1) Usually, Hawaii Bowl games are usually close
However, this past Hawaii Bowl was like last year's Sugar Bowl -- Hawaii got smashed, and its QB got sacked 8 times!
Meanwhile, the Notre Dame offense came alive!
Due to the inexperience of the offense, Notre Dame didn't live up to the hype during the regular season.
However, they did so well that they made their usually grumpy head coach smile
Being that most of those players will be back next year, Notre Dame should be able to become great again!
As for Hawaii, hopefully they'll be able to protect their QB a lot better next year! The offensive line was once the pride of UH football! However, they fell on hard times recently. Hopefully, they become the pride of UH football next season.
Most of this year's UH defensive starters are done this year! It will be re-building year for the UH defense in 2009!
Meanwhile, after all the coaching changes of the past year, and the loss of last year's QB & recievers -- UH still was able to make it to a bowl game!
2) UH women's volleyball didn't make it to the Finals this year.
4 seniors have now moved on!
Hopefully, the younger players can pick it up and bring UH women's volleyball back to the glory days of the 1980's!
AS for the men's volleyball team, it hit it's low last year. Can it go back to the glory days of the 1990's and early 2000's?
3) Basketball
The men's basketball team struggled early this season, but they seem to be coming together as a team!
Unfortunately, the women's basketball team has fallen on hard times!
Their coach, Jim Bolla has a reputation for being over-aggressive in his coaching style! It doesn't seem to be helping! If nothing improves this season, he might need to be replaced!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
The Police Can't Protect You Everytime
The gun control fanatics like to say "you don't need a gun, the police are there to protect you!"
But the police aren't perfect! They're not robots that appear at any moment of trouble! They're people with flaws, just like you & me! They can't save us in an instant!
Whenever there is a riot or a shooting spree, the police don't always do the most honorable thing!
Sometimes, the police back down in danger, and watch passively as things get out of hand!
1) It happened in last month's Mumbai shootings!
A media photographer Sebastian D'Souza said this
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/article14086308.ece
But what angered Mr D'Souza almost as much were the masses of armed police hiding in the area who simply refused to shoot back. "There were armed policemen hiding all around the station but none of them did anything," he said. "At one point, I ran up to them and told them to use their weapons. I said, 'Shoot them, they're sitting ducks!' but they just didn't shoot back."
The militants returned inside the station and headed towards a rear exit towards Chowpatty Beach. Mr D'Souza added: "I told some policemen the gunmen had moved towards the rear of the station but they refused to follow them. What is the point if having policemen with guns if they refuse to use them? I only wish I had a gun rather than a camera."
To all you gun control fanatics who keep saying "you don't need guns, the police are here to protect us" READ THE 2 PREVIOUS PARAGRAPHS AGAIN!
The police in Mumbai DID NOTHING even when the shootings were going on! They were just standing around! It was after plenty died, and hours passed when they finally did something!
It's not just Mumbai 2008! It's also Greece 2008, New Orleans 2005, and Los Angeles 1992!
The incident that was shown most on the TV news was the brutal attack on European-American truck driver Reginald Denny! He was dragged out of the trucks and rioters were throwing rocks at his head!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Denny's life was saved only because other African-Americans in the area were outraged by the anit-white hate crime, got Denny out of the area and drove him to the hospital!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Oliver_Denny
While the attack on Denny was seen as "blacks attacking whites", the MAJORITY of victims being attacked at the same time were Latinos & Asians!
In one case, Feild Lopez, a Guatemalan immigrant was dragged out of his car, brutally beaten and had his genitals spray-painted as his attackers laughed!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Lopez's life was saved only because Rev. Bennie Newton, an African American minister, got Lopez out of there and took him to the hospital!
The TV news showed chaos in the LA streets and noticed no cops were around!
This encouraged other gang members to loot & attack!
While the 1st few hours of the riots were dominated by African-American rioters, the Latino gangs were thinking to themselves "why should the blacks have all the fun? What the fuck are we waiting for, let's break some shit up?"
By the time the riots were over, most of those arrested were Latino!
Meanwhile, stores owned by Asians (in this case, mostly Koreans) were attacked, looted & burned by African-American & Latino rioters!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Some Korean-owned stores got saved ONLY because their owners were carrying shotguns and rifles! They knew the police weren't going to help, so they took the initiative to protect themselves!
To learn more about the LA riots, the social conditions in LA before the riots, and the police INACTION during the riots, I recommend reading "Official Negligence" by Lou Cannon! If it doesn't horrify you, then nothing will!
4) New Orleans 2005
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.
Even before that, New Orleans had one of the highest murder rates, and one of the most corrupt police departments! Definitely not a stable place!
After Katrina hit New Orleans, gang members took advantage of the chaos by looting stores and beating up anyone who they didn't like or anyone who was vulnerable!
Meanwhile, in Algiers Point, a European-American neighborhood, there were hate crimes committed against African-Americans who happened to be in the area!
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090105/thompson?rel=hp_picks
Where were the police?
Some left the city, some committed suicide, some even joined the looting!
There weren't enough police to take control of the long-out-of-control city!
It was so bad, that the National Guard had to intervene just so those bringing in humanitarian supplies can come in without getting attacked by rioters!
The prisons were damaged, and they needed to make a makeshift prison to jail the looters!
http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4163081.html
NEW ORLEANS - As looters filled the streets and shots rang out, the city's overmatched police knew that whatever other endeavors Hurricane Katrina brought to a halt, crime wasn't one of them.
After being criticized for allowing lawlessness to spiral out of control in the days immediately following the storm, police began arresting people but then ran into a new problem - where to put them. With New Orleans' jails flooded, a temporary holding facility was set up at the city's train and bus terminal.
It held only 30 prisoners by Monday, but that number was likely to swell if police from neighboring Jefferson Parish deliver inmates they had held the past few days.
(skip paragraphs)
The prisoners are separated according to crimes. Inside "Cell 3, felony," some two dozen men milled around. Nearly all had been brought in for looting. Any stolen property valued above $300 was being treated as a felony.
"Believe me, we reviewed every case carefully," said one corrections department official who asked that she not be identified because of safety concerns. "These are not people who stole food. They stole drugs from pharmacies or TVs from stores."
5) So we looked at 4 cases, involving different continents, different racial groups, involving different provoking factors!
In all those cases, the police either backed down or outnumbered!
Is your town's police any better! There's ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT! The only way to find out is when it's too late --- after a riot or shooting spree has started!
Until then, your police department can give out PR statements saying "we will protect our communities", but until chaos happpens, it's all just talk!
In any emergeny, in the first 48 hours, you're on your own!
That means the police aren't going to protect you from 1) those bigger & stronger than you, 2) those on drugs, 3) large mobs of people, 4) those who armed with weapons!
So to the gun-control fanatics, still want to tell me "we don't need guns, the police will protect us"?
6) Enough about the police, I want to discuss the Plaxico Burress case.
Burress is an NFL player who accidentally shot himself at a nightclub!
Gun safety isn't as easy as it looks on TV!
However, I'm irritated by many commentary on this case!
Many commentators say "Burress broke the law (on gun possession), lock him up!"
Here is David Koppel's response to such comments!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122835270947177981.html?mod=djemEditorialPage
Some commentators contend that Plaxico Burress should have hired bodyguards, instead of carrying a gun himself. Mr. Burress might now agree. But people who aren't as wealthy as he is also deserve to be safe, and they don't have the money for bodyguards. New York City needs to regularize its carry permit system so that law-abiding people can protect themselves, especially if their circumstances (such as being a witness to a gang crime) place them at heightened risk.
The Burress case also shows why mandatory sentences are a bad idea. He was careless but had no malign intent. Legislators and mayors like to appear tough by pushing through such draconian laws. Yet the victims are people like Mr. Burress whose conduct may have been improper, but who do not deserve the same sentences meted out to robbers and burglars.
AMEN Mr. Koppel
Also, I noticed many conservatives are silent on this!
They claimed to be outraged when Obama said rural European-Americans "cling to their guns" as reasons to oppose the Democrats! Yet, those same pundits SAY NOTHING when the NBA & NFL place gun-control policies on their players!
You think NASCAR could get away with having gun-control policies on their drivers? NO WAY!
Their drivers & fans (mostly European-Americans from the South) will protest loudly against such policies! NASCAR could NEVER get away with it!
Yet, the NBA & NFL, with many African-American players, get away with gun-control policies! Both leagues have the support of Manhattan/Hollywood/SanFran limousine liberals and they have the silent support of conservative pundits (the same ones offended by Obama's "cling to their guns" comments)
You noticed that many conservative pundits are also silent when African-American rappers are on trial for "illegal gun possession". They didn't speak up for Snoop Dogg, Sean Combs, or DMX when they were on trial for "illegal gun possession", the same laws conservative pundits PRETEND to dislike!
Someone needs to speak up on this!
It's not enough to be outraged when a limousine liberal celebrity bashes rural white gun-owners! As Obama's election showed, YOU CAN'T RELY ON WHITE VOTERS ALONE anymore! The NRA needs to reach out to non-whites! I already see non-whites at gun shows! Why not give them a bigger voice?
After all, the 1st gun control laws were bans on Native Americans & African-Americans from having guns. This allowed the KKK to attack minorities with impunity!
If the KKK was to try attack a large non-white community today, they would get shot at! Their white sheets would turn red from blood!
From an earlier-linked article on India's gun control laws
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122877201598989093.html
One of the big obstacles to gun liberalization in India is the fear that more guns will lead to more violence, given that India is a tinder box of sectarian tensions ready to erupt at the slightest provocation. In fact, more gun ownership -- especially by India's minorities -- might have a deterrent effect.
In 2002, in the Indian state of Gujarat, Hindu mobs brutally attacked Muslim villagers with impunity!
Imagine if the Muslim villagers were armed. The Hindu mobs couldn't attack the Muslim villagers with impunity!
But the police aren't perfect! They're not robots that appear at any moment of trouble! They're people with flaws, just like you & me! They can't save us in an instant!
Whenever there is a riot or a shooting spree, the police don't always do the most honorable thing!
Sometimes, the police back down in danger, and watch passively as things get out of hand!
1) It happened in last month's Mumbai shootings!
A media photographer Sebastian D'Souza said this
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/article14086308.ece
But what angered Mr D'Souza almost as much were the masses of armed police hiding in the area who simply refused to shoot back. "There were armed policemen hiding all around the station but none of them did anything," he said. "At one point, I ran up to them and told them to use their weapons. I said, 'Shoot them, they're sitting ducks!' but they just didn't shoot back."
The militants returned inside the station and headed towards a rear exit towards Chowpatty Beach. Mr D'Souza added: "I told some policemen the gunmen had moved towards the rear of the station but they refused to follow them. What is the point if having policemen with guns if they refuse to use them? I only wish I had a gun rather than a camera."
To all you gun control fanatics who keep saying "you don't need guns, the police are here to protect us" READ THE 2 PREVIOUS PARAGRAPHS AGAIN!
The police in Mumbai DID NOTHING even when the shootings were going on! They were just standing around! It was after plenty died, and hours passed when they finally did something!
India has one of the strictest gun control laws, but it didn't protect Mumbai at all
From Shikha Dalmia
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122877201598989093.html
After all, what was particularly infuriating about the Mumbai attacks was not just that the Indian government failed to prevent them, even though it had received repeated warnings. Nor was it their tragic death toll; Mumbai, after all, experienced worse in the coordinated series of bombings in 1993 and 2006. Rather, it was that had there been anything resembling meaningful resistance, the attackers never would have been able to stage the kind of spectacle they did. Before they holed up in the Taj and Oberoi Hotels, they seemed to operate with almost complete impunity, freely moving from one target to another.
(skip paragraphs)
But if the hotel staff could take bullets, the question is why couldn't they return them? The reason, as P.R.S. Oberoi, chairman of Oberoi Group, noted, is that none of the hotel's security staff was armed, thanks to the country's strict gun laws that make it virtually impossible to obtain permits. This is also perhaps why the gunmen moved around the city as if they owned it without fearing that anyone would shoot back.
And don't give me this "Mumbai incident was just an isolated incident" CRAP!It's not just Mumbai 2008! It's also Greece 2008, New Orleans 2005, and Los Angeles 1992!
Let's go over these incidents
2) Greece 2008
On December 6, 2008, the Athens police killed a 15-year old boy, and riots spread throughout Greece.
What did the police do about the riots?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122904354644400355.html?mod+djemEditorial%20Page
But soon the protests turned into ugly riots. Groups of masked anarchists set about an orgy of torching, looting and vandalism in Athens, Thessaloniki and other major cities in Greece.
What was unique about the events in Greece -- as opposed to, say, the riots in the banlieues of Paris a few years ago -- was the total withdrawal of the government and the security forces from the scene of the riots. Civil society was left alone and unarmed to fend off the violent attacks on their property by the hordes of predators. On Tuesday night, one of the worst nights of rioting, more than 400 shops were attacked in Athens: Some were torched, others looted and seriously damaged.
All of this took place while the security forces simply stood by and watched the disaster unfold. They were following the explicit orders of their political masters to assume a "defensive posture" -- which in effect meant that they did not try to prevent the orgy of destruction.
Anyone watching this absurd scene could be excused for concluding that a secret deal had been struck between the government and the rioters: We let you torch and plunder to your heart's content, and you let us continue pretending that we are in charge.
3) A similar thing happened in Los Angeles in the early 1990's.
In March 3, 1991, a man videotaped 4 European-American cops brutally beating an African-American drunk-driving suspect Rodney King! The beatings continued even when King stopped resisted arrest!
On April 29, 1992, 3 cops were found Not Guilty, the other cop got an indecisive decision from the jury!
Just like after the recent Greece incident, riots engulfed Los Angeles!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Los_Angeles_riots
What did the police do after the riots started?
The police backed down!
The commanding police officers told their subordinate officers to get out of South Central LA!
Meanwhile, there were large amounts of hate crimes being committed and videotaped by helicopters!
News commentators were noticing ZERO police were in sight, as rioters attacked ANYONE who wasn't African-American!
The incident that was shown most on the TV news was the brutal attack on European-American truck driver Reginald Denny! He was dragged out of the trucks and rioters were throwing rocks at his head!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Denny's life was saved only because other African-Americans in the area were outraged by the anit-white hate crime, got Denny out of the area and drove him to the hospital!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Oliver_Denny
While the attack on Denny was seen as "blacks attacking whites", the MAJORITY of victims being attacked at the same time were Latinos & Asians!
In one case, Feild Lopez, a Guatemalan immigrant was dragged out of his car, brutally beaten and had his genitals spray-painted as his attackers laughed!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Lopez's life was saved only because Rev. Bennie Newton, an African American minister, got Lopez out of there and took him to the hospital!
The TV news showed chaos in the LA streets and noticed no cops were around!
This encouraged other gang members to loot & attack!
