Inconsistency

The news is a constant source of inspiration for me, as I'm sure it is for many amateur bloggers.  This particular article struck a chord with me because it is so painfully obvious that this crap is getting out of hand.

Some kid posted up a huge message asking a girl to prom on the front of his high school.  He didn't deface any property.  He didn't do it in spray paint.  He took the time to cut out, and then tape up 12" high cardboard letters to the front of his high school... and now he's being banned from going to his prom for it.  A bit harsh right?  I mean, why not just make him take it down and then explain the proper procedure for requesting permission to do this kind of thing?  Or detention?  Or have him pick up litter on campus?

The Mayor of the Connecticut town this happened in said, "Based on what I know, I'm not sure that the punishment fits the crime. This may very well be a situation that needs a second look. Part of the problem in today's world is that we make policies or recommendations without common sense or flexibility built in and we lose sight of the big picture. This may be one of those situations."  Which makes perfect sense, particularly when you apply it to, oh I don't know... everything.  The big picture is that there are people in this world who are actually doing things that are wrong.  No matter what moral code you live by some things are just wrong.  And they're getting by with hardly a slap on the wrist.  And then this kid does something that the romantic in me considers pretty darn cute and he's barred from a major milestone in what's left of his childhood.  There is this knee-jerk reactions that says, "Oh no!  We have to take a hardline stance on this because what if it happens again!"  Why not take that stance on everything then?  Apply it in situations that actually matter.

For instance, please see exhibits A - Lord, there are too many of these below.

A.  Timothy Geithner does something that sends a number of people to jail, or at the very least into bankruptcy, and instead he gets to be Secretary of the Treasury... with maybe a smudge on his reputation.

B.  Rod Blagojevich abuses just about every bit of privilege and power that comes with being a governor and he gets charged with lying to Federal agents and then is given his own TV show.

C. Some of the largest corporations in the world run their business with such poor practices that they bleed themselves dry... and then convince the government to hand over billions of dollars to them so they can try again!

D. Bill Clinton decides to be completely inappropriate while still being the leader of the free world and is impeached.  Then, not only is he acquitted of the charges but nobody really remembers it any more.  The president of the United States of America committed adultery and now it's a joke.

E.  Men who were detained under suspicion of terrorist activity who swear up and down that they were just small town bakers, or tailors, or shopkeepers, or something innocuous are released from being held... and all of a sudden they're leaders in the al Qaeda network. Huh?  Who would have thought they ever had those kind of connections?

The list goes on and on.  Somehow the people who have done the most wrong are the most heavily defended.  The those whose crimes are minor (at best) get the book thrown at them by an MLB-quality pitching machine.  And it's because its easy.  It is so, so simple to look like you're tough on crime because you sentenced that pickpocket to a year in jail.  And that kid who graffiti'd the underpass?  Oooh, that 500 hours of community service will do him good!

But you catch the Mayor of DC doing crack and nailing whores?  *insert him-hawing, an awkward cough and some legal jargon that makes it sound like some serious consideration is going on* Let's re-elect him!

It's like there is a completely different set of rules for those in the lime-light versus the rest of us.  Scratch that.

There is a completely different set of rules for those in the lime-light versus the rest of us.  And it's unconscionable the things that they get away with.  Why do we allow our society to build divisions like that?  Since when is justice not only blind but deaf and dumb?  And why on Earth is justice allowed to yell, "look a diversion!" for people who have been on the cover of People and not anyone else?    The blatant hypocrisy is nauseating.  Add to that the fact that it is right in front of our faces, all over the media (all you have to do is use a little Google) and hardly any one takes notice, and you've a perfect recipe for complete and utter annihilation of any legal integrity left in this country.

Writing usually energizes me for the rest of my day.  But this wears me out. Long story short...

Leave that poor kid in Connecticut alone.  Let's take the advice of Mayor Lauretti and give a couple of things a second look.  A little common sense and flexibility would go a very long way toward giving justice her blindfold back.

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In Other News, I'm going to Germany for about a week for a volunteerism and leadership conference.  I get to see my Mommy so I'm very, very excited.  When I get back I have a few job interviews coming up, so please keep your fingers crossed.  Good news seems to be coming in waves lately (my baby sister graduated from college, my brother-in-law got engaged to the most wonderful girl, hearing back from prospective employers) so I can only hope it continues.  Doha is still wonderful.  Although the weather is taking a turn for the "Holy humidity, it's sweltering out here."  We got our snorkel gear in so I believe we're going to head to the in-land sea this weekend and do some looking around.  

Until next time, most wonderfully faithful readers.

View of West Bay at night from the 9th floor of the Pearl.

Bastards.

"The five detainees at Guantanamo Bay charged with plotting the September 11, 2001 attacks have filed a document accepting responsibility for the deaths of nearly 3,000 people and expressing pride at their accomplishment, the New York Times reported late on Monday."

And how long have they been sitting down there living off American tax payers' money, torturing the men and women who have to guard them?

