Social Service and Its Rewards: The Solutions to Complacency

There are many things that we complain about in our lives. Whether we focus on the lack of socioeconomic advantages, lack of proper education and enough experiences to compete for a job, or we just complain because we can, we most certainly never consider the fortunate circumstances that permit us the luxury of complaining. One such fortunate circumstance is the blessing of being alive and being able to help the less fortunate and more destitute individuals in our midst. However, we are so caught up in focusing on the negatives of the talents we possess, that we are unable to see the positive light that emanate from them. Why? We have essentially forgotten the struggles of our parents and ancestors, the struggles of our neighbors both domestically and internationally, and the fact that we now have the opportunity to appreciate more than most individuals possess in this life. For example, it is not a hidden fact that many of us owe some type of debt and are living on a paycheck-to-paycheck type of system. Thus, the reasoning for, and among the justifications given for the continuous complaints and lack of humanity to others we perceive as threats to overcoming our distresses and dilemmas. Some of us owe student loans and are struggling to pay our rents, mortgages, car payments, credit card bills, electricity bills, telephone bills, and too many other bills to list here. Others become dismayed because just when they thought one bill was resolved, another bill arrives in the mail. Well, I say that challenges in our lives serve purposes even though we might be blinded by our prejudices and unreasonableness in focusing on the purposes they serve. Whenever you sit down and commence feeling sorry for yourself and the amount of bills you have to pay, try to think about your decisions, privileges, and the rights afforded to you by this wonderfully inhumane world. We choose whether we want to use phones, televisions, and other material items that we so crave to give our lives meaning. Our neighbors do not have many choices except for hunger and pain. I presume that the choices of hunger and pain are not ones that are easily adapted to especially when food, clothing, and shelter are so accessible to so many who are able to assist by engaging in social services and volunteerism. There are places in Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Kenya, and many other third world countries where women, men, and children would give anything to have food, clothing, and shelter. Our system seems to be geared towards the incarcerated and those who can afford to pay for health premiums…usually individuals who are at a certain income bracket way beyond the $30,000 per year job. We have access to so much, with compassion for none. We are selfish, ungrateful, and egoistic to the extent that we will only assist the destitute once or twice per year (Thanksgiving and Christmas) and then boasts of our goodwill to our neighbors. What about the rest of the year, and the rest of our neighbors? I am yet to encounter an individual who only eats, sleeps, and become sick twice per year throughout his or her lifetime. I may not be able to solve all the world’s problems but I hope that you can join me in changing one dysfunction at a time. Let us not be hypocritical and speak of the obvious derelict in performance of our government and leaders, while we display the same pompous and underhanded behaviors we speak of. Change begins with one person and complaining never resulted in any issues being resolved in a venerable manner. Help someone else and help yourself. Continue paying those debts while reducing your need for happiness in material items by reducing and eliminating unnecessary spending. Do not complain without taking action or else you only succeed in whining, and that is just not proper or admirable. Change your outlook on life by making informed decisions and being accountable for your own actions. While you’re doing so, go volunteer at a soup kitchen for homeless individuals and visit www.volunteermatch.org to locate some volunteer work to occupy times when you become too complacent and pompous. There are always individuals who are suffering much more than we are.

Presidential Hopefuls

O.K., am I the only one who believes that Rudy Giuliani is milking the September 11th ticket for all it's worth? A mean, here's a guy who has no minorities on his campaign, has placed Bernard Kerik of all people on nomination for Homeland Security and for Police Commissioner in 2000; yet, he has the audacity to enter the presidential campaign. My advice to the guy: drop out of the race, and make yourself obsolete. No one cares for you to become president and I feel like vomiting just thinking about the possibility of you being in office.I know that Giuliani believes that the Hispanic population in Miami are going to hand over Miami to him, but he needs to awake from his sleepless slumber and realize that Miami is not Florida. He still has to go through all the other minority groups in the state including Blacks, who he so fervently ignore during his domination of New York. The presidential election is not the mayor's office in New York, where he was backed by his corrupt colleagues whenever Black men were being killed and could be classified as an endangered species. If he wants to run this country, he needs to explain why cases and corruption such as "Black and unarmed, Ahmed Diallo was gunned down by New York police with 41 bullets" are still unresolved. In my perspective, Giuliani was not fit for Mayor, and he is definitely not fit for President of any country. He has been extremely insensitive in his continuous manipulation one of our nation's most painful and traumatic moments during this millennium--September 11th, 2001. That boat has sailed and he needs to get off it and try to focus on issues that are important to the American people. As long as globalization exists, there will always be terrorism or some level of deviancy that exists in all societies. So milking September 11, will not make it go away. We need to move on with our lives and if we cannot even resolved inequities, poverty, and racial issues within this country, how do we expect to resolve those issues abroad. Most candidates stay away from these issues because to ignore them is to pretend that they do not exists. However, Giuliani has been Mayor of one of the richest States in the United States and had the authority and the budget to work with such issues and has ignored them. He speaks about immigration issues with such contempt and distaste when he, himself is an immigrant. America needs a president that is extremely open to realizing and if not, educating himself on the benefits of immigration within this country. America needs a president that understands that the education system has been failing for the last couple of decades and that students are being taught by their intellectual equals and inferiors. Stagnation occurs when there is no room for growth--well, welcome to most students college experience. America needs a president who can pass laws to prevent the new loan sharks and mobsters (student loan agencies) from keeping college students and future generations in poverty with unreasonable student loan interest rates. The only difference between the Italian mobsters, loan sharks, and the student loan agencies is that student loan agencies do not break your legs. No, the student loan agencies do worst. They destroy your life and leave you suffering for the rest of your life. If you ask me, I would prefer to take the broken legs and has a home to nurse them back to health. America needs a president who realizes that domestic issues are as important, and even more important that international issues--especially when the majority of the nation's people are struggling. America needs a president who was not born with a gold spoon in his mouth and who can understand the struggles and pain of the country's populace. America needs a president who understands that college graduates have been leaving college in massive numbers with an average of $60,000 in student loan debts while working a $6.50 - $10.00 per hour job if they are lucky. Giuliani is definitely not going to deal with these issues. Maybe, just maybe Obama or Hillary will. If not on the democratic side, maybe Romney will be able to do so. Whatever the case, I would prefer to have a high school dropout in the presidential chair than having Giuliani influencing the country negatively.

