An Incredibly Long Rant on AMERICA.

Before I post this, I want you all to know: I am, in fact, a Christian. I am, in fact, an American independent with a lot of conservative tendencies. But this is from the two Facebook posts that made almost everyone who knows me back home think I’m a communist:

“I don’t really care that much about the Constitution.

Now there are some great things in that document, for sure. But my ultimate thoughts on the matter is that it still a document created by a group of fallen people, and it’s not perfect. There’s a reason we have amendments… because things needed to be changed. It had flaws.

Basically, if it’s not the Bible, I don’t really care.

So if you all want to just cling to an old document for no other reason than that it’s been around for hundreds of years, go ahead. But if there’s something that’s going to make people’s lives better, and it’s unconstitutional, you can bet for sure that I will ignore the Constitution and go for that thing.

So while the rest of you go around treating Washington and Jefferson and Capitalism itself like gods, I’m paying far more attention to the One True God. And maybe it’s time we diverted from the way we’ve been doing things for a while.

Do I think that all of Bernie Sander’s ideas are going to work? No. But can’t Conservatives at least try to help make a better world than we have now? Couldn’t we do something about an insane wealth distribution system instead of just blaming capitalism? (Don’t lie, you all know it is crazy flawed.)

Couldn’t we make a different monetary system that works better? Paper money is, in fact, our own creation. We treat the American money system like it’s a natural law installed by God. It’s man-made, and because of that it can be torn down and remade. Capitalism is not your savior. So let’s try and make something that’s better. Just my opinion.

Yes, Jesus said that the poor will always be with us. But how about we make it so there’s, I don’t know… less? I mean, the hungry are probably always going to be with us too, and we don’t ignore those who are starving. At least those in Africa, it seems.

Now I’m not against rich people. Some are rich, some are poor, and that’s just how it is. As long as the world has some sort of trading system, some will have less and others will have more. That’s not the issue here.

What IS the issue is that not helping those who have less is a direct violation of the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself”. Some people are simply unable to get higher in the corporate ladder, contrary to what the American dream may tell you. But to know that so many people are unable to meet their basic needs daily, and knowing that we can do something and just don’t care enough to do it, that makes me a little sick on the inside.

We could make this just a Christian issue, but I don’t see it as that. This is a human issue. This is a moral issue. And it is a government issue just as much as a moral issue.

Government as a whole is supposed to watch over and care for its people. (1 Timothy 2:1-2 and Psalm 72:1-4 for reference.) It sounds a bit creepy at first, but that is what God instituted it as. That can take a lot of forms, but it’s the general gist for every government. And as I see it, if it’s not doing its best to help out those who need it, just as any moral human being ought, then the government isn’t doing its job either.

So maybe I’m just expecting too much of people. But to me, it just seems like common sense to make sure there are fewer people who can barely fend for themselves if they truly cannot. That’s why I’m not necessarily for income equality, but at least less of a drastic curve in the economic structure.

And I’m actually for at least some form of gun control. Maybe not a total form of it, but I am for some way of making sure they don’t get into the wrong hands. I’m not saying we should keep the public from having them. But, do we have people go through a mental check-up before purchasing a gun or getting a weapons license, just to make sure they don’t have violent tendencies? If we don’t, we should. It may not keep all the criminals off the streets, but it’ll do something for sure.

And yes, I know that not all mentally ill people are violent and plan to commit mass murder. In fact, most often they are the VICTIMS of gun violence and NOT the perpetrators. I’m just saying we should keep the people that do plan such awful things from acquiring something that can help them out.

And what is this I hear about people actually wanting the general public to legally have AK-47s? Let’s be realistic, what possible use could you have for an AK-47? Those things are meant for guerilla warfare, not domestic attackers. There’s rarely more than one person doing the mass murdering. If you want to stop a mass murderer, get a rifle, not an AK-47. Just have good aim. You don’t even have to kill them, just shoot them in the thigh. You don’t have to go full-out Rambo. Good heavens, people.”

Maybe I’m not totally in the direction I need to be. But I think I’m coming closer and closer to that point. 

AMERICA!

Happy independence day, y’all! I still love the British, but these gifs must go up anyway. Despite everything poor we have done in the past, I choose to look at all the good we’ve done and still adore my country. So to celebrate, here’s the most American gifs the world may ever see.

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AMERICA!

Happy independence day, y’all! I still love the British, but these gifs must go up anyway. Despite everything poor we have done in the past, I choose to look at all the good we’ve done and still adore my country. So to celebrate, here’s the most American gifs the world may ever see.

avocadoshirts:

wiredandrewired:

dudeistlibertarian:

espeonsilverfire2:

findingschmomo:

browncoat-named-cauthon:

excitabletortoise:

god bless america

I hope this the last remaining photos of our presidents

Is no one going to talk about Ronald McDonald fighting in Clinton’s background.

