“In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.” ― Dalai Lama XIV

I do believe it is time for another political rant. I know you all love these. -_- but this one has been stewing on my brain for quite some time. So if you got offended by my last post don’t read this one. Be excited.

This is how i feel about this subject...

It seems to me that after the election things haven’t gotten any better. Now instead of openly attacking our president, people are now nit picking everything he does. I swear he could go to the bathroom incorrectly and Utah would be in an uproar. I have now heard things such as he is the antichrist, just like Hitler, the most un-American president we have had, an ass, a Nazi, a dictator, and the reason we need to have a revolution. WHAT IS GOING ON!?

A lot of this stems from the Connecticut MASSACRE that happened in December. Obama is now trying to figure out some way to help this nation fix what is going on. Most of these attacks on the president stem from his new gun control actions. I am not sure how I feel on gun control myself. Especially after the December events of children being killed. I feel that something needs to be done. Something with guns. However, guns are inanimate objects that can’t do anything without someone to pull the trigger. With that in mind though, something needs to change.

First beef. People are reacting to these new gun policies like Obama is going to call in the Gestapo and force people to hand in their guns. Pull a sleeping beauty and make a pile of guns and burn them all. (if you are unfamiliar with this metaphor please go watch the awesome and beautiful classic). This is not going to happen. The focus of the new gun control is EDUCATION. Currently for the past 17 years there has been a ban on gun-violence research. What. The. Hell!? Why!? That’s my question. Is lifting this ban a bad thing? He wants to put police officers into school. How is that evil? Sure think the Connecticut mothers would have liked that. More background checks. He wants to improve background checks. Yeah that sure is evil.

Even Emily is upset there is a 17 ban on research on gun violence.

I do not agree with Obama 100%. His health plan will drastically affect me as a future health care professional. But I don’t attack the man. He is a human. With a family.  And deserves respect. He is trying to do what he thinks best. Ultimately 4 years will come and go and some other “antichrist” will come up and change all that Obama is doing. He is in charge of appeasing a nation that is filled with different races, religions, ideas, sexual orientations, and differences. Give the man a break. You try being president and trying to appease everyone. People who don’t agree with you at all. It. Wont. Happen. And we need to start a revolution!? That makes perfect sense. Instead of trying to increase education, let’s take the very things that we are fighting about and kill more people. Makes absolute sense. Because the last civil war we had ended with about 200, 000 from combat. Yeah that makes perfect sense. (http://www.historynet.com/civil-war-casualties) (this is a citation. It tells you the credible source in which I got my information from. These are uncommon in social media now a days…)

Second beef. Facebook. Facebook has changed everything. I love the stupid social network. But it is incredibly damaging. People can now gather information from who knows what kind of idiotic websites out there and post it like it is actual fact. I don’t think its evil to voice your opinion on Facebook as long as it is civil and you have the right facts. Anyone remember their English teachers saying don’t use Wikipedia because it can say anything? Well its not just Wikipedia that lies. Obama didn’t single handedly raise milk prices. Sorry. Unfortunately people now hide behind the magic mirror of the Facebook wall and say whatever the damn they want. Would people call Obama the antichrist and Hitler in front of his wife and children? Only on Facebook.

Third and Final Beef. Would you really like to live anywhere else? Probably not. I was very apathetic in politics until I spent two years in a third world country. Where I didn’t have everything I wanted. I lived in areas where people were lucky to have a little meat in their food for the week. Where concrete and wood put together with who knows what constituted a house. Where the kids would play in the black green sludge that came out of the gutter. Where kids would get pregnant and 12 and 13 on a regular basis, and every 10 year old new where to get drugs in the neighborhood. Where the thought of living on yearly salaries meant you were rich. Yeah we have it hard. Yeah our country is headed to its doom. Seeing the real world made me wonder at how INCREDIBLE Americans really have it. To be quite honest we have NOTHING to complain about. Nothing. I lived with a kerosene stove as my only method to cook. Where only one appliance could be used at a time. Where my floor was straight concrete. Where my bathroom looked like a serial killers hide out. But yeah, let’s whine about government stealing all our guns. I’d rather have carpet.

Yeah We have it bad.

Our only table to cook on...

Either that or a microwave

Notice the beautiful sheet acting as our blinds?

Moral of this blog is let’s all just cut the damn attacking and be civil people. Whether you support the president’s agenda or not. I am a Christian and Christ taught us to love EVERYONE. So did my parents. Christ chastised the very people who were scrutinizing his beliefs, yet forgave him even when they nailed him to the cross. Don’t we do the same when we attack Obama. Let’s not throw stones. Let’s worry about what really matters. We will all still have our guns. But there are people who don’t have food. What’s more important? Once you decide. Try going and doing something about it instead of putting it up on your wall.

p.s. My thoughts and opinions. I know some of you will hate me, or not agree with me. And that’s okay. Just be civil please.

p.p.s you get  800 blog points for reading all of this. It was a doozy. 200 more if you leave feedback.  

