Here's the deal: I am a half-Columbian, half-white child. I know what an arepa is, I know what cocadas are, but I grew up eating bagels and eating chocolate chip cookies. Half of my extended family lives in Bogata Santa Fe, but most of the time I visit my family in Mississippi, Texas, Florida and Louisiana. I've traveled to the farm town El Socorro in Columbia once or twice, but every five years I travel down to one of the states listed above and have a family reunion. Right now, on this thanksgiving holiday, my father, my brother, his fiancee and friends are sitting in the lighted TV room, while my tia and primo are sitting in the unlighted computer room sitting around doing nothing. And I'm up in my room blogging.
My family is not like the families most of you have grown up with. I had the option of learning Spanish at a very early age, something that my father decided to pass up on. I have the opportunity to go and stay at length in Columbia if I just ask, but I don't have time. I've grown up with the mentalities of a people who came from the impovershed South American continent and the simple American "small-town" with fields and dirt roads. Both my mother and father had accents and acted differently than everybody in New Jersey ever did. They never had many friends and never acted like the families I hung around when I was a young boy. We always did our own thing and I never really thought anything about it.
In all I don't really think anything about it, but everytime I sit around another family's dinner table I can't relate. I didn't grow up hearing stories about aunts and uncles or that "one time" or "one day" when something funny happened that described ever-so-perfectly the personality of family members who I see every so often. My family didn't live close by so I never had Thanksgivings, Christmas or New Years with anyone but my immediate family. In fact I even have family who probably never celebrated Thanksgiving until one year when they came up from Columbia and experienced it. I never had grandparents to give me a few extra bucks or pieces of candy just because they "liked my face" or whatever grandparents use as excuses to do things under parents' noses. In all it's an experience to think that when I was younger I probably had spanish talked at me more than english.
Now I'm sitting upstairs in my room thinking about all of this stuff. It's hard having family with a language barrier. It's hard trying to communicate with people who you barely know. It's hard to try and relate to cousins from a distant country after meeting them for the first time. It's espeically hard when these cousins are 20 years old and have the same desires to go out and have fun that I do.
I'm a cultural mutt. I want to try and understand a culture my mom wanted me to learn about when I was younger, yet I feel as if I rooted myself too deeply into a culture my father helped me accept by buying me Super Nintendo, bicycles, 4th of July celebrations, and Baseball tickets. In all I am grateful that both of my parents tried. But it's still hard to figure out who I am when I could do so in two different languages.
Happy Holidays or Feliz Vacaciones. It's all the same to me.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
untitled?
so I'm at Bluford and we work with their afterschool program whose coordinator is a little off. She screams and her language simply does not appeal to the five year olds sitting next to me licking the same finger he just tied his shoe with. Then there's this guy who comes in and teaches them karate, which is great! Often times, when kids misbehave, he'll go, "Drop and give me 10!" to six year old Keron who has no idea what that means. Last week, I was working with one kid I was assigned (by the screaming coordinator) to because he has a behavior problem, and I noticed that he has some sort of mild dyslexia, and hardly does his homework, then suddenly I was swamped with four other kids who needed help too. As you can imagine, It was difficult to focus just on the one kid. And lastly there's this bald man who has no idea what his purpose is, one day he's making boys do push-ups, the next he's passing homework assignments. My point is, the adults around these kids don't seem to connect with them or have the desire to. It seems like its just another job and what I fear is that the kids can't look to an adult as someone who cares for them and consider them valuable. The mere language is something that goes right over their heads and so there hardly is a response because the adults have not met these kids where they're at.
The adults are not paying attention to the children which is why ADHD, dyslexia, or any learning disorders goes unnoticed until the tenth grade where they are on the verge of dropping out. School is one of the major agents of socialization and at a very early age, kids can determine who cares and who doesn't, and with the exception of educators who sincerely care, many of them are underqualified or in the position they're in because of money. I remember when I was in a Philly school, my english teacher used to hustle bootlegged DVDs and CDs on 52nd and Chestnut before he thought us. Do you see the affects of social inequalities on this part? Especially in the Philadelphia School District, these children, our children, or inevitably given the short end of the stick... this is why I do service, ( and I'm sure most of you guys can agree) its because we give a damn.
