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Race matters affects us all. Whether you are a “white” person from a rural community or an ethnic “minority” in an urban setting, you cannot escape the overwhelming shadow of race matters. I believe the reason it is such an overwhelming issue looming in all our lives is because we have yet to deal with it. I mean for people of European background to dismiss the anger of a “black” person as unpatriotic crazy talk is plain stupid. It means that you don’t care about what makes that person so angry and have no interest in their perspective. What if they might just be saying something that make sense. Something that might change your own perspective. But oh no you can only say “God Bless America” and never criticize your country. It is scary to have your comfortable world view torn down. If you are a person who thinks that the Rev. Wright’s comments were unpatriotic, loony and radical put yourself in the shoes of a person who is not of European decent. Put yourself in the shoes of a person whose history is slavery and oppression. A person who did not have the choice to leave persecution to begin a new free life in America, but instead was taken from freedom and brought to America to be treated like livestock. Put yourself in the shoes of a Native America whose history is a trail of disease, blood and tears. Put yourself in the shoes of an immigrant that has had to flee their country, because America provides aid and weapons to the regime that is oppressing them. Now how do you feel about America? Instead of dismissing people for being unpatriotic or loony maybe what we need to do is look at all our histories and understand how they shapes our views about this powerful nation.

Now comes a man who wants to change the world and brings people of all races to again believe that change is possible. And what do the pundits do? First he is bad, because he is a Muslim. Then they realize he is not Muslim at all and is a Christian, but not the right kind of Christian. He is one of those Christians who speaks about peace, hope and compassion for the poor. He is a Christian who might understand how “God Bless America” could be offensive. And instead would be more willing to say God Bless the World! Yet, I cannot speak for the senator, but I just think that’s how he might think.

This is probably the best speech a politician has given in my lifetime. And I have read he actually wrote it himself.

Spring is just around the corner. That is for us in the north of course. Spring is the time when new things blossom into their most beautiful stage. It is the time when life emerges from a tumultuous winter, people begin to leave the comfort of their homes and once again being to find comfort in nature. In spring it seems like life is at it’s peak. Some might argue that summer is the best season, because school is out and the weather is more than pleasant. Those people have never worked outdoors in the the blistering heat of the summer. Spring is when you get to enjoy the outdoors without truly breaking a sweat and if you are it’s because you are kicking a soccer ball around, taking a jog in the park or maybe putting much effort into making sure your garden is at its finest. Then again I rarely remember truly sweating in the spring. Spring is going to become my new New Years. I didn’t really set any goals for myself at the beginning of this year like some people do, and so I have chosen spring to become the time where I reevaluate my priorities and focus on what’s most important.

I am excited for the future. I truly feel that it can only get better than where I am at this particular moment. And it’s not that things are going so terrible for me, but I just have something inside of me that keeps burning and reminding me that there is more going on than I can imagine. There are many things that I am unsure of and I have learned that this is the life of a young person. No matter how much you want to control your environment it seems life will always throw new shit at you everyday that is out of the equation you have planned for. I want to be apart of big things. I want to see positive change in me, my loved ones and in the world. I feel like Mark Twain referring to spring fever, “You don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!”

Hope all is well. Love you all. Peace!

Axel