Residents of the World

Whew, it's been a while since I have posted, but alas here I am. I have a few things I want to post, but sometimes I work in a matter of newest to oldest. With that being said, I will mention the freshest thing on my mind... I'll hit you guys on the next with some restaurant recommendations from December/January. Yup.

I was at a work meeting and we had someone from the census come to talk to us to get the word out to the families we work with. The speaker used the term "illegal immigrants" when someone in the group said, "it's not illegal immigrants, it's undocumented residents." The guy was like ok, and when he had a slip, he corrected himself and said undocumented residents. I do use the word immigrant(s), but don't really say illegal nor undocumented; however listening to this woman express herself in such a manner gave me a fresh perspective on using 'undocumented' should I feel the need to express the status of someone residing here from another country without papers. What I also appreciated was the knowing that we are all technically residents of this Earth. Borders were created by man, therefore creating this "power" in a country as to whom can be where.

I am first generation born in the States. I know and have known people that are undocumented. And while I don't get too involved in politricks, I do stay up on current events and the Immigration Reform is what's going on. I have felt bothered for a long time that people are so quick to talk down (and generalize) that it's immigrants taking away jobs, or that they shouldn't be here, yet it's those very same people that work here, that pay rent here, buy food here, clothes and extras, here. Do those very same people that judge, have anything to say about large corporations that outsource? These companies get employees in other countries because they can pay ridiculously low wages. Instead of trying to blame the working immigrant, look at the big picture and see not who is supposedly taking jobs away from you but who is taking them outside of this country.

Maybe, babies? Or not.

As Obama tries to pass the pro-abortion bill, there are many that oppose it. I would like to start off by saying that I am pro-choice (with additional opinion on that). Some people feel that funding should not be provided for abortions; a lot who seem to be of faith, oppose it due to their religion. However, "Though shall not steal" and "Though shall not murder" are in the bible and our tax dollars provide 3 square meals to thieves and murderers in jail.
I once met a woman, that with 4 abortions under her belt (no pun intended) had then went through her 5th. I do feel that abortion should not be thee source of birth control. A little common sense would be nice BUT education would be much nicer. Bush spent millions of dollars on abstinence-only education programs; programs that were proven to be quite ineffective. Education on sex, diseases, HIV/AIDS, and babies is vital and should be implemented. The youth has the right to be in the know!
It's true that our tax dollars don't always go where we want them to, but I'd prefer it goes in supporting this bill rather than limiting women who opt to give birth to unwanted children.



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Swine Flu Conspiracy?

When the news blasted the outbreak of the "swine flu", my first thought wasn't how to protect myself and not get infected, rather what is really going on in the world? I spoke to my sis about it and she had the same thought. We agree that the government and then in turn the media has a way of creating chaos within the masses to blind us from the real issues at hand. I found it interesting, that living in LA, so close to Mexico there wasn't any reported cases (then), but were in Germany and Australia. This flu hasn't killed any more people than any other flu*. So I ask, what are they distracting us from?



*According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: About 36,000 Americans die on average per year from the complications of flu.