While the 1st few hours of the riots were dominated by African-American rioters, the Latino gangs were thinking to themselves "why should the blacks have all the fun? What the fuck are we waiting for, let's break some shit up?"
By the time the riots were over, most of those arrested were Latino!
Meanwhile, stores owned by Asians (in this case, mostly Koreans) were attacked, looted & burned by African-American & Latino rioters!
What did the police do? NOTHING! They weren't even around!
Some Korean-owned stores got saved ONLY because their owners were carrying shotguns and rifles! They knew the police weren't going to help, so they took the initiative to protect themselves!
To learn more about the LA riots, the social conditions in LA before the riots, and the police INACTION during the riots, I recommend reading "Official Negligence" by Lou Cannon! If it doesn't horrify you, then nothing will!
4) New Orleans 2005
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.
Even before that, New Orleans had one of the highest murder rates, and one of the most corrupt police departments! Definitely not a stable place!
After Katrina hit New Orleans, gang members took advantage of the chaos by looting stores and beating up anyone who they didn't like or anyone who was vulnerable!
Meanwhile, in Algiers Point, a European-American neighborhood, there were hate crimes committed against African-Americans who happened to be in the area!
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090105/thompson?rel=hp_picks
Where were the police?
Some left the city, some committed suicide, some even joined the looting!
There weren't enough police to take control of the long-out-of-control city!
It was so bad, that the National Guard had to intervene just so those bringing in humanitarian supplies can come in without getting attacked by rioters!
The prisons were damaged, and they needed to make a makeshift prison to jail the looters!
http://www.komonews.com/news/archive/4163081.html
NEW ORLEANS - As looters filled the streets and shots rang out, the city's overmatched police knew that whatever other endeavors Hurricane Katrina brought to a halt, crime wasn't one of them.
After being criticized for allowing lawlessness to spiral out of control in the days immediately following the storm, police began arresting people but then ran into a new problem - where to put them. With New Orleans' jails flooded, a temporary holding facility was set up at the city's train and bus terminal.
It held only 30 prisoners by Monday, but that number was likely to swell if police from neighboring Jefferson Parish deliver inmates they had held the past few days.
(skip paragraphs)
The prisoners are separated according to crimes. Inside "Cell 3, felony," some two dozen men milled around. Nearly all had been brought in for looting. Any stolen property valued above $300 was being treated as a felony.
"Believe me, we reviewed every case carefully," said one corrections department official who asked that she not be identified because of safety concerns. "These are not people who stole food. They stole drugs from pharmacies or TVs from stores."
5) So we looked at 4 cases, involving different continents, different racial groups, involving different provoking factors!
In all those cases, the police either backed down or outnumbered!
Is your town's police any better! There's ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT! The only way to find out is when it's too late --- after a riot or shooting spree has started!
Until then, your police department can give out PR statements saying "we will protect our communities", but until chaos happpens, it's all just talk!
In any emergeny, in the first 48 hours, you're on your own!
That means the police aren't going to protect you from 1) those bigger & stronger than you, 2) those on drugs, 3) large mobs of people, 4) those who armed with weapons!
So to the gun-control fanatics, still want to tell me "we don't need guns, the police will protect us"?
6) Enough about the police, I want to discuss the Plaxico Burress case.
Burress is an NFL player who accidentally shot himself at a nightclub!
Gun safety isn't as easy as it looks on TV!
However, I'm irritated by many commentary on this case!
Many commentators say "Burress broke the law (on gun possession), lock him up!"
Here is David Koppel's response to such comments!
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122835270947177981.html?mod=djemEditorialPage
Some commentators contend that Plaxico Burress should have hired bodyguards, instead of carrying a gun himself. Mr. Burress might now agree. But people who aren't as wealthy as he is also deserve to be safe, and they don't have the money for bodyguards. New York City needs to regularize its carry permit system so that law-abiding people can protect themselves, especially if their circumstances (such as being a witness to a gang crime) place them at heightened risk.
The Burress case also shows why mandatory sentences are a bad idea. He was careless but had no malign intent. Legislators and mayors like to appear tough by pushing through such draconian laws. Yet the victims are people like Mr. Burress whose conduct may have been improper, but who do not deserve the same sentences meted out to robbers and burglars.
AMEN Mr. Koppel
Also, I noticed many conservatives are silent on this!
They claimed to be outraged when Obama said rural European-Americans "cling to their guns" as reasons to oppose the Democrats! Yet, those same pundits SAY NOTHING when the NBA & NFL place gun-control policies on their players!
You think NASCAR could get away with having gun-control policies on their drivers? NO WAY!
Their drivers & fans (mostly European-Americans from the South) will protest loudly against such policies! NASCAR could NEVER get away with it!
Yet, the NBA & NFL, with many African-American players, get away with gun-control policies! Both leagues have the support of Manhattan/Hollywood/SanFran limousine liberals and they have the silent support of conservative pundits (the same ones offended by Obama's "cling to their guns" comments)
You noticed that many conservative pundits are also silent when African-American rappers are on trial for "illegal gun possession". They didn't speak up for Snoop Dogg, Sean Combs, or DMX when they were on trial for "illegal gun possession", the same laws conservative pundits PRETEND to dislike!
Someone needs to speak up on this!
It's not enough to be outraged when a limousine liberal celebrity bashes rural white gun-owners! As Obama's election showed, YOU CAN'T RELY ON WHITE VOTERS ALONE anymore! The NRA needs to reach out to non-whites! I already see non-whites at gun shows! Why not give them a bigger voice?
After all, the 1st gun control laws were bans on Native Americans & African-Americans from having guns. This allowed the KKK to attack minorities with impunity!
If the KKK was to try attack a large non-white community today, they would get shot at! Their white sheets would turn red from blood!
From an earlier-linked article on India's gun control laws
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122877201598989093.html
One of the big obstacles to gun liberalization in India is the fear that more guns will lead to more violence, given that India is a tinder box of sectarian tensions ready to erupt at the slightest provocation. In fact, more gun ownership -- especially by India's minorities -- might have a deterrent effect.
In 2002, in the Indian state of Gujarat, Hindu mobs brutally attacked Muslim villagers with impunity!
Imagine if the Muslim villagers were armed. The Hindu mobs couldn't attack the Muslim villagers with impunity!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Hawaii sports news
1) Last week's Hawaii vs Cincinnati football game ended differently from its 2002 version!
The 2002 version ended with UH victory and a fight!
The 2008 version ended with UC victory and handshaking!
I was at the 2008 version. UH was up 24-10 at the start of the 4th quarter. At one point, a UH player was down. Because there was a few minutes without action, some UH fans started taunting Cincinnati with chants of "over-rated!"
It was bad enough that those chants came while a UH player was trying to get up from the field!
The UH player eventually got off the field on his own!
However, the chants of "over-rated!" has motivated the Cincinnati to play harder, which lead to UC's 29-24 victory!
Next time someone wants to chant "over-rated!", the need better timing!
2) UH's next game is the Hawaii Bowl, where they're playing Notre Dame. Even though this year's Notre Dame is average, it still comes with a big tradition! It's going to be exciting!
3) So far, the UH women's volleyball team is doing well in the playoffs! Will this be the year they return to the championship glory that they had in the 1980's?
The 2002 version ended with UH victory and a fight!
The 2008 version ended with UC victory and handshaking!
I was at the 2008 version. UH was up 24-10 at the start of the 4th quarter. At one point, a UH player was down. Because there was a few minutes without action, some UH fans started taunting Cincinnati with chants of "over-rated!"
It was bad enough that those chants came while a UH player was trying to get up from the field!
The UH player eventually got off the field on his own!
However, the chants of "over-rated!" has motivated the Cincinnati to play harder, which lead to UC's 29-24 victory!
Next time someone wants to chant "over-rated!", the need better timing!
2) UH's next game is the Hawaii Bowl, where they're playing Notre Dame. Even though this year's Notre Dame is average, it still comes with a big tradition! It's going to be exciting!
3) So far, the UH women's volleyball team is doing well in the playoffs! Will this be the year they return to the championship glory that they had in the 1980's?
Friday, December 05, 2008
Hawaii vs Cincinnati -- football Saturday
As I'm writing this (Friday, December 5, 2008 Hawaii time) tom morrow will be the football game between Hawaii & Cincinnati.
Cincinnati won their 1st Big East championship and is headed to their 1st BCS bowl game.
Hawaii struggled in the beginning due to inexperience amongst it's offense players. However, they have gotten better and will be headed to the Hawaii Bowl!
But let's face it, the hype on this game has NOTHING to do with anytime mentioned in the previous 2 paragraphs!
The hype is due to the fact that the last time 2 teams played, (11/23/2002) the game ended in a big fight!
http://archives.starbulletin.com/2002/11/24/sports/index.html
People have said that the fight started due to excessive roughness from Cincinnati. Also, a Cincinnati player sacked Hawaii's quarterback Timmy Chang after he threw the ball and injured him. Shawn With-Allen replaced Chang and finished the game.
The last few seconds, when Withy-Allen "took the knee", it was said that a Cincinnati player tried to tackle him and the fight started there! (for those who don't know American football, when the QB kneels down after the snap, he signaling that he's not going to make a play, and you can't tackle him)
1) That was THE GAME THAT CHANGED HAWAII'S IMAGE!
Back in the late 1990's, UH football team was so junk, it was seen as a joke. High school students (both athletes & non-athletes) balked at the idea of going to UH due to it's "junk football team". People booed when a potential prize included UH football tickets! To make things worse, in 1998, the UH football team DIDN'T WIN A GAME! UH was seen as the WORST football school in the nation!
That made Hawaii, as a state, look bad! It gave the state of Hawaii a WEAK reputation! People stereotyped Hawaii as "soft"
After June Jones was hired as head coach in 1999 (coincidentally in my 1st year as a UH student), we started a winning tradition! No one laughing at our team now!
But what REALLY gave Hawaii a tough, hardcore image was the UH-Cincinnati game! We won a close game, and we showed that Hawaii is NOT scared of a fight!
We showed that Hawaii isn't going to back down from a fight from a mainland team, even one whose inner city had a riot in the previous year!
This was a common point made among many young adult males I talked to the week after the football fight! We were happy that the whole nation knows that Hawaii people are tough and "not to be (------) with"
This image was reinforced after the Hawaii Bowl 2003 game between the UH's (Hawaii vs Houston)! Another fight broke out at the end of a game!
Ironically, the Hawaii team had a few players & coaches who came from the city of Houston. I wonder what happened to them the next time those guys entered their former hometown! Someone must've said something!
Both Cincinnati & Houston had reputations about excessive rough playing, trash-talking, provoking opponents and that sort of stuff! Many UH fans said Cincinnati & Houston had "outlaw programs" and that Hawaii players are "from a culture that don't back down from that"
It also gave a special pride to UH students as in "at this university, we are smart enough to get into college, but we are tough too. We got to school with footballers who don't back down" Sometimes, toughness trickles down. Even people who aren't that "tough" or "hard-core" had the confidence of "I went to this (name of ghetto middle/high school), I went to the tough-guy school, I'm a survivor"
However, other UH fans felt differently about those fights.
Some felt the fights make Hawaii look bad & "uncivilized". They claimed that it will make tourists reluctant to visit Hawaii. Some also felt that it reinforced negative stereotypes on Polynesians!
Some thought those players were "thugs" (I'll comment on that stereotype later on this post)
Many also felt then-UH coach June Jones was too lenient on player misbehavior!
2) I remember that football was the 1st season when I watched UH football games at a sports bar!
Before the game vs Cincinnati, I was thinking "should I go to the bar to watch that game or should I stay home & concentrate on academics".
This was due to Cincinnati being an "average team" at the time. While it ended the season with a winning record, it still didn't have the name recognition like Alabama (which UH played the following week without incident), and it wasn't our major rival like Boise State or Fresno State!
However, the same week, in my Journalism 250 class, we had a group project project to make a mini-paper! The students were to do stories on campus news, sports, entertainment, etc. I chose to do sports, though I NEVER written an article on a sports game before!
So now, watching that UH vs Cincinnati IS academics, so watching that game IS concentrating on academics! :)
I didn't want to pay for game tickets, didn't have press passes, so I chose to based my "reporting" on what I saw on TV.
So there I was at Players Bar (no longer in business, replaced with a Japanese restaurant), watching the game and writing what I saw in the game. I wrote down the quotes of TV broadcasters, and wrote down what time the touchdowns were made (ie. 2:42 left in the 1st quarter)
The beginning of the game itself was exciting. Chad Owens (who I knew personally from being classmates while @ UH) was going to receive the kick-off. He was just coming back from injury, and it wasn't publicized when he was going to return to playing. Even the broadcasters were surprised he was on the field!
One guy at the bar yelled "they should've sit him out and save him for the Alabama game"
Owens received the kick-off and punt returns but made no touchdowns that game! He played with no fear that game.
Later, Timmy Chang had a sprained knee sometime late in the 1st half! It was then assumed Chang was out for the rest of the game. Withy-Allen would be the quarterback.
But Chang came back in the game.
However, during the 4th quarter, after he threw the ball, he got tackled. (once the player throws the ball, you can't tackle him) Chang needed help to get off the field and he was then done for the game!
As for the game itself, it went back & forth, with Hawaii & Cincinnati taking turns having the lead. But Hawaii won the game!
All that made the game exciting for me, the extremely inexperienced sports journalist working on a journalism class project!
But after the game was over, the fight occurred. I saw people who were walking out of the bar ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPPED as the TV showed the fight! I could also hear the UH broadcaster (I assume it was Jim Leahy) saying in a serious tone of voice "This is Bad"!
It was exciting for someone doing a journalism project! I was glad I saw the game!
The next morning, at the UH dorms, I talked to a student who was at the game. He talked about watching the fight, and seeing UH fans throwing stuff @ the Cincinnati players!
At that point, I was jealous of that student! He saw it in person. I only saw it on TV!
That whole week, that was the topic of 95 % of the conversations taking place at UH!
While working on the story in the Journalism classroom, I typed out my observations on the game as all one story. One of my group members gave me few tips -- instead of writing it as 1 story, split it up -- so 1 story would be on Chad Owens coming back from injury, 1 story Timmy Chang getting injured, 1 story on the game itself, & of course -- 1 story on the fight!
That group member was earlier reluctant to write on sports, (maybe not his topic of expertise), but he understood good writing and good editing!
3) Because of that game & the one against Houston, some people assumed UH football players were "thugs"
I was at UH at the time and some football players were classmates!
I thought those "thug" labels were SEVERE exagarations!
Most of UH footballers I had in my class were funny guys who like to joke around! Some were cared more about academics than others! However, NEVER had I seen them act in a thuggish manner! NEVER had I seen them intimidate anyone off the field!
For example, Shawn Withy-Allen, who some said was illegally sacked at the end of the game, which people said started the fight! I know Shawn because I was his classmate. He definitely IS NOT the type to fight over nothing! He is a very nice person! He is a very religious person who is really into his Christian faith! But he is NOT one of those who abused moral judgments.
