What's Justice Got to do With it?

Recently, actress Kristen Bell (House of Lies) and her husband, actor Dax Shepherd (Parenthood) have garnered a lot of media attention for a campaign they've been calling the "No Kid Policy". They are stating the paparazzi should leave the children of celebrities alone and focus on the stars themselves. They aren't requesting privacy for themselves, acknowledging they've chosen a career path which puts them in the public eye. They've also acknowledged their support of the first amendment right: freedom of the press. The issue, according to both actors, is the privacy of children.

Freedom of the press protects the rights of media outlets to publish/seek information on public figures. While I don't agree with many of the methods used to acquire their information I can't say they are acting illegally by following public figures. The problem is the children in these circumstances have not sought fame; they were born to notable parents. It is hard to argue these kids as public figures when they themselves have done nothing to gain public attention: they aren't actors, musicians, politicians, criminals. Even if the kids did something to make them public figures we have to remember, at the end of the day, they are still children and deserve more protection than fully informed adults.

A few years ago my family temporarily came into the public eye. We were the victims of a violent crime which gained a lot of attention from local news outlets. The person responsible for the crime was very young (12) and due to his status as a minor the news was prohibited (legally) from releasing his name or showing his image. Though he had acted violently and illegally he was entitled to anonymity due to his age. Two of the victims in my family were younger than the offender (9 and 5), their names were published almost immediately. It's sad to think a young offender receives more legal protection than children who accidentally find themselves in the limelight.

The problem is further complicated when we realize how aggressive and invasive the paparazzi can get. We aren't talking about someone, from a distance, snapping a quick photo or asking permission to snap a picture. The paparazzi are stalking their subjects, waiting for the most interesting photo op; they get very much in peoples faces. I have an issue with their level of aggression towards adult celebrities so when I think about this happening to children (who didn't seek the attention) it makes me very uneasy.

So what's justice got to do with it? This is a justice issue because it makes it difficult to teach celebrity kids basic principles of safety. People spend a lot of time teaching their kids how to stay safe. One of the most common messages: don't talk to strangers. How are famous people supposed to teach their children which strangers are dangerous and which are merely annoying? Are they supposed to tell their children the strangers with camera's are annoying but safe? That message could easily be taken advantage of by pedophiles and pornographers with cameras. On the flip side, if the are told to be fearful of all strangers these kids will spend their entire childhood in fear because they are being stalked by strangers with cameras who are generally safe though invasive. It isn't fair to give a child reason to live in that level of terror. And honestly, in what scenario is it acceptable for children (any children) to be followed around by adult strangers?

We have more power here than you might think. The paparazzi are not "employed" by the magazines; they're working freelance. The magazines buy photo's of celebrity kids because they believe consumers want to see these pics. If we, as consumers, refuse to buy pictures of kids (accept from agreed upon photo shoots) the magazines will stop purchasing the pictures. If the magazines don't buy the pictures the paparazzi will stop following kids around. They are doing this as a business endeavor, not a hobby. Any time business is unprofitable people start thinking of new business ideas. I. personally, think we should take it one step further and demand less aggressive ways of gaining info of the adult celebrities as well, but that is a separate issue for a different time.

So, to that end, these are the outlets (to my knowledge) who've agreed to stop buying pictures of kids: E! Entertainment, The Today Show, JustJared.com, People magazine, Perez Hilton. I'd also like to note that I believe Soap Opera Digest does not use any paparazzi images, all pictures I've seen in their magazine are from mutually agreed upon photo shoots, red carpet events, or were shared by the soap stars themselves. They've also been known to sit on juicy information until the stars were ready to give an interview. Those of us who can't wait to learn more about the personal lives of those we see daily on television do have ethical ways to gain this information. We can seek out magazines, like Soap Opera Digest, who do interviews when the celebrity wants to share information, their are many talk shows to choose from, following our favorite stars on twitter is another way to ensure we stay up to date on the latest info the star is wanting to make public.

Most of my life I've been told I'm too quiet, shy, and introverted. Throughout my high school years I can admit I was too shy. I was shy to the point of being afraid to live. I was afraid to share my opinion, in case someone disagreed with me (didn't want to give people reasons not to like me). I hated being the focus of attention, in case someone thought I said or did something silly (didn't want to give people reasons to laugh at me). In a lot of ways these insecurities are a large part of going to high school, it is a natural stage in life to want to fit in. I took this stage to an extreme though, and it carried on into early adulthood. I was probably bordering on a little social anxiety.

