It's Obama's Fault!

Before I begin, I'd like to apologize for not posting on Friday and Monday. I've been really busy as of late, and I've been unable to find the time to write a quality post. But today, I'd like to talk about something that shocked me to my core. I knew that the two parties in our legislature will stop at nothing to bring the other down, but I cam across an article that completely astonished me. Let me tell you about it.

Just this morning, I was looking through some new articles, trying to find a suitable topic to write about. I found an article on the Chicago Tribune, entitled "Blaming President Obama for everything". I thought to myself, "Well isn't that true?". And so I opened it. And from the first paragraph, I was disgusted by the facts being presented to me. It states, that 22% of Louisiana Republicans believe that the poor response to Hurricane Katrina was caused directly by the actions of Barack Obama. Another 44% said that they thought that President Obama had a partial role in the poor response. Are you kidding me? How can anyone in their right mind even come across the remote notion that Barack Obama was responsible for this. Using that kind of logic, I suppose that Barack Obama was responsible for the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Great Depression, anything bad that has happened, just blame it on Obama.

Now although I may sound like a crazed bleeding heart liberal, believe me, I'm not. The same problem exists on both sides. Democrats are just as willing to blame Republicans for anything bad that ever happens. If you can remember to the days of the Bush Presidency, you may remember that in the eyes of Democrats, he simply couldn't do anything right. He was constantly ridiculed, and labeled as an uneducated country schmuck. This is just as egregious as anything that has been said against Obama. And that, may friends, is the fundamental problem. We, as a nation, have a fundamental flaw in our political system. We find the need to blame the other party for everything and anything that goes wrong. Long gone are the days of the bipartisan deals, and moderation. It seems like there are no moderates anymore, and the political picture has come to be dominated by the far left and far right. Every time I watch the news, I see a headline about a MSNBC anchor making racist comments towards Mitt Romney's family, or a Tea Partier saying ridiculous statements. This has gone too far.

We as a nation, simply cannot continue like this. We must realize, that above all, we are all Americans. We must think together, and think for what is best for our nation. We mustn't let party lines divide us. As John F. Kennedy stated an eternity ago, "Ask not what your country can do for you, Ask what you can do for your country."

Take Care,
Political Police

The Legacy Of Martin Luther King

Today, January 20, marks the 5th day after the Great Martin Luther King would have turned 85. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, incorruptible, and charismatic leaders of all time. He led the civil rights movements, integrated American Society, and left a lasting legacy for centuries to come. So in honor of this mans 85th birthday, lets recount, and remember all of his achievements.

Martin Luther King Jr. was actually named Michael King at the time of his birth, but his father renamed the future activist Martin Luther King, in honor of the German reformer, Martin Luther.  He was a middle child, and grew up in Atlanta. He skipped both the 9th and 12th grade, which indicated of his sheer academic talent. He attended Morehouse College, and became a pastor at the young age of 25. As he grew up, he became more and more disheartened by the blatant racism and segregation that African Americans faced. Thus, in the early 1940's, King decided to devote his life towards ending segregation. Using Mahatma Ghandi as inspiration, he began to devise a way to organize nonviolent protests, which would hopefully end racism.

It all started with the Montgomery bus boycotts of 1955.  King, with the support of President Nixon, organized a boycott of all Montgomery buses for 385 days, The boycott would not be lifted until blacks were given equal seating rights as whites. His tactic worked, the bus system lost millions of dollars, and the segregation on buses ended. This boycott transformed King into an international figurehead for the Civil Rights Movement. This was the first of many marches that King led, all of which protested  the blatant segregation of African Americans, as well as the treatment of blacks as second class citizens. He was arrested for a grand total of 29 times, as a result of his nonviolent protests.

This all leads up to the 1963 March on Washington. It was at this protest, that King delivered the infamous "I have a dream" speech. What is most impressive, is that the speech was almost entirely impromptu. This showed how much of a masterful orator that King really was. This speech is widely regarded as one of the finest speeches ever given in the history of mankind.

On April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King was shot dead at the Lorraine Motel. King was soon pronounced dead at St. Josephs Hospital, at 7:05 a.m. America had lost one of its greatest leaders. However, his legacy still lives on. His work, his actions, and his heart are still seen today. And we must never forget one of the the greatest leaders, activists, and humanitarians, to have ever walked upon this earth.

Take Care,
Political Police

The Chris Christie Scandal

You probably know, that Chris Christie, New Jersey Governor, is currently embroiled in the midst of an enormous scandal. Several of his top aids were found to have closed several lanes of a major highway in retaliation for the refusal of Fort Lee Mayor, Mark Sokolich, to support Christie in his Gubernatorial campaign. Orchestrated by David Wildstein, one of Christies top aids. Two lanes were closed in George Washington Bridge, causing major traffic jams in Fort Lee. Chris Christie alleges that he had no idea of the plan, and has fired the aides. So now the question has come up, is Chris Christie indeed a hard hitting man of the people, or is he just another Washington bully?

