Since mid-January I’ve been living in Washington D.C. and working for Sen. Joe Biden. As my tenure in this unpaid position is nearly at an end, I’ve come to learn a lot of things about government, about society, and about myself.

My regular office duties range anywhere from reading and responding to constituent mail on behalf of the Senator, researching issues with upcoming legislation, and being a host to other tasks.

Being a Senate intern allows one the privileges of basically unlimited access to activities including sitting in on Congressional votes, committee hearings, and VIP passage around the United States Capitol. In a surreal sort of way, the hallways that I walk through on a daily basis are as historic as they are under admired.

These walls and floors once held the presence of figures like Harry S. Truman and John F. Kennedy. Even notable figures of today like Barack Obama do daily business here and at any given moment they are riding up the same elevator as you. The real question is who these hallways will hold in the generations to come as our republic prevails.

As most others who go on an unpaid internship, and there aren’t too many who would voluntarily work 40 or more hours a week for free, will tell you; the experience is immeasurable and the passion for being a part of something you love increases exponentially.

Much of the work is not welcomed with great amounts of gratitude, but rather a quick and poignantly meaningful, “thanks.” For some, that isn’t enough. For me, that recognition of a job well done does not necessarily come from an upper level staffer but more so the knowledge that while what I do may not have a grand impact on the world we live in, it allows others to do great things which allows the Senator to do great things and therefore helps the government help the people.

If there is anything that I have learned during my time in our Nation’s Capital it is that this country is too divided among Republicans and Democrats. Every issue is a battle and every motive is questioned and all at the expense of American’s losing their homes, their jobs, their lives and a number of other intrinsic and materials values. I wholeheartedly believe that questioning each side and the competition between the two parties is paramount to maintaining a suppression of political zealotry and the overbearing grasp of special interest groups on policy in our bicameral system, but party infighting and back scratching goes much farther to impede the American dream than to develop under-thetable deals to support that which is crumbling.

My time in Washington has helped me to understand to what length we are a truly magnificent people. With each sacrifice we make of ourselves for another, regardless of scale or scope, I am proud in the knowledge that we are making life better. Taking in the monuments around the national mall and recognizing that our liberties are not measured in budgets and ledgers, but rather in pearly white grave markers stretching too far to see at the Arlington National Cemetery, I am moved by the courage of a nation and her people and our willingness to lay that which we hold most precious on the line to ensure that the sun will always rise on freedom with liberty and justice for all.

The last few months in Washington D.C. have demonstrated to me that with the ingenuity and perseverance of every individual, we progress as a country. With every dream that comes true, we build a foundation of hope. What makes one a patriot is not how many flags he or she owns or how loud one sings the National Anthem, but rather one’s ability to recognize the tribulations before the country and a willingness to lend a hand when it is sought.

I’ve put in long days in the hope that I may play a small role in the further evolution and improvement of our country. I can only hope that my fellow Americans will lay aside their thirst for squabble and recognize the stake they must claim in the human race; that while our means may differ, the pursuit is equally tenacious and the end result is always happiness.

What did you do last weekend? Go to your house? Stay at Ferris and study? I did neither.

A total of five of us met up just south of town at one of our houses Friday afternoon. We piled into a Lincoln Navigator and started on a trip. We stopped in Detroit to pick up a sixth person, and drove into Canada.

Our hotel was just on the other side of the Windsor Tunnel, so we quickly arrived and got checked in. The truck was parked for the next two days, safely away in the parking garage.

We were prepared for a weekend of fun and adventure. Windsor was waiting for us.

The hotel was situated right in the downtown area, a few blocks from the Detroit River, the casino and various nightclubs. Being from a small town and having spent the last four years in Big Rapids, this place was awesome.

The first night we went to three packed clubs, all within a few blocks. We saw in person what I am used to only seeing on TV and in movies. The places were packed with people of all types, dancing (on the floor and on the bar), carrying on and generally having a great time.

The next day was a little more relaxed. I was able to sleep in, which was nice after a long week of classes. We wandered down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast around noon, then went for a walk.

The park by the river was very pretty. Geology has made this the only part of Canada that one can look north and see the United States, and we took a few pictures of Detroit.

We went to the casino later that evening, and I was able get a ‘donation’ for the rest of the weekend. For dinner, we went and got sushi at a local restaurant.

After that, it was on to the clubs again. We went to different places that night, all still within a few blocks of the hotel.

It was a great weekend to get away from Ferris with the guys and have a relaxed time.

This is college, have the time of your lives!

Happy Birthday Matt Snavley!

