I mean seriously!?!
I try not to re-post news articles too often, but this one has me slightly outraged. It is one of the reasons, when asked by GBGM what kind of domestic placement would be a make-or-break for me, I said, “If you send me to Texas, I’m liable to quit.” *
To me, it is the equivalent of saying to a child, “Don’t smoke – here, watch your teacher smoke so you can see how gross it is.” And then blowing the smoke right in their face.
You have just got to be kidding me! What really surprises me the most is how it was passed unanimously. What is even more baffling than that is – this is a school of 110 students!! My homeroom in high school was half that size and I’m not even kidding. I’m sorry, but if you can’t manage 110 students without giving your teachers guns – you have WAY more serious issues!!! Maybe instead of giving teachers permission to bring lethal weapons onto school grounds, school systems should be focusing more on the root issue at hand. The students. Offer them outlets for aggression and/or depression so it never reaches a volatile state. Offer peer and adult counselors and activities that aren’t necessarily sports (any one else notice the increase in violence as the arts are decreasing in our schools?) I’m all for training your teachers how to respond in a crisis situation (which should be done regardless of school shootings – there are other crisises – crisi? – that affect schools), but how likely is it that a teacher with a gun will actually be able to shoot a student, even in the most extreme of situations. Is that the kind of teacher we want up there teaching English or Math? They are there to teach – not kill or maim. And seriously, you are going to arm the man or woman in charge of 40 7th grade boys? One spit wad too many aimed at a teacher already on the edge…..
Instead, train your teachers in crisis prevention – so they know warning signs to look for when a child is depressed or angry. Give them safe avenues to express their concerns, with people in charge who will listen and take action when needed. How about smaller classrooms so teachers have a greater influence on their students. Instead of wasting state and government money on political campaigns and needless wars, how about channeling that money where we need it most – our schools! By arming our teachers, the only thing we are doing is confirming to these impressionable students that the only way to win is through violence.
I want to hear your thoughts on this.
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*Editor’s note: This is, of course, a slight over-dramatization of the actual conversation, and should be put in context. I was asked for honesty about locations, what kind of environments would be helpful or harmful to me to live in. I have a strong desire to live outside of the South, and expressed that with honesty to my director – and while I did say that living in certain areas would be cause for greater consideration than others, the above comment was made more in jest than anything else.
In defense of the present
So I realize that my last post makes it seem like possibly I am unhappy here. I also realized that my friends can’t count anymore than I can. (Turns out I’m not quite to the double-digit countdown yet, but at least I’m close!) So I just wanted to post in defense of living in the present. I will admit, it is difficult. There have been parts of me that have had a hard time adjusting to life in Hong Kong. That maybe be highly due to the fact that my amazingly supportive boyfriend still in Kentucky and that all of my friends are having babies and getting married while I’m away. Four weddings and eight babies. Good grief. It is hard to be away for those special moments. But even though I greatly lament missing the baptisms and holy vows, I have to admit, I do love my time here. As anxious as I am to start my next placement (wherever that may be), and to be within a day’s flight home, I am as equally sad to be thinking about my time in Hong Kong drawing to a close. So, as a way to celebrate the good in my life instead of always being overwhelmed with what I may be missing back home, I want to share the joys of life here in Hong Kong.
*My Job. I don’t think it can be said enough, but I absolutely love my job. It is challenging, difficult, even borderline depressing at times. I watch scores of women tossed aside by their governments and employers as if they were a rag doll. I hear countless stories of oppression, abuse and heartache. Needless to say, it is overwhelming. But what I love about my job is that I don’t have to focus on those things. I work in a shelter where I interact daily with women who love to laugh and to sing. I hear mothers tell stories of how proud they are of their children, and listen to young women plan their dream weddings for when they return home. I see the strength that can be found community. I have enjoyed getting to know these brave women who leave their homes in search of the hope being able to provide for their families. I love watching the joy on their faces when they have reached justice, accomplished a goal or are preparing to go home. They love to dance and sing and they compete often, in costume. I’ve seen them dance the Sister Act II dance and they’ve taught me a few smooth Indonesian moves. This is a holistic job. One that embodies education, counseling, rights training, personal involvement and government accountability. We march, we rally, we sing, we pray, we listen, we write, we take a stand and we empower. I could not ask for a better job.
