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arieso226 · 4 years

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After the Mayan Genocide

NO.1

The disadvantages the Maya people face, during post-war Guatemala, are great. The issues of development and poverty in rural Mayan areas. They face a neo-liberal economy, where they are put into a situation where they have little to no power to control the conditions of their lives. The result is an acceptance of a condition where they cannot thrive. Guatemala, unfortunately, is a poor country where the poverty rate is 44-80%, because of unequal land and income distribution. A neo-liberal economy focuses mainly on the reduction of the government as a major employer, reduction of social safety nets, and the free market (laissez-faire) ideal. This will strengthen the economy by promoting business and bring money into the country through exporting.

The supermarkets or groceries the Maya cater to influences what consumers desire, which can be personal desire, health, and making ends meet. But it is limited by what is available, giving ‘at least’ statements. ‘At least I can afford it; At least it is healthy’, etc. Those limit points are expressed, but they are rarely questioned or challenged. Mayan farmworkers grow broccoli independently, where you sometimes can get ripped off, you are asked to ‘hold product’, and sometimes you make ‘too much money.’ 15% of the broccoli is not purchased, so they take it back because it is a taboo, or (xajan) to waste food, but do not eat it. Non-traditional crops are grown in a non-traditional way, but all for a larger global market, for cash, not a substance or to cement social ties. There are also, health concerns as they use chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers. Most of the Mayan farmers understand the risks of exploration, cultural loss, and moral problems, such as the gossip you will receive from your neighbors, which is frowned upon. Most of the limit points here will be, ‘’At least we can still be farmers’, we can avoid wage labor or maquiladora work, we can still be family together, we can work the land and preserve some tradition, and we can grow our milpa as well as a cash crop.’’

NO.2

Limit points are ‘at least’ statements that help us understand Mayan desires in a cultural setting, and that limit your desire or make your complacent to your position, and rely heavily on moral values. It is a balance between desires and capacity and helps us understand why the Mayan people would accept this work and helps us understand that their acceptance is not without hesitation. The limit points women most face is being hired by (Maquiladoras), or sweatshops that are owned by South Korean companies, are global divisions of labor that allow U.S cheap goods while U.S corporations to make money on designing and selling the goods, while South Korea benefits as a ‘middleman’. They import and export the pieces and assembled goods, all while under contract for U.S corporations.

The maquiladoras will hire young female workers from rural areas under stressful and harsh working conditions, offer the workers pregnancy tests, give them limited time to talk to one another, and bathroom breaks, where often sexually assaulting them. Some at least statements or limit points will be at least it’s work and can make money; at least it’s not getting involved in gangs and prostitution; at least we are known for our good work, where we take pride in. By taking this work, and seeing their limit points, we can better understand how their culture works, as the escaping of gender roles, parental control, and access to free funds are something both American and Mayan young adults can sympathize with.

NO. 3

The desires for better working conditions, higher pay, schools being built, and the helping of Mayan organizing in politics are present in every factory worker. A man names Alberto Simon isn’t against the factory per se, nor against capitalism or market economy but can see the benefits of factories going outside the community since the factory is less desirable than growing broccoli. A market economy might be seen as a competition between the people, so the Maya resist that while still engaging in a global competition. The situation of neo-liberal economies results in a situation of constant compromise, where they must accept a culture, who shuns them and gives them little power. Again, the limit points are put into an area where we see a value system, like hegemony.

Hegemony is ‘manufactures consent’, where a particular political ideology becomes embedded into a cultural model so as to seem natural, acceptable, and desired. It is the economic, social, cultural, and ideological influence and control by a dominant group over a subordinate group. One example of hegemony would be post-war violence. On June 10, 2002, thousands protested a new tax-reform measured $3000 to $45,000, so a march on municipal buildings and the mayors house took place. The protest was met by a phalanx of police unable to speak to anyone or negotiate, and when ‘someone’ throws a rock and breaks a window, the police responded with tear gas, and the protestors set the mayor’s house on fire. Protesting against political corruption, or any type of protest whether police brutality, gun reform, or abortion rights that somehow always ends with either violence or harsh criticism towards change, and is another unfortunate thing America shares with Guatemala.

NO. 4

But hegemony also ‘’constrains in advance the kinds of objects that can and do appear within the horizon’’ [Butler 2000] But it happens between people, where it is negotiated, agreed upon, and accepted on the basis of limit points. It is more or less, symbolic violence, ‘the violence which is exercised upon a social agent within his/her social and economic landscape.’ During Post-War Guatemala, El General Rios Montt believed he was God’s choice to be President. Before the war was classified as an act of genocide, he returned as the presidential candidate and was supported by the Mayan people since he offered to pay them for civil patrol work. In 2003, there was a Rabinal campaign and he was sent packing. The Peace Accords of 1994 stopped the massacres, which ended the war, but ever since there has been a rise in crimes, kidnappings, and robberies. There have been drops in coffee prices and a resurgence of right-wing political activity.

A new tax-structure has been re-written, and a large collection of taxes is a part of the Peace Accords, where it is meant to improve accountability and transparency. And who is the local administrator? A Montt supporter. Large protests happen to challenge this, and it ends violently, where someone sets the mayor’s house on fire, shoots at him, and burns down the municipal building. The gangs also did this. Again, it is a symbolic form of an answer meant to shift the violence away from the ‘pueblo’, and a means to diffuse the violence so that no one takes responsibility. A ‘container’ for less personal forms of violence and social suffering. One limit point understood here is, ‘at least the gangs gave the mayor something to think about.’ The limit points are created and meant for people to accept less than desirable conditions. This is how hegemony works and can be accepted and registered, and by thinking that, ‘at least the mayor was willing to meet with us’, we preserve hegemony for the June 10th Riot. The meeting itself becomes the desire, not the outcome.

#anthropology #maya genocide #hegemony #protests and riots #corruption #criminal justice #justice #social justice #discovery #genocide

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absolute-immunities · 4 years

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Joan Didion:

More and more, as the literature of the movement began to reflect the thinking of women who did not really understand the movement’s ideological base, one had the sense of this stall, this delusion, the sense that the drilling of the theorists had struck only some psychic hardpan dense with superstitions and little sophistries, wish fulfillment, self-loathing and bitter fancies. To read even desultorily in this literature was to recognize instantly a certain dolorous phantasm, an imagined Everywoman with whom the authors seemed to identify all too entirely. This ubiquitous construct was everyone’s victim but her own. She was persecuted even by her gynecologist, who made her beg in vain for contraceptives. She particularly needed contraceptives because she was raped on every date, raped by her husband, and raped finally on the abortionist’s table. During the fashion for shoes with pointed toes, she, like “many women,” had her toes amputated. She was so intimidated by cosmetics advertising that she would sleep “huge portions” of her day in order to forestall wrinkling, and when awake she was enslaved by detergent commercials on television. She sent her child to a nursery school where the little girls huddled in a “doll corner,” and were forcibly restrained from playing with building blocks. Should she work she was paid “three to ten times less” than an (always) unqualified man holding the same job, was prevented from attending business lunches because she would be “embarrassed” to appear in public with a man not her husband, and, when she traveled alone, faced a choice between humiliation in a restaurant and “eating a doughnut” in her hotel room.

The half-truths, repeated, authenticated themselves. The bitter fancies assumed their own logic. To ask the obvious—why she did not get herself another gynecologist, another job, why she did not get out of bed and turn off the television set, or why, the most eccentric detail, she stayed in hotels where only doughnuts could be obtained from room service—was to join this argument at its own spooky level, a level which had only the most tenuous and unfortunate relationship to the actual condition of being a woman. That many women are victims of condescension and exploitation and sex-role stereotyping was scarcely news, but neither was it news that other women are not: nobody forces women to buy the package.

But of course something other than an objection to being “discriminated against” was at work here, something other than an aversion to being “stereotyped” in one’s sex role. Increasingly it seemed that the aversion was to adult sexual life itself: how much cleaner to stay forever children. One is constantly struck, in the accounts of lesbian relationships which appear from time to time in movement literature, by the emphasis on the superior “tenderness” of the relationship, the “gentleness” of the sexual connection, as if the participants were wounded birds. The derogation of assertiveness as “machismo” has achieved such currency that one imagines several million women too delicate to deal at any level with an overtly heterosexual man. Just as one had gotten the unintended but inescapable suggestion, when told about the “terror and revulsion” experienced by women in the vicinity of construction sites, of creatures too “tender” for the abrasiveness of daily life, too fragile for the streets, so now one was getting, in the later literature of the movement, the impression of women too “sensitive” for the difficulties of adult life, women unequipped for reality and grasping at the movement as a rationale for denying that reality. The transient stab of dread and loss which accompanies menstruation simply never happens: we only thought it happened, because a male-chauvinist psychiatrist told us so. No woman need have bad dreams after an abortion: she has only been told she should. The power of sex is just an oppressive myth, no longer to be feared, because what the sexual connection really amounts to, we learn in one woman’s account of a postmarital affair presented as liberated and liberating, is “wisecracking and laughing” and “lying together and then leaping up to play and sing the entire Sesame Street Songbook.” All one’s actual apprehension of what it is like to be a woman, the irreconcilable difference of it—that sense of living one’s deepest life underwater, that dark involvement with blood and birth and death—could now be declared invalid, unnecessary, one never felt it at all.

One was only told it, and now one is to be reprogrammed, fixed up, rendered again as inviolate and unstained as the “modern” little girls in the Tampax advertisements. More and more we have been hearing the wishful voices of just such perpetual adolescents, the voices of women scarred not by their class position as women but by the failure of their childhood expectations and misapprehensions. “Nobody ever so much as mentioned” to Susan Edmiston “that when you say *I do,’ what you are doing is not, as you thought, vowing your eternal love, but rather subscribing to a whole system of rights, obligations and responsibilities that may well be anathema to your most cherished beliefs.” To Ellen Peck “the birth of children too often means the dissolution of romance, the loss of freedom, the abandonment of ideals to economics.” A young woman described on the cover of New York as “The Suburban Housewife Who Bought the Promises of Women’s Lib and Came to the City to Live Them” tells us what promises she bought: “The chance to respond to the bright lights and civilization of the Big Apple, yes. The chance to compete, yes. But most of all, the chance to have some fan. Fun is what’s been missing.”

Eternal love, romance, fun. The Big Apple. These are relatively rare expectations in the arrangements of consenting adults, although not in those of children, and it wrenches the heart to read about these women in their brave new lives. An ex-wife and mother of three speaks of her plan to “play out my college girl’s dream. I am going to New York to become this famous writer. Or this working writer. Failing that, I will get a job in publishing.” She mentions a friend, another young woman who “had never had any other life than as a daughter or wife or mother” but who is “just discovering herself to be a gifted potter.” The childlike resourcefulness—to get a job in publishing, to become a gifted potter!—bewilders the imagination. The astral discontent with actual lives, actual men, the denial of the real generative possibilities of adult sexual life, somehow touches beyond words. “It is the right of the oppressed to organize around their oppression as they see and define it” the movement theorists insist doggedly in an effort to solve the question of these women, to convince themselves that what is going on is still a political process, but the handwriting is already on the wall. These are converts who want not a revolution but “romance,” who believe not in the oppression of women but in their own chances for a new life in exactly the mold of their old life. In certain ways they tell us sadder things about what the culture has done to them than the theorists ever did, and they also tell us, I suspect, that the movement is no longer a cause but a symptom.

#ouch!

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growingstronglikeahighgardenrose · 4 years

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Christmas Wishes

We’re nearing the end of my 12 days of Sanditon journey, this is the last Regency era fic. But it’s a long one to compensate. If brevity’s the soul of wit, I don’t have it.

Pairings: Babington/Esther, Crowe/Clara, Sidney/Charlotte

For the 12 Days of Sanditon Prompt ‘Tree’, hosted by @sanditoncreative

Synopsis: A Sanditon AU in which the Parkers and Denhams are rich, Crowe is a lord, and Babington isn’t.

Full story available on AO3

‘Miss Denham, Miss Heywood, Miss Brereton, I'd like to introduce my friends. This is Lord Crowe and Mr Babington.’

Esther, Charlotte and Clara studied the men in front of them. The Lord looked at them appreciatively, but he didn’t appear to be too steady on his feet. His friend, on the other hand, had quite a studious look about him with his beard and less stylish clothes.

‘Our friend assures us of good sport here,’ Lord Crowe smirked, ‘shall we find any?’

Another immature playboy, unable to grow up because he never had to worry about a thing in his life. Esther fought to refrain from rolling her eyes. Her aunt wished for her to marry soon and well, since she was already past twenty-five, but it appeared all men she met suffered from the same chronic ailments: stupidity and superficiality.

‘I believe there is very little shooting in the neighbourhood, sir.’

‘I wasn't thinking of shooting.’

Now her eyes were rolling, and she didn’t even care.

‘My friend was thinking of dancing, I'm sure’, the one named Babington said with a light-hearted laugh.

‘Could we persuade any of you young ladies to dance with us?’ Mr. Babington asked.

Clara’s eyes took in the drunk lord. No doubt she saw in him a way to escape her situation. ‘I'm sure you could, sir’, Esther replied as Clara and Lord Crowe were already taking each other by the arm.

The bearded man offered Esther his arm and she took it, allowing him to take her to the dance floor.

Your brother will be very pleased with you, Mr Parker’, Charlotte smiled.

‘Yes, I hope so. Crowe’s a well-intentioned man, he just has a couple of bad habits he has a hard time kicking. But what’s more important, he's a good friend of the Prince Regent. Now, if he could be convinced into coming to Sanditon, then the general rejoicing would be unconfined, I imagine.’

Charlotte couldn’t help but agree as the two continued their walk.

‘So, Mr. Babington. A friend of Mr. Parker?’

‘Ah, yes. I taught him at college.’

‘You’re a professor?’

‘I’m only a doctor, unfortunately, the world does not need many of those’, he admitted with some shame.

It was a polite way to say he had a hard time finding a job, but the man was a scholar nonetheless. At least he would be more interesting to talk to than the other guests present.

‘What’s your field of expertise?’

‘Economy and Philosophy.’

‘Practical studies and formulas versus the study field of dreamers? How odd.’

He couldn’t help but respond to her amused smile with a laugh of his own.

‘Ah, but the economy as it is, is proof of a certain philosophy. Right now, the philosophy of our economy is capitalism and liberalism. Our economy is formed by our idea of what a good economy should be. I enjoy reflecting on economic systems. You frown, Miss Denham, do I displease you? Perhaps you find the topic tedious. I confess, it isn’t the most engaging topic for most people. Forgive me, I am not used to the company of women, or society in general.’

‘I don’t mind philosophy, but I rather dislike economy. It’s only money.’

Mr. Babington’s eyebrows rose, as would anyone who didn’t know Esther Denham but knew how much influence money had on one’s life.

‘I don’t like sounding superficial, Miss Denham, but money is never just money.’

She rolled her eyes.

‘I dislike money because in my opinion, far too many people consider money the ultimate goal. Everyone’s obsessed with it. According to me, it is a means to an end, not a goal in and of itself.’

‘Ah, there is a philosopher in you’, he laughed.

‘You thought me shallow?’ she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

He shook his head vehemently, before turning her around.

‘No I did not. You never gave that impression. I simply misunderstood your previous statement given your position in society, but I understand now. I believe I agree, but just to be safe, might I enquire as to what you deem a worthy goal?’

He was incredibly honest, Esther had to give him that. Even though she was pretty sure he’d just confessed to being surprised that a rich woman didn’t care a lot about money, she found herself interested in continuing the conversation. If he kept it up this way, she was almost tempted to have a second dance with him after this one.

But now she wished to impress him, instead of answering with generally accepted goals. Unfortunately for her, her goals were in fact quite commonplace.

‘A goal could be happiness, ample money helps to take away worry and makes one able to do things one enjoys. To have a happy marriage would be a goal, if both or one partner are wealthy enough, they are able to marry instead of being kept apart by circumstance. Children are a goal, and money comes in useful to provide for them when they need clothes or a doctor.’

‘Just my two cents’, Esther shrugged.

‘Now I understand, and now I can say I agree?’

‘I thought a philosopher always managed to critique or question a certain idea.’

‘Oh I can, but I don’t see a particularly big flaw in your line of thinking.’

‘Humour me, provide me with one critical note.’

‘There are philosophers, and countless of everyday examples, of poor people being very happy, and rich people being miserable, of children lacking in nothing with parents having plenty of money yet dying.’

‘Money helps achieve a goal. It helps. There’s still other forces at play. But I daresay for the majority of people, money is necessary to at least have a shot at reaching their goals. Those who can be content despite incredibly poor circumstances, are few and far between.’

‘I know. I knew my argument was weak, and I already agreed with you, but since you asked, I told you. I would not dare to go against a lady’s wishes.’

That made her smile, and decide to have another dance with him should he ask. But Lord Crowe asked her for the next, and Babington didn’t try again.

♦♦♦♦♦♦

‘Aunt, what is that?’ Esther asked upon entering the room her aunt was currently occupying with her commanding presence.

‘You too?’ Lady Denham asked. Clara shot her an apologetic look, but Esther simply turned away. Their bond had bettered, but she still hadn’t forgotten her frolicking with Edward.

‘A pineapple. I’ll host a dinner to celebrate Miss Lambe’s arrival to Sanditon. New money always comes in handy in places like these. Had your brother not been the stupid oaf he was, I might have been able to couple them, but he simply had to squander away his life the way he did. No matter. Miss Lambe needs to be convinced of the merits of Sanditon to invest in it, and Lord Crowe needs to be convinced of yours, Esther.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘Lord Crowe is a prize well worth the winning. You will be seated next to him. And you will present yourself as a lovely and eligible wife. You are a wealthy English lady of impeccable family. I am well aware that you have so far frittered away these advantages and wasted your most beautiful years with walking, painting and reading silly books, but you must marry one day and he is rich and has important acquaintances. I married well twice to ensure our family had money. I only ask you to marry well once. Though it is unfortunate he appears to be young and in good health.’

‘The man’s a drunk’, Esther sighed while ignoring the stabs her aunt tried to deliver.

‘You may prize yourself lucky if that’s his only fault. Besides, most drunks can’t do a lot. At least he’ll leave you in peace.’

‘Perhaps you should put him with Clara, since she didn’t seem to mind yesterday.’

Her cousin threw her a shocked look, but didn’t disagree. She would be stupid to insist on not sitting beside such a wealthy bachelor.

‘No, no. There will be no escaping this Esther, you have to try at least.’

‘Doesn’t Clara have to marry as well?’

‘Yes, but you’re the easier one to marry off. You have money and name.’

‘One could say that after attending two season a year for almost ten years in a row, she is obviously not easy to marry off’, Clara noted sharply.

