My Undeserved Little Black Folder

I have always assumed that someday, I would have my very own folder in which the FBI, NSA, CIA, or some other nefarious government agency would keep tabs on my every movement.  Well, this isn’t exactly how I pictured my FBI folder to look like, but it is now full of book titles.  Everything from Mossflower to Go Ask Alice, All the President’s Men to Everyone Poops, and Helter Skelter to Mien Kampf is listed there, thanks to the USA Patriot Act.  Does the inclusion of the last two books warrant a deeper look into my life?  Does knowing that the FBI is inherently “reading over my shoulder” affect my ideas and thought?  Should we, as Americans, have to give up our freedom of thought and our freedom to read for our own safety?

Zara Gelsey, in “The FBI IS Reading over Your Shoulder”, compares the FBI securing information on library use to that of someone reading over one’s shoulder; not just that it is distracting but that it changes the way one absorbs the material.  Gelsey states that an individual’s record can be interpreted however one wants to.  She infers that just because one is researching planes and bombs, doesn’t mean they couldn’t be researching events that have transpired in the past decade.  Gelsey states a clear bridge from reading to the access of information, claiming that the FBI’s policing is hindering the public’s thirst and quest for knowledge. She states the “freedom of thought and the freedom to read are intertwined”(581), and deduces that the FBI can affect and influence what the readers can and cannot read through their policing. Gelsey concludes that, under the false pretense of protecting it’s citizens from terrorists, the government is sacrificing its flock’s freedom to protect it from the so-called wolves.  Gelsey effectively argues that while relinquishing privacy rights possibly might make America safer, it ensures the degradation of American’s intellectual freedoms and liberties.

While I agree with Gelsey’s stance against FBI encroachment, she does come off as overly paranoid at times.  “The presence of Big Brother”(581) and “so-called search warrant…issued by a secret court”(580) use loaded terms meant to instill paranoia in the reader’s hearts and minds.  Some readers might, once reading these trigger phrases, write Gelsey off as a conspiracy theorist trying to scare normal citizens. She did re-awaken my teenage fears that the few rich people that run this country might one day use the very agencies meant to keep us safe against us in the name of our very own safety.  But, I believe Gelsey may have intentionally instilled paranoia to make the reader question everything and anything.  Why, who, what, where, and how should never be in the back seat of your vocabulary.  The W questions (how is lumped in with the others) not only give you the entire picture, but also allows you to qualify the source of your answers.  These question words will lead you closer to the truth than any person will ever be able to.  By being a skeptic and finding the answers yourself, rather than being cynical and close-minded, you can further your own knowledge and better educate others on the subject at hand.

Gelsey, speaking to like-minded moral philosophers, states that the FBI could read too much into a person’s library records.  She states, “an observer misconstrues a sequence of unrelated details and then has a skewed perception of the protagonist”(580). While one can deduce that by owning both Che Guevera’s Guerilla Warfare and Mao Tsetung’s Quotations from Chairman Mao Tsetung, the owner could be a red rebel plotting the upheaval of the American Government (in actuality, the owner is my dad, a fiscal conservative / social liberal who is a corporate CPA).  Just because one reads revolutionary texts doesn’t make that person a rebel, traitor, or terrorist.  “Just as a person wearing rose-colored glasses sees everything rosy, so the FBI is predisposed to find suspicious facts”(581). While I do find this true, what stops the reader from applying this theory to Gelsey’s interpretation of the Patriot Act?  When looked at through this scope, Gelsey may have been predisposed to be anti-government because of her Californian childhood. Maybe that’s why she writes under a pseudonym; she distrusts the government.  While this may or may not be true, this statement weakens her argument by making the reader question not only the FBI but also Gelsey herself.  On the other hand, this does strengthen the theory that one must question everything to find the truth, not by trusting the word of one person.

Being a twin, I related to Gelsey’s description of the feeling one gets when someone reads over his or her shoulder.  It would bug me to no end when my brother would come up behind me, read a paragraph, and then give his opinion on it.  While that isn’t necessarily what the FBI is doing, its does affect the interpretation of the text as much as the later.  Gelsey muses “surveillance always spreads beyond its original purpose, justified each step of the way by manufactured fear and better-safe-than-sorry rationales….”(581). This fear affects the public’s interpretation and understanding of news and texts.  One might think twice about wanting to read about vaults and firearms for fear of being suspect of engineering a heist.  The FBI’s policing of certain texts may cause them to become taboo in the public’s eye.

