The craziness of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, & Cyber Monday are finally in the rear view mirror, and my sights are now set for the Christmas and NYE and beyond. Good things have been happening on a personal and professional level which is nice to report as the end of 2010 draws near. From projects that have been dogging my partner and I for years to more recent goals I've set for myself, progress is being made.
On the home front, my partner (who gets the most credit) and I have completed domestic improvements in our late eighteenth century Baltimore City row home. For years the cellar has been the default storage for his family memories, college years stuff, and items obtained through previous relationships. The result was the dubiously emotional task of pitching the years of memories, turned clutter in a waste basket or Goodwill pile. With the economy in a slump, a motivating factor was that I was paying for a storage unit that, if the cellar was cleaned up, was unnecessary. Ok Kevin, my partner, gets FULL CREDIT for the cleaning the cellar. I was there for emotional support. However, there is still more to do. The process of moving my storage in the house - LORD GIVE ME THE POWER TO GET THIS DONE ASAP.
Another area of the house that was in need of our newly found domestic love was the third floor; specifically the front part of the house. The area was full of electronic cords, a overflowing polaroid picture basket, bill invoices, cd cases, books, nic, nack, patty.... Let me just tell you: W.A.C.K! Kevin was also responsible for a very large portion of the clean up, which when completed, helped us both feel better while on the third level. Thank you KEVIN!
On the opposite end of the house is my little studio; complete with cdj's, dj mixer, and tech 12' and crates of vinyl. Although it is still cluttered, the progress being made in this area is the start of converting my library of vinyl to digital mp3's. This task will probably keep me busy until after the 1st of the year. Mind you, I have been putting it off for months and months and months; it took a request from a friend to convert Spanish language Christmas Carols on vinyl onto a audio CD. Thank you, Freddy!
There were other projects I had yet to complete for no good reason. Simple tasks like creating track inserts for my cd case, so I know what track I am playing instead of going off memory. As soon as I actually focused on the task at hand it took me approximately 20 minutes total. Why did I wait so long? No clue. One more item was on the 2DO LIST which was updating my resume. I left my full time job back in May and needed to update the document. I was done in 15 minutes once I started. Why did I wait, umm...., well, its ALL DONE NOW! YAY, ME!
Professionally the end of 2010 looks to be very very exciting. While I am off on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at City Cafe, New Years EVE should be a FUNTASTIC TIME! I plan on toasting at midnight! However, before NYE I am playing at several spots in Baltimore. Starting on the 1st Wednesday in November, local promotion crew Firefly Entertainment throws the monthly "Get Down" WEDNESDAYS at THE GET DOWN in Fells Point. I was asked to be the resident DJ for the event featuring top notch talent from around the Baltimore Washington region. At the Octover launch party I opened for Baltimore Diva legend - Ultra Nate' and her Deep Sugar sister Lisa Moody. At the upcoming event Chris Brooks of Eighteenth Street Lounge and myself hold it down.
Additionally I am playing a debut set one of Baltimore oldest, most well known gay clubs: Club Hippo. On December 4th 2010 I will bring my passion for house music to Baltimore's gay community once and for all. It is noteworthy to mention I have DJ'd at the Hippo back in July for a friend and local promoter Ethan Graham. The difference is I am playing in the main room in December and I am playing all night. At Ethan's party - I was one of three Dj's; 2 in the main room, 2 in the smaller room - I was in the smaller room. Needless to say I am excited to get people dancing.
I also recently had a meeting with a local bar/club manager where we talked about starting a new weekly in 2011. We will see how that pans out after NYE... With that, I am done....
Keep an eye out for a few new mix cd's by C-Dubz on
http://www.soundcloud.com/dj-cdubz
Cheers,
C-Dubz
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
6 Months Later - A Year In The Life Of C-Dubz
A short (well, ok, long) blurb about leaving my day job: I was fed up with the favoritism, lack of leadership, micromanaging, bull shit my boss is famous for. I worked in an entry level position at Catholic Relief Services for just over 3 years; as my djing began to increase, and studying never ceased, I seriously considered and eventually decided I would leave my job. The rational behind my decision was three fold. First, my relationship with my direct superior was toxic at best. She didn't respect me, let alone concede that I had any good suggestions so we were constantly at odds. It began with the comment from her after I let something fall through the cracks (with good reason, but that's a different blog post). The quote was "If I had my way I would let you go today". That is the environment which I had to work under. Second, when I was hired and all through my time there I was encouraged to pursue my education. On my performance assessments it clearly stated I was seeking a degree which my boss signed off on every year. Well when it came to me actually going for it my boss and unit director of the department were inflexible about my schedule. This was after I was told repeatedly it was totally doable. Working part-time, schooling full-time and retaining my benefits. It had been done before and was currently being done in other departments. I was denied and told it was because it would affect the department to much. two words; unparsed BULL-SHIT! Lastly, my confidence in believing in myself gave me the courage to make a drastic change. With the goal of obtaining a degree and calling my own shots; I wasn't beholden to a j.o.b; I wasn't going to be the black sheep, troublemaker, scapegoat of the department. I would leave and be my own boss for awhile. So I did it. May 10th or so was my last day with CRS and the beginning of a new phase. I moved out of my Biddle St apartment into my boyfriend's (now partner; Kevin Olive) house to reduce my overhead June 1st. So I have moved on with my life. School is now my primary my focus; DJing/Music is my passion and happens to pay the bills too. Cheers! OK Rewind to early 2010. (late Feb, early March)
The last blog entry I posted was back in March of 2010 following the 6 month anniversary of my weekly restaurant gig "Deep House Dining". (jez, am i that boring) At that point I was settled in my cute little apartment, fung shi'd and all, on Biddle St in mid-town Baltimore; enjoying the feeling of living my life on my own terms. It was just barely Spring so my hormons, and creative energy switch was turned to the ON position. I began to explore event opportunities at City Cafe and other Baltimore City venues; the sky being the limit. I quickly realized that my efforts to expand my weekly event at City Cafe was not the best idea or was embraced by the owners. This reality was due to an older symphony crowd that frequents the restaurant on the weekend. I scheduled a meeting and it was agreed to continue the weekly house music mixer with some slight adjustments; with the goal of complimenting the establishment as a whole. Not to fundamentally change the restaurant into a live music venue. So the planned monthly guest DJ idea was scrapped. This also meant a slight change to the music style during the earlier dinner hours. I began mixing a downtempo, ultra lounge, Eighteen Street Lounge inspired music. Nightmares on Wax, Thievery Corporation, and J Boogie quickly became popular; their tracks filling the early evening air. I eventually move into deep, and often funky house music later in the evening when dinner is finishing up but while the spirits are still a'flowing. The change in approach has been good for both parties. The partnership between City Cafe and myself strengthened as we headed into the warmer weather months.
So I began to look at other venues and ask other Djs and promoters in Baltimore about possible collaborations on future events. Soon it became clear to me that even though I made some new friendships with musically like-minded people, it didn't necessarily mean business partnership would be the next faze of the relationship. I was initially bummed about it, but I had ideas and energy so I moved forward with them. One of my ideas was a Sunday Tea Dance called STEEP. I figured since Baltimoreans are so gaga over Brunch, it would be a great fit for the gays, allies, and brunch crowd in Mt Vernon. In addition to a new event I thought a new venue would be a draw as well. Well I was WRONG. The party at best a debuted the venue, Water Stone, to my gay friends more than a tea dance where people actually, umm DANCE. Frankly though, the venue is located is in a deadzone of Mt Vernon; at the southern end MD General Hospital. Additionally, the "dance floor" was choked off by large marble-top dinner tables that were hard to move. And even though the owner was all for people dancing it didn't happen. However, something good came out of STEEP; it was the awesome artwork images created for it by my good friend (and former partner in crime) Regan Kireilis. So from March to June 2010 STEEP was an option for folks looking for something fresh to do; I thank Alex Funk (April), Ray and Amy Casil(May), Keith Hoffman(June), Water Stone, and all who attended for being apart of it.
By mid Spring I was been djing full time; traveling between DC, Baltimore, Philly and New York, working 9-5, and attending college part time. Needless to say, I was beginning the feel burnt out. I really enjoyed traveling and playing music so I pushed along. I was working heavily with a DC based promoter, Jacob Pring, who was working in other cities with different gay owned venues. The event was being held for HIV + guys to provide a safe space to meet others in the same situation. I was one of two Dj's to begin the event with Jacob in Washington DC(Keith Hoffman being the other DJ). I was the first DJ to play his POZ event at Vlada in Hells Kitchen, NYC. It was written about in the NY Times online. My picture with a caption ran with the article. Here is a link to the article. I wasn't mentioned in the piece, but the picture is under the "interactive feature link" http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/a-night-out-with-the-h-i-v-positive/#more-168733 After a couple of months, however, the weekly trips to NYC, and DC and the start of the June summer semester caught up with me. I missed a night in DC because I my mind was on the beginning of school and resting from all the traveling. Plus after misunderstanding between Jacob and I with the launch of Philly POZ, I decided to lay low for a while and focus on local projects.
June is PRIDE month for most large east coast cities; Baltimore's is one of the oldest in the country and is held on the 3rd weekend in June. Baltimore PRIDE is put on by the GLCCB and supported by other sponsors, including Grand Central, Hippo and City Cafe. For the past 3 years, local DJ Alex Funk coordinated a dance tent on Eager St in front of City Cafe. As Pride 2010 ideas began to percolate I approached the owners of City Cafe about working with Alex on making the Dance Tent a more polished production. With no disrespect I approached Alex about collaborating but was met with little interest. After discussing the options with City Cafe, and mentioning that Alex wasn't very interested in working with us the owners were sold on the idea of doing it ourselves; in addition to Alex's efforts. Long story short I received an email claiming that I was trying to take control of an event that wasn't mine to control. I blasted back making the point that PRIDE was for EVERYONE and that I attempted to try to collaborate. Eventually all issues were ironed out between the parties involved and Baltimore PRIDE 2010 Block Party went off PERFECTLY! I brought Keith Hoffman and Keenan Orr from DC up to play along side myself, Gabriel and Alex. It goes to show that working together; checking ego at the door, and being helpful can bring satisfaction. I held an after PRIDE Festival party which was fun and ended up being the last STEEP.
After PRIDE the focus shifted to the promotion of the Baltimore's own Ethan Graham Entertainments SuperHero Ball; as well as my own party scheduled in late July. On July 3rd Club Hippo (a Baltimore gay owned and operated institution) was transformed into your favorite Hero or Villain's layer. Lantern (Peter), Keenan Orr, Kuhmeleon and myself played and it turned out to be a fantastic debut for Ethan.
