This a re-post of a blog originally appearing as a post on my official site on June 16th. Partially inspired by the infamous "Who is Barack Obama?" chain letter, I thought some of you may enjoy it. There's also a section covering some of my personal views on several hot-button issues, so you'll get to know me a little better.
6.16.2008 "Patriotic" Propaganda and the Ignorance of America...
Last night I was checking my email when one arrived from a cousin of mine. "Maxine" was the title, and the contents were just enough to prompt a response.
I get a lot of the "forwards", the "chain emails", etc. I've always hated them, and usually just delete them without opening. For the most part it's not the contents of said emails that bugs me (I usually just don't care), but the fact that the senders usually forget a little something called the"BCC" - Blind Carbon Copy. Due to that little error, my email ends up publicly displayed to an onslaught of recipients that I don't even know. Factor in a few of them with trojans or spyware on their machines, and the next thing I know there's a few thousand more unsolicted "Spam" emails heading straight to my inbox.
I should've known better than to open the email last evening, but coming from a cousin - I did. The first thing that caught me was that she did indeed omit the use of BCC, and in scrolling though it realized that several prior senders had done the same. I now had email addresses for a couple hundred people that I didn't know. In turn, they had mine. That irritation aside, the email itself was the latest in a long line of what I like to call "Rah Rah Patriotic Bullshit."
Around six months ago, in the midst of planning a family reunion (which actually takes place next weekend) a cousin-by-marriage of mine managed to forward a copy of the now-famous "Who is Barack Obama?" email to all members of the extended family and beyond. If you haven't seen it for yourself, it's the one that rants about Obama being "a Muslim" and questions whether someone bearing the middlename "Hussein" should be our next President. Snopes.com did an excellent piece that debunks it in full. Regardless, the individuals that forward such a message (cousin included) are the prime examples of what's wrong with this Country.
That email prompted another cousin of mine to send a reply to the entire list of recipients. A former member of the United States Army, and having served around the Globe as a Military Police Officer in war-torn regions including Iraq and Afghanistan - he took offense not to the blatant attacks on Obama himself - but to the underlying message of hatred to those who are not American, White, Christians (I'll get into that later). His lengthy retort sent shockwaves through the family, for no reason other than the inability to acknowledge their own ignorance. His response eloquently described his experience discovering other cultures abroad, and learning to respect his fellow man regardless of their differences. Within a short period of time (and a few angry response later), my Christian-raised cousin announced that he and his Jewish wife and child would not be attending the reunion.
The email tonight was supposed to be a "Support our Troops" type of affair, but the message was diluted by childish jabs at our neighbors to the south. I have no problems with "supporting" our troops - but I refuse to do it at the expense of someone else. While I chose to write this blog, my sister surprisingly took it upon herself to send a retort covering much of the same material. It should be interesting to see how much hatred is sent back in her direction. Q: If members of the same (very large) extended family cannot get along, how can we expect Nations to peacefully co-exist? A: We can't. Peaceful co-existence will never be 100% possible. Human Beings are animals by nature - albeit evolved (some would dispute that as well), and have primal instincts that can only be supressed so much. Many forget that The United States of America is a Nation that was born with blood on it's hands. A simple history lesson would do wonders for some people but here are a couple cold, hard, facts.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. The email tonight specifically targeted "illegal border-jumping Mexicans" in it's text, further stating that they should not be allowed into our country - nor provided the same rights as their "American" counterparts.
But what makes an American? For me, a true American is one who is born on American soil. I am an American of German descent - but I would never call myself a "German", nor a "German-American." I was born in Chicago Heights, Illinois. I am an American. Once again, I have relatives that commonly refer to themselves as "German, but have never stepped foot on German soil. I'd like to challenge them to visit Germany and proclaim themselves "German." I'm sure the folks living their would find at least a little amusement in the claims of the "stupid American."
We were all spawned from people that were at one time immigrants. Legal or otherwise, unless you're a Native American - your ancestry can be traced to a location somewhere else on the Globe. As for the hatred spewed forth toward those "illegal immigrants" and their children? I've got news for you - If those kids were born on American soil - they are 100% American. If you'd like to dispute that, I'd like to direct you to the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution:
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
Granted, there is a process to achieve "Citizen" Status - and those that wish to live here should take the steps to make that happen - but sometimes the "proper" option isn't an option at the time. For some, fleeing into a foreign land is the immediate response to a life of despair. Who are we to close our borders to immigrants, when our Nation was born of them? Instead we immediately raise a call to arms to defend our land from outsiders - much like the Native Americans whose land was stolen from them and turned into the "United States" by our White, Christian, ancestors. President Thomas Jefferson once said that the "Indians" could stay living amongst the colonies if they would become "civilized." In those days that meant speaking English and adopting Christianity.
And we wonder why people still say things like that? There is no official religion or language in the United States of America.
I could go on for days about my thoughts and feelings on the "State of the Union" but I won't. What I will do is leave you with a few bulletpoints on some issues that always come up and where I stand.
