My America

As an American I might not be as patriotic as some. I might not all be decked out in red white and blue. I also won’t be carrying around a gun or a six pack of beer. Yes I was born in this country and our Deceleration of independence is on July 4th. We are are a great nation but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t things in this country that need to change. Like how we treat our neighbors for example. I am less than impressed with some of the things I have seen and read about on the news. I am not a fan of racism or bigotry and I don’t think anyone deserves to be treated as less of an American or less of a human just because they were born in another country or practice a different religion.  As an American I feel like it is important to welcome anyone who comes to this country as long as they come in peace and to accept them with open arms weather they were born her or not. Weather they consider themselves an American or not. America is a big melting pot any ways. Different cultures mixed together. The America we know and love was founded on the backs of immigrants who sailed here from all over the world. Some by choice others not so much by choice but we are a bunch of cultures mixed together in the red white and blues. That’s what makes America so special. It is my social duty as an American to learn about other cultures and to brake down barriers.  so that i can have a better understanding of them. Most of my friends are from other cultures and that’s what is so beautiful about them. . They are not all out to get us or to set bombs of and not all of them hate us or are American haters. Many are people like us trying to get jobs to feed their families and trying to get an education to fulfill their goals in life. Most are here to contribute to society not take away from it. I know we here a lot on the news but not all of it is true. Sometimes we just need to dig a little deeper and meet the person and learn their language and history to get a better understanding. You don’t know until you ‘ve walked a mile in that persons shoes. We are not a white christian nation anymore. We are a red white blue Muslim christian black white Jewish gay straight and everything in between the lines nation and the colors run deep and blend together. Thats what makes america.M

Let there be peace.

Since 9/11 we have made numerous wars with other countries to "defend"  our national freedom when there wasn't even a threat. All it has really done is make the problem worse. First it started in Afghanistan the war on terror, Then we went into Iraq because there were supposed to be weapons of mass destruction which were never found. Then to Pakistan for even more war on terror. Then Operation ocean  Field for even more war on terrorism. Then to the Liberian civil war as part of the Liberian crisis  and finally the war on ISIL for more war on terror. Like when does the fighting stop and those are just the wars overseas.

We are fighting war here too on our own soil. Most of the do not fly list is Muslim or middle eastern. Most Muslim people I know have gotten stopped at airports at leased once even if they haven't done anything wrong or set anything off. We are hell bent on security in the United States.

On the internet we have a bunch of anti Muslim hate groups and hate preachers which the media covers up. Like that stupid Pamela Geller woman or the Freedom defense fund. Makes a Muhammad drawing contest  posts about it on the internet then she gets all upset when two men try to commit and act of terror when she knew full well that it was offensive to Muslims. Not everybody is going to take to that kindly and the blood is on her hands. It was pure baiting. Then the media reports and portrays Muslims as being these evil scary people who want to kill us all. Then of course some people react with similar biased and its all fear mongering. There are a lot of untrue stereotypes about Muslims I see see and read about that are being portrayed by the media and some people actually believe them which is sad. Its not going to make things any better for both sides.  Islam is a beautiful religion and most Muslims are peaceful people. I know there is a lot of Political uprisings in some of the Muslim countries but that's a government issue and has nothing to do with the millions of innocent people getting killed by bombs every day. Just because someone comes from one of those countries is no reason to fear them.

In the last year numerous unarmed people of color have been shot by police for things they haven't done. After all in this country we are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. Then some white guy goes into a church and murders nine black people doing their prayers. When he's arrested he is outfitted with a bullet proof vest and given Burger king. I am sure none of the unarmed black men were offered burger king.

In the last year there has been a real racial uprising. With the white supremacists with their confederate flags waving in the wind saying that its free speech. No it's not its hate speech. Why should an innocent black man who was just murdered have his casket drive past that in this century?. Then when there are Protests in Ferguson and in Baltimore people have a problem with it. I get that there were lootings and thats not the proper way to go about it but still we need peace. In my opinion these people have every right to protest when they are being gunned down. The police brutality especially when it comes to young black  men has just gotten out of control and we've got to fix it.

In the United States we still have the KKK and other white supremacist hate groups. Hell bent on hating black people. Granted thank god they aren't as powerful now as they were back then. History even has it it that five of our US presidents were part of the KKK. That group back in the day we all know did horrible unspeakable things. 