The clearly stated war aims for the Afghanistan invasion were to capture those suspected of masterminding the 9/11 attacks, including Osama Bin Laden. Within a week after the bombings began, the Taliban rightfully told the United States that “if the Taliban is given evidence that Bin Laden was involved [in the 9/11 attacks] we would be ready to hand him over” if the U.S. stopped bombing the Afghan people.

President Bush rejected this offer as “non-negotiable” stating that “the bombing will not stop unless Bin Laden is turned over.” In regards to following basic international law that demands that sufficient evidence must be provided to authorities before a suspect can be apprehended, Bush noted that “there is no need to discuss innocence or guilt. We know he’s guilty.”

On this basis, where the United States imposed mass starvation, bombed and invaded a sovereign nation to apprehend suspected perpetrators of terrorism, it is important to ask if this was lawful, let alone, moral, in accordance with international procedure. To clearly illustrate U.S. hypocrisy, consider the following example.

Emmanuel Constant, now living freely in the U.S., was the secretary general and founder of the right-wing, U.S. supported political organization, FRAPH, which ruled Haiti during the early 1990s, conducting a reign of terror, consisting of torture, rape and the slaughter of an estimated four or five thousand people in one 1994 massacre.

Haitian officials and human rights groups have presented unwavering evidence convicting Constant of his crimes and despite several calls for extradition, most recently on Sept. 30th, 2001, the United States has refused to turn him over.

If the assumption is that the United States should apply to itself the standards it applies to others, then Washington should immediately call for the military invasion and occupation of the United States by Haiti. Using these elementary standards, there is no question of the legality or morality of the U.S. war on Afghanistan.

Returning back to the early weeks of the war in Afghanistan, just two weeks after President Bush told the Taliban that the United States would continue to bomb Afghanistan until Bin Laden was handed over; a new war aim was announced by Britain’s chief of defense staff, Admiral Sir Michael Boyce.

On Oct. 28, Boyce stated that the U.S. and Britain would continue bombing the Afghan people “until [the Afghans] get their leadership changed.” This is probably the clearest depiction of international terrorism one could encounter, pending, of course, that we use the official U.S. definition of terrorism. Also, notice how Boyce’s threatening statement could be directed only at the Afghani general population, not those that the U.S. and Britain deemed to be terrorists.

Bush was even more illustrative in this change of policy when he stated in March of 2002 that he “[didn’t] care where Bin Laden [was].” He further made his point noting that the capture of the suspects was “not that important” and “not our priority.”

If the war aims were subject to change so quickly, perhaps 9/11 was only the pretext for a war in Afghanistan that had already underwent specific planning well before terror reigned in New York City.

In April of 2001, former Secretary of State and prominent Carlyle Group member, James Baker authored and submitted a report to Vice President Cheney, entitled, “Strategic Energy Policy Challenges for the 21st Century.”

In the report, Baker urges that a potential change in U.S. foreign policy geared toward oil production and exportation from the “Caspian Basin region” could “facilitate” and “secure an economical export route.” Baker is undoubtedly referring to the long revered plan and goal of building a permanent pipeline that extends through Afghanistan and the Caspian Basin region for privatized corporate export.

Baker’s report is just one small, yet illustrative example. Countless scholarly works and declassified government documents consistently show the deep commitment of those in power to secure control over the entire Middle East oil reserves at any cost.

Not only is the war on Afghanistan illegal by its originally stated aims, but clearly, Afghanistan is just another piece of the imperialist pie for the power structure to devour at its own discretion, for its own elite interests, regardless of the Afghan people, who are only getting in the way.

Naturally, they must be neutralized: driven out, slaughtered, or starved into submission, just like the Iraqis.

One of the top issues in this year’s presidential election is health care. The United States is the last industrialized nation that does not currently provide health care to all of its citizens. Besides just being in the national spotlight, some Michiganders have decided that it is time to bring health care coverage to all citizens of Michigan.

The health care for Michigan campaign is a grassroots movement that is supported by community, religious, senior citizens, union, health care, and medical groups. This coalition is proposing to amend the Michigan Constitution, and it is asking voters to decide whether or not to bring health care reform to Michigan in the Nov. 4th General Election.

Taking a more unusual route, the group’s proposal does not recommend a specific plan on how to fix the problems with Michigan health care. Rather, this proposal directs Michigan’s legislators that it is their duty to make sure that the state has a “comprehensive, cost-effective health care system” says the group’s Web site.

The exact proposal language says, “The State Legislature shall pass laws to make sure that every Michigan resident has affordable and comprehensive health care coverage through a fair and cost effective financing system. The legislature is required to pass a plan that, through public or private measures, controls health care costs and provides for medically necessary preventive, primary, acute and chronic health care needs.”