***forgive my spelling and gramatical errors***
The adults are not paying attention to the children which is why ADHD, dyslexia, or any learning disorders goes unnoticed until the tenth grade where they are on the verge of dropping out. School is one of the major agents of socialization and at a very early age, kids can determine who cares and who doesn't, and with the exception of educators who sincerely care, many of them are underqualified or in the position they're in because of money. I remember when I was in a Philly school, my english teacher used to hustle bootlegged DVDs and CDs on 52nd and Chestnut before he thought us. Do you see the affects of social inequalities on this part? Especially in the Philadelphia School District, these children, our children, or inevitably given the short end of the stick... this is why I do service, ( and I'm sure most of you guys can agree) its because we give a damn.
***forgive my spelling and gramatical errors***
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Social Justice & Advocacy Group
Hey All,
Since the beginning of the semester I have been apart of the Social Justice and Advocacy group led by Ryan Moratta. At times it has been truly inspirational while some days I am left wanting.
I regretfully missed our first outing due to schedule conflictions, so I cannot comment on the trip to a recently homeless shelter that other members of the group could. However I have been to every other occurrence.
The first and quite possibly most influential meet was a trip to Joe's Fair Trade Coffee. Not only does the coffee taste better than Americanized coffees, which apparently contain less percentages of true coffee grinds (Joe said the USA only requires 65-70 percent of American coffee grounds to contain true coffee grinds), but the fact that you know that the people behind the rich textured flavorful cappechinoes, lattes, the's, and coffee flavors were awarded fair pay. Due to this fair pay, the villagers and farmers who used to live on barely five USD a week had enough to substantially increase their incomes, lifestyles, and education for the children of the community.
If that wasn't enough, Joe told us the origin of his Fair Trade Coffee. Similar to our Social Justice and Advocacy group, Joe was inspired to take a trip to South America. In essence the group of Americans changed the lives of every one of the townspeople that they came across. Despite the fact that the trip was informative, emotional, and heartbreaking, Joe and his service group took it to the next level. Fair Trade representatives were sent to Similar South American towns who would inform the proper exchange rates for coffee beans, ways to transport the beans before they dry-rot, and how to barter with traders for increases or decreases in price based on the surplus or shortage of local coffee beans.
The true importance of this experience for the Social Justice and Advocacy Group was the revelation that A SINGLE person can make a difference as long as they never let the faults of man keep them down. Joe told us how all his friends and family had originally told him his plan was idiotic, lacked true vision, and would eventually bankrupt him. As of now, Joe has expanded his venues through friends and similar Coffee Shops opened not only by Joe's personal friends, but random customers who were inspired by Joe's cause. On a side not the fact that his coffee was much better as well as cheaper than the typical Starbucks didn't hurt either. Point of it all though still comes to the fact that one person can make a difference as long as the put in the fight.
Since the beginning of the semester I have been apart of the Social Justice and Advocacy group led by Ryan Moratta. At times it has been truly inspirational while some days I am left wanting.
I regretfully missed our first outing due to schedule conflictions, so I cannot comment on the trip to a recently homeless shelter that other members of the group could. However I have been to every other occurrence.
The first and quite possibly most influential meet was a trip to Joe's Fair Trade Coffee. Not only does the coffee taste better than Americanized coffees, which apparently contain less percentages of true coffee grinds (Joe said the USA only requires 65-70 percent of American coffee grounds to contain true coffee grinds), but the fact that you know that the people behind the rich textured flavorful cappechinoes, lattes, the's, and coffee flavors were awarded fair pay. Due to this fair pay, the villagers and farmers who used to live on barely five USD a week had enough to substantially increase their incomes, lifestyles, and education for the children of the community.
If that wasn't enough, Joe told us the origin of his Fair Trade Coffee. Similar to our Social Justice and Advocacy group, Joe was inspired to take a trip to South America. In essence the group of Americans changed the lives of every one of the townspeople that they came across. Despite the fact that the trip was informative, emotional, and heartbreaking, Joe and his service group took it to the next level. Fair Trade representatives were sent to Similar South American towns who would inform the proper exchange rates for coffee beans, ways to transport the beans before they dry-rot, and how to barter with traders for increases or decreases in price based on the surplus or shortage of local coffee beans.
The true importance of this experience for the Social Justice and Advocacy Group was the revelation that A SINGLE person can make a difference as long as they never let the faults of man keep them down. Joe told us how all his friends and family had originally told him his plan was idiotic, lacked true vision, and would eventually bankrupt him. As of now, Joe has expanded his venues through friends and similar Coffee Shops opened not only by Joe's personal friends, but random customers who were inspired by Joe's cause. On a side not the fact that his coffee was much better as well as cheaper than the typical Starbucks didn't hurt either. Point of it all though still comes to the fact that one person can make a difference as long as the put in the fight.