All the while I had begun the process of coordinating a party scheduled for July 24th in DC called MISBEHAVE back in the Spring. The line up was great and included Juan Zapata, Sheila Storms, Keenan Orr, The Metaphysical and others. But it was cruised from the start. I was to busy traveling and djing to promote it properly. Prior to getting fliers printed, I received a call from a "birdie" who told me that the heard through the grapevine the venue, EFN Lounge (formally BeBar) was rummored to be closing in July. This was in late MAY, mind you. I took the advice as credible, but improbable and pushed forward anyway. Well again I WAS WRONG! LOL. As the date moved near I began to talk with the general manager, Bill Gray about the logistics and stuff. It wasn't until about three weeks away when Bill emails me the news that the venue was being shut down temporarily due to an alcohol violation; from Friday to Friday beginning July 23rd. Re-opening the following Saturday. Needless to say I was bummed to have invested some money to have that happen. But I thought it over and decided not to seek a replacement venue and canceled all together. I informed the parties involved and let it go. It was a let down for me, but also a relief too. I wasn't sure how well it was going to do and would have rather cut my losses there, then "push forward" and potentially have lost more. Well as the dust settled from the closure it was reported officially in MetroWeekly (a local DC fagrag) that Bill Grey and his business partner were dissolving there relationship and closing the club for good. For the record, I stil want to throw larger parties than just cocktail mixers, but I realized I cannot do it alone.
As the summer semester in school began to wind down the itch to get back out there and do my thing was again in the ON position; fyi - my hormones stayed ON :) I began doing my "rounds" with local promoters looking for possible gigs. By the time I realized, it was mid August and I was just weeks away from a real achievement and music milestone. On my 31st birthday, August 27th 2010 Deep House Dining celebrated its 1 year anniversary. Balloons from Ethan and flowers from my boo marked the occasion. I also recorded my set that night marking the anniversary with a live mix posted on Sound Cloud. To my knowledge, no other DJ in Baltimore has held an exclusive restaurant gig for a year. The reality that a whole year had past brought into focus the personal satisfaction I have gained by re-discovering my passion for music and more so DJing. The passage of a year has also brought forth a considerable amount of exposure which has given me more opportunities to DJ in Baltimore and beyond. I was asked to DJ a second night at City Cafe on Saturdays, I was asked to re-launch an after-afterhours at Grand Central on first Sundays, I am working with Dionysus (a local bar) on last Wednesdays on an event called Coffybeatz, and was just asked by local promoters Firefly Productions to Dj a first Wednesdays night at the newly renovated Fletchers, now called THE GET DOWN. All and all the past year has flown by for good reason. Well that's about it in a nutshell. I could recall EVERYTHING, but these are the highlights and some low lights of the past year. Thanks for reading all of this, now follow my blog. Cheers - C-Dubz
The last blog entry I posted was back in March of 2010 following the 6 month anniversary of my weekly restaurant gig "Deep House Dining". (jez, am i that boring) At that point I was settled in my cute little apartment, fung shi'd and all, on Biddle St in mid-town Baltimore; enjoying the feeling of living my life on my own terms. It was just barely Spring so my hormons, and creative energy switch was turned to the ON position. I began to explore event opportunities at City Cafe and other Baltimore City venues; the sky being the limit. I quickly realized that my efforts to expand my weekly event at City Cafe was not the best idea or was embraced by the owners. This reality was due to an older symphony crowd that frequents the restaurant on the weekend. I scheduled a meeting and it was agreed to continue the weekly house music mixer with some slight adjustments; with the goal of complimenting the establishment as a whole. Not to fundamentally change the restaurant into a live music venue. So the planned monthly guest DJ idea was scrapped. This also meant a slight change to the music style during the earlier dinner hours. I began mixing a downtempo, ultra lounge, Eighteen Street Lounge inspired music. Nightmares on Wax, Thievery Corporation, and J Boogie quickly became popular; their tracks filling the early evening air. I eventually move into deep, and often funky house music later in the evening when dinner is finishing up but while the spirits are still a'flowing. The change in approach has been good for both parties. The partnership between City Cafe and myself strengthened as we headed into the warmer weather months.
So I began to look at other venues and ask other Djs and promoters in Baltimore about possible collaborations on future events. Soon it became clear to me that even though I made some new friendships with musically like-minded people, it didn't necessarily mean business partnership would be the next faze of the relationship. I was initially bummed about it, but I had ideas and energy so I moved forward with them. One of my ideas was a Sunday Tea Dance called STEEP. I figured since Baltimoreans are so gaga over Brunch, it would be a great fit for the gays, allies, and brunch crowd in Mt Vernon. In addition to a new event I thought a new venue would be a draw as well. Well I was WRONG. The party at best a debuted the venue, Water Stone, to my gay friends more than a tea dance where people actually, umm DANCE. Frankly though, the venue is located is in a deadzone of Mt Vernon; at the southern end MD General Hospital. Additionally, the "dance floor" was choked off by large marble-top dinner tables that were hard to move. And even though the owner was all for people dancing it didn't happen. However, something good came out of STEEP; it was the awesome artwork images created for it by my good friend (and former partner in crime) Regan Kireilis. So from March to June 2010 STEEP was an option for folks looking for something fresh to do; I thank Alex Funk (April), Ray and Amy Casil(May), Keith Hoffman(June), Water Stone, and all who attended for being apart of it.
By mid Spring I was been djing full time; traveling between DC, Baltimore, Philly and New York, working 9-5, and attending college part time. Needless to say, I was beginning the feel burnt out. I really enjoyed traveling and playing music so I pushed along. I was working heavily with a DC based promoter, Jacob Pring, who was working in other cities with different gay owned venues. The event was being held for HIV + guys to provide a safe space to meet others in the same situation. I was one of two Dj's to begin the event with Jacob in Washington DC(Keith Hoffman being the other DJ). I was the first DJ to play his POZ event at Vlada in Hells Kitchen, NYC. It was written about in the NY Times online. My picture with a caption ran with the article. Here is a link to the article. I wasn't mentioned in the piece, but the picture is under the "interactive feature link" http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/a-night-out-with-the-h-i-v-positive/#more-168733 After a couple of months, however, the weekly trips to NYC, and DC and the start of the June summer semester caught up with me. I missed a night in DC because I my mind was on the beginning of school and resting from all the traveling. Plus after misunderstanding between Jacob and I with the launch of Philly POZ, I decided to lay low for a while and focus on local projects.
June is PRIDE month for most large east coast cities; Baltimore's is one of the oldest in the country and is held on the 3rd weekend in June. Baltimore PRIDE is put on by the GLCCB and supported by other sponsors, including Grand Central, Hippo and City Cafe. For the past 3 years, local DJ Alex Funk coordinated a dance tent on Eager St in front of City Cafe. As Pride 2010 ideas began to percolate I approached the owners of City Cafe about working with Alex on making the Dance Tent a more polished production. With no disrespect I approached Alex about collaborating but was met with little interest. After discussing the options with City Cafe, and mentioning that Alex wasn't very interested in working with us the owners were sold on the idea of doing it ourselves; in addition to Alex's efforts. Long story short I received an email claiming that I was trying to take control of an event that wasn't mine to control. I blasted back making the point that PRIDE was for EVERYONE and that I attempted to try to collaborate. Eventually all issues were ironed out between the parties involved and Baltimore PRIDE 2010 Block Party went off PERFECTLY! I brought Keith Hoffman and Keenan Orr from DC up to play along side myself, Gabriel and Alex. It goes to show that working together; checking ego at the door, and being helpful can bring satisfaction. I held an after PRIDE Festival party which was fun and ended up being the last STEEP.
After PRIDE the focus shifted to the promotion of the Baltimore's own Ethan Graham Entertainments SuperHero Ball; as well as my own party scheduled in late July. On July 3rd Club Hippo (a Baltimore gay owned and operated institution) was transformed into your favorite Hero or Villain's layer. Lantern (Peter), Keenan Orr, Kuhmeleon and myself played and it turned out to be a fantastic debut for Ethan.
All the while I had begun the process of coordinating a party scheduled for July 24th in DC called MISBEHAVE back in the Spring. The line up was great and included Juan Zapata, Sheila Storms, Keenan Orr, The Metaphysical and others. But it was cruised from the start. I was to busy traveling and djing to promote it properly. Prior to getting fliers printed, I received a call from a "birdie" who told me that the heard through the grapevine the venue, EFN Lounge (formally BeBar) was rummored to be closing in July. This was in late MAY, mind you. I took the advice as credible, but improbable and pushed forward anyway. Well again I WAS WRONG! LOL. As the date moved near I began to talk with the general manager, Bill Gray about the logistics and stuff. It wasn't until about three weeks away when Bill emails me the news that the venue was being shut down temporarily due to an alcohol violation; from Friday to Friday beginning July 23rd. Re-opening the following Saturday. Needless to say I was bummed to have invested some money to have that happen. But I thought it over and decided not to seek a replacement venue and canceled all together. I informed the parties involved and let it go. It was a let down for me, but also a relief too. I wasn't sure how well it was going to do and would have rather cut my losses there, then "push forward" and potentially have lost more. Well as the dust settled from the closure it was reported officially in MetroWeekly (a local DC fagrag) that Bill Grey and his business partner were dissolving there relationship and closing the club for good. For the record, I stil want to throw larger parties than just cocktail mixers, but I realized I cannot do it alone.
