So we see and hear of the supposed historical debate now reform over health care and the future of health care in America. Below are a couple videos to summarize the issue and the main objectives. What do you (if you're reading this) think of America's health care and the ensuing reform?
Let me hear your thoughts....
CNN video 1 - Synopsis breakdown...
CNN video 2 - Response to text questions
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
From Abhorrence to Success
Most of the time, I want things to happen the way they are supposed to happen. That does not mean that I fear spontaneity. Actually, it is the opposite. I run to adventure and hope that it brings me what I expect from life—the belief that if I go on that random journey, I will have that exotic experience that changes my life or at least spices it up some. After all, is that not how life is supposed to be? College kids run to Miami, Panama City, and Cancun every year during Spring Break in pursuit of an experience that they are suppose to have. Then, during the summers, we go after whatever internship we can find in hopes that it will lead us to the career that we feel like we are supposed to take on. We see a life that has been already scripted in movies, television, and the lives of older people we admire, and we want to copy that life and paste it to our futures. But, is this really a bad thing?
What if doing what we are supposed to do makes us successful in the long run? Maybe, our efforts would not be in vain. More importantly, what is success? Success is a subjective term that can appear in many forms to many people; some positive, some negative. However, although the resulting success will differ from situation to situation, the journey required get to success is usually the same. It’s funny. As a kid, I used to hear the whole, “hard work pays off” rhetoric almost everywhere I went, but I would see people who simply got lucky or were born with it succeed while hard workers suffered. So, I questioned this whole idea of labor and fruit bearing. It was not until I got older that I realized that almost all of those people, who I thought had gotten lucky or the “success gene”, were working hard just like those people suffering. Actually, most of the time they were working harder, and if they were not working harder, they were working smarter. Therefore, success is the result of hard and smart labor.
Now, the question becomes, “Is doing what is smart the same as doing what one is supposed to do?” I think we can answer this one with relative ease, but if not, go back to early or mid 19th Century Southern America and ask a slave guided by the crack of a whip if doing what he or she was supposed to do equated the type of smart labor that equaled success. Maybe on a mere and superficial level, the answer is yes, but if we focus on a timeless moral code, the answer is a whopping no. And, if you are not much of a history person, look at it from an economical perspective. The years 2007 and 2008 were the worst fiscal years for the United States since the Great Depression in the 1920’s. During these eight quarters of economic apocalypse, we had thousands, maybe even millions, of people lose their jobs, homes, scholarships, and hopes. The worst part about it is that people lost everything by doing what they were supposed to do—take out loans for a house, a car, or nice clothes. It was as if Uncle Sam went to Wall Street and became more thorough with his command, “I want you”;therefore, the spirit continued to say “to take on debt until you drown in it” because that is the American Way—that is what people were supposed to do.
So, if our time shows us a negative outcome, then why do we continue to look for the things that we are supposed to? That one is easy. It is because there are people who do indeed do what they are supposed to do, and this following of a predestined road leads to success for them—the guy who follows in his dads footsteps by going to school, majoring in business, and taking over the family company or the girl who goes to nursing school and works her way up the ranks of the Medical field. But, there is something that makes each story different—that paves a distinct road for each successful individual. Most often, the differences in a group of success stories are the unforeseen; the setbacks, the obstacles, and the random opportunities. Therefore, people putting the step-by-step plan to the side for a moment and stepping out into the unknown—i.e. doing what they were not supposed to do--make success stories.
Therefore, as we look at life during fragile times in which the seemingly smallest decisions will make the greatest impact on them, we should try to be brave enough to look at what is on table and realize the moments in which we must do what we are not supposed to. Former Secretary of State, Political Scientist, and Stanford Professor, Condoleezza Rice once said something along the lines of “if you are about to take a regular job somewhere but someone offers you a position to teach in China, go teach in China because there is no telling where this opportunity may take you”. There is no telling where life will take us when we realize that “destiny is more than just a destination but a journey to be shaped, shared, and remade”. People getting too caught up in what they are supposed to do is the problem. Be a part of the Solution.
OxyJon
What if doing what we are supposed to do makes us successful in the long run? Maybe, our efforts would not be in vain. More importantly, what is success? Success is a subjective term that can appear in many forms to many people; some positive, some negative. However, although the resulting success will differ from situation to situation, the journey required get to success is usually the same. It’s funny. As a kid, I used to hear the whole, “hard work pays off” rhetoric almost everywhere I went, but I would see people who simply got lucky or were born with it succeed while hard workers suffered. So, I questioned this whole idea of labor and fruit bearing. It was not until I got older that I realized that almost all of those people, who I thought had gotten lucky or the “success gene”, were working hard just like those people suffering. Actually, most of the time they were working harder, and if they were not working harder, they were working smarter. Therefore, success is the result of hard and smart labor.
