Ferguson, Mo: After the Grand Jury Decision

Let me be perfectly clear, this is my opinion about the recent events in Ferguson, MO. The point of this post is to start/continue a worthwhile conversation that goes beyond Race Wars. While I have fact-checked, these are my thoughts on the lessons we should be focusing on.

The Darren Wilson Grand-Jury Decision:

On social media, I stated that if we are going to have a justice system, then we need to believe in it and accept the decisions which arise from its use. The patriotic part of me holds fast to that idea. Deep within me however, I feel that Mr. Wilson squeaked past a trial simply because he was at the epicenter of a situation that grew too hot, on the political scale, before justice could remain blind to all outside factors. At the end of the day, that decision has been made, and there is nothing left to do but learn from its implications.

Michael Brown- Thug or Gentle Giant?

We’ll never know for sure. We do know that on the day he was killed, Michael Brown was, at the very least, a thief. The idea presented by media that “Mike Mike” was a gentle giant were firmly rebuked on video. That he was on the path to graduating means a chance existed for him to outgrow whatever thuggish tendencies he was currently holding onto. Events prove, unfortunately, that he waited too long in making that particular decision.

The Second Round of Riots:

Just as in the first round, these new riots did nothing to help the case of Ferguson’s downtrodden. For all the peaceful protesters attempting to start a national conversation about abuse of power, class helplessness, and race, the rioters took all eyes away from these men and women and returned the national conversation back to believing we were dealing with mere savages in a backwater town. Brown’s parents expressly asked for violence not to be applied as part of their son’s swan song. These opportunists don’t give half a damn about Michael Brown’s death…they only care about their newly acquired sneakers and TV’s.

The Second Round of Police Vigil:

Obviously pre-planned and arguably necessary force, Ferguson’s police (and the National Guard

placed on duty) remained far more professional following the acquittal of Darren Wilson from trial. Despite the feel of being largely staged and practiced, the men and women in blue did their absolute best, in comparison to the first round, in what could only be a bad situation.

The Timing of the Grand Jury’s Decision’s Press Release:

The timing of the release of Wilson’s grand-jury decision felt extremely staged. Especially when the National Guard gets called in early and set in place, obviously the politicians were expecting an outrage. I don’t know if I believe they timed it this way to encourage Ferguson’s citizens to riot as some conspiracy theorists feel, but something was definitely funny about it all. Jay Nixon, Barack Obama, and Prosecutor Bob McCulloch were certainly following scripts for whatever reason. I’m sure more conspiracy theories will come into play soon.

What is the Lesson Hiding in Ferguson, MO?

I still believe Ferguson shows us more about class disparity than blatant racism. Beyond even that though, I think the closing of Michael Brown’s case proves that the people of America need a reminder in taking responsibility for their own actions. In Ferguson, it feels like NOBODY involved held themselves accountable for the myriad of mistakes made, cloak and dagger antics used, or riots that ensued.

What kind of lesson are the young (presumably impressionable and angry) people in Ferguson of the world supposed to learn as of right now? When even the people in business suits and cop uniforms won’t say, “Yeah, I could have handled this in a better manner.”?

How else do we expect them to act when the grown-ups they live with and around steal stuff and start fires just because the opportunity presents itself?

Yet…we keep saying that “they” need to do better. “They” should get jobs. “They” should act in a civil manner.

WE need to step up, all of us, in taking responsibility for our actions and be constantly held accountable at all levels for our duties. In the process of doing right ourselves, every time, we can show “them” exactly what we expect from them as part of society.

This time, in Ferguson, MO, we failed them all in every way, at every level, with every step. How else, then, could we really expect them to react?

The "Team Douchebag" Dilemma

I just read Chris Kluwe’s antagonistic attack on the group of people behind the hashtag, #Gamergate. You know what? I give up.

I don’t support any group anymore.

I don’t support the Christians because only those who are fanatical and dangerous get any screen time. I won’t support the atheists because, let’s face it, all you do is get antagonistic towards Christians and Catholics, but somehow you’re okay with Buddhism. I won’t support the LGBT community past my own personal friends anymore, because you use the exact same scare tactics that “normal” people use to make us afraid of you. I don’t support the current US government because, let’s face it folks, they don’t like anybody anymore. Maybe terrorists. That might be pushing a little, I don’t know anymore.

Bad Plan James, Bad Plan

Yep, and don’t think I’m unaware. But I need you to hear exactly what I’m saying. Until groups stop using the same tactics that men in power used against blacks, then women, then LGBT, I’m not listening to you anymore. Each of you seems to have a great message to improve the quality of the human condition…until you fall into the very trappings of intimidation and name-calling used to keep you down.

Yes, I’m white. Yes, I’m a male. Yes, there is a stereotype, perpetuated by YOUR GROUPS, saying I’m obviously a small-dicked, small-minded, overly-educated swine rolling in a mountain of money…but I can’t use the electrochemical signals in my nervous system for anything more than looking up keywords for porn. Fuck you. Seriously…fuck you.

You know what though? It’s not even your fault. It’s human nature. “I’m being done wrong, so I’mma do wrong back until the system changes.” Except…how has that worked out for us thus far? Groups fight groups that fight groups that are fighting groups.  Always has been, and it seems to be working out for us so far. Is it?

