Justin...Live

In Response to Gatesgate

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:43:00 +0000

What follows are my thoughts, in the most infant stages of development, on the incident between Professor Henry Louis Gates and Officer Crawley. This is such a late response to this incident that I want to apologize ahead of time if I am regurgitating ideas and views that have long since circled the blogosphere. (I really hate that word.) I have been so caught up in other endeavors that I haven't had a chance to think critically about what happened to Professor Gates, much less share my thoughts. I am not sure if I will continue to develop these thoughts or leave them as they are, but in any event I would like to share them with you.

Let me start by saying that what happened to Gates outside of his own home was despicable. The officer did indeed act "stupidly". (To continue to suspect a man for Breaking & Entering after he showed you a Driver's License and another form of ID is stupid.) Although it was a terrible incident, I appreciate that people seemed to care.

However, I cannot help but wonder if there would have been this media hoopla if Gates wasn't so white. Let me explain. I am aware that Gates is an African American. What I mean is that Gates has a PhD, is a Harvard Professor, and is very wealthy - ranks usually held by white males. Therefore, Gates' status, for better or for worse, makes him whiter, and this is why this incident attracted so much attention and so much outrage.

Racial profiling is a disease that plagues every police force. Incidents like this occur daily, yet we never hear about them. If Gates was a postal worker or a gas station attendant, or if Gates didn't live in such a white place - nearly 70% of Cambridge's population is white - this story may have been buried in the back pages of the newspaper, but there would be no CNN and there certainly would not have been beer at the White House.

But Gates is a "model" African American. He worked hard and made the most of his opportunities and realized the American dream ( I really wish the powers that be would create a sarcasm font). And the incident did generate hours of media coverage which in turn did "spark a national debate." Or so they say. Pundits claimed the White House happy hour was a giant step in advancing the discussion of race in America. But was it really? It has been over a month and, save the week after the beer-talk, has there been any discussion? The fact remains that incidents like this (ie. DWB - Driving While Black) happen more than most anyone in white America know, but we are not outraged until is happens to a whiter African American. Furthermore, the outrage is short-lived and it isn't long before we return to the status-quo.

We cannot make any real progress if we huff, puff and discuss isolated incidents. Progress cannot happen until we look at the real issue at hand: systemic racism. Sure, stereotypes and ignorance are hurtful and backwards, but they are only bits of the quagmire, and until we are able to realize the scale of racism, well then we are stuck.

Hello. Is there anybody in there?

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:47:00 +0000

LIVE [lahyv] adverb 1. at the moment of its happening

So maybe I should rename the blog "Justin...When he gets around to it", or just stop blogging altogether. Is there anyone out there that reads this for an actual update on what is going on with me that does not already know? Is there anyone that reads this for leisure? Let me know.

So just in case there are one or two of you - I'd settle for half a person - out there, the following is an update on my life since my last post:

I moved back to Traverse City. I love Seattle. It was a magnificent city with a ton to offer both as a major metropolitan city and as a city that embraces and utilizes its natural surroundings. The people are enlightened, like-minded and generally hip. They even had a soccer team, but I could just not make it. I was on what seemed to be a never ending quest for work while living way outside of my means. I was depressed and accruing debt. Needless to say I needed a change. So I packed my car up with all of my things (my riches are not in possessions) and made the 3-day trek back to Michigan.

My summer was great- although as Josh has pointed out it was more like a warm autumn. I had a chance to give back to society through work. I became healthier. I got a new haircut. I was laughing again. Needless to say, I got my swag back.

Since moving home I even managed to pay a credit card off. I can't tell you what a relief that was. I made the final payment earlier this week, and just tonight I checked my statement for the first time. I was delighted to see "$0.00". It will be nice when the card listed below it reads the same. I will feel so much better about moving (again) for a job with a balance that is more manageable. Although I will say that I am thankful that this is happening now instead of 10 years from now when I have a family and mortgage and even more white hair.

I also even managed to ~~find~~ rediscover a girlfriend. Her name is Alex and I say rediscover because I dated her when I was a senior in high school. We broke up when I moved away to college - she was still in high school - but we always managed to stay in touch. We both ended up at Michigan, and we both started to talk and hang out towards the end of my senior year. (Theme alert) But once again I was off to Micronesia and all across the country while she finished school. Well finally we are both in the same place and a relationship was inevitable. To say we are compatible is an understatement - we are pretty much the same person.

I am still on my never-ending job search, but I am also living within my means. It was hard for me as a 24 year old college grad to move back in with his parents, but I had to put my pride aside. Sometimes a seemingly backwards step is actually a step in the right direction. It is all about attitude.

Let me know if you are out there.

George Costanza

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Wed, 13 May 2009 20:26:00 +0000

CAUTION: Extreme use of the parentheses.

Every night at 10 the CW (one of five channels I am able to watch with basic cable) plays an hour of Seinfeld. Along with Jeopardy at 7:30, it is a show I can look forward to watching on a daily basis. Remember how big that show was? I remember during my 9th grade graduation ceremony Mrs. Strable said, "I will try to make this quick. We all want to catch the final episode of Seinfeld." It was huge. It trumped the momentous, hallmark event that was my ninth grade graduation (sarcasm). I appreciated her hastiness. Not because I wanted to get home and watch the final episode (I didn't), but because, well, how awkward was middle school?

