14 years ago
Showing posts with label revolution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label revolution. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday, November 24, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
VH1 & End The Drug War!
Are you kidding me VH1? Kid Rock on Storytellers? I'm pretty sure Kid's Rock story consists of nothing but white trash misery and talentlessness of the highest degree.
Today was a long day. We woke up at 8 a.m. after about four hours of sleep, dragged ourselves downstairs and forced ourselves to eat breakfast. We hiked over to the University of Maryland Stamp Student Union for a day of speeches by people that have long been waging a war on unfair drug policy.
We got to see a great debate between Kevin Sabet, founder of Students Taking Action Not Drugs, and Kris Krane, executive director of SSDP. Needless to say Kevin wasn't eye-to-eye with us on everything, but Kris presented his arguments very well and with a lot of respect. We played the top game, as some say, and it just goes to show that this thing we're fighting is unjust. Valid arguments based on sound and reason cannot be argued against, and if so only from a purely perspective standpoint.
We listened to experts speak on the topic of religion and its role in the fight against the drug war, SSDP going global and its effect in the UK and Canada, in which Mr. Tree presented compelling evidence for the argument that the United States' presence and eradication of the major cocaine cartels in South America is only making the problem worse. The way he explained it is that if you were to smash a cockroach, or in this case two, it would splinter into one hundred little cockroaches. An uncountable number of smaller distributors have picked up the clients of the major drug cartels taken down by the U.S. Drug War.
We also heard about the mayor of a smaller town outside of College Park in which just several months ago the mayor of the town was a firsthand victim of the Drug War. His house wasturned upside down by a SWAT team, he was forced to stay kneeling with his hands bound behind him in his underwear, and the entering SWAT was "startled" by the presence of his two dogs so they shot them. Innocent animals with no malicious thought, only instinct, got between the state and their desire to present a crack-down-on-drugs image and take the easy way out in enforcing drug law. Unfortunately, this is the world in which we live.
Lunch was free and delicious and vegetarian. I bought an SSDP shirt and picked up lots of great literature on medicinal marijuana and drug reform and some cool stickers. We spent some time in the hot tub and chilled real low key tonight.
Like I said yesterday, it's great to see the incredible potential of what everyone here can do. None of us have any excuses that could get in the way of pushing our chapter to its maximum potential.
End the Drug War!
Friday, November 21, 2008
I'm goin' down to Washington, D.C.
So here we are, in the capital of our nation, walking the halls of Congress, lobbying our congressional representatives to change drug policies that are outdated, unfair, and biased...and it feels so good.
It's incredible to be here with so many people that have the same passions and same view points about changing the same things as you do. It's incredible to see the effect that just one day has had on so many people. Washington, D.C. is a wonderful place, and it would be even more incredible if it wasn't overrun by greedy, lying, seething rats that have only money on their mind.
We walked by some official Capitol Police blockades that were in place for the Presidential Inauguration. I wonder what the future holds. It is indeed exciting to be alive and witness history being made, but we cannot let that blindfold us and forget about our struggles of the past. Our struggle for justice on all fronts for all people cannot be forgotten because we have reached a milestone in race relations in America. Our struggle for the end of all kinds of bigotry and ignorance cannot be forgotten simply because we have been promised change.
I've taken a lot of great pictures with the new camera. I've got some of the Capitol, Union Station, and various other D.C. eye candy.
Also, while waiting for the train today, I saw some really bad ass freights.
Oh and quick shameless plug, this Saturday is a show at The Nervous Dog in Akron with Hayden Calling and Blast Shields Up! Good stuff. Dec. 17th is going to be one hell of a show at the Grog Shop with the same two bands from above and (hopefully) a pretty cool band called Saint Ohio.
Things are looking up, you see? Things aren't going to be so bad.
It's incredible to be here with so many people that have the same passions and same view points about changing the same things as you do. It's incredible to see the effect that just one day has had on so many people. Washington, D.C. is a wonderful place, and it would be even more incredible if it wasn't overrun by greedy, lying, seething rats that have only money on their mind.
