If at First You Don't Succeed... Give Up?

"Wars are not won by evacuations." ~ Winston Churchill. We are in a war. No I'm not talking about the wars our brave soldiers are fighting. I'm talking about the war back home, in our everyday lives. A war that began after that fateful election day. The war is simply keeping our sprits up, the truth spoken, and our backs not turned from our country. Thoughts for the Horrified, by Paul Krugman, nods towards the concerns of the people and lies we have been fed throughout the campaigns in attempt to appease the public and win over their vote. He asks the simple yet mind boggling question of, "what do we do now?". And I'm not sure if I have a legitimate answer for that.
Whether you were for Trump or not, people need to accept the fact that America will not be the same country it was before, after he takes his seat as our leader. Though it wouldn't be the same no matter who won. Which is one of the amazing things about our country is that its always changing and always trying to advance. And I put emphasis on the 'trying' in attempt to say that though try as might we do not always succeed. But in those 'feast or famine' moments in our country what do we do?  In my opinion we need to keep talking. Keep the conversation of what is happening and what could happen going in order to help prevent this mess of events from happening again.
Many are just shutting down. Turning their backs and say, "It is what it is". Basically giving up or deciding not to care, which in some aspects are unpatriotic. This is your home and your letting it sink without a fight. Now to the people reading this thinking, "this isn't me, I have opinions and I voice them and I talk about the current events". Is what your saying said out of concern or bitterness? Are you just trashing the decisions being made, curious on how people can be stupid? Or are you being reasonable and acknowledging the issues, but instead of wallowing in it you try to talk it out and find reasonable, understandable solutions? I'm trying to slightly take a dig at the anti-Trump rallies, which to me are completely ironic. I mean the Hillary followers and even neutral people hated Trump for being out of control and rude, and yet those same people are now setting things on fire and chanting, "f*ck Trump", "f*ck your wall". Basically f*ck this, f*ck that, f*ck you. People who supposedly wanted a more "level-headed" leader are now screaming profanities in a parking lot, on campuses, basically anywhere an echo carries. This, this is not what I mean nor what I want when I say we need to keep a dialog open.

 The other day I had a discussion with my teacher about gay marriage and about his views, my views and why I think what I think. I had some questions and some statements, as did he. And I say discussion instead of argument because that's what it genuinely felt like. I felt heard, and completely disagreed with. And that's fine. We spoke, not yelled, we disagreed, not argued, and there was a conversation amongst the class, not a riot. It was a breath of fresh air to say something that's been tossing around in my thoughts and not get shut down because the other person shared opposite beliefs. I have always been terrified to voice any of my opinions because I knew I would just get shoved down and disregarded because it always seemed like if you didn't believe what the other person did you were automatically 'wrong' (said in Trumps voice). I was always that person who never had an opinion. Who, without realizing it, had their back turned on America. I turned around this election to see what I was missing and was unpleasantly surprised with what I saw. But instead of turning back or screaming what I hated, I talked. And I will continue talking until I understand my place, and what I can and cant do to help bring our country out of this hell hole.
And I hope I'm not the only one. I hope those with their backs turned hear the screams of the riots and are enticed to turn around and see the what the commotion is and then, hopefully, stay and help. And I hope those of you who are the rioters, the trash talkers, and opinion killers, realize you can be heard and you can discuss your concerns without a gory battle. We will win this war. If we work hard and put in the time and effort  our country so desperately needs. We will overcome our downfalls. Not soon, and not if we stand alone. Or worse, not at all.

Why so Surprised?

 

 "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose." The article When You’re Accustomed to Privilege, Equality Feels Like Oppression by Chris Boeskool, by title, made me think that in reading it I would just be reading what I always read about racism these days. Things like, "Racism is bad, white people are just racist people who don't wanna change the status of today." Which, yes racism is bad and the other things are true in some aspects, but Chris takes a look at the issue of equality from a different angle.

 

 He started by telling his encounter with a man who thought he ruled the world, and allowed others just to be in it. To summarize his article, the man, Chuck, always expected people to get out of the way and if you didn't he had no issue running you over. He did this for months and then one day Chris thought, "What if I didn't move?" So one day he didn't. He let the brick wall of a man attempt to bulldoze over him for the last time. Long story short Chuck got knocked off his high horse and wasn't happy about it. And that's understandable isn't it? I mean who really wants to be knocked down a peg? But then again who hates being stuck on the ground while everyone else is on cloud nine? My guess is just about everyone. So why is it so surprising to people when others try to climb to their level, when they themselves just clawed to the same level as another? Why everyone is so taken back that everyone does and wants the same things baffles me. And then they hardly ever view it as another raising themselves up, rather they see it as the other person trying to bring them down.

 

“Equality can feel like oppression. But it’s not. What you’re feeling is just the discomfort of losing a little bit of your privilege.” This. This simple, short, yet profound statement is what got me thinking. A picture of two little kids came to mind. One with, lets say, ten dino nuggets and another with only nine. Hang with me I have a point. The kid with nine realize that the other as one more than him and then thinks, "Well that's not fair is it? He has one more than me for no reason. Why shouldn't I have just as many?" So the kid with less begins to throw a fit saying he deserves just as many as anyone else. And eventually he wins. He is given an extra. But the other kid. The one who was on top, the one with more. He sees the other kid get an extra nugget and then feels cheated when in reality the kid with less was just trying to level the field. I know that was long winded but do you see how dumb that is? That some people are protesting people protesting inequality because they believe they are losing something when in reality they are just no longer risen above the rest?