Gelsey states firmly that FBI monitoring discourages people from suspect texts, thus controlling the publics’ quest for knowledge.  She reminds us that “the government may not be able to ban a book, so instead it will make it suspect to read that book.” (581) Yes, monitoring of the library records isn’t as immediate as banning books, but may deter a law-abiding citizen from reading it.  “Intimidating readers in such a manner is, in effect, controlling what we read and how we think.”(581) Gelsey implies that freedom to read and freedom of thought rely on each other to survive.  When one suffers, the other suffers as well.  In Nazi Germany, the government tried to control the public’s cognitive abilities with the use of propaganda and book burning for the greater good of the German people.  “The feeling of being monitored inhibits freedom of thought.”(581) Gelsey’s statement is similar to that of Shepard Fairey’s artistic approach to the subject.

Frank Shepard Fairey (He goes by his middle and last name) is a contemporary artist who exploded in 1989 with his “Andre Has a Posse” campaign.  Coming from the skateboard/punk scene, his art balances between communicating provocative ideas and having fun.  On the serious side of his work, Fairey finds the “underpinnings of the capitalist machine and monolithic institutional authority critiquing those who support blind nationalism and war”(obeygiant.com).  Fairey does this by showing you visuals of a near future, forcing his audience to think about what it might be like to always be monitored, always watched.

 

Fairey realizes that most Americans would rather assume everything is fine, than fight for their rights and beliefs.  I call this Ostrich syndrome.  When one knows that what is being done is wrong, and they do nothing to correct it, they have their head in the sand, oblivious to the dangers around them or being caused by them.  Our founding fathers stated, “all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed”(Jefferson).  Americans must realize that they have to change, or they will be forced to live the future that Fairey has conjured and Gelsey fears.

Overall, Gelsey’s essay is important because it compels the reader to questions everything.  The essay does have some weak points; its paranoid tone and faulty theory could use some more thorough examination. But, she successfully argues that surveillance leads to loss of freedom.  While some choose to believe that “Ignorance is bliss”(Thomas Gray), I fully agree with Benjamin Franklin when he said:

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserves neither liberty nor safety.”  -- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania

 Works Cited

Fairey, Shepard. Digital image. [Big Brother is Watching You]. 2006. 1 Nov. 2007 . 

Fairey, Shepard. Digital image. [High Time]. 2007. 1 Nov. 2007 . 

Fairey, Shepard. Digital image. [Hostile Takeover Black]. 2007. 1 Nov. 2007 .

Fairey, Shepard. Digital image. [Militerry]. 2007. 1 Nov. 2007 .

Gelsey, Zara. “The FBI IS Reading over Your Shoulder.” The Humanist (2002). Rpt. in The Bedford Reader. X. J. Kennedy, Dorothy M. Kennedy, and Jane E. Aaron. 9^th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2006. 579-582.

"Imperfect Union." Obey Giant. 30 Nov. 2007 http://obeygiant.com/post/imperfect-union/.

Jefferson, Thomas. United States of America. Declaration of Independence. 1776

 

 

Earned As vs. Given Fs

            Education is a word easily defined, though most don’t understand the depth and true meaning of the word. Politicians throw it around; parents want their kids to get the best there is to offer. Learning should be more than going from kindergarten to college. This is the time frame in which most are obsessed, so much so they forget the bigger portion of one’s life. Learning should be a life-long quest. People should have a thirst for knowledge, much like athletes’ thirst for gold.  If this were the case, America’s citizens would be more knowledgeable, and could more logically participate in the fate of the country.

            The most important quality that a college education can transpose onto a student is that hard work and constant learning will allow you to succeed in the world. Many students today expect that if they show up to class and do the minimum required amount of work merits a B average for the course. Rather, they should be self driven to dig deeper, and strive to better themselves for only students, will be held responsible and affected for and by their own shortcomings. It’s a shame that “there’s a general conception in the literary-academic world that holding things to high standards is patriarchal, Eurocentric and conservative.”(A for effort. Or for showing up) Students of today have acquired the motto: “I earned that A”, but when he or she earns a lower grade than expected, they say, “He/she (referring to the teacher) gave me a F!” Students must not “carry a chip on their shoulder and expect good grades without attending class or studying.”(A for effort. Or for showing up) One famous bible text that has been quoted throughout history comes to mind. “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians VI) This means that your deeds, good or bad, will repay you in kind. When applied to learning, this means that if you work hard and soak up all the knowledge you can now, your newfound knowledge will pay off later (maybe in a better job, better life experiences, i.e. a fuller life, but it also goes without saying that you need to continue to soak up all the knowledge you can!). In essence, as to the value of learning, there can be no price put on it; it’s only what you put into it that will affect what you get out of it.

