Centro de Justicia

2012-01-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

My definition of leadership is being informed, developing and transmitting a clear vision plan. This is followed by formulating the strategy chosen for the team being led, helping them to understand any new tools, techniques and concepts in order to accomplish and implement the organization’s goals.

Leadership begins with persuasion through reasoning and understanding of the common goals and the path being taken to accomplish them. Leadership is being responsible for evaluating all possible alternatives and remaining flexible when issues arise. Leadership leads by example, by being engaged, exhibiting a strong work ethic, spreading and maintaining optimism and sharing constructive feedback on a regular basis.

Leadership demonstrates whenever possible, instead of delegates what needs to be done, so that all team members can have the best training possible. Leadership has a multiplying effect that is generated by inertia that can be replicated clearly and consistently. Leadership empowers the team as well as holds its individual members accountable for their contributions or lack thereof.

Leadership requires admitting mistakes or lack of understanding and seeking the input of the team to come up with a resolution. Leadership inspires confidence as well as camaraderie so that the team can work with shared intent, recognition as well as responsibility. Leadership doesn’t blame or assign scapegoats but, accepts the fact that success is brought about by every member of the team while failure rests solely on the leadership’s shoulders.

2011-09-15T23:21:00.001-07:00

Guitarra…, que me acompañas cuando los otros “dulce”… se duermen,
Que con las lágrimas, de tus pestañas, curas mis penas,
Y de algún modo borras mi llanto, aunque a mí me duelen,
Esos momentos en que pienso en tal vez cortar estas venas,
Pues me recuerdas los que en mi sangre nunca se pierden,
Ya que mi alma contigo llora pues ya no vuelven...

2011-09-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

Our independence as a people is not so much from our traditional colonizers on this day of freedom from the Spanish monarchy, but more from our individual shackles as we learn to use new tools to spread our wings.

The challenge is larger now because those who oppress us do it by subliminal and frontal attacks on our identities. We need to raise our shields by embracing education and by encouraging participation.

The solution is simple, let them see us for the value that we bring and that they would lose. Boycott Arizona, let Alabama lose its products, bring new life,new thoughts and new resources to the States that welcome us. It's just a matter of time before they finally realize we are just like they were when they first arrived to the Land of Immigrants! If they don't, globalization will dominate, no matter what.

And as they consume Asian products, run their households on foreign energy sources, import higher costing food, and find themselves having no choice, but to do the jobs they say we take away from them, but they won't do, just to survive, we will all miss the days of cheap, delicious foreign foods, from gracious and generous people whose only crime was to hope to become another thread in the fabric of this great nation.

2011-09-10T01:16:00.001-07:00

Enséñame, si no puedo tenerte, si tengo que vivir sin esperanza;
Porque vengo a ofrecerte las gotas de sudor que brotan de mi alma;
Porque mi agitado corazón dice, llora y repite que te quiero,
Y no puede encontrarte ni aquí, ni allá, ni en cama, ni en calma,
Aunque busque en desiertos, pueblos, llanos y hasta en el mismo cielo.

2011-08-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

I approach you from a point of apprehension and concern because I see in you moments that have happened to so many and that will continue to occur. I realize that you are the product of the experiences you have had , but let me tell you that so am I and so are we all. The difference is the choice you make today!
It was not so long ago that I, unfortunately heard the cries, smelled the fear and suffered the agony of almost certain demise. I know I felt as I wasn’t worth any more that what a bug or what a rodent does as he is about to be squashed. The thing that made a difference and that I want to share with you is purpose.
I grew up in a place where human beings were being punished for thinking differently, I remember clearly the day I saw my father get taken away by a National Guard Jeep because he was standing in the wrong place, and at the wrong time. I did not know then that he was suspected of being a subversive because he thought we should not live in fear. Many days later, I remember my beloved mother running around frantically trying to find a way to keep him from “disappearing.” I also remember the quiet celebration that we held as his badly bleeding flesh hugged me telling me not to worry as he was home.
In between, there were many acts of heroism and martyrdom that I witnessed and will forever be recorded in my soul. The one memory that clings in my heart is that of saying goodbye to my best friend “Chino Gerardo,” whom I felt was like a special brother that life had selected for me because we shared so many interest and dreams. It was a very, very sad moment in my life to learn that shortly after my departure he was pulled out of a bus guilty of being young and presumably a revolutionary, and summarily executed.
Please indulge me in telling you how I arrived to this foreign land decades ago, without any knowledge of the language or the customs. My “connections & relatives” failed to pick us up at the airport. However, a great family took us in for a few months and allowed us to get used to what we considered inclimate weather in the suburbs of L.A. They gave us a place to stay and the extended their love that made us closer than what flesh relatives will earn.
I have been working since my first job at the Jewelry store: “El Diamante” and have continued to work ever since. I did not know the skills required, I did not know the language, I did not have the education. The times of re-integration of the colored into the white suburbs of L.A. who did not seem so receptive to the likes of me. We persevered, and went on to become good friends, marry their daughters, take their grandparents to the nursing homes’ chapels and become a part of the American Dream.
Many, many things have changed since then, and I have to tell you this whole story so that you get a feel of what millions of people are going through to get to where you are. A chance is and was worth dying for and you already have it. Can you not see how fortunate you are? Please stop complaining because it is hard to relate to what you think is hardship. Please stop blaming the helpless for what you think you should have if you did not have to help them because I seen the fact that you do not get out of your air conditioned vehicle to help anyone.
I am angry today because I see that the country that so many of my friend s and family die for is unwilling to trade benefits for the extremely well-off so that the underdogs can manage to survive. I cannot stand the fact that our bombs and bullets are worth more than head start programs, afterschool reading adventures, food for the homeless shelters, books for the local libraries.
I write these words to tell you where we come from because we are all children of immigrants and we deserve to be here more that those who have not struggled to be a part of this great nation. We are Americans because we choose to give our youth, our productivity, our creativity, our love of life to make this a better place and yet, we are put aside by special interests who claim to speak on behalf of the majority.
Listen to me, and tell yourself, if this measly individual can survive all these adversities, conquer his fears and urge me to make something of myself, then there is nothing that I cannot accomplish. I have a gigantic head start, I am an American and I will not be held back by recessions, depressions, addictions, divorces nor indecisions. I will become what my ancestors died for me to have and I will fight my own battles and my own odyssies to become all that I can. I will become the father and the partner and the friend I need to be and I will beat the court system that threatens to make me trash, to make me junk because I know that I am more by my mere existence. Just being born is a miracle; being born with all these wonderful opportunities around me is amazing. I will not fear because I am not alone; I have a purpose to become all that I can be. Days, weeks, months and years go by fast. I want to wake up and lie down knowing that I made the most with what I have been given…

The Ultimate Outsider

2010-05-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

The Ultimate Outsider

Arizona’s outright demonstration of ignorance or complete disregard of justice may be the turning point for the silent majority to take a stand. Many proponents insist that passing a law that enables officers to stop, arrest , detain and deport anyone that they may feel looks “reasonably suspicious” of being undocumented will deter crime, provide security, fix the federal government’s inability to do its’ job, maintain the racial majority and stop the invasion of people who are going to destroy the nation. Even police officers know that these type of laws are wrong and insist that “[T]he risk of error is high, and already several localities have been subject to lawsuits over unlawful arrests and detentions, the use of racial profiling in enforcement, poor conditions of confinement, and other violations of law.http://www.policefoundation.org/pdf/strikingabalance/Role%20of%20Local%20Police.pdf

The fact is that by many measures, Arizona is safer since illegal immigrants began pouring into the state in the 1990s. Among many studies, the 2007 study by University of California, Irvine sociologist Rubén Rumbaut and Immigration Policy Center researcher Walter Ewing found that the incarceration rate for native-born men ages 18-39 (3.5%) was five times higher than the incarceration rate for immigrant men (0.7%) in 2000. The Pew Center and other major nonpartisan institutions report that crime has dropped all across the country since then, but the decrease has been as fast or faster in Arizona. The rate of property crimes in the state, for example, has plummeted 43% since 1995, compared with 30% nationwide. Immigrants tend to commit fewer crimes than native-born Americans and that is no surprise because you don’t leave your home and family behind, sell or borrow every penny you can to make the trek across horrifying and inhospitable places to commit a stupid crime and get thrown in jail and out of The Promised Land.

Nonetheless, authors of the new law against illegal immigration keep insisting on the need to fight crime as a key reason behind SB 1070, otherwise known as the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act. A number of supporters of the Arizona law confound the issues and fill it up with political talk to keep voters confused. Many of them claim that its provisions would come into play only after a police officer had lawfully stopped an individual for another offense, even though the clear language of the law says otherwise. The fact is that under SB 1070, an officer need only have "lawful contact" with a person which can be something as innocent as passing them on the sidewalk and that alone will provide the officer the justification to demand the person produce papers and prove their lawful status in the United States. The only logic required is that the officers have a "reasonable suspicion" that the person is an unlawful alien based on the officer’s perception of reasonableness. Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.), has publicly stated that "trained professionals" can identify undocumented workers just by looking at their clothes and even their shoes. Bilbray explained that "[t]hey will look at the kind of dress you wear, there is different type of attire, there is different type of -- right down to the shoes, right down to the clothes." I recommend that you go out and buy non-illegal looking clothing, dye your hair blonde or get some new shoes immediately so that you will not get apprehended on your way to work or the movies for looking suspicious.

The new law leaves a person subject to arrest without a warrant if an officer has probable cause to believe the person has committed an offense that makes them "removable from the United States." Never mind the fact that immigration laws are so complicated that even immigration officers , who do this every day, cannot determine a person’s removability without applying all possible exclusions, exceptions, waivers or versions of the law. The fact is, that determining exactly which offenses make someone "removable" is not an exact science and you must go through thousands of administrative rulings, hearings, cases, based on each individual’s circumstances to conclude removability. This is why Arizona should respect the doctrine of Preemption and insist on National Immigration Reform instead of subjecting its citizens to boycotts, lawsuits, and deeply negative ramifications.

Some insist that illegal is illegal and the laws should be followed. Need I remind you that the laws are instituted by people and thus are subject to being fallible and in need of revision, dismissal or repair? Even issues that may appear as cut and dried “illegal” are in fact the opposite. For example, the maxim explaining that there are two things in life you cannot escape from, being “death and taxes” is not true, it all depends on who you are. In the case of Singer v. U.S., 83 F.2d 358 (1936), the Seventh Circuit held that a U.S. citizen living in Chicago and working in Chicago as consul for Costa Rica and Nicaragua could exclude his 1921 to 1923 consular compensation, based on provisions in the 1852 Costa Rica and 1868 Nicaragua treaties covering consuls. In holding for the U.S. citizen, the Seventh Circuit reversed a district court ruling in favor of the IRS, after the IRS itself reversed its initial determination in favor of the U.S. citizen. The Seventh Circuit expressed some hesitation concerning its conclusion, arising in part from the fact that the treaties were negotiated well before the 1913 adoption of the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution authorizing the federal income tax. The Seventh Circuit further acknowledged that “there is the strong inclination to subject the taxpayer, a citizen and a resident of the United States, to the same treatment that he would be subjected to, if he were not getting his income in the United States in a foreign official capacity, or if he represented [another] country.” However, the court felt the Costa Rican and Nicaraguan agreements were dispositive in favor of the U.S. citizen consul. I think it was the multi-millionaire, Leona Helmsley who stated that only “the little people” pay taxes and I know that most immigrants are proud to pay their share and contribute to their country by choice.