‘Girls. What did I tell you after that fleabag left? There would be no fighting over my inheritance and there would be no animosity between the two of you. But if this is the case, I shall put both of you next to him. Betting on two horses has always been the wiser strategy. I trust you do understand the difference between the arts of courtship and sarcasm, Esther? I hope I do. You'd better. If neither of you secures him, I will be very disappointed in you. And you don't want to fall out of favour with me, do you?’

‘No, Aunt’, the girls replied.

‘You have your work cut out for you. That man has seen a lot of the world, and without a doubt a lot of women. It shall take no little amount of flirting and being pretty to make him choose country girls over the age of twenty like yourselves. Once you've secured his hand in marriage, you can go back to wasting your days like usual. I want to see both of you married before Christmas. And that is both a wish and a command.’

The girls nodded and waited until Lady Denham left before Esther went back to her novel, and Clara to her piano.

#12 days of sanditon #esther/babington

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yeskama · 4 years

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Prologue Draft: A Tale of Sorcery II: Dance of the Dark Dragon

The following is an unfinished draft of the prologue chapter for my next fanfic. Some pieces might make it to the final draft but I’m pretty sure most of it’s gonna end up nuked. Figured I’d share it before that happens...

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In the southwestern regions of Augustus, 25 miles from the Solidere border, the Fortress City of Delacroix stands vigil. Considered a feat of human ingenuity, she was constructed during the peak of the Agustian Empire, encompassing over 40,000 square meters of the Great Southern Lake. The steel walls surrounding her reach up to 200 feet, while her tallest towers peak at 400. Built on a solitary island, four great bridges provide entry to the mainland, each located at a cardinal point and underneath her foundations, a vast underground mining complex extracts the valued minerals of the earth. Surrounding the city are ten great spires that defend her from any act of war, be they magic, artillery or otherwise. This resilience has always been the city’s greatest boon. Indeed, the Dark Kingdom only succeeded in conquering the city by starving her citizens out. Even then, it took 2 and half years to accomplish Her accolades however don’t end there...

Behind her walls reside the finest tradesmen, crafters and scholars known worldwide. Delacroix’s Shining Star Academy has produced many great magi throughout the centuries, notably Archmage Noah. Her citizens are not only a proud and hardy people but also hospitable. The city boasts the largest demi-human and elf populations in Augustus. The Great Cathedral of Aime not only administers the Ten’s watchful eyes, but even permits other faiths to provide for their pilgrims. All these feats however will never wash away the city’s greatest shame. For it was here, six centuries ago, Lilith was sired. The very woman whose son brought the entire continent to its knees, was at a time, one of her beloved citizens...

Since it’s liberation, the governing body of Delacroix has served her Augustian masters for the past 406 years. The road between her and the capital has long been dubbed “The Golden Road” for its consistently safe conditions. For years, the gates of Delacroix stood open for all...

Now?

Her drawbridges are raised, her waters play host to dangerous beasts, and her citizens have boarded themselves within, sword and staff ready. Cannons line her walls while wyverns dominate her skies. Amongst the rolling hills of the mainland, Legion tents dot the landscape with artillery directed at the city. Bending to the banners of golden flame, the north and west bleed red, whilst across the lake, banners of the white horse stand firm as the lands bleed blue. The time is 11 at dawn and here, situated among the hills of red, two men ready their charges for afternoon drills...

“Recruit-man Lyon!” “Captain Lagnus, sir!” “You are holding your weapon incorrectly, recruit-man...” Unsheathing his own blade, he proceeds to explain. “You want your main hand resting near the guard and your off hand near the pommel. That way you have proper balance. Clutching with the hands together lessens your control...” “Thank you, sir! I will keep that in mind from now on!”

Sheathing his blade, he just gave the lad a reassuring smile and went on his way. T’was a common mistake, especially amongst enlisted civilians. After examining a few more fresh faces, Lagnus found himself staring into the clear blue sky as sweat tricked down his face.

Though the humidity had lessened since yesterday, the summer's heat was still strong. Truth be told. Lagnus himself wasn’t exactly dressed for the occasion. A man of 23 years with jet black hair and brown eyes, he had served in the Legion for six years now. A commissioned officer, he wore a standard Legion armor set but with a slight personal touch. He had it gilded to reflect his proficiency with light magic (a rather difficult element to master amongst magi) with a blue bodysuit, brown gloves and a gold circlet. Finishing the ensemble was a red cape, bearing the sigil of a gold flame on its back, reflecting the House he served under. While he looked regal in it, truthfully, it was like a mini torture cell! He wanted nothing more but to remove it but doing so would undermine his authority, or so he believed. Wiping his head, he made his way toward one of the nearby canopies wherein he took to the comfort of water, chugging away without abandon. With his thirst quenched, he sighed in delight and took a seat. T’was then another man took to the canopy, the one instructing the magi...

“Hot, Captain?” He greeted him. Lagnus just shook his head. “I can manage, my lord...” The man merely smirked as he went for a bottle of water. “I somehow doubt that...” He answered dryly

Albus Vanthe Amherst was his name and at just 17 years, his reputation preceded him. Captain of the Legion Magi Corps and heir to one of the five great noble families of Augustus. Lagnus was familiar with the stories...a generational prodigy they call him. He graduated the Augustus Magi Academy at 12, enrolled in the Severin Legion Academy at 13 before graduating a year later and quickly soaring through the ranks. It took Lagnus six years to claw his way up to Captain, a feat which Albus accomplished in four. An impressive accomplishment indeed and Lagnus was inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt...

...if not for that last name.

He had seen it before, hayseeds elevated through the ranks all on the merits of their family names. Being an orphan, Lagnus did not possess the luxury of a last name, though he was well on his way toward earning one. Regardless, it just left a sour taste in his mouth. His appearance did nothing to dissuade this notion. A face so immaculately crafted, you’d mistake it for a king’s, with piercing emerald eyes and long flowing scarlet hair. His current attire consisted of a black unbuttoned long coat with matching pants and boots, all of which had some manner of gold trimmings. Only the shirt he wore broke the trend, being a plain red in color. Clearly ill-dressed himself for the season, not that it mattered to Lagnus. He was more preoccupied with warding off the heat than anything...

“Done with your charges?” The noble asked. Lagnus nodded. “Indeed. Yourself my lord?” Albus just nodded before reaching into one of his pockets. Pulling out a bag of peanuts, he offered. “Snack?”

Eh, why not?

Rising from his seat, Lagnus stood next to the mage as the two of them picked at the bag. He hadn’t had salted peanuts since he was a boy and had long forgotten the taste. Rough and tangy but still tastey! Unfortunately, they prompted more water down the throat (the wonders of salt). As the two ate, they both looked ominously on the city. Five months have passed since Delacroix declared for independence and so far...nothing. Just what was going on in there?

“May if I inquire about something, Captain?” Albus asked “Go ahead.” “Why are you here?” Lagnus looked at the mage confused. What prompted him to ask such a thing? “What else? To do my duty. The city has rebelled against the crown. Such actions cannot be abided...” “If memory serves me correctly, did you not once call this city home?” He matched eyes with the knight. “When those drawbridges come down, rest assured, things will turn ugly. If that comes to pass...can you bring it upon yourself to draw your sword on your own neighbors?” Lagnus returned his gaze toward the city, “When we joined the Legion, we made a pledge to his majesty. A knight who cannot stay true to his word cannot be called a knight...” Albus let out a soft chuckle upon hearing this... “My friend...you are not a knight...” Lagnus just flashed a brief smile as he went for some more peanuts. “Give it time, my lord.”

It was around this time a figure ascended the hill on horseback. His face concealed by , he was on horseback and had three prisoners in tow, bound by rope and their faces concealed by sacks. One was an adult woman wearing a red maid outfit. Lagnus was well aware of its significance, only those serving one of Delacroix’s governing families wore red. The other two were just children, a boy and a girl. Arriving before the canopy, the shrouded figure dismounted and knelt before them...

“Sir Lagnus, Lord Albus...I have fulfilled my task...” Albus applauded the man as he rose to his feet. “So I see! Well done good sir! Let us meet with uncle, I'm sure he’ll find these arrivals most pleasing...”

Amherst command took up residence in a quaint tent near the lakeside. Inside, sigils of the golden flame stood proud whilst men and women of scarlet (or blonde) hair and green eyes seated themselves before a long table. Food and wine took residence upon its fine surface while its masters discussed strategy, charted maps and schemed against their political enemies. Situated in the back and installed on the most decorated seat was the Lord Victor Penton Amherst, current head of House Amherst, chief advisor to his royal highness and, both figurative and literally, the most powerful man in camp.

Of course, upon first impressions, one would hardly come to such a conclusion. A man of 55 years, Victor had already gone through three wives and sired six children, only one of which, survived to this day. At a mere 5 feet, he looked like an ant seated amongst giants, though none dared to make such a jest. His scarlet hair, now lessening and brushed backward, had dulled to the that of light ginger. This extended to the thick goatee he grew to mask his weathering features. The parts of his face visible were suitably worn, highlighting his high cheekbones and the creases under his eyes, which like the rest of his family, were a deep emerald in color. Whilst his present company were outfitted in decorative raiment, Victor settled on a simple black leather doublet, with matching pants and boot. Situated on his lap and was the Amherst family heirloom, a great tome bearing the family’s ancestral sigil, a golden flame over a red field. The tome itself bore the family’s greatest creation; a magic spell forged from over 200 years of generational knowledge...

Hellfire

Whilst the others squabbled amongst themselves, Lord Victor kept silent, his attention focused on a letter addressed from his majesty. A solemn man, he was not one for small talk, only speaking when he deemed it necessary. Only Albus’s arrival would pry him away from the whims of his king...

“Lord Uncle!” He shouted over the ruckus. Upon the declaration, the whole tent immediately went quiet. Raising his head up, he watched as his nephew hurried to his side.

“What is it Albus?” he asked. Contrary to Lord Victor’s size, his voice was deep and strong. “Have there been any new developments from the city?” Albus just smiled and shook his head. “Afraid not, my lord. But we have procured some...bargaining chips.” Signaling to the entrance of the tent, he shouted...

“Bring them in!”

Lagnus escorted the bound maid while the cloaked figure gently prompted the children in. All eyes were on the pair as they unmasked the captives. The maid was a young woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes, probably in her early to mid 20’s. Her eyes bore a tremendous fury toward the tent’s occupants though she stayed her tongue. Lagnus maintained his composure but was quite dismayed by her unveiling...

For he knew this woman...

Thankfully t’was not the maid the Amhersts were interested In. Rather, their attention was focused on the children. A delicate looking pair for sure, certainly no older than 8. Both bore eyes of red, hair of orange and were outfitted in sleepwear typically reserved for the upper-class. These factors lead little doubt concerning their identities. Like the maid, their mouths remained silent but instead of fury in their eyes, terror took front stage. This fear intensified as the short man in black approached them, his great red tome tucked under his left arm. Kneeling down to the boy, he gently grabbed the lad’s chin and studied. The boy, whose eyes were tightly shut, began to cry...

“Open your eyes boy!” The man asked sternly.

He did as asked and was instantly met by the man’s emerald gaze. He stared intently before breaking his gaze and looking up to the Shrouded Man, who’s head bowed in respect.

“There is no mistaking it. This is indeed Lord Ville’s son...”

Raising to his feet, he ordered all present save his nephew, Lagnus and the shrouded man to leave. Once the tent was emptied, he gave the order to a nearby sentry to escort the children to one of the prisoner’s tents and double camp security. He was taking no chances. As the children left the tent, the shrouded figure snapped his fingers and suddenly, their tears and sniffles were now audible. The display brought a rare smirk to Lord Victor. A silence incantation? Very clever indeed...

“Remove those rags and rest yourself. You’ve more than earned it...”

The figure did as commanded and discarded his concealments, revealing a young man with short chestnut brown hair and piercing brown eyes. Seating himself at the table, he proceeded picking at the ham as Lord Victor wandered over to the maid, eyeing her curiously...

“Who is this?”

The brown-haired youth looked upward and responded, “A servant who got a bit too nosy for her own good...” The cup now full, he took a quick swig and continued, “Give her credit, she was the only one in the Ville household that didn’t buy my story...” Breaking eye contact, he looked downward, “When the opportunity to abduct the kids arose, she was waiting for me in the girl’s bedroom...” He paused briefly before finishing “Not wanting to take any risks, I brought her along...”

The maid glared furiously at the man, struggling to free herself while her mouth silently flapped like mad. Lagnus tightened his grip, garnering him an ugly look from the young woman before she returned her gaze to the brown-haired man. Without warning, she suddenly felt a vicious strike against her left cheek. The blow was strong, so much so, her head swung as she fell to her knees. A red bruise burned brightly on her face and as she struggled to open her left eye, she felt someone grip her cheeks. Orbs of green gazed into her sole opened eye, a horrifying fire having awakened within them...

“If you value your life wench, you will compose yourself...” The Lord Amherst growled. “The Golden Flame has no time for fools. I suggest you prepare yourself for questioning...less you want something unpleasant to befall those children...”

As the maid was escorted out, Lord Victor returned to his seat. Albus took a seat next to his uncle whilst Lagnus sat across from the Brown Haired Man. Lord Victor eyed him inquisitively before asking...

“Have you charted the city’s entire sewer system?” Nodding, the man pulled out three folded papers from his pocket and set them on the table. A brief smirk crossed Victor’s lips upon seeing them. It had been three months since he departed for the city. An insider them tipped off that the city intended to declare for independence. Only the royal family was privy to the city’s one weakness, and even then, their knowledge of it was lacking. Victor sent his newest acquisition into the city before the drawbridges were rose, complete with fake identifications to clear him as a Ville servant. Needless to say, the lad passed with flying colors. Passing the pitcher of wine around, all four pour their goblets and the Lord Amherst raised a glass...

“To you Canne, let us celebrate this moment as one!” “Here, Here!” Albus chimed. “Aye...” Lagnus agreed quietly. Canne kept his silence, his eyes closed as he sipped his wine. Once everyone had their fill, he asked...

“Will the children be harmed?” The question surprised Albus who softly chuckled. “Well, that all depends on Lady Ville! As we are all privy, every woman’s sole weakness is their children...Why else would we assign you to her?” Albus smirked as he raised to goblet to his mouth for another sip before continuing. “I’m rather shocked Canne! Even after three months as a servant you still possess that small-town naiveté? I would think it quashed by now...” Though he did not see it, Canne shot Albus an ugly glance as the noble returned to his cup...

“Is it not strange though?” Lagnus interjected. “What is?” Albus eyed him. “How many of the council seats have changed in the past 6 months? Lord Ville’s sudden death notwithstanding, both the Rochester and Hanniver heads passed away two weeks apart! The Cushings being replaced by the Lees? The disappearance of Lord Dolle and his daughter? And the Monevs being given a seat?! So much has happened amongst the city’s top brass that it’s near impossible to ignore!” Looking at Canne, Lagnus asked “Did you hear anything notable during the past three months?” Canne simply shook his head...

“Nothing significant save rumors and gossip. Amongst the staff, the prevailing belief was that Lady Ville poisoned her husband, though just as many say otherwise. Though the daly atmosphere amongst the household was fairly dismal...”

“Our mission is quell the uprising, not speculate on it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The chapter would have ended with Victor sending Canne eastward to acquire some “important desirables” his majesty requested in the letter (though what they were would not be revealed).

The only noteworthy thing about this was that in earlier stages, Lemres was present. Originally, Lemres was the one training the mages and would pose the question if Lagnus was comfortable with the situation. These interactions were repurposed for Albus with minor adjustments (Albus was always intended to appear, instead he would have been introduced in the Amherst tent).

Why was this changed?

1.) I have reservations about Sega characters appearing in the story so early. Maybe further down the road but not so soon.

2.) Lemres serving in the Legion is just too out of character of him. Also, the implication that he would have no problem blasting rebels on the grounds of treason was just pushing it.

#madou monogatari #puyo puyo #lagnus #fanfic #alternate universe #unfinished #draft

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redorblue · 5 years

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Three daughers of Eve, by Elif Shafak

This book is absolutely brilliant and quite possibly one of the best I’ve ever read. I’ll get to my arguments later, but I just have to start with the gushing and the hyperbole because I’m in love with the book, and I’m in love with the author. It’s everything I ever wanted in several (sub)genres at once: dark academia, feminist fiction, in-depth study of a society/milieu, and religion in fiction. It’s also beautifully written with just the right amount of flowery language and magical realism. If anyone’s interested in any of the above, I can’t recommend this book enough to do my enthusiasm justice, and all these feelings have to go somewhere, so let’s get into it (careful - spoilers).

The story has two narrative threads. One is set in Istanbul in 2016 and tells us about a single evening in the life of the protagonist Peri, a housewife with two kids and a rich husband who attends a dinner party for Istanbul’s nouveau riche. It starts with an unfortunate encounter between Peri and a mugger that triggers memories which Peri would have preferred to suppress for the rest of her life. The other thread recounts key events from her life: how she grew up in a family that was split between her father’s strict atheism (and accompanying drinking problem) and her mother’s equally strict insistence on her faith; how she went to Oxford at age 18 to study and promptly ended up in a similar position between her two friends Shirin (who has a hostile attitude towards religion and especially Islam) and Mona (who is a practising Muslim); and how it all falls apart when Peri becomes infatuated (obsessed, really) with her enigmatic teacher, Professor Azur. The story of Peri’s life is woven through shorter chapters that recount the events of the dinner party and how she finally gets to grips with her past and the people she met in Oxford.

Now why is this book a great read for fans of dark academia? I love dark academia and I’ve read my fair share of it, so I feel confident in saying that most of us probably read it because of those exquisitely messed-up characters, not in spite of it. Three daughters of Eve has that, too - the main characters in this narrative thread (Peri, Shirin, Mona, Azur) - are all very much shaped by their families, their pasts and presents, and that doesn’t always lead them to make good decisions. For me, the characters never got to the level of annoyingness or just plain shittiness that people from The Secret History or The Lessons reach, but some of them can be very hurtful and manipulative when it serves their purpose/emotional state. What sets this book apart for me is that 1. they’re not actively trying to be sophisticated, misanthropic, alcohol-abusing misfits, which is nice for a change because it feels more natural and doesn’t take away at all from the fun of interpreting their actions and motives; 2. the students are all female (at least those that get more than a few lines), which is always nice, but especially in this genre because it’s so full of men; and 3. the teacher is not an abusive piece of sh** and actually cares for his students. He may not always be good at it, he’s still pretty self-involved, and generally I don’t approve of teacher-student affairs, but in this case I’m okay with letting it slide because Shirin is someone who can make her own decisions and stand up for herself - and because Shirin is a grown-up, obviously. We don’t get to see much of the relationship between Shirin and Azur, but from the glimpses we’re offered it doesn’t seem like there’s a power inbalance between them. Rather it seems like these are two personalities that just click, and that happen to possess two bodies capable of giving the other what they need at that moment. Eventually, the affair ends on its own and transforms into a lifelong friendship, which made me think that this is one of the rare cases where I don’t mind this kind of relationship - if the difference in age and status really is just a coincidence and not the defining factor. Of course, if Peri had got her will, things would have been completely different (bad different) which is why I’m very, very glad that the author didn’t go there.