I’m not even american and I will reblog these anyday.

is Teddy Roosevelt shooting Bigfoot?

That one is historically accurate, actually.

M A X I M U M F R E E D O M A C H I E V E D

AMERICAAA!!!!

In Memorial.

For those of you who don’t know, today is Memorial Day in the USA. The basic idea is to have a day that honors the military members who died in service.

In Memorial

For those of you who don’t know, today is Memorial Day in the USA. The basic idea is to have a day that honors the military members who died in service. It’s a brutal reminder that as much as we glamorize war in movies and books, those who choose to go into service are mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. Even if you didn’t know them, somebody did. Someone is out there mourning at a grave today. I know a few.

So in the midst of all the barbecues and gatherings, remember those who made it possible for you to still be here, doing the awesome stuff we do every day. All the military branches are equal today.

“Oh, Canada!” or “Fictional Politics”

Today has been wonderfully comfortable.

One, it is a snow day.

Two, I have no assignments.

Three, the second podcast is all done editing, which goes up Sunday.

And four, I found out that not only does my roommate not care about me using my Canadian accent, but doesn’t even recognize it when he hears it. This is beautiful to me. I can speak naturally in the States for a short time and no one gives two cents. Except the guys across the hall. They may at some point. But I don’t care anymore.

For those confused, my mother is Canadian and for most of my life I have had a double citizenship. I consider Canada my second country. So while I am in the States, I am also Canadian half-way-through-and-through. I only know the Canadian anthem when others are singing along, though.

Canada as described in a single picture.

And speaking of anthems, it’s time to talk about how to write politics of fictional worlds. People don’t always want to write all the tiny details of the fantasy world. They want to get the story out. But they make a big deal in the end. For instance, say we are talking a rebellion of some sorts. While some people in your world will be totally ok with this, there are always going to be opposers: conservatives vs. liberals, tories vs. whigs, etc. While it may be easier to just have an entire city rebel against its king, it’s just not realistic. There may be meetings, riots, intense discussions, and just general talking before most things get done. The ones doing no talking and most of the doing are probably going to be the radicals/anarchists. If you want your characters to be anarchists, that’s fine, but otherwise one has to think of these things.

A more modern version of what could be going on in your story.

And also, remember that there are sometimes more than one political party. Even in the United States, unbeknownst to most, there is more than one political group. In Canada that’s more common knowledge with the Green Party as a commonly known third party. People may not always be on one side of the fence. Sometimes there is a completely different option. Say that we are back in the rebellion or something. One party may call for absolute freedom from the state. The other may think the state ought to be leading. Then a third one may say that although the state is helpful in some cases, we need to have more freedoms and less control from the monarchy. There may even be a fourth option, and a fifth! Think of all the possibilities!

Ok, maybe not THIS diverse.

And while we are discussing politics, how is your government run? Is this a monarchy, a capitalist state, a democracy? Are there states/provinces within your country? Do they have their own governors/lords/mini-rulers? Or do you have your own plans in mind for how this ought to be run? This is, of course, up to you, the writer.

Now that I have helped you along, go out and conquer! Make your world! Command it to your liking! And most of all, do what you love!

A Post on Caffiene

Alright, I’ll clear it up, I’m not actually on a terribly large amount of caffeine, just two cups of Mountain Dew, which is the same as like, five cups of tea. However, it has mixed with my own tiredness, and therefore is making me loopy. So this is my post on caffeine.

Herp de derp.

Which, by the way, is an excellent song. I want some yellow people to follow me around and dance awkwardly. It would break the ice really quickly. Either that, or they would walk away really quickly. Either way, ice is broken, even if it leaves an awkward stain of awkwardness.

I don’t like the way that last sentence sounded.

I have no idea what’s going on anymore, so I’m going to leave that alone.

I have just come to realize that there will absolutely be no cross-breeding between gnomes and humans, unlike in LotR. In LotR, dwarves and humans could possibly mate. In Soldier Chronicles, gnomes look like mole-people. You would have to have one seriously pervy brain to make that work.

I know that may sound racist, but it’s more like… species…ist. Yeah.

It’s a darn good thing I am not walking outside in this state. I would not stop talking. And I might just randomly gain a British accent. I have been known to do that in my boredom. It’s not a very good one, and it wouldn’t fool an actual British person. But it’s enough to fool your typical American. And they’re like, where are you from? And I’m like, “Well, I used to live near Amsterdam…”, which is true. Amsterdam, New York. It’s hilarious to me. Only one American has ever recognized it as false.

Poor roommate came in while I was blogging / Skyping and just saw me talking randomly. The best part is he said nothing about it. He would be totally ok with me talking to myself like a psychotic person.

I swear, if we were romantically interested in each other at all, we would already be married.

But I think I’ve let you guys hear my psychoticness enough. Have an excellent evening and party hard!

Auld Lang Syne, my Dear

2014. What a year.

So as it is the last day of it, I think perhaps it is time to look back a bit, and with our last glance back remember that we have always things to look forward to.