The worst part about it is that there are still a number of liberals, democrats, socialists, and left-wingers who think it's wrong that we have them there at all. And you know what... I agree. It is wrong that we are holding them in Guantanamo Bay. They should have been put to death years ago.

Didn't See That One Coming.

Dear Over Zealous Human Right-ists Who Fight for the Rights of "Innocent" Detainees,

There are 11 ex-Gitmo Detainees on Saudi Arabia's most wanted list.

Should have tried them, put them on the executioners block, and had it done with. Or sent them back to their respective countries and let them punish them, instead of just release them because they said they were just harmless citizens in the wrong place at the wrong time.

They were in there for a reason, and are now out committing other crimes. Possibly killing people who deserve their rights and are actual harmless citizens.

Good job, morons.

My Very Best,

The Girl Who Would Have Given Guns to the Families of the People They Killed & Said Have Fun! Would You Like Your Kill Mounted or Stuffed?

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In Other News, I've been a real grump lately. Sorry about that. I'd like to blame part of it on stress, part of it on me being kind of dumb, and part of it on some very silly (read: annoying and stupid) people. On the upside, I have another road trip coming up soon. I'm heading to Pennsylvania in about 16 days to see the family before they abandon me for good (read: leave for italy). Tonight I'm going to try really really hard not to be grumpy but thus far today it's been difficult. Wish me luck or stay the hell out of my way. (Preferably the first one.)

For those of you who have left "anonymous" comments and then had me guess at who you are... I have no idea. Sorry, but luckily I am blessed with more than one intelligent, well-spoken friend and frankly, I'm not sure which one you are. If you wouldn't mind filling me in I would be quite grateful. And could then thank you personally for being pretty hilarious. Until next time... anybody notice the new title block? Thoughts?

Red & Yellow, Black & White

I do not care what color the president is.

He could come out with a statement tomorrow saying that he's not half black-half white, he's half American-Samoan and half American-Albino and I would not care.

A dear friend of mine posted this... "My PRESIDENT is black, in fact hes half white, so even in racist minds, hes half right...Martin luther walked so Obama can run..." as their status on MySpace. There is part of me who wants to tell her that Martin Luther did a lot for everyone but I sincerely doubt it aided Obama's motor skills. Martin Luther did, however, help people break away from what were considered tyrannies of the Catholic Church. And I'm sure religous freedom has helped Obama become the man he is today, somehow. That's what she meant, right? ( that was dripping with sarcasm, by the way... I just wished people spoke completely intelligently about what they're soap-boxing about)
After I got a few (ok, only three) emails telling me to "give the black president a chance" and to "stop being a racist, you're ridiculing our president because he's black" I had a serious discussion with a friend. We talked about how ridiculous it is that people are making such a huge deal about "black people finally making an impact" or "black people being recognized" and why we get criticized for moving past that to the issues straight after the inaugeration. I understand the first president who isn't an old white guy is a big deal. But he's elected... move on. There are much bigger and more important things going on that have absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the president is of whatever race he is. Be excited, I'm glad you get excited about something but can't the masses focus on something a little less qualitative?

Moving on. What I care about is that Obama is trying to close Gitmo and put millions of Americans in danger. Need an explanation on why? How about you read just ALMOST EVERY BLOG I'VE EVER WRITTEN. The men detained at Guantanamo Bay live for killing Americans, they die for killing Americans, their entire being is obsessed with ridding the earth of America. So yeah, let's just let 'em all go elsewhere and re-join the fight and be martyr'd. Please. Sounds like a really... great... idea.

Also, this whole Obama staring down the journalist thing is just crap. Answer the damned questions. If you can't answer a simple question about why he picked a former lobb you made without a formal press conference and prompting then what are you doing being the president. It didn't have to be so serious and earth shaking... you could have just answered the question by saying "because no matter his background I think he is the best man for the job." Done. But no, it takes hoopla and media hype to convey that he was just visiting the press...who are PAID to ask questions of him. Huh. So much for "an open president for the people."

I will not ever care what color the president is. I do, however, care about whatever he's got going on with his staff choices and policies. So, as my Aussie boss says, "bug off" and quit trying to tell me I only bag on Obama because he's black. You're dumb.

Nobody Likes You

Some idiot, I mean Judge, ordered the release of Chinese Muslims from Guantanamo Bay today. Get this...

"They have been in government custody for seven years, and have been cleared for release for the past four years to any country willing to take them. No countries have volunteered."

No Countries Have Volunteered

Wanna know why?... because they're dangerous men that no one wants because to invite them into your country is to invite in terrorism. Hippy Freak Pinko Liberal Commies don't care. Let everyone into the United States! Who cares that their entire goal in life is to kill infidels, a.k.a. Americans.

People can be so stupid, don't bring them on to U.S. soil unless you're going to keep them under lock, key and M16 in your own backyard. Keep them in Gitmo. I actually don't mind you spending my tax dollars to keep dangerous terrorists as far away from any civilian on the planet as you can.

Somebody should give me a Nobel Peace Prize for my humanitarian concern.

Another Lesser of Two Evils?