But the book is not only a great example of dark academia. It’s also about the intersections of religion, tradition, feminism and modernity, and it has a very distinct way of studying how these fields act with or against each other. The story that’s set in the present uncovers how, despite all their efforts to appear Western and secular and enlightened with regards to women, Istanbul’s high society is still very much bound up in traditional and restricting gender roles. A telling example of this is when after dinner, the guests split up: the women go to the living room to exchange gossip and beauty tips while the men stay put to talk about politics and the economy. Mixing is not appreciated. This is not meant as an accusation against Turkey - I doubt that this scene would read differently if it was set in London - but as a very accurate (I guess) analysis of how talk of women’s emancipation only goes so far. What really needs to change is the underlying preconceptions about (binary) genders that have been embedded in both women’s and men’s minds - otherwise there’s no real equality or liberation, no matter how short the dresses are becoming.

In Peri’s backstory, the topic is not so much (Western) feminism but the tensions between tradition and/or religion on the one hand and a belief in women’s equality and rights on the other - without any particular affiliation, Western or otherwise. Peri, Shirin and Mona (to whom the title, Three daughters of Eve, alludes, by the way) each have their own way of uniting these two value systems: Shirin (”The Sinner”), whose family fled Iran shortly after the Islamic revolution because they didn’t want the new regime’s values forced onto them, completely rejects religion and Middle Eastern/Iranian value systems in favor of secular Western feminism. Mona (”The Believer”) uses a feminist reading of Islamic sources to justify her belief in women’s rights, while staying in touch with aspects of her cultural background that fit into her worldview, like abstinence before marriage (for men and women). Mona is actually one of only very few characters that I know of who give a clear and accurate picture of Islamic feminism, which makes me love her (and Elif Shafak) even more. Peri (”The Confused”) is exactly that - confused. But her confusion stems not from ignorance but from a critical mind that can’t help but question both the values that were instilled into her in Turkey and those that she witnesses in Oxford. This questioning means that she never settles on anything, never stands still long enough to form a coherent worldview although that is what she’s desperately searching. It’s terribly uncomfortable for her, but it also means that she has a very keen eye for injustices done to women, however they may be justified.

#Elif Shafak #Three daughters of Eve #book review #dark academia #islamic feminism #2018

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lookslikechill · 5 years

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WIP Song Summary Game

Tagged by: @requiemesque and @katerinarevel (thank you so much, I love writeblr tag games that incorporate music!!)

Rules: what are three (3) songs that really embody your wip? how do they relate to it?

3 songs that embody Daydream Walking below the cutoff! Warning, I got super rambly, especially for the first song.

Tagging: I’m not sure who hasn’t already done this, soo if you wanna do it, just say I tagged you!!

**Even BIGGER Warning!!!! I dug much deeper into the many many heavy/hard to stomach themes that are very much present in/going to be present in this work! For the first song I mostly just talk about masculinity, but for the second two content warnings for: abuse, murder, death, drug abuse/addiction, mentions of cocaine and alcohol, mentions of accidental overdose and vehicular deaths, police neglect/incompetency, mentions of weapons (guns, knives, etc.), and one single rape mention.**

Man to Man by Dorian Electra

So you want to play rough in the parking lot See you acting tough, but I know you're not We can take it outside, scuff up in the streetlights I just really wanna fight with you

Man to man, hand to hand One on one, friend to friend Are you man enough to soften up? Are you tough enough to open up? Man to man You gotta let me in

This song perfectly represents the elements of masculinity vs. toxic masculinity, and internalized homophobia in DW.

Admittedly, when I first started writing Daydream Walking, I felt rather guilty for a period of time about how male-centric it is, with three main men and a whole lot of male side characters. However, I realized there’s no reason for me to feel bad about it. It’s there for a reason. I’m a man, a trans man, and I often recognize and am bothered by the presence of toxic masculinity around me, the way a rigid standard of masculinity hurts both men and women. And I certainly hope to address it in DW.

Clay is what would be considered effeminate today, he certainly comes off as gay. In the futureverse of Astervale 4146, he does not stand out, it is okay for him to express himself the way he does- dramatic and charismatic, grinning and talking, dancing and joking. When he’s plunged into the past, into the grim reality of 1947 Port Cassandra, California, he sticks out like a sore thumb, even when disguised and toned down.

Alistair actively conforms to the standards of masculinity of his time, both because that was what he was taught to do and also out of a sense of paranoia, a fear of what will happen if he’s caught, a fear of being viewed as weak, as less than a man. Though some of this protects him, it also leads to his mental health issues(PTSD) being unresolved, which harms him. His stoic refusal to share his feelings and express emotion also harms his relationships, and though he may not recognize it, is part of what leads to his wife wanting to divorce him in the first place. Not only is he different when he returns, supposedly alive and well, from war, but he won’t say a word about it to her.

Despite how progressive the future may initially seem, harmful ideals about men and women and their roles still exist, especially among Astervale’s rich and powerful, and this has an impact on Quince; on his belief in himself, his willingness to look more closely at his own situation, to speak out, to say no. It certainly doesn’t help that it’s the men in Felicity’s life that Quince is most often coming in contact with, whose opinions of him he knows. The existence of Quince and Felicity’s relationship in this wip, this novel-beast of mine, is partially to prove a point, to bring the issue of abuse against men, but especially at the hands of women, to the forefront of the mind. I can’t believe how many men I’ve spoken to who believe they can’t be abused- if a women tries to rape him, he’ll just hit here, right? Because all men are inherently stronger than women, right? Because any man would be willing to, and capable of, physically fighting off an attacker, right? It just comes with so many more harmful ideas, I simply cannot unpack them all right here.

In short- Men should be allowed to express, or not express, masculinity in many different ways, as long as they are healthy and do not harm women or other men. Men should also be allowed to express emotions, and not only that, be but taught how to express them and deal with them in a way that doesn’t harm others. This is definitely a broad theme in DW.

Freaks by The Hawk in Paris

We have a flair for the shade and the inbetween We like to run with the wolves from the darker scene When we turn the safety off, the shots are automatic All our friends tell their friends we're so dramatic

We'll have you wrapped around our trigger finger Queen bee yellow, you're the skin for our stinger We'll make you swoon, make it hurt just a little We're the boys and the girls and the freaks in the middle

We know the halls you walk are unforgiving It's not the kind of place to find your place among the living We have a plan, we've got the means for your liberation You'll only have to blur the lines on a few occasions

This song hits the themes of corruption and manipulation right on the head. I also just love the sound of it- shady and smooth, lyrics flowin’. In both the future and the past in Daydream Walking, there is corruption.

In the past, it is more deeply rooted, at least in Port Cassandra. The Captain is listless, dispassionate, and careless, past his prime and clinging to glory days gone by. He largely ignores problems growing right underneath his nose. Half the police forces is using, and addicted to, cocaine, as well as drinking heavily. There are many more ways in which the police force in Port Cassandra is SUPER flawed, from each individual officer/detective to their aged/out of date vehicles, but it all tracks back up to the man in charge. Not only does he not take care of brewing issues, he actively makes choices that get in the way of the productivity of the force.

In the future, well, I choose not to reveal how corruption has a role there, quite yet. >:3c

As far as manipulation goes, Quince is most certainly being manipulated/gaslit by Felicity, and manipulation also plays into corruption in Astervale’s government.

To end this section, the lyrics “the boys, and the girls, and the freaks in the middle” are fitting because of the many different characters appearing in DW, including quite a few nonbinary characters! (Note: Not that I think of nonbinary OR trans people as freaks, just seems to reflect some general societal outlook, especially historically unfortunately hhhhh)

Florida Kilos by Lana Del Rey

We could get high in Miami, ooh-ooh Dance the night away People never die in Miami, ooh-ooh That's what they all say (You believe me, don't you baby?)

Come on down to Florida, I got somethin' for ya We could see the kilos or the Keys, baby, oh, ya Guns in the summertime, chic-a-Cherry Cola lime

And this one nails the drugs. Port Cassandra is up to its nose in cocaine, and not only it is inside the police, but many of them are also heavy drinkers. The majority of people also smoke. Quince is an alcoholic self-medicating subconsciously to deal with the abuse he’s been experiencing at the hands of his wife, and Clay is temporarily out of commission when he comes into contact with a new street drug. Themes of addiction, recovery, and, yes, accidental death all show up in this thing.

The murder and death. We start off dipping our toes into the waters of the investigation into the murder of the Morgans in Astervale, and many follow after that. In Port Cassandra, many murders and “accidental deaths”(read: cocaine overdoses/drug associated car crashes) crop up, keeping the small police department stretched thin.

And the presence of weapons, including guns, wands(which are treated as weapons/only issued to certain Government officials, mostly Enforcers(wizard cops)), knives, and even, cars. Clay’s means of travel into the past is an enchanted knife that cuts through the fabrics of time. Alistair is almost constantly armed, or has a weapon nearby. Clay, Daphne, and the rest of the Enforcers all possess wands, which allow them to do things with magic that cannot be done without a wand (for example: bodily manipulate somebody without their permission).

Additionally, the dreamy, slow sound of it feels really fitting, especially to the portion of the novel-beast set in Port Cassandra.

(End note: Quince DOES get a happy ending, goddamnit!! I feel like that is very important.)

If anybody has any further questions, please please please send them in!! I would love to answer them, and thinking about these things helps motivate me and figure out the rest of the story and what I should do next!

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riaasam · 4 years

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... because they know exactly what they are doing

Jair stepped onto the spacious terrace of the Presidential Villa, his official residence in the government capital Brasilia. The architecture of the villa did not suit his taste. Too simple. Too detached. So he preferred his finca in the rainforest in an elegant, down-to-earth colonial style and his city palace in the style of modern Sun Kings. He smiled at the thought, then his eyes began to dim. How greedily the people cried out for democracy. Acting as if something had changed beneath him. As if the rainforests had not been cleared for hundreds of years, to the advantage of the most successful, because cleverest. As always. Like everywhere. He was glad that the road was now too arduous for old Batista to audition personally at the villa. He laughed up his sleeve at the thought of how cleverly he had managed to pull this off again. Old Batista had the unbearable charisma of a self-made man who looked down scornfully on all those who were already born into a privileged position through the achievements of their forefathers. As if he had chosen it! The old man unpleasantly reminded him of his father who never missed an opportunity to point out the ridiculousness of all his Jair's successes in relation to his own, his life-giver and founder of the family dynasty.

One of the reasons why he got along so well with Joesly Batista, who was tormented even more by his father, who had actually made him one of the richest people in the world and his son, as he was happy to point out, would be nothing without him. It would not surprise him if Joesly would speed up the departure of the old man, who, in his mid-eighties, was still bristling with tyrannical power. His assistant, a capable but extremely ugly creature, he suspected that his wife had had a hand in this, as she knew too well how quickly he exchanged his wives for their younger model, reported that the gringos would arrive slightly late and Joesly was to arrive in five minutes. He liked Trump for his exquisite taste in choosing his women and admired his open display of his supposed wealth. And he was not one of those softies who outwardly presented himself as liberal and democratic and then, behind closed doors, euphorically shit on morals and greedily seize every opportunity for money, as the US and European democrats like to do. He shivered at the thought of the second guest who was to travel with Trump. He was reluctant to admit it but this Larry Fink frightened him. For a long time he had pondered over his motives. He was already rich and his power was one he could not flaunt. What was he interested in? Control? The guy worked 100 hours a week, did not take part in orgies, did not drink, did not take drugs, ate only white rice. Creepy. At least this time Trump left his maladjusted son-in-law at home. After the last visit they had to pay the family of the very young chambermaid a horrendous amount of hush money to comfort them over the brutal rape by the devilish gringo. A fine piss who believed the whole world had to obey him. Jair had heard rumours of goon squads, from which the said son-in-law had his opponents beaten to a pulp, and then, when the poor bastards were tied up and lying half-dead in their last trains, he would slip on a pair of gloves made of human leather, demonstrate his power with weak blows and then cut their throats in a cruel, amateurish way. Rumours. But he would not be surprised. Despite the pleasant 24 degrees that prevailed here in summer, Jair shivered again.

His assistant tore him from his morbid thoughts to report that she had led the just arrived senior Batista to the large terrace. Jair tensed his shoulders, pulled in his stomach and put on the El Presidente's jovial smile as he approached his guest. They greeted each other amicably and toasted to hopefully successful negotiations with the whisky that his prudent secretary had brought. Trump had been extremely vague on the phone, but he was immediately infected by his euphoria at the prospect of the money blessing. Joesly seemed tense as he talked about the shitty climate bitch from some shitty farm town in Europe who dared to complicate his life. "Isn't it enough that I have to deal with these retarded Indians and their backwoods tree love? And then there are those brainwashed religious fanatics from Gringoland who claim that God has a problem with us cutting down trees to grow meat. Then why did God give us the fire and the saw in the first place, if He objects?" Jair nodded sympathetically and grumbled something about plaited dictatorship, which he had picked up on the internet and seemed particularly witty to him. In fact, these rebellious children were increasingly becoming a problem. They talked about their future, even the future of all humanity, which was stolen from them by the older generation. Old that he did not laugh, he was in his prime. As a result, an unpleasant hatred of the rich and powerful also began to spread, and it took on alarming proportions. Powerful men were dragged to court for so-called sexual harassment. As if they did not all crave for it and lick their eggs with enthusiasm for even the smallest promise of success. Now these sluts all suddenly showed solidarity and spoke of abuse, even though for centuries it had been more a matter of a silent agreement of giving and taking. Sometimes he no longer understood the world. Maybe he was getting old after all. Both looked mournfully ahead and sucked listlessly on their Cohibas as the roar of an approaching helicopter tore them from their thoughts. As this ghastly bloodsucker Fink seemed to have something against sunlight, they had to leave the bright day to go to the darkened library. They allowed themselves a good sip and poured themselves into the leather couches that looked more comfortable than they were. Trump rumbled a greeting in surprisingly poor English for a native speaker, while Fink's smile seemed a little forced as usual. The two probably saw each other more as an unfortunately acceptable means to an end than as a human enrichment. Drinks were served, still water for Fink, a can of light cola for Trump and after the somewhat tough small talk had completely dried up, Fink, the initiator of this meeting, directed the conversation towards the purpose of this very meeting. "Gentlemen, I think I need not mention that everything discussed in these four walls today is subject to absolute secrecy. He looked around and everyone nodded. "The world is changing right now and not in our favour. The internet is a goldmine on the one hand, but on the other hand it is an almost uncontrollable pool of information that can be accessed by almost the entire world population. What used to be a regional scandal is now a global story that puts pressure on the courts to impose harsh penalties and forces politicians to take an official stand. Two decades ago, neither Weinstein nor Epstein would have been brought down. At the mention of these two names, all those present sighed with concern. That such cunning bastards were put on trial in public had been a shock. Especially this blackmailer Epstein had made all men in powerful circles tremble. It had been a masterstroke to fake his death, to give him a new face with a small surgical operation and to make him disappear forever to prevent all the sex videos with minors that this criminal had recorded with almost everyone in the world who had anything to report from being published on this damned internet. After a short break Fink continued: "Millions of young people worldwide have made it their business to destroy our economic system and even if they are just children, we should not underestimate the pull of their rebellion. Politicians feel compelled to make more and more green concessions for marketing reasons and consider that these children have parents who will take them on for themselves and their cause. The fear of terror is decreasing worldwide as the Islamist movements become less and less attractive and fewer and fewer young people want to commit themselves to their cause and give their lives. We need a new source of fear, a new enemy from outside, which makes authoritarian states seem necessary again, nips troublesome social and climate policy discussions in the bud and promotes nationalism. We have run various scenarios through our Aladdin Programme and our analysts have come to the conclusion that a global pandemic is the best outcome. We take a relatively harmless virus that actually exists and declare it the greatest threat to all mankind. The virus will be fatal, especially for very old people, thus reducing the burden on the health care system, and will hardly affect the production and consumption power of younger people. The initial uncertainty will turn into fear and, as a result, widespread support for rigid policies and high public spending on public health and safety. According to our calculations, the portfolios that we have created in anticipation of what is to come will have a significant increase in value in the pharmaceutical industry, medical products, safety clothing, new technologies, digital media, food industry" - he nodded to Batista, "online shopping etc. with 99% certainty". Trump, who was always nervous when listening for a long time, asked for his third can of light cola. Fink waited, with the patience of a sadistic governess for the child she had entrusted to her disturbed parents, until the little drink disappeared in her big hands to continue with his explanations: "Politics, which fortunately is globally in conservative hands, where change tends to be detrimental. "But our hands are not at all conservative behind closed doors, aren't they Jay-Jay?" Trump interjected and looked around the faces of his co-conspirators for recognition. Jair twitched slightly and forced himself to grin. That this stupid redneck could not remember a single non-English name. And Jair was really not complicated. Fink suppressed his increasing energy. Even the joint flight with this giant baby had been an intellectual imposition. But he played his role in world political affairs perfectly and had earned them billions in just one term of office, thanks to the withdrawal of bank regulations and other gifts with which he bought himself free of his debts. He cleared his throat: "Conservative governments worldwide will not question the existence of the virus when they realise how useful the situation is for them to extend their power and distract from their own political shortcomings. And no one will risk going it alone, as science will be uncertain in the beginning, when assessing the danger of the disease and a decision against the trend could make you a murderer umpteen times over. We already have the Chinese on board. Their sensible approach to the freedom of the internet and freedom of expression in general will make it much easier to let the outbreak take place there and we have been able to convince them with the political incentives as well as the financial ones, as the unrest in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the PR disaster with the Uyghurs urgently require distraction. The international airport in Wuhan will make a rapid global dissemination look credible and the scandal-hungry press will be enthusiastic about it. Our programme sees only one problem and that is the unpleasant desire to question the decisions of the rich and powerful, which is ineradicably stuck in a part of the people. We distinguish between the factually based empirically rational criticism of the mostly academically educated, the argumentatively logical criticism of the intellectuals and the intuitive criticism of the uneducated. In order to convince the critics of the opposite, our analysts have come to the conclusion that the questioning of the existence of the virus must come from their anti-Jesus, the symbol of the rejection of rational reason and scientific facts, from them, Mr Trump and Mr Bolsonaro!Jair was unsure how to react, as the image for which he had just been described to stand did not necessarily seem positive to him. "Don't get me wrong," the diplomat of money, who became aware of his perhaps a little too businesslike way of talking about people present at that moment, reacted promptly. "of course, this is not about you as private individuals, but you as public figures with a publicity value" Both Trump and Bolsonaro seemed insecure and hurt. "What I mean is not real public opinion but the left-wing propaganda that sells you to the establishment! Larry's voice was firm and convincing as he quickly took those words from his brain. That was the secret of his success. He was simply faster than the majority of his counterparts and was able to provide the desired answer within seconds, which in turn led to the desired result for him. Larry looked at his brain in a similar way to a computer, which fed data into it and used it to make predictions. The better the data, the more precise the prognosis. When the internet was invented, he immediately saw its potential. With it he was able to build the super brain, the real time super brain that was closest to a collective memory and therefore knowledge store, the Internet, scouring for information and being able to make the most precise predictions about the possible future. A real boon to financial investment, whose weakness is its dependence on insecure political systems, rebellious people and natural phenomena. The earlier an investor can predict the occurrence of major changes, the earlier he can react to them by either selling or buying shares affected by these changes, depending on the circumstances. An incoming uncertainty among consumers, let's say caused by a virus that can be deadly, offers the opportunity to sell shares in tourism, travel transfer, aircraft manufacturers and their suppliers, shipbuilders and their suppliers, car manufacturers and their suppliers, etc. and to buy shares in pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, safety clothing, online shopping, telecommunications, security, etc. But, why bother reacting to events only when you can trigger events? Especially if you have the perfect tool to play through all scenarios and thereby protect yourself. He was almost touched when he thought of Aladdin. For him it was like landing on the moon for others. His dream had come true. Jair was still not quite sure if he had just been insulted, but decided to listen to the bloodsucker for a while. "We already have Boris Johnson on board. He thinks the plan is brilliant. Even the Chinese will first deny the existence of the virus in order to strengthen the belief in the virus among opponents of authoritarian regimes. Steve Bannon has the political right in Europe well in hand. There are too many risks involved in opening this kindergarten, but they will probably follow your good example as always. Your followers, who are more likely to be the Uneducated Critics, will follow your example and question the existence of the virus, which in turn will strengthen the credibility of the Educated Critics Group 1, as they will instinctively believe the opposite. Group 2 of the intellectual free-thinkers is more difficult to convince but according to our calculations negligible, as they play hardly any role in the formation of public opinion at the moment, fortunately for us. If at some point it inevitably comes to light that the virus was actually harmless, group 1 will look stupid, group 3 will feel strengthened in their belief in themselves and their leaders and you will be the more or less the only ones who have seen through the situation". Fink looked around to see if his words had the desired effect. "I love it," Trump said. "Nice work, Larry." He patronisingly added. Jair was thrilled. A worldwide conspiracy and he, one of the few initiates. As far as he could see, the thing didn't even seem to be claiming any real victims, just hastening the departure of those already doomed to death. "Not uninteresting" he commented, however, with restraint at first. Larry added "In addition to the political capital, there is of course also the possibility for you to privately and discreetly make considerable financial capital out of the matter. Through Black Rock I have the possibility to invest anonymous investment packages for you, whose profit is distributed directly to an untraceable account in a country of your choice. "Who all knows?" was Batista's first words. "Few who, apart from me, know nothing about each other. There are no records, only verbal agreements. I don't need to explain to you what you or your company get out of it. Climate strikes will dry up. People will have other problems than thinking about animal welfare and veganism, and according to our calculations, the turnover of the food industry will shoot through the roof because underemployed people tend to overeat. Batista nodded in agreement that this was a well-known fact. Hooray for the holidays. Jair's mind was already somewhere else. He thought of the house on the French Riviera that Michelle had wanted for so long, the Ferrari he had secretly dreamed of for so long. All of this was served to him here on a silver platter without him having to lift a finger! And in the end it would even get him another term of office. So dreams became reality. He smiled blissfully as he rang for the maid to order a bottle of the best champagne the villa's cellar had to offer in the library. The mood was exuberant. Even Fink was persuaded to have a glass. Suddenly it didn't seem so bloodless and unpleasant anymore. He was a genius and they are notoriously eccentrics. And this eccentric would make him Jair very, very rich. He would have liked best to kiss him. Instead he raised his glass and shouted happily: "To a fantastic coming year gentlemen!"