In this day and age with everything that is going on we need to come together and learn about each others cultures. We need to create peace among ourselves. Nobody likes war. Its not about color, religion or money. Its about being human and slowly I think things are coming together. I think its great that gay marriage passed but there's still more work that needs to be done in the race and religion part.  When I see Kids of different races and nationalities hanging out together I secretly smile because it means there is hope.  Rip down those hateful flags let them burn and throw down your guns. Things are changing and the wars we have with each other need to end. No matter what race or religion. Let freedom ring. Let there be peace on earth for everyone, everywhere all the time.

Lessons With Friends

I have had a lot of friends through out the years. Not all of them good but not all of them bad either. I believe that some people come in to your life to stay and others come into your life to teach a lesson. Sometimes it's a good lesson that teaches you what kind of a friend you really want.  Like for me I have always been a very generous and caring person. I want my friends to be happy but sometimes I forget to think about my own happiness before others and it can lead me into trouble. I don't like to give up on people sometimes even when they have wronged me multiple times. I am very loyal to my friends until there sometimes is no alternative but to give up on them. I always feel bad about it but some times it is for the better and its not because I didn't try.  I have often gotten taken advantage of when it comes to friends because of my gentle nature. It has been easy in some cases for people to walk all over me and not give it a second thought. Other people have come into my life like welcoming mats. They seem all nice and I get comfortable with them. We share stories and experiences. We go on outings and share moments of our lives together that we can never get back. Suddenly when all seems fine and dandy they turn on you and like a knife to the heart they leave you in the dust and everything you knew comes crumbling. Those are are the types of friends that come in to teach a lesson when the lesson if over for better or for worse when they leave.

Thankfully not everyone is like that. Some people are good sweet gentle friends treat me with decency. These friends are like gold. Always there when I need them. These friends are like gold to me. Always there to cheer me up if I ever get sad or lonely. I don't like to depend on anybody and sure I don't need them but they do make a little life better. Some people have come into my life and for whatever reason like they were in your life before and you didn't know it just like sparks on the forth of July it happens and we just click. It's funny because usually when these friends come into my life its usually at a time when I leased expect them to or at times when I am leased looking for a friend but I am happy I did. These special people come into my life and I just know its like I have known them all along. I don't know if its luck or what the reason is but its like it was all sort of meant to be like part of gods plan. As the years go by and as time goes on I can't remember my life without them. Like I can't remember a time where I didn't know that person or when they weren't a part of my life. I wouldn't want it any way I love my life and the people in it. They say things happen  for a reason but I love my friends. Maybe it was just fate  or chance that I have such wonderful friends but what ever the reason I feel like the luckiest person alive.I think the lesson here is things happen for better or worse. My dear sweet forever friends you know who you are we will together forever. Like footprints in the sand your names, the names of my friends are always in my heart forever because we are forever friends. HEARTS & KISSES!!!

Come Together

They say racism is dead but its clearly not.I see prejudice everyday on the news. People just like you and me  divided into class, race,culture,ethnicity,disability, religion. etc. Enough with it all ready can't we just be humans?. What would it take for us all to be seen as equals. My skin might be white but I am not heartless. I would like to see one day my fellow humans be able to walk down the street without being judged by the color of their skin or what they might be wearing on their heads.

I see racism everyday walking down the street I have a neighbor who likes to hang his confederate flag out side of his window in San Francisco. One of the most liberal cities in America. I get that we have free speech and I am not against it but there's I time and place for something like that but I don't want to see something like that and I don't think any other decent person does either. it has no place in my neighbor hood across the street from a middle school for all the kids to see it and I don't really think a message or racism is really the best message to be sending to young impressionable people.

Everyday on the news I see more than a one racist bigoted article on the morning news. More white on black crime done by cops or white supremacists and we are sitting here more worried sometimes about getting bombed by terrorists in the middle east when we have our own homegrown backyard terrorists like the KKK and neo nazis to worry about who pose more of a threat to us than the terrorists over seas. We forget that we have our own problems to deal with. America isn't all sunshine and roses either folks.

