Thursday, April 29, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
the pot calling the kettle "pink."
2001.
"way back when," our nation had a president by the name of george w. bush. granted, as a president, he was as respected as most presidents can be; usually meaning everyone likes him when things go "their way," and talk crap about how he's the crappiest thing since tax reform when things aren't going "as planned," so-called "campaign promises" are not being executed, etc. an example of this "fair-weather" bush support was strongly apparent after the inexcusable tragedies of 9/11/2001. shortly thereafter, the country went crazy for george w. he was a hero. he was the one that was going to bring our country, our people, our victims, justice by sending our troops to war, and we were going to catch, torture, kill the terrorists because that is exactly what they deserve. remember this? that seemed to be common theme that the majority agreed on at the time. i even teared at the state of the union address after these events when our military was honored, as they rightly should (always) be, and 9/11 was relived in new security bills, promises of safety at domestic airports, terrorist threat levels given colors that took on entire new meanings. who would have ever thought it would come to this?
"way back when," our nation had a president by the name of george w. bush. granted, as a president, he was as respected as most presidents can be; usually meaning everyone likes him when things go "their way," and talk crap about how he's the crappiest thing since tax reform when things aren't going "as planned," so-called "campaign promises" are not being executed, etc. an example of this "fair-weather" bush support was strongly apparent after the inexcusable tragedies of 9/11/2001. shortly thereafter, the country went crazy for george w. he was a hero. he was the one that was going to bring our country, our people, our victims, justice by sending our troops to war, and we were going to catch, torture, kill the terrorists because that is exactly what they deserve. remember this? that seemed to be common theme that the majority agreed on at the time. i even teared at the state of the union address after these events when our military was honored, as they rightly should (always) be, and 9/11 was relived in new security bills, promises of safety at domestic airports, terrorist threat levels given colors that took on entire new meanings. who would have ever thought it would come to this?
as i recall, however, by the end of the "bush era," america was all but throwing him out of the white house second floor window. why? many reasons that i am not going into in full detail-- some i do not know and others are just too much-- but some of these complaints certainly had to do with issues of justice. why can't all persons have the right to marry? why are we still over there? people asked. why can i not have dominion over my own body? women asked. why do our men and women continue to die? why aren't we stepping in to stop genocide in the sudan, darfur, and uganda? for what purpose are we even still fighting? why are our own people still in poverty? and my "favorite"... where the heck is osama bin laden?? (i'm still wondering this) it is so intriguing to me how quickly "our hero" became a villain, when all emotions subsided, and the struggles and consequences of every day life still remained.
don't get me wrong here, i am not downplaying 9/11 or that homeland security, airline restrictions, and all other safety decisions were not for the best, nor am i saying that military or other victims of these tragedies died in vain. my looming question is: what about the rest of the story? what about the first responders of that day that are dying of, essentially, "black lung," (from the ash) and are being denied health insurance? what about the loved ones left behind that are not receiving the government compensation, recognition, or benefits they, too, were promised? there is absolutely no excuse for this. there is absolutely no reason for someone who risked their life and their families for our country to be denied justice when it becomes their turn to need care. there is no excuse for families of military (or ex-military, ex-firefighters, etc.) to be living in, for lack of a better word, straight poverty.
essentially, in a few months' time, we turned "our hero" into a villain, and many heroes/victims of 9/11, and elsewhere, into third-class american citizens.
transition with me to 2006 to present.
i recently posted a quote by the artist/singer/songwriter "pink" on facebook from her song, "dear mr. president," that was written about her internal dilemmas during the time period previously mentioned, yet i believe is applicable in situations-- past and present, political and not-- to be reminded to put our lives, yours and mine, the somewhat "privileged" (in different ways), in perspective with what really goes on in the streets of america, behind closed doors, on the floor of the house, and in the minds of those that don't know-- and most likely will never truly know-- anything of, to quote miss "pink," "rebuilding your house after the bombs took it away;" "building your bed out of a cardboard box;" or "minimum wage with a baby on the way." my point, simply put, was, as "pink" says, "we don't know nothin' 'bout hard work."
now, let me first point out that facebook has been, and will continue to be, a platform for first amendment rights. every person on this platform, i believe, is entitled to his/her opinion whatever that may be-- though at times i have seen some of the most demeaning, inappropriate, "scary-that-these-people-are-the future-of-our-country," straight ignorant comments/posts/statuses, etc. granted, i let that be (most of the time) because he/she is entitled to that opinion, but if i honestly just can't keep my mouth (or fingers) shut, i will simply point out that one may want to study that "fact" a little further on their own, from factual sources because of the enormous bias or heresay it portrays (that is not always truthful). i will point out, also, that i often post, what can be viewed as, "social justice" or "politically-based" quotes, articles, opinions, etc. but as does everyone else.
