We Humans are Resilient.
First, I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read my blog, while emphasizing that you are resilient. This is the last thing I will post for the unforeseeable future so that I can focus on meeting my tenure-track goals. I cannot blog and write academic articles simultaneously, so this is my goodbye for a long while. If I do not get five academic articles published, then I lose the job I love. There is a standard set for assistant professors, and we either ‘publish or perish’. I choose to publish, or at minimum, give it my very best effort. All is well with me, and I’m still writing, just not on this platform. Those of you that do read my blog, please send me well-wishes, prayers, good intentions, or anything else that you think will help my academic writing get published. Thank you for your kindness, and now back to resilience. We are resilient. You are resilient. I am resilient too. We are all resilient and know how to persevere. That ability to overcome, to survive and thrive, is engrained in the very nature of our existence. During a pandemic, we are reminded daily that we have less control over our lives than what we normally think. To regain a sense of control we can choose to focus on the thoughts, “We are resilient. You are resilient. I am resilient too.” We can also choose to focus on the things we can control, instead of what is out of our control. The pandemic is out of our control, but preventing ‘pandemicmonium’, so I will coin, is in our control. How do we prevent pandemicmonium? I think by first becoming aware of how the pandemic affects us as individuals. Once we have awareness about how we think, feel, act, and interact then we can work on areas we want to improve. This is an individualized journey, and very different for each of us. However, do not forget that “We are resilient. You are resilient. I am resilient too.” That is the best advice I can give, is to empower you all to become aware and identify your own ways of coping with our world crisis. I also encourage us all, to the best of our abilities, to diffuse pandemicmonium. In closing, for now and a long while, I will share some related tidbits I wrote:
We are resilient. You are resilient. I am resilient too.
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This is a call to action. As global citizens we are obligated to future generations to make sure that another global pandemic never happens again. WE are obligated to protect our planet from global warming. We are obligated to protect their futures. Children who have yet to be born, will fully have to deal with the consequences of globalization and its influence on national environments, governments and economies. The word national is within international, and we all seem to have forgotten that.
What I do know as history major, is that when a bad country goes unchecked, the human race suffers to the extreme. It makes me angry when people compare anything to a Holocaust concentration camp, when pictures in books showed me cramped trains and ashes of burned Jews settling on the newly arrived as they first encountered Auschwitz. I bring this up because China is a bad country going unchecked, which is proved in the ways they handled and handle COVID-19. They have been lying and are lying to maintain control over the world’s global economy. We are in a precarious time in history, and we are obligated to future generations to establish safety and security. WE must hold ourselves accountable and make changes before it gets any worse. It is not quantifiably possible that China has less deaths than Italy, when COVID-19 has been present there since November and they are the most populous country in the world. Those numbers do not add up and this is clearly a Chinese coverup of a major mess up. China has been is lying to us, simply to maintain economic control. What about people? I’m talking about Chinese people too. What about people all over the world and within China? We are all sick! It is time to check the Chinese government NOW! The world has become too dependent yet again on a single country. And this country has infected the whole world knowingly with a deadly disease. They manufacture everything! EVERYTHING! International should not mean that everything is made in China. Not only does this cause nation states to be dependent on a single country, it allows that same country to treat their citizens as if they are nothing. Pennies for a day’s work and forced silence about a sickness as they went to manufacture our imports, their exports. This is all deduced from my current knowledge and historical knowledge of China. They never cared about human rights- bound feet and various attempts at population control including infantile homicide. And this is the country the whole world is currently dependent on. Out of all the countries in the world, we had to become dependent on China’s government. And this is to the determent of all. When I think international, I think national. I think about the stunning and diverse qualities across countries and continents. I think about how every single country in this world needs to make drastic changes so that China no longer goes unchecked and so that we can adequately protect our future. You all know what happened when Germany went unchecked for too long. We had WORLD WAR II and 20 million causalities. National economies need to be what composes the international economy. The last thing we need is World War III after COVID-19, and whose to stop China if we don’t stop depending on their economy? Every single country has vibrant qualities and people who want to work. Instead of outsourcing, we need to start insourcing. Each country should make their own nationally driven imports, unique to them to trade. For example, Sicily has the very best oranges anywhere, yet I ate