So how does this disgraced president fit into the grand scheme of our daily lives? Right now, despite our dire economy and record unemployment, we are spending hundreds of billions of dollars every year to continue a failing crusade against drugs, primarily marijuana. And despite the public outrage over the moral indecency in Richard Nixon’s political practices, the drug war continues to administer his distorted sense of justice.

We brainwash our kids.

If it’s one thing I hate, it’s propaganda. Manipulating the emotions of your audience in order to con them into believing a weak argument is despicable, and thus I wasn’t the only Millennial to grow up weary of anything the government passes off as truth. I never had the privilege of having a locker-to-locker marijuana salesman in my middle school (see video below), but as I grew older, I started to recognize that these public service announcements relied more on sensationalism than conveying truth. In an inevitable teenage rebellion against the world, I eventually tried smoking marijuana. It didn’t take me long to determine that a majority of what I was taught in the D.A.R.E. program was bullshit.

If you visited the D.A.R.E. website today, you would find a sparse page on marijuana, consisting of 119 total words. Furthermore, it takes the stance of not recognizing any medical applications of marijuana (supporting it’s federal classification as a Schedule I drug). Perhaps it’s time we stopped having drug education come from people who have an economic incentive for the drug war to keep failing. Indoctrinating children with the “horrors” of marijuana is more damaging for our society than skipping evolution in science class. Behold the real horror of the Drug War: this SWAT raid in Columbus, MO turned up two grams of marijuana and cost the lives of this family’s dogs. Heart wrenching? Definitely. Sensationalist? Absolutely! Real? Unfortunately.

We’re making money on hypocrisy

The video below (WATCH IT) sums up too many amazing points to recap, but the key takeaway here is that as we’re spending ourselves into the ground, organized crime is thriving. This country has spent half of the past 40 years failing at trying to stop people from relaxing the way they want to. In doing so, we’ve created an outrageously profitable industry for actual criminals, while we pay companies to continuously build prisons to lock up copious amounts of (otherwise) law-abiding marijuana smokers.

Over time, people noticed the trend of minorities disproportionately being incarcerated for marijuana arrests, as our current drug laws reflect their racist origin. A century of propaganda has made America forget that our roots are made of hemp, as marijuana is once again our nation’s number one cash crop, despite being illegal. The most supreme of hypocrisy is that we have presidents who would be incarcerated if they were held to the same standards as black youths.

This is the reality

A Brighter Tomorrow?
California is poised to make world history, as it is looking at becoming the first place on the earth to fully legalize marijuana. By doing so, the state would also be thumbing their nose at the federal government’s failed 40-year attempt at marijuana prohibition.

A Survey USA poll done on April 20, 2010 found that support for marijuana legalization in California among blacks was at 67%, which was the highest level of any major ethnic group in the sample. Whites were second with 59%, followed by Asians at 58% and Hispanics at 45%. Most shocking in these numbers was that 75% of people surveyed under the age of 34 felt Marijuana should be legalized. There is a clear correlation between younger generations being more supportive of marijuana law reform. A Gallup poll on legalization released last year also supports the fact that Generation Y is most likely to favor marijuana legalization. It should be noted that despite the miasmatic state of the Californian economy, the medical marijuana industry has been booming.

California will also be embracing an already booming industry, and open the various non-recreational uses of the original American staple crop to modern (dare I say Gen Y) entrepreneurs.

It would truly be poetic if the same state that gave us Nixon’s political career was the first in implementing safeguards against his flawed legacy. One thing is for certain: support for the costly and ineffectual drug war is dying as the younger generations gain political power, and soon we may just solve the drug problem – all we need is logic and reason.

Photos by legalizefreedom (top) and cracked.com (bottom)

Read the other perspective: Keep weed illegal! Here’s why

Interracial Couples: Is anything wrong with this picture?

It is 2010, and eyes dare not spare my girlfriend and me whenever we are seen in public holding hands. This happens for an unfortunate, yet obvious reason— she is white and I am black.

Although I have come to disregard the on-lookers and sometimes subtle (and not-so-subtle) mockers, my psyche never fails to ponder interracial dating in society—the qualms, progress made, and changes in attitudes yet to be made.

Recent reports released by the Pew Research center show that almost all Millennials accept interracial dating and marriage.  In fact, 85% of Millennials say they would be fine with a member of their family getting married to someone of a different race.

According to the report, “the gap between Millennials and other age groups is evident,” with the gap for certain racial groups more apparent.

No doubt, this statistic has an eye-catching nature to it. One can look at such data, breathe out with a sigh of relief, and exclaim: “We live in a post-racial America, where love is color blind.”  If only the reality were as simple as the statistic.

