The Declaration of Independence: Historic or Whiny?

There's substantial argument that the Declaration of Independence is the most repeated document to ever bless the United States.  Classrooms across the country are filled with grade schoolers memorizing the thing, and to what end?  To understand our independent streak?  To fill them with patriotism that the Founding Fathers stood up for this fledgling country?  To instill within them all the pride of knowing the most "American" document?  Well, I tend to disagree.

I don't see the Declaration of Independence as a document that defines "Americans".  It was written by rich, white men.  If you were to take a look at our country and our government, you would find that that "America" no longer exists (though there is definitely room for an argument saying it does). 

I look at the document as yeah, laying out some great things.  Every man is created equal (how are we doing on that?), that we are all endowed with certain unalienable rights (which are what, because going back to the whole "equal" thing I think there would be some discrepancies), and that we're all allowed to pursue our happiness and whatnot, and that any government that impedes that MUST be overthrown.

Well.  I don't know about you, but it looks like I have a government to overthrow.

I could mention a number of things.  I could mention the fact I'm not allowed to adopt in some states, marry in most, and not pursue a career in the military.  "Americans" years upon years before me were slighted by this Declaration, this most "American" document.  

Why do I feel like despite the patriotism I should feel from this document, I feel nothing but a sense that this is really nothing more than self-serving bitch-fest for men who were well-off and didn't like seeing their money taken away (despite being ever so graciously being defended by the British in a little tussle known as the French-Indian War).  

If this document truly held relevance to the present, I think there would be more people referencing it as a reason things need to get done around here. 

But I won't hold my breath.

Inventory

Clothes
Desk
Futon
Chair
Ottoman
Bed
Kleenex
Cords
Laptop
Pens
Pencils
Food
Sheets
Pillows
"Survival-kit"
Shoes
Flip-flops
Eye-glasses
Plates
Glasses
Mug
Silverware
Hygienic products
Refrigerator
Table
DVDs
PS3
Videogames
TV
Antennae
Pumpkins
Telephone
Lamp
CDs
Books
Binders
Notebooks
Looseleaf
Alarm clock
Blankets
Trash can
Laundry bag
Luggage
Fan
Towels
Poster
iPod
Pictures
Flag
Cards
Keychains

Wear purple: Support a great cause and look good at the same time!

I am wearing purple today.  It's not really a fashion statement (though in all fairness it's a fantastic color and should be worn more.  Come on boys, get out of you comfort zone!) but at the same time, it is.  I'm trying to make a statement about our country, about our society, about how we view others and how we treat them.

The past month and a half has been full of tragedy.  Six GLBT youth have committed suicide due to homophobic bullying, and anyone who doesn't recognize this as a problem is sorely mistaken.  Things need to change, and quickly.  Studies show that GLBT youth are more than three times as likely to commit suicide (Suicide and the GLBT Community) as their straight peers.

What is this due to?  In my opinion, lack of interference into anti-gay bullying and the lack of education students are getting about homosexuality.  Too much of people's knowledge comes from biased sources and bigoted organizations and people.

For a country founded upon acceptance and freedom, we fair poorly when it comes to accepting homosexuality into our community.  The arguments against those of us who identify as GLBT are insensitive and incorrect. That is why the GLBT community and its allies need to stand up and set the record straight (so to speak).

I urge you all to wear purple.  If not for yourself, for the many members of the GLBT community, especially the youth, who face discrimination every day.  Policies and politics are changing, and things are looking better.  Let's do all we can to push for the rights and acceptance we all deserve.

Someone has to do it, and why not you?

Pocahontas: Europeanized for Her Own Good?

While looking through paintings and portraits of Pocahontas today in class, I tried to put myself in her position.  Why, I don't know.  I can't say most teenage boys would try and put themselves in the situation of a teenage Native American princess, but then again I'm not most teenage boys.  Anyways, what I discovered after doing was that, well, it sucked.

Can you imagine being taken from everything and everyone you know and being forced to marry some old, bearded man and then go to his country where a culture and language so different than your own dominates?  It would be frightening and difficult.  I cannot imagine doing it all.

The different ways she was portrayed speaks volumes about how people used her image to get across their own views of her.  In her portrait, her only portrait, the common idea of her as a young, beautiful princess is completely trashed.  She looks almost scary in her classic English garb, and definitely a bit older than a teenager.  That English air certainly wasn't doing her any favors.

Put it in. . .neutral?

"Haven't you ever noticed that when you want to go forward you put it (car) in D and when you go in reverse you put it in R. . .That's not a coincidence, folks"- President Barack Obama, speaking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus on Tuesday, September 28, 2010.

I was insanely jealous when my friends attending UW-Madison were able to see President Obama for free in the Library Mall.  He's already iconic, and though many, including myself, are not fans of his policies nor of some of his actions, the fact that he is, well, President of the United States is kind of a big deal.  Naturally my friends were ecstatic, and it's no surprise that he chose a campus such as Madison to go to.  With Democrats on the chopping block across the country and the House likely to fall into the hands of the Republicans, it makes sense to go to the base of the Democratic party: college campuses.  And he chose an appropriate one in the liberal bastion that is Madison.