In high school I remember one of my leaders telling me I needed to learn not to be so introverted. These are words I've been told many times since then. As a high school kid I took her words to heart and told myself I needed to be more of an extrovert, the problem was I didn't know how to be less introverted. I spent a lot of time envying my more extroverted friends because that is what I was told I should be.

Throughout early adulthood I've had other well intentioned friends and leaders give me the same advice. One of my leaders would point out extroverted mutual friends and tell me to spend more time with them so I could learn to be more like them. I know she meant well with this advice but what it communicated to me was I had some sort of personality defect. If I could learn to be more like someone else I'd be okay but if I continued being me I'd never rid myself of this defect. Unfortunately for me, personality isn't really something that's learned. We can learn self control, stepping out of our comfort zones, we grow into maturity, but personality is just a part of who we are. And my personality was broken.

A couple years after this bad advice I was finally starting to be more comfortable with who I was. I still felt a little defective because I'd so often been told I was, or at least I'd interpreted it from things I was told, but I was getting better at making friends. I was less anxious in social settings. Basically, I thought I was maybe getting better (fixed, healed). I met a new friend at this time. She told me that she'd had other shy, quiet friends in her life but she'd always been able to draw them out and she was sure she's be able to do the same for me. We spent a couple weeks getting to know each other. I thought we were becoming good friends but after a couple weeks she stopped talking to me. I was missing my new friend so I decided to ask her what was up. She told me she thought she'd be able to make me more like her but it clearly wasn't working (I am me after all), I was too much work and wasn't worth her time. She sounded very casual when she said it; it wasn't like we were fighting, more a statement that I, her new project, didn't work and she was done. I was devastated, not only had I lost a new friend but I learned my defect hadn't been cured at all. In fairness to this girl we actually did become pretty good friends later on, and I honestly don't think she remembers having said this to me.

Throughout my early adulthood (and as a high school kid) I had been passed up for leadership opportunities because I "just don't have the personality for it", ignored by peers because I'm "too much work" (though not all my peers have been like this), and sometimes talked down to as though my quiet demeanor were a sign of stupidity. Fast forward a few more years...

A couple years after the encounter with my friend I moved. I was in a new location with a different job. If people thought I was quiet before, imagine the most shy person you've ever met moving to a place where she knows absolutely no one. Yeah, that was me. This time, however, I was working under the absolute best leaders I have ever known. They helped me get over my fear social settings. They were eager to listen to my ideas, gave me opportunities to act as a leader. They were very encouraging and supportive. Together we led a five month long program. They never told me I couldn't do it; they constantly told me I was capable. They didn't step in to help unless I asked for help. They wanted me to have the opportunity to do as much as I was able.

At the end of the five month program we were undergoing some leadership training together. Part of the training involved us taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. This "personality" test is designed to measure several aspects of a person's temperament. While their is no "right" or "wrong" temperament the knowledge and understanding of the different types can help people relate to each other a little better.

Having worked so hard to be a good leader during my first real opportunity to do so I was hoping the test would finally tell me I had become an extrovert. I'd done really well on socialization and was no longer allowing fear to control my every move. I was devastated when the test revealed me to be a very strong introvert. I was so upset I began crying. People were asking me what was wrong and I was afraid to answer them so I sat in silence for a few minutes until one of the amazing leaders I mentioned (Kim) suggested the two of us go to a different room and discuss what I was so upset about. Without me even telling her the problem she asked if I was upset it had labeled me an introvert (we had discussed some of my insecurities in the past). After some comforting and reassurance from her we rejoined the group and she helped me explain why I had been so upset. Then she and Jamie (the other amazing leader) explained what the terms "introvert" and "extrovert" really mean and why I can be just as good a leader and just as strong and confident an individual as an extrovert.