A white guy guns down nine innocent black people in a church during a prayer service and the cops dress him in a bullet proof vest and burger king. Then you have the innocent unarmed black kids getting gunned down on the streets for crimes they did not commit. Then some people feel that they have the right to complain because of the protesting. Then you have even more violence and robberies which don't solve anything.

I look through the articles on Yahoo and if there is any kind of article involving Muslims weather its good or bad you always get the comments to follow that are sometimes almost just as bad as the article its self usually about something hateful like "all the Muslims want to kill us" or some ridiculous stereotype about Muslims like that they can't be friends with non Muslims.  Some of these comments are even threatening and nobody does anything about it. In my opinion if someone is threatening to kill a Muslim person or any person then they are just as bad as the terrorists.

People don't seem to talk about Islamophobia the same way that they do other types of racism. Its becoming a big problem, its getting worse and the media is not helping the situation. Earlier this year we had three young Muslims that were gunned down by some white guy over what they believed in and the media called it a parking dispute. Excuse me that wasn't a parking dispute and the media knows it. They were not terrorists but innocent young people trying to better themselves in college and Unless we do something about it its only going to get worse in my view and we are only going to see more crimes like this one.

Black, white, Christian, Jewish, Muslim it's time for us to destroy the prejudice and stereotypes that divide us because when we come together we can do great things. Its going to be a sad day when we become so blinded by hate and fear that we forget that we are all human beings and to treat each other with kindness, care, respect , dignity, LOVE AND EQUALITY.

Ramadan fast part 2

Today was the second day of my Ramadan fast. I again had breakfast  at 3:00 am but today I ended it at 9:00 pm. The second day was easier than the first one.  I didn't feel the hunger as much. I kept myself occupied most of the day working on the computer mostly and chatting with friends which was fun.I was tired but I wanted to keep going and I succeeded both days and got through it. I was honestly really very honored by this whole experience.  To be able to fast a long side my friends and others. Like I have said before I have never fasted before for anything. This was truly a fun life changing experience for me and I enjoyed it. For these past two days I really felt like we were unified as one in this holy fast. It was really peaceful and I really felt a lot of togetherness the whole time. I was oddly really invigorating .It made me feel really good to do this with the people I love and for those maybe I have yet to meet. I would do this all again. I hope to experience this again maybe next year. We will see what the future holds.

I came up with this whole idea to fast after seeing an article online about how a group of Muslims were celebrating lent so that game me the idea. If they can celebrate lent with their catholic friends then why couldn't I do the same thing only with Ramadan?. I enjoyed this experience. I remember when I first told my friends they were pleasantly surprised by me wanting to do this and it took a lot of convincing with my family. I had a lot of help from my friends so that I would know how to fast safely and how to brake the fast without getting myself sick. I was in good hands. I couldn't have done this without the help of my friends and I thank them for it. I was proud to fast a long side them this Ramadan.

This was a real learning experience for me. I am happy to have had it. I learned a lot from it about myself and it really gave me a lot of discipline. This was a lot more challenging then I expected at first. Like I was really hungry especially yesterday but at the same time it felt good. Honestly I was really happy and honored to have joined my friends in a peaceful Ramadan fast this weekend. It was definitely a new experience but its done now for me anyway.

If I had one prayer for Ramadan or one wish it would be for world peace. I know it sounds cheesy but I feel like the world could really use a lot of unity right now and I feel like we really do need to come together in a lot of ways and show the world that we can come together as one and for one weekend I fasted with my Muslim friends as a non Muslim for one weekend. Wish them a happy Ramadan Mubarak as they continue their fasts and happy prayers this Ramadan.