Musings on health care
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/us/09deport.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
The link above is an article form the New York Times from Nov. 9, 2008. A woman in my hospice class gave me a hard copy of the article and told me that it was a good way to bring healthcare and immigration issues together. I know it's a little long, but it is definitely some food for thought for people interested in either issue (or both).
Today, at Saint Catherine Laboure Medical Clinic, I spent quite a while on the phone with a man named Steven. He called looking to make a new patient appointment because he is having trouble with double vision. I asked when it started, and he said that last Sunday (so over a week ago) he fell down the stairs. He is uninsured, so he decided to wait it out and see how he felt after a few days. However, on Tuesday (8 days ago), he started experiencing double vision. He went to the emergency room at Chestnut Hill hospital and the doctors did a CAT scan and MRI. They saw a "dark spot" on his brain, which indicates a bleed. This is most definitely the source of his vision problems, but the doctor said it should get better and he just needed to wear an eye patch on one eye. They also determined that he had broken four vertebrae and discharged him with some analgesics. When Steven called today, he said that his double vision has been getting worse, and that the doctor at Chestnut Hill referred him to our clinic. Chestnut Hill is a for-profit hospital that probably did not want to deal with a patient without health insurance, but they know very well that our clinic does not have the technology to deal with brain and spinal cord injury. As I continued talking to Steven, I calmly told him that he needed to go to an emergency room because Dr. Davis said that the bleed could be getting worse. He said that he was going to the VA hospital because he was a war veteran and because Chestnut Hill probably wouldn't serve him.
When I relayed the entire story to Dr. Davis after I got off the phone, she said that we would probably never be able to see Steven because technically he has veteran's healthcare. Then she paused and took her statement back. She said that, in reality, the benefits that veterans get depends on who is currently president and what their policy is. Therefore, people like Steven might go from having full health coverage to very limited assistance in a matter of four years. As veterans age, it obviously does not get any easier for them to pay for prescription drugs or get access to other care they may need.
What does it say when one of the wealthiest countries in the world with huge expenditures on military does not guarantee its veterans care for after their service? And what does it say when we cannot be consistent from state to state about whether or not people deserve healthcare if they live and work there legally? (People who are not there legally adds a whole other element to this discussion.) It seems like the world of healthcare is full of contradictions, and it scares me that I will probably be entering that world at some point in the near future.
It will be interesting in the coming months, now that we have a new President, to see what happens with situations like these.
The link above is an article form the New York Times from Nov. 9, 2008. A woman in my hospice class gave me a hard copy of the article and told me that it was a good way to bring healthcare and immigration issues together. I know it's a little long, but it is definitely some food for thought for people interested in either issue (or both).
Today, at Saint Catherine Laboure Medical Clinic, I spent quite a while on the phone with a man named Steven. He called looking to make a new patient appointment because he is having trouble with double vision. I asked when it started, and he said that last Sunday (so over a week ago) he fell down the stairs. He is uninsured, so he decided to wait it out and see how he felt after a few days. However, on Tuesday (8 days ago), he started experiencing double vision. He went to the emergency room at Chestnut Hill hospital and the doctors did a CAT scan and MRI. They saw a "dark spot" on his brain, which indicates a bleed. This is most definitely the source of his vision problems, but the doctor said it should get better and he just needed to wear an eye patch on one eye. They also determined that he had broken four vertebrae and discharged him with some analgesics. When Steven called today, he said that his double vision has been getting worse, and that the doctor at Chestnut Hill referred him to our clinic. Chestnut Hill is a for-profit hospital that probably did not want to deal with a patient without health insurance, but they know very well that our clinic does not have the technology to deal with brain and spinal cord injury. As I continued talking to Steven, I calmly told him that he needed to go to an emergency room because Dr. Davis said that the bleed could be getting worse. He said that he was going to the VA hospital because he was a war veteran and because Chestnut Hill probably wouldn't serve him.
When I relayed the entire story to Dr. Davis after I got off the phone, she said that we would probably never be able to see Steven because technically he has veteran's healthcare. Then she paused and took her statement back. She said that, in reality, the benefits that veterans get depends on who is currently president and what their policy is. Therefore, people like Steven might go from having full health coverage to very limited assistance in a matter of four years. As veterans age, it obviously does not get any easier for them to pay for prescription drugs or get access to other care they may need.
