Beer Summit: A promising day for American race relations.

It is interesting to me that there is more genetic variation within people of the same race than there is among people of differing races. People from every "race" experience skin disorders such as albinism or vitiligo. Various "races" share traits like blood type, eye color, and susceptibility to certain diseases. The concept of race has been shown to be a social construct. In Brazil, for example, there are several gradations of race, depending on physical features-- eye color, hair color and texture, lightness and darkness of skin, etc. In this system, a father can belong to one classification, the mother can be grouped into another, and their children can belong to a third, altogether different classification. Siblings can also fit into differing "races".
In America, it is more rigid than that. Our president, for example, has a Caucasian mother, but he is classified in our society as African American. It is no secret that historically, relations between those two "races" has not been pretty. In light of the uphill fight and tragic violence our country experienced because of bigotry, the recent story involving an alleged incident of racial profiling is worthy of discussion. This evening, President Obama invited St. James Crowley (alleged white man) and Henry Louis Gates (alleged black man) to engage in a reconciliatory conversation over beer and peanuts. This is something that was not even imaginable just decades ago.
In my opinion, it is a conversation that needs to happen, especially since the ethnic landscape in America is shifting. Ideologies of hatred and fear towards those unlike oneself are not going to serve well the future of this country. Instead of responding with cynicism and unsubstantiated apprehension, like Fox's Glenn Beck likes to do, we could all learn to recognize the "teachable moments" amongst those unlike ourselves, and take an opportunity to grow. Our country will only become stronger for it.

Reclaiming Republicanism

It is an exciting day for Republicans who are fed up with their floundering party. After years of watching the Bush administration smear the face of Republicanism, a few notable leaders within the party are addressing its major issues. Former governors Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney, along with the Republican Whip from Virginia, Eric Cantor, are launching the National Council for a New America. The goal of the convention is to reunify a party that has been overtaken by social conservatives.
NBC's Chuck Todd addresses the issue spot-on in his article, 'Yes, it's that bad for the GOP- Debates inside the party highlight the real problem: What is their vision?' His opinion of the failing GOP is not one of gloating or Republican bashing-- it is more an attitude of disappointment, because against the Democratic party, the Republican party is progressively less competitive.
I agree with this article. The Republican party is waning in support. I also agree that it has something to do with the confusion about what it means to be a Republican. Right now, it seems to be the haven of the ultra-conservative, fundamentalist Christians. In order to be a viable political party, the Republican platform needs to be broader than this one particular social agenda.
There are a couple of things Republicans seem to contradict themselves on- and Todd mentions them in his article. Firstly, the size of government: it increased dramatically under Republican rule, when it should have gone the other way. Secondly, the right to personal freedoms: that only seems to be the case if you want to carry a gun (and maybe a Bible)... If you want to smoke a joint, or abort an unintended pregnancy, or marry your same-sex partner, the Republicans assume the government knows better than you. It is time for the party to examine what it means to be Republican, and it is my hope that their platform can be relevant to a changing world, and that it grows to be inclusive of social and ethnic minorities.

Safe from Violence-- Expanding Hate Crime Protection

Are F-22 stealth fighter jets more important than protecting American citizens from hate crimes? This article on NPR discusses a crime prevention act that is aimed at expanding current hate crime legislation. It is named after a young man who was brutally tortured and beaten to death for being gay. The bill is under threat of veto, because it is attached to another bill, in which the GOP is pushing for the purchase of more stealth fighters. These fiscal conservatives don't seem to mind that the jets cost $140 million each. These F-22s are not a necessity, but protection from brutality should be the right of every American.