American Exceptionalism

The leaders of the United States often talk about America in terms of being the "best," "biggest," "special," "the greatest," or other language indicating that we are exceptional. This exceptionalism is a brainwashing tactic to keep people from thinking for themselves. We are not exceptional -- and our belief in this despite mounting evidence (lagging test scores and schools, a failing economy, huge discrepancy in income), is what is actually preventing us from improving.

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, recently wrote for the New York Times, and I think he really stresses this point well: 

"I would rather disagree with a case he[President Obama] made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States’ policy is 'what makes America different. It’s what makes us exceptional.' It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord’s blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal."

Countries and policies are different, but by spoon-feeding exceptionalism do your citizens since early elementary school, you are not doing anyone any favors. 

--Megan

A Culture of Fear

A scare on the Philadelphia Benjamin Parkway in caused a human stampede on Thursday night. 30 people treated by medics, children lost, thousands terrified and many unsure of the cause of their fear and angst. Was it a gun, BB gun, firecrackers thrown at a crowd, or simply a motorcycle back fire? This was how I spent my Independence Day.

This year to celebrate the 4th of July I joined family and friends on a Philadelphia adventure. The day kicked off with an Independence Day parade and followed with a free concert on the Benjamin Parkway with the backdrop of the famous Art Museum. It was reported that over 500,000 people were in attendance. It felt like a crowd of over a million as people pushed through for a better view and disrupted family picnics. The concert starred John Mayer, Grace Potter, J-Cole, Jill Scott and Ne-Yo. To conclude the fun night was the fireworks show perfectly displayed over the illuminated art museum. My group and I headed to exit while also stopping to take pictures and view the beauty of the firework lit sky. What happened next was something right out of a movie. The best way I can describe it from my point of view was the scene in Lion King where the wild beast are stampeding which eventually lead to the death of Mufasa.

While standing in the blocked off parkway I heard screams coming from behind. Turning around I saw a crowd of at least 200 people running towards us. The look on their faces were of pure terror. I heard someone close by yell "run" and before the crowd reached us my family dispersed from the street. I saw people running off to the side up against a building and I joined them. People were yelling, crying, screaming "some one's been shot" another yelled "It was a bomb". I looked around and realized I had been separated from my party. I reached for my phone in my back pocket and it was gone. Looking forward in the street I saw the stampede of people run by. As the street cleared people near me started to clear our hiding spot and looking for their loved ones. I found my group, but not without some bumps and bruises of our own. I looked down and saw my arms were shaking.

(Below is a Youtube video filmed by individuals caught in the stampede which was featured on Fox29 Philadelphia.)


Walking back to our hotel in the Center City we saw cops gathering, firetrucks, ambulances. Everyone seemed very confused and scared. No one knew what had happened. What caused hundreds of people to run in terror. Varied reports have been released. A report form NBC10 Philadelphia state a man fired a BB gun at the crowd while Fox29 reports firecrackers thrown at the crowd. Whatever the cause, it was amplified drastically by the number of people in the area and the fear many have of being caught in a mass attack. I heard people saying "it's like the Boston marathon or"it's a mass shooting".  These recent events are what I think cause the human stampede.

We live in a world today where a man opens fire on innocent moviegoers, where backpack bombers attack a historical marathon, where young children are murdered in school. I don't believe this event is related to the formers, but it is because of events like those that people were in danger. The fear of being caught in a mass attack caused a mass riot of its own. Such action could have easily left a greater physical impact. I have only read of one serious injury with most of the rest being treated at the scene. But if you watch the videos of that night you get a glimpse into what most of us felt as the panic spread through the parkway.

A culture of fear. This may very well be the real cause of the panic and the human stampede. Many would suggest that it's better to be safe than sorry, but what about when this fear has such a ripple effect that it amplifies a small incident into a truly fearful event.

--Krystal

After you graduate...

In one of my classes the other day we had a guest lecturer who preceded to tell us that if we are not making $100,000+ five years after graduating from our master's program then we have wasted our money on school. Not only did he make this remark to my fellow graduate students and I, but also exclaimed that he makes the same remarks to his undergraduate students.

Hearing his statement really made me think. With respect to undergraduate students, earning six figure salaries 5 years post graduation is an extremely lofty goal given the number of college graduates vying for employment and the state of our nation's economy. But what about graduate students.  I did a little research on jobs secured by people with Masters Degrees and the median salary by those jobs. On PayScale.com they have several tables and charts to illustrate median salaries.

So what do you think, should an individual be earning a six-figure salary 5 years post earning their graduate level degree? How viable is it to have that earning power?

