Idealism.

I'm an idealist.

This hit me midway through college, and now that I'm working in a job tailormade for us idealists, its always on my mind. I make nearly all my decisions based on what I think is right. I'm not trying to sound like some self-righteous young guy.  I'm more interested in trying to figure out why I am the way I am.

Granted, I was raised with two pastors in the house and as you might imagine, I had a certain moral code drilled into me as a kid, but now that I'm older and out on my own, I still feel that pull to 'do what is right'. 

One of my coworkers mentioned to me today that I seem to be focused entirely on my work and that I need to chill.  For those of you who know me, have I ever come across as a crusader or sorts?  Anyway, it hit me as odd and I'm just curious what you all think.

Be Real.

I've had some free time in the office in the past few days just to think about how our online interactions affect both ourselves and others.  If you're familiar with this blog, then you know that I wrote a paper regarding online societies.  If you haven't read that, I certainly encourage you to check it out.

Anyway,  I have come to the idea that no matter who we are are what we think of ourselves, we are all schizophrenic. When we are at home, we act differently than at work or at church. When we're online, we have the freedom to be as nasty and rude as we want, hiding behind a screen name or an avatar image.

Is it any wonder that 50% of marriages fail and that people seem less close when we are all living behind a web of false truths?  We create a character and take on that persona every day depending on the situation.  In essence, are we showing people who we really are, or are we merely pretending that we're one way when in reality we are not?

A Sarcastic Heartfelt Apology

Well folks,

I'm still here.

It has been far too many weeks since I posted on this blog, and as I have committed to two full years of blogging, I feel that I could legitimately be called a failure up to this point.  The lack of regular posts is not for a loss of interest, however.  I am moving and starting a new job!

In just over a week, I will be flying to Chicago for a few days and then out to Des Moines, Iowa for a year of service with Americorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America).  This is a huge change for me, but one that is honestly for the best.  I have quit my two part-time jobs that I hated and am replacing them with a full-time job that I will hopefully love!

I will be working as a Community Relations Liaison for Central Iowa Shelter and Services as a part of their Veterans Outreach Project. This project works with homeless veterans in Iowa to get back on their feet and into school or jobs and with the ultimate goal of making them self-sufficient again.  My part in this will be to act as the public face of the program as well as work to create a brand new coalition of hopefully 40 nonprofit groups in Iowa as well as the state government.  This is a great gateway job for me to get into the type of work that I can see myself doing long term, and it gives me the chance to change some lives as well.

That said, I don't imagine that my posting will have such a large lapse again, and you can certainly expect to see some postings regarding my job here over the next year as well as the random sociological ramblings that you've come to know and love.

InSoc is here to stay!

I(squared)WP - Abortion

(Ignore the fact that it has been a while and let's get into it.)

Tis the season of Presidential elections, and with debates happening on stages with candidates and with average Joes on the street, I think we all have some small part of us that likes to imagine what we would do if we ever made to the highest office in the land.  The one that's an oval.

In this spirit of lofty dreams, I submit to you how I (as President), would address the hot button issue of abortion.  This series will be sporadic, but I've labeled it 'I(squared)WP'.  Translation: If I Were President.

And we're off!
(I will be writing this as a Presidential candidate explaining my position and my plan)

ABORTION

Abortion is a big issue.  Should we allow it, should we ban it? Under what circumstances is abortion okay or not okay?  It is a moral and political wasteland that divides our nation and fuels the fires of political radicalism all across America.  I think that instead of arguing on a federal level whether or not abortion is acceptable, we as a nation should go to a smaller level of debate: the states.

I am a Christian.  I live my life following the ideals and tenets set down by God in the Scriptures.  My faith informs and guides me every day, and I can't ignore my beliefs when it comes to the issue of abortion.  It is my personal belief as follower of Christ that abortion is wrong.  Listen to that again: I believe that abortion is wrong.  However, as the leader of a nation of many faiths, it would be inappropriate of me to force the ideals of one religion on the followers of another.

It seems strange to me that sitting in my office in Washington, I have the power to determine whether people in Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, and thousands of other places can or cannot have abortions.  Why do my beliefs find themselves in power over so many?