a Pomelo from China while in Italy. That is an example of how national was removed from international. When it comes to Italy, I relate to Bubba from Forrest Gump. I can go on and on about Italy, and especially Southern Italy. I have so many ideas about how to elevate Italy’s economy. That’s one of my thought breaks from social work, thinking about Italy. I can’t speak about every global country because I simply don’t know as much about everybody else as I do about Italy. So let me use Italy as my case example. Southern Italy has some of the best water in the whole world, something that people would pay $5.00 a bottle for, and noi Calabresi get to fill glass bottles for free. Yet there are no jobs in Calabria! I don’t ever want to ruin La Sila, but economic growth is possible in every region within Italy. People could even make sachets from the pine needles covering the forest ground in the Sila. There are so many products that can be made by nationalists within their nation. My list is endless, and I want to reiterate that I strongly believe Venice needs to charge an entrance fee, at least a couple hundred euro that people will pay in the train station before entering. That money should initially be used to stabilize the structural foundation of Venice by paying the most talented and creative engineers. I miscounted the other day; I have been to exactly 17 of the 20 regions of Italy. Each of these 20 regions, like Venice and La Sila, has their own unique goods that people want to buy from all over the world. I think that this is probably true for every country. I know in the USA, each state has its own personality and with that tradeable goods. I also know that America checks bad countries, with the help of their allies. I am pleading with the governments of the world to change how we engage economically. Let me reiterate international does not mean made in China. Us citizens within our countries, we have voices too and we need to make them heard loud and clear by our governments. Please change the nature of global economics. Instead of outsourcing, insource and trade national goods internationally. Put national back into international. Checkmate China. We don’t need more trouble. Don’t just protect our future generations, protect us. I want to trade with the good guys.
In the worst of times, like right now, it feels impossible to stay positive. Each day the death toll rises and more people are infected with COVID-19. You know I look at live stats more than daily with the hope that Italy will get better, and that newly infected countries will slow the spread of disease. I approach looking at these stats with hope, even when the numbers jab at my heart.
Although born in the USA, my origins and roots have always been planted in Italian soil. The number of Italian infections is second highest behind China. For the first time, I feel relief that my Nonna Francesca died last August, since it kept her safe from a horrific death and the emotional turmoil now omnipresent in Italy. With that relief is also a lot of sadness for the country and the people within that I love so dearly. The best sleep I ever experienced was when I lived in Florence and even had the sweetest sleep on stones near the canal, outside of Venice’s train station. I have visited and left my thumb print in every region of Italy, but I haven’t even visited half of the 50 states. I feel emotional turmoil for Italy and the world. Like COVID-19, the emotional upheaval is spreading and some would argue its worse than the virus itself. It’s not the empty shelves at the grocery store, but rather those moments at home when finding hope becomes challenging. COVID-19 is devastating in and of itself, but what makes it even worse is a lack of hope that things will get better. Almost two decades ago, I was a history major and studied the worst times in history. Both World Wars, the Great Depression, the enslavement of people on American soil, and so on. The main takeaway I got as a history major was this- people are resilient and adaptable. We get through heart-wrenching times, and become better as a result of them. When issues become international, we learn from our mistakes and make efforts not to repeat them. We become better at being human and humane once the clouds of misfortune lift. Fox-Piven and Cloward (1972) in their book, Regulating the Poor, theorize that social change is always instigated by civil disorder. Throughout their book, they give examples of how social unrest forced governments to institute much-needed changes like the establishment of a federal welfare system in the United States. It’s not so much the government regulating those that live in poverty, but people working to regulate the institutions that govern them. Without a doubt, we are existing in a state of social unrest caused by a newly formed virus. However, I believe that WHO, CDC, doctors, specialists and scientists will cure us of this disease. I have hope that this too shall pass. When it does, we as people will rise and make a better world based on the disease that sickens and binds us simultaneously. My mind has been racing trying to find answers why our world has been inflicted with COVID-19. I have no answers, but I do know that people are resilient and we will get through this. People must suffer severely before governments will change. It is time for us, governments and people, to start changing how we engage with our world. People will pay hundreds of dollars or euros to watch a sporting match, but they enter Venice for free even though the weight of people are literally causing it to sink. With an entrance fee, Venice can stabilize its foundation. People, including myself, are left without a religion because Vatican City refuses to make changes that would save Catholicism. Why can’t priests get married? Why can’t nuns become