--Krystal

People with Masters Degrees (non-MBA)

Median Salary by Job

Job National Salary Data (?) $0 $24K $48K $72K Senior Pastor $58,555 Pastor $53,513 Human Resources (HR) Manager $50,533 Program Manager, Non-Profit Organization $52,038 Instructional Designer $70,142 Executive Assistant $43,025 Elementary School Teacher $36,431 Country: United States | Currency: USD | Updated: 6 May 2013 | Individuals Reporting: 361

Key Statistics for People with Masters Degrees (non-MBA) Salaries and Jobs

Top Degrees

Salary Range

Master of Business Administration (MBA)	$57,965 - $81,389
Master of Education (MEd)	$33,899 - $47,932
Master of Divinity (MDiv), Pastoral Ministry	$49,910 - $87,600
Master of Divinity (MDiv), Theology	$63,465 - $108,500
Master of Arts (MA), English Language	$43,500 - $52,000

Years of Experience

Less than 1 year 2% 1-4 years 28% 5-9 years 28% 10-19 years 28% 20 years or more 15%

Accidental Racist

I don't think there can be someone known as an "accidental racist." I do believe that we all make mistakes, and perhaps have grown up in a place that has not allowed for entire racial understanding and sensitivity. I think perceptions based on our backgrounds, education, and upbringing are entirely normal, and that many have not been taught about the racist institutions built into our culture and how to combat them; perhaps this makes someone a racist by choice or a racist by psyche and nurture, but there is no accident about what behaviors you choose. 

Part of living in a community, living as part of a larger, interconnected society, is knowing how to live WITH community. This involves respecting one another. Racism is ingrained into American society, but that doesn't mean we need to act on it. 

I heard about Brad Paisley's new song, "Accidental Racist," on The Colbert Report. While the segment was comedy gold, I am truly horrified that the song is real. The song is implicitly racist, despite the narrator singing that he wants to bridge the divide between whites and blacks. In the lyrics, it is the black man serving the white man coffee, a white man who knows the full meaning and history behind the confederate flag, but despite these implications, chooses to wear it in public because he's a "Skynyrd fan." This is not accidental. This is a choice. Bigotry and hatred is always a choice, and alienating people with uncomfortable symbols of superiority, history, etc, simply because you "like the design," for example. The lyrics are filled with assumptions about racial relations and the typical African-American lifestyle. 

Even worse, LL Cool J features in the song. I can't imagine a sum of money large enough to convince him to sing the demeaning lyrics, including "if you don't judge my gold chains, I'll forgive the iron chains." As Colbert surmises, "That's a pretty good deal, Paisley. LL will forget 250 years of enslavement if you accept his taste in accessories." 

The song misses the entire conversation about racial and cultural sensitivity and veers off into a racist and offensive place. Paisley claims to want an open dialogue with African-Americans and for both to be understood, but cannot give up his pride in the way he was raised, nor let go of racist generalizations and stereotypes such as black men being from the hood, wearing "saggy pants", "do-rags", and "gold chains." This song is a product of him, and, in fact, the song seems so unaware of the demeaning and one-sided dialogue, that perhaps it truly is "accidental." 

Colbert changes the tone, however, and gives us something to laugh at. You can check out the whole clip here. Be sure to watch to the end to catch Colbert's spoof of "Accidental Racist," what he calls "OopsieDaisy Homophobe." 

--Megan

Power of the People

The tragedy that occurred at the 2013 Boston Marathon yesterday will always be remembered by this generation. Some people are even saying that events like this are things we just have to get use to and expect along with the shootings of Newtown, New Jersey, Aurora, Colorado and others. Do you accept that? I know I don't.

I know that disaster is living and apart of our wild, but I can hardly agree that these incidents should be accepted as just part of our culture. It is unacceptable to think that you can't enjoy a movie at a local theatre or participate in a marathon without fearing your life. And is beyond unacceptable for our children, our babies, the future of our nation to not feel safe in their neighborhood school.

It is terrible what happened in Boston on Monday, but I always feel inspired by some of the miraculous stories you hear about people putting their safety in danger in order to save or protect the life of a stranger. One man called in to a local radio station and spoke of his young song asking him whether there are more good people than bad in this world and the father responded that there are more good people. I agree with him.  And I truly believe in the power of the people. And our power to have peace. Check out this picture taken of Martin Richard, the 8-year-old victim of the the Boston Marathon bombings, in class prior to Monday April 15th.

If only this sign would have reined true on Monday.


--Krystal

Food Justice

The modern world has made eating easy! Things are prepackaged and prepared, ready to grab, go, and eat. We reheat in the microwave, we consume what's on the shelves of our local grocery stores, or at the local restaurants and fast food chains. 

We don't think much about what these things are, so long as they fill us up. We are satisfying our hunger. 

