An Eclipsing View of Society

Hey everyone! I found this paper while I was thumbing through some old files on my computer. Hope you all enjoy it!

As American society begins to move toward new beginnings, with a new year, an election, and an ominous feeling of something left unfinished, it stops just for a moment to peak outside at the natural phenomena of a lunar eclipse. What actually takes place during a lunar eclipse is incredible; all across the nation, from San Antonio to Augusta, from New York to Los Angeles, the entire population marvels at something completely beyond its control. This something, although seemingly only a shadow on the moon, represents something more. This “something” transcends all political, geographical, societal, and human boundaries and instills amazement in the observers. As one marvels at the sight, he or she begins to wonder, “Why does this semi-commonplace phenomena always provide its viewers with the aforementioned joy?”

            Even a cursory glance at a United States history book will direct readers to the state of the nation; America has not rested since that fateful day in 1776. The nation began with a struggle for freedom; then, a journey westward; next, a war with itself; after that crisis, rapid growth; another war; another war; a cold war; another war; another war; and finally, another war. It seems that United States citizens haven’t had time to take a breather in nearly two-hundred fifty years. As one turns out the lights and stares out the window on such a chilling, windy night, he or she notices the neighbor he or she hasn’t talked to in three years, that his or her kids have finally grown up, or that he or she should probably clean out the garage. Suddenly, the mysterious essence of the earth is gone, and all that is left is a glimpse of the elementary, more enjoyable qualities of life. Is this why people marvel at a simple shadow?

            After every presidential election, nearly one-half of the general population is dissatisfied with the outcome. News reporters consider a win of sixty percent to be a landslide victory, when nearly two out of every five of the people who voted still disagree with the result. Why do the citizens of the United States merely stand by and watch as the nation becomes more and more divided with each Pyrrhic victory?

            The truth is, Abraham Lincoln never qualified his most famous maxim, a house divided cannot stand. What ole’ Abe should have said was, “A house divided cannot stand well.” These fifty-one/forty-nine decisions should show that even though the United States is split on nearly every issue, it still manages to stand, crippled as it is from oppression, sociopolitical tension, and violence. While the earth shoots the moon into the path of its own shadow, the whole continent watches in awe. Not fifty-one percent or even a landslide sixty percent, but nearly everyone doing the same action in unison. Thus, no wonder many achieve a sense of admiration for an event beyond the human realm. For once no one is rushing to the polls to drop off a ballot or screaming his or her views on immigration to a stranger. Instead, we are all fixated on a penumbra of mystery, and an umbra of unity.

            Only time will tell who our next president will be and what this year will bring, but something must be done about this knot left untied in the hearts of many Americans. Maybe in the successive wars that took place in American history, U.S. citizens forgot to keep in touch with the true heartbeat of America. Whatever happened to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Was it lost in Vietnam, Korea, or the Persian Gulf? This empty feeling is the longing for a unified nation again, a nation that can step forward together. The amazing sensation of watching a lunar eclipse comes from the unity of the action: everyone everywhere feeling the same thing at the same time. The elections that have driven us apart and the controversial issues which polarize the nation have caused Americans to lose all sense of connection with anyone else. However, as one gazes at the sky in Atlanta, he or she feels a strange consciousness of the onlooker in St. Paul. These emotions are the same sentiments that kept Americans together on the cold night in 1776, and are what is needed to unify this great nation now. Although a lunar eclipse can be explained and predicted through scientific method and calculation, no man or woman in a white lab coat can measure the healing effects of that eclipse. What is known is that the United States will not see another lunar eclipse for nearly two years, and that begs the question, “Can Americans afford to wait that long?”

The G-8: Functional Policy Makers or An Elitist Group?

On the seventh and eighth of July the Group of Eight, or G8, will be holding its annual meeting in Toyako, Japan. The G8 is the eight "most wealthy" nations in the world- well, sort of. They were the most wealthy nation over a decade ago, but other countries have since climbed the ranks. China, which has the fourth largest gross domestic product in the world, has expressed interest in being allowed to join the group as have India,South Africa, Brazil, and Mexico. However, the G8 has not yet formally began accepting new members; the question is, "Why not?" 

The policies and attitudes of the G8 nations to each of these countries have all but guaranteed that no spot will open up for these nations any time soon. First of all, Japan has dodged almost every question about adding China and India to the G8 because they have prided themselves in being the only Asian country in it. The United States is also opposed to allowing China into the annual summit. According to one analyst, the founding principles of the G8 was democracy. Since China is one of the five communist nations left in the world, it does not fit the criteria for the G8.  However, French President Nicolas Sarcozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown both agree that some expansion should be allowed.