Besides just trying to control the price of health insurance, health care for Michigan has another main goal. That goal is to ensure that people who already have health insurance do not lose it due to the loss of a job, or who can no long financially afford it.

Since the proposal does not specifically direct lawmakers on how to fix health care, the amendment leaves all options open. On their Web site, health care for Michigan says, “…that the legislature should look at both public and private solutions for health care reform.”

This amendment does not bring universal health care to Michigan; it just shows that citizens of Michigan feel that it is in their best interests, both personally and for the Michigan economy.

Kim Halladay, who is the Northwest Regional Coordinator for the Michigan Universal Health Care Access Network will be visiting Ferris State on Monday, April 14. He will be holding an informational discussion at 7 p.m. in room 235 of the Starr Building on this proposed constitutional amendment.

Before this proposal can even be printed on the November 4 ballot, the coalition must 475,000 signatures by July 7. Also on Monday evening, Halladay will be gathering signatures to get this proposal on the ballot in November.

As several supporters of universal health insurance, including myself, have said, any type of health care reform will be good for both Michigan’s and the United States’ economy. Many businesses and non-profit organizations have a hard time paying the high price of offering health insurance to their employees.

Maybe the country is not ready for universal health care just yet, but this amendment puts Michigan a step in the right direction.

I couldn’t have written the lead better myself, so I’m not going to try. Brenden Case of dallasnews.com wrote, “This spring, 1.5 million new college graduates will enter the worst job market in years, thanks to an economy teetering on the brink of recession.” To make light of this situation, I altered Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” The poem below is an optimistic message for all the future jobless college graduates eager to be a part of the economy.

Congratulations! (I made that word up just for you.) This is your year. You’re off to many places, so get off your rear! You’ve got no gas in your car. The economy is dead. But according to detnews. com, the worst is ahead.

Manufacturing is gone, so you won’t have to heave. But according to the Census Bureau, you might have to leave, because graduate frustration with the economic situation has lead to record-high outmigration. With your brain in your head and running shoes on your feet, you won’t want to go down recession street.

But how will you earn money? Where will you go? According to Forbes.com, 2008 hiring is low. And if you can’t get a job, you’re in trouble I bet, because MSN Money says the average college grad has more than $20,000 debt. Deficit spending and Fed control of the interest rate has caused any savings to devaluate. With the minimum wage increase, which produces less than it pays, small Michigan companies can’t afford to give you a raise.

If your hopeless situation has left you miffed, you could join the thousands of Americans who drift. If you can stand the hours, the weather and the fragrance, you could easily join America’s millions of vagrants. But if you need guaranteed meals and shelter from hail, you could join the one percent of Americans who are in jail.

You’re not alone if you don’t know what to do. There are plenty of places for people like me and you. There are welfare offices, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters around. And some companies let you rummage through the lost and found. There are apple trees on the Ferris campus for free food in the fall, and when it gets too cold you can head to the mall. Life without a car is a pain in the neck, but you can ride a bus when you get your stimulus check.

See things aren’t that bad. They’re actually quite great. Oh the places you’ll drift, class of ‘08!

As far as the human can see, Earth has been the only planet known to sustain life. Though we continually search for extra terrestrial life, we have yet to find another planet that could provide us with the necessities for sustaining basic life.

This is all we have, yet we consume it uncontrollably; without regard to its depletion. We consume as if this planet will last forever, as if it were the never-ending gobstopper of life. It seems that we are slowly learning otherwise.

As Americans, we consume more than any other population on the Earth. If every nation consumed at the same rate that we do, we would need three Earths (StoryofStuff. com). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 87.5 percent of Americans drive themselves to work, opting not to take public transit. Elsewhere in the world, 15 percent of Japanese workers ride their bikes to work. In the Netherlands, that number is 50 percent, and in China 77 percent. Sedentary lifestyles are the second deadliest killer in the U.S. just below tobacco, according to the California Department of Health.

Why are we, as a nation, stuck so much on convenience and comfort? Not only do we kill our planet, we are killing ourselves. The U.S. only has four percent of the world’s population, but we consumer 10 percent of the world’s oil. Some of the most polluted cities reside right here in our beautiful country.

Due to the greed of the auto industry, initiatives by California to increase the amount of zero-emission vehicles sold were continually shot down. The suppliers, driven by the consumers, don’t believe it is economically viable to sell products that protect our environment. At the same time, it seems we would much rather drive around in big SUVs, or at least have our own car to drive around in, than use public transit.