The Constant Fighting Needs to Stop

You know the current system isn’t working. You have to, when you’re in bed thinking about how to survive tomorrow, you know the system isn’t built for you. When you get on the computer and troll whatever douchebag is spouting off against your group, you’ve gotta know doing that won’t help anybody. Everything we do right now only lights the Chicago fire ever brighter, and friends, Chicago turned to white ashes ages ago. That’s what fighting fire with anonymous fire does…it creates a bigger fire which us pyros love to watch and it makes us feel better for a minute…but it doesn’t solve anything. Fighting doesn’t calm the spirit, name-calling literally does nothing but bring out the fight in everybody else. Am I getting through to you yet? No?

We’re ALL Douchebags Right Now

Chris Kluwe is a douchebag. I’m a douchebag, and you’re one, too. We are Team Douchebag, and never has there been a prouder group in the history of the planet. I can say this so I will say it, damn the consequences. As long as we can paint our enemies as evil, vilify them to the point that a few hundred to a few hundred thousand other douchebags agree with me, saying this is okay. Cause I’ve got numbers behind me. That is tribalism at its absolute worst. America and yes, the rest of the world, is ripe with douche-baggery, and it’s so common as to be accepted as part of societal norms. Our news uses it, every internet forum uses it, and we use it when we discuss matters among our friends and neighbors. We count on tribalism to keep us safe.

It’s working. You are certainly safe in most cases. But, like everything else humans seem to touch, we take it too far. We make threats to each other. Cause another tribe harm because otherwise, they might harm us. Or, worse yet, they can’t do anything about it. Our game is about fucking other tribes so hard they can’t even retaliate. Survival of the fittest, right?

Humiliation. Laws. Logic. Science. Death. Bodily harm. Threats. These are the tools that modern tribes use against each other in the grand chess game currently unfolding around us. Black pieces vs white pieces vs purple pieces vs rainbow colored pieces vs red white and blue pieces vs every damned color piece under the planet. Only one tribe can be right. Right? Tribes equal labels, people. And, as we have already discovered, labels are lacking in details.

What if we only had one label for each other? I’ve decided we’re all douchebags, but that isn’t even quite fitting, is it? Is it? What if we were all just people? What if every law was written for people? Not for/against women, blacks, whites, Asians, LGBT, Senators, Republicans, Catholics, Christians, Conservatives, Liberals, Donkeys, Elephants, military, law enforcement, criminals, the mentally ill, atheists, gamers, or any other label under the sun? Without labels, would the world work better? Worse?

Unfortunately, I don’t have that answer. What I do know, is the current system isn’t working. And so do you. So does Chris Kluwe. So do the members of #Gamergate. None of us should be so entitled to think we can vilify an umbrella name, a tribe…when there are individual people in that tribe who simply don’t fit under one label, who aren’t in just one situation.

Yet, Team Douchebag acts like the most entitled, small-minded prick on the planet. No, not acting…living the worst possible stereotype in the history of the planet. We can do better, people.

Why I Deleted Every "Presenting Of Blood and Blade" Post

I am a self published author (my god, I actually get to say that now). While I am very proud of my accomplishment, I'm also realistic. I am not a Stephen King level author...yet. As such, I posted nine excerpts from my now-published fantasy novel, Of Blood and Blade, in the hopes that doing so would attract some attention to a new author...and give readers a chance to taste my prose before thinking about buying.

And it worked! Fucking-A did it work. Over 700 views over the course of a week and a half, almost all of them viewing my writing. What an excellent marketing strategy!

However, I'm still a newbie author with little weight in the writing world. I needed as much help as I can get, which is why I chose to enroll in KDP Select when I published Of Blood and Blade. One of the restrictions of enrollment, however, is that you cannot have your novel in any other digital form.

I have decided I am not going to argue with Amazon over this. They did not contact me regarding this issue, they threw no threats in my direction at all. I decided that I will play by the rules because I like keeping my end of a deal. My book is available in every country Amazon touches, and while I have no known fans in most of those, that could change over time.

If you are one of those who read the excerpts, thank you. I promise you the full novel is by far better than a few two-page excerpts. If you didn't read them, well...you missed out on discovering if I write in a style you enjoy. I think that is my fault for not reaching you fast enough. I'm sorry.

Of course, it is rather obligatory for me to post a link to OF BLOOD AND BLADE, available now on Amazon. I love you guys.  Thank you for understanding. 

Worldbuilding for Storytellers: Part III

Found on-site at http://3oneseven.com/globe/

Hello!  It’s good to see you back for Part 3 (of a 3 part series) on Wordbuilding.  If you managed to miss the previous discussions, get your ass over to Part 1 and Part 2 right now, so all of this makes some sense! (In the spirit of transparency, this post and series originally appeared on the now-defunct blog, RoosterWords)

Worldbuilding: Bane or Benign Exercise?

Writers love their worlds, especially those in fantasy and science fiction.  We have to- we live in them for long periods, soaking in the essence and different flavors we have derived of our own obsessive volition.  All of us must build these worlds, carefully, with great attention to the details.  For some writers, this is the best part of the writing process…creating something out of nothing, ignoring all laws of science, alchemy, and common sense.  For others, worldbuilding is the representation of long-running nightmares.  Where do you fit in?

The End?

You’ve come a long way.  The map to your dream world is in your hand (or on your desk, saved on your computer, whatever).  You’re proud of it, and so you should be.  Characters have a place to go, and a reason to go there.  What’s left?

The painting needs a finishing touch.  Something to protect it from the outside world and all its grubby fingers and damaging wear-and-tear.  A gloss or matte finish.  Maybe even some touchup paint in a few key areas.  Here are those five key areas to look at when you’ve built your perfect world:

1.     Races/Civilizations: Yes, you’ve probably been over this already.  However, this is your last chance before you begin drumming on your keyboard (writing with ink-stained fingers?) to ensure all your chosen races and/or civilizations are accounted for.  Make sure each has a place on your map, even if they aren’t quarantined there.  It’s also good to understand how each race will react to the others upon meeting in the story.  If they never do, that’s fine; but understanding how they WOULD will allow you to reference the reaction within your story.

