The Party's Over

What is this world coming too? As in world, of course as a narrow minded American struck by the Omphalos Syndrome, (Omphalos=naval in Greek, naval=center, US center of the world) I mean the United States of America. How did we get to this point? We are staring the worst economic crisis since the 1930's right in the face and our wonderful Presedential candidates have nothing to say about it. How can you debate for two hours and not mention the fact that millions of hard working Americans are getting screwed by greed at Wall Street and pure ignorance in the Capitol? Neither of the spineless candidates will stand for the American people and demand that someone pays for this. I understand guys, this is not the time to be pointing fingers and you are partly right, that time was years ago when this whole mess began to materialize. When the greedy began gambling with tax payer money. When in 1999 the Clinton Administration decided to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act that was passed in 1933 to put a stop to the coupling of investment banking and lending, an Act that was created to make sure the Depression never happened again. Have we gotten a little over confident, did we think we were invincible? It seems that some of us did and now someone needs to be held accountable. Where were the politicians that were voted in to fight for you and me when all of this was happening? Do not tell me that they didn't know.

It pains me to say this, but at this time in this great countries history, the American political system is a joke. I never thought the wonderful system that our founding fathers labored to create could be tarnished the way it has. How long can we survive in this two party system? I do not doubt the logic and the positive aspects of it. I do not doubt the history of it. But our founding fathers warned us about this, James Madison warned us about rule by factions in the Federalist papers. The Constitution says nothing about the existance of parties. Our greatest Presidents of all time warned us about division. In his Farewell Address George Washington implored those who came after him to fight for the unity of America. It was Abraham Lincoln that said, a house divided can not stand, as he fought to keep America in tact. I'm afraid that we have become more divided than ever. Many of our politicians are merely puppets on strings, doing what ever is good for the party whether it be Democrat or Republican, not what is good for America. I'm not calling for a single party or representative party system or any overhaul of the American system. I just want a leader who is willing to stand up for the American people and quite frankly neither of these candidates have shown that they are willing to do that.

The election is coming quickly and it seems that we may have to keep getting worse before we get better. If the final results resemble the polls today we may be in trouble. Hello more government. Hello more spending. You guys let us get here, good luck getting us out.

Nothing but the Truth

It is dawning on me that this world that we live in is afraid of something. The truth. Yes Truth can be offensive, it can hurt feelings, it can convict, it can make make one uncomfortable, it can be humbling, but it never the less is the truth. It was Winston Churchill that said, “The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is.” I'm sure your philosophical self is sitting there asking the age old question, is there really such thing as truth and if there is how do we find it? This is especially an appropriate question in the world we live in today. Many in this world would have you believe that truth is completely subjective or truth is what "you" want it to be. We live in the generation of "me," let me be, let me do what I want, don't bother me, that is offensive to me, you can't make me, etc. In this current generation the truth is being pushed away. The search for the truth is becoming an ignorant pursuit. Those who claim to know it or have it are labeled as ignorant and narrow minded. Those who teach it or proclaim it are bias and self righteous. No longer is there right and wrong, but only perspective, opinion, and an open mind. Our imaginations are now not only allowed to run wild, but come to life with no barriers of reality. Someone once said, “What you perceive, your observations, feelings, interpretations, are all your truth. Your truth is important. Yet it is not The Truth.” In the world we live in today, this quote ends after important. We are afraid to tell someone that they are wrong. Instead we allow them to live there lives, blinded by the importance of "their" truth.

There is hope. The truth still lives. It is up to all of us who know it to teach and proclaim it. It is the ultimate truth, the truth of Jesus Christ our Savior. Jesus said in John 14:6, I am the way the truth and the life, no man cometh to the father but by me. In this world, Jesus is the truth that we can not compromise. We must confront the subjective truths of this world, we must tell those who are blinded by this generation that there is one truth that will forever remain. Yes this truth will offend and it will convict, but belief in it will ultimately set you free. The truth of Jesus Christ is not narrow minded, it is not ignorant, it is not self righteous, it is a message of love, hope, and everlasting life in a dying world. It is a message of a risen Savior who promises to return. Come to know this truth, because apart from it, this world has nothing to offer.

Birthday Parties: A thing of the past

As the wonderful month of October approaches, so to does numerous birthdays of many of my close amigos, my family members, and of course my own as well. Thinking about the proximity of so many wonderful days of birth brought back many memories. Slumber parties with sleeping bags, video games, ninja turtles, Legos, pizza, the Skate Deck, cherry cheesecake, cards that nobody read, and of course tons of presents. These parties were great, but are definitely a thing of the past. Once you get out of high school, nobody really has birthday parties anymore. Have we forgotten how to party? Are we to old to celebrate? I think not. I'm not asking for a lego set or a plastic foot soldier, although if you got me one I would accept it, I'm just suggesting that we take advantage of our birthdays, celebrate some how. You never know how many more birthdays will come your way. Lets not let birthday parties be a thing of the past. Get together with some friends or family and have a good time.

In the lab with a pen and a pad

I am posting a little note that I wrote on May 1st of this year while I sat in my Political Science class. I did not have a blog then so I had to resort to caveman resources like pen and paper. I do not mean to offend anybody, at least not specifically, but to some this may seem a bit aggressive. I guess I was always told to be aggressive.


