Voice, Vote, Vitality

Today is Election Day in these supposedly United States and today I voted my conscience. I had to stand firm on my convictions by casting a protest vote and it hurt. It hurt me to see the political machine strip power away from the American electorate. It hurt me to feel alone in standing against an oligarchy disguised as dysfunctional democracy. It hurt me to use the loudest voice I have to tell the leaders that govern our laws, send living breathing humans into unspeakable violence, and represent the image of the free world that I don’t trust them. It hurt me to bear the weight of responsibility now imposed on my generation and younger to shed light on injustice and change the system – A process that will undoubtedly be painful, costly, and lengthy.

Today is a sad day for me, but I respond with hope. I respond with a vigorous fight and resolve to stay optimistic and bring about an election day when I don’t have to protest – when I can select a candidate that represents freedom, virtue, integrity, compassion, and the true majority of the American people.

The American experiment is ongoing. It is supposed to be a country comprised of voices that speak in different tongues - The melting pot of the world whose very identity is defined by diversity. As a citizen, I take part in this experiment and change whatever variables I can for the sake of progress.

Progress looks like candidates that are there to serve the American people, not their own egos or careers.

Progress looks like an electoral process that fairly allows the voice of every American to be heard; without difficulty, delay, or gerrymandering.

Progress looks like a nation united against discrimination, bigotry, dangerously vile rhetoric, and inequality.

Progress looks like leaders being held accountable for their actions.

Progress looks like American principles applying to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, gender, race, religion, sexuality, or political status.

Progress looks like power in the informed vote, not in big money.

Progress looks like character, integrity, and leadership skills being necessary qualifications.

Progress looks like foreigners being welcomed, fear being conquered, and love being prioritized.

Progress looks like a multi-party system, or at least a two-party system that works and can be bipartisan.

Progress looks like an oppositional media that isn’t bought or partisan and informs us without directing us. Re: http://observer.com/2016/11/this-election-has-disgraced-the-entire-profession-of-journalism/#.WBwVFw4csMg.facebook

Progress looks like us taking care of the freaking planet.

Progress looks like separation of church and state.

Progress looks like diversity being the solution, not the problem.

Progress looks like grass roots, vision, inspiration, hope, and drive.

Progress looks like party chairs not getting fired, speeches not being copied, media not being manipulated, debates not being garbage, votes not being suppressed, parties not being inauthentic, money not buying influence, and corruption not being rewarded.

Finally, progress looks like everyone voting and making their voices heard, with future generations in mind.

This race should not be this close. The two major parties have produced the two most disliked candidates in the history of presidential races. Clearly, something is broken, and it’s our job to fix it – with our votes, our voices, and our political participation.

Idealistic? Yes. Impossible? No.

I hope you voted, even if it was for a third party or a protest vote like mine! The key is to speak up and say something. Be heard! Change is implicit in democracy, and our beautiful imperfect union is in desperate need of revolution.

“A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one.” – Alexander Hamilton

*Disclaimer:

The decision to protest vote was a very difficult one for me (I only protested the presidential race). I hesitated as I was filling out the ballot. However, it was made infinitely easier by the fact that I live in the state of California, which overwhelmingly aligns with most of my political views and supports Hillary Clinton. I must confess that if I still lived in Florida, a battleground state, I would have most certainly not protested and voted for Hillary Clinton to help prevent Donald Trump from winning. He is THAT dangerous. I took advantage of the luxury afforded to me by my location to vote my true conscience. That being said, if you live in a swing state and have struggled with the same decision, I can imagine how difficult it must be, and how torn you must feel. I want you to know that, either way, I honor the intention of your vote, without judgment, and completely understand. You’re not alone.

One Day

Goals:

One day, I'm going to look back on my life and see that I never stopped learning.

One day, I will understand when to conquer fear and when to respect fear.

One day, I will appreciate the beauty of timing.

One day, I will not be controlled by my desire to control. I will experience freedom in its purest form.

One day, rejection will not hurt me, but motivate me.

One day, I will walk humbly and speak powerfully.

One day, I will choose to love a woman so deeply that a new family blossoms.

One day, I will be a better father than my father, because that's his definition of success.