2.     Changing World: Worlds change, even the real, solid earth we live and breathe on.  This is no less true in fiction, especially in fantasy or sci-fi worlds where things have a tendency of getting blown up in large chunks (read: continents).  If this will happen in your story, make sure you’ve got a way to acknowledge those changes on your map.  While the reader doesn’t necessarily need to know before it happens, the writer benefits greatly from the pre-determination.

3.     Series of Events: You should go back to your timeline and check for any nuisances or events which now seem out of order.  You know your world better now and there just may be a contingency, which a fan will later exploit (publicly or not).  Take the time now and be sure you know you history!

4.     Economic Oppression: One of the most difficult things I have had the displeasure of discovering is the economics of my regions.  Being that I work in fantasy, I have a hard time believing all my cultures use the same monetary system.  Creating an economy may come naturally for you.  If so, you just avoided hours of wide-eyed, psychotic cussing.  Y’know, the kind where everybody within two miles of you is wondering what the hell just happened?  No?  May just be my neurosis.  The point is, to remain relatively believable; you must have rich, poor, and middle “classes.”  This goes a long way towards endowing each person in your story with at least some character…based on their wealth.

5.     Start Writing: You’ve done it!  Ain’t that masterpiece looking freakin’ awesome?  All that’s left is, well, everything else that goes into writing…writing, editing, reading, editing, rewriting, editing, query, query, query, PUBLISH!  Hey, you didn’t choose this profession because it was easy or because it made sense, did you?  Maybe that should have been your very first question!

 

by hextupleyoodot @ http://www.deviantart.com/art/Embers-374439119

Download a copy of my “Story-Boarding Room” that I use for my own works.

How do you feel about the Worldbuilding For Storytellers series?  How did I help you; and could you use more information to deepen your understanding?  Comment below so I can work to make your world perfect!

Worldbuilding for Storytellers: Part II

Image belongs to http://www.pitprogram.com/weekly-photography-challenge-earth/

Welcome back to Worldbuilding 101!  If you’re just joining us, we are on Part 2 of a 3 part series on worldbuilding.  Catch up by looking over Part 1 first (especially if you don’t understand why I refer to painting below). In the spirit of transparency, this post originally appeared on the now defunct blog, RoosterWords.

Worldbuilding: Bane or Benign Exercise?

Writers love their worlds, especially those in fantasy and science fiction.  We have to- we live in them for long periods, soaking in the essence and different flavors we have derived of our own obsessive volition.  All of us must build these worlds, carefully, with great attention to the details.  For some writers, this is the best part of the writing process…creating something out of nothing, ignoring all laws of science, alchemy, and common sense.  For others, worldbuilding is the representation of long-running nightmares.  Where do you fit in?

The Middle: Characterization

There is no escaping it; your story must have characters.  On top of that, your characters need, well, character.  There’s nothing worse than a great tale spun with a boring protagonist or antagonist.  Truly great stories imbue a certain amount of characterization into the setting as well.  That is a lot of character.
In continuing the painting you have already started, the broad strokes should already be in place. Now comes the time to use those fine brushes, adding emotion and circumstance to your canvas. Grab your brushes; we're going to add another layer of paint to your masterpiece. Here's how to do it:

3dregenerator at http://tf3dm.com/3d-model/earth-transparent-17615.htm

1.     What Conflicts the Protagonist? Your protagonist is going to need a lot of conflict to keep him moving through the story.  Sometimes it should be small, a decision or debate that moves them in a specific direction.  Others should be large, especially the Crisis which, eventually, your protagonist must face.

2.     What Conflicts the Antagonist?  Yes, you must have feelings for the “bad guy” in the story as well.  Anybody who is all evil (or all good for that matter) is boorish and will turn the reader off.  Develop reasons for your antagonist to move through your world, even if it is on the coat-tails of his opposite.

3.     Give Each Setting a Government: Even if your world is full of anarchy, there is somebody in power in each of your settings.  If the entire world is under one type of government…that makes things easier.  If not, then be sure YOU know what’s going on in each important stop along the journey. 

4.     Flesh-Out Supporting Characters: There is the possibility of creating a story with the protagonist being completely alone for a majority of the story.  The closest I have seen is Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend (granted, I know the movie adaptation starring Will Smith better).  Despite the longevity of loneliness his main character suffers, other characters do still interrupt his solitude.  The point is, without beings to interact with, the protagonist will have little reason to travel your world.

5.     Personality Quirks are King: If you’re like me, you may have trouble giving all these characters quirks that make them different from each other.  If so, check out these sites to help you find just the right twitch to fit each personality in your story-

·       Dungeons & Dragons Wiki: A huge list of traits created by Wizards of the Coast for the 3.5 version of their tabletop treasure.  The site is a Wiki project; which has permission from Wizards to display the content on their page.

·       This List of Personality Traits is great because it gives you positive and negative traits side-by-side.

·       Inspiration of Writers’ Character Trait Chart and Personality Components:  This site actually gives you a chart to record specifics about your character.  I use a similar approach when developing my peoples; based on suggestions found here.

It’s Important Because:

Making your world believable, even a fantastical or futuristic one, involves creating characters your readers can relate to.  Without that, the story dulls and suspension of disbelief becomes impossible.  We want to read your story, really we do.  So make the most of our trust and deliver great characterization; and that will keep us coming back for more!

