Blog Jar: I wish I could change....

....the religious tolerance of people living in this area.

....the lack of appreciation for knowledge and intellect in rural areas such as ours.

....piracy laws.

....drug laws.

I realized, at the onset of beginning this blog post, that all of the things I desire to change are BIG issues, issues that will no doubt label me an atheist, an elitist, a pirate, and a druggie.

When I vocalized my concerns to those in the Writing Center with me as I began this post, Dr. Knight said, "Wow. It's amazing that you aim for such big things. Most people would respond to that (blog prompt) with things they'd like to change about themselves."

The thing is, if there are things about myself which I desire to change, I know fully well that I have the power to change them. It is issues like those listed above that require the voices of many to make a difference.

Recently, I became very enveloped in the Southeastern High School graduation debate. A pagan student voiced his concerns regarding Christian prayer being led during the graduation ceremony. He felt that his religious freedoms were being trampled on because he was being forced to partake in a Christian ritual. In the end, Washington groups contacted the school and told them that the student was correct, and that holding a Christian prayer during the ceremony would, indeed, be in violation of the Constitution.

I followed the Gazette as they covered this story, and I found myself arguing with fundamentalists on the paper's web forums, and realizing how very uneducated many of our local residents are. Those who spoke out against the student's debate called him a "spoiled brat" and said that he should be ashamed of himself and that all of the audience at the graduation should turn their back on him when he walks up to obtain his diploma. The fundamentalist Christians who reacted against the board's decision to forego the prayer at the ceremony did so emotionally, without thinking about the issue intelligently. I was both disgusted by the religious hate on the forums and proud of the religion-tolerant people who were willing to support the boy and his efforts to bring equality to the opressed within his school district.

What this story taught me is that we have a lot of educating to do in this area if we expect to change any of the things I've listed above. I know that a lot of "change" is happening as we speak. I'm confident that our new administration is doing a great deal to combat the willful ignorance that has plaqued our country for so long. I'm not saying I'm a fan of what Obama is doing for piracy, however. Appointing one anti-piracy attorney after another to his team of administrators particularly disheartens me.

So, label me what you will based on this post. I'll continue fighting for truth and knowledge, and I'll hold my breath while those who oppose it die off!