Now, the question becomes, “Is doing what is smart the same as doing what one is supposed to do?” I think we can answer this one with relative ease, but if not, go back to early or mid 19th Century Southern America and ask a slave guided by the crack of a whip if doing what he or she was supposed to do equated the type of smart labor that equaled success. Maybe on a mere and superficial level, the answer is yes, but if we focus on a timeless moral code, the answer is a whopping no. And, if you are not much of a history person, look at it from an economical perspective. The years 2007 and 2008 were the worst fiscal years for the United States since the Great Depression in the 1920’s. During these eight quarters of economic apocalypse, we had thousands, maybe even millions, of people lose their jobs, homes, scholarships, and hopes. The worst part about it is that people lost everything by doing what they were supposed to do—take out loans for a house, a car, or nice clothes. It was as if Uncle Sam went to Wall Street and became more thorough with his command, “I want you”;therefore, the spirit continued to say “to take on debt until you drown in it” because that is the American Way—that is what people were supposed to do.
So, if our time shows us a negative outcome, then why do we continue to look for the things that we are supposed to? That one is easy. It is because there are people who do indeed do what they are supposed to do, and this following of a predestined road leads to success for them—the guy who follows in his dads footsteps by going to school, majoring in business, and taking over the family company or the girl who goes to nursing school and works her way up the ranks of the Medical field. But, there is something that makes each story different—that paves a distinct road for each successful individual. Most often, the differences in a group of success stories are the unforeseen; the setbacks, the obstacles, and the random opportunities. Therefore, people putting the step-by-step plan to the side for a moment and stepping out into the unknown—i.e. doing what they were not supposed to do--make success stories.
Therefore, as we look at life during fragile times in which the seemingly smallest decisions will make the greatest impact on them, we should try to be brave enough to look at what is on table and realize the moments in which we must do what we are not supposed to. Former Secretary of State, Political Scientist, and Stanford Professor, Condoleezza Rice once said something along the lines of “if you are about to take a regular job somewhere but someone offers you a position to teach in China, go teach in China because there is no telling where this opportunity may take you”. There is no telling where life will take us when we realize that “destiny is more than just a destination but a journey to be shaped, shared, and remade”. People getting too caught up in what they are supposed to do is the problem. Be a part of the Solution.
OxyJon
Friday, December 4, 2009
Mis Education of a Hero
I don’t think I’ll ever forget the last time I saw Eric Shivers. It is not because of what happened during this encounter. We just had a normal conversation. Well, at least as normal of a conversation that you can have after what happened on the bus—the time that I thought would actually be the last time I saw him. I was wrong. And, like some type of clairvoyant, he jumped right into the discussion of what was on my mind—my inquiry for the motive of the actions that he had a few days ago displayed.
What happened? I was sitting on the bus on the way home, talking with my two best friends; caught in our usual meaningless but entertaining banter. Then Eric came up to us with a very serious look on his face. I asked him what was going on. He pointed to a guy sitting in the back of the bus, and he told us, “If he ain’t got my stuff, I’ma beat his a**”. Eric had gained a reputation with us as a guy prone to exaggerate or make up stories altogether. Unfortunately, this time he was telling the truth. After his apocalyptic decree, he swiftly walked past us, and within a few steps , he was standing in front of the pale, red-haired kid who was bobbing his head to whatever song blasted through his over sized headphones. Then, Eric struck. Next, Eric struck again. The red-haired kid tried to put up a fight, but his efforts did not last very long. Soon, all I saw was my short, stocky friend stabbing his fists into the seat in a rotating, almost choreographic fashion, and blood began to squirt out like water from yard sprinklers. After a few more crushing blows, Eric decided his damage was done. So, he walked to the front of the bus, gave the driver a shrewd look, and out of absolute terror she opened the door to let Eric escape.
I looked up to Eric. He had taken me “under his wing”, so to speak. He helped me develop my basketball skills. He made sure the older kids in the neighborhood gave me a chance when they would play pick-up games on the street or the driveway. And although he did not teach me to beat the blood out of people, he taught me how to believe in myself.
Suddenly, a few days after Eric scampered away from the bus, I was face-to-face with one of my heroes, and all I could think about was the malicious beating he put on that red-haired kid. His actions had been so violent and spontaneous that it was hard not to be afraid of him at that moment, but still I stood there, on a sidewalk midway from our houses, and listened to his explanation of what happened. He told me where he went after he left the bus. He told me how the police caught him and about his following court appearance. Then, after the conversation ended, we went our separate ways, and I had to deal with the reason Eric provided. It turns out Eric massacred that kid on the bus because the kid borrowed a CD from him and hadn’t returned it yet.
I never saw Eric again after that, but every now and again, I wonder about him. I do not really spend too much time on wondering what happened to him, where he probably is now, and picturing what kind of live he currently lives. That gets too depressing. What I think about is a factor that many consider uncontrollable; a factor people like to try to rule out of our minds—the “if” factor. I wonder what Eric’s actions would have been if he had really known how much I looked up to him. I wonder how he would have been if he had realized the type of influence he had. Moreover, I wonder if he would have been willing to throw away this high regard I had of him for a CD.
When I look at the situation with Tiger Woods and reflect on the ordeal with Steve McNair, I think about Eric Shivers. I wonder why these men had the audacity to think that they could lead normal lives as if no one was watching. I wonder why they even became heroes in the first place. Then, I remember the great things they have accomplished, and I wonder how I could have forgotten. I guess I forgot their accomplishments the same way that they forgot that little boys were watching them; believing in them. Eric taught me two lessons. First, violence is not cool. Secondly, before you act, think carefully about who may be watching. Be a part of the Solution.