An introvert is not "a quiet person" and extrovert is not "a loud person". An introvert is a person who recharges their energy through time alone; an extrovert is someone who recharges their energy by being around other people. Basically, introverts crave socialization just like extroverts do. We may not go out and party as often and some of us would prefer smaller gatherings of close friends than large groups of strangers at a party but we do still like to socialize. Extroverts need alone time just like introverts do. The alone time may not be as frequent and the chosen "lone activities" may be different but that need to get away exists for extroverts as well. To simplify: my husband is an extrovert; if the two of us are planning to go to a party together on Saturday night I will spend some time by myself on Saturday morning to make sure I've got the energy for all the socialization later. We'll both get ready for the party on Saturday afternoon then when we get home he won't be able to sleep because he got so revved up spending time with his friends. He'll have to get some down time to unwind.

A large part of the problem is we get the word "introversion" mixed up with the words "fear, shy, cold, isolated, and distant" while the latter words are negatives introversion is NOT a synonym. I know in my case when I was told to "stop being so introverted" I ended up living more in fear which created a more shy and timid Shellie, this in turn gave (some) people the impression I was cold, distant and disinterested in friendships. When I have been given the freedom to be me as an introvert I really had a chance for my personality to shine. Since being given this freedom I've become a better version of me; I've stopped trying to be someone else which in turn means I haven't zapped myself of all energy trying to fit in. I've made friends more easily and I don't think I give the impression of being disinterested anymore.

So, what's justice got to do with it? I feel it is a justice issue when anyone is told their personality is wrong. We all deserve the freedom to be who God made us. When that freedom is taken away it creates people who feel isolated and lonely. If we can work harder to understand each other it will be easier to relate to each other. Some of my best friends are extroverts and I would never want them to be anything else. Their personality traits and characteristics are unique to who they are; I can't change them (and wouldn't want to) and they can't change me. Our world becomes a better place when we not only accept but embrace our differences because its only through interaction with people of differing thoughts, perspectives, and personalities that we are truly challenged in our own thoughts and decision making processes. 


This post is just an introduction into the topic of introversion vs. extroversion. I have much more to say and will continue this series later in the week.

Having grown up in The Church I've heard a lot of talk about homosexuality. Many people talk about how wrong and unnatural it is to be gay. Bible verses are quoted (and misquoted) to support "gay bashing". In all honesty I'm not sure what the bible actually says about homosexuality but it certainly doesn't seem very clear at all. The passage of scripture most often used to condemn homosexuality isn't about homosexuality at all (in my opinion); it's a passage about hospitality.

The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. "My lord's", he said, "please turn aside to your servant's house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning." "No." they answered, "we will spend the night in the square." But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baked bread without yeast, and they ate. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom -both young and old- surrounded the house. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them." Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof."

This was Genesis 19: 1-8, the passage most often used to refute homosexuality. In order for me to believe this was about homosexuality I'd have to believe the point to be "it is better to rape a woman than to rape a man". I certainly can't support that interpretation of this passage. So, it has to mean something else entirely. In order to understand what I think the meaning is we have to understand a little something about the culture of the day.

In those days, from my understanding, hospitality was highly valued. I almost want to say hospitality was valued above all else. For Lot to welcome strangers into his home meant he was taking responsibility for them. He became responsible for finding them food, providing shelter, and keeping them safe until they left his home. He obviously took this responsibility very seriously, so seriously that he offered up his daughters so as to protect his guests. I don't condone what Lot did in offering his daughters as an exchange; and I think anyone who does is maybe missing the point of the story. It's not that it was right or acceptable for him to throw his kids to the wolves, he was following a cultural practices based on values of the day.

With this having been established I will say there are other places in the bible which suggest it might be wrong to be gay. They are not very clear, however, so I am not at all comfortable using them as a way to ostracize gay people from my circle of friends. I also don't believe being gay is a choice. I don't choose who I'm attracted to so I have no reason to believe anyone else is able to do that either.

In Mark 2: 16 Jesus is rebuked by the pharisees for "eating with tax collectors and sinners". Many times Christ sets the example of interacting with and befriending the "undesirable" people with whom he meets. He chooses to build his fellowship not with the "religious right" but with ordinary people: people who are trying to figure things out, those who don't have all their 'ducks in a row'. We ought to be following his example and building friendships with many different kinds of people. If it is "wrong to be gay" we should be building a community welcoming to gay people because Christ ate with sinners. If it isn't wrong to be gay we need to be building a community welcoming to gay people because they aren't doing anything wrong. Either way we need to be welcoming to everyone!