Ever Wonder Why 1 in 4 Veterans are Homeless?

Well, ask the Department of Veterans Affairs employees who choose to use the VA credit cards and money for assisting disabled and homeless veterans, to purchase lingerie, computers and other electronic items, gifts, hotels and casino gaming, and other personal pleasures. Any other questions relating to social and political injustices, please re-read the above statement

Meritocracy Does Not Really Work Without Contacts

O. K., I have not blogged for the last few weeks because I am supposedly busy working on the "American Dream"--Yea, right! It is amazing how capitalistic industries such as the student loan corporations continue to make money off students by utilizing education to undermine them. For example, I believe that I have done everything possible to accomplish as much as I can in this life. However, I am still struggling like most of my friends. I am currently one year away from my PhD and my friends have their Juris Doctorate and are still finding it difficult to secure employment and repay their loans. It is my personal belief that it is a crying shame that our society makes false promises of better life for its citizens who are educated, yet cannot deliver on good jobs and a dependable economy. If I knew then what I knew now, I would have possibly choose a different path in my life. I am not saying that each path does not come with its benefit, but sometimes the cost is not worth the reward. I am just too tired to even continue this topic--it is disappointing to even consider the struggle ahead for future generations

Should Governmental Entities & Universities Compete for Attractive /Qualified Applicants to Become a Part of Their Businesses?

It is this writer's belief that our society or more frankly, "our world" is in a detrimentally state of communicative decay. As such, we should not find the continuing deplorable manner of our matriculating institutions appalling without competitiveness. Governmental entities and universities should compete for the most attractive and qualified students irrespective of background to improve conditions of their individual businesses. Even though it might be hard to admit that we have been living in a world that strives off capitalism and global interdependence, which essentially adds up to a world that is dependent on competition—we need to remember that competition is based on a Darwinism concept is a desirable concept for challenges and survival. Now, as attractive as this prospect might sound I am still inclined to believe that irrespective of what happens, or who the competitive edge goes to in our sordid and manically depressive world, there will always be a struggle where minority candidates are considered because of bigotry and quotas. Competing for attractive / qualified candidates do not equate in a just manner to minorities when you have subjectivity / subjective humans overseeing the entirety of any issue. “Qualified” and “Competitiveness” will always be subjectively instead of objectively decided. For example, the Ivy League universities within the United States—at least some of them have decided to reduce the fiduciary burdens of educational attainment on individuals/students who are from lower income backgrounds. Even though this is a great stride though well overdue, it is imperative to note that there are still some of us who have attained graduate degrees without much occupational progress and still struggle exponentially because of inabilities to repay loans in a job market that excludes us for many diverse factors. Hopefully, reducing financial liabilities for destitute individuals will permit these universities to recruit students solely on qualifications and not legacy or financial status—thus giving poorer students a fighting chance to reach their aspirations. Though, the government is not essentially providing any necessary competitive edge for students who are more than qualify to assume certain competitive roles to change the current disdain we continue to experience. Let us keep in mind that competitiveness does reduce the reliance on financial status being priority in recruiting qualified individuals to fill a position. So, realistically speaking, it is difficult to state or presume the effects of such proposition without further commitment to retaining the services of such qualified applicants upon the completion of their educational matriculation. As with all things, there are usually three ideas or postures put forward to discuss the implications of any controversial propositions (pros, moderate, cons / perspective 1, fact, perspective 2). Our world has become such a mutually exclusive decision point on issues of importance that we now rely on a "Simon Cowell" type American Idol fallacy to determine decision making finality based on votes and not necessarily intellect. This being the case, there are currently no guarantees that any propositions or lack thereof, irrespective of what the topic might be and who the propositions are supposed to benefit, will actually last without one contention or another discussing the prejudicial or discriminatory effect on one party or another. To that end, we need to commence the acceptance of the reasonable perspective that “those who are able to make changes are usually excluded from influencing propositions of which we now speak”.