As the summer semester in school began to wind down the itch to get back out there and do my thing was again in the ON position; fyi - my hormones stayed ON :) I began doing my "rounds" with local promoters looking for possible gigs. By the time I realized, it was mid August and I was just weeks away from a real achievement and music milestone. On my 31st birthday, August 27th 2010 Deep House Dining celebrated its 1 year anniversary. Balloons from Ethan and flowers from my boo marked the occasion. I also recorded my set that night marking the anniversary with a live mix posted on Sound Cloud. To my knowledge, no other DJ in Baltimore has held an exclusive restaurant gig for a year. The reality that a whole year had past brought into focus the personal satisfaction I have gained by re-discovering my passion for music and more so DJing. The passage of a year has also brought forth a considerable amount of exposure which has given me more opportunities to DJ in Baltimore and beyond. I was asked to DJ a second night at City Cafe on Saturdays, I was asked to re-launch an after-afterhours at Grand Central on first Sundays, I am working with Dionysus (a local bar) on last Wednesdays on an event called Coffybeatz, and was just asked by local promoters Firefly Productions to Dj a first Wednesdays night at the newly renovated Fletchers, now called THE GET DOWN. All and all the past year has flown by for good reason. Well that's about it in a nutshell. I could recall EVERYTHING, but these are the highlights and some low lights of the past year. Thanks for reading all of this, now follow my blog. Cheers - C-Dubz
6 Month Anniversary of Deep House Dining w/ Plus One Presents
On February 26th 2010 (almost 6 months to the day it began)swiftDJ hosted Cooper Miley and Seferina Kim of Plus One Presents at Deep House Dining @ City Cafe. Cooper and Seferina are not only a dynamic musical duo, they are also a very attractive couple; Ooo La La. Cooper Miley has an extensive portfolio that ranges from regular nights at Ultra Nate's Deep Sugar at the Paradox, Moog at Red Maple and More or Less at the Hexagon. Cooper's encyclopedia-like knowledge of music affords his trademark, chameleon-like ability to appeal to a dancing crowd and raise the energy level. One can expect to hear a range of styles from him deep house and techno to disco, dub and word music. Currently, Cooper is the monthly resident of Gallery 788 and the co-founder of Plus One, a new events-based company.
Seferina Kim brings to Baltimore a unique perspective to dance music. As an export of Korea, Texas, Hawaii, her musical influences are as broad as her history of mailing addresses. Finding her voice is still a journey as she molds warm vocal house melodies to darker, harder techno beats, and then back down to the chill of deep house. Seferina's inspiration into DJing was given to her by infectious performances by Joe Claussell with Body and Soul, Teddy Douglas, Thommy Davis, and Cooper Miley. Currently, Seferina performs regularly at Pigtown Main Street events and is a co-founder of Plus One.
Cooper and Seferina started Plus One, an events promotional venture, in hopes of sharing their broad musical passions with the city of Baltimore. The duo's inaugural event, "Seasons, an evening with Teddy Douglas" was the start of a new quarterly party that has already left its mark. With attention to the cohesion of the music, aesthetics, and overall atmosphere, Plus One hopes to meet one goal: simply dancing and having a good time.
I had the rare opportunity to sit back experience the evening from the get go. Plus One started the evening off at 8pm with a few tracks from the ultra lounge genre, moving into a classic disco vibe and ended with some vocal deep house. The crowd loved the fresh faces behind the decks and thoroughly enjoyed the musical selection provided by the duo. As the evening progressed, I had a chance to close out the night with an all vinyl set of crowd favorites showcased over the last 6 months.
Finally, it's not a major accomplishment in the world of promotions to have a successful mixer last for 6 months; but in the city of Baltimore, MD it is. I say this, however, humbled to have been able to see it through this far; and hopefully the party has just begun.
C-Dubz
ps. DC staple Ray Casil (Apple Juice, A&R, I <3 Bass - DC) will join me March 19th 2010! Check Facebook for event details.
Seferina Kim brings to Baltimore a unique perspective to dance music. As an export of Korea, Texas, Hawaii, her musical influences are as broad as her history of mailing addresses. Finding her voice is still a journey as she molds warm vocal house melodies to darker, harder techno beats, and then back down to the chill of deep house. Seferina's inspiration into DJing was given to her by infectious performances by Joe Claussell with Body and Soul, Teddy Douglas, Thommy Davis, and Cooper Miley. Currently, Seferina performs regularly at Pigtown Main Street events and is a co-founder of Plus One.
Cooper and Seferina started Plus One, an events promotional venture, in hopes of sharing their broad musical passions with the city of Baltimore. The duo's inaugural event, "Seasons, an evening with Teddy Douglas" was the start of a new quarterly party that has already left its mark. With attention to the cohesion of the music, aesthetics, and overall atmosphere, Plus One hopes to meet one goal: simply dancing and having a good time.
I had the rare opportunity to sit back experience the evening from the get go. Plus One started the evening off at 8pm with a few tracks from the ultra lounge genre, moving into a classic disco vibe and ended with some vocal deep house. The crowd loved the fresh faces behind the decks and thoroughly enjoyed the musical selection provided by the duo. As the evening progressed, I had a chance to close out the night with an all vinyl set of crowd favorites showcased over the last 6 months.
Finally, it's not a major accomplishment in the world of promotions to have a successful mixer last for 6 months; but in the city of Baltimore, MD it is. I say this, however, humbled to have been able to see it through this far; and hopefully the party has just begun.
C-Dubz
ps. DC staple Ray Casil (Apple Juice, A&R, I <3 Bass - DC) will join me March 19th 2010! Check Facebook for event details.
Deep House Dining And The Guest DJ Series Kick Off
On August 28th 2009 I began my weekly house music mixer - Deep House Dining - at City Cafe; a Mt Vernon local hot spot. Over the weeks and months since it started I have been more than pleased with the positive response by the local clientele; excited about something fresh and new happening in Baltimore. In addition to patrons enjoying themselves, local promoters like Patrick Turner (Moog @ Red Maple), and Cooper Miley and Seferina Kim (Plus One) have had nothing but good things to say about what is happenings at City Cafe on Fridays. As the year ended, and while the party gained popularity I began to sense that the logical next step was to add some fresh talent to the mix. I began asking regular attender and City staff about the possibility of bringing guest DJ's from around the region to play for the City crowd. Without hesitation my suggestion was met with excitement and enthusiasm; and last night the idea became a reality.
On January 22nd 2010 SwiftDJ (my production entity) presented Deep House Dining - Everybody Loves Music Edition, featuring Joe L. Joe has been DJing for many years in DC and his love of house music and dedication to the DC house music scene is well know to many! Joe has thrown several successful parties and has collaborated with others over the past few years to bring top-notch talent to the househeads in the DC/Baltimore area. A founding member of Everybody Loves Music, a influential DC-based production team, Joe has rocked events like Elm Fridays, Hometown Heros, PUSH and "the Dig".
With all said and done, by the end of the night after Joe rocked the City spot I looked around at the excellent professional staff at City Cafe, Ethan, Amy, Kyle and the rest - all very exhausted... and thought to myself - WOW this was the busiest & best night yet! My assumptions were confirmed when I got home and saw a posting on Facebook by Megan A. (one of the bartenders at City) saying it was the busiest night she's worked in a LONG TIME. The only thing that was missing were the owners of the venue who were returning from a vacation and my boyfriend who had an early appointment. Bruce, Gino, Kevin - you were missed!
So now my thoughts and energy moves on from last night event to planning next months guests DJ or DJ's (hummm...) Keep an eye out for more.... Cheers
C-Dubz
On January 22nd 2010 SwiftDJ (my production entity) presented Deep House Dining - Everybody Loves Music Edition, featuring Joe L. Joe has been DJing for many years in DC and his love of house music and dedication to the DC house music scene is well know to many! Joe has thrown several successful parties and has collaborated with others over the past few years to bring top-notch talent to the househeads in the DC/Baltimore area. A founding member of Everybody Loves Music, a influential DC-based production team, Joe has rocked events like Elm Fridays, Hometown Heros, PUSH and "the Dig".
With all said and done, by the end of the night after Joe rocked the City spot I looked around at the excellent professional staff at City Cafe, Ethan, Amy, Kyle and the rest - all very exhausted... and thought to myself - WOW this was the busiest & best night yet! My assumptions were confirmed when I got home and saw a posting on Facebook by Megan A. (one of the bartenders at City) saying it was the busiest night she's worked in a LONG TIME. The only thing that was missing were the owners of the venue who were returning from a vacation and my boyfriend who had an early appointment. Bruce, Gino, Kevin - you were missed!
So now my thoughts and energy moves on from last night event to planning next months guests DJ or DJ's (hummm...) Keep an eye out for more.... Cheers
C-Dubz
DJ Bio of C-Dubz
Dating back to some of his earliest childhood memories, CW Hardy a.k.a. (Dj C-Dubz) cannot remember a time in his life without music. As a child it was apparent that he possessed a natural talent for music and all that it encompassed;enrolled in dance classes from age three through his mid-teens gave this budding disc jockey an edge over the rest. He cultivated a deep understanding and appreciation for music and movement of every kind. He developed and refined an extremely sensitive ear which later was drawn to the irresistible sound of House music. His passion for both music and dance came together as he explored their relationship through - dance music. He used his keen ear to learn how the music was structured, crafted, and produced. The fundamental seed had been planted and C-Dubz love for House music began to grow and flourish.
The year was 1993 when C-Dubz (formally known as Dub Logic) was officially introduced to the dance music subculture. After attending raves, after hour venues, and clubs for a few years, C-Dubz decided to begin collecting the music he had grown to love. Mix tapes and cd’s just were not cutting it for him, so he thought a switch to vinyl would be the way to go. With no expectation or dream to become a dj, C-Dubz started to shop for his favorite tracks from the past and present. He could not resist the infectious rhythms of tracks such as Cashmere’s “Brighter Days” and Natural Rhythm’s “Jive EP” and his House collection continued to grow. Then one day, a friend offered to let him bring his records and fool around on his tables sometime. He did just that and a passion for the art of the mix was born. As C-Dubz technical skills rapidly developed, so too, did his own distinct sound. He was inspired by artists such as Derrick Carter and influenced by the smooth sound of Mark Farina and the classic style of Dee-Lite. He began to formulate a unique blend of soulful, funky House to which listeners were immediately drawn to and identified with.
Since then, C-Dubz has become a notable figure in the Washington D.C. House movement. Playing for respected production companies in the D.C. area like BuzzLife, M3 Music, Stellar, 4twenty4, Friends Collective, and D-Tribe has earned him respect among local dj’s and party goers alike. In addition, C-Dubz has also played nationally. Baltimore, Chicago, and Philadelphia are where this dj has spread his undeniable taste in House music. Along the way, C-Dubz has been apart of some of the hottest dj collectives in the DC, Baltimore area; including Chocolate Music DC, the Friends Collective and the now defunct Fusion crew. In the recent past, C-Dubz worked with JP Events out of Washington DC; the event, "POZ" , is a weekly dedicated to providing a safe space for HIV+ guys to meet and hear great music. JP Events took POZ to NYC as well where C-Dubz was the regular DJ at VLADA BAR - 51st btwn 8th & 9th in the trendy Hells Kitchen neighborhood. C-Dubz later choose to move on from JP Events for reasons of business and personality differences.