One day, I will adopt my father's definition of success.

One day, I will give more than I take and need less than I make.

One day, I will march with the disenfranchised.

One day, I will give purpose to my privilege, and serve by washing feet.

One day, my house will be smaller than my neighbor's, but they will all still come over for dinner.

One day, I'll still find myself on a stage.

One day, I will make a significant contribution to medicine via engineering.

One day, I will teach.

One day, I will listen more than I speak.

One day, I will write a new set of goals, after a list of accomplishments, after an account of failures.

Finally,

One day, I will own an Aprilia Tuono V4 Factory (Seriously the sexiest motorcycle ever, look it up!)

---

Yesterday, while studying the book of Mark, we reflected on the authority God gives us to GO and DO.

Today, I make these goals in response to amazing love, grace, inspiration, and transformation.

Today, I pray first: Inshallah.

To God, as love, be the glory. To the world be the blessings.

One Pulse, One Heart, One Love

It has been forty-eight hours since tragedy struck Orlando, my home town, in the form of a hateful act of terror. I won't spend any time recounting what I've learned from the news as I'm sure you're well aware of what happened. I am just finally taking a moment to fully process the pain that my heart is feeling.

I became aware of what happened on Sunday morning right when I woke up. I read the news report that appeared on my news feed from NPR. I was in the middle of moving this past weekend to a new apartment and Sunday was the last day of my old lease. I still had a lot of work to do after having moved all of the big furniture the day before. I honestly didn't have the time or opportunity to process the news I was receiving because I had to finish the task ahead of me in a timely manner; I only had time to cry. I woke up, read the news, and just cried. Interestingly enough, my roommate and I had a very good friend of ours visiting us from San Francisco. He just so happens to be gay. He came down for vacation and he took some time out of his busy schedule to help us move. What a great friend! He woke me up in the morning after having spent the night on our couch and he was the first person I spoke to, all teary eyed and congested. I needed the hug he gave me before he left to go back home. I then promptly went back to my old apartment to finish moving what was left of my stuff. I picked up my roommate, who just so happens to be Muslim, after he returned the U-HAUL and he was the second person I spoke to and informed of what happened. I needed his comfort as well. Needless to say, I stand in solidarity with both communities, whom constantly experience heavy discrimination.

After alternating between moving boxes and shedding tears in the bathroom, I'm now trying to find words to express how I feel. Usually I'm pretty quick at coming up with words, but not this time. Sadness is a given. Anyone with a heart should be sad and grieving. I can't even begin to imagine what this is like for the families and friends of the victims. I wish I could be in my hometown right now to join the movement of unity and support.

Attacks like this affect so many people, from the victims' families to first responders, to even the people who pick up the phone when you call 911. I have a good friend who does that very difficult job and she shared with me the experiences her co-workers had. Having to hear the distress, gunshots, screams, tears, voices of people right before they're silenced; all the while not being able to directly do anything - Just keep being there, picking up the phone. My friend told me that it's not uncommon for these brave workers to experience PTSD or severe emotional trauma after something like this. To be honest, I had never really thought about that before she told me. Add them to your prayers, along with all the other first responders and medical staff taking care of the injured.

But now, two days later, I'm livid. I'm so angry at the injustice. I'm angry at the prevalence of hatred. I'm angry at ignorance. I'm angry at intolerance. I'm angry at our current political climate. I'm angry that change, if any, is unjustifiably slow. I'm angry at the gun lobby. I'm angry that identifying and attacking the root cause of hate gets neglected. I'm angry that Donald Trump had the audacity to utter the words that came out of his mouth after the shooting. I'm angry that love is still not the default version of humanity.

We are a reactive people at best. Why is this what it takes? Why does it take a mass shooting for the Florida Attorney General to finally show any kind of support for the Florida LGBT community? Why do people have to die for Chick-Fil-A to make a positive statement? How many more shootings is it going to take for us to realize we have a gun problem? How much more hate do we need to fall victim to in order to realize that we have a mental health problem? How many times do I have to send an email to my congress person before it becomes clear that those who have the gold make the rules? THAT'S THE WRONG GOLDEN RULE.

