Flirting with the Devil

I just smoked a cigarette. I know, I know: yuck. But it was just sitting there, lonely -- left behind by its owner -- staring at me. This was the first cigarette I have smoked since I tried to impress a girl my freshman year of college, and the second since I admitted to smoking one in the woods when I was in 5th grade. But this time there was no curiousity involved; no machismo. I just smoked it because it needed to be smoked. Because it was the only thing to do. It was taunting me. I don't know why I smoked it. I just did.

Maybe the real reason is because I'm a bit stressed. This move to Seattle was much tougher than I had thought. There I said it. I didn't want to admit it; I like to think I'm a transient dude. I relish in the thought of moving to a strange place and thriving. But I am poor. I'm overdrawn. Rent is steep. I didn't have proper time to recover from the craziness what was election work.

Seattle is great though. Its a good mix of big city and nature - there are two sets of mountain ranges to the east and west. The people are cool --open minded. I just gotta get on my feet. I just fear that this is going to slow me down on my travel ambitions. I'll find a way.

Straw Hats

This is the most "live" a post has been. I'm updating straight from my cell phone in the Las Vegas Airport.

Without knowing it I have become an activist. I have always envisioned activists as radical-at least more radical than me. No doubt there are plenty who will think I am radical. I am lobbying for Gay rights; one of those extremely polarizing issues. I imagines that there isn't much gray area - you are either for them or against them. The extent to which this is true I will discover in the coming days and weeks.

I had a discussion with my mom yesterday. She wants to know my life plans...so do I, but I'm in no rush to figure it out at this moment in time. I've only got one life and I don't want to plan one path and tread down it, eyes at my feet. I would rather have a machete and make my path as I go. Sure sooner or later ill cross and already trampled path, but I want to head for the brush, the thick shit. The stuff I can't see over or through, but I know it will lead to somewhere wonderful if I keep chopping. I'm all about the adventure.

Two years after graduating and am I where I thought I'd be? No. I thought I would be in one of two places: 1)a foreign country, or 2)in the sports business. But here I am, having done a bit of both, on my way to Seattle to work for Gay rights. And although I'm not where I thought I would be, I'm completely content.

A professor of mine challenged us to take off our "straw hats" - to not just analyze as intellectuals, but to be proactive. Well here I am. My straw hat at home, I'm putting action to passion. Some may not be able to understand it (and some do): why I work too many hours for too little money. It's simple: I'm not going to sit around and hope things will change. I'm not going to analyze from afar. I will roll up my sleeves and change what needs to be changed. Passion without action is nothing but a bunch of words.

September Update

I have had virtually no time to update Justin Live. I am in the midst of the final voter registration push; there are four weeks left to register voters. John, Rob, and I have decided to milk Virginia for all its worth...and if that means working 90 hours a week, so be it.

This last week we registered over 1,300 people!! It felt great. Gary Ellis, the head honcho for the State Board of Elections, said "I am hard pressed to believe that there is anyone left in Virginia to register". That feels so good to hear. We have literally run the SBE dry of registration applications. (We have to use Xeroxed copies)

The cool thing about voting is it is one of the only times America lives up to what it stands for. "All men are created equal" is bullshit more often than not, especially here in Virginia/the South. But when you step in that booth and you hit that button, or you check that box, it doesn't matter your race, your religion, your sexual preference. It doesn't matter how much money you make. You could walk 5 miles to your poll or show up in a limo, but when you press that button, you have just as much power as anyone else.

That has been my motivation. Especially when we are registering people for the first time. So when they vote (and I hope to *insert religious Deity here* they do), this could quite possibly be the first time that all things are equal.

Hopeless

It has been extremely hard to stay motivated for this project; working 10-14 hours a day, 6 days a week has done all it could to erode my motivation. The heat and humidity, beating me down day after day, has done its best as well. But the thing that has really wore me thin, that has oppressed the fragile state of my well being, is where I work: black America. (And yes there is a difference between the America you know and black America)



When speaking of the prospects for black America, Dr. Cornell West says that, "we must delve into the depths where neither liberals nor conservatives dear to tread, namely, into the murky waters of despair and dread that now flood the streets of black America. To talk about depressing statistics of unemployment, infant mortality, incarceration, teenage pregnancy, and violent crime is one thing. But to face up to the monumental eclipse of hope, the unprecedented collapse of meaning, the incredible disregard for human (especially black) like and property in much of black America is something else."



Well I have taken off my straw hat and I have seen this "eclipse of hope", this "unprecedented collapse of meaning", this nihilism first hand. I dive into these "murky waters of despair" that are the streets of black America here in Richmond - and I fear I may be drowning.



It is hard for me to see, on a daily basis, this revolving door of hopelessness. Knowing that the people I interact with know just as well as I do that there is no way out of the "hood". They are stuck there. Forever. Inadequate education, no jobs, crime rates, racism - whatever the reason, there is no escaping.



How can I blame them for their apathy, their hopelessness when they know they will be forever shackled to these streets? It doesn't matter what they do - they can stumble the streets drunk before noon or they could work their life away and they will end up in the same place. And it is knowing this and experiencing it first-hand that gets me down.



It also validates what I am doing. Hopefully registering these heirs of despair is the first step in giving them a voice. The first step in giving them a chance to be represented. The first step in giving them a glimmer of hope - and it may be the most minute glimmers of hope, but hope nonetheless - in an otherwise hopeless world.



But I'm not looking for validation. I am looking for motivation. It is this hopelessness that has weighed me down that I need to use as motivation to lift my spirits. Easier said than done.

