i could not have written an entry that better encapsulates my opinions about the world than you have just now. patriotism is utter, utter bullshit. it's a piece of cloth. people are dying for a damn piece of cloth under the pretense that it's for a greater good... it's "patriotic" to fight. bullshit it's patriotic and for a greater good -- people are dying because we've been told its honorable to kill other people for a piece of cloth, for the twisted agenda of a twisted administration. i mean no disrespect to people -- it's just what we've been taught as a society to think -- but by no means will i ever pick up a gun and kill someone just because a government tells me to do so.
for a long time, my big dream in life was to become an expatriate and just escape from the bordering-fascist conservatism that runs rampant here. i agree wholeheartedly with the fact that we harbor so much of the world's wealth and do nothing to help (and often create) problems of poverty and its repurcussions around the world -- but hey, we're number one, so it's okay, right? fuck. ugh!
and just when i start to get really cynical (which i hate being -- i'd much rather be optimistic), i talk to people or i read things like what you've just written, and i realize that instead of running away to europe, we need to fight to bring this country back to a respectable world opinion, fight to use the privileges we've been lucky enough to receive to help those that really need help.
i go to college in the south - an hour down the highway from camp lejune (marine base) in the bible belt in wilmington, nc. thankfully, being in the world of the creative writing major, i've encountered some wonderful, open minds. but the general campus rampant conservatism i encounter is SCARY. there's no other word for it. it really seems at times like it's a "we'll-put-a-boot-in-your-ass" world. people are more concerned with gossip and parties and looking good and driving fucking hummers, than with the world. the most predominant student organizations are the young republicans and NUMEROUS christian groups -- not to bash beliefs, but these groups PAY for preachers to come on to campus and scream about hellfire and brimstone and tell us we're all sinners and going to burn in hell. really. i'm not kidding. it's fucked up. the campus greens had 4 members before it split up. campus democrats have, oh, ten people that randomly come to meetings. howard dean meet-ups and a students for dean group failed miserably. we organized an earth day "vibefest" with local jam bands and free food and tables about "liberal" (i say human) issues such as environmental and animal rights, fair trade, etc. etc. the only people that came were the organizers and their friends. and some kids from the nearest dorm to steal boxes of pizza and run off. ugh. i want to scream.
i could go on... but i should stop myself here, or i'll be typing all day.
so, really, thank you so much for writing this.
oh, and i'll be back in york starting next week, and fahrenheit 9/11 is opening at a movie theatre in harrisburg next friday, the 25th, and i would totally love to go see it with you if you're up for it.
i could not have written an entry that better encapsulates my opinions about the world than you have just now. patriotism is utter, utter bullshit. it's a piece of cloth. people are dying for a damn piece of cloth under the pretense that it's for a greater good... it's "patriotic" to fight. bullshit it's patriotic and for a greater good -- people are dying because we've been told its honorable to kill other people for a piece of cloth, for the twisted agenda of a twisted administration. i mean no disrespect to people -- it's just what we've been taught as a society to think -- but by no means will i ever pick up a gun and kill someone just because a government tells me to do so.
for a long time, my big dream in life was to become an expatriate and just escape from the bordering-fascist conservatism that runs rampant here. i agree wholeheartedly with the fact that we harbor so much of the world's wealth and do nothing to help (and often create) problems of poverty and its repurcussions around the world -- but hey, we're number one, so it's okay, right? fuck. ugh!
and just when i start to get really cynical (which i hate being -- i'd much rather be optimistic), i talk to people or i read things like what you've just written, and i realize that instead of running away to europe, we need to fight to bring this country back to a respectable world opinion, fight to use the privileges we've been lucky enough to receive to help those that really need help.
i go to college in the south - an hour down the highway from camp lejune (marine base) in the bible belt in wilmington, nc. thankfully, being in the world of the creative writing major, i've encountered some wonderful, open minds. but the general campus rampant conservatism i encounter is SCARY. there's no other word for it. it really seems at times like it's a "we'll-put-a-boot-in-your-ass" world. people are more concerned with gossip and parties and looking good and driving fucking hummers, than with the world. the most predominant student organizations are the young republicans and NUMEROUS christian groups -- not to bash beliefs, but these groups PAY for preachers to come on to campus and scream about hellfire and brimstone and tell us we're all sinners and going to burn in hell. really. i'm not kidding. it's fucked up. the campus greens had 4 members before it split up. campus democrats have, oh, ten people that randomly come to meetings. howard dean meet-ups and a students for dean group failed miserably. we organized an earth day "vibefest" with local jam bands and free food and tables about "liberal" (i say human) issues such as environmental and animal rights, fair trade, etc. etc. the only people that came were the organizers and their friends. and some kids from the nearest dorm to steal boxes of pizza and run off. ugh. i want to scream.
i could go on... but i should stop myself here, or i'll be typing all day.
so, really, thank you so much for writing this.
oh, and i'll be back in york starting next week, and fahrenheit 9/11 is opening at a movie theatre in harrisburg next friday, the 25th, and i would totally love to go see it with you if you're up for it.
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i just tried to csll them and i got a recorded message that did not say anything of importance
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