We walked by some official Capitol Police blockades that were in place for the Presidential Inauguration. I wonder what the future holds. It is indeed exciting to be alive and witness history being made, but we cannot let that blindfold us and forget about our struggles of the past. Our struggle for justice on all fronts for all people cannot be forgotten because we have reached a milestone in race relations in America. Our struggle for the end of all kinds of bigotry and ignorance cannot be forgotten simply because we have been promised change.
I've taken a lot of great pictures with the new camera. I've got some of the Capitol, Union Station, and various other D.C. eye candy.
Also, while waiting for the train today, I saw some really bad ass freights.
Oh and quick shameless plug, this Saturday is a show at The Nervous Dog in Akron with Hayden Calling and Blast Shields Up! Good stuff. Dec. 17th is going to be one hell of a show at the Grog Shop with the same two bands from above and (hopefully) a pretty cool band called Saint Ohio.
Things are looking up, you see? Things aren't going to be so bad.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Work and school, work and school, work and school, work and school....
Listen to that.
Read this:
http://www.alternativereel.com/includes/top-ten/display_review.php?id=00080
(especially #10, 8, and 4.)
Friday, October 17, 2008
The right to choose...
I thought this was a significant advancement in the worldwide struggle for a woman's right to choose:
http://feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=11339
Check it out.
http://feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=11339
Check it out.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Change
In my short time as an organism of this species I belong to on this planet that we have named Earth in this universe, there are very few things that remain the same. Things are constantly changing. Everything. Every little thing you thought would be the same forever will probably change some time in your life. Changes occur whether you know it or not, like it or not, want it or not, and you better be ready for them. As I stated above, there are few things that I know will stay the same.
1. I will always love music. The genres and artists may change, but it is unlikely.
2. I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever be in the military. The draft, Uncle Sam, and his entire army can't stop me.
It's 4 a.m. Full Metal Jacket is on HDNet: uncut, unedited, and HD.
1. I will always love music. The genres and artists may change, but it is unlikely.
2. I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever be in the military. The draft, Uncle Sam, and his entire army can't stop me.
It's 4 a.m. Full Metal Jacket is on HDNet: uncut, unedited, and HD.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Money for jobs and education!
Not for war and occupation!
Such were the chants heard at today's 2nd Annual Kent State Anti-War Committee Rally and March. The rally was good, but the march was better. We marched from the plaza in the middle of campus, then down one of the main roads running through campus and backed up traffic for about a quarter mile.
We then stood in front of the ROTC building and chanted and yelled some more and taped anti-war pictures on the front door. Then we lined Main St., opposite several police cars, and continued to spread the good word.
We were met mostly with peace signs, waves, smiles and honks. Some people, however, don't enjoy peace as much as the rest of us and gave us the finger but never had the audacity to look at us.
Most of the police cars left, and we started to sing "Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye" and they pulled the paddy wagon around just to scare us. The only cop car that stayed the entire time was the one with a male cop driving and a female cop in the passenger seat video taping us. They were parked in the Wendy's parking lot. Then, ingeniously, two brave souls took a large banner across the street and stood directly in the way of the video camera. We continued to chant and sing protest songs and other songs and being merry. Below are the pictures I took with my phone because I forgot my camera. Enjoy!
Such were the chants heard at today's 2nd Annual Kent State Anti-War Committee Rally and March. The rally was good, but the march was better. We marched from the plaza in the middle of campus, then down one of the main roads running through campus and backed up traffic for about a quarter mile.
We then stood in front of the ROTC building and chanted and yelled some more and taped anti-war pictures on the front door. Then we lined Main St., opposite several police cars, and continued to spread the good word.
We were met mostly with peace signs, waves, smiles and honks. Some people, however, don't enjoy peace as much as the rest of us and gave us the finger but never had the audacity to look at us.
Most of the police cars left, and we started to sing "Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye" and they pulled the paddy wagon around just to scare us. The only cop car that stayed the entire time was the one with a male cop driving and a female cop in the passenger seat video taping us. They were parked in the Wendy's parking lot. Then, ingeniously, two brave souls took a large banner across the street and stood directly in the way of the video camera. We continued to chant and sing protest songs and other songs and being merry. Below are the pictures I took with my phone because I forgot my camera. Enjoy!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Stumbling
I actually stumbled upon the same list that I had posted a couple days ago but in a more complete form. Here it is:
Black teen pregnancies? A 'crisis' in black America.