When it comes to statistical analysis of sensitive topics like racial relations, I am a skeptic because these are issues that have an overarching societal response attached to them, which make deviating from the accepted answers frowned upon or unlikely.

Since the abolition of slavery and segregation laws, attitudes seen as racist or prejudicial have been deemed taboo (rightly so). This has led to a situation whereby racial discrimination is only expressed subtly in the forms of glances, inside jokes, drunken sincerity and unspoken thoughts, not openly or on psychoanalytic questionnaires.

So for this purpose, I will tender the research findings with a pinch of salt and rely on my own personal sociological observations. And it is important to say, there is still a lot to be done in terms of perceptions and genuine acceptance of interracial dating.

On both sides of the color spectrum, the bigotry exists. I remember when my relationship became known to my friends, one of my black female acquaintances asked me the question: “why a white girl?” If only she had stopped there. She then called me “a sellout.”

Since when did fulfilling the mantra of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech become an act of betrayal?  And it wasn’t just her. These were the same sentiments I observed in the gazes of on-lookers.

The stares of white on-lookers usually possess a different sentimental content—more of a “has she lost her mind?” kind of look.  This is an notion expressed by all races and all age groups – even Millennials.

In as much as we try not to make the difference in race an issue in our relationship, society doesn’t allow that– the scrutiny, media buzz and anonymous blog comments all contribute.

That’s not to say that we don’t have cultural differences that originate from our racial backgrounds. I was born and raised in Nigeria. Rather than amplify a mere difference in skin color, we appreciate the joy of diversity and learn from each other. In fact, we see this as one of the perks we can enjoy that people from similar backgrounds cannot.

I am not skeptical of the fact that in regards to racism, major progress has been made. Once upon a time, interracial dating was illegal. But the finish line remains far off.

I envision a day when I can take a walk on the beach with my girlfriend and not get stared down;  a day when everyone would see us as just two people in love and not a white female dating a black male.

When I look at her, I don’t see my white girlfriend. No. I see a woman whom I deeply love and appreciate.

Image by Mike Licht

I was shocked to hear his friends talk about him in such a candid way that was refreshing and reminded me that Martin Luther King Jr. was not just an activist, but he was also a father, a husband, a friend and a son.

When we think of Martin Luther King Jr., we think of someone who was brave and courageous, a person who embodies the civil rights movement. We view him like a hero and most of the time we don’t necessarily think of him as an actual person, instead we think about his contributions to society. We often idolize people who are iconic and forget that they lived normal lives.

Martin Luther King Jr. made a profound impact on our society and continues to inspire people around the world. Aside from remembering what type of person he was, we should also consider what his legacy means in the twenty-first century, especially for Generation Y-ers.

Globalization has pushed members of Generation Y to become global citizens. Not only do we need to be active members in our community, but also we need to contribute to the rest of the world. One of the biggest challenges we face is to truly understand other cultures and people of other culture’s reasoning for their actions. We also cannot turn away from social and human rights injustices.

To continue King’s legacy we will need to fight for justice through peaceful means. Many Generation Y-ers have had the opportunity to have studied abroad or worked abroad. Living and working in a foreign country provides invaluable insights and reveals the need for us to not just understand America, but other countries. At the very least, we must try to understand that we now live in a world where it is more apparent than ever that everyone is connected and one country’s or one person’s actions can change the world forever.

Image: via santom

For instance, I have a friend from school who told me today that he was celebrating MLK day by buying and drinking two 40s. I laughed initially but thinking about it now, that’s a very disrespectful homage to one of America’s greatest activists. Or another good example is the novelty tee worn by the guy from my school in this picture. I took this myself at the beginning of the year, and he proudly posed because he thought the shirt was “awesome.”

I have been immersed in both black and white American culture for most of my education and I’m a constant and active observer of the cultures. I’ve picked up that there seems to be somewhat of an aversion or apathy towards celebrating Martin Luther King, amongst both groups. I think part of it has to do with the fact that we’re supposed to be “color-blind” nowadays and celebrating the life of Dr. King brings to the forefront of our minds what he died fighting against, which is equality for all men. And the fact that this ideal is not the reality we live in makes most people uncomfortable, both the descendants of slaves and the descendants of slavers.

Schools hold numerous activities and opportunities for education and knowledge across the country on Martin Luther King Day, and for the most part, if they aren’t mandatory, they are ill attended. At least that’s how I’ve seen it. Why do you have to get extra credit to go hear a speaker and learn more about your country’s history? You say that sounds boring? You’re in college. Everything that you do does not have to be fun, or for your major.