Madison is as blue as they come, and a good choice for Obama to kick off his tour of college campuses in preparation for the mid-term election in November.  There is evidence that young voters, though still in generally in support of Democrats, are, ever so slightly, shifting to the right.

It's been shown in many polls that young voters are slowly but surely leaving the Democratic party.  They still receive the majority of young voter's support (54% according to a Pew Research Poll) but since 2008 the Democrats have been losing support dramatically.

Perhaps surprisingly, the big issue with young voters is the economy.  As college students, we realize that our education comes with a price.  We realize that each class we miss is money down the drain (a little over a hundred dollars here at St. Olaf).  Some of us are coming out of here with debt, thousands of dollars worth of it.  And it's a scary thought that when we're all done we won't have anywhere to go, and instead be shouldering an amount of money that, at the time, would seem impossible to get rid of.

Whether or not Democrats or Republicans can better handle the struggles that face our country is something I'm not sure about.  I know which way I'm voting this November, and I have faith that the party that will be receiving my votes.  Young voters have the power to decide an election.  This is our future now.

Article I got my information from: Democrats Bleeding Young Voters, But They're Still Liberal

Trail-Blazer

I was struck by something in particular while reading my articles on Anne Hutchinson.  Both stated her leadership in prayer groups.  Her personal group including sixty members, both male and female, and included some political heavy-weights, including Henry Vale, a former governor.  This was a time when a woman's voice and opinion were hardly heard, nor wanted.  But Anne Hutchinson made sure she was heard, and people, for some time, wanted to hear what she had to say.

There's talk of how woman aren't involved much in government.  This is true.  Ours is still a society where the a man, typically white, makes the decisions.  We're working on bringing women and minorities into the mix, but it's a long, tricky process.

Anne Hutchinson was a trail-blazer.  Though she was excommunicated and banished, her contributions to society were eventually recognized.  Not enough women look to her as a role model.  I don't think many truly understand the sacrifices she made to be heard.  If they did, I think more women would be making strides in leadership positions, and acknowledging her for inspiration and guidance.

Short and Sweet?

While reading the Mayflower Compact, I came to a surprising conclusion; it's short.  As historical, defining documents go, this one was kind of a let-down.  Where were the big declarations?  Where were the lists of tyrannical deeds?  Where was. . .well, the interesting stuff?

This isn't supposed to be a slam to the Puritans.  On the other hand, I applaud their ability to be so concise. The Mayflower Compact was a simple, straight-forward document.  Excellent.  Who doesn't love that?  It makes for quick, easy reading and doesn't allow for much to argue about.  It says what's going to happen, and well, that's it.  I have a feeling this document would never fly in a modern day society.

That goes without saying.  Obviously we've evolved as a lawful society, going from the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution, but I can't help but wonder how the heck did they do it?  The Mayflower Compact was THE law of the land.  How did that work?  It was vague and in all truth, hardly a document that established law of any kind.

Puritans were strong people.  They were followers of Christian ideals and values.  Does that mean they got a long better?  Meh, maybe.  It makes sense that a group of people who all share a set of beliefs and follow them strictly would be able to function in a society well.  In a society like ours, it would be impossible to live by such a meager document.

The America of today isn't just made up of Christians.  It isn't just made up of English immigrants.  We're a big jumbled mess of every creed, color, and religion.  But we've got enough laws to make it all work, right?  Our does it all just hinder a greater sense of cohesion and togetherness?

Dream, Act

I've been thinking a lot about dreams lately.  The notion that everyone here is living a dream.  We're all in college. . .finally. . .and it's something we've been dreaming about for years.  But in reading James Cullen's "The American Dream" I realized that even though we're experiencing our dreams in the same place, we have very different ideas of what's going to be in them and where they're going.  "The problem with pursuing dreams, even shared ones, is that not everyone seems them in quite the same ways."

College is a dream.  All of us at St. Olaf are incredibly lucky to have the ability to be here pursuing higher education.  Lots of kids our age don't get this opportunity.  And yet despite the fact that we are all here, I have no doubt that we all have different hopes on how our experiences will go for us.

We all have our sights set on different majors, different concentrations, different co-curriculars, different futures, different lives.  To refer to my first post about the "American" Dream, everyone's is different.  And we're all going to pursue ours in different ways.  Some of us are going to treat our time here as incredibly valuable, dedicating every fiber of our being and every second of our time to succeeding and getting good grades.  Some will treat it as a relatively relaxed event, cruising by with a relaxed, I'll-do-it-tomorrow attitude.  Whatever your path, I hope you get to the end of it feeling happy, fulfilled, and with a diploma in your hand.

This dream isn't your first, and it isn't your last.  But if you keep up with life, set your goals for yourself, and and have fun along the way, your life might just turn into smooth transition between dreams.  And with that cheesy yet fuzzy line, I'll leave it there.

Up from here?

I guess it's no secret that Americans have a bad habit of glorifying the past, especially when it comes to expansionism and Manifest Destiny.  "To the West!" was the common mantra, and what's not to like about the West?  It's a gorgeous stretch of land in all honesty and have you seen California?  That alone was worth the trickery, destruction, and death we brought with us, right?  Ah. . .well, maybe not.  But California IS beautiful.