You know all these silly facebook quizzes? (Bare with me. I'm getting somewhere.) You know the ones: "What animal represents your spirit?", "What Greek Goddess are you?", or "How will you die?" (These were literally the last three quizzes that my friends took according to my facebook homepage.) Well I am sure there is a "Which Seinfeld character are you?" quiz out there somewhere, but I wouldn't have to take it. You know which one I am? George Costanza. Think about it: I don't have a job, but am on a never-ending quest to find the right one; I have to move back in with my parents; despite sometimes neurotic behavior, I am indeed intelligent; and I have affinity for nice restrooms. Okay, so only a few are true, and I doubt I would ever be cast as George Costanza, but what I am trying to get across is a) I don't have job, and b) I am moving back in with my parents.

That is actually a difficult thing for me to say. I am moving back in with my parents. I have to swallow my pride and do it - thanks Mom. No really, thank you. We had a few of "those" conversations. The ones that last a few hours. The ones where your mother/father are in her/his element as a parent even though you are a mature, mid-20 something college grad. So a big shout out to you Lisa. Or as Barrack would say to Steele, "whassup?" (Sorry, I just had to find a way to get this hilarious video posted.) The result of these conversations was me realizing that I am living outside of my means - hey I had to do my part to contribute to the economic woes. I have been so far off track as far as my life goals are concerned because I have been putting all of my focus on staying afloat. What a slippery slope that was. So now I move home, pay off my debt by year's end, and follow through with my Peace Corps commitment. In the meantime I can enjoy time with friends & family, the beautiful Northern Michigan summer (I refuse embed a Kid Rock video), and stuff my mouth full of Don('s).

This really isn't a move of weakness as I had previously thought. I was thinking people will see this as a move to live at home for free and be babied. That isn't the case. I am going to work hard to get out of debt and out of that house ASAP. And also, I really don't care what you think ;)

In Defense of A-Rod

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 04:06:00 +0000

If you have not had the chance to read David Kamp’s piece “Rethinking the American Dream” published in April’s Vanity Fair please do so. It is a sharp, thoughtful essay on the evolution of the American Dream – did you know that it was not until 1931 that this term was coined? (As Kamp points out, “you’d think that these words would appear in the writings of Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin, but they don’t.”)

One of the more thought-provoking eras of this timeline was what he called “the Juiceball Era of the American Dream” – the late 90’s and early 00’s – “a time of steroidally outsize purchasing and artificially inflated numbers.” He explained that this was a time where we as a nation not only subscribed religiously to the theory that our standard of living must always be better than the generation the preceded us, but that we did so through credit cards. I think his explanation through the sports metaphor is spot on, and I would like to take a stab at explaining (although without much, if any, actual research – thank you twitter era) how sports often reflect our society or culture.

Sports have always reflected our evolution as Americans and can often be used to help explain what life was like during a certain time period. For example, the most popular sports during the majority of the 1800’s were barnyard sports. Sports like boxing and wrestling that did not require much space – you know, like as much space as a farmer’s barn could supply; time – there was only enough time in between plowing the field, milking the cows and churning the butter to get a quick bout in; or participants – farms are isolated and boxing and wrestling only required your brother or farmhand.

Then around the turn of the century we became more industrialized and more efficient. Ford created the assembly line and the population shifted from rural to urban as people left the farms for factories. As we did our work faster than ever we had more leisure time and thus we saw a shift in which sports were popular. Baseball became a staple of America – America’s Pastime” – along with the car and apple pie. We had the time, space, and neighborhoods to play baseball and football. Plus it was inexpensive.

After the war we see the rise of the middle class thanks to the G.I. Bill making it easy for vets to get a college education and own the homes they occupied. Their kids, Baby Boomers, grew up easier. Their parents had more money than any other generation. Sports too were affected. “Country Club” sports like golf, tennis, and swimming became more popular and for the first time had participants that lived on Main Street and not mansions. Arthur Ashe shined and paved the way for the likes of Tiger Woods and the Williams Sister – although this is more of a class thing and not a race matter.

At the same time, televisions were in more homes than ever and sports were now able to be seen on your television rather just heard on the radio. Events became more popular and eventually grew to larger than life, i.e. the Super Bowl. Football became more popular as baseball began to resign to more old-fashioned, nostalgic sport. Hence the World Series being called the “Fall Classic”. We also see the rise of the sports “star” as athletes became more popular with the face time television afford. This also began the metamorphosis of athletes as every-day, All-American people to handsomely paid pop culture icons. Figures like “Broadway” Joe Namath and Mohammed Ali became more and more the norm, although not completely, yet.

Basketball, the most urban of all sports, became more and more popular as the civil rights movement gained steam. Basketball has always been a sport of the inner-city (Jews dominated the NBA in the 1920’s. They also dominated the inner-city) because all it takes is a ball and a basket instead of expensive equipment and a large field. The major difference between the Jewish-NBA and Black-NBA was television.