What does it say when one of the wealthiest countries in the world with huge expenditures on military does not guarantee its veterans care for after their service? And what does it say when we cannot be consistent from state to state about whether or not people deserve healthcare if they live and work there legally? (People who are not there legally adds a whole other element to this discussion.) It seems like the world of healthcare is full of contradictions, and it scares me that I will probably be entering that world at some point in the near future.
It will be interesting in the coming months, now that we have a new President, to see what happens with situations like these.
Justice: The Musical
Last night's justice jam was a huge success. I would like to thank everybody who came out last night to what I think was the best Java Jam I've ever been to at SJU. The quality of the performers, the atmosphere, and the space were great, and everything worked out well for all who planned it and participated in it. This isn't just my opinion either as a performer; if you talk to anyone who went or heard the Justice Jam they would probably agree that hey had a great time. All the music played last night and just...well, everything was just incredible. It was a great tribute to Saint Joseph's university and its spirit. There is an implicit indication here, though, one that's more subtle.
As I observed some of the acts after mine I realized something that music does for people, something that I've always thought music did but never really personified so clearly until last night. For example, a freshman named Geoff came up and rapped his heart out for the whole crowd. In the middle of his set he asked everyone to get up and dance, and a substantial amount of people did. Everybody was throwing up their hands when he threw his up, people were dancing and having a great time. During his last song, people echoed the refrain "It ain't murder if we do it with a smile, right?"
Another example is when shining TV screens got up and performed an acoustic set for all of us. Towards the end of their set people were calling out for a song everyone could sing along to, and they obliged the crowd. What ensued was singing, dancing, and even some swaying for a slower part of one of the songs. Generally, during the set everyone just was feeling good and smiling, laughing, and just allowing themselves to be free of the stress of school and life.
For me, these aren't any big deals. I have been go to shows like this all my life: people are frenzied and dancing, singing along to the songs, throwing up fists, meeting new people. This is characteristic of music: Music creates community. Last night the community was so strong. Everybody there was excited for the music playing and excited for the songs. Yet, there was something else everyone was excited for: justice.
The Poverty Awareness Week Committee didn't intentionally do this, but they were able to create a tangible community that was interested not only in the music being played, but in the idea of justice: Justice that isn't marred by hate for anyone else or moral superiority towards other, but that is guided by love and liberty for all. This is a wonderful reality that was realized last night, and so I say we continue this tradition. Whenever you're at a show or a demonstration (see: SOA protest), get lost in the music. Allow yourself to meet new people, sing along with strangers who you don't know, dance, and by building this community, you will begin to build a community of justice. I know I'll be there.
-Jeff
As I observed some of the acts after mine I realized something that music does for people, something that I've always thought music did but never really personified so clearly until last night. For example, a freshman named Geoff came up and rapped his heart out for the whole crowd. In the middle of his set he asked everyone to get up and dance, and a substantial amount of people did. Everybody was throwing up their hands when he threw his up, people were dancing and having a great time. During his last song, people echoed the refrain "It ain't murder if we do it with a smile, right?"
Another example is when shining TV screens got up and performed an acoustic set for all of us. Towards the end of their set people were calling out for a song everyone could sing along to, and they obliged the crowd. What ensued was singing, dancing, and even some swaying for a slower part of one of the songs. Generally, during the set everyone just was feeling good and smiling, laughing, and just allowing themselves to be free of the stress of school and life.
For me, these aren't any big deals. I have been go to shows like this all my life: people are frenzied and dancing, singing along to the songs, throwing up fists, meeting new people. This is characteristic of music: Music creates community. Last night the community was so strong. Everybody there was excited for the music playing and excited for the songs. Yet, there was something else everyone was excited for: justice.
The Poverty Awareness Week Committee didn't intentionally do this, but they were able to create a tangible community that was interested not only in the music being played, but in the idea of justice: Justice that isn't marred by hate for anyone else or moral superiority towards other, but that is guided by love and liberty for all. This is a wonderful reality that was realized last night, and so I say we continue this tradition. Whenever you're at a show or a demonstration (see: SOA protest), get lost in the music. Allow yourself to meet new people, sing along with strangers who you don't know, dance, and by building this community, you will begin to build a community of justice. I know I'll be there.
-Jeff
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Life Center!
Hey guys! I volunteer weekly at the Life Center of Eastern Delaware County, an outreach center for those who are homeless in the area. I along with 5 other SJU students go on Tuesdays at 6 and help to serve dinner. As a non-profit organization, the Life Center relies on local volunteer groups to provide their meals. The meals vary with the different groups that come. A few weeks ago, a man who owns his own Indian restaurant brought homemadecurrie and chickpeas for everyone!