OxyJon
What happened? I was sitting on the bus on the way home, talking with my two best friends; caught in our usual meaningless but entertaining banter. Then Eric came up to us with a very serious look on his face. I asked him what was going on. He pointed to a guy sitting in the back of the bus, and he told us, “If he ain’t got my stuff, I’ma beat his a**”. Eric had gained a reputation with us as a guy prone to exaggerate or make up stories altogether. Unfortunately, this time he was telling the truth. After his apocalyptic decree, he swiftly walked past us, and within a few steps , he was standing in front of the pale, red-haired kid who was bobbing his head to whatever song blasted through his over sized headphones. Then, Eric struck. Next, Eric struck again. The red-haired kid tried to put up a fight, but his efforts did not last very long. Soon, all I saw was my short, stocky friend stabbing his fists into the seat in a rotating, almost choreographic fashion, and blood began to squirt out like water from yard sprinklers. After a few more crushing blows, Eric decided his damage was done. So, he walked to the front of the bus, gave the driver a shrewd look, and out of absolute terror she opened the door to let Eric escape.
I looked up to Eric. He had taken me “under his wing”, so to speak. He helped me develop my basketball skills. He made sure the older kids in the neighborhood gave me a chance when they would play pick-up games on the street or the driveway. And although he did not teach me to beat the blood out of people, he taught me how to believe in myself.
Suddenly, a few days after Eric scampered away from the bus, I was face-to-face with one of my heroes, and all I could think about was the malicious beating he put on that red-haired kid. His actions had been so violent and spontaneous that it was hard not to be afraid of him at that moment, but still I stood there, on a sidewalk midway from our houses, and listened to his explanation of what happened. He told me where he went after he left the bus. He told me how the police caught him and about his following court appearance. Then, after the conversation ended, we went our separate ways, and I had to deal with the reason Eric provided. It turns out Eric massacred that kid on the bus because the kid borrowed a CD from him and hadn’t returned it yet.
I never saw Eric again after that, but every now and again, I wonder about him. I do not really spend too much time on wondering what happened to him, where he probably is now, and picturing what kind of live he currently lives. That gets too depressing. What I think about is a factor that many consider uncontrollable; a factor people like to try to rule out of our minds—the “if” factor. I wonder what Eric’s actions would have been if he had really known how much I looked up to him. I wonder how he would have been if he had realized the type of influence he had. Moreover, I wonder if he would have been willing to throw away this high regard I had of him for a CD.
When I look at the situation with Tiger Woods and reflect on the ordeal with Steve McNair, I think about Eric Shivers. I wonder why these men had the audacity to think that they could lead normal lives as if no one was watching. I wonder why they even became heroes in the first place. Then, I remember the great things they have accomplished, and I wonder how I could have forgotten. I guess I forgot their accomplishments the same way that they forgot that little boys were watching them; believing in them. Eric taught me two lessons. First, violence is not cool. Secondly, before you act, think carefully about who may be watching. Be a part of the Solution.
OxyJon
Monday, November 9, 2009
Renaissance: Rebirth of Suffrage
A Renaissance is a great revival, often of art, literature, and learning. It was the European Renaissance that marked the transition from the dark days of the medieval age into the modern world. Figures such as William Shakespeare, Galileo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo have led us into a modern world in which the idea of social submergence has become a reoccurring theme around the world, especially in the United States.
American Renaissance began with the American Revolution in which the lowly colonists re-found their sense of common identity and pride which they created in Virginia before the early settlers dispersed; a pride that would tie them to their newly acquired land. Then, when slavery, one of the most venomous institutions of American history, divided this nation, a victory by the Union Army would bring to our nation a revival of a concept alluded to by their name—unity. Continuing the radical trend, there was a movement by people of color for the Civil Rights of all people; a rebirth of the type of revolution in which the country was founded.
Yet, before the ballet or the bullet and the seeing of the mountaintop, women stood up. They told a nation they could do the same jobs, handle the same amount of responsibility, and lead the household just as men did. However, just as the African-Americans’ struggle was not wiped away with the stroke of a pen, women’s suffrage was an issue left somewhat unresolved. And, due to a conversation I recently had with a friend, I’ve decided to address this issue, and hopefully you’ll address it with me.
My friend suggested to me, “[since] you [are] all about the revolution and social change we can do this one “sista” at a time”. The Renaissance he was advocating for is the rebirth of women only taking on domestic roles. After all, do we really need women in corporate America, the academy, science, medicine, and sports? Someone who will remain nameless says, “No, women sports in general suck. They should spend that time in the kitchen learning how to cook. All [of] these non-cooking females out here is a shame”. Outlining a strategy for this Renaissance, he laments, “They should make home-economics a required class for graduation at Spelman. Every woman should have a seven dish rotation with two special-occasion dishes”. He believes, “teaching women how to cook will lead to more successful marriage rates”.
What is suggested is definitely a Renaissance—a rebirth of the traditional female role. Yet, is this a social change, or the suppression of one? Being radical enough to speak out on the development of such a movement, is this a revolution that this individual is interested in starting? Considering the characteristics of our generation—love affairs with internet social sites, constant media messaging, virtual interaction, and instant gratification, is the future of male-female relationships and unified domestic life in need of/heading towards a Renaissance? I know one person who agrees. What do you think? Be a part of the SOLUTION.