According to the American Public Transportation Association, 1.1 billion hours of travel time were saved by public transit. Delays in traffic would be increased by 27 percent if public transit didn’t exist, the organization stated. For every passenger mile traveled, public transportation uses about one-half of the fuel consumed by cars, and one third of the amount consumed by trucks and SUVs. The cost of motor vehicles is the second largest debt among American households.

It seems that we are too set on being individuals; on being set in our own world, with all our own stuff. If we could just learn to share, we could save this planet to be passed down to our children after us. Why ride by ourselves, when we can car pool and make a friend? Why spend money on having our own vehicle when we can use public transportation, walk, or ride a bike? That money could much better be spent to help our neighbors feed their families or to provide education in third world countries.

We’ve spent more money fighting wars than some countries even have to sustain themselves. Why not instead use this money to provide food for the hungry? Humans are the smartest species on this planet. This earth was given to us as a gift. We are to take care of it as good stewards. Instead, we would prefer to exploit it for our own continued comfort. This exploitation is only making our lives more complicated though.

The solution is simple. Live life more simply. Why must we complicate things to be comfortable? Can’t we just be content with the simple things of life? Enjoy the weather and the reward of growing a garden. Share crops and meals with our neighbors. Take turns with a local car pool, or take a subway or bus. Don’t drive alone unless absolutely necessary. We need to learn to only buy things we use. There’s no sense to have something just to let it sit in the driveway like a trophy. We need to stop living disposable lives, and treat everything as a precious gift.

Many times I notice the fact that men go unnoticed in a lot that they do. Tomorrow the men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. will be having a Women’s Appreciation Day, which will appreciate women and give awards to women in the following catergories: motherhood, scholarship, perseverance, and uplift (facebook.com).

According to Ferris' Web site, last month was Women’s Appreciation Month and there were many events on campus for women, but where are the events for the males, to show they are appreciated?

Last week, during the Mr. Wonderful competition Delta Sigma Theta Inc. appreciated the men that were in the audience. Last semester the ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Inc. had a Male Appreciation Day. That’s only two events I remember in one school year.

It still poses a question to me, why does the efforts of hard working men go unnoticed?

Well, I’m sure that is a question no one can really answer. I’m going to take this opportunity to let some men know that they are appreciated by me.

10. My male Torch employees: James, Tom, Ben, Thaddaeus, Justin, Kelsey, Jeff, Paul, Mike, Bryce, Max and Andy. You are some of the coolest guys a chick could work with. I think that I always get stuck in the office with you guys but, it's great to hear your oh-so-manly conversations.

9. Carnel Richardson, I think that you stretch yourself so thin when it comes to ministering to the campus. You make sure to get things done in a professional manner, and even though it shows tiredness all across your face, you’re still available when people call on you.

8. Aaron Dudley, you’re truly an awesome guy. We met this year and our friendship just evolved in a matter of months. Our friendship is nothing more or nothing less than a friendship; you understand me and you are kind even in the unkindest moments of me. You’re always an open ear and even though you’ve made me angry and hurt my feelings to what I thought would be un-repairable we still remained friends. Over all you’re really kind and I hope that our friendship continues.

7. Matthew Chaney, not only are you the director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services, you’re an open ear when any student has an issue or concern.

6. Dean V., a lot can be said but, what I do want to say is life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while you could miss it. Thanks for crossing paths with me, you're awesome.

5. Damion Norton, I really don’t know where to start with you. You’re just a goof troop most of the time but, I appreciate the fact that you are always real with me. The conversations we have together vary from goofy to serious but, I enjoy the serious ones because you always are there when I need someone to talk to.

4. Gregory Croxton, I just want you to know I can’t stand you; you get over my last nerves! You tick me off to the highest degree but, yet God continues to keep you in my life. There’s a reason for that and neither one of us can answer it.

3. Curtis Johnson, the coolest dude at Ferris State University. I’m sure it’s not only my opinion. Whenever I stop by your house, you’re quick to be inviting with your favorite line “take your coat off and stay for awhile”.

2. Louis “Blu” Howard, my uncle. You do some much for me and at times; I feel like 'thank you' isn’t enough. I don’t know how I would manage without you. Some times things you say to me are hurtful but, I understand you’re only telling them to me for my best interest.

1. Terrell Howard, my brother and friend. Even though you’re the older brother, I’m the bigger sister. You are my brother, and we had a strange little bond, sharing common colds and toothpaste, coveting one another’s dessert, hiding things, borrowing money, locking each other out of rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that binds us together. You’re my older brother and we have a bond that can never be replaced.

Here are just a few guys in my everyday life that I feel need to be acknowledge. There are so many things men do to make sure woman are appreciated in a special way. I hope this is special enough for you guys.