So now moving into the 80’s we have sports as means to strike it rich as salaries really began to rise. Sports were perceived to be an easier, more fun way to achieve the American Dream. This was especially true for minorities as African Americans not only began to dominate rosters, but for the first time African Americans also began to dominate their sports as individuals. Hello Michael Jordan. The 80’s, as Kamp notes, became a time where middle-class Americans rallied “to seize control of their individual fates as never before…decoupled from any concept of the common good.” This was the start of both the credit card and the steroids era. Reagan deregulation made it more acceptable to acquire debt.

Both the use of credit cards and the use of steroids would grow exponentially throughout the 90’s and early 00’s as noted in his Juiceball Era analogy. Pop culture as we know it today was also prevalent during this era. Actors/actresses, musicians and athletes made millions a year. Their lifestyles idolized by every young man and woman watching shows like Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, MTV Cribs and any number of reality shows following celebs and athletes in their homes. Americans striving to replicate this lifestyle greedily mounted debt to by a BMW or the biggest SUV possible as if to say “look how successful I am, my car is two lanes wide.” The American Dream had shifted from the house with a white picket fence to the mansion with the white land rover sittin’ on dubs. But it was as artificial as Milli Vanilli. Nevertheless, American’s wanted more money and bigger houses the easiest way possible.

This was the case with sports. Athletes wanted to make as many millions as possible. They wanted even more fame so they began to rap, act and hang out with movie stars. Agents equated to GM’s an athlete’s star power to ticket sales. But athletes wanted this fame and fortune the easiest way possible so they did anything to get ahead. They took steroids, enhancements, and vitamins. Equipment became stronger, lighter, faster, and more powerful and athletes began to break records every season. It was all parallel with the American Dream…the most money possible by any means possible.

I think it is also important to note that American society became a society of instant gratification. Coinciding with the technology boom, it was easier to get things done fast. Americans began to do more and do it fast, and it was all possible. This equated to every facet of life. Fast food restaurants were everywhere. In order to serve more than 99 Million daily, they added a second drive-thru line. Digital cameras became popular because who wants to wait for a picture to develop? You can’t, however, ignore the fact that the quality improved. American’s wanted the most, the best, and in the fastest way possible.

So can you really blame A-Rod (and athletes in general, of course) for taking steroids in a time where the prevailing attitude in America was to get the most the fastest while exerting the least amount of effort possible?

Robin Hood

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 23:01:00 +0000

The more I think about it the more I realize that Robin Hood is my favorite folk tale legend. First, you have two awesome movies from the 90’s. How great were they? Actually, I do not remember a thing about the more serious movie other than that awesomely cheesy Brian Adams song from its soundtrack. (Admit it, you love that song) But Men in Tights was hilarious. You had a Mel Brooks twist to a classic tale, the debut of Dave Chappell, and the blind dude who was also a teacher from Saved by the Bell. (Okay maybe I should have brushed up on both of these movies before I gushed about them, but give me a break. I am writing this without the internet access required to brush up.) Then you have awesome Old World names, places, and events. His name was Robin of Locksley. How sweet would it be if you were held to such esteem that you were the only person in your town worth mentioning? Combine that with Nottingham Forest, Merry Men and festivals and you have yourself a dime squad of a story.

But what I love most about Robin Hood is what he stood for. He stole from the rich and gave to the poor. He stood up for the weak, poor and, therefore, powerless against the tyranny of the Kingdom. I want to do the same, and I think that during these tough, tough economic times, the poor need Hoodian efforts more than ever. I realize that everyone, rich or poor, have felt the effects of this crisis; even Bill Gates has lost billions of dollars. But Bill Gates and the other small percentage of folks who possess a large percentage of our nation’s wealth do not take the same kind of consumption hit as the rest of us. Say Gates loses $100 Million (a number taken from the sky) of his wealth in investments, for example. He loses a healthy fraction of his wealth, but he will recoup this money when the economy recovers, and he can still afford to buy bread. Then there is me who has to seriously consider how much I can spend on groceries because the $50 or so I spend at the store seriously affects my ability to pay for my rent, my car loan & insurance, phone bill, etc. etc. The crazy thing is I have a college degree and work 40 hours a week. What the hell does someone less fortunate do?

Well they panic. I know this because I talk with them every single day. Their jobs are getting cut. They have to live with the all too realistic chance of having to starve or live on the streets. Their health care safety net is deteriorating as their clinics are closing and their insurance rests its neck under the guillotine of the budget. I understand programs will have to be cut, but is taking from the poor the answer? I don’t think so. Why cut health care when folks are losing their jobs and their benefits left and right?

In the meantime…I will continue my efforts to stand up for those that need it. I have been doing my part to play Robin Hood, but nothing radical. All within in boundaries of what our legal system allows. And certainly within the boundaries of what a democracy encourages, or at least is supposed to encourage. I really hope that does not sound self righteous.

A phone update

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:55:00 +0000

Hey it's another phone update. The last (and first) time I did this I was at the Vegas airport on my way to Seattle.

I have started my new job, and although it is temporary, it is not half bad. I go into health clinics and talk with folks about the proposed $1 billion cut to health care.

