A Quick Discussion About the Discussion on Police and Minorities

There has been an enormous amount of tension in this country, especially in the last few weeks, regarding the actions of police and the treatment of minorities.

I have been hesitant to write anything about this topic for a couple obvious reasons. I am not black. I am not a police officer. It's hard for me to weigh in on these topics because I am very aware that I have no life experiences from being a part of either of these groups. Also, I'm not an idiot. I don't suppose to know the details of every situation from the handful of video clips that I've seen on Facebook and the news. 

The only stories that make it to social media and the news outlets are those that are most extreme. And it's not their fault. Nobody would want to watch a 5 minute video of someone getting pulled over, given a speeding ticket with no drama and then sent on their way. It would be too boring. And because I'm aware that only the extreme situations make it to the videos in my living room, I hesitate to make broad generalizations about the police actions in the US. 

But, there are a few things I can say with some confidence and I am going to approach this situation from a slightly different angle. There are a lot of emotions running high and arguments on both sides of the issue but I just want to point out some logical fallacies that seem to be becoming more prevelant as the discussion continues. 

People have developed an "Us or them" attitude when it comes to minorities and police. People have done the same thing in the political spectrums when discussing democrats and republicans. The rhetoric always seems to be posed like every discussion is a zero sum game. People seem to think that for "us" to win, "they" have to lose. The cornerstone fact, that people who think this way seem to be missing, is that we ARE them. There is no division. We are one people, one society, one country.

Being pro Black Lives Matter does not make you automatically anti-police. On the reverse side, being pro-police does not automatically make you anti Black Lives Matter.  Everyone should be pro both. There is no logical reason to separate the two. And attempting to do so only further drives a stake into the divide between the two sides and makes progress more difficult to achieve. One group does not win by the other losing. 

In fact, thinking of this debate in terms of winning and losing does both sides a disservice. We should be striving toward an acknowledgement of the problems that exist and coming together for a solution. Both sides win by both sides winning. There should be no losers. 

This is not an "Us versus Them" issue. Stop treating it like it is.

The other major logical fallacy that I see is people blaming the "character" of the victim. The two most recent and biggest headlines floating around right now are about the shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. In both cases there have been articles posted about how they were either good or bad people for their past actions. And let me be clear, I am not saying that either of these men were bad or good people. I didn't know them. But in either case, it is irrelevant to the way they should be treated during interactions with police. Our criminal just system is based on the premise that everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

Each time there is an officer involved shooting the criminal records are released about the victim within hours of their death. But these past transgressions do not make the victims deserving of being shot by police. There are times that deadly force becomes necessary to protect the safety of the officers involved and the safety of the public in general. But those split second decisions should have nothing to do with the victim's past. The decisions made during that split second should be made with regards to the current situation only. Just because a person has a past criminal record does not make them deserving of being killed by police nor should it mitigate the guilt of the parties involved during the incident. 

If I were to walk up to a registered sex offended on the street, pull out a gun and kill that person on the spot it would still be murder. Because the victim has a criminal past would not make my actions any more legal or just. That is the purpose of our criminal justice system. 

Stop trying to discredit the seriousness of an issue by destroying the character of the victim.

To the police officers out there: 

You have an amazingly difficult job. Intellectually people know this, but emotionally I don't think we are able to truly understand without experiencing it first hand. And I believe that the vast majority of you are good, honest, hardworking, and brave people. But unfortunately, as happens too often, a few bad apples spoil the public's image of the bunch. But, I urge you to check your egos at the door and take an honest look at the system in which you work. If there is a problem, it is time to identify it, address it, and fix it. Because you play a vital role in the health and well being of our society and we could not function without you.

John Stewart, formally of Comedy Central's "Daily Show" said it best:

     "You can truly grieve for every officer who's been lost in the line of duty in this country, and still be         troubled by the cases of police overreach. Those two ideas are not mutually exclusive. You can have great regard for law enforcement and still want them to be held to high standards."

I don't know that I have any solutions to the problems affecting out country right now. I don't know that I understand the problems well enough to even form much of an opinion. But, I just wanted to take a few minutes to illustrate a few pitfalls that we can not afford to trip into if we want to address the issues honestly and arrive at solutions. Emotions surrounding the treatment of minorities by police are very high right now, as they should be. But, I urge everyone to not let the upswell of emotion force you into a position where the response makes the situation worse instead of better. 