Tattoo

Look what I did:

The memories of my Pohnpei trip are starting to fade. It was the best experience of my life, but as I get busier and busier with CVP and my Peace Corps plans, the experience begins to fade into depths of my brain. I don't want it to be something I think about every now and then. I want to remember daily, forever. So to commemorate, to remind me of my trip I tattooed the emblem of the Pohnpei flag over my heart...Well the left side of my chest anyway.

The nine stars represent my family: Mom, Dad, Josh, Ashley, Shirley, Stefaney, Dylan, Tana, and me - the most important people in my life. An ode to my family.

Whew

...The one word to sum up my life since the last post...whew. It has been crazy! I've been working lllllllloooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggg hours (14 a day) and not getting much sleep (FIFA 07 addiction). I'm working today on the 4th. Whew.

But it's all okay. It's all for the cause. I will have a significant impact on who is elected as the President of the United States of America. The Commander in Chief. Arguably the most powerful man in the world. Not only will I have an impact on something so significant, but I am also giving a voice to the voiceless. A word to the speechless. An identification to the invisible. I am getting some of the most disenfranchised people involved in the political process. Contrary to the "I's" in the previous sentences, it is not about me. It really isn't.

I like Richmond so far. It reminds me a lot of Detroit in that they are trying to renovate downtown and get people moved in. There is a lot more going on here than in Detroit; its Virginia's capital.

The people I am working with are amazing.

Wow...sorry, I had some momentum building, but I can't write anymore. I am too tired. More soon (don't hold me to that).

On the Road Again

…just can’t wait to get on the road again. The journey ahead:

1,661 miles. 25 miles. Yikes, bros.

I've decided to go to Richmond, VA. Richmond has two Community Voter's Project offices with high goals; I've never been to Richmond, so I figured why not? I really wanted to stay in Colorado, but it just didn't work out.

I'm not looking forward to the 3-day trip, but I can't wait to get to know a new city and new people. Wish me luck on my trip and I will update soon. Be on the lookout for PEACE CORPS news and pictures from Colorado.

Talk to you soon.

Bergen Peak

Today Josh, Liz, Aunt Jackie, and I climbed Bergen Peak. This hike was much better than last weeks; higher elevation change, tougher climb, better view. Those are the things I like most about hikes. It was about a 4 hour hike up past 9,000 feet. The climb was full of Aspens, Birch, and various evergreens.



These hikes have been fun, but I enjoyed my hikes in Hawai'i better. I guess I just like seeing the water! The other difference is that there are mountain bikers and horse back riders that you share the trail with here.

So, unfortunately, my time in Colorado may be coming to an end much sooner than I had expected. It is going to take ACORN at least another month before they get the numbers for Pueblo, so we can't even open our office until then.

So our (Josh and me) options:

• Stay in Colorado Springs and work out of this office until then. This is what we have been doing, but its tough to live at someone else's place. Cheyne is totally cool with it, but sleeping on a couch and not really having your own place to do your own things is a bit frustrating.
• Open an office with Josh. This would be in one of the following locations: Grand Rapids, MI; Hampton, VA. I really wanted to get away from Michigan - especially West Michigan. Obviously it would be nice to be really close to family and home, but I was trying to get away for a while. I don't know anything about Hampton really.
• I could go be an Assistant Director away from Josh in Philadelphia. I've always wanted to go to Philly, but it is so nice to be with Josh and have a lot of options as far as being outside and active. Not sure I'd get that chance in Philly.

I really want to stay in Colorado. The one glimmer of hope left is the fact that the people from the Boulder office left for VA, so it is possible that Josh and I could go knock out that office and then go down to Pueblo. I just want to be settled somewhere. Its tough being a vagabond. But it's the nature of the work. The reason that The Fund and NPO's have so many young people working for them is because it is imperative to be flexible and mobile. In the end, it's all for the cause. If I have to move, I have to move.

Happy Father's Day Dad!

Lots of love.

Resigned to the couch...

...again. Here Liz, here Josh - take the bed.

For and Against: Volume 5 - Colorado

For: White-Capped Mountains

Without a hint of protest, I've had to get used to living life against the back drop of the Rockie Mountains. Josh and I have been playing basketball after work and each time we've got to see the sun set behind Pike's Peak. No matter where I am, the mountains are always anchored to my west - it's a beautiful thing.

I went on a hike today with Josh, Aunt Jackie, and her friend at Deer Creek Canyon. At the top of the hike (7200 ft) was a stack of boulders that Josh and I climbed. From the top you could see Denver in front of you and pine-dressed mountains behind you. Peaking over the shoulder of the pines were the white caps of taller mountains. Unfortunately I couldn't get a good picture because they were too far in the distance.

Against: Lack of Lakes

So I took for granted the fact that no matter where I was in TC, I was always within 5 minutes of a lake. There aren't lakes here - just large ponds. Obviously I'm being facetious, but it's hard to be completely land locked. I noticed boats on a reservoir ("lake") and they literally drove back and forth from one end of the "lake" to the other. I thought it was funny and then realized that I miss the water! I will just have to settle for laying by the pool when I can. I will dread the days in dry Pueblo with the temps near 100. Yuck.

Pioneer

Sunday morning I rose with the sun and prepared to chase it to Denver. As I left Illinois, I saw the Mississippi for the first time - not as wide as I had imagined. I rolled through the flat hills of Iowa and rode through Nebraska on the Pony Express (I-80), stopping periodically to fill my car with gas and my body with caffeine. I pioneered my way through hundreds of miles of flat, cow-dotted fields that nearly lulled me to sleep as the sun burned my left arm that sat out of the open window - the same window that was supposed to offer reprieve from the heat.