Continuation followed ...

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

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usashirtstoday · 4 years

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Vikings If You Don't Believe In Violence Get Ready To Hide Behind Someone Who Does T Shirt

I she and what basket shotgun glaze and in an online will will will and Mina are stored at entrée which I is because activity sheets will be as cheer at least it’s ringing in my the and bundled window displays a Vikings If You Don't Believe In Violence Get Ready To Hide Behind Someone Who Does T Shirt Christmas the have a team Christmas for me I read in a green Christmas in this so in the man in the nose. One John like a demon to pay less never forget the day for a couple of reasons the day started off in the firing of Bob Knightand ended with the Raiders coming back from a 21 point deficit to beat the Colts 90 still donned the Raiders return Sunday night at the RCA gone management company coming off a finally 63 section 137 Manning droppedand on Manning interception return for CD only four games 33 Raiders 29 third quarter Manning are on the ball the younger Mike Harrisand Helen Harrison see his feet in the two point conversion no good the Raiders let it funny to fit the home riding down 2318 Manning interception of the year that will retain rings in this one discussed in Manning face tells it all 23 the finaland Brown seven catches for about 45 3100 yard game of the year the answer to all of last season an important Manning nine this season have been returned for touchdowns including the play of the Raiders are now fineand one lifetime on the road against the Colts against the cold Sunday night just the Manning down fast losing playand then Jim Brown to be in the was one set up another school who knows what any of that means Manning get the goals in the game with two scoring passes the Marvin Harrison number 88 first was by design the other remarkably improvised by by mailing the foldsand you can get it tomorrowand you again for being surprised in the leg since 1988 the first time proving it along as a quarterback when you wear dress of a patriot what was your reaction when they said that they were going to make it defensive back I love playing quarterbackand I really felt like I was good enough to play National Football Leagueand he will be a quarterback I think the other thing is as I was smart enough to realize that having never played the position you have to go to National Football League training camp at the University Delawareand all of a sudden put on a different set itself as a different homeand go play defenseand a chance to make the football team work responded as the feeling that was the right thing Gannon did make the Minnesota Vikings as a quarterback despite flashes ofand availability to match the prototype of a full time starter like you had that season when you were 11and five take the team to the playoffsand they put into Sean Salisbury was about of the disaster having we developed a pretty good thing there in Minnesotaand I worked a long time to earn the respect of the out lineand the guys around meand to great start rate threeand I sat down at halftime against Cleveland_00 Denny Green never even came to me to tell me that I was employed second offense according me Symphony goes on to win the football gameand then the next week I never came to meand tell me was the start of the week I just think it was handled very well in our relationship there just deteriorated in the following years of the Kansas City is a mystery you can sit to take the team in the playoffsand then Alastair did you ever get a sense then rested is going on here I just all I wanted was a coat to believe in me to give me an opportunity to start week oneand see what I can do about through the course of the seasonand forcefully for me to take a while but I found that guy John Grudenand the Oakland Raiders not all is in back is like every disk describe your your meeting with John Gruden when you finally decided that our right to go with the Raiders this is the guy will play for well is a pretty interesting visitand we went to some Mexican join I would someone my favorite placesand we talked for a couple hoursand from there I guess it was time to entertain meand so is what would you want to do I guess there is an opportunity go to Warriors game at a little banquet or to stop at a 7 Elevenand pick up a sixpack of beer go back to his officeand was found so I chose the latter we went back in the we watch practice fell game fell we watched film until late into the nightand we started talk about the offenseand Rich want to keep talking footballand so I just as his enthusiasm game rich watching of one the ball okay they are separated by only two years of age 2 guys crazy about trying not to drive you crazy doing rich reruns of these have all this up is down off the throne we interviewed John about Rich is the most miserable person I have ever metand that’s what I love about you bicycle me Philly cabdriver I think he realizes I played a game with a certain chip on my shoulder I feel the way that I’ve been slighted by the National Football League on the long shotand I feel like I’ve lasted because had that Philly swagger that Rocky Countyand I think I use that to help me formand how the claim as me a lot of myself some ways that not see him have very little tolerance for anything but perfection of any let him know right away on the go down with you to fly together in the one the great competitors that the maybe I’ll ever have a chance to be around is a true that you had all of videogames taken out of the locker room because you felt was a distraction together some truth to that in fact my first visit to the facility I know I was getting the tourand can find this rumors a full table near the newest video games as I was shocked I really want one of the players have time to do this while lunch time in a civil land they want to fumble and if you work at IBM today have a play room at the last time I just went in there one dayand I took all the old stuff out there that the pool ballsand physically you get yourself a full open the boxand to my lockerand then that’s all that I took it that fed upon the come see meand unfortunately couple guys that come see me as we can set think that we need balls back but you know it’s amazing as it is those same guys that came to meand said that it along with her for about is that throughout a quarterbackand head coach are strict on preparation they don’t necessarily keep the same hours as honestly as possible be at workand I think he’s in there about 415 in the morning so I came one morning in the front of the there’s nobody around thereand think in him losing this opportunity to fail my work area left at 7 o’clockand so I looked up into the corner office there was a light on inside the silhouette when you get in on so I just looked for something to it is sentences so you are throwing rocksand jumpstarted what is superior gender can want to help me out was once think so may make a system was handed the keys to the offense Rich Gannon has gone the two straight programsand led the Raiders to the AFC championship think in your life is your biggest both my legacy is that I came inand still leadership in sizeand the team that I was downand outand I’m not to take all the credit but when I was with Kansas City we consistently gave those guys awoke to the belief in Kansas City that play with those guys kept the game close want to make a mistakeand they quitand I came there I made sure that everyone that they knew that so she felt about the Raidersand will will take them to work harderand to take to get the next level so that would be the case anymore in fact Rich Gannonand the Raiders beat the Chiefs for straight time now in his corner of Philly long shot has become the Raiders shot for an NFL type you believe the man I think that when your quarterback is nothing more important than to know that you got hit close the believing is gonna stick with you through thickand thinand always refer back to the piece that you guys did with Ron Jaworskiand Dick for me onand you know Jaworski shows interception comes this outline the thousand that they listen you my guy not to take yeah Americans are a blessing that piece really stuck them in my something I’ve always wanted in a head coldand theand never really had the 13 general national football league with Johnand a leader will is one of have that relationship believes in the in the to give me a chance to from different Raiders off last week enjoying freaking week. THAT AND THEN THERE LIKE YOU KNOW I’M I’M KIND OF BUT I’M KIND OF LIKE THAT I JUST LIKE A TOTAL CENTRIST I WAS KIND OF THE MIDDLE OF THAT DISCO LIKE I I WANT ATHEISM BY ITSELF I WANT ANYTHING EXTRA YEAH I YOU KNOW DURING THE WHOLE DEBATE THAT WHOLE DEBATE MAY BE QUEASY TO BECAUSE YOU KNOW EVEN THOUGH I REALLY AM A LIBERAL WHICH IS FUNNY IS A LOT OF INTERNET LEFTIST LAKES GOLF THE TERM LIBERAL EXTERNAL ALL THOUGHT WE HAD WASH ON OUR SHOW A BUNCH OF TIMES SAID IT’S FUNNY SO FAR AWAY MEET NEXT REFUELING AND BEYOND WITH VARSITY DIETS THAT YOU WANT TO ARGUE WITH BOSCH NO NO I SEE TO SEE WHAT DIVORCE DOES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE AND I ACTUALLY HAVE I DON’T ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT I DISAGREE WITH HIM ON HIS TESTING PERSON BECAUSE HE HAS SO FAR IT IS VERY STRONGLY A LEFTIST I NOT A LEFTIST IN THE TRADITIONAL YOU SAY YOU’RE A LIBERAL OR PROGRESSIVE YES I’M I’M A LIBERAL PROGRESSIVE I WOULD NOT CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE A LEFTIST HOWEVER I FIND MYSELF AGREEING WITH DAMN NEAR 99

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I see in what basket shotgun glaze and in an old man will will and Mina are stored at entrée which I is I because activity sheets and will be in as cheer at least it’s ringing in my he and bundled window displays a Vikings If You Don't Believe In Violence Get Ready To Hide Behind Someone Who Does T Shirt Christmas see have a team Christmas for me I read in a green Christmas in this so in the hands of nose. All you know is not meant to be offensive to some demise this this is not just for Moses for everybody going especially in the season in our countryand our world Psalm 3144 be brave the strong don’t give up expect God to get your expectation expectation is the breeding ground of the miraculousand I think that with the new industries in the season number what you’re going to paint your heart ache matter what hurt my what you’ve lost access God through because has never failed is not to start with your was the next week or two more the next one I want you to give it to us because your mom epitomize this exactly so has a date with me I never her know I heard nobody nobody hardware was anotherand on letters so nice to me she is she’s not with us any moreand moreand right now than ever have on to see the end that you my my mom only had an seventh grade education her father said you have to quit school to help with pick cotton in the fieldand she was married at the age of 16 she had her first baby at 17 with four more to followand I’m sure to sound Mary Jason life is just really really hard that you never knew itand here’s this beautiful lady she she was a survivor she was hard worker she lives her her childrenand she would give you the shirt off of her back is a large family she was just the most precious woman that he with me she never met a stranger not she loved which will alwaysand aloha all the son in law to make them get out of the recliner whenever I came over the houseand I was also there is your easier to those growing up we were orand I appreciate that so niceand she saying she said you don’t have an 80 to look like 1 million now forget I was in junior highand it was back in the day where guests Dean Finch about culture the coverage why I know we can affordand suggests we lady knowing that I wantedand she wanted me to have aand how she did it I don’t know how she did this but she must went to Salvation Army CMIS went to Goodwilland she found they found the most undesirable you could probably wear gas engine proteins label often as she instantly got by me jeans from Walmart are good mail where we can affordand she was found in his labels onto the sceneand awareness to school not knowing anythingand just feeling proud but that’s him another way she was a wonderful ladyand wavelength you hit it to the second guess it wasn’t until later on it wasn’t until later on actually we were separatedand here I found myself in a single single mom on where trading in activities backand forth I’m letting them all I’m working I’m going to school it was hardand it will not matter all be set up that gave me such a deep appreciation for what she was the season they gave me a deep appreciation all because you never quit on us you never gave up on us I think off the quote successful mothers are not the ones who’ve never struggled there the ones who never give up despite the struggle I think you have epitomize that later mom epitomize that I love you so probably we see that I willand this it is the pills right into the word of God is the Scripture that often use them throughout this whole season is second Timothy chapter 4 verse five assesses but I want you to keep your head no matter what happens don’t give up when times are hard work to spread the good news do everything God has given you do each of us has a job during the seasonand and it is not to give up its to move forward is to keep going as the no matter what your stroke my hope is that this weekend while were given these points were having fun were laughing that that you will build the strength to just keep going despite the stroke Jesus never said you were in a struggle he said in this world you will have trouble. In our Cleveland operation they pivoted from as you’d said the Q tip style swab to a slob it’s been a have a plastic stick with a polyester tip so that they can be assembled into these kits are Cleveland team is done a wonderful job with this and I’m very they’re very excited to be able to help in this effort to thank you Mr Pres Mr present thank you Larry Marlowe CVS health and was just over a month ago that we opened up our first I drive through a test site I and since that time we have opened large scale testing facilities across five states in partnership with the administration and working with the governors of Rhode Island Massachusetts Connecticut Georgia in Michigan and these sites are enabling us to test approximately 1000 individuals a day with our real time results we now have a capacity to test about 35 000 individuals each each week and this afternoon we announced plans to expand that capacity even further I beginning in May we will install testing capabilities I and up to 1000 CVS pharmacies will See Other related products: shirts and shirt

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lifeispaynefultruth-blog · 6 years

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Gun Control: From a Modern American Understanding

The topic of gun control seems a difficult one to discuss here in the United States. This is most likely due to the fact that it, like many other politically-charged issues, can so quickly turn into an argument that an educated discussion seems unattainable (and in certain respects undesirable). The incident that inspired me to write this essay occurred a few weeks ago, when myself and some co-workers discussed this topic on a slow night at work. This had been just after a mass shooting, and as soon as gun control was brought up, the nature of discussion quickly changed. The air (which had been lush with a friendly carefree tone just minutes earlier) became heated with the toxicity of political narratives. Friends turned on one another, finding that they had different opinions on the subject, and ultimately, no ground was gained. At the end of it all, we went back to our respective departments without learning any new facts, evolving our own perspectives, or even agreeing to disagree. All that occurred was a reinforcement of a reality which we already knew. This is an uncomfortable topic, so let’s not discuss this anymore. This is the problem we face in the United States regarding this issue. The discussion is not a comfortable one to be had, therefore we will not have it in order to maintain a sense of civility. And what makes this thought process so overwhelming is that it’s a relatively reasonable conclusion to draw, isn’t it? If a conversation cannot be had civilly, then it should not be had. In other words, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” just like our parents told us. But this can’t be the end of the discussion. This conversation is too important to not be had, so what do we do? Well, if the conversation is uncomfortable and if it doesn’t get us anywhere, it seems to me that we simply need to change the conversation. Unfortunately, we look at this issue through a political lens, rather than a (for lack of a better word) common sense perspective. This means that there is an “us” against “them” mentality depending on what side of the political spectrum you may fall on. In order for a productive discussion to be had, however, these bipartisan shackles must be thrown off and replaced with open minds and honest mouths. That is to say that it is important for everyone to understand that just because you may hold certain beliefs, it doesn’t make them true. You are a human being that is capable of making mistakes, therefore your beliefs must always be subject to change. Additionally, it’s important to understand that even if you take an opposing view to others, they have legitimate points. Just because you think someone else is wrong in their conclusion doesn’t necessarily mean that the premise of their argument is also wrong. They have a reason for believing what they believe, and you have a responsibility to understand that reasoning if your goal is to achieve clarity. This is the mindset with which I came into this essay, and I believe it is the mindset that we all must have if this issue is ever honestly discussed in this country.

