One popped in my head as I was watching Rachel Maddow today from last night's episode. They were discussing Afghanistan and I couldn't completely follow the conversation because I have no concept of the real conflict because I do not know it's history. So much, if not all of what's going on in the middle east stems from a millennial ago, straight biblical times and to understand how it's manifested itself into the current war you have to understand their history. I'm not saying you have to be a middle eastern history scholar to get it but you need to know shiite vs. sunni and why they're beefing; Who originated in what area; and how how much religion plays into it. And I know practically none of it! I feel so cheated! Like high school completely failed in teaching me anything about the world.
If I was to grade Oak Park High School on their ability to educate they would get a big F and a 5 for bad behavior! I've had to teach myself a lot about even our own country because my school system neglected to teach it. That's a whole nother story but just know they failed LOL.
With so much of our foreign policy having to do with the middle east you would think there would be more of an in emphasis on that area. I can't recall ever learning anything but the countries that inhabit the area and its maybe its demographics and that its the desert. Any and everything else was completely left out. This area is too important to be glossed over. sad.
I'm going to make it a point to teach myself about that area and what foreign policy it effects. I want to know more about the war and any previous wars in Afghanistan and the area as a whole.
Can you really honestly participate in the political dialogue in this country without some knowledge of the middle east??
Afghanistan/Pakistan is on my get to know more about them list!
The second thing I want to talk about is this awesome guy from Malawi. His name is William Kamkwamba who at the age of 14 built a homemade windmill for his house. The thing is his parents couldn't afford to pay for him to go to school and he was going to the library to teach himself. He saw a book and looked at the pictures and built the windmill from that. What kind of awesome awe inspiring stuff is that?! This boy could not read the words in the book And built a working windmill!
He couldn't go to school and what did he do?? He went to the library.
Here in Detroit, here in most of urban U.S. we have to beg our kids to just show up to school and its FREE! What has happened to our people?! Where are our awe inspiring stories? Sure we have them, but they are few and far between and with all we have to offer the people in our country we should be producing more!
I'm going to take my butt to the library and build me a windmill. I'm inspired to do more, to be better!
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