Real Looney 'Toons

I'm probably the only eighteen year-old guy who has a presidential address in his iTunes library. Listen and read a bit of John F. Kennedy's speech about peace by clicking here . I love it!!!

In other news, yesterday there was an update on the Muhammad cartoons. I'm betting that nobody knows what that is, so I'll tell you. Last September, a popular newspaper in Denmark published a political cartoon that mocked the Prophet Muhammad in some way, insulting the world of Islam. The Prime Minister of Denmark has tried to clean up the mess, but protesters all over the world have resorted to violence and chaos--including burning down the Danish embassy building in Damascus. On Monday, February 6, some NATO peacekeepers in Afganistan opened gunfire on a mob of protesters storming a U.S. military base, where three or four demonstrators were killed.

At first, I didn't understand what the big deal was. Looking at the cartoon, it doesn't seem like much to stir so much violence. Then again, the cartoon is hard to find, and in good resolution. While reading a description of the cartoon, my paradigm changed; apparently, one thing is that the Prophet's turban is a bomb in one panel, and another thing is that Muslims are forbidden to draw the Prophet for fear of committing adultry.

The Danish Prime Minister called the protests "a growing global crisis", and said, "It now is something else than the drawings in [our newspaper]. Now it has become an international political matter."

Betraying a Minority

The Constitution of the United States of America declares: “…all men are…endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” This line has inspired hope to thousands of people in the world looking for a better home. It is a line that promises every man, woman and child liberty. That is what America has come to symbolize—an offer to the entire world to be free. Going back on that promise is treacherous. If America truly abandons gays, I think that we will commit a serious moral crime: betrayal.

That’s why I was shocked when I read the “Gay Rights” editorial in October’s issue of The Blue and Gold. The conclusion to Matt Call’s side reads: “Gays are on their own and will not be supported by the American government.” This seriously offended me. If the freest nation on the planet refuses to help the minorities of mankind—gays included—then who will? The American nation was founded on the promise of equal rights and freedom. To turn our back on minorities such as homosexuals shows a hypocritical example to the world and further diminishes our international pride.

The sentence “Gays are on their own and will not be supported by the American government” displays the same attitude that caused the early Mormon pioneers so much persecution and forced them to find homes in America’s no man’s land, because they were abandoned and unsupported. In the early 1900’s, that attitude was seen in the ill treatment of the Irish immigrants who had to suffer mobs, because they were abandoned and unsupported. In the 1960’s, that attitude was the fuel for discrimination against African Americans—and I don’t think I need to rehearse a history lesson for that example.

This last example comes close to home for me because my father is Haitian and my mother is Puerto Rican. They went through severe social disrespect because they were of different races. To deny gays the right to a civil union and marriage would be like denying whites to marry blacks.

History is trying to teach us something about equality and freedom, and we are ignoring the lesson. I would not have been born if this “[This minority is] on [its] own and will not be supported by the American government” attitude had triumphed. Today, that attitude is trying to attack the rights of homosexuals. We should not let it have yet another chance to cause years of discrimination, persecution, and disrespect, as it has in the past. Let’s remember the important principle that America was built on—the one many of us have memorized since first grade: “…that all men are created equal.”

Can I get a “Hallelujah, amen”?

Cookie Jar

It was kinda interesting to see a political cartoon the other day that said at the top "New Hurricane Storm Approaching". The tips of the clouds were made out of fingers and at the center the hurricane said "BLAME".

Do we really have to start pointing fingers? Honestly. We've got more important things to do. The victims of Hurricane Katrine, Rita, and now possibly one called Wilma, are being referred to refugees. And that's what these poor people literally are; they have been forced to flee from homes they might never see again. We've got not just a national tragedy, but an actual crisis. An emergency. And let's not even bring up the HIV/AIDS pandemic that continues to sweep thousands of Africans daily in one fell swoop, as well as the recent Pakistani earthquake. This is our time, America! And here we are wasting time saying who's at fault for the problems. Are you kidding me? Grow up!

"Cookie Jar" by Jack Johnson—from "On and On" (2003)
I would turn on the TV, but it's so embarrassing
To see all the other people
I don't know what they mean.
And it was magic at first when they spoke without sound
but now this world is gonna hurt
You better turn that thing down,
Turn it around.

"Well it wasn't me," says the boy with the gun.
"Sure, I pulled the trigger, but it needed to be done
Because life's been killin' me ever since it begun
You can't blame me, 'cause I'm too young."

"You cant blame me—sure, the killer was my son
But I didn't teach him to pull the trigger of the gun
It's the killing on his TV screen
You can't blame me, it's those images he sees."

"Well, you can't blame me," says the media man
"Well, I wasn't the one that came up with the plan.
And I just point my camera at what the people wanna see
Man, it's a two way mirror, and you can't blame me."

"You can't blame me," says the singer of the song
Or the maker of the movie which he based his life on.
"It's only entertainment, and as anyone can see
It's smoke machines and make-up: man, you can't fool me."