*The Travel. I’ll admit it, I’ve been incredibly blessed to be able to travel as much as I have while I’ve been here. I adore traveling. The uncertainty, the excitement of being somewhere unknown, of discovering new foods, people and places. I’ve stayed in families homes in Semarang, Indonesia; kicked the surf in Bali; played the slots in Macau; ridden elephants in Thailand; and eaten spring rolls in Vietnam. Next month I will be hiking waterfalls and visiting growing medical clinics in Mainland China. In October I will be attending conferences and visiting friends in the Philippines. In December that wonderful boy I keep mentioning and I will be dipping in hot springs in Japan before heading back to the States. Travel is not only easily accessible here, but fairly cheap. (Particularly compared to travel around the States. I can fly to Thailand and book a 3 star hotel for a week for less than the cost for an air ticket from Kentucky to Florida. And let’s face it – Thailand? Way cooler than Florida.) The passport stamp collecting is something I will definitely miss when I’m back Stateside.
*The Food. Its funny. When I was little, I was about the pickiest eater you have ever met. Ask my parents, they’ll tell you how I wouldn’t eat my broccoli unless it was covered in Cheez Wiz (the kind from the jar, not the can!) Even before I moved here, I refused to eat anything with bell peppers or onions in or on it. Now? Bring on the tofu, the liver, the intestines and veggies whose names I can’t pronounce or remember. Just, hold the chicken feet. Tonight, I had pigeon for dinner. You know, those birds that have taken over Manhattan? Roasted and served with rice and boiled lettuce. Tasty. I’ve eaten dishes that I won’t tell you what was in the ingredients, so as not to make you squeamish. And then I had seconds. Call me an Anthony Bourdane convert – but there isn’t much anymore that scares me. I’m willing to try anything (which is good, because I’ve been given lots of opportunity for growth in this area.) Asia food is nothing if not interesting.
*The People. I’m not talking about the people that crowd the sidewalks or run the government. Nah, those I’ll be happy to leave behind. But I talking about the women in the shelter, my co-workers, the international migrant community here that has become a source of community and inspiration for me. I love the guys who work in our office who make my stomach hurt from laughing as they sing “Hey You Guys” from Legally Blonde the musical. My co-workers are full time volunteers who have full-time jobs as well, but still manage to bring in baked goods and fun lunches on occasion. We celebrate successful conferences and spend the holidays celebrating on the beach with BBQ and Karaoke. They have welcomed me whole-heartily to their community, and have taught me so much about the workings of the world, the cost of justice and the beauty of compassion.
*Banche. She gets her own shout-out, cause she’s just so darn cute. Banche is a dog that technically belongs to one of our volunteers, but in all honesty belongs to everyone. We all take turns loving on her, playing with her and feeding her apples (her favorite). Its been incredibly difficult to live without a dog after living with four dogs. Leaving Hank behind, even though I know he’s in a loving home, was almost as hard as leaving my friends and family. I miss the comfort of my furry companion, and Banche has been more than willing to fill in for awhile.
<— I mean, seriously, how cute is she??
*Public Transportation. Who knew that I could love life without a car? As much as I loved (and miss) aimless driving and the independence that comes with having your own car, I have to admit that I love not having to worry about brake pads and oil changes and gas money. I love walking to work or taking the train or the ferry home from the office. I love that I can hop on a train and get just about anywhere in this city. And Hong Kong has really done a great job of offering as many forms of public transportation as possible. Buses, mini-buses, trolleys, trams, the MTR (subway) and ferries. Its more than convenient. Its more than just environmentally conscious. Its a time and money saver that keeps my legs active and my eyes open as I walk the streets.