Do you agree with my 5 characterization methods?  Would you add more or do anything different?  I’ve got plenty of space for comments below, tell me what you think.

James Neal loves to worldbuild.  The main reason he added D&D to his list of trait sites is because of the sheer amount of time he has spent giving fake people real personalities within the game.  He is not ashamed...of anything.  Get to know him on Facebook, or Twitter @BloodandBlade.

Worldbuilding for Storytellers: Part I

Image found at http://ipadminibackgrounds.com/digital-earth-2/

In the spirit of transparency, this series was originally posted on the now-defunct RoosterWords blog.

Worldbuilding: Bane or Benign Exercise?

Writers love their worlds, especially those in fantasy and science fiction.  We have to- we live in them for long periods, soaking in the essence and different flavors we have derived of our own obsessive volition.  All of us must build these worlds, carefully, with great attention to details.  For some writers, this is the best part of the writing process…creating something out of nothing, ignoring all laws of science, alchemy, and common sense.  For others, worldbuilding is the representation of long-running nightmares.  Where do you fit in?

Keep in mind, this guide is not just for writers. Geared for them, sure, but tabletop gamers, videogame developers, and anybody else who deals in stories can benefit from this guide. Me personally, I've been a tabletop gamer for ten years, and a DM/GM for five. Of course, I LOVE building worlds.

The Beginning: Staying Vague

My experience has been to start the worldbuilding process by keeping everything vague.  There is plenty of time to develop all those bothersome details later.  Like the artist creating a masterpiece, you must sketch all the pieces before you can put any paint on the paper.  In fact, thinking of your world as a painting may help you “see” all the inter-connectedness as you move from outline to final product.  Maybe that is just the artist that resides within me.  Here’s how to approach your “sketch.”

1.     Create a map (if not using Earth as your setting): This does two things: First, it allows you to physically see your world, how it is shaped, how continents and/or areas come together.  I also suggest you study how rivers and seas flow in real maps, so yours can be as convincing as possible.  The second thing?  When you’re ready to publish your masterpiece, readers will also get to “see” your world in a physical manner

2.     Decide on a Theme: Every book out there that is worth the ink (digital or otherwise) it’s printed from has a theme- a unifying concept.  Decide what your theme is so your story can, at the very least, have some semblance of grace within its pages.

3.     Decide on a Timeline: Yes, science fiction generally takes place in the future, fantasy in the past.  However these are not concrete rules; and even if they are for your story, you still need to define what flavor your world will have.  Are you telling a story based loosely on feudal Japan, or Middle Ages Europe (no, these are NOT your only choices, budding writer).

4.     NOW Add Some Details: Give your map some countries, regions, states, cities, etc. until you know what you need to push your story forward.  Develop a broad timeline of major events in your world, and where they occurred (trust me, this helps keep plot moving logically).  Decide on some landmark locations your story will take place at.  This is also the time to decide on things like how magic (or technology, or mixes) will work in your world.

5.     Develop Your Crisis: As every story has a theme, so too does it have a crisis.  Something which your protagonist must overcome; and it won’t be easy to do so successfully.  There is no formula for developing these types of situations (or if there is, I haven’t found it yet).  This is your time to shine, put your creativity to the test.  If nothing else, use a tried but true crisis until your imagination decides to hit you in the head with a stone and give you something better!

Do you agree that Worldbuilding should start out vague?  Do you start differently when creating your world(s)? Use up the comment space below and let me know how you feel about worldbuilding, this post, or whatever!  I respond to all legitimate comments, and moderate to keep things decently clean.

This is part One of a Three part series on Worldbuilding.  You can find Part II and Part III as well. James is rather fanatical about building worlds, He hopes to successfully bring magic back on a different planet which he intends to call: JamesWorld.  Here’s hoping he comes up with a better name.  Get to know him on Facebook or on Twitter @JamesNealWrites.

Enough Ranting (For Now): A Timeline for What's Coming

I have done a lot of ranting and raving here on American Dirt. Like, A LOT.

However, I promised to bring everything from politics to pop-culture, and it’s time I started delivering on that promise.

Image found at http://www.aventureinwriting.com/tag/pop-culture/

For the next three days, starting August 23, 2014, I’ll be showcasing a How-To segment on world-building for my writer friends, story aficionados, and even tabletop gamers. I use these strategies in my own games and stories. Maybe, just maybe, it will help you too. Make sure to tune in tomorrow for part I of Worldbuilding: A Guide to Start With. Hope you enjoy!

Next week, I’ll delve into my thoughts on the new Dungeons and Dragons tabletop game, the 5^th Edition, if you will.

The week after that, I’ll be speaking on anime, what it means, what it is, and possibly what it should be.

After that, it might be time for another rant. I have to stick to my guns after all. Glad to have you here, thanks for reading. Let me know if you like the changes or not, and don’t be afraid to comment! I’ll respond, and ensure moderation, so NO BULLIES. Let’s respect each other here on American Dirt. 

Michael Brown's Death and the Ferguson Riots Aren't About Racism Anymore

I’m just going to get this out of the way. Michael Brown should not have died. For the sake of transparency, I’m a white male. To get straight to the point, we should all be ashamed of ourselves. We all love a big, fucked up story. And that’s exactly what the Ferguson/Michael Brown story has become. If you’re still reading, congratulations…you just may be one of the few able to change the state of racism, and celebrity-status, in America today.

Image is Property of abcnews.go.com

This isn’t just about the fact that a white cop shot a black man. This is also about the reverse racism an overwhelming majority of black folks have for whites…to the point that they will not listen to or warrant anything “Whitey” says. Ferguson isn’t happening because one side is guilty and the other is sparkly clean, though all sides seem to want to prove that’s exactly how it is.

