Re blogged Post from a class

Below is what I wrote in response to a prompt in a Civics Class about an issue I care about greatly. And on this Martin Luther King Day, I decided to share it with the rest of you.

Although I already participate in the conversation about the Israeli Palestinian Conflict, I have a voice that is rarely heard in this discussion.  And since the talking points that I bring to the table are not only unusual but break an entire host of convections that are assumed about this issue I think my voice needs to be heard.  Although the news loves to focus on this little region in the Middle East (despite places like Syria being much more trouble ridden places, but that's a different topic) its quite difficult to find anything that actually speaks objectively on the problems that plague the region.  

Most troublesome is the fact that Israel, Gaza, and Judea Samaria also known as the West Bank are all governed by different social rules that makes it near impossible for this to occur.  Israel has similar rules of media to the United States which is why it tends to get criticized the most of the three areas. This could be argued as a downside of Democratically Elected Government.  

Not far behind in being criticized, but usually by the opposing viewpoint  is Gaza.  Gaza is ruled with an iron fist by Hamas which has been labeled a terrorist group by much of the international community.  The confusion lies in some groups believing that since Hamas was elected by the people that their actions are either justified or not so justified depending on who you ask, but others will say their actions are not justified regardless of how the group came into power.  More problematic is the fact that rockets are fired into Israel from Gaza at a frequent enough rate that Israelis treat these attacks the way we do a hurricane or tornado in the United States.   But that's not really what the point of contention of the attacks is.  The debates become whether the rockets actually pose a threat, versus being defined as a crime against humanity for each one fired according to international law.  As you can see, this debate has such vast gaps in points of view.

But still I have not talked about Judea Samaria also known as the West Bank, where even the name you choose to call this region is a form of bias.  This is the part of the region which seems to be the most black and white and I cannot even discuss what I know of this part of the world without bringing personal bias into the post.  What I will say is that the region is split into three types of areas.  Ones where Israel controls everything, zones where both Palestinians and Israelis control things together, and places where Palestinians have complete control of the region.  Due to the different types of laws in each of those zones, it is not unusual for the words Apartheid to be brought up in regards to this region, nor the discussion of settlements built by Israelis in places where they do or do not have the right to build them.  This is by far the most complex part of the conflict, most notably because Jerusalem the capital of Israel (oh by the way, calling it so is a bias, but one that I am willing to make) is partially within the region. (How much of it is or is not is also a point of contention)  

Fun fact before I continue.  Me choosing to acknowledge the country as Israel, rather than call it Palestine is considered a form of bias. Which leads me to believe that this entire conflict was structured to intentionally be biased.  More on that in a bit.

I was introduced to this issue growing up in a Jewish household, but surprisingly I was not immediately biased towards the Israeli side of the conversation due to the people who had already chosen sides in the discussion.  This led to some confusion growing up that continues forward to this day.

This confusion is led by the groups who have the loudest opinions on the Israeli Palestinian Conflict.  The first of the two confusing groups is the group most supportive of Israel: The extreme Religious Right.  A group that has a history of making Jews go shape of Pear as a hobby in just about any time period in the last 2000 years or so.  And the group most supportive of the Palestinians? The extreme Left, a group that I had always believed had the back of the Jewish People with the whole support of minorities thing and what not.  This was confusing to me until recently when I dug into why these people support what they do.  And sadly, the answers I am finding are so convoluted that I will not be giving them here out of fears of the responses to this post will descend into discussions on conspiracy theories.

What I will say, is that neither of these groups cares at all about the Israelis or the Palestinians. Each one has an agenda that sounds like something out of fantasy, and even with elements of Cosmic Horror Story for added fun. 

