quote of the day...

Rick Sanchez, CNN News Anchor

"What's wrong with a white guy doing social commentary on another race? On the one hand, he's brave enough to do it, on the other hand, he's trying to be real honest about it. Its meant to be a compliment, but its not. Every African American I've talked to since this (and my, have I gotten a bevy of phone calls) inside and outside the business - people are actually offended. They call this a suttle type of racism. Not the "hit you over the head with a hammer" type, its the velvet glove type."

-on Bill O'Reilly's comment below, after visiting a Harlem restaurant with Al Sharpton

"I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship." He later went on to add "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea."

on the human level... (family)

Family
What is family? The idea of family is not something that is put on the human level. We should, though. What do I owe you because you are my related to me? Who says that I have to be loyal and unconditionally loving just because we happen to share the same blood line? Why do people pressure you to keep family ties so close? On the human level, I don't owe anyone anything. If you are an important person in my life, that is because you have worked hard to get here. It is because you have done something for me, human to human. You have been there for me when I needed you. I have done the same. You have been the one to catch me when I fall. You have greatly benefited my life by being in it. And I appreciate you for that. But when someone treats you like crap, abuses you and puts you through hell, and then expects you to love them and cherish them because they are related to you - I call bullshit! On the human level, I don't owe you anything! You are not important to me because you have scarred me. I have this rule, that when friends scar me, and I can't seem to find a reason to keep them around - I don't. I can find new friends! There is no use keeping people around that are only going to bring you down. So why can't the same rule apply to family? Why can't I tell my mom and step-dad to fuck off because they practically ruined my life? Why should I keep them around when friends I have cut off have done way less to hurt me? So I didn't. As an example to the world, that putting things on the human level is possible - I cut off my parents. Now don't be afraid to do the same for those that have caused you monstrous amounts of pain.

on the human level... (inmates)

Inmates
What are inmates? They are humans. What are criminals? Homo Sapiens just like you and me. There is an unimaginable amount of inmates locked up in our prisons across the country. Yes, they may have committed a crime - whether grand or small, but they are still human beings. To think that they aren't because of an action they carried out is insane. But yet, in our every day lives - we shrug them off because they are "criminals". We don't care about them because they made a mistake in their lives. We don't want them to be treated like normal human beings because they choose the wrong walk of life at one point in time. That is mind-blowing to me. To throw away human beings because of their background should be illegal. The treatment that is given to them is unlawful, de-humanizing, and down right disrespectful. But too many of you Americans don't care, just like the rest. You are the problem. You are the fuel to the fire. You are the support behind the people who make those decisions. Don't you get it? If it needs to be fought for, fight for it! But we Americans are too lazy and depend on politicians to make our important decisions for us, and we are letting our country go to pieces. And what's sad is, it'll never change unless we do something. Well then, let's fucking do something.

on the human level... (words)

Words
What are words? Words are spoken communication. They express statements. They describe what is the so called "truth". They speak promises. They create rules by spoken word. They are ways of expressing what your brain is feeling inside. Then, what are actions? They are things that you physically do. They are steps in the right direction. They are back up to your words. They are the real truth. I can say that I have 15 years of experience in the Accounting field. But do my actions back it up? No. I can tell you that I love you, that I will cherish and honor you till death do we part. I can tell you that I promise not to cheat on you, or stab you in the back as a friend. I can tell you not to smoke cigarettes. But words don't mean shit. Actions are where it's at. Just because you say you are going to do something doesn't mean its going to get done. I can tell you I love you, but then fuck your best friend. Would you believe that I still loved you? Wouldn't you rather have me working hard to prove it to you in my actions? When you get in a car accident and you are paralyzed from the neck down, who is going to wipe your ass? The person who really loves you. You can promise love and commitment, but what happens when the person you say you love can't walk anymore. Will you still be there? Treat everyone you love and care about on the human level. From the very beginning, providers and men of their word (by backing it up with actions) always got the girl. So be that, be human. Don't promise one thing and do another. Back it up. Prove it. Be what you say you are - is that too much to deal with? I didn't think so.

quote of the day...

KPTV Fox 12 10:00 Broadcast

"They found that liberal brains showed a lot of conflict related brain activity and conservative brains showed less flexibility. Scientists say this suggests that liberal brains might be prepared to accept new social, scientific or religious ideas."

on a study conducted by New York researchers
pointing out what I have known for years
(their brains are not wired right!)

quote of the day...

Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of Britain
historically, an influential world leader

"You can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else."

from an Anti-American episode of "America at a Crossroads" on OPB

quote of the day...

Greater Portland Bible Church

"You need to be a follower of Jesus who agrees with our statement of faith."

on a Craig's List job posting
for the universal religion-free position of Bookkeeper

on the human level... (stereotypes)

So, this is something I have been pondering about for quite some time now, and I will be adding to this topic through more posts down the line.

I am a human. A human being. Nothing more, nothing less. But why does this society push us to be more?

Stereotypes
What are stereotypes? They are labels. They are what define you in your society. To people on this Earth, I am a white, middle class, young, female, American, Atheist, Accountant and college graduate. Forget all that. I am human. That's all. I don't want to be known for my income. I don't want to be known for how many years I went to school. I don't want to be known for whether or not I have committed any crimes. I do not want to be known for what jobs I have had in my past. Judge me on my actions. What did I do to better this society? What actions did I do on the human level that made a difference?

quote of the day...

Eric Nalder, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and ground breaking investigative journalist

"If we afflict the comfortable, and comfort the afflicted - then that's a good thing... that's a good thing for a newspaper to do. But that's not what we're really about. We're about telling the truth."

from Expose', an OPB documentary following the investigative reporting he did on oil spill cover ups in the Puget Sound by Conoco-Phillips