It's funny how many people seem to believe that your Constitutional rights can swing depending on what side of an issue you represent.  For those of you who don't know, good ol Texas A&M has taken a massive dose of bad PR lately because of a certain video some students made a few years ago.  This video, which was posted on YouTube until the university forced them to take it down, was pretty out there.  It depicted some guy in blackface (shoe polish was used, I believe) being ridiculous and then getting whipped by a white guy and then he was depicted as being raped.  Pretty intense, huh?  Now I don't, by any means, attempt to say that I think making the video was a good idea.  It was an even worse idea to post it on such a public website.  Of course the video "wasn't made to be offensive", rather it was a "satire" or modern culture.  Sure sure, whatever.  The problem I have with this whole mess is what happens next. 
   
    Though the video was on YouTube (for a good bit of time from what I've gathered), no one really knew about it.  I mean I could post some nonsense video I've made and I assure you, no one would really watch it.  Somehow, and I've still to figure out how this happened, a very notorious-for-making-a-big-deal-out-of-everything group on our campus discovered it and threw a fit.  Now I'm not sure about you, but if saw something that was "offensive to my core", I'm not sure I would want to show other people who might also find it appalling.  If it was really that bad, I would like to forget it and try to keep it under wraps, not go out and tell everyone I can to see it and intentionally offend my peers.  But okay, so the video was made hugely public and everyone saw it.  Fine, you're offended, get over it.  Everyone takes offense to something.  Again, I'm not trying to condone what the makers of the tape did, but I really do think that the people who were so offended by their actions just made the situation worse.  Texas A&M, however, felt that it was their place to expel these three students.  That is where the line is crossed. 
   
    The video broke no laws, it did not physically hurt anyone, and was made entirely by these three students on their own time.  Last time I checked, every person in this country had the freedom of speech.  Just because someone's opinion differs from yours doesn't mean that they shouldn't be allowed to have it.  The real problem is that everyone today is so super sensitive about diversity and equality (especially here in College Station) that many people will go above and beyond trying to prove how worldy and diverse they are and end up causing more problems than they started out to fix.  To make this point: before I had any clue that any type of racist video existed, I received an e-mail (just like every other student here) from our President, Dr. Gates, about how racism is such a huge problem (arguably true I suppose) and how Texas A&M is going to foster an environment of welcoming etc etc etc (it was a reeeeeeaaaally long e-mail).  We then all got an e-mail from our respective deans about how our college is going to "promote diversity in Aggie business!" and similar such nonsense.  It just seems ridiculous how eager everyone was to prove how un-racist they are and how they have open arms for diversity and blah blah blah.  If you really want diversity, take any form of race determination off of official documents.  That's all you can do without discriminating against someone.  There was a lot more I was going to rant about, but I'm tired of typing right now and want to read bash.org.  I'll probably add to this later.

Recieved notice just recently, I'll be spending this summer interning in London.  So if you happen upon the British Isles, drop on by!

powered by performancing firefox

Go see The Departed.  Trust me, its brilliant.

powered by performancing firefox

I am writing this from the Performancing add-on released with Mozilla's Firefox 2.0.  If you aren't a user of Firefox yet, you really should take a look.  The newest version has many many wonderful features that I have only begun to explore.  I have to admit, Internet Explorer 7 is a pretty slick application, but Firefox 2.0 is going to keep me in the Mozilla camp for a good while.