Let's first address Christie's claim that he had no knowledge about the plans to close two lanes in George Washington Bridge. I simply don't buy into this. There is simply no way that Christie was not informed of this illegal plot, in one way or another. He must have had some prior forewarning of the event. And believe me, what his administration did is highly illegal. Christie's administration closed a major bridge, and caused extreme havoc and problems for thousands of families, all in the name of punishing Mayor Sokolich. We must see this as it is. This is a case where a corrupt politician has used his political power to bully a man who declined to support his Gubernatorial run. But his actions have caused major repercussions. Christie is now facing a Class-Action Lawsuit, and his name has been defamed to such an extent that he may not even run for the 2016 Presidential Elections. He has not been allowed to escape the consequences.

Although what Christie has done is wrong, we must realize that he has taken accountability for his actions, and appears to be genuinely sorry. He has issued a heartfelt apology and has promptly fired the top aide's allegedly responsible for this act. And although I absolutely don't believe that Christie didn't actually know about what happened I do believe that he has taken appropriate accountability and actions to mitigate the issue. He has suffered major consequences because of what he did, and he has not been let off the hook. He deserves every bit of criticism he gets, but this one single event shouldn't force him to abandon his plans for a Presidential Bid.

Take Care,
Political Police

Change In Posting Schedule

Hi guys, Political Police here! After keeping up with the posting schedule, I have decided that I should post a little bit more infrequently so that I can give you guys more quality content. So from now on, I will be posting on Mondays and Fridays. Thanks for all your support, and as always, have a nice day.

Take Care,
Political Police

We Have Become Too Concerned With Being Politically Correct

My most recent post was about racism and stereotyping. I understand that this is a very real problem that our country is facing, and many persons still are racists and bigots. However, I do believe, that our country has become too concerned with being politically correct. Cases where race had absolutely nothing to with the situation, have been blown up to a scale where race has become a deciding factor.

One notable example that I can think of is with the use of the N word. African Americans frequently call each other this word, and it is fine. However, when a person of a different race even dares to utter this word, they are condemned as racists who have no respect whatsoever. This doesn't make sense to me. Why are these people being held accountable for something they said, while the Blacks who use it casually in day to day conversations face absolutely no repercussions. To me, this is a case of people simply looking for opportunities to call others racist. Keep in mind though, the context of the situation matters greatly. If the word is said in a way to invoke harm and malice, and to establish racial superiority, then it is wrong. However I very rarely see instances where the intent is to degrade ones race.

Another notable example with over political correctness, is the controversy surrounding the name of the Professional Football team from Washington. The Redskins. Many are crying for the owners to change the name as they believe that it degrades Native Americans. This statement could not be any further from the truth. The reality is, the name, although previously considered derogatory, is in now way, shape, or form saying that Native Americans are considered inferior. Several Native Americans have even been asked whether they feel offended by the name, and their response has consistently been that they feel honored that their culture is being represented by a widely visible icon. If the very cultural group that the name is supposedly degrading, is honored that their name is the official name and logo of a football team, who are we to disagree?

As you can see, I believe that being Politically Correct has gone way too far. Yes, we need to respect all cultures and races, but that does not mean that we should start becoming overly sensitive, and taking offense at words and phrases that had no intent of harm or malice whatsoever. As Charles Osgood aptly says, "Being Politically Correct means always having to say you're sorry",

Take Care,
Political Police

The Racial Stereotyping Going On In America

In this day and age, it feels absurd, even ridiculous, that racial stereotyping is even a remotely small problem in our country. The days of slavery are behind us, we are a nation reborn, a nation immune to racial insensitivity, a nation where all, no matter of race, color, or ethnicity, are to be treated the same. Of course, this is what we all hope for, and supposedly, strive to become. But our current situation, and reality, could not be any further. The truth is, racial stereotyping is alive and well here. Heck, even racism still exists. Before you scoff at me, and utterly dismiss all of my claims, let me tell you a story, and highlight some specific instances in my life where I have been subject to stereotypes.

For those who do not know, I am of Nepalese descent. I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. My parents were both born in Nepal, which is a small country located in between India and China. It is also the country that Mount Everest belongs to. So, as you know, I am not white. Now that you know my background, let's start going into the story, shall we?

