I Have Changed My Mind on Atom and His Package (and the Washington Redskins)

Yo. I have no idea how to write a blog post without feeling like a self absorbed douche. Really, why else would anyone write down their thoughts about the world for everyone else to read? Regardless, I'm going to do it and face that weird feeling of self awareness for the sake of getting thoughts out on the table that, I guess, I think are important or valuable to other humans. Sue me.

This Sunday I had two conversations about racism and both were exclusively with white people. The first was with some friends at Church talking about a local high school sports mascot, the Boise Braves (I played Hockey [badly] for the Braves, actually). They told me of an argument they recently had with a mutual friend of ours (also white) who insisted that the mascot's name should be changed. She argued it was making fun of someone else's culture. The present company never said their full opinion, but by the way they were talking I'm guessing they would firmly argue the name pays respect to Native Americans, calling them tough, strong, etc.

Now, this conversation is ongoing, as it is with all Native American themed sports mascots and I don't think I have a solid answer or opinion on this case in particular. Maybe that's lame, but I also don't really find it to be my place to say as I'm not the one being marginalized here, and despite hearing of differing opinions from actual Native Americans on the issue, I've never even spoken to one about it (not that anecdotal opinions speak for the whole issue anyway, but it still offers a perspective I don't have).

Regardless, I don't think I would have taken this middle-of-the-road approach even three years ago. I went to a private Christian high school that was highly Republican/"conservative", as well as almost completely white. Looking back, most of the people I grew up with at this school were totally ignorant to modern day racism. Comedian Bill Burr put it best on his podcast when he said white people don't understand racism because it doesn't affect them. He used the example of affirmative action, and how a good chunk of white people think of it as racism against themselves because they don't understand the history behind it. I can totally confirm that, and if I'm being honest it's only something I've started to understand within the last year.

The second conversation I had was with two of my old band mates. Considering that the three of us, upon meeting five years ago, were fairly "conservative" still, it was pretty surprising to hear us taking some fairly "progressive" or "liberal" stances on some hot button issues. We talked about mass incarceration, police brutality, white privilege - like I said, hot button issues right now. I found that each of us has independently come to similar conclusions from just learning more about these issues. We're all from painfully white Idaho, but in this technology age, it's not hard to hear outside perspectives, opinions, and (most importantly) experiences. Not only that, but we have a plethora of data and information on these topics at our fingertips (see: Google). So getting a bigger picture is a lot more feasible than it would have been twenty years ago... when the people who taught us to be ignorant were learning and forming their own opinions.

Now, this is something I'm going to be learning about, changing my opinion on, and being humbled by for the rest of my life, and it would be silly to not acknowledge my own points of ignorance and racial biases, even if I'm not always aware of what they are. But my point, besides that you should listen to outside perspectives, is that there is hope for change in everyone's future. Nobody is above reproach and nobody is incapable of learning, and while it usually takes a while for people to change, a lot of them are thankfully still changing.

Granted, that doesn't excuse someone's hurtful actions or words. I am so sorry it took so long to get here. But I'm here now, and I hope that those affected by ignorance can forgive me for holding on to it for as long as I did. This morning, I find myself listening to a song by Atom and His Package entitled "If You Own the Washington Redskins, You're a Cock". Growing up, I never understood Atom and His Package. People called it punk music but it sounded a lot like 80's Fez to me. Punk was supposed to sound like NOFX or Less Than Jake. What's more, I was still in my isolated Christian School/Idaho bubble and the world was still very black and white to me (no pun intended). I'm not sure if I ever heard this song in particular, but I know if I had that I would have written it off as garbage, musically and lyrically.

But I've changed my mind on Atom and His Package - he rocks - as well as the Redskins - change your name. Thank God people change.

Reboot

So I've decided to start blogging again. My friend recently started up a Tumblr for this sort of thing and then I read some things from Bad Sandwich today, and it just seemed like an good intriguing idea. Plus I have a lot to say and needed a better place to say it than Facebook or passive aggressive songs I write. So that said, I decided to just continue writing on this old thang.