If you asked him what he believed, he'll be upfront and tell you with no shame! But he NEVER condemned anyone for not being of the same faith! I have NEVER seen him condemn atheists, religious liberals, or non-Christians!
I even remember him doing a taping for his Christian group. He asked me a few questions on sexual issues. While some of my answers weren't something religious conservatives agree with, he NEVER hated on me! He just smiled and laughed! I'm assuming he's thinking "OK, this guy may need to learn a few things" but it's NOT like "that guy is siding with the devil"
Chad Owens (who I mentioned as a classmate) is known as a funny guy filled with confidence. It always amazed how he showed no fear when getting tackled by HUGE guys, even though Owens is shorter than me!
In the Journalism class, there was an ex-UH football player Craig Stuttzman, who is currently an assistant coach! Very well mannered person. Even during the class, when a classmate suggested a reporter ask "if a (player whose name I wont' reveal ) is gay" Stuttzman didn't lash out to defend a former teammate! Very professional.
I also remember in that class Stuttzman questioning a Ka Leo editor (Lance Collins) who visited the class to talk about editorial journalism!
Stuttzman asked Collins "how important is it for you to get your facts right?" Collins was evasive saying his current editorials were more on philosophical issues.
After several evasions, Stuttzman got to the point, questioning the infamous editorial from way in early 1999 in which Collins mocked the UH athletes for loosing (this was right after the infamous 0-12 season), academic troubles, promiscuity and getting special treatment! Stuttzman mentioned that his teammates were upset and emphasized that Collins never "put on the pads and stepped on the field before". Stuttzman questioned Collins in a stern but non-threatening manner!
I also remembered having guys like Hyrum Peters, Chad Kahale, Lyle Castro, Tony Akpan, Jeff Rhode, Matt Manauma, Houston Ala, Ryan Santos, Jeremiah Cockerahn and a few others in my class. I also remembered meeting Ikaika Curran when I used to work at the UH dorms. None of them acted in a "thuggish" manner!
Due to their size and in some cases, their race, the UH football players are easy to stereotype! And their critics stereotype too easily!
4) This is the 1st year of the Coach Mack (Gregg McMackin) era at UH. So far, he's known for emphasizing restraint among his players when it comes to behavior!
Maybe at the end of tomorrow's game, all the players from both teams will shake hands and the audience will applaud!
--
PS: I hope I didn't sound like someone who glorifies violence when describing how some local people reacted to the fight! Someone could've died in the fight! My intention was to explain what people felt after the infamous game! Some sounded like they glorified fights and the "tough guy mentality", but that's what many people were saying after the game!
Cincinnati won their 1st Big East championship and is headed to their 1st BCS bowl game.
Hawaii struggled in the beginning due to inexperience amongst it's offense players. However, they have gotten better and will be headed to the Hawaii Bowl!
But let's face it, the hype on this game has NOTHING to do with anytime mentioned in the previous 2 paragraphs!
The hype is due to the fact that the last time 2 teams played, (11/23/2002) the game ended in a big fight!
http://archives.starbulletin.com/2002/11/24/sports/index.html
People have said that the fight started due to excessive roughness from Cincinnati. Also, a Cincinnati player sacked Hawaii's quarterback Timmy Chang after he threw the ball and injured him. Shawn With-Allen replaced Chang and finished the game.
The last few seconds, when Withy-Allen "took the knee", it was said that a Cincinnati player tried to tackle him and the fight started there! (for those who don't know American football, when the QB kneels down after the snap, he signaling that he's not going to make a play, and you can't tackle him)
1) That was THE GAME THAT CHANGED HAWAII'S IMAGE!
Back in the late 1990's, UH football team was so junk, it was seen as a joke. High school students (both athletes & non-athletes) balked at the idea of going to UH due to it's "junk football team". People booed when a potential prize included UH football tickets! To make things worse, in 1998, the UH football team DIDN'T WIN A GAME! UH was seen as the WORST football school in the nation!
That made Hawaii, as a state, look bad! It gave the state of Hawaii a WEAK reputation! People stereotyped Hawaii as "soft"
After June Jones was hired as head coach in 1999 (coincidentally in my 1st year as a UH student), we started a winning tradition! No one laughing at our team now!
But what REALLY gave Hawaii a tough, hardcore image was the UH-Cincinnati game! We won a close game, and we showed that Hawaii is NOT scared of a fight!
We showed that Hawaii isn't going to back down from a fight from a mainland team, even one whose inner city had a riot in the previous year!
This was a common point made among many young adult males I talked to the week after the football fight! We were happy that the whole nation knows that Hawaii people are tough and "not to be (------) with"
This image was reinforced after the Hawaii Bowl 2003 game between the UH's (Hawaii vs Houston)! Another fight broke out at the end of a game!
Ironically, the Hawaii team had a few players & coaches who came from the city of Houston. I wonder what happened to them the next time those guys entered their former hometown! Someone must've said something!
Both Cincinnati & Houston had reputations about excessive rough playing, trash-talking, provoking opponents and that sort of stuff! Many UH fans said Cincinnati & Houston had "outlaw programs" and that Hawaii players are "from a culture that don't back down from that"
It also gave a special pride to UH students as in "at this university, we are smart enough to get into college, but we are tough too. We got to school with footballers who don't back down" Sometimes, toughness trickles down. Even people who aren't that "tough" or "hard-core" had the confidence of "I went to this (name of ghetto middle/high school), I went to the tough-guy school, I'm a survivor"
However, other UH fans felt differently about those fights.
Some felt the fights make Hawaii look bad & "uncivilized". They claimed that it will make tourists reluctant to visit Hawaii. Some also felt that it reinforced negative stereotypes on Polynesians!
Some thought those players were "thugs" (I'll comment on that stereotype later on this post)
Many also felt then-UH coach June Jones was too lenient on player misbehavior!
2) I remember that football was the 1st season when I watched UH football games at a sports bar!
Before the game vs Cincinnati, I was thinking "should I go to the bar to watch that game or should I stay home & concentrate on academics".
This was due to Cincinnati being an "average team" at the time. While it ended the season with a winning record, it still didn't have the name recognition like Alabama (which UH played the following week without incident), and it wasn't our major rival like Boise State or Fresno State!
However, the same week, in my Journalism 250 class, we had a group project project to make a mini-paper! The students were to do stories on campus news, sports, entertainment, etc. I chose to do sports, though I NEVER written an article on a sports game before!
So now, watching that UH vs Cincinnati IS academics, so watching that game IS concentrating on academics! :)
I didn't want to pay for game tickets, didn't have press passes, so I chose to based my "reporting" on what I saw on TV.
So there I was at Players Bar (no longer in business, replaced with a Japanese restaurant), watching the game and writing what I saw in the game. I wrote down the quotes of TV broadcasters, and wrote down what time the touchdowns were made (ie. 2:42 left in the 1st quarter)
The beginning of the game itself was exciting. Chad Owens (who I knew personally from being classmates while @ UH) was going to receive the kick-off. He was just coming back from injury, and it wasn't publicized when he was going to return to playing. Even the broadcasters were surprised he was on the field!
One guy at the bar yelled "they should've sit him out and save him for the Alabama game"
Owens received the kick-off and punt returns but made no touchdowns that game! He played with no fear that game.
Later, Timmy Chang had a sprained knee sometime late in the 1st half! It was then assumed Chang was out for the rest of the game. Withy-Allen would be the quarterback.
But Chang came back in the game.
However, during the 4th quarter, after he threw the ball, he got tackled. (once the player throws the ball, you can't tackle him) Chang needed help to get off the field and he was then done for the game!
As for the game itself, it went back & forth, with Hawaii & Cincinnati taking turns having the lead. But Hawaii won the game!
All that made the game exciting for me, the extremely inexperienced sports journalist working on a journalism class project!
But after the game was over, the fight occurred. I saw people who were walking out of the bar ALL OF A SUDDEN STOPPED as the TV showed the fight! I could also hear the UH broadcaster (I assume it was Jim Leahy) saying in a serious tone of voice "This is Bad"!
It was exciting for someone doing a journalism project! I was glad I saw the game!
The next morning, at the UH dorms, I talked to a student who was at the game. He talked about watching the fight, and seeing UH fans throwing stuff @ the Cincinnati players!
At that point, I was jealous of that student! He saw it in person. I only saw it on TV!
That whole week, that was the topic of 95 % of the conversations taking place at UH!
While working on the story in the Journalism classroom, I typed out my observations on the game as all one story. One of my group members gave me few tips -- instead of writing it as 1 story, split it up -- so 1 story would be on Chad Owens coming back from injury, 1 story Timmy Chang getting injured, 1 story on the game itself, & of course -- 1 story on the fight!
That group member was earlier reluctant to write on sports, (maybe not his topic of expertise), but he understood good writing and good editing!
3) Because of that game & the one against Houston, some people assumed UH football players were "thugs"
I was at UH at the time and some football players were classmates!
I thought those "thug" labels were SEVERE exagarations!
Most of UH footballers I had in my class were funny guys who like to joke around! Some were cared more about academics than others! However, NEVER had I seen them act in a thuggish manner! NEVER had I seen them intimidate anyone off the field!
For example, Shawn Withy-Allen, who some said was illegally sacked at the end of the game, which people said started the fight! I know Shawn because I was his classmate. He definitely IS NOT the type to fight over nothing! He is a very nice person! He is a very religious person who is really into his Christian faith! But he is NOT one of those who abused moral judgments.
If you asked him what he believed, he'll be upfront and tell you with no shame! But he NEVER condemned anyone for not being of the same faith! I have NEVER seen him condemn atheists, religious liberals, or non-Christians!
I even remember him doing a taping for his Christian group. He asked me a few questions on sexual issues. While some of my answers weren't something religious conservatives agree with, he NEVER hated on me! He just smiled and laughed! I'm assuming he's thinking "OK, this guy may need to learn a few things" but it's NOT like "that guy is siding with the devil"
Chad Owens (who I mentioned as a classmate) is known as a funny guy filled with confidence. It always amazed how he showed no fear when getting tackled by HUGE guys, even though Owens is shorter than me!
In the Journalism class, there was an ex-UH football player Craig Stuttzman, who is currently an assistant coach! Very well mannered person. Even during the class, when a classmate suggested a reporter ask "if a (player whose name I wont' reveal ) is gay" Stuttzman didn't lash out to defend a former teammate! Very professional.
I also remember in that class Stuttzman questioning a Ka Leo editor (Lance Collins) who visited the class to talk about editorial journalism!
Stuttzman asked Collins "how important is it for you to get your facts right?" Collins was evasive saying his current editorials were more on philosophical issues.
After several evasions, Stuttzman got to the point, questioning the infamous editorial from way in early 1999 in which Collins mocked the UH athletes for loosing (this was right after the infamous 0-12 season), academic troubles, promiscuity and getting special treatment! Stuttzman mentioned that his teammates were upset and emphasized that Collins never "put on the pads and stepped on the field before". Stuttzman questioned Collins in a stern but non-threatening manner!
I also remembered having guys like Hyrum Peters, Chad Kahale, Lyle Castro, Tony Akpan, Jeff Rhode, Matt Manauma, Houston Ala, Ryan Santos, Jeremiah Cockerahn and a few others in my class. I also remembered meeting Ikaika Curran when I used to work at the UH dorms. None of them acted in a "thuggish" manner!
Due to their size and in some cases, their race, the UH football players are easy to stereotype! And their critics stereotype too easily!
4) This is the 1st year of the Coach Mack (Gregg McMackin) era at UH. So far, he's known for emphasizing restraint among his players when it comes to behavior!
Maybe at the end of tomorrow's game, all the players from both teams will shake hands and the audience will applaud!
--
PS: I hope I didn't sound like someone who glorifies violence when describing how some local people reacted to the fight! Someone could've died in the fight! My intention was to explain what people felt after the infamous game! Some sounded like they glorified fights and the "tough guy mentality", but that's what many people were saying after the game!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Attacks on Mumbai
Several thoughts on the shooting rampage, hostage taking and other acts on terror in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), India.
1) These days, any important landmarks need armed guards 24/7! They might need to be armed with AK-47's or other similar weapons!
Police, while necessary, can't be around at every moment. Their job is to patrol the whole city! They can't be everywhere all at once!
Someone needs to be right there to protect at all times!
Some gun-control fanatics claim that having armed guards at schools, malls, etc. is "crazy". WRONG! Leaving public places undefended is the real insanity!
Once the bullets start, time for negotiation is over! Every second that passes is an eternity in those situations!
You can't stop those people with singing "give peace a chance". It's too late!
It's also too late to confiscate guns from people! Guns are already invited, and someone will find a way to get them!
The good guys need to win the arms race against the bad guys! That's reality! The bad guys ain't gonna give up their weapons without a fight! Why should the good guys!
If a good citizen has a gun and shoots the terrorists on a rampage -- that's good! That's taking initiative!
The police can't be there all the time!
Remember the LA riots in 1992? The police backed down in the 1st few hours! They were outnumbered and they left the scene! That sent a message to everyone -- "it's all yours, enjoy the vandalism". Those who were the wrong race were brutally attacked, and the police were NOWHERE to be found!
Remember New Orleans after Katrina! Some cops left town, some committed suicide, some even joined in the looting! There weren't enough cops to stop the looting
Yes, we need a good police force, but we also need citizens to take initiative! The citizens need to be the first line of defense!
2) Common Dreams had an article blaming poverty, capitalism, etc for the terrorism in Mumbai!
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/11/27-10
The recent attacks in India are morally repugnant, but the debate on how to curb terrorism needs to consider why people engage in such desperate acts in the first place. The perpetrators of yesterday's violence targeted two of Mumbai's most luxurious hotels: Taj Mahal and the Oberioi Trident. One night at either of these hotels costs, on average, Rupees 17,500 (US $ 355) in a country where the annual salary is Rupees 29,069 (US $590)
The article also had statistics on how much in India are living in poverty, as well as description of life in Indian ghettoes!
While India has been growing economically within the past decade, it is still recovering from centuries from extreme poverty!
However, what the writer left out ON PURPOSE, was that this incident has NOTHING to do with rebelling against poverty!
If India is 80% Hindu, 13% Muslim, 7% other --- you would think among the millions in India still living in poverty, many would be Hindu, right? And they would doing most of the rebelling against poverty, right?
But all signs are pointing to Islamic extremists!
It's got nothing to do with Indian poverty!
It's probably got more to do with feeling left out as a religious minority, and possibly over the disputed area of Kashmir (which is split between India & Pakistan)!
Some say the terrorists were from Pakistan, but it's unconfirmed so far!
But as conflicts in Africa, Middle East, South & South-East Asia, as well as attacks in Europe & North America has shown, there is a tendency on Islamic extremists to use terrorism as way to make non-Muslims afraid & submissive! They believe that violence is neccessary to get everyone to conform to ultra-conservative form of Islam! That's the politically incorrect fact!
