Environment and Marijuana

I don't work for the Fund for Public Interest Research any more. The group, as a part of Campaign to Save the Environment, has been helping out Environment Georgia, and I'm not part of it any more.

I joined the Fund b/c I felt like I haven't done much of environmental activism and wanna learn more about the issue. And as I started working for them I actually realized how clean our environment it. Plus, it seems trivial to talk about trees and air (although I do love them all) compared to, for instance, saving lives from AIDS.

But then I think again; will I be able to say this if I have lost a loved one due to environment-related disease?

Bottom line is, when it comes to public-health related issues, all of them eventually have some life-to-death component to it. Yes some issues are more direct and wide-spread in its life-to-death implication, but for the sake of one lost loved one of someone it is worth the effort; each and every life is precious, and it seems wrong to compare what is more worth effort; for whatever public-health issue, imagine you lost your parents to it, and for someone that's probably true.

Although appreciating this reflection and another valuable activists network I gained, I still didn't feel like I was passionate enough about the environment issue; so I don't work for it any more. So I'm focusing on my other job--marketing research for G2K--and working for Princeton Academy as well.

I think KCA at Clark Atlanta University has no summer activities; I e-mailed the president more than a week ago she hasn't responded; hopefully she will. I also plan to get my church involved w/ KCA and convince my sister to start a high school KCA chapter; hopefully all the effort will go well.

Shifting the gear, yesterday I was driving and saw this house and remembered what house was it distinctly; it was a house, back in my fresman year in high school, where I had first second-hand experience w/ marijuana; since then I have had bunch of those kinds of exposures b/c I once wanted to become a pastor who guides these debauch youth in US and sort of hanged out w/ them bunch to get inside the mind of these people. Although I put aside that dream (I realized spiritual/life guiding isn't really my forte and I myself am too horrible in many ways), it always makes me sad these young people in US who have so much potential to do good things are wasting away due to drugs and other problems.; across the pond people are dying b/c they have way too less drugs, here people are dyinh b/c they have way too much drugs.

Part of the problem definitely is the lack of love and affection in this too-much individualistic society; so let's keep love on, knowing that litte things we do, say, and respond matter so much.

peace

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is tomorrow. I received an e-letter form Keep A Child Alive about how while this is the day of celebration for many mothers, around the world many mothers have to watch their children dying from AIDS.

So true. This ever saddening disparity of this world. And in letting people know about this KCA is amazing; in fact KCA is the best organization I've ever worked for, and I plan to work for them till I breathe my last; of course my hope is KCA and other organizations will successfully spread the virus of ARV to stop the virus of AIDS; but I know this is just a cute idealism.

With the limited resource this Earth has, human suffering will persist, in one way or the other; the best we can do is try to distribute that limited resource as fairly as possible.

My mom says I'm a socialist; yes in idea socialism, communism, all good to me; it's sad human's selfish nature is not in accord with them.

I'm thinking about starting to give 10% of my income to KCA; the way people make tithing to church; yes I love Christ and try to make Christinaty the center of my spiritual life, but churches in US have way too much money already; it would glorify God more to give money for AIDS drugs for dying children in Africa than for toys for healthy pre-school kids in US.

My parents' church is fundraising 15 million for new building; I'm always ambivalent about church's expansion; yes in long run improving people's spiritual life would enhance society and the world because hopefully people will feel blessed more and start giving more; but on the other hand with all these money churches in US have, can they give more to other life-to-death needs, like ARV drugs? But then it will create a whole list of life-to-death needs and churches can't pump money unlimitedly; so instead they focus on collective, church-oriented goal like expanding church. I just hope with all these blessings people earn through church in US they will give more to life-to-death needs. What can be more important than preventing people from dying?

Speaking of US churches having way too much money, more money should be given to chuches around the world that really need money; my parents have contributed to a church in a farm village in S. Korea.

Wow. My Mother's Day reflection has turned into a glimpse into my social vision. Back to Mother's Day I'm trying to make my gifts to my mom as not obvious to my dad as possible; seeing I and my sister doing something for mom, dad will feel sad he can't do anything for his mother; because she's in S. Korea; he hasn't seen her in like 6 years, and won't see her till he gets his permanent residence card; waiting for Dream Act and immigration reform but Bush the dickhead has restricted all that; immigration reform now!!!! My grandmother has a stroke and half-paralyzed and she's in S. Korea by herself; it doesn't make sense that people like my dad who has contributed so much to US economy business-wise journalism-wise is not given green card; it was supposed to come out long time ago anyway, except that Bush the dickhead has done some useless ineffective reforms about immigration that delay the whole process. Again, immigration reform now!!!

Ok, from Mother's Day to AIDS to immigration; I've said too much.

peace

back home?

So I'm back "home" in Georgia; I've never had a strong sense of "home," having moved something like 10 times in my life so far (not including moving for college); in fact I lived at my place in NY way longer that I've ever lived in my current house in Atlanta, b/c last fall right around I moved to NY my family yet moved again; so during the winter break when I came home it was like "oh, I'm back home....I've never slept here before!" Places in S. Korea, places in Georgia....urban, suburb, farm village, one room tenement w/ 4 people (not one room apartment, like literally one tiny tiny room), etc, I 've lived them all.

So wherever I happen to be is my home and I cherish those moments; this summer I will be working for Campaign to Save the Environment (an environment lobby agency affiliated w/ Sierra Club etc); so sad I didn't get AIDS-related job but hopefully I will learn experience to bring back; and I will be involved w/ KCA college in Atlanta, w/e they're doing this summer.

So happy; so blessed.

Some people have romanticized view about third world country; those people who were born and raised in US will never understand what is it like to actually have lived in third world for like 13 years; living in broken-down one room tenement w/ 4 people for months and all, for instance.

peace