9/11-5/1 The Beginning and End of a Chapter of Terror

           Osama bin Laden, the glowering mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that killed thousands of Americans, was killed in an operation led by the United States. President Barack Obama said that today’s events have shown that "We have never forgotten [victims of 9/11’s] loss." Today's achievement, Obama said “is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people,” and equally as important showed that "Americans can do whatever we set our minds to.”

            This moment in history not only closes a chapter of ongoing violence and murder led single handedly by one terror hungry man, but also helps to give a type of closure to the many families of victims who lost loved ones in the terrorist attacks. In addition, this moment will hopefully provide troops who are currently serving our country a much deserved boost of morale as they have selflessly and courageously sacrificed their lives for the betterment and safety of our country.

            Although I am not Obama’s biggest fan, I was very moved by his speech, and even more so by what he was able to help direct our troops to accomplish. We were finally, as one 9/11 victim family member so simply put it “able to get it together and pull through to accomplish a very important goal.” Although I would like to remain hopeful and optimistic at this moment, I cannot help but to wonder, and even question if the death of such a sickly powerful man could spark more acts of terror. I hope that this is not the case, and that today and tomorrow will create a new chapter marked by democracy and freedom instead of terror and violence.

Redefining the Definition of Success

Tom Shadyac seemed to have it all. Tom had a multimillion-dollar career directing Hollywood blockbusters, a 17,000-square-foot mansion, luxury cars, and ability to fly in private jets and more. His life was one that many people could only dream about.

However, with the world at his fingertips, and almost anything and everything he wanted or needed in hand Tom admitted that something just did not feel right to him. He explains that he was “standing in the house that my culture had taught me was a measure of the good life," Tom recalls in his documentary I Am and he was "struck with one very clear, very strange feeling: [he] was no happier." He had been feeling this sense of emptiness for quite a while. He had a traumatic bike accident in 2007, and he describes that facing his own death brought an instant sense of clarity and purpose."

It seems that many people if not all when undergoing a very traumatic often a near death experience they begin to question their last words, thoughts, and actions. In Tom’s case after his bike accident he thought to himself that "If [he] was, indeed, going to die..what did [he] want to say before [he] went?” At that moment, Tom explains that It became “very simple and very clear. He wanted to tell people what he had come to know. And what he had come to know was that the world he was living in was a lie."

I found it so interesting that a man who- by our society’s standards- seems to have it all was no happier after having gained all of these “successes.” Tom, in his quest to find what would truly make him happy, he made major changes to his lifestyle. Today, Tom lives in a modest mobile home, bikes to work and flies commercial airlines—and he says he's never been happier.

Upon first hearing this interview, it really had me thinking the same questions that Tom asked.

What's wrong with our world, and what can we do about it?

I believe that a lot of what has to do with what's wrong with our world—and the lie that Tom felt he was living—is our culture's definition of success. We place too much value on getting that certain job, obtaining that certain amount of wealth- all extrinsic models of success. These extrinsic models of success can only bring us temporary forms of happiness, what we strive for and look for as human beings is interaction, cooperation, and passion.

To find out why the world is the way it is, Tom explored the readings of scientists, philosophers, poets and others, and spoke with thought leaders, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, scientist Dean Radin, researcher Rollin McCraty of the HeartMath Institute, journalist Lynn McTaggart, professor Dacher Keltner of U.C. Berkeley, author Thom Hartmann and more.

What he discovered revolves around three key concepts that are explored in his film I Am:
1. It is scientifically proven that the entire human race is connected.
2. It is human nature to be cooperative rather than competitive.
3. If you don't do what your heart wants you to do and follow your passion, it will destroy you.

The most interesting part of the interview came when he revealed the one fundamental law that all of nature obeys that mankind breaks every day:

Nothing in nature takes more than it needs.

That is our problem.  In our culture, we see that as a result of the “definition of success” we have adopted and live by every day  we as humans often take more than we need by buying large homes, driving expensive cars and living excessively, as Tom did.