Now, it should be common sense by now that there's millions of Muslims are NOT involved in terrorism or any other extremist activities!
But it is dangerous to pretend that there isn't a disturbing sign of violent extremism within the Muslim world!
Also, it should be common sense by now that criticism of Islamic extremism isn't always racist! Islam is a religion, NOT a race! Any blond-haired Caucasian can convert to Islam anytime, and any Middle Eastern person can quit Islam anytime!
3) It is still unconfirmed that the terrorist had ties to Pakistan!
India & Pakistan had wars over Kashmir in the past!
Those were in the past before both nations got nuclear weapons!
If they ever go to war, billions of people can die in seconds!
It's more important that the US have a missle defense system! Any arguments against a missle defense is DANGEROUSLY NAIVE in the age of nuclear weapons!
Even more so, if Iran, which has ties to anti-American terrorist groups, has nuclear weapons!
I already worry about North Korean missles hitting Hawaii! Let's hope it doesn't go that way!
4) While the following got nothing to do with the Mumbai incident, it's still related to India in some way. I want to clear up some things on the use of the word "Indians"!
People are still referring to Native Americans as "Indians"
While Christopher Columbus landed in the Carribean islands, he noticed dark, reddish-brown skinned people, so he thought he landed in India. So he called the people he saw "Indians".
But this is the 21st Century, we should already know that Native Americans (including all the natives of all the Americas, not just USA) and the people of India are very different from each other!
Yet, even within my family, when the girls were wearing the Native American style hats, people were saying "you look like an Indian", even though no one in India is wearing those hats (unless they're imitating Native Americans)
When I use the word "Indian", I'm only referring to people from India! When I am talking about the native people of the Americas, I use the word "Native Americans". That way there is no confusion over who we're talking about!
It's even more important now that we clear with confusion, especially with increased immigration from India. Even in Hawaii, I'm seeing more Indians here than before!
So let's reserve the use of the word "Indians" for those with roots in India, and "Native Americans" for those with native roots in the Americas!
India & Pakistan had wars over Kashmir in the past!
Those were in the past before both nations got nuclear weapons!
If they ever go to war, billions of people can die in seconds!
It's more important that the US have a missle defense system! Any arguments against a missle defense is DANGEROUSLY NAIVE in the age of nuclear weapons!
Even more so, if Iran, which has ties to anti-American terrorist groups, has nuclear weapons!
I already worry about North Korean missles hitting Hawaii! Let's hope it doesn't go that way!
4) While the following got nothing to do with the Mumbai incident, it's still related to India in some way. I want to clear up some things on the use of the word "Indians"!
People are still referring to Native Americans as "Indians"
While Christopher Columbus landed in the Carribean islands, he noticed dark, reddish-brown skinned people, so he thought he landed in India. So he called the people he saw "Indians".
But this is the 21st Century, we should already know that Native Americans (including all the natives of all the Americas, not just USA) and the people of India are very different from each other!
Yet, even within my family, when the girls were wearing the Native American style hats, people were saying "you look like an Indian", even though no one in India is wearing those hats (unless they're imitating Native Americans)
When I use the word "Indian", I'm only referring to people from India! When I am talking about the native people of the Americas, I use the word "Native Americans". That way there is no confusion over who we're talking about!
It's even more important now that we clear with confusion, especially with increased immigration from India. Even in Hawaii, I'm seeing more Indians here than before!
So let's reserve the use of the word "Indians" for those with roots in India, and "Native Americans" for those with native roots in the Americas!
And NO, this is NOT political correctness, it's FACTUAL CORRECTNESS!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Race & Sexual Orientation
There's been controversy over the racial voting patterns on Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that banned same-sex marriage!
The law passed by 53% overall!
Here's the racial data, courtesy of CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#val=CAI01p1
White 49% yes, 51% no
African-American 70% yes 30% no
Latino 53% yes 47% no
Asian 49% yes 51% no
Other 51% yes 49% no
California has one of the most liberal white populations in the USA! This is especially true in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as the liberal areas in & around Los Angeles (ie. Hollywood, Malibu, Westwood, Santa Monica, etc.)
If it was almost any other state in the US, the European-American vote would be against same-sex marriage!
As for the Asians, I'm assuming most of the same-sex marriage supporters are the US-born Asians, especially among those from the San Francisco Bay Area. They are totally Americanized and exposed to the liberal values of the Bay Area from childhood!
I'm also assuming most of the anti-same-sex marriage folks in the Asian community are the immigrants. The Yes on Prop 8 folks had more ads in Asian-language newspapers than the No on Prop 8 folks.
As mentioned, the majority of Latinos & African-Americans were against same-sex marriage.
1) Obviously, the liberal reaction is "how dare they, they should know what it's like to be oppressed"
It's not that simple!
Most people outside of the Bay Area view homosexuality as "gross".
So many in East LA or South Central LA have a hard time viewing "gays as oppressed", because in their minds, they hate being compared to people who they think as "gross".
When I was younger, I was against same-sex marriage because I thought "homosexuality is gross"! When I got older, I started to realize that people don't choose who they are attracted to!
I learned that people who had same-sex attractions have it really hard! They can't openly admit it because everyone would freak out! They can try to get those same-sex attractions out of their heads, but it's something they can't change! This leads many to suicide, knowing almost no one will accept them!
Also, even if one thinks "homosexuality is gross", that's no reason for the government to micro-manage their lives, no reason for the government to persecute them!
But the the idea that "homosexuality is gross" is hard to counter-act, even harder to counter-act against most prejudices! That's what is in people's mind when they vote on this issue!
So even if they're liberal on various issues, they'll still can't vote for same-sex marriage!
While many conservatives are thinking "at least the African-Americans are with us on this one issue", that won't be enough to get them vote Republican! After all, many may not like homosexuality, they're not thinking "I'm going to vote for candidates on this one issue".
It's more like "I agree with Democrats on most issues, so I'll vote Democrat! As for same-sex marriage, I'll just fill in that bubble on the ballot, but other than that, I'll side with Democrats"
I also think religious conservatives take too much credit on this issue! After all, many same-sex marriage opponents also do things that horrify religious conservatives (ie. have affairs, abortion, out-of-wedlock parenting, go to strip clubs, do drugs, etc.) So in many cases, it's got less to do with "homosexuality is a sin in the Bible" than more to do with "Eeeeewwwwww, that's gross"
2) in my previous, I mentioned the gay liberation movement is targeting Mormons over Prop 8. I also mentioned Mormons made easier targets, because they're not part of the "liberal coalition" that Democrats need for electoral victory! So I mentioned that they're less likely to target African-American Christians, Latino Catholics, Jews, Muslims, all of whom are part of the "liberal coaltion" that Democrats rely on!
However, since then, I have learned that European-American homosexuals have been committing acts of racist hate against African-Americans, even the ones who supported same-sex marriage!
I have first learned about this from this editorial by Harry Jackson, an African-American Christian conservative!
http://townhall.com/columnists/HarryRJacksonJr/2008/11/17/no_more_mr_nice_gay!
Afterwards, I read this from Thomas Sowell, another African-American conservative
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/11/19/the_right_to_win
For more on this, check out
http://www.inquisitr.com/7881/proposition-8-protest-turns-nasty-african-americans-targeted/
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/nov/08111212.html
http://www.jasmynecannick.com/blog/?p=2846
It got to the point where the Gay & Lesbian Center had to put out a statement telling their supporters NOT to scapegoat African-Americans for Prop 8.
http://www.lagaycenter.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Community_Letter_Prop_8
Now, this has been ignored by left-wing websites like Salon & The Nation!
The Radical Left wants to pretend that "all Caucasian racists are also homophobes" and they'll point out right-wingers like Jesse Helms and David Duke!
This doesn't erase the fact some white supremacists are gay! That's not a joke! Not all gay people are racially tolerant!
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=6284348
This will NOT help the gay rights cause. All it will do is give the image of "gay is a white thing", which will further alienate African-Americans from the idea of gay rights!
The law passed by 53% overall!
Here's the racial data, courtesy of CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#val=CAI01p1
White 49% yes, 51% no
African-American 70% yes 30% no
Latino 53% yes 47% no
Asian 49% yes 51% no
Other 51% yes 49% no
California has one of the most liberal white populations in the USA! This is especially true in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as the liberal areas in & around Los Angeles (ie. Hollywood, Malibu, Westwood, Santa Monica, etc.)
If it was almost any other state in the US, the European-American vote would be against same-sex marriage!
As for the Asians, I'm assuming most of the same-sex marriage supporters are the US-born Asians, especially among those from the San Francisco Bay Area. They are totally Americanized and exposed to the liberal values of the Bay Area from childhood!
I'm also assuming most of the anti-same-sex marriage folks in the Asian community are the immigrants. The Yes on Prop 8 folks had more ads in Asian-language newspapers than the No on Prop 8 folks.
As mentioned, the majority of Latinos & African-Americans were against same-sex marriage.
1) Obviously, the liberal reaction is "how dare they, they should know what it's like to be oppressed"
It's not that simple!
Most people outside of the Bay Area view homosexuality as "gross".
So many in East LA or South Central LA have a hard time viewing "gays as oppressed", because in their minds, they hate being compared to people who they think as "gross".
When I was younger, I was against same-sex marriage because I thought "homosexuality is gross"! When I got older, I started to realize that people don't choose who they are attracted to!
I learned that people who had same-sex attractions have it really hard! They can't openly admit it because everyone would freak out! They can try to get those same-sex attractions out of their heads, but it's something they can't change! This leads many to suicide, knowing almost no one will accept them!
Also, even if one thinks "homosexuality is gross", that's no reason for the government to micro-manage their lives, no reason for the government to persecute them!
But the the idea that "homosexuality is gross" is hard to counter-act, even harder to counter-act against most prejudices! That's what is in people's mind when they vote on this issue!
So even if they're liberal on various issues, they'll still can't vote for same-sex marriage!
While many conservatives are thinking "at least the African-Americans are with us on this one issue", that won't be enough to get them vote Republican! After all, many may not like homosexuality, they're not thinking "I'm going to vote for candidates on this one issue".
It's more like "I agree with Democrats on most issues, so I'll vote Democrat! As for same-sex marriage, I'll just fill in that bubble on the ballot, but other than that, I'll side with Democrats"
I also think religious conservatives take too much credit on this issue! After all, many same-sex marriage opponents also do things that horrify religious conservatives (ie. have affairs, abortion, out-of-wedlock parenting, go to strip clubs, do drugs, etc.) So in many cases, it's got less to do with "homosexuality is a sin in the Bible" than more to do with "Eeeeewwwwww, that's gross"
2) in my previous, I mentioned the gay liberation movement is targeting Mormons over Prop 8. I also mentioned Mormons made easier targets, because they're not part of the "liberal coalition" that Democrats need for electoral victory! So I mentioned that they're less likely to target African-American Christians, Latino Catholics, Jews, Muslims, all of whom are part of the "liberal coaltion" that Democrats rely on!
However, since then, I have learned that European-American homosexuals have been committing acts of racist hate against African-Americans, even the ones who supported same-sex marriage!
I have first learned about this from this editorial by Harry Jackson, an African-American Christian conservative!
http://townhall.com/columnists/HarryRJacksonJr/2008/11/17/no_more_mr_nice_gay!
Adding insult to injury, Geoffrey a black gay student at UCLA, joined a massive protest outside the Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Westwood. As he was marching with his “brothers,” folks in the crowd turned on him calling him the n-word twice. Here is his account which was posted in Rod 2.0:Beta and other gay blogs:
“It was like being at a Klan rally except the Klansmen were wearing Abercrombie polos and Birkenstocks…. A young WeHo clone said after last night ‘the n…s better not come to West Hollywood if they knew what was best for them’. ”
Another black protesting for gay rights, Ronald, claimed that three older white men shouted, “Black people did this, I hope you people are happy!” Black gays are suddenly aware that there are some real racial tensions within their movement.
Jasmyne Cannick, a black lesbian writer for the Los Angeles Times, reported that many white gays were simply hurling expletives at every black person they saw at their protest rallies. In her view, black gays had bigger fish to fry than the issue of marriage.
Afterwards, I read this from Thomas Sowell, another African-American conservative
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2008/11/19/the_right_to_win
The worst of all the reactions from people who act as if they have a right to win have come from gay activists in the wake of voter rejection of so-called "gay marriage," which is to say, redefining what marriage has meant for centuries.
Blacks and Mormons have been the main targets of the gay activists' anger. Seventy percent of blacks voted against gay marriage in California, so racial epithets were hurled at blacks in Los Angeles-- not in black neighborhoods, by the way.
Blacks who just happened to be driving through Westwood, near UCLA, were accosted in their cars and, in addition to being denounced, were warned, "You better watch your back."
Even blacks who were carrying signs in favor of gay marriage were denounced with racial epithets.
For more on this, check out
http://www.inquisitr.com/7881/proposition-8-protest-turns-nasty-african-americans-targeted/
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/nov/08111212.html
http://www.jasmynecannick.com/blog/?p=2846
To date, I have received several phone calls from Blacks, both gay and straight, who were caught up in Westwood around the time of that march. From being called “niggers” to being accosted in their cars and told that it was because of “you people gays don’t have equal rights and you better watch your back,” these gays have lost their damn minds.
But I know one thing, they won’t bring that shit south of the 10 freeway. (Pablo's note: that's South Central)
All I can say is that I wish that had been me in Westwood some gay called a “nigger.” I keep bail money and a lawyer on retainer for exactly these types of occasions.
If gays want to blame someone for Proposition 8, they can start with their leaders—also known as the gay mafia, whose egos, white superiority complex, and misunderstanding of Black people’s priorities for this election season guaranteed certain outcomes.
It got to the point where the Gay & Lesbian Center had to put out a statement telling their supporters NOT to scapegoat African-Americans for Prop 8.
http://www.lagaycenter.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Community_Letter_Prop_8
Now, this has been ignored by left-wing websites like Salon & The Nation!
The Radical Left wants to pretend that "all Caucasian racists are also homophobes" and they'll point out right-wingers like Jesse Helms and David Duke!
This doesn't erase the fact some white supremacists are gay! That's not a joke! Not all gay people are racially tolerant!
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=6284348
Emil Wilbekin, who was named one of the Top 100 most influential gay men by Out magazine, acknowledges the homophobia but also blames the overwhelmingly white gay community for practicing a kind of "institutional racism" where blacks are not welcome.----
"Black gay people are not always accepted in the hierarchy of gay society, which is successful, with disposable income and second homes," said Wilbekin, who caused a sensation when, as an openly gay man he was appointed editor of Vibe, a magazine that serves the hip-hop culture. "The gay community is not one big happy family."
This will NOT help the gay rights cause. All it will do is give the image of "gay is a white thing", which will further alienate African-Americans from the idea of gay rights!