The American food system is problematic in many ways, but I want to focus this post specifically on what it is we are eating and the misconceptions about eating in our country, particularly in lower income households and neighborhoods. 

I read a book last week called Super Immunity by by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. The book breaks down our common ideas about food--basically, what we've been taught in school. It is common knowledge that we need a combination of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to ensure nutrition and stave off hunger. This combination will give us appropriate amounts of energy for our day to day lives. 

This may be true, to a point, but what we are missing is what's behind that. Not all food has the same nutrient per calorie ratio. We know this, to an extent: a spinach salad is better for us then Cheetos. We are still focusing on the wrong factors, when considering consumption, however. Vegetables provide primary sources of protein and energy, whereas animal products provide merely a secondary source (as the plant life was first consumed by the animal, then consumed by us). Many of these vegetables and plants provide micronutrients that are immeasurable at this point in science. For example, the book provides examples of how berries, kale, spinach, beans, and mushrooms provide anti-cancer, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and anti-disease compounds that can not be measured as a vitamin or mineral, nor carbohydrate and fat. When we eat processed foods just to get the end goal of calories and energy, we are missing the sources of these disease fighting agents, and it is apparent in American culture that we are suffering the consequences. Diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and chronic inflammation are at all time highs. Doctors are not to a point where they are looking at these issues holistically, and diets and habits are not being treated, merely symptoms.

Dr. Fuhrman provides many examples in his book about people who have changed their eating habits and have seen enormous results. His book touches on the topics of modern medicine, food as medicine, and our cultural reliance on remedies and symptom-treating, as well as the other harsh toxins we put in our bodies. I hope to further blog on these bits in future posts. 

I found Super Immunity to be an eye-opening observance of our culture and habits, and how these cultural factors are literally killing us. It is not a diet book as much as it is a reflection on modern lifestyle. 

In particular, I reflected on how many healthy and nutrient foods are inaccessible to lower classes and entire low-income neighborhoods. Processed food is cheap: McDonalds, chips, frozen pizzas and mac and cheese, canned goods, etc. These are not nutrient dense, and do not contain micronutrients needed to ward off disease. This is apparent in low-income individuals, who typically suffer from more diseases than others. That is food justice. I hope to reflect more in coming weeks on this aspect of social justice in our nation. 

--Megan 

A Nation in Mourning

My heart is broken by the recent tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. The loss of human life incurred and the number of families affected is too much to fully imagine. This tragedy has captured the attention of everyone nationwide as we all mourn the many loved ones lost and the heroes of the day who did what they could to keep others safe. 

Americans are crying out for help and change. These tragedies cannot keep happening at the rate they are. There is so much that is preventable in these killings and brutalities. People argue that wanting change and starting the conversation about gun control around these tragedies is "politicizing" these events. On the contrary, it is people desperate for change. It is people who don't want to live in fear anymore, who don't want to see America turn into a place of fear, anarchy, and death. It has become a risk we assume, by going out in public, that there is an opportunity for violence. This is something unique to America--and it goes back to our value system. America's system values individual freedoms over community freedoms, ie, the right for an individual to buy weapons, but not the right for communities to feel safe in public spaces. It is unfathomable in other countries that we do not take action, and it is, though devastating, just something that happens here. OUR LAWS ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO BUY DEADLY WEAPONS IN REGULAR STORES. For many of us who have grown up here, maybe we've grown up thinking that is normal. I challenge you to really think about it. WHY ON EARTH SHOULD A CIVILIAN INDIVIDUAL BE ALLOWED ACCESS TO WEAPONRY SIMILAR TO WHAT IS USED BY THE MILITARY? Without guns, yes violence would still happen, but mass murders in school would be largely stopped. Mass murders of any kind--stopped. If there were no guns, legally or not, we would see a dramatic decline in murder. There is a larger conversation that needs to happen, around media and violence in our entertainment, the way human life is discounted in video games, movies, and tv shows, things our youth grow up watching, people without memorable names and faces being killed with little emotion. To shift our perception of human life to something of higher value is needed, as well, but the very simple fact of it all is that eliminating guns from stores would prevent the actual deaths we are currently seeing. This does not happen in other places. 

As you might notice, I am desperate. I am crying out for change. I beg everyone to consider what freedom means to them and take action. Freedom is the right to live without fear, it is the right to enjoy entertainment in public, to go out in crowds, to send your children to school. Freedom is the right to health and happiness for ALL. Freedom is not having to go through metal detectors and be searched upon entering airports, government buildings, and now schools. That is the direction our country is going. 