*The Protests. Valerie made a comment on the last post about how interesting it is that protests and rallies are such a common part of my life now. Four years ago, heck, a year ago, that wasn’t the case. I attended my first protest in New York last summer. Now I average two a month. I love the feeling of getting out there, waving signs, listening to passionate speeches, saying to whoever it is that needs to be told, “We know what you are doing. We don’t like it. And we aren’t going to be quiet about it.” Plus, protests usually make for some GREAT pictures. 
Its easy for me to fantasize about how great and wonderful “home” is. And it is, don’t get me wrong. But sometimes while looking for greener pastures, I forget that there is perfectly good grass right under my own feet.
So here’s the thing about politics
I’ve never talked about it. Really, ever. With anyone. Not my parents, not my friends, not even Kris. When it comes to politics, I keep my mouth shut tight! For most of high school, honestly I didn’t really care one way or the other about politics. Then, my senior year came around and I realized, I’m about to step out into this world, and well, I’m gonna have a say in it! It was a really exciting discovery for me! I was co-founder and president of the Debate Team (I know, I’m a nerd. I was also top the class in my public speaking class – interesting, huh?) My senior year, we held the first ever high school debate on school board elections. Our team organized for 4 different candidates to come in and participate in the debate, I was a moderator. I was eating that stuff up. I was good at it, and I enjoyed it. But lord you still didn’t talk about it at the dinner table. sure, everyone was proud to see my face in the newspaper, but no one ever discussed the actual election unless you wanted a heated discussion, which no one really did. I guess in my hometown, you chose not to talk about, because, what if you didn’t vote for your cousin’s best friend, who also happened to be running for state representative. (no kidding - my cousin’s best friend is our state rep right now) So it was personal, and rather than hurting someone’s feelings, you just didn’t talk about it.
Then I get to college and I’m surrounded by really smart and passionate people - poly sci majors and poly sci major wanna-bes. And I was changing as a person, my values, my outlook on life – as well as my political views. But, I didn’t feel anywhere near as knowledgeable as my friends, so again, I kept my mouth shut, this time, because I didn’t want to look stupid. I didn’t talk about a lot of things in college outside of religion. Religion I knew, everything else, well, there was someone else who knew the subject better than I did and at the time I was fairly content to let them talk. I’m really a listener at heart.
Then I get to seminary and Roma’s – and there, even though no one actually knew any of the politicians, people took it super seriously and personally. If you voted for the wrong guy, you voted against religion, or for religion, and I’m not sure which is worse. If you talked about it and someone disagreed, things were sure to get heated. Talking about the presidential election over the bartop at work is never a good idea. Neither is talking about it in the seminary cafeteria. Beer and bibles make people really self-righteous when it comes to politics. If you didn’t vote like them, well, obviously you were wrong. And they’d tell you why too. So, again, I kept my mouth shut about politics. Which was again, ok, because I was learning to open up in talking about other things – fair trade, social justice, music, history, literature, art – and people liked my opinions and thought that I was interesting to talk to. So they seemed to let it slide that I never talked about politics.
This summer, at training in NYC - I was surrounded for a very short but intense time with people who were a lot like me, and nothing like me. We laughed, prayed, sang, discussed, cried, and prayed some more. There were A LOT of discussions about the upcoming year of elections. Many of our placement sites would be 100% effected by the results of the elections, the Democrats vs. the Republicans. Who was in office really mattered to the heart of what we were doing. Or so they argued. Because it seemed like every candidate had something wrong with them, or something good to offer. Someway to combine social justice with running a country well. Or not. Again, I kept my mouth shut, because I hadn’t done my research yet, and knew it was really too early to form an opinion about a candidate. And, by now, it was habit to not say anything. Even when directly asked, I was an expert on round-about answers that didn’t answer the question but didn’t frustrate the asker. I had already been given the title Wise – I was one of the older team members, the only seminary graduate, and I guess all that time keeping my mouth shut allowed me to form some decent thoughts that people seemed to appreciate. So, even though I didn’t talk about politics, I was wise.
