Declaration of Independence that I might be surprised by what I find. Of course there would be some men present who were doing it for the glory, for the power, for the money. However I do believe that finding freedom from Great Britain and forging a new way in new territory was the driving force in the beginning of this great nation. Yet as our nation developed we adopted the capitalistic way. We did not show reverence for our own Declaration. All people were not treated equally and the saga of power struggles and oppressed people repeated itself right here on our soil. This brings me to Redeployment (Klay, 2014) which covers soldiers in Iraq, mostly Marines and things civilians will never fully understand.
Redeployment is a dark and gritty read. It touches on several Marines and other soliders who face things like PTSD upon their return. It delves deeply into some of the tragic things they had to witness overseas. It makes you feel guilty for saying, “thank you for your service”, which I have certainly said more than twice. It looks into the politics of leadership and the necessity of obedience within a structure built to depend upon it. It again leads me back to the nature of the individual.
In every society there must be some kind of orchestrated structure. In every society, there must be leaders and followers. In every society, there must be punishment for breaking laws forged to govern. In the heart of every individual there must be some personal awareness of their role within their society. In the heart of every individual there must be some personal responsibility for going against their very soul to obey those in power. The individual must know his own place in society and must also know when it is time to disavow said society.
What leader would have power without the obedience of his people behind him? What social revolution could have been possible without the power of the masses? What genocide could have been carried out without the soldiers who obeyed orders to murder other human beings? With plenty of resources on this planet for all people, one is forced to ask the question why we still fight to the death to obtain those resources. Why are some givers and some takers? What is it in our human nature that leads some to become their best and some to indulge their worst? I believe any powerful positive revolution must begin with the strength of the individual. I believe that to reach the globe we must touch the individual heart and soul of every person on it. I believe that we as human beings have the potential to live in harmony. I believe my life is worth offering in pursuit of this profound realization.





References:
Adiga, A. (2008). The white tiger: a novel. Simon and Schuster.
Chukovskaia, L. K. (1967). Sofia Petrovna. J. D. Murray (Ed.). Northwestern University Press.
Klay, P. (2014). Redeployment. Penguin.
Jin, H. (1997). Under the Red Flag: Stories. University of Georgia Press.