Broad generalizations and sweeping statements serve only to reinforce stereotypes and do nothing to help identify and repair the broken issues in our society.  

Austin at Night

I did not post anything yesterday. Honestly, I stayed out too late and drank too much and but he time I got back to the hotel the thought of attempting to write a post was usurped by my desire for a bottle of water and sleep.  We've all been there.

But, I wanted to write a quick post about my experiences in downtown Austin, TX at night.

Austin has become one of my favorite cities to visit. There is excellent food all over the place and a never ending night life. From my hotel I'm no more than a 15 minute walk in any direction from dozens of bars and restaurants. There are thousands of people out wandering around, eating, drinking, shopping, and just enjoying the atmosphere of downtown. And the atmosphere around here is one of the main reasons I enjoy this city so much.

For the most part people seem to be easy going and friendly. The best word I have discovered to describe the pervasive attitude of the people is "chill". Everyone just seems ok with everything. Most people are willing to stop and chat for a second or at least exchange the benign pleasantries that are often ignored. Depending which way you turn, there seems to be a little something for everyone down here.

If you're looking for a massive party with loud music and lots of shots then the area known to the locals as "Dirty 6th" is the perfect spot. The police close off about 3 blocks of 6th street and open it up to the bars and bar hoppers for the night. There are over a dozen bars lining both sides of the street with pizza shops and little eateries that stay open late to service the drunken party crowd dotted among them. There are a handful of rooftop bars when you can look down at the massive sea of people that cover the roadway. It's a giant kegger.

On the other end of 6th street, and area just called "West 6th", are another string of bars and restaurants. These tend to gear toward a slightly more low-key crowd; at least low key by comparison to "Dirty 6th". It seems like this end of the street has a couple of ultra-lounges and a few bars that are more theme oriented. West 6th is home to Steampunk Saloon which is a place that is, you guessed it, steam punk themes. They had iron and brass from floor to ceiling and the bartenders wear suspenders, leather, and goggles. A few doors down from Steampunk is the Green Light Social where their signature drink is a Capri Sun. Yes, that kind of Capri Sun. They add a bit of vodka to the ouch and serve it to you in such a way that you can still punch the straw into it and drink it just like you did when you were a kid. Your 12 year old self would be so jealous. 

Roughly 10 blocks South-West of downtown is a little street called Rainey. Yet another strip of bars and cool eateries Rainey used to be residential houses that have been converted into bars and restaurants. If you like eating/drinking/sitting outdoors Rainey is the place for you. Almost all of the bars are at least 50% outdoors and one of the coolest things about most of them is how pet friendly they are. Walk into any bar on Rainey and on the back patio there will be at least one person who has brought their dog. And if you like brunch then Bangers on Sunday mornings is the place to be. They have great food, live music, and the ManMosa which is like a mimosa but instead of a glass it's a bottle of champagne and served in a huge glass mug. 

There are a ton of areas to check out in Austin. I've been here three times now and feel like I've just started to scratch the surface. There is live music everywhere and restaurants I haven't had a chance to try. The food trucks that park around the strips have high quality late night snacks and the outdoor life in Austin and the surrounding area is supposed to be excellent as well. 

I'm just a visitor here so I'm sure there are things I've left out and things I have a slightly different view on than people who live here but, the moral of the story is: If you have a chance to visit Austin, I highly recommend you do so. It is on my short list of favorite cities in the states.

(Doug, Katie, and I with our Capri-Suns at Green Light Social)

On A Plane

As I write this, I am sitting on an airplane on my way to Austin, TX partly to visit some friends, and partly because I just love that city. I love traveling in general. Well, not the traveling part so much as the being there part. Generally I'm pretty miserable on airplanes. 

It's not the fear of flying or anything, it's just that I'm physically incomortable on most public transportation, planes included. I'm six and a half feet tall and not exactly slender so fitting my big ass on seats designed for normal people can be a challenge. But, today I lucked out and got the emergency exit seat so I've got leg room for days and a couple of wonderfully nice people to chat with in the seats next to me. That always makes traveling a little easier. 