Here is some basic information on what is happening here in the state of Washington. Washington, just like most states in the Union, has a huge budget deficit. What the Governor has proposed to do is cut 42% of the Health Care budget. This would be detrimental to Basic Health, one of a few affordable health insurance plans, and the health clinics funded by it. These clinics are the only options for tens of thousands.

Because this is a budget issue, it is not anything we can vote on, but that doesn't mean there is nothing we can do. What I do is have patients, providers and staff call targeted legislators in their district to urge them not to cut Basic Health. It is the same type of grassroots action work I have been doing save the 100 hour work weeks and shoestring budget.

The first draft of the budget comes out towards the end of March. This will let me know if what I am doing is working, or if I need to work harder. (It will also tell me if I still have a job. If they really scale back the cut then I am no longer needed).

Programs like Basic Health are needed now more than ever. What with thousands losing jobs and benefits weekly. I know, for example, that the State spends more than $2 million a year on bottled water for State related functions when Washington has perfectly fine tap water. Now this is obviously not enough to save $1 billion, but I am sure there are many other examples of unnecessary spending. It is all about priorities. And it's not like this cut wotld solve anything, it just shifts the cost of burden to the insured, employers and communities, and eventually to the state as a whole.

Anyone watch the Oscars last night? The most memorable Oscars that I can remember. Not that I even get into the Academy Awards, but I just thought it was a great production. I especially liked the former award winners saying something about each nominee. That was a great touch.

And how about Sean Penn? Just a class guy and he gave an acceptance speech that will be remembered as long as the Awards are around. By the way, does anyone else see the resemblance between him and my friend/old roommate Dennis? Same smile, same eyes. I will post a pic when I get on my computer again.
The weeks are flying with this new job and it won't be long until my brothers and cousins come visit.

Job Ho!

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:39:00 +0000

After weeks of navigating Craig's List, revamping resumes & cover letters and interviews, I finally have a new job. I was all set to throw in the towel and just accept the job at American Eagle. In fact, I was supposed to start today. I was really hoping I did not have to consign myself to retail. First of all, $8.55 an hour will not pay the bills. Second, it was meaningless work. In the end, there just was not much in it for me other than a 40% discount.

But, nonetheless, as of Monday, I was starting to accept the fact that American Eagle indeed would have to do as temporary respite on my journey to find, at the very least, a decent job. Then I received a call from Community Health Network of Washington regarding a resume I had submitted at the beginning of January. They filled that position, but she really wanted me to come in to interview for a different position. I interviewed on Tuesday and got official word yesterday.

So about the job...Officially I am the Clinic Advocacy Field Organizer. It is my job to put grassroots pressure on legislators to not cut funding for these clinics. These clinics are funded by the state and serve people who cannot afford health care or whose doctors do not accept medicade/care. So these clinics are really the only options for these people. If the funding is cut, many of the clinics will be closed making it extremely tough for these people to be treated.

Why cut the funding? Well Washington, just as most other states, are in a huge deficit, so many programs will see huge budget cuts. But why healthcare? I am sure there are many other areas that are not nearly as important as health.

Unfortunately it is only temporary. Once the final budget comes out towards the end of April there is nothing we can really do. Either we win or we lose. Regardless, I am excited to be doing good work again. I am relieved to have a well paying job. Glad that monkey is off my back.

From the Journal: Jan. 20, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:01:00 +0000

Apt. #101, Seattle, WA

Today is a day that will forever be etched in the books of history; the first African-American was sworn-in as President of the United States of America. Of course, Barack Obama never made it about color, but you have to be ignorant to deny what this means, not only for Black people, but for all people of color, all people in the minority, all of the down-trodden. To think we have gone from Rosa Parks, a hero for refusing to sit in the back of the bus, to Barack Obama - the President of the United States - is nothing short of amazing. I mean African-Americans were not even allowed to sit in the front of the bus 40-odd years ago. How ridiculous is that?

I will always remember the small, yet important, part I played. But I was not alone, and this is what was so special about this election: the grassroots action taken by thousands who wanted to fight against the status-quo; who believed in the power of community, organizing, and individual action; and who believed in hope. May Barack Obama never forget how he got here, and, more importantly, may he continue to call for grassroots action. And may we respond, either for him or against him or his work.

May I never forget the day Barack Obama became President - the leader to anyone and everyone who wishes to follow. May I never underestimate what he has overcome. And may I never be content socially or politically simply because a person of color is President. And may I never forget the power of one.

----------------------------------

So a few things about the previous entry. One, obviously from the use of "may" I was influenced or mimicking his speeches from the time. Also, from the use of the comma I was also influenced by James Baldwin's No Name in the Streets - a book I was reading at the time.

In short retrospect, I really hope that I never devalue what this election really meant. We have come a long way as a nation, and no matter who you voted for, you can't deny the historical significance of this election. That being said, we have a long ways to go in regards to race as it relates to our society, politics, and our culture. I hope this is a catalyst for more progression rather than a reason for contentment.