May 1st, 2008

Dear Diary, (I don't technically have a diary)

What has motivated me to write this? Oddly enough it happens to be the brutal class that I am sitting through, a class filled with many well educated, but very ignorant academics. With out fail, every year, every quarter, almost everyday (depending on if I go to class) I'm slapped in the face by the unfortunate aroma of blind liberalism. I can't run form it, I can't hide from it, but nor should I. When will these socialists stop thinking that our great country, America, is the enemy? Open your eyes and read some history. While the USA is by no means perfect, it is refreshingly and consistently a beacon of light in a dark world. When will we stop worrying about the opinions of insignificant countries on our policy? Guess what foreigners? This country that you all envy, acts in its own interest. I know, the audacity right? How selfish can those Americans be? Can't they quit pushing people around, sit down and have tea and crumpets with their enemies? Sorry, the answer is usually no. The idea that diplomacy is always the answer is about as crazy as the Mormon religion. You know why? Because countries such as Russia, Iran, China and North Korea, wait for it...they act in their own interest too! I know you're thinking, but they haven't seem Barrack Obama, and you're right. Lord willing, they never will. He will not be able to beat them into submission with charisma and verbal eloquence. Look how that worked for Great Britain in WWII. Talk to Hitler, give in, then do it all over again until German bombs are crashing down on the London Bridge. Bye Bye England as a world power. How many had to die in the name of diplomacy? Think about it, soft power can work, but at times hard power is the only option. Thats all for today. Got to go learn about Empires (Hist 245). USA!

Ten reasons why being a Seattle Sports fan sucks ( right now)

I have been a Seattle sports fan for my whole life, I do have the guts to admit that. I'm not one of those fake local fans that grew up here and somehow happens to like, oh I don't know, USC football, North Carolina basketball, the Patriots, the Yankees, you get the picture. These people are delusional if they think they are legitimate, they are front runners and nothing else. For example: Lebron James grew up in Ohio, but his favorite teams when he was young were the Yankees, the Cowboys, and the Chicago Bulls. Wow. Even those in professional sports can have no sports savy. Don't get me wrong, I do have an appreciation for championship caliber teams and programs too, I just would never claim to be a legit diehard fan of any other than my locals.

At times, this can be hard to take. The present status of Seattle sports is nearly at the worst it has ever been since yours truly entered this world. Why? Here are my top ten reasons.

10. Huskies 0-2, Seahawks 0-1, Mariners...does it even matter

9. The Seahawks current recieving core makes the Huskies recievers look like All Americans

8. The Husky football team lost to the Mormons at home for the first time ever.

7. Seahawks WR Nate Burleson is out for the season. Now he is not only extremely overpaid but he is useless.

6. Willie Bloomquist

5. Tyrone Willingham 11-27 at UW

4. The Mariners may be the first team ever to have a payroll over 100 million and lose 100 games

3. We have not won a championship in major sports since the 1991 UW football team and even then we had to share it (the WNBA is not a major sport)

2. The Sonics got poo jacked and turned into an arena football team called the Thunder

1. The only championship caliber team in Seattle is the Storm and we all know that the WNBA games are nothing more than lesbian conventions

In other words, better luck next year.

Will the real China please stand up?

There is no denying that the 2008 Beijing Olympics have been an amazing production. China has done the Olympic games justice. The facilities are state of the art, the games have ran with out distraction, and Chinese history has definitely been on display. But as the world watches the greatest athletes in the world compete for their countries and compete for themselves, who is competing for the Chinese people?

In the United States of America we expect our government to fight for us. The characteristics that keep our country the greatest in the world are freedom, liberty, and the ability to choose, among many others. The American system encourages and rewards individuality, while not always promoting complete equality, we have come to embody it. It is tough to compare the greatest country in the world with any other, but as China has become a supposed global power it is legitimate. China is and has historically, since Mao Zedong's rise to power in 1947, been a Communist regime. The Communist system is one that represents the idea of the common good and does what it must to maintain the existence of the state. In China, the state trumps individuality and freedom is not essential. While Communism is built on the idea of equality it by no means embraces it.

Maybe the real China has stood up. As these Olympics approached the Chinese government continued to crack down on its people, tightening the grip of repression in the interest of the Communist state. Many Chinese were jailed in fear of their desires for individuality, many citizens homes were destroyed to build the giant athletic complexes and throughout the games the government continues to silence its critics through authoritarian control. By no means is the Chinese government fighting for its people. Its people are fighting for their government because they do not have the freedoms, the liberties, or the choice to fight for anything else. The real China is not standing because has it is not allowed.

My Country is better than your Country

There is something about the Olympic Games that brings out the American in me. It really doesn't matter what I'm watching, badminton, volleyball, swimming, and yes even gymnastics. It is about my country beating your country. Yes, I know Visa has come out with these wonderfully made commercials narrated by Morgan Freeman presenting a globally minded motto of "go world," but come on, does anyone really want to see there fellow countrymen lose. The answer is no. I appreciate the effort that all of these athletes put out, the grueling hours that they have spent training dedicating there lives to a dream, but once you dive in to that pool, once you step on to that court, once you grab on to those high bars, may the better man (or woman to be pc) win. Most likely that better man will be an American. USA! USA! USA!