But maybe our generation has grown beyond educational MLK celebrations, I mean we did grow up with them. Reagan signed the bill to make MLK Day a national holiday in 1986, the year before I was born. So we grew up celebrating MLK day in school and being read the transcripts of the “I Have a Dream” speech. We saw videos of the March on Washington and read books about what civil rights means. We had Dr. King coloring books.

Maybe now that we’re older and have had Dr. Kings’ work so thoroughly ingrained in us, we’re over it. Maybe the un-comfortability is not with the issue of inequality; maybe it’s with having to once again go through the great life of Dr. King, only to have the ending be the same. He dies. And death makes us uncomfortable. So in order to ease our own discomfort, we laugh it off, right? We make it a party, and turn the power hatred once had into something resembling camaraderie. I get it though. For people’s birthdays, you throw a birthday party. I get it. I guess, at least, you’re celebrating.

For the record, I was and remain to this date, supportive of Obama’s election. I think he is genuine and intelligent – a rare combination in the political circle for sure. His performance may or may not match his promises, but there is no denying the fact that he is trying. And as of now, that is enough. Most of my peers have faith in him, and I, as a foreigner in America, think their support and pride are justified.

But I couldn’t help but wonder — would America have been as proud of its decision, had Obama been Caucasian? Perhaps. Perhaps not. There is obviously no way to get a sure answer. This is not to imply that a Caucasian president cannot inspire pride, but given the fact that America has come a long way since racial division, it is definitely more of a matter of pride that an African American can now reach such a station in this country.

I do think, however, that Obama’s race was given undue importance during the entire exercise. Sure, it wasn’t spelt out as a concern or consideration during the elections, but let’s face it – it was a factor at the back of every supporter’s mind. One of my classmates was of the opinion that, and I quote, “it is high time America got a black president.” Do I agree with that? No. Do I disagree with that? No.

My point is — his race is immaterial. Isn’t that what America’s point was supposed to be? Highlighting a person’s ethnicity while praising them is like saying, “This person is <insert race of choice>, but look what he/she did!” It smacks of a contemptuous superiority, of the feeling that it is surprising that a person of that race was able to achieve the feat in question. Instead of being a legitimate form of praise, it ends up being a most discriminatory statement.

This is not meant to undermine Obama’s election in any way, or suggest that he was elected only because of the color of his skin. But this may serve as an alternative viewpoint on America’s first black president and his candidature.

Let’s forget that he’s black, let’s forget that this nation had never seen a president of color before him, and let’s not use him to absolve this country of its unpleasant past. Let’s, instead, focus on his work, his beliefs, his character and his conduct. Those will tell us much more than his race ever will. Judging him on the same scale as we did Bush, or Clinton, is the only thing that will do justice to a leader like him. That is what real equality is about.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said: I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

On Martin Luther King Jr. day 2010, the good news is that we’re already on our way to making that happen. What we need is a second look at our well-intentioned behavior, a little more clarity of thought and a little more faith.

Image: Sabeth18

47 years later and being watched in a much different world, King’s speech still evokes emotional responses from his viewers. Regardless of nationality, religion, or opinions King masterfully crafts an invitation to share in his dream. While we have yet to make King’s dream a reality, we can safely say that King has left behind a legacy to be proud of and hopeful for.

When asked my opinion of racism in our generation, I say I’m optimistic. Disclaimer: I’m a white male and I went to high school in suburbia. Racism is a universal phenomenon, and is found wherever there is human culture. It’s ugly and often ignorant; it harms people and damages communities. You see it everyday in a variety of ways, and it will be a long time before the echoes of America’s past can no longer be felt. Everyone can be a victim of racism, and it is a wretched feeling to be judged due to how you are unfamiliar and different from another.

I believe that entertainment icons like Eminem, Dave Chappelle, Aaron McGruder,Trey Parker & Matt Stone have opened the mainstream of our generation to new viewpoints and cultures. How did they get us to open up these new views? By making us laugh at both the stereotypes and politically correctness that run rampant in our culture. Between the awkwardness that exists in a politically correct world, and the ignorance of the worlds still based in stereotypes, these artists invite you to share their dream, and make fun of everyone equally while laughing together.

Borders will always get be crossed, feelings will always be hurt, mistakes will always be made. But to forgive, laugh, and work together and respect every person’s human right to be them self, we would bring Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream that much closer to a reality. We have the tools, and I think our culture is ready to mature to a new level. Should you have the day off I encourage you to seize this opportunity to do what you can to help Haiti, an area truly in need of the compassion and collaboration King fought for.

image: LWI

Photo Credit: 9399948@N05

Is prejudice (racial, religious, gay) less prevalent in Gen Y than in previous generations?