I am holding onto this anger. I have anger in my prayers, and God totally understands. I'm using it as fuel to not give up fighting. I will use my voice. I will use my hands and feet. I will use my mind. I will use my time. I will use my vote. I will use my money. I will use social media. I will continue to fight for justice and change with unstoppable rage and I will NEVER use a gun. The last thing anyone should be doing right now, with all of the tools available to us, is nothing.

On the flip side, I am inspired by my city beautiful. I'm inspired by the long lines in Florida heat to give blood to rescue the injured. I'm inspired by the umbrellas, and water, and food given out for free to keep the effort going. I'm inspired by the nearly 4 million dollars raised in support of the victims. I'm inspired by Muslims giving blood while fasting for Ramadan. I'm inspired by the vigils held for the victims to honor them. I find hope in the Orlando community unifying to show what love looks like and what love is capable of. We far outnumber those who do evil, let's continue to show it. Let's continue to serve our communities, especially the disenfranchised. Let's continue to speak out, especially for the marginalized who don't have a voice. Let's not wait another second to show our country, our government, and the world what a free society of humans is supposed to look like. Let's refuse to believe that love is not enough. Love is a verb.

If you would like to take action and donate for the victims, here's a link:

https://www.gofundme.com/PulseVictimsFund

If you would like to contact your congress person and share your thoughts about ways to fight this violence through legislation, here's a link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicole-silverberg/guide-elected-representatives-gun-control_b_8708154.html

Finally, to the LGBT community, the Hispanic community, and the Muslim community, my heart is with you, my voice is with you, I stand with you. To my family in Orlando (this includes my friends because you're all family), I love you so much. You're a part of who I am and I appreciate you. You're in my thoughts and prayers and I miss you. I can't wait to go home and embrace you again.

Mami, Papi, Julian - Los amo con todo el corazon que me han enseñado usar.

"...And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside..."

- Lin-Manuel Miranda

#WeAreOrlando

MLK 2016

Today, the truth of Dr. King's words ring as true as they did when he first spoke them. Take some time to read and reflect on his Letter From A Birmingham Jail.

Meaningful excerpts:

"One may well ask, 'How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?" The answer is found in the fact that there are two types of laws: there are just laws, and there are unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that "An unjust law is no law at all.'"

 ...

"I MUST make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizens Councillor or the Ku Klux Klanner but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically feels that he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time; and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of
good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."

...

 "I had also hoped that the white moderate would reject the myth of time. I received a letter this morning from a white brother in Texas which said, "All Christians know that the colored people will receive equal rights eventually, but is it possible that you are in too great of a religious hurry? It has taken Christianity almost 2000 years to accomplish what it has. The teachings of Christ take time to come to earth." All that is said here grows out of a tragic misconception of time. It is the strangely irrational notion that there is something in the very flow of time that will inevitably cure all ills. Actually, time is neutral. It can be used either destructively or constructively. I am coming to feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively than the people of good will. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless efforts and persistent work of men willing to be coworkers with God, and without this hard work time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation."

...

"But as I continued to think about the matter, I gradually gained a bit of satisfaction from being considered an extremist. Was not Jesus an extremist in love? -- "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you." Was not Amos an extremist for justice? -- "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Was not Paul an extremist for the gospel of Jesus Christ? -- "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." Was not Martin Luther an extremist? -- "Here I stand; I can do no other so help me God." Was not John Bunyan an extremist? -- "I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a mockery of my conscience." Was not Abraham Lincoln an extremist? -- "This nation cannot survive half slave and half free." Was not Thomas Jefferson an extremist? -- "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." So the question is not whether we will be extremist, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate, or will we be extremists for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice, or will we be extremists for the cause of justice?"

...

"It is true that they have been rather disciplined in their public handling of the demonstrators. In this sense they have been publicly "nonviolent." But for what purpose? To preserve the evil system of segregation. Over the last few years I have consistently preached that nonviolence demands that the means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek. So I have tried to make it clear that it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends. But now I must affirm that it is just as wrong, or even more, to use moral means to preserve immoral ends."

- Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter From a Birmingham Jail, 1963