So, what's justice got to do with it? Everything! Many people contemplate suicide daily because they feel alone in the world, or think others don't understand them. We as Christians can not continue to push people out of our lives and call it Christ like. Anyone who feels alone needs to have friends in their lives.

I believe Christians focus on homosexuality because it is an easy target. For those of us who have never been attracted to someone of the same gender its easy to choose that as the "unforgivable sin", many of us have nothing to lose by being vehemently against homosexuality. Gossip, slander, and jealousy tend to be issues all of us struggle with from time to time. In order to make sure others are forgiving of us we have to be forgiving of them but when it comes to issues which affect only a number of people the backlash can be unbearable. It's difficult to be understanding of something one cannot relate to. One of the many dangers here is that if we are wrong and homosexuality isn't a sin we are denying countless people a chance at true love. I intend to explore this topic in greater detail in future blogs so I'd love your thoughts as I continue to form my own.

I consider myself to be a strong, confident individual; this confidence has served me well in life. At my current job I'm one of the most trusted employee's. My thoughts and opinions regarding client relations is often sought. My strength and confidence are traits I learned later in life. As a teen and in early adulthood I was very shy and insecure. I spent many years afraid to really live my life; I was afraid to make my opinions known, join in conversation, invite others to do things with me. Basically, I was afraid of being rejected. I kept everyone at arms length because I didn't believe anyone could really like me. I thought if I got to close to people they'd realize I wasn't any fun and would stop wanting to spend time with me.

Over time, through a lot of work on my part and a lot of support from very loving friends I have learned to let that fear go... most of the time. These days I happen to believe I have a lot of value as a person. I know what my strengths are and seldom doubt my ability to accomplish things. Sometimes (when I get overwhelmed or try to take on too much at once) these fears come back to me. Recently I have been very busy. Work takes up my mornings, school and/or studying has my evenings occupied, and my "free time" has been taken up with upkeep on my car, getting my name- and all legal documents- changed (since I got married).

In the midst of all life's tasks I have recently started to let some of my fears and self doubts come through again. I don't believe I would ever let fear run my life to the same extent it once did, I can now recognize the signs when it starts to show through, I do what I can to deal with my fears and move on.

This weekend I ended up sitting at a coffee shop with my husband, crying because I didn't think I had any friend and I was sure no one liked me. The strange thing about all this is that my social calender has actually been quite full lately. Just recently I met up with an old friend from high school (we've kept in touch all these years but life has kept us from actually getting together), another friend from high school is making plans to have lunch with me next week. I spoke with two friends from Canada (whom I haven't seen since moving several years ago), and via facebook I was chatting with a friend from Uganda last week. Some of these conversations/get togethers I initiated and some of them were initiated by the other person but everyone has been happy to see/talk to me.

Through my conversation with Seth (my husband) I found out he has had many of the same fears and insecurities as I've had. I spent a lot of time trying to make myself invisible to avoid the possibility of being rejected, in contrast, Seth spent a lot of time joining in with every social group he could find to make sure at least one of them would accept him. My thinking was I couldn't be rejected if I didn't let anyone in and Seth's thought process was more along the lines of if he joins enough people at least one would have to like him. The reality is we are both pretty likeable people (I think I'm pretty fun to be around and I know Seth is a lot of fun). Seth is one of the my kind, loving, and inclusive people I know. He "doesn't have a mean bone in his body" to quote one of his friends.

I believe these types of insecurities and self doubts are pretty common to most people. We each have different reasons for our fears; a different history with different events that have caused us pain. And we each have our own way of dealing with it so we can live our lives, but these fears are lurking in one form or another, trying to drag us down.

So, what's justice got to do with it? We were all created for community (human interaction), for we were created in the image of God "Then God said 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness'" (Gen. 1:26). Before the creation of man God was three in one, in perfect relational harmony. In our attempt to live out this relational harmony we get it wrong a lot. We hurt each other and these wounds cause doubts and fears to those with whom we're trying to relate.