I believe that the ultimate decision over the legality of abortion should rest with the states.  Every state should have the chance to decide for itself whether abortion is acceptable or whether it is not.  Do you want your state to outlaw abortion? Write to your state representative. Write to your state senator. Write to your governor.  Tell them how you feel.  Then, when it comes to a vote, make sure that your voice is heard.  If your state decides to outlaw abortion, then it is outlawed.  If your state decides to uphold a woman's right to choose to have an abortion, the abortion is legal. The ruling of your state will reflect the opinion of the majority of the population.  However, if you are on the other side, you won't be pushed under the rug.

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Let me give an example:

If Pennsylvania votes to outlaw abortion under any circumstance and you live in PA, then you won't be able to have an abortion in Pennsylvania. However, if you still want to have the procedure, feel free to cross the border into a pro-choice state.  If New York legalizes abortions by popular vote, then have your abortion there and come back home to PA with a clear conscience that you broke no laws.  If you receive any form of retribution from the state or your employer for having an abortion, the federal Justice Department and the President of the United States will support you.

If you live in Pennsylvania and discover that a doctor is performing abortions, alert the legal authorities.  That doctor will face legal action for performing illegal medical procedures, and again, the federal Justice Department and the President of the United States will uphold the anti-abortion laws of the state.
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A state should have the right to govern its people, but only at the permission of the people to do so.  However, the federal government will still be there to ensure that every American's individual rights are upheld, whatever they may believe.

I want to be the President of all Americans, not just those who voted for me.  A good leader cannot lower his head and charge forward with his agenda without considering the other points of view.  America is your country and mine.  Live according to your beliefs, be they liberal or conservative, and the federal government will protect your right to do so.

Personal Update and Thoughts on Tyler Durden

I've committed myself to a life of service.  This isn't a new commitment, and if you know me at all, you know that I have a passion for many things, including politics, international diplomacy, and living my life as close as I can to Jesus' example.

That said, there's a good chance that I'll be moving in the next month or so in order to follow an amazing opportunity in Iowa.  Lord willing, this won't have any impact on this blog (fingers crossed).  There have been some good chats here, and I don't want that to stop.  If I end up moving, you can expect to see my posts lean towards issues of poverty and homelessness in America, as that will be taking up a good portion of my time.

Now, to this week's thought:

It wouldn't be unreasonable to accuse me of following in the footsteps of Tyler Durden, but what do you think would happen if we simply got rid of everything we owned?  With the exception of my computer and a few items of clothing, I may end up doing just that in the event that I move.  Honestly, while I know that materialism isn't the best thing in the world, I find myself slightly anxious that I'll have to leave so much behind. So many memories, so many investments, so much time spent collecting.  Maybe Durden was right; it isn't until you lose everything that you are free to do anything.

So, while I'm working on this idea about corporate states, I'm also thinking a lot about politics.  Since I'm very interested in politics, and like most people, I'm tired of the polarized thinking in Washington and throughout the States.  What if someone ran for office who was a sort of 'antipolitician'.

Here's the ticket he would run on:

 I will make no promises. I will do what I and my advisers believe is best for the nation. If that means sacrificing the comfort of the few for the good of the many, then so be it.  I'm not perfect, and there are mistakes that I have made and will make.  I'm here to do work for everyone. To the people who vote for me, thanks. You've made it possible for me to try to set the nation back on track. To those who don't vote for me, I hope that you'll still work with me to do the right thing.

I am who I am and I won't apologize for my convictions nor change them in order to secure more votes.

Starting the Discussion

This post is a quick announcement post letting you all know that I'm doing some research before I start up the next little series of posts.  To get your mind juices flowing, I'll give you a brief 'teaser' paragraph. Think of it as a movie trailer for the next few weeks of posts.

What if companies acted as governments?  I'm not talking about lobbying or bribing, I mean direct control.  Sierra Leone's operating budget is somewhere around 340 million USD. Walmart's is well over 25 billion USD, according to their sales report last year.  What would happen if Walmart took over control of the governance of Sierra Leone, moving all manufacturing there instead of to China and India?  I posit that if Walmart was given this opportunity, Sierra Leone would become the richest nation in the region within 50 years, if not sooner.

Let the discussion begin!