Currently C-Dubz holds several residencies including his own Friday night mixer, Deep House Dining, which will be celebrating its 2 year anniversary in a little over a month. Held at City Cafe in Baltimore's Mt Vernon Cultural District. He is also taken up a monthly spot at Club Hippo - 1 West Eager St. Baltimore. Hippo has been around for decades, and is really the ONLY LARGE(ish) dance floor in the city. On the 1st Saturday of each month doors open at 10pm $6 to $8 cover all night. C-Dubz will also be joining forces with the Baltimore Music Collective(BMC) August 4th 2011 at Club Orpheus in Baltimore. Additional BMC events are upcoming, more info later.
The year was 1993 when C-Dubz (formally known as Dub Logic) was officially introduced to the dance music subculture. After attending raves, after hour venues, and clubs for a few years, C-Dubz decided to begin collecting the music he had grown to love. Mix tapes and cd’s just were not cutting it for him, so he thought a switch to vinyl would be the way to go. With no expectation or dream to become a dj, C-Dubz started to shop for his favorite tracks from the past and present. He could not resist the infectious rhythms of tracks such as Cashmere’s “Brighter Days” and Natural Rhythm’s “Jive EP” and his House collection continued to grow. Then one day, a friend offered to let him bring his records and fool around on his tables sometime. He did just that and a passion for the art of the mix was born. As C-Dubz technical skills rapidly developed, so too, did his own distinct sound. He was inspired by artists such as Derrick Carter and influenced by the smooth sound of Mark Farina and the classic style of Dee-Lite. He began to formulate a unique blend of soulful, funky House to which listeners were immediately drawn to and identified with.
Since then, C-Dubz has become a notable figure in the Washington D.C. House movement. Playing for respected production companies in the D.C. area like BuzzLife, M3 Music, Stellar, 4twenty4, Friends Collective, and D-Tribe has earned him respect among local dj’s and party goers alike. In addition, C-Dubz has also played nationally. Baltimore, Chicago, and Philadelphia are where this dj has spread his undeniable taste in House music. Along the way, C-Dubz has been apart of some of the hottest dj collectives in the DC, Baltimore area; including Chocolate Music DC, the Friends Collective and the now defunct Fusion crew. In the recent past, C-Dubz worked with JP Events out of Washington DC; the event, "POZ" , is a weekly dedicated to providing a safe space for HIV+ guys to meet and hear great music. JP Events took POZ to NYC as well where C-Dubz was the regular DJ at VLADA BAR - 51st btwn 8th & 9th in the trendy Hells Kitchen neighborhood. C-Dubz later choose to move on from JP Events for reasons of business and personality differences.
Currently C-Dubz holds several residencies including his own Friday night mixer, Deep House Dining, which will be celebrating its 2 year anniversary in a little over a month. Held at City Cafe in Baltimore's Mt Vernon Cultural District. He is also taken up a monthly spot at Club Hippo - 1 West Eager St. Baltimore. Hippo has been around for decades, and is really the ONLY LARGE(ish) dance floor in the city. On the 1st Saturday of each month doors open at 10pm $6 to $8 cover all night. C-Dubz will also be joining forces with the Baltimore Music Collective(BMC) August 4th 2011 at Club Orpheus in Baltimore. Additional BMC events are upcoming, more info later.
I Had A Dream I Was Falling Through a Hole In The Ozone Layer
I remember the first time I heard the band Dee Lite - I was sitting on my bed watching MTV; it was in early 1990. The music video I saw was for the song "Groove is in the Heart.” The next day, I made my way to Tower Records and purchased their debut album, World Clique. A couple of years later, in 1992, Dee Lite released their sophomore works, entitled Infinity Within. Out of many songs I liked, there was one song in particular which I connected with instantly: "I Had a Dream I Was Falling through a Hole in the Ozone Layer", which is a song that calls for all people to be environmentally and socially responsible as well as politically active. Fast forward nineteen years, to the stark environmental reality that looms over mankind. Despite the current positive social and political shifts in our country, the planet's future is still in question. Because of this, I have become more involved in social and environmentally conscious groups and political action committees. The song "I Had a Dream I Was Falling through a Hole in the Ozone Layer" had a profound impression on me. I took from its message a sense of personal responsibility; that I could do something for the good of humanity. I choose “I Had a Dream I Was Falling Through a Hole in the Ozone Layer” as my theme song because it taught me that individual acts like reducing energy consumption, recycling, and becoming politically involved play a small, yet vital role in preserving the world.
In the summer of 2008, the national debate over energy consumption reached fever pitch. As gas prices hit over $4 dollars a gallon I was reminded of the vow I made never to own another car because of the costs associated with it, after totaling mine seven years earlier. Also with the 2008 presidential campaign in full swing, one major issue was our country's addiction to foreign oil. In "I Had a Dream I Was Falling through a Hole in the Ozone Layer"; Lady Miss Kier sings about "Electric cars and solar tv's / Organic foods the things that we need" (line 30-31). To me, it is rather timely that when the American auto industry is all but bankrupt, electric cars and solar energy are concepts now being touted as new ideas when, in fact, during the energy crises of the 1970's, General Motors was rumored to be working on manufacturing an electric automobile; also, solar energy advancements began around that time. Unfortunately, when the oil embargo ended and gas prices fell back down, the American people went back to consuming oil at a faster pace than before the crisis; remaining that way ever since, leaving solar power and the electric car a figment of the county's collective imagination.
Another example of wasteful energy consumption I see is the process of spraying crops with pesticides and unnatural fertilizer. The energy needed to make and distribute those products is very costly to the earth’s health and my health. I try very hard to eat as much organic food as possible; I also eat as much locally grown produce as well. I do this to keep the amount of unnatural chemicals and wasteful energy practices out of my food supply. Keeping this in mind, I was struck by the lines "We breathe the future and yet we're choking / We breathe the future and we start to choke / I see a factory blowing purple smoke" (20-22), because of the implications. I live at a time in history when carbon dioxide is heating the planet up, so I am proud of what steps I've taken to decrease my use of energy.
The amount of products I consume and recycle on a daily basis simply amazes me. Astonishing amounts of plastic, glass and paper cross through my fingers annually. With that in mind it is clear to see why recycling is so important to America and the global community. I identify with the second verse, "When you slurp your Slurpee in a Dixie cup / Always pick every piece of litter up / Recycle can, paper and plastic / Call your politicians, ask for it" (6-9). First, I love Slurpee's, enough said! Second, I have called my local politicians demanding a simpler way to recycle in the city of Baltimore. Others did so as well, and in 2008 Mayor Sheila Dixon implemented what is called the "single stream" recycle system. Prior to the new policy, residents who wanted to participate in the recycling program had to sort the material themselves. The old policy made it confusing and frustrating for me, so complaints were commonplace. However, by flexing some political muscle, the residents of Baltimore city put pressure on our elected officials to do better. Also, I have adapted to the recycling imperfections at my workplace. My office building has eight levels and staffs over 300 people, so I can imagine all the product waste we collectively produce. I was excited to find out a new recycling program was being set up. However, the recycling service leaves much to be desired; only recycling aluminum cans and newspapers, leaving out plastic and glass products entirely. So I take it upon myself to rinse and keep all recyclable plastic and glass in a bag at my cubicle; until I take it home to recycle. I have let my voice be heard at work as well, and management is going to review the recycling policy and make the necessary adjustments.
As I reach the age of 30, political activism has become a part of who I am and how I identify. In fact, 12 years ago I could care less about who the President was and cared more about getting high and having fun. Much like in the line "So if you live you life in a hurry / Remember what goes on after your buried" (10-11), I was living the fast life not caring about what happened after I died. So when I heard, "Cause’ years after years after years after years after years after years after years after you’re gone / This old world has to keep on" (12-13), those lines are noteworthy because I realized that life will go on after me and that somehow I am not the center of the universe. As I have kept up with current events, I see how politics shapes how I view the world. Take the case of the auto industry, where policy makers decided to heavily promote the automobile and put public transportation in the "rear-view mirror.” Because cars offered convenience, over time funding for mass transit decreased dramatically. Due to this, I find the notion that "Convenience is the enemy" (35) resonates with me. I have refused to allow convenience to trump practicality in my life. An example is I take the steps in my office building instead of using the elevators. Another line "So make demands / Demands in the world you would like to see" (33-34), really underlines my approach to life. Because I ride public transportation frequently, I advocate for improved mass transit in the city of Baltimore.
The roots to my understanding on social, environmental and political issues can be tied to the song "I Had a Dream I Was Falling through a Hole in the Ozone Layer". My early exposure to such important issues through the medium of music only furthered my desire to live healthily and love and preserve life and the earth - it's the only one we have. My favorite line in the song is the chorus: "Keep the hope spinning / Keep the hope spinning the globe" (chorus) just as Barack Obama’s message of hope inspired a nation to elect it’s first African American President, Dee Lite's message in I Had a Dream I Was Falling through a Hole in the Ozone Layer inspired me to become an active citizen. Today, I still listen to Dee Lite's music, and Infinity Within is still my favorite album of the group. They are and always will be one of my favorite bands of the early 90's.
In the summer of 2008, the national debate over energy consumption reached fever pitch. As gas prices hit over $4 dollars a gallon I was reminded of the vow I made never to own another car because of the costs associated with it, after totaling mine seven years earlier. Also with the 2008 presidential campaign in full swing, one major issue was our country's addiction to foreign oil. In "I Had a Dream I Was Falling through a Hole in the Ozone Layer"; Lady Miss Kier sings about "Electric cars and solar tv's / Organic foods the things that we need" (line 30-31). To me, it is rather timely that when the American auto industry is all but bankrupt, electric cars and solar energy are concepts now being touted as new ideas when, in fact, during the energy crises of the 1970's, General Motors was rumored to be working on manufacturing an electric automobile; also, solar energy advancements began around that time. Unfortunately, when the oil embargo ended and gas prices fell back down, the American people went back to consuming oil at a faster pace than before the crisis; remaining that way ever since, leaving solar power and the electric car a figment of the county's collective imagination.
Another example of wasteful energy consumption I see is the process of spraying crops with pesticides and unnatural fertilizer. The energy needed to make and distribute those products is very costly to the earth’s health and my health. I try very hard to eat as much organic food as possible; I also eat as much locally grown produce as well. I do this to keep the amount of unnatural chemicals and wasteful energy practices out of my food supply. Keeping this in mind, I was struck by the lines "We breathe the future and yet we're choking / We breathe the future and we start to choke / I see a factory blowing purple smoke" (20-22), because of the implications. I live at a time in history when carbon dioxide is heating the planet up, so I am proud of what steps I've taken to decrease my use of energy.
