An Update on Guns and Policy

If you haven't heard yet, Mr Obama signed presidential orders for measures to reduce gun violence this week. Mr Biden and Mr Obama made their statements live on PBS Newshour, which was streamed live and then put on YouTube, which you can view here. (There are a few glitches from the recording, so be prepared for odd noises in the first 7 minutes or so.)

President Obama effectively shifted the responsibility to Congress on a number of initiatives, offering his arguments for them. A few things he hopes for:  more extensive universal background checks, 10-round limit on clips, mental healthcare reform, and an assault weapons ban.

Mr Obama cites Reagan, who wrote to Congress asking them to "listen to the American public and to the law enforcement community and to support a ban on the manufacture of military-style assault weapons."

Obama understands our right to bear arms, and supports that. He believes we can keep this right while ensuring the safety of our children and fellow Americans. With rights come responsibilities, and we are obligated to allow others their right to life as we allow ourselves.

All peachy-keen, right?

On Guns in Schools

Consider this half-way a response to Rep. Phil Lowe's recent opinion piece featured in the Greenville News, located here. 

Honestly, when I first heard an argument for arming the teachers in schools I thought the person was joking. A chuckle to myself and a few replies later and I realized the opposite. It's so shocking to me that arming teachers in schools is now becoming something many representatives are considering supporting through legislation.

I have maintained relative silence about control and gun rights (though my Twitter and Facebook have sometimes indicated the opposite), but I strongly believe that it would be foolish for us to arm our teachers.

On My Decision to Take a Fifth Course

It is very likely that I will be committing Davidson suicide this semester in deciding to take five classes instead of the normal four.

As it so turns out, a class I wanted to take in the future will probably not be offered at Davidson following this semester. In the interest of learning so much the back of my head explodes from all the brain I've developed, I've decided I need to take this fifth course to ensure I get everything in.

Culturally Aware in 2012, Final Update

I figured a final update on the "Culturally Aware in 2012" challenge was in order.

Wrapping Up 2012

2012 was a rollercoaster year. I don't think I've ever felt more in a year than I have in 2012.

It's sort of frustrating that facebook doesn't sort all the New Year's Eve posts like it does Christmas or Mitt Romney posts (though maybe I'm just looking before it sorts itself, which is very possible). However, in my one-year-old tradition, I'm looking to my feeds to understand how everyone's 2012 went for them.

I might add that social networking is amazing because it is so much information so quickly and with very little filter. It provides a window into the lives of many, many people across the globe. Facebook/Twitter/Instagram provide one with many diverse opinions and some really weird posts, which is great. Here are a few of the posts from my feeds about the end of 2012:

My Evening With Nicholas Kristof

I've been told that it's easy to pick a great person out of a crowd - and perhaps I had even seen a little bit of truth in it - but after 4:00 yesterday afternoon I knew the phrase to be true.

It was an oddly warm December 3rd day, with temperatures staying around seventy Fahrenheit all afternoon. I threw on a tie and walked to the E H Little Library, internally debating the speed at which I should walk with the amount of time I had until the event started. When I made it to the library, I went upstairs to the Davidsonia room - the one adjacent and connected to the Rare Books Room to wait with many other eager colleagues of mine.

When Nick arrived in the room, everyone simultaneously stood up and turned around to face him. The three lovely ladies who escorted him to the room were beaming from ear to ear, expressing on their faces what I knew I was feeling inside.

I'm Thankful for Food

My father is an excellent chef. (I say "chef" rather than "cook" because a cook merely repeats recipes and a chef makes his own.) He's incredible. Everyone loves his cooking.

Anyway, he and I have been cooking together for a while, and he gave me little cooking lessons over the summer to learn little things about cooking - little things that help a ton.

This year for Thanksgiving we tried something new. I decided I wanted to help out with the meal this year and my father obliged. The turkey was his game, but I helped out on everything else.