One person can make a difference, but many people can make lots of differences!...or something like that

Brazil, February 2008

I have just submitted my entry to the Blog Your Way Around the World contest.  Lots of people have entered, and it's impossible to have any expectation of winning such a seemingly out-of-this-world (well, more like out-of-this-country...8 times!) grand prize.  I have 29 days to amass the votes, and I think that's a reachable goal. I can't vote for myself 2,000 times, though (I refuse to create 2,000 unique email addresses), so now it's time to see how far the power of online networking actually goes.

Will it be a Happy Hanukkah and a Happy New Year?  You tell me.  Better yet, *show* me!

Tanzania, August 2010

Peru, August 2009

{In my most teachery voice, "I know you can do a GREAT job of showing me you know how to vote.  Can you show me?"}

Thanks for the capacity to be giving

Jewish law requires that people give one tenth of their income to the poor.  That religious obligation is called Tzedakah.  So, if you earn 10 billion dollars a year, 1 billion of that goes to those less fortunate than you.  If you earn 10 dollars a year, 1 dollar of that goes to the needy.  Yes, I suppose that people will try to argue that they are needy in different ways (which is true) and, therefore, their self-proclaimed "neediness" qualifies them to receive Tzedakah without having to give it (which is not true).  Or maybe that, if you are earning 10 dollars a year, you can't afford to give 1 dollar away, but where's the compassion?  There will always be someone in the world who earns 0 dollars a year.

me, leaving big, tall building for the last time!

"The only certain things in this world are death and taxes," said Benjamin Franklin.  One of the reasons I opted against pursuing a career in a big, tall building (see right) with a big, green paycheck is that satisfaction in life comes with no pricetag.  If you die only with enough Benjamin Franklins to wallpaper the inside of your coffin, what have you really accomplished in life?  But if you die having paid it forward and having instilled rock-solid values and ethics into others by example, while having a wealth of priceless experiences along the way, one would think that that satisfaction would provide a whole lot more of a comfortable resting place than a handful of paper with Benjamin Franklin's picture on it.  Even still, if you are unable to set aside even one iota of greed to give to others, nota bene: there's something in it for you; charitable contributions can earn you a tax deduction, kind of like a compromise.  You give your money to charity; you don't pay taxes...isn't that a good exchange?  The government gives *you* Tzedakah.  But again, what makes you worthy of being given unto when you don't embody the giving spirit yourself?

I write this post not to be preachy, not to ask for Tzedakah for myself (though by Jewish law, it is frowned upon to refuse it), and not to convert anyone...I understand that many people (Jews and non-Jews alike) don't necessarily feel any obligation (whether religious, personal, or otherwise) to give unto others.  But how can you criticize the world and point fingers at people who or institutions that don't meet/exceed your expectations when you are not doing something to actively change it?

Luz Meri, me, and Elsi (El Salvador, June 2009)

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I feel it my personal obligation to acknowledge that which *I* feel thankful for and invite you to do the same (much like I did last year).  While I am in agreement with many about things to be thankful for (friends, family, significant other, my little ones in El Salvador, job, etc.), I also feel compelled to express my thanks for the chance to be giving, my thanks for the knowledge I have gained in my 27 years... that it is not solely particular items one should be thankful for, but also the capacity to appreciate them.

(Sidenote: I am pleased to report that my girls in El Salvador have passed another year of school.  Elsi (15 years old) has just passed eighth grade and will start ninth in January.  Luz Meri (9 years old, 10 in January) just finished third grade and will start fourth grade in January.)

So as you sit down at your Thanksgiving feast tonight, and as you update your Facebook status messages to reflect "all" that you are thankful for, I just want you to think about this: would you still be A-O-K if that turkey on your table were one tenth smaller?

No one's any bigger if they use the word "n*gger"

Several months ago, there was a lot of publicity criticizing the latest celebrity to go off on a "N-word" rampage. Since all those happenings sort of jumble together, I got to thinking about some underlying issues.

Now, before I explain my thoughts, let me just acknowledge that I do not deem it appropriate in any context to use the "N-word," except perhaps for carefully planned lessons on history whose sole purpose is to educate in a neutral way. Personally, I wouldn't use the word in my everyday life (n*gger) or with friends (n*gga); I also don't listen to music that uses those words (not necessarily because of that word -- it's just not a favorite of mine).