One thing that I was trying to get at was this idea of being proactive. Obama got in office in large part to thousands of people being proactive whether it was citizens knocking on doors or contributing, his campaign showed the power citizens have in our democracy. I just hope it doesn't stop there. Whether you support or oppose him or his decisions, if you don't like something then do something about it. Don't just whine or complain. You don't like his policy on abortion? Well instead of bitching about it, do something about it. Its truly the only way to change it. I'm sick of America's armchair citizens.

Justin's Pacific Blog Update

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 06:35:00 +0000

I just updated my Pacific Blog for the first time in ages. Check it out!

www.justinspacificblog.blogspot.com

From the Journal: Jan. 1, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:21:00 +0000

Preface: For Christmas I received a nice journal. For the most part, this blog has been my journal, but I haven't had much time to update it. It has been much easier to write in this new journal and I have been able to write things in there that I probably can't, or at least shouldn't, here. Periodically I will share an entry and then maybe reflect or update a bit. Enjoy.

Jan. 1, 2009

I've decide to quit my job at the Fund. I'm depressed and I think my job is the center of this. I work so many hours that I can't enjoy these new places I live. I make so little money that I am constantly worried about how to pay my bills. I'm not able to save anything for my travel ambitions. I'm just miserable. So it is time to move on to something new.

New Years was nothing special. I didn't have a good time. I didn't have a bad time. 2008 was an awesome year overall. I mean I helped to get a black man elected president. I hope 10 or 20 years from now I will be able to understand and appreciate what that means. I coached, I taught, and I worked.

2009 is going to be a year for me. I'm going to do the things I want to do. I'm not going to have a New Years Resolution. I think it may be more of a new life resolution.. I hate the way that sounds, but it is the only way I can put it to words. What do I want to accomplish in 2009?

Travel Abroad

Go to Hawai'i

Go to a soccer game

Pay off my debt by June 1

Run a 15k with Josh

I know I need to get a new job. This needs to happen soon. I want to be a better, healthier person overall. This means less drinking. More reading. More writing. More time in nature. I think quitting this job is a step towards all of this.

Update: My last day at the Fund was last Friday. I'll miss the people I work with, but they will understand. As far as a new job goes, I applied for a position with the City of Seattle as the Recreation Leader. I will be responsible for planning, preparing, and implementing recreational activities for at-risk youth and disabled adults. This is right up my alley and I have passed the first round of examinations. I should know more by the end of the week.

Ashley has also moved out which has been a lot of fun. It is good to have family and company.

Flirting with the Devil

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:50:00 +0000

I just smoked a cigarette. I know, I know: yuck. But it was just sitting there, lonely -- left behind by its owner -- staring at me. This was the first cigarette I have smoked since I tried to impress a girl my freshman year of college, and the second since I admitted to smoking one in the woods when I was in 5th grade. But this time there was no curiousity involved; no machismo. I just smoked it because it needed to be smoked. Because it was the only thing to do. It was taunting me. I don't know why I smoked it. I just did.

Maybe the real reason is because I'm a bit stressed. This move to Seattle was much tougher than I had thought. There I said it. I didn't want to admit it; I like to think I'm a transient dude. I relish in the thought of moving to a strange place and thriving. But I am poor. I'm overdrawn. Rent is steep. I didn't have proper time to recover from the craziness what was election work.

Seattle is great though. Its a good mix of big city and nature - there are two sets of mountain ranges to the east and west. The people are cool --open minded. I just gotta get on my feet. I just fear that this is going to slow me down on my travel ambitions. I'll find a way.

Straw Hats

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:54:00 +0000

This is the most "live" a post has been. I'm updating straight from my cell phone in the Las Vegas Airport.

Without knowing it I have become an activist. I have always envisioned activists as radical-at least more radical than me. No doubt there are plenty who will think I am radical. I am lobbying for Gay rights; one of those extremely polarizing issues. I imagines that there isn't much gray area - you are either for them or against them. The extent to which this is true I will discover in the coming days and weeks.

I had a discussion with my mom yesterday. She wants to know my life plans...so do I, but I'm in no rush to figure it out at this moment in time. I've only got one life and I don't want to plan one path and tread down it, eyes at my feet. I would rather have a machete and make my path as I go. Sure sooner or later ill cross and already trampled path, but I want to head for the brush, the thick shit. The stuff I can't see over or through, but I know it will lead to somewhere wonderful if I keep chopping. I'm all about the adventure.

Two years after graduating and am I where I thought I'd be? No. I thought I would be in one of two places: 1)a foreign country, or 2)in the sports business. But here I am, having done a bit of both, on my way to Seattle to work for Gay rights. And although I'm not where I thought I would be, I'm completely content.

A professor of mine challenged us to take off our "straw hats" - to not just analyze as intellectuals, but to be proactive. Well here I am. My straw hat at home, I'm putting action to passion. Some may not be able to understand it (and some do): why I work too many hours for too little money. It's simple: I'm not going to sit around and hope things will change. I'm not going to analyze from afar. I will roll up my sleeves and change what needs to be changed. Passion without action is nothing but a bunch of words.

