Each Day

Today I came across the blog of an artist named Ben Sollee.  He is a young cellist who is doing something really unique... instead of doing a super fast tour through cities that you don't ever get the taste of,  he and two of his friends are actually biking through the appalachians doing tours in several small towns while also promoting the work against poverty that Oxfam has been doing.  What's sweet about this idea is how much is happening, there's the fact that they are riding bicycles through the entire tour (over 330 miles) which is a 100% green mode of transportation.  As they are traveling through this method they end up spending time the towns they go to enjoying the people they meet, making friends a long the way and really experiencing some amazing opportunities along the way.  And then there's the promotion of Oxfam.  

Quite honestly I am captured by what the these three people are doing.  It's really simple idea, but also incredibly wonderful.  Here's this group of people who are living out loud their passions.  I am touched by it, and I am sure I'm not the only one.  Their example reminds me that each day we have the opportunity to have an effect on the world around us.  And you will, you will have an effect whether you want to or not.  The question is will you enliven that choice or choose by default.  I want to be a person who intentionally chooses... chooses to live, love, and learn.  To have a positive effect upon the world I get to live in and empowers others to do the same.  What effect will you have today?  

Check out an excerpt from Ben's Blog  "Pedaling Against Poverty"  below.  I have posted a link to his blog in the side bar under blogs I follow.  They've got some great videos that they're posting, and I haven't even begun to talk about what a fantastic musician he is!

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to give a quick introduction to this blog. Here you can find daily video logs on my bicycle-driven tour to Bonnaroo 2009. I want get away from the conventional high-speed methods of touring and really take the time to embrace each town. I hope to be more a part of the community that has invited me to share my music with them.  My cello, equipment, and merchandise will be strapped to an Xtracycle extended-frame bicycle (www.xtracycle.com) and I'll be spreading the word about the amazing things that Oxfam America (www.oxfamamerica.org) is doing to help alleviate societal and economic hardships both abroad and here at home.

I'm kicking off the tour in Frankfort, KY and then zig zagging through Appalachia for some performances at Bonnaroo. We're putting 330 miles under our wheels! If you're in the region, I'd love to have you come bike along with me and my friends Katie and Marty Benson, who are documenting, the tour. You don't have to ride the whole thing, even a mile would be fun. To get up-to-date information about our location and traveling progress, head over to Twitter and follow @bensollee.

A Person is a Person

Abortion is a tough issue... For some reason this issue has come up a lot in my life in conversations with other or through related media in the last six months of my life. As a result I have been forced to think critically about this issue and the complexity of the problem that exists. I say complexity because I believe that when discussing abortion there are actually two competing issues that are being addressed. 

The most prominent issue is certainly about the rights of a child vs the rights of the mother/parents. Who's rights take precedence? How are these rights awarded? Is the very notion of rights a social construction, or are they imbued or granted by an external? If they are innately a part of some one's life, then when does life begin? Does life begin at conception, does it begin at some point of consciousness, or does life begin in a theoretical way at possibility or potentiality of life? As of this issue isn't complex enough we now add another issue that is inextricably tied to this one. Despite where you come down on the issue of priority of rights, a separate question is whether or not it should be the government or public's role to limit in any way the rights of any party? In my opinion I find this question easier to tackle... and perhaps it is through first handling this issue that informs my decision on the primary issue of rights. I believe that one of the primary and most foundational responsibility of Government (and hence the public) is to protect the rights of those that cannot protect themselves. In this case, through no fault of their own by through the decisions of others a fetus is conceived. This fetus, which I believe has life at the very least at the point of conception, I believe does have rights. I believe that it is the government's job to consider how and seek to protect that life from the harm of others.

What about a mother who is wrongly taken advantage of and thus has had pregnancy imposed upon her for some reason other than her own decisions (such as rape)? We can address this in our legal system! All laws have caveats and particularities. By the way, instants of abortion related to these causes are about 1% o all the abortions that occur. This percentage is certainly manageable and not a viable cloak for others to hide behind to maintain their oppression of others.

So, back to our question of who's rights should be exonerated? I have to side with the child in this case. Clearly this is a tough issue no matter how you come at it. But I think that abortion for many has become another way for people, especially young adults or children, to disengage with the reality of their actions. While carrying a child to birth can be a very impacting process for any woman research has shown considerable damage or impact up on participants of abortion, both physical and moreover emotional. The option of adoption is certainly a better choice for all involved. I think that at this point in time there are others that can give more information and justification for this point of view... and in fact I have a short clip to show how one incredibly thoughtful and engaging twelve year old has done that. Check out her clip:

Even though you can't hear them or see them at all, a Person is a Person no matter how small.   ~ Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who

What do you think?

Energy in Congress

Hey guys. Wanted to share an interesting article I found through a friend's blog. I heard a lecture at the end of the year all about the integration of a hydrogen economy. It was really cool to hear about the advances in using green hydrogen as a source of energy, but what was even more interesting was to hear and think about the possible implications for our world if we shift from a petroleum based economy. What do you Think? Is the energy crisis for real? What is our response as the largest users of this type of energy in the world? How involved should we be in securing free energy for developing countries? Check out this article....
www.opencongress.org/articles/view/214-Energy-Before-Immigration