In my opinion the hassle of travel is a small price to pay for the enjoyment of the trip. Not traveling because you don't like airports would be like giving up sex because you don't like condoms. Becasue, let's be real, even when it's bad it's still good. 

I flew into Chicago for my connecting flight a few hours ago and as we came into the airport we flew just past downtown and got a great view of all the buildings. The sprawling landscape of metal and concrete butted up against the lake is a sight that gets taken for granted far too often. It is incredibly impressive. All of that was created by people. The juxtaposition between man made structures and the natural world is stark. A couple hundred years ago there was nothing there except trees and tributaries and now there are millions of people stacked on top of each other in office buildings and apartment complexes. Trying to imagine all the planning and work that went into making the Chicago skyline is mind boggling. 

I say that as I sit on a metal tube with windows and wings that takes me from Chicago to Austin, a distance of roughly 1000 miles, in the matter of a couple of hours while listening to Fall Out Boy on my headphones that pair wirelessly to my cell phone in the seat pocket in front of me like none of that is impressive. 

I have been trying to travel as much as possible recently as part of my search for my place in life. I had a concern that part of the reason that I never felt like I had a plan or purpose was that I had not experienced enough yet. So, I resolved to travel and experience life more. More cities, more people, more different opportunities to discover thing that I may like or may hate. There is only one way to find out if you like or hate something. You have to try it first. 

I may be a little behind the curve in that respect. As a 32 year old, I feel like many people have done essentially what I'm doing right now a little bit earlier in their lives. But, I spent the second half of my 20s in a committed relationship and working a million hours a week at a job in attempt to "build a life" for myself and significant other. Needless to say, that didn't work out. I wonder sometimes if I was chasing a life that I didn't really want and maybe that is why I was never truly happy while I was working on it.  And as I continue down that rabbit hole I wonder if maybe that was why she and I didn't work out. 

But that's old news. Wondering "what if" can be a massive waste of time. "What will be?" Is a question that holds far more interest for me right now. 

Onward and upward. I am looking forward to the rest of this trip and I'm hoping it will spur more stories for me to write about on here. Only one way to find out.....

 

Nothing To Say (Really just rambling, don't read this)

I know what you're thinking. Three days into a 30 day writing challenge and I've already missed a day. Well, nope! I'm just running a little bit late. OK, a lot late. Give me a break, I haven't slept for shit the last couple of nights, probably too much alcohol and the fireworks keep the dog up which keeps me up so my schedule has been a little more off than normal. Don't judge me, you don't know my life!

I was thinking about what I wanted to write about today and I was having a hard time coming up with anything that felt like it was worth it. I am discovering that if I have a thought that might be interesting enough to write about, I start to think about it more and more and end up coming to some sort of a conclusion to the thought process which makes writing about seem no longer necessary. I need to work on making mental notes to keep track of things I might want to blog about. 

Finding my focus on any one topic has been the biggest struggle so far. I'm starting to think that I have an interest in writing and in literature but because those two things can cover literally any topic imaginable I am having a hard time narrowing my field to anything specific. I enjoy reading. I like the idea of the process of writing. But, focusing on a single subject is becoming a bit of an issue. 

I am leaving town for a couple of days starting tomorrow. I'm headed to Austin, TX again. I have really enjoyed the week or so I've spent there and am seriously considering moving down there later this year. And in preparation for that possibility, and to visit a couple of good friends, I jumped at the chance to go hang out down that way for a couple of days. I am going to try to check out more than just the night life this time and maybe take a look at a couple of apartments. I just feel like it's time to try something new. I've felt kind of stuck in Indy for quite a while now. 

I will make sure to carve out time to write while I'm there. I'm going to give up for tonight. And I'll publish this post but I'm not going to put it out on the normal social media outlets because this really isn't worth anyone else reading. This has been essentially an online journal. It may as well have a tiny lock and a picture of a unicorn with rainbows on it.  

If anyone stumbled on this post and ignored the title of it, sorry. I'll try again tomorrow. 

Baseball on the 4th of July

The only thing more American than Baseball and Independence Day is baseball ON Independence Day!

The Declaration of Independence was signed July 4, 1776. On this day 240 years ago the Continental Congress declared their independence from British rule. Happy birthday USA! 

According to Wikipedia, the first professional baseball team was founded in America in Cincinnati in 1869. So, for more more than half of our country's lifetime baseball has been America's pastime. 