priests? How about creating jobs in Southern Italy and Sicily? Everyone wants something from Italy. These are just a few ideas about how COVID-19 can instigate much-needed change at least in Italy. How can we take this social turmoil and transform it into a better international union? As a social scientist and a woman of faith, I must think of social solutions to feel better about the state of our lives. Although, I don’t know when we will overcome this disease…I do know that we will overcome this disease. In the meantime, our best defense is hope. Our best defense is identifying solutions to social problems that existed before and were exacerbated by COVID-19. Our best defense is to require governments to change how they operate. We are our best defense because people are resilient and pliable. Yesterday, the stats on Italy and the Coronavirus were not updated. For a morning, I saw Italy with no new cases or deaths, which made me feel like I was floating on hope. Even after the stats were updated, I was still left with unwavering hope. I know one day I will be able to look at those stats and see that every country is better, not just Italy. Hope is not a fleeting phenomenon. Hope is what gets us through the worst times in history. Hold hope, not just in your hearts, but especially in your thoughts. This too shall pass and we will all rise. Hold hope. Hug Hope. Hear Hope. Heal through Hope. Hope is our best defense. I hope all of you reading this blog are doing your best to stay safe. I also hope that you all will heed hope. This too shall pass and we will all rise. ,What right do I have to judge you? What right do you have to judge me? What right does anyone have to judge any other living being? None. No one has the right to judge.
This is true even for a judge, who simply assesses a variety of court documents, testimonies, and expert witness statements before determining consequences to a single action, or series of actions that are deemed illegal by society. In other words, a judge makes conclusions based on knowledge presented rather than simply judging defendants. The same is true for child protective service caseworkers who enter a home based on an often anonymous tip. Those same social workers must assess the home environment, elicit information about family functioning, and then draw conclusions leading to action steps, while keeping in mind what is best for the children involved. In order for a judge or social worker to adequately do their jobs, they must refrain from judgement. In other words, they are drawing unbiased conclusions, again without their personal biases that would otherwise prevent them from being effective at their jobs. Webster’s dictionary defines judgement as asserting an opinion or belief. Admittedly, judgement has at least six definitions, but this particular one is worth challenging because it is wrong to impose a personal opinion or belief on another human being regardless of their class, race, gender, sexual orientation/identity, living arrangements, education and a series of other conditions. As a social worker, my educators, mentors, trainers, supervisors, colleagues and students all rooted and confirmed my understanding of a strengths-based approach when interacting with others. This means every time I meet anyone, I look for their strengths, qualities, ambitions, interests, abilities, and talents before all else. As an educator, I attempt to amplify a strengths-based approach since I am now vicariously practicing through my students. That means I encourage them to constantly look for the good in their clients and to base their services and targeted interventions on the basis of clients' strengths. Countless times as a practitioner, I noticed that an emphasis on strengths and normalizing people’s problems empowers people to help themselves. Had I judged any of my previous clients then I would have done them a terrible disservice. Who am I to judge them? What right does any person have to judge anyone else, whether they are a social worker or not? People have no right to judge others because every single person in this world has made a mistake and everyone struggles at some point in their lives. Me, personally, I had a rough adolescence. My early experiences with grief made me feel like I was living in a black hole and I could not see my way out for a few years. I put my trust in the wrong people. I made too many mistakes for me to count. I did not trust myself. I listened when I should have ignored. I acted when I should have refrained from action. I suffered. I also watched loved ones suffer, and I suffered with them. I experienced an identity crisis that many teenagers experience and this had its consequences. I know what it feels like to have my face hit the bottom of rock bottom as a youth. Should I be judged for the adolescent I was? For many years after I did judge myself until I learned about what it really means to be a social worker. I do not think it is right to judge me for who I was, especially since those experiences made me a social worker who practiced, educates, researches, and writes without judgement. Every single worst that I experienced provided me with information to service those in need and made me a better educator. I have first-hand knowledge instead of second-hand information, which is more valuable to me than the most precious gem. Recently, in my attempts to aide others I have shared some of my personal struggles, again as a youth who struggled and not an adult. As a grown woman, I have completely dedicated myself to the social work profession- its values, goals, approaches, beliefs, and care for the well-being of all members of society. I received a backlash of judgement for sharing my experiences and I feel that this is unacceptable. Not simply because it is unwarranted, but more because it is