“I do not believe, from what I have been told about this people, that there is anything barbarous or savage about them, except that we all call barbarous anything that is contrary to our own habits.”
― Michel de Montaigne, The Complete Essays

“The Potter books in general are a prolonged argument for tolerance, a prolonged plea for an end to bigotry. And I think it's one of the reasons that some people don't like the books, but I think that's it's a very healthy message to pass on to younger people that you should question authority and you should not assume that the establishment or the press tells you all of the truth.”
― J.K. Rowling  (LOVE THIS. So True. Maybe this is why I love the books so much.)

Truth.

Highlights of 2012

   So i know this is like 18 days late, but i have been thinking of this topic for awhile and have done some soul searching i guess. I have wanted to blog about something in the new year but i couldn't figure out what. I thought about doing some resolution thing...but that was cliche and really who actually follows their resolutions. (Except Annika Jensen...she is pretty awesome...) So this post will be about some highlights from the past year! Be excited.

   Thinking about it this last year for me was a crazy one. Lots of changes and new things came into and out of my life. Its kind of been a crazy ride. I will list a few of the more important things.

2012

Spring Semester 2012
This semester sucked. Hardcore. I was told that i would be fine in a chemistry class even though it had been four years since high school chemistry. Not. A. Good. Idea. It was a challenged and i received grades that i never thought i would get. Ever. As someone who worries about school a little too much this was really hard. I struggled with it a lot. I know it kind of sounds trivial to people but it was a big deal for me. For the first time i felt my career was at a risk. I made some decisions though and it worked out. And it perhaps was one of the best decisions academically i have made.

This is more true than anything i've ever seen....

Eric's Mission
We sent Eric out to the great state of Washington in April. And it sucks. I love that he is there and it is the greatest thing for him. But it sucks. Totally understand where Sarah was coming from when i was gone. It has been rough. And he hasn't made it any easier the butt head -_- but it has been a big transition not having him around. there are days where i want to just have a man night with my brother and....he isn't...there....it sucks. Hardcore. Missions are the best thing in the world. But lets be honest peeps. They kind of suck.

his large nose is missed. 

Summer 2012
Things happened prior to the summer that are far too personal to discuss via a blog, but these events have led me to figure out who i really am as a young adult. On June 17th, 2012 my car broke down on the side of the highway and that is where Kylie White and I rekindled something incredible. SOOOOOO glad my car did break down. ;D Kylie is incredible. She is the most independent, beautiful, and supportive person i know. She rocks. I am half a person without her. I could go on and on about her, and it would not get old. But it probably would get old for you reading this blog. Moral of the story...she was my highlight of 2012. And she is the highlight of my life. We are pretty awesome. And damn cute together. True. Story.

Favorite picture. Even if Ky's eyes look possessed.

Classic old picture of us. 

The Election
The presidential election was out. of. control. I am incredibly glad with the out come, yet i am incredibly disappointed in a lot of people. People who i thought were good people saying vile things to me and others for different beliefs. It. Was. Disgusting. People found out that i am not the average Mormon boy kid that i was when i was 12. I have an opinion. And that scares people i guess. What scares me is what people say when someone has a different opinion than them. They can be right in their own idea, but the moment you differ from them you are a heretic and you need to re evaluate your testimony. So glad my parents taught me to think and be myself. Love them for that. I will support my president the best i can. May not agree with everything he does, but i do agree that our nations leader needs some respect.

Plethora of Friends
I have met a sloo of incredible people this year. Particularly, Paden Moss, Matt Green, Mikenzie Lynn, Andy Gilbert, Kayla Colten, Courtney Hamilton, Landon and Parker Greenhalgh and others that are incredible people. I finally began to talk to people in my major at school and now have friends on campus! Its awesome. These people will go far in life, and i am glad I am now affiliated with them. Friends are kind of the spice of life. Without them i can imagine life to be quite dull. In my case, my life is over spiced i guess...(cheesy yet beautifully crafted analogy. love. it.) :D

We rock.

perfect jumping pic

Bringing Sexy back....

This Picture is an optical illusion. Can you find Paden's legs?

Emily
One of the unseen things about Eric being gone is that Emily and I are now mega close. We have always been super close...but now we are mega close. Even though its usually 5 days before we see each other and she is usually sleeping. Love the girl to death. And we party like its 1976 when we hang. Without her my life would be filled with science jokes and humor that would be lost to void space. Yet she fills it right a long with me. Cant wait for her to start her real life, and go to the chamber of secrets at Weber with her!

True beauty. 

The future of medicine Be Excited.

   Overall this year has been one of self reflection and self evaluation. I feel that i have learned a lot about myself and what i want in life. Its had A LOT of downs and even more ups. Overall it was an incredible year. And i have a feeling that 2013 should be just as great. I guess that is up to me to decide.


P.S. there were a profusion of other fantastic things that happened this year. but if you already made it this far...I am sure you now know more than you would ever want to about me. Plus this was kind of cheesy. And who likes cheese?

P.P.S If you did read it all give yourself 100 blog points! And get 300 more COOL points if you post a highlight of your year!