"If roads were collapsing all across the United States, killing dozens of drivers, we would surely see that as a moment to talk about what we could do to keep roads from collapsing. If terrorists were detonating bombs in port after port, you can be sure Congress would be working to upgrade the nation’s security measures. If a plague was ripping through communities, public-health officials would be

 working feverishly to contain it.

Only with gun violence do we respond to repeated tragedies by saying that mourning is acceptable but discussing how to prevent more tragedies is not. “Too soon,” howl supporters of loose gun laws. But as others have observed, talking about how to stop mass shootings in the aftermath of a string of mass shootings isn’t “too soon.” It’s much too late."
- Ezra Klein 

Take action in your own life: make a conscious decision to not say hurtful or negative things to others. Build others up, love with all your power. This is what will change the world and affect peace. 

 Support the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence to start getting involved in the conversation.  We must save America. It is that serious...this country is at stake. Life as we know it, the American dream, all of it, at stake. 

Pray for those affected by this horrible event, and take action in remembrance of them. It's not political, it's about prevention and honoring lives lost, may they not be lost in vain. 

--megan 

Time to Vote!

Today is a great day for Americans. Election Day. Regardless of your party affiliation, Election Day can really illustrate the patriotism across the United States. I hope as everyone goes to the polls today they vote with the feeling of patriotism. Also everyone has to remember to take their time going through the entire ballot as many states have key senate races and propositions on the ballot. To help out with your voting questions check out WAMUs voter guide here. Enter in your address and view a sample ballot and have each decision broken down for you so you can easily cast your vote with adequate information.

I just heard that even with the record turnout of  2008 still only 51% of the population turned out to vote. So lets see if we can't close the gap some today. Any predictions for tonight? Share them here!

For those of you still making your decision here is a quick paragraph about what's at stake.


The winner of the presidential contest between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney
could determine the fate of the Bush tax cuts (Romney wants to extend them all; Obama
wants to extend them only for families making less than $250,000). The outcome also could
decide the future of entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid (Obama wants to
tinker with them; Romney wants to substantially overhaul them). And the race could
impact the implementation of the 2010 federal health-care law (Romney wants to repeal it;
Obama wants to keep it).   -msnbc election guide


--Krystal

The difference between Republicans & Democrats

So within the past month I have started a book club with friends, our first book is JK Rowlings' Casual Vacancy, and I've started my own personal "book club", that first book being Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project. Both of these were acts to get myself to read more frequently and efficiently. So far so good. Well the second book I've begun reading on my own is Joe Scarborough's Rome Wasn't Burnt in a Day. I have a been a fan of Joe's since college when I started watching him on MSNBC's morning show, Morning Joe. Joe is a former Florida Republican Congressman, but to quote Senator John McCain Joe is truly an independent thinker, which is refreshing.

Joe also spends quite some time discussing the difference between Republicans and Democrats and comes to the conclusion that when it comes to spending tax payer dollars there isn't much of a difference today. Joe also does a great job breaking down how bills really passed and how much a congressman can sell his soul once he begins working on the Hill.

This book was written a few years ago, but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in politics and knowing what really happens on Capitol Hill.


--Krystal

A tourist in DC

Last weekend I had family friends visiting who were ready to tour the city. I wanted to share some of the pictures of their visit with you all. And pose the question to you, where do you take tourists when they come to visit you? Any favorite attractions?

Hanging out at the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial. This was one of my visitors favorite locations.

One of our favorite quotes from MLK Memorial.

We even saw Abe Lincoln walking down U Street.

--Krystal

The Conclusion of the RNC

Did you tune in to the final night of the Republican National Convention?

I was tuned in and had many thoughts of this event. There were highlights and lowlights of the night. For myself I would have to say Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio spoke well and fired up the base. Romney seemed to do well for Romney, but didn't really do anything for me, I personally enjoyed his son and the video about Romney even more. 

But the lowest of low had to be the Clint Eastwood piece. It was really confusing, awkward, uncomfortable, and disrespectful to the President. View the video below. Also it just doesn't fit well with the other much better presentations of the final primetime night.

What do you think? Did you tune in? Are you ready for the DNC? Did you expect more details on how those 12 million jobs would be secured?

--Krystal

Where does America stand?

Condoleeza Rice at RNC 8/29/12

Has anyone been watching the Republican National Convention this week?

Regardless of political viewpoints I try to keep up with what is being said on both party lines and have tuned in to the highlights or lowlights (depending on your view) of the RNC. Last night I think most would agree that former Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, was a highlight of the event thus far. It can be very difficult at times when watching these events because most intelligent and well spoken individuals will say all of the right things and can sometimes have you leaning their way on certain topics. A few make you feel inspired  key buzz word phrases from Ms.Rice's speech were "Where does America stand.." "Compassionate nation" "K-12 crisis" "Failing neighborhood schools.." all of these will get most individuals from any political background fired up. She even starts her speech with 9/11 which grabs everyone's attention from the beginning. I even found myself saying "yeah she is right.." but then I remember that there is so much more that goes into accomplishing these goals and it is bigger than just one individual.

