Showing posts with label 'Merica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 'Merica. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
no image


Today, many of the world's leaders made their way to South Africa to celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela. The coverage of the event, as you might expect, flooded the internet, television, and other traditional mediums. President Obama gave a moving, forceful speech that, admittedly, wasn't without tinges of hypocrisy or irony, but overall, gave the impression it needed to.

In the true fashion of 21st century media, however, it's not the life of Nelson Mandela, unarguably one of the world's great leaders, that's being talked about. It's not his achievements. It's not even President Obama's speech being picked apart; that might almost be understandable given his own policies and things said in his speech. Instead, it's a "selfie" the president took with British PM David Cameron and Danish PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt. I get that snapping a "selfie"--and please, note my distaste for using that pseudo-language--in this context is strange, but people of the world, kindly shut up about it.

Focus on Nelson Mandela
Does snapping a picture truly constitute something more important than the life of a human being who spent his short existence trying to make the world better? I hesitate to ask the question as, ostensibly, more people expressed their sadness over the death of actor Paul Walker via Facebook and Twitter than even bothered to make a mention of somebody who literally changed the fate of millions of people. How about some priorities? How about some perspective?

Realize the Nature of the Event
This wonderful peace from The Blaze is not unique in its coverage of the whole affair. "How dare he take a picture at a funeral?" they ask, disbelief drooling from their maws. The comments are a whole other story. The "selfie"--god, I hate that word-- is being linked to pathological lying, chronic narcissism, and everything else. Granted, those traits may or may not be there, but it's not too hard to see that correlations are being drawn where there are none.

I'd wager that a large percentage of the people flaming, fuming, guffawing, and other verbs at this whole situation are completely unfamiliar with the tone, the overall mood, of the Mandela celebrations. People were dancing, singing, clapping, and shouting. Why? Because they were celebrating the life of a great person. The mood was of revelry, not sadness. This wasn't a funeral; it was a party meant to see beyond the pain and rejoice in a person's accomplishments. So, please, save the indignation for when it's warranted.

Speaking of...
My biggest gripe with the situation is that we're ignoring all the bigger issues to talk about something which, at the end of the day, doesn't matter. Say, for the sake of argument, this photograph is in any way reprehensible. Even if that is the case, how does it affect any of us? Is that photo a government entity spying on everything you do? Is it helping or hurting the cause of gender and sexual equality in the country? How about the income gap; is it fixing that huge economic blight?

It doesn't matter.

In the end, it's a fool who looks for a fight, a problem, where there is none. Believe me; I've been that fool many times. Undoubtedly, the POTUS has some things to be criticized over, but overshadowing a day meant for celebrating a singular individual and sweeping the real dirt under the rug for the sake of political indignation is an insult and a waste of time.


Read more
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
no image


I'm pleased to report that my first true interaction with the Affordable Care Act (Re: Obamacare, A Love Story Worse Than Twilight, the Worst Thing Ever to Happen to the United States, Socialist Retooling, etc.) has ended with gleaming success. In that, I can't help but feel a humongous weight has been lifted from my shoulders; I'm not even considering the 1% income penalty I would've been responsible for had I not gotten insurance by Jan. 1st. I don't care that selecting the most basic of insurance would have cost me marginally more had I gone that route. I care that for the first time in nine months my basic health needs can be met. I care that for the first time since I graduated from college in 2010, I can go to the dentist. On this side of the equation, perhaps, I see the whole issue of Obamacare more clearly than I ever did.

First, I want to say that I don't believe Obamacare is a panacea for the health crisis this country faces; it's not. I'm also not going to go into some highly-partisan diatribe, tinged with red or dipped in blue, that espouses all the supposed failings and successes of American healthcare reform. I understand that the system, as it stands now, is ineffably lackluster, a winged bird that can't yet take to the sky. And yes, I understand the failings of the current administration. 

With all that being said, with the many catalysts for blood-boiling and irrational party politicking, I tell you that the system is a good thing. It's a good thing for two important reasons:

  • I Can Afford to Care for Myself-There's a very real problem when you live in a society that doesn't value your right to live, especially when it's one that proclaims itself the Land of the Free. Forcing people to accept being sick over being well is the very definition of slavery because you take away any sense of choice. Interestingly, talking with my insurance rep today, I found that the most basic care plans marginally increased in price over similar plans last year. On average, they increased by a little over a dollar. The so-called "platinum plan", the creme de la creme, became more affordable, year over year. To put it simply, if I were making the same amount in December of 2012 as I am now, then I wouldn't have been able to afford the same level of care at that time.

  • Life Doesn't Have to Be a Constant Risk Assessment-One of the strangest, most disheartening things I found about living uninsured was that I viewed everything as though I were a pencil-pusher at a risk assessment firm. "Well, I can't really go hiking because if I break my leg, how can I take care of that?" I'd asked myself. Of course, I don't plan on heading out to challenge a karate master or free-climb Kilimanjaro, but that's not the point. Life, from this side of the apocalyptic measures called Obamacare, is decidedly better, and I've known about this change for less than 25 minutes.