By OxyJon
American Renaissance began with the American Revolution in which the lowly colonists re-found their sense of common identity and pride which they created in Virginia before the early settlers dispersed; a pride that would tie them to their newly acquired land. Then, when slavery, one of the most venomous institutions of American history, divided this nation, a victory by the Union Army would bring to our nation a revival of a concept alluded to by their name—unity. Continuing the radical trend, there was a movement by people of color for the Civil Rights of all people; a rebirth of the type of revolution in which the country was founded.
Yet, before the ballet or the bullet and the seeing of the mountaintop, women stood up. They told a nation they could do the same jobs, handle the same amount of responsibility, and lead the household just as men did. However, just as the African-Americans’ struggle was not wiped away with the stroke of a pen, women’s suffrage was an issue left somewhat unresolved. And, due to a conversation I recently had with a friend, I’ve decided to address this issue, and hopefully you’ll address it with me.
My friend suggested to me, “[since] you [are] all about the revolution and social change we can do this one “sista” at a time”. The Renaissance he was advocating for is the rebirth of women only taking on domestic roles. After all, do we really need women in corporate America, the academy, science, medicine, and sports? Someone who will remain nameless says, “No, women sports in general suck. They should spend that time in the kitchen learning how to cook. All [of] these non-cooking females out here is a shame”. Outlining a strategy for this Renaissance, he laments, “They should make home-economics a required class for graduation at Spelman. Every woman should have a seven dish rotation with two special-occasion dishes”. He believes, “teaching women how to cook will lead to more successful marriage rates”.
What is suggested is definitely a Renaissance—a rebirth of the traditional female role. Yet, is this a social change, or the suppression of one? Being radical enough to speak out on the development of such a movement, is this a revolution that this individual is interested in starting? Considering the characteristics of our generation—love affairs with internet social sites, constant media messaging, virtual interaction, and instant gratification, is the future of male-female relationships and unified domestic life in need of/heading towards a Renaissance? I know one person who agrees. What do you think? Be a part of the SOLUTION.
By OxyJon
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Microwave Dream: An Imperfect Love Story
The interesting thing about a “successful” married couple is that, majority of the time, we do not picture the full story. We easily imagine the wedding bells sounding, extravagant gowns and tuxedos, flowers fielding the aisles, rice showering outside steps, and two people riding off into a new world as one.
However, we fail to see the problems: the arguments, the letdowns, the temptations, the trials, and the setbacks. Most importantly, we overlook the sacrifice and hard work that must be put forward. After the intoxicated aunt or uncle devours the last piece of cake at the reception and the dream ceremony is over, the two ingredients, united under oath, now enter the oven in order to cook until they make that perfect love story.
The irony of the love story is that its glamorization has opened the door allowing it to walk into our dreams—a migration that has been happening throughout our canon of literature(Epic of Gilgamesh, works of Shakespeare, stories of the Bible). So, the question becomes, “how do we view the love story?”, and more importantly, “how do we view our dreams?”
I believe our dreams now reflect our time; a good and bad axiom. On one hand, we dream as if we can do anything to which we put our minds. We have seen a country go through depression, recession, world wars, and movements for the rights of people of all shapes and sizes. We have seen the creative ingenious of people enable us to fly the air like birds, swim the sea like fish, and interact with the world through the press of a button or the scroll of a screen. We dream big!
However, we dream as if patience does not exist anymore. When we need to get in touch with someone, we just make a phone call, send out a text message, or type up an email. We expect to do something once or twice and master it. We want everything, and we want it now because that is the world we live in.
We cannot be a generation of people trying to microwave dreams. That couple sitting in the oven will not be ready in 3 to 5 minutes. They will bake much longer, but as they argue and move forward, their different flavors will settle. As they suffer from letdowns and bounce back from them, their texture becomes stronger. Moreover, as they persevere through the trials, outside temptations, and setbacks, they begin to rise as one.
So, since we already dream of love stories, why not dream like love stories? We should put in the time and work ethic to reach our intended level of success. We should have patience and persevere. And, we need to realize how hard it is to reach the top, and not be fooled by the instant gratification we see around us. There should be no more trying to create dreams overnight. Let us step away from the dreams that require you to add water and heat for 2 to 3 minutes, and embrace the slow and steady roast of greatness.
Whether it be scholarship, sports, entertainment, law, medicine, theology, or blue-collar work, success has not come easy. Many have failed, and many of those failures enabled success. The people we consider the greatest are the ones who have the most failures. Failure is that part of the slow roast we try to bypass in the microwave, but it shapes a successful dish. Furthermore, dealing with failure is the only way to ride into a new world, the way we envision that perfect couple, and make our dreams come true. Microwave dreams are the problem. Be a part of the SOLUTION.
OxyJon
However, we fail to see the problems: the arguments, the letdowns, the temptations, the trials, and the setbacks. Most importantly, we overlook the sacrifice and hard work that must be put forward. After the intoxicated aunt or uncle devours the last piece of cake at the reception and the dream ceremony is over, the two ingredients, united under oath, now enter the oven in order to cook until they make that perfect love story.
