Here we go again....

I am in between classes at my lovely school right now, sitting in the library, doing nothing. I started out reading my "The Family" book and, as par to the course, became enraged by the things I was reading.

So here I am, wasting time. And oh how I love it!!!

My first day of classes was yesterday. Math 121 (MY FINAL EVER MATH CLASS!!!) taught by the same professor I had last semester, and Contemporary Social Issues. Today is The Family and Gender, Power and the Body. Yes, this is a semester that will lend itself to my crazed ramblings during the wee hours of the morning.

I am thinking of starting a different blog for all of my socio-induced ravings, but since it is a huge part of who I am, I might just have them all here.

I am realizing, more and more on a daily basis, that I get off completely on intellectual discussion. I have always been a bit stubborn (peanut gallery, shut it down) but I am realizing that my mind is opening in ways I never thought possible. It's so hard to remove yourself from the restraints imposed by years of conditioning, from family, friends, environment, etc. While I learned a great many wonderful lessons from my family, friends and environment, there are some that have no place in my life at this moment. I am trying to get away from those, realize why I had them in the first place, and move on.

I think racism has been the hardest, obviously. My community growing up was very secluded from anything other than white, middle class, heterosexual families who all knew each other. And while that gave me a sense of safety (knowing pretty much everyone and their families a few generations back) it was also stagnet. There are so many things that have opened my mind from living in Chicago, and even more so from taking my soc classes.

It's amazing to me how I coasted through life, not knowing or caring about how things really worked in our society. I voted in the 2000 election, simply because I didn't like Bush and his opinions of the rights of women. Since 9-11, my political brain was thrown into action. I wanted to know WHY we were hit by terrorists, not just who they were. I tried to not fly blindly into the scared patriotism imposed on all of us living here. I say 'scared' because I remember too well how speaking out about anything you didn't agree with would land you in a group of 'anti-Americans'....which is the exact opposite of the meaning of our country. This country is SUPPOSED to be questioned! We are SUPPOSED to ask why and bitch about our government....that's why we can do it without fear of being beheaded or thrown in jail. At least, if you are a white American. And you did it on September 10th or before....

In trying to deal with the horrors that we are faced with in our society and the world, it is needed to try to find that silver lining. Hurricane Katrina has destroyed many people's lives, and for that, my heart goes out to them. But there are so many questions that need to be answered concerning HOW and WHY those lives were destroyed........the temperature of the earth is rising, which leads to global warming (NO, IT'S NOT JUST A THEORY!!!) The temperature of the water was warmer than usual, and while that didn't CAUSE the hurricane, it helped to make the conditions better for a stronger storm. The Clean Air Act my ass.

Also, people were informed of the storm for days before it hit......and the National Guard, not the Iraqi Guard, wasn't here to help. Despite warning. Despite days of warning. I don't know if people lump 'meteoroligist' in with 'scientists' and can debate with them about things such as Global Warming, hurricanes, Intelligent Design, etc.......but the fact remains that there were pleas for help and they were ignored.

Why were they ignored? Maybe we should think about what would happen if a hurricane were to hit in a rich suburb of Chicago. Do you honestly think that wealthy families would be sitting on top of their SUV's, pleading for food and water? No. They would be airlifted out by the hundreds to ensure our thriving society. These were, for the most part, poor families who either couldn't afford GAS to get out, didn't have a vehicle to begin with, were taking care of family members who didn't have health insurance and couldn't leave, or didn't even have the knowledge that something was heading their way. Of course the National Guard wouldn't be called to answer the calls of poor, black people. After all, they are poor because of their bad work ethic, right? Or they're all drug dealers, pimps, gang bangers and such, right?? They didn't mean anything, right??? ARG!

In no way am I turning this horrible event into political leverage, but it is my sincere hope that those Americans who have blindly followed whatever person is in office wakes up a bit, realizes that things are not so great in the land of the free, and take a stand. I hope people who didn't question Iraq are now questioning why Bush knew and did nothing. I hope those Democrats who are spineless in Congress now take a stand to protect our people. I hope against hope that those who are responsible for poor planning and, as a result, thousands of deaths, are held accountable. Most of all, our damn government, those that are sooooo preoccupied with making Iraq a little America that they forgot about the big America. Most of all, Bush. Add the death toll of Katrina to his record (not the one when he was governor of Texas, with his PRO LIFE, PRO DEATH PENALTY hypocritial stance).

I am so saddened by the world at this moment. My only hope is this country wakes up and realizes that we are responsible as well. For everything. For ourselves, others and this planet.

Yes, I am a hippie tree hugger. Yes, I love it. Yes, I am sad.