So, What's the Point?
The debate before this meant anything to me, at least in an experiential way, was based around abstracts; it was based around what could be and increasingly inane politics. Having been granted something that a huge portion of the industrial world has enjoyed for a long time now, even if my costs will remain markedly higher than other first-world nations' for some time, feels more like freedom than any other occurrence in my adult life.

It's not an issue of political tilt. Were I Republican instead of more Democratic in my views, that wouldn't change the impact. You can debate all you want about the ethics, the costs, the fundamentally anti-American nature that the ACA exhibits, but let me tell you first-hand, until you've been on the other side, until you've tasted something fundamental that was previously denied, your experience, and thereby your authority, is truly limited.


Read more
Monday, November 4, 2013
The Good and the Bad of What Our Children Will Call "Normal"

In light of recent events, I've begun thinking, worrying in some instances, about what my children will grow up thinking is normal. I think, really, this applies to anybody ages 16 and under who are being exposed to these radical changes, both good and bad, that will redefine the way people of the world think about essential, crucially important things.
Source: http://kuwaitiful.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Confused_baby.jpg

Gun Violence is Just How It Is
This one is likely the most troublesome. As the Huffington Post points out, in the 10 months following the December 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, 78 mass shootings took place across the United States. As these shootings continue to happen on (at least) a monthly basis, with ever decreasing outcry from the American public, I'm left to wonder if we've come to accept these shootings as commonplace.

Most worrying, however, is what that means to the development of current teenagers and future children. If it becomes the case that our children see mass violence as a natural consequence of disgruntled human beings, does that result in a population which thinks that's the way to solve things?

The Political System is a Waste of Time
It's no stretch to say that people my age and older are disenchanted with the political system; this applies to people on both sides of the aisle, and really why shouldn't people feel that way? American politics is stuck in this cycle of foolishness, authoring its own destruction. If we think that our government is a useless exercise in corruption, how can those coming after us think it any better?

Genetically Modified Food is Delicious and Healthy
With the United States continuing to battle over whether or not Americans have a right to know their food was created in a lab like Frankenstein, mega-corporations, like Monsanto, continue to consolidate their grasp over the agricultural industry. Apparently, allowing the company responsible for Agent Orange to taint the very things we rely on for our survival seems like a great idea.

If the trend continues down its current path, then you will have two camps. The minority will be pocket groups of people who grow their own food; well, at least until Monsanto finds a way to make that a theft of intellectual property. The majority will be eating flavorless tomatoes, modified with fish genes for some reason or another. Unfortunately, most people will grow up without the real taste of nature on their lips.

The Only Good: Social Equality is a Moral Imperative
If there can be anything positive said about our future societal norms, then it has to be said about equality. Don't get me wrong; I don't see women suddenly filling up the White House, rape culture disappearing, or anyone without an ivory complexion  suddenly being free of the prejudice tossed on their backs by the narrow views of history.

What I do see is progress, however. I see children who understand that love is love, regardless of the couple makeup. I see children who can put a woman into the highest office of the land; that's assuming my earlier precognition of governmental disinterest doesn't coming true. Whatever form it takes, I think equality will be the single thing that changes for the better for the new class.

~

What do you think the future will be like for the young folk?  Am I being too cynical?


Read more
Thursday, October 24, 2013
no image

Just in case you didn't catch it, Monday saw yet another school shooting in the United States. A 12 year old boy --yes, 12 years old-- walked into his school, wounded two students, and killed a teacher with a gun. All of this before turning his weapon on himself, ending his life. It was yet another proud moment in America's gun-sick history.

I would certainly like to express my outrage, my shock, my unrivaled dismay; yet I find myself somehow unable to. I remember Aurora and Sandy Hook. I remember Tulsa, Wilmington,Minneapolis, and the 11 other mass shootings that took place in the United States in 2012.  Each of them disgusts, enrages, and does its part to render the country even more hopeless and disenchanted.

Yet, to me, the shooting outside of Reno seems different. If social media commentary, non-sarcastically a great thermometer for what people actually care about, can be believed, then very few people took notice, or cared, about yet another shooting in the United States. I'm left wondering what that says for the land of my birth.

Most worrying, I feel that this could be an indication of our increasingly desensitized society.  Don't get me wrong; I'm not one of those who point the finger at video games, movies, and other aggressive media as the bastions of American societal evil. Instead, I point my finger at the war-mongering, hate speech, and continued violence in the real world that has become so common place that it barely seems to register on our radar.

The fact is people continue to die. 28 people died at Sandy Hook, 12 at Aurora, and only 1 at this most recent event in Nevada. Is it the size that makes it less important to talk about? Is the death of one innocent man less tragic than the death of innocent children? I'd like to argue that, no, pointless death is exactly that no matter who the victim or in what amount blood is spilled.

So, why, then, is this not being talked about more often? Where is the outrage from all Americans across Facebook, Twitter, and other forums that are so readily filled with this type of thing? Where are the left-wingers or, at least, the anti-violence activists calling for sensible gun reform? Where are the Second Amendment die-hards rebutting the left-wing conspiracy to destroy American sensibilities?

I think I'd prefer the sometimes violent, disgusting language of social media debates than the silence that so typically illustrates apathy. After all, if this isn't enough to get our blood going and conversation started, what is?


Read more
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)