In my opinion, I think that all five nations should be allowed a greater say at the summit. With China vying for the top spot for green house gas emissions, it is ever-more important that the PRC become more involved with the Group, specifically the Kyoto Protocol, which calls for reduced gas emissions from all participating nations. The current Group includes, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, Canada, and Italy. The group has been responsible for providing a significant amount of aid to Africa; there is only one problem, though: no African nation is present. South Africa, which is arguably the most modern, democratic country in Africa really should be at the table in these discussions. It is great if the G8 wants to throw money at Africa to make it better, but it takes insiders like the South Africans, who know where the money would be best spent, to make an impact. Also, excluding India and China also excludes 2/7 of the world from the proceedings. In addition you are leaving out major military powers from the talks. For a group that is bent on world peace, making powerful nations angry doesn't seem to make sense.

            In short, the G8 really needs to expand its membership. Maybe then the group could really represent 73% of the world's economy like it used to, not the modest 58% it represents today. No one is asking that every nation be allowed to join, because then no one could get their point in edgewise. These nations, though, are vital to the continued success of the summit, in my opinion. So, if we want to deal with the pressing issues of today like global warming, the G8 has to open its doors, end of story.

 

An Overview of My Ideologies

Hello my fellow bloggers, peers, and otherwise interested parties!

As you can tell from my profile, my name is Josh Edge, and I am about to enter the mysterious world of college. I am extremely ready, though. I thought, this being my first blog post, that this would be a great opportunity to share with my readers exactly what I believe in- as far was I can tell anyway. If there is anything else that you would like to know about my beliefs, you can write me and I will try to answer you.

Basically, I am a democrat. I believe in universal healthcare for all American nationals; if you are sick, you deserve to be treated, regardless of socioeconomic background. I also believe in coverage for any and every child, regardless of their legal status. Children do not control their parents' actions and cannot be withheld from getting medical help. 

I believe in sweeping education reform. A major creed of my life is to provide sweeping education reforms in rural areas of America, including my home state of Kentucky. I support any efforts made to reverse the No Child Left Behind Act. No Child Left Behind Act did work, in my opinion. No one gets left behind when you aren't going anywhere. Everyone knows that children are the future of America. Why hasn't the GOP equipped federal, state, and local governments with the tools needed to ensure that all schools are fully funded? 

In my profile, I mention that I am a major supporter of civil rights reform for Hispanic-Americans. I believe that it is the responsibility of our government to ensure that all men are treated equally in the eyes of the government, employers, and society. The current state of our society leads me to believe that we are not a great Melting Pot, but rather an Olive Garden salad: there is something for everyone, but you can pick out the parts you don't like. Secondly, I don't believe in mass deportation of illegal immigrants. Let me first start out by saying that these people got here the same way we did: in search of a better life. Sorry George W., but when it comes down to it, America is supposed to be full of opportunity, something for everyone. So, if America is for everyone, then why do we have illegal aliens? There are no illegal people. I am not suggesting we simply open the borders, and let everyone in, but we should definitely grant all illegal citizens amnesty after we have developed tighter border security.

I support LGBT rights. I applaud the efforts of California and Massachusetts. Gay people, like Hispanics, are also people. To anyone who opposes gay marriage: No one asked you to marry them. Marriage is about finding someone you love, not about finding someone who is your anatomic opposite. Gays should be granted full rights to the tax benefits that straight people receive. They should not be discriminated against when adopting children. Gay people can make great parents too.

In the way of energy, I believe that President Bush has screwed up. The price of oil is now over $140 a barrel. No, it is not because Bush started the war in Iraq or because China and India's unprecedented demand has shot prices up; It is because no one has stopped the gas companies from gouging their prices. $40,000,000,000. That is a big number. Exxon Mobile made that much money in one year. It would take 800,000 Americans making $50,000  to make that much money in one year. The fact is the only thing keeping gas prices up is the perception that gas prices are high. I favor major reforms on the carte blanche the U.S. government has given these companies.

Thank you for reading my very first blog. I hope that I will be able to write often and get good at articulating my beliefs. Again, any questions or comments please leave me a comment 

Thanks!

Josh

"I asked the Dalai Lama the most important question... had he ever seen Caddyshack?"

-Jesse Ventura