Some things that are different from my last post three years ago:
- I curse a lot more
- I've gotten fatter, then skinnier, then medium fatter again
- Sheep broke up and I'm in a gajillion other bands or so
- I got a Bachelor's degree
- I have three sources of income (one full time, two home jobs, plus occasional odd jobs)
- I started a record label

and oh yeah, I have a new girlfriend who, gun to my head, is actually pretty cool. Expect to see more here. Or don't! I guess we'll see.

Break Ups and Rebounds - Just an Observance

When one person breaks up with another, the breaker-upper typically has eyes on someone else, even if that’s not the sole reason for the split. It’s not right, but they typically try to jump right back into a relationship of sorts.

The person who has been broken up with, when seeing their ex attempting to rebound, figures he or she is not cared for by their former lover(?), and it’s okay for them too to jump on the rebound.

But they are both hurt by the other person jumping into a relationship so quickly.

Realizing I have been hurt by this is one thing, but realizing I have most definitely done this is another.

I just feel like we need to be more honest with ourselves about why we’re breaking up with someone and how we’re handling it.

I can’t speak for everyone but I feel like in situations like this, people get hurt more than is actually necessary. And it’s sad.

Understand, I am not writing this about a specific person or couple - I have just seen it repeatedly and believe I’ve done it as well. I honestly don’t know if I can call every quick relationship after a break up a rebound (though I do think I can say most of them are).

I guess what I’m thinking is that as much as we can help it, we should be completely present in our current relationships. And I’m not 100% sure, but most of us probably need time to learn and heal after a break up as well.

Just thinking today. I don’t mean to cut down anyone down, just bringing something up that may be worth thinking about.

Have a nice day.

Christians Vs. Christians

I find that Christians are often ready to jump down the throats of those other Christians who are less knowledgable, less tolerant, more sheltered, of more conservative or liberal backgrounds (depending on which side you’re more opposed to), because they think it makes them cooler (or even better) Christians.

No Christian has a right to point the finger at another Christian and say “I’m better than you because I have my faith and my reasons more figured out than you.” Aren’t we all figuring this out? Aren’t we all “work[ing] out [our] salvation with fear and trembling”? (Philippians 2:12).

"By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35) Don’t get me wrong, correction isn’t a bad thing. By all means correct, criticize, and educate the church - but do these things FOR the church, in order to build it up, not tear it down. Remember, if you don’t have love, you don’t have anything (1 Corinthians 13).

Romance, Dating, and "The One"

(How I feel when you tell me you're looking for "the one")

I found this article while scrolling under the “Christian culture” tag on tumblr and it really hit home for me. I know this might seem like I’m beating a dead horse here, but the truth is that as many people as I have found that agree with me on this subject, I still find those who believe (or act like) there is one special person that’s perfect for them and it is their biggest aspiration in life to find their “soul mate” (by the way – I’d like to think my life has more purpose than that of marriage but maybe that’s just me). I think this can be a dangerous way to think about dating, marriage, and relationships, so I’m posting my written opinion here as food for thought.
        I think it's very rarely true and over-idealistic to act as though God has one special person for you and everyone else isn't good enough because they're just not "the one." The reason I stand so strongly against this idea of "soul mates" is because I think it teaches people to set themselves up for failure in their dating relationships. It teaches them that not settling means not compromising and that when things get difficult, the relationship is just "not meant to be."        
        Compromise however is KEY in any relationship and while everybody knows this I don't think they understand how much it can take out of someone – i.e. HOW MUCH they will have to compromise in order to make their relationships work. Yet, what I've found is that the more you pour into a relationship, the more satisfied you typically are with your relationship – as long as, of course, the other person is pouring all of themselves into the relationship as well.
         One last thought, someone wise once said to me “don’t look for romance when you’re dating, look for fidelity.” Fidelity is, for those who don’t know, loyalty and faithfulness. I went on to ask this person, “isn’t romance important?” His response? “Of course. But romance is found in fidelity. Find somebody who you can go through the seasons of your life with.” So far, I have found his advice to be valid, and I think it’s a great place to start if you view dating as a means of finding a person that you will choose to spend the rest of your life with. 

-Take it or leave it