It's safe to say our country wouldn't be the same if it wasn't for all that expanding we did.  Actually, it's more than safe.  It's a fact.  However, I believe our imperialistic, Manifest Destiny is craze is long gone.  We're an established country now, complete with 50 states, creatively named streets connecting the continental United States (highways with numbers? How genius!) and a number of fast food chains sprinkled throughout for good measure.  Any more expanding and the unhealthy to healthy eating ratio might go haywire.

While I was reading Alicia Ostriker's "The History of America" I couldn't but feel like she was a little bitter about all of the expanding we did and the negatives that happened because of it.  I want to sympathize.  I really do.  And I believe we need to always keep in mind our country's mistakes as to not make them again, but come on.  This is just whiny.  And to reduce our countrymen to "its"?  Woahkay, that's low Ostriker.  Show a little respect.

It seems to me that one some of these people aim to make a statement they go too far.  And Ostriker did. We must recognize the problems and she did for the most part, but in a respectful way.  Human-kind is not the cankerous sore upon the Earth she thinks it is.  Not for all the good I see coming out of us.  I have faith, good faith, in what we are all capable of.

Let's go out and prove her wrong.

Where'd you come from?

A few days ago in my American Politics class, we were discussing an essay by the Frenchman Alexis De Tocqueville entitled "Democracy in America".  He stated that America was the only country that was young enough to see exactly where it came from, and by being able to see this, one could also find out where it's going.  Which made me think.  Can we just look at each other, find out where we came from, and suddenly know where we are all going?

I feel it's a loaded question, "Where'd you come from?"  The witty ones may reply "It's a dirty story, you really want me to get into it?"  in which case my answer would be "No, I'd rather you wouldn't."  But in all seriousness, would asking such a thing be useful tool in finding out more about our futures?

And what exactly are the key facts that matter in this?  Does it matter what city I came from?  Or perhaps my state?  Maybe it was the time I was born, or the date.  Many people set store by the Zodiac or by astrology.  My astrological sign is Scorpio, and I find reading up on that stuff fun.  My daily horoscope is as follows:  Tonight is a good time to complete ongoing projects--cleaning, mending, sorting through clothes, cooking, etc.  By etc. I'm sure the great astrology gods mean blog entries as well.

Personally, this "Where you'd come from?" question is a lot more than that.  It's about the diversity of the area in which you grew up, the influence of your parents, what you have been exposed to, what you have experienced.  For the sake of not getting into some sociological-economical explanation here I think De Tocqueville was talking about how America was brought about, under what principles and values.  However, I don't think it's easy as that.  I don't think I can look at the Founding Fathers, the Constitution, or the Declaration of Independence and know where we are going as a country.

I, like everyone else, can just hope it's somewhere good.

Variations of a Common Dream

Sometimes it can be easy to forget just how inter-connected we are all.  For some, being "American" doesn't satisfy the requirements they themselves deem necessary for kin-ship.  Too many other factors come into play, including race, religion, sexual orientation, wealth, intelligence, etc.  We used to be a nation united around one dream.  The "American" Dream.  It's meant different things throughout the years. For settlers, it meant freedom of religion.  For some it's meant social change.  For others, it's meant grabbing a big heap of cash and holding onto it until they day they die.  All worthy explanations for this "American" Dream in their own little ways.  All worthy of being mentioned.

I was originally caught off guard while I was reading Cullen's introduction in "The American Dream" and came across this sentence: "Beyond such considerations, a reckoning with the Dream also involves acknowledging another important reality:  that beyond an abstract belief, in possibility, there is no one American Dream".

Wait a second.  Pump your breaks, Cullen.  What do you mean, more than one "American" Dream?  I was stunned, bewildered, utterly mystified.  I have been taught countless times in my social studies and history classes that the "American" Dream is "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness".  Simple, broad, covered everything.  But then I caught myself.  That's just it: it covers everything.

I've finally come to the realization as I sit in the library that my dream is different from the girl sitting next to me or the guy behind me.  My "American" Dream doesn't involve the stereotypical white picket fence, 2.3 kids, a nice golden retriever, and my gorgeous all-American wife baking a pie for my future enjoyment after I come home from a hard day at the office.  Sure it may be some people's, but not mine.

My "American" Dream involves marriage, sure, but to a wonderful man.  In any state I please.  Iowa, though certainly a wonderful state, doesn't fit the bill for the exotic wedding I'd like to have.  My dream involves three kids, two boys and a girl.  I'd like a german shepherd.  Correction, I NEED a german shepherd.  I want a job I'm happy in.  A nice check at the end of the week would be nice, but wealth is something that comes in many different forms.  It would just be nice to have a little cushion when I retire early, because that's part of my dream too.

Maybe you've noticed by now that every time I've said "American" Dream I've put those handy little quotation marks around the word "American".  There I go again.  Anyways, I'm starting to think I'm not really sure what it means to be "American".  My "American" is different than yours.  Is that a bad thing? Nope.  Is it a good thing?  Well, diversity is always good.  It makes things interesting.