Friday, November 14, 2008
More Election Analysis
1) I defeated Tobin Jones again.
I know, I made my so-called last statement on him a while back, but this month proves I was more correct than he is!
I remember back in 2001, I wrote an editorial in the University of Hawaii's newspaper about how the USA has made more progress in freedom, economics, race relations, etc than most countries in the world.
http://media.www.kaleo.org/media/storage/paper872/news/2001/11/01/Editorials/U.s-Not.Best.But.Better-2806056.shtml
And Tobin Jones responded by throwing a Hissy Fit at me
http://media.www.kaleo.org/media/storage/paper872/news/2001/11/05/Editorials/Letters.To.The.Editor.11.05.01-2806085.shtml
My reply to him
I know, I made my so-called last statement on him a while back, but this month proves I was more correct than he is!
I remember back in 2001, I wrote an editorial in the University of Hawaii's newspaper about how the USA has made more progress in freedom, economics, race relations, etc than most countries in the world.
http://media.www.kaleo.org/media/storage/paper872/news/2001/11/01/Editorials/U.s-Not.Best.But.Better-2806056.shtml
And Tobin Jones responded by throwing a Hissy Fit at me
http://media.www.kaleo.org/media/storage/paper872/news/2001/11/05/Editorials/Letters.To.The.Editor.11.05.01-2806085.shtml
My reply to him
https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2008/04/my-conflict-with-jeremiah-wright-wannabe.html
This Election proved me Correct!
Just imagine what kind of hissy fit Tobin Jones would've thrown had I written back in 2001 that within a decade the USA would elect an African-American president. Or be culturally tolerant enough to elect a president with a middle name Hussein, or a president who is from Hawaii! He would've yelled about how naive I was!
This Election proved me Correct!
Just imagine what kind of hissy fit Tobin Jones would've thrown had I written back in 2001 that within a decade the USA would elect an African-American president. Or be culturally tolerant enough to elect a president with a middle name Hussein, or a president who is from Hawaii! He would've yelled about how naive I was!
Yet, It Just Happened In Real Life!
Here is Dennis Prager's analysis on all of that
http://jewishworldreview.com/1108/prager111108.php3
To contrast, none of the liberal European countries have voted for a president of African or Middle Eastern ancestry. None of those liberal Western European countries has yet elected a president with Muslim relatives!
I'm still waiting for China to even have an election, much less chose a Tibetan as its leader! Or for Japan to vote a person of Korean ancestry!
In fact, the Luo tribe (the group of which Obama's father is from) is less likely to gain the presidency of Kenya than the USA. This election has proven it!
2) Linda Lingle should've just sticked with Hawaii politics.
Lingle was in the mainland to support the McCain/Palin campaign!
She also questioned Obama's "localness", which backfired! Despite moving to Chicago, the people of Hawaii still loved him! In fact, they supported him more than any other state! (Though DC gave him the highest % of votes, but technically, DC isn't a state)
Not only did McCain/Palin lose, but the Hawaii Republicans lost members in the state Legislature!
I remember when Lingle first ran for governor in 1998, there was excitement about the Republican Party growing in Hawaii!
At the time, Hawaii was run by Democrats for 4 decades, yet it still had a low-rated education system, a business climate so over-regulated that many Hawaii residents found greener pastures in the continental US. Ironically, the greener pastures were in desert states like Nevada & Arizona
I was like "if Lingle can win, we can finally have a 2 party system, and be more like Florida, Nevada & Arizona"
Well, Lingle lost in 1998, but won in 2002 & 2006. The Republicans gained seats in the Legislature but then declined.
So within the last 10 years, we went from an extremely Democrat-run legislature to a ...........an extremely Democrat-run legislature!
Lingle should've stayed home and got more Republicans elected in Hawaii, rather than convince mainlanders to vote for McCain/Palin!
3) The people voted for rail!
I didn't!
My #1 issue was the possible use of eminent domain to confiscate property of those who just happened to be in the way of the rail system!
Hopefully, they can just buy the land, or re-route it to reduce the chance of "needing" to use eminent domain!
4) Proposition 8 was the ballot initiative to re-ban same-sex marriage in California!
It won 53% of the vote!
The religious conservatives were happy! Even in the year of Obama, people still agreed to ban same-sex marriage!
But they shouldn't over-celebrate!
In 2000, the people of California voted on this same issues. 61% voted against same-sex marriage!
So in 8 years, the opposition against same-sex marriage went from 61% to 53%.
I predict in 10 years, this issue would be voted on AGAIN, and the opposition to same-sex marriage will decline AGAIN, but that time to be less than 50%. They will then loose California forever!
However, the same-sex marriage movement is making an idiotic move by boycotting Utah due to the Mormon's opposition to same-sex marriage.
But Utah wasn't voting on this issue, it was the people of California!
Would the gay liberation movement call for a boycott of Rome, Mecca or Jerusalem? After all, the Catholics, Muslims & Orthodox Jews also opposed same-sex marriage!
Also, the majority of African-American Christians opposed same-sex marriage! So would the gay liberation movement boycott Crenshaw (in South Central LA) & East Oakland too?
But that won't happen!
The last thing the Democrats (and Obama) want is a liberal civil war! They don't want a gays vs African-American Christian, or a gays vs Latino Catholics, or a gays vs Jews, or a gays vs Muslims! That would cause an implosion of the liberal coalition important for Democrat victory!
But since the Mormons aren't part of the liberal coalition (despite Honolulu mayor Mufi Hanneman and Nevada senator Harry Reid being Mormon Democrats) so the gay liberation is taking it all out on Utah!
This is STUPID!
There's no need to boycott Utah, Rome, Mecca, Jerusalem, Crenshaw or East Oakland!
The same-sex marriage supporters just need to get their message out! Inform people that sexual orientation isn't a choice! Attraction isn't a choice! And that people should live their lives as they see fit!
Declaring war on Utah (or on Rome, Mecca, Jerusalem or on African-American Christians) WILL BACKFIRE! It will look like a "hate campaign". There's no need for a "hate campaign.
Just keep saying the message - Sexual Orientation isn't a Choice! Attraction isn't a Choice! And people should live their lives as they see fit!
People will eventually get the message!
When I was younger, I used to be against same-sex marriage because I thought homosexuality was gross. But I learned that Sexual Orientation isn't a Choice, Attraction isn't a Choice. And people should live their lives as they see fit!
So even a straight male like me can learn!
Just keep educating the masses! No religious wars neccessary!
Here is Dennis Prager's analysis on all of that
http://jewishworldreview.com/1108/prager111108.php3
Conservatives are not surprised. I have argued for decades that America is the least racist country in the world. By and large, only Americans on the right have believed, or at least had the courage to say, this. Now that fact is obvious to virtually anyone with eyes to see.
To contrast, none of the liberal European countries have voted for a president of African or Middle Eastern ancestry. None of those liberal Western European countries has yet elected a president with Muslim relatives!
I'm still waiting for China to even have an election, much less chose a Tibetan as its leader! Or for Japan to vote a person of Korean ancestry!
In fact, the Luo tribe (the group of which Obama's father is from) is less likely to gain the presidency of Kenya than the USA. This election has proven it!
2) Linda Lingle should've just sticked with Hawaii politics.
Lingle was in the mainland to support the McCain/Palin campaign!
She also questioned Obama's "localness", which backfired! Despite moving to Chicago, the people of Hawaii still loved him! In fact, they supported him more than any other state! (Though DC gave him the highest % of votes, but technically, DC isn't a state)
Not only did McCain/Palin lose, but the Hawaii Republicans lost members in the state Legislature!
I remember when Lingle first ran for governor in 1998, there was excitement about the Republican Party growing in Hawaii!
At the time, Hawaii was run by Democrats for 4 decades, yet it still had a low-rated education system, a business climate so over-regulated that many Hawaii residents found greener pastures in the continental US. Ironically, the greener pastures were in desert states like Nevada & Arizona
I was like "if Lingle can win, we can finally have a 2 party system, and be more like Florida, Nevada & Arizona"
Well, Lingle lost in 1998, but won in 2002 & 2006. The Republicans gained seats in the Legislature but then declined.
So within the last 10 years, we went from an extremely Democrat-run legislature to a ...........an extremely Democrat-run legislature!
Lingle should've stayed home and got more Republicans elected in Hawaii, rather than convince mainlanders to vote for McCain/Palin!
3) The people voted for rail!
I didn't!
My #1 issue was the possible use of eminent domain to confiscate property of those who just happened to be in the way of the rail system!
Hopefully, they can just buy the land, or re-route it to reduce the chance of "needing" to use eminent domain!
4) Proposition 8 was the ballot initiative to re-ban same-sex marriage in California!
It won 53% of the vote!
The religious conservatives were happy! Even in the year of Obama, people still agreed to ban same-sex marriage!
But they shouldn't over-celebrate!
In 2000, the people of California voted on this same issues. 61% voted against same-sex marriage!
So in 8 years, the opposition against same-sex marriage went from 61% to 53%.
I predict in 10 years, this issue would be voted on AGAIN, and the opposition to same-sex marriage will decline AGAIN, but that time to be less than 50%. They will then loose California forever!
However, the same-sex marriage movement is making an idiotic move by boycotting Utah due to the Mormon's opposition to same-sex marriage.
But Utah wasn't voting on this issue, it was the people of California!
Would the gay liberation movement call for a boycott of Rome, Mecca or Jerusalem? After all, the Catholics, Muslims & Orthodox Jews also opposed same-sex marriage!
Also, the majority of African-American Christians opposed same-sex marriage! So would the gay liberation movement boycott Crenshaw (in South Central LA) & East Oakland too?
But that won't happen!
The last thing the Democrats (and Obama) want is a liberal civil war! They don't want a gays vs African-American Christian, or a gays vs Latino Catholics, or a gays vs Jews, or a gays vs Muslims! That would cause an implosion of the liberal coalition important for Democrat victory!
But since the Mormons aren't part of the liberal coalition (despite Honolulu mayor Mufi Hanneman and Nevada senator Harry Reid being Mormon Democrats) so the gay liberation is taking it all out on Utah!
This is STUPID!
There's no need to boycott Utah, Rome, Mecca, Jerusalem, Crenshaw or East Oakland!
The same-sex marriage supporters just need to get their message out! Inform people that sexual orientation isn't a choice! Attraction isn't a choice! And that people should live their lives as they see fit!
Declaring war on Utah (or on Rome, Mecca, Jerusalem or on African-American Christians) WILL BACKFIRE! It will look like a "hate campaign". There's no need for a "hate campaign.
Just keep saying the message - Sexual Orientation isn't a Choice! Attraction isn't a Choice! And people should live their lives as they see fit!
People will eventually get the message!
When I was younger, I used to be against same-sex marriage because I thought homosexuality was gross. But I learned that Sexual Orientation isn't a Choice, Attraction isn't a Choice. And people should live their lives as they see fit!
So even a straight male like me can learn!
Just keep educating the masses! No religious wars neccessary!
Friday, November 07, 2008
This Historic Election
History was made this past Tuesday!
The USA will have it's 1st African-American President! Barack Obama!
This shows this country has gone a long way! A land that once imported Africans as slaves, and had oppressive segregation laws, a land where African-Americans who fought for their rights met with violent resistance, and the land that overcame racist segregation --- Now has given a majority of its votes to a man with African ancestry!
Martin Luther King's dream is now reality!
And one of King's former assistants, John Lewis, who was severely beaten during the civil rights movement, had an emotional statement after it was announced that Barack Obama was going to be the next President!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGIrwctPeiA
Here is John McCain's concession speech. McCain showed a lot of class, though unfortunately, some of his supporters didn't. (which I'll discuss later)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT7DZZ1iEnk
Here is Barack Obama's victory speech
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/convention2008/barackobamavictoryspeech.htm
Now on to the election analysis
1) I didn't agree with Obama's proposals on raising corporate taxes or undoing Clinton/Bush free trade policies. I thought it's a counter-productive thing to do in this declining economy! Also, Obama's proposal on withdrawal from Iraq might be counter-productive! I thought McCain made stronger points on those issues during the debate!
I also worried about the Democrat Congress and a Democrat President might go too left on economic policy!
But I accept Obama's victory, and I accept Obama as the Next President!
2) This goes out to all you loosers who screamed about "Obama is a Muslim", "Obama is a terrorist", "Obama's not an American citizen","Obama's brith certificate is fake" mocked Obama for having a middle name "Hussein", and to all you loosers who yelled racist chants against Obama!
USA VOTERS DIDN'T FALL FOR YOUR BULL-FECES! YOU LUNATICS ARE LOOSERS AND you didn't help McCain. In fact, you hurt McCain BIG TIME!
In fact, America voted Obama to give you racist fuckers a middle finger!
And those who booed Obama when McCain accepted defeat? Welcome to democracy! You win some, you loose some! Deal with it maturely!
Even if Obama really was a Muslim, HARDLY ANYONE CARES!
The generation under 40 has looked up to Muslim athletes like Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Mushin Mohammed!
The generation under 40 looked up to Muslim rappers like Rakim and Q-Tip! Akon was from a Muslim family & Ice Cube was once associated with the Nation of Islam! Akon & Ice Cube have millions of fans of all races, and though their lyrics would offend many conservative Muslims, having associations with Islam didn't hurt their careers!
Salon even had an article titled "Racists for Obama", which mentioned some European-Americans might make jokes about African-Americans, but supported Obama anyways.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/11/03/racists_for_obama/index.html
This is not as unusual as Salon makes it out to be! It's like those in Hawaii who refer to European-Americans as "fuckin haoles" but got a Colt Brennan jersey anyways! Or those who occassionally make fun of the way Chinese people talk, but will order take-out plate lunches from Chinese eateries!
As that article said "If you got to a white neighborhood in the suburbs and ask them, "How would you feel about a large black man kicking your door in," they would say, "That doesn't sound good to me... But if you say, "Your house is on fire, and the firefighter happens to be black," it's a different situation."
Some might proclaim dislike of Africans, Mexicans, Asians, Samoans, Micronesians, Europeans, etc, but if your house is on fire, you don't give a shit what race the firefighters are!
3) Now, this goes out to the Race Card Abusers on the Left!
These are the ones who said "calling Obama a socialist is racist", "McCain saying'that one' on Obama during the debates is racist", "Bill Clinton calling Obama's Iraq rhetoric a fairy tale is racist", "Joe the Plumber's questioning Obama is racist" or "anyone criticizing Obama is racist" -- THOSE THINGS ARE NOT RACIST!
Look, all Presidents get criticized for their policies & short-comings. That was true under the Bushes & Reagan! That was true under Clinton & Carter! It ain't gonna stop under Obama!
It's NOT racist to criticize Obama's policies!
Save the race talk on issues where it's needed!
4) All this talk about the "Bradley effect"? Irrelevant!