The point is that the rules/laws are so obfuscated or unfair that they prevent ordinary people from following them in order to do things the legal way because legal to you is not the same for all, especially if you are not a member of the privileged class, have contacts, affidavits of support, etc. Another example is the U.S. refusal to pay reparations for conducting illegal war acts against Nicaragua, disobeying its own Congress and its laws. http://www.haguejusticeportal.net/eCache/DEF/6/245.html The laws need to be reviewed for fairness all the time.

Many blind followers of the political rhetoric fail to understand the background behind the immigration phenomenon. They insist that immigrants should stay in their own countries and fix their systems and not come to the U.S. They completely forget about the colonies and how Jamestown or Plymouth Rock and the whole United States came to be. The fact is that European settlers were forced by similar circumstances to leave their homes in search of their Promised Land just the same as Latin Americans and others are doing today in Arizona. If we follow the line of reasoning suggested, there would have been no colonies, no manifest destiny, and no usurpation of the lands of Native Americans who many times welcomed and helped them stay alive to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.

Pilgrims had no freedom of religion, no political outlets, no freedom from taxation or oppression by the ruling classes. The same has been happening in the developing countries that find themselves in a position where they do not have enough foreign currency reserves to invest in growth as they may have spent them all on imports and debt repayments. They are then lent money by the World Bank to finance large development projects in the hope that such projects (such as extracting oil) will facilitate economic growth. The World Bank has significant connections with corporations (mainly in the US) who they contract for these lucrative projects. Whilst these corporations earn huge benefits from these contracts, the country in question finds itself with an additional debt burden, a loss of control over key natural resources or services and a loss of revenue from these resources which are repatriated abroad.http://www.stwr.org/imf-world-bank-trade/decommissioning-the-imf-world-bank-and-wto.html

The fact is that US Interventions in Latin America have made these countries subservient and have kept their populations far away from substantial progress. http://www2.truman.edu/~marc/resources/interventions.html Since 1823, U.S. armed forces have determined who rules and who doesn’t in Latin America. http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2003/US-Interventions-1823.htm In Nicaragua, for example, we have even had an American, William Walker, from Tennessee who declared himself president. We have also had multiple puppet figures such as the Somozas, who ruled by force in order to safeguard American interests. But please, don’t get me wrong, Nicaraguans and most Latin Americans love United States people, culture, music, food and way of life. In fact, we highly encourage you to visit, invest and retire in our countries because you can create jobs and you can live a much better quality of life with your retirement funds there.

However, corporations have exploited natural resources and humans to produce cheap food for American Supermarkets. People don’t realize that the standard of living they are accustomed to in developed nations is largely because of the low wages and artificially manipulated trade agreements imposed on producing countries. Even the food supply in Latin America has become property of U.S. corporate giants. The land, equipment, market forces are all property of the big players. For example, genetically modified seeds have been in use for a number of years in developing countries and increasingly in newly industrializing countries such as Argentina, China and India. Their potential effects on food production have become highly controversial within the debate of benefits and risks of genetic engineering. On the one hand there are far-reaching expectations that genetic engineering will contribute to the security of food supply and economic development, on the other hand there are major fears of adverse effects on traditional methods of production and ways of life. http://www.tab-beim-bundestag.de/de/publikationen/berichte/index.html

Genetic seeds are engineered so they cannot be replanted the next season. These seeds need to be purchased every year and the typical Latin American farmer cannot afford them. Native versions of corn and other staples cannot compete in price or volume and the small farmer becomes extinct as so do his/her seeds. As a result most Latin Americans are forced to consider, at one time or another, whether to continue suffering from lack of opportunities, hunger and disease or try to make their way to the same Promised Land that Europeans colonized and re-named the United States of America. A place where all individuals are created equal unless Arizona Sheriff Arpaio and his posse decide you look suspicious and have no right to exist, at least, not in the land where his ancestors came and took by force to escape the oppression of their homelands.

Perhaps now, the silent majority will listen to what the Federal Reserve, the Congressional Budget Office and even Social Security have said about the need for immigrants to shore up Medicare and Social Security for the aging Baby Boomer Population. They know that people enter the country illegally, obtain Social Security cards from the black market, and get jobs. These folks get paid, and their earnings generate W-2s that go to the Social Security Administration’s "earnings suspense file." According to the best estimates of the Social Security Administration, the fund has kept track over the last 20 years of more than $300 billion in total earnings attributable to illegal immigrants. There are countless studies available that conclude a net benefit from immigrants to this nation, all you have to do is look.http://www.usc.edu/uscnews/stories/13379.html

Better yet, look at yourself as a person, as an individual who has at least as much right to exist as the millions of pets, who get much better treatment than “illegal aliens” do, and think: what if I would have been born on the other side of the line? What if it was me who was the ultimate outsider?

Volunteer

2010-04-13T13:23:00.001-07:00

Okay I had enough of watching and feeling helpless;
I am ready to attack these ugly visions;
I am desperate to destroy that which is so senseless;
And embrace changes while I shout “no more divisions.”

Everyone watches how the mistreatment,
Of fellow beings just like ourselves,
Goes on and on, but yet we fail to make a commitment;
To stand up and stop it from happening to anyone else.

We are all just part of one humanity; we are not black, white, brown or anything;
We are part of each other despite the vanity, wanting to distance ourselves from our reality;
It’s neither our sexual preference nor political affiliation if we really stop to think;
That makes us who we are, where we come from, where we are heading, or what is sanity.

It is you in front of me and me in front of you without the barriers;
It is us as children, sons, daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers;
We are all in this together, so please stop following the haters;
And join us in trying to help each other and do what really matters.

loss...

2009-07-08T21:32:00.001-07:00

Empty

I have seen the days and agonies go by;
I have waited to make sure we were all right;
But now I close my eyes and feel what passed us by;
And the destruction in my heart rips out my eyes.

Just four years old or so, I had the sense;
Of what my uncles and my friends had so much pride;
It was a gladiator, an entertainer, one who had sight;
Of what we dreamt of, what gave meaning, what made sense.

Climbing the highest ladder, reaching the toughest mountain;
Fighting the toughest battle and seeing the goal come near;
We knew that thirst, scars and bruises made the fountain;
More refreshing, more fulfilling, more sincere.

Now that the heroes have stepped away and left the field;
There is a huge void where I throw question marks to no avail;
There are no answers, there are sad stories that make me feel;
Like crying slowly, crying deeply, like I have failed.

Because I should have said so much to defend the heroes;
I should have stood up and spat upon those who betrayed them;
But I was too full of my own struggles against the zeroes;
To make my number add in their favor and protect them.

Lee Jaen Nic’09

2009-05-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

Adiós ángeles...

Cuando los ángeles mueren;
se va muriendo en el alma;
la inocencia que nos mueven;
desde la cuna a la cama.

Uno a uno van cayendo;
sonrisas y recuerdos buenos;
despacio van diluyendo;
las pasiones y los truenos.

Pero el haberlos contemplado;
es un honor, un privilegio;
que Dios nos ha regalado;
en la vida y su colegio.

Aprendemos pues y entonces;
que la existencia es muy breve;
que lo que importa es que goces;
de todo el bien que nos roce,
y olvidar lo triste y leve.

Lee Jaen Nic'09

2009-04-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

Rainy days I left behind;
and I hope one day return;
like gentle smiles that are kind;
or light warm breezes in the sun.

Of all places, Athens, Georgia;
brings me back to what's so far;
family, loved ones and you so gorgeous;
fragile, sensuous, yet tough and hard.

It's your spirit that provokes me;
to write these thoughts from my heart;
it's your image that, believe me;
make the droplets tear apart.

All illusions is what I fear;
or a mirage in the sand;
for you are nowhere to be near;
all that's real is in your hand.

Must have been the need to feel you;
the dream I could not make true;
the kiss I thought I would give you;
but I could not carry through.

And if you walked back in my life;
or I could burst into yours;
tell me, truth teller, what your sight;
says of my destiny's course.

I do know one thing is true;
and it's that at that point in time;
I will come to you and urge you;
to speak to me with your eyes.

I will reach out and try to hug you;
hoping that you won't turn away;
and if you let me, I will take you;
in my arms for you to stay.

But I want for you the freedom;
that makes love prove that it is true;
no pressures, no castles, no fiefdom;
only prairies, waves, and skies so blue.

And when the rainy days come back;
our unity will shine right through;
we both will know that the lack;
will never again return.

Distance is only a measure;
time is only a point of reference;
of a great moment of pain or pleasure;
that our souls feel in their essence.

Lee Jaen Nic'09

"Todo en un solo día"

2008-12-19T03:05:00.000-08:00

Todo en un solo día

Puedo escribir desde el fondo de mi alma,
Derramar lágrimas o carcajadas simultáneamente,
Puedo sentir que estoy lleno de emociones;
Que arrebatan mis sentidos y mis ganas,
Que penetran por mis poros, la médula, la mente.

Sin embargo se también que no exagero;
De que hay muchos que caminan sin pensarlo,
De que hay tantos que a nuestro alrededor también lo sienten,
Sin embargo no se atreven a decirlo ni a dudarlo;
Su agonía o alegría es tan interna, es silenciosa;
Sus pensamientos son candentes, no se escriben, no se encienden.

Vamos serios, cabalgando con lentes oscuros puestos en caballos de acero que arremeten,
Por vías de cemento y de pavimento que nos llevan,
Desde guaridas de madera y de ladrillos,
A lugares de trabajos, de recreo, a empresas, a escuelas que nos dejan,
Reflexión, soledad entre la multitud, pensamientos sencillos,
¿Buenos, o malos? Ya ni sabemos,
Lo que si es cierto es que el tiempo se va, y en el, y a el, si se someten,
Nuestras vidas, nuestras esperanzas, si, aunque que se rindan,
Los edificios perduran... otros vendrán…y morirán…

¿Y tu? ¿Que haces?

Lee Jaen Nic’08

Lee Jaen Nic'08

Transition

2008-07-17T16:36:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here at terminal 87A at the San Francisco International Airport. I arrived here from a few days’ conference in the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon. It is a point of transition because from here I am heading back to Sacramento where I left so, so many memories. After facing whatever is in store for me, I am heading further back in time to Los Angeles where I hope to complete a variety of tasks. The next step, I hope, will be to board a plane at the Ontario airport heading back to Pittsburgh and to my final destination which is my future in a wonderful little city in West Virginia.

There are many reasons why I stop to reflect at this moment in time. First of all, time has passed and change has come along with it. It’s funny because in the middle of my day to day struggles, while I strive to help others learn and share, I have failed to communicate not only with those whom I love and treasure but also with my very own self.

I have always been the type who observes and learns from my surroundings. However, I have been so busy building another life that I forgot to stop and smell the roses, so here I go. I am a middle aged father of three wonderful children. I have come to terms with the fact that the “me” I used to claim is just no longer there. I have finally learned to put aside my own preferences and learned what the true meaning of my life is really all about. For me, it has been surrendering! Yes, really, I have surrendered and stopped fighting because I have a purpose that is much, much larger than anything I could have thought of, and with this writing, I do hope to be able to articulate what that could be.

