Saddle up, brother- we're going to Iowa!

With the presidential campaign in full swing, my top pick, Barack Obama, within striking distance in Iowa, and with my butt planted firmly on my grandma's bar stool, I had an epiphany yesterday. It seems as though those who receive the call to action realize it all at once. My entire family,save for my father who I maintain has a latent support for the candidate, has taken an enthusiastic approach to supporting Senator Barack Obama's candidacy for the presidency. My mother and brother were involved early on in the Kalamazoo, Michigan area, working to spread the word on the Senator's agenda and why he made the best person for the U.S.' top post. I, more recently, have taken the lead in starting a group called 'Gallup For Obama', to rally the passionate, yet somewhat disorganized support for Obama's campaign that exists in Northwestern New Mexico. It seemed quixotic, then, that, at the height of primary season, with ballots being cast in less than one week in Iowa, that I should remain silent in Michigan, simply reading, writing, and hoping for an Obama win in the first contest, while he, and thousands of others, had hit the Hawkeye state to work day and night to ensure victory.

'Damn it!' I thought. Michigan is not that far from Iowa. Why don't my brother and I pack a bag, buy a Greyhound ticket and head south?!" Coming up with no good answer, here I am, sitting at a coffee shop, having just booked a ticket to Des Moines for 01 January to spend the final two days of the Iowa primary season working hard for the candidate I think holds the key for changing our country's fractured political state. What may have sealed the deal for me was an article in 'Atlantic' magazine's December edition by Andrew Sullivan outlining, in an incredibly articulate, passionate, and, most importantly, compelling manner, the reasons why, not only is Barack the top candidate in either party in the '08 presidential field, he also represents a 'generational' candidate with the unique set of tools necessary to bridge our divide and also tamp down anti-U.S. sentiment across the globe, particularly in the Islamic World.

Many things in the article stood out, and spoke to, me, but I want to post here a few points that struck me in a particularly strong way. First, describing one of Obama's strongest assets, Sullivan describes how the candidate's 'face' would in and of itself play a solid role in securing our country. Take a look:

"What does he offer? First and foremost: his face. Think of it as the most effective potential re-branding of the United States since Reagan. Such a re-branding is not trivial—it’s central to an effective war strategy. The war on Islamist terror, after all, is two-pronged: a function of both hard power and soft power. We have seen the potential of hard power in removing the Taliban and Saddam Hussein. We have also seen its inherent weaknesses in Iraq, and its profound limitations in winning a long war against radical Islam. The next president has to create a sophisticated and supple blend of soft and hard power to isolate the enemy, to fight where necessary, but also to create an ideological template that works to the West’s advantage over the long haul. There is simply no other candidate with the potential of Obama to do this. Which is where his face comes in.

Consider this hypothetical. It’s November 2008. A young Pakistani Muslim is watching television and sees that this man—Barack Hussein Obama—is the new face of America. In one simple image, America’s soft power has been ratcheted up not a notch, but a logarithm. A brown-skinned man whose father was an African, who grew up in Indonesia and Hawaii, who attended a majority-Muslim school as a boy, is now the alleged enemy. If you wanted the crudest but most effective weapon against the demonization of America that fuels Islamist ideology, Obama’s face gets close. It proves them wrong about what America is in ways no words can."

Much and little has been made about Obama's opposition to the war as a state senator in 2002. Much has been made by those who claim that then State Senator Obama is weak on defense and not even willing to authorize military force at a time when our country's security is seemingly clearly in danger. Little has been made by those who attempt to tamp down the courage of Obama in taking an unpopular position because a: he was a lowly state senator, and his decisions are, as such, not as consequential as U.S. senators, such as Clinton and Edwards, both of whom voted to support the war. In this bold statement from 2002, Obama keenly discounts both criticisms. Take a look:

"I don’t oppose all wars. And I know that in this crowd today, there is no shortage of patriots, or of patriotism. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war … I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda. I am not opposed to all wars. I’m opposed to dumb wars."

Five years on, it would be extremely hard for someone to doubt the accuracy and wisdom in Obama's forecast. Undetermined cost? Yes. Occupation of undetermined length? You betcha. Fanned the flames of the Middle East and encouraged the worst impulses of the Arab World? Si, senor. Not opposed to all wars, he says he is- simply, dumb wars. Has the Iraq War been dumb? Hmmmmm...