Our attempt at relating to one another is so important to Christ he actually tells we are doing to Him the very things we do to one another. "I was a stranger and you invited me in... I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me" (Matthew 25:35b & 36b). This list of relational duties is noted alongside "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink... I needed clothes and you clothed me." (Matthew 25:35a & 36a). We often think of "doing justice" as providing clothing, and food for the poor and I agree those tasks play a huge role in making a more just world but I don't think we can forget how important it is to have friends. Food, water, and shelter are not enough to create a fulfilled life. We need each other.

In my own life I've had to tell that voice inside me to "shut up" when it is convincing me I have no friends. I have the best friends in the entire world! To any of you who are reading this these fears come from some place inside of me, you are ALL amazing!! Knowing how debilitating it has been for me (in the past) when I let fear take control I also need to realize others may be dealing with the same issues. Since the conversation with my husband I've been focused on trying to reach out to friends from my past. If I've been feeling alone and insecure there is no reason to think other people haven't been feeling the same way.

I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend, or those of you who had  along weekend, (I had work and school so not all of us had extra time off). The day off was for President's day so I thought I do a President's edition to my blog. As an American living with the right to the "freedom of speech" I do see a great value in challenging authority. I agree we have to question the decisions made by others because one single person (even a president) can't possibly be right in all circumstances. That being said I do think we (American's) can sometimes forget our leaders are actually doing their best (most of the time) in a very difficult and stressful job. Because respect for our leaders is something I feel can get a bit lost in American culture I'm choosing to point out some positives about a few of our past leaders.

1. George Washington- I'll start with an easy one. He was our first president. If not for his efforts America may never have become its own country; as commander-in-chief of the revolutionary war he played a large role in America's independence. He was a true non-partisan  he avoided taking sides during political disputes, rather focusing on creating a new form of government for the United States.

2. John Quincy Adams- He was our sixth president. John Quincy Adams represents an honesty, morality, and highmindedness rarely seen in American government. He was always choosing to do what was right vs. what was popular. He was the paragon of public service.

3. Herbert Hoover- He was our thirty first president. He has the unfortunate legacy of being in office during The Great Depression. We must remember he took office during the START of the depression, previous leaders must take the blame for many of the problems he had to face. I'm not sure his response these financial issues were appropriate, however, he came in to a bad situation and it would be difficult to get out of such circumstances.

4. Harry S. Truman- He was our thirty third president. As president, Truman made some of the most crucial decisions in history. His decision to bomb Japan effectively ended World War II. I'm not going to debate the ethics of his decision to drop the bombs (at least not in this particular post), but what I will say is he started with an urgent plea of surrender to Japan. His heart was for a peaceful (or more peaceful) end to the war and nobody, at that time, knew how extreme and far reaching the consequences of the bombings would be.

5. Andrew Johnson- Our seventeenth president. He has the unfortunate distinction of taking office due to the assassination of Lincoln; he took office by chance. It would be a very difficult position to be in, to be thrown into such overwhelming power without the reassurance that more than half your country believed in you.

6. Warren Harding- He was our twenty ninth president. Harding was one of the few presidents to win in a landslide. He was obviously very well liked, and trusted, by the American people. He promised a "return to normalcy" following the hardships of World War I. We don't know how much he could have done with a full term presidency because he died of a heart attack after serving for only two years.

7. Andrew Jackson- He was our seventh president. America faced some of its most weighty issues during his presidency. Issues such as slavery and the preservation of the Union were faced during his presidency. So many years later it is easy for us to have strong feelings on the issues he dealt with but in the middle of it he had to attempt to solve some very complex problems.

8. Benjamin Harrison- He was our twenty third president. He was compelled to address issues of currency reform and economic equity. He signed the Sherman Antitrust Act into law in an attempt to curtail monopolies. Though we may always have a large disparity between our wealthy and our poor he at least attempted to level the playing field. Any act against monopoly is opening the door for more people to join a business endeavor.

9. Franklin Delano Roosevelt- He was our thirty second president. He took office in the depths of The Great Depression; quite possibly the worst time to take office. He helped America regain faith in itself, he brought about hope; something previously long lost. In his inaugural address he asserted "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" by seeking the presidency at such a bad time he proved he believed in his own words.