In so many ways, I wish that I could go back and change so many things, but today I realize that it is what it is because I have had so many demons to confront along the way. It’s not so much that I have had a rough life; I think that most people have. It is that I have been forging this human being that finds himself at a crossroads on this day. I could so easily start again and I am not afraid of doing so. That is one of many things that I am so grateful for. There is nothing worse than living your life scared of what could be and that is one of the lessons I retained. I do apologize for my mistakes if and when I was too preoccupied or too involved to realize or to correct them. In retrospect, I am the net sum of my experiences and who knows who I would be if I had not lived them.

Now that I find this moment of tranquility and lucidity, I’ll like to say that I do not hold any grudges and that I hope that my regrets will one day just go away. It is not easy when you have lived a life of a wild gypsy. To be honest, I guess I thought that having survived the horrors of my youth somehow entitled me to feel the guilt of not having died. I guess that I was just angry because I could not do anything to stop the pain. I guess I felt that I was undeserving of a “normal” life, whatever that may be. I guess I had a mission to live recklessly and to live fast and furiously no matter what the consequences. Now, I return to confront those choices but with the hope that I did not leave everything slashed or burned or both.

Success, I thought, consisted of accomplishing all goals. I wanted to prove to myself that I could build business after business and gather skills. I do confess that in the times when I acquired more and more material goods is when I felt the most isolated in my life. Money, travel, luxuries only reminded me of those I left behind. How could I spend hundreds if not thousands in one day meanwhile so many went without? I guess I just forgot what it felt like where I come from. I guess I forgot sleeping on that hard wooden board in that humble little shack where Tio Nicho saved our lives. I guess I just lost track of the ride from Pancasan in the back of that pickup truck, terrified by that military man who boasted of his cruelty.

Now, I remember. I close my eyes and hear him laughing about chopping someone’s hands off just because he did not want to leave his handcuffs behind. I close my eyes and see my beloved hometown being bombed and burning as we fled into the mountains. I guess I just forgot about watching my friends, my family, and my neighbors being shot or taken away to not be found. Damn, perhaps I did not forget, perhaps I was just too mad.

Now, my today is where I find that I have been so fortunate. It’s true that I am insulted by having to confront things from the past, but in the end, I understand. I left and they stayed behind. I kept going while they could not find their path. They simply took advantage of the fact that I was no longer there to fight back. It’s just that I had wished that all I did to make certain to tie any loose ends was good enough. I really cannot phantom what or why. Well, it’s alright. I’ll simply step right up and take any blame if they were right, but I am not alone anymore, in fact, I never was. I am ready to go back!Sometimes we have to go backwards to gain momentum and move forward.

I am so ready to advance and lend a helping hand. I am looking forward to applying all I have learned and share my life. I do miss my beloved Nicaragua, how could I not? I do miss my loved ones and I wish that I could take back some of the tracks I left behind. But I am not the same anymore, I am better armed. This time is not my guns that defend me, it is my heart. This time I want to save so that I can give back. There are so many voiceless all around us. There are so many who need to be protected, who need a guide. I don’t know if I am the right one to do the task, but I do know that I can feel their pain and that I want to try.

This time, I think I found a better way to make a difference, this time it will be by preparing others who want to build their paths and leave their pasts. I am going to take advantage of my accomplishments and build a better future.

The future is bright, it is full of opportunities. I have a larger purpose now, I have what I used to disregard. I have my pride and joy, my kids, my family, my friends and God and Lord, oh Lord; it’s so much more than just enough. I only hope and pray that I get the strength, the health, the wisdom to lead in different ways. This time is not about a company or about pride, it’s about all of us; I want to be a good friend and a good partner. I want to be a good brother, a good son and a good Dad.

Christmas is a way of life ...

2007-12-24T02:04:00.000-08:00

¡Feliz Navidad!

For all the family and friends;
For all the ones that don’t get a fair share;
For all the hard working souls;
For all the ones who struggle;
For all those who reach out;
For all the ones who suffer;
For all the ones who listen;
For all the ones who are silenced;
For all the ones who care;
For all those abused;
For all those who step forward;
For all those who need Justice;
For all those who want to help;

From all of us who are grateful:

¡Feliz Navidad!

Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving every day and every breath,
Part of contemplating all the miracles;
Smelling fragrance in the air, sensing the zest;
Hearing out of the sounds, the melody, the lyrical.

Seeing both with eyes opened or closed;
Touching and connecting with this world;
Tasting the fruit of toils imposed,
experiencing the change from young to old.

Feeling life, love, hope, and inspiration;
Watching new miracles emerge in their young eyes;
Letting your soul consume every sensation;
Soothing memories, hopeful sighs.

Hear the laughter, smell the feasting, taste the goodness;
Touch with your life and let your own be touched.

Happy Halloween

2007-10-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

Halloween is here; I think in many ways, it is a strange celebration of anything and everything we might be afraid of. We go around decorating our homes, carving pumpkins, watching scary movies and finding any excuse to impersonate a character and live outside our skins. I always thought it was peculiar how some of us take this holiday extremely serious and go through lots of trouble and expense to show our enthusiasm. In other countries, the celebration is about remembering those who passed away and their good attributes, in others, it all comes down to pretty much just candy.

So then I wonder, what is it that I am really afraid of? I can go on and make a list. I am afraid of death. I can’t resign myself to leaving this earth without achieving some goals. You see my goals are not to go around just collecting money, fame, degrees or living grandiose bubbles in my tiny little world. My dreams are about gathering the resources I need to help those who need. I know, I know, it sounds like I am a “bleeding heart,” as they say, and I agree. My heart is full of blood and feelings that run through my veins and instead of drooling over spilled blood and Halloween skeletons; I dwell on finding outlets to make my life a useful one.

After all, what is knowledge good for, if all most people get out of it is to go around pretending to know more than someone else? It is scary that we race to gather everything and forget what the purpose was to begin with. Well, I am hoping to not lose sight of where I am going. I am hoping to not get entangled in the Machiavellian methods of those who get entangled in selfish pursuits because doing so really, really scares me. I hope that you will read this and think about your ultimate dreams and fears and that you decide to celebrate this Halloween as an opportunity to live and step away from pretty faces that spew venom on their way up the corporate ladder. I hope that you and I remember that each day is another chance to do some good and that we go out and get it done.

Re: Illegal Immigration undermines the rule of law

2007-07-05T10:22:00.001-07:00

I find it disturbing how divisive this issue is and how distorted information has shaped a confused lot of public opinion towards the far sides of the political spectrum. The fact that one bright mind at a Catholic School of Law differs from the policy of catholic churches providing sanctuary (breaking the law) and promoting better treatment for illegal aliens is a graphic example.

It is one of the central components of Christianity to dedicate one’s life to helping others. Illegal immigrants have no choice when placed in such deplorable positions simply because they are born on the wrong side of a man-made line in the desert. I am sure that the author wouldn’t hesitate in breaching that line if it meant saving the lives of his children and family. The benefits of illegal immigration to this nation are reported in various scholarly articles and admitted to by the highest offices in government. The Federal Treasurer, the White House and many members of congress have conceded the fact that there is a net benefit.

It is a core component for a legal professional to learn, understand, and profess knowledge of the law and its ramifications. If we were to follow the rule of law blindly, most of the progress made in civil rights and most other areas of law would have remained stagnant and oppressive. Immigration law is not a divine mandate that dictates what society must do; it is man-made and it should reflect the needs and wants of society in an orderly and just fashion. It is mandatory that antiquated or inefficient laws be revised and updated periodically to adjust them properly. When the law lags behind because of closed mentalities, it becomes subject to being reviled, opposed, disrespected and violated. If the law is to be respected it must be based on equity.

Immigration Laws are exactly the type of laws that are inherently unfair, impractical and in need of drastic change. It is part of the duties of the legal profession to stand forward and denounce the current state of affairs so that they reflect the needs of the nation and society in general. St. Thomas Aquinas once said that when laws are unjust, that it is up to a few good men to make them right. Immigration Laws are unjust and it is the legal community’s duty to seek to denounce, attack and work to fix them.

Moving on…

2007-04-14T22:36:00.000-07:00

The time is near when changes are inevitable;
Nobody knows what really lurks or lies ahead;
But only those who have the faith on what’s been said,
or those who feel that all their visions are predictable.

We march on, knowing that it’s only what we hope for;
That comes so close, it rubs our senses, triggers feelings;
Fills us with wonder, wishes and fears we can’t ignore;
Soothes us with history, solid footings, dreamy ceilings.

One thing is certain and it’s something inescapable;
The speed and path of time will march along without delay;
And if we are fearless and jump on, we might be able;
To see our dreams come true, as we expect them here today.

Lee Jaen Nic’07

WHO GETS A SECOND CHANCE?