"...people who have grown accustomed to walking straight at other folks, and expecting them to move. So when “those people” in their path don’t move — when those people start wondering, “Why am I always moving out of this guy’s way?”; when those people start asking themselves, “What if I didn’t move? What if I just kept walking too?”; when those people start believing that they have every bit as much right to that aisle as anyone else — it can seem like their rights are being taken away."

What if everybody just kept walking? Would everyone eventually just figure out that everyone wants what everyone else has. Whether that be what they physically have, socially have, etc., they just want to be equal. So my question to you, to everybody, is what kind of person are you? Are you a Chuck of the world, bulldozing your way through life? Or are you a Chris? Somone willing to not move when challenged, realizing that one person shouldn't be higher in comparison to another? And also think if the roles were reversed, whether you are a Chuck or a Chris, would you sympathize with the other side?  Or would you be just as stubborn and hardheaded only worrying about you and where you stand compared to others? Now to explain my seemingly random quote at the beginning of this blog. "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose." A person is a person is a person. No matter the color or background, they are still a person and don't deserve to be treated as anything else. You wouldn't look at a rose and tell it, "You don't deserve to be a rose, cause I and only I can be one. You're going to be a daisy now." That's ridiculous is it not? So why is it ok to look at another human, despite their race, sexual preface, religious beliefs, and tell them, "You can be a person but you can't be at the same level as me and have the same rights as me." You wouldn't be happy if the tables were turned to where you were being treated lesser than others. So why are you so ok treating other roses, as if they were just measly weeds?



                                                

        

 

American Elections Effect China's Decisions?

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." (Albert Einstein) This quote is the only thing that comes racing through my mind when reading articles about the "core" power that is basically being reinstated in China. The articles China’s Communist Party Declares Xi Jinping ‘Core’ Leader, China signals return to strong man rule America's elections - or the world's? really bring to light the deja vu that one sees when looking at Chinas recent choices in power and the fact that it seems America doesn't care about them. Or about anything besides safe spaces for that matter. China has gone an older route for leadership recently. Of course looking at our candidate's at this election it doesn't surprise me one bit that China is looking for a different way to avoid, "pulling a America" when selecting their next leader. They probably see the buffoons our country choose and thought it better safe than sorry to give theirs any other option than the one the higher positions picked. Now this may not be the case, maybe they've seriously thought about it and decided that yes giving the majority power to someone who doesn't even really have a actual position is smart. But come on. Even the best of the best can get a little cocky, a little arrogant, and start being selfish. Especially if power is being spoon-fed to the "core" leader.

 Maybe this "core" leader, Xi Jinping, wont be as bad as the last ones given this highly praised title. But can we just, for a moment, look at the people who held the position before? Mao Zedong, was not the most loved or lovable leader, but was still a leader. Because someone, one day thought hey why not give one guy the final say on what our country does and what it stands for. Oh and do I have to mention Hitler? Same idea, same principles right? He went crazy with power and convinced an entire nation that a certain kind of human was a vile creature that needed to be destroyed. Ok maybe I got a little ranty there but its just so silly how people can be ok with giving one man, one person, so much power, when there is so much evil in the world to influence him. "Mr. Xi’s newest title, carrying echoes of those political strongmen, reinforces his power to shape the new leadership of the party. It is also a warning that officials should fall in line, though some privately fear he has amassed too much control and has eroded traditions of collective leadership, built up to prevent a return to the arbitrary abuses of Mao’s final decades". "It is also a warning that officials should fall in line." A warning? This terrifies me for the people that are now under the will of Xi. If the reign of a new leader bears warnings to fall in line, and it gives that, "or else", vibe, maybe they shouldn't be the ones you put your trust into.

I, personally, haven't heard much about this issue aside from this weeks blog article. Which scares me as well. I watch the news, when the time allows it and maybe I just missed the 5 minutes where they touch on something outside of us. We have this mentality that its America or its nothing and that thought is just so toxic to our safety. It may be coincidental, and maybe its the self-centered American in me, but I do think our choices in leaders and our seemingly failing democracy had a hand in Chinas choice to go "core" leader. Why don't we look at other places and try to better ourselves. Or maybe just look to see what other countries think of what we are doing. I know people from around the globe mock our choices but don't they seem more interested in our elections than us? It will effect them too, possibly more so and they are on the edge of their seats waiting to see which way the ballot falls. But us? We cant seem to see how anything else effects us or how we effect anything else. What China is doing may not be a step in the right direction and may lead to unwanted out comes for their growing country, but at least they are looking around them, seeing what the world is doing and making decisions off them. Instead of the US where it seems like most of the time we flip a coin, say "it is what it is" and then walk away without looking to see if we even made the right choice. And for those few times we do go and look and realize that maybe our choice last time wasn't the correct one, we still just repeat the same mistake, never truly taking time to fix the issues or even caring how our wrong decisions, our downfall, effects anyone outside ourselves, personally.