The irony of the love story is that its glamorization has opened the door allowing it to walk into our dreams—a migration that has been happening throughout our canon of literature(Epic of Gilgamesh, works of Shakespeare, stories of the Bible). So, the question becomes, “how do we view the love story?”, and more importantly, “how do we view our dreams?”
I believe our dreams now reflect our time; a good and bad axiom. On one hand, we dream as if we can do anything to which we put our minds. We have seen a country go through depression, recession, world wars, and movements for the rights of people of all shapes and sizes. We have seen the creative ingenious of people enable us to fly the air like birds, swim the sea like fish, and interact with the world through the press of a button or the scroll of a screen. We dream big!
However, we dream as if patience does not exist anymore. When we need to get in touch with someone, we just make a phone call, send out a text message, or type up an email. We expect to do something once or twice and master it. We want everything, and we want it now because that is the world we live in.
We cannot be a generation of people trying to microwave dreams. That couple sitting in the oven will not be ready in 3 to 5 minutes. They will bake much longer, but as they argue and move forward, their different flavors will settle. As they suffer from letdowns and bounce back from them, their texture becomes stronger. Moreover, as they persevere through the trials, outside temptations, and setbacks, they begin to rise as one.
So, since we already dream of love stories, why not dream like love stories? We should put in the time and work ethic to reach our intended level of success. We should have patience and persevere. And, we need to realize how hard it is to reach the top, and not be fooled by the instant gratification we see around us. There should be no more trying to create dreams overnight. Let us step away from the dreams that require you to add water and heat for 2 to 3 minutes, and embrace the slow and steady roast of greatness.
Whether it be scholarship, sports, entertainment, law, medicine, theology, or blue-collar work, success has not come easy. Many have failed, and many of those failures enabled success. The people we consider the greatest are the ones who have the most failures. Failure is that part of the slow roast we try to bypass in the microwave, but it shapes a successful dish. Furthermore, dealing with failure is the only way to ride into a new world, the way we envision that perfect couple, and make our dreams come true. Microwave dreams are the problem. Be a part of the SOLUTION.
OxyJon
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Derrion Albert: A Story Tied to Our Own
A young African-American male with cornrolls and a love for basketball walks home from an inner-city school in a south Chicago neighborhood and gets killed in a gang fight. What is the first thing that comes to your mind?
What if I told you that the young African-American male was an honor roll student, went to church Wednesdays and Sundays, and had planned on going to college? Now, what comes to your mind?
16-year-old Derrion Albert was walking home from school to a bus stop when he was brutually beaten by a group of youth as people sat and watched. Young Derrion was an innocent bystander who was never involved in gang activity. Furthermore, he did not even comprehend what was taking place. Three of his peers have been charged with first-degree murder for the crime.
Derrion Albert was a junior at Christian Fenger Academy High School. He loved wrestling and basketball. He also made good grades and was planning going to college in the future. Now what could have been a person beating the statistics, has become a statistic himself. How many of our youth are we going to let succumb to this type of action before we make a stance? Over 30 students were killed in Chicago last year, and the number might be surpassed this year. Hostile surroundings and negative living environments that foster the conditions for these crimes are just subject to this community, but all of our communities across America.
This story touches me so because I was Derrion Albert. I was that honor roll walking home on the east side of Jackson, Tennessee and the north side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If you didn’t know, these two cities were in the top 10 most dangerous cities in the United States at one point and time. I know how it feels to try to get ahead and to be surrounded by those who are not. It is time that we stand up and make ourselves available to those who are trying to do better with their lives. Imagine if young Darrion Albert had a mentor picking him up from school and spending time with him? Imagine if those three youth who are being charged with that heinous crime had been too busy with after-school activities to partake in gang-related activities?
I hope this is a wake up call to our communities. Some blame the parents, the school, or the children involved in this crime. The real answer is we all are to blame. We all sit and ignore these problems in our communities. If you are waiting on the President to fix our problems, you are waiting in vain. The change has to come from the bottom up, not the top down. Our youth are in trouble and no one can save them but us. Children like Derrion become victims of violence or become disheartened everyday in a system where you cannot win. The only difference between Derrion and I is that I made it out alive and he did not.
Reach out your hand to the youth trying do better with their life and don’t be a bystander.
Be a part of the solution
--Written by Romane Goodlow
Murray State UniversityPublic
Relations Major
What if I told you that the young African-American male was an honor roll student, went to church Wednesdays and Sundays, and had planned on going to college? Now, what comes to your mind?
16-year-old Derrion Albert was walking home from school to a bus stop when he was brutually beaten by a group of youth as people sat and watched. Young Derrion was an innocent bystander who was never involved in gang activity. Furthermore, he did not even comprehend what was taking place. Three of his peers have been charged with first-degree murder for the crime.
Derrion Albert was a junior at Christian Fenger Academy High School. He loved wrestling and basketball. He also made good grades and was planning going to college in the future. Now what could have been a person beating the statistics, has become a statistic himself. How many of our youth are we going to let succumb to this type of action before we make a stance? Over 30 students were killed in Chicago last year, and the number might be surpassed this year. Hostile surroundings and negative living environments that foster the conditions for these crimes are just subject to this community, but all of our communities across America.