            “For every hour of class time, three more hours of study are needed outside the class room,” says most professors. This isn’t the first time students have heard this, and definitely not the last. It’s true. It takes that long for the information you learn to sink in. A poll taken by “Peter Sacks”, a former writing teacher, found that “the word “fun” turned up often” when students were asked what the “No. 1 quality they wanted in a teacher.” A fellow teacher told “Sacks” to “take an acting course so he could improve his student evaluations.”(No books, please; we’re students) While “fun” and entertaining teachers might amuse students, it doesn’t necessarily make for the best teachers. Teachers that can transfer their knowledge, in a way that students can understand it and critically analyze it are better teachers than “fun” teachers that cannot.  Though that doesn’t mean that “fun” teachers can’t do that as well. (Disclaimer: It shouldn’t be up to the teacher to gain the students attention in class.  Students are there to learn, and therefore should make a good effort to be awake and attentive.)

            America’s economy today isn’t competitive with other leading economies in the world. “For America to become competitive again, the nation’s going to have to rely less on free market dogma and more on the kinds of broad social programs European nations and Japan have pioneered.”(Education must change, UT professor warns) The U.S. cannot keep up with these nations because leading economies treat they’re workers better, even sacrificing profit for the better morale of their workers. The way things are now in America, if workers aren’t needed, they are laid off.  This ruins company loyalty and decreases quality and quantity of work. Today’s students and young adults hear about the “good ‘ole days” in which companies were an extension of your family. Workers were loyal to their company; therefore, the company took care of them.  Students, whom are about to join the work force, are about to be shown the shocking truth of today. This generation of students will become aware that, because of the gold coloured eyes of CEO’s and politicians, there is no job security anymore; no more gold watches after twenty-five years.  Workers who stay with one company five years are considered lucky. One good by product of this climate is workers must constantly educate themselves in their field to add to their self-worth. An educated worker is a better worker in the eyes of companies today.

There are several ways to change our society to keep America from becoming a second-world country. We, as Americans, have to call for a drastic change and overhaul of the education system. Marshall and Tucker suggest borrowing two German social policies, “which provide a children’s allowance of about $1,600 per child to all families and universal health insurance, thereby guaranteeing that all children arrive at school healthy and ready to learn.”(Education must change, UT professor warns) This will guarantee that no matter where you come from or what level of society, you will be starting off at a level playing field. This surpasses “No Child Left Behind” and also embodies the almost cliché phrase: “To make money, you must be willing to spend money”. By investing in the leaders of tomorrow, we will also be investing in tomorrow’s economy. Marshall and Tucker also suggest a “national board to come up with rigorous educational standards that will be the basis for nationwide examinations for elementary and secondary students.”(Education must change, UT professor warns) This change will ensure that the money spent on the “children’s allowance” and education reforms will not go to waste. Yes, some children may still not try, but we must give the majority the benefit of the doubt that, when given the opportunity, they will succeed. This economic change affects all of us because we will have to shoulder the mounting debt. These changes will give our generation and generations to come tools to produce on par with the leading economies of today and tomorrow’s world. “Either we have to change the way people work here – not only work harder but smarter, more effectively – or we have to compete on the basis of wages. The choice is between high skills and low wages.”(Will Americans Work For $5 a Day) Americans, having not gotten paid $5 a day for some time now, won’t choose lower wages over high skills. We need to educate the young, and continue the education of the old. "Leave No Child Behind" needs to change to "Leave No One Behind."

            Government should matter to everyone because it affects every aspect of our lives. Laws regulate everything from social conduct to art (censorship) to economics. A change in policy may make it illegal for friends to stay with their loved ones (if gay relationships are outlawed). Another policy change could implement stiffer gun control. These examples of changing policies verify that, while they are changing policies, they would affect you and all Americans.