Recap of Ferguson

So let’s be brutally honest on all fronts, okay? What happened in Ferguson, MO, is a straight up hot mess. It’s been glorified by the media and complications arisen because nobody can seem to tell the straight truth. Here’s what I know:

1. While it’s possible Michael Brown robbed a store, that isn’t why Officer Darren Wilson stopped Brown. He stopped Brown for “walking in the middle of the street.”

2. Brown was shot at least six times, twice in the head according to a secondary autopsy Brown’s parents requested. All six shots hit Brown from the front side.

3. Peaceful protests were started “to get justice for Michael Brown.” These protests have gone on for several days.

4. Perpendicular to the peaceful protests, rioters and opportunists have attacked business and police, setting fires and looting, setting off a nation-wide look at Ferguson, MO.

5. Police have responded to rioters with tear-gas, rubber bullets, beatings, and arrests.

6. Even if the police in Ferguson haven’t attacked the peaceful protesters, which live feeds have shown otherwise, they have denied rights to citizens, attacking and detaining journalists and newsman for trying to report on the situation. Now, as of August 19, 2014, “stations” have been set up from where journalists may now report. They are not allowed to report from within or near clashes between citizens and police.

7. “New Black Panthers” and supposed member of the Nation of Islam Malik Zulu Shabazz tells police it’s “my people” causing the rioting in Ferguson and blockading police.

Image Property of nhpr.org

None of These is the Real Issue

The shooting and death of Michael Brown happened. That part is done. All we can really hope for now is that justice, true justice, is found. Meaning, the truth of what happened is discovered and the system takes care of itself. That’s the best-case scenario of any death, whether black, white, yellow, purple, or pink-polka-dotted. That’s not why people are rioting. That’s not why nobody wants to tell the truth right now.

The real issue here is accountability. And, in this instance, one of the people who needs to be held accountable…is dead. The best way to find the truth between two parties is to listen to each tell their version of the story…and somewhere in the middle is the truth. Officer Darren Wilson isn’t going to tell the full truth, he’s going to try and shove accountability onto the dead guy. Wilson is going to say whatever will keep him off death row…or at least out of prison.

Cause that’s how America works now, right?

The real issue here is why a single shooting, even one that led to one man’s death, leads to further deaths in the form of a militarized police force and riots willing to burn down buildings. The real issue is why some people feel a black man’s death made it okay to act on all the stereotypes of black folks across the Midwest. The real issue is not based on race. It’s based on class.

Wait…WHAT?

Twenty years ago, there would be no National Guard in Ferguson right now. Governor Jay Nixon wouldn’t need to be attempting to keep the peace in person. The President wouldn’t be needing to send his own staff to a small suburb in Missouri. I’m not saying justice was perfect twenty years ago. I’m not saying everything would have been fair. But I don’t think it would have gotten this big. Why?

Because twenty years ago, everyone had a shot at being at least Middle Class. Now, the modern middle class is a joke. You’re either rich, poor, military, or police. Each is a very distinct class, though lately police and military are looking awfully similar. Maybe that’s because police and military make up our middle class…citizens do not. The rioters are opportunists, using a bad situation to take advantage of others. I think if wealth wasn’t so disproportionate in America, they wouldn’t feel the need to burn things down.

James, this sounds close to personal politics.

You’re damned right it does. Michael Brown’s death isn’t a race thing. Not anymore. It’s political- from the St. Louis County Police to the President himself. Nobody wants to be found on the guilty side when the smoke (finally) blows out. As such, nobody is doing what needs to be done- take Officer Wilson into custody, prepare a trial, and give him a defender if he cannot afford one. Anytime a credentialed journalist is jailed, even temporarily, for reporting on the biggest event in recent memory, someone’s attempting to hide something. Hiding things from the public is, I’m sorry, political. That or the Mob wanted Michael Brown dead. Hey, who knows?

Could Events Have Rolled Out Differently?

Absolutely. Had both Officer Wilson and Michael Brown been white, Wilson would not be on paid leave. Chances are, Brown wouldn’t have been shot six times with two to the head, executioner style. But, would it have rolled out any differently?

Let’s keep the facts the same. Black man, white cop. Six shots. But, instead of killing Brown, Wilson only injured him, and taken Brown into custody. How would that have changed things?

I wish I could believe that one change would make a difference. Yes, the story would be different. Brown would’ve been capable of giving his side of the story, yes. Would we be closer to the truth? Certainly.

But, with tensions as they are, Brown would’ve blamed the whole thing on the “Whitey Police Officer.” Wilson would have still claimed Brown pushed the situation until he had to shoot him. People would still have risen up, but instead of demanding justice for Brown’s death, they would be demanding penance, in the form of suing Officer Wilson and the St. Louis County Police Department. We still wouldn’t know if either did anything wrong for sure.

Because a black man was attacked, those who rioted would have done so anyway, still using the confusion and supposed anger, along with the excuse of being poor, to burn down buildings. Police would still be trying to quiet the rioters and running into the peaceful vigils and trying to quiet the reporters after they took their job too far and far too seriously. Everyone would still be calling this a hate crime, or chanting racism, on every television station. It would still be a political maelstrom.

Because that’s how America works now, right? Don’t we all love a big, fucked up story after all?

 

Image Property of atlantadailyworld.com

Thanks for reading, I’d love to hear your comments. Do you feel all the racism is on one side? Do you feel the militarization of police and use of the National Guard is going too far? No worries, I’ll reply and moderate to make sure comments remain within reason.