Now I’m here in Hong Kong, and I don’t have a choice when it comes to talking about politics. People here are so well-versed on what is going on in America, its embarrassing. I have done more research these last few months about candidates, debates, voting history – than I have in my entire life. Combined. I have to be on my game, because when Father Dwight asks me what I think about the war in Iraq, or Bush’s presence in the Philippines, or Obamas most recent debate with Clinton, or who the heck is Huckabee and wasn’t there a movie about him?…they all expect me to answer, because well, I’m the token American. There is no default person to go to, no one else to let shoulder the responsibility of political opinions. Just me. And I’ll tell you what, I really enjoy talking about it. I can speak, passionately and intelligently, about candidates, ideas, laws…and if people don’t agree, they just chalk it up to cultural differences, and we move on. An interesting discussion on the table, now who wants more fish? And again, my views are changing – I’m gaining a more global perspective, which I guess is to be expected. But I’m more concerned, not just about what the next president will do about the war in Iraq, but what can they do for peace talks in Israel, or about pulling the troops out of the Philippines? How do their policies effect commerce with China or trade with Indonesia? There’s a whole other world outside of America – where has it been all this time, other than on the green night-vision screen of the nightly news?
I told someone a few weeks ago who I voted for in the last election. The first and only person I’ve ever told. I’ve just always let people assume about my politics by the way I live. You think I voted Democrat? Cool. You think I voted Republican? Cool. Am I going to tell you if you are right or wrong. Nope. That’s the stance I’ve always taken. And while I am gaining a new confidence in my political opinion here in Hong Kong, I’m not ready to share it with the folks back home. Kris and I talk about it a little more. I know better than to broach the subject with my father because we both love playing devil’s advocate. My brother, bless his heart – if I’m the bleeding heart liberal my mom thinks I am, Michael is the left wing hate the right wing liberal. But then again, he’s 17, and figuring out how to buck the system – he’ll mellow out one day. When I posted the quote from Obama it was with much trepidation. Because I feared that in posting a quote, even if its a GREAT quote from an excellent speech, it would make people assume that I’m voting for Obama. Everyone wanna know my dirty little secret? Lean in a little closer. Shhhh… I’m registered Republican. Ha! Raise your hand if you saw that one coming. So I can’t vote for Obama OR Clinton in the primaries. I get to wait and see who comes out on top, and then make my decision about the presidential election. Chances are I will be an emotional voter. Or maybe not, I have been doing my research after all!
Anyway, that’s what I think about politics. I’ll be honest, its taking a lot of courage to be looking down at that publish button. Because I try to live my life avoiding confrontation. I’m a people pleaser, and if there’s ever the possibility that I could offend or hurt someone with my words, it tears me apart. So please, family, friends, YAMs, I hope that you find no offense in the words above. It was never that you suppressed me from speaking, I am the one who never opened her mouth before now.
Our first walk together
To get us started, I wanted to let you know why I have created yet another site. It is not so that I can cover all the internet bases. It is not to fit in. It is so we will have a space that is safe to share ideas, not just updates. I want to have a place whose sole purpose is to be an outlet of expression, growth and exchange. So please join me. I want to hear your thoughts. I want to keep discussions flowing as though you were right beside me, walking down an easy path. If you are learning something new, through Scripture, or church, of where ever else, feel free to share it here. If you want to discuss any topic, let me know, and we will get it going. Feel free to bring others into this conversation. I don’t intend for this to be a place of arguing nor for it to be a place where a difference of opinion elevates someone. We are all thinkers, and I want to know what you are thinking. I look forward to our walk….