2007-04-03T16:36:00.000-07:00

If we were given the power to stipulate what criteria should be applied to decide which applicant would get an organ transplant, it would be a most difficult task. Who are we to decide who lives and simultaneously, who dies? Who deserves to live is not the only question but who should live should be considered as well? The person who pulls the trigger out of instinct to survive has an excuse. The defendant, who in an excited reflex causes another person’s demise, has a reasonable belief of danger or harm and used only necessary force, may have a valid justification. But the one who contemplates the condition and premeditates the result is either a killer or a giver of life or both as in this case. Consider that all applicants must have the organ transplant to survive and that one must select three out eight factors. This makes the decision an excruciating ethical dilemma or simply something that must be dealt with cold, hard, practical reasoning.
Our choices include:
A. Quantity of and quality of life expectancy with transplant (age plus prognosis).
B. Order of application
C. Ability to pay
D. Social worth/contribution potential
E. Need (other than medical)
F. Fault (e.g. personal responsibility for condition—self abuse or victim)
G. Dependence of others
H. Equality
My gut reaction is to grant the application based first on equality, second on quantity/quality of life expectancy with transplant and third on the fault of the applicant. My committee (including myself) decided that three factors were not enough. We determined to give preference to quantity/quality of life, second to fault, and third to dependence of others on the applicant and finally to the order of application. What made me change my mind? Why? or did I? The reality is that these decisions are made based on consensus and they do not necessarily reflect each person’s views. Compromise is the first order of business because time is of the essence. The implications are very troublesome and I can only ascertain the reasons for the results by analyzing the process.
How did we define each factor? We considered the quantity and quality of life based on age, physical condition and the lifestyle of the applicant as best examined under the circumstances. We felt that even if a young, otherwise healthy female would live longer than an elderly male, if the female is serving a long prison sentence, then the elderly male would benefit more from the procedure. We also considered that a child would most likely live longer but the conditions of his life could make a difference. Other aspects like other physical or mental disabilities and external factors that constitute “quality of life” should be considered such as: dire surroundings, despair, penury, destitution, drugs, poverty, no parents, ward of the state, no emotional support. These factors are all troublesome and bring up serious controversy leading to gridlock in reaching consensus. Personally, I feel strongly that all individuals can overcome their conditions and that great persons have emerged from dreadful circumstances. However, the organ transplant decision must be made primarily based on present conditions, or do they?
Our committee then decided that it would be easier if we started by eliminating those factors that we felt should not play a decisive role. Those factors include the ability to pay, and the social worth / contribution potential of the applicant. These are both totally feasible independent factors but when submitted for a vote, they were surprisingly selected as non-decisive by most members of the committee. I then realized that it is only fitting to take into account the primer on ethics that our committee had just been exposed to prior to our meeting. That primer was made by Doctor Michael Sandel, an expert on complex issues who explained much on the roots of our decisions.
Mr. Sandel explained that ethics can be explained by three different schools of thought: utility, rights and virtue. The title of his lecture was “[a] primer on ethics from the late philosophers to everyday life.” The lecture went on to explain the concept of Utility or Utilitarianism as expressed by Jeromy Bentham (the way of utility), who defined utility as “the greatest happiness of the greatest number”, and called this the criterion for ethics (utilitarianism). Bentham also explained that “Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do. On the one hand the standard of right and wrong, on the other the chain of causes and effects, are fastened to their throne. They govern us in all we do, in all we say, in all we think...” (Ch. I, p. 1, The Principles of Morals and Legislation, 1789).
Mr. Sandel mentioned that Bentham’s idea was a very straightforward concept in that the right thing to do is to do the greatest good for the greatest number. The concept of pain and pleasure and cost/benefit analysis was brought up. Everything we do should maximize the balance of pleasure over pain for the community as a whole. The individual moral life and the legislators must base their decisions with this concept in mind. Michael Sandel then explained that there are two things that are wrong with this concept. One is that it doesn’t respect that we are not just a collection of desires and interests, we are individuals. The other is that it disregards fairness as an essential part of justice and treats injustice as a necessary evil to obtain the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
This line of thought slightly resembles the law and economics schools of thought were well-known legal professors including Beckner and Posner who explain that legal decisions should be based on pragmatic reasoning. The concept has been utilized to persuade politics, schools, students and jurists in all branches of law so that the results are principally practical regardless of ambiguous considerations. In our case, we must consider whether or not it causes us pain or pleasure to award the organ to one person over the other and if the majority of those affected benefit most.
To apply utilitarianism to our case study on transplants, one would expect to find the exact two factors that our committee discarded: ability to pay and social worth/contribution potential at the top of the list. For one, the ability to pay puts the market forces at play. If the patient has the funds to pay, then the circumstances that enabled the individual to acquire the funds are rewarded and encouraged. If we encourage capitalism, we foment competitiveness and create an environment which is conducive to the most good for the community. We are all better off if we all strive to the best of our abilities and to obtain the rewards of greater efforts. This is the way of the world; even so-called communist countries are governed by cold, hard cash like China. The one with the most bucks makes the decisions and the rest pay to see it happen. In some societies, like ours, magnates are idolized like Donald Trump or Bill Gates and what they say, goes.
The ability to pay as a ticket to organ transplant surgery is undoubtedly a primary method of selection in today’s world. Organ transplants and medicine in general is very expensive. I am sure that it takes hundreds of thousands of dollars to have the capacity to perform them. Furthermore, it must cost tens of thousands to select those most able to withstand the procedure. One can make the argument that if taxpayers bear the burden to provide those less able a possibility to get a second chance at living, those resources could best be used in other types of care for a larger number of patients. One transplant surgery can cost what thousands or millions of vaccinations cost. How much is a person worth? We can look at life expectancy, earning capacity, loss of affection, companionship, and consortium and even expected tax payments. This method may seem fair to some but it is not necessarily just. It fails to take into account many factors that enable some individuals to amass fortune that are beyond their own capacity. One of those is being born at the right place and at the right time. Legacy money is very real and has nothing to do with deserving it. Societal factors also play a large part when they deter the advancement of some and promote that of others. Is it the child’s fault that she was born without the proper nutrition or educational environment? It might be more meritorious and fair to award the benefit to those whose individual value is accounted for.
This sort of thought applies to social worth/ contribution potential as well. If we apply the utilitarian methodology, these individuals would be selected because their survival would benefit society as a whole. This is probably unfair as well, like when we see famous individuals that are saved and used as “poster patients” to attract more donors or to generate publicity for the medical institution that performed the transplant. Another type of patient is the one that shows promise of contributing to society by contributions such as scientific findings or inventions that could possibly save a lot of other people. It is a calculated gamble being made in that the organ should be given to someone who would most likely recover and continue to contribute disproportionately to society. Will the individual be able to recapture her abilities after the procedure? What is the merit of one individual worth to us a whole? Does a famous person have more of a right to live than someone who has simply led an exemplary existence? All these questions lead to discussion and to non-objective measurements because we cannot truly say that a smart person has more of a right to live than a good person.
Mr. Sandel also touched on ethics based on rights. The basic human rights concepts discussed by his primer are based on Emmanuel Kant’s studies where each person as a moral agent can act autonomously. There are fundamental rights where certain things are simply wrong. He used the example of using the town drunk as a scapegoat to prevent a riot being completely unacceptable. The riot would likely cause more damage and maybe even more lives but in the end, killing one person for the good of others is still undeniably wrong.
Mr. Sandel then raises the issue of the categorical imperative. Kant is known for his theory that there is a single moral obligation, which he called the “Categorical Imperative”, and is derived from the concept of duty. It is from the Categorical Imperative that all other moral obligations are generated, and by which all moral obligations can be tested. Humans are not only valuable as means but also as ends in themselves, (Kant’s Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals (1902)). In order to fix the defect in utilitarianism, we must treat each other with respect. We are not simple tools to be manipulated. The individual is worthy of respect and whatever is prized by an individual’s ethics need not be judgmental; it needs to be based on basic rights. Therefore, we shouldn’t impose any particular way of thought; we should expose our views and respect each other’s opinions.
However, this approach is also flawed because when we apply it in practice we are unable to reach a decision as to who will benefit from the organ transplant. Because everyone has intrinsic value and is deserving of life, how do we attribute who is more deserving than others or who should ultimately get the organ? The concept creates more of a challenge than a solution when applied to our case. Judgments in or about virtue come into play and those are made subjectively, thus up to individual discretion lending itself to unfair partiality.
The third line of reasoning is based on virtue. Societal roles and expectations all relate to the pursuit of excellence. Based on the teachings of Aristotle, virtue isn’t about maximizing pleasure, it is about learning. We are misled into believing that we should seek a balance between pain and pleasure. If we are to find the true meaning in our lives, we need to look at happiness as an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue. We must learn to take pleasure in the right sorts of things. We also learn everything by doing; repetition and practicing improvement are basic to acquiring virtue. Practice leads to learning what our role is designed to be which is what we are best capable of being. Doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong will ultimately make us virtuous. We must resist at all cost the tendency to be mediocre. We cannot settle for being less that our optimum potential without even questioning ourselves. We must base our lives on doing what we are designed to do, our essence in being, and apply it to our constant decision-making.
Learning to discern what the right decision is may only come from doing. It needs to be learned by cultivation. Kant would disagree in that his concept of ethic is built into the individual and doesn’t need coaching or training. An ethical life is acquired by conscious selection of ethical choices. The one factor that needs to be present is “polis,” we can’t live it by ourselves like Robinson Crusoe in an island somewhere and cultivate virtues. The highest earthly goods, which are core to human beings, are actualized through participation in social practices. The tired argument on the idea about whether the leaf that falls in the forest really exists comes to mind. Does the leaf really fall if there is no one there to see it? Or does the human being exist only through the interaction she has with others? Only by living with others can we fully realize our capacity, our human nature.
The Greek word “Telos” is used to define an end/goal/purpose that for humans is only realized in community through the laws and civic life. How do we apply these concepts to the case at hand? If we base our decision on virtue, on the interconnectness of the decision-maker and the beneficiary of the organ transplant, we should take into account not only the virtue of the decision-maker(s) but also the recipient’s own virtue. In all the years we have had of organ transplants, certain protocols have been followed. They have been modified based on what works and what doesn’t. The problem is that there is no universal, agreed upon, system for deciding who gets a second chance. We once again answer the question in the negative and decide who doesn’t deserve a second chance.
The person that has failed to secure a right to be included because of her own fault, such as lung cancer from smoking, or liver damage from drinking alcohol, or some other self-inflicted damage, does not deserve to be considered until all others have their chance. The same is true to the individual whose own acts have resulted in the deprivation of life, liberty or happiness. That person has showed a lack of virtue by the way her life has been lived. One thing I might add is that in order for a person to become a beneficiary, that person must have been listed as an organ donor herself prior to the need for the transplant. The virtue of generosity is proven and there are practical benefits as well. This would ensure that the person is part of the whole and that she is not there only because of need. Instead, she is willing to share of herself and is a deserving part of the community. After all, the donor community is sharing its’ very self, in the form of its members’ organs. The ultimate purpose is to save another’s life by giving one’s organs upon one’s passing and sometimes even when still alive, and that is an act of love.
Back to the teleological concept, we find controversy in that the purpose of the organ should be to benefit the one who would benefit most from it. Who should get the best flute? The best flute player of course. This is so because that is what the flute’s purpose or goal was intended to be, to be played the best possible by the best possible player. One may argue that flutes are not made only for good players but for others to learn how to play also, but does just anybody get the best flute? How could we determine who will be the best player or the best survivor if she is not given the chance? By the way, if everyone would gain by only enjoying the best flute playing, then utilitarians would be happy, but it would be a close to flute-less world. What then, is the purpose of the donor system? Well, to save lives of course. What then, is the essential nature of organ transplants? To give another person the second chance to live and that the person is not just who needs it but is the ideal candidate. The ideal candidate is what the debate is all about. Should we not look at first come, first served as a fair method of providing that chance? We should and we can but let’s look at our alternatives again.
In conclusion, there are basically four different approaches that can be chosen. The “utilitarian/economic” approach would rule where the most win or when the market forces are used to make the choice. The more the patient can pay, the higher the chances of obtaining an organ. In theory, the more the value of that individual, the more chances that the person will be considered worthy based on popular opinion. The “rights” approach would result in constant negotiation and manipulation to decide who is most deserving. The committee will inevitably favor some applicants over others based on what they perceive to be the most important rights. Some would choose the persons who have more people dependant on them, (more aggregate rights) presumably parents. Some will simply choose the ones who they perceive as in most need because we all have the right to live. Who is to rank the value of need? Is spiritual or emotional need capable of measurement? I very much doubt it. Who has more rights to get a second chance at life? Third, is the “virtue” approach where the patient is evaluated based on the ultimate purpose which is to save lives that will save lives and arguably that will be most deserving by the way they carry out those lives.
I look for the answer in my original, visceral reaction to the question. I would probably vote that equality should be number one because it takes away all subjective measures and possibilities for corruption or favoritisms. It is true that some would argue that it makes the sanctity of life seem trivial, but it also means that everyone gets a fair second chance at life. This would result in a form of lottery where the recipient gains an organ solely by luck or fate. I believe in serendipity, fate and destiny and most of all, I believe in a higher power who gives us freewill to decide and let’s us live up to our decisions. If we give the first assessment based on equality, I believe we may not be leaving it up to chance at all.
Secondly, I had chosen to make the second criteria quantity and quality of life. I still believe that it should be medical experts who decide what the probability of success for the patient should be; there is absolutely no sense in throwing away a life when the recipient has little to gain from the second chance. After that, I would choose to base the decision on fault. The person who has made a decision to not take care of her own life should not be given a second chance over the person who has taken all appropriate measures to value her own life. I would insert a clause that those who have volunteered to become organ donors should be the only ones eligible to receive them regardless of any other factor. This seems fair to me and besides, it is as a way to increase the number of organ donors so that more people can benefit from the practice. In the end, after the aforementioned criteria are taken into consideration, the individual who comes first gets first service and stands in front of the line for the new organ.
In sum, a lottery should be given to all applicants first; those who are medically and objectively in the best positions to make best use of the organs go to the next round. Those whose own fault it is to be in the position of needing the organ, have made wrong decisions or have chosen to be selfish with their own organs get excluded. Out of those who are left the one who applied the earliest gets the procedure and with it, the obligation to make the most out of the second chance at life.
I realize that this method has a lot of flaws and that we can argue the merits ad nauseam, but if the decision is made in case I need an organ transplant after an accident on my way home; I think I would like to have a second chance based on those reasons. Come to think of it, reflection alone gives me a de facto second chance so that I may do my best with whatever life that I have left. What about you? Do you deserve or should you be given a second chance? That is the critical question.