Lately, it has been really busy. Last week the line of people went out the door and around the block! Since the weather has been nice, tables have been set up outside, and the center was able tp serve more people than usual. I have noticed a pattern of the same people coming each week and it is nice to see that they are beginning to recognize us. In addition to forming relationships with the people at the site, my group of volunteers have also been bonding as we reflect on our unique experiences during service.
I felt our growing relationships with the people of our site especially this past week. Before we left, Ms. Tamika, who manages the meals on Tuesdays, gave each of us a flyer, inviting us to celebrate their annual Thanksgiving Dinner at the Center. This truly made me feel as if we were welcomed and accepted as part of the community that they have here
-Rachel
Lately, it has been really busy. Last week the line of people went out the door and around the block! Since the weather has been nice, tables have been set up outside, and the center was able tp serve more people than usual. I have noticed a pattern of the same people coming each week and it is nice to see that they are beginning to recognize us. In addition to forming relationships with the people at the site, my group of volunteers have also been bonding as we reflect on our unique experiences during service.
I felt our growing relationships with the people of our site especially this past week. Before we left, Ms. Tamika, who manages the meals on Tuesdays, gave each of us a flyer, inviting us to celebrate their annual Thanksgiving Dinner at the Center. This truly made me feel as if we were welcomed and accepted as part of the community that they have here
-Rachel
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
More voting stuff (But probably the last of it)
Yesterday was Election Day, and I of course rocked the vote early on in the day.
After I voted though we went to Inglis House (A wheelchair community down the street from SJU). We went there to help them vote, by pushing them back and forth from their rooms to the voting booths on the first floor.
It's weird, because I had a conversation with one of my friends the night before about mentally disable people and voting. He asked the question of whether or not people that are severely mentally disabled should be able to vote. He thought they should, and so did I because by the nature of the "right to vote", if they're American citizens they should obviously be able to vote.
Saying something like that and then seeing it are two different things. The first person that I transported didn't know whether she wanted to vote or not. After fifteen minutes of transportation we got down to the booths, and we found out that she wasn't even registered to vote. The second man who I transported was severely severely mentally disabled, he couldn't speak and could barely move in his wheelchair. His nurse told me to take him down to vote and after a half hour we finally got to the booth, only to find out that he had already voted earlier in the day...
I just can't picture him having ANY idea about who he was voting for. I understand protecting his rights to vote, but did he really know anything about the election?
Later that night at Project H.O.M.E. was another interesting experience. We did a phone bank and called almost every shelter or transitional home in the city to see if people needed rides to the polling booths. Literally no one needed any help (it was 6:00 PM so many of them had already voted), but still.
I met a guy that night that didn't vote. I asked him who he wanted to win and he said "I guess that Oracka" guy. I understand that he might've been mentally disabled, but it was interesting because I hadn't met anyone yet that didn't know who was running for president.
Well anyway, we have a new president and thank goodness I don't have to worry about it anymore!!
After I voted though we went to Inglis House (A wheelchair community down the street from SJU). We went there to help them vote, by pushing them back and forth from their rooms to the voting booths on the first floor.
It's weird, because I had a conversation with one of my friends the night before about mentally disable people and voting. He asked the question of whether or not people that are severely mentally disabled should be able to vote. He thought they should, and so did I because by the nature of the "right to vote", if they're American citizens they should obviously be able to vote.
Saying something like that and then seeing it are two different things. The first person that I transported didn't know whether she wanted to vote or not. After fifteen minutes of transportation we got down to the booths, and we found out that she wasn't even registered to vote. The second man who I transported was severely severely mentally disabled, he couldn't speak and could barely move in his wheelchair. His nurse told me to take him down to vote and after a half hour we finally got to the booth, only to find out that he had already voted earlier in the day...
I just can't picture him having ANY idea about who he was voting for. I understand protecting his rights to vote, but did he really know anything about the election?
Later that night at Project H.O.M.E. was another interesting experience. We did a phone bank and called almost every shelter or transitional home in the city to see if people needed rides to the polling booths. Literally no one needed any help (it was 6:00 PM so many of them had already voted), but still.
I met a guy that night that didn't vote. I asked him who he wanted to win and he said "I guess that Oracka" guy. I understand that he might've been mentally disabled, but it was interesting because I hadn't met anyone yet that didn't know who was running for president.
Well anyway, we have a new president and thank goodness I don't have to worry about it anymore!!