            The policies and laws already in place and those soon to be adopted affect every American citizen. Therefore, every citizen should actively participate in governmental process. Every citizen who doesn’t vote on new policies and elections forfeit their right to complain about the new leaders and the changes that they bring. Unfortunately, most do not exercise their civic duties and often are the ones that normally gripe the loudest. Most are apathetic about government, commenting, “What can my one vote do to change the world.” But, if the apathetic actually were to vote, this country’s politicians would greater represent the voice of the public. We, the next generations of workers and adults, must remember that we have the responsibility to progress society, for our offspring and ourselves.

School is never over. Yes, once one attains that degree, paid schooling might be over for some. But we, as a society in whole, should always be learning new things. The more we learn, the more we realize what we do not know. "Never stop learning. For the day we stop learning, is the day we die," individually and altogether.

Needs and "Needs"

In elementary school, we learn that there is a difference between needs and wants.  Needs are items that secures our survival.  Shelter, food, water, and air are the most basic needs there are.  Some would argue that clothing should be included in the list, but for some people, clothes aren’t needed (others would perish with clothing I know but not everyone needs clothes so it doesn’t make the top four).

"Needs" can also infer something that someone has grown accustomed to and needs psychologically, like cigarettes or coffee. The human body doesn't need those for survival, but one's mind might be yelling nonstop at itself until he or she has the first puff of smoke or cup of joe in the morning. Without their "fix" these humans can sometimes resemble apes as inferred from the slouched posture and language based on grunts and growls. heaven forbid you cross them in this state.

My personal needs are as follows:

1. The basic four: food, water, shelter, and air.

2. Company. Because I grew up 24/7 with my twin brother, I feel lost and very depressed when I am alone. I thrive when I have some form of social interaction. I would rather be bored with my friends than having fun by myself. Now there are times in which that I do enjoy being alone, but I always have one way or another to contact someone with me at all times. This is so that I can touch the outside world just in case I choose to do so. 

3. A way to express myself. Besides being a corporate zombie, I need a way to be my own person. I need a way to change my hair colour the way I see fit. If I want to put another hole in my body, I need to be able to get it done ASAP.  Same with tattoos. And yes, I do realize those are wants, not needs, but they’re a bit higher on the food chain than a specific type of beer or the latest Tool CD. They are an extension of my personality, and therefore a need.

Friends and family is all I need to lead a comfortable life. I take care of them as I would take care of myself, if not better. In turn, they will do the same. My friends know that I don't keep a running tab on how much I spend versus the amount they spend; its just all for the greater good of friendship and fun. They are my pillars, my foundation, my ceiling, and my walls. They are everything to me and without them, life would not have meaning.

Damaging Solutions From the Frappuccino® Generation

Being American, I normally take things for granted.  I can go to the store and splurge on a couple CDs (the new Eagles album and the re-mastered NWA hit “Straight Outta Compton” are out now), some video games (that feature rabid bunnies, talking balloons, and murderous undead minions), and a 99-in-one device called the Magic Bullet.  I don’t need these things to survive, but I take them for granted.  I forget the majority of the world can’t splurge on such items.  I do admit that it is a bad habit that we as a country have, but not one we should obsess about with every second of our waking day.  We should try to make a difference though.  The big question is rather than what can we do, what should we do?

Can one do more damage trying to help someone, than if they didn’t do anything at all?  If this is possible, how do we know whether or not we are making the right decision?  Naomi Klein, a socialistic journalist, talks about the decaying garment district of Toronto and the sweatshops in Jakarta and how the two are intertwined in her essay “A Web of Brands”.  In “Live Free and Starve”, Chitra Divakaruni, an educated Indian immigrant, states that while Americans hear of children sweatshops, their actions to stop these actually are hurting those they are trying to protect.  Klein talks of the old industrial garment factories of Toronto and the shame that some are being turned into expensive lofts, rather than being used.  She depicts artists and designers living next to old-fashioned garment stores.  Klein then jumps to Jakarta, where she talks to workers, whom work for next to nothing, making coats and computers they will never wear nor use.  Klein protests the rich CEOs getting wealthier and wealthier off of the work done by temporary workers.  Divakaruni writes, from her own unique perspective, about the picture painted to “help” those harmed by child labor, whereas it is in fact hurting them.  She states that while they are being paid less than they should, they are helping their family with their pay thereby ensuring they don’t have to live on the streets. Divakaruni remembers Nimai’s, her family’s boy servant, sense of pride over those that begged, he walking a bit taller because he was a responsible family member.  She finishes by making the reader think about not only calling for the end of child labor, but also a better life for the children.  While sweatshops and child labor are evils in the world today that most want to eradicate, we should take heed of Divakaruni’s message and figure out the best method possible to ensure the well being of the victims of those evils.