After seeing Condoleeza Rice last night many also speculate as to whether or not she is setting herself up for the 2016 Republican ticket. This would not surprise me and may be a good move for the party, if they are ready for that. Rice is respected by many and would be able to get a lot of strong support. I wonder if that is a move the socially conservative America is ready for? And would they support her completely?


Where does America stand is a great question to bring up. Are we progressing? Are billions in debt paying off for the people? Could a black woman win the conservative support?

For Condoleeza Rice's complete speech at the convention click here.



--Krystal

Stop the Senseless Loss

The "freedom" to own guns in this country ought to be a point of shame. Our lax gun laws and availability of firearms to the general public is something that other nations find amusing, if not alarming.

And despite numerous armed murders, assaults, and robberies, the laws have not changed. People argue, "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." We glorify violence and weaponry in our media and entertainment. We allow people to entertain ideas of owning guns for purposes of hunting, protection, or simple novel interest. And because of these "freedoms," we allow the senseless loss of life on our streets and in our schools and public spaces. We all have blood on our hands. 

The New Yorker posted a piece on Saturday, "One More Massacre," by Adam Gopnik, that says it far better than I can, so I will keep this post brief. 

Essentially, these massacres will keep happening in our public spaces should we not do something. The second amendment protects people's rights to own guns; it also takes away people's rights to live in safety and free from fear. The sad thing we all know is that this is not new. This has happened, and it will happen again. People die by gunfire near nightly on the DC streets I walk by day. 

"How does one argue with someone convinced that the routine massacre of our children is the price we must pay for our freedom to have guns, or rather to have guns that make us feel free?" Gopnik asks. (Read more http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/07/aurora-movie-shooting-one-more-massacre.html#ixzz21q5i6Ay1)

Guns were created with the purpose of killing. Why is it so surprising when they do just that? What good would it have done if someone in the crowd at the movie theater had a gun with them? As Krystal said to me, we can't just go back to the days of the Wild, Wild, West, and just shoot who shoots us. Being vengeful and letting every man serve justice is not the answer to this dilemma--this would lead to anarchy and demise. 

Let's celebrate freedom with clean and safe streets and long and prosperous lives for all. Let's celebrate the freedom to go to a movie "just for fun." Let's find freedom in knowing that schools and work places are safe. We must act now, we cannot sit back and watch this senseless injustice continue. When we fight for the rights to own guns, we are fighting for the rights of the crazy, deranged, and blood-thirsty. We are giving a God-like power to men who cannot be trusted to use it well. When we create movies and TV shows where it looks cool and exciting to use weapons and when violence is approved for general audiences, it becomes ingrained in our culture. When we show mass killings in our entertainment, we devalue human life. Even in The Dark Knight Rises, many, many people were killed throughout the movie. And yet the movie went on, and justice was served, the lost lives just part of it. We have devalued our neighbors life and put ourselves at the center (but that's another post).
When we fight for bans on weaponry and fire arms, we are giving power to the people to live in the very definition of freedom. Imagine this country if there were no guns: less bag searches and privacy violations, less fear after dark, less random and calculated violence and tragedy. When we restrict access to guns, we open access to a rich and satisfying life for all. 