The amount of products I consume and recycle on a daily basis simply amazes me. Astonishing amounts of plastic, glass and paper cross through my fingers annually. With that in mind it is clear to see why recycling is so important to America and the global community. I identify with the second verse, "When you slurp your Slurpee in a Dixie cup / Always pick every piece of litter up / Recycle can, paper and plastic / Call your politicians, ask for it" (6-9). First, I love Slurpee's, enough said! Second, I have called my local politicians demanding a simpler way to recycle in the city of Baltimore. Others did so as well, and in 2008 Mayor Sheila Dixon implemented what is called the "single stream" recycle system. Prior to the new policy, residents who wanted to participate in the recycling program had to sort the material themselves. The old policy made it confusing and frustrating for me, so complaints were commonplace. However, by flexing some political muscle, the residents of Baltimore city put pressure on our elected officials to do better. Also, I have adapted to the recycling imperfections at my workplace. My office building has eight levels and staffs over 300 people, so I can imagine all the product waste we collectively produce. I was excited to find out a new recycling program was being set up. However, the recycling service leaves much to be desired; only recycling aluminum cans and newspapers, leaving out plastic and glass products entirely. So I take it upon myself to rinse and keep all recyclable plastic and glass in a bag at my cubicle; until I take it home to recycle. I have let my voice be heard at work as well, and management is going to review the recycling policy and make the necessary adjustments.
As I reach the age of 30, political activism has become a part of who I am and how I identify. In fact, 12 years ago I could care less about who the President was and cared more about getting high and having fun. Much like in the line "So if you live you life in a hurry / Remember what goes on after your buried" (10-11), I was living the fast life not caring about what happened after I died. So when I heard, "Cause’ years after years after years after years after years after years after years after you’re gone / This old world has to keep on" (12-13), those lines are noteworthy because I realized that life will go on after me and that somehow I am not the center of the universe. As I have kept up with current events, I see how politics shapes how I view the world. Take the case of the auto industry, where policy makers decided to heavily promote the automobile and put public transportation in the "rear-view mirror.” Because cars offered convenience, over time funding for mass transit decreased dramatically. Due to this, I find the notion that "Convenience is the enemy" (35) resonates with me. I have refused to allow convenience to trump practicality in my life. An example is I take the steps in my office building instead of using the elevators. Another line "So make demands / Demands in the world you would like to see" (33-34), really underlines my approach to life. Because I ride public transportation frequently, I advocate for improved mass transit in the city of Baltimore.
The roots to my understanding on social, environmental and political issues can be tied to the song "I Had a Dream I Was Falling through a Hole in the Ozone Layer". My early exposure to such important issues through the medium of music only furthered my desire to live healthily and love and preserve life and the earth - it's the only one we have. My favorite line in the song is the chorus: "Keep the hope spinning / Keep the hope spinning the globe" (chorus) just as Barack Obama’s message of hope inspired a nation to elect it’s first African American President, Dee Lite's message in I Had a Dream I Was Falling through a Hole in the Ozone Layer inspired me to become an active citizen. Today, I still listen to Dee Lite's music, and Infinity Within is still my favorite album of the group. They are and always will be one of my favorite bands of the early 90's.
Defending Liberty For All, Under Constitutional Law
In 1787 when the US Constitution was ratified by Congress, basic human liberty was an infant concept. At the time the nation was debating states rights and separation of powers within the federal government under the Articles of Confederation. The framers of the Constitution knew that the assurances declared within would not be awarded to all, but they left the language of the document vague. Many believe that what is written in the Constitution is all the founding fathers intended it to be; a framework for government divided into three equal but separate branches. While I to hold this belief, I also understand that certain functions of government enshrined in the Constitution provided future generations of Americans the ability to further prefect the document and protect human liberty. I will argue that US Constitution, under the bill of rights, provides basic human liberty for all people; rights that were not expanded to women or African Americans due to cultural relativism and ethnocentrism.
It is noteworthy to begin with how and why the United States came into existence. Immigrants fled the United Kingdom and Europe to the North American continent in search of religious and economic freedom as early as the 1400’s (Martin et al, 5th ed. Pg 11). In the 1690’s English colonies begun to flourish with tobacco and indigo plantations fueling economic growth on the backs of enslaved African labor (Martin et al. 5th ed. Pg12-13). By the 1760’s the heavy handedness of the British Crown, that sent an earlier generation of Englishmen across the Atlantic, was again being imposed on the American English colonies. British military presence in American cities like Boston compounded the frustration and popular outrage over taxation without representation in British Parliament (Martin et al. 5th ed. Pg 96). Radical ideas began to emerge in Americans minds that the only solution would be to have the thirteen English colonies unite, declare their independence of British rule and build a new nation on republican principles of limited government, states’ rights, and human liberty (Martin et al. 5th ed. Pg 153).
The American Revolution was a bloody war for independence; however, at the same time was also a defining moment for human liberty in the world. The signing of the Paris Peace Treaty in 1783 (Martin et al, 5th ed. Pg 146.) ended the war for American Independence and put the new nation on a path towards human rights within the United States. Along with independence, however, came responsibility to provide a functioning system of governance for the people. Opposing political parties with distinct platform positions soon emerged in the Continental Congress. They debated how to structure the new government but all agreed the system that was to be created would provide solutions to national problems. Additionally, the Declaration of Independence cited certain inalienable rights be awarded to every individual citizen of the United States; including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When Thomas Jefferson wrote “all men a created equal” it was intended to be a message to King George III that authority was not determined by birthright (Martin et al, 5th ed. Pg 162.); an ideal that later would extend in law in principle to women and African Americans.
One of the most fundamental human rights in the US Constitution is the known as the great writ of habeas corpus. The majority of text in the US Constitution covers how the framework for the three branches of government are to be applied; clearing stating what authority and limitations government had over the people. However, human rights are addressed in Article 1 by explicitly stating “the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it” (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Pg LXX). This specific provision provides individuals the right to petition the government for release of unlawful detention in criminal cases. The writ of habeas corpus is a fundamental human right championed by revolutionary American leaders as a means to check authority over the people in times of war and peace. To me, it is no surprise why it is stated clearly in the first sentences of the Constitution.
The right of habeas corpus has been challenged in modern history by the operation of the Guantanamo Bay prison, under the Bush Administration. The prison has held enemy combatants and suspected terrorist off of American soil, in some cases, for 7 years or more without any charges being brought against them. The problem with operating such a prison is that it directly counters the habeas provisions written in the Constitution. The men held there did not cause a rebellion against their government, nor did invade our country; they were captured on a foreign battlefield. They should be charged with a crime or be released. Not be held indefinitely. By holding them without charges the US administration undermines our own constitutional law as written under Article 1, Section 9, Clause 2.
President Abraham Lincoln, On the other hand, suspended habeas corpus for a Maryland secessionist during the American Civil War; denying Chief Justice Roger B. Taney’s habeas request (Carr, Nicholas et al.). He did so, arguably as a way to quell further dissent and violence in the midst of a savage civil war. Both Lincoln and Bush used the office of the President of the United States during wartime to deny freedom to individuals specifically spelled out in the Constitution, but Lincoln faced uprising within the borders of the country, by fellow countrymen. A far more desperate case and sense of urgency than what the Bush Administration dealt with.
One of the most important provisions stated in the Constitution is Article V, which describes the process in which the Constitution can be altered by amendment. The language is humorously confusing at best, but what it essentially does is provides a governmental mechanism to change the way in which government function for the people, by the people. By a two-thirds vote, amendments can be debated upon, by and three fourth vote, they are then ratified and sent to the president to veto or sign into law. This process has allowed over time, the way in which leaders have to extend liberties to the American people (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Pg LXXIX). Article V is the vehicle for another landmark document, the bill of rights, which came in the form of the first ten amendments to the US Constitution.
The bill of rights represents the amendments to the US Constitution, which President James Madison proposed, which were then ratified by the first Congress in June 1791 (Schwartz, Bernard, ch 6, pg160.). To gain the votes needed to pass the Constitution, Federalist in Congress compromised with reluctant Democratic-Republicans in providing further checks on federal power over the people (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Ph 3.). The Bill of Rights stood as “a constant reminder that the newly created federal government must always wield its power in the light of these basic guarantees on individual liberty” (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Pg 3.). The bill of rights specifically spells out individual freedom in unequivocal language; the right to practice the religion of your choice; amendment one; the second amendment is the right to bear arms; the interpretation of which is a hot topic in modern politics; the right to be secure in your own home and to protect your property, amendment three; the right against unlawful search and seizure, amendment four; the right to a grand jury in capital punishment cases, amendment five; the right to speedy trial by a jury of peers, amendment six; the right to reasonable bail, amendment seven; and the right of the states to advance all other rights not mentioned in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights, amendments nine and ten. The ninth and tenth amendments represent and secure the right to individual liberty through interpretation of law through implied powers declared in Article 1 through Article 7.
Eighteenth century cultural and societal norms for women were much different that which do American women now experience in the Twentieth and Twenty First century. They did not gain much in the form of rights during the revolutionary America era because of faulty reasoning and cultural relativism. Although women have always been vital to the success of a family, tradition held that a woman, if married, was the property of the husband, if unwed, the property of the father (Boss, Judith A). Over time these norms have changed quite drastically in large part by amending the Constitution. The nineteenth amendment clearly states “The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex” (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Ph XC); effectively ending women suffrage, and marked the beginning of the voting bloc of women. The nineteenth amendment did not end discrimination towards women, however, the amendment expanded rights, under the Constitution, to all American women; granting in essence the liberty for women to choose if they want to participate in the democratic process or not.
African Americans in the eighteenth century were in most cases regarded not as human, but as property. “Revolutionary ideology placed a premium on such term as liberty and equality” (Martin et al. 5th ed. Pg 166.) It is ironic that the cause of liberty was frequently espoused, shouted, sung, and written about in revolutionary America, but was done so under the pretext of ethnocentrism. In 1776, one-third of the population was of African descent (Martin et al. 5th ed. Pg 166.) but had zero representation in government and almost no rights; in essence held in indefinite bondage. At the same time most Americans were not educated, and simply lack the critical thinking skills needed to overcome fallacious reasoning for such actions. To me the reason for this contradiction is ethnocentrism. Most people of the eighteenth century held traditional worldviews that other ethnic minorities were inferior to theirs. For English-born Americans, the fallacy of hasty generalization towards all Africans as savages is a cause for a grotesque treatment of them for so many years.