Are Corporations Now Hulking Behemoth Pets of the Rich, After Sibelius vs Hobby Lobby Decision?

A little history for you. I promise- it will be brief.

Citizens United vs Federal Election Commission

In 2010, “The United States Supreme Court held that the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting political independent expenditures by corporations, associations, or labor unions. This followed a line of decisions starting with Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976) interpreting freedom of speech to include spending money. The case has remained intensely controversial for increasing the influence in elections that money can have, in contrast to most other developed countries where limits are imposed on all election spending.” -Wikipedia

Meaning: First- money talks, literally. Spent money is the same thing as the spoken word. Second, that corporations are people.

Scared yet? No?

Fast forward to Monday, June 30, 2014. The Supreme Court rules on Sebelius vs Hobby Lobby. The case is built around the owners of Hobby Lobby wishing to counter the Obamacare literature stating that they are required to give their employees insurance with contraceptive protection up to and including the “morning after” pill. The Supreme Court rules in Hobby Lobby’s favor, stating that “closely-held corporations” cannot be forced to pay for their employees’ birth control.

As written by Justice Samuel Alito, and reported by Mother Jones online: "[W]e must decide whether the challenged…regulations substantially burden the exercise of religion, and we hold that they do. The owners of the businesses have religious objections to abortion, and according to their religious beliefs the four contraceptive methods at issue are abortifacients."

So. Corporations now hold religious rights, too? I mean, granted, we told them they are people right? One question, if they are people, why can’t a corporation vote yet? Maybe that’s next on the agenda.

I have nothing personal against Hobby Lobby not giving out abortionist contraceptives to their female employees. Not outright. Not because they are a corporation and certainly not because the owners (can a corporation have owners, if they are people? Slavery?) are Christian in their beliefs. I have doubts that Hobby Lobby has any serious intent to harm society with the new decision. Not if they are truly Christian…

Author's Edit: Having discovered Hobby Lobby holds investments including a pharmaceutical company who MAKES ABORTIONIST "MORNING AFTER" PILLS, I am inclined to suggest that yes, even Hobby Lobby is just another corporation who will do whatever it wants, regardless of whom it hurts. I also want to say that, given the judgement affected only female employees, that the Supreme Court's decision is unconstitutional as it only affects a portion of the population, not the population as a whole. Morality aside (I don't agree with abortion), the law is supposed to be equal to all peoples, non-discriminatory based on SEX, RELIGION, SEXUAL PREFERENCE, ETHNICITY, ETC. Hobby Lobby's claim being religion based is a sham. 

"Turns out that Hobby Lobby’s 401(k) employee retirement plan, according to documents filed with the Labor Department and written about by Mother Jones, is heavily invested in the very pharmaceutical companies that manufacture the products the company refuses to cover for its employees." -Washington Post

No, my issue with the decision is what it can now lead to. Corporations are legally people and have been since 2010. Now, our government is granting them ever greater layers to practice their “humanity,” and not all corporations are interested in the common man and woman’s good. Not all of them are Christian. From Facebook, here’s an image of what we could have to look forward.

Can you honestly say that, in your opinion, no corporation would even try to abuse these new legal freedoms?

At the end of the day, if you look at America without beer/patriotic/blind eyes, we are essentially being attacked from two fronts. Who is we? The common man, that’s who. We are being bullied by big money, big corporations, and big government. From one end, the President is literally trying to force you to live a “better” life by regulating you. From another side, corporations are becoming humanistic and allowed to, at least legally and figuratively, live and breathe as an organism. And remember, people are not naturally good. Our survival instincts are first, our moral code built. Corporations (and our government) have already shown us what their moral character is made of…and it’s not to protect or make life better for the no-longer-existent Middle Class.

We are just Poor people, with a very few rich people and now great hulking behemoths, walking over us. God bless America.

Transformers: Age of Extinction is More Than Shrapnel in Your Eye

WARNING: Could contain mild spoilers.

I wasn’t expecting to see Transformers: Age of Extinction until long after all the reviews had been written and nobody cared anymore. Thanks to a friend who really wanted to see this movie, that expectation was shattered. Now, I have something to say about it…and it starts with this:

Anybody who has said TAoE is just a bunch of robots punching each other…again… you’re WRONG. 

I went into this movie expecting far less than I received. I expected to just see robots hitting each other and leaving shrapnel in their wake. While that did happen, there was much, much more going on between the wakes of destruction.

There was story. What is the mystery behind Optimus Prime being a knight? Why does it sound like Knight should be capitalized? How does inventor Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg) stay so fit when he’s spending all his time inventing?

 With only one character in the entire movie being wasted (Jack Reynor as Shane Dyson) because the movie demanded a non-robot who could drive fast and do stunts, the human elements return to being a strongpoint in AoE.

Even the bad guys are less cardboard cutouts than full-blown characters with intricacies and needs. Perhaps the greatest trick Michael Bay ever pulled in this movie is that the bad guys aren’t the giant robots blowing each other to smithereens. The bad guys are human, too.

Kelsey Grammer puts in one top-notch performance as the indelible Harold Attinger, who starts off hiding behind computer screens streaming drones’ footage to him, until he is forced to join the action himself. And he does, with a vengeance I have seen more on TV than in movies of late. While he comes off as a bully in many scenes, it works. He is the main baddie after all.

Stanley Tucci plays billionaire scientist Joshua Joyce, who is determined to set the bar for generations to come after coming to understand how to use the material the Transformers are made of. He gets a chance at redemption, and once again, it works within the confines of this movie.