--Megan

Big Business Intrusion

I just read an article in the latest National Geographic Traveler titled "Lessons from the Grand Canyon." While the article is mainly about the importance of national parks and how to successfully maintain and run a beautiful park, the article brushes on the idea that popular American culture and big business are a threat to national parks (and therefore other civic, cultural, non-profit, or public organizations, spaces, and ideas).
Big businesses and others of political or economic power often have a behind-the-scenes hand in decisions and regulations having to do with national parks. For example, the Grand Canyon National Park researched the main cause of pollution in the park and discovered that the leading cause was plastic water bottles. They decided to put a plastic water bottle ban in place, effective January 1, 2011, and steer visitors toward refilling stations and reusable water bottles instead. Coca-cola, who is a major donor to the Grand Canyon National Park, got wind of this intended ban and was very displeased (Coca-cola owns Dasani water). After conversations with Coca-cola, the Grand Canyon National Park decided to halt the ban, presumably fearing a huge loss in funding from Coca-cola. It took another year for the park's superintendent to push back and put the ban into effect, questioning the influence of big business over the needs and health of the wildlife in the park and it's visitors.
Costas Christ, the author of this piece, also sited other decisions that Grand Canyon has made throughout it's history in order to assimilate with American societal norms and pressures. When the park was built, Grand Canyon village, an array of parking lots, shops, accommodations, and tourist attractions was built among the park's natural beauty. Cars were incessantly driving through out the park, attributing to pollution, unsightly long lines and traffic, and distracting from the natural beauty and serenity. These amenities were created in order to serve the American population, with no regard for preservation. Now, the park is backtracking, encouraging visitors to use the public transportation system put in place in the park, and attempting to reuse old facilities instead of build new ones on the precious land.
In the past, parks have catered to the popular culture of the time, including luxuries and allowances that did not benefit the health of the park. Big business has stepped in and made even sacred, wild places places that are full of marketing and human extravagance.
The Grand Canyon is learning it's lesson and is slowly looking in other places for "friends"--non-profits, foundations, and local community groups--to help support it's mission and look out for the preservation of the park as it is. These groups and donors in place that are interested in benefiting the park, and not interested in advertising and making profits off the park.
This article was a good reminder to me about the influence of large companies. Advertising and corporations literally control and own much of this country; it is challenging to make ethical decisions without factoring in these giants in charge of our economic system. Things such as the plastic water bottle ban, which benefits the park, were a threat to Coca-cola and other bottled water producers. Because money equals influence in this country, they were able to sway this decision to meet their needs, all while contributing to the pollution of the park.
The Grand Canyon is a great example of fighting back against the intrusion of big business. Let us all be cautious of the hand that big business plays in many political decisions in this country and speak out against it.

--Megan

Get your Natitude on!

Have you been to a Nats game recently? If not you should definitely take the opportunity to do so.

Teddy always falls short during the race.

I wrote about the fun of the American Past time around this time last year and I must readdress that topic tonight. Although the Nationals lost tonight they really have been an exciting team to watch this year. After finishing up strong last season and with the addition of some exciting players such as tBryce Harper, Nats games are a can't miss event in the DC Metro Area.

Not only is the team exciting to watch with one of the best records in the MLB, but the stadium is definitely built to be an entertaining environment with the, open table eating areas, bars, free wifi, and of course the event of the night the President's race.



I really think going to baseball games is one of the true treasured events of the summer. One thing about the Nats being such a hot commodity lately is that the prices of tickets have increased, but if you do some searching that is no problem either. For tonight's game I was able to get 4 tickets for $65 8 rows up from the field. Great seats. Here is the site we used to snag those awesome tickets.

So take my advice and be sure to check out an upcoming Nats game and you may even catch Megan or myself at the game as well.

--Krystal

Varying views

I wanted to share this video below with you all for a few reasons.

1. Sadly both the Pastor and female being interviewed are from my high school home town
2. This minister's sermon led to a large rally in my home town
3. I am always amazed by the ignorance of our world.

Check it out and let me know what you think!

The Remarks of the Pastor..

His supporter with Anderson Cooper...

Thoughts?

--Krystal

Coming together

The DC Fair Budget Coalition, it members, and DC residents have been on the move this budget season speaking up about saving our safety net and the services necessary to continue to revitalize the District and its residents. A recent action was a trip to the Wislon Building, the hub for local DC politics. This trip included a visit to Kwame Brown's office and a couple of council members including Council Member Vincent Orange who was not present when we arrived to his office.

This was a great event and opportunity for residents from all different backgrounds, social siutations, neighborhoods, and ethnicities to come together for a common purpose of supporting the individuals who have the greatest need in our Nation's Capital. It is really exciting to see all of these different individuals come together for a common goal and putting their differences aside. It seems that if more people took the time to figure out what is truly the greatest necessity for the people and were willing to come together with those different than themselves we could overcome many of the battles we face today as a country.

Every day we hear about people arguing over semantics, disagreeing with someone's idea because their parties don't align, or making decisions based on their best interest. If we would all take the time to step back and outside of ourselves we could come together to accomplish great things.


--Krystal

Why We Hate Us

I've referenced this book I've been reading lately, Why We Hate Us by Dick Meyer, in recent posts. I'm finally done with the book and wanted to give a full-coverage post on what I got out of it. As someone who often finds fault with American culture and politics, I raved to anyone that would listen about Why We Hate Us.  
Meyer addresses modern American discontent, giving credit for this unhappiness to things like pop culture, 24-hour news media, marketing and advertising, money (of course), and our two-party political system. All of these things, according to Meyer, have led to less genuineness and integrity, more rudeness, moral confusion and loss of identity and tradition, and a whole lot more disconnect and isolation. If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you might guess by now that I ate this book up.