At least 51% of the USA voted for a African-American! At least 25% would've voted for an African-American who had different policies on taxes, foreign policy, guns, abortion, etc. So that's 76% of the USA.
The other 24% is too small to win a majority! They might still do things ranging from the annoying to the deadly! They might still make some areas too dangerous for those of the opposite color!
But the good news is they're loosing!
5) Now, the Democrats got a bigger majority in Congress!
They better not get too arrogant!
Obama campaign as a relatively moderate liberal!
Any attempts from Congress to make Obama go far to the Left will only alienate people! As conservative activist Richard Viguerie said "By running as moderates, "Democrats forfeited any claim to a liberal mandate,"
This would be especially true when it comes to gun policy, taxes and any new government programs!
6) So now what for Republicans?
Obama won Bush states like Nevada, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, New Mexico, Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, and (some still dispute it over 2000) Florida!
Some are calling for Palin 2012!
Never say Never!
Back in 2004, some were calling for Obama 2008, but even then, I thought Obama would've need more experience. But History Happened in 2008!
Though I predict the next Republican to win the Presidency will have to have some non-European ancestry!
The USA is being more diverse, and that's not going to change!
The Republicans can't be a "party of just white people" anymore! Otherwise, they'll loose Arizona (McCain saved it this time), Texas, Georgia and even Utah!
So the future possibilities could include Bobby Jindal, the Louisiana governor whose parents were immigrants from India!
Maybe Tito The Builder (the Latino version of Joe the Plumber) who was a Colombian immigrant who started a construction company, and made on-stage appearances with Sarah Palin! Maybe he'll have to win a Senate seat first!
See his speech at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKZUzcT-MmQ&feature=related
Or maybe Todd - Sarah Palin's husband - who is part-Inuit! Now, image, a 1st Native American President! Now, that would be History Part Two!
Maybe Larry Elder, the African-American radio talk show host! Or Walter Williams, a free-market economist who happens to be African-American!
Or Star Parker, a female conservative activist of African-American ancestry! Maybe she could be the First Female President! History Part Three!
Just as long as it's not Michelle Malkin, (the Filipina version of Ann Coulter), who has toxic, hateful views towards Latin American & Middle Eastern immigrants! She might be popular among some Fox News supporters, but the Republicans need to distant themselves from Malkin as far as possible!
The USA will have it's 1st African-American President! Barack Obama!
This shows this country has gone a long way! A land that once imported Africans as slaves, and had oppressive segregation laws, a land where African-Americans who fought for their rights met with violent resistance, and the land that overcame racist segregation --- Now has given a majority of its votes to a man with African ancestry!
Martin Luther King's dream is now reality!
And one of King's former assistants, John Lewis, who was severely beaten during the civil rights movement, had an emotional statement after it was announced that Barack Obama was going to be the next President!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGIrwctPeiA
Here is John McCain's concession speech. McCain showed a lot of class, though unfortunately, some of his supporters didn't. (which I'll discuss later)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT7DZZ1iEnk
Here is Barack Obama's victory speech
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/convention2008/barackobamavictoryspeech.htm
Now on to the election analysis
1) I didn't agree with Obama's proposals on raising corporate taxes or undoing Clinton/Bush free trade policies. I thought it's a counter-productive thing to do in this declining economy! Also, Obama's proposal on withdrawal from Iraq might be counter-productive! I thought McCain made stronger points on those issues during the debate!
I also worried about the Democrat Congress and a Democrat President might go too left on economic policy!
But I accept Obama's victory, and I accept Obama as the Next President!
2) This goes out to all you loosers who screamed about "Obama is a Muslim", "Obama is a terrorist", "Obama's not an American citizen","Obama's brith certificate is fake" mocked Obama for having a middle name "Hussein", and to all you loosers who yelled racist chants against Obama!
USA VOTERS DIDN'T FALL FOR YOUR BULL-FECES! YOU LUNATICS ARE LOOSERS AND you didn't help McCain. In fact, you hurt McCain BIG TIME!
In fact, America voted Obama to give you racist fuckers a middle finger!
And those who booed Obama when McCain accepted defeat? Welcome to democracy! You win some, you loose some! Deal with it maturely!
Even if Obama really was a Muslim, HARDLY ANYONE CARES!
The generation under 40 has looked up to Muslim athletes like Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Mushin Mohammed!
The generation under 40 looked up to Muslim rappers like Rakim and Q-Tip! Akon was from a Muslim family & Ice Cube was once associated with the Nation of Islam! Akon & Ice Cube have millions of fans of all races, and though their lyrics would offend many conservative Muslims, having associations with Islam didn't hurt their careers!
Salon even had an article titled "Racists for Obama", which mentioned some European-Americans might make jokes about African-Americans, but supported Obama anyways.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/11/03/racists_for_obama/index.html
This is not as unusual as Salon makes it out to be! It's like those in Hawaii who refer to European-Americans as "fuckin haoles" but got a Colt Brennan jersey anyways! Or those who occassionally make fun of the way Chinese people talk, but will order take-out plate lunches from Chinese eateries!
As that article said "If you got to a white neighborhood in the suburbs and ask them, "How would you feel about a large black man kicking your door in," they would say, "That doesn't sound good to me... But if you say, "Your house is on fire, and the firefighter happens to be black," it's a different situation."
Some might proclaim dislike of Africans, Mexicans, Asians, Samoans, Micronesians, Europeans, etc, but if your house is on fire, you don't give a shit what race the firefighters are!
3) Now, this goes out to the Race Card Abusers on the Left!
These are the ones who said "calling Obama a socialist is racist", "McCain saying'that one' on Obama during the debates is racist", "Bill Clinton calling Obama's Iraq rhetoric a fairy tale is racist", "Joe the Plumber's questioning Obama is racist" or "anyone criticizing Obama is racist" -- THOSE THINGS ARE NOT RACIST!
Look, all Presidents get criticized for their policies & short-comings. That was true under the Bushes & Reagan! That was true under Clinton & Carter! It ain't gonna stop under Obama!
It's NOT racist to criticize Obama's policies!
Save the race talk on issues where it's needed!
4) All this talk about the "Bradley effect"? Irrelevant!
At least 51% of the USA voted for a African-American! At least 25% would've voted for an African-American who had different policies on taxes, foreign policy, guns, abortion, etc. So that's 76% of the USA.
The other 24% is too small to win a majority! They might still do things ranging from the annoying to the deadly! They might still make some areas too dangerous for those of the opposite color!
But the good news is they're loosing!
5) Now, the Democrats got a bigger majority in Congress!
They better not get too arrogant!
Obama campaign as a relatively moderate liberal!
Any attempts from Congress to make Obama go far to the Left will only alienate people! As conservative activist Richard Viguerie said "By running as moderates, "Democrats forfeited any claim to a liberal mandate,"
This would be especially true when it comes to gun policy, taxes and any new government programs!
6) So now what for Republicans?
Obama won Bush states like Nevada, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, New Mexico, Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, and (some still dispute it over 2000) Florida!
Some are calling for Palin 2012!
Never say Never!
Back in 2004, some were calling for Obama 2008, but even then, I thought Obama would've need more experience. But History Happened in 2008!
Though I predict the next Republican to win the Presidency will have to have some non-European ancestry!
The USA is being more diverse, and that's not going to change!
The Republicans can't be a "party of just white people" anymore! Otherwise, they'll loose Arizona (McCain saved it this time), Texas, Georgia and even Utah!
So the future possibilities could include Bobby Jindal, the Louisiana governor whose parents were immigrants from India!
Maybe Tito The Builder (the Latino version of Joe the Plumber) who was a Colombian immigrant who started a construction company, and made on-stage appearances with Sarah Palin! Maybe he'll have to win a Senate seat first!
See his speech at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKZUzcT-MmQ&feature=related
Or maybe Todd - Sarah Palin's husband - who is part-Inuit! Now, image, a 1st Native American President! Now, that would be History Part Two!
Maybe Larry Elder, the African-American radio talk show host! Or Walter Williams, a free-market economist who happens to be African-American!
Or Star Parker, a female conservative activist of African-American ancestry! Maybe she could be the First Female President! History Part Three!
Just as long as it's not Michelle Malkin, (the Filipina version of Ann Coulter), who has toxic, hateful views towards Latin American & Middle Eastern immigrants! She might be popular among some Fox News supporters, but the Republicans need to distant themselves from Malkin as far as possible!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Coming Soon
My analysis on the historic election of this week.
I've been so busy, but trust me, as soon as I get time, I got A LOT to say about the recent election!
I've been so busy, but trust me, as soon as I get time, I got A LOT to say about the recent election!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Election News
So far, it seems that Barack Obama has the upper hand in the polls.
But this election seems too close to call!
1) Many on the Left will blame only one thing if Obama looses - Racism!
Unfortunately, we have a bunch of dummies on the Far Right who still believe Obama is the "closet Muslim", and thinks that Obama wants to "oppress the whites". We also have a bunch of dummies at McCain-Palin rallies shouting racist crap at African-American reporters!
There are concern that some European-American union voters (usually Democrats) have racist feelings and wouldn't vote for a black guy, no matter what! This is especially a concern in swing states in the Midwest!
But for some on the Radical Left, any criticism of Obama is considered "racist". Even those who (gasp) express criticism of Obama's proposed policies!
You can't even call Obama a "liberal" without being called a racist!
Obama was accused of "palling around with terrorists"! Those accussations were considered "racist", but the terrorist was European-American Bill Ayers, who planted bombs in federal buildings in the 1970's.
Joe the Plumber was slandered as "racist" for saying that Obama was "tap dancing" around his question like "Sammy Davis Jr.
THAT'S NOT RACIST!
What, if John McCain was being evasive about a question, I can't say "he swam around my questions like Micheal Phelps" or else I'll get called "anti-white?
If you're one of those who call every non-Obama voter a racist, would you vote for African-American conservatives like Allan Keyes, Clarence Thomas, or Condaleeza Rice?
2) Some talk about the Bradley effect, referring to the former mayor of LA, Thomas Bradley (who happened to be African-American) who was ahead in the pre-election polls when he ran for governor of California in 1982, but lost the election!
Some say "some pretended to be for Bradley, but in the privacy of the voting booth, they voted their prejudice, and against Bradley"
But his opponent exposed the fact that crime was increasing in LA during Bradley's term as mayor. Also a handgun-ban initiative was on the ballot which Bradly supported. That got many who either 1) sometimes liberal but isn't for gun bans, or 2) non-voting but owns a gun to vote against Bradley.
Let's not forget that Bradley's career was destroyed in 1992 because of the LA riots. Bradley was still mayor, and people felt he lost control of the city, and that the police wasn't adequately prepared for a large scale riot! He even lost support of many African-American voters at that point!
It's likely, in the case of Obama, many are skeptical of his tax policy, foreign policy, etc, but don't want to admit it because people might then ask "are you against him because he's black?" even if you're only questioning his policies! So they remain silent!
Or in some cases, Obama skeptics might get called "Uncle Toms". I mean back in the primary, the African-American politicians & activists who supported Hillary Clinton were called "race traitors" and in some cases, even threatened!
Kathleen Parker says a "reverse Bradley effect" might happen! Those in conservative areas might want to vote for Obama but are silent because then they might be asked "why are voting for that Muslim?" or "why are voting for that (n-word)?". So it's possible that many Obama supporters in conservative areas are pretending to support McCain, but in the privacy of the voting booth, end up voting for Obama
http://jewishworldreview.com/kathleen/parker102208.php3
Parker was the same conservative writer who expressed skepticism of Sarah Palin's readiness to be Vice-President. She ended up being accused of being a "closet liberal" and recieved threatening emails!
3) Some say Obama is a Radical Leftist because he associated with Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright and other left-wing extremists!
I think Obama, like other politicians, panders to whatever can help him at the moment.
When he ran for office in Chicago, he felt he had to pander to Ayers, Wright, etc. in order to get votes.
He felt he needed to support handgun bans when he was an Illinois senator!
Now that he wants to be President, he disassociated himself from those left-wing extremists and now says he's against handgun bans!
McCain isn't guilt-free on pandering. In 2000, when he was trying to be the Republican nominee for President (which George W. Bush end up winning), he pandered to South Carolina racists by not taking a stand on the issue of the Confederate flag on state grounds. Months later, McCain later said he was against the Confederate flag but didn't express it when it mattered in the primary election, because he didn't want to loose.
Afterwards, after loosing to Bush, he wanted the image of a "guy who rebels within the Republican Party". He was the "liberal's favorite Republican" So he voted against Bush's tax cuts.
But guess what? To re-take the Republican Party, McCain flip-flopped! Now he's a big tax cut man!
So both are politicians who pander!
4) Now on to policy!
On economics, Obama said he'll cut taxes for 95% of Americans and give many tax credits to those people.
Being that I'm one of the 95%, I'll be happy!
However, McCain pointed out in the debates that the Obama wants to increase corporate taxes. He also pointed out that the US has a corporate tax rate of 35%, whereas Ireland has a corporate tax rate of 11%.
McCain is right that a lower corporate tax rate is good in bringing more investments.
However, McCain wants to tax health benefits! Wrong Move!
5) Joe Biden (who had a long reputation for saying stuff without thinking it through) mentioned that foreign enemies could test Obama in his first months!
The irony is that Biden is Obama's running mate! If McCain-Palin said it, they would've been accused of "fear mongering"
It wouldn't matter, any new president is going to get tested!
Bill Clinton was tested when the World Trade Center blew up early in 1993, whereas Bush was tested by 9/11 in his first year!
So regardless of who's president, something's going to happen in 2009! I just hope North Korean nuclear missiles can't reach Hawaii!
6) My previous blog post talked about the Internet and how recent it is!
McCain has admitted he doesn't know how to use the Internet by himself!
At his age, he's been an adult LONG before the Internet became popular (around 1996), so the thought is "if I spent so many years without it, why would I need it now"
McCain defenders said "he can't type because his hands were severely injured during his POW days". If that's true, can McCain hold a pen?
7) My 2004 predictions came close to true!
Here's what I said in 2004
http://pablothemadtiger.blogspot.com/2004_11_01_archive.html
From my Nov 8 post under #5
For the GOP, the results show that from now on, they'll need their Presidential candidates need to be from Texas (like Bush) or Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico or Utah. Why? Because a politician from those states would have experience speaking to both white conservative voters AND Latino voters.
So, yes the GOP chose an interior West guy in 2008. I just didn't expect McCain. Back then, McCain was known as the guy who rebels against his own party. I didn't expect him to take over!
As for the Democrats, they'll need someone from the Midwest. There, the politicians will have the experience of talking to union voters, inner city African Americans, college-town liberals and traditonally conservative rural voters. Barack Obama fits that profile, but I think he needs to serve a full-term in the Senate and win re-election to prove that he is capable of being elected President. Either that or run for governor of Illinois if that seat opens up. Either way, it can help Obama be the 1st African American President.
Obama didn't need to serve a full-term, and he's the one the Democrats chose!