Cade Yeager’s daughter, Tessa Yeager is played convincingly by Nicola Peltz. Between having to show concern and disgust with her father’s choices…and later love for boyfriend Shane Dyson and/or Cade, Nicola shows us a little too much teenage angst…and a talent for being truthful in her portrayal of that angst. That the relationship between her and Shane never becomes believable is not a fault on Nicola’s part…that lies squarely on Jack Reynor remaining cold and disingenuous toward both her and Mark’s characters throughout all 150 minutes of AoE.

As you can see, there is a lot happening on the human front, a refreshing distraction from the ‘splosions we got used to seeing in the last two movies of the franchise. So what of the Autobots and Decepticons? There just isn’t a lot of the traditional faction tension we are all so used to.

 The movie almost ignores Decepticons out of hand. We are led through a story of the Autobots facing extinction. Humans no longer trust Transformers after the Chicago disaster five years prior. Not only that, but we are learning how to make our own. For reasons I won’t reveal here, the Autobots are being targeted and hunted, leading Optimus Prime down a dark path we haven’t seen in the franchise before. He no longer believes in the good of humans. He wants nothing more to do with us, and only Cade is there to try and convince him otherwise.

And then Dinobots. Dinobots!  Did I mention freakin’ Dinobots? While not used extensively in the movie, they are used well, and every second they are on screen one finds them self helplessly staring, wishing, if only I could be there for that!

Ultimately, the story of AoE makes sense, all the way through. From start to inevitable finish, nothing is so fantastic that it just couldn’t be. Everybody’s choices make sense, helping keep characters from feeling stiff and cardboard-y. There are amazing visuals. There are dinosaur Transformers. There is a human element on both polarizing sides that you can identify with. There’s social commentary on what’s going on here in America right now…some blatant, some subtly mixed into everything else. This is a summer blockbuster with heart. With soul. And the characters reinforce the fact that huge robots can still be modern and matter in today’s seen-it-all-already culture.

All pictures, names, and copyrighted material are owned by Paramount Pictures, Hasbro, or other respective contributors.

Hi. I’m James Neal. Thanks for reading today. Enjoy what I have to say? Follow me on Twitter or Like me on Facebook. If you enjoy webcomics, please consider giving my (still small) comic, Mandy and Murder-Bear a shot.

Nia Sanchez: WHY Miss Nevada's Self Defense Answer Wasn't Stupid

WARNING: Trigger Word- Rape

A beautiful, smart addition has been added to the ranks of Miss Nevada as of Sunday, June 8, 2014. Before being crowned, Nia Sanchez was asked a random question that just so happened to be about the approximately 18% of campus women who are raped or sexually assaulted. Her answer (in part)?

“More awareness [of the issue] is very important so that women can learn to protect yourself.”

“You need to be confident and able to defend yourself.”

Twitter exploded with women angry at this assertion that a woman is responsible for taking care of herself. Just explore the following hashtags from Sunday night: #YesAllWomen, #MissUSA, #MissNevada, #rapeculture

Plenty of articles are published about the outrage. I’d like to take the discussion deeper than Ms. Sanchez’s words. I’d like to present some reasons WHY what she said is completely fine, and why her words don’t place blame on victims just for the sake of placing blame on victims.

Random fact: “55% of women involved in date rape had been drinking or using drugs.”

Unfortunately, rape culture is a real thing in modern America, and the world around us. The term “rape” is used far too nonchalantly, far too comfortably, in online forums, chats, and even online games, where users have no real face and probably have never dealt with the nightmare of being unable to stop a person from abusing them. It’s sick, disgusting, and scary. And we tend to blame victims only far too often.

However…

Proponents of reducing rape culture often place all of the blame on anything that isn’t the victim. Look at the random fact above again, I’ll wait. I’m not saying you don’t have the right to drink, and drugs can be found anywhere; but if you’re going to go do these things and NOT have a protection plan of action, you ARE taking a self-decided risk. One that, if you look at statistics, isn’t proving your own intelligence. What I’m really saying here, is that one must be willing to accept responsibility for their actions BEFORE the assault comes into play. You can’t be drunk, by yourself at a party where you don’t know anybody, and say that you should have been completely and utterly safe. Saying so is at least inane, almost stupid.

That’s like saying a person should be able to enter a foreign country during a war and not worry about getting shot or blown up. It’s like saying a four-year old child should be able to walk home alone and not worry about ever being kidnapped. Yeah, that’s how it should be, in a perfect world, but the world isn’t perfect. You can’t pretend it is for everybody else when the situation suits you. There are certain situations that most people will avoid just because something could happen. Why? Because avoiding those moments are sane. Or, better yet, if you have to go into said situations, at least be prepared for the worst to happen. Y’know, like soldiers training before going overseas? Like a four-year old having a friend (preferably older) leading him or her home from school? Like a woman taking a group of trusted friends with her into a new, unknown party situation?

I keep hearing that “men should just learn not to rape.” True story. We should. And most of us don’t even think about performing such an act. MOST of us just want to hold your hand, have great conversations, and when both sides are ready, enjoy the hidden paradise. Evil exists in the world though. Bad men are going to do bad things.

So yes, please. Continue educating, continue changing the way we use language, and continue advocating men acting less the beast and more the gentleman.

But why in the hell would you refute the obvious advantage of being able to defend yourself?

In the eighties, it was hip for women to take martial arts classes. Why? Because it became highly likely that they would be attacked by thugs wanting an easy payday. While not all these women took martial arts classes specifically, they did find self-defense classes…which you can find if you look hard enough.