Although I think John McCain is simply a Senator who played the numbers in order to get this nomination (i.e. You can only run so many times and be denied before they say, 'ok, John, we'll let you run for President.') On the other hand, I got onto his website and it was nice to see that the man who rides in the "Straight Talk Express" actually gave me answers on HOW he plans to do the things he wants to do. What a concept.

I'm still not convinced that he's going to be any good though. He's gone through like three wives so the man obviously can't make a solid decision and stick with it, his voting record throughout the past eight years of legislation has been ruled by a "support the President" policy, and not a "what John really thinks is best" policy. Yes, he's got real experience. The man was a POW, which deserves the utmost respect from every man, woman and child who has the opportunity to use their freedoms and rights. But then again, after toughing it out in the Hanoi Hilton you would expect for him to tough out his voting decisions as well. I like that he's lead a pretty respectable campaign; denouncing that radio guy when he was saying ridiculous things, not firing back when Hillary was making directly derogatory comments and John tried to keep answering the actual question.

Here's where my biggest speed bump comes from. Although he gives me answers on HOW he's going to fix everything. I'm not so sure they sound logical. For instance, he wants to suspend the summer gas tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. However, as soon as that happens most of the construction to repair our roads and highways will stop because that's part of what the gas tax supports. I don't know about your local roads but there's so much construction going on around Norfolk that if it stopped traffic would be even more of a monstrosity than it already is. Another example would be this concept on international trade. Of course selling our stuff to other people is good and will make us money. But that then makes us very reliant on their economies and fads. Why not do a little isolationism, promote buying American and stabilize ourselves? You can't ask for other people to take care of you when you won't take care of yourself.

I really like that McCain isn't willing to sit down with terrorists in order to negotiate. Those people do not understand diplomacy. For cultures like that diplomacy is a sign of weakness. Obama wants to, without conditions, sit down with Kim Jong Il, Castro and all those other scumbags shake hands and work it out. Anyone of those leaders would rather have an American President killed inside the palace walls and hung on display than sit down and come to "an accord."

But... both candidates want to close Guantanamo Bay. If you've ever read my blog at all you should know where I stand on that. I'll take any bet you want but I guarantee that if the illegal enemy combatants detained at Guantanamo Bay are released you're going to see a hell of a lot more dead Americans than this War on Terrorism has ever produced.

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Tune in next time for why lacking passion equals a lack of understanding. It's going to be good.

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In Other News, I got a wonderful text message this morning from somebody quite nice. We'll see where that goes. Beach house tomorrow. Yay :) Keep praying, hoping, sending good energy toward the Indiana job working out. One of these days I'll make it back to Texas.

Harold & Kumar Suck.

Ok, so you've heard me rant about that new Harold & Kumar movie. [reference: I'm speechless Dec 2007?] Well, the New York Times has picked up the story. Their story focuses on the idea that Guantanamo has made its place in pop-culture an irrevocably negative one. But Gitmo hasn't made its place at all... the media has made Gitmo's place. If Gitmo had any say in the matter everyone would understand the truth and I wouldn't have much subject matter for this here blog-thing.

Admiral Buzby is quoted in the article saying something to the effect that the media has "turned up the gain" to distort the truth coming out of Gtmo. Which is exactly what happens. They take the menial details that could be construed as negative (i.e. fences, uniforms, dirt in the recreation area) and turn it into a huge issue. Yeah, there's wire fences, after all we are detaining these people for the safety of the public. Yes, Gitmo has banana rats and lots of iguanas. Yes, some of the detainees are kept in cells. But they're not running around in orange inmate wear. And the banana rats are actually kind of cute.... and vegetarians; who also make a squeaky sound when you accidentally run them over in your suburban at night because they're crossing the road in hordes. Anyway, the point is... The New York Times spends 3/4 of the article focusing your attention on the bad press that Gitmo is getting. I would pay good money to see the New York Times print the news releases that actually come out of Gitmo and all the things that Admiral Buzby says about Gitmo. A sound bite would be even better! Mainly because the Admiral has a voice like God, and who doesn't believe a man who sounds like that?

Anyway, if the New York times wants to run around stating the obvious.... Gitmo gets bad press. And perpetuate that cycle its their right to do it. Also, if they want to quote people who feel sympathy for the detainees that's there right too. I will simply exercise my right to laugh at them. A lot. And to laugh at those people who are being sucked into the negative propaganda trap that the detainees create through their lies. Those detainees, and their cohorts, would not hesitate to murder every bleeding-heart-sympathy-having-lie-believing-pity-feeling-person out there.

Finally, Gitmo is not a prison. It is a detention center. I've been over this before [reference: legally & transparently, Jan 2008]. If it were a prison they would all be convicted men... on their way to the chair (ok, that last part is wishful thinking). It's a detention center that complies to every clause in the Geneva Convention to the letter. It is transparent, it is humane, and in a couple of years somebody will thank the men and women who are keeping it open and operating properly.

p.s. The article mentions that the people who are stationed at Gitmo drink to much. As a former bartender in Gitmo all I can say about that is .... Uh.... Duh. It's a bunch of twenty-something year olds who behave the same as anybody else their age . Just about every where you go 20-somethings drink too much. That goes for any civilian community or any military installation.