And with that, I'll close this one out. Just remember next time you're at Wal-mart picking up the latest Toby Keith CD and admiring that rack of $9.99 "American Flag" t-shirts that there's likely a child somewhere in China, Tawain, Cambodia, India, Pakistan, or some other "foreign" land making those shirts for about .07 a day so that you can proudly display just how "free" you are. Remember that we all have roots outside America - and that all people deserve to be treated with respect - even when their thoughts and beliefs differ from that of your own. Remember that your definition of "right" is another man's "wrong". Remember that generations of Hatred and Fear-mongering can only lead to more of it. It's up to all of us to change that. If we don't start to make things better on our own - who will? And the next time you get one of those forwarded "chain emails?" Think before you click.
Onward,
James
http://www.jameszahn.com
http://www.myspace.com/jameszahn
All kinds of events are coming to pass, that lead humanity to a new age.
One of those things, a Presidential candidate, is bringing inspiration and hope, to all citizens of this country, from all walks of life.
Barack Obama is what this country needs in a leader.
Barack Obama has displayed over and over again his adaptability to virtually any situation.
Challenges raised against him seem like stretches at best, they seem to come from desperation that I feel lies in ulterior motives rather than challenging that specific quality on its' merit.
Barack Obama isn't competing with any other candidates, he is just showing the masses the choice they were looking for all along.
Barack Obama is the choice the people would have made already if they only knew it was there.
The people of this country will not wait until Barack Obama is officially sworn in to make him our President.
Barack Obama is my President, I follow him already, over any other, and I know, I am not alone.
Maybe there is risk, but there always is, with the feelings and beliefs imbued in a nation from such a hero as Barack Obama we can overcome any strife, turmoil, disaster or otherwise.
Barack Obama is a President for the People, of the People, by the People.
As a senator, he has served his fellow human in exemplary fashion, his community, his state, and his country.
Let us expand his noble influence, to all our peoples and lands, that we may unite as a human race, to take on the future, as a whole.
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In 1844 Henry Clay asked "who is James K. Polk" today no one asks who is Barack Obama as everybody from Washingstone DC to the most interior part of Tanzania, UK, Finland, Asia and Zimbabwe knows who is Barack Obama.
I remarked infront of some Professors one day "If we would have one world government, I think Obama could still have the better chance of been that world government." suprisingly they all said am very right Obama is the best.
For people who want to know if Barack Obama has what it takes to be a great leader.
With thanks toJohn C. Maxwell's The 21 Irrefutable Rules of LeadershipCharacter
A piece of the rock
How a leader deals with the circumstances of life tells you many things about his character. Adversity is a crossroads that makes a person choose one of the two paths: character or compromise.
Charisma
The first impression can seal the deal
"Most people think of charisma as something mystical, almost undefinable. Q "How can you have charisma? A. Be more concerned about making others feel good about themselves than you are making them feel good about you." John C. Maxwell
Commitment
It separates doers from dreamers
"If you want to be an effective leader, you have to be committed. True commitment inspires and attracts people. It shows them that you have conviction. They will believe in you only if you believe in your cause." John C. Maxwell
Communication
Without it you travel alone
"Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary."Margaret Cousins
Competence
If you build it it will come.
Competence goes beyond words. It's the leader's ability to say it, plan it, and tdo t in such a way that others know that you know how--and know that they want to follow you."Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives."-- Willa A. Foster
Courage
One person with courage is a majority
"Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human quality ... because it is the quality quality which guarantees all the others. - Winston Churchill
Discernment
Put on end to unsolved mysteries. Discernment can be d escribed as the ability to find the root of the matter, and it relies on intuition as well as rational thought."Discernment is God's call to intercession, never to faultfinding."Corrie Ten Boom
Focus
The sharper it is, the sharper you are. Buddah
"All that we are is the result of what we have thought." Buddha GenerosityYour candle loses nothing when it lights another."No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave." - Calvin Coolidge
Initiative
You won't leave home without it
"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit. "Listening
To connect with their hearts, use your ears.
The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people. Woodrow Wilson
Passion
Take this life and love itWe are caught up at a particular stage in our national ethos in which we're not only materialistic but worse than that; we're becoming emotionally dead as people. We don't sing, we don't dance, we don't even commit sin with much enthusiasm." -Tony Cam poloPositive Attitude"If you believe you can, you canThe successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." - David BrinkleyProblem SolvingYou can't let your problems be a problem"The majority see the obstacles; the few see the objectives; history records the successes of the latter, while oblivion is the reward of the former." AA MontapertRelationshipsIf you get along, they'll go alongThe most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people. - Theodore RooseveltResponsibilityIf you won't carry the ball, when you can't lead the team"It is priceless to find a person who will take responsibility, who will finish and follow through to the final detail- to know when somehone has accepted an assignment that it will be effectively, conscientiously completed." Richard L. EvansSecurityCompetence never compensates for insecurity"No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it." - Andrew Carnegie,Self-DisciplineThe first person you lead is youThe first and best victory is to conquer self - Plato"Almost all our faults are more pardonable than the methods we think up to hide them" RochefoucauldServanthoodTo get ahead, put others first"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: The ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve." Albert SchweitzerTeachabilityTo keep leading, keep learning"As long as you're green, you're grwong. As soon as you're ripe, you start to rot." Ray CrocVisionYou can seize only what you can see"The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious." - John Sculley
