America

A political post

/ christinaparisi / 1 Comment

As I sat down to compose my latest blog post, I ran through my list of ideas. Soooo many things going on right now. From my two-year wedding anniversary today 9/26 to the natural disasters that have caused far too much destruction in their wake, my mind is reeling.

But then, it got stuck on something that I believe has not only been increasing in quantity and intensity, but is the root of many problems America is facing…

Extreme partisanship.

Now, I should state I belong to no party. (Full disclaimer, I have been registered for a few so that I could vote in primaries.) But I act according to my principals, whichever party they fall in, and accept the consequences of doing so. I do, however, notice my views tend to fall more in favor with third parties but I don’t label myself because I’ll ultimately disagree with something in every group and I have yet to find a party that welcomes that, so I remain nonpartisan.

America, however, doesn’t seem to agree… Is it just me or is partisanship at an all-time high?

I know our current President does not exactly bring out the best in people but he was voted in and is something we must deal with. And it’s gotten many people to keep a watchful eye on what the executive branch is doing so cheers to that, right?

But damn, the partisanship.

Speaking to bases rather than citizens, the two-party dynasty hold, the lack of respect and platform for third party voices, crony capitalism deals, journalist biases so obvious my 6 year-old nephew could pick up on them, intolerance for anyone who disagrees with you, emotion-based laws lacking in practical logic….

America is broken and is reaching a boiling point.

So, what will come of it?

I don’t know. I’m not a prophet. But I do know a boiling pot blows off a lot of steam.

My philosophy studies led me to search for the truth and strive with every fiber of my being to see reality as it is and not as I want or wish it to be because I can’t make change for the better within myself and the world around me unless I see what I’m actually dealing with. Today, I thought I’d share some of my thoughts on our political landscape in an effort to open a dialogue and create awareness with hope to inspire others to think for themselves rather than just toeing a party line….

The two-party system is dying as a new generation begins to take over political power. It’s happening slowly, though Trump has accelerated it a tad by being so extreme. But politicians are so beholden to party politics that Americans are nowhere near their top focus and the younger generations are beginning to say enough is enough. It’s time for the people to take the power back. What they want to do with that power remains to be seen…

Consequences will dictate a lot of what the near future holds. Once people see their desires in action, things start to get real, and fast. Look at San Francisco. They’re incredibly hospitable to the homeless but every time I visit (which is multiple times a year,) I see the city being more and more overrun by the very cause they’re trying to eradicate so how is that helping? Or take the NFL. Will player protests of the national anthem hurt their popularity and therefore their bottom line or will it make them even more successful? What will the fans choose to do?

The fact that mainstream media had no idea Trump was going to be president when it seemed really obvious led me to believe they are biased and a waste of my time. Silver lining – information is in abundance thanks to the Internet so the truth is out there. Citizens are becoming the journalists we need. Just be prepared to spend some time sifting through the muck…

Tolerance is key. The world is not perfect. Neither am I and neither are you. There will always be differing opinions. But I believe the fight starts when anyone tries to force something or someone upon another that is not welcomed. But before I pick a fight, I make sure I know what I’m fighting for and its worth to me… I have found that change often comes with pain. Lots of pain.

Nature could care less about emotions so it’s best to be reasonable. The great arbiter of life is nature and it has a way of always reminding humans who is boss. I find it best to listen to my emotions but apply them to logic and reason before doing any acting. That way, whatever Nature throws at me or gives me, I’m ready for it.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this as well! But I do ask for respect. And I should mention I typically don’t understand the meaning of snarky or snide comments so if you choose to give one, be prepared that I will ask you to explain yourself.

#istherevolutioncoming?

 

 

 

 

Road Tripping Day 13

/ christinaparisi / 2 Comments

The last destination on our east coast road trip was Toronto, Canada.

On the two-hour drive to get there from Buffalo, my husband and I reflected on the wonderful trip we’d just experienced over the past twelve days.

And a big thank you to all who have come along for the ride. It’s been fun going through it with readers and participants :)

Toronto is not entirely new to me. Growing up in Buffalo, Canada wasn’t really another country. It was the city next door. It was Niagara Falls. (Yes, the Canadian side gives the best views. BUT the Buffalo side gives a great sight of the rapids, unlike anything other. And it’s still America, so you don’t have to deal with going through the border. (It’s the getting back through the American side that has become a pain in the ass. I felt like I was being interrogated, but I digress…)

We live in a different world from the days of my childhood when my dad would pay fifty cents and go in and out of Canada with little effort. Terrorism is suspect though and America does not mess around. TSA even took the jar of Georgia peach jam I got for my mother. Sad… I felt invaded when they went through my whole bag and undid the great packing job I had strategized over but don’t get me started.