wrong. Name one human being that has not made a mistake. Better yet, name one human being that has not made a series of mistakes. I know no one that fits that description. Judgement is dangerous and often it becomes a form of stigma. To judge is to dictate what is right or wrong for another person. Each one of us has had individual growing pains, and oftentimes we grow strong through struggles. Think of the many performers, like Robin Williams, who died because they did not want to experience judgement for having problems. Or what about neighbors in our communities who commits suicide? It happens in every community. We all have problems and to judge or stigmatize another, forces secrecy and that is not healthy. Instead, I believe we should not judge and we should encourage people to own who they are, including mistakes and issues, and then seek out help when it is necessary. What is the point of judgement? It is simply a way to put another person down so you feel better about yourself. I have a picture on my office door that says, “Strong people don't put others down. They lift them up.” When we admit that we all make mistakes, and that we all have problems, and that we all go through hard times it normalizes bad experiences for everyone. It makes services accessible because then people will actually use them without fear of judgement. I used to struggle with trauma and I got help. What used to be nightmares are now points of empowerment where I defend myself. I no longer have nightmares and this is because of the assistance I have received from professionals. I have anxiety and panic d/o so I continue to see professionals in order to cope better, and they are so helpful. I am not ashamed to say I need and use help. Actually, I hope this blog encourages the people reading it to refrain from judgement of anyone. I hope people who feel judged realize that judgement outside of a courtroom is wrong. I hope people who need help, but are afraid, change their minds and seek out help without fear of judgement. I can only speak for social workers, but I know that us a group employs a strengths-based approach to empowering people to overcome obstacles. I hope people stop judging themselves for their past or present, and instead hope and work toward a better tomorrow. I believe people are inherently good. I believe in people. I believe that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and worth regardless of anything. I believe in multiple chances, except when it comes to my heart. I believe in my heart’s work, which is to amplify the goodness in people, fight injustice, and promote social integration along with equality. What I do not believe in is judgement. What right do I have to judge you? What right do you have to judge me? What right does anyone have to judge any other living being? None. No one has the right to judge. ‘Let you who has never sinned throw the first stone.’ Not a single one us can throw a stone. Not a single one of us should judge others. In honor of my cousin Brian
Admittedly, this blog is difficult for me to write so I’ve been avoiding it, although it should have taken precedence. My cousin, Brian, is a heroin addict living in recovery. I am not ashamed of my cousin, quite the contrary, I am proud of and inspired by him. My challenges with writing this blog center on re-living the emotional heartache I experienced during the times he was actively addicted. It was just a very sad time of my life in and of itself. Thankfully my cousin exudes strength and is in recovery; however, his addiction is something he must confront daily. Let me start by talking about my dear cousin. Picture an adult-sized teddy bear come to life- that’s my cousin. There’s a sweet softness in his nature that is deeply hidden since he typically portrays himself and is believed to be the tough guy. That soft side is now more evident, if you pay attention, since he has become a husband and father. You see it every time he picks up one of his children or sits with his wife when she gets ill due to many health problems. That softness, derived from his ability to care and accept all without judgement, makes him that familiar teddy bear, ready to provide comfort when needed. Brian’s birthday is the day before mine and we would always celebrate together. He kindly never made an issue about the fact that I ruined his fourth birthday party when my mom went into labor. It is actually something special that our birthdays are so close together. My first unofficial job was walking around our neighborhood with him delivering newspapers. A joker in nature, he would make me laugh. His laugh is more like a chuckle that pokes at you to laugh with him. People would confuse us constantly as twins. We resemble each other more so than we do our actual siblings. We always treated each other as siblings too: Brian, my sister, and Brian’s brother. This was largely in part because the majority of our family lives in Italy, so all we had growing up was each other. One of his mottos was “don’t mess with my cousin or I’m going to mess with you” and typically when he was around, people would leave me alone. He was always there to give me advice and it was very apparent that he wanted to protect me. Who is to say what happened exactly or why, but at a young age my cousin got involved in using and selling drugs, mostly marijuana and then coke as he grew older. He dropped out of high school a few days before my sister’s wedding, one of the only times in our whole lives that family from Italy made the trip to visit us in Pittsburgh. He was pulled into the drug culture, and shared with me that being viewed as “cool” and that fast cash were definite motivators to get involved and further his engagement with drugs. Things went from bad to terrifying when I was an undergraduate student. He went from using cocaine