So, what's justice got to do with it? In my opinion this is a justice issue. The way we treat our presidents is reflective of the way we treat our other leaders. Bosses, pastors, and teachers are held up to impossible standards as hero's and when they can't measure up to these impossible standards they are labeled as failures. I think its important to understand our hero's are also people. Their humanity will show in their daily lives, failures (big and small) are going to happen. We should be doing our best to help our leaders succeed and watching as they learn to pull through in their failures.

I know all the presidents deserve a little blurb here but this is about all I've got time for. Leave me a comment and let me know what's great about some of the other presidents. If you aren't from America and you're reading this let me know what's great about one of the leaders (past or present) from your own country.

Earlier this week we lost quite possibly the most talented child star to ever live: Shirley Temple. I'm happy to say she lived a good long life; she was 85 at the time of her passing. Given her recent death I wanted to do a quick post of tribute to her amazing life.

She was born April 23, 1928 (we share the same birth month). As a child she was known for such movies as "A Little Princess" (1939), "Curly Top" (1935), "The Little Colonel" (1935), "Bright Eyes" (1934), "Heidi" (1937), et al.

More impressive than her childhood career is the career she developed as an adult. She retired from acting at the age of twenty-one to pursue a life in politics. She became the US ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. She also the title Chief of Protocol of the United States.

I've featured her on this blog because of the political career. She obviously had a heart for justice and justice related causes. We should all try to be more like her everyday.

Since we are in the middle of the winter Olympics I thought I should post some of my thoughts on the games. First I'd like to say am an very impressed with all the athletes; they make a lot of sacrifices for many years to make it to the Olympics knowing they may never make it and if they do they may not win the gold, or any medal. I can't imagine what it would be like to spend so many hours training for something, hoping for success with the knowledge it may be all in vain.

I've watched the devastated interviews with very talented athletes after a poor performance. Those interviewees seem all the more crushed if they are old enough to know their body won't be doing this for another four years; that moment of glory has been given to someone else often because of one bad day amongst many top notch days. Last night I witnessed an interview with an athlete who'd lost her chance at a second gold. She'd medaled (gold) four years prior and was seeking the chance to be the https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3553104259236231487#editor/target=post;postID=5537668819431155028;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=0;src=postnamefirst repeat gold medalist in her particular sport. It didn't happen due and she said her body wouldn't be able to handle another four years of training. Today I watched an athlete, favored to win, fall as she was skiing. She lie on the mountain for several minutes before getting up to ski the rest of the way down the hill. Of course a team of people were on their way to make sure she was alright. While I'm sure the fall did cause some level of pain but the moment of time spent on the ground was spent dealing with the reality that her medal had evaded her.

I LOVE watching the Olympics and observing people with talents so different from my own. I'm amazed at the dedication to push through without the promise of a medal. I don't think I handle disappointment well enough to even attempt something so huge. Knowing the chances of success are so small would probably keep me from even wanting to try.

So, what's justice got to do with it? As much as I love the games I also have some pretty big issues with them. A lot of injustices are committed in the name of The Games. Lets start with the games themselves; According to one reporter, who worked the 1988 games, many of the winners (while not staged) are chosen by something other than shear talent. Anthony Hembrick (an Olympic boxer, 1988) lost by forfeit, arriving 12 minutes late, when one of his couches screwed up the bus schedule. An appeal brought about no chance for a rematch. Cities also go into debt for the privilege of hosting the events. Vancouver spent more than $600 million, so much money the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee went bankrupt.

On to areas of (in my opinion) even greater importance. Host cities don't want to have their tourist attraction looking bad so homeless people are shipped out by any means necessary. For both Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000 the "solution" to visible homelessness was forcibly removing citizens from tourist areas. Of heard stories of the homeless being bussed out of their usual living area with the promise of a free meal. Upon arrival their is a cold sandwich awaiting them and no ride back where they came from.

This year we have the added concern of the host countries views (and laws) toward homosexuality. Human rights are being violated alongside our celebration of great athletic achievement. Allowing Russia to host such a globally unifying event could easily be construed as global consent, or at least tolerance, for their extremist actions toward the people living in their country. I don't think competitive spirit can trump the quest for human equality.
 
What is the solution to all of this injustice? Very rarely have I heard people suggest a boycotting of the games. Sometimes I believe this would be a logical approach; after all, if the games don't get the expected rating people in power will lose money and pay attention to change their approach. I, myself, have never taken the boycott approach to the Olympics. In all honesty I'm not sure if its because I disagree with the effectiveness or if its because I just don't want to give up watching something I enjoy. What are your thoughts.