Why should I?

2007-03-09T21:24:00.000-08:00

Why should I care and get involved with what is happening to people I don’t even know? After all, I have so many problems of my own that I need to resolve. I don’t see anyone else coming to my rescue when I have difficulties. I have earned everything I have, why spoil it by comparisons? There must be reasons and explanations why they can’t do more with their lives. Usually, they are just not trying hard enough. How many times do others help and nothing gets fixed? Etc, etc, etc…

Well, it turns out that there are individual answers to each one of these questions and comments. The answer lies in the individual and that individual is you! and me! We are all interconnected and if you exist, it is my duty to respect your existence and to acknowledge it. You are created and amongst us for whatever reason but it’s not up to me to pass judgment. It is, however, up to me to touch your existence in a way that seeks to be beneficial to us all as a whole.

Why do we choose careers where we pledge to help others? Where is it that a profession does not carry within a duty and a responsibility to those we profess our skills to? Why do we speak of love and compassion when we talk to our loved ones or to our mirrors? Why do we choose to believe that we have a bigger purpose in our lives? Certainly, I believe that you are a diamond in the rough, I see the beauty within you, and I value your thoughts and your opinions. I believe that you are much more than just coincidence and that your life is precious and valuable regardless of any artificialness of exterior appearances.

The interesting part lies in the fact that I know that you believe what I believe for the most part. I truly respect your right to feel the way you feel. I am sure that you were given the power to reason so that you use it. I am convinced that it takes years of meditation and reflection to forge your own path. The problem is that none of us knows how long that path may be. Make the most of every breath, touch someone with your willingness to acknowledge their true value. God loves you and so do I!

Concentric Circles

2007-02-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

Concentric Circles
Submitted By
Centro de Justicia
2007

“Concentric circles?”
The art and the science of Public Administration in the center, surrounded by spiraling circles spinning at different rates and maybe (probably) with different directions consisting of:
First Circle: Administrative technology;
Second Circle: Social Science and technology;
Third Circle: Regime (Republican Constitution: 1) three branches of government, 2) separation of powers by federalism, 3)limited powers to government, reserved powers to the states and the people);
Fourth Circle: Democracy;
Fifth Circle: Resistance and friction, weakness and unpredictability, refractoriness and intractability, of the human beings…
Mr. Dwight Waldo introduces the concept by stating:

“Regarding public bureaucracy, I suggest viewing it as the center of concentric circles or spheres. The administrative apparatus at the center (its administrative technology, as I previously designated) is formidable, consisting of what has been learned through the centuries augmented by contemporary physical technology. But of course it has its limits. Usually we wish that its discernment were clearer, its reach were longer, its grasp more sure, its power more adequate—though ironically we also realize that an instrument of such perfection would be a potential instrument of totalitarian tyranny.”

Applying Public Administration’s role as surrounded by these concentric circles to an area of high controversy such as Immigration policy it is easy to lean towards criticism of one circle or another. It is most likely fair to spread the credit and discredit for its creation (Immigration policy) and implementation to all those circles and maybe even to some that have not been mentioned.
One must begin by analyzing the role that each circle plays in the debate. The first circle, administrative technology not withstanding leads to a discussion of the second circle, social science and technology. The study of social science and the product of its efforts implemented through social technology have played a beneficial as well as detrimental role in Immigration policy. Beneficial because it is applied out in the field where the needs are met and the theories confront realities. There are many services and organizations that deal on a day-to-day manner and try to help with immigration and the effect on social sciences.
Because the social sciences are a group of academic disciplines that study human aspects of the world. They diverge from the arts and humanities in that the social sciences tend to emphasize the use of the scientific method in the study of humanity, including quantitative and qualitative methods. This means that the social sciences have studied, analyzed and reported on immigration issues as a phenomenon that entail cause and effect in some cases disregarding the human aspects in many forms. Social sciences has been concerned with the gathering and compilation of information but has submitted its findings in crude forms so that the policy makers (third circle) have been acting without digesting the data properly.
The third circle, “regime,” as part of the structures of government is focused on the political aspects and in the self preservation of its members to a large extent. This circle is able to recognize various downfalls of the current immigration policies but suffers from a deterioration of backbone in implementing changes when the political winds sway their opinions.
The executive branch has repeatedly attacked and defended immigration as it affects the nation. Because of the raw data collected by social science experts, their decisions are made to satisfy the constituents. The same is true of the legislative branch; the 435 members of the house and 100 senators go back and forth reporting the wishes of their individual states in the federal system. Cohesion is hard to find when it comes to Immigration policy. All they keep on repeating is that the system is broken and that someone needs to fix it but when possible solutions come forth, the radical wings of the political parties sabotage their passage.
The Judicial branch, on the other hand, being as usual, a representative of the reasonable prudent person, sits on the sidelines seeking to avoid taking a stand on what it perceives to be a matter for the executive and the legislative branches to resolve. The result is that the Immigration policy is a convoluted system where arbitrary discretion reigns and civil and human rights are trampled on a daily basis.
The fourth circle, democracy, is an idea that like a beautiful glass looks enchanting when observed but may cut and shred when touched or wielded. Immigration policy has been held hostage to democracy because it is the interest groups, the radicals, and the biased that make their feelings known. The majority remains silent as in many issues, agreeing with what they are being told but not having the urge to investigate the soundness of the arguments. The result is chaos, everybody screams, threatens, and wields democracy to hurt the others. Meanwhile the immigrant community gets thrown around as if smuggled and traveling in the horrific locked tractor trailer of death. The immigrant is secretive and subjected to crime, extortion, and abuse at every turn.
The racist and bigoted groups who camouflage themselves under the guise of nationalism, anti-terrorism, law abiding enforcers, moral authoritarians give chase and spread punishment liberally because there is no unified voice to prevent it. Immigration policy is the result of the tyranny of the majority inflicted on the minority because it has forgotten that at one time or another it was a member thereof.
The fifth and final circle, resistance and friction, weakness and unpredictability, refractoriness and intractability, of the human beings…is the most important one of all in the application of public administration to immigration policy. We know that there are needs, we hear information about the beneficial impact of immigration but are persuaded by sound bites that stroke the egos. As an example, of course it is easy to join on the side of mandating English only when it is the only language that you speak. The problem is that the world is getting smaller every day and public administration must reflect the needs of the public not the sound bites of one group. Understanding of many cultures and languages is vital to the nation, its organizations and its people.
The weakness and unpredictability of the citizens and the administrators shows in every poll, some perceive immigration as detrimental but don’t know why, some say that assimilation is an issue but are scared of being thought of as racist. Some go around spreading myths and truisms based on interest group’s statistical manipulations. The uncontrollable urge to shut the door once you have crossed it, the human instinct of diminishing competition is palpable when it comes to immigration policy.
Never mind the fact that we are competing with globalization and that lack of a strong work force will disable our abilities, never mind that our social programs can’t go on without contributors, never mind that we are attacking natural allies as if they are enemies ignoring the fact that immigrants risk their lives in who knows how many ways to be a friend, to get a chance at becoming American and at achieving the American Dream we brag about. In conclusion, the concentric circles have become a spiral that swallows human beings in a web of public administration policies that spin uncontrollably in different directions.

Good bye 2006

2006-12-15T21:06:00.000-08:00

It is interesting to find that in the incredible odyssey of my life, I have always found a spring of hope and a gush of faith that keep my steps firm.
I, like everyone, face and struggle with hopes and fears. But I am sure glad that I have my spring and my gush to push me forward.
Even though I feel exhausted, as usual I feel a need to reflect on this stage of my life. I find that I am filled with bitter sweet feelings for I have seen this before and it is the proximity of departure that comes to mind.
Despite all, I am so happy to say that I love my surroundings more than many of those who are from here, perhaps they just don't know what they have. Who knows what is in store? That is the beauty of life, and for now, I close my eyes and let some thoughts come out:

Good bye 2006,

A year that’s meant much to me;
I’ve been looking forward to this day;
Thinking I could get away;
From the past, and to be free;
Instead I find that inside me,
I wish to hold on, wish to stay.

One year closer, I believed;
But I may be one year farther if I think;
For the experiences that I’ve lived;
They leave swirling in life’s sink.

Appalachia, I have found you;
As a blessing to our needs;
You are so old and I’m so new;
Despite the years in my knees;
With your rivers and your views;
And those mountains my heart sees.

In your people, I have found;
Truth of character, kindness, love;
Promise, I’ll come around;
To fill with you, my whole soul.

Lee Jaen Nic ‘06

Christmas is coming.

2006-12-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

I celebrate the day of Christ with lights and Santa Claus, smiling as I see my children laugh and play decorating a Christmas tree; feeling my heart warm up in the singing of my daughter's Christmas carols and my son's hard labor elaborating his “presents” list.
Yet, I can't help to think back to what this day means to me and many. It is the day when the man that became legend, became spirit, became part of the souls of the world. Not because of decree by some institution or another, but because of what he truly represents: REVOLUTION!
Someone who gave his life for the good of his fellow humans, who stood in the middle of the accused, who defended the allegedly dishonorable, who fed the hungry, who did his best to heal as he walked this crazy, violent and harsh earth.
Christmas to me is the best that all of us have, it is the moment we put aside our differences and become one of the same: parents, family, friends, and neighbors, “Humans.”
I reach out to you in the most humble and truest form this Christmas to wish you and yours the very best that life could give: Happiness! Even if we are sick and happy, our pain feels less painful. Love? Before I make you sick, let me tell you: If I have ever offended you in any way, I apologize from the bottom of my heart. If you still have a sense that there is more to life than $, homes and cars, pleasure trips, fancy sunglasses and expensive clothes, then you may feel this: Happy Holidays, and get your spirit going for those who need us. Work hard, stand tall, fight hard, speak up and do unto others as you would have done unto you. Wake up the revolutionary in you! Merry Christmas.

Disappointment

2006-11-29T06:35:00.000-08:00

Not in failing to obtain what we desire nor in having tried and fail, but in knowing that we could and didn't.
Find a way to reach deep inside and pull all the forces you can muster to try, try again, try harder, keep on trying.
We will miss 100% of the shots we don't attempt, there is no doubt, but if we shoot for our goals a hundred times and reach one, then we have achieved what those who failed to try can only dream of, and if we don't, then disappointment is not what we should feel for we should feel pride in doing the best we could.

home is where the heart is...