By doing this we are elevating these extrinsic models of success that promote this cancerous idea that we have to take everything we can. Tom- chose not to be part of that cancerous cycle and instead be part of the healing. We can all be part of that healing if we lead simpler lives, not purely devoted to obtaining that certain job, or achieving that certain income to buy that certain house or car. We must begin to redefine our definition of success to one that is not purely based on extrinsic goods, and instead to one that brings intrinsic happiness.

I AM was released earlier this year, it's worth taking a look at the trailer.

Obama: You're Fired!

Donald Trump boots contestants off his TV show with a famous two-word catch phrase: “You’re fired.” He may want the chance to say the same to President Barack Obama.

Donald Trump has stirred up a storm of controversy by suggesting he'll run for president. In true Trump style, he’s said he’s going to use his TV show The Apprentice to make an announcement about an announcement of his candidacy.

If he runs, Trump would follow a path of wealthy businessmen who have sought the White House before including Pat Robertson in 1988, Ross Perot in 1992, and Steve Forbes in 1996.Trump is ready and willing, to spend as much as $600 million of his personal fortune on the race. “Part of the beauty of me is that I’m very rich,” he told ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

What if Donald Trump was our President?       

HAHA. That was my reaction when I first learned of this. Imagining the head of the Miss USA Pageant who has a fake tan and infamous and ageless hairstyle be the face and representative of our nation is somewhat humorous to me, but hey I guess I have seen crazier things happen.

Apparently, not everyone feels that this would be a crazy move. Recent polls show that Trump came in tied for second with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in last week’s Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, not far behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. But the CNN polls puts him far higher, tied for first with Mr. Huckabee and far ahead of Mr. Romney. Nineteen percent of Republicans polled picked Mr. Trump as their preferred nominee among a broad field of 11 potential candidates. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin came in a distant second, with 12%, while Mr. Romney was tied at 11% with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Some argue that Trump really could prove to be a serious candidate if he gets into the race.

The real estate mogul has hinted at a long-shot bid for the presidential nomination in recent weeks and has made easy headlines after suggesting President Obama wasn't born in the United States.

Proponents argue that with Trump’s portfolio of success in the business and real estate world that he could potentially be a leading candidate for president. Supporters believe that his candidacy is something new and refreshing as he does not resemble the normal politician from Washington. Trump brings to the table his business background, outright combativeness, willingness to take a stance on an issue, and keen marketing skills all of which- supporters argue- can be part of the equation to help turn America’s economy around.

On the other hand, some voters have expressed that they see Trump’s candidacy as ridiculous as Obama’s of 2008, and believe that Trump is just another egotistical celebrity with a talent for branding who knows much less than he thinks and vastly overestimates his ability to fix the country’s problems. At the same time, some people argue that his candidacy, as ridiculous as it may be, serves a useful purpose whether he wins or not as he is exposing the shroud of secrecy that surrounds every aspect of our president including his birthplace and whether or not he was a natural born citizen

If you are interested, take a look here at the Running Dry Trailer

"Running Dry"

Mikhail Gorbachev once said of the global water crisis “The bell tolls for all of us.”  Clean water is the most precious and vital natural resource on our planet and is considered a universal human right. However as a result of overpopulation and overutilization many parts of the world are still not guaranteed this right and people are suffering and dying every day as a result of water scarcity and the water quality crisis.

I just watched the documentary “Running Dry” which was written, directed, and produced by Jim Thebaut in an effort to raise awareness regarding the global water quality crisis that plagues not only our country but our planet. The project was originally inspired by U.S. Senator Paul Simon’s book “Tapped Out” which described the future world crisis in water and possible suggestions about what we can do to fix it.

In this documentary Thebaut points out that water is the most precious natural resource on our planet as all life on Earth is dependent on it and needs it to survive. We need water to drink, cook, wash, to sustain and nourish our food, industry, energy, and for the transport of goods. As a result of the high demand for clean water on our planet along with the population and technological explosions of the 20^th century our water supply has been significantly depleted and more people lack drinking water today than they did two decades ago. Freshwater sources are increasingly being used up and contaminated. I was shocked to find out that an estimated 14,000 people die from diseases caused by water pollution or lack of water and about 9,500 of those deaths are children. The most devastating part of these facts is that all of these deaths are preventable. I was unaware that many countries today, in the 21^st century, including Africa, India, and China have widespread water contamination and consequently also have a high mortality rate as citizens are forced to consume drinking water with animal and human fecal matter because they lack proper sewage plants.