I want to say that this speaks to my personal truth out of a desire to better the world, but I would be lying.  The reason I care about this issue is far more primal and base.  Its out of a need for self preservation.  I care about Israel because I know that if I ever become in danger because I am Jewish, there is a safe haven for me.  And if that safe haven is ever destroyed, then I am once again in danger.  And despite people telling me that the Holocaust is a horrific event that will never happen again, the Jews of the 1930s were told similar stories in reference to other past events.  The reality is, that Jews are always in danger.  somewhere in the world there will always be those who want to do us harm because of what we believe.  That goes double for me, being that I am on the Autism Spectrum as well.  Its not as relevant for the Israeli Palestinian conflict, but due to an entire host of genetic and cultural things I have been born with and raised on, I have a figurative target painted on my back, and will do whatever I need to to ensure my own continued existence.  The fact that there are people who are supposed to be my allies who now seem to be making me an enemy is even more concerning than the sentences above.  A concern that is not helped by how I feel about our president elect, especially his Vice President and the next in line Vice President should Donald Trump get impeached or something along those grounds. (but once again, that is another issue entirely)

Unpopular Opinion: BDS needs to go... For the Sake of Liberalism

The first half of the title is barely unpopular, its the second half that stirs controversy.

For those of you who do not know, BDS stands for Boycott, Divest, Sanction.  They are a movement that exists to boycott goods that benefit Israel at the Palestinian expense.  Recently I was able to be at a meeting where what the organization is was discussed without the lens of media managing to muddle the scope.  And I learned some things about the organization.

For one, Liberalism really is better off without such a group, especially when it becomes apparent that a political ideology that historically has been on the side of those being oppressed, is so far beyond on the wrong side of the fence.  I have never understood why a movement exists that would target people like itself, but BDS does just that.  There are few countries not just in the middle east, but quite frankly, in the entire world that are as liberal as Israel.  Comes with the role of Judaism which is in itself a very liberal religion.  Especially on grounds of tolerance.  This very tolerance is what is currently biting Israel in the back, with parasites such as BDS at the forefront.

But if you are not convinced yet, lets look at the people who BDS is protecting.  I don't know about you, but Liberalism as I have learned, is not about celebrating the death of innocent people.  I don't even care if one thinks that the Palestinians are oppressed or not, the death of innocent people changes nothing for them.  It is nothing more than an act of terror.

But if you are still reading, and not convinced by this point, I'll make use of another medium to show the real problem with BDS: Video Games.  A very specific video game in this case, which has been criticized as pandering to Liberals.  I speak of the game series Mass Effect.

In Mass Effect, there is a Human Rights advocacy group known as Cerberus.  Their function and motives in game are too complex to explain in the scope of a blog post, but I will spend some time talking about how they operate, and how similar BDS is to them.

First off, Cerberus operates in smaller cells who do not communicate much with each other. All cells have a supervisor that dictates what the direct mission of the group will be.  If things become problematic, since the other groups within Cerberus do not work outside their own cell, they can feign ignorance should something happen to another group.  BDS operates the exact same, with each group independent of the others.  And should one cell screw up, the others can make the claim that the rogue group is not associated with the larger whole.

Second, Cerberus emphasizes Humans First in every category.  To that end, they are willing to blackmail, steal, and even murder, to maintain their objectives.  Horrific experiments that usually harm the very humans they seek to promote is of little consequence to Cerberus.  They even see other humans that are against them as enemies that must be destroyed, despite being the very people they claim to be helping.  BDS is the same.  They emphasize Palestinians first even when it causes direct harm to these people.  In fact just like Cerberus, when Palestinians are harmed by BDS, they are reminded that the greater good is more important than the individual.

Third, Cerberus is hypocritical.  They say they are for the advancement of Humanity while making use of other species who did all the work before claiming it as their own.  They even get much of their funding from groups that Cerberus should be at odds with, such as non human supremacy groups, and dangerous aliens such as the Collectors who spend a lot of time kidnapping humans and harvesting their bodies for experiments. In a similar vein, BDS boycotts some groups that help the Palestinians, while receiving money from groups that should be their enemies.

But last and most important of all, Cerberus is being manipulated by the Reapers, incredibly dangerous machines that kill all life in the galaxy every fifty thousand years.  They make use of Cerberus by ensuring that factions that should be allies are constantly at war with each other.  This is to ensure that eventually, when the time comes to strike, both factions are weak enough to be crushed. The leaders of Cerberus are charismatic, intelligent, and incredibly brainwashed.  So deeply indoctrinated that they do not even realize the harm they are causing.  While BDS is by no means initiating a cosmic horror story into the world, they still are being manipulated by groups that no rational thinking person should.  And just like with Cerberus, their leaders are charismatic, intelligent, and incredibly brainwashed.