after the "pink" quote was posted, there were some comments made to me about the lyrics, particularly about "pink's" entitlement (with her "multi-millionaire" status) to sing/write anything about hardwork or gaps in our "system" because, obviously, as a singer/songwriter she knows nothing first-hand of these inequalities. well, neither do you or i, but i write about social injustices and use my "entitlements" to facebook and the internet to have my opinions heard in the hopes of raising awareness, making people think (or rethink), or just so they have something to read when they're bored and browsing facebook. whatever the case may be, i find it interesting, and quite unfair, that i was berated for quoting "pink," who, i would like to point out, is actually using her "fame" to raise awareness about real issues that always need to be addressed (and readdressed with the changing times)-- human rights, government vs. the people, poverty, war, education-- it's all there in the song. what is so wrong with allowing "pink" to sing of issues that matter, though she may know nothing about, but tries to use herself for good, yet plastered all over facebook are the posted opinions of legislators right now making decisions for our-- you, i, our families, our friends, our future-- well-being, markedly health care, and they, too, know nothing about "being without." these men and women have no idea-- nor will they ever-- of standing in line at social security, unemployment, food stamps or soup kitchens, waiting years for any type of insurance, the embarassment of using the emergency room for primary care, not knowing how to pay next month's rent, not knowing if their children will eat at night or the next day or the next. we-- all of us reading this (because obviously you have access to internet, a computer, have the education to read, and comprehension to push the button to the link of my rantings) have absolutely no clue what people go through day in and day out in our society-- not even our neighbors, friends, co-workers, fellow students. therefore, i urge you, us, opinionated folk, think twice because in actuality none of us-- you, i, legislators, commentors, and, yes, even pink, truly have no clue about hard work.
now, let me first point out that facebook has been, and will continue to be, a platform for first amendment rights. every person on this platform, i believe, is entitled to his/her opinion whatever that may be-- though at times i have seen some of the most demeaning, inappropriate, "scary-that-these-people-are-the future-of-our-country," straight ignorant comments/posts/statuses, etc. granted, i let that be (most of the time) because he/she is entitled to that opinion, but if i honestly just can't keep my mouth (or fingers) shut, i will simply point out that one may want to study that "fact" a little further on their own, from factual sources because of the enormous bias or heresay it portrays (that is not always truthful). i will point out, also, that i often post, what can be viewed as, "social justice" or "politically-based" quotes, articles, opinions, etc. but as does everyone else.
after the "pink" quote was posted, there were some comments made to me about the lyrics, particularly about "pink's" entitlement (with her "multi-millionaire" status) to sing/write anything about hardwork or gaps in our "system" because, obviously, as a singer/songwriter she knows nothing first-hand of these inequalities. well, neither do you or i, but i write about social injustices and use my "entitlements" to facebook and the internet to have my opinions heard in the hopes of raising awareness, making people think (or rethink), or just so they have something to read when they're bored and browsing facebook. whatever the case may be, i find it interesting, and quite unfair, that i was berated for quoting "pink," who, i would like to point out, is actually using her "fame" to raise awareness about real issues that always need to be addressed (and readdressed with the changing times)-- human rights, government vs. the people, poverty, war, education-- it's all there in the song. what is so wrong with allowing "pink" to sing of issues that matter, though she may know nothing about, but tries to use herself for good, yet plastered all over facebook are the posted opinions of legislators right now making decisions for our-- you, i, our families, our friends, our future-- well-being, markedly health care, and they, too, know nothing about "being without." these men and women have no idea-- nor will they ever-- of standing in line at social security, unemployment, food stamps or soup kitchens, waiting years for any type of insurance, the embarassment of using the emergency room for primary care, not knowing how to pay next month's rent, not knowing if their children will eat at night or the next day or the next. we-- all of us reading this (because obviously you have access to internet, a computer, have the education to read, and comprehension to push the button to the link of my rantings) have absolutely no clue what people go through day in and day out in our society-- not even our neighbors, friends, co-workers, fellow students. therefore, i urge you, us, opinionated folk, think twice because in actuality none of us-- you, i, legislators, commentors, and, yes, even pink, truly have no clue about hard work.
Monday, April 19, 2010
"goodbye" love.
there are many different types of love. i have been thinking about this blog for quite some time now, and have made many observations in the process. i remember as a child learning the types of love taught in the bible- agape love; eros love; and philia love. all meaning "love," but in very different ways. the church of christ has a website that appeared in my google called, "a short handbook on love." ha. whoever wrote that should be given a prize because there is no short explanation of love, and surely no handbook on how to love, but no offense to the church of christ, good effort. there are verses, such as "god is love," but one could spend his/her whole life trying to explain, understand, and accept all that love means.