This story touches me so because I was Derrion Albert. I was that honor roll walking home on the east side of Jackson, Tennessee and the north side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If you didn’t know, these two cities were in the top 10 most dangerous cities in the United States at one point and time. I know how it feels to try to get ahead and to be surrounded by those who are not. It is time that we stand up and make ourselves available to those who are trying to do better with their lives. Imagine if young Darrion Albert had a mentor picking him up from school and spending time with him? Imagine if those three youth who are being charged with that heinous crime had been too busy with after-school activities to partake in gang-related activities?
I hope this is a wake up call to our communities. Some blame the parents, the school, or the children involved in this crime. The real answer is we all are to blame. We all sit and ignore these problems in our communities. If you are waiting on the President to fix our problems, you are waiting in vain. The change has to come from the bottom up, not the top down. Our youth are in trouble and no one can save them but us. Children like Derrion become victims of violence or become disheartened everyday in a system where you cannot win. The only difference between Derrion and I is that I made it out alive and he did not.
Reach out your hand to the youth trying do better with their life and don’t be a bystander.
Be a part of the solution
--Written by Romane Goodlow
Murray State UniversityPublic
Relations Major
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Big Test
A girl spent her entire night with her nose driven into a book. By the daybreak, she was able to recite the theories of Freud, Marx, and Weber as if she had sat alongside the scholars as they added their sociological gospel to our society. So, she is confident and has reason to be so. Then, she goes to take her exam.
As she sits down in her seat, she reaches for a pen and her notes in order to do a final review. The professor comes in and, wasting no time, says, “Alright class, put away your materials. You know what time it is.” An uncharacteristic smirk followed those words, the kind of smile that gives a person hope and fear at the exact same time. Swallowing both emotions, the girl puts her notes away and waits for the test to land in front of her.
Once in her grasps, it becomes as if the official fired the shot and the derby began. She raced through the beginning questions, spilling all her preparation onto the paper and soaking up confidence with each stroke of the pen—an academic display of photosynthesis. She sees Freud and hurdles right over him. Next, there is Marx, and she slides right past him. Then, she pushes through Weber like the double doors of an old western saloon. However, another obstacle stood in her way.
All of a sudden, the hurdle got higher, the gap got smaller, and the double doors would no longer swing. She saw something she did not expect to see, and this sent her photosynthesis into shock and deactivation. Next thing she knows, the only thing leaving her pen and reaching the paper is the sweat frustration sent to her hand. If only she had realized she needed to study Emile Durkheim too.
It is important to work hard, but we must also work smart. Be a part of the SOLUTION.
OxyJon
As she sits down in her seat, she reaches for a pen and her notes in order to do a final review. The professor comes in and, wasting no time, says, “Alright class, put away your materials. You know what time it is.” An uncharacteristic smirk followed those words, the kind of smile that gives a person hope and fear at the exact same time. Swallowing both emotions, the girl puts her notes away and waits for the test to land in front of her.
Once in her grasps, it becomes as if the official fired the shot and the derby began. She raced through the beginning questions, spilling all her preparation onto the paper and soaking up confidence with each stroke of the pen—an academic display of photosynthesis. She sees Freud and hurdles right over him. Next, there is Marx, and she slides right past him. Then, she pushes through Weber like the double doors of an old western saloon. However, another obstacle stood in her way.
All of a sudden, the hurdle got higher, the gap got smaller, and the double doors would no longer swing. She saw something she did not expect to see, and this sent her photosynthesis into shock and deactivation. Next thing she knows, the only thing leaving her pen and reaching the paper is the sweat frustration sent to her hand. If only she had realized she needed to study Emile Durkheim too.
It is important to work hard, but we must also work smart. Be a part of the SOLUTION.
OxyJon
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Definition of Tradegy
A mother cries and is helped away by men dressed in dark suits. One of the men was the father doing all he could to maintain strength. To their left, a group of three young ladies huddle together—tied by a spiral of moans and tears. Downward, their corkscrew of bereavement seems to flow to a small memorial composed of flowers, signs, and a stuffed animal. This is a scene that accurately captures the word “tragedy”.
Tragedy is the most accurate way to describe what happened to Jasmine Lynn. She was a sophomore at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, and on Thursday, September 3rd a series of stray bullets were fired—one bullet landing in her chest and taking her life. Jasmine’s death occurred on The Promenade, a popular hangout spot for students of the Atlanta University Center (Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark-Atlanta University). Moreover, the shots were fired as a result of a confrontation between some young men, a dispute that had absolutely nothing to do with her.
A look at the maliciousness and senselessness behind her death is where we begin to understand tragedy. Then, we begin to apply a concept called “empathy”, and things appear a little clearer. Before that night, Jasmine Lynn was more than a college student, a colleague, a friend, a sister, or even a daughter. She was a normal human being.
She got up in the morning, brushed her teeth, and picked out an outfit for the day. She had meals in her room, a restaurant, maybe even the school cafeteria. She sent text messages to her friends, probably checked her e-mail. She could have watched some television, checked her Facebook page, or got some studying in. Then, she decided to go hang out.