8) Earlier this year, I mentioned that because Bob Barr was the Libertarian Party this year, I won't vote Libertarian for President!
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2008_05_01_archive.html#1589278334887116242
AS I researched the other 3rd party candidates (Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Bob Barr, and Chuck Baldwin) I am now resorting to choosing between McCain & Obama! Choosing between the Big 2 parties wasn't something I wanted to do in 2000 & 2004, but now it's the only thing I have left, not because of anyone's chance of winning, but the 3rd party guys are even worse!
But this election seems too close to call!
1) Many on the Left will blame only one thing if Obama looses - Racism!
Unfortunately, we have a bunch of dummies on the Far Right who still believe Obama is the "closet Muslim", and thinks that Obama wants to "oppress the whites". We also have a bunch of dummies at McCain-Palin rallies shouting racist crap at African-American reporters!
There are concern that some European-American union voters (usually Democrats) have racist feelings and wouldn't vote for a black guy, no matter what! This is especially a concern in swing states in the Midwest!
But for some on the Radical Left, any criticism of Obama is considered "racist". Even those who (gasp) express criticism of Obama's proposed policies!
You can't even call Obama a "liberal" without being called a racist!
Obama was accused of "palling around with terrorists"! Those accussations were considered "racist", but the terrorist was European-American Bill Ayers, who planted bombs in federal buildings in the 1970's.
Joe the Plumber was slandered as "racist" for saying that Obama was "tap dancing" around his question like "Sammy Davis Jr.
THAT'S NOT RACIST!
What, if John McCain was being evasive about a question, I can't say "he swam around my questions like Micheal Phelps" or else I'll get called "anti-white?
If you're one of those who call every non-Obama voter a racist, would you vote for African-American conservatives like Allan Keyes, Clarence Thomas, or Condaleeza Rice?
2) Some talk about the Bradley effect, referring to the former mayor of LA, Thomas Bradley (who happened to be African-American) who was ahead in the pre-election polls when he ran for governor of California in 1982, but lost the election!
Some say "some pretended to be for Bradley, but in the privacy of the voting booth, they voted their prejudice, and against Bradley"
But his opponent exposed the fact that crime was increasing in LA during Bradley's term as mayor. Also a handgun-ban initiative was on the ballot which Bradly supported. That got many who either 1) sometimes liberal but isn't for gun bans, or 2) non-voting but owns a gun to vote against Bradley.
Let's not forget that Bradley's career was destroyed in 1992 because of the LA riots. Bradley was still mayor, and people felt he lost control of the city, and that the police wasn't adequately prepared for a large scale riot! He even lost support of many African-American voters at that point!
It's likely, in the case of Obama, many are skeptical of his tax policy, foreign policy, etc, but don't want to admit it because people might then ask "are you against him because he's black?" even if you're only questioning his policies! So they remain silent!
Or in some cases, Obama skeptics might get called "Uncle Toms". I mean back in the primary, the African-American politicians & activists who supported Hillary Clinton were called "race traitors" and in some cases, even threatened!
Kathleen Parker says a "reverse Bradley effect" might happen! Those in conservative areas might want to vote for Obama but are silent because then they might be asked "why are voting for that Muslim?" or "why are voting for that (n-word)?". So it's possible that many Obama supporters in conservative areas are pretending to support McCain, but in the privacy of the voting booth, end up voting for Obama
http://jewishworldreview.com/kathleen/parker102208.php3
Parker was the same conservative writer who expressed skepticism of Sarah Palin's readiness to be Vice-President. She ended up being accused of being a "closet liberal" and recieved threatening emails!
3) Some say Obama is a Radical Leftist because he associated with Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright and other left-wing extremists!
I think Obama, like other politicians, panders to whatever can help him at the moment.
When he ran for office in Chicago, he felt he had to pander to Ayers, Wright, etc. in order to get votes.
He felt he needed to support handgun bans when he was an Illinois senator!
Now that he wants to be President, he disassociated himself from those left-wing extremists and now says he's against handgun bans!
McCain isn't guilt-free on pandering. In 2000, when he was trying to be the Republican nominee for President (which George W. Bush end up winning), he pandered to South Carolina racists by not taking a stand on the issue of the Confederate flag on state grounds. Months later, McCain later said he was against the Confederate flag but didn't express it when it mattered in the primary election, because he didn't want to loose.
Afterwards, after loosing to Bush, he wanted the image of a "guy who rebels within the Republican Party". He was the "liberal's favorite Republican" So he voted against Bush's tax cuts.
But guess what? To re-take the Republican Party, McCain flip-flopped! Now he's a big tax cut man!
So both are politicians who pander!
4) Now on to policy!
On economics, Obama said he'll cut taxes for 95% of Americans and give many tax credits to those people.
Being that I'm one of the 95%, I'll be happy!
However, McCain pointed out in the debates that the Obama wants to increase corporate taxes. He also pointed out that the US has a corporate tax rate of 35%, whereas Ireland has a corporate tax rate of 11%.
McCain is right that a lower corporate tax rate is good in bringing more investments.
However, McCain wants to tax health benefits! Wrong Move!
5) Joe Biden (who had a long reputation for saying stuff without thinking it through) mentioned that foreign enemies could test Obama in his first months!
The irony is that Biden is Obama's running mate! If McCain-Palin said it, they would've been accused of "fear mongering"
It wouldn't matter, any new president is going to get tested!
Bill Clinton was tested when the World Trade Center blew up early in 1993, whereas Bush was tested by 9/11 in his first year!
So regardless of who's president, something's going to happen in 2009! I just hope North Korean nuclear missiles can't reach Hawaii!
6) My previous blog post talked about the Internet and how recent it is!
McCain has admitted he doesn't know how to use the Internet by himself!
At his age, he's been an adult LONG before the Internet became popular (around 1996), so the thought is "if I spent so many years without it, why would I need it now"
McCain defenders said "he can't type because his hands were severely injured during his POW days". If that's true, can McCain hold a pen?
7) My 2004 predictions came close to true!
Here's what I said in 2004
http://pablothemadtiger.blogspot.com/2004_11_01_archive.html
From my Nov 8 post under #5
For the GOP, the results show that from now on, they'll need their Presidential candidates need to be from Texas (like Bush) or Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico or Utah. Why? Because a politician from those states would have experience speaking to both white conservative voters AND Latino voters.
So, yes the GOP chose an interior West guy in 2008. I just didn't expect McCain. Back then, McCain was known as the guy who rebels against his own party. I didn't expect him to take over!
As for the Democrats, they'll need someone from the Midwest. There, the politicians will have the experience of talking to union voters, inner city African Americans, college-town liberals and traditonally conservative rural voters. Barack Obama fits that profile, but I think he needs to serve a full-term in the Senate and win re-election to prove that he is capable of being elected President. Either that or run for governor of Illinois if that seat opens up. Either way, it can help Obama be the 1st African American President.
Obama didn't need to serve a full-term, and he's the one the Democrats chose!
8) Earlier this year, I mentioned that because Bob Barr was the Libertarian Party this year, I won't vote Libertarian for President!
http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2008_05_01_archive.html#1589278334887116242
AS I researched the other 3rd party candidates (Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney, Bob Barr, and Chuck Baldwin) I am now resorting to choosing between McCain & Obama! Choosing between the Big 2 parties wasn't something I wanted to do in 2000 & 2004, but now it's the only thing I have left, not because of anyone's chance of winning, but the 3rd party guys are even worse!
Monday, October 20, 2008
28 years of life
That's how long I was living last Wednesday. Only now, 5 days later, am I blogging on it , due to time constraints.
1) my older brother called me and jokingly called me an "old man".
So much ironies.
He's only 4 years older than me, but he is balding! That gave me motivation to grow my hair longer over the last year, because I get the feeling I'm going to be loosing my hair soon.
I got my hair in a ponytail right now. I thought about braids, but I wonder if showing up to work with braids would be a good idea!
My father is 56 years old, but lost no hair. He claims that it's because he just use regular soap instead of shampoo!
But I think it has more to do with genetics. Some scientists say the "balding gene" comes from the mother's side.
My father's mother is of Zapotec ancestry (a native Mexican group common in my father's birth-state of Oaxaca). My father's father is of Spanish ancestry, really white-skinned, and has lot's of body hair.
Whereas in my mother's side of the family, has more European DNA (German, Portuguese, Spanish). While my mother is "50% Puerto Rican", it seems to be a mix of Spanish and indigenous Puerto Rican.
And all my uncles in my mom's side got balded heads, and body hair!
So I'm growing my hair in my final years of having hair on my head.
I just wish my body hairs would bald a lot faster!
2) Another sign I'm getting old.
Watching a teenage rapper (Soulja Boy) mocking a rap veteran (Ice-T) as "being so old, you were born before the Internet was invented"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr8B2dnIvR4&feature=related
That was the 1st time I heard anything like that!
Soon, all the young kids would be mocking my generation (& older) like that!
The Internet became a popular thing back around 1996. I was in high school back then!
But now, those who are in school are getting Internet lessons in elementary school, and some were surprised that I mentioned how relatively new the Internet is! I even told them "if you take someone who died in 1990, bring that person back to life, and just tell him to do Internet search, that person would not know what to do!"
3) Recently, I've really spend a lot of time listening to the funk music group Zapp!
Zapp had a lead singer by the name of Roger Troutman. Troutman passed away in 1999!
His use of a talkbox has inspired current vocalists like Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West!
But what got my attention back in the 1990's was that Zapp's music was constantly sampled by West Coast rap artists! It was the sound heard out of lowriders, ghetto house parties, and picnics! It was the sound of fun, even in the most dangerous neighborhoods!
Zapp had a song that basically predicted the future!
That song was called "Computer Love" and it came out in 1986
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KAJe7HNN44
In 1986, computers were mostly used to type papers and play video games. That was it! There was NO myspace, NO facebook, NO online dating websites! There was NO i-tunes, NO Napster, NO watching movies online, NO online music sharing! The Internet was still in the process of being invented. It wasn't in middle class homes, nor was it accessible in public libraries! Almost no one in America had access to e-mail. People had cell phones, but there were NOT the kind that can easily fit into pockets like the ones today! There were no "ringtones", it had no "memory", it couldn't take photos, it was used for calling and that was IT!
Yet, Roger Troutman was singing about finding his sweetheart on the computer, seeing her face on a computer screen!
Roger Troutman would be amazed by how his futuristic fantasy came true if he came back to life today!
1) my older brother called me and jokingly called me an "old man".
So much ironies.
He's only 4 years older than me, but he is balding! That gave me motivation to grow my hair longer over the last year, because I get the feeling I'm going to be loosing my hair soon.
I got my hair in a ponytail right now. I thought about braids, but I wonder if showing up to work with braids would be a good idea!
My father is 56 years old, but lost no hair. He claims that it's because he just use regular soap instead of shampoo!
But I think it has more to do with genetics. Some scientists say the "balding gene" comes from the mother's side.
My father's mother is of Zapotec ancestry (a native Mexican group common in my father's birth-state of Oaxaca). My father's father is of Spanish ancestry, really white-skinned, and has lot's of body hair.
Whereas in my mother's side of the family, has more European DNA (German, Portuguese, Spanish). While my mother is "50% Puerto Rican", it seems to be a mix of Spanish and indigenous Puerto Rican.
And all my uncles in my mom's side got balded heads, and body hair!
So I'm growing my hair in my final years of having hair on my head.
I just wish my body hairs would bald a lot faster!
2) Another sign I'm getting old.
Watching a teenage rapper (Soulja Boy) mocking a rap veteran (Ice-T) as "being so old, you were born before the Internet was invented"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr8B2dnIvR4&feature=related
That was the 1st time I heard anything like that!
Soon, all the young kids would be mocking my generation (& older) like that!
The Internet became a popular thing back around 1996. I was in high school back then!
But now, those who are in school are getting Internet lessons in elementary school, and some were surprised that I mentioned how relatively new the Internet is! I even told them "if you take someone who died in 1990, bring that person back to life, and just tell him to do Internet search, that person would not know what to do!"
3) Recently, I've really spend a lot of time listening to the funk music group Zapp!
Zapp had a lead singer by the name of Roger Troutman. Troutman passed away in 1999!
His use of a talkbox has inspired current vocalists like Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West!
But what got my attention back in the 1990's was that Zapp's music was constantly sampled by West Coast rap artists! It was the sound heard out of lowriders, ghetto house parties, and picnics! It was the sound of fun, even in the most dangerous neighborhoods!
Zapp had a song that basically predicted the future!
That song was called "Computer Love" and it came out in 1986
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KAJe7HNN44
In 1986, computers were mostly used to type papers and play video games. That was it! There was NO myspace, NO facebook, NO online dating websites! There was NO i-tunes, NO Napster, NO watching movies online, NO online music sharing! The Internet was still in the process of being invented. It wasn't in middle class homes, nor was it accessible in public libraries! Almost no one in America had access to e-mail. People had cell phones, but there were NOT the kind that can easily fit into pockets like the ones today! There were no "ringtones", it had no "memory", it couldn't take photos, it was used for calling and that was IT!
Yet, Roger Troutman was singing about finding his sweetheart on the computer, seeing her face on a computer screen!
Roger Troutman would be amazed by how his futuristic fantasy came true if he came back to life today!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Pablo in the Media
I have made 2 recent appearances in the local media recently
1) In the October edition of the Hawaii Hispanic News, there is a section called "Adonde Estamos? Where are We?" In it, those of Latino ancestry get to show their face and tell the readers who they are.
http://www.hawaiihispanicnews.org/index.html is the Hawaii Hispanic News website, though my info was only in the print version!
I was solicited to post some info by the editor Marie Villa!
This is what I orginally sent
----
Hi, I am Pablo Wegesend, a 27 year old lifelong resident of Honolulu . My father is from Oaxaca , Mexico . He is of Zapotec and Spanish ancestry. My mother is born & raised in Honolulu , and she is of Puerto Rican, Spanish, Portuguese and German ancestry.
I attended Lilioukalani Elementary (preschool-kindergarten), Lanakila Elementary (grades 1-5), Kawananakoa Middle, McKinley High, and the University of Hawaii-Manoa!
I grew up in Kalihi, and currently live in Mo'ili'ili.
I am currently a substitute teacher for schools in both the public and private sector!
My interests include bike riding, supporting U H sports, collecting articles from the Internet, exercising at the Nuuanu YMCA, and listening to various styles of music.
--
What's with the orange words? That's all that was printed in Hawaii Hispanic News!
The editors edited a lot of stuff out! I've mentioned that I've got Puerto Rican, Portuguese and German to the editors, they took it out! It now makes me look like "this guy only emphasizes his Mexican side"
I understand editors have to make decisions based on available space, but it leaves out stuff I told them! :(
It reminds me of those who've been interviewed on TV for hours, but only 5 minutes of what they said was televised!
