Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Hero

Challenge #2: Who is your greatest hero of all time?


* * * * * * * * * *

This question is difficult to answer unless I break down alllll my heroes into subcategories and who has the time? I could write about my parents and their unwavering love for me. I know it must have been hard since I am quite the crazy girl.... at least in their eyes. But I've written about them on several occasions on this blog. Bo-ring!

For the sake of argument (hopefully), I would like to share with you two of my Political Heroes. I really do love a good argument, the kind that are based on true personal opinions rather than regurgitated "spin" from the network news. My Political Heroes do cause quite a stir in some of the circles that I wander around in. Maybe I should stop calling it a circle and call it a BOX because so many people are stuck in the colloquial "box".

I take that back... I share my political heroes not just for the sake of argument but also to promote them. If I believe in a cause, in a thought process, in a philosophy... I should assist in advancing it.

I welcome a robust conversation in the comments section. If you agree or disagree with my opinion, I'd like to hear it. I will comment back. Please be respectful.


CURRENT EVENT HEROES: The young people of Egypt.
I am so amazed at how they have caused a REVOLUTION to come to pass in their home land. Fed up with the powers that be, they mobilized with partial support from their own government's standing military. I wish the American population were as courageous to stand up to the politicians in the White House and cause a REVOLUTION. Big ups to the young people of Egypt. They are my "current event HEROES".

If every person had enough courage to adhere to the dictates of their personal moral compass... just imagine the kind of world this would be!

PERSON IN POLITICAL OFFICE HERO: Ron Paul
He has been garnering media attention lately because he won the Presidential Straw Poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Though I don't really resonate with any single label (democrat, republican, liberal, conservative, etc.), I love RON PAUL who happens to be a republican!

My love affair with Ron Paul began when I found out that he was leading a campaign to End The Fed. Currently he represents the people of Texas. He ran for the republican Presidential seat in 2008 but lost to McCain.

On several occasions I've blogged about the Federal Reserve and how they have taken over the nation. Most U.S. Citizens are so unaware of how the Federal Reserve (the people who control the nations currency) is in total opposition of the Constitution. Ron Paul seeks to restore the powers of the Constitution for the benefit of its citizens.

My journey toward finding Ron Paul occurred when I began reading The Creature from Jekyll Island. The book is fascinating and is a crash course in how the Federal Reserve was created and how they affect the economy of yesteryear as well as the modern era. From the Great Depression to the founding of social welfare to the bail outs of the Chrysler organization decades ago. It's alllll in there! YouTube has audio versions of it also. I included one here. You should really take the time to listen to it. If you are not aware of the founding of the Federal Reserve, this just might rock your political foundation.



MY POLITICAL HERO THAT HAS PASSED ON: Malcolm X
Many people have a negative association to Malcolm X. People usually think of his "by any means necessary" philosophy and categorize him as a radical militant. And maybe he was a radical militant. Radical, as a noun, is defined as a person who holds or follows strong convictions or extreme principles; extremist. A person with strong convictions may sometimes lack the courage to live them. This was not the case with Malcolm X. His Autobiography, co-written by famed author Alex Haley, is still one of my favorite books today. Though Spike Lee did an excellent job on the movie, it doesn't even come close to the spiritual revelations that Brother Malcolm experienced.

Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. were emerging as leaders in the Black community at relatively the same time in history. While their approach and philosophy to political freedom were diametrically opposed, ultimately they desired the same thing -- to raise the standard of living for African Americans. Malcolm found his identity through the Nation of Islam (an American Islamic faction that still exists today under the direction of Louis Farrakhan).

What I love about Malcolm X philosophy is that he did not advocate assimilation or integration. He preferred that African American's be educated in their own schools, taught with their own books and their own curriculum rather than subjected to government-run "public schools" whose curriculum and books are littered with propaganda. I love that! That is one of the driving forces behind my desire to home school my children (whenever they come along). I prefer to be the person that designs the type of information that gets put into their brain. I am not bad-mouthing public education because many people flourish under its precepts. I just think there are several missing components that are left out ON PURPOSE.

Very few people are aware of the town of Greenwood, Oklahoma. It is known as The Black Wall Street. Here was a parcel of land in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area where an entire city of African-Americans, post Civil War, were flourishing. They had succeeded in stamping out the idea that former slaves and slave descendants would not amount to anything. As is the case in America, especially in the early 20th century, White mobs lynched several men and eventually burned the city to the ground. Google "Black Wall Street". You can read for yourselves.

This was a perfect example of how segregation CAN work. For me, this is the significance of my affinity for Malcolm X.



HAWAIIAN POLITICAL ACTIVISM (S)HERO(ES): The Trask Sister duo, Mililani and Haunani-Kay
Both are decorated academics in the American school system. Haunani-Kay graduated from Kamehameha and went on to receive her Bachelors, Masters, and PhD from the University of Wisconsin. Mililani also graduated from Kamehameha Schools then received her Bachelors from San Jose State University then graduated from the University of Santa Clara School of Law. This sister duo are as decorated as they come, in terms of education and academia.

What inspires me about them is that their education does not stop them from championing for na kanaka rights to self-determination. It sounds strange to a person that has never heard of self-determination however, most un-assimilated Hawaiians view our homeland as being politically occupied by the United States. Thus, we prefer that we be able to exist peacefully and determine the destiny of our homeland.

1 comment:

evotia said...

Really enjoyed this post and those you honored. Specifically the people of Egypt. I was glued to the tv and in awe of their passion towards forward movement. They overcame! It's going to be very interesting to see what happens the rest of the year in that country.

I lean more towards Dr. King than Malcolm X (it's the Buddhist in me). I will forever admire the non-violent methods demonstrated by this man during the civil rights movement. Thanks to your post, I am forced to research more on Malcolm X :-) As a minority, it pains me to see Polynesians living substandardly or for materialistic matters. We can certainly live at a higher standard, and I'm all for that!