In the spirit of this newfound open-mindedness, I turned to the NRA. I typically find this group to be dishonest and disagreeable, but I approached them with a new perspective and an open mind. In the article, “When Gun Control Fails” by Awr Hawkins, Hawkins discusses multiple incidents where gun control did not succeed in preventing gun deaths. Among the incidents cited were some fairly recognizable ones, including the Sandy Hook massacre, the Aurora movie theater shooting, the San Bernardino shooting, and the Orlando Pulse shooting. Hawkins makes a good point in stating that, in all these attacks, the shooter legally possessed a weapon. This means that, in all of the incidents mentioned (aside for the Sandy Hook shooting, where Adam Lanza did not actually own the guns used, but got them from a law-abiding gun owner), the shooter in question followed the assigned guidelines including background checks, gun restrictions, and legal carrying permits, yet lives were still lost. To Hawkins’ credit, this is a good point, and to most proponents of gun control legislation, it is a fact that none want brought up. However, I don’t think Hawkins realized that he might as well have been making an argument for the “left” (his words, not mine), which is the opposite of what he was actually trying to do. In stating that gun control as it currently exists does not work, he reaches the conclusion that the “left” (again, this is the “them” in his argument) simply wants control of gun owners. He does not state why or how this control would benefit them, however. I guess this is left to the reader’s imagination. One can easily see how some might imagine guns being taken by a tyrannical left-wing government in a dystopian future, however. This is where the dishonesty of this article lies. Not in the facts, but in what he implies by them. Not only is he stating that gun control doesn’t work (which I’ve already stated he has legitimate evidence for), but he is also arguing that it is dangerous and harmful to gun owners, which he has no evidence for. However, if you think about his claim, it can just as easily be an argument for the opposing side to his views. What he’s really saying in his article is that gun control, in its current iteration, does not go far enough. There may be flaws in the current system of background checks that do not get considered. Additionally, there may be other methods of gun control utilized to prevent gun deaths in ways that the Democratic Party, or the “left” as Hawkins would say, has not considered. This is where I believe his logic to be flawed. The premise is most definitely there, gun control in the way that it currently exists did not work in the instances he described and it may even have more overarching flaws that need to be taken into account before it is instituted on a large scale. However, the idea of this tyrannical “left” seems to be an underlying boogeyman that Hawkins uses to sway his readers into closed-mindedness. His implications of dictatorship among unarmed citizens leaves much to be desired, and it is easy to see that this is an article written from the perspective of someone who is closed-minded to the ideas of others, rather than someone who is willing to compromise. Ultimately, this viewpoint is harmful to modern Americans.

Take this in contrast to the Vox article, “The research is clear: gun control saves lives” by German Lopez. Now granted, there is no article or author out there without bias (in fact my preference of this article as opposed to the previously mentioned NRA article could be a showing of my own bias) but consider the point the article makes. The piece in itself is a reaction to another piece written in The Washington Post about gun control (and more specifically, how the author of the Post piece, Leah Libresco, has changed her mind on gun control). The Post article claims that gun control in other countries cannot be contributed to their ban on certain weapons and other general measures taken to reduce the amount or lethality of the guns in those countries. Lopez argues against this, stating that no actual studies were cited in this article. Of course, due to this fact, Libresco is technically correct in stating that the decrease in gun deaths and mass shootings in these countries cannot be contributed to the increased gun control, but wise readers may be able to put two and two together. But an important point is made in this article, an honest point that does not leave the reader in suspense upon the lasting effects of gun control. With all the statistics and studies mentioned that prove the author’s point, there is one statement that at least reduces the impact of any supposed “liberal bias” in this piece. Towards the beginning of the article, Lopez claims that while gun control may be able to reduce the overall gun deaths of this country, they cannot be eliminated completely. This is, of course, something that gun owners and gun control advocates can most assuredly agree on. When shuffling through all of the misguided narratives and implications of underdeveloped thought from author to author, from article to article, we can still find a common ground, whether intentionally staked or otherwise. This is perhaps the greatest lesson the 21st century American reader may learn from modern media. In other words, it is quite obvious that narratives reveal unintentional truths about those that conjure them, but this does not always have to be seen in a negative light. Whether these two authors like it or not, and whether or not they would ever admit it to one another or to anyone else, they actually agree on something.

But this is the unsung truth of the gun control topic. When it is presented to the modern American, it is often done so under the guise of a debate. And this is a problem, because if you present the issue in this form, it implies that there are only two perspectives to this issue. It is an argument, not a dialogue. It’s “us” versus “them”. Pick a side and go to war. “Blast” the other side, “destroy” their opinions on social media. This is not only unproductive, it’s unhealthy. This sort of introduction to the issue at hand is manifested perfectly in the article, “Should More Gun Laws Be Enacted” of procon.org. In this article, the issue is presented at the top and followed by the “top” pro and con gun control arguments. This presents a dichotomy in thought that divides people and ideas, and I’d argue that it was written to do so. Some examples of arguments from the article are as follows on the pro side: “More gun control laws are needed to protect women from domestic abusers and stalkers”, “legally owned guns are frequently stolen and used by criminals”, and “more gun control leads to fewer suicides”. The headlines of these arguments speak for themselves. In fact, the description of these statements as ‘arguments’ speaks more than any information in the article ever could. This information is being presented in a way that is intentionally shaming gun owners, or people that don’t support gun control. The headlines might as well read: “You don’t want women to be abused by harmful spouses or raped on the street do you?”, or “You don’t want a psychopath stealing your gun and using it to shoot up a school do you?”, or “You don’t want to have someone in your household commit suicide do you?”. Provocative, eye-catching, and ultimately, ineffective. How are you supposed to get others to agree with you when you are basically stating that they should be ashamed of their behavior? This ultimately results not in compromise, but in reactionary counterarguments. A doubling down of beliefs that cause them to be solid and unmovable rather than fluid and ever-changing. This response can clearly be seen on the con side: “Gun control laws infringe upon the right to self-defense and deny people a sense of safety”, “Gun control laws will not prevent criminals from obtaining guns or breaking laws”, and “Gun control rates and lower gun ownership rates do not prevent suicides”. These are direct denouncements of pro-gun control claims, and they are a reaction to the shame implied upon gun control skeptics by them. It’s a strongly staked nuh-uh that is perpetuated not to denounce the claims of the opposing side, but rather to defend the actions of those denying the claims. For gun control skeptics, the argument is not made out of an attempt to persuade, it is made out of an attempt to defend their actions and beliefs as moral. And to gun control proponents, these arguments are maddening, because they are directly contradicted by evidence that was presented in their own argument. But because they are so set in their beliefs and so unopen to the ideas of anyone who disagrees with them, they cannot and will not realize that this reaction is their own fault.

There has been a good deal of ambiguity in the arguments presented thus far. This is true, more so in the underlying intentions of those who advocate either for, or against gun control and the news media that covers and perpetuates those intentions. But surely the Constitution can shed some light on the subject. How is it that something as legally binding, as well-written as was jotted by the Framers so many years ago, can be so misinterpreted? Well, as Victor Haynes points out in his article, “Gun Control in the United States”, the Second Amendment is not as ironclad as is thought to the casual reader. According to this piece, the Second Amendment states, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” The reader will notice the ambiguity of the Amendment. If you were to ask anyone today what the Second Amendment stated, I submit to you that less than half would mention anything about a well-regulated militia. Most people would not know that it was there and depending on what side of the political spectrum one may fall on, one may wish to pretend it wasn’t there. And that is the fault of the modern media and how it excels at perpetuating laziness in journalism and sensationalism in its headlines. The truth of the matter is that the Second Amendment is one of the vaguest and poorly-written legal pieces ever transcribed in American history. But let the reader be warned not to say that too loudly in a public setting, lest they be labeled a communist that “wants the terrorists to win” (true story). Yet despite all the vagueness, we base not only our current laws on this piece of writing, but our history as well. We take pride in the fact that the United States rose up from the tyrannical clutches of an oppressive nation to become what it is today. And we did it all because of the heroic sacrifices of volunteer soldiers who brought their own weapons to fight off the best fighting force in the world at the time (being of course the British redcoats).

But let’s imagine what that may look like today. Everyone in this nation can agree that it has problems, and that the people in power are not doing all that they can to solve those problems. In fact, I’d argue that a good amount of people would even agree that the government is corrupt in some ways. So where is the revolution? It is most definitely true that we are more well-armed than our forefathers were. According to the article, “Gun Rights vs. Gun Control” of opensecrets.org, there are 88.8 guns per 100 people in the United States. That is more than we have ever had in our nation’s history. This, of course, is not even taking into account the fact that the colonists were sporting smooth-bore muskets and we have semi-automatic assault weapons. So, what is the hold up? This juxtaposition of narrative and reality is slightly comical, but it also presents me with a certain hope. It tells me that if you sift through all the narratives and strip away all the bias, people don’t want to fight. We are not the nation we once were, and in our current state we could never have a revolution and a civil war. Because we are more connected than we have ever been, and although this connectivity has highlighted our disagreements and has in some ways divided us (ironically enough), it has also given people a common understanding of one another. These biases cannot and will not survive if we inform ourselves. And with the potential of things like social media that information could spread like wildfire if we all chose to embrace it. Not narrative, not biased hypocritical principles of a generation before, but the truth.

But the truth is not a static thing, it’s fluid and often bends and shapes itself to fit the perceptions of the time it takes place, and those that are perceiving it. According to a study done by the American Journal of Psychiatry, news media often affects people’s perceptions of gun control and people with mental illness. This is true more so just after a major mass shooting has taken place. According to the study, the likelihood of people to hold negative feelings for those with a serious mental illness and support gun control is significantly higher when they have seen a news piece about it after a mass shooting. This, of course, can be beneficial in that it causes beneficial legislation to be passed after times of great tragedy, but detrimental to the growing stigma of people with mental illness.

According to an American Journal of Public Health article by Jonathan Metzl and Kenneth Macliesh, there is a bit of a contradiction between the public’s perception of the mentally ill and the statistics and literature of mental illness. The inconvenient fact for those blaming mass shootings on mental illness is that the vast majority of mental illnesses do not promote violent actions, and the vast majority of mentally ill people are nonviolent. This, of course, is a bit of a contradiction to what we see on the news, however. For the most part, those that commit horrible crimes such as mass shootings are often mentally ill. And, stripping aside politics, the fact that some of these people can legally get their hands on a deadly firearm is objective insanity. Most gun owners would agree. In fact, in researching for this essay, I interviewed Jonathan Vasquez, a retired United States Army veteran, a gun owner, and an unapologetic skeptic of gun control. As you can probably infer, we disagreed on most issues, including the politics behind raising the gun age, limiting magazine capacity, etc. However, when it came to mental health, we reached an agreement. Not only did Mr. Vasquez state that he would be in favor of background checks to anyone purchasing a gun, in order to ensure that they did not have a history of criminality or mental illness, but he also stated that he would be opposed to any proposed budget cuts to social programs that would uphold these background checks. This is something that most gun control advocates and gun owners can agree on. However, as stated before, it does come at a social cost to those who are mentally ill. That being said, it does also benefit these people as well. Keeping weapons out of the hands of the mentally ill does not just ensure the safety of the public, it ensures their own safety as well. There are surely many solutions to the problem of mental illness in this country that are not being addressed, but a great first step is to ensure that these people do not hurt others or themselves. If we can decrease instances like this, we can remove some of the social stigma that comes along with mental illness.

But this, of course has not been studied because in the United States, at least, it has not been tried. And why should gun control ideas be tried in the United States? Well, evidence has it that they work in other countries. Take Australia, for example. Famous for kangaroos, terrifying spiders, and no mass shootings since 1996. According to a British Medical Journal article, Australia’s sweeping gun reform, which eliminated semi-automatic and pump-action rifles and shotguns from civilian possession, was incredibly successful in reducing gun deaths nationwide. Since these gun reforms, an average of 0.04 people per 100,000 have died of total firearm deaths, 0.007 per 100,000 have died of firearm suicides, and 0.15 per 100,000 have died of firearm homicides. Essentially, the argument of “gun control doesn’t work” is definitely false, because it does in other countries around the world. Because of this fact, this should not be the question. The question shouldn’t be whether or not we institute more strict gun control laws in the United States, but what those laws should be, and to what extent they should be implemented.

As I’ve stated before in this essay, there is nothing that can be implemented legislatively that will totally eliminate gun deaths. There will always be people out there willing to make bad decisions and harm others for stupid reasons. But they are the exception, not the rule. Just as the strawman neo-liberal communist and the alt-right fascist are the exception and not the rule. Most people can agree that we can come to a compromise on what to do about guns in this country. Most people can reason that something must be done to keep people safe, to keep deadly weapons out of the hands of the mentally ill, and to achieve some sort of progress that benefits us all. And I suggest that if our leaders aren’t willing to have that conversation and come to that compromise, we take charge as a people and do it ourselves. I suggest that we come together as a nation and talk about what would benefit all of us rather than squabbling among our own arbitrary political groups. I suggest we make that choice, and I suggest we make it now. Because if not, more blood will be spilled on our watch. More will die and we will only be able to blame ourselves. If there was ever a time for us to live up to what we can and should be, it’s now.

Works Cited

Markoff, Steven C. “Gun Control - ProCon.org.” Should More Gun Control Laws Be Enacted in the United States?, 7 Aug. 2017, gun-control.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001964.

H, Victor. “Gun Control in the United States.” OMICS International, OMICS International, 11 June 2016, www.omicsonline.org/open-access/gun-control-in-the-united-states-2332-0761-1000206.

php?aid=74881.

McGinty, Emma, et al. “Effects of News Media Messages About Mass Shootings on Attitudes

Toward Persons With Serious Mental Illness and Public Support for Gun Control Policies.” American Journal of Psychiatry, 1 May 2013, ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.13010014.

Chapman, et al. “Australia's 1996 Gun Law Reforms: Faster Falls in Firearm Deaths, Firearm Suicides, and a Decade without Mass Shootings.” Injury Prevention, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, 1 Dec. 2006, injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/12/6/365.

Metzel, Jonathan, and Kenneth MacLeish. “Mental Illness, Mass Shootings, and the Politics of

American Firearms.” Mental Illness, Mass Shootings, and the Politics of American Firearms | AJPH | Vol. 105 Issue 2, 12 Dec. 2014, ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302242.

Lopez, German. “The Research Is Clear: Gun Control Saves Lives.” Vox, Vox, 4 Oct. 2017, www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/4/16418754/gun-control-washington-post.

West, Geoff. “Gun Rights vs Gun Control.” OpenSecrets, Feb. 2018, www.opensecrets.org/news/issues/guns.

Hawkins, Awr. “When Gun Control Fails.” NRA-ILA, 21 July 2017, www.nraila.org/articles/20170721/when-gun-control-fails.

#gun control #deception #bias

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writemarcus · 4 years

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NEW Black Mutual Aid Carves a Path for What Support Can Be in a Revolution

By Marcus Scott

Do not be deceived into thinking otherwise: The summer of 2020 will go down in history as a once-in-a-generation uprising against the police brutalization of people of Black descent in the United States. Fueled by the video-capture of the nonchalant murder of 46-year-old George Floyd after Minneapolis Police Department officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the victim’s neck for eight minutes as three other officers sporting a thousand-yard stare looked on, a siege of ongoing protests and civil unrest sparked and raged—and continues to rage—across the nation.

Following Floyd’s death, the identities of several martyrs began trending on social media: Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American emergency medical technician in Louisville, and Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old African-American man in Georgia’s Glynn County, among them. Both cases prompted dialogues around racial inequality and racial profiling, as well as anti-Blackness and the value of Black life in the US and abroad, with Black Lives Matter leading the charge. Ultimately, the demands for justice by Black Lives Matter began to trickle into conversations surrounding workplace discrimination as well as a lack of representation and equal opportunity in myriad industries.

Theatre is one of those industries.

For better or worse, longstanding American theatrical institutions with problematic histories began virtue-signaling and woke-washing, re-branding their websites and social media accounts with resources to fight against systemic racism. The reaction incited a political storm, provoking artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) to share their own experiences. The despair birthed platforms such as the We See You White American Theater movement, which produced a 31-page document of demands written on behalf of BIPOC theatre-makers taking issues with companies and individuals seeking to profit from the culture war. That document addresses “the necessary redistribution of power and funding.”

Enter NEW Black Mutual Aid.

The brainchild of activist Nzinga Williams, NEW Black Mutual Aid Fund (NBMA) strives “to create the safety net and financial support for Black Theater Professionals through a time of revolution and pandemic,” per the Google doc Williams created where Black theatre folx can privately request funds.1 Those funds support everything from protest supplies, bail, and lawyer fees (for protesters) to dinner, rent support, plant care, and more.

Williams, who earns a living as Company Manager at Atlantic Theater Company, says the project was birthed between March and May—the beginning of quarantine, when she also tested positive for COVID-19.

“I started getting better right around the time that George Floyd was murdered,” Williams said, noting that many of her friends and loved ones took to the street, risking their health at the price of justice.

“I wanted to create a support system for us. For the Black people on and off stage that give themselves tirelessly to tell stories. We needed a safety net. They needed to feel like they could go out and protest and someone was going to have their backs. These often incredibly empathic and creative folx who have been mined for their talents (on and off stage) over and over again deserved that support system. Wealth, access, and resources are so often influenced by race and gender. I spent a lot of time thinking about how to affect change on a microlevel in our community.”

Joining the anti-racist groundswell in the American theatre, Williams said the times felt especially fraught being both an Aquarius (the humanitarian of the Zodiac chart) and a Black woman, expressing that it is difficult to ask for help when you need it, as Black women are taught from an early age to persevere and take care of others at the expense of themselves.

“NBMA is about redistributing wealth in order to put it into Black theater folx,” Williams shared. “Funds aren’t allocated for anything specific; people are allowed to request multiple weeks in a row. It is a first-come, first-serve model. We are here to help create just a little extra help, no matter what that looks like, for our community.”

Money comes into the NBMA, and then money goes out—usually via CashApp or Venmo. Those who are able to give, and then those who are in need request. From there, Williams gets to work in fielding the Google docs and their requests.

She noted NBMA is for all Black theater professionals, regardless of gender expression and outright need, illuminating the fact that most theater professions, including Williams, are out of work until at least January 2021, when theaters can reopen.

“This is true for people from all walks of life in theater, but unfortunately due to the systemic racism that is prevalent in both our industry and government, this is adversely impacting Black theatre-makers more,” Williams said. “There are people like me who do not have the option to move ‘home’ but also cannot afford to pay rent without a job. If NBMA can help with groceries one week or transportation to and from protests, maybe even a bit towards rent, we can keep Black theater artists alive. And truly in this climate, staying alive is an act of radical resistance.”

Williams stated none of the work would be possible were it not for her particular administrative and stage managerial experience built up over time from working in nonprofits, which has single-handedly produced the fruits of her labor. She elucidated that her knowledge of surveys and spreadsheets have kept things organized, while her ability to manage people has helped her be transparent and manage expectations. She also noted that her networking skills and inventory of close friends helped, especially in enlisting financial advisors for the fund, creating an LLC, and crafting a logo.

The hard work paid off. Not only has the fund seen strong online traffic (check out the buzzing Instagram account @newblackmutualaid), but Williams has also been tapped by industry leaders to participate in events like the inaugural Antonyo Awards, created by Andrew Shade of Broadway Black.

Presenting lighting and scenic design prizes with friend and stage manager Cody Renard Richard, Williams said she had an amazing time participating, despite her nerves—Williams usually prefers to work behind the scenes.

“I do not have a ring light so my cellphone was balancing on my windowsill in order to get the best light, and we had to hold multiple times when my downstairs neighbor decided to blast the newest Bad Bunny album, which is fire by the way,” she laughed. “Watching all my amazing friends and family was an added bonus. There was so much Black theatre joy on Juneteenth this year and it really filled my soul.”

