And now for a little rant:

Something important thing that I'd like to get down before I lose the emotion. In light of Obama saying he was going to rid the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the Army, I found out my parents don't support it (Obama's actions against the act; they support the act itself..from what I understand). This is the reason they - or at least my mother - have given me: The "don't ask, don't tell" policy is so gay men - and women, I suppose - can join and not threaten straight people in the Army because, apparently, there's an imminent threat of a butt raping anywhere a gay man is seen. And so that tells you how fuckin' stupid one can be and still join the Army. And I really, truly hate to say that because most of my family on one side or another have been in the Army, but from what I heard today, the former fact is true.

And if you don't believe what I just said, look at it this way: If one said, "I don't want to know if you've African American roots in your family because then I'd know you'd be lazy and might mug me when you get the chance - and that really would make me feel uncomfortable." that would, in fact, be racist. So what in the hell is the difference? What separates the homophobes from the racists? What separates the lynchers from the straight boys who killed the gay kid in school? I tell you, there's no fuckin' difference between the two - both are wrong and should be rid of in this so called "land of the free". I tell you, I feel so ashamed of having a white family who really and truly discriminates - or supports this discrimination - against a race, religion, belief, attitude, or sexual preference - a sexual fuckin' preference, for God's sake. I tell you what, new rule, if a person is Christian, he/she is not allowed to join the military unless he/she chooses not talk about his/her faith, ideas, loves, and beliefs. How's that for a policy? I'll add this in as well: that person's marriage will not be recognized in most states of the United States AND that person is also going to an afterlife reserved for a people's murderers, rapists, and truly evil people. But it's a choice, right? Someone so far from the right way shouldn't have full rights, right? Someone so far from the right set of morals shouldn't be allowed into a heaven, right? You call yourselves Christians, I call you hypocrites. You, you racist, you homophobe, are just as guilty as the murderer who killed Lawrence King or Harvey Milk.

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. Matthew 15:7-8

Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother let me pull the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast first the beam out of thine own eye, and then chalt thou see clearly to pull the mote that is in thy brother's eye. Luke 6:42

Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? Isaiah 29:15-16

I can not help but let in the despise for these people in my heart. I can not help but let in hate.


And now for something completely different and a break from the little rant of anger:

The following is free by courtesy of Bartleby.com, which is coincidentally - and very aptly - named after "Bartleby, the Scrivener" by Herman Melville. The site carries a great many works of literature, essays, and more online. It's helped many times for AP Lit.

Robert Frost (1874–1963). Mountain Interval. 1920.

18. The Hill Wife - Robert Frost

LONELINESS (Her Word) ONE ought not to have to care
So much as you and I
Care when the birds come round the house
To seem to say good-bye;
Or care so much when they come back	5
With whatever it is they sing;
The truth being we are as much
Too glad for the one thing
As we are too sad for the other here—
With birds that fill their breasts	10
But with each other and themselves
And their built or driven nests.
HOUSE FEAR Always—I tell you this they learned—
Always at night when they returned
To the lonely house from far away	15
To lamps unlighted and fire gone gray,
They learned to rattle the lock and key
To give whatever might chance to be
Warning and time to be off in flight:
And preferring the out- to the in-door night,	20
They learned to leave the house-door wide
Until they had lit the lamp inside.
THE SMILE (Her Word) I didn’t like the way he went away.
That smile! It never came of being gay.
Still he smiled—did you see him?—I was sure!	25
Perhaps because we gave him only bread
And the wretch knew from that that we were poor.
Perhaps because he let us give instead
Of seizing from us as he might have seized.
Perhaps he mocked at us for being wed,	30
Or being very young (and he was pleased
To have a vision of us old and dead).
I wonder how far down the road he’s got.
He’s watching from the woods as like as not.
THE OFT-REPEATED DREAM She had no saying dark enough	35
For the dark pine that kept
Forever trying the window-latch
Of the room where they slept.
The tireless but ineffectual hands
That with every futile pass	40
Made the great tree seem as a little bird
Before the mystery of glass!
It never had been inside the room,
And only one of the two
Was afraid in an oft-repeated dream	45
Of what the tree might do.
THE IMPULSE It was too lonely for her there,
And too wild,
And since there were but two of them,
And no child,	50
And work was little in the house,
She was free,
And followed where he furrowed field,
Or felled tree.
She rested on a log and tossed	55
The fresh chips,
With a song only to herself
On her lips.
And once she went to break a bough
Of black alder.	60
She strayed so far she scarcely heard
When he called her—
And didn’t answer—didn’t speak—
Or return.
She stood, and then she ran and hid	65
In the fern.
He never found her, though he looked
Everywhere,
And he asked at her mother’s house
Was she there.	70
Sudden and swift and light as that
The ties gave,
And he learned of finalities
Besides the grave.

I found this series of poems today while reading The Poetry of Robert Frost and quite enjoyed it so I thought I'd share it with you, my online friends. Woo! One can make a lot of fear, anxiety, and insanity with nature, as well as beauty, and perhaps that's what I liked about it most.

You know, my internet readers, I've been thinking of putting something of literary merit on here everyday to prepare for my AP exam in May, or whatever date. I probably won't do it soon because I've a lot of work already this first semester.

Your friend,
Alex