Let's put that into a little perspective. 

In 1869: 

The Cincinnati Red Stockings became baseball's first professional team with 10 salaried players. 

Also in 1869:

-Ulysses S. Grant was elected president of the United States.

-There were only 37 stars on the American Flag as Colorado was still 7 years away from becoming the 38th state.

-Jesse James committed his first confirmed bank robbery.

-The 19th Amendment, allowing women in the US full voting rights, was still over 50 years from being ratified.

-The Ottoman Empire would not be dissolved for another 53 years.

-World War I was still 45 years away.

-The first gasoline powered automobile was still 17 years away.

-The average American life expectancy was somewhere around 37 years.

-Wilbur Wright was two years old, his brother Orville would not be born for another two years and the brothers wouldn't make their famous flight at Kitty Hawk, NC for another 34 years.

-The 13th amendment, abolishing slavery, had been ratified just four years prior. 

-Thomas Edison wouldn't file hit patent for his incandescent light bulb for another 10 years.

Essentially, most of the things we take for granted as common parts of our lives didn't exist with the exception of professional baseball. When put in perspective it is truly mind-blowing that you can turn on a TV and watch a game that was started when the most common mode of land transportation was horseback or a brisk walk.

Baseball diamonds have been a place to watch American history for over 100 years. Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, and many others served World War II. And countless other players have served in the military throughout history. One of those players was Jackie Robinson, who is widely credited for breaking the color barrier in American sports. Which was a monumental moment in American history as racial equality is something that our society struggles with still today.

Baseball players were the first "superstars" from the world of professional sports. Every TV commercial, and movie cameo any current athlete has an opportunity to do can be traced back to baseball. Baseball was the first sport where the players played their sport as their only means of financial income without having to have a profession in the off season. Any multi-million dollar contract that is signed by a modern athlete can be traced back to baseball. 

There are more important things in life than sports but it is hard to look around the history of the US over the last 150 years and not see baseball as a microcosm of American culture. The game has changed very little over it's lifetime with wooden bats and leather gloves. But, the advancements and growth of American culture can be seen in every pitch thrown and every ball hit since 1869. 

Baseball is inclusive. If you can play, you can play. Where you started in life, poor, rich, Black, White, Asian, is of no importance. If you can bring something of value to the league, you'll have a chance to do just that. And what could be more of the American ideal than that? 

Happy 240th birthday America, here's to another 240 great years! 

Writing

I have done this before. I have sat down in front of my computer and told myself that I was going to spend more time writing. I have promised myself that I would practice my craft and continue to attempt to improve. Time and time again I have lied to myself. 

I don't know what has kept me from sitting down and giving this an honest attempt. I have claimed I was too busy, have convinced myself that I wasn't a good writer, I have complained that I didn't know what to write about. If I'm being really honest with myself about it, the thing that has probably kept me from giving writing a more honest effort is it's scary, and I'm lazy.  There is no instant ROI for writing in this blog. I don't know if I have anything to say that's worth reading. Maybe I really am not a great, or even a good writer. There are a thousand reasons, good ones and bad ones, not to do something. And I have fallen into each and every one of them. 

The real truth that I've been hiding from is that there is no way to answer any of those questions without effort. There is no way to know if I have any talent as a writer unless I write. There is no way to improve without practice. There is no way to know if I have anything to say unless I attempt to say something. I have a unique opportunity right now that provides the time and flexibility to explore my passions in life and it's high time I start to make the most of it. 

So, here is my new goal: I am going to write a blog post every day for a month. 30 straight days of taking the time and energy to sit down and write something. That's it. That's the only rule. I have interests all over the place so my topics will be all over the place. 

And I know that most of my posts have been about me and my personal life. In essence, they have all used the word "I" far too often. And this post is no exception. I have mostly used this blog as a catharsis for me, which can get very tedious to anyone who reads it. I don't plan on continuing that theme as my only form of writing. I'm sure it will happen again but I want to try to expand a little bit and try my hand and multiple different styles of writing. 

There is something about the power of the written word that has always enthralled me. There is nothing you can't do with words. Without words there could be no thought. I want to explore my abilities to wield that sword. 

