An Explanation and a few thoughts

Back for more! I've been thinking about blogging and getting all excited about it. Maybe that's a sign that I will be more committed? I don't know. It's too early to tell.

Anyway, I guess the name of my blog deserves an explanation. And I was set to give it to you earlier, but I forgot. Got to ranting about this and that. So the phrase "Life, love, stress, and set-backs" is borrowed from the hip hop group Atmosphere. The MC for the group, Slug, uses it frequently when talking about general conversations or a broad range of ideas that come to his mind when he is thinking or speaking. I think it's clever, catchy, and fairly complex without being wordy.

Atmosphere is pretty great group. If you haven't heard of them, check it out. If you've never given any kind of hip hop a try, do it. It's worth it. Don't worry if it makes you feel silly listening to hip hop. Just kind of groove and let go; there's no reason why everyone shouldn't get to enjoy some nice 808s and some clever/creative lyrics. Trust me. I'll probably talk about hip hop more as time passes. It's a pretty big part of my musical library and my philosophies on life.

Another thing that I saw on the news that was distressing: Angry, angry people being angry about President Obama's "questionable" citizenship. It's really disturbing because the criticisms seem to be loaded with a xenophobic, ultranationalist intent that seeks to separate, divide, and crystallize who is and can be considered a "natural born citizen". It seems clear from evidence that he was in fact born in Hawaii (barring a MASSIVE government cover-up) and there seems to be agreement across the political spectrum (even John McCain defends Obama's citizenship). The conspiracy theory lives, though. And people who seem to be expressing these views are both very disturbed about the future of our country and they are regular subscribers to conservative voices like Dobbs, Limbaugh, and Beck. I suppose these voices have become popular because they are viewed as outside of the system, and thus, legitimate sources of critique and untarnished holders of the truth. However, I don't think it is clear to everyone that these voices are part of a broad network of corporate-controlled message. They are not operating outside of the system, they prop-up and support the very system that people have become disillusioned with. Therefore, we must evaluate their opinions not as outsider "populists", but as a xenophobic and divisive branch of the mainstream news/political establishment. This brand of apocolyptic and sensationalist politics is not acceptable because it does not encourage thought, analysis, or honest debate. I have lots more I could say about this issue, but I will keep it brief. Save some for another time. All I want to ask is how much evidence is necessary to convince people that President Obama is actually a legitimate citizen? Medical records, signed statements from the Hawaiian government acknowledging his citizenship, bipartisan agreement that he is a citizen? Those are all present. I didn't see people raising a storm about John McCain who happened to be born in the Panama Territory Zone. Perhaps our reservations about President Obama speak more to our inability to accept that diversity is creeping into our political life than to the fact that Hawaii won't release his birth certificate.

Well, that's enough for now. It's nice to release some thoughts about politics and what not. Otherwise I just rant to my family/girlfriend and they get tired of listening to me ;) OK, catch you later on down the trail.