Ballet or the Bullet

I like Malcolm X.

One day I went to the University of South Carolina for graduate school. Ok more than a day. While getting my classes set it was suggested I take "The African American experience in the US from 1865." Cool sounds good. Great class. Especially because race is still such a huge issue in South Carolina and other states. For those of you who disagree just look at the education system and tell me who's coming out on top. The class really got me into studying about the African American experience. I really enjoy it. I also love teaching it. Good stuff.

So my class was studying Civl Rights the other day. We'd been talking about Dr. MLK Jr. (DMLKJ) and about the Montgomery Improvement Association and his famous "Letter from a Montgomery jail" and other stuff. Good guy that DMLKJ is. But then we got to Malcolm X.

As a white person living in the south it is my natuarl inclination to dislike Malcolm X. His rhetoric wasn't really friendly to people like me back in his day. So growing up I was never a big Malcolm X fan (who doesn't have a last name?) and was slightly afraid of Denzel Washington for a while.

I was reading X's "The Ballet or the Bullet" speech the other day. It has this great tone to it. The title is a little ominous and not exactly what you think it is; close but not exactly. X basically argues that when equality is not offered you must take it, defend it, do what it takes.

I found myself realy agreeing with X on his points. Especailly after understanding a little bit about the strugles for equality and against racism. I like the idea of fighting for freedom. Isn't that what the Revolutionary War was about. I like the idea of protecting my family, by all means necissary- even when that means buying a rifle. No Taxation w/o representation right? This is really my kind of guy, someone willing to fight for something worth fighting for.

Then there's DMLKJ. He really looks like a pansy next to Malcolm X. DMLKJ was getting hosed while X was preparing to fight. DMLKJ was worried about his daughter not being able to go to "fun town" while X was starting a militant movement in the Civil Rights. Non-violence, phshhshs!!!! Who needs that?! You've got to fight for your right to party, or vote, or eat at the same counter as white people. I agree the Ballet or the Bullet.

But I'd be wrong. It is an interesting lesson Civil Rights is. More was accomplished by not fighting, by resistence, by civil disobidience (why do I like Thorough more now than high school???) then by any use of force. It seems that people may be able to accomplish more by not fighting. What a profound idea. I still don't get it. It seems like it shouldn't work, but apparently it does.

I like Malcolm X, my first inclinations are to agree with him, but I'd be wrong. And he called me a cracker. Jerk.

Paul "Cracker" Murphy

I don't want to jinx it... Gus redux

Well Gus the truck has been down and out for some time. Thanks to mom I got my really cool new starter in. So all I needed was to install and start 'er up. Since this about the fourth or fifth time I've taken the starter out and put it back it was pretty easy, even at night with a headlamp.

I was almost about to get excited about a working truck. I put the key in the ignition and noticed smoke coming out of my hood. I quickly popped it open to find a fire in the engine compartment. The next few moments were strange.

I walked quickly toward the house, not really knowing what to do. At this point it may have been better to get some lighter fluid and chuck it in the truck; at least then I could quit thinking about it. But I got some water after informing Philip and Luke my truck was on fire and put it out, and disconnected the battery cable.

Apparently the problem was electrical. To add to the confusion my clutch quit working. I racked my brain over it for a while. Can you guess what caused my truck to catch fire AND my clutch to quit working?

OK, so apparently the starter wire from the battery was frayed and contacting the frame. My clutch hydraulic line also comes into contact with the frame, and down the line the ground to the battery. Not directly but in a convoluted way. So when I hooked the battery up it made a circuit with my hydraulic line as a resistor; hence the fire. The heating caused an air bubble to form in the line, rendering the clutch useless. So I repositioned my starter wire and bled the hydraulic line.

MY TRUCK IS RUNNING!!!! and my wheel bearings seem to be holding!

Paul "dirty fingernails" Murphy

Unsafe at any speed: Huffy the bike that kills

Ok so it almost happened today; twice. So I decided to ride to Pago to mail some stuff. Sorry mom, you didn't get anything, or Josh, or Kevin. Nevermind I didn't mail anything....

The bike ride started off fun wisping down the hill of death. Then onto the second main road. I ducked in behind two trucks- less wind = easier speed. So as I was drafting at 25mph (5 over the speed limit) a truck wizzed by me and cut in front of me just to be slowed down by the other two vehicles. I kept up my speed and looked for an opportunity to pass the truck back : p, and stick my tounge out. I didn't get it on the straigt away, oncoming traffic and all. So I finally got my chance to pass a car up by the giant speed bump, next to the 7th Day church. The trucks slowed down, but my 3'11" wheel base allows me to fly over the bump. So I passed them on the right.

That's when the 1st truck started turning left into the parking lot, directly in front of me. So I hit the breaks. No real breaking power there. So I sped up in hopes of getting around the car quickly and only recieving a glancing blow instead of head on comedic impact that would have hurt a lot and required stitches. Luckily I BARELY got around the front of the vehicle, my tire missing the last corner of the bumper by 4in or less.