If none of these things prove that Liberalism needs to remove BDS like the deadly parasite it is, I do not know what will.  No group that exists as a distraction for the sake of killing innocent people can be permitted to spread misinformation and even more trouble.

Steins Gate: A Spoiler Free Review

Whoa boy, or should I say Too-Too-Roo?  I'm gonna keep this spoiler free like all my anime reviews, but this specific one is like Fight Club.  I probably should not talk about it at all.  Add to the fact that this is an anime of Mind Fuckery Level that manages to divide by zero and my job becomes that much more difficult.

But I'll do my best to overcome this obstacle anyway.

Steins Gate is a fantastic Anime that covers its bases superbly.  As a writer, glaring plot holes annoy me to no end, and while it is not perfect in this regard, any inconsistencies and head scratchers are either part of the appeal of the anime or little enough to not interfere with the overall narrative.

Speaking of narrative, this is where Steins Gate is strongest.  With a lovable cast that gets incredibly fleshed out over twenty-four episodes, the appeal lasts from beginning to end.  The characters are really what makes Steins Gate so incredible.  You care about these people and the anime does a great job of making them endearing from the very first episode.

Even if the beginning seems to be really confusing, this is an Anime that is certainly worth watching, probably multiple times so that it is properly understood.  There is a lot to appreciate with Steins Gate, and for those who like to think about what they watch, this should be on the list of must watch.

But finally, for all those who want to see The Mad Scientist as the hero, look no further than Steins Gate.

Too Too Roo!

Unpopular Opinion: Florida is not as Fucked up as it Seems

It is hard to go more than a day without seeing Florida in the news in some form.  Scandals with our government one day, some freak accident involving an animal the next, you would think that Florida would have a fence with barbed wire all around it.  But speaking as a resident of the states, there is no wall, and even President Elect Trump will not be building one here.

So why does Florida seem to be such a messed up place, even if its not any worse than elsewhere in the United States (I almost put world there for a second) I think its actually simple, and the solution is something I learned in my time living in the state.

Floridians have really big mouths and like to share their opinions.  There is a reason I feel right at home in this state.  In reality, other states are better at hiding the fuck ups that live in their areas.  Not only do Floridians fail at hiding these skeletons, but we love to announce other people's skeletons for everyone else to find.

Florida may have messed up politicians and teachers, but that's no different than anywhere else.  We just get more attention cause its wonderful weather here, especially during the winter and more importantly, cause Floridians love to talk-- about each other.  Also everyone else in the United States is jealous of our weather.

My 2016: A Year in Review

I figure as 2016 ends today, I might as well reflect on the year.  This has been an unusual year for both myself and the world, it seems.  I managed to accomplish quite a lot in the span of 12 months and I should feel good about these accomplishments.  Most of my complaints come from the larger problems that affect more than just myself.

As for personal, I managed to get an Associates Degree in the summer, and completed my first semester at University of Central Florida while maintaining above a 3.0 GPA.  Those accomplishments are benefited further by me working for a startup that is nearing revenue phase.  An indication that my financial hardship may finally be coming to an end.  To supplement this income, I am in the process of starting my own business to circumvent the poverty cycle of perpetually low paying jobs.

The third aspect of my future income is so significant that it requires its own section.  After searching for a year in pursuit of a cover artist, I finally made the last minute adjustments to my Anthology and published it.  While it won't be available to read until January 2017, this publication is a major step forward in my life.

There is plenty of bad as well.  The president elect poses a potential danger for myself and my friends coming into 2017.  the current president and his administration are leaving me vexed about Israel at the moment, in a time where being a Jew is becoming increasingly dangerous.  But watching a world where ideologies are forming that are best left forgotten is really my greatest fear moving into the new year.