to abusing heroin. It was as if my cousin disappeared. He was there physically, but inside he was unreachable. A sort of sad and distracted emptiness resided within. Even his physical form rapidly deteriorated- he went from being a roly-poly teddy bear to an eye-dazed skeleton. He lived in his car and robbed convenient stores, unarmed, in Oakland. I was actually employed at one of those stores and blamed myself for informing him that the cameras were fake. He eventually got caught, was sentenced to three years in prison, three years parole, and three years of probation. All of which, he successfully completed. His stint in prison was transformative. He started his recovery process and obtained his GED. He was released, got married, has two kids, and is now steadily employed as a union worker. Although finding employment and housing was very much a challenge at one point. He still attends meetings and works at his recovery. His prison time also metamorphosed me through some soul-searching. I started asking “WHY?!?” about so many things and not only needed, but required an answer. My answer was social work. Ever since the day social work answered me, I have been fully committed to my profession and am a better social worker because of Brian. My cousin’s experience was very formative in both my decision to be and my development as a social worker. I brought with me an understanding on how to relate and treat others in a non-judgmental manner because of him. He taught me the power of self-determination. He made the choice to overcome his addiction; not a single human being can take credit for his profound transformation. He taught me that life hurts sometimes, but these instances are temporary, and also opportunities to grab onto and manifest more strength. He magnified the impact of adversity and also instilled within me a desire to make society better by helping people in need. He forced me to think even more critically about stigma and the disillusionment it causes. There is nothing, not one thing wrong with my cousin; how society has treated him is wrong, simply because he has an addiction, actually a disease, which led him to prison. My cousin is wonderful as a matter of fact and I love him very much. He gave me the greatest gift of all by nudging me towards social work. Social work, this magnificent discovery, gave me my profession, my soul’s purpose, my niche, a written code of ethics that embodies who I am as a person, and truly one of the only things in life that makes absolute sense to me. The people (professors, professionals, clients, and now students) I have encountered throughout my years as a social worker rejuvenate me repeatedly. My cousin, Brian, has indirectly through me, impacted the lives of so many people in such a positive way because of his journey. For example, I have warned adolescents about the nature of heroin addiction. I have given hope by telling his story. I have treated people having addiction issues with dignity and worth, knowing that there’s nothing wrong with them, just like my cousin. I emphasize the power of self-determination to students. I respect self-determination in my own practice as a social worker. I write and in the future will conduct research to ignite societal change. Brian truly deserves to be honored because as he said, “85% of people that go to prison end up back in prison. I’m one of the 15% that didn’t go back”. I honor him too because he gifted me with my life’s purpose and taught me how to be an effective social worker. Brian is now helping people directly though his blog post. Brian shared his thoughts about addiction and how society can change to help people both actively addicted and living in recovery. Brian had these things to say:
Based on my conversations with Brian, I decided to make a few phone calls and gather more information about rehabs in Athens, GA and one in Pittsburgh, PA. In Athens, only one facility accepts Medicaid or Medicare. This facility is also the only one that accepts people without insurance. Typically the wait list is long and reaching them on the phone was impossible. It was through a privately-funded outpatient center in Athens did I even find out that only one provider accepts Medicaid/Medicare/fee-for-service. They told me to go there and show up at this facility if I wanted to speak with someone. This private treatment center also shared with me the cost of their own treatment. Although this facility only provides outpatient services, the cost of treatment ranges from $4,000-$7,000 per week depending upon the needs of the consumer. A sober living agency that provides no treatment whatsoever shared that to enter their program you must pay $770 up front and then $160 per week to stay there. As I was unable to reach the one provider that does accept Medicaid/Medicare/fee-for-service, I can’t actually speak to their treatment cost. I got similar information from an organization in Pittsburgh about cost, but was informed that many facilities in Pittsburgh accept Medicaid/Medicare. This provider also shared that rehabs throughout Pittsburgh will accept a person without insurance so long as they apply for Medicaid beforehand. County funds are used across the state to pay until Medicaid benefits start. However, admission to rehab and its associated delays is contingent upon what type of health insurance or lack thereof one has. Wait lists range typically from a few days to a couple of weeks. Sometimes those with insurance end up paying a great deal of money and aren’t admitted immediately to the inpatient center because of their insurance. The range in cost is widely dependent on the type of insurance. Out-of-pocket costs to attend this treatment facility are $4,760 for a week of detox, $3, 892 for a week of rehab, and $15, 568 for a full month of rehabilitation. Looking at these numbers, reminds me of what my cousin Brian said “it’s cheaper to use than it is to get help”. Those of you reading, what do you think needs to change to help people actively addicted, living in recovery, and also their family members? My cousin Brian made better suggestions about what needs to change than I could think of myself. The only thing I can think of adding is making sure that we honor people living with addiction. In my own life, I would like to use this blog to honor my cousin Brian. I also want to thank him for being who he is and helping me find social work. Thank you Brian! America’s heart goes out to the Bahamas