I think most disturbing about modern American culture is our obsession with celebrities. Basketball players no longer merely play basketball for our favorite teams; they now entertain us, sell us shoes, accessories, and food, tell us who to vote for, and act as role models. Fans want to know what they do when they're not playing basketball: if they're married with children or single, where they live and what they do for fun and most especially when they get in trouble. Similarly, movie stars, singers, and politicians all find they spend an equal amount of time in the public eye for their personal lives as they do for their careers. Being famous has become an around- the- clock job.  We want to know how they live and what they do with all that money. We are sad when they disappoint us for being human--for making mistakes that normal humans might make, but not these heroes. We have put them on pedestals. This is where the rise of the reality television show has come from.
Sadly, what we like most about the private details of celebrity lives is these faults. Why we might be disappointed in what we find, we also relish it. We want to see people fall; we want them to make mistakes. In a recent news example, the people behind Invisible Children have been getting a lot of press lately. As soon as that video took off, Invisible Children got a lot of press, good and bad. They had many critics and many followers and everybody talking about their mission. While I personally don't agree with the methods of this movement, it seems clear that Invisible Children acts with no malice; the intentions of the group were good. While I agree that is important to make people aware of other sides to this story, many people ripped them from limb-to-limb.  Suddenly, the people behind the camera were in the public eye all the time. Naturally, as soon as one of the co-creators stumbled, news media was all over it, and haters had it up on their Facebook and Twitter feeds. You see we wanted these people to fall. We wanted to humanize them. We wanted to see them mess up, we wanted to call their bluff ,and so we did. One man's personal mistakes that have nothing to do with his career (and shouldn't) are now flashed all over media for all to see and for others to judge his career and the organization on. We see this happen time and time again with politicians. We no longer trust their politics and governance because we found out something we didn't want to know about their personal life. Again, this information should not affect the way a person does his/her job.

These people we are watching are our fellow humans. We ought to lift them up and we certainly ought to allow them the right to live their own lives unwatched. I have the privilege of getting to go home after i'm done working for the  day and doing whatever it is I want to do. Our celebrities, politicians, thinkers, athletes, and public figures no longer have that option. It's a wonder anyone is brave enough to do these jobs anymore. We wonder where all the people with integrity are; perhaps people with integrity are now too afraid to run for public office. They'd rather protect their families and their dignity. Perhaps the spotlight and fame drives our young celebrities to some of what they get involved in. They act out because we are watching.

Along these lines, why do young (and not young) people look to these famous individuals as role models? What has happened to our real role models--parents, teachers, religious and community leaders? As a nation, we have abandoned our traditions and culture and replaced it with dependence on self to guide self. We believe we each have our own moral compass that guides us: the same rules don't apply to everyone. Our strong, sturdy institutions have been replaced with capricious whims of our ego and id. We are building our identities, values, and "selves" on things that we have created, instead of our family history and tradition. This is why so many people find hobbies, music, style, and interactions with others as outlets for self-expression. We use tattoos to tell people about our spiritual beliefs; we use our individualized political beliefs to distinguish ourselves from our neighbors. This is also why so many people find it ok to be rude to others--they are merely expressing their viewpoints, which you clearly must know in order to understand their unique character. What started in the 60's as a mantra to get people to think for themselves has turned into the marketing and branding of self.

The book provided insight into the shortcomings of modern society--it got to the root of the present issues.  While I have often felt much discontent with American "lifestyle" (Meyer has something to say about "lifestyle" as well!), this book really helped me put my finger on what was causing my anxiety and what I can do to at least make some changes on the smallest level--with myself. For starters, while it won't be easy, I want to start unplugging. Not entirely, news and media are wonderful inventions, we've abused them. I also want to belong to a community and respect the traditions of my family. If individuals can account for their own integrity and values, then the problem will solve itself. As the front cover of the book states, "There's a cure--read Why We Hate Us." 


--Megan

Polarized Nation

We are at a point in time where the political parties are most distinct and there is little overlap in ideology. People's beliefs are more extreme than ever before. The two major political parties of this nation have polarized. Persons either identify as Republicans or as Democrats and are not easily swayed; people tend to vote along the party lines with less regard for the candidates or issues. 

In Why We Hate Us, Dick Meyer points out that many have become extreme to avoid what is popular American "culture" today. People are finding themselves in countercultures because they despise the mainstream media-induced, celebrity-and-reality-show-obsessed, consumerist culture that tells us it's better to "express ourselves" than live peacefully within a community. Individualism has devastated community, high culture, and privacy. 

Despite the rise of the countercultures and the hatred people feel toward others that represent opposing political values, people generally want similar things. That is, they want things that our mainstream society cannot provide. 