In recent years I have spent a lot of hours volunteering at a local youth corrections center.  In spending time with the kids at the facility I was able to see them as more than criminals.  They were just like everyone else, good people who were going through a rough time.  I've never known why any of them were locked up but I'd assumed that most of them were their for petty theft or vandelism... the shenanigans that a lot of kids get into.  It hadn't really occured to me that some of them could be doing time for things as severe and violent as rape or murder.

Everything changed earlier this year when a young relative of mine was arrested and charged with the murder of his parents, who are of course, also my family.  He had always seemed like a good kid.  He was pretty obedient to his parents, other than the usual back talk and testing of limits that is to be expected of an adolescent.  He was very involved in his local church, he loved volunteering for things whether it was extra chores around the house to help his parents or at his church and in his community to help out his neighbors.  He had never shown signs of violence or aggresion.  The crime he's been accused of doesn't fit with the character or personality that he's shown throughout his life.

Now I am left with a lot of questions without any answers.  How do I show love to someone who took away my own family members?  But then again, how do I stop loving a family member who I at one time felt very close too.  Will I be able to visit him, to come face to face with a killer and if I do what am I supposed to say to him?  Was the kind, gentle, loving person I thought I knew all an act or did something happen recently that caused him to somehow snap?

Jesus calls us to love our enemies and I know God still loves him regardless of the heinous act he commited.  As an abstract concept I fully agree that everyone deserves to feel loved and we should do our best to treat everyone with love and respect.  This, however, is not an abstract concept.  It has become very personal and I'm very torn between love and hate and I know it is going to take me a long time to sort through my feelings and I will probably have to work at it for the rest of my life.  I want my young relative to be treated well and I want someone to show him the love of Christ, I'm sure at some point I'll be a part of the group of people to love and support him but I really don't know how or when.

Has anyone else noticed what a large stigma has been attached to people having mental health problems?  It has always bothered me that people aren't able to talk openly about their health.  People are often judged or insulted because of health problems that they can not control.  Mental health really isn't all that different from physical health yet it is treated with a very different attitude.

If a person were to say, "We had to take Uncle Bruce to the hospital last night, turns out he has diabetes", the response would probably be one of sympathy.  "Oh, that's too bad, he'll have to give up some of his favorite foods", or of helpfulness "I found these great cookies at the store the other day, they were low sugar, he could probably eat them".  Similar responses are given when telling someone that a friend or a family member has celiac disease, sympathy and an offer to help find gluten free recipes.

Why is it that the attitude changes so much when discussing mental illness.  The whole tone generally changes to one of shame, like the patient should have something to hide.  A conversation about mental illness is more likely to look something like this,  "Don't tell anyone this, I wouldn't want it to get out, but, my sister told me she has (whispers) 'depression', she started taking (whispers) 'prozac'.  I just know she's going to get addicted".  Or it could take more of a gossip tone like this, "Katie had to go to the hospital yesterday, the doctors said she's bipolar"  "Really, I knew she was having a hard time but I thought she was stronger than that".

Most mental health problems aren't a lot different from diabetes in the sense that they are caused by a chemical imbalance.  The person living with the illness didn't cause the problem and they can't "snap out of it" and make themselves feel better.  Treatment is also, usually, similar to diabetes, medication that helps balance out the chemicals and some simple lifestyle changes to keep the person healthy, really the same lifestyle changes that we should all be aiming towards, healthy diet, regular exercise and consistant sleep.

I've always had a problem with the way mental health patients are looked upon but it got a lot more personal very recently.  About a month ago I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.  I've probably been living with it for years without knowing it.  I've always been moody but it took a long time before I realized that my mood swings were out of proportion to the events that caused them and were more intense than what the people around me experienced.  When I first realized that something wasn't right there were very few people I would discuss it with, I didn't want people thinking I was crazy.  Some very good friends encouraged me to see a doctor and eventually I took their advice.  Now that I've been on medication and have been working on changing some bad habits I feel a lot better than I have in a while and can think clearly now.  I don't feel as though I'm a victim to uncontrollable emotions anymore.