Then coming back from the post office I was cruising down the ocean side highway. I decided to kick it into high gear. My bike has a tendency to slip when I torque the gears hard. Its not a problem b/c I only reall crank on the crank going slow up hills. The gears slip; my feet slip, then I stop.

So I started speeding up to 25mph+ I was cranking the peddles hard. And that's when the gears slipped and my bike tried to kill me again. My feet flew off the peddles and my leaning forward pose made me slam down on the bar. All guys have had the experience if they ride a bike long enough. So then I'm flying down the road, looking like an idiot not being able to get back up off the bars, b/c my balance is off and I can't get my feet on the peddles. So I slowly came to a stop and regained my gusto.

Paul "Its probably possessed" Murphy

Adventures from the past month

First I'll definitely be at PBC this year for all of those enquiring. I've got my stuff booked. Just in case I need it later its Pago - Honolulu 11:30pm - 5:30am HNL-LAS 3:00pm - 11:30 pm LAS-MIN-DET-Greenville 12:50am - 5:45 - 6:45 - 9:30 - 12:15pm
7 time zones 5 states 4 layovers 3 carriers 2 hemispheres for 1 super week.

So Gus the truck went down. It was a whole fiasco about a wheel bearing then not getting the right part, then getting it 3 weeks later and the starter being dead. Its in the mail, just in time to sell Gus the Truck. It's been a pain, probably most for Jaime and Philip as they have to drive Colt, Allison, and Me to school in the morning.

Luckily I've got Buffy, my sweet bike. Yes its a Huffy, but I took the stickers off so it looks cool. The bike's been getting me around the island for a year now whenever the truck dies. Its a good combo. If only it had A/C. It's treacherous sometimes, but still fun.

We live on a small mountain. The road is partially paved going up to the house to keep erosion down. Its steep and smooth which makes it AMAZING to ride down. But only the steep part is paved so once you get to the bottom erosion has taken its toll leaving a drop. My new favorite activity is flying down the hill at 30+ mph and flying off the paved part onto the loose volcanic soil and not dieing. It all started b/c my breaks don't work to well. But it still rocks.

Tonight's the schools Arts Festival. The high school is doing a Samoan dance, which is kind of lame b/c that's what they do most years and we live in Samoa. Maybe they should have done a line dance, or cool Russian dance. So I decided to add some "Flair." I decided we'd add "The Dirty Bird" to a part of the dance. For those of you not familiar with the famous ATL Falcons end zone dance here's the skinny.

The dirty bird was concocted by O.J. Santiago when he was with the Phil Eagles. He used it sparingly as an end zone celebration. When he moved to ATL he used it more and more as the Falcons had their spectacular 97(?) season. It caught on like quick and soon the rest of the team was doing The Dirty Bird with every TD all the way to the Super Bowl. So now my students have snuck it into their dance routine. It'll be hott. South Pacific Culture meet Southeast Culture.

Paul "The bike thing would have been better if I bit the dust and broke something" Murphy

Stuff I don't like

1. People who don't blog regularly. Sorry loyal readership- the AS Dept of Ed has blocked blogger.com and the internet at the house has been down since April.

2. The song "Mansion Robe and Crown"
This one takes a little bit of explaining.
So I'm a little old for my age. At first it may not make since but I'm younger than most college graduate masters earning been working for two years people. I get stuck talking about it when people ask my age. I really don't like talking about it. I think people get the false impression I'm somewhat intellegent; which if you read the blog you know I'm not.

I've been thinking a lot about a recorded sermon I heard. The brilliant should continue to speak at church preacher talked about how life wasn't about checking off things on a list but in the journey. I use to think goals were what I wanted, and I worked at attaining those goals. But what do you do once you get there? I realized something profound. Getting somewhere isn't the point of life. If you just focus on that you'll mis out on everything. It's about the journey.

Back to MRC

I know "MRC" is loved by many in church-goers, but I'm not a big fan. Maybe its because of the low "guys" part that I can't sing very well. Or maybe I find its message a little weak.

You see according to the song Heaven's going to be great and all with all of this cool stuff. It'll be cool because I am there and I get a mansion, cool robe (hopefully with tassles), and a crown (not a fan; how bout a gamecocks hat, but not a normal size but giant "fergusson" size hat). And apparently heaven will be cool because I get stuff, like Christmas. It's like the reason for being a christian is heaven- one goal- get to heaven so I get live in paradise and live the easy life. That's why I don't like the song.

Life is about the journey. Christianity is about a relationship with God and continually building that relationship; not about heaven. Heaven's not going to be great because of a house and I'm there. Heaven's going to be amazing because the I AM, the creator of everything, the being who is love, the sultan of swat, the I AM who loves me is going to be there. That's all I need. Ok I threw in the sultan of swat, but I'm possitive God could crank one out of SBC park into sea, the Sea of Tranquility (pushes up nerd glasses).

In short MRC- petty and I don't think I'll sing it anymore, Heaven's not going to be good b/c of a nice house and bath garment. They seem pretty crappy compared to the creator of all good.

Paul " times up " mUrphy