2006-11-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

There are many who suffer undeservedly and many who thrive without deserving. The ways of the universe are beyond my comprehension. As Socrates once said: " I only know that I know nothing."
My heart goes out to those who suffer and instead of shooting out, shutting down or shouting up, I rather ask that we extend a hand to those who we can help. My prayers do attempt to reach out and they do help me. In this thanksgiving time, I give sincere thanks for all the good and wish from deep inside that we all give a little bit to the less fortunate.

www.abandonedchildren.com

Suffering

2006-11-15T21:09:00.000-08:00

“[W]hen the universe is considered as the work of an all-benevolent and all-powerful Creator, a fresh element is added to the problem. If God is all-benevolent, why did s/he cause or permit suffering? If s/he is all-Powerful, s/he can be under no necessity of creating or permitting it; and on the other hand, if s/he is under any such necessity, s/He cannot be all-powerful. Again, if God is absolutely good, and also omnipotent, how can s/he permit the existence of suffering? We have to inquire, that is to say, how suffering has come to exist, and its special relation to the Creator of the universe.

Admitting that metaphysical absence of good in itself may be merely nature’s method, involving nothing more than a continual redistribution of the material elements of the universe, human suffering and wrongdoing still and out as essentially opposed to the general scheme of natural development, and are scarcely to be reconciled in thought with any conception of unity or harmony in nature. To what, then, is the suffering of human life, physical and moral, to be attributed as its own cause? Thus, in one aspect, i.e. as counter-balancing to de-ordination, it has the nature of absence of good. But fault (culpae), though permitted by God, is in no sense due to him; its cause is the abuse of free will by men, the action, word and/or omission.
With regard to the nature of absence of good (absence), it should be observed that absence (evil) is of three kinds -- physical, moral, and metaphysical. Physical includes all that causes harm to man, whether by bodily injury, by thwarting his natural desires, or by preventing the full development of his powers, either in the order of nature directly, or through the various social conditions under which mankind naturally exists. Physical evils directly due to nature are sickness, accident, death, etc. Poverty, oppression, and some forms of disease are instances of evil arising from imperfect social organization. Mental suffering, such as anxiety, disappointment, and remorse, and the limitation of intelligence which prevents humans beings from attaining to the full comprehension of their environment, are congenital forms of absence and each vary in character and degree according to natural disposition and social circumstances.
It has been contended that existence is fundamentally evil; that evil is the active principle of the universe, and good no more than an illusion, the pursuit of which serves to induce the human race to perpetuate its own existence. This is the fundamental tenet of Buddhism, which regards happiness as unattainable, and holds that there is no way of escaping from misery but by ceasing to exist otherwise than in the impersonal state of Nirvana. The origin of suffering, according to Buddha, is "the thirst for being". This was also, among Greek philosophers. Thinkers, though, as a rule, held that absence is universally supreme, but can be avoided or overcome by the wise and virtuous. (This is the value of our decision to do what is right no matter what, even though it is decidedly tougher).
Its existence (absence) sub-serves the perfection of the whole; the universe would be less perfect if it contained no evil. Thus fire could not exist without the corruption of what it consumes; if there were no wrong doing, there would be no sphere for patience and justice. We couldn’t appreciate beauty if we didn’t experience its absence; love w/o hate; light w/o dark; yin w/o yang. We humans have a tendency to do what is easier, that is to not sacrifice, to seek own desires, to be selfish, and greedy and disregard or avoid what we know we should do which is to help others, to sacrifice, to prevent injustice no matter what the cost.
In other words, there is a parallel universe that challenges the human spirit to overcome absence of good and fulfill the purpose of our existence and to bring out the best in ourselves and abandon the worst in exchange. When we do this, we find good, we find love, and we find God.

God

2006-11-13T19:51:00.000-08:00

I answer that, The existence of God can be proved in five ways.

The first and more manifest way is the argument from motion. It is certain, and evident to our senses, that in the world some things are in motion. Now whatever is in motion is put in motion by another, for nothing can be in motion except it is in potentiality to that towards which it is in motion; whereas a thing moves inasmuch as it is in act. For motion is nothing else than the reduction of something from potentiality to actuality. But nothing can be reduced from potentiality to actuality, except by something in a state of actuality. Thus that which is actually hot, as fire, makes wood, which is potentially hot, to be actually hot, and thereby moves and changes it. Now it is not possible that the same thing should be at once in actuality and potentiality in the same respect, but only in different respects. For what is actually hot cannot simultaneously be potentially hot; but it is simultaneously potentially cold. It is therefore impossible that in the same respect and in the same way a thing should be both mover and moved, i.e. that it should move itself. Therefore, whatever is in motion must be put in motion by another. If that by which it is put in motion be itself put in motion, then this also must needs be put in motion by another, and that by another again. But this cannot go on to infinity, because then there would be no first mover, and, consequently, no other mover; seeing that subsequent movers move only inasmuch as they are put in motion by the first mover; as the staff moves only because it is put in motion by the hand. Therefore it is necessary to arrive at a first mover, put in motion by no other; and this everyone understands to be God.

The second way is from the nature of the efficient cause. In the world of sense we find there is an order of efficient causes. There is no case known (neither is it, indeed, possible) in which a thing is found to be the efficient cause of itself; for so it would be prior to itself, which is impossible. Now in efficient causes it is not possible to go on to infinity, because in all efficient causes following in order, the first is the cause of the intermediate cause, and the intermediate is the cause of the ultimate cause, whether the intermediate cause be several, or only one. Now to take away the cause is to take away the effect. Therefore, if there be no first cause among efficient causes, there will be no ultimate, nor any intermediate cause. But if in efficient causes it is possible to go on to infinity, there will be no first efficient cause, neither will there be an ultimate effect, nor any intermediate efficient causes; all of which is plainly false. Therefore it is necessary to admit a first efficient cause, to which everyone gives the name of God.

The third way is taken from possibility and necessity, and runs thus. We find in nature things that are possible to be and not to be, since they are found to be generated, and to corrupt, and consequently, they are possible to be and not to be. But it is impossible for these always to exist, for that which is possible not to be at some time is not. Therefore, if everything is possible not to be, then at one time there could have been nothing in existence. Now if this were true, even now there would be nothing in existence, because that which does not exist only begins to exist by something already existing. Therefore, if at one time nothing was in existence, it would have been impossible for anything to have begun to exist; and thus even now nothing would be in existence--which is absurd. Therefore, not all beings are merely possible, but there must exist something the existence of which is necessary. But every necessary thing either has its necessity caused by another, or not. Now it is impossible to go on to infinity in necessary things which have their necessity caused by another, as has been already proved in regard to efficient causes. Therefore we cannot but postulate the existence of some being having of itself its own necessity, and not receiving it from another, but rather causing in others their necessity. This all men speak of as God.

The fourth way is taken from the gradation to be found in things. Among beings there are some more and some less good, true, noble and the like. But "more" and "less" are predicated of different things, according as they resemble in their different ways something which is the maximum, as a thing is said to be hotter according as it more nearly resembles that which is hottest; so that there is something which is truest, something best, something noblest and, consequently, something which is uttermost being; for those things that are greatest in truth are greatest in being, as it is written in Metaph. ii. Now the maximum in any genus is the cause of all in that genus; as fire, which is the maximum heat, is the cause of all hot things. Therefore there must also be something which is to all beings the cause of their being, goodness, and every other perfection; and this we call God.

The fifth way is taken from the governance of the world. We see that things which lack intelligence, such as natural bodies, act for an end, and this is evident from their acting always, or nearly always, in the same way, so as to obtain the best result. Hence it is plain that not fortuitously, but designedly, do they achieve their end. Now whatever lacks intelligence cannot move towards an end, unless it be directed by some being endowed with knowledge and intelligence; as the arrow is shot to its mark by the archer. Therefore some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God.

St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica

study in contrasts

2006-11-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

The ones who are most affected by the decisions of those who put them into effect. I long to see the many promises of both sides of the political spectrum put into action.
The decision-makers live in a totally different world and their peculiarities make all the difference in the world.
Because we only have a flash of life available and we begin to die the day we are born, we must take matters into our hands to make our goals come true.
Speak up! Let your voice be heard for all those who are voiceless.

Struggle

2006-10-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

Staying alive is not easy. Most humans fight what seems like insurmountable barriers to remain afloat. Some have it so easy that they don't even realize it nor fully appreciate it.
Let's be thankful and let's be more open to the needs of the many. What you do today has a way of coming back in some way. Do good, that is all we can do and that's all that is needed to make things better.

life = tunnel

2006-09-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

Tired and going on, and on and on...
placing my steps in the hands up above;
looking for shelter, for rest, I hold on;
knowing the end will be filled with true love.

Improvise

2006-09-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

Use your imagination and giddy-up! The cruel and relentless passage of time forgives no one. The beautiful faces, the slender figures, the sharp memory skills, the athletic and strong abilities and all the advantages that you have enjoyed are equalized by time.
It's worth so much more when you have risen from the dirt and have accomplished what you wished. Sometimes the barriers are so tough, we get worn out. The idea is to blaze the trail for the ones behind us so that they have the tools to ride a better ride.
Life is like a wild horse that nobody can tell how it will turn out, get on, no time to waste, fall but get back up.

sail,fly,kneel...

2006-09-08T19:53:00.000-07:00

No matter what state in life you think you walk on, there is always a trail you leave behind. In the end, what does it matter? you earned it, you deserve it...what do you have to show for it?
Look around, see who, what and how; see what your eyes can't capture. Is this the you you thought of as a child? all the smoke and mirrors gone, now what do you have? you have yourself and you have today to sail, fly and be humble as you get the helping hands of those you touched.

Window to future

2006-09-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

Ever wish you could see the future? It can be almost anything you wish it to be (within reason). All things can be done with faith and belief in yourself.
Attitude is vital.
Decide to do your very best today and as much as you can possibly handle, tomorrow may be too late!

"All Aboard"

2006-08-18T21:18:00.000-07:00

Sure, I admit it, my words sometimes only get in the way of what I really want to express. My only desire is to touch your consciousness and have you deliberate on the ride of life.
Hang on, enjoy the view but at the same time be aware of the not so pleasant realities. Meditate on their balance or lack thereof. Take action, hold on.

All Humans

2006-08-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

All vulnerable. Let's find better ways to live.

2006-08-10T00:19:00.000-07:00

WE DON'T NEED A PASSPORT! GOD GAVE US PERMISSION TO EXIST AND NO MAN HAS THE RIGHT TO DENY OUR RIGHT TO LIVE!

2006-08-06T23:55:00.000-07:00

"Royalty" believe it or not is what they dream of. The corruption of power has taken over the cells of the brains and have turned us all into puzzle pieces.
There is Machiavelli at work and everyone dismisses it despite the obvious evidence. We must yell out to stop the killings! Stop! STOP! STOP! STOP!

God is not a micromanager.

2006-07-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

Regardless of professed faith or denomination, some of us feel deep inside the existence of a higher being. That power is beyond description and it is not transferable from one person to another. The only way to recognize it is by unconditional submission which is probably the hardest task possible.
The knowledge of a connection separate from one that can be reached by careful reasoning alone is transcendental. This is where it separates itself from the daily human manipulation to serve someone's interests. There are no acts of subjective punishment, there are no individualized penalties showered upon who disagrees. These are effects of decisions made by the "free-will." There is no value to affection born out of imposition; God does not want us to love him/her because we fear punishment because that is not love at all. Love is given voluntarily and can not be forced or disguised which is why it is much more valuable than any gem. To God love is the gem, diamonds, emeralds and rubies are only colored stones that do not match the beauty of creation in any remote sense. God is the same for us Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Krishna’s, etc., we picture images, writings, words, messages that should be rightly examined but are apart from the biggest message which is the beauty of nature, our souls, spirits and each other.