The next thing we hear of her is what the rumors speculate and what the Atlanta Journal Constitution(AJC) reports, but, in our minds what do we see? We see a young lady out in the casual flow of social interaction. We see bullet burst from the mouth of a gun. We see her look death right in its face, the last thing she would see in her life. Afterwards, her eyes close and never re-open—tragedy.
Jasmine’s death is a tragedy, not simply because it was a killing. It is sad to say, but killing and death occur around us all of the time. The tragedy comes from the fact that this happened to a normal young lady, and it could have happened to anyone standing her exact spot at that exact time. It is a tragedy that a person went through her normal routine, just as we do every day, and, at the end of her routine, that person’s life was over.
Maybe, things would have been different, if the shooter had realized the true definition of tragedy beforehand. Possibly, it was our job to tell him. Maybe, Jasmine Lynn was just unlucky, in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or, it is possible that we failed her. Regardless, tragedy is a problem. Be a part of the SOLUTION.
OxyJon
Tragedy is the most accurate way to describe what happened to Jasmine Lynn. She was a sophomore at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, and on Thursday, September 3rd a series of stray bullets were fired—one bullet landing in her chest and taking her life. Jasmine’s death occurred on The Promenade, a popular hangout spot for students of the Atlanta University Center (Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Clark-Atlanta University). Moreover, the shots were fired as a result of a confrontation between some young men, a dispute that had absolutely nothing to do with her.
A look at the maliciousness and senselessness behind her death is where we begin to understand tragedy. Then, we begin to apply a concept called “empathy”, and things appear a little clearer. Before that night, Jasmine Lynn was more than a college student, a colleague, a friend, a sister, or even a daughter. She was a normal human being.
She got up in the morning, brushed her teeth, and picked out an outfit for the day. She had meals in her room, a restaurant, maybe even the school cafeteria. She sent text messages to her friends, probably checked her e-mail. She could have watched some television, checked her Facebook page, or got some studying in. Then, she decided to go hang out.
The next thing we hear of her is what the rumors speculate and what the Atlanta Journal Constitution(AJC) reports, but, in our minds what do we see? We see a young lady out in the casual flow of social interaction. We see bullet burst from the mouth of a gun. We see her look death right in its face, the last thing she would see in her life. Afterwards, her eyes close and never re-open—tragedy.
Jasmine’s death is a tragedy, not simply because it was a killing. It is sad to say, but killing and death occur around us all of the time. The tragedy comes from the fact that this happened to a normal young lady, and it could have happened to anyone standing her exact spot at that exact time. It is a tragedy that a person went through her normal routine, just as we do every day, and, at the end of her routine, that person’s life was over.
Maybe, things would have been different, if the shooter had realized the true definition of tragedy beforehand. Possibly, it was our job to tell him. Maybe, Jasmine Lynn was just unlucky, in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or, it is possible that we failed her. Regardless, tragedy is a problem. Be a part of the SOLUTION.
OxyJon
Monday, September 7, 2009
Homeless Heckler or Hero???
Guy is driving and gets lost.
Guy decides to go stop at gas station and ask for directions.
Guy gets out of car and passes a homeless man sitting outside.
Homeless man speaks.
Guy instantly replies, "I do not have any change."
Homeless guy, yet and still, decides to ask for change.
Guy ignores him and goes into the gas station.
Guy asks guy behind the counter for directions.
Guy behind the counter is absolutely no help.
Guy walks back outside of gas station and asks another guy getting gas for the directions.
Guy ends up with another failed attempt.
Homeless guy overhears the dilemma and gives guy directions.
Guy says thank you, but still does not give away any change.
Homeless guy's directions turn out to be wrong
However, Guy still ends up at place he was looking for, just a different branch location.
End of the day, Guy cannot help but realize that the only person willing to help him was the homeless guy.
Guy shakes his head...
Be a part of the SOLUTION
OxyJon
Guy decides to go stop at gas station and ask for directions.
Guy gets out of car and passes a homeless man sitting outside.
Homeless man speaks.
Guy instantly replies, "I do not have any change."
Homeless guy, yet and still, decides to ask for change.
Guy ignores him and goes into the gas station.
Guy asks guy behind the counter for directions.
Guy behind the counter is absolutely no help.
Guy walks back outside of gas station and asks another guy getting gas for the directions.
Guy ends up with another failed attempt.
Homeless guy overhears the dilemma and gives guy directions.
Guy says thank you, but still does not give away any change.
Homeless guy's directions turn out to be wrong
However, Guy still ends up at place he was looking for, just a different branch location.
End of the day, Guy cannot help but realize that the only person willing to help him was the homeless guy.
Guy shakes his head...
Be a part of the SOLUTION
OxyJon
Sunday, September 6, 2009
BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION
Almost 50 years ago, there was a problem. In response to this quagmire, five students from the Atlanta University Center came together, sat down, ate, talked, and mapped out the blueprint to the solution of a politically plagued nation. In 1960, the city of Atlanta was seeing a transition in power within the leadership of the civil rights movement. The college students of the Atlanta University Center began to take the lead over the seasoned activists of the Auburn Avenue circuit. A group of young people had become conscious of the issues facing a people and decided to do something about it—to be a part of the solution.
