Do we still have a Vice President?

Just wondering, I haven't heard a peep about him or seen his mug for a long time.

Gideon's Trumpet / Human Rights

If MLK day has you thinking about those who have been instrumental in preserving basic human rights AND you are looking for a 'classic' film to watch, try "Gideon's Trumpet" This one might just remind you to thank those that also stood up and made change, but had much quieter voices.

Henry Fonda's 1980 portrayal of Clarence Gideon became the voice loud enough to take his story from complex law journals to reach the mainstream.

In a nutshell, Gideon asked the Supreme Court to allow for rights under the 6th Amendment previously denied allowing full protection of rights every citizen was guaranteed and deserved.

Read about the film: HERE

In light of recent goings on in the media

I really respect Tupac Shakur aka 2Pac if you didn't know.:: gone for over a decade and the man's words still apply to things going on today.
a man in the midst of the gangsta and ghetto mentality, trying to make a change for not just his own people, but all of us.

I'm offended. I'm a woman for one. Secondly, I've struggled and overcome poverty and hardship to put myself through college. I can't see the reason to judge someone for the color of their skin, nap of their hair, or whatever genetilia the fathering sperm of a child decided for him/her to develop into.

I also understand that as long as people are contributing to the image; ex: rappers degrading their own people, and worse, their sisters, mothers and daughters, we will never be free from bigotry. People that are bigots think they can say anything racist or sexist they like and use the excuse "but their own people did it first in rap music" to hide behind others so noone will see the shame of their actions.

As Tupac cites, we have to ask a people, not as minorities, women, or otherwise non-alpha folks build strength within ourselves by saying enough is enough. I won't participate. I won't accept.

Read these lyrics and think about the message. Apply it to yourself in your daily interactions. Nothing changes if we all stay the same, so I urge each one of us to put forth the effort. And if some of you still think rap is degrading or meaningless, you're hopelessly lost in the world of generalizing.

Political Philosophy: On the current immigration issues

Things that are effortless are the best things in life.

Last night, a wise Native American man plead to a group of people to welcome our brothers and sisters from Canada, Mexico, Panama, and the like as such, our brothers and sisters. he went on to explain that had it not been for events such as the yielding of California to the Union and Texas at the Alamo, the people we know as Navajo, Yuki, Mohave, Apache and many others would simply be Mexicans today. The borders are artificial borders and our people (the Natives) span two hemispheres.

His intention was not to make a political statement, yet his words were so strong in light of the current situation. I have been moved by the words lately of so many Native Americans being so pro-immigrant. Somehow it seems absurd to them that the descendants of immigrants (the white man) claim so much that this land cannot welcome it's native brothers and sisters from a mile or an inch past an artificial line.

If it is solely about being illegal or respecting the laws, I ask you to consider this: In the words of Red Wolf, "Everyone is ignoring that these people, because of their status try ferverently to obey the law and pay taxes. Their only crime is to not YET have legal residency. Aside from that they generally obey all of the laws for fear of being caught. I ask you then, to tell me that you, as a citizen, have never done something illegal? You'd be hard pressed to find me a person who has never cheated on his taxes. You are no different than the one without papers who pays his taxes."

One of the founding fathers of our modern political philosophy (aside from Hobbes and a sprinkle of others) was John Locke. Influencing our Constitution, Democratic structure, and essentially everything we know as law and politics in the United States, John Locke is rightfully one of the most respected political philosophers. Why then does our greed for land ignore one of the mainstays of his views on property? He said in his Two Treatises ~2.27, one must leave enough and as good for others (the sufficiency restriction) when staking claims on property. To embrace these ideals when it benefits us and ignore them when it comes time to benefit others is absurd and hypocritical. In a world where population overgrowth has made this simple concept unobtainable, how can we rectify this? Ought it not be to share the land with our own people?

A friend said to me last night that it is time that someone takes a stand against Nationalism in the same way that people such as MLK took a stand against Racism. I said to say that with passion and not act is the hinderance to change.