Better One Good Parent, Than Two Bad Ones

Now, I am absolutely certain that many of us are fascinated by stupidity. This is especially true when some people attempt to demean others by pretending to have all the answers. The Topic: Single Moms & Electing To Have Children
I was watching a morning show where a man appeared on the show complaining of the selfishness of single females who chose to bear children without fathers to assist with the responsibilities. I am married and without children, I would not let my being single stop me from conceiving if I wanted to have a child. One cannot condemn someone for having children once the act is based on the right reasons at the time the decision was made. First, there are so many single women who took chances with men that they thought would be available to assists, as fathers instead of sperm donors. However, on a realistic note, this only happens for some women whether they are married or single. Whatever the cases are for men disappearing at the news of conception, during conception, or after conception, there remains the same dilemma--a woman who is single and is raising a child or children by herself.
Therefore, I pose these questions:
What are the differences between:
1. A man who is there since the conception of the child,
2. A man who remained for a brief period after the birth of the child and disappeared thereafter for any number of reasons,
3. A man who was there for the child since birth to infancy, adolescence, or early adulthood, but is now dead, involved in the criminal justice system being processed for various crimes, robbing and killing, abusing his significant other, or physically, sexually, and or verbally abusing the child/children
4. Men who remain for the life of the child (extremely minimal amount in numbers): "kudos for taking accountability for your part of the 46 chromosomes!,
5. Women who come to the rescue of the children of others either through adoption and, or as foster parents because the biological mothers were either too young, too destitute, ill or other, (keep in mind that the men are still missing for one reason or the other),
6. The women who were raped and chose to keep the child or abort it for evident reasons, or decide to give it up for adoption after birth due to the trauma of the assault, if abortion was not an option,
7. The men who grew resentful of their relationships because they felt indebted to the entirety of the current girlfriend, wife, and child situation, (especially with a child or children involved) and they commence cheating because they are unhappily remaining for the sake of the child,
8. The lesbian couple who chooses to have a child with her partner because their sexual orientation (both being female) does not support both sides of, or meet the criteria of the gene pool (23X & 23Y chromosomes) that is required to birth children except through artificial insemination,
9. The homosexual couples who choose to have a child with his partner because their sexual orientation (both being male) does not support both sides of, or meet the criteria of the gene pool (23X & 23Y Chromosomes) that is required to birth children except through artificial insemination of a woman or adoption,
10. The couples (males and females, military and civilian alike) who decide to place their eggs and sperm in storage for those "just in case situations" (likelihood of death, or other dilemmas),
11. Parents who remained committed even though they fight continuously before the child/children without realizing the damages being caused,
12. And, "YES", the single women who chose to have a child independently of a man? How could we forget those "single women”, who according to many, “made poor choices in refusing to wait until they are 120 years, or until they transform into dinosaurs before finding "Mr. Right". In any debate relating the questionable inferences concerning single motherhood, let us not forget the donors who sell their sperm and eggs to assist otherwise childless couples in conceiving. I am blessed and happy to have a single mother, and know that her decision to conceive resulted in the same situation many women with children typically do. The result is still single parenthood no matter how much one planned for a pregnancy if the partner decides to leave during or after conception of the child. Basically, before we start bashing every single parent and their supposedly selfish decisions to bear children with the “perfect” partner, please consider all the factors that can influence and modify an individual’s plan for a family.

So far, yet so far behind the times

It is quite remarkable that human beings have not yet destroyed themselves and the world as well. Unfortunately for many people, they are not ready for the impending destruction that will result due to human violence and inflated egos. Fortunately for me, I never placed much hope in the human race. We have learned so little about life, love, trust, equity, similarities, uniqueness, and our dependence on each other for the survival of all. The historical and continued references and reminders of classism, racism, sexism, violence, and other “isms”, have become so mundane in our world, that individuals will only take notice when extreme violence is the preceding factor to any issue. We currently live in a society that has developed into nothing more than a concrete jungle with reverberating issues due to social injustices, political stupidity, and lack of respect for human dignity. We discourage violence among the youth population but have given up on the adult population; thereby, encouraging its continued representation in the media. Have we forgotten how impressionable the youth population is? My current and most troubling fear is that we have ill-equipped our children for a society of dilemmas that we have created with no intentions of correcting before we expire. First, it is crucial to understand that evolution goes two ways and we are going the wrong way. If our leaders cannot even resolve issues without the use of physical violence, why do we continue to criminalize the violent acts of the "supposedly" less educated? Ignorance breeds ignorance. In my opinion, most of our leaders including those worldwide are ignorant any. How can leaders speak publicly about condemning violence, yet the house floor has becoming a boxing ring on which to resolve personal vendettas and ego issues.