September Update

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:41:00 +0000

I have had virtually no time to update Justin Live. I am in the midst of the final voter registration push; there are four weeks left to register voters. John, Rob, and I have decided to milk Virginia for all its worth...and if that means working 90 hours a week, so be it.

This last week we registered over 1,300 people!! It felt great. Gary Ellis, the head honcho for the State Board of Elections, said "I am hard pressed to believe that there is anyone left in Virginia to register". That feels so good to hear. We have literally run the SBE dry of registration applications. (We have to use Xeroxed copies)

The cool thing about voting is it is one of the only times America lives up to what it stands for. "All men are created equal" is bullshit more often than not, especially here in Virginia/the South. But when you step in that booth and you hit that button, or you check that box, it doesn't matter your race, your religion, your sexual preference. It doesn't matter how much money you make. You could walk 5 miles to your poll or show up in a limo, but when you press that button, you have just as much power as anyone else.

That has been my motivation. Especially when we are registering people for the first time. So when they vote (and I hope to *insert religious Deity here* they do), this could quite possibly be the first time that all things are equal.

Hopeless

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 03:52:00 +0000

It has been extremely hard to stay motivated for this project; working 10-14 hours a day, 6 days a week has done all it could to erode my motivation. The heat and humidity, beating me down day after day, has done its best as well. But the thing that has really wore me thin, that has oppressed the fragile state of my well being, is where I work: black America. (And yes there is a difference between the America you know and black America)

When speaking of the prospects for black America, Dr. Cornell West says that, "we must delve into the depths where neither liberals nor conservatives dear to tread, namely, into the murky waters of despair and dread that now flood the streets of black America. To talk about depressing statistics of unemployment, infant mortality, incarceration, teenage pregnancy, and violent crime is one thing. But to face up to the monumental eclipse of hope, the unprecedented collapse of meaning, the incredible disregard for human (especially black) like and property in much of black America is something else."

Well I have taken off my straw hat and I have seen this "eclipse of hope", this "unprecedented collapse of meaning", this nihilism first hand. I dive into these "murky waters of despair" that are the streets of black America here in Richmond - and I fear I may be drowning.

It is hard for me to see, on a daily basis, this revolving door of hopelessness. Knowing that the people I interact with know just as well as I do that there is no way out of the "hood". They are stuck there. Forever. Inadequate education, no jobs, crime rates, racism - whatever the reason, there is no escaping.

How can I blame them for their apathy, their hopelessness when they know they will be forever shackled to these streets? It doesn't matter what they do - they can stumble the streets drunk before noon or they could work their life away and they will end up in the same place. And it is knowing this and experiencing it first-hand that gets me down.

It also validates what I am doing. Hopefully registering these heirs of despair is the first step in giving them a voice. The first step in giving them a chance to be represented. The first step in giving them a glimmer of hope - and it may be the most minute glimmers of hope, but hope nonetheless - in an otherwise hopeless world.

But I'm not looking for validation. I am looking for motivation. It is this hopelessness that has weighed me down that I need to use as motivation to lift my spirits. Easier said than done.

Tattoo

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:34:00 +0000

Look what I did:

The memories of my Pohnpei trip are starting to fade. It was the best experience of my life, but as I get busier and busier with CVP and my Peace Corps plans, the experience begins to fade into depths of my brain. I don't want it to be something I think about every now and then. I want to remember daily, forever. So to commemorate, to remind me of my trip I tattooed the emblem of the Pohnpei flag over my heart...Well the left side of my chest anyway.

The nine stars represent my family: Mom, Dad, Josh, Ashley, Shirley, Stefaney, Dylan, Tana, and me - the most important people in my life. An ode to my family.

Whew

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:05:00 +0000

...The one word to sum up my life since the last post...whew. It has been crazy! I've been working lllllllloooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggg hours (14 a day) and not getting much sleep (FIFA 07 addiction). I'm working today on the 4th. Whew.

But it's all okay. It's all for the cause. I will have a significant impact on who is elected as the President of the United States of America. The Commander in Chief. Arguably the most powerful man in the world. Not only will I have an impact on something so significant, but I am also giving a voice to the voiceless. A word to the speechless. An identification to the invisible. I am getting some of the most disenfranchised people involved in the political process. Contrary to the "I's" in the previous sentences, it is not about me. It really isn't.

I like Richmond so far. It reminds me a lot of Detroit in that they are trying to renovate downtown and get people moved in. There is a lot more going on here than in Detroit; its Virginia's capital.

The people I am working with are amazing.

Wow...sorry, I had some momentum building, but I can't write anymore. I am too tired. More soon (don't hold me to that).

On the Road Again

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:58:00 +0000

~~…just can’t wait to get on the road again~~. The journey ahead:

1,661 miles. 25 miles. Yikes, bros.

I've decided to go to Richmond, VA. Richmond has two Community Voter's Project offices with high goals; I've never been to Richmond, so I figured why not? I really wanted to stay in Colorado, but it just didn't work out.

I'm not looking forward to the 3-day trip, but I can't wait to get to know a new city and new people. Wish me luck on my trip and I will update soon. Be on the lookout for PEACE CORPS news and pictures from Colorado.

Talk to you soon.