White teen pregnancies? A 'blessed event.'
If you grow up in Hawaii you're 'exotic.'
Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're the quintessential 'American story.'
Similarly, if you name your kid Barack you're 'unpatriotic.'
Name your kids Trig and Track, you're 'colorful.'
If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fully vetting the individual you're 'reckless.'
A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a 'maverick.'
If you spend 3 years as a community organizer growing your organization from a staff of 1 to 13 and your budget from $70,000 to $400,000, then become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review,create a voter regstration drive that registers 150,000 new African Amerian voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor,then spend nearly 8 more years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, becoming chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, then spend nearly 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of nearly 13 million people, sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you are woefully inexperienced.
If you spend 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, then spend 20 months as the governor of a state with 650,000 people, you've got the most executive experience of anyone on either ticket, are the Commander in Chief of the Alaska military and are well qualified to lead the nation should you be called upon to do so because your state is the closest state to Russia.
If you are a Demoratic male candidate who is popular with millions of people you are an 'arrogant celebrity'.
If you are a popular Republican female candidate you are 'energizing the base'.
If you are a younger male candidate who thinks for himself and makes his own decisions you are 'presumptuous'.
If you are an older male candidate who makes last minute decisions you refuse to explain, you are a 'shoot from the hip' maverick.
If you are a candidate with a Harvard law degree you are 'an elitist 'out of touch' with the real America.
If you are a legacy (dad and granddad were admirals) graduate of Annapolis, with multiple disciplinary infractions you are a hero.
If you manage a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign, you are an 'empty suit'.
If you are a part time mayor of a town of 7000 people, you are an 'experienced executive'.
If you go to a south side Chicago church, your beliefs are 'extremist'.
If you believe in creationism and don't believe gobal warming is man made, you are 'strongly principled'.
If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years with whom you are raising two beautiful daughters you're 'risky'.
If you're a black single mother of 4 who waits for 22 hours after her water breaks to seek medical attention, you're an irresponsible parent, endangering the life of your unborn child.
But if you're a white married mother who waits 22 hours, you're spunky.
If you're a 13-year-old Chelsea Clinton, the right-wing press calls you 'First dog.'
If you're a 17-year old pregnant unwed daughter of a Republican, the right-wing press calls you 'beautiful' and 'courageous.'
If you kill an endangered species, you're an excellent hunter.
If you have an abortion you're not a christian, you're a murderer ( forget about if it happened while being date raped)
If you teach abstinence only in sex education, you get teen parents.
If you teach responsible age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
It can be found here: http://www.blah3.com/article.php?story=20080912193911820&mode=print
Black teen pregnancies? A 'crisis' in black America.
White teen pregnancies? A 'blessed event.'
If you grow up in Hawaii you're 'exotic.'
Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're the quintessential 'American story.'
Similarly, if you name your kid Barack you're 'unpatriotic.'
Name your kids Trig and Track, you're 'colorful.'
If you're a Democrat and you make a VP pick without fully vetting the individual you're 'reckless.'
A Republican who doesn't fully vet is a 'maverick.'
If you spend 3 years as a community organizer growing your organization from a staff of 1 to 13 and your budget from $70,000 to $400,000, then become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review,create a voter regstration drive that registers 150,000 new African Amerian voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor,then spend nearly 8 more years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, becoming chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, then spend nearly 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of nearly 13 million people, sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you are woefully inexperienced.
If you spend 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, then spend 20 months as the governor of a state with 650,000 people, you've got the most executive experience of anyone on either ticket, are the Commander in Chief of the Alaska military and are well qualified to lead the nation should you be called upon to do so because your state is the closest state to Russia.
If you are a Demoratic male candidate who is popular with millions of people you are an 'arrogant celebrity'.
If you are a popular Republican female candidate you are 'energizing the base'.
If you are a younger male candidate who thinks for himself and makes his own decisions you are 'presumptuous'.
If you are an older male candidate who makes last minute decisions you refuse to explain, you are a 'shoot from the hip' maverick.
