The good...today days...
Disclaimer: Readers Beware! Do not read this unless you have a lot of time on your hands! It's long, boring, doesn't make sense, and butchers any semblance of spelling. A good, old-fashioned Sera post. ^.^
There was an inaugural walk out on campus today to protest Bush. Actually, quite a few students came. There had to be at least a thousand out there marching, holding signs and yelling. Some of my favorites:
"Hey hey, ho ho, George Bush has got to go!"
"We want money for education, not for war and occupation!"
"Drop Bush not bombs!"
So yeah marched with them for a while, it was good. Then they all got on buses and headed downtown. I heard that they met up with other protesters and that they formed a huge demonstration downtown. The man I sat next to on the bus said he had been rerouted because the busses couldn't get passed the protestors. So yeah, good times. It makes me happy to see so many people expressing their opinion. It's a perfect, inspiring demonstration of free speech and it just lifts me up.
Revelation:
Law is so powerful. In Japanese civilization we are studying the Hojo Codes, which are a set of laws put forth by the Hojo family (the power behind the Kamakura shogunate). Anyway they were used to legitimize Kamakura power and they outlined the duties of every section of the Japanese society and mandated what was lawful and what wasn't. Incredible, ne? I mean, the basis for what is crime and what is not, what is good and what is bad, is stated by some word on paper somewhere. And there is such a parallel to our laws today. I mean, power is in the hands of the people when the law says it can be. For example, if you think you have been wronged, say you are discriminated against, you can sue IF there is a law against discrimination where you live. And it only takes that one landmark case to turn and shape what is discrimination. What is right. What is wrong.
It all fell in with what Melanie was experiencing in Queer as Folk (indulge me for a second guys). She was the attorney for a gay woman who had been married and had a child with her husband. Her husband abused alcohol and beat them, and the woman left him for her female lover. The battle then ensued over who had custody of the child. On the one hand, a straight, abusive male, or loving, gay, female partners. The turnout would decide what defined a good parent. Just a law, a court case, defining what it means to be a good parent. A huge idea like that. Amazing, ne? Well, I think it's amazing.
So yeah, in short, law = power.
Definitely, definitely taking a law course next semester.
Smaller revelation invoked by the march and the law thing:
I have to work. It's great to be unhappy with the situation and to complain about the government or inequality or anything. It's great to march and voice your opinions. But when it comes right down to it, I have to walk away from it all and go back to class. I have to study for tomorrow's test. Because I need to work my ass off so that I have the position, the money and the power to effect real change someday. And I will. 'Cause I kick ass. Not in a ego-tistical, bow down to me sort of way, but in a realistic, I care enough about the world to fight to change and better it sort of way. And I have to start with myself. When I'm done with me, the world will care what I say.
That's one of the reasons I'm so excited about this MPowerment (http://www.mpowerment.org/) retreat and getting more involved with MPowerment in general. I've really found a passion here. Something I really believe in and am willing to stand up for. And I'm going to have to. Going to have to talk to people and educate them (if this GSA thing works out) and be assertive and brave. And I will. Because I can.
So good night to you all. I hope you sleep well, and wake up tomorrow feeling rested and ready to change the world.
Be safe. ^.^
There was an inaugural walk out on campus today to protest Bush. Actually, quite a few students came. There had to be at least a thousand out there marching, holding signs and yelling. Some of my favorites:
"Hey hey, ho ho, George Bush has got to go!"
"We want money for education, not for war and occupation!"
"Drop Bush not bombs!"
So yeah marched with them for a while, it was good. Then they all got on buses and headed downtown. I heard that they met up with other protesters and that they formed a huge demonstration downtown. The man I sat next to on the bus said he had been rerouted because the busses couldn't get passed the protestors. So yeah, good times. It makes me happy to see so many people expressing their opinion. It's a perfect, inspiring demonstration of free speech and it just lifts me up.
Revelation:
Law is so powerful. In Japanese civilization we are studying the Hojo Codes, which are a set of laws put forth by the Hojo family (the power behind the Kamakura shogunate). Anyway they were used to legitimize Kamakura power and they outlined the duties of every section of the Japanese society and mandated what was lawful and what wasn't. Incredible, ne? I mean, the basis for what is crime and what is not, what is good and what is bad, is stated by some word on paper somewhere. And there is such a parallel to our laws today. I mean, power is in the hands of the people when the law says it can be. For example, if you think you have been wronged, say you are discriminated against, you can sue IF there is a law against discrimination where you live. And it only takes that one landmark case to turn and shape what is discrimination. What is right. What is wrong.
It all fell in with what Melanie was experiencing in Queer as Folk (indulge me for a second guys). She was the attorney for a gay woman who had been married and had a child with her husband. Her husband abused alcohol and beat them, and the woman left him for her female lover. The battle then ensued over who had custody of the child. On the one hand, a straight, abusive male, or loving, gay, female partners. The turnout would decide what defined a good parent. Just a law, a court case, defining what it means to be a good parent. A huge idea like that. Amazing, ne? Well, I think it's amazing.
So yeah, in short, law = power.
Definitely, definitely taking a law course next semester.
Smaller revelation invoked by the march and the law thing:
I have to work. It's great to be unhappy with the situation and to complain about the government or inequality or anything. It's great to march and voice your opinions. But when it comes right down to it, I have to walk away from it all and go back to class. I have to study for tomorrow's test. Because I need to work my ass off so that I have the position, the money and the power to effect real change someday. And I will. 'Cause I kick ass. Not in a ego-tistical, bow down to me sort of way, but in a realistic, I care enough about the world to fight to change and better it sort of way. And I have to start with myself. When I'm done with me, the world will care what I say.
That's one of the reasons I'm so excited about this MPowerment (http://www.mpowerment.org/) retreat and getting more involved with MPowerment in general. I've really found a passion here. Something I really believe in and am willing to stand up for. And I'm going to have to. Going to have to talk to people and educate them (if this GSA thing works out) and be assertive and brave. And I will. Because I can.
So good night to you all. I hope you sleep well, and wake up tomorrow feeling rested and ready to change the world.
Be safe. ^.^