my handbook on love states that eros-love is the "warm fuzzy" love; the more sensual, passionate love that one may get in "crush" mode-- if you will. the church of christ, however, says that eros-love is not a love that establishes deep and meaningful relationships. why? because it's "fickle," they state, and can come and go as people "feel" or as circumstances come and go. in other words, a lustful "fling." here one minute, gone the next, and most likely one party or the other gets hurt. ouch.
philia-love. philia-love stems from friendships. i have had amazing friendships in my life, and still do to this day, thankfully, but the handbook on love warns that this love, too, can be fleeting. i can remember a time in my life when philia-love was very fleeting. i pushed everyone i "philia-loved" away. i felt alone. uncared-for. undeserving. unworthy. granted, i have screwed up my own philia-love in my time, but i wonder why THIS love had such an immense effect on me, and even on my perceptions about myself. yes, i let philia-love define me. why? i don't know. a good explanation is that we put a lot of ourselves into these relationships, but forget that these people, too, are human, and human nature gets in the way of many things and can be hurtful in many, many ways. there were many lessons learned, and, above all, the gift of friendships i now possess are gratifying for both sides and do nothing but build me up- which is exactly what was needed for fulfill (or REfill) my philia-love.
lastly, the bible speaks about agape-love. my "short handbook" states that "agape is not limited to being held hostage by its environment nor someone's perception. the reason why agape can soar above these is because it is based upon the "commitment of a decision." it entails the decision to proactively seek someone else's well-being. since it is not a knee jerk reaction nor just a responsive feeling to how i've been treated, agape is capable of acting in a hostile environment where there are no warm fuzzy feelings." what?? no warm fuzzy feelings and i still love someone?? yes. this is love. this is that love that says your beautiful when you look your worst. this is the love that is proud of you no matter what mistakes you've made. this is the love that's there when everyone else leaves. this is the love above all loves. according to the bible and my "short handbook" this is way jesus loves and he's the best at it.
like i said, i've been observing and noting in my head all the "loves" i've seen around me since i began thinking about this post. just a few i remember... the love that is new and exciting that finds itself in a ring around a girls' finger and a glimmer in her eye; the new love that is scared and nervous, but ready and willing- all at the same time- and has no idea what to do with itself; the questionable love that comes and goes with circumstance, as mentioned above, but someone is the broken-hearted; the baby love that is so overwhelming, but miraculous, as this little thing grows inside you and you prepare your marriage for the next step (this is NOT a confession); the love of a child. the innocent, forgiving, beautiful love that you have girly sleepovers with, and she turns to you, holds your hand, and whispers, "i love you, jamie," and you feel, at that moment, like the most special person in the whole world because of the love of that child; the abusive love that is so blind and dangerous that no one knows what is happening to them until it is often too late. i also believe this love can go hand in hand with "love is blind" because i have seen more cases of "blind love" allowing abuse than allowing the unconditional. unfortunately; the naive love that maybe gets on my nerves the most because it is the people that spit out the "i.l.y." after being in a relationship a week, and/or they spit it out to everyone whether they mean it or not. this type of love makes me feel love losing it's meaning, it's speciality, it's spontenaity, it's power. i wish you, naive love, would not ruin love for the rest of us. just shut up.
the reason behind the name of this post is because, apart from the unconditional, i have felt that the goodbye-love is the hardest love of all. my thoughts on goodbye love lately have not even been of those whose love simply fades with the times, though they continue to pretend to love each other distances apart. no, the goodbye-love i am thinking of is when love is simply, physically gone. no longer reachable. no longer huggable. no longer there. learning to say goodbye is perhaps one of life's biggest lessons. i, myself, do not think i will ever learn it nor understand it in its entirity. patrick lost his granny nancy to cancer. i lost my pop to leukemia. both within months of each other. for me, for us, this is where goodbye-love starts. when we lose someone to death, do we ever lose their love? they are no longer physically human, and they can no longer physically be in our midst; but our constant thoughts, our tears, our prayers for their spirits, our smiles when we remember, how are eyes close when we smell them in a gentle breeze, how the beauty of the world reminds us of their amazing legacies, and how we want to be a part of even a small part of what they were- and continue to be. this, i believe, is goodbye-love. it's embracing the realities of death, but honoring love through life. since this death, i've finished projects that i have put off forever. i've made a conscience decision to use the gifts i have for so long taken for granted. i've made resolutions in my life to be better at certain things that i have struggled with. i've sent cards to people when i think they need them, and i don't even believe in cards! (another post, another story). i raised money and ran a race to honor my family and friends with cancer. i allowed the grieving of my own grandmother to lessen as i learned to share this with others when i have kept it in for eight long years. why did i decide to do these things now? is it only because they are gone? is it only by death that we make new promises for our lives? no. it is an awakening of my spirit to say, no day but today. there's only us. there's only this. do it now. love now. then, when the time comes for goodbye-love, we are ready.