"Agreement to disagree"

2006-07-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

It is not fair that innocent people on both sides pay the price for the hate and motives of those who use them as shields. If they really want to destroy each other, let them do it face to face and not by attacking the civilians. In the end, the death of many will only deepen the resentment and the pain. The only solution is compromise, form a contract where everyone respects each other's right to live. How many more deaths until they realize that cruelty leads to only more cruelty? We must denounce the violence and not take sides except for the side of those who are suffering while the cruel fight over centuries' old bad blood and misunderstandings. Mothers who mourn their children are the same regardless of nationality or religion, they all suffer. Some have lost that and have raised them as sacrificial lambs for no sense whatsoever.

CRUELTY

2006-07-13T10:29:00.000-07:00

Discusting, despicable, atrocious. These terms fail to describe the reality of human decomposition. Why is it that so many of us choose to walk around with blinders on? Many feel they have the moral authority to pass judgment based on their comfortable surroundings. It is easy to take a stand against other humans at the same time that we condemn others for far less vicious infractions.
Sure, you can say that you base your reasoning based on "laws" but does that mean that it is right. Don't be afraid to think outside the box. It is not intentional to shock but only to expose, if the death of a dog is not okay, why is it okay for the death of humans to take place? because they lack protection based on "law"?
Reach out to the ones who need us, get out of the malls and the reality shows and face true reality. The world is full of desperation and you can make a giant difference just by saying that you care.

enjoy...

2006-06-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

Life is good, enjoy it!

Brick by Brick

2006-06-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

This is our time in history. We have only one life and one chance to make a difference, to leave our mark, to make things better.
We are surrounded by horrible events, we face evil and hate in many levels. We don't have to go far, look at the news and the crime reports, we are killing each other. We are losing ourselves in a whirlwind of surrender. Like being flushed in a giant toilet so are our principles, our dreams of a better tomorrow, our hopes, our laughter and better sense of selves.

This isn't new, most generations have faced adversities and some have actually taken real steps to change things. Others have simply focused on their own selfish well being not facing the truth that what happens to others happens to us as well. I urge you to take conscience of those around you, look at the homeless shelters, the hospitals, the rehabilitation centers, the prisons, the elderly homes. Try to pitch in and help even if its only by talking about it and not ignoring the problems. Search within yourself and reach out. Put your name in the side of those who strive to make things better.

Take advantage of every breath and be thankful first of all, and then extend your hand to those who struggle day by day. Be kind, be responsible, be different, be YOU!

Breaking Point

2006-06-21T18:02:00.000-07:00

When the walls close in and the valves are shut, slowly but steadily the pressure builds until it reaches the breaking point. Extreme responses may quiet the situation but without real changes those same elements build up again.

The only solution is to find balance. Give the proper channels to search for self-actualization and for the common good simultaneously. Look for middle ground, no one is right all of the time. Pay attention to the points of contention and encourage mediation and agreement.

The only real good deal is the one when both parties walk away knowing that they gave up something but it was necessary and equal to what they gained.

mind at work

2006-06-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

Sometimes our minds spin without any real product after the effort. Or so we think,in reality the mind keeps working even in our sleep, and it captures the events and the perceptions of each day. This all accumulates in the mind until it finds an appropiate (sometimes inappropiate) outlet.

The mind is so amazing, it is something that fascinates itself. The desk may seem like it's not working but it is traveling along wherever you go, working...

The problem is that time waits for no one. We can't afford the luxury of standing idle. We must acquire the knowledge and react accordingly. If you want to make an impact, get off your you know what and do something about it! Turn off that TV, open a book, do some reading, talk to others, share your concerns, take action.

The weeds are relentless, they will find your mind and will fill it with vines and branches and roots that clog it with dirt that is useless. The only way to avoid this is by reaching out of its grip before it is too late and the years pass us by. Dare to reach for your dreams, take a chance, fight for what you believe. Don't let another day go by without making an attempt and repeat it with another, and another, soon you will reach your goal and regret the fact that you didn't start earlier.

view from above

2006-06-15T08:22:00.000-07:00

Ever thought about what you would think if you saw us from above and realized how self-destructive we are?

I'll like to encourage you to do at least one thing for others today: pick up a piece of trash and put in the right place, sweep or clean, recycle something, use a bicycle or walk, water a plant or better yet: plant a tree

leave the world a better place by saying what you feel without concern of being labeled as "enviromentalist," "boring," "whatever."

Struggle

2006-06-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

The search for what you believe is right has many tolls. We must look into ourselves and determine the power of our convictions. Many act because they are part of a group, a movement, or simply to fulfill what has been designated as "duties."

Look inside and decide if what you are doing is the right thing to do and why. If you are not sure, then ask. Talk to the different sides and find out what their valid points are and what is simply rhetoric. You will be surprised to see how many people are somehow "brainwashed" because they lack the confidence to think for themselves. You will be surprised how many are willing to trade their morals for what they think they might gain. Don't be surprised to see that many in the elderly homes or in the morgues found out it wasn't worth it.

Many feel and know that what they are fighting for is right, but we end up being used and manipulated by those who claim to be in charge. Life is very complicated, "think before you act."

rolling, rolling, rolling down the river...

2006-06-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

Take the time to let go and look around you. Let your spirit flow and float along in deep concentration of the sounds, the smells, the feel of the air, sun, or rain or dark.

Meditate on the beauty of life and the role you play may come into perpective, you are valuable, you are important, you can make a difference but for now, the impact you make is as an observer, a quiet and motionless member of this beautiful world.

loving once again...

2006-06-08T22:37:00.000-07:00

I’ve been watching you tonight,
Have been seen you glow so bright,
I’m feeling something so deep inside;
I am loving you… all right.

I see the twinkle all in your eyes;
And feel my heart get warm, feels so very nice;
I know you are near me, I watch you go by;
I think of yesterday, and the big blue sky.

I feel the heartaches going away;
I feel you kiss me, oh! once again;
And think that I thought that I couldn’t stay;
Now I am just loving you, and here we begin.

The smell of your skin, touches my skin;
The sweet embrace from so long ago;
Are here to visit, where have you been?
I missed you dearly, love, do you know?

The kisses, hugs, and sweet jokes make sense;
The playing and touching over again;
Me running with you and breaking the fence;
That held us back and kept us in pain.

So good to have you, darling, I missed you;
I wish you near me and feel you so deeply;
Sweetheart you are special, please let me tell you;
From here and forever with “you,”… I’m so me.

Lee Jaen
Nic’06
Copyright © Lee Jaen

"Grab the bull by its horns"

2006-06-07T18:28:00.000-07:00

So much easier said than done!

Life is bigger than a bull; it is probably more like a train. Even though a bull can definitely end it, it is probably more analogous to one of the many challenges we must face in our lives.

One thing that is certain and that is change, if we are fortunate there is a positive twist to those changes. The same concept of the glass half full seems to work. The attitude is such a magnet, if you are in a bad mood, people sense it and treat you accordingly. The same holds true if you are cheerful, people generally want to spend a bit more time around you. But if you are feeling threatened, then be aggressive,the best defense is a good offense.

These are things that we can change (most of the time), so the next time you get out and live, face the bull.... by the horns. Be in charge of the situation presented, be confident, if not,... make sure you have an escape route planned out.

"Cuando vayas"

2006-06-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

Cuando vayas a mi pueblo mi amor;
búscame noche o día;
por que ahí yo estaré, corazón;
y te haré toda mía.

No será de mentira, no, no;
no será fantasía;
ya veras que cerquita tu y yo;
crearemos melodía.

Pues debajo de la luna, la pasión;
crecerá como un río;
que se inunda de cariño e ilusión;
como un sueno perdido.

Cuando vayas a mi pueblo mi amor;
ya veras que todavía;
esta la llama encendida por tu olor;
del que por ti vivía.

No te llegues a tardar en llegar;
que te espero mi vida;
y tus labios yo quiero besar;
para siempre querida.

Cuando vayas a mi pueblo mi amor...

Lee Jaen

walking man

2006-06-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

Wondering about looking for a perfect fit. Most of us create the image of what we want to be good at and what we are truly good at is usually debatable. The only truth is that you can't win if you don't try. It is so much better to have a little bit of something than a whole lot of nothing, so what do you have? be thankful...
Most in the world have so much less!

"Uno de estos dias"

2006-05-26T20:04:00.000-07:00

“Uno de estos días”

Uno de estos días, ¿puede ser hoy? … No se decirlo,
Llegara el fin de este viaje y esta vida,
Las risas fuertes, las lágrimas en mis sabanas;
Se irán por siempre, y encontraran salida,
Al infinito o hasta que dure el ver o el sentirlo.

¿Que será lo que mas me llevo?
Si no hay lugar para un equipaje
¿Que si no pueda pensar y dejo?,
Solo este cuerpo, solo un ropaje.

Lo que quisiera, si deja el tiempo,
Es recordar mis tantas travesías,
Tantas memorias que halle en el viento,
Mis recuerdos, sueños, fantasías.

¿Importara lo que aquí les digo?
Si es así, quiero contarles,
A mi familia, al buen amigo,
Escuchen bien lo que voy a hablarles.

Nací en un pueblo tan empobrecido,
Pero con gente de almas riquísimas,
Fui tan dichoso en haber nacido,
Entre los juegos, cantos, purísimas.

Fueron tan cortos y tan inocentes,
Los primeros años en mi memoria,
Pero si, alegran mi larga historia,
Con sus veredas, ríos y fuentes.

Mas los recuerdos son salpicados,
Con los momentos y los relatos,
De malos tiempos y los retratos,
De mis errores,… de mis pecados.

Por que culpar al que he encontrado,
Pues sin embargo, al sobrevivirlos;
Me he dado cuenta que aquel pasado,
Me hizo más fuerte, al ya no sufrirlos.

Mas si en mi pecho se que hoy extraño,
A muchas caras que ya se han ido,
No importa cuantos, sean los años,
Esas personas las he querido.

Lo de entremedio ya lo sabrán,
Hubo de todo lo que he podido,
Tome, peleé, jugué y ame,
Y nada de eso me quitaran,
Pero si por eso también llore,
Así es mi vida, “viva”, ¡jodido!

Nadie dirá que no haya luchado,
Pues sobre de eso sobran testigos,
De mis intentos, los enemigos,
Saben que es cierto lo que les digo,
Pues lo que tuve, todo lo he dado.

Siempre, en cada uno de mis intentos,
Les di mis fuerzas, les di mil ganas,
Y si gane, fueron momentos,
Que me hacen duro, y me dieron canas.

Las bendiciones que Dios me ha dado,
Tan numerosas a cada momento,
Por su deseo es que cada aliento,
Que yo he sentido, me han inspirado.

Lo más preciado que yo he tenido,
Siempre lo han sido y lo siguen siendo,
Son esas almas que me han querido,
Familia, amigos, el amor viviendo.

Y es por esto que yo quisiera,
Con estos versos dejarles dicho,
En ese día que este muriendo,
Gracias, los quiero, esto es un hecho,
Y hasta en la muerte los voy queriendo.

Por eso tomen de mi experiencia,
Que a esta vida no tengan miedo,
Disfruten todo, más la inocencia,
Yo de algún lado los estaré viendo.