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In Other News, I got to talk to a good friend of mine last night and that was awesome. I love feeling reaffirmed in the fact that I'm not crazy and the world isn't completely without hope. Dr. Lefever also helped reaffirm my hope in the human race this morning. God Bless her, she's brilliant. Dallas in two days. I am more excited than I could possibly explain. Also, I've got a few job interviews coming up in other places out of town, stay tuned for details. :)

Legally & Transparently

On January 2nd this year, I did one of the coolest things I've ever done in my life. I got to take a tour behind the wire of the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay (JTF). What that means is that at about 1030am, January 2nd I was standing not more than ten feet from a group of "unlawful enemy combatants" (a.k.a. the men who would have killed me and the entire tour group and guards if the fence and some M16's weren't in the way) who were praying in their recreation area. It was absolutely the most moving, reaffirming, empowering event that I've ever experienced.

We started the day with a briefing in one of the administrative buildings that is behind the Roosevelt Gate, which separates Naval Station Gitmo from JTF Gitmo. The briefing was the same brief they give to the men and women who come to work at the JTF, just minus the classified information. The Chief of Staff and every other major player in the running of the camps was there to inform our group of what exactly their section does and how they do it. We reviewed the meals, medical, and recreation of the detainees extensively. We also got to eat the same lunch that the detainees were eating that day. And, if I may say so, it was actually great food. Meatloaf, veggies, wheat bread, cake, an orange, apple juice, salad, and water. All of this is just one part of the 5000 calorie a day- religious and health conscious- diet the detainees get.

Speaking of health conscious, the detainees get the greatest health care on the planet. There is a fully staffed hospital with all the latest in modern technologies inside. A detainee died recently from colon cancer.... but it wasn't because it couldn't be treated, it was because he refused treatment in hopes that his death could make the JTF look bad. Everything from advil to muscle relaxers to x-rays to full surgical procedures can and has been performed on detainees who have needed medical help. There is no expense that is spared and no second wasted when one of the detainees has an ailment. On the other hand, the United States Residents of Guantanamo Bay often have to wait days to get on a plane to go see a specialist in Jacksonville if anything goes wrong. In particularly dire situations sick Americans can be Med-Evac'd over Cuba to a hospital but that's a last resort. I find great irony in the fact that the citizens the detainees want to kill have a lot more trouble keeping themselves healthy than the detainees do. But if we didn't their lawyers would hear all about it and we'd be the bad guys.... fortunately that's not the case.

During the briefing they explained that the JTF GTMO is not a prison, it is a detention center where things are operated "legally and transparently". Basically, a place where people who are a danger to the missions can be held until the fight is over.... just like the Geneva Convention says. They also explained that people (cough, cough liberals) often make the mistake of saying they want to close Guantanamo Bay. Closing Guantanamo Bay means they want to shut down the world's oldest overseas military base, and the only U.S. Military installation on the soil of a country with which we have no diplomatic relations. Basically, if you want it closed, at least know what you're talking about... they want the JTF closed, not Guantanamo Bay.

We reviewed some of the bad press that the JTF gets, the Chief of Staff informed us that anyone who has asked for a tour and briefing about the facilities has gotten it. Also, many of the groups who bad mouth the JTF have been sent numerous invitations and turned them down (hint: it rhymes with Amnesty International).

One particularly interesting fact they gave us is that the United States has never, ever released detained enemy combatants during a time of war.... never. Until JTF Gitmo was opened, now the US has released more detainees than it keeps. Although a few have gone back to the fight, an overwhelming amount return to their lives.

The final thing that was stressed in the briefing was that no matter how many concessions we have to make for these men, no matter how normal their everyday lives seem, no matter how much they try to convince us they're normal... they are dangerous men who want(ed) to kill Americans.

The briefing took about an hour then we started the tour. We began in Camp 4 which is the most "compliant" of the camps. Meaning that in Camp 4 the detainees are given the most freedom possible without sacrificing the safety of the guards or the mission. Camp 5 is a maximum security camp, as is Camp 6. Although Camp 6 was originally built as a "medium security facility" the Government learned very quickly that there is no such thing as a medium security terrorist. The detainees are constantly trying to find ways to harm and humiliate the guards, they're constantly trying to find ways to harm themselves so that it gets into the media, and they're constantly working together.

Because of the no isolation, no incommunicado, no solitary confinement policy the detainees are allowed to talk to each other all of the time. In fact, I even got to hear some of them talking to each other. Their ability and right to communicate with each other allows for the detainees to maintain their plotting and planning at JTF Gitmo. The same organization that is hidden in the mountains of the middle east, makes it's way 5000 miles across the globe to manifest itself in the place where the entire mission is to stop that group. Thus comprimising the safety of the guards.