Finally I slipped through the corner of Colorado hoping to see -again for the first time - the snow-peaked Rockies, but, alas, more fields. Finally, out of nowhere, Denver and the Rockies. Where was the steep, laborious climb up the Rockies? I didn't care, and I'm sure my car appreciated it. 1,000 miles later I had finally reached my destination.

Everything has been great so far. Colorado is pretty cool, although flatter than I had expected - except for the Rockies of course. Josh and I didn't have any luck finding housing together; everything was pretty lousy. But I am now neighbors with Josh (Apartment #25 to his #24). This place is a million times better than any place we saw.

Looks like the lease for our office will be signed in the next few days. Until then, we are working in Colorado Springs. Now that I am a bit more settled, I should be able to update more! Look for one coming at my Pacific Blog.

My Manifest Destiny...

Actually, this really isn't my "Manifest Destiny"...just my move to Colorado.


Sorry I haven't updated in forever - I've been training in Ann Arbor. About my work in AA: I worked on a project that is working to mobilize public support for the Clean Water Restoration Act. Polluters have been dumping sewage and other crap into the wetlands that feed into the Great Lakes and have been getting away with it because of a recent Supreme Court ruling the term "navigable" water to broad of a term. So the Clean Water Restoration Act is simply seeking to get rid of that word. I canvassed door to door asking for money and public support.





I really enjoyed my time in Ann Arbor. The people at Environment Michigan were great! Very laid back, fun, and goofy.





I'm in Chicago for the night at my Aunt Kimiya's for some respite before my loooong drive to Denver. Here's what my trip looks like:

Two words: yikes, bro. I should be able to blog regularly once I'm out there. In the meantime:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Suddenly...a job

All of a sudden I have a job. A real job. And I do mean "all of a sudden": I interviewed over the phone Sunday, whimsically drove to Ann Arbor Monday for a personal interview, and I am leaving Friday morning to start training. That hardly gives me time to pack and say my goodbyes! But I want to get my training in Ann Arbor over as fast as possible so I can get out to Colorado!

About the job...I will be working on a minority-voter registration project. The goal for each office is to register x amount of voters (not sure yet what the goal is) by October. I will be the Assistant Director of the office and my brother Josh is the Director. 60% of what I will do is managing, training, hiring, etc and the other 40% is hitting the streets to register voters.

I think this job is a perfect fit for me right now. It gives me a chance to do meaningful work - I was just going to work at 50's restaurant I've been at for years now. I will get a chance to see another part of the country, and I'm only committed through October. From there I can do what I want (Peace Corps). It is a lot of work for a little money, but, like I said, it is meaningful work and work that could possible make history (given a certain candidate - although this project has no ties with any political party).

I'm excited to live in Pueblo with my brother, but I am also sad that I have to leave so quickly!

Appeasement? Oh please...

I am so frustrated right now. A little bit of this frustration comes from losing to my younger brother in basketball once again, but that all seems insignificant at this point. What I'm feeling now stems from some right-wing idiots. Bill O'Reilly just stated that gas prices and health care have obscured or fight against terror.

REALLY?

Sure, attention has shifted away from homeland security towards our failing economy, uninsured, and sky-high gas prices. But to say that these issues have obscured is, well, absurd. These issues are far from obscure; they are issues that deserve the utmost devotion. Who cares that our fellow countrymen & women can't afford groceries, gas, or medical help?! Iran is scared of us!

REALLY? Obscure?

And then there are Bush's statements that Obama wants to appease terrorists...

REALLY?

Discussion is not appeasement. Talking is not giving in. I don't care how you try to frame it. Obama is not an idiot and he is not about to give power to any terrorists.

I understand people like O'Reilly and Bush trying to push some La-La Land ideas: What with Bush's horrible approval rating, the unpopularity of this war, and the shamble that is the Republican Party. But please, for everyone's sake...come back to reality.

Bloggers Unite: Human Rights

"Bloggers Unite is an initiative designed to harness the power of the blogosphere to make the world a better place. By challenging bloggers to blog about a particular social cause on a single day, a single voice can be joined with thousands of others to help make a real positive difference; from raising awareness for cancer, to an effort to better education systems or support 3rd world countries."

Today's issue: Human Rights. Instead of posting on a specific human rights issue, I'm going to broaden the discussion and talk about the advantage of using human rights vs. civil rights.

The problem with using "civil rights" in America is that it becomes an American problem to be solved by an entity or entities that have some sort of stake in such a problem. An example would be the rights of an immigrant (legal or illegal) worker to standard living and working conditions. If these rights are violated, it becomes a problem involving, but not limited to, the following entities: the 'x' State government, the ACLU, the 'x' labour union, and a civil- or worker's- rights lawyer.

The problem with civil rights being an American issue is that the majority rules in America. Who is left out?: the minority. So when a civil rights issue becomes a minority issue - and the majority of civil rights issues are minority issues - it becomes a minor issue, an issue of the ignored, an issue of the invisible. This leads to overwhelming indifference from the majority, which ultimately makes it harder to uphold the rights of the minority.

So why human rights? Aren't human rights synonymous with civil rights? In a perfect world, yes. But alas, we are far from a perfect world (or country for that matter). The advantage of using human rights is that human rights are universal (and thus it becomes a global issue instead of an issue of a generally racist, chauvinistic America). Why is this an advantage? Well, for one, it is possible for other governments to put pressure on the United States to live up to the standards we set and hold others to because it is an issue of human- rather than civil- rights.