Y si es posible que del otro lado,
Pueda ayudarles en cualquier modo,
Ahí estaré como un buen soldado,
Para apoyarlos, y darles mi todo.

Cuídense mucho, rían y bailen,
Abrazos, besos, van de mi parte,
Luchen y gozen, nunca se paren,
La vida es corta, y hay que gozarle,
Busquen su ruta que eso es el arte.

Para mis niños, come decirles,
Cuanto mis días iluminaron,
Si por tenerlos al bendecirles,
Mi alma sonríe, pues la llenaron.
Gracias por todo, punto y aparte.

Hubo momentos donde los años,
Y mis errores me envejecieron;
Pero todo eso y otros peldaños;
Se me olvidaron cuando nacieron.

Nunca sabré como Dios pudo,
Confiarme a mí sus bellas criaturas,
Y en mi garganta se me hace un nudo;
Que a esta hora, a estas alturas;
Le doy mil gracias, “fueron mi mundo.”

Si desde el cielo me dan licencia;
Para construirles una escalera,
Para ir a verlos, guiar su inocencia;
Mañana mismo quiero yo verla.

Y a mis hermanos, cuanto los quiero;
Pues son mi fuerza y el gran orgullo;
Que yo por dentro de mi, encierro;
Para enfrentar lo que es mío y lo que es suyo.

Que bendición el haber nacido;
A la par suya, mis caballeros;
Mi puño es fuerte, pues ha vivido;
Con lo que en sueños, son los vaqueros.

Hombres de veras que día a día;
Luchan por dar su último suspiro;
Por sus ideales y sus familias,
Llenan el mundo a cada respiro.

Es un honor el haber vivido;
A la par de quien no tiene cabida;
Que corazones, que contenido;
Entre sus cuerpos y entre sus vidas.

Para mis padres, debo decirles;
Que este hijo necio, pues los admira;
Y si no es mucho toma pedirles;
Que acepten el alma, que aquí les mira.

Y para todos lo que mas quiero;
Es que no compren ni que regalen;
Si no que otorguen de almas de hierro;
A los más pobres, que tanto valen.

Yo les recuerdo que fue por ellos;
Que un día gritamos por libertad;
No hay patria libre, no hay nada bello;
Solo memorias de nuestra lealtad.

Y es que he aprendido que al ayudar;
Se necesita auto-mejorar;
Si no lo tengo, no puedo dar;
¿Si no lo adquiero como otorgar?

Pero ese niño que esta en la calle;
Soy yo quien vive dentro de su cuerpo;
Solo que no logro encontrar la llave;
Para poder conquistar el tiempo.

Uno de estos días pues siempre es pronto;
Y yo debería restringir mi pensamiento;
Pero entre ustedes seria yo un tonto;
Al no admitir que saben lo que siento.

Por eso, este día, mando estas letras;
Y con ellas van de mi, el mejor deseó;
De felicidad y aunque no hay respuestas;
Al otro lado, yo los espero.

Lee Jaen Nic. ’06

Centro de Justicia

2006-05-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

“Wealthy”

A man’s family is his greatest treasure,
I know for sure that this is true,
Nothing else could be as precious,
To them my loyalty and gratitude are due.

How many times have I wasted?
Lavishing in worldly goods,
How many things have I tested?
Toys and spirits, wines and foods.

I’ve searched so many streets and places,
Some they said would bring me joy,
Surrounded myself with so many faces,
Yet the emptiness, I could not avoid.

But when I had felt that my pursuit of happiness,
Was only a dream that I could not achieve,
My life was then blessed with a vision of loveliness,
I thought it was truly too much to believe.

Our Dear Lord decided to send me a gift,
A gift that reminded me of where I had come from,
And just how much fortune that I had received
I knew then what made me and where I belonged.

Later on I was facing the worst of my fears,
And pleaded for mercy and prayed for a miracle,
My loved ones then joined me in my river of tears,
Letting out a chorus calling on the mystical.

And then our Messiah with his loving hand,
Reached into the depths of anguish and despair,
Pulled me out so swiftly, for he is so grand,
Allowing divine healing, portentous repair.

Now I realize that my hubris was wrong,
I’ve been meeting only what are mere illusions,
All that I was searching was there all along,
With prayer and faith I found the solutions.
Got back with my family, away from the throng.

Hosanna in the highest to our great creator!
May your blessings rain on our hearts and lives,
Be the one who guides us, be our operator,
Hold us in your arms on our days and nights.

Breath of Fresh Air

2006-05-19T23:05:00.000-07:00

Desiderata
'Max Ehrman' = Max Ehrmann
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

2006-05-19T22:47:00.000-07:00

well...

2006-05-19T04:17:00.000-07:00

Sensenbrenner will be in charge of the discussions on the part of the house and with allies in the senate like the senator from Louisiana, they are adamant about the classification of the immigration reform as an amnesty which they vehemently oppose.

It seems like they are being financed and encouraged by the anti-immigration groups and that they have lost sight of their purpose in congress, which is to enact laws that reflect the will of the people not of interested groups alone. It is another sign of the power of the lobbying profession and the greed of politicians seeking to retain or obtain better political posts. This of course is only in addition to their prejudiced personal views that fuel their actions.

Seems like a part of the wall is going up, the rest will be debated some more, in the meantime we'll get ready to vote and speak out against these movement to expel, inprison and punish immigrant families who are seeking meager employment and the means to sustain their families and whose only crime is to not have been born with the means to pay for the immigration procedures that are stacked against them.

"Lady Justice"

2006-05-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Where are you? I seek thee dearly;
who are you? I hope to meet thee;
why aren't you? no one dares speak it;
a phantom? I don't believe it.

We long for, but it keeps seeking;
others who like to meet it;
it fills us once we are speaking;
and leaves us if we dare see it.

It comes though, when we are dreaming;
and touches inner emotions;
we know it when we are believing;
we feel it in every motion.

A lady, they say you are;
one that is blind but sees us;
one that sees near and far;
who wishes we sought your cause.

Dear Justice, though you are divine;
we wish for you in our laws;
yet drafters only divide;
with interests and other flaws.

Get near us, show us the way;
to hold you with both our hands;
teach us just how to say;
so you may reign in our lands.

Lee Jaen

Heroes

2006-05-14T19:21:00.000-07:00

Héroes
Los que marchan contra el viento y arremeten con confianza de su razón de ser, de su misión en este mundo y en esta vida. ¿Cuantos quedan? Algunos dirían que pocos, sin embargo, yo no me uno a esta conclusión pues cuando veo el sudor y las lagrimas de un padre o madre que se avienta a la aventura cada día para traer un poquito de pan a la casa y se lo pelean pedazo por pedacito en un momento, mientras que el o ella se va a acostar con hambre, yo miro a un héroe.

Aquel que se levanta tempranito y plancha su pantalón que ha sido reparado cien veces pero que se viste limpiecito y bien planchado para salir al trabajo, montarse al bus y solo oler el café de los que van al lado, mirar a las rosquillas y los quesillos sabiendo que con suerte tendrá para montarse en el bus de regreso para su casa, yo miro a un héroe.

Cuando en la tarde o el domingo se oyen los niños quejándose por que tienen ganas de un elote o un sorbete y la paciencia se le escapa al vérsele en su frente el sufrir de no poder exprimir un solo peso del bolsillo con que darles gusto, yo miro un héroe.

El solo contener su enojo y frustración, mandar a los chavalos a la escuela, buscar como comprarles los cuadernos, fiarle a la dueña de la pulpería cinco pesos mas para la leche y los frijoles, alzar la mirada y caminar adelante un día mas, yo miro a un héroe.

Y mas en el momento de la angustia por que uno de ellos ha caído enfermo, la clínica no atiende, los gritos de dolor son espantosos, y solo busca, y toca puerta tras puerta hasta encontrar quien les ayude, yo miro a un héroe.

Mas aún en el momento que nos llega a todos, uno por uno, cuando nos espera una caja, sea de pino, sea de seda, donde las lagrimas y los recuerdos se reúnen, yo miro a un héroe.

Y cuando miro en el espejo y veo a alguien que solo reza por que algún día pueda brindar mi mano a ese héroe y abrazarlo y ayudarlo solo miro a un vacío de sueños y esperanzas que pide a gritos que sea usted el que este día haga su día de ayudar a ser un héroe.

De que importa el discutir sobre política o tradiciones, de que el derecho nos da razón y potestades, de que la institución de nuestra religión tiene sus meritos y sus defectos, si al fin y al cabo se van los días, y los meses, y los años, cuando hoy pudimos ayudar y convertirnos en un momento, mas con acción que en pensamiento, en ese héroe que necesitábamos... desde hace siempre.

...these truths to be self evident...that all men are created equal...

Centro de Justicia

2006-05-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

It is so easy to give up and say that there is no use in trying to make a difference because no one really listens. It is so tempting to just want to be selfish and stop trying and seek to focus on one's own challenges. Resist that urge for if you succumb, you have given up on making tomorrow a better day for someone else who needs it more than you today. It is tough, I know and agree, but it is worthwhile and that is what we know deep inside.

Keep fighting, speak up, tell the truth and admit our mistakes, we don't have any reason for stating that we are perfect, we just have the duty to object when we know there is someone's rights at stake. Keep your chin up, live to fight with greater strength, there is a higher purpose that lies beyond what you can see.

Centro de Justicia

dilemmas

2006-05-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

Many times we face a crossroad and must decide on which one of the routes to stay on.
Usually it is impossible to predict an outcome because we don't know enough facts, we don't have enough time to research those facts and even if so, there is no way of knowing what the future will bring. Usually we must rely on faith and fate and figuratevely close our eyes as we take the one we think is the least harmful or most beneficial.

My advice is that you can't win if you don't try. We are the only ones with the power to make those decisions (usually), and we must take the different factors into consideration but be able to live with our decisions. We decide how happy we are! I seen many who have nothing but are happiest and many who have everything but happiness.

Most of the times, you will know, you will feel it in your heart what is the right thing to do, sometimes, we decide because we think that's what we want to be like, it is up to you, as long as you decide that you know what you don't want to be like.

Centro de Justicia: May 2006

2006-05-09T17:26:00.000-07:00

Tuesday is here, the news speak of war, gas prices, scandals and corruption.
A new CIA chief is in place, five senators visited Nicaragua and speak about democracy and how intervention should not be tolerated from the U.S. or from Venezuela.
The children are growing in a bubble of protected censorship. the news of the avian flu's imminent spread throughout the world and the lack of resources and attention is getting.
More talk about the latest movies, the Davinci Code, the doctrine of Judas and the controversies that they bring.
I search for a moment of relaxation and reflection; tired, very tired, but glad to be alive, and glad to learn a bit more each and every day.

Centro de Justicia: May 2006

2006-05-03T15:58:00.000-07:00

Welcome/ Bienvenidos:

Life being such an ephemeral phenomenom, leaves upon us a choice worthy of reflection: How do we define the meaning of our lives, what is the measuring device and who does the measuring.
Since it is all a practical flash within the context of time itself, I encourage you to join me in this journey and share your hopes and fears as we embrace the concept that knowledge is limitless and it requires joint effort to contribute to any minute sum of the same.
Perhaps together we can reach out and find what is probably most important as a goal, a threshold, a paradigm that is most needed in our lives: JUSTICE!