It's not about BARACKing or MAVRICKing the vote...
After last night's election, it seems that there are still tensions brewing between young democrats and young republicans. Only a half hour after Mr. Barack Obama was elected, Facebook statuses changed with conviction, stating things like "YES WE CAN <3" or "I'M MOVING TO CANADA!" It's obvious that there are people (even among our weekly service ranks) who are either extremely happy about the election or not happy at all about the election.
On my part, I can say that I am happy about the outcome. I think that it's a great change for our country from not only a policy standpoint, but also from a racial standpoint. It is a landmark in American history, and everyone, regardless of party, should view election as such. No matter if one is conservative or democrat, he or she should view this election as something that is bound to bring change in some way or another. Because no matter who was elected, change was going to happen somehow. It's not going to satisfy everyone, but hopefully it will bring everyone to an equal standing somehow. If Mr. Obama has any chance of keeping public favor, he will have to act quickly and definitively to fulfilling his policy. And honestly, I think that he will be able to do so. This is why:
There was an obvious influx of first time voters during this election. Not just recent immigrants; we were a big part of this election. We all gathered around an idea, the idea of democracy, and we decided to act upon it. We all had our own view points of how democracy should be fulfilled, and all of our voices were heard. There was no foul play like in past years; it seems at the outset everybody's voice has been heard. This election should be a symbol for all of us young voters, young people inside of this democratic body: We have the power to change. We have the power to rally around one idea and manipulate it and participate more fully in it. We are the ones with the power.
That being said, let's all just relax for a bit. If we stay divided on this one election without realizing how much it has actually brought us together, then we will never make any sort of progress. We will continue to have a broken country, crying out for something greater to help it. If we ignore the problems in order to focus on partisan politics, then we will have lost this election. We will give up and allow whatever's working in the white house to work without monitor.
So this is my challenge: be a revolutionary. It seems that Obama will listen to what we have to say (he said it in his speech last night), so let's let him hear our voices. If you don't agree with him on something, let him know by organizing and showing him. If you do agree with him, then be in dialogue with those who don't agree with him. UNDERSTAND each other. Work together to figure out differences and if they are irreconcilable, then work from there. Barack Obama CANNOT CHANGE THIS COUNTRY ALONE.
We must be the change we want to see the world. We must be the ones showing where our next president must work. We must be the ones. Because we are a part of this system now it is our Duty to be the change. It is our duty to work together for a more peaceful, loving nation that will in turn effect the world. We must start here.
On my part, I can say that I am happy about the outcome. I think that it's a great change for our country from not only a policy standpoint, but also from a racial standpoint. It is a landmark in American history, and everyone, regardless of party, should view election as such. No matter if one is conservative or democrat, he or she should view this election as something that is bound to bring change in some way or another. Because no matter who was elected, change was going to happen somehow. It's not going to satisfy everyone, but hopefully it will bring everyone to an equal standing somehow. If Mr. Obama has any chance of keeping public favor, he will have to act quickly and definitively to fulfilling his policy. And honestly, I think that he will be able to do so. This is why:
There was an obvious influx of first time voters during this election. Not just recent immigrants; we were a big part of this election. We all gathered around an idea, the idea of democracy, and we decided to act upon it. We all had our own view points of how democracy should be fulfilled, and all of our voices were heard. There was no foul play like in past years; it seems at the outset everybody's voice has been heard. This election should be a symbol for all of us young voters, young people inside of this democratic body: We have the power to change. We have the power to rally around one idea and manipulate it and participate more fully in it. We are the ones with the power.
That being said, let's all just relax for a bit. If we stay divided on this one election without realizing how much it has actually brought us together, then we will never make any sort of progress. We will continue to have a broken country, crying out for something greater to help it. If we ignore the problems in order to focus on partisan politics, then we will have lost this election. We will give up and allow whatever's working in the white house to work without monitor.
So this is my challenge: be a revolutionary. It seems that Obama will listen to what we have to say (he said it in his speech last night), so let's let him hear our voices. If you don't agree with him on something, let him know by organizing and showing him. If you do agree with him, then be in dialogue with those who don't agree with him. UNDERSTAND each other. Work together to figure out differences and if they are irreconcilable, then work from there. Barack Obama CANNOT CHANGE THIS COUNTRY ALONE.
We must be the change we want to see the world. We must be the ones showing where our next president must work. We must be the ones. Because we are a part of this system now it is our Duty to be the change. It is our duty to work together for a more peaceful, loving nation that will in turn effect the world. We must start here.
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