I am lucky because I have very supportive friends and family.  Their are a lot of people that I can talk openly with whether it is to discuss medication side effects, days when it doesn't feel like they are helping as much or frustration with the changes I'm trying to make.  I know that I have people who will always be there to support me through it all.  Unfortunately, not everyone has this same support base and part of the reason for that is that a lot of people don't really know what it means to have a mental illness.  It is a chemical imbalance, it is usually treatable, it is beyond the control of the people suffering and it is not a sign of weakness.

My final thoughts on the issue are to be sure to research specific illnesses before talking about them with someone.  Their are probably as many different mental illnesses as their are physical illnesses, they each have their own signs and different treatment options.  It is important that your advice be geared toward the specific illness being discussed.

Shellie Burg

I write this blog on social justice issues because it is something that is very important to me and that I'm very passionate about.  I would love it if we lived in a perfect world where everyone was treated fairly and all needs were met.  I wish that people across the earth were being cared for and I wish that everyone had a community of friends to help them through rough times.

All that being said the reality is that some people are harder to talk to and to be around.  I wish that I were loving everybody equally but I have a really hard time dealing with some people.  I don't spend the time to get to know some of the people in my neighborhood because they are difficult to deal with.  Their are a lot of reasons why some people are easier to be around then others.  Sometimes it comes from deep psychological trauma which affects the way they relate to others.

I wish I had a real solution to this but all I can really say is that we need to work together to be more inclusive of those who are often left out.  Try to see the reasons behind the behaviors that offend us and accept people for who they are rather than who we wish they would be.  I am working on becoming a person who can do this and I hope that some of my future posts will inspire some of you to do the same.

Shellie Burg

I know when I started this blog I made a few posts and then disapeared for several months, wrote a post saying I was back and you haven't heard from me since then.  Well, this time I am really back and intend to keep up with it this time.

The issue in the past has been that I was blogging to impress others.  The topics have been from my heart but the content of the posts have been with the readers in mind.  It is really hard to think of something to write while worrying about how many other people will find it interesting. 

From here I intend to blog from the heart, I will choose topics that are of interest to me and write in the way that I see fit.  I still hope my blog can grab the interest of my readers but it won't be my primary focus, I believe doing it this way will take the pressure off and I will be able to write more creatively. 

I still intend to stick with the justice theme, in case you were wondering.

Shellie Burg

I planned to blog about something else today but due to recent events I have decided to postpone the previously planned topic.  On Wednesday, September 16, Mary Travers passed away.  I first found out because her name was a trending topic on twitter.  I had to google the name to find out who she was, so for anyone else that doesn't know she was Mary from the singing trio Peter, Paul and Mary.  She had been diagnosed with Leukemia in 2005 and died of complications arising from chemotherepy.

I realize she was 72 years old; this isn't quite the same level of tragedy as a 20 year old dying in a car crash, but I still found it to be pretty upsetting.  I was upset for partly selfish reasons, I had never been to a Peter Paul and Mary performance before but I was hoping to eventually make it to one.  I obviously won't have the chance to hear them perform live anymore.  Selfish reasons aside, however, I do feel like the world has lost one of its better members.  I've never met her personally but from what I've heard/read she was outspoken and blunt in defense of those most deprived of their human rights.

Originally they were a folk group of the '60s.  In that time I believe it was quite popular for musicians to speak out for peace and justice and it is interesting a lot of the groups from that time frame have disbanded with little being said of them since.  Peter, Paul and Mary, on the other hand, reunited in 1978 in protest of nuclear energy, and they stayed together and performed regularly until Mary's recent passing.  Marys passion to be a voice for the voiceless is what brought her back to her group and what motivated her throughout her singing career and her life.  I hope to live the rest of my life with as much passion.

Shellie Burg

I've finally decided to join the blogosphere. I've thought about starting a blog for quite a while now but I wasn't sure I'd be able to think of interesting topics to blog about. I started thinking about where my passions lie and figured that it should be pretty easy if I stick with my passions. My biggest passion is seeing justice lived out so most of my posts will be about societal injustices.

I guess I should tell you a little bit about myself. I work for a Christian non-profit organization called Youth With A Mission (YWAM). I care deeply about my work so I'll probably mention YWAM a lot so get used to the acronym.

Shellie Burg