Furthermore, the issue of minority v. majority is a non-factor because it isn't a minority or majority of people deserving human rights, it is 100% of people deserving human rights. Instead of focusing on the fact that a person may be black, brown, red, yellow, white, purple, blue, and so on, the focus can be the fact that a person is human and deserves the rights of human. (I am in no way saying we should erase a persons color because it is an important part of a person's ethnic and cultural identity - rather, we should focus on the right of a human with no regard to their color.)

It is hard for a person of one color to completely understand what it means to be a person of another color (or a person of one class to understand that of another), and therefore it may be hard to empathize or even care about an issue not relating to oneself. But we are all human and we all understand the basic needs of a human. It will be much easier to erase indifference if we can focus on the basic rights of a human instead of focusing on the rights of a civilian (two completely different beings).

What do you think? Too idealistic? You comments are appreciated.

No Name in the Street

I'm reading James Baldwin's No Name in the Street. On the most basic level, it is the story of his life, but more so than that it's a history of the African-American struggle throughout the 60's and early 70's. Baldwin is an candidly eloquent, lucid, critically-thinking writer. I'm only half way through the book, but it's already one of my favorite books.

Anyway, I keep finding passages in this book that really transcend the 60's and 70's. I'd like to share one passage I found particularly relevant (share thoughts/comments below):

Force does not work the way its advocates seem to think it does. It does not, for example, reveal to the victim the strength of his adversary. On the contrary, it reveals the weakness, even the panic of his adversary, and this revelation invests the victim with patience. Furthermore, it is ultimately fatal to create too many victims. The victor can do nothing with these victims, for they do not belong to him, but - to the victims. They belong to the people he is fighting. The people know this. and as inexorable as the roll call - the honor roll - of victims expands, so does their will become inexorable: they resolve that these dead, their brethren, shall not have died in vain. When this point is reached, however long the battle may go on, the victor can never be the victor: on the contrary, all his energies, his entire life, are bound up in a terror he cannot articulate, a mystery he cannot read, a battle he cannot win - he has simply become the prisoner of the people he thought to cow, chain, or murder into submission.

JPB Update

I have finally posted a relfection on my trip to Pohnpei. It was way over due. For those of you wondering, I will still be updating JPB on anything dealing with the Pacific. (Sadly, I didn't update about the Guam primary). Click here to go to JPB.

News: Rebel B.S.

Check out this video news bit about a store in Florida that has banned an employee's confederate-flag-toting truck from the company parking lot. Good for them. The company states they prohibit "rude, abusive, hostile or intimidating" expression. The confederate flag definitely falls under this category.

Do people really not understand what the confederate flag stands for? Don't give me the "Southern Pride" b.s. The confederate flag stands for the confederated who were fighting to keep their slaves as their sub-human servants. I'm not sure how people can look past this? The swastika was once an aboriginal sign for peace, but those feelings certainly aren't evoked today when a swastika is displayed. The same goes for the confederate flag. People can hide behind the "Southern Pride" excuse all they want, but you can't whine when you are held accountable for your actions or when you are judged based on the things you choose say, do, or display.

On a more personal note: A few weeks ago I was at my dad's work and saw a truck with a confederate flag license plate and another truck with a confederate flag decal (this truck also had a decal mentioning something about "Coon Hunting"). I couldn't believe it! My dad said the "Coon Hunting" decal was about raccoon hunting, but what I saw was a something completely different; it looked like a dog adorned in KKK attire. I'm going to try to get a picture up.

I think my friend Nick said it best the other day: "People think we've come a long way, but we really haven't." Sad, but true.

For and Against: Volume 4 - April

What I'm for: "April in the 'D'"

Fox Sports Net Detroit has been running an "April in the D" commercial/slogan (see 'Related Videos' above). "The D" is a nickname for Detroit and FSN Detroit has been running the spot because April is an exciting months for sports in the city of Detroit. You have the NHL and NBA playoffs starting and the MLB season commences as well.

I am looking forward to Detroit playing in the NHL playoffs more than anything. My greatest sports memories growing up were watching the Wings win 3 Stanley Cups (that and watching Barry Sanders play on TV and in the Silverdome against the Bears). I also have a special spot for the Wings because they train in Traverse City and I always used to skip to watch them train at Centre ICE in the fall. The Red Wings are the 1 and are up 2-0 on arch rival Colorado - remember how much these two teams hated each other? Each game was a angst-filld-slugfest. Detroit already beat Nashville in round 1 4 games to 2.



Honestly, I couldn't care less about the NBA or the Pistons during the regular season, but I will watch them during the playoffs. If they lose I'll be a little upset, but I won't lose any sleep over it. They are tied 2-2 with the Sixers in their first round match, but they are expected to get to the Conference finals to play against the Boston Celtics! What a classic match-up that would be. Read this article about possible classic playoff match-ups by Bill Simmons.

Finally you have the Tigers. Coming into the season they were almost a lock to win the AL Central, but an 0-7 start thwarted those thoughts. They have turned it around, but they are still a few games under .500. It's only April, so no need to panic. And how fun is it to watch the lineup we have? We dropped 37 runs on the Texas Rangers in a three game series...37!

April is also an exciting sports month outside of Detroit. You have the NFL Draft, the MLS season starts, and the Champions League knockout stages are in full swing. What a month for sports!

What I'm against: April in TC...