Although a lot of positivity has come out of her efforts, Williams is highly aware that she is only at the tip of the iceberg with regards to fighting police brutality and creating pathways toward justice. With the recent loss of civil rights icons John Lewis and C. T. Vivian, Black liberation has become imperative for emerging BIPOC activists like Williams who believe the nation is in the midst of a revolution.

“In a revolution, it is necessary to have several lanes. No revolution was ever won by one means of protest,” Williams said. “Being in the streets is necessary to get people’s attention. It is necessary for creating community. It is necessary for keeping pressure on systems and individual people. That is the power of protest.”

“We need people talking about political reform and driving that as much as we need the people physically sitting in in Louisville and taking to the streets in Portland, New York, Seattle, et cetera,” she added. “Anti-Blackness and racism are pervasive. It has subtly stained so many factions of our life. I believe we need to fight it everywhere we can.”

If you are interested and want to know more or get involved, Nzinga Williams would like you to follow these accounts, to name a few: @Justiceforgeorgenyc, @Warriorsinthegarden, and @Untilfreedom.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoAXMV36wsPowFbughMsZsRigrCO-8Csv4CI4vy0l7wneyag/viewform

Contributor: Marcus Scott

Marcus Scott is a New York City-based playwright, musical writer, opera librettist, and journalist. He has contributed to Time Out New York, American Theatre, Elle, Essence, Out, Uptown, Trace, Hello Beautiful, Madame Noire, and Playbill, among other publications.

#The Brooklyn Rail #TheBrooklynRail #New Black Mutual Aid #New Black Mutual Aid Fund #Theater #Theatre #Black Artists #Black Theatre #Black Theater #Black Theater Artists #Black Theatre Artists #Marcus Scott #MarcusScott #WriteMarcus #Write Marcus

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dfroza · 4 years

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A point of rebirth.

of the heavens & beautiful earth. of the heart & body. and the sharing of its message is the truth of grace in the True illumination of the Son.

this is clearly seen in the closing chapter of the book of Matthew for Today’s reading of the Scriptures

[Matthew 28]

After the Sabbath, as the light of the next day, the first day of the week, crept over Palestine, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the tomb to keep vigil. Earlier there had been an earthquake. A messenger of the Lord had come down from heaven and had gone to the grave. He rolled away the stone and sat down on top of it. He veritably glowed. He was vibrating with light. His clothes were light, white like transfiguration, like fresh snow. The soldiers guarding the tomb were terrified. They froze like stone.

The messenger spoke to the women, to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary.

Messenger of the Lord: Don’t be afraid. I know you are here keeping watch for Jesus who was crucified. But Jesus is not here. He was raised, just as He said He would be. Come over to the grave, and see for yourself. And then go straight to His disciples, and tell them He’s been raised from the dead and has gone on to Galilee. You’ll find Him there. Listen carefully to what I am telling you.

The women were both terrified and thrilled, and they quickly left the tomb and went to find the disciples and give them this outstandingly good news. But while they were on their way, they saw Jesus Himself.

Jesus (greeting the women): Rejoice.

The women fell down before Him, kissing His feet and worshiping Him.

Jesus: Don’t be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. Tell them I will meet them there.

As the women were making their way to the disciples, some of the soldiers who had been standing guard by Jesus’ tomb recovered themselves, went to the city, and told the chief priests everything that had happened—the earthquake just after dawn, the heavenly messenger, and his commission to the Marys. The chief priests gathered together all the elders, an emergency conference of sorts. They needed a plan. They decided the simplest course was bribery: they would pay off the guards and order them to say that the disciples had come in the middle of the night and had stolen Jesus’ corpse while they slept. The chief priests promised the soldiers they would run interference with the governor so that the soldiers wouldn’t be punished for falling asleep when they were supposed to be keeping watch. The guards took the bribe and spread the story around town—and indeed, you can still find people today who will tell you that Jesus did not really rise from the dead, that it was a trick, some sort of sleight of hand.

The eleven disciples, having spoken to the Marys, headed to Galilee, to the mountain where they were to meet Jesus. When the disciples saw Jesus there, many of them fell down and worshiped, as Mary and the other Mary had done. But a few hung back. They were not sure (and who can blame them?). Jesus came forward and addressed His beloved disciples.

Jesus: I am here speaking with all the authority of God, who has commanded Me to give you this commission: Go out and make disciples in all the nations. Ceremonially wash them through baptism in the name of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you. And I will be with you, day after day, to the end of the age.

The Book of Matthew, Chapter 28 (The Voice)

A message by the ICR from an email yesterday about the True nature of God’s living Words as it relates to the natural processes of garden earth:

July 12, 2020

The Rain and the Word

“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)

In these familiar verses, there is a beautiful anticipation and spiritual application of the so-called “hydrologic cycle” of the science of hydrogeology. The rain and snow fall from the heavens and eventually return there (via the marvelous process of river and groundwater runoff to the oceans), then later evaporation by solar radiation and translation inland high in the sky by the world’s great wind circuits, finally to fall again as rain and snow on the thirsty land, beginning the cycle once more.

But they do not return until they first have accomplished their work of watering the earth, providing and renewing the world’s water and food supplies to maintain its life.

Analogously, God’s Word goes forth from heaven via His revealed Scriptures and their distribution and proclamation by His disciples. It does not return void, for it accomplishes God’s spiritual work on Earth. But it does return, for it is “for ever…settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89).

The fruitful spreading of God’s Word is presented in many other Scriptures. For example: “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.…In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good” (Ecclesiastes 11:1, 6).

Thus, as we sow and water the seed—which is the Word of God—we have God’s divine promise that it will accomplish that which He pleases. HMM

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 15th chapter from the book of Deuteronomy where Moses instructed the Israelites to cancel debts every 7 years. also, it was a time when they were allowed to have servants, yet with the rule of working for 6 years and being made free in the 7th along with full provisions. unless the person was to willingly choose to stay because they love the family and place where they are.

and of course in our modern day we should not be engaged in slavery, although it still occurs in various forms.

times were different under the old covenant given to Moses that led us up to the revelation of God’s grace that has been extended to all who receive, for all who “believe...”

and this is the True freedom that sets us free from the enslavement of sin and of this world to make it past (tense)

[Deuteronomy 15]

Moses: At the end of every seventh year, cancel all debts. This is how it will work: anyone who has made a loan to someone else will just let the debtor keep whatever he’s borrowed. That is, if the loan was made to a fellow citizen, to another Israelite, the lender won’t demand repayment because it has been announced that the Eternal is canceling all the debts of His servants. If you’ve made a loan to a foreigner, you can still demand repayment, but let your fellow Israelites keep whatever they’ve borrowed from you. However, ideally, there shouldn’t be any poor people among you. If you listen attentively to the voice of the Eternal your God and carefully obey all the commands I’m giving you today, then the Eternal will bless you with great prosperity in the land He’s giving you to live in and pass down within your family. Because the Eternal your God will bless you as He promised, you will lend to many nations, but you won’t borrow; you will rule over many nations, but they won’t rule over you.

If, in one of the towns in the land the Eternal your God is giving you, a fellow Israelite does become poor, don’t ignore him and limit your generosity just because the debt will be forgiven. Open your hand willingly, and generously lend as much as is needed at the time. Don’t think like this: “It’s almost the seventh year when debts are canceled. If I lend anything to this other person now, I’ll never get it back!” If you think this way, you’ll be hostile toward your neighbors and you won’t give them anything. They’ll cry out to the Eternal against you, and He’ll consider what you’ve done a sin. So give generously to the person in need. Don’t feel badly about this when you’re doing it; because of your generosity, the Eternal your God will bless you in everything you do, in every project you begin. Unfortunately, there will always be poor people throughout the country. That’s why I’m giving you this command: give generously to your fellow Israelite, to the poor and needy in the land.

If a fellow Israelite, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you as a slave, only make that person serve you for six years. In the seventh year, set him free from your service. And don’t send him away destitute! Provide generously: give sheep and goats, grain and wine. Give some of what the Eternal your God has blessed you with. Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and He liberated you from another master so you could serve Him. That’s why I’m commanding you today to do this. Don’t feel you’ve been cheated when you set your slave free. It would have cost you twice as much to hire someone to do the same work over those six years, and He will bless you in everything you do because of your generosity. But perhaps your slave will say to you at the end of the six years, “I don’t want to be set free! I love you and your whole family. It’s really good for me to be here with you.” You can accept a slave like this into lifetime service. Perform a special ceremony to mark his new status. Have the slave stand right next to the door of your house, take an awl, and drive it through the slave’s ear lobe into the door. Then pull it out. This will make marks in the ear lobe and in the door that will symbolize the slave. Either a male or a female slave can enter lifetime service this way with this physical mark.

If the firstborn of any animal in your herd or flock is a male, set it apart or consecrate it for the Eternal your God. Don’t put the firstborn of any ox to work, and don’t shear your firstborn sheep. These animals already belong to the Eternal One, so their labor and products belong to Him too. Bring them every year to the place the Eternal will choose, and make them part of the feast you and your household eat in the presence of the Eternal your God. But if the firstborn has some defect such as lameness or blindness—any serious problem—don’t offer it as a sacrifice to Him. Instead eat it as a regular meal in your own city. This is not a sacred meal, so people don’t need to be ritually pure to eat it. It will be like eating a gazelle or a deer. But don’t eat its blood; pour it out on the ground like water.

The Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 15 (The Voice)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for monday, july 13 of 2020 with a paired chapter from each Testament along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

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go-redgirl · 4 years

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The History of Presidents Using Military to Restore Order Within US Fred Lucas / @FredLucasWH / May 31, 2020 /

Minority-owned businesses are among the worst-hit targets of looters and rioters who rampaged in Minneapolis and then other cities after a black man died in police custody, according to news reports.

“Expressing grievances to our elected officials in the form of protest is a time-honored tradition,” Stacy Washington, co-chairwoman of the board of Project 21, a black conservative group, said in a public statement Monday.

“But what we are watching unfold across the country is a coordinated effort to destroy the rule of law and order in our communities and to gin up racial tension,” Washington said. “In video after video, we see masked white protesters dressed all in black destroying property in black neighborhoods. And it’s blacks who are trying to stop the Antifa protesters from defacing small businesses.”

During remarks Monday evening in the Rose Garden, President Donald Trump noted: “The biggest victims of the rioting are peace-loving citizens in our poorest communities, and as their president, I will fight to keep them safe.”

The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more >>

Prosecutors charged Derek Chauvin, 44, with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, 46, who was being arrested Memorial Day evening on suspicion of passing a counterfeit 20-dollar bill.

Cellphone video showed Chauvin, at the time a Minneapolis police officer, with a knee pressing into the neck of Floyd, prone and handcuffed on the pavement, for nearly nine minutes.

Floyd, who was black, could be heard begging Chauvin, who is white, to allow him to stand and saying “I can’t breathe” before he fell silent.

A medical examiner determined Monday that Floyd’s death was a homicide. Outrage over his death has united Americans across political divides, as well as police chiefs and police unions.

“I understand the anger, but I do not understand destroying your own neighborhood to protest an innocent man’s murder,” Marie Fischer, an information technology specialist and Maryland political consultant who is black, said of those looting and setting fires.

“I do not understand many who are bailing out these ‘protesters’ as a sign of support. How about you fund the minority business owners whose stores and businesses have been destroyed by rioters?” said Fischer, who also is a member of Project 21. “They should fund those who were and are building these communities instead of the ones tearing them down under the guise of social justice—which in this case is neither social nor just.”

Here are six examples of minority-owned businesses across the country that were vandalized, desecrated, or destroyed by rioters.

1. Minneapolis: Where Unrest Began

Luis Tamay, an immigrant, reportedly saved for more than 10 years to open his Ecuadorian restaurant, El Sabor Chuchi, in Minneapolis seven years ago.

After guarding his restaurant during the first couple of nights of unrest, Tamay obeyed the city’s curfew Friday night and went home, believing the Minnesota National Guard would keep order.

When Tamay arrived at his restaurant Saturday morning, it was burned to the ground, the Minneapolis StarTribune reported.

“Seventeen years of work is gone,” he told the newspaper.

Nearby, a Spanish-language radio station, La Raza, also burned down. Station owner Maya Santamaria wrote on her GoFundMe page: “Small, minority business owners found themselves with the businesses that they worked their fingers to the bone building destroyed, looted, vandalized and burned down. Some had no insurance. Others have no resources.”

Jeff Lusuer, a Minneapolis barber who is black, had two shops. One was burned down; someone broke into the other and stole supplies.

Still, Lusuer expressed empathy for the looters after what had occurred in Floyd’s killing, saying he is fed up with police.

“Even though it hurt my businesses, I understand,” Lusuer told the StarTribune.

Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, and peaceful protests began there before others turned to violence, looting, and arson.

The StarTribune reported: “The riots and arson that followed protests of George Floyd’s death have devastated organizations and businesses that serve communities of color.”

The newspaper reported Monday that looters burned a nonprofit center for American Indian youth.

La Michoacana Purepecha ice cream shop lost power as a result of the riots, and employees tried to give popsicles away.

“People right now are going to want to stay away from Lake Street, and that is understandable,” business owner Ricardo Hernandez told the newspaper, referring to the location of his ice cream shop.

“It’s very hard to see your whole life savings go down like this,” Hernandez said. “We used up all our money to build something nice for … not just the Latino community, but everybody.”

2. Atlanta: ‘A Very Sad Day for Us’

Atlanta has a strong legacy in the civil rights movement as the one-time home of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who promoted peaceful resistance to injustice in the 1960s.

Still, the city erupted in riots as badly as any other in the nation over the weekend. Some of the stores that were broken into and damaged were black-owned businesses, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

The TV station highlighted Attom, the first black-owned business to operate in an outdoor mall called The Shops at Buckhead, known for high-end retail stores.

“I don’t know if people know we’re owned by a black man because we don’t put it on the front of the business,” Attom owner Zola Dias told the station. “But this is a very sad day for us.”

The store is boarded up, like most of the other shops in the outdoor mall, Fox 5 reported.

“I’m a black man, I’m young, but there is another way to go and protest,” Dias added.

A group of black women set up a fundraising effort to assist black-owned businesses that were destroyed or vandalized, the station reported.

3. Looting in Texas Capital

Looters targeted a black-owned salon over the weekend in Austin, Texas, NBC affiliate KXAN reported.

The owner of Private Stock Premium Boutique set up a GoFundMe page and as of Monday had raised more than $60,000 to help rebuild.

Another black-owned business, World Liquor & Tobacco, was looted twice Sunday, KXAN reported.

4. ‘Frustrating’ Vandalism in Denver

A Denver restaurant called Buffalo Bills Wings and Things, owned by Zac Gabani, was a target of vandalism.

“It is frustrating,” Gabani told CBS4 in Denver, adding that breaking things “is pretty counterintuitive.”

Gabani’s eatery reportedly was one of the few businesses that tried to remain open during both the riots and peaceful protests in Denver.

“We were the only place open to feed them,” Gabani said. “We like to support the community; we just wish they would help support us as well.”

5. Milwaukee: ‘Not a Way of Finding Justice’

Dozens of minority-owned businesses in Milwaukee were ransacked by looters, Fox6 Milwaukee reported.

Sam Rahami, owner of the store Trend Benderz, smashed over the weekend, told the TV station: “Destroying somebody’s business, somebody’s livelihood, is not a way of finding justice for anyone.”

Another store owner, not identified by name in the news story, complained to the station that the destruction was counterproductive.

“What they’re doing is against their benefit. We are here to be part of this community,” the owner of a Cricket Wireless store that was looted and damaged said.

6. Philadelphia: ‘For My Own Community to Do It to My Business’

Black leaders in Philadelphia held a forum calling for peace and in part highlighting that many black businesses were being destroyed, ABC-6 reported.

The forum included black clergy in Philadelphia as well as Human Rights Coalition 215 and Philadelphia Community Stakeholders.

Among those speaking at the event this week were Elliott Broaster, owner of Smoke N Things, a shop that was burned down.

“When I got home alone, I shed a few tears. I saw my business burn down and it hurt me a lot. And especially for my own community to do it to my business, that’s what really [hurt],” Broaster told ABC-6.

The news station reported: “What took years for this Temple grad to build was destroyed in a matter of minutes.”

Dear Readers:

With the recent conservative victories related to tax cuts, the Supreme Court, and other major issues, it is easy to become complacent.

However, the liberal Left is not backing down. They are rallying supporters to advance their agenda, moving this nation further from the vision of our founding fathers.

If we are to continue to bring this nation back to our founding principles of limited government and fiscal conservatism, we need to come together as a group of likeminded conservatives.

This is the mission of The Heritage Foundation. We want to continue to develop and present conservative solutions to the nation’s toughest problems. And we cannot do this alone.

We are looking for a select few conservatives to become a Heritage Foundation member. With your membership, you’ll qualify for all associated benefits and you’ll help keep our nation great for future generations.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

OPINION: Well, no-one can blame President Trump for all these unfortunate out of control people that are destroying their own communities which does not make any sense.

Where is ‘ole’ big Mouth Al Sharpton, Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson and others that always complaining about everything but don’t have the gaul or ba**s to try to calm down these young Black Americans running through this country destroying ‘Black Own Businesses’ in their anger of a man that was murdered by a Police Officer in his community.

Certainly they are mis-guided and its certainly not a way to handle such and awful situation.

Our prayers going out to his family and friends!

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rahul0270-blog · 7 years

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Feminism

Talking about modern feminism and being able to explain it could become a challenge. In college I noticed two things right out of the gate that provide me reason to stress about this. First, several of the students don’t appear to obviously understand what feminism is. Secondly, the people who represent feminism to most of my peers are either entertainers or alternative well-known, made girls, who could or might not signify feminism. Before I elaborate on my statements, let me outline feminism in my very own “textbook” words. .

Feminism: The political drive to realize girls an equivalent social, political, and economic opportunities men have. .

Unfortunately, from what I detected in class, I get the concept that a lot of my classmates feel that feminism means that the glorification of girls, or more distressingly, the traditional, the normal, the standard feminine role. Feminism, at its best, is that the increasing of the feminine role, not the glorification of narrow social roles. Feminism desires to make girls leaders, girls who feel that it’s utterly traditional to not be what most Americans contemplate “feminine.” in fact, feminism teaches that femininity in itself shouldn’t be looked down upon, that living as a married woman shouldn’t cut back a woman’s position, or her access to civil rights. A number of the movement’s greatest victories have concerned rising the lives of everyday, ancient girls such as overturning several laws that condoned spousal abuse.

By general definition, feminism could be a philosophy during which girls and their contributions are valued. It’s supported social, political and economic equality for ladies. Feminists is anyone within the population, men, women, girl or boys. Feminism can even be delineate as a movement. A revolution that features girls and men who would like the planet to be equal without borders. These boundaries or blockades are higher referred to as discrimination and biases against gender, sexual orientation, age, standing legal status} and economic status.