Well, at least they spelled my German last name right! :)
2) I also had a guest appearance in a recent Honolulu Star Bulletin story.
http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20081009_Isle_tourism_chief_resigns.html
I was quoted in saying the following!
Rex Johnson being the head of the Hawaii tourism agency is like Michael Vick in charge of the Humane Society. It's like Amy Winehouse in charge of DARE," said Honolulu-resident Pablo Wegesend, who has been an advocate for Hispanic rights.
I did say that, but I did NOT say it to anyone at the Honolulu Star Bulletin. It was something I sent in an email to a member of the Hawaii Tourism Authority board, after someone sent an email out to encourage people to send emails to Kelvin Bloom (a member of the board in charge of the Hawaii Tourism Authority) on the Rex Johnson controversy!
That email was supposed to just sent to a member of the board. I did NOT expect it to be mentioned in a newspaper.
But now that it's on the paper, I stand by everything I said. I'm just surprised it appeared on the Star Bulletin, since I didn't contact anyone on the Star Bulletin on this issue!
#2 - an "advocate of Hispanic rights"? Wow! I'm not a member of any organization, but I guess all my blogs and articles (which focuses on many issues, NOT just those relating to Latino issues) paid off!
Well, I guess the last few days reinforced a few lessons!
1) you can tell someone in the media a lot, and they'll only show a tiny portion of what you told them (as was the case of Hawaii Hispanic News)
2) anything sent in e-mail can be published in a well-known media outlet, even if you never sent it to a media outlet! ( as was the case with the Star Bulletin story)
Anyways, I guess that's the price of being an opinionated person :)
1) In the October edition of the Hawaii Hispanic News, there is a section called "Adonde Estamos? Where are We?" In it, those of Latino ancestry get to show their face and tell the readers who they are.
http://www.hawaiihispanicnews.org/index.html is the Hawaii Hispanic News website, though my info was only in the print version!
I was solicited to post some info by the editor Marie Villa!
This is what I orginally sent
----
Hi, I am Pablo Wegesend, a 27 year old lifelong resident of Honolulu . My father is from Oaxaca , Mexico . He is of Zapotec and Spanish ancestry. My mother is born & raised in Honolulu , and she is of Puerto Rican, Spanish, Portuguese and German ancestry.
I attended Lilioukalani Elementary (preschool-kindergarten), Lanakila Elementary (grades 1-5), Kawananakoa Middle, McKinley High, and the University of Hawaii-Manoa!
I grew up in Kalihi, and currently live in Mo'ili'ili.
I am currently a substitute teacher for schools in both the public and private sector!
My interests include bike riding, supporting U H sports, collecting articles from the Internet, exercising at the Nuuanu YMCA, and listening to various styles of music.
--
What's with the orange words? That's all that was printed in Hawaii Hispanic News!
The editors edited a lot of stuff out! I've mentioned that I've got Puerto Rican, Portuguese and German to the editors, they took it out! It now makes me look like "this guy only emphasizes his Mexican side"
I understand editors have to make decisions based on available space, but it leaves out stuff I told them! :(
It reminds me of those who've been interviewed on TV for hours, but only 5 minutes of what they said was televised!
Well, at least they spelled my German last name right! :)
2) I also had a guest appearance in a recent Honolulu Star Bulletin story.
http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20081009_Isle_tourism_chief_resigns.html
I was quoted in saying the following!
Rex Johnson being the head of the Hawaii tourism agency is like Michael Vick in charge of the Humane Society. It's like Amy Winehouse in charge of DARE," said Honolulu-resident Pablo Wegesend, who has been an advocate for Hispanic rights.
I did say that, but I did NOT say it to anyone at the Honolulu Star Bulletin. It was something I sent in an email to a member of the Hawaii Tourism Authority board, after someone sent an email out to encourage people to send emails to Kelvin Bloom (a member of the board in charge of the Hawaii Tourism Authority) on the Rex Johnson controversy!
That email was supposed to just sent to a member of the board. I did NOT expect it to be mentioned in a newspaper.
But now that it's on the paper, I stand by everything I said. I'm just surprised it appeared on the Star Bulletin, since I didn't contact anyone on the Star Bulletin on this issue!
#2 - an "advocate of Hispanic rights"? Wow! I'm not a member of any organization, but I guess all my blogs and articles (which focuses on many issues, NOT just those relating to Latino issues) paid off!
Well, I guess the last few days reinforced a few lessons!
1) you can tell someone in the media a lot, and they'll only show a tiny portion of what you told them (as was the case of Hawaii Hispanic News)
2) anything sent in e-mail can be published in a well-known media outlet, even if you never sent it to a media outlet! ( as was the case with the Star Bulletin story)
Anyways, I guess that's the price of being an opinionated person :)
Friday, October 03, 2008
In Memory of Aunty Alice
Aunty Alice passed away this past Monday.
So who was Aunty Alice?
Aunty Alice is what my family called Alice Melito. She was my grandma's sister.
She was born Alice Caban, in a Kauai plantation village. She (and my grandma) moved to Kalihi when they were still growing up.
Aunty Alice later moved to New York's Staten Island, and married into an Italian-American family and became Alice Melito.
I've met Aunty Alice a few times when she visited Hawaii, though unfortunately, I never got to visit her in New York!
I also learned things about New York from a resident perspective while talking to Aunty Alice!
The funny thing about her visits to Hawaii, was that even though people can sense my grandma & Aunty Alice were related, their skin color was different (Alice was lighter) and Aunty Alice sounded like a stereotypical New York Italian, whereas my grandma's voice sounds like a mix of Hawaii pidgin with a hint of a Puerto Rican voice mixed within. You'd have to hear them both talk to believe it!
Aunty Alice was a very nice person, and it was a pleasure to have met her! She will be missed!
So who was Aunty Alice?
Aunty Alice is what my family called Alice Melito. She was my grandma's sister.
She was born Alice Caban, in a Kauai plantation village. She (and my grandma) moved to Kalihi when they were still growing up.
Aunty Alice later moved to New York's Staten Island, and married into an Italian-American family and became Alice Melito.
I've met Aunty Alice a few times when she visited Hawaii, though unfortunately, I never got to visit her in New York!
I also learned things about New York from a resident perspective while talking to Aunty Alice!
The funny thing about her visits to Hawaii, was that even though people can sense my grandma & Aunty Alice were related, their skin color was different (Alice was lighter) and Aunty Alice sounded like a stereotypical New York Italian, whereas my grandma's voice sounds like a mix of Hawaii pidgin with a hint of a Puerto Rican voice mixed within. You'd have to hear them both talk to believe it!
Aunty Alice was a very nice person, and it was a pleasure to have met her! She will be missed!
Friday, September 19, 2008
More Olympic thoughts
The Olympics is over a month ago, but I still want to write on a few things
1) If there's anyone doubting the caliber of athletes coming from Hawaii --- look at the following
Brian Clay of Kaneohe won the decathalon, which involves running, hurdles, shot put, javelin, and other things. It takes speed, strength, endurance, and versatility to excell in the decathalon, and Brian Clay has it all!
Natasha Kai, the former UH soccer player from Laie, a major contributor USA women's soccer gold medal!
Clay Stanley, a member of the men's volleyball team, who won gold. They were a surprise winner, made even more legendary by their coach's perseverance after his wife's father was murdered in the 1st day of the Olympics.
USA women's volleyball (silver medal winners) have 5 Hawaii affiliated members, Robyn Ah-Mow Santos, a McKinley grad (GO TIGERS), former UH volleyball player, and member of USA's silver medal in women's volleyball. Lindsey Berg, a Punahou grad who played at a mainland college. The team also had some mainland-raised players who played for University of Hawaii in college volleyball - Heather Bown and Kim Willoughby. Also, Logan Tom, though mainland-raised and a Stanford grad, is part-Hawaiian.
There were other Hawaii-affiliated Olympians as well.
One other I wanted to comment on - Clarrissa Chun. She attended the same middle school as I did (Kawananakoa) , and the same grade level. However, we never met since we never had the same classes. I only knew of her from the yearbook. However, I was recently talking to another person from the same middle school, and his reaction was "who would've thought"!
2) USA basketball is tops again. While the women's basketball has been winning 5 straight gold medals, the men's basketball team regained dominance!
And it pretty much repaired Kobe Bryant's image.
Previously, Bryant was seen as "selfish, me-first, accussed rapist, etc." Now, he's seen as a team player and the ultimate patriot!
3) I wish I saw more of Micheal Phelp's events.
I only caught one of his team relays.
4) I remember one of Phelps' teammate on the relays was Cullen Jones.
Here's an article on Cullen Jones disproving racial stereotypes on African-Americans & swimming.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/2008olympics/2008/08/11/2008-08-11_riding_olympic_wave_swimmer_cullen_jones.html
I always thought that was one of the strangest stereotypes ever. When I worked at Palama Settlement, which has a very popular swimming pool, I saw some African-American kids who can swim very well! So I have no idea where the silly idea of "black people can't swim" comes from.
But I guess some stereotypes die hard, like "white men can't jump", nevermind that white Europeans have excelled in the high jump events!
Or that those of "European & Asian ancestry can't run", nevermind that in 2004, a Chinese male (Xiang Liu) and a European-American male (Jeremy Warriner) won gold in track events, and I remember seeing a Russian women coming in 2nd behind a Jamaican women in a 2008 track event.
Some might say Micheal Phelps and Usain Bolt is proof that "whites are superior in swimming, blacks are superior in running". But Phelps and Bolt are mega-athletes, in which no one of any color can beat them in their primes!
Race isn't everything! though Phelps is the ultimate swimmer, it doesn't mean Caucasians are automatically good swimmers. In fact, Cullen Jones could beat 95% of Caucasian swimmers. Also, though Usain Bolt is the ultimate runner, it doesn't mean those of African ancestry are automatically fast runners. After all, Jeremy Warriner could beat 95% of African-descended people in running!
Athletic triumphs takes talent, as well as perserverance, technique and practice. So ignore the racial stereotypers!
5) My favorite Olympic moment in which didn't involve a USA athlete --- watching the marathon! While watching people run long distance can seem boring, the Olympics make it different.
Watching all those guys running past the sights & sounds in the Beijing streets, the ability to take cups of liquid from volunteers without slowing down to take the cups, watching the lead runners running in groups until the near end. I wish I had such endurance.
Unfortunately, a few of the runners needed medical assistance and couldn't finish the marathon.
The greatest moment in all this is seeing the Kenyan runner, Samuel Wanjiru, taking the lead, leaving others far behind -- and watching him approach the Bird's Nest stadium, running through the entrance, and then running on the tracks and crossing the finish line. I wish I had that guy's endurance
Reading my description doesn't come close to watching it happen on the TV screen. (Though that probably doesn't come close to watching it live at Beijing)
6) I can't wait for the 2012 Olympics in London. More great moments are on the way!
1) If there's anyone doubting the caliber of athletes coming from Hawaii --- look at the following
Brian Clay of Kaneohe won the decathalon, which involves running, hurdles, shot put, javelin, and other things. It takes speed, strength, endurance, and versatility to excell in the decathalon, and Brian Clay has it all!
Natasha Kai, the former UH soccer player from Laie, a major contributor USA women's soccer gold medal!
Clay Stanley, a member of the men's volleyball team, who won gold. They were a surprise winner, made even more legendary by their coach's perseverance after his wife's father was murdered in the 1st day of the Olympics.
USA women's volleyball (silver medal winners) have 5 Hawaii affiliated members, Robyn Ah-Mow Santos, a McKinley grad (GO TIGERS), former UH volleyball player, and member of USA's silver medal in women's volleyball. Lindsey Berg, a Punahou grad who played at a mainland college. The team also had some mainland-raised players who played for University of Hawaii in college volleyball - Heather Bown and Kim Willoughby. Also, Logan Tom, though mainland-raised and a Stanford grad, is part-Hawaiian.
There were other Hawaii-affiliated Olympians as well.
One other I wanted to comment on - Clarrissa Chun. She attended the same middle school as I did (Kawananakoa) , and the same grade level. However, we never met since we never had the same classes. I only knew of her from the yearbook. However, I was recently talking to another person from the same middle school, and his reaction was "who would've thought"!
2) USA basketball is tops again. While the women's basketball has been winning 5 straight gold medals, the men's basketball team regained dominance!
And it pretty much repaired Kobe Bryant's image.
Previously, Bryant was seen as "selfish, me-first, accussed rapist, etc." Now, he's seen as a team player and the ultimate patriot!
3) I wish I saw more of Micheal Phelp's events.
I only caught one of his team relays.
4) I remember one of Phelps' teammate on the relays was Cullen Jones.
Here's an article on Cullen Jones disproving racial stereotypes on African-Americans & swimming.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/2008olympics/2008/08/11/2008-08-11_riding_olympic_wave_swimmer_cullen_jones.html
I always thought that was one of the strangest stereotypes ever. When I worked at Palama Settlement, which has a very popular swimming pool, I saw some African-American kids who can swim very well! So I have no idea where the silly idea of "black people can't swim" comes from.
But I guess some stereotypes die hard, like "white men can't jump", nevermind that white Europeans have excelled in the high jump events!
Or that those of "European & Asian ancestry can't run", nevermind that in 2004, a Chinese male (Xiang Liu) and a European-American male (Jeremy Warriner) won gold in track events, and I remember seeing a Russian women coming in 2nd behind a Jamaican women in a 2008 track event.
Some might say Micheal Phelps and Usain Bolt is proof that "whites are superior in swimming, blacks are superior in running". But Phelps and Bolt are mega-athletes, in which no one of any color can beat them in their primes!
Race isn't everything! though Phelps is the ultimate swimmer, it doesn't mean Caucasians are automatically good swimmers. In fact, Cullen Jones could beat 95% of Caucasian swimmers. Also, though Usain Bolt is the ultimate runner, it doesn't mean those of African ancestry are automatically fast runners. After all, Jeremy Warriner could beat 95% of African-descended people in running!
Athletic triumphs takes talent, as well as perserverance, technique and practice. So ignore the racial stereotypers!
5) My favorite Olympic moment in which didn't involve a USA athlete --- watching the marathon! While watching people run long distance can seem boring, the Olympics make it different.
Watching all those guys running past the sights & sounds in the Beijing streets, the ability to take cups of liquid from volunteers without slowing down to take the cups, watching the lead runners running in groups until the near end. I wish I had such endurance.
Unfortunately, a few of the runners needed medical assistance and couldn't finish the marathon.
The greatest moment in all this is seeing the Kenyan runner, Samuel Wanjiru, taking the lead, leaving others far behind -- and watching him approach the Bird's Nest stadium, running through the entrance, and then running on the tracks and crossing the finish line. I wish I had that guy's endurance
Reading my description doesn't come close to watching it happen on the TV screen. (Though that probably doesn't come close to watching it live at Beijing)
6) I can't wait for the 2012 Olympics in London. More great moments are on the way!
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