It's mind-blowing to me to think that there are men and women down in the JTF who walk the same fifty feet of hallway for ten hours a day, being taunted, yelled at, unable to retaliate, bored out of their minds and sacrificing their safety for the rest of us and who in the US really cares? Not a whole lot of people. We go about our nice lives never stopping once during the day to pray for a single soldier, or think about finding someway to contribute to the effort.

Anyway, in Camp 5 the tour group walked into one of the pods (one of those 50 ft long hallways with the cells in it) to look at one of the living spaces. At the end of the hallway one of the detainees starts yelling, "It is so cold! I am so freezing! ...... what group is it?" He's whining and complaining about having air conditioning and then wondering what group is listening to him. Once he finds out which group it was he'll be sorely disappointed. The point of whining that loudly is so that the media or whomever is coming through thinks he's got it so bad down there. Fortunately, his complaints fell on deaf ears, I was with a group of the wives and daughters of the men who work in the camps and we couldn't care less how cold he is.

Its hard to put into words the impression that the tour made on me. It's one of those things where "wow" isn't even an ambiguous enough word to encompass everything that goes through my mind about what happens inside that wire. "A war is being waged mentally and emotionally everyday" and that's just astounding. My passion and fervor for my personal crusade to support the JTF has been refueled and is even more important to me than ever. I feel like I have the information and the experience to shoot down anybody who is fabricating seditious lies about the operation. Freedom is actively being defended at the JTF, and it's comforting to know that the entire operation from the top down and vice versa is a well-thought out, constantly evolving operation. Despite the long work hours, and the discouragement that comes along with dealing with detainees day in and out I hope that one day the people who work there can look back and realize what a service they have done for their Country.

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There's no In Other News this time around.... simply because my blog was just that important.... go read it again. :)

CNN = Liberal Political Agenda

So there's all this hub-bub (I'm pretty sure I just made that up) about those destroyed CIA tapes. First, who cares? People beat people senselessly all the time, and for much worse reasons than national security. Secondly, why do I get a play by play update on nothing! Yes, I understand there are going to be developments in the case but I don't need a new news headline every time some Senator decides to have an opinion about it.

Third, (this is the part that really bothers me) why on Earth is CNN showing pictures of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in the background when they're reporting about these tapes. Yes, I know a lot of really dumb people equate Guantanamo Bay with torture. However, once it's been established that those tapes have no connection at all to this hemisphere why would those pictures stay up?

Want to know why? Media = Liberal Political Agenda. That's it in a nutshell. Repetition and reenforcement of ideas is the best way to get someone to remember something. So if CNN keeps showing pictures of Gitmo any time the word "torture" comes up, eventually they'll convince someone that Gitmo needs to be closed because of all the horrible things being done to people down here. Which means all the detainees get either a) shipped home or b) stateside. If you chose B you're probably correct. All their 'homelands' would kill them quickly after they're sent back, because well..... they've committed war crimes. Which means that all those Habeas Corpus lawyers would throw a fit until each one is given a trial. (which, by the way, we're in the process of working on... you should see the courthouse, it's sweet) ... however, I digress. Back to my original point.

CNN is in my opinion one of the most useless form of news acquisition around.

They're website doesn't do a bad job. Thankfully they have pictures of judges and senators attached to their articles on this subject. I guess my point would be, don't watch CNN... actually go and read it. But only if you really have to.

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In Other News, I stuffed stockings and made Christmas cards to the Troopers down here who have duty on Christmas. It felt good to have a way to tell them that I'm thankful for what they're sacrificing so that I can have a peaceful morning with my family... well, until Daddy has to go to work right along side the Troopers. The only problem was feeling like I should do things like this more often... not just around Christmas. I know I'm always writing on this thing about how much I appreciate the people who defend all our freedom's but that just doesn't seem like enough. Ideas?

I played a pretty cool game of paintball tonight. Ended up with a sweet bruise on my shoulder. Also, one of the most amazing people I've ever met in my entire life just keeps getting more and more amazing. Dammit. I wish they would give me a reason to hate them.... that would make not seeing them every again after I leave so much simpler. Ugh, because that sounds soooo optimistic. : ( Enough about me. Even if you're not the praying type... go pray or think about or make a wish on a star for the people out there giving you the right and ability to sleep quietly and enjoy your families.

Mean Something.

Again, Dr. Lefever is my muse. [Reference: November Post... Dr. Lefever Cried in Class Today]

She gave quite a rousing speech for our last day of class this morning. Some particularly interesting points in her appeal included the fact that a large portion of her generation is comprised of "big whining babies", the astounding "hollowness" of a Me-Me-Me mentality, that "following your heart" can be one of the most dangerous and detrimental things a person can do and the fact that courage is one of the most impressive and useful traits a person can possess.

What really struck me, however, was an exercise she had the class do at the end...

1- Get out a piece of paper.
2- Tear it into three portions. (They don't have to be pretty)
3- On the first piece draw a picture of an ugly, gross bug.
4- On the second piece draw a picture of a food you hate.
5- On the third piece write the word for what you call your mother.