But what I'm wondering is, is it ever "okay" to use that word? I'm not saying I would, but it's common knowledge that people -- many of whom are of the African-American persuasion -- refer to each other as "n*ggas."  Is it okay if they say it?  Along the same lines, is it okay if someone of a different race says it, even if it's meant in the same context (a la "homie," "pal," "buddy," etc.)?  When does it shift from being acceptable to being racist?

In addition to the word's usage in conversation, I'm wondering about the rules of song.  For instance, the "N-word" comes up frequently in music, oftentimes in rap.  If you slap a "Parental Advisory" label on the album cover, does that excuse the language inside the case?  If someone (again, either of the same or different race) is listening to the album and sings/raps along to the music, what about that?  It's not technically their words. It's like telling a story and saying, "And then the guy called the other guy a n*gger."  If you're quoting someone else, does that have any effect?

Even South Park tackles the subject, as seen in this parody of Wheel of Fortune.

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It seems my thoughts are more questions, in an effort to understand where people draw lines and make judgments.  I'm curious to know what you all think and, hopefully, we can get an interracial dialogue going so shed some clarity on the issue.

the United States of Abhorrence

People on their high horses are due for a reality check.  Similarly, America is, too.  Yesterday, the US of A celebrated their 234th birthday, but what does that even mean?  Okay, so on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed...by Americans.  Nearly three centuries earlier, in 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue, which ultimately led to the untimely (would it ever have been timely?) eviction of the Native Americans who already occupied the land.  Now, I was never so great at history, but if you just go up to a random house and kick out the people who live in it, only to claim it as your own, does that actually make it your own?  Does that mean you get the right/privilege to make the household decisions and that, when telemarketers call, asking for the head of the household, you can rightfully answer, "Yes, I am [s]he"?

While our independence from England itself is a pretty monumental event -- one that deserves recognition and pride -- I'm not so sure the rest of it does.  Consider it a reverse Robin Hood, if you will -- rather than stealing from the rich to give to the poor, it seems that the US of A took from the poor (who may, in fact, have been rich with resources), asserted their independence from the rich, and showed no grain of appreciation for the "tramplees" [those who are trampled upon], without whom the US wouldn't have had land to rest their weary egos.


If you're the coach of a youth basketball team and your team cheats, ending up with more points on the scoreboard than their fairly-playing opponents, who actually deserves the praise?  Will you continue to celebrate the anniversary of the win-by-cheating annually, with federal holidays, fireworks, and rampant celebrations?  Or will you teach your kids a lesson so that history doesn't repeat itself and they can try to make amends for the past and adopt better practices for the future?

What say you, members of the jury?  Is the USA founded on principles of cheating and destructive egoism?  What exactly are we celebrating, then?

Happy Birthday, with or without the tamales

People have asked me what I'm going to "do" for my birthday, if I'm going to plan a party or have some wild and crazy event in my honor.  The simple answer to that is "no."  Frankly, I'm just not interested this year.

When I was in El Salvador last year at this time (where my community, living on very few financial resources, threw me a surprise party (which -- don't tell -- I knew about from the day before)), I had a conversation with a 14-year-old girl named Elsi on her birthday (July 3), two days after mine.  There had been all this commotion in the community about my birthday (July 1), a date when people had given me a party, cards, cake, and love, and when I asked Elsi [pictured, left and right, with the dough to make tortillas] what she normally did for her birthday, her response was, "Maybe I'll get a card and maybe we'll eat tamales."  Tamales are a pretty common food to eat down there but, according to Salvadoran standards, they're not an everyday snack -- they're just too darn expensive (less than $2, I think).

Experiences like this are very grounding because it serves as a slap-in-the-face wake-up call that birthdays are merely the days when your age number changes.  You don't turn a year older -- it's just the day after the one before it.  Why do people even give presents on that day?  Congratulations -- I didn't think you'd make it 'til today and you have, so well done!  Bravo!  Maybe it's the opportunity to celebrate someone's life, in which case the birthday boy or girl becomes the person of honor for the day.  In this day and age, many people who are monetarily gifted might spend upwards of $100,000 on a party, thus bestowing upon themselves the authority to act as king or queen for the day.  In a place with few financial resources, however, it might not even mean a tamale.