Ramadan fast part 1

Today was the first of two days. I fasted for Ramadan and I did it I got through the first day and I am proud of myself. I will be doing this again tomorrow. I started the day at 3:00 am for breakfast and I ended my fast at roughly 8:40pm . it was a wonderful experience and I learned a lot from it.  It was my first fast. I have never fasted for anything before. It was definitely quite the experience. It wasn't easy at first I won't lie there were definitely times where I wanted to give up and quit but I pressed on and I did it. I got through the first day of fasting. I am honestly quite proud of myself for doing this especially with the approvals of some of my friends who seamed quite toughed at my willingness to do this but this and it gave me all the more reason to do it but its not just for them. Honestly I am also doing this for the millions of Muslims who are good people being oppressed by the media everyday. Ramadan from what I know has such a beautiful meaning of giving and sacrifice. This is my way of giving back. Islam isn't a bad religion there are good and bad people in every religion and in every culture. That doesn't make the whole religion bad or all the people who follow it bad. No one no matter what the religion should have to apologize for crimes they did not commit. Following a particular religion isn't  a crime. Not all Muslims make bombs in their living rooms or plan to blow us up. when did we become so wrapped up in our stereotypes that we don't see Muslims as people. Living breathing people who have as much right to pray and wear what they want on their heads just like everyone else. I am tired of all the fear and Islamiphobia. That's why I am fasting this weekend. Some of the nicest people I know happen to be Muslim. they have accepted me for who I am Just as I accept them for who they are. They are some of the best friends I have ever had and I love them. They have my back and I will always have theirs. It doesn't matter to me what they are wearing. I all Muslims to be able to walk out their doors without being labeled terrorists or foreigners and so what If they are. They have as much right to be in American as anyone else I am sick and tired of all the drama and fear mongering on the news. We have the first amendment which is freedom of religion and that means the right to pray to whatever god you want, the right to follow any religious book you want and the right to wear any kind of religious clothing we want and that goes for everybody. Religion is not terrorism and that's why I fast.

So far this has been a life changing experience  I want to thank my friends though not all of them are physically near by this I feel connects me with them spiritually in fasting together.  This has been a fun experience and the fast will continue in day 2 tomorrow and I will keep everyone updated with part 2 about my second day of fasting tomorrow. Until then Peace everyone and happy fasting to those who are fasting and for those that are't. Have a peaceful day anyway.

One wish

If I had one wish it would be for people to stop hating each other. For people to realize that we are one and that we are all the same. We may have different skin colors but we are all people no matter where we might come from or what language we might speak. Lately I am getting a sense  that we are becoming more divided. Whenever I turn on the news I hear more white on black crime. Its always the same. White cop shoots unarmed black kid or something about Isis or al quida. Where does it end?. I am reading comments about how people hate Muslims or that they want moderate Muslims to apologize for the actions of others and for crimes they did not commit. Terrorism can come in any form and in any color its not just the Muslims. When do we ever ask anyone from any other religion to apologize for and act that they did not commit?. All I ever hear on the media involving Islam is negative stuff when I well know that not all Muslims are bad people. The only thing I hear is about some terrorist . It will be a great day when I no longer have to hear about Isis, Al quida or the next terrorist group that comes along.  We all know that media news stations such a Fox news are a bunch of racist bigots. So why do we keep listening to them? when does the media tell the truth?. All they do is tell you the stuff that they think they want you to hear and we buy into it. When you want to know about someones culture or religion its better to ask a person anyway?. Like how many popular main stream news anchors or media people are Muslims anyway? How much do they really know anyway?. It will be a sad day in American and in the rest of the world when we become so blinded by hate that we forget to love our fellow human beings. My wish is to come together and to one day be able to walk down the streets as human beings with open arms hand in hand as one. Its up to us to come together and put each others religions and races aside and just come together as people and as human beings. When is race or culture or religion an excuse for doing harm to somebody else?. Its not. We are all neighbors, friends, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, mothers, fathers and everything else. We are all family but more importantly we are all people. If someone is wearing a religious garment or eating a different food or doing something else that's different from what your use to it shouldn't be a barrier from getting to know them as people because underneath all that they are human just like you and me. Why not just take it as an opportunity to learn something about someone else's culture and ask them?. You might be surprised  at what you might learn or the friend you might make. Open some new doors. Read a new chapter. There needs to be more ways and more opportunitys for us to come together all of us different races, cultures and religions. Muslims non Muslims black, white you name it come together just as people. Otherwise nothing is going to change. It doesn't matter what color of skin we are in and we can end this race war and the hatred and bigotry the same way we started it. Sure I was born in America or the land of the free that I can't help but no one else can help what culture religion or race they were brought up in. So let's do what we can help. Let's come together as people first race or religion and everything else second let's put our race baggage behind. When we are able to find love for each other where hate was nothing else matters. When we brake  barriers and erase hate that is where freedom is. It's not in money or the things that we buy. Freedom and happiness  comes from humanity and the love we have for each other as humans  and then comes peace and then no more war we get peace. That is my one wish.