Actually, I joined Blogger in April 2003 as part of a group blog called
"The Fiftieth Star". That was with me, Stuart Hayashi and a few others
who wanted to promote an alternative to the center-left bias of the Ka
Leo, the Honolulu daily papers and the Honolulu Weekly.
http://50thstar.blogspot.com/
At the time, I was an undergraduate student at UH-Manoa and have been writing opinion articles in the school's newspaper Ka Leo O Hawaii.
As a writer, I had a small group of fans. But I also had an enemy named Tobin Jones who wrote screaming rants in response to my articles. I don't mind rational disagreements with my points, but Tobin Jones doesn't do rational disagreements, he does vicious slanders and accusations of me believing in stuff I dont believe in.
Earlier, I sent out e-mail responses to my inner circle and encouraged them to send out to as many people as possible.
Well, in the summer school class for "Poetry & Drama" (which I only took to get a literature core requirement over with) there was Tobin Jones. He didn't say anything to me the whole time. I didn't say anything to him the whole time. It was like "wait for the other guy to start trouble".
And to make it even worse, we got a professor from hell, William Foltz, a rude professor who thinks his class is his place to rant his opinions on stuff that has nothing to do with "Poetry & Drama"
[contrast that with my substitute teaching, where I dont even answer questions that has nothing to do with the class topic.]
(learn more about the Academic Bill of Rights at http://www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org/documents/1925/abor.html)
Here is my editorial at https://www.manoanow.org/teachers-subject-class-to-opinions/article_d926bc3e-b065-5079-93c4-36b0dc8d737b.htmlLet's say you are registering for classes next semester. You'll need a few classes to fulfill your core requirements and your major requirements. At the same time, you or your family is paying hard earned money to pay for all those classes. Your parents probably make less money than those professors teaching your class.
So you intend to take Poetry and Drama to fulfill a literature requirement. Do you want to spend hard earned money on that class to hear a well-paid professor talk about his hatred for the President, even though that has NOTHING to do with the topic of Poetry and Drama?(skipped paragraphs)
Do you want a well-paid professor who spends class time venting out his/her opinions while thumbing his/her nose at those who disagree?
That was published on the Ka Leo and Tobin Jones responded with vicious rants meant to insult and humiliate me to the whole campus.
The Ka Leo didn't publish author's responses to their critics. Their mentality was "just move on to the next article already"
But you know what? I got tired of all the vicious slanders against me and I was going to start my own blog to respond to Tobin Jones and whatever other critics I might have.
Anyways, here were my responses to Tobin Jones and William Foltz
My only regret was mocking their physical appearances, which unintentionally targets those who might look like them, plus it distracts from my criticism of their attitudes.
OK, I'm done with those two chumps.
==========================================
Since then, I've been writing about all types of stuff ranging from the serious (race relations, government, foreign policy, personal struggles, growing up) to the fun (music, sports, parties).
Whatever pops into mind when I have time to blog, that's what goes on the blog.
Of course, I wish I had more time to write blog posts. There's thoughts of mine that I planned to blog on, but never got around to it!
Of course, there's some that wonder "what's the point" and "who cares what people think".
There is one library intern that I know who has that mentality!
He's part of the Library and Information Science (LIS) program.
Ironically, because the very foundation of LIS,
the very foundation of libraries,
the very foundation of information profession................
..................................
is exchange of information and opinions!
That means people telling their side of the story,
That means giving people access to another side of the story,
I told him straight up "usually when we talk to people, we only talk about what we think they might be interested in. But on my blogs and other social media sites, I write about many of my interests and sometimes, that's the first time my relatives/peers/whatevers know about those interests even though we knew each other for a while! "
The library intern was like "you got a point there".
He prefers to hide from the world. Fine!
I don't! I'm on earth to make a statement!
That shouldn't be limited to those with connections to big money publishers, big money radio/TV outlets, big money donors or big government.
In the 1400's, a German inventor Johannes Guttenberg made the printing press. People no longer had to take years to hand-write books. They could now arrange a bunch of letters on a machine, place some ink, and press it on a paper. A faster way of making books. This started a revolution.
You can learn about it at
A Matter of Fact: Printing Transforms Knowledge (Day the Universe Changed – Ep. 4) (45 min)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g70rGW2bwM
And within the last 2 decades, another information revolution occured. With computers and broadband (or wireless) connection, you no longer need an access to a printing press. You can just stay home (or go to a public library) type your thoughts, and people can access your thoughts from half-way around the world!
You're damn right I'm using that technology to spread my message!
This isn't the Dark Ages where only the kings and their cronies have access to literacy and information!
And this isn't North Korea or Syria or Sudan, where people are legally limited from freedom of expression.
You're damn right I'm going to take advantage of the freedoms I possess!
Of course, I lost a few "friends" because I believe in using my freedom and using modern technology to speak out against injustices I have experienced or witness! Those "fake friends" and their attitude are poison! I wrote about that issue at http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-victory-for-internet-age.html
Now some people will say "dont expose so much of yourself, it might hurt your chances of landing the next job"
Number one, I don't write for the sake of offending people! I do have some strong opinions, but that's on very important issues!
Number two, as the disclaimer at the top of my blog says :
Nothing written here is an official opinion of any of my past, present and future employers, teachers, friends or relatives! Just myself, written only on my personal free time!
Number three, I do take calculated risks. I do write about what I think are important issues. I write to defend my honor against slanders and other criticisms. I write to defend justice.
Is there some employers who might shy away from that? Probably yes.
But you know what?
Martin Luther King took economic risks while protesting
Nelson Mandela took economic risks while protesting
Susan B. Anthony took economic risks while protesting
They took risks to physical safety too!
If they faced much larger risks than I would ever face, why should I back down from expressing reasonable opinions that are about fighting injustice?
Why should I back down from telling the world about examples from my life, something that others might learn from and relate to?
I'm in the blogging business for a decade.
I will continue to do so as many decades as possible!
(PS: I'm starting a YouTube channel. I haven't uploaded videos yet! But I plan to do some "video blogs" (or vlogs). Expressing opinions via video for those who prefer videos over blogs)