The America I know, the one that permitted immigrants like my parents to enter without barriers is the America I know feels devastated for the destruction of the Bahamas. When I say our hearts go out to the Bahamas, I mean the people I speak to everyday. We all feel horrible for the loss of life and ways of living on those two islands. It is hard to imagine the destitution caused by Hurricane Dorian- homes have become ponds and people live without access to food, healthcare, and drinkable water. Haitians hide in demolished villages, preferring to feel safe rather than fed. Most Americans visit the Bahamas for vacation without consideration of the people who built and maintained a place people wanted to visit. The large amount of work Bahamians did is only surpassed by their welcoming nature. Tourists were welcomed and an economy flourished to the benefit of us all. Hurricane Dorian demolished a vibrant place that people love. Our hearts go out to them, but American efforts to aide those in need are futile at best. This is not the fault of everyday people, who also struggle financially in what was once called ‘The Land of the Free’. Within an oppressive social system, it is difficult to provide pennies we don’t have to relieve those in greater need than ourselves. What a shame to lose the Bahamas we all love without the ability to help them rebuild. The Bahamas need support from countries all over the world, including the United States of America. I fear If we do not start making some policy changes regarding our climate or the assistance we give to other countries, then we will have more natural disasters that will completely alter the geography of our earth. We may not have all the pennies that the Bahamas need, but we do have a voice in American politics. We do have to ability to enact laws that will reduce green gas, save the Alaskan wildlife reserve, and institute infrastructure that works to massively reduce pollution everywhere. We live in the technological age and we should use this technology to help our Earth and the people who live on it. The America I love altered world politics and fought against tyrants. The America I love played the role of hero in both World Wars. The America I love helped countries in need and invited immigrants to live and relive the American dream. The America I love would save the planet so that future generations could cherish living. I know that within those great ideals there were horrific happenings of racial/social injustice. However, within that space everyday people came together to fight for equality and justice. We won major social battles although it feels like we are losing the war now. For us to truly assist the Bahamas we have to look at the grander picture of climate change and its horrifying impact on us as a collective group of people who inhabit the earth. This is not a call for socialism whatsoever, but it is a call for us to make democracy work like it did in the past. It’s a call for us to unite the way Americas did during the American Civil War, the Great Depression, The World Wars, the Civil Rights movement and every single other time we came together as citizens to decide what is best for America. As one of the major world powers, we the everyday people need to unify and decide to stop climate change and other acts of injustice. The America I know innovates and finds solutions to overcome insurmountable problems. Other world powers mimic us and it is our duty to give them something worth copying. The America I love no longer exists, but we can choose to make a better America, one that we will love more. We can choose who we elect. We can lobby for new legislation that yields a reverse of climate change before it’s too late. Our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren and so on need a planet to live on. It will be our fault if tey don't have one. Before it’s too late we must instigate change. It bewilders me that we spend so much on military spending, especially when no country alive has the technology or weaponry that we have, yet there are poor Americans. They are the Americans who don’t have pennies to offer the Bahamas. However, what we do have is a legislative voice that will reshape how the whole world does things. Now is the time that we use our voices as American citizens. Now is the time to make democracy work for the people the way it was intended. Now is the time to make democracy work. I must admit that I am so sad to the point that my soul is weeping for the face the that hates to cry. The recent weather changes we all experience from now on might just make Dr. Chet Snow’s Map a reality (see image below). During the past three years upon moving to Cleveland, I have experienced dramatic changes to the weather that directly affect me although I am far away from the ocean’s currents or torrents. In the past year, the weather in Cleveland was extreme with a polar vortex/near Antarctic temperatures to consistently oppressive 90 degrees weather for all of summer. We even had an earthquake that most people did not feel, but we had one just the same. This is in Cleveland, Ohio mind you and now for the first time in history, window air conditioners line the streets.