If you are a candidate with a Harvard law degree you are 'an elitist 'out of touch' with the real America.
If you are a legacy (dad and granddad were admirals) graduate of Annapolis, with multiple disciplinary infractions you are a hero.
If you manage a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign, you are an 'empty suit'.
If you are a part time mayor of a town of 7000 people, you are an 'experienced executive'.
If you go to a south side Chicago church, your beliefs are 'extremist'.
If you believe in creationism and don't believe gobal warming is man made, you are 'strongly principled'.
If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years with whom you are raising two beautiful daughters you're 'risky'.
If you're a black single mother of 4 who waits for 22 hours after her water breaks to seek medical attention, you're an irresponsible parent, endangering the life of your unborn child.
But if you're a white married mother who waits 22 hours, you're spunky.
If you're a 13-year-old Chelsea Clinton, the right-wing press calls you 'First dog.'
If you're a 17-year old pregnant unwed daughter of a Republican, the right-wing press calls you 'beautiful' and 'courageous.'
If you kill an endangered species, you're an excellent hunter.
If you have an abortion you're not a christian, you're a murderer ( forget about if it happened while being date raped)
If you teach abstinence only in sex education, you get teen parents.
If you teach responsible age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
It can be found here: http://www.blah3.com/article.php?story=20080912193911820&mode=print
Oh, Buddha...
If you hurt an innocent person, then you are only hurting yourself, just as dust thrown into a wind is blown back in your face. - Buddha
Found here : http://www.amidabuddha.org/news/19Sep2008.html
I also acquired two new pens recently. They're awesome and they make me want to write a whole lot.
My throat still hurts but my sickness is going away.
Kent State SSDP has it's first meeting Monday October 6th! Viva la revolucion!
Found here : http://www.amidabuddha.org/news/19Sep2008.html
I also acquired two new pens recently. They're awesome and they make me want to write a whole lot.
My throat still hurts but my sickness is going away.
Kent State SSDP has it's first meeting Monday October 6th! Viva la revolucion!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Protest!
http://www.radikal.com.tr/Default.aspx?aType=GaleriHaber&Date=02.09.2008&ArticleID=896715&PAGE=27
Great collection of pictures of the protest from the RNC. I wish I could have been there.
Great collection of pictures of the protest from the RNC. I wish I could have been there.
No!
I woke up at 7 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep so I got up at roughly 7:30, ate breakfast, showered, checked my email and drove out to Akron to get my new shoes (they're sweet).
I refuse to succumb myself to the hangover dead. I will not laze around like a zombie and whine all day and clean up the mess from last night and piece together memories.
That's all I have to say.
I refuse to succumb myself to the hangover dead. I will not laze around like a zombie and whine all day and clean up the mess from last night and piece together memories.
That's all I have to say.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Revolution is all around!
It really is!
Today I read some more of The Strawberry Statement and revolution is abound! The things I would do if I could be on that campus in 1968. Also, Angel and I watched Persepolis, a very well animated film about a girl that survives a revolution and a war in Iran and struggles to deal with the state of her homeland and her identity. Excellent film! It was only released in select cities before but now it is on DVD everywhere so go watch it!
I also listened to Houses of the Holy by Led Zeppelin on my way home from Angel's house. This album I will listen to until I'm 100 years old.
I bought some new music from iTunes the other day (thanks Uncle Rick!). The first album being Bedouin Soundclash's 2004 release Sounding a Mosaic. Great reggae/dubrock with some acoustic tones and good lyrics.
The second is The Black Keys debut The Big Come Up. Great Midwestern bluesy-duet-dirty-rock. And no, I don't just like them because they happen to be from Akron. They're great musicians and were a perfect compliment to the next album I bought...
The Complete Recordings of Robert Johnson, king of the Delta blues. This collection of his recordings is great, encompassing everything he ever put down on tape in the few short years before his death. If you get a chance, listen to I Believe I'll Dust My Broom.
Also, as I was listening to my new collection of Robert Johnson (who supposedly sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads to play guitar like he did) on my way to work on Saturday I noticed I was behind an older bus, teal-blueish in color. I thought it was a nice vintage bus of a cool color and failed, until I was almost at work, to notice what was emblazoned on the back of the bus in large orange script: CrossRoads. I wish I could've gotten a picture. It's good to know at least somebody's lookin' out for me. Thanks Bobby.