my handbook on love states that eros-love is the "warm fuzzy" love; the more sensual, passionate love that one may get in "crush" mode-- if you will. the church of christ, however, says that eros-love is not a love that establishes deep and meaningful relationships. why? because it's "fickle," they state, and can come and go as people "feel" or as circumstances come and go. in other words, a lustful "fling." here one minute, gone the next, and most likely one party or the other gets hurt. ouch.
philia-love. philia-love stems from friendships. i have had amazing friendships in my life, and still do to this day, thankfully, but the handbook on love warns that this love, too, can be fleeting. i can remember a time in my life when philia-love was very fleeting. i pushed everyone i "philia-loved" away. i felt alone. uncared-for. undeserving. unworthy. granted, i have screwed up my own philia-love in my time, but i wonder why THIS love had such an immense effect on me, and even on my perceptions about myself. yes, i let philia-love define me. why? i don't know. a good explanation is that we put a lot of ourselves into these relationships, but forget that these people, too, are human, and human nature gets in the way of many things and can be hurtful in many, many ways. there were many lessons learned, and, above all, the gift of friendships i now possess are gratifying for both sides and do nothing but build me up- which is exactly what was needed for fulfill (or REfill) my philia-love.
lastly, the bible speaks about agape-love. my "short handbook" states that "agape is not limited to being held hostage by its environment nor someone's perception. the reason why agape can soar above these is because it is based upon the "commitment of a decision." it entails the decision to proactively seek someone else's well-being. since it is not a knee jerk reaction nor just a responsive feeling to how i've been treated, agape is capable of acting in a hostile environment where there are no warm fuzzy feelings." what?? no warm fuzzy feelings and i still love someone?? yes. this is love. this is that love that says your beautiful when you look your worst. this is the love that is proud of you no matter what mistakes you've made. this is the love that's there when everyone else leaves. this is the love above all loves. according to the bible and my "short handbook" this is way jesus loves and he's the best at it.
like i said, i've been observing and noting in my head all the "loves" i've seen around me since i began thinking about this post. just a few i remember... the love that is new and exciting that finds itself in a ring around a girls' finger and a glimmer in her eye; the new love that is scared and nervous, but ready and willing- all at the same time- and has no idea what to do with itself; the questionable love that comes and goes with circumstance, as mentioned above, but someone is the broken-hearted; the baby love that is so overwhelming, but miraculous, as this little thing grows inside you and you prepare your marriage for the next step (this is NOT a confession); the love of a child. the innocent, forgiving, beautiful love that you have girly sleepovers with, and she turns to you, holds your hand, and whispers, "i love you, jamie," and you feel, at that moment, like the most special person in the whole world because of the love of that child; the abusive love that is so blind and dangerous that no one knows what is happening to them until it is often too late. i also believe this love can go hand in hand with "love is blind" because i have seen more cases of "blind love" allowing abuse than allowing the unconditional. unfortunately; the naive love that maybe gets on my nerves the most because it is the people that spit out the "i.l.y." after being in a relationship a week, and/or they spit it out to everyone whether they mean it or not. this type of love makes me feel love losing it's meaning, it's speciality, it's spontenaity, it's power. i wish you, naive love, would not ruin love for the rest of us. just shut up.
the reason behind the name of this post is because, apart from the unconditional, i have felt that the goodbye-love is the hardest love of all. my thoughts on goodbye love lately have not even been of those whose love simply fades with the times, though they continue to pretend to love each other distances apart. no, the goodbye-love i am thinking of is when love is simply, physically gone. no longer reachable. no longer huggable. no longer there. learning to say goodbye is perhaps one of life's biggest lessons. i, myself, do not think i will ever learn it nor understand it in its entirity. patrick lost his granny nancy to cancer. i lost my pop to leukemia. both within months of each other. for me, for us, this is where goodbye-love starts. when we lose someone to death, do we ever lose their love? they are no longer physically human, and they can no longer physically be in our midst; but our constant thoughts, our tears, our prayers for their spirits, our smiles when we remember, how are eyes close when we smell them in a gentle breeze, how the beauty of the world reminds us of their amazing legacies, and how we want to be a part of even a small part of what they were- and continue to be. this, i believe, is goodbye-love. it's embracing the realities of death, but honoring love through life. since this death, i've finished projects that i have put off forever. i've made a conscience decision to use the gifts i have for so long taken for granted. i've made resolutions in my life to be better at certain things that i have struggled with. i've sent cards to people when i think they need them, and i don't even believe in cards! (another post, another story). i raised money and ran a race to honor my family and friends with cancer. i allowed the grieving of my own grandmother to lessen as i learned to share this with others when i have kept it in for eight long years. why did i decide to do these things now? is it only because they are gone? is it only by death that we make new promises for our lives? no. it is an awakening of my spirit to say, no day but today. there's only us. there's only this. do it now. love now. then, when the time comes for goodbye-love, we are ready.
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