...as in Traverse City. The weather is so up and down! It was just in the 70's last week and today it snowed! We have a frost advisory for tonight! This weather is crazy. I've got to play a softball game tonight in 30 degree weather with the chance of snow! If only I were in the islands! Oh well, summer seems to be just around the corner! Hopefully May brings warmer, more consistent weather.

For the Sake of an Update

So I haven't posted in almost two weeks, but truth be told - I don't really have that much to say.

I haven't had a "For & Against" in a while now, but there really isn't anything of substance that I am "for" or "against".

I could tell you all about my new car: It's a silver 2007 Ford Focus. Of course it's great to have my own car, and life is far easier/better now that I don't have to make plans around having a car or not. But of course getting a car meant taking out a loan. What does that mean? That means that I am now in further debt (although I have a great credit score). It also means that it will be much harder for me to go abroad. But I am trying to stay positive - "where there's a will, there's a way". I never thought I'd make it to Micronesia, but I did. I just have this bad feeling that before I know it I will be 40 years old with a long list of "Places to See" and feel terribly unfulfilled. I will just try to stay positive.

My presentation went well (couldn't think of a clever segue). Only a handful of people showed up, but they all seemed very interested and asked some great questions. I am trying to figure out how to load my PowerPoint presentation onto this blog, but have no idea! Any tech-plugs have any insight?

I could also tell you about my weekend in Chicago, but it was very similar to my last trip. I'm happy that Josh, Ashley, and Dylan got to go this time! The only negative is that according to Grandma: Josh is leader and what he says goes because he is the oldest; Ashley is the Princess; and Dylan is the baby ("if you are walking on the road together and you are all hungry and you only have 1 sandwich, you give it to Dylan because he is the baby"). What does that leave me with? Middle child syndrome I suppose. It's okay...Grandma can tell them about how the family rank works in Pohnpiean/Mwoakillese culture, but I got to live/experience it first hand.

We also went to downtown Chicago. I love that city.

I'm feeling pretty sick so far this week. Not the most uplifting post, but at least the weathers nice.

On the Olympic Torch Demonstrations

Since the Olympic Torch was lit in Greece, its route to Beijing has been met with thousands of protesters proclaiming their disgust with China's shunning of Tibet and China's state of Human Rights (or lake thereof). Protests in Greece, England, and France have become physical with some of the protesters trying to put out the flame. I'm not sure if I have to elaborate any further as I'm sure you've all heard of this already; if you've been living under a rock, well then chances are you are just discovering the wheel (see here) and have no access to this post. If by chance you aren't a caveman and you haven't hear about this, my apologizes.


I am all for protesting for the rights of Tibet and the Chinese citizens, but I think it imperative to not become physical. First of all, lets not punish the athletes who carry the torch. I don't think their participation in this ancient tradition implies an indifference or ignorance to what is happening in Tibet and China, nor does it imply any support of China. Rather, their participation is the result of a life-long dream, and chances are they understand the traditional essence of the Olympic Torch: Peace, purity, and the pursuit of perfection. The flame doesn't represent China.

Secondly, and more importantly, physical or violent protests weaken the credibility of the cause. While in actuality these protesters are extremely enthusiastic and passionate, they come off as a bit maniacal and extreme, and thus the likelihood of action from China (or any entity being protested) diminishes.

I remember when Al Sharpton and a student activist group (the name escapes me) led a march to oppose Proposition 2 (Prop. 2 nullified Affirmative Action). This group invited many African American middle and high school students to join. Some of these students however acted irrationally and irresponsibly; spitting and name calling demonstrators from the opposing side. This was perceived in an extremely negative light (and rightly so) and that student organization and the movement as a whole lost a ton of credibility because of a handful of immature middle- & high- school students.

Once again, I am not trying to undermine the injustices of the Chinese government in any way. Anyone who knows me knows I am passionate about civil & human rights. But for the purpose of accomplishment we need to be non-violent.

"But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here is my idea (and bare with me because it just came to me and is no where near fruition): Instead of trying to extinguish the flame, march. Protesters should march the same route as the flame. Imagine the power of this image: an overhead shot of a single runner with a flame while about a quarter mile behind walks a seemingly endless trail of thousands of protesters singing, chanting, and waving banners. This demonstration could literally march itself across the world. It wouldn't be hard to follow because it is easy to find out where the torch will be next. The only thing is that the routes are starting to change to avoid confrontation, but after the threat of violent confrontations drop, the cat-and-mouse game could end.

Just think of how effective the March on Washington was. One could argue it was the greatest catalyst for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I don't think there would be any shortage of supports, and a march of this length could generate some much positive publicity and opinion that it could gain support of leaders internationally.

It seems like a big task, but we already know the cities the flame with visit. I think it would be relatively easy to organize. The only problem is something would need to be done now. What do you think? Any ideas? Problems? Any thoughts? Please share!

One final note, my friend Adam has posted his latest entry about his time in India. He is a great writer and its a great read, although a long one. Check it out!

For and Against: Volume 3 - Days

The plan was to write this every Sunday, but I babysat for my Grandma all weekend and had no internet access. Writing F&A weekly is also a bit redundant and I am forced to puke something out. So from here on out maybe expect it bi-weekly. Like your paycheck. Think of F&A like a paycheck: it only comes once every two weeks, but you feel relieved once you get it. Okay maybe not. Here we go...

For: Thursdays

Thursdays are great. First of all, I get paid...who doesn't like that? There is a great TV lineup - Survivor: Micronesia, MLS Primetime Thursday, The Office, Scrubs. Ahhh, too many options may kill a man - as they say. And Thursday means its almost the weekend. Actually, at Michigan Thursday was the beginning of the weekend. Thursday is just an easy day to get through.