As a writer I have an incredible skill to make use of.  Many of the negative things outlined are within my power to address.  And I will be writing to continue my personal civic engagement into this new year, and any policy or idea that I disagree with, will be mentioned by me soon after its inception.  I am capable of fighting against injustice and will fight for every inch of ground that it seeks to take.

As a human being, I am worried about the new year, despite my recent gains, but as a writer, I could not be more delighted.

Warcraft Haiku Series: Monk Followers

Brewer Chen Stormstout
Born on the Wandering Isle
Fights to save his home

Child Li Li Stormstout
Gets bored way too easily
Only sane Panda

Master Taran Zhu
Fought against the Sha of Hate
Stands against Demons

The Monkey King, Who?
Leader of the Hozen Tribes
He once owned Fu Zan

Angus Ironfist
Sought to become a Monk and,
Managed to do so

Hiro the Troll Monk
Error Error No Lore Found
Who is it that speaks?

Sylara, Night Elf
Error Error No Lore Found
Who is it that speaks?

Aegria the Monk
A vrykul Monk is odd, and
Master of the Storm

Holiday Reflection

It is little secret that the months of November, December, January and February are my least favorite part of the year.  When I lived up north, that meant perpetual cold and less sunlight.  And while I am a person of darkness who revels in it, I do not enjoy the cold that goes alongside it in the long winter months.

Really though, the above is not the reason I greatly dislike this time of year.  It has to do with the events that take place during those months.  And one will notice that each of them have a similar feel and theme to them.  All of the holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years, and Valentines Day all deal with either family or romantic occasions.

My family relationship is complex.  I love my parents and siblings from the bottom of my heart, no denying that.  But, each of us has our own lives.  And my goals can get into conflict with each of their own.  For this reason, I tend to control my visits with each of them, my brother Brent being the exception.  These controlled visits ensure that each experience is maximum in impact and minimizes any negative experiences that may occur.

As for the romantic holidays, it is a double edged sword.  On one hand, I pride myself on my well... pride.  "Yes dear" is not part of my vocabulary.  If a person thinks they are right, they better fucking be right.  This does not play well into dating of course.  Nor does it help that with me being as stubborn as I am that I live in a Jewish society.  A world that aggressively pushing dating and marriage when combined with a man like me that is quite frankly not marketable is quite a conundrum.

But really my reason for hating this time of year goes much deeper than superficial problems.  Before I went to college, family time had already become an incredibly awkward endeavor, and although it too a while for me to find the root cause, I realized in hindsight after my parents began the process of divorce, that I had felt the negative energy in the room long before.  This mean that for many years I had dreaded family holidays, which meant surprise surprise, all the ones listed above.

So as college came around, I decided to avoid my family during these holidays to avoid the negative repressed memories.  This of course created another problem.  One that I call "Harry Potter Syndrome"  I might not go home for the holidays to spend it with my family, but basically everyone else I know does.  This leaves me alone to brood and seethe in anger.  Sometimes for entire months at a time since school is not open to distract me from my woes.

For many years, the winter served as a long 4 month dark time where I would contemplate suicide from the first day to the last.  Loneliness and self doubt would gnaw at me, while I made the mistake of spending time on Facebook and becoming jealous of the people who had a less toxic family situation, which would further feed into my self loathing.  It became a deadly cycle.  To make matters worse, basically the entire United States of America shuts down during the already mentioned holidays meaning that I had basically nothing to do to keep my mind out of depression state.  A spiral into a deep darkness.

I came to a breaking point a few years ago when I published my first novel.  That was the action that gave my life meaning.  I decided that I would move heaven and hell itself, even spit in G-ds eyes if it would ensure that I can complete my work.  So as a result, I have not had a suicidal thought in a little more than three years which is truly remarkable.  However, this does not mean that the pain goes away.

Even now, as I write this post, I am alone in my home and have no plans to spend it with anyone.  I do not want to leave the house because hearing Christmas music has become a Post Traumatic Stress Trigger for me and can drive me into a manic rage just by hearing it.  Although since everything is closed on Christmas, its pointless to leave anyway.

I'll make it through this year just like I have all the others, by writing.  And let me tell you, based on how 2016 turned out, the hell that will be 2017, is gonna need it.