(yes, i think spiders are ugly and gross. yes, i absolutely detest bananas. and yes, i call my mother "Mommy". )

6- Put the first picture on the ground and stomp on it.
7- Harder.
8- Put the second picture on the ground and stomp on it.
9- Harder.
10- Put the third picture on the ground and stomp on it.

Wait, What? You can't stomp on your Mom? Why is that? Dr. Lefever's point was that

words mean something.

My point is that it's not just words. It's words and pictures and concepts mean something. You are accountable for everything that your mouth, hand and mind produce. I think that's why my blog, my journal, my myspace, my facebook, my emails and my school work really have significance for me.

I value what I create. I appreciate the meaning for what I'm producing. I have a passion for what I say, think and do. Everything that I type into this blog is something that I have thought about and whole-heartedly stand behind. Granted, some of it is simply the rantings of a slightly unstable hot headed twenty-one year old... however, that twenty-one year old still means it.

I put my meaning, my thoughts, my concepts and my passion into black and white (and sometimes colors, and italics, and large print... and you get the point). And it makes me feel like a real person. Like I have something to stand for. I've said it before and I'll say it again "Man, I love being a turtle." [just kidding... TMNT reference, anybody? ok, well i thought it was funny]

Actually, what I've said before is that I love feeling like my brain works... and having a passion, having words that mean something help me feel that way.

Thank you, Dr. Lefever for contributing not only to my education but to my agglomeration of advice and wisdom that's going to make me one of the smartest twenty-somethings out there.

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In Other News, I will be heading to Cuba in precisely ten days.... YAY! I love a Caribbean Christmas. Also, my room is an absolute wreck. They say, "Move Your Stuff... Change Your Life". Well, my stuff has moved and my life seems to be just as messy as the clothing on my floor. Note to self: Organized room = Organized life. I have a whole semester's worth of notebook due tomorrow at 8am for ceramics. Wish me luck. I will be inventing a semester's worth of notes on pottery tonight. Also, according to the calendar on my desk it has been two months, one week, and two days since I had a real planned date with a single man whom I met randomly (that one weird thing with that one weird guy doesn't count). I'm feeling a little bit like a loser, but I think I can handle it... yoga and a few beers cure any single girl's ailments.

I'm speechless

Which is why this post is only going to be about a sentence long.

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.

The synopsis says... Follow the cross-country adventures of the pot-smoking duo as they try to outrun authorities who suspect them of being terrorists when they try to sneak a bong on board their flight to Amsterdam. trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/trailer/me60791803/

You have absolutely got to be kidding me. Remind me to go kill whoever is producing this.

p.s. After another minute of research I found out that in the Trailer and other promotional things it's called "Harold & Kumar 2" ..... that is a whole lot easier for me to handle.

Damn Signs & the Crazy Lady

[27 Aug 2007 Monday]

6:53 PM - Norfolk, Virginia

Current mood: annoyed

I've seen so many "Support the Troops, Stop the War" signs it makes me sick. What makes you think that stopping this war is supporting our troops? What makes you think a sign in your front lawn does anything but mark you as slightly politically opinionated? What makes you think that the troops know you're supporting them with your little sign?

First, pulling out of the war would be a premature admission of defeat. The troops are making progress, and by being there and making process they're honoring the effort and memory of every American Hero who has died in any war. To pull out early would mean that their sacrifice and contribution meant little because serving our political agenda is more important than completing the objective they worked and died for.

That sign in your yard means you took the time to pick it up and stick it in the ground. Okay, great. Now go take the time to get on www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil and leave our boys in uniform a message telling them how much you support them. Go get on www.OperationUSOcarepackage.org or AnySoldier.com and send a very deserving soldier a piece of home. Would you spend some of your precious time and/or hard-earned money to support these guys or is your sign enough? Because if it is enough, you're delusional.

You make ask why I'm so passionate about a stupid sign. It's because I got yelled at today. I mean yelled at like finger pointing and everything because I made a comment to a friend of mine at a cross-walk. Some lady turn around and said " Your conservative opinion is what's ruining this nation. If you would shut your mouth and realized how much your president f'd up you'd realize those signs and bumper stickers are the only sane voice America has."Well excuse the fuck out of me but if bumper stickers and signs are the only sane voice we've got well, then the phrase "hell in a handbasket" is a gross understatement.

And "my" president? Look, crazy lady, just because you didn't vote for him doesn't make him singularly "my" president. The second time around there were no glitches, the democrats just couldn't produce a strong enough candidate and the relatively quiet majority won out and we got G. Dub. It's called a democratic process not an emily-picks-who-runs-the-free-world process.

Also, if we had voted Kerry in it would have been a tragedy. During the civil war they kept Lincoln despite his unpopularity because he ran the slogan "Don't switch horses midstream." Switching to Kerry three years ago would have been like switching from a horse to a goat midstream. Translated into normal people words.... very bad juju.

I wish I were in Cuba. I wish I were surrounded by barbed wire and communism and around people who knew there was a mission to be completed and far, far away from the hippy, freak, pinko, liberal crazies who make me wish I carried the righteous frying pan of God to beat them with.

