Ethnic Studies is a requirement for me to transfer to university. This is fine and good and all but the writing assignment I (and all of my classmates) received really has me going OMFG, WTF!?
I have to come up with a research paper that somehow ties in a specific topic and how it affected 4 different minority groups. So, I can talk about immigration or labor exploitation. I can talk about ethnic enclaves (ethnic enclaves? GAH!) or a plethora of other topics. It would be so much easier if I only had to talk about one minority group.. but four?
While I was positive I would have no problems with this, I'm quickly coming to the realization that I'm most likely going to fail miserably. I really hate academia.
If anyone can suggest a thesis statement, I'll promise not to tell I stole it from you. So long as you didn't write a paper on it that can be found through turnitin.com. Really. Mum's the word.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Liberal vs Conservative: why?
It seems to me that there is this overwhelming hatred for the 'libs' these days. We're seeing a total backlash against anything or anyone that could be even remotely considered liberal. Fox news, the Tea Party (they'll deny this; they'll say that they're against big government and all that. However, their organization is made up of mostly conservative, right wing.. well.. people. I'll leave the ad hominems out of it), Limbaugh and Beck; we're seeing a growing tide of moderate to right-winged alarmists who will do everything short of killing people to get their point across. What's that point? That liberalism is sending this country to hell.
Don't get me wrong. Conservatism is good. It's good for the status-quo, who want to feel safe and cozy in their normal, everyday way of life. It's good for tradition. It's safe. It allows people to hold onto their past. It keeps fundamental ideas in check. I can't fault those who are conservative. They just want to hold onto their values and belief systems, even if those values and belief systems are antiquated. They're comforting. They're also what keep people from advancing their ideals and visions of a better future.
Frankly, Conservatism keeps things stagnant.
If we thought that way 300 some odd years ago, we'd still be part of the Commonwealth today. We'd have Queen Elizabeth on our coinage and not George Washington. We'd be eating blood sausages and not hot dogs. We'd be playing Cricket and not Baseball. Soccer would be our Football. No, our Founding Fathers weren't conservatives. Today, they'd probably be considered radical terrorists. Their ideas were new and different. They were thinking outside the box. They were revolutionists. Revolutionists aren't conservative, remember? Yet, today, we celebrate them, hold them in high regard. We shoot fireworks on July 4th, damn it!
So, it makes me wonder why people are so apprehensive when the word 'liberal' is uttered. It absolutely amazes me just how ignorant people are to the fact that liberal minds bring about progress.
It isn't any wonder why liberalism is also called progressive. While the conservative lives in his little home with the white picket fence, the world of liberalism builds skyscrapers and creates technological advances all around him. Then, as the conservative embraces that which has progressed around him, the liberals will have moved forward 10-fold onto better (for the most part) things. Eventually, that which was known as liberal will again be considered conservative. That's the cycle, see?
So, righties, stop the lib bashing. Without us, you'd still be saying "God save the Queen" and eating Marmite. Bleh!
Don't get me wrong. Conservatism is good. It's good for the status-quo, who want to feel safe and cozy in their normal, everyday way of life. It's good for tradition. It's safe. It allows people to hold onto their past. It keeps fundamental ideas in check. I can't fault those who are conservative. They just want to hold onto their values and belief systems, even if those values and belief systems are antiquated. They're comforting. They're also what keep people from advancing their ideals and visions of a better future.
Frankly, Conservatism keeps things stagnant.
If we thought that way 300 some odd years ago, we'd still be part of the Commonwealth today. We'd have Queen Elizabeth on our coinage and not George Washington. We'd be eating blood sausages and not hot dogs. We'd be playing Cricket and not Baseball. Soccer would be our Football. No, our Founding Fathers weren't conservatives. Today, they'd probably be considered radical terrorists. Their ideas were new and different. They were thinking outside the box. They were revolutionists. Revolutionists aren't conservative, remember? Yet, today, we celebrate them, hold them in high regard. We shoot fireworks on July 4th, damn it!
So, it makes me wonder why people are so apprehensive when the word 'liberal' is uttered. It absolutely amazes me just how ignorant people are to the fact that liberal minds bring about progress.
It isn't any wonder why liberalism is also called progressive. While the conservative lives in his little home with the white picket fence, the world of liberalism builds skyscrapers and creates technological advances all around him. Then, as the conservative embraces that which has progressed around him, the liberals will have moved forward 10-fold onto better (for the most part) things. Eventually, that which was known as liberal will again be considered conservative. That's the cycle, see?
So, righties, stop the lib bashing. Without us, you'd still be saying "God save the Queen" and eating Marmite. Bleh!
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Having sex isn't always a good thing
Yeah, so.. hooking up with an ex-girlfriend after the woman you're currently sleeping with ends the gig (via text message no less) is not that great.
A text message saying "ur sexy" isn't something that should be replied to. Another text saying, "we used to have great sex," too, should be ignored.
Nope. I had to go an answer both; the latter with, "we should have sex again for old times sake."
Not good.
Within a few hours, we had hooked up, done the deed and said our goodnights. It was the literal "wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am" evening many often fantasize about. Let me tell you, it's not at all what one would think. In fact, I think it was a mistake.
It wasn't good for many reasons. One is, this woman cheated on me. That's why we broke up. She later married and, guess what? She cheated on her husband. Two kids, a home and a marriage shot to hell and here I am, enabling her, saying it's okay to fuck an ex-boyfriend you cheated on, too. Another reason is - it was just a bad thing to do. Not morally, but... I don't know how to explain it. It just made me feel dirty. Like, mud-on-my-shoes dirty. Like, toxins-on-my-skin dirty. The dirty that makes you shudder and go, "ew-ww!" The two-syllable Ew. It just wasn't right.
Mind you, I didn't and won't lose sleep over it. Sex is sex. It didn't really mean anything; it was a "good time." Unfortunately, it wasn't really a good time, either. It was a bad judgment call. Via a text message.
I may just have to cancel my mobile service now. Shudder!
A text message saying "ur sexy" isn't something that should be replied to. Another text saying, "we used to have great sex," too, should be ignored.
Nope. I had to go an answer both; the latter with, "we should have sex again for old times sake."
Not good.
Within a few hours, we had hooked up, done the deed and said our goodnights. It was the literal "wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am" evening many often fantasize about. Let me tell you, it's not at all what one would think. In fact, I think it was a mistake.
It wasn't good for many reasons. One is, this woman cheated on me. That's why we broke up. She later married and, guess what? She cheated on her husband. Two kids, a home and a marriage shot to hell and here I am, enabling her, saying it's okay to fuck an ex-boyfriend you cheated on, too. Another reason is - it was just a bad thing to do. Not morally, but... I don't know how to explain it. It just made me feel dirty. Like, mud-on-my-shoes dirty. Like, toxins-on-my-skin dirty. The dirty that makes you shudder and go, "ew-ww!" The two-syllable Ew. It just wasn't right.
Mind you, I didn't and won't lose sleep over it. Sex is sex. It didn't really mean anything; it was a "good time." Unfortunately, it wasn't really a good time, either. It was a bad judgment call. Via a text message.
I may just have to cancel my mobile service now. Shudder!
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