If that isn't enough, consider the following statement that a: shows how the generational divide between Obama and Clinton leaves the latter more prone to be afraid of, and divided from, right-wingers than the former and b: backs up Obama's statement in a July debate that he would readily negotiate with so-called global pariahs immediately upon taking office (and why it represents a politically divisive stance not to do so):

"A generational divide also separates Clinton and Obama with respect to domestic politics. Clinton grew up saturated in the conflict that still defines American politics. As a liberal, she has spent years in a defensive crouch against triumphant post-Reagan conservatism. The mau-mauing that greeted her health-care plan and the endless nightmares of her husband’s scandals drove her deeper into her political bunker. Her liberalism is warped by what you might call a Political Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Reagan spooked people on the left, especially those, like Clinton, who were interested primarily in winning power. She has internalized what most Democrats of her generation have internalized: They suspect that the majority is not with them, and so some quotient of discretion, fear, or plain deception is required if they are to advance their objectives. And so the less-adept ones seem deceptive, and the more-practiced ones, like Clinton, exhibit the plastic-ness and inauthenticity that still plague her candidacy. She’s hiding her true feelings. We know it, she knows we know it, and there is no way out of it.

Obama, simply by virtue of when he was born, is free of this defensiveness. Strictly speaking, he is at the tail end of the Boomer generation. But he is not of it.

Partly because my mother, you know, was smack-dab in the middle of the Baby Boom generation,” he told me. “She was only 18 when she had me. So when I think of Baby Boomers, I think of my mother’s generation. And you know, I was too young for the formative period of the ’60s—civil rights, sexual revolution, Vietnam War. Those all sort of passed me by.”

Obama’s mother was, in fact, born only five years earlier than Hillary Clinton. He did not politically come of age during the Vietnam era, and he is simply less afraid of the right wing than Clinton is, because he has emerged on the national stage during a period of conservative decadence and decline. And so, for example, he felt much freer than Clinton to say he was prepared to meet and hold talks with hostile world leaders in his first year in office. He has proposed sweeping middle-class tax cuts and opposed drastic reforms of Social Security, without being tarred as a fiscally reckless liberal. (Of course, such accusations are hard to make after the fiscal performance of today’s “conservatives.”) Even his more conservative positions—like his openness to bombing Pakistan, or his support for merit pay for public-school teachers—do not appear to emerge from a desire or need to credentialize himself with the right. He is among the first Democrats in a generation not to be afraid or ashamed of what they actually believe, which also gives them more freedom to move pragmatically to the right, if necessary. He does not smell, as Clinton does, of political fear."

Finally, Sullivan closes with an incredibly powerful and duelistic look into what vorers face when they hit the polls this primary season. Take one final look:

Clinton Presidency:
"The paradox is that Hillary makes far more sense if you believe that times are actually pretty good. If you believe that America’s current crisis is not a deep one, if you think that pragmatism alone will be enough to navigate a world on the verge of even more religious warfare, if you believe that today’s ideological polarization is not dangerous, and that what appears dark today is an illusion fostered by the lingering trauma of the Bush presidency, then the argument for Obama is not that strong. Clinton will do. And a Clinton-Giuliani race could be as invigorating as it is utterly predictable."

Obama Presidency:
"But if you sense, as I do, that greater danger lies ahead, and that our divisions and recent history have combined to make the American polity and constitutional order increasingly vulnerable, then the calculus of risk changes. Sometimes, when the world is changing rapidly, the greater risk is caution. Close-up in this election campaign, Obama is unlikely. From a distance, he is necessary. At a time when America’s estrangement from the world risks tipping into dangerous imbalance, when a country at war with lethal enemies is also increasingly at war with itself, when humankind’s spiritual yearnings veer between an excess of certainty and an inability to believe anything at all, and when sectarian and racial divides seem as intractable as ever, a man who is a bridge between these worlds may be indispensable.

We may in fact have finally found that bridge to the 21st century that Bill Clinton told us about. Its name is Obama."

Folks, I can't sit by and watch and hope that the candidate I believe can change the world gets elected. And so, on January 1st, I'll hit the road heading for Iowa. I will do my best to ensure that the coming generation has what it needs in terms of a leader who can unite a fractured county and restore the U.S.' image in the eyes of the world. Our choice is clear, and I urge each of you to take action.