The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments of the Constitution ended slavery and gave voting rights to African American men, but they did little to change the fundamental problem at the heart of the unjust and inhumane societal tradition of slavery. Whether or not the lives of Africans change immediately after the end of slavery is not important here; what is however is yet another example of how the Constitution is used to expand rights. The fourteenth amendment states all persons born in the United States, are citizens of the United States, and no state shall deprive any person life, liberty, or property without due process of law (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Pg LXXXVI). After slavery and the American Civil War came Jim Crow laws of segregation, separate but equal, mostly in southern states. These laws, as proven through history did not solve the problem of ethnocentrism at the heart of both slavery and Jim Crow. In 1915 the US Supreme Court decided in Guinn v. United States that Jim Crow laws were unconstitutional by disenfranchising blacks and minorities the right to vote provided under the fifteenth amendment. In this case the judicial interpretation of constitutional law, an implied power provided in the tenth amendment, set a precedent in civil rights law by exploiting the fallacy of division at the root of Jim Crow.
To conclude, in the eighteenth and even early nineteenth century, standard worldviews were as such that women were inferior to men; blacks were inferior to whites; and the poor were inferior to the wealthy. Tradition held that the higher your social status was the closer you were to God and your skin color determined your human worth. The Constitution, the seven original articles; the bill of rights, and proceeding amendments have for over two hundred years lived as a testament to basic human liberty in the face of tyranny and overreaching federal authority. The constitution broke barriers in civil and individual liberty hundreds of years before its time. I rest by saying the US Constitution, should be considered a living document, one left by the founders of our country for future generations to “seek a more perfect union.”
Martin, James Kirby, Roberts Randy, and Mintz Steven et al. America And Its People 5 th Edition. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007.
Barron, Jerome A., and Dienes C. Thomas. Constitutional Law In A Nut Shell 5th Edition. St. Paul MN: Thomas West, 2007.
Schwartz, Bernard. The Great Rights Of Man. New York: Oxford Press, 1977.
Carr, Nicholas et al. "Did You Know". Encyclopedia Brritannica. 2009 http://www.britannica.com/facts/5/95624/habeas-corpus-as-discussed-in-Ex-Parte-Merryman-law-case
It is noteworthy to begin with how and why the United States came into existence. Immigrants fled the United Kingdom and Europe to the North American continent in search of religious and economic freedom as early as the 1400’s (Martin et al, 5th ed. Pg 11). In the 1690’s English colonies begun to flourish with tobacco and indigo plantations fueling economic growth on the backs of enslaved African labor (Martin et al. 5th ed. Pg12-13). By the 1760’s the heavy handedness of the British Crown, that sent an earlier generation of Englishmen across the Atlantic, was again being imposed on the American English colonies. British military presence in American cities like Boston compounded the frustration and popular outrage over taxation without representation in British Parliament (Martin et al. 5th ed. Pg 96). Radical ideas began to emerge in Americans minds that the only solution would be to have the thirteen English colonies unite, declare their independence of British rule and build a new nation on republican principles of limited government, states’ rights, and human liberty (Martin et al. 5th ed. Pg 153).
The American Revolution was a bloody war for independence; however, at the same time was also a defining moment for human liberty in the world. The signing of the Paris Peace Treaty in 1783 (Martin et al, 5th ed. Pg 146.) ended the war for American Independence and put the new nation on a path towards human rights within the United States. Along with independence, however, came responsibility to provide a functioning system of governance for the people. Opposing political parties with distinct platform positions soon emerged in the Continental Congress. They debated how to structure the new government but all agreed the system that was to be created would provide solutions to national problems. Additionally, the Declaration of Independence cited certain inalienable rights be awarded to every individual citizen of the United States; including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When Thomas Jefferson wrote “all men a created equal” it was intended to be a message to King George III that authority was not determined by birthright (Martin et al, 5th ed. Pg 162.); an ideal that later would extend in law in principle to women and African Americans.
One of the most fundamental human rights in the US Constitution is the known as the great writ of habeas corpus. The majority of text in the US Constitution covers how the framework for the three branches of government are to be applied; clearing stating what authority and limitations government had over the people. However, human rights are addressed in Article 1 by explicitly stating “the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it” (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Pg LXX). This specific provision provides individuals the right to petition the government for release of unlawful detention in criminal cases. The writ of habeas corpus is a fundamental human right championed by revolutionary American leaders as a means to check authority over the people in times of war and peace. To me, it is no surprise why it is stated clearly in the first sentences of the Constitution.
The right of habeas corpus has been challenged in modern history by the operation of the Guantanamo Bay prison, under the Bush Administration. The prison has held enemy combatants and suspected terrorist off of American soil, in some cases, for 7 years or more without any charges being brought against them. The problem with operating such a prison is that it directly counters the habeas provisions written in the Constitution. The men held there did not cause a rebellion against their government, nor did invade our country; they were captured on a foreign battlefield. They should be charged with a crime or be released. Not be held indefinitely. By holding them without charges the US administration undermines our own constitutional law as written under Article 1, Section 9, Clause 2.
President Abraham Lincoln, On the other hand, suspended habeas corpus for a Maryland secessionist during the American Civil War; denying Chief Justice Roger B. Taney’s habeas request (Carr, Nicholas et al.). He did so, arguably as a way to quell further dissent and violence in the midst of a savage civil war. Both Lincoln and Bush used the office of the President of the United States during wartime to deny freedom to individuals specifically spelled out in the Constitution, but Lincoln faced uprising within the borders of the country, by fellow countrymen. A far more desperate case and sense of urgency than what the Bush Administration dealt with.
One of the most important provisions stated in the Constitution is Article V, which describes the process in which the Constitution can be altered by amendment. The language is humorously confusing at best, but what it essentially does is provides a governmental mechanism to change the way in which government function for the people, by the people. By a two-thirds vote, amendments can be debated upon, by and three fourth vote, they are then ratified and sent to the president to veto or sign into law. This process has allowed over time, the way in which leaders have to extend liberties to the American people (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Pg LXXIX). Article V is the vehicle for another landmark document, the bill of rights, which came in the form of the first ten amendments to the US Constitution.
The bill of rights represents the amendments to the US Constitution, which President James Madison proposed, which were then ratified by the first Congress in June 1791 (Schwartz, Bernard, ch 6, pg160.). To gain the votes needed to pass the Constitution, Federalist in Congress compromised with reluctant Democratic-Republicans in providing further checks on federal power over the people (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Ph 3.). The Bill of Rights stood as “a constant reminder that the newly created federal government must always wield its power in the light of these basic guarantees on individual liberty” (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Pg 3.). The bill of rights specifically spells out individual freedom in unequivocal language; the right to practice the religion of your choice; amendment one; the second amendment is the right to bear arms; the interpretation of which is a hot topic in modern politics; the right to be secure in your own home and to protect your property, amendment three; the right against unlawful search and seizure, amendment four; the right to a grand jury in capital punishment cases, amendment five; the right to speedy trial by a jury of peers, amendment six; the right to reasonable bail, amendment seven; and the right of the states to advance all other rights not mentioned in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights, amendments nine and ten. The ninth and tenth amendments represent and secure the right to individual liberty through interpretation of law through implied powers declared in Article 1 through Article 7.
Eighteenth century cultural and societal norms for women were much different that which do American women now experience in the Twentieth and Twenty First century. They did not gain much in the form of rights during the revolutionary America era because of faulty reasoning and cultural relativism. Although women have always been vital to the success of a family, tradition held that a woman, if married, was the property of the husband, if unwed, the property of the father (Boss, Judith A). Over time these norms have changed quite drastically in large part by amending the Constitution. The nineteenth amendment clearly states “The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex” (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Ph XC); effectively ending women suffrage, and marked the beginning of the voting bloc of women. The nineteenth amendment did not end discrimination towards women, however, the amendment expanded rights, under the Constitution, to all American women; granting in essence the liberty for women to choose if they want to participate in the democratic process or not.
African Americans in the eighteenth century were in most cases regarded not as human, but as property. “Revolutionary ideology placed a premium on such term as liberty and equality” (Martin et al. 5th ed. Pg 166.) It is ironic that the cause of liberty was frequently espoused, shouted, sung, and written about in revolutionary America, but was done so under the pretext of ethnocentrism. In 1776, one-third of the population was of African descent (Martin et al. 5th ed. Pg 166.) but had zero representation in government and almost no rights; in essence held in indefinite bondage. At the same time most Americans were not educated, and simply lack the critical thinking skills needed to overcome fallacious reasoning for such actions. To me the reason for this contradiction is ethnocentrism. Most people of the eighteenth century held traditional worldviews that other ethnic minorities were inferior to theirs. For English-born Americans, the fallacy of hasty generalization towards all Africans as savages is a cause for a grotesque treatment of them for so many years.
The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amendments of the Constitution ended slavery and gave voting rights to African American men, but they did little to change the fundamental problem at the heart of the unjust and inhumane societal tradition of slavery. Whether or not the lives of Africans change immediately after the end of slavery is not important here; what is however is yet another example of how the Constitution is used to expand rights. The fourteenth amendment states all persons born in the United States, are citizens of the United States, and no state shall deprive any person life, liberty, or property without due process of law (Barron, Dienes 5th ed. Pg LXXXVI). After slavery and the American Civil War came Jim Crow laws of segregation, separate but equal, mostly in southern states. These laws, as proven through history did not solve the problem of ethnocentrism at the heart of both slavery and Jim Crow. In 1915 the US Supreme Court decided in Guinn v. United States that Jim Crow laws were unconstitutional by disenfranchising blacks and minorities the right to vote provided under the fifteenth amendment. In this case the judicial interpretation of constitutional law, an implied power provided in the tenth amendment, set a precedent in civil rights law by exploiting the fallacy of division at the root of Jim Crow.
To conclude, in the eighteenth and even early nineteenth century, standard worldviews were as such that women were inferior to men; blacks were inferior to whites; and the poor were inferior to the wealthy. Tradition held that the higher your social status was the closer you were to God and your skin color determined your human worth. The Constitution, the seven original articles; the bill of rights, and proceeding amendments have for over two hundred years lived as a testament to basic human liberty in the face of tyranny and overreaching federal authority. The constitution broke barriers in civil and individual liberty hundreds of years before its time. I rest by saying the US Constitution, should be considered a living document, one left by the founders of our country for future generations to “seek a more perfect union.”