Do I expect all women to become the next Bruce Lee? No. Do I expect women, and men, to realize their responsibility in getting into bad/unknown situations? Absolutely. I don’t blame you for getting assaulted sexually, or raped. That act is in the other person’s hands 100%. But you do have a choice in where you go, and who you go with. Be smart, be prepared, and watch what the people around you are doing. If you get a bad feeling about somebody, stay away. Finally, stop saying that being able to protect yourself won’t go a long way as a prevention strategy.

Nia Sanchez isn’t an idiot for her words. She’s willing to take responsibility for her destiny. That’s nothing but respectable.

EXTRA: Good Reasons for Martial Arts

-        Only 30 million Americans are estimated to have even taken a martial arts class. Of those, less than 1/2000 achieve black belt status. That’s 0.3% of Americans who have taken a class. Realize that includes men AND women. If you achieve even one or two belts, you’re several bars above the average Joe.

-        Personal Discipline: Martial arts is all about disciplining body and mind. This can help you in your personal, business, and spiritual life.

-        Knowledge: If you keep up with your martial arts training, you’ll learn about how the body works, anatomy, and even other cultures.

-        Health: The natural effect of learning martial arts is hardening your body to be a weapon. You’re heart, brain, circulatory system, muscles, bones, and more will become healthier if you perform your martial art with conviction.

-        Self-Respect: Being able to defend yourself, and knowing you are capable, are strong motivators to holding onto self-respect. Your discipline will shine, even outside the dojo, and succeeding at anything gives anyone a boost to mood.

Nia Sanchez photo found at: http://ouniversodosconcursos.blogspot.com/2014/04/miss-nevada-usa-2014-nia-sanchez.html

Does America Deserve Freedoms and Liberty?

“Is security so dear, or wealth so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains & slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” –Patrick Henry, paraphrased

Liberty Already Dead?

On June 9, 2013, Edward Snowden did the unthinkable: he revealed the NSA’s spying activities on the American public. This act forced open the once willingly-blind eyes Americans have lived comfortably with for so long. We are spied upon, from every imaginable angle, by our own government.

What’s funny is, Snowden is praised and demonized for this action by the very public he purports to be trying to help. Why? We wanted to believe we were still in America, the one that works hard, to the bone, lubed by blood and sweat. Truth is, that isn’t the land we live in anymore.

Land of Slaves?

Before we were smacked with Snowden’s irrepressible truth, Occupy Wall Street attempted to steer us towards the realization on our own starting on September 17, 2011. With some success, OWS opened us up to reality. Unfortunately, it slammed so many messages at once that its landscape became non-traversable. The public didn’t know how to let all the new knowledge sink in, and thus, OWS went largely ignored.

A 9% unemployment rate during the Occupy movement sparked some to realize that the majority of Americans are cannon-fodder for “the elite.” This was the backbone of the many messages OWS held; but it just wasn’t enough to keep the movement going forward.

With a job market that seems unable to sustain the ever-growing labor force (mostly due to boomers being unable to retire, ever), both Occupy Wall Street and Snowden want us to believe that this is the governments fault. Oh, and the bankers. Let’s never forget how evil the corporate “banksters” have become.

You! You! You! And the No-Blame Game

“You keep taking our rights!” “You don’t have the ability to do that according to the constitution!” “You let corporate lobbyist tell you what laws to make!” It’s all true. Corporate America and the US government enjoy self-indulging each other with a lavishness most lovers never equate to in their lifetimes. One second though…how did they get to that point? Let me guess, it was just magic, or that’s just rich-business as usual, right? Wrong. The American people got fat, lazy, and dependent on the system. How many years has it been since you wrote (emailed?) your state’s Representative or Senator? The President? The mayor of your city? The fact is, the antagonists are all there; but there are no true protagonists in this story. There are no heroic patriots.

Who Deserves Freedom and Liberty?

We want to think there are…ourselves, whether individually or as “the 99%.” I detest this theory. Our forefathers didn’t build the Constitution for the lazy, the scared, or the system-dependent man. They built it for men who would protect it, by being bold, daring, and willing to lay their life down for liberty. These are the men who now own the wealth, not because they were born to it…but because the rest of us wouldn’t reach out and take it.

In 2000, there was an actual paradigm shift in wealth across America. The dot com era hit us like a locomotive train, and some new risk-takers became millionaires before this new bubble deflated.

Those risk-takers, once again, reached into the fountain of wealth and landed careers (and/or money) that would last a lifetime. Once again, the majority of the population wanted to stay safe, not take the risk, and came out no better or worse at the end.

America and Nature’s Law?

Life is a risk. Life owes nothing to you. Life eats the lazy and scared. Quit blaming the government for your woes when they pay your food-stamps, unemployment, and other amenities. Stop blaming the banksters. They don’t care about your poverty-level yearly income.

YOU are responsible for your own destiny and happiness. Our forefathers worked for every dime (or grand) they found themselves enjoying. They earned it by working, hard. To the bone. Lubed by blood and sweat.

What are you doing right now? Sitting on the couch eating potato chips bought with those food-stamps you demanded your government provide, so you don’t have to work? Or are you picking up the tool of a trade, carrying it, learning how to use it while you deal with every obstacle that tackles you, until you wield your tool with a professional level of proficiency?

The United States is messed up right now…but remember, you’re part of the system that let it go bad. It’s your choice: Fight for the freedoms you’ve lost. Keep those you still have. Or let them all slide out of your grasp and memory. Do you really deserve Freedom or Liberty? Whatever you decide to do, stop bitching about how it’s all set up against you.

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporal safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” –Benjamin Franklin