It was you, it was me, it was every man
We've all got the blood on our hands
We only receive what we demand
And if we want hell, then hell is what we'll have.

And I would turn on the TV,
But it's so embarrassing
To see all the other people
Don't even know what they mean.
And it was magic at first
But it let everyone down
Now this world is gonna hurt
You better turn it around
Turn it around.

P.S. As a sidenote, I used to wonder why this song was called "Cookie Jar". Then while I was on a commentary site I read one theory that sounds very reasonable. Remember that kindergarten/"Barney" song that goes "[Blank] took the cookies from the cookie jar! (Who, me?) Yes, you! (Couldn't be!) Then who?" and so on. It's the classic age-old blame game. And if this is really the reasoning behind the title, then in my book that only serves further proof of Jack's lyrical and musical genius.

Katrina

Due to computer access issues I haven't been on much. But here I am now.

We all know the basics about Hurricane Katrina by now. It's been what, six days already? Thousands and thousands of lives have been permanently altered and changed by this tragedy.

It's been said that Camp Williams in Utah will shelter a thousand refugees. (I'm not sure about the number of refugess, it might be two thousand, it might be two hundred.) Utah was one of the first states to respond to the refugee problem according to MSNBC news. Yah for Utah!

I think that there's been a lot of blabble over whether the response was too slow. It took two days for the military, equipment, etc. to get organized. Compared to the four-day response to Hurricane Andrew, that's not bad at all in my opinion. But the response to the Sri Lanka tsunami was supposedly faster, according to a post on freerepublic.com. I disagree; didn't it take a week or so to respond to the Asian tsunami? It takes time for the military to moblilize, doesn't it? We're being too harsh on these people who really are doing everything they can to respond to this disaster.

Not to mention, you shouldn't go comparing this national tragedy to an international tragedy. For New Orleans, one has to work through several intricate, federal systems (the buses, the militia, etc.), which isn't something that had to be done for the tsunami. Too quick to judge, I say.

Regardless of your opinion on fast-or-slow, perhaps this incident has also altered the way people think about how the U.S. responds in this post-9/11 nation. What do you think?

Update on Ganji

According to Adnkronos International, Ganji has suspended his hunger strike. Today would be the 70th day of his strike. It would appear that his efforts have been recognized.

He hasn't officially stated what caused him to call it off, but it's likely that it's because recently the UN secretary-general wrote a letter to President Ahmadenijad (president of Iran) demanding Ganji's release.

In addition, according to AKI, "International rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as American president George W. Bush and the European parliament, have all called for Ganji's immediate release from prison."

I'm real happy about this, and I hope that he'll be released soon and his health return to him.

For more info, go to regimechangeiran.blogspot.com

Ganji Is Dying

A man in Iran named Ganji (I believe) who protested against the government by writing truthful journalism was imprisoned a while ago. He started a hunger strike to be released. Only a week ago did Bush take notice when Ganji's wife appealed to the entire world pleading for her dying husband. Today is day 61 of Ganji's hunger strike.

I've been following Ganji's story for weeks now as I've kept up with the events in Iran. Somehow Iran doesn't seem to be getting too much attention in the media, but trust me when I say that now is the time that the Iranians need attention the most.

Every now and then I'll post a snippet of Iran news. For now this should suffice. I hope Ganji will be released. It will take the world governments to sit up and take notice, because only then will the mullahs do it. The mullahs, which are basically corrupt Muslim priests that rule Iran, will give in to pressure when many world leaders put them on the spot. I've been hoping for almost a month now for Ganji's realase, but this is starting to look even more hopeless.

I feel like I've gotta figure out something to help...but what? Any ideas?

Tell Me Your Own Politik

This blog is gonna be where I express my political views and such, as well as my launchpad for my various campaigns and "causes". These include (but aren't limited to):

-Make Trade Fair, an activist program protesting the World Trade Organization (WTO)
-DATA (ONE), about Africa's HIV/AIDS, debt, and trade problems
-Operation Smile, team of medicals helping young children across the globe with facial deformities

Bono, the lead singer of the hit band U2, promotes DATA. Respectivly, Chris Martin of Coldplay promotes Make Trade Fair. As for me, I hope to promote Operation Smile with my own band American Graffiti.

The title to the blog was inspired by the song "Politik" by Coldplay, from their 2002 album "A Rush of Blood to the Head". The song was apparently written after Chris Martin returned from campaigning for Make Trade Fair in South America.


Look at earth from outer space
Everyone must find their place
Give me time and give me space,
Give me real, don't give me fake
Give me strength and self control
Give me heart and give me soul,
Give me time, give us a kiss
Tell me your own politik.

Open up your eyes...

Give me one, cause one is best
You confuse your confidence,
Give me peace of mind to trust
Don't forget the rest of us
Give me strength, reserve control
Give me heart and give me soul
Wounds to heal and cracks to fix,
Tell me your own politik.

And open up your eyes
Open up your eyes...
Just open up your eyes.

But give me love over
Love over, love over this...