I'm sure that most of the things that I will post will be utter nonsense. For that, I will apologize ahead of time. I'm sorry, and now you've been warned.  I'm just hoping that occasionally there will be a little nugget of thought, truth, imagery, or passion that will be worth holding onto, even if only for a minute. 

For those of you who have read my blog in the past, thank you. For those of you who will continue to read my blog in the future, thank you more. Let's see how this goes....

Letter to My Father 7/9/15

Hey Dad,

I'm sorry I haven't written sooner. I've thought of it many times and was never able to sit down and put pen to paper, as it were. 

Dylan wrote a small Facebook post about you today. As usual, any mention of you on social media spurs a flurry of comments and "likes" and whatnot. And, if I'm being honest, it's probably what lit a fire under me to finally write you this letter tonight.

I miss you. Many other people seem to miss you. Sometimes I feel like yelling at people. They didn't seem to appreciate you in life but are first to queue up and yell after you've passed. But, that's not the proper way for me to react to people who are, on the surface anyway, sharing my sentiment.  Besides, there's a good portion of that reaction that is probably just me projecting. C'iest la vie.

I think, the thing that has taken me most by surprise recently is how much I am still surprised that you're gone. I know you're gone. I was there when you left. Yet, over a year later, I am shocked multiple times a week that I can't swing by your house and vent to you about whatever inane issue was wrecking my mental space that day. It's strange. It's almost as if enough time has passed that I have distanced myself from the act of you dying and am just left with the absence.

Oh, in speaking of the house, it's gone. I'm sorry. I drove by it today. I almost don't want to tell you about it because I know how much you loved that place. I also know you wanted us to keep it. I'm sorry. It just wasn't in the cards. All of your children combined couldn't afford to keep the house. Maybe that says something about us. I don't know.

But, on a lighter note, I started a new job. I'm working for Weaver Popcorn. The job isn't currently interesting enough to go into a lot of detail but it seems like a good company to work for and I think there is a good amount of room for advancement. Also, it's Monday through Friday and I've broken out of the retail world. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

And, I'm seeing a new girl. Well, we've been seeing each other for a while but I just met her last summer. I think you'd like her. She's smarter than me, which would be endless fun for the two of you at my expense. 

I didn't expect it, yet writing this letter to you seems to be making me feel better. So I guess I should thank you for being there for me yet again. Thank you.

I felt like there was a lot I wanted to tell you, but I seem to be drawing a blank on what else I wanted to say. 

I know you tried to make your estate as cut and dry as possible. It hasn't turned out to be that way. But, I think we are nearing the finish. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you for that as well.

My brothers are doing well!

Logan had a baby! A little boy. I can't believe you never knew that. I guess the last time you saw Logan was at his wedding, or shortly after. His name is Husdon and he's pretty awesome. He's already tall and is a giggly, happy little dude. He doesn't even cry when I hold him. I can't believe you'll never get to hold him. That's not fair. 

That thought just hit me hard.

Cullen moved to Texas. He got an internship doing.......something. He is working designing smart phone apps or some such nonsense. But, he seems like he's doing very well and Heather just moved down there to be with him. He and I don't always see eye to eye but I'm glad he's doing well and I think he seems happy.

Dylan is Dylan. Hahahaha. He's working for a company around here called BarMetrix. He seems to be doing well. He and Kristin are in a good place. I know he misses you. And, the both of us tend to emulate our lives around yours in a lot of ways. He's either going to be a millionaire or end up living in the sewers. All or nothing pops; that's how you did business, that's how Dylan does life. Sometimes I envy him in that.

Mom sold her house. She "downgraded" to a condo just down the road from where she was. I put downgraded in quotations because the new condo is pretty sweet. It just doesn't have unused rooms or yardwork. But don't worry, it has a deeded boat dock! So, she's thinking about getting a pontoon boat next summer. Selfishly I'm hoping she does!

Dylan just stopped by, there's no Jack in the cabinet. I am not my father's son. I guess we'll have to settle for a nice glass of scotch. Maybe I am my father's son.

This has been an interesting exercise. While writing this letter I have laughed, cried, been introspective, and altruistic. 

I need to go to bed. 

So, let me finish by saying that I miss you. I miss you everyday.  I would give anything to have you back and have you healthy. I'll write you again soon. 

I love you pops.

-Cody