I remember the beginning of the year for me. I was going to another Bible college before the one I go to now, up in Upstate New York. I don’t know if I would do the beginning of the year again, as it was near a lake and therefore felt like the North Pole up until April. But I learned much through it, especially when the Teen Winter Camp started.

I, like a lot of people, volunteered myself for camp counsellor. It would mean that I would be taking on a small group of teens, keeping them safe and happy during the weekends. It was the first time that I would get the chance to be a father figure for a bit. It was certainly not easy, but it had its ups as well as downs. The first weeks I was unable to do much good at all. By the end, I realized something. I enjoyed parenting. I really did! Regardless of the mental handicaps, behavioral patterns and any issues that we faced, I really enjoyed teaching them, guiding them, consoling them when upset and praising them. I even grew to appreciate the time correcting, because I knew it would guide them into becoming a better person.

And then, during that time I found something. I was finding myself to be slowly becoming more and more interested in a lady friend of mine. Apparently she and I were the only ones who saw it coming, as we were so massively different. Me, a hipster geeky, metal lover, and her, a rap-loving, baggy-clothed dreadlocked gangster chick; we seemed incompatible even as friends. And yet, two weeks into the spring semester, we found ourselves going out regularly, and eventually, after a bit of talking, were officially dating. I had known her for some time up until that point, but to be actually dating the person you want to be? That’s a very surreal feeling.

And as quickly as it began, summer came and we had to make a decision now that our paths were separating. Would we continue as before, or would we have to go our separate ways? There was always long-distance, but still…
In the end, we decided splitting up for a while was the best option. And maybe that will return, who knows.

So came summer, and once again I decided to counsel at a youth camp. I hoped that I would get teens again. Apparently I was good with them, or so I thought. And yet as fate would have it, I found myself counseling children not much older than my own nieces and nephews, ages from five to twelve. I was terrified, and thought for a surety that I could not handle them.

And through that I learned something, too. I learned that parents don’t work just on occasion, they work all day, every hour, even in their sleep they are working. I would find myself comforting kids who were missing their parents, singing to kids who needed it, sitting down next to kids who just needed someone to talk to. It’s a beautiful thing, to take care of a child, I think. I can never underestimate the work parents do again, because it is incredibly hard. But it is also incredibly rewarding, and I would do it over and over again if I had the chance.

I learned a lot that summer. I gained friends that I will always remember, a man who I consider equal with my own brothers, and life lessons I will never forget. Most importantly, I gained wisdom that will stay with me for the rest of my life. You age a lot when you’re raising up the next generation for eight weeks straight.

Then came the end of summer. I would have to say goodbye to friends that I had for so long, and find new ones. I would be going into a place so much unlike what I had experienced before. I would be going from a very little known school to a massive one, Liberty University. I remember walking into the cafeteria and thinking, “Gosh, there’s more people here than live in my own hometown. How am I going to meet anyone?”

So I sat down next to a random person, and found out something. I’m not good at making starting conversations at all.

Weren’t expecting that one, were you? Some kind of sappy thing like I was putting before? Hah! Nice try, ain’t gonna happen!

But I kept trying anyway, and now I’m friends with like a quarter of the school. Basically if I’ve talked with you for about ten minutes you’ll find a Facebook request from me. I’m just that kind of person. With college came meeting new friends, cosplaying for the first time (Jack Skellington, since I’m incredibly and increasingly skinny), my everlasting hatred of finals week, and a very short dating period with someone who was already dating someone else.

And to end this brief tale of college, I must talk about the one thing that returned, which is the return of writing my novel Dark Soldier. While I was working on school things, I found out that I truly enjoy writing more than I enjoy my artwork. For me, it was probably the most unusual find of the year. Until that point artwork was my life and my joy and pride. But I came to find that as good as I was, I did it far more often because I was good at it than that I actually enjoyed it. And so now, I pursue things that I enjoy, not that I’m good at. I think life is better that way.

I think this is going to be the beginning of possibly the most epic journey of life I have ever had. And to think, in only a year and a half I’ll be out of college and heading out to find what my life work will be. It’s probably going to be finishing my novel the Soldier Chronicles, Dark Soldier being the first book of the series. Thanks to writing, I’ve gotten tons of friends and fans, in real life as well as online. I’ve gotten a blog, which I love writing for, a Twitter, which I never thought I would get, and over five hundred fans on Facebook! That’s mind-blowing to me. I never thought I would reach such a point. And so, with how much you blessed me, I want to bless you. So I present, my musical end to the year, Auld Lang Syne. Just follow the link, and you find me doing an instrumental cover of my favorite Scottish folk song. I have very fond memories associated with it.

I have so much to be thankful for this year, and with all the heartbreak and devastation and hard work I still wouldn’t trade this year for the world, not a single day.

God bless every single of you wonderful people.