It's obvious; America has been moving in the direction of tolerance and that trend seems that it will only continue. (and we can only hope that it still will.) According to an Op-ed piece in USA Today by Naomi Riley an interesting trend is presented; there are far more interfaith marriages than those that go across party lines in politics. In fact, only 18% of married couples claimed that their other spouse was tied to an opposing political party. Riley presents a host of statistics which expose this underlying divide and also presents an example of a very high-profile marriage of a strong politician; Paul Ryan. She argues that views on religion take a backseat today than those of the views of on domestic political issues. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing; it shows that more and more Americans are aware of politics and actually care about it. Riley splits the piece up into a few different sections making the information presented easier to take in. The progression of the piece starts with the introduction of the statistics and trends, the Paul Ryan example, and her personal views on the issue. This article caused me to think about the different perspectives and the new trends and was an interesting take on how individuals choose the ones they marry.
Article: http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/04/25/red-dates-blue-dates-column/2114133/
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Special Post: A personal comment on the Boston Bombings
My Personal Comment on the Boston Bombings
Runners are a different breed, particularly marathon runners. To the vast majority of people; 26 miles seems like an unfathomable distance to run. It takes an immense amount of strength just to have someone convince themselves to run and train for such a distance. For runners, the Boston Marathon is the world series of races. It's hallowed ground. Hearing news of the bombings incited a convulsion of emotions which I have rarely felt. My friends really didn't understand why I could be so upset over something so remote. Eventually, I was forced to go on a run to relieve my feelings. And therein lies the problem; for all runners, running is an entire almost physical part of who they are. Runners all share the same connection. When that connection is interfered with it can be devastating. Surely, this was a tremendous attack on Boston and the American people, but it was also an attack on runners as a whole.
3 years ago, my mother ran in the marathon. For her, it had been a dream for all of her life and in the process it has become my dream as well. For her training, she would run incredible distances upwards of 24 miles(one time she had to run 6 mile laps around the island where our beach house is because it is so small). Every single runner that runs Boston has to qualify; these individuals have dedicated so much to the sport of running. It has been said that if you would like to restore your faith in humanity; go see a marathon. For Boston, the marathon is a holiday: Patriot's Day. Every business and every school in the area of Boston is closed just for the marathon. I can clearly remember the awe-inspiring energy which surrounded the race. For one day; everyone is united, everyone is jubilant, everyone is excited, and everyone cared for one another. I have participated in both the Philly half-marathon and Broad Street Run and although the energy surrounding those races brought out a massive adrenaline rush, nothing compared to Boston. Within an instant, that energy had been sucked away with these bombings.
When I watched my mom come into the finish I stood on Boylston street. To be exact; in Copley Square. Where the first bomb went off, was where I stood 3 years ago. That thought right there had hurt me enough. So many families surrounded me when I watched the marathon that year. As more news came out, more memories came back. I thought for all of the families in that area, waiting for their loved ones to come to the line. And then I imagined those who had ran 26 miles with the line in sight only to have shrapnel propelled at them from a bomb. Sickening, terrifying, and traumatizing, something I will never forget. From this point forward, my runs will never be the same.
It probably could be assumed that the terrorists responsible for this attack wanted to see people in pain and destroy put the nation into a state of grief. Without a doubt, we were knocked down. But as a country, we stand back up even taller. The terrorists chose to target the most resilient and dedicated group of people in the world; runners. President Obama could not have said it better himself;
In memory of Krystle Campbell, Lu Lingzi, Martin Richard, and Sean Collier
Runners are a different breed, particularly marathon runners. To the vast majority of people; 26 miles seems like an unfathomable distance to run. It takes an immense amount of strength just to have someone convince themselves to run and train for such a distance. For runners, the Boston Marathon is the world series of races. It's hallowed ground. Hearing news of the bombings incited a convulsion of emotions which I have rarely felt. My friends really didn't understand why I could be so upset over something so remote. Eventually, I was forced to go on a run to relieve my feelings. And therein lies the problem; for all runners, running is an entire almost physical part of who they are. Runners all share the same connection. When that connection is interfered with it can be devastating. Surely, this was a tremendous attack on Boston and the American people, but it was also an attack on runners as a whole.
3 years ago, my mother ran in the marathon. For her, it had been a dream for all of her life and in the process it has become my dream as well. For her training, she would run incredible distances upwards of 24 miles(one time she had to run 6 mile laps around the island where our beach house is because it is so small). Every single runner that runs Boston has to qualify; these individuals have dedicated so much to the sport of running. It has been said that if you would like to restore your faith in humanity; go see a marathon. For Boston, the marathon is a holiday: Patriot's Day. Every business and every school in the area of Boston is closed just for the marathon. I can clearly remember the awe-inspiring energy which surrounded the race. For one day; everyone is united, everyone is jubilant, everyone is excited, and everyone cared for one another. I have participated in both the Philly half-marathon and Broad Street Run and although the energy surrounding those races brought out a massive adrenaline rush, nothing compared to Boston. Within an instant, that energy had been sucked away with these bombings.
When I watched my mom come into the finish I stood on Boylston street. To be exact; in Copley Square. Where the first bomb went off, was where I stood 3 years ago. That thought right there had hurt me enough. So many families surrounded me when I watched the marathon that year. As more news came out, more memories came back. I thought for all of the families in that area, waiting for their loved ones to come to the line. And then I imagined those who had ran 26 miles with the line in sight only to have shrapnel propelled at them from a bomb. Sickening, terrifying, and traumatizing, something I will never forget. From this point forward, my runs will never be the same.
It probably could be assumed that the terrorists responsible for this attack wanted to see people in pain and destroy put the nation into a state of grief. Without a doubt, we were knocked down. But as a country, we stand back up even taller. The terrorists chose to target the most resilient and dedicated group of people in the world; runners. President Obama could not have said it better himself;
“This time next year, on the third Monday in April, the world will return to this great American city to run even harder, and to cheer even louder, for the 118th Boston marathon.""Bet on it."If there was a silver lining to this debacle; the strength of our country was reinforced. We might have our differences, and our government may not be looking too hot, but under it all we are all human. Every run from this point on carries a different purpose for me; to honor those who fell at the bombings. I have complete faith that the running community will be united in their support. In fact, I feel that this tragedy has given more purpose to runners. My obsession with the sport no longer seems like just a hobby, it has become an obligation. Terror never wins, and it certainly will not taint the sport to which I have dedicated my life. I only look forward to see the outpouring of enthusiasm at next year's marathon, and the eventual day when I run my first race in Boston.
In memory of Krystle Campbell, Lu Lingzi, Martin Richard, and Sean Collier
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