Martin, James Kirby, Roberts Randy, and Mintz Steven et al. America And Its People 5 th Edition. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007.
Barron, Jerome A., and Dienes C. Thomas. Constitutional Law In A Nut Shell 5th Edition. St. Paul MN: Thomas West, 2007.
Schwartz, Bernard. The Great Rights Of Man. New York: Oxford Press, 1977.
Carr, Nicholas et al. "Did You Know". Encyclopedia Brritannica. 2009 http://www.britannica.com/facts/5/95624/habeas-corpus-as-discussed-in-Ex-Parte-Merryman-law-case
Marriage Equality - The Civil Rights Issue of Generation X and Y
Growing up, we as Americans are taught that the pinnacle of success can be measured by our education, career, house and car, but most of all by getting married, having children and passing wealth along to the next generation. By most accounts many of us want to exist in that ideal scenario; however the degree to which it’s achieved differs from person to person. Americans are focused on their future and family, but ordinary citizens are being denied that right.
Gays, Lesbians, Bi-sexual, and Transgendered people (LGBT) are denied the fundamental right to marry in most states. Whether one believes that marriage is the institution defined as “The legal union between a man and a woman as husband and wife” (The American Heritage, Third Edition. 1992) or Wikipedia’s definition - “A social, religious, spiritual and legal union between individuals”, the language used and time in history largely define how the institution of marriage is viewed by the population at large. Strangely, in the American Heritage definition the words religious and spiritual are missing; un-shockingly in the Wikipedia version, the words man and woman are absent. The debate over gay marriage is far from over, but opinion is shifting from a rigged conservative ideology to a more progressive, tolerant stance.
In America, social Conservatives and to a larger extent the Republican Party hold strong beliefs that homosexuality is morally wrong. But there are signs that a more moderate view on the issue is emerging among the younger generation of conservatives. At a recent conference of Log Cabin Republicans, the official gay Republican organization, speeches from Meghan McCain, daughter of Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain and conservative strategist Steve Schmidt talked about how to broaden the Republican brand among the nations electorate; including gays and lesbians. In his speech Schmidt said, “The institution of marriage is the foundation of society […] but it is a tradition, not a creed, we (the Republican Party) should understand that traditions do change over time in every society (Schmidt). Megan McCain spoke about shifting opinion and challenging the status quo. To a packed crowd she said “People are listening and they’re more open minded [on the gay marriage issue] than ever before (McCain); referring to members of the main stream Republican Party. And “I am proud to join you in challenging the mold and the notions of what being a Republican means” (McCain).
A trend of moderation on the issue of gay marriage is on the rise among young evangelical Christians. The trend has shown up consistently in polling for the 2008 elections. Increasingly younger white evangelical Christians do not identify with the Republican Party; a demographic which has been traditionally opposed to gay rights among other social issues. According to a 2007 Pew research poll only 15 percent of white 18 – 20 year old Christians considered themselves Republican (Edwards). In a more recent 2008 Pew poll, only 40 percent of evangelicals under 30 considered themselves Republican (Harris). These statistics are concerning to the Republican Party because they are in stark contrast to the party platform principle of defending traditional marriage. However, the change in position among major blocks of voters like evangelical Christians is evident in the current news.
In recent weeks the U.S has witnessed marriage equality gain support around the country in meaningful ways. According to the Human Rights Campaign, currently Connecticut, Mass, Vermont and now Iowa, all allow gay couples to marry (HRC. 2009). In early April 2009, Vermont state legislators over rode a veto by Governor Douglas making it the first state the in Union to allow gays to marry through legislation and not through a court ruling (Richburg). Also in April, the Iowa state Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the states’ Defense of Marriage Act violated the equal protection clause of its LGBT citizens; making it the first mid-western “heartland” state to allow gays to marry (Eckhoff and Schulte). Furthermore, in April the District of Columbia city council voted unanimously to extend marriage recognition and rights to gay couples who have been married in other states (Craig and Stewart). However, in California voters in the 2008 Presidential election passed Proposition 8 with 52 percent of the vote – a ballot measure that changed the state constitution prohibiting same-sex marriage (Dolan, Maura pg 1). Prior, in May 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality allowing gays to marry with around 18,000 same-sex marriages having been preformed between June and November (Roosevelt, Kermit). Even with the set back in California, social conservatives admit the marriage equality movement is gaining momentum. In an oppositional piece for the New York Times, conservative columnist Adam Liptak writes “New York and New Jersey may be next to debate the question” of gay marriage (Vows).
If one chooses to use the term same-sex marriage, gay marriage or marriage equality it doesn’t change how difficult it is to find respectful consensus with one another. Many people have reasons to oppose gay marriage which they hold tight too because they are devoutly religious, or afraid and uneducated. For whatever reason there are no easy answers. But time will pass and the younger generation will be in positions of power. If views on social issues like gay marriage stay steady among the Generation X and Y population, perhaps soon LGBT citizens will be able to have legal civil marriage; and will probably credit young Christian conservatives for helping make it happen.
Richburg, Keith B. “Vermont Legislature Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage”. Washingtonpost.com 7 April 2009 April 2009 < http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp -yn/content/article/2009/04/07 /AR2009040701663.html>.
Eckhoff, Jeff and Schulte, Grant. “Unanimous ruling: Iowa marriage no longer limited to one man, one woman. DesMoinesRegister.com 3 April 2009 17 April 2009 http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090403/NEWS/90403010
Dolan, Maura. “California Supreme Court Looks Unlikely To Kill Proposition 8”. Los Angeles Times.com 6 Mar. 2009 17 April 2009 < http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prop8-supreme-court6- 2009mar06,0,798075.story>
Craig, Tim and Stewart, Nikita. “DC Council Votes to Recognize Gay Nuptials Elsewhere” Washingtonpost.com 8 April 2009 17 April 2009 < http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2009/04/07/AR2009040702200.html>
Schmidt, Steve. “Address” Liberty Education Foundation Symposium. Log Cabin Republican Conference. Washington DC. 17 April 2009.
McCain, Meghan “Address” Liberty Education Foundation Symposium. Log Cabin Republicans. Washington DC. 18 April 2009.
Edwards, Haley. “Young, Evangelical… For Obama?” Seattle Times.com 11 May 2008 17 April 2009 < http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004406277_evangvote11m.html>
Harris, Dan. reporter. World News ABC News “Are Young Evangelicals Skewing More Liberal?”
10 Feb 2008 17 April 2009 http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4269824&page=1
Anonymous Collaboration. “Marriage” Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia 27April 2009. 27April 2009 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage>
Liptak, Adam. “Gay Vows, Repeated From State to State. (Week in Review Desk)(same-sex marriage).” The Ne York Times 12 April 2009. 17 April 2009.
Marriage and Relationship Recognition. April 2009. Human Right Campaign. 27 April 2009. < http://www.hrc.org/issues/marriage.asp>
Roosevelt, Kermitt. “California’s Same-sex Marriage Case Affects All of Us”. The Christina Science Monitor. 14 Nov. 2008 15 April 2009.
Gays, Lesbians, Bi-sexual, and Transgendered people (LGBT) are denied the fundamental right to marry in most states. Whether one believes that marriage is the institution defined as “The legal union between a man and a woman as husband and wife” (The American Heritage, Third Edition. 1992) or Wikipedia’s definition - “A social, religious, spiritual and legal union between individuals”, the language used and time in history largely define how the institution of marriage is viewed by the population at large. Strangely, in the American Heritage definition the words religious and spiritual are missing; un-shockingly in the Wikipedia version, the words man and woman are absent. The debate over gay marriage is far from over, but opinion is shifting from a rigged conservative ideology to a more progressive, tolerant stance.
In America, social Conservatives and to a larger extent the Republican Party hold strong beliefs that homosexuality is morally wrong. But there are signs that a more moderate view on the issue is emerging among the younger generation of conservatives. At a recent conference of Log Cabin Republicans, the official gay Republican organization, speeches from Meghan McCain, daughter of Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain and conservative strategist Steve Schmidt talked about how to broaden the Republican brand among the nations electorate; including gays and lesbians. In his speech Schmidt said, “The institution of marriage is the foundation of society […] but it is a tradition, not a creed, we (the Republican Party) should understand that traditions do change over time in every society (Schmidt). Megan McCain spoke about shifting opinion and challenging the status quo. To a packed crowd she said “People are listening and they’re more open minded [on the gay marriage issue] than ever before (McCain); referring to members of the main stream Republican Party. And “I am proud to join you in challenging the mold and the notions of what being a Republican means” (McCain).
A trend of moderation on the issue of gay marriage is on the rise among young evangelical Christians. The trend has shown up consistently in polling for the 2008 elections. Increasingly younger white evangelical Christians do not identify with the Republican Party; a demographic which has been traditionally opposed to gay rights among other social issues. According to a 2007 Pew research poll only 15 percent of white 18 – 20 year old Christians considered themselves Republican (Edwards). In a more recent 2008 Pew poll, only 40 percent of evangelicals under 30 considered themselves Republican (Harris). These statistics are concerning to the Republican Party because they are in stark contrast to the party platform principle of defending traditional marriage. However, the change in position among major blocks of voters like evangelical Christians is evident in the current news.
In recent weeks the U.S has witnessed marriage equality gain support around the country in meaningful ways. According to the Human Rights Campaign, currently Connecticut, Mass, Vermont and now Iowa, all allow gay couples to marry (HRC. 2009). In early April 2009, Vermont state legislators over rode a veto by Governor Douglas making it the first state the in Union to allow gays to marry through legislation and not through a court ruling (Richburg). Also in April, the Iowa state Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the states’ Defense of Marriage Act violated the equal protection clause of its LGBT citizens; making it the first mid-western “heartland” state to allow gays to marry (Eckhoff and Schulte). Furthermore, in April the District of Columbia city council voted unanimously to extend marriage recognition and rights to gay couples who have been married in other states (Craig and Stewart). However, in California voters in the 2008 Presidential election passed Proposition 8 with 52 percent of the vote – a ballot measure that changed the state constitution prohibiting same-sex marriage (Dolan, Maura pg 1). Prior, in May 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality allowing gays to marry with around 18,000 same-sex marriages having been preformed between June and November (Roosevelt, Kermit). Even with the set back in California, social conservatives admit the marriage equality movement is gaining momentum. In an oppositional piece for the New York Times, conservative columnist Adam Liptak writes “New York and New Jersey may be next to debate the question” of gay marriage (Vows).