Don't get me wrong, I love liberals. They give me an opinion to bounce my own ideas off of, if there were no liberals and we all had the same right wing ideas this would be some odd form of communism. However, partisanship is what gives us democracy and I happen to really like democracy. Thus, I really like liberals. It's the crazies that give them a bad name, that's all. Ranting has made me hungry. Somebody write me and tell me I'm not off my rocker.

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In other news, today was my last first day of school. I'm officially a college senior who loves her classes (despite the amount of them).

I Love When the Range is Hot

[16 Aug 2007 Thursday]

1:54 AM Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

There is something to be said about waking up at 0800 to the National Anthem being played over loud-speakers and then immediately hearing the sound of 50-cals going off on the range in the distance. It's comforting? reassuring? relaxing? most American thing ever? Pick one.

I leave for Norfolk in a little more than two days and I'm not sure I'm ready to go back. I've gotten used to my job schedule and my online school schedule and my diving schedule and my social schedule and things like the range. I've gotten used to appreciating things because of the great irony that is Guantanamo Bay.

Digression... let's take a quick look at this irony thing. 1- this place is gorgeous, but the detained enemy combatants can't see outside their designated areas.... 2- i'm a free law abiding American, but the camps have Comedy Central and I don't.... 3- I get to be online whenever I want ranting about whatever I want and somewhere on this same island there are people who aren't allowed to because it's a national security threat... 4- i snorkel and drink and hang out and take pictures and do all those amazing wonderful things that Americans get to do right next to the people who wanted to take all of this away from me.

What's going to kill me is when I go back to the states and see just how apathetic and silly the general public is. Also, i start my Civic Engagement and Political Media class (or some crap like that) and this one girl always upsets me. Last semester she called everyone who works in GTMO "murdering traitors" and I went ballistic. I can't imagine how crazy i'll go if she says it this semester, or even something like that. I might just have to choke a bitch.

I've made some of the best friends i've ever had down here and if some girl who thinks she knows everything insults them and my Dad... I really would have no self-control or composure about myself. I love my friends down here. They're honestly some of the most amazing people I've ever met in my entire life. This summer would have been a complete bust if I didn't have them. The best part about them is that when i leave it's not going to be a traumatic depressing experience... down here it's just how things go. When you're dealing with civilians they don't understand that people come and go and when your friend leaves it's not the end of the world. They get sad and start behaving oddly... with friends who are military (or at least brats) you don't have to worry about losing your friend, you're just sending them away so you've got a house to stay at in another city.

There are hundreds of people down here itching to get off island... and here I am, unhappy to be going. 5 on the irony list... those of us down here voluntarily want to stay and those on orders cannot wait to be gone.

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In other news, other than all this staying/going craziness and some other major stressors, I've been uncharacteristically happy lately. I think it's the addition of a certain person to my social scheme. Also, I still miss somebody who left at the beginning of the summer something fierce. He made quite the impression.

So Apparently

[14 Jul 2007 Saturday]

5:15 AM - Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

my friend is leaving tomorrow...which is kind of sad because i'm almost sure i'll never see him again.

at least, i'm not going to get my hopes up.

however, i just realized...the only pieces of this friend i'll have left are...a pair of basketball shorts and some great advice.

the shorts i kept on purpose, i mean hell, they're comfy.
the advice was unsolicited but unbelievably helpful.

my friend says i'm worth it... and the advice was simply to believe that.though 'it' was never defined, just vaguely alluded to as everything.so apparently, i need to believe that i'm worth everything.

i'm going to miss the kid... bad.and wear the basketball shorts for pj's like they're going out of style.

and that's the Gospel truth.

Complete Bullshit: Part 2

[01 Jul 2007 Sunday]

2:07 AM

Category: Life

I just got back from vacation stateside. Stacy's wedding was amazing (i've even got pictures up) and just being back in the states was nice. But I've been back in Gitmo for twelve hours now and have come to a realization. I love Gitmo... not because it's the greatest place in the world to live, but rather, because it gives me something to care about.

Obviously there are things (namely social issues) that you can care about stateside. But very few people do.

Exhibit A... When I was in Norfolk I was driving my Suburban, with my mom and two little brothers in it, down Church Street at 930 at night. Next thing we know six shots get fired off (that didn't sound like they came from an airsoft gun) on the other side of the row of houses next to us, or at the least damn close. The next day on the news I find out that what we heard was a 16 year old boy was shot to death in that same area. Want to know how much time they spent on that story on the news? Less than the time it's taking you to read this paragraph.

It shouldn't be commonplace that these things are happening! It should upset us, and instill some sense of immediacy that something ought to be done. Now I feel terrible because the only thing to cross my mind after hearing the story was a very selfish, "it's good we got out safe". (i also feel terrible about the fact that i put my little brothers any where near something like that) Humans don't care outside of our own bubbles! If I were being considerate I would have at least thought about the kids' family.