Everyone views the planet together with his or her own sense of gender and equality. Feminists read the planet as being unequal. They need to visualize the gender gap and therefore the concept that men are superior to girls slashed or maybe abolished

Views on Feminism

Final Composition-“Feminism” girls have an illness, an illness that may prevent them from ever achieving political, social or economic greatness. This “disease” is that the want for independency and self-regard or the shortage there of. This can be what we’ve return to grasp as feminism. Perceive that the requirement for independency and self-regard is not a true malady, I simply used malady as a trope for the way girls approach making an attempt to realize them. “For nearly 100 and fifty years girls have fought for equality and been burdened by men, and in spite of what they are doing, they’re going to ne'er be thought of equals.” The preceding was what feminists and historians need North American nation to believe, however, this can be not continually the case and, quite presumably, it’s ne'er been the case. This can be the aim of my essay, to prove that society has modified for ladies. Women haven’t modified for society. Which this feminism issue could be a load of crap. Girls of these days haven’t fought for any price, they need merely protested their demands and expected society to cater to them. This may still be true for as long as society takes sympathy upon girls and their “needs.” for a few reason feminism became a global development. Girls all over wished to be freelance, they were typically displeased if a person tried to assist them do one thing. Presently once this international development sweptback the planet, a brand new form of feminism, known as “pop- feminism”, came to be. Now, perceive that the sole distinction between the previous and therefore the latter is that feminism is simply that. Feminism. Feminism is that the belief that ladies ought to be equal and be an equivalent respect as everybody else. And to inform you the reality, I do not have a haul thereupon. I actually have a haul with pop-feminism. Pop-feminism is solely anti-male promotion, and it’s a joke. No pop-feminist ought to be taken seriously. Don’t get me wrong or something, however pop-feminists: distort facts on serious problems, take credit for stuff they didn’t do, and climb on the “liberated women" band wagon.

#feminism #myviews

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amonstrousphantom · 5 years

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PERSONALITY TYPE

I ran Erik through a personality test, and this is so important to who she is as a character, I’m posting not only the results but what they mean.

These are the results Erik received from the 16Personalities Test, which can be found here and I encourage others who want further insight and/or a concise personality description to take this. It is very well done.

RESULTS

Read the rest of the information below the cut.

ARCHITECT PERSONALITY [ INTJ, -A/-T ]

INTRODUCTION

“Thought constitutes the greatness of man. Man is a reed, the feeblest thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed.” –– BLAISE PASCAL

It’s lonely at the top, and being one of the rarest and most strategically capable personality types, Architects know this all too well. Architects form just two percent of the population, and women of this personality type are especially rare, forming just 0.8% of the population – it is often a challenge for them to find like-minded individuals who are able to keep up with their relentless intellectualism and chess-like maneuvering. People with the Architect personality type are imaginative yet decisive, ambitious yet private, amazingly curious, but they do not squander their energy.

Nothing Can Stop the Right Attitude From Achieving Its Goal

With a natural thirst for knowledge that shows itself early in life, Architects are often given the title of “bookworm” as children. While this may be intended as an insult by their peers, they more than likely identify with it and are even proud of it, greatly enjoying their broad and deep body of knowledge. Architect personalities enjoy sharing what they know as well, confident in their mastery of their chosen subjects, but they prefer to design and execute a brilliant plan within their field rather than share opinions on “uninteresting” distractions like gossip.

“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.” –– HARLAN ELLISON

A paradox to most observers, Architects are able to live by glaring contradictions that nonetheless make perfect sense – at least from a purely rational perspective. For example, Architects are simultaneously the most starry-eyed idealists and the bitterest of cynics, a seemingly impossible conflict. But this is because Architect personalities tend to believe that with effort, intelligence and consideration, nothing is impossible, while at the same time they believe that people are too lazy, short-sighted or self-serving to actually achieve those fantastic results. Yet that cynical view of reality is unlikely to stop an interested Architect from achieving a result they believe to be relevant.

In Matters Of Principle, Stand Like a Rock

Architects radiate self-confidence and an aura of mystery, and their insightful observations, original ideas and formidable logic enable them to push change through with sheer willpower and force of personality. At times it will seem that Architects are bent on deconstructing and rebuilding every idea and system they come into contact with, employing a sense of perfectionism and even morality to this work. Anyone who doesn’t have the talent to keep up with Architects’ processes, or worse yet, doesn’t see the point of them, is likely to immediately and permanently lose their respect.

Their solo approach allows Architect personalities to bypass the expectations of others and create their own interesting and novel ideas.

Rules, limitations and traditions are anathema to the Architect personality type – everything should be open to questioning and reevaluation, and if they see a way, Architects will often act unilaterally to enact their technically superior, sometimes insensitive, and almost always unorthodox methods and ideas.

This isn’t to be misunderstood as impulsiveness – Architects will strive to remain rational no matter how attractive the end goal may be, and every idea, whether generated internally or soaked in from the outside world, must pass the ruthless and ever-present “Is this going to work?” filter. This mechanism is applied at all times, to all things and all people, and this is often where Architect personalities run into trouble.

One Reflects More When Traveling Alone

Architects are brilliant and confident in bodies of knowledge they have taken the time to understand, but unfortunately the social contract is unlikely to be one of those subjects. White lies and small talk are hard enough as it is for a personality type that craves truth and depth, but Architects may go so far as to see many social conventions as downright stupid.

Ironically, it is often best for them to remain where they are comfortable – out of the spotlight – where the natural confidence prevalent in Architects as they work with the familiar can serve as its own beacon, attracting people, romantically or otherwise, of similar temperament and interests.

Architects are defined by their tendency to move through life as though it were a giant chess board, pieces constantly shifting with consideration and intelligence, always assessing new tactics, strategies and contingency plans, constantly outmaneuvering their peers in order to maintain control of a situation while maximizing their freedom to move about.

This isn’t meant to suggest that Architects act without conscience, but to many other types, Architects’ distaste for acting on emotion can make it seem that way, and it explains why many fictional villains (and misunderstood heroes) are modeled on this personality type.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Architect Strengths

Quick, Imaginative and Strategic Mind – Architects pride themselves on their minds, taking every opportunity to improve their knowledge, and this shows in the strength and flexibility of their strategic thinking. Insatiably curious and always up for an intellectual challenge, Architects can see things from many perspectives. Architect personalities use their creativity and imagination not so much for artistry, but for planning contingencies and courses of action for all possible scenarios.

High Self-Confidence – Architects trust their rationalism above all else, so when they come to a conclusion, they have no reason to doubt their findings. This creates an honest, direct style of communication that isn’t held back by perceived social roles or expectations. When Architects are right, they’re right, and no amount of politicking or hand-holding is going to change that fact – whether it’s correcting a person, a process, or themselves, they’d have it no other way.

Independent and Decisive – This creativity, logic and confidence come together to form individuals who stand on their own and take responsibility for their own actions. Authority figures do not impress Architects, nor do social conventions or tradition, and no matter how popular something is, if they have a better idea, Architects will stand against anyone they have to in a bid to have it changed. Either an idea is the most rational or it’s wrong, and people with the Architect personality type will apply this to their arguments as well as their own behavior, staying calm and detached from these sometimes emotionally charged conflicts. Architects will only be swayed by those who follow suit.

Hard-working and determined – If something piques their interest, Architect personalities can be astonishingly dedicated to their work, putting in long hours and intense effort to see an idea through. Architects are incredibly efficient, and if tasks meet the criteria of furthering a goal, they will find a way to consolidate and accomplish those tasks. However, this drive for efficiency can also lead to a sort of elaborate laziness, wherein Architects find ways to bypass seeming redundancies which don’t seem to require a great deal of thought – this can be risky, as sometimes double-checking one’s work is the standard for a reason.

Open-minded – All this rationalism leads to a very intellectually receptive personality type, as Architects stay open to new ideas, supported by logic, even if (and sometimes especially if) they prove Architects’ previous conceptions wrong. When presented with unfamiliar territory, such as alternate lifestyles, Architects tend to apply their receptiveness and independence, and aversion to rules and traditions, to these new ideas as well, resulting in fairly liberal social senses.

Jacks-of-all-Trades – Architects’ open-mindedness, determination, independence, confidence and strategic abilities create individuals who are capable of doing anything they set their minds to. Excelling at analyzing anything life throws their way, Architects are able to reverse-engineer the underlying methodology of almost any system and apply the concepts that are exposed wherever needed. Architects tend to have their pick of professions, from IT system designers to political masterminds.

Architect Weaknesses

Arrogant – Architect personalities are perfectly capable of carrying their confidence too far, falsely believing that they’ve resolved all the pertinent issues of a matter and closing themselves off to the opinions of those they believe to be intellectually inferior. Combined with their irreverence for social conventions, Architects can be brutally insensitive in making their opinions of others all too clear.

Judgmental – Architects tend to have complete confidence in their thought process, because rational arguments are almost by definition correct – at least in theory. In practice, emotional considerations and history are hugely influential, and a weak point for people with the Architect personality type is that they brand these factors and those who embrace them as illogical, dismissing them and considering their proponents to be stuck in some baser mode of thought, making it all but impossible to be heard.

Overly analytical – A recurring theme with Architects is their analytical prowess, but this strength can fall painfully short where logic doesn’t rule – such as with human relationships. When their critical minds and sometimes neurotic level of perfectionism (often the case with Turbulent Architects) are applied to other people, all but the steadiest of friends will likely need to make some distance, too often permanently.

Loathe highly structured environments – Blindly following precedents and rules without understanding them is distasteful to Architects, and they disdain even more authority figures who blindly uphold those laws and rules without understanding their intent. Anyone who prefers the status quo for its own sake, or who values stability and safety over self-determination, is likely to clash with Architect personalities. Whether it’s the law of the land or simple social convention, this aversion applies equally, often making life more difficult than it needs to be.

Clueless in romance – This antipathy to rules and tendency to over-analyze and be judgmental, even arrogant, all adds up to a personality type that is often clueless in dating. Having a new relationship last long enough for Architects to apply the full force of their analysis on their potential partner’s thought processes and behaviors can be challenging. Trying harder in the ways that Architects know best can only make things worse, and it’s unfortunately common for them to simply give up the search. Ironically, this is when they’re at their best, and most likely to attract a partner.

ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS

“Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness.” –– BERTRAND RUSSELL

In romance, people with the Architect personality type approach things the way they do with most situations: they compose a series of calculated actions with a predicted and desirable end goal – a healthy long-term relationship. Rather than falling head over heels in a whirlwind of passion and romance, Architects identify potential partners who meet a certain range of pre-determined criteria, break the dating process down into a series of measurable milestones, then proceed to execute the plan with clinical precision.

In a purely rational world, this is a fool-proof methodology – but in reality, it ignores significant details that Architects are likely to dismiss prematurely, such as human nature. People with the Architect personality type are brilliantly intellectual, developing a world in their heads that is more perfect than reality. People entering this world need to fit this fantasy, and it can be incredibly difficult for Architects to find someone up to the task. Needless to say, finding a compatible partner is the most significant challenge most Architects will face in life.

Politeness Is Artificial Good Humor

Sentiment, tradition, and emotion are Architects’ Achilles Heel. Social standards like chivalry are viewed by Architect personalities as silly, even demeaning. The problem is, these standards have developed as a means of smoothing introductions and developing rapport, of managing expectations, the basis of personal relationships. Architects’ propensity for frank honesty in word and action tends to violate this social contract, making dating especially difficult for them.

The lesson Architects often learn is that the ways of love are hard to describe on a spreadsheet.

As they mature, Architects will come to recognize these factors as relevant, incorporating pace and emotional availability into their plans. But the meantime can be dangerous, especially for more Turbulent Architects – if they are shot down too many times they may come to the conclusion that everyone else is simply too irrational, or simply beneath them intellectually. If cynicism takes hold, Architect personalities may end up falling into the trap of intentionally displaying intellectual arrogance, making solitude their choice rather than happenstance.

Always Remain Cool

The positive side of Architects’ “giving up” is that they are most attractive when they aren’t trying to be attractive, working in a familiar environment where their confidence and intelligence can be seen in action. Allowing others to come to them is often Architects’ best strategy, and if they perceive a potential to the relationship, they will spare no effort in developing and maintaining stability and long-term satisfaction.

As their relationships develop, Architects’ partners will find an imaginative and enthusiastic companion, who will share their world and at the same time grant a huge degree of independence and trust. While people with the Architect personality type may never be fully comfortable expressing their feelings, and may spend more time theorizing about intimacy than engaging in it, they can always be relied upon to think out a mutually beneficial solution to any situation.

Architects seek strong, deep relationships, and trust their knowledge and logic to ensure that their partner is satisfied, both intellectually and physically.

But when it comes to emotional satisfaction, Architects are simply out of their element. Not every partner has the sort of fun Architects do in addressing conflicts and emotional needs as puzzles to be analyzed and solved. Sometimes emotions need to be expressed for their own sake, and putting every outburst under the microscope isn’t always helpful. If this becomes habit, or Architects think it may, these personalities are capable of simply ending the relationship, rather than dragging things out.

Truth and Morality

Architects are bewilderingly deep and intelligent people, bringing stability and insight into their romantic relationships. They prize honest, open communication, and all factors of the relationship are open to discussion and change, but this must be reciprocated. Architects do what they think is right, and sometimes that comes across as cold – it’s important to know that Architects don’t make these decisions lightly. They spend a tremendous amount of time and energy trying to understand why and how things go wrong, especially if they’ve devoted themselves to the relationship, and they certainly hurt deeply when things fall apart.

The challenge is finding partners who share those same values – though Intuitive (N) personality types are uncommon, they may be a must for many Architects, as sharing this trait creates an immediate sense of mutual belonging. Having one or two balancing personality traits, such as Extraversion (E), Feeling (F), or Prospecting (P) can help to keep a relationship dynamic and growth-oriented by keeping Architects involved with other people, in touch with their emotions, and open to alternate potentials.

FRIENDSHIPS

“A friend to all is a friend to none.” –– ARISTOTLE

People with the Architect personality type tend to have more success in developing friendships than they do with romantic relationships, but they none-the-less suffer from many of the same setbacks, substituting rational processes for emotional availability. This intellectual distance tends to go both ways, making Architects notoriously difficult to read and get to know, and making Architects not want to bother reading anyone they think isn’t on their level. Overcoming these hurdles is often all but impossible without the sort of instant connection made possible by sharing the Intuitive (N) personality trait.

No Person Will Complain for Want of Time Who Never Loses Any

Architects tend to have set opinions about what works, what doesn’t, what they’re looking for, and what they’re not. These discriminating tastes can come across as arrogant, but Architects would simply argue that it’s a basic filtering mechanism that allows them to direct their attentions where they will do the most good. The fact is that in friendship, people with the Architect personality type are looking for more of an intellectual soul mate than anything else, and those that aren’t prepared for that kind of relationship are simply boring. Architects need to share ideas – a self-feeding circle of gossip about mutual friends is no kind of social life for them.

Architects will keep up with just a few good friends, eschewing larger circles of acquaintances in favor of depth and quality.

Further, having more than just a few friends would compromise Architects’ sense of independence and self-sufficiency – they gladly give up social validation to ensure this freedom. Architects embrace this idea even with those who do fit into their social construct, requiring little attention or maintenance to remain on good terms, and encouraging that same independence in their friends.

When it comes to emotional support, Architect personalities are far from being a bastion of comfort. They actively suppress their own emotions with shields of rationality and logic, and expect their friends to do the same. When emotionally charged situations do come about, Architects may literally have no clue how to handle them appropriately, a glaring contrast from their usual capacity for decisive self-direction and composure.

But Friendship Is Precious

When they are in their comfort zone though, among people they know and respect, Architects have no trouble relaxing and enjoying themselves. Their sarcasm and dark humor are not for the faint of heart, nor for those who struggle to read between the lines, but they make for fantastic story-telling among those who can keep up. This more or less limits their pool of friends to fellow Analysts and Diplomat personality types, as Observant (S) types’ preference for more grounded and straightforward communication often simply leaves both parties frustrated.

It’s not easy to become good friends with Architects. Rather than traditional rules of social conduct or shared routine, Architects have exacting expectations for intellectual prowess, uncompromising honesty and a mutual desire to grow and learn as sovereign individuals. Architects are gifted, bright and development-oriented, and expect and encourage their friends to share this attitude. Anyone falling short of this will be labeled a bore – anyone meeting these expectations will appreciate these personalities of their own accord, forming a powerful and stimulating friendship that will stand the test of time.

PARENTHOOD

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” –– MARGARET MEAD

Parenting, like so many other person-to-person relationships, is a significant challenge for people with the Architect personality type. Being so heavily invested in rational thought, logic, and analyzing cause and effect, Architects are often unprepared for dealing with someone who hasn’t developed these same abilities who they can’t simply walk away from. Luckily, Architects are uniquely capable of committing to a long-term project, especially one as meaningful as parenthood, with all the intellectual vigor they can muster.

I Hope Our Wisdom Will Grow With Our Power...

First and foremost, Architect parents will likely never be able to deliver the sort of warmth and coddling that stereotypes say they should. Architect personalities are rational, perfectionistic, often insensitive, and certainly not prone to overt displays of physical affection – it will take a clear and conscious effort on their part to curb and adapt these qualities to their children’s needs, especially in the younger years. If they have an especially sensitive child, Architects risk inadvertently trampling those sensitivities or coming across as cold and uncaring.

Even less sensitive children will need emotional support from time to time, especially as they approach adolescence – Architects, even more so than other Analyst types, struggle to manage their own emotions in a healthy way, let alone others’. As a result, Architects tend to avoid “unproductive” emotional support, instead taking a solutions-based approach to resolving issues. This is where Architect personalities are strongest – assessing a dilemma to find the underlying cause and developing a plan to solve the problem at its source.

Architect parents don’t just tell their children what to do, though – they prompt them, make them use their own minds so they arrive at the same conclusions, or better ones still.

Architects also recognize that life is often the best teacher, and they will tend to be fairly liberal, allowing their children to have their own adventures and make their own decisions, further developing these critical thinking skills. This isn’t to say that Architects parents are lenient – far from it – rather, they expect their children to use their freedom responsibly, and often enough the weight of this expectation alone is enough to lay out understood ground rules.

When they need to though, Architect parents will communicate openly and honestly with their children, believing that knowing the truth is better than not knowing, or worse yet, simply being wrong.

...And Teach Us That the Less We Use Our Power, the Greater It Will Be

If their children are receptive to this approach, Architect parents will find themselves respected and trusted. Architect personalities are excellent communicators when they want to be, and will frame problems as opportunities for personal growth, helping their children to establish their own brand of rational thinking and independent problem-solving skills to be applied to more and more complex situations as they grow, building their confidence as they make their own way. Architects’ ultimate goal as a parent is to ensure that their children are prepared to deal with whatever life throws their way.