Against: April Fool's Day

Accents and sarcasm aside, I'm not much of a prankster. I do, however, enjoy pranks. Nothing was funnier this winter than Dylan's prank phone calls to countless customer service reps, waitresses, and Blockbuster customers (note that their are no longer any Blockbusters in TC). But I really can't stand April Fool's Day; the pranks suck and are predictable. I'm sorry Ryan Seacrest, but telling me American Idol is cancelled when you can clearly see the audience just isn't cutting it, bro.

So until someone comes up with a creative, believable, or hilarious prank on April 1, I'm against April Fool's Day

Adios Madrid

Well, unfortunately it doesn't look like I will be doing TEFL in Spain after all. I just really can't afford it. Too many bills, too many uncertainties. It is definitely an option for after this summer. I still want to see Europe and I would be there if money weren't a factor. It is too expensive to go over there without a job or regular source of income.

To be honest, I have been giving a lot of thought to the Peace Corps and/or the Center for Pacific Island Studies at the University of Hawai'i. The more I work on my presentation and read my old blog entries, the more I remember how much I loved my trip and how passionate I am about the Pacific.

Speaking of my presentation, what would you want to hear about Pohnpei? My presentation is set up in two parts; Part 1 being sort of an atlas introduction to Pohnpei; and Part 2 is all about my trip and what I learned. Please share in the comments below what you would want to know if you (hypothetically) were coming to my presentation. Thanks!

For and Against: Volume 2

I'm just gonna jump right into this one.

What I'm for: Humor

I had a great weekend in Kalamazoo with a bunch of friends. The whole weekend was one big laugh and it felt great. We laughed at nicknames, diseases, jokes, art, everything. You name it, we laughed about it. Saturday night we saw Tracy Morgan. That man's stand up is so incredibly dirty, but hilarious nonetheless. I laughed so much this weekend that my face hurts.

I feel bad for those people that are so uptight that they can't laugh. Humor is such a great way to forget about any sort of troubles. Humor and laughing is good for you. Humor can be such and absurd escape from reality or the spot-on truth, and either way you can laugh. I was thinking about quoting a line from "Garden State", but that would just be lame. If you know it, you know it, if not...you can look it up on this page. It's pretty far down there.

Anyway, enjoy this video of Zac. Something I found funny.

What I'm against: Drinking too much

Monday was St. Patrick's Day and Zac and I decided to celebrate, as we have done for years at college. We started with an Irish breakfast at Kilkenny's and a few beers. Drinking beer at 9:00 am is easier than it sounds. We met up with a pub-crawl at noon and continued our binge.

Unfortunately, I drank way too much. Don't get me wrong, I had a fun time and met a ton of people, but I didn't need to drink as much as I did. As a result, my whole week has been thrown off. I wasn't able to work Tuesday because I was feeling the effects of Monday's gluttony. I had to peel myself out of bed just to get in the shower. Wednesday still felt weird and I couldn't find a job.

In a way I'm glad it happened because it reminded me of how much I hate being hungover. It was reminiscent of my days in college, but I'm not in college any more. The consequences of drinking are greater now. It costs more, its unhealthy, and I always feel down the next few days. So from here on out, I'm going to be taking it much easier.

For and Against: Volume 1

Welcome to the inaugural "For and Against" post. "What is 'For and Against'" you might ask? Well its my attempt to tell about the things I appreciate, enjoy, like and those things I am against, hate, or am annoyed by. I hope to bring you "For and Against" every Sunday and write about events or things relevant to my week. In that capacity, "For and Against" will also update you on some of the things I've been up to or some of those things I experienced that may not get their own post. Some will be humorous (at least I hope), some will be deep, and some may be boring (I hope not). Comprende? So without further adieu...

For and Against: Volume 1 --

What I'm for: Chicago/Chicagoland


What a great city! I got a chance to go visit my nohnoh at my Aunt Kimiya's house in St. Charles - a suburb of Chicago. (More on the visit in a bit) We took a wrong exit and instead of bypassing Chicago we ended up on the Chicago Skyway. While it took us an hour out of the way, we got a chance to drive next to the city.

The Chicago skyline is THE original skyline of America; the skyscraper was was first built and popularized in Chicago. From the Sears Tower to the Hancock Center and all buildings in between, downtown Chicago just looks like a city with a lot going on. I think of it as New York City with a Midwest attitude.

Driving by reminded me of my high school spring break trips with my siblings and my grandma. We went every spring break and explored the city. We went to plays and musicals, we went shopping at on Michigan Avenue and the Water Tower Place, and we always ate at restaurants - some new and some favorites.

Chicago is clean, fun, and relatively safe. Even metro-Chicago is nice. It is clean, plenty of shopping and restaurants, and they all have a small town feel.


My Aunt Kimiya and Uncle John live in St. Charles which is 40 miles due West of Chicago. Unfortunately my Grandma has had to fly all the way from Guam to have more work done on her heart. The good thing (maybe selfishly) is that I got to visit my Grandma for the first time since this summer. We talked for the longest time and her voice immediately reminded me of our late night talks from this summer.

It was the first time I've seen my Aunt since before the trip and I enjoyed talking with her about my experience and showing her my pictures. Hopefully I'll get a chance to visit them soon.

What I'm against: Winter

The drive down was beautiful. It was sunny and the temperature was between 55 and 60 degrees; you could smell Spring. It was so refreshing.