If one chooses to use the term same-sex marriage, gay marriage or marriage equality it doesn’t change how difficult it is to find respectful consensus with one another. Many people have reasons to oppose gay marriage which they hold tight too because they are devoutly religious, or afraid and uneducated. For whatever reason there are no easy answers. But time will pass and the younger generation will be in positions of power. If views on social issues like gay marriage stay steady among the Generation X and Y population, perhaps soon LGBT citizens will be able to have legal civil marriage; and will probably credit young Christian conservatives for helping make it happen.
Richburg, Keith B. “Vermont Legislature Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage”. Washingtonpost.com 7 April 2009 April 2009 < http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp -yn/content/article/2009/04/07 /AR2009040701663.html>.
Eckhoff, Jeff and Schulte, Grant. “Unanimous ruling: Iowa marriage no longer limited to one man, one woman. DesMoinesRegister.com 3 April 2009 17 April 2009 http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090403/NEWS/90403010
Dolan, Maura. “California Supreme Court Looks Unlikely To Kill Proposition 8”. Los Angeles Times.com 6 Mar. 2009 17 April 2009 < http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prop8-supreme-court6- 2009mar06,0,798075.story>
Craig, Tim and Stewart, Nikita. “DC Council Votes to Recognize Gay Nuptials Elsewhere” Washingtonpost.com 8 April 2009 17 April 2009 < http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2009/04/07/AR2009040702200.html>
Schmidt, Steve. “Address” Liberty Education Foundation Symposium. Log Cabin Republican Conference. Washington DC. 17 April 2009.
McCain, Meghan “Address” Liberty Education Foundation Symposium. Log Cabin Republicans. Washington DC. 18 April 2009.
Edwards, Haley. “Young, Evangelical… For Obama?” Seattle Times.com 11 May 2008 17 April 2009 < http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004406277_evangvote11m.html>
Harris, Dan. reporter. World News ABC News “Are Young Evangelicals Skewing More Liberal?”
10 Feb 2008 17 April 2009 http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4269824&page=1
Anonymous Collaboration. “Marriage” Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia 27April 2009. 27April 2009 < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage>
Liptak, Adam. “Gay Vows, Repeated From State to State. (Week in Review Desk)(same-sex marriage).” The Ne York Times 12 April 2009. 17 April 2009.
Marriage and Relationship Recognition. April 2009. Human Right Campaign. 27 April 2009. < http://www.hrc.org/issues/marriage.asp>
Roosevelt, Kermitt. “California’s Same-sex Marriage Case Affects All of Us”. The Christina Science Monitor. 14 Nov. 2008 15 April 2009.
Why Reading is Not FUN-damental
I was unfamiliar with term aliteracy when my English teacher chose it as the topic for this essay. Upon learning its meaning – the ability to read, but choosing not to, I have struggled with how affected I’ve been by the concept. I then asked myself how much value I place on reading and quickly realized reading is not at the top of my list of priorities. It is striking then that I have come to hold true that reading is a vital skill for gaining insight into the world around me. The question becomes; what makes a person - dare say I, choose not to read? The answer is not cut and dry, or black or white; perhaps because reading for pleasure is easier said then done. There are reasons why literate people choose less engaging mediums to entertain and educate like say, audio books, over more traditional forms, like books. In America's fast-paced culture, reading has become an afterthought and fosters aliteracy. Evidence suggests that television, the Internet and low instances of parents reading to their children are possible reasons to explain the existence of aliteracy.
Television and the Internet have taken the place of reading as the way people gather information and are entertained. I know this to be true because I have fallen prey to the allure of T.V and the Internet. I have spent countless hours watching T.V, surfing the web, sending emails or instant messages rather than reading a book or a newspaper article. According to Diane Dell Ed.S., an instructional technology specialist, "Many educators view the Internet and multimedia technology [like television] as factors contributing to a reduction in the amount of time children are engaged in reading books" (Reading). Additionally, child experts at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry express concerns that kids who watch a lot of television will read fewer books and perform poorly in school (Facts). In fact, a child spends on average more than twenty two hours a week watching television, playing video games or surfing the Internet as reported in 2006 by Medical News Today, an online new source (Nag). When almost an entire day is lost in media and not reading, it's no wonder literacy is dwindling among children and young adults.
The Internet plays a crucial role in why people choose not to read. Although I sit in front of a computer screen for hours on end the amount of information that I retain is relatively small. When author and web expert Jakob Nielson analyzed the study titled Not Quite the Average: An Empirical Study of Web Use, he concluded that “when you add more verbiage to a [web] page, people will only read 18% of it.”(Perez). This is not surprising to me since I am guilty of spending more time skimming and browsing online content than actual reading; I also know I am not alone. Moreover, Neilson continued "[...] the truth is people don't read very much, [but are] often scanning text instead of really reading it"(Perez). The children and young adults I know would much rather spend their leisure social networking on sites like Facebook or Myspace, listening to MP3's or watching MTV. Now that information can be accessed so quickly online, capable folks like myself choose it over picking up a book or magazine. I am convinced that modern technology has social and educational consequences.
For decades experts in education have stressed that reading by parents to their children helps them learn. In the article, Preschool Home Literacy Practices and Children’s Literacy Development, author and sociologist Michelle Hood wrote “Parents are encouraged to read to their children from an early age to prepare them for literacy acquisition after school entry (Hood et al.). She goes one to say “Parent–child reading fosters [basic] pre-literacy skills” (Hood et al.). After thinking about the concept of aliteracy I feel that school children whose parents do not read to them are at a disadvantage; perhaps not enjoying reading later in life. I was rarely read to as a child, and consequently I do not enjoy reading as an adult very much either; sad but true, yet an unfortunate truth. As an adult student reading has again hit the top of my priorities list.
Frankly, aliteracy is not an easy subject to accurately pin point a root cause too, or write an essay about, for that matter. However, one thing is clear, whether I open up my Barrack Obama book up again soon or not, I know that I need to read more. If anything this short essay has educated and motivated me to want to be a better reader, by which I would read more. I also better understand how much modern conveniences change the way our culture is entertained and educated. I am, however confident that if I am able to change my behavior and read for pleasure rather out of pressure, others will be as well.
Cited Works
Dell, Diana. “Reading and Technology”. Connecting Reading Instruction and Technology.
AACAP. “Facts for Families”. Children and Watching T.V. March 2001.
Medical News Today. “The More Time Children Spend In Front of a TV Screen The Higher The ‘Nag’ Factor” 05 April 2006.
Perez, Sarah. “Read Write Web”. The Stats are in: You’re Just Skimming This Article. 7 May 2008
Perez, Sarah. “Read Write Web”. The Stats are in: You’re Just Skimming This Article. 7 May 2008
Hood, Michelle et al. "Preschool Home Literacy Practices and Children's Literacy Development: A Longitudinal Analysis." Journal of Educational Psychology 100.2 (01 May 2008
Television and the Internet have taken the place of reading as the way people gather information and are entertained. I know this to be true because I have fallen prey to the allure of T.V and the Internet. I have spent countless hours watching T.V, surfing the web, sending emails or instant messages rather than reading a book or a newspaper article. According to Diane Dell Ed.S., an instructional technology specialist, "Many educators view the Internet and multimedia technology [like television] as factors contributing to a reduction in the amount of time children are engaged in reading books" (Reading). Additionally, child experts at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry express concerns that kids who watch a lot of television will read fewer books and perform poorly in school (Facts). In fact, a child spends on average more than twenty two hours a week watching television, playing video games or surfing the Internet as reported in 2006 by Medical News Today, an online new source (Nag). When almost an entire day is lost in media and not reading, it's no wonder literacy is dwindling among children and young adults.
The Internet plays a crucial role in why people choose not to read. Although I sit in front of a computer screen for hours on end the amount of information that I retain is relatively small. When author and web expert Jakob Nielson analyzed the study titled Not Quite the Average: An Empirical Study of Web Use, he concluded that “when you add more verbiage to a [web] page, people will only read 18% of it.”(Perez). This is not surprising to me since I am guilty of spending more time skimming and browsing online content than actual reading; I also know I am not alone. Moreover, Neilson continued "[...] the truth is people don't read very much, [but are] often scanning text instead of really reading it"(Perez). The children and young adults I know would much rather spend their leisure social networking on sites like Facebook or Myspace, listening to MP3's or watching MTV. Now that information can be accessed so quickly online, capable folks like myself choose it over picking up a book or magazine. I am convinced that modern technology has social and educational consequences.
For decades experts in education have stressed that reading by parents to their children helps them learn. In the article, Preschool Home Literacy Practices and Children’s Literacy Development, author and sociologist Michelle Hood wrote “Parents are encouraged to read to their children from an early age to prepare them for literacy acquisition after school entry (Hood et al.). She goes one to say “Parent–child reading fosters [basic] pre-literacy skills” (Hood et al.). After thinking about the concept of aliteracy I feel that school children whose parents do not read to them are at a disadvantage; perhaps not enjoying reading later in life. I was rarely read to as a child, and consequently I do not enjoy reading as an adult very much either; sad but true, yet an unfortunate truth. As an adult student reading has again hit the top of my priorities list.
Frankly, aliteracy is not an easy subject to accurately pin point a root cause too, or write an essay about, for that matter. However, one thing is clear, whether I open up my Barrack Obama book up again soon or not, I know that I need to read more. If anything this short essay has educated and motivated me to want to be a better reader, by which I would read more. I also better understand how much modern conveniences change the way our culture is entertained and educated. I am, however confident that if I am able to change my behavior and read for pleasure rather out of pressure, others will be as well.
Cited Works
Dell, Diana. “Reading and Technology”. Connecting Reading Instruction and Technology.
AACAP. “Facts for Families”. Children and Watching T.V. March 2001.
Medical News Today. “The More Time Children Spend In Front of a TV Screen The Higher The ‘Nag’ Factor” 05 April 2006.
Perez, Sarah. “Read Write Web”. The Stats are in: You’re Just Skimming This Article. 7 May 2008
Perez, Sarah. “Read Write Web”. The Stats are in: You’re Just Skimming This Article. 7 May 2008
Hood, Michelle et al. "Preschool Home Literacy Practices and Children's Literacy Development: A Longitudinal Analysis." Journal of Educational Psychology 100.2 (01 May 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)