Down here though, there's a sense of immediacy. Almost daily I hear stories about the guys who work behind the fence having literal shit thrown at them, spit at, threatened with weapons. It makes me care. I care about these guys and their well-being, safety. It gets my adrenaline going and makes me desperately want to be able to kick a detainee in the head... or to make it possible for the people working back there to do it! Suddenly, I'm compelled to actually feel like I'm living... not just plodding along. There's more of a purpose to my job than just slinging beer, I'm one of eight bartenders down here who gives these people a place to relax and not have stuff thrown at them.

Even if your life or your family aren't being immediately threatened you should feel blessed to be where you are. Somewhere around you there's a risk that someone else is taking that makes your life a little cooshier (phonetically that would be koosh-ee-er). Whether it's a policeman, fireman, EMT, local volunteer at the soup kitchen, the goodwill lady... you name it. There are people out there who take do things so that the rest of us can sit around and hear about it on the news. Somebody will make that 16 yr old's mother a casserole and help her plan the funeral... they're taking a risk by stepping beyond their own bubble to help another human being who's having a rough time. It doesn't matter about the valence of the risk... the point is it's being taken!

Some people are even passionate about risk taking... i.e. the peace corps, missionaries, some military personnel. They literally make it their job to help other people out, to be considerate and sometimes to lay down there lives and try to stop those new stories from showing up so often. And these passionate people are often considered anomalys, like there's something wrong with them. No, there's nothing wrong with them... there's something wrong with the rest of us.

I will concede that sometimes there is simply nothing you can do. Although you can always write a letter to your Senator, and whether he reads it or not you'll still get a letter back and the sense that you at least tried. Trying is what separates the lackadaisical sheep from the men.

In other news, Michael Moore makes me want to vomit. This movie "Sicko" is ridiculous. He took a group of people to the one place in Cuba where there's any kind of health care system... and then he strategically cut out all of the footage (or maybe just didn't take it) of what i've been told Cuba is really like. He portrays the health care in Cuba like it's the greatest system in the world. Now, Mr. Moore, can you explain to me why a Cuban was willing to lose both his legs to come over the American side if Cuba is so great? Why would this man swim through barbed-wire, voluntarily want to be around us heathen Capitalists, and literally lose his legs if he had it so good on the Communist side? For the record, he's not the only one who wants in.

Again, I will make a slight concession. Health Care in America is no where near perfect... but neither is it in Canada. Do you know how long you have to wait to be treated for anything in a socialist health care system? Unless of course you've got a camera crew behind you. You can't call and make appointments in Cuba, you have to walk in and pray that you're the early bird. Michael Moore oversimplifies life elsewhere. He's not going to change America by lying to us all. Open your own eyes and see for yourself. Mr. Moore's telephoto lens is skewed worse than Bill O'Reilly's on a bad day... which can get pretty ridiculous sometimes.

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And in completely unrelated news... I have offically gotten rid of a person who made me feel like a selfish-self conscious-vengeful-insecure-spoiled little princess. Don't keep people in your life who make you feel like that... you're worth it, they're not. Now that i've written you a whole book, if you made it this far... Congratulations. If you made it this far and actually read the whole thing I sincerely hope it was worth your time. Good night, sleep sweet, and please don't be a lackadaisical sheep.

Complete Bullshit

[28 May 2007 Monday]

2:28 AM

Current mood: uncomfortable

Category: Life

You can search Google, Wikipedia, Ask.com, YouTube, Facebook and Myspace and you get nothing but biased bullshit about Guantanamo Bay. I look this stuff up because I'm concerned, not only for the men and women down here dealing with a traumatic work situation everyday but for America as a whole.

The Americans inside the camp put their lives on the line every time they walk into that camp and they get nothing but some bumper stickers and maybe a by-line of support from the American public. This place sucks for the people working down here. Sure it's in the Caribbean but when your work is an omnipresent stressor that you can't get away from it wears down on people. There's very little for the sailors, soldiers, marines and coast guard to do down here. As hard as MWR might try there's only so much they can do. Want to know why?

Because no one seems to care about these guys. Everyone seems to be so caught up with being politically correct, and doing things "like they've always been done" that nothing progresses! If there were American's who looked past their cushy lives and realized why we can live our lives the way we do, then the military might get the help and support it needs. The media and random oppinionated people mouth off because they can... great, awesome, exercise your right to an opinion...just please don't be regurgitating what you've been told!

People use words like "torture", "depraved", "inhumane" when describing this place and it's because they're TRAINED to use those words. The only deaths that have gone on here in Cuba were suicides... not because of the immense torture they were going through but because they organized it to make a point and humiliate the United States Government. It's called assymetrical warfare! [You know that whole concept of not marching at the enemy head-on, but using alternative methods (i.e. how we won the revolutionary war).]

While I'm down here I have preciously little to do other than work, sun bathe and read. (Yeah, I know it's tough.) This won't be my last little tangent against the mainstream idea of Gitmo. In the mean time, pray for our Sailors, Soldiers, and Marines. Don't just thank them and show your support on Memorial Day. And go find something to be passionate about.

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By the way, seeing Danny Glover get shot in the movie "Shooter" was the highlight of my day. Miss ya'll and see you soon.emily grace