All this is the exertion of Architects’ core philosophy of intelligent self-direction, and in this way these personalities try to mold their children in their own image, working to create capable adults who can go on to use their own minds, solve their own problems, and help their own children in the same way when the time comes. Architects understand that this can’t happen if they shield their children from every source of ill and harm, but believe that if they give their children the right tools, they won’t have to.

CAREERS

“Don't worry about being effective. Just concentrate on being faithful to the truth.” –– DOROTHY DAY

Professional competence is often the area in which Architects shine most brilliantly. Their capacity for digesting difficult and complex theories and principles and converting them into clear and actionable ideas and strategies is unmatched by any other personality type.

Architects are able to filter out the noise of a situation, identifying the core thread that needs to be pulled in order to unravel others’ messes so that they can be rewoven into something at once beautifully intricate and stunningly simple in its function. Architect personalities will often find ways to automate routine and mind-numbing tasks, and as they progress, their natural confidence, dedication, and creative intelligence will open the doors to the increased complexity and freedom they crave.

The real challenge for Architects is that in order for their innovative (and to less insightful individuals, seemingly counter-intuitive) ideas to be heard, they need to have a friendly ear to bend, and developing an amiable rapport with authority figures is not exactly in Architects’ list of core strengths. In their early careers, Architects will often have to suffer through menial tasks and repeated rejections as they develop their abilities into a skillset that speaks for itself.

Where’s My Drawing Board?

People with the Architect personality type tend to prefer to work alone, or at most in small groups, where they can maximize their creativity and focus without repeated interruptions from questioning colleagues and meetings-happy supervisors. For this reason Architects are unlikely to be found in strictly administrative roles or anything that requires constant dialogue and heavy teamwork. Rather, Architects prefer more “lone wolf” positions as mechanical or software engineers, lawyers or freelance consultants, only accepting competent leadership that helps in these goals, and rejecting the authority of those who hold them back.

Their independent attitude and tireless demand for competence mean that Architect personalities absolutely loathe those who get ahead by seemingly less meritocratic means like social prowess and political connections. Architects have exceptionally high standards, and if they view a colleague or supervisor as incompetent or ineffective, respect will be lost instantly and permanently.

Architects value personal initiative, determination, insight and dedication, and believe that everyone should complete their work to the highest possible standards – if a schmoozing shill breezes through without carrying their own weight, they may find Architects’ inventiveness and determination used in a whole new capacity as the winds turn against them.

Timid Men Prefer the Calm

As their careers progress further and their reputation grows, so will the complexity of Architects’ tasks and projects. Architect personalities demand progress and evolution, new challenges and theories, and they often accomplish this by pushing into more active strategic positions. While they don’t care for the spotlight, Architects do enjoy controlling their ideas, and will often expand into low-profile but influential roles as project managers, system engineers, marketing strategists, systems analysts, and military strategists.

Architects view a combination of intelligent approach and hard work as the road to excellence.

But really, Architects’ vision, creativity, and competence in executing their plans make these personalities viable in just about any career that requires them to think about what they’re doing. While some careers, such as low-level sales and human resources, clearly do not play to their strengths, Architects are able to build a niche into just about any institution, including their own, that they put their minds to.

WORKPLACE HABITS

Above all else, Architects want to be able to tackle intellectually interesting work with minimal outside interference, no more, no less. Time-consuming management techniques like trust-building getaways, progress meetings, and drawn-out, sandwiched criticisms are only going to annoy Architects – all they need, be they subordinate, colleague, or manager, is to meet their goals with the highest standard of technical excellence and to be surrounded by, if anyone at all, people who share those values.

On paper this makes them appear to be exemplary employees, and in many ways they are, but there are many personality types who will find a work (or any other) relationship with Architects extremely challenging. Architects have a fairly strict code of conduct when it comes to their work, and if they see coworkers valuing social activities and “good enough” workmanship over absolute excellence, it will be a turbulent environment. For this reason, Architects tend to prefer to work in tight, like-minded groups – a group of one, if necessary.

Architect Subordinates

Architect personalities are independent people, and they quickly become frustrated if they find themselves pushed into tightly defined roles that limit their freedom. With the direction of a properly liberal manager, Architects will establish themselves in a position of expertise, completing their work not with the ambition of managerial promotion, but for its own intrinsic merit. Architects require and appreciate firm, logical managers who are able to direct efforts with competence, deliver criticism when necessary, and back up those decisions with sound reason.

Note that it is Architects’ expectations of their managers that are being defined here, and not the other way around, as with some other personality types. Titles mean little to Architects – trust and respect are earned, and Architects expect this to be a two way street, receiving and delivering advice, criticisms and results. Architects expect their managers to be intelligent enough and strong enough to be able to handle this paradigm. A silent Architect conveys a lack of respect better than all their challenges ever will.

Architect Colleagues

Active teamwork is not ideal for people with the Architect personality type. Fiercely independent and private, Architects use their nimble minds and insight to deflect personal talk, avoid workplace tension, and create situations where they aren’t slowed down by those less intelligent, less capable, or less adaptable to more efficient methods. Instead, they will likely poke fun by forcing them to read between the lines and making them deal alone with work that could have been easier if they’d only taken Architects’ suggestions.

Architects are brilliant analysts, and will likely gather a small handful of trusted colleagues to involve in their brainstorming sessions, excluding those who get too hung up on details, or who otherwise have yet to earn their respect. But more likely, Architects will simply take the initiative alone – Architects love embracing challenges and their consequent responsibilities, and their perfectionism and determination usually mean that the work comes out clean and effective, affording people with the Architect personality type the twin joys of solitude and victory.

Architect Managers

Though they may be surprised to hear it, Architect personalities make natural leaders, and this shows in their management style. Architects value innovation and effectiveness more than just about any other quality, and they will gladly cast aside hierarchy, protocol and even their own beliefs if they are presented with rational arguments about why things should change.

Architects promote freedom and flexibility in the workplace, preferring to engage their subordinates as equals, respecting and rewarding initiative and adopting an attitude of “to the best mind go the responsibilities”, directing strategy while more capable hands manage the day-to-day tactics.

But this sort of freedom isn’t just granted, it’s required – those who are accustomed to just being told what to do, who are unable to direct themselves and challenge existing notions, will have a hard time meeting Architects’ extremely high standards. Efficiency and results are king to Architect personalities, and behaviors that undermine these conditions are quashed mercilessly. If subordinates try to compensate for their weakness in these areas by trying to build a social relationship with their Architect managers, on their heads be it – office gossip and schmoozing are not the way into Architects’ hearts – only bold competence will do.

CONCLUSION

“No escape from patterns and systems, no exits. Nothing, and no one, resides outside a system; that’s the way it is.” –– LYNNE TILLMAN

Armed with a powerful intellect and strategic thinking, Architects can overcome or outmaneuver obstacles that seem unbeatable to most. At the same time, their many quirks, such as often unconstrained rationalism, lead to many misunderstandings. Those misunderstandings end here. What you have read so far is just an introduction – we have a great deal more to tell you about the Architect personality type.

At some point in reading through your results, you probably hit a tipping point. You went from trademark Architect skepticism to “huh...” to “wait, what?” You may even be a little uncomfortable because you are really not used to being understood, even by the people you’re closest to.

Chances are, you’ve accepted that as part of who you are, and maybe even grown proud of it. But embracing that disconnection isn’t a requirement for Architects. It’s a misused defense mechanism, leading you down a lonely, inefficient path – gaining insight into yourself and others is so much more rewarding.

#|| down we plunge to the prison of my mind || { about Erik }

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expose-the-racists-blog · 7 years

Text

This was an essay please read.

We The People of these here United States, live in a country that believes in black privilege and thinks white privilege is a joke. The level of racism throughout today’s society is always compared to the racism back in the days of segregation. Is that not the problem? Comparing today to yesterday, in today’s society will never let America move on from the detrimental past it has created for African Americans. The hate groups are back and bigger, the crimes are raging high, and the marches for colored people are still happening. Racial segregation is still prevalent in today’s society because the rise of a white christian nation is only beginning. Ku Klux Klan The restoration of a White Christian nation founded on only God’s work has been the goal of the Ku Klux Klan for a good while. The Ku Klux Klan is publically known for being the most hate-filled racist group against African Americans. But, according to the loyal white knights, they do not hate any group of people. However, they hate things that certain groups do to affect their race and nation. The Klan has a list of things they hate which are drugs, homosexuality, abortion, and race-mixing. The Ku Klux Klan only hates these things because they go against God’s law, and they destroy white nations all together. The Ku Klux Klan is a group of people that have nothing wrong with black people; they just want to live in a white nation. The Ku Klux Klan is supporting segregation throughout America. Caucasian people do not like walking the grounds of America with African Americans. The Ku Klux Klan is simple, they have nothing against people of color, they just do not want anything to do with them in the same nation, as God intended. It is obvious that whenever black people participate in modern day society, they destroy it all together. The Ku Klux Klan is not who we think they are. The people who profile the Ku Klux Klan as hateful, are their enemies. Everyone has enemies, and everyone profiles. The Ku Klux Klan is a group of people that recognize the problems that the caucasian race is facing at the moment. Ku Klux Klan members come together as a family, a brotherhood to most, whose main goal is to push Christianity upon the men, women and children raised in that family. Together they stand as strong Christian families only influencing their kids to grow up hating the communists that are ruining this country. In a society that teaches children all about how black people are dirty and awful and should still be picking cotton in their backyards. Our future generation is going to need some serious help. People that actually believe and follow this group need serious help. The leader of this group is called a Grand Wizard. Black Lives Matter Movement Alicia Garcia is one of the three who created the Black Lives Matter Movement as a call to action for black people after 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was post-humously placed on trial for his own murder and the killer, George Zimmerman, was not held accountable for the crime he committed. The creation was a response to the anti-Black racism that permeates our society and also, unfortunately, their movements (Garcia 2014). The movement is mocked, and compared to the Ku Klux Klan only because it is a group supporting one color. The difference between the Black Lives Matter movement and the Ku Klux Klan is that the movement does not want a one colored nation. Black Lives Matter is a strong statement that most of society sees as borderline racism. The statement is not racist, it is supporting the fallen lives of black people in America that have lost their life in justicless situations. When people say “Black lives matter,” they do not mean it in a Klan way. Their intent is to support situations at hand in America, and come together to redefine justice. The differences between the two groups is it’s connotation. Black lives matter movement, soon awoke a different movement, “All Lives Matter” because of it’s borderline racial content that America profiled together for the group. The point of Black Lives Matter is not to hate on all of the other colors of America. The point is to resurface the neglect and dehumanization that has created the discriminatory nation. But, the Ku Klux Klan does not have to change their name, and they have been around since 1865-present. Black Lives Matter can be viewed in two obvious ways throughout society. From the inside, the movement is a powerful and family-oriented pact that wants nothing but justice for their race. According to “A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement,” they have hosted national conference calls bringing together people across the country, working to end the various forms of injustice and focusing on the hard work for the liberation of black people. Together they created space for the celebration and humanization of black lives (Garcia, 2014). The other way you can view this movement is from the outside. The problems created by the outside is racism. Black lives matter is a group supporting their race, defending their family, and working towards a better society for their children. The main difference between the Ku Klux Klan and Black Lives Matter, without the hateful discrimination, is that anyone can support Black Lives Matter. The Ku Klux Klan requires you to be white. They require a white society, or they cannot function. Many people throughout society compare the two and group them as two racial groups fighting for one color. What people do not understand about Black Lives Matter is that it is an all race group of people who understand the problem at hand. Black Lives is like breast cancer. Breast cancer is the cancer of the moment. So many women and sometimes men are being affected by this cancer, so they have more awareness programs compared to the groups supporting brain cancer or thyroid cancer for example. They focus on the problem that is affecting the most people. The point is, Black Lives Matter is a group of people focusing on the issue at hand. Most black people live scared, every single day, as they are being killed just for the color of their skin because black looks suspicious. A lot of people in America see black as a weapon and they are going to attack at any moment. Cops automatically assume drugs, theft or suspiciousness the second they see the color of skin. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 18% of black drivers were searched for “probable cause” while the caucasians are at an everlasting 2%. Black people feel the difference in that percentage, every time they get pulled over. Not only do cops and every day people feel the need to dehumanize black people, the Ku Klux Klan influences it. What’s the difference between profiling through law, and profiling with nooses. Either way black men and women die. That is the problem at hand, it is to push the blacks out by ridding them to the life of “borderline” racism. Effects Since America came up with the bright idea of integration, black americans are killed at 12 times the rate of other developing countries (Davey,1998). Since then, the rise of many racial movements have resurrected. Groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, The Black Panthers, and White Nationalists. All of these groups have resurfaced into the 21st century and have become an issue in today’s society. Recently at The Statehouse of South Carolina, there was a rally held for the removal of the confederate flag, which is understandable because most people use it to legally portray their racism. But hundreds of Ku Klux Klan rioters showed up, along with members from the Black Panther association group, and they screamed racist things in front of kids, moms, grandparents, anybody who was around with ears could hear the racist things being shouted in this very age in time. The effects of racial discrimination can be perceived from a psychological point of view. Psychologists are aware of the pernicious effects of discrimination, and multiple studies have explained the relations between self-reports of discriminatory experiences such as distress, anxiety and depression. The most common side effect caused by discrimination is anger (Gibbons,2010). So many teens and young adults are opened up to this profiling society that they are supposed to call their safe land… “Land of the Free,” but when they spend most of their lives in anger, that anger will shine through everything they do. For example, when the Ku Klux Klan said that black people screw up society in every way possible, if black people were not dehumanized, they would not have so much anger against this country. The above side effects can result in so many different possible outcomes it is absurd. The main outcome with the most relations to the factors is risky behavior. To be more direct, it is associated with substance abuse. Studies have proved patterns throughout black people who report being discriminated compared to their report that they use tobacco, alcohol, and more likely to use marijuana or crack in their lives (Gibbons, 2010). Black people are profiled as ignorant gang banging, drunks, and substance users. I believe that the “ignorance” you see is triggered by everyone that has wronged them. Caucasian people don’t understand racism because they have never felt it. The term “self-segregation” came up into a conversation, and it blew my mind. Caucasian people have come to believe that black people are butt-hurt because of slavery many years ago. It’s not just the slavery, we weren’t the people picking cotton, but our ancestors were. You ever think that black folks want to segregate themselves because of all the cruelty happening. Racism is profiled as black people angry because of the cotton picking days. White people see no racism. They don’t know what it sounds, looks, smells and they especially don’t know what it feels like. It’s the worst feeling you could possibly imagine. Think of hell on Earth. Caucasian folks don’t understand that it was their ancestors enslaving our ancestors. So now it’s just really awkward because white people think we’re out to get them because of what happened. And at this point, some black people might be because you’re treating them no different.. Racism is a fluent thing in today’s society, it’s just under the table. For example, how many people do you know that have been declined a job? A lot. But peep this scenario, a cleaned up black and white man walk into a lobby for an interview, before the interview even starts the profile of each man is being registered into the one conducting the interview. For the white male it’s probably something like this, “He’s cleaned up, well groomed, looks like a nice family man.. I wonder what church he goes to. HE’S HIRED” not exactly how it goes because I’m not a white male profiler. Compare it to the profile of the first minute a black person walks into anywhere.. “Hmm he looks mean, I wonder what part of chicago he’s from, you think he’s in a gang? Check his neck.. His eyes look angry even though he’s smiling, I wonder if he’s going to rob me… his teeth are straight but he doesn’t look like he can afford anything else...so he obviously needs this job… when i shake his hand should i call him ‘brotha’.. No that’s too much.. I’ll settle with ‘bro’... what type of handshake should i prepare myself for… he has a ring on his finger, but i bet he isn’t loyal.. How can i trust him?” Plus an abundance of other stereotypes. To society, black people do not seem to be very motivated, but who would be motivated in a society in which every day you get shot down, literally, because the profilers do not want them to be apart of today’s society. People feel this way about people of color, and they do not understand that those people see it in everything they do. When they are communicating with someone that does not see eye to eye, or in this case, color to color, it is not that hard to read. But according to caucasian people black people are not very good at that either. Conclusion The rise of the never ending racism train left station back in 1964 when the Civil Rights Act was passed. In said act, segregation was supposed to be outlawed in businesses. That is all that the government wanted to do for people of color. They wanted them to start working for them. The fact that they think that taking away the “colored” signs above water fountains and giving people jobs was the solution to the inequality, defines the problem that still exists today. The problem back then and the problem today are the exact same. Integration started in 1954. They mixed everyone together in businesses, schools, busses.. making public places a living hell for people of color to make it look like they did everything they could to help people of color. Martin Luther King’s famous speech “I have a Dream” took place in 1963. THE YEAR IS 2017 PEOPLE. That’s only 54 YEARS, since that brave man spoke of this dream. This amazing dream in every colored person’s heart. The dream that is still not true. Half a century goes by and we still can’t stop this bullshit. 54 years ago kids were being integrated in schools and going home to their most likely racist family, who would provoke them to call them the N word, and spit on them, and treat them like straight up animals. Are they ashamed? Because now people act like those kids that were in those first integrated classes, aren’t the parents, grandparents, aunts uncles, of kids that are in my class today. TODAY. It’s either the family Klan robe was passed on or it was forgotten about, but the school i attend at the moment (no names) seems to have every wrong messed up piece of this essay streaming through their veins. And what can i do about it? What can I do about the N word being tossed around like a joke? Fight? Nope.. i’ll get kicked out of school and i won’t be able to graduate.. And in america that’s an automatic “you want fries with that.” I as a half black, half caucasian, fully understand my rights as a citizen of America? Am i offered equal rights? HELL NO. Because when there is trouble, people are almost trained to sniff out the black folks. I’M NOT EVEN FULLY BLACK. But it doesn't matter. I’m not ashamed of who i am. I have friends of every color. I’m 18 years old, about to graduate high school in 20 something days and I am very terrified for the future. Black people need to wake up. Everybody. Stop living the lives THEY want you to live. The year is 2017, and the uprising has only begun. Hate groups are spread across America. People of both colors (black and white) are being killed for no reason. Justice is not fair on both ends of the bus, but society only sees it together as one close minded problem. Black people are the modern day monsters in today’s society. No matter what they do, they will be discriminated, mocked, and never treated as an equal. They created a movement, to support the fallen and to prevent the soon to fall black lives across america, only to be ignored and compared in equivalence to the Ku Klux Klan. In conclusion, racial segregation is everywhere. It is in the streets. It is taught at home. It is in the water of America. It is impossible to get new water, and it is impossible to end racism.

#blacklivesalwaysmatter #blacklivesmatter #blacklivesstillmatter #openmic #poetic #freedom #liberty #young justice #wakeupnow #endracism #uprising #inspiration

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