Cops Are Great.

     Three police sergeants dead, suspect killed in East Oakland gunbattles.

Not a day seems to pass where the public isn’t flooded with news of the latest example of scandal and abuse perpetrated by the long arm of the law. Stories of excessive force and police brutality are flaunted by the media while tales of honor and duty are left untold.

     This has led to a relatively predictable outcome. Many in the public see cops and other law enforcement officers as power hungry sadists. What happened yesterday in Oakland will prove to be a valid example. Three officers lost their lives performing their duty. But unlike the BART shooting not long before, community outrage will most likely be absent. Individuals at the scene of the crime reported seeing teens laughing at the fallen cops not moments after they were shot.

     This kind of irreverence for the men and women of law enforcement is utterly revolting, and all too common. These officers died in the line of duty, they deserve our respect. So I guess that brings me to the title, cops are great, especially when you consider all the crap they have to put up with.

We the People

It was almost a week ago that Barrack Obama was elected. As many would agree, I feel our country... no... our world, is on a precipice. Change is coming, and I find myself feeling the apprehension of change, it brings both hope for a better future as well as a fear for dreams unfulfilled.

The rush of exhilaration, of realization did not flood over me when CNN announced Obama's victory, when McCain gave his speeh, or when Obama gave his. The realization occured late at night. The apartment was quiet. Yet in the darkness, when only the hum of the refrigerator could distract me, I felt it. The electricity in the air sparked against me, but not really against me in particular. It was flowing through us all, yet ebbing from us as we all acted as both the source and the destination. Obama's campaign might have started it, but at that point the change could not be stopped. For the first time in many years, the change was not going to be enacted upon us. No, in fact, we now are the change. Person by person we cannot be stopped.

At that moment, I had had an epiphany. I realized that the hero of that night was not Obama, he alone would not bring about the change this country needed. He probably won't know what to do any more than the presidents of the past. But he has been the catalyst for change, because his canidacy created millions of heroes. He helped us realize that we can not ask our government to change our country, but must instead change ourselves. The election has left a country brimming with optimisim and ambition. A country ready for a little self-improvement.

So some might say that Obama can't fix this country with a magic wand. They'll say he can't fix everything, that he won't change our country. They're right. But that was never the point. Let them remember the most important phrase of the election. Can we fix our country? Can we change it for the better?

Yes we can. Yes we can.

(yes its cliche. but I just watched boston legal so blame them for the song. after all it was in the end of their episode not mine)

Week Two Update

 With one week behind me already, all is well. I've made friends, I've made a few less than friendly er... friends, and the upcoming election is all the talk among the people who matter on campus. With the DNC and RNC occurring so recently, on-campus political interest is at an all-time high. And though it might not be as prevalent as elsewhere, class discussions are also being effected by the political tension in the air. Every class from Chem to Theatre Production seems to be flowing with the political polarization of both teachers and students. 

In my opinion the most intersting development in the upcoming presidential election is the email written by the currently famous Anne Kilkenny. Its quite a mouthful of critisisms and is definitely worth a read. Here is the letter. As for how truthful this letter is, well I'll let you make that decision for your self. But ones things for sure, its worth the read.

But contrary to what this blog may seem to portray, my life does consist of more than the current political hoopla. Monday morning I get to take the BYU Office Skills Test, or OST. After that, I will be able to flood Employment services with clerical applications. Hopefully, I will soon have a job that has absolutely nothing to do with football.

In other news, I've started appreciating sleep more and more. And though this is a usual development after summer break, I find my appreciation is at an even greater level than usual. Between homework, and actually having a social life, 7 hours of sleep just doesn't seem like enough anymore.

This weekend I also spent some time with my mother while doing some shopping. So thats all for now, Heres to another good week and very interesting next few months.