Islam and the Mexico drug war

Please forgive me if this is poorly written, I am using my phone and a new app to try to blog from.

I read a blog by an uber conservative blogger recently that still has me all hot and bothered. It talked about my generation being a bunch of Jersey Shore watching real wannabe housewives. We are completely disappointing and lost in our reality shows and malls. She also focused on religion and Islam; namely that they are a very scary religion we should go too war against. Her words were scary to say the least and I was more than offended. So I left a comment with many organizations that used christianity as a reason for terror and murder. I also pointed out that taxi drivers and pedestrians have been attacked for appearing to or admiring to be Muslim.

The comment was quickly dismissed because these organizations I named were "not Christians." Which was precisely the point! These organizations at the core are hate organizations with the intent to gain power through violence and intimidation, BUT they used organized religion as a means to organize, recruit and build support. It works.

Look at the Mexico drug trade right now. The big drug cartels, one of which its named "la familia" is a prime example. The highest members go to church and encourage everyone else to do so. The larger organized crime "families" also are known for there family "values"and for keeping religion close to heart.

Islam is not the enemy. The Koran has murder as the SECOND worst sin while it is commandment number 6 in the Bible.

I believe Islam is not the enemy. I believe Muslims come in all shapes, sizes, and spectrums of beliefs. I do not believe we should persecute an entire religious belief due to a subset. We didn't persecute the entire group of peoples who believe in God for the catholic molestation and child abuse issues. Or because of the KKK, Hitler and other "Aryan nation" crazies. Or all mormons because of the crazy ranch in Texas that believed in marrying 12 year old girls to 30 plus year old men.

These are people using the Islamic faith and more than anything the growing American discriminationagainst Muslims to recruit to gain power.

Human Trafficking

According to the U.S. Department of State's 2007 Trafficking in Person's Report, there are approximately 27 million people in modern-day slavery worldwide. Even worse, approximately one MILLION children are exploited by the global commercial sex trade (Dept of State, The Facts about Child Sex Tourism 2005).

I saw a documentary on human trafficking, and I had never looked at it that way. I didn't realize how widespread it was, and that it affected the United States so widely. Even more so, 20% of the human trafficking in the United States is in Texas. Houston is considered one of the biggest hubs of human trafficking, and I'm looking to get involved with Houston Rescue and Restore.

September 18th-26th is the fourth annual Human Trafficking Awareness Week. Keep in mind places where victims of human trafficking are massage parlors, strip clubs, bars, and are usually in seedy locations.

Horses

It rained all day today. No, it didn't rain, it poured. It can't-see-the-highway rained. Trucks spinning off the road rained. Well, that's more of a Texas thing than a rain thing. While my plants were grateful and I am certain we needed the rain, I am a little disappointed that it rained so much. I didn't go to the barn at all this past week, and I know it's only been a week, but I feel like I haven't ridden in forever.

My half-chaps, boots and breeches are starting to look pretty rough. The elastic on the ankles are pulling off, my boots are cracking and the swede on my half-chaps are essentially gone. The half-chaps are fine, but I would like to get new boots and breeches.

My last lesson Jessica rode Sam and I rode Oslo. Jessica was really nervous, and the first 15 or 20 minutes of the lesson were a little tense, but she relaxed and the lesson ended up going really nicely. Oslo is difficult to get used to, but he is amazing. He's so fun to ride and he has such beautiful strides. The biggest challenge for him is setting him up to the jump and making sure not to jump ahead of him.

I've found I struggle the most with finding distances to jumps. I'm hoping we'll do more in the way of gymnastics to help improve that.

I get to see one of my favorite people in the world soon, and that makes me really happy!!

Thoughts

I've been struggling internally a lot lately.
I don't like my job. I'm a little unhappy with my inability to get out and work out the way I want to. I wish I had more time to devote to my community. I want to travel internationally.

My manager asked me this last week "Well, if you're not motivated by money, then what motivates you?"

I really didn't have an answer. Other than horseback riding I had nothing.

Well, I think I found something. Something I am excited about, and something I will think about for a few weeks before discussing it openly. I know it's going to be a little controversial, and not everyone is going to approve.

Exciting new things ahead. I hope this is a path I will pursue to the end.

Life in Houston

One of the hardest parts of moving is losing touch with the friends you have been closest to. I've tried a renewed effort recently to get back in touch, but my attempts have been reached with emptiness on the other line. I don't believe at all that it is intentional, the few that I've been trying with are extremely busy between work, grad school, big cross country moves, and life in general... but it still hurts.

It happened when I left high school, again after leaving Evansville, and again after moving to Texas/Houston.

I also feel that I have changed a lot since moving to Hunt, then again after moving to Houston. Texas has made me a much different person, in a good way. I am more open, more honest with others and myself, and much happier. Leaps and bounds happier. Although I've also realized I've lost touch a little with some of the things I valued about myself. I have become somewhat less tolerant and a little more judgmental of others... a lot of which I blame on my disenchantment with my job, and dealing with customers who know little to nothing about the business process they take part in.

I just wish I could say the same about my job. I began my first "big-girl" job with a lot of high hopes and expectations, and as the months have ticked by with very little reason to believe this job is anything more than a glorified retail corporate B.S. position. I tried to suck it up and manage for a couple months, because I don't really have a choice, but I am miserable. Even more so now that my pay is commissioned. I desperately wish I had $5,000 to throw at them and find a new job.

Houston

I've made it through Thanksgiving, Christmas, my birthday, his birthday, and now father's day since my dad died.
I miss him. I talked about him a lot this weekend with my neighbor/friend/downstairs roomie. I feel weird referring to him as dead. Luckily I remember him more as he was when he was healthy than the last few months.
That being said, some good things in my life.
I have friends. I am building up a great network of horse people, and I am building so much confidence and respect in my riding. I get thrown up on different horses every week, and not just the regular lesson horses, but the special ones.
The owner of the barn I ride at is grooming me to become a coach. It makes me want to stay in Houston for at least a while. I like it here. I don't always feel at home and I constantly miss the hills and hiking and rocks but I'm happy here.

Vacation

I am counting down the days until May 16, when I get to vacation. I cannot begin to describe how burnt out and exhausted I feel. It will be a much needed vacation.

Plans:
Maybe head out to Hunt on the 16th, spend a day or so there, entertain the mcgibbons and free mashley for an evening or so from the in-laws. They're super nice people and she loves them but they're going to be there for about 2 weeks, and she's already over worked!
Pick my sister up at the airport on the 19, spend some time around the house, relax, show her the area. Go downtown, see the museums, and be a little bit touristy. Roadtrip up to Austin, Fredericksburg, Hunt, TX and some other places along the way.

Finally.