Few days....few months?

I'm back! It's been a while. Today, Justice Sonia Sotomayor was elected as the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice, and third women to serve on the highest court. There was a lot of buzz surrounding her, but I was not too caught up on the frontrunners to know enough about them.

Given America's shifting demographics, appointing Sotomayor is an added bonus on top of her diverse experiences on the Appeals and Curcuit court. I texted Antonia this morning to tell her (since she is an aspiring Latina judge) and she was elated! It's mesmerizing to think the hot-button issues of today: immigration, gay rights, climate change, education, and healthcare will see it's place upon her lap. Her humble roots inspire me her connectedness with her culture allows younger Latino/as to aspire after her.

North Korea conducted its second nuclear test. According to Dean Gallucci, they want two things: a closer seat in Washington to appease itself as a "legitimate" regime, and for economic and social incentives. I side with Myung-baks tough-luck policy on North Korea. After Roh's death and the new bombings within days of each other, Korea is uptight and axtiously awaiting the almost lifeless UN resolutions to pass through the security council. It's truly a shame that he had to carry so much burden.

One thing Dr. Gallucci said will always remain with me. Advocating Korea on behalf of America. As an American, I often lose sight that my first priority and objective is protecting America and Americans. It's good to have ethnic pride, but not at the expense of the nation and the people that fought for my rights to live with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness ( I love Will Smith!!). The cultural distinction between my mom and I serves avery fine line. As an American herself, she seldom sees herself as one, because of the anguish and hardnesss this country has imposed on her with her limited language and opportunities. Still, she's becoming more American daily: as she goes to school with access to financial aid, as her and I speak about our values and why she immigrated here, and mostly to see her aspire to what she wants to be. Only America gives her that opportunity in an unlimited way.

I have my goals set high. Bill Clinton talks about the intricacies of living in D.C.: his access to Senator Fulbright and the Foreign Relations Commmittee, his journey through Student government while a student of my future school, the Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service, and the laughs and loves he encounters daily through his willingness to live life to the fullest each day.

Mother's Day

What did I learn today? To see beyond and see the larger picture.

Joy, Peter and I practiced our instruments: cello, violin and alto saxophone. Then we performed hymnal 304 in front of the congregation. It's been a year since I've played in front of the members of Lamb's Gate Church, but the same faces smiled warmly back at me. I'm starting to see the pastor as a human. As one, he makes mistakes. So I move on, pressing on towards the goal that now lies before me. I performed for my mom and grandmother but before I put mouth to reed, I said a quick prayer up to heaven.

My friend said to look in the mirror today. I look and I see a young man who has been brought well due to the tenacity and compassion of a tremendous mother. Four in the morning she wakes to pray and her prayers do not cease until her cup has been filled. To see faith rise through the flames makes one believe. To see my mother be consistent through thick and thin, with whatever is handed to her, it makes me believe that a higher power exists that's watching over us. To me, it's embodied in the character of Christ, but to others, He/She manifests through the same faith my mother has in Christ. To my anchor, my mom, thank you.

Religiosity

I just watched Elizabeth Edwards' interview with Oprah. What was the one thing I was thinking about during the entire interview? Please try to be honest with yourself. Most of the things Elizabeth said were how she felt, but didn't reflect reality. To say, "she's not a part of my or my family's life" is a bit naive. I have half-brothers and sisters somewhere and I don't deny them. Yet, I sympathize with her. I know where she's coming from.

What makes this thing inside humans stir? To be unfaithful, is it mostly reactionary to stress and wanting an escape, or is it just lust? Before, I would have categorized it as just lust, but I'm not in the shoes of a very powerful and constantly stressful man. I'm reluctant what I write on this blog and there are things I do not share. That's appropriate. Still, I want to divulge on religion today.

Why is it that view my world around race? Simple. The elected doesn't properly represent the elector. The UN states that in a legitamate democracy, the racial makeup of the electorate must match that of the elected. The opening of the Supreme Court has some people (liberal and conservative) uptight about the appointment. It will probably be a women: but a women of color, or better yet, a women of color and a lesbian? Will that satisfy the demographics of Hispanics, blacks, native americans, and asian americans who claim half the the U.S. population by 2025? We're not there yet.

On the flipside, would I want an academically challenged person, who happens to be a person of color to be representing me? (Maybe if their heart's bigger than their mouth) No, I wouldn't.

