This World Today (Being an American)

Now I'm never a big one to criticize (highly opinionated is different than criticism xD), but I can't stand the fact that our president deployed 30,000 troops into Afghanistan. I mean okay I'm not president and I know I am no political analyst, nor have I ever been truly educated in full light about the subject, so I have a lot of my own limitations. Fair enough. I am no expert. But I have eyes and ears that look as much as they can reach. And I can't tolerate this. I just can't.


"The use of force morally justified" (peace prize acceptance speech)??? God! Okay yeah what about when people lie dead everywhere? How is THAT moral? I mean I'm sorry if I'm coming across as harsh but really it's NOT about the US, its about Afghanistan. It's their country and you're involving their people. It's not about the US and democratizing and okay why are we threatening countries to democratize?

And please, do not compare this with Nazi Germany Mr. Obama this is what we learned in logic class as the fallacy of the False Analogy. The Germans were warped with the idea of taking over the world (and they were not a minority group) and killing Jews because they were impure in blood supposedly. Al Queda is a minority--it's a small group of radicalists how can you kill so many innocent lives because of the small group of radicalists? And if this is then about Sadamn Hussein it's still not the fault of the people of Afghanistan. Don't do this Mr. Obama, please.

..."force is not a call to cynicism, it is a recognition of history". Yeah, and that APPARENTLY times HAVE NOT CHANGED. This is so not fair. "(direclty continued)..the imperfection of man, and the limits of reason". Yes...and the unfortunate continuation of it by the measures the US has taken to "LIBERATE AFGHANISTAN" oh for the love of God (I'm not religious do not take any offence) you can't threaten people to be liberated! Al Queda is such a small group of radicalists and yes unfortunately they're causing huge problems around the world but how is pointing a gun and asking people who don't have any experience at ALL--not in history not in literature not in art--with democracy to democratize???

I still have to turn to my idol Chinua Achebe to this--I'm not sure he'd be too pleased about what the US is doing. I mean how if Afghanistan just isn't ready? Why can't we let them decide when they are ready. Because there's violence going on there all the time? Okay I get your point, but by using violence back it's no answer either.

Everytime I get here I start crying again. Who's to say what the US is doing is better than letting the country alone? Sure, the country alone is chaotic with the terrorists, and yes, it has killed many, many Americans in 911 but honestly just because the US is going to point guns, loot out the terrorists (and in the process accuse thousands of being terrorists and killing them), bomb villages, and literally, FORCE "democracy" onto Afghanistan (yeah the elections were swell America), doesn't mean Afghanistan can assimilate. Even with force okay this is a racist sounding analogy, but it's like pointing a gun to a newborn baby and telling him/her to walk. They are just not ready. Please understand. They will be someday but not today. And the more you point the gun the more terrorized they will be and maybe you could get the baby to walk. Maybe. But what was given up to make that happen--in this case with Afghanistan lives lost

And it's such a small minority that is involved--I'm sure many Afghanistan people did not like Sadam Hussein and none of them want suicide bombers, but even more violence to make them become a democracy isn't the answer if they simply can't.

I'm not trying to propagandize for the Afghanistan people. I actually don't agree with a lot of what they're saying. It's not entirely Obama's fault okay I mean I hate to be cynical and bitchy/arrogant sounding but the president says what he (someday it'll be she) has to say. I think it was Bismark or someone during Bismark's time who was saying that a leader is only as powerful as the people are--as in they can only make decisions if the majority is in concordance. (well, that was obviously before Hitler, but US is more like what the European guy was talking about than Nazi Germany). But anyways, my point is that I don't believe what they show on Al Jazeera--like in Control Room where the kid was yelling--was justified. Yes, he was disillusioned like anyone would be, but I don't think what a lot of things they said were justified. So I'm not agreeing with what they're saying, and I'm not trying to support any propaganda I'm not saying Al Jazeera is right or anything with the propaganda they're showing (though I'm SO glad they are there--finally at least something from the other side so thank you Al Jazeera).

I'm just saying it doesn't work this way.

I'm saying these things from deep inside and I wish Obama would understand and see that it doesn't work this way. They are just not ready. I understand that you are saying it is justified because if we leave it there suicide bombings and these relgious problems keep happening, but whatever you're doing--deploying 30,000 more troops--is not the way to go. It is not the way to go.
Achebe said, literature helps prepare his people to modernize--don't try to impose things on his people because they are not ready. And they will be ready someday (which is where he believes literature will help), but don't try to "help these poor people". Sympathy is frowned upon without empathy.