powered by performancing firefox

    You say that it is wrong to judge you by the color of your skin.  You say you want to be treated equally.  You say that applications should be colorblind.  Then, you demand that more black students (as well as other strictly racial minorities) be accepted into A&M.  Am I the only one who thinks this is ridiculous?
    As most of you know, Texas A&M has gotten into some hot water about diversity in the past, and now has enacted several massively funded projects to fix this "problem".  Now I am all for diversity in a college.  I think it is marvelous to meet people from all walks of life and from many many many different backgrounds.  What I have a major, I repeat MAJOR, problem with is the automatic assumption that being a different race makes you diverse.  And by different, I mean non-white.  Because everyone knows that a black person from the suburbs of Katy brings more to the table in terms of experience than his white neighbor.  Oh, I'm sorry, did I say black?  Does that offend you?  If it does, you are a moron and should seriously look into drinking paint.  If you were born outside of Africa, and your parents were as well, you are black.  If you were born in Nigeria and lived in a mud hut for fourteen years, you are African American (provided that you then moved to America, changed your citizenship, and adjusted yourself to the culture).  My family is all from Ireland.  I can guarantee that most of the "culturally diverse" students here (and at most major universities) have had family in this country longer than mine has been, and yet I'm white and they are African/Indian/Mexican/etc-American.  Not that I'm complaining about not being able to call myself Irish, I'm white and I know it.  I just wish the rest of society would pull their heads out of their politically correct asses and stop with all of this nonsense.
    But back to diversity policies.  One of the most prominent reasons that many standards are lowered for people from different races is to, and I quote, "make up for centuries of injustice."  Okay now, let's think about this for a moment.  Only a truly ignorant person who lacks the ability to form their own thoughts would hold that as a good idea.  Let me use an example.  Say I go on a killing spree and shoot up a pre-school.  WIthout a doubt I will be tried and executed, but let's say I didn't.  Instead, I go on the road and evade authorities for years until my own death.  Now, does the government have any right to seek out my children and prosecute them for my actions?  I think not.  Or how about my great-great-great-great-great-great grandchildren?  Certainly they are personally responsible for my itchy trigger finger and hatred for toddlers.  This is how slavery should be viewed: an unfortunate event in history that has nothing whatsoever to do with current affairs.  Normally I would launch into a explanation about how proposed reparations are idiotic, but I don't want my fingers to start bleeding from typing so much.  So there goes that idea for pro affirmative action.  "But what about the difference in education quality?  Inner city schools are worse than the richer suburban ones so those students should get a break, Stephen!"  That is totally fine, I am quite okay with the use of economic means to determine who should and should not get scholarships.  The problem is that this defense is used solely for minorities.  If you live in a slum and are black, you get a full ride to Yale.  If you are white, you work at Wal Mart.  This also means that it is okay to have sub-par scores if you come from a sub-par background.  Just because your parents are in an unfortunate situation and so you grew up with hard times doesn't mean that any institute of higher learning has to accept your 740 SAT score.  I'm sorry, but if you get a score on a standardized test that proves you have the brain of a fruit bat, it's because you spent your afternoons making beats and trying to flow with your crew, not because your school is all that bad.  If your school really is well below-average in terms of facilities and teaching, then you should take it upon yourself to improve your mental capacities rather than sit back and bitch about the system and how the man is keeping you down.  And before anyone even thinks about saying that the SAT and other standardized tests are racially biased, please please, for the rest of us, kill yourself.  The fact that on average, blacks and indians score lower nationwide on the SAT/ACT does not mean that the test is biased against them.  If anything, it means that they cannot reason on a level with any of the other races.  That sounds racist, I know, but it makes a hell of a lot more sense than blaming the test for being unfair.  Alright, I'm hungry so I'm going to go eat, but this will be finished later.

i have the best girlfriend in the world.

Germany, Argentina, Brazil, and England have all left the World Cup.  I honestly don't care who wins it now.

Oh well.

the officiating today, in both games, was some of the worst ive ever seen.

that is all.

The A1 Thick and Hearty Burger if finally back!  Everyone go and buy one, you won't be let down.

I just can't believe it. Andy Baker is dead. Died in a motorcycle accident in Maryland.  Just barely 20 years old.  I still don't believe it.  I must have read this a thousand times and I still cannot accept it as true.  Great friend, solid guy, promising future all gone.  Wish I could have talked to him one last time.


I just can't believe it.

$75 a barrel?!? I very clearly remember when my dad e-mailed me all excited that oil had finally hit $50 a barrel. What is this world coming to?

Had the swim meet this week. I managed a 22.5 and a 22.9something in free. Two years out of the game and I've still kinda got it.

( John is yelling at Waverace64 )

Leave your name (via commenting, of course) and:
1. I'll respond with something random I like about you.
2. I'll tell you my first impression of you.
3. I'll tell you what song/movie/etc. reminds me of you.
4. I'll name something we should do together.
5. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me (or just me).
6. I'll ask you something that I've always wondered about you.
7. If I do this for you, you must post this on your journal (unless you already did).

( I need a job )

Finally met Alyssa's family during my four day trip to the Valley. Could have gone much much worse so I can't complain about that. Christmas was good, got a Dell Jukebox which is nice. Looking forward to seeing everyone now that we are all back in Katy so let me know people. More later.

Alyssa smells like Christmas.

Date:	2005-11-15 10:31
Subject:
Security:	Public
Mood:	full
Music:	"Mala gente" - Juanes

( If you have nothing better to do with your time... )

We aren't good at football.

Alyssa went back to Katy with me for a weekend. She finally got the full effect of my circus animal family. Last night a bunch of people went back to Houston to go to Screamworld (north Beltway). I thought it was pretty funny but it had a couple of moments which made you jump. This post is going nowhere fast. Classes are going, yep. Aggie football is just depressing this season, we suck hardcore. I've developed a new found love for microwaveable chicken pot pies. My birthday was hella good, I got so so much candy and Harry Potter and a wicked awesome double picture frame (yes I know, I'm eight years old). I got some new clothes. They are "acceptable" by Laura, so I'm allowed to wear them around campus and in public with her (scrath that, I'm three years old with an OCD mother). Other than that, things are just going normally. I've got nothing.

goodbye teenage years