The drive home was not so pleasant. The further north we drove the thicker the snow became. Thankfully it was sunny, but it is still depressing to see all this snow (especially after the tease of aforementioned weather). I don't need to go on about this as you can read my thoughts below.

Almost Famous

Only if famous means "your name tucked in some far corner of the Traverse City Record Eagle in a blurb about a group of presentations" I am famous. Think of it as the Where's Waldo? standard of fame. Before you read the plug I would like to clarify that: a)I am not an International Student nor am I a student of NMC and b) when it says "lived on Pohnpei" the writer is referring to the two whole months I lived there. No autographs please.

Jinxed

Me to Josh: "I hope this is the beginning of the spring thaw, although I probably just jinxed it."

Weather this morning: 13 degrees and snowing.

I am so sick of winter.I am sick of four-wheel-drive. I am sick of jackets. I am sick of walking up the driveway because the car won't make it up. The gray and the cold, it is so miserable.

This is what I want to do: lay on the beach, swim, throw a frisbee, and play volleyball all day. I want to be able to hang out outside. I want to barbeque. I want to camp.

I have been cooped up for 6 months now. Puxatony Bill is a bastard.

Interview

Well Justin Live has had a Pacific theme lately. As I've said, there has been no escaping the Pacific lately. My friend Holly interviewed me for a class project and I figured I'd share it with you because its Pacific theme (...and to think that I actually have a Pacific Blog that I could have been posting all this stuff on!).

1. What was it like growing up as a Pacific Islander?
I don’t think growing up as a Pacific Islander was any different of an experience than that of my White friends. We did everything together and weren’t really aware of any ethnic, cultural, or racial differences. We were just kids. I didn’t really become aware or interested in my heritage until I was much older. It may have been different if I grew up around other Micronesians, but growing up with White kids, I was more in tune with the European/Caucasian part of my heritage.

2. Does your family have any Pacific Islander traditions?
It is hard to practice any sort of traditions in Michigan because of the cold climate. The closest thing we do is speak to each other in our native language.

3. How do you feel about the culture of Pacific Islanders not being focused on in classrooms?
I feel that there needs to be some focus. While Pacific Islanders aren’t by any means the largest of minorities, they have a specific place in the history of this country. Hawaii is one of our states; the whole Pacific was (and is) the sight of United States colonialisms and an important area for our victory in World War II. The Pacific is a huge part of our history and to have no focus in school on Pacific Islanders/Islands is a shame.

4. How has traveling to the Pacific Islands affected your life? Has it changed your life in good ways or bad ways?
It has changed my life. Living there this summer gave me some perspective on my own life. I really have it easy here in the States. It showed me all I take for granted: electricity, water, transportation, food, etc. They have all those things there, but it is stuff you have to worry about on a daily basis.

It has also taught me more about myself and who I am. I feel both more and less Pohnpeian now. Less in the sense that my life isn’t same as it is for Pohnpeians on the island, but more in the sense that I know what it means to be a Pohnpeian now. I know about the culture, life, and attitudes of Pohnpeians.

5. How is education viewed in the Pacific Islands and in your household?
In my household education is very important. Throughout my childhood there was always an emphasis on getting good grades, preparing for college, and attending college. My brother and I were the first to graduate from college in my whole family.

I can’t say how it is for all Pacific Islands, but I can speak for Pohnpei. School is important there, but there are often religious ties. There is a Catholic school, a Protestant school, a Seventh Day Adventist school, etc. There are also public schools. College isn’t as important there. The College of Micronesia is there, but it’s probably about the same size or a little smaller than NMC. It is for all students from the Federated States of Micronesia (so it includes students from Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae). The reason college isn’t as important is because most make their living off the land and sea. They get the food they need from fruit, the pigs & chicken they raise, and fish from the sea. There isn’t this attitude of materialism where everyone is always looking to make more money so they can live more comfortably (with a bigger house, better car, nicer clothes). They need extra money so they can buy electricity (it is pay as you use – think cell phone minutes), gas, some clothes and soap.

Some do go off-island for schooling in the States (especially the University of Hawaii). Those that do go to college end up working in the States of for the government in most cases.

6. Are there any holidays or celebrations that your family participates in that are different from the USA?
No, there really aren’t. Even on the island they celebrate the same holidays. This is because Pohnpei used to be a US Territory and is the sight of many religious missions.

7. How is religion viewed in the Pacific Islands and in your household?
Religion isn’t important in my household, but it is very important on the islands. Ever since the Islands were “discovered” by the Western World, religious missionaries have been coming to the island. The two biggest religions are Catholic and Protestant. Most of the island goes to church every Sunday.

8. Have you ever taken a class on Pacific Islanders? If so, what was something new that you learned about Pacific Islanders that you didn’t know already?
Yes – my minor in college was Asian & Pacific Islander American studies, obviously I tried to get an emphasis on Pacific Islander Americans. I took a class called Canoe Cultures of the Pacific that taught me about Polynesian and Micronesian traditional seafaring and its cultural significance. It was a dying ‘art’, but there has been a huge push to regenerate interest and practice of seafaring. It was much more about the culture significance and renewing the significance than actually learning how to be guided by the stars, birds, waves, etc. I also took a class called World War II and the Pacific. This not only taught me about strategies and battles of the Pacific, but also how colonialism and the war affected the every day life of Pacific Islanders. I enjoyed both classes.

9. How and when did your father’s family come to the USA?
It was sometime in the early-to-mid 1970’s. A man in the Peace Corps adopted him. He was from Leelanau, but they first moved to Forks, WA before coming to Traverse City.