So I'm all for affirmative action until qualified people of color being to rise up in government, but when an estimated ten percent (Kinsey scale) of our population is gay, fifty percent are women, and almost 40 percent are racial minorities, yet only two of 8 are either of those, democracy needs a bigger voice.

Sorry, off topic...again. Religion. My definition of religion is a set of beliefs that sets a foundation for a person's life and allows them to find common ground with another group of individuals. So religion can be good if used for human advancement, but faith is even better. When religion collaborates with our values, we get mixed results. We get politics. When faith mixes with values, you get human advancement. Faith is the belief in things yet hoped for, according to the Bible. This saying is timeless. Religion stymies the possibility of hope. Specifically, fundamentalism stops dialogue. I like fundamentalism in the sense that it doesn't skew things: beliefs, virtues, a value system. But it must not stymie others', and religion, as history has shown, tends to do just that. I can talk about this for hours so lets move on.

I leave to NY and DC Monday night on a red eye. I meet Osley, Adam, Dean Gallucci, Carlata and IDF for a week of mayhem. Potlatch, Congressmen, Pentagon, Georgetown, NY (which I haven't been to since being born there) is a lot to digest, but I better get used to it. Today is beautiful, tomorrow will be even better!

The Emerald City....freakin Pakistan!

I'm back in Seattle and it's bitter-sweet. Bitter because I left the sun and great friends, sweet because I'm home and with great friends. I guess that cancels out.

Today, I wrote a formal apology to the McNair staff for my conduct over the past year. Because of my carelessness and lack of focus, I lost the fellowship I had worked two years to obtain. I have thought if over the past week and I have on other to blame besides myself. What have I learned?

Humans rights is a policy issue that I'm very passionate about, including gay rights. My academic interests do not cover intensive research full-time. I like "researching" but not for the sake of researching, rather,to solve an issue ASAP. Last, like Pastor Richard said yesterday, there's a choice between being humble and accepting the fact that you screwed up. Only if you choose the latter will real transformation begin.

On that matter, I visited two churches yesterday: Lamb's Gate (where my uncle is a minister) and Bethany Community Church in Magnolia. Both are not fully gay-accepting churches, but both serve a community function. On that premise, I am able to visit and appreciate the churches. In contrast, both are not ethnically diverse and doesn't portray the true demographics of Seattle nor the changing demographics of our great nation. If transformation doesn't being in the niches of church/school/social communities, then we really can't expect or complain about injustices. There's a Bibilical saying, "whoever is faithful with little will be faithful with much" and vice versa. If we aren't transparent with ourselves and the reality of our demographics, race relations don't have prospects of easing up.

A good example of this is the current Taliban vs. Pakistani conflict in Malakand, the northwestern province of Pakistan. This is an inter-ethnic issue where Islamic militants (under Sufi Muhammadi) want a government under Sharia (Islamic law). The inter-ethnic issues fall where Pushtan tribes (large makeup of the Taliban) face more secular, technocratic elites like Zardari in Islamabad. More so, Pakistan's antipathy toward India further exacerbates the issue of priorities by the Pakistani army. The governemnt, by all indication, is on the brink of collapse. Nawaz Sharif needs to get in and tone it down a bit, and Zardari needs to let go of some of his ego and allow a power-share between him and Sharif, whose influence is enormous around the country, including the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

America is concerned. Concerned that Al-Qaeda or the Taliban may get hands on nuclear weapons. This will probably only happen if the army defects and sides with the militiants (which doesn't seem likely). Either way, we're being cautious, rightfully so on that matter.

Personally, I should be getting ready for my interview with the Pride Foundation Saturday. I leave for D.C. on Monday (I don't even know where I'm going to stay!) and I hope to visit a few friends in NYC while I'm there. My meeting with Dr. Gallucci is on the 13th, so I have two days to kick it in NY, then comes crunch time with IDF, oh yah!

I've started seeing someone...........more to be published later, but he's centered on his faith and we went to church together Sunday. The reality though....we both don't do long distance.

Also, a 14 percent tuition hike is ridiculous when for the first time, the state is not matching the hike with funding. That means students suffer and loans will rise. The fact is that higher education is not a top priority for the state. The solution? I don't know if there's a simple one. Washington voters are contradictory. They'll pass legislation but won't put their money where their mouth is a lot of the time. This cannot continue, but if it does, we need to start advertising the prospects for social security and the best nation on earth seeping into possibly the double-digits in education over the next decade. Baby boomers, here they come!