Americans use water more than everyone on the globe, and through this film we see that it is vitally important that we lead the citizens in our planet in making a conscious and concerted effort to become more frugal with how we use our water and begin to comprehend the significance of the issue and come up with ways to conserve our water usage and provide clean water to all. It was evident, throughout this film that without water our global social and economic security will be in severe jeopardy. Thebaut did a very good job at pointing out the role that policy failures and insufficient awareness among people of the severity of the issue plays in the global water crisis and in the process helps to increase awareness on sustainable water management. Thebaut seeks experts from all around the globe including former Prime Ministers and local activists, and by doing so he exposes his audience to the many aspects of this worldwide crisis.  Thebaut does not just describe the problem and address the root causes, but more importantly outlines an agenda of alternatives to helping to solve our current crisis. 

Crashing Through Strereotypes

“We go through our lives without interacting with one another, not bumping into each other on the streets, and the only way we come into contact with people in Los Angeles is if we crash into them” (Haggis).  In the Academy Award Winning film Crash, Director and Screenwriter Paul Haggis intertwines the stories of eight characters’ lives, and demonstrates, through the collision of these characters lives, how prejudice is still pervasive today, and is still held by people from different cultures, races, social classes, and ethnicities.  The YouTube video “Asians in the Library” posted by the University of California Los Angeles student March 11, also showed viewers that despite our progress in granting equal rights and for all citizens and the social progress that has been made thus far, racism and prejudice are still pervasive issues in today's society.

When I first saw the video, I could not help but ask “Does this girl really go to UCLA-which is thought to be an elite institution in the greater part of LA?” This video, although I mentioned before could have been used as a teachable moment, also sadly points out that prejudice and racism is still pervasive today.  I believe that ignorant and prejudice behavior like Wallace’s continues to exist in part because of the way our society is structured. Having been born, raised, and gone to school in Los Angeles I have come to the realization that the main problem with this city is that we live our lives in a very isolated fashion. We are alienated in every act we perform whether it be when we are separated in cars as we drive past each other on the freeway, or while walking on the streets with our headphones in our ears listening to our ipods, or talking and texting on our blackberries and iphones. These behaviors we have adopted prevent us from interacting with and understanding each other, and as a result we fail to appreciate and accept each other’s differences or find our similarities.

The population of Los Angeles is known for being extremely diverse. Los Angeles is made up of people of all different races, religions, and cultures, many of whom speak many different languages. Although many cultures overlap they do not always do so without difficulty. Los Angeles, which was originally more than 70 percent Anglo, is now more than 48 percent Latino and only 31 percent white, 11 percent Asian, and 10 percent black (Taper- How’d we get here). As a result of this growing diversity, each such group builds up an “us” versus “them” mentality which, in turn, fuels prejudice and heightens racial and social tensions.

In order to prevent future incidents like this from occurring we must not only look to the administration in the University to teach their students prescriptions and proscriptions of appropriate behavior, but also we must put a stop to our isolationist behavior, break the “us” versus “them” mentality, and give value to, learn from, and interacting with every voice (Bradley). By breaking this ongoing pattern of prejudice that exists amongst the Los Angeles population we will begin to see that we are not all that different from those we drive or walk next to on the street.  Instead we will find that we are very similar. By breaking this isolationist pattern of behavior, we will in turn breakdown the walls that we put up around us and begin to adopt tolerance and acceptance of those who are different from us. Only then will we truly be able to, as a society, and as a city, have the right tools to success and peace. Paul Haggis, in Crash, teaches us that the only way to solve our problems in Los Angeles, is to rid ourselves of our isolationist mentality and behavior and “[interact] with one another” by seizing the moment when we “[bump] into each other on the streets” to merge, instead of crash, our different cultures, races, social classes, and ethnicities. 

