2007-12-22

2007-12-20

Sunflower

i've made mandalas since childhood, long before i ever knew the word mandala. i was always drawn to symmetry in art, geometry and nature. i was enthralled and fascinated with snowflakes, both for their beauty and their mysticism, i.e, no two the same; infinity; god. i also made god's eyes, where you wrap colored yarn around crisscrossed popsicles sticks. It wasn't until i was a young adult that i was exposed to the vast trove of mandala art, history, and philosophy.

(this one i made from a photo i found on line; not my original work. it was too perfect to pass up.)

2007-12-10

God Bless America

I love America.

I love that I was born into freedom, and that it is so ingrained in me I take it for granted. I cherish my personal history; my family, my hometown, all the people I grew up with, and those I've met along the way. I've been to 47 of the States, and I love the variation in geography and culture.

I especially love the First Amendment. The freedom to think, to believe, and speak as I wish; It is the absolute cornerstone of everything else we think of as rights and democracy and freedom. I take it extremely seriously.

I don't think Americans are better than anyone else. I'm not blind to the injustices, past and present. I don't believe our government is always good or right. I am aware of how we sometimes use patriotism as an excuse for being jerks.

I don't think Americans are better than anyone else, but I think we are damn lucky and I expect more from Americans. Of all the people on the planet, we have the most to be grateful for and the least to complain about.

Like you, I have lots of opinions about stuff. I have beliefs. You and I might agree on some things and disagree on others. However that might be, I would give my life to protect your freedom. That's pretty strong stuff, I know. I don't say it lightly. I'm not a masochist or a martyr. I believe with all my heart in the goodness of America and Americans. What we have here is important, maybe one of the most important things ever in the history of humans. It's worth protecting and nurturing. It's worth fighting for.

The world is changing. America is changing. That's scary for a lot of people. Our culture, which has always been diverse, is becoming more so by the day. The world it getting smaller and the world's problems are becoming our problems. No one really knows which way things are going to turn.

More than ever, America is worth fighting for; not the borders or the English language or the flag, but the real America; the IDEA of America; The Land of the Free; Liberty and Justice for All.

I'm willing to fight and die for your Freedom, and I expect the same from you. That's how it works. United we stand. Two hundred and thirty years is a long time, and it's easy to forget some things, but that's the deal. Freedom only works when everyone is free.

People sometimes forget America is a Republic rather than a Democracy. In a Democracy, the majority rules absolutely and it can force others to do things they don’t want to, like belong to a certain religion or political party, or practice a certain type of sexuality, or decide at what age and to whom you will marry, or what job you will have, or what type of education. Our founding fathers purposely avoided that. They created a Republic intentionally to protect the freedom and rights of the individual, especially the little guy.

This is quite profound and is what makes us special as Americans; this ideal that we have of live and let live; of personal liberty. It takes an epic amount of integrity and goodwill to pull off. The very fact that it is not easy, perhaps even unnatural, makes what we do here all the more important.

That is why I take your freedom and your rights so seriously. I love my country. I love my people. When someone screws with another American, they’re screwing with me. I take it personal. I don't care what your religion is, what your politics are, your gender, your income, your education, whether you were born here or fled here, I don't care about the color of your skin, what you do in the privacy of your own home, or if you don't speak good English. If I see someone picking a fight with you, I'm jumping in.