What does this say about the people who only know how to celebrate by "doing something"?  Asking if someone is "doing something" for his/her birthday would suggest doing something out of the ordinary that would, consequently, count as "something."  My take on it is that one should "do something" every day so that, come birthday time, what one actually does is "nothing."

People often say, "it's the thought that counts."  I disagree.  It's the action.  I'm not saying that someone has to shell out lots of money -- or even any money -- to show their appreciation of somebody or to celebrate something.  But it's people's individual ways -- with respect to their everyday practices -- that reveal their true intentions.  Personally, I think people should adopt a well-intentioned mentality every day of the year.  Then, on the anniversary of their birth, they can merely sit back and reflect contentedly that they have lived every day of the previous year to the fullest.  They can be proud that every day has meant something because they have done something every day, raising the default bar so that something has become the new nothing.  I guess, then, when people ask what I'm doing for my birthday, it's with the something-nothing in mind.  So, to that, I say that this year, I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing so that by the time my last birthday has rolled around, my collective days of doing nothing will have inspired others to turn "somethings" into "nothings" and will have left a lasting mark.**

**(Coincidentally enough, had I been born a boy, my name would have been Mark.)

Could you pour some sugar in my World Cup?

World Cup fever is upon us and the 2010 games are under way!  Just from watching the games and from seeing the fullness of the stadiums (stadia?), it's easy to tell how much pride people have for their home country as well as for the sport of soccer, football, fútbol, futebol -- whatever you want to call it.  While the World Cup is, indeed, a competition, it brings out such profound emotion among its players, fans, and even non-fans.

As I sit glued to the TV, watching the players from these 32 countries compete against each other, I realize that they are all motivated by a common goal (no pun intended).  Several months ago, I wrote a blog about judging people and the idea that members of countries with few financial resources choose to spend their money on soccer jerseys and not something more conducive to helping their communities to prosper (that being according to the American perspective on what it means to "prosper," of course).  Well, in seeing the hope and the group unity that is awakened by the World Cup makes me wonder whether the World Cup could achieve more than simply determining the winner of a soccer tournament.

Current events have us shaking our heads at the BP oil spill or at natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, etc.) or wars, but we as a community -- a global community of more than 6 and a half billion people -- have the power to overhaul the greater school of thought among us.  In other words, look how soccer brings together many of those people.  Everyone is excited and hopeful at what the competition brings and wants their country's team to advance to the finals.  Could it be that the World Cup is a microcosm of the world at large?

You have your die-hard fans (patriots), your fans who don't control their rage when the final whistle is blown (extremists), your team captains and coaches (leaders), your followers (law-abiding members of society), your referees (law enforcement), your yellow cards and red cards (citations/jail), and your uniforms (passports) as a means of identification.  (Naturally, there are also those who couldn't care less (the innocent bystanders/civilians).) Even though 31 teams ultimately end up feeling the pangs of defeat, everyone comes together to celebrate the sport and the fact that everyone exists on a level playing field (again, no pun intended -- well, maybe only a little bit intended), despite the fact that every country's background is vastly different from one another, with some that boast more opportunities, privileges, and resources, financial or otherwise.

Many people have established non-profit organizations centered around soccer as a peacemaking activity (like Grassroot Soccer), but I think perhaps these noble entrepreneurs haven't taken it globally enough. They might set up shop in a small African village or in an off-the-beaten-path Latin American community, but we need something more far-reaching...Then again, you can't create change without a starting point, something small-scale to expand into something more widespread.

I guess my point is this: soccer has the power to bring the world together. Why not take advantage of that so that everyone can wear their respective jerseys but play for the same team?  Is that too much to ask?  Coaches, fans, and players all working together? It all starts with the kickoff...

The Heinz dilemma...is there a right answer?

"In Europe a woman was near death from cancer. One drug might save her, a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The druggist was charging $2000, ten times what the drug cost him to make. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said "No." The husband got desperate and broke into the man's store to steal the drug for his wife. Should the husband have done that? Why?" [Kohlberg, 1969, p. 376]

The "Heinz" dilemma was created by American psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg (1927-1987), known for his theory of stages of moral development.

What do you think about Heinz's actions?  Items to consider: spousal relationships and obligations, property rights