Bergen Peak

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 23:39:00 +0000

Today Josh, Liz, Aunt Jackie, and I climbed Bergen Peak. This hike was much better than last weeks; higher elevation change, tougher climb, better view. Those are the things I like most about hikes. It was about a 4 hour hike up past 9,000 feet. The climb was full of Aspens, Birch, and various evergreens.

These hikes have been fun, but I enjoyed my hikes in Hawai'i better. I guess I just like seeing the water! The other difference is that there are mountain bikers and horse back riders that you share the trail with here.

So, unfortunately, my time in Colorado may be coming to an end much sooner than I had expected. It is going to take ACORN at least another month before they get the numbers for Pueblo, so we can't even open our office until then.

So our (Josh and me) options:

Stay in Colorado Springs and work out of this office until then. This is what we have been doing, but its tough to live at someone else's place. Cheyne is totally cool with it, but sleeping on a couch and not really having your own place to do your own things is a bit frustrating.
Open an office with Josh. This would be in one of the following locations: Grand Rapids, MI; Hampton, VA. I really wanted to get away from Michigan - especially West Michigan. Obviously it would be nice to be really close to family and home, but I was trying to get away for a while. I don't know anything about Hampton really.
I could go be an Assistant Director away from Josh in Philadelphia. I've always wanted to go to Philly, but it is so nice to be with Josh and have a lot of options as far as being outside and active. Not sure I'd get that chance in Philly.

I really want to stay in Colorado. The one glimmer of hope left is the fact that the people from the Boulder office left for VA, so it is possible that Josh and I could go knock out that office and then go down to Pueblo. I just want to be settled somewhere. Its tough being a vagabond. But it's the nature of the work. The reason that The Fund and NPO's have so many young people working for them is because it is imperative to be flexible and mobile. In the end, it's all for the cause. If I have to move, I have to move.

Happy Father's Day Dad!

Lots of love.

Resigned to the couch...

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 03:49:00 +0000

...again. Here Liz, here Josh - take the bed.

For and Against: Volume 5 - Colorado

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:19:00 +0000

For: White-Capped Mountains

Without a hint of protest, I've had to get used to living life against the back drop of the Rockie Mountains. Josh and I have been playing basketball after work and each time we've got to see the sun set behind Pike's Peak. No matter where I am, the mountains are always anchored to my west - it's a beautiful thing.

I went on a hike today with Josh, Aunt Jackie, and her friend at Deer Creek Canyon. At the top of the hike (7200 ft) was a stack of boulders that Josh and I climbed. From the top you could see Denver in front of you and pine-dressed mountains behind you. Peaking over the shoulder of the pines were the white caps of taller mountains. Unfortunately I couldn't get a good picture because they were too far in the distance.

Against: Lack of Lakes

So I took for granted the fact that no matter where I was in TC, I was always within 5 minutes of a lake. There aren't lakes here - just large ponds. Obviously I'm being facetious, but it's hard to be completely land locked. I noticed boats on a reservoir ("lake") and they literally drove back and forth from one end of the "lake" to the other. I thought it was funny and then realized that I miss the water! I will just have to settle for laying by the pool when I can. I will dread the days in dry Pueblo with the temps near 100. Yuck.

Pioneer

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:31:00 +0000

Sunday morning I rose with the sun and prepared to chase it to Denver. As I left Illinois, I saw the Mississippi for the first time - not as wide as I had imagined. I rolled through the flat hills of Iowa and rode through Nebraska on the Pony Express (I-80), stopping periodically to fill my car with gas and my body with caffeine. I pioneered my way through hundreds of miles of flat, cow-dotted fields that nearly lulled me to sleep as the sun burned my left arm that sat out of the open window - the same window that was supposed to offer reprieve from the heat.

Finally I slipped through the corner of Colorado hoping to see -again for the first time - the snow-peaked Rockies, but, alas, more fields. Finally, out of nowhere, Denver and the Rockies. Where was the steep, laborious climb up the Rockies? I didn't care, and I'm sure my car appreciated it. 1,000 miles later I had finally reached my destination.

Everything has been great so far. Colorado is pretty cool, although flatter than I had expected - except for the Rockies of course. Josh and I didn't have any luck finding housing together; everything was pretty lousy. But I am now neighbors with Josh (Apartment #25 to his #24). This place is a million times better than any place we saw.

Looks like the lease for our office will be signed in the next few days. Until then, we are working in Colorado Springs. Now that I am a bit more settled, I should be able to update more! Look for one coming at my Pacific Blog.

My Manifest Destiny...

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:45:00 +0000

Actually, this really isn't my "Manifest Destiny"...just my move to Colorado.

Sorry I haven't updated in forever - I've been training in Ann Arbor. About my work in AA: I worked on a project that is working to mobilize public support for the Clean Water Restoration Act. Polluters have been dumping sewage and other crap into the wetlands that feed into the Great Lakes and have been getting away with it because of a recent Supreme Court ruling the term "navigable" water to broad of a term. So the Clean Water Restoration Act is simply seeking to get rid of that word. I canvassed door to door asking for money and public support.