I am American. I was born in that beautiful country. I live in Taiwan. I spent my adolescent and pre-adolescent years in Taiwan. I study the IB program. I want to travel; to see more to learn more. I have been opening my visions to bigger, greater ideas. I don't want this from my country.

Alright well, I have a USH final tomorrow and I'm up till 12. Whoopee. And I know of no one that reads my blog, but I have to get my thoughts somewhere.

I hear your crys, Afghanistan.
I won't support slandering Obama to hell, but Obama, know I am deeply wounded and disappointed by your decision.

Praying in this world today,
-Blaize.


PS. Youtube deleted my videos. Well, Carte Blanche suspended it cuz I had the tatty teddy on it. Geez :(

TANGLED BY CAROLYN MACKLER!

A must mention event...Carolyn Mackler has a new book coming out! I just got Guyaholic in the mail from books.com.tw today and it's amazingly great (no surprise there)!
And I was just randomly wondering when Carolyn Mackler's next book was coming, so I went on her website and found out!

Book: Tangled
Author: Carolyn Mackler
Sale: December 29, 2009
For More Information: www.carolynmackler.com

I cannot contain my excitement!!
Ever since I randomly picked up The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things in 7th grade I have never ceased to be amazed by Mackler's writing abilities. Her characters are so intricately thought out and amazingly crafted as coming of age stories (I remember my English teacher telling us the German word for "coming of age". It was something funky and I remember first thing I thought of was The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things). At first I felt that they were a little...promiscuous in detail? But it's what makes it all the more fun ;D. Truly though, Carolyn Mackler is an amazing writer and I cherish her novels like I cherish Godiva Chocolate--but even more because I know I can buy more Godiva. And I have reread The Earth, My Butt and other Big, Round Things six times (this winter to be at least eight!) and Vegan, Virgin, Valentine for the third time (just last week!). I've read Love, and Other Four Letter Words twice and it was as usual really good, but even after Vegan, Virgin, Valentine and Guyaholic I still canNOT get over how amazing amazing amazing The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things is (even though I am not overweight, never have been..and..yeah. I relate to Mara a lot lot more). (Including my A-cup and A-average ;)) (Not Yale though).

But just the whole intricacy of Mackler's characters and the events they go through are amazing and what's most important and the most amazing thing of all time of human history (yes in Chinese, we'd be saying I'm going very 深澳, a poor excuse for English translation is profound, but these things can't be translated properly) is that it empowers me. I know it's kind of sad that I need dependency on external support and why can't I just find it within me but that's way too idealistic. None of us are like that. That' is why we need literature. That is why we need authors like Mackler. "Life is short and art is long" (Chinua Achebe). How many things do we get to experience in literature that we don't experience in life? Literature allows us to experience things without having to actually undergo the physical experience. But by all means the emotional experience takes us farther than we would be able to as human beings.

And as I wrote in my thesis early this year in English for Achebe:

The great, vast variety of possibilites in life motivates humans to create and read literature, which is essential in an individual's education because it allows society to progress when the people can all mutually understand one another, allows individuals to envision possibilities without directly experiencing the possibilities, and enlightens individuals to help influence society in a positive way.

Okay, I was talking about the importance of language too, but this is my definition of art (because I do art/music) and of course, literature as Achebe stresses.

If my thesis doesn't make sense to you, after you read Carolyn Mackler's books, it will.

Truly, writers like this should come around more often, though I'm happy to cherish as much Mackler as I can. I also find Claudia Mills to be one of my very cherished authors, as there are many similarities and brilliances (Claudia Mills is a lot more G-rated though ;)), but as this post is deliberately for Tangled, I will leave it there.

And I love Chinua Achebe for making me love literature and cherish it.

I hope you read this Carolyn Mackler, and understand that it is out of my deepest, truest feelings and I am constantly propaganda-ing that your books are the most amazing books ever even before I saw your contest--no joke ask all my friends. And being honest I seriously love Claudia Mills too :)

I read your books as if you were my Lois Lowry, and The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things is my Summer to Die.

I wish Carolyn Mackler best of success with this new book. Congratulations!

Love,
Blaize :)

Edit: Favorite quote from Chinua Achebe:

"Art is a man's constant effort to create for himself a different order of reality from that which is given to him; an aspiration to provide himself with a second handle on existence through his imagination" (Hopes 139)