In “A Web of Brands” Klein’s overall message is that while it is sad that an industry has declined, but what is worse is that the job has been outsourced to a third world country where the workers are paid next to nothing.  Divakaruni’s message in “Live Free and Starve” is a little more chilling.  She states that while a bill proposed to hinder child labor practices has good intentions, the general American public doesn’t realize it may actually do more harm than good.  Divakaruni muses, “when many of these children turn to the streets to survival through thievery and violence and begging and prostitution – as surely in the absence of other options they must – are we willing to shoulder that responsibility?”  Both author’s messages come in two parts, though Klein’s is focused more on the location of the problem, rather than making the audience think deeper about the solution to the problem, like Divakaruni’s does.

Both authors use narratives to support their arguments, but Divakaruni’s account is more founded than Klein’s.  Klein remembers, “I started to tell the Kaho workers that my apartment in Toronto used to be a London Fog coat factory but stopped abruptly when it became clear from their facial expressions that the idea of anyone choosing to live in a garment building was nothing but alarming.”  Her narration about her trip to Jakarta places her as an outsider, a visitor, a journalist.  Divakaruni remembers, “When the [children’s] hunger was too much to bear, they stole into the neighbors’ fields and ate whatever they could find … even though they knew they’d be beaten for it.”  Her account has more credibility because she grew up there.  This was the norm; she was an insider, a participant.

Klein and Divakaruni give us insight into the worker’s lives.  Divakaruni confirms the stereotype of child labor, in which children “spend their days in dark, ill-ventilated rooms doing work that damages their eyes and lungs.”  But she also tells us of Nimai, who worked for her family, doing chores around the house, but being treated very justly by her family, more so than the majority of child laborers.  She remembers Nimai “thought he was a responsible member of his family”, because he could help his family out with his earnings.  Klein, on the other hand, tells of workers who, because of bad conditions, went on strike.  Rather than fix those conditions, Klein reports, “overtime would no longer be compulsory but the compensation would remain illegally low.”  While Klein, because of her Western upbringing, portrays everything in a negative light, Divakaruni, while maintaining her stance that child labor is bad, does show her audience a slightly positive side to the situation and the danger of fixing it with another problem.

Before reading these works, I was under the opinion that there was nothing we could do to stop poor labor conditions, for both children and adults.  Corporations are always out to make a profit, so bids will always go to the lowest production company, be it here in the U.S. or in China. Now I believe we can do something, moved by both Klein and Divakaruni, but we need to study the situation thoroughly to see how best we can help these workers lead a better life before we set a plan into motion.  Just like a marathon runner plans every leg of the race and not just the first mile, we should too.  Americans should stop thinking that there is nothing they can do, stop accepting the fact that the world is full of suffering, stop sitting in the sunshine, drinking five dollar mint chocolate Frappuccino^® and actually get up and better inform themselves and others about our world’s plights.  Yes, Our world, because we all live here and it’s the only one we have.

"Future generations may well have occasion to ask themselves, "What were our parents thinking? Why didn't they wake up when they had a chance?" We have to hear that question from them, now." - Al Gore

A Menace of a Gentleman

Normally I wouldn’t consider myself a menace, someone who alters the general public’s space, but then again, I do look like a certain stereotype.  Before we get into what makes other people question my character and intentions, we should discuss why people’s first impression of me is wrong.  Let’s paint a portrait of myself using my actions as paint, rather than my “extreme” physical appearance.

I’m twenty-one years old and stand six foot one inch tall.  I’ve been a swimmer all my life, as well as a water polo player.  I excelled in water polo at the high school level, becoming one of the best players in the state and eventually being asked to try out for the US junior national team.  “Benjamin Sager” is on 8 trophies at Westside High School, a record that has not yet been beaten.  Graduating in the top fifteen percent of my class, I excelled in the arts as well as the sciences.  I obtained the rank of Eagle Scout when I was fourteen, while most scouts don’t achieve the rank of Eagle and those who do are normally almost eighteen.  I help out around the house, and get along with my family as well as the next guy.