What about the people that live near our ocean’s currents, now torrents? What about the islanders who no longer have a place to call home? What about our planet? It appears to me that Dr. Chet’s map is starting to happen. America is both burning and drowning all at the same time. I want to know why. When I imagine the American South without Charleston, South Carolina, I feel perplexed. I cannot imagine life without Charleston, a historical and beloved town near the ocean. The architecture speaks to you with stories of the past, and the greenery sings tales of long ago. I wandered on streets, where my eyes met charming sights each path I took. I realized in this precious place how to accept, know, and understand me better. On this land, my already strong moral compass enveloped me and shortly thereafter, I felt free. I left my self-blame in Charleston and I will never take it back or forgot that. Now this beloved place may no longer exist, if not in this year, then in the ones that will come too soon. Something had to give a long time ago. We are to the point where natural disasters wreak havoc all over the world. My point is this- if we do not begin to protect our planet, we will create a complete alteration of its makeup. That means, many places we love will be consumed by sea or fire. I think that time to act was a long time ago; however we can never go back and undo what has already been done. What we can do is to take better care of and be deserving of a planet that loved us enough to provide for us and sustain existence. If we do not reciprocate this love then we will lose the most precious thing we have….life on this planet Earth. Nonna Francesca Gangemi
5/12/1918-18/8/2019 In Loving Memory of Her Nonna my love, why did you leave so soon? It makes me sad that I can’t hug you one more time Or see you smile. I missed you every day since after I left you. Now you left me and there is no end to my mancanza. The love that makes me sad that makes me miss that makes me know Somewhere in heaven Your smile, just for me your laugh, you know the one you saved for me And all your other ones for everyone else Beam now Like the sun sets behind Palinudo’s verde hills full of bright lights and celestial colors that remain long after the end of the day. As certain as I am our eyes are brown I know your soul, your spirit became forever parts of the village we all love. And when my feet first arrive in Calabria next, I will breathe in your love and feel your spirit catch my hair with the wind. And that missing of you will become sacred in your ethereal presence. Together we will walk on dirt roads. Pick perfect apricots from the tree up the street. Keenly clean each corner of your home and kneel close to the kitchen fire and cry. I miss you forever. Now our family mourns, devastated by our loss. I mourn you with my heart in my eyes and tears dripping down a face that hates to cry. I need to cry, for you my nonna. You know I love you so much. I know you held on so long for us. Thank you. Ti voglio tanto tanto tanto bene I love you like the air in Palinudo- Reviving, refreshing, restoring. Death frees in ways we alive can never understand. Be free in love and peace. Be free sweet nonna and please will you make me minestra when I get to heaven first thing? I Love you forever, Jessica Before I wrote this blog post, I felt a need to think carefully about the gun control debate and to speak with a pro-gun person. Luckily, an old friend since childhood stopped by my sister’s house and gave me that opportunity. Tommy, an enthusiastic hunter, spoke with me about the gun debate and what he said helped me better understand the issue at hand. He said, “Gun control is a voting topic.” I added, “but which way do you vote?” The more we talked about gun control, the more I began to understand his point of view- that a bad person who wants a gun will do anything they can to get that gun. I have to admit that he is right, although the strong hate I feel for guns keeps flaming inside me.