Oh, and in case anybody cares, Russia invaded South Osettia the other day and is currently at war over control of the small country with Georgia (no, not peaches and Ray Charles Georgia), another small country that lies to the south. The last death toll I heard was 1500 people and Georgia seems to be withdrawing. You can read a little more about it here. Too bad we live in a war desensitized culture that doesn't even seem to flinch at the idea of people losing their lives over imaginary lines and ideals and all these intangible things that, at the time of death, don't mean shit.
Today I read some more of The Strawberry Statement and revolution is abound! The things I would do if I could be on that campus in 1968. Also, Angel and I watched Persepolis, a very well animated film about a girl that survives a revolution and a war in Iran and struggles to deal with the state of her homeland and her identity. Excellent film! It was only released in select cities before but now it is on DVD everywhere so go watch it!
I also listened to Houses of the Holy by Led Zeppelin on my way home from Angel's house. This album I will listen to until I'm 100 years old.
I bought some new music from iTunes the other day (thanks Uncle Rick!). The first album being Bedouin Soundclash's 2004 release Sounding a Mosaic. Great reggae/dubrock with some acoustic tones and good lyrics.
The second is The Black Keys debut The Big Come Up. Great Midwestern bluesy-duet-dirty-rock. And no, I don't just like them because they happen to be from Akron. They're great musicians and were a perfect compliment to the next album I bought...
The Complete Recordings of Robert Johnson, king of the Delta blues. This collection of his recordings is great, encompassing everything he ever put down on tape in the few short years before his death. If you get a chance, listen to I Believe I'll Dust My Broom.
Also, as I was listening to my new collection of Robert Johnson (who supposedly sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads to play guitar like he did) on my way to work on Saturday I noticed I was behind an older bus, teal-blueish in color. I thought it was a nice vintage bus of a cool color and failed, until I was almost at work, to notice what was emblazoned on the back of the bus in large orange script: CrossRoads. I wish I could've gotten a picture. It's good to know at least somebody's lookin' out for me. Thanks Bobby.
Oh, and in case anybody cares, Russia invaded South Osettia the other day and is currently at war over control of the small country with Georgia (no, not peaches and Ray Charles Georgia), another small country that lies to the south. The last death toll I heard was 1500 people and Georgia seems to be withdrawing. You can read a little more about it here. Too bad we live in a war desensitized culture that doesn't even seem to flinch at the idea of people losing their lives over imaginary lines and ideals and all these intangible things that, at the time of death, don't mean shit.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Testify!
That's right, I said it.
My day was okay but very jam packed, and work was shit. I guess that's why true Communism never works because no one barely wants to do what they are supposed to do let alone any extra work. But I did get to snag most of a German Chocolate cake. Mmm.
I broke my Kanye West boycott tonight. After nearly two months, I listened to Late Registration on part of my way home from work. I'm not mad at you for Bonnaroo anymore, Kanye. I think there was maybe some egotistical outlandishness on your side and some bad planning on Bonnaroo's side and some miscommunication on both sides, but it's all water under the gold-plated bridge. You're still my homeboy, Ye.
I began reading The Strawberry Statement today because I finished Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Very exciting.
Today was also a gorgeous day and I wish I could have done more things outside. Hopefully it's as nice tomorrow.
My day was okay but very jam packed, and work was shit. I guess that's why true Communism never works because no one barely wants to do what they are supposed to do let alone any extra work. But I did get to snag most of a German Chocolate cake. Mmm.
I broke my Kanye West boycott tonight. After nearly two months, I listened to Late Registration on part of my way home from work. I'm not mad at you for Bonnaroo anymore, Kanye. I think there was maybe some egotistical outlandishness on your side and some bad planning on Bonnaroo's side and some miscommunication on both sides, but it's all water under the gold-plated bridge. You're still my homeboy, Ye.
I began reading The Strawberry Statement today because I finished Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Very exciting.
Today was also a gorgeous day and I wish I could have done more things outside. Hopefully it's as nice tomorrow.
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