Toronto was fun and the view from the C & N building was no joke. 181 floors up. And there was a lightning storm happening while we strolled around as our ears popped. My husband was bummed a bit that the outer walkway was closed but to be honest, I was fine with staying behind the glass. (Please excuse the rain drops on the shot above; I tried my best.)

It was a wonderful way to close our two-week road trip, which started in Central Florida and ended in Toronto, Canada.

Tomorrow will be my last post for my road tripping series. Stay tuned as I list observations from the trip as a whole….

#roadtripping

 

 

 

 

 

A political growth chart

/ christinaparisi / Leave a comment

With the upcoming 2016 election here in America, politics is in the air… for better or worse.

And I’ve begun to notice that this time around, many more of my friends and acquaintances are taking an active interest in the political landscape. More than ever before it seems and this got me thinking about how one goes through a journey as they submerge themselves into politics…

As for my own personal journey into politics, I credit my mother with its origin of moving me from passive bystander to informed doer. About eight or nine years ago, I noticed she had become much more interested in politics and the actions of our government and the discussions we had led me to wanting to know more. They also made it glaringly obvious to me that I had not taken much interest in something that I was finding to be of utmost importance – political affairs, especially those of the government who work for me.

My journey has taken me on many roads as I try to navigate the path I want to take. To date, Ron Paul has been the only politician in office that I have fully believed in. I hope more will be added to the list in the future…

Overall, I believe my political journey has made me a better person. Not only by becoming more informed, but by becoming politically active as well. After all, how can you make change if you don’t do something about the change you want to make?

It wasn’t a smooth road though. Passion runs high when one first embarks on the road of politics. And after learning about what is really going on, emotions will become intense. Not to mention with the advent of the Internet, which is quite new in the grand scheme of things, a wealth of information has never been so readily available. It all can come at you pretty hard. And typically, outrage will come. And you’ll want to voice it.

As I see my Facebook newsfeed light up with political news rather than mindless pop-candy, I am thrilled. It takes The People to make true change, not those in power, as both main parties continuously prove over and over again. But I also see a lot of blood boiling and anger running high, which led me to think about different stages of political growth…

POLITICAL GROWTH CHART

Infancy: Every sense is on overload and high alert. You struggle as you attempt to learn the basics.

Toddler: You tell everyone your opinion, which you think is the only one that should exist.

Child: You start to have some legs to walk on but you argue way more than you reason.

Teenager: You begin to appreciate differences in thought and opinion but still, you like things your way.

Young Adult: You accept that others think differently than you. Action replaces talking about what you are going to do or what others should do.

Adult: Your mantra becomes, “God [or who or what you believe in,] grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Stream of Positivity

/ christinaparisi / Leave a comment

It’s easy to get distressed about the state of America (yes, the world as a whole but I’m writing about my homeland for purposes of this being a blog post for the Fourth of July 2012.) And I bet good money everyone, who are ANYWHERE on the political spectrum and aware of even a little about the affairs of this country, would have something to say about what’s wrong with America.

The list is long and plentiful, I believe.

BUT

There are good things too and those are rarely talked about or thought of. As one who talks about politics and/or reads politics on a daily basis and therefore get depressed quite often, I decided today will not be a day I focus on what’s wrong. But rather, today, I will focus on what’s right. Because yes, America has its challenges, its dysfunctions, its disasters and its idiocy but it also has its glory, its independence, its fight, its brotherhood and its specialness.

This list might not be as long as it’s partner, Mr. Negativity, but it’s not too short either.

Here’s my stream of positivity on some good things about America!

built on the principal of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, allows the possibility for anyone to change their situation in life through the work of their own mind and body, the UNITED states, the different climates, “brown vs. board of education”, the constitution, opportunity to openly protest, the soldiers who defend it, the first amendment, the separation of powers, the dream it stands for, the opportunity it provided for my grandparents, the life it allows for me, the beauty of its strength, the thirteenth amendment, its flag, its atlantic and pacific shores…

I invite you to add to this list with your own positive thoughts about America…

Cheers, Happy Fourth of July!