After I thought closely about this conversation, I concluded that the power is the real culprit of the recent epidemic of mass shootings and not gun laws. Since Donald Trump became president, the number of mass shootings that have occurred in the United States has exponentially increased although I cannot locate the exact statistic. I want the accurate statistic, but I’m not sure that it will be possible to obtain. Based upon a usually accurate memory, I would say that we have experienced more mass shootings and/or attempts at mass shootings during Donald Trump’s presidency than the combined total of the five previous presidents. However, in the past 35 years not much has changed about gun laws. If gun laws have not undergone significant changes then why are we experiencing an extreme increase in mass shootings? As mentioned previously, I blame power, which has the ability to do extensive harm when given to the wrong person who cares little for most others. Any form of power is just as likely to damage society, as it is to help. I quote Marie Antoinette in this title because she reminds me a lot of our current president. When her country was starving, Marie Antoinette famously said, “Let them eat cake,” which demonstrated her profound ignorance of life outside of a palace. Trump is a rich man who is ignorant of life outside of a mansion. Neither could understand their people, being so removed from reality without wealth. Although Donald Trump has never said ‘feed them with hate’, his words and actions suggest that he believes this. During his short presidency, he has exaggerated divides to the detriment of us all. Potential nuclear warfare with North Kore, a missile scare crisis with Iran, the trade war, the detention of immigrants, demeaning remarks about different racial and ethnic groups, a full reversal of women’s rights, the end of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), withdraw from the United Nation’s human rights council, and finally the funding of his mostly symbolic wall. I am sure there are more examples, but these are the first that came to mind. Every one of these illustrations demonstrate the current President’s stance on divides and it is dangerous. When everyday people witness a president, whose actions and words insinuate ‘feed them with hate’, then people are filled with hate and/or fear. Trump normalizes violence, hate, divides and now people are copying him without understanding that life is not a game. No one gets more than one life, unlike video games. “Actions speak louder than words,” and we are all experiencing the turmoil caused by a President whose actions are fueled by greed, violence, ignorance, and selfishness. When he does speak, it is either to promote divisions or minimize his part in the tragedies we have to deal with, like two mass shootings in one week. This is not to excuse the actions of the shooters; there are no good reasons to murder ever. This point of this blog is to highlight the danger associated with a President waging war on the world and within the United States itself. Gun control is not the only voting topic, and we should all keep this in mind when we vote in the upcoming presidential race. I hope that the consequences of ‘feed them hate’ gives us a different president. I know that money can buy a lot of things. What it cannot buy is life after someone dies. Money cannot buy a return to health for people or land after missiles or nuclear bombs get dropped. Money cannot buy a lot of things and I hope a presidential election becomes one of those things. I am deeply sorry for all who were directly affected by the recent mass shootings and hope this blog inspires others to stop breeding hate and dangerous divides. “Let them eat Peace. Feed them with Love.” – Dr. Jess Nobile Discrimination is the season winter: it causes death, isolation, frigid feelings, and covers the earth with a blanket of white supremacy. White supremacists emerge themselves in an extreme ethnocentric view, which causes many disadvantages to all parties involved. These disadvantages motivate across all aspects of society: health care, labor, housing, education, and etc.
My education began in the Woodland Hills School District: a district created to combat the segregation between the former Rankin (predominantly black), Turtle Creek (predominantly white), and Churchill (predominantly white) and a few other school districts. The discrimination that created Woodland Hills School District has greatly influenced my life and the way I view society. My early schooling challenged the disadvantages created by discrimination. It created a learning environment where both blacks and whites viewed each other as equals. Racial tensions rarely surfaced because we were all united through the love of Woodland Hills: we were not white, black or other; we were Wolverines. There were many differences between individual wolverines and their upbringing due to the vast area covered by the school district, but this did not impede progress. Progress, education, and the appreciation of differences characterized my early schooling. The disadvantages created by segregated school districts was removed and then replaced with an educational environment that supported integration. That integration removed racial barriers and granted the same opportunities to all children and young adults involved in the school district. Children, young adults, teachers, and staff all profited from the racially diverse school district. Although things have changed with the times (loss of funds, charter schools, white flight), the school district I attended instilled and still instills equality as a value to be upheld and cherished by all students there. In closing, I am extremely thankful that I attended Woodland Hills School District; it made me the woman I am today. I have never learned to view anyone as different or wrong because of their race. My early schooling taught me to view everyone as the same and equal, regardless of race. I will forever be grateful to Woodland Hills for teaching me to admire differences rather than shun them. Woodland Hills School District is the season spring: it causes renewal of life, fresh attitudes, symphonic and spiritual senses, and illuminates the world in vibrant colors. |
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