10. What languages are spoken in your household?
Just English. In fact, English is the official language in FSM, although it isn’t the language of choice. English is only spoken when talking to a mehn-Wai (American) or at the government Capital – Palikir.

My Dad has forgotten most of the language because he has never been back and doesn’t speak it enough with his family. I think I might know more than him now.

The Haka

Maybe its the weather. Maybe its because I am teaching a geography class and they are doing a unit on Asia and the Pacific. Or maybe its because its because there seems to be a lot of mention of the Pacific lately (see Survivor: Micronesia below). But whatever it is, I have been on a Pacific Islander kick lately. I really miss the mountains, sunrises, and beaches of Hawai'i. I miss the canoe house and family of Guam. And most of all, I miss the language, heat, sakau, simplicity, heritage, and culture of Pohnpei! It's so hard not to think of these things when I'm shivering cold, slipping up my ice-laden driveway.

To quell this nostalgia, I look at pictures from my trip, read my old blog posts and visit Pacific-specific (say that 10 times fast) websites.

One of my favorite thigns about the Pacifc is the Haka. The Haka is a Polynesian dance that is mostly thought of as a pre-war dance however they are not exclusively war dances. However, the Haka is very powerful, and I'm not sure there is anything that gets me more pumped up (for what, I'm not sure). The All-Blacks (New Zealand's rugby team) and University of Hawai'i football team do their own pre-game Haka to get them up and to intimidate their opponents. However, the Haka is a very important part of Polynesian culture and each dance has a culture or historical significance so some take offense to non-Ploynesians performing the Haka.

Anyway, take some time to check out the videos of the Haka above. Unfortunately, I don't have much control of which videos youtube selects, so all the examples are of the rugby teams. Watch the 3rd one though. The All-Blacks use the Haka to intimidate their opponents, but in this one Tonga responds. Just check out the intensity on their faces! WOO!

Survivor: Micronesia

For the 6th time in 16 seasons, the CBS reality show Survivor returns to the Pacific. The innagural Pacific Survivor was in 2002 for its third season: Survivor: Marquesas taped in Nuka Hiva. Following Marquesas was Survivor: Vanuatu (2004) in Efate; Survivor: Palau (2005) in Koror; Survivor: Cook Islands (2006) in Aitutaki; Survivor: Fiji (2007) in Macuata; and Survivor: Micronesia (2008), once again in Koror, Palau.

I can't tell you how many friends facebook-ed me or asked me about Survivor: Micronesia. When I first heard about it I was upset that I missed casting (although me being Micronesia probably wouldn't have given me enough merit to be casted because this seasons theme is "Fans vs. Favorites", of which I am neither). I was ready to devote my Thursday nights to this season until I found out they are taping in Palau again. While Palau is part of the geographic area Micronesia, it is no longer a state in the Federated States of Micronesia. Compare it to (hypothetically) Survivor: Americas, but the taping is in Venezuela and not America (as in USA).

So, while it is cool that Micronesia and the Pacifc become little parts of pop culture, I don't really have any connection with Survivor: Micronesia. In fact, I'd say I have more of a connection with last seasons, Survivor: China because my friend and former wrestling teammate Mike (Frosti) was on the show (made it to the final eight)!!!

I'll save my judgement on the show until I actually see an episode.

Madrid, Spain

I got the news yesterday that I have been accepted to the EBC TEFL/TESOL training program in Madrid, Spain! Now I don't know if being accepted is that big of a deal because I am not sure how picky they are, but it is a big deal for me! Anyone who knows me knows of my ambitions to travel and live abroad for a while, so this gives me a great opportunity to do just that.

For those of you who don't know, TEFL means Teaching English as a Foreign Language. The EBC program last 4-weeks and at the completion I am certified to teach English as a foreign/second language. That means I am eligible/capable/certified to teach English in any language school pretty much worldwide! I would like to stay in Europe...maybe somewhere like Barcelona, Sevilla, Porto, or even Amsterdam! I won't be that picky. I mean if I get a job, I get a job. If I don't stay in Europe, then who knows.


Substitute teaching has really enhanced my need to travel. I see all of these kids that can only see what is in front of their face. They don't know there is a whole world out there to see. They think life in Traverse City is how life is everywhere else in the world. I don't want to live like that.

Wrestling is almost over. I'm sure I'll miss it once it is over, but I am just so exhausted. It has been a great experience though - watching the kids grow and improve and forming relationships with the kids has been my favorite part. They are all great. Sometimes I feel more like a friend than coach, but I think that is okay because we have other coaches who are strictly coaches.

MLK Jr. Day

I am reading "Race Matters" by Dr. Cornell West, and since it is MLK Jr. Day I thought I'd share this intriguing quote:

"...We confine discussions about race in America to the 'problems' black people pose for whites rather than consider what this way of viewing black people reveals about us as a nation.

This paralyzing framework encourages liberals to relieve their guilty consciences by supporting public funds directed at 'the problems'; but at the same time, reluctant to exercise principled criticism of black people, liberals deny them the freedom to err. Similarly, conservatives blame the 'problems' on black people themselves - and thereby render black social misery invisible or unworthy of public attention.

Hence, for liberals, black people are to be 'included' and 'integrated' into 'our' society, while for conservatives they are to be 'well behaved' and 'worthy of acceptance' by 'our' way of life. Both fail to see that the presence and predicaments of black people are neither additions to nor defections from American life, but rather constitutive elements of that life."