I really enjoyed my time in Ann Arbor. The people at Environment Michigan were great! Very laid back, fun, and goofy.

I'm in Chicago for the night at my Aunt Kimiya's for some respite before my loooong drive to Denver. Here's what my trip looks like:

Two words: yikes, bro. I should be able to blog regularly once I'm out there. In the meantime:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Suddenly...a job

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:18:00 +0000

All of a sudden I have a job. A real job. And I do mean "all of a sudden": I interviewed over the phone Sunday, whimsically drove to Ann Arbor Monday for a personal interview, and I am leaving Friday morning to start training. That hardly gives me time to pack and say my goodbyes! But I want to get my training in Ann Arbor over as fast as possible so I can get out to Colorado!

About the job...I will be working on a minority-voter registration project. The goal for each office is to register x amount of voters (not sure yet what the goal is) by October. I will be the Assistant Director of the office and my brother Josh is the Director. 60% of what I will do is managing, training, hiring, etc and the other 40% is hitting the streets to register voters.

I think this job is a perfect fit for me right now. It gives me a chance to do meaningful work - I was just going to work at 50's restaurant I've been at for years now. I will get a chance to see another part of the country, and I'm only committed through October. From there I can do what I want (Peace Corps). It is a lot of work for a little money, but, like I said, it is meaningful work and work that could possible make history (given a certain candidate - although this project has no ties with any political party).

I'm excited to live in Pueblo with my brother, but I am also sad that I have to leave so quickly!

Appeasement? Oh please...

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:15:00 +0000

I am so frustrated right now. A little bit of this frustration comes from losing to my younger brother in basketball once again, but that all seems insignificant at this point. What I'm feeling now stems from some right-wing idiots. Bill O'Reilly just stated that gas prices and health care have obscured or fight against terror.

REALLY?

Sure, attention has shifted away from homeland security towards our failing economy, uninsured, and sky-high gas prices. But to say that these issues have obscured is, well, absurd. These issues are far from obscure; they are issues that deserve the utmost devotion. Who cares that our fellow countrymen & women can't afford groceries, gas, or medical help?! Iran is scared of us!

REALLY? Obscure?

And then there are Bush's statements that Obama wants to appease terrorists...

REALLY?

Discussion is not appeasement. Talking is not giving in. I don't care how you try to frame it. Obama is not an idiot and he is not about to give power to any terrorists.

I understand people like O'Reilly and Bush trying to push some La-La Land ideas: What with Bush's horrible approval rating, the unpopularity of this war, and the shamble that is the Republican Party. But please, for everyone's sake...come back to reality.

Bloggers Unite: Human Rights

noreply@blogger.com (Justin) — Wed, 14 May 2008 21:41:00 +0000

"Bloggers Unite is an initiative designed to harness the power of the blogosphere to make the world a better place. By challenging bloggers to blog about a particular social cause on a single day, a single voice can be joined with thousands of others to help make a real positive difference; from raising awareness for cancer, to an effort to better education systems or support 3rd world countries."

Today's issue: Human Rights. Instead of posting on a specific human rights issue, I'm going to broaden the discussion and talk about the advantage of using human rights vs. civil rights.

The problem with using "civil rights" in America is that it becomes an American problem to be solved by an entity or entities that have some sort of stake in such a problem. An example would be the rights of an immigrant (legal or illegal) worker to standard living and working conditions. If these rights are violated, it becomes a problem involving, but not limited to, the following entities: the 'x' State government, the ACLU, the 'x' labour union, and a civil- or worker's- rights lawyer.

The problem with civil rights being an American issue is that the majority rules in America. Who is left out?: the minority. So when a civil rights issue becomes a minority issue - and the majority of civil rights issues are minority issues - it becomes a minor issue, an issue of the ignored, an issue of the invisible. This leads to overwhelming indifference from the majority, which ultimately makes it harder to uphold the rights of the minority.

So why human rights? Aren't human rights synonymous with civil rights? In a perfect world, yes. But alas, we are far from a perfect world (or country for that matter). The advantage of using human rights is that human rights are universal (and thus it becomes a global issue instead of an issue of a generally racist, chauvinistic America). Why is this an advantage? Well, for one, it is possible for other governments to put pressure on the United States to live up to the standards we set and hold others to because it is an issue of human- rather than civil- rights.

Furthermore, the issue of minority v. majority is a non-factor because it isn't a minority or majority of people deserving human rights, it is 100% of people deserving human rights. Instead of focusing on the fact that a person may be black, brown, red, yellow, white, purple, blue, and so on, the focus can be the fact that a person is human and deserves the rights of human. (I am in no way saying we should erase a persons color because it is an important part of a person's ethnic and cultural identity - rather, we should focus on the right of a human with no regard to their color.)

It is hard for a person of one color to completely understand what it means to be a person of another color (or a person of one class to understand that of another), and therefore it may be hard to empathize or even care about an issue not relating to oneself. But we are all human and we all understand the basic needs of a human. It will be much easier to erase indifference if we can focus on the basic rights of a human instead of focusing on the rights of a civilian (two completely different beings).

What do you think? Too idealistic? You comments are appreciated.