A Teachable Moment

          Alexandra Wallace, a junior at UCLA, posted a 3-minute video blog on YouTube which would forever change her life. In the video Alex ranted about the customs and manners of the "hoards of Asians" on campus. Wallace, in her video, comments about Asians talking on cell phones in the library during finals period. Many of them were trying to get a hold of relatives to see if they had survived the deadly earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan. It gets even worse, Wallace goes on to mock an Asian accent and ethnic slur in order to show her version of what Asian students said on their cellphones in the UCLA library: "Ohhh. Ching chong ling long ting tong."

The video which Alex titled "Asians in the Library" went viral on YouTube and Facebook almost immediately and drew half a million views the weekend it was posted. Other UCLA students, including Asian American students, soon retaliated with hateful response videos on YouTube. However despite all the negative attention and overwhelming outcry of angry responses from the Asian community, the school failed to react and use this incident as a teachable moment.

In a statement, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Janina Montero explained that Wallace’s video rant did not violate the Student Code of Conduct. She went on to explain that the university does not punish free speech, and that the administration has “no intention of pursuing a discipline matter.” In another statement the administration, in an attempt to defend their decision after being scrutinized by the UCLA student body, explained that:

 “The bar on free expression is very high. However offended one might be with the comments that were in the video the fact remains that campus policies do not punish free speech. They punish hate speech.”

This incident was a perfect example of a 2011 version of an act of outward discrimination, hate speech, and profiling. However, because this incident occurred on the free world of expression on YouTube the University was unable to prove that Wallace was in violation of the student code of conduct, and she was let off the hook with only a slap on the wrist. The administration’s lack of response spurred outrage within the UCLA student body and Asian community and responded with hateful and threatening videos to Wallace and her family.

This incident could have been used as a teachable moment on two levels. Today, we are so quick to login to our Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube accounts and rant and rave about whatever or whoever we want at the moment that we forget about the repercussions that may come of our actions. Because of this widely accepted norm of freedom of expression that we have grown so accustomed to on the Internet we have forgotten the idea of proportionality and how what we say and do on the internet, even if posted anonymously behind a computer screen, can haunt us forever.  This incident could have been used as a teaching lesson for generations to come to understand that there is the need for proportionality, especially in the age of the Internet in which anything and everything can go viral. As we have seen with Wallace’s video, the Internet has no boundaries, and college students and young children in general are prone to saying or doing inappropriate or embarrassing things. However, at the same time we see that college students also have the most potential and opportunities for personal growth and learning. Colleges, in turn, have a responsibility to educate their students to be able to grow and become the most accepting, well-rounded, tolerant, and successful individuals possible.  This incident not only brings to the surface the need for proportionality on the Internet but also the role of the University.

UCLA law professor and noted First Amendment scholar Eugene Volokh weighed in on this issue by stating that:

“The premise of the American university (and, I think, American self-government more broadly) is that people need to be free to express their views," Volokh wrote, adding that implementing that premise meant "boneheaded statements have to be as protected as more well-reasoned statements."

However, I think otherwise. The whole point of a college education, or education in general is to prepare and teach students prescriptions and proscriptions of how to act in the real world, and UCLA has clearly failed at it’s most important job with regards to the incident involving Wallace. Her remarks made throughout the video, as ignorant, and “boneheaded” as they might be, were clear and explicit acts of hate speech, discrimination, and profiling. The University of California at Los Angeles, prides itself on its diversity, however when it comes to promoting tolerance to acceptance among their diverse community they completely missed the mark. In this case, racism, discrimination, and profiling, even if performed by a female college student cannot be justified through freedom of speech. As a result of the laxed response by the administration, they have opened the door for more behavior like this to occur, and that is exactly what has happened.  Thousands of hateful and threatening responses were sent to Wallace and her family forcing her to withdraw from the Unveristy.

The Univeristy should have used this moment to express the need for tolerance among racial and ethnic diverity in the Univeristy by either inviting students to participate in a diversity program which would promote tolerance and acceptance among the diverse student body, or by disciplining Wallace, to set the precedent for future and current UCLA students to demonstrate that this type of behavior is unnacceptable and will not be taken lightly by the administration. Whichever option they choose, the University must ultimately step up to the plate and take a stance on this issue after all this negative attention that this incident has received, and show its commitment for teaching all students tolerance and acceptance to be able to become peaceful, successful, and well-rounded members not only of the University but most importantly of our increasingly diverse world.