A couple weeks ago, while on a road trip, my father and I decided to stop at a rest stop. We go inside, and stand in front of the vending machine. A lady, with a southern accent, comes up to us, and immediately asks, "Where are you from?". To you, that may not be a big deal, but until you have experienced it firsthand, you simply cannot understand or fathom how it feels. How am I supposed to answer? I'm an American! I cannot say that I am Nepalese, I was born here, am a citizen, and have been my entire life. But if I say that I am an American, I am scoffed at, and told to stop lying and tell where I am really from. It hurts to not belong. What makes me any less American than anyone else on this country? And it doesn't end there. A couple of days ago, while on a car ride, I was asked the same question by one of my friends dads. To that, I answered, "My parents are from Nepal.". Two minutes later, we picked up another friend. This person was born in Russia, and moved here when he was 4. He is white. Of course, he is automatically assumed to be an American, and no questions are asked. Why does being white constitute being an American? Why am I asked of my nationality while he is not? I simply don't understand. I was born here, raised here, and have been here my whole life. He was born in Russia, and is a Russian citizen. Why is he considered to be "American", while I am considered to be a foreigner. If you say that this issue is not in any way related to the color of my skin and my physical appearance, then you are delusional and need to wake up.

Please, think before you speak. What may not seem harmful to you, may be racist and stereotypical to others. You haven't experienced the pain of not belonging anywhere, to not be considered an American when you have been born and raised here your whole life. So, on that, I'd like to show you guys a quote by Ed Koch. "Stereotypes lose their power when the world is found to be more complex than the stereotype would suggest. When we learn that individuals do not fit the group stereotype, then it begins to fall apart."

Take Care,
Political Police

Should Gay Marriage Be Legalized?

One of the raging political questions in today's world is the question of whether gay marriage should be legalized. This questions presents a direct clash between our ethical views, and the beliefs that this country was founded upon. The gay rights movement has been gaining strength over the past couple of years, and several states have already legalized marriages between two partners of the same sex. Is this right?

I personally believe that gay marriage is not right. Marriage is supposed to occur between a man and a woman, thats how our species was made, at least in my own view. However, you may be surprised, but I do firmly believe that gay marriage should be legalized. When you look at our great country, you can clearly see that this nation was founded upon the noble notion of freedom and liberty. We have the freedom to do what we want, say what we want, and express ourselves in any way that we feel appropriate. I understand that homosexuality is absolutely not a choice. You can't choose whether you're straight or gay. If I ask you to be gay, can you do it? Most likely not. The same principle applies to gay persons. They're just genetically like that, and that's how they are made. And I understand that. Being gay absolutely does not make one inferior, or of a lower status than not being gay. It's just like ethnicity, height, and color. You have no control over these aspects that make you who you are, and the same can be said for gays. Therefore, how is it any of my business telling others that being gay is wrong? It's simply none of my business. Are gay people infringing on my rights? Of course not! So what gives me the right to enforce my judgement? Although I personally strongly feel that gay marriage is not right, and morally and ethically wrong, I do not feel that I have the right, nor does anyone else, to outlaw, or discriminate against homosexuals. As I have stated before, the gay pride movements have been rapidly gaining traction. Several states already allow for homosexual marriages. And I do believe that our country is headed in the right direction.

Gays deserve better treatment than they are receiving right now. Although many, myself included, believe that being gay is wrong, that does not give us any right to start to discriminate against, or outlaw, homosexuality. We are all human beings, and that, my friends, is what truly matters. And on that note, I'd like to share a quote by Bob Marley. "Better to die fighting for freedom than be a prisoner all the days of your life"

Take Care,
Political Police

Legalization Of Pot, Right Or Wrong?

Just today, Colorado legalized the sale of recreational marijuana. So is this a step forward, or a step back? We already know that the "War on Drugs" has failed miserably. Illegal drug use has risen, and still is rising in America. Unsurprisingly, the main illegal drug being used is Marijuana. So is the legalization of pot the right move?

When you look at both sides, it seems to me that it is the right move. Marijuana, in comparison to other drugs such as heroin and cocaine, is much much less dangerous. There is a very low lethality rate, and weed even has been proven to have numerous medical benefits. The United States is currently funneling hundreds of millions of dollars into the fight against Marijuana use. This money, in my opinion, could be spent better elsewhere. These funds would be much more useful were they to be used towards economical funding, or even fighting the use of other, more dangerous drugs. Secondly, the marijuana industry would be much more strictly regulated, and the use of dangerous chemicals and additives in pot would decrease substantially, as users would no longer be forced to go to underground criminal drug dealers. Right now, as you probably now, the illegal drug industry is positively booming, Drug dealers frequently add harmful chemicals to their products. When consumers no longer have to resort to these dealers for their pot, the overall danger will dramatically decrease. Finally, Government revenue would increase exponentially were weed to be legalized. Now, with only licensed dispensaries being able to dispense marijuana, we would be able to collect taxes and tap into a previously untouched business. 

The opponents of marijuana legalization will state that marijuana is harmful. However, we must realize that cigarettes, which have already been proven to be more harmful, and just as addictive as marijuana, are already legalized. We must allow the people to make a conscious decision, and if they decide upon a path that is not right for them, who are we to judge? In my opinion, I do believe that the state of Colorado has made the right decision in lifting the prohibition on Marijuana. Although there is no doubt that there are many negative effects of marijuana, as well as positive, we must allow the consumer to make a choice about their own life.

Take Care,

Political Polce