Deciding to act, the five college students ushered in a new approach to civil rights activism—direct action. They published “An Appeal for Human Rights” in the Atlanta papers and eventually the New York Times. They led the development of their own newspaper, the Atlanta Inquirer. They organized major sit-ins in local Atlanta department stores, and were arrested alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Moreover, they moved with that spirit of action; be a part of the solution.
Therefore, as we begin our academic year here upon the sacred campuses that comprise the Atlanta University Center, it is important that we embody this same spirit of our predecessors. The problems may have changed form, but they are still problems. Thus, it is our responsibility, people of strong academic pedigree, to be a part of the solution.
We no longer have to organize sit-ins outside of places such as Rich’s Department Store. However, we must change the fact that people of color are highly underrepresented in almost every professional field; law, medicine, education, politics, business, ect. We no longer have to protest, but far too many college-aged Americans of the African Diaspora are not pursuing degrees. In addition, many of those, who are pursuing degrees, are doing so without adamantly aspiring to receive an actual education.
Then, when one incorporates the fact that we now live in a globalized society in which the vastness of the globe has been reduced to the touch-scroll of an Iphone or the push of a button on a blackberry, the problems begin to junk pile. Not only are we seeing killings in our inner cities. We now see carnage in Sudan, Darfur, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Mexico. We no longer have to fight for our legislative rights, but somewhere, someone does.
Unfortunately, there has been a misconception spreading through our communities and even our campuses. There seems to be people, who believe there is an age requirement on action. Also, there are those who seem to think that the problems are not their responsibility and maybe they will be solved by a people of a different time. Clearly, some of us have been led astray.
For, we are the solution to that we have been waiting for! We are the answer for which we seek. History has shown us that we do not have to try and do the impossible in order to make a difference. Sometimes it takes a few hours at an afterschool program or a homeless shelter. Sometimes it takes a few extra hours of studying. However, sometimes all it takes is five college students sitting around at Paschal’s Restaurant eating, planning, and organizing. The methodology will be different, but the spirit is all the same. It is that spirit that makes you identify a problem and decide not to sit by idly and let the issues build. Now, let that spirit guide us through this academic school year, and let us now do all we can to be a part of the solution.
OxyJon
Deciding to act, the five college students ushered in a new approach to civil rights activism—direct action. They published “An Appeal for Human Rights” in the Atlanta papers and eventually the New York Times. They led the development of their own newspaper, the Atlanta Inquirer. They organized major sit-ins in local Atlanta department stores, and were arrested alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Moreover, they moved with that spirit of action; be a part of the solution.
Therefore, as we begin our academic year here upon the sacred campuses that comprise the Atlanta University Center, it is important that we embody this same spirit of our predecessors. The problems may have changed form, but they are still problems. Thus, it is our responsibility, people of strong academic pedigree, to be a part of the solution.
We no longer have to organize sit-ins outside of places such as Rich’s Department Store. However, we must change the fact that people of color are highly underrepresented in almost every professional field; law, medicine, education, politics, business, ect. We no longer have to protest, but far too many college-aged Americans of the African Diaspora are not pursuing degrees. In addition, many of those, who are pursuing degrees, are doing so without adamantly aspiring to receive an actual education.
Then, when one incorporates the fact that we now live in a globalized society in which the vastness of the globe has been reduced to the touch-scroll of an Iphone or the push of a button on a blackberry, the problems begin to junk pile. Not only are we seeing killings in our inner cities. We now see carnage in Sudan, Darfur, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Mexico. We no longer have to fight for our legislative rights, but somewhere, someone does.
Unfortunately, there has been a misconception spreading through our communities and even our campuses. There seems to be people, who believe there is an age requirement on action. Also, there are those who seem to think that the problems are not their responsibility and maybe they will be solved by a people of a different time. Clearly, some of us have been led astray.
For, we are the solution to that we have been waiting for! We are the answer for which we seek. History has shown us that we do not have to try and do the impossible in order to make a difference. Sometimes it takes a few hours at an afterschool program or a homeless shelter. Sometimes it takes a few extra hours of studying. However, sometimes all it takes is five college students sitting around at Paschal’s Restaurant eating, planning, and organizing. The methodology will be different, but the spirit is all the same. It is that spirit that makes you identify a problem and decide not to sit by idly and let the issues build. Now, let that spirit guide us through this academic school year, and let us now do all we can to be a part of the solution.
OxyJon
Saturday, August 15, 2009
WELCOME TO THE SOLUTION
This is the SOLUTION.
This is not prostitution.
This is merely the solicitation of improvement.
This is the hope for all who feel it[hope] is elusive.
This is the type of stuff that makes you go and join a movement.
Get out there on a mission!
Get discontent with our condition!
And, if you're only out to complain , then to this you ought not listen.
Because we know there are problems.
We've seen the statistics.
We know they tote revolvers.
We heard about the prisons.
But somewhere deep inside of Jackson, Tennessee
A group of young people ,chasing Bachelor degrees,
decided it was time to reach back and plant a seed
to make the kids right behind them seek the universities.
Because this is for people in higher education institutions,
who feel like the place they come from is flooded with pollution.
So, if you feel like all the people complaining are a nuisance,
then it is time to wake up and be a part of the SOLUTION!
OxyJon
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