For example, Rod Dreher, a religious conservative who writes a column for The Dallas Morning News, writes in his blog:

 "We need to in some tangible and consequential sense set ourselves apart from the mainstream...It's my view that our culture is pretty messed up in some fundamental ways, and I know that my wife and I can't raise our children without community. We are learning how to creatively resist the consumerist values of mainstream culture...
Broadly speaking, the best ways we've found to do it is to form communities of like-minded people...who I consider fellow travelers/fellow  dissenters from our consumerist paradise. I've also found it important to turn off the television, and not only to protect them [children] from the usual pop-cult crap, but also to teach them to love good books, good art, good culture."

Meyer notes that Dreher is arguing the same thing that many liberals tend to talk about. Similarly, Meyer notes that many who identify as liberal Democrats come off as traditional to the point of being Puritanical when they "rant against materialism or sexploitation in entertainment and advertising," which we generally identify with more conservative belief systems.
It comes back to the idea that Americans are fed up with the over-hyped, explicit, and in-your-face culture that has become so prevalent. Conservatives and liberals alike are looking for "high culture," and a return to traditions and values.

Republicans and Democrats are on the same team in the war against mainstream culture. Members of both parties think today's humor is crass, today's television explicit, today's consumerist obsession exhausting, and today's journalists, children, and Internet bloggers rude. Yet, members of these parties see one another as the opponent, and blame members of the "opposing" party for the failures of our society. We point the finger at groups that are not our groups. Because of this, people become hardheaded when it comes to the issues and the way they are presented by politicians not of the political party they identify with. Ideas aren't heard if they come from "the other side," and the parties polarize further. Americans might find what they are looking for by working together and against the true enemies found in marketing, advertising, media, and reality TV; while we are focusing our attentions on hatred of another, we ought to be seeking common ideals and coming together.

--Megan

America: SOLD

Anyone see The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (errr...I mean, Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold)? It's a Morgan Spurlock film entirely about advertising, marketing, PR, and how we as consumers respond, and it's entirely paid for by advertising.

The documentary points out all the ways that marketing and advertising are used in movies and television, but also how they're used around the world, in our every day lives, and how these ads and marketing schemes affect us. 

The film demonstrates to me the fact that in this country, you can buy anything you want. Money equates to power and then back to more money.
In any given city on any given day, we could look around and see giant billboards advertising products, we see people driving brand name cars and wearing brand name clothes or clothing that advertises a product. There are commercials in between segments of our TV shows, and there is product placement in the shows.
Nothing, anymore, is left unbranded. This method makes the consumer want. It's also given the corporations that run these ads and market to our citizens and our children control over our society. These ads tell us what it is that we want, how we feel about things, what our lives would be like if we had their products.
These corporations then take all this money that they turn into power and they can  virtually run this country.
During this election season, Stephen Colbert has started his "Colbert SuperPAC" to demonstrate that money can buy you power. He has used this SuperPAC to pay for attack ads against candidates, he's used the money to provide support to people he's interested in, and he's even used the power the money has given him to attempt to buy and "host" a primary debate. He nearly succeeded. He is doing all this to be funny, but also to point out that Americans believe that "corporations are people."
We have given corporations so much power over our daily lives. They influence our choices, they insert themselves into our daily lives, they advertise to us everywhere. Corporations can then use this power they have politically and socially.

America is up for sale. The privatization of health care, the legality of SuperPACs, and the movies and music we like being entirely paid for by some outside corporation that wants to influence us being just a few examples. One with money can literally buy whatever he/she wants in this country. It's just another way that the rich and the poor are polarizing; those with money continue to get what they want and influence elections and political decisions, while having little or no money equates to the loss of your voice and at times your basic American and human rights.
Even our most sacred events like holidays, like Christmas, weddings, and birthdays have become a consumer craze. Christmas is secular and commercialized. We spend and we buy and we run ourselves ragged and stress ourselves out spending money and doing what ads and movies and marketing tell us the season about. Weddings are no longer about love and commitment; they're about wealth and status and making a statement with what you can buy.

We've let advertising and corporations into the most private and intimate details of our lives. We've let them take control of things that are meant to be  for everyone, and we've allowed them to pick our leaders.  When Morgan Spurlock signed on advertisers to be in the movie and ultimately pay for the movie, he was handed so many contracts and stipulations that had to be signed and agreed to. Many of the advertisers told him how to make the movie and what they wanted done for the movie quite directly. So it goes in many other ways that we let advertisers get involved.
Not only do they tell us what to think, they are advertising things in ways that ought to be unethical. Products that are known to be bad for us, products that market sex and money and partying to children and teenagers. The intimacy and privacy we've given up to these corporations and their advertisements is despicable, and the lies and the unethical way they manipulate our minds and their products is ridiculous.

This country runs more on money than on democracy, and the sale goes to the highest bidder.



--Megan