From that description, one might peg me as the average young adult who was a smart, well rounded jock.  Now here’s what make people think twice about me, starting with the least “offensive” going to the most.  I have a bleached faux hawk, with colours ranging from peroxide blonde to honey blonde to dark chestnut (for now because my hair is ever changing).  I have five piercings, three of which are normally visible.  I have my left ear cartilage pierced and gauged to an 8 gauge.  Both my ear lobes are stretched to a 0 gauge (with this gauge, I can stick pencil erasers through my earlobe).  I have several different “plugs” ranging from solid titanium to red hollow glass to black plastic with an icon of the Virgin Mary (I’m not religious but it makes for good laughs when I talk about my “virgin” ears).  The non-visible piercings are located on my torso.  I have both nipples pierced, and before you ask, no, those didn’t hurt the most; the cartilage did.

While only some people cringe at my visible piercings, my tattoos get the most attention out of the two.  My first is a black outline of a tree that I designed, which symbolizes my twin brother’s and my pledge to not forget our “roots”.  The second is a red maple leaf on my left shoulder that marks my confirmation of my Canadian citizenship (I’m a dual citizen).  Thirdly, I got a caricature of a piranha that I designed on my left ankle.  It symbolizes my time spent swimming for the Villager Piranhas as well as coaching them.  The last tattoo that I have had inked is a memorial tattoo designed from my late grandfather’s tie clip.  Above the “tie clip crest”, “memento mori” is inscribed, which translates from Latin to read, “Remember that you are mortal.”  Under the crest is “WKW”, my Grampy’s initials in his style of writing.  To “normal” people those two descriptions couldn’t be the same person, but they both describe Benjamin Sager.  Well, as you know him today.  More tattoos and piercings are most certainly going to be added. 

My outlandish appearance once caused a change in space at The Menger Hotel in San Antonio.  I was visiting family and friends while on break from school.  One day we were going swimming in the hotel pool, which is a fair walk, in which you walk past many conference rooms, from the elevators to the pool.  Being a swimmer, I am comfortable walking around in my board shorts, so I had nothing covering my tattoos and piercings.  While on my way to the pool, I walked past the opening to one of the conference rooms, which was hosting a Painted Horses Association convention.  The convention had just let out, and several attendees (mostly seniors and baby-boomers) were crowding the hallway.  Needless to say I turned several heads (their teenage daughters must have liked the “bad boy” image) and many moved out of the way because they assumed I was some “punk kid”.

One senior was dressed up like a pink version of the “Electric Cowboy”.  Hot, neon pink accented her black boots and black jeans.  Her pink shirt was studded with rhinestones and sequins.  To top it all off, she was wearing a hot pink cowboy hat with a silver bow attached to it.  She was chatting with her granddaughter, who was wearing a wholesome but revealing outfit.  She wore a torn and weathered cowboy hat that had a turquoise and silver hatband.  Her matching necklace was draped around her neck, accenting her plaid shirt that was tied in a knot, rather than using the snaps to keep closed.  She wore jean shorts, if you could call them that.  Daisy Dukes were more what they were.  She finished off the ensemble with old brown boots.  Needless to say, the older woman definitely didn’t seem to be a fan of my “alternative” appearance.  She moved quickly out of the way so as to assure not having any chance of a close encounter with me, dropping her papers which scattered all over the floor.  Without hesitation, I stooped low and began to pick up her dropped quarry while she just stood there staring at me.  I handed her papers back to her, and walked away.  While they thought I was out of earshot, I really wasn’t.  I overheard them saying, “That was an interesting fellow.  I didn’t expect him to help me with my papers.  You (directed towards her granddaughter) should date a nice boy like that!” 

Needless to say, not only did I change their public space, but I also showed them that while my appearance may be harsh to some, it's always my actions that show what type of person I truly am.  That's why mothers always try to tell their kids, "don't judge books by their covers."  But as we grow, most cast that aside when they shouldn't.  To some I look like a menace, while to others I look like a "fun dude", to everyone, I'm a friendly guy and an overall "gentleman and scholar."