Holday reflections and resolutions for the new year

1. Always be on time.
2. Develop a working understanding of cricket.
3. Cook something different at least three times a week.
4. Don't say what you don't mean, and always say what ya' do.
5. Help a Democrat win election in New Mexico's Second Congressional District.

These constitute my tentative resolutions for the year 2008. Other ideas with which I'm toying around include learning an instrument, preferably one with strings, penning and sending through snail mail at least one letter per week, and giving up coffee (Hah! Forget that!). Seriously though, at the beginning of any year, it's fun to resolve to do things (and not do things) that can make a real and positive impact in and on our lives. Last year, I made a few, some held through, and I'm better for it. For example, I felt compelled to keep traveling to differen countries, a habit I'd christened in summer '06, before the commencement of this blog, and which I happily continued and manifested into trips to Nicaragua and an upcoming venture to the Middle East. Yee-haw.

Now, home, recouping, and feeling inspired, I've resolved to, once more, try to take the beginning of the new year, as a cause for self-improvement. A key difference, and one that, I think, makes this task even more important than in years past, is that, now, my self-improvement can and, I think, will, improve the lives of dozens of other, incredibly special people- that is, my students at Church Rock Academy.

Every day, they look for a leader who is well put together, passionate, and, most importantly, deeply cares about them and their development as students and people. I do, and I want to show them better that I do. I've started this trend by getting a hair cut yesterday. Cleaning up a chaotic mop of curls will help me be a better teacher in at least two important ways. First and foremost, seeing your students is key- yeah- seeing your students is key. Removing the locks from afront my eyes assists in making this a reality. Secondly, I will look more professional, which could allow me to garner support for my classroom from outside entities, such as philanthropists, district policy makers, and others. I'm not a conformist, but if it means giving my students more opportunities to succeed, I'll shave my head, gosh darn it!

So, hope with the new year and a call to action cloud my mind as December 25th turns to December 26th, two days before my parents' 33rd wedding anniversary. Wow! That's a lot of years! It's amazing and admirable that they've kept things together for so long. It's been a union not without trial, but they've managed, and my brother and I are better for it. By the way, my brother is a young man now, and growing like crazy. He's wicked smart and funny as heck. I'm stoked by him and cannot wait to see in which direction his life will turn. He's a talent to say the least.

Now, I feel compelled to discuss two of my best friends and most faithful blog readers- Elliot Bell-Krasner and Brock Boven. First, let's talk EBK.

Elliot is a unique soul and invariably makes a strong impression on people due to his enthusiasm, which is of the ultra variety and which I find both inspring and compelling. He is a senior at GW with many prospects. After having wrapped up an incredibly successful semester working for Senator Kennedy and the Senate Education Committee, he'll transfer to the National Education Association for a paid internship working on issues related to No Child Left Behind. As if that weren't enough, he's also a successful Sunday school teacher at a local synagogue, which offered him a full-time gig teaching after graduation. Elliot has a great deal of leadership experience, including inside the classroom, that would benefit him as a Teach For America Corps Member. a position for which he is also in the process of applying. One day, Elliot will serve his country as an elected official. He's currently serving the students of GW's Columbian School of Arts and Science as one of their student senators. The record will show in May that they were much better off having his services than they would've been without them.

On to Brock 'the Rock', not 'rock, chalk, Jayhawk', Boven. I've known Brock since my senior year of high school, when I moved to Portage, Michigan from Las Cruces, New Mexico, not really knowing anyone and having no idea what to expect. I arrived in my first hour physics class like a fragile dumpling (o.k.- I have no idea what that means, but I felt like writing it anyway- ignore the diction, and move one), or a kid without a plan. I noticed a short, skinny kid to my right who looked all of 12-years-old. In all fairness, despite his vastly more muscular physique, Boven still looks 12- sorry, Bov! Anyhow, in the early throes of the schoolyear, I was convinced Brock didn't like me. We didn't talk much in physics or in the other class we shared- accounting. However, we did share some mutual friends, which led us to eat together at the same table during lunch. We bonded, finally, when we discovered a mutual interest in launching bits of bread sticks at unsuspecting students sitting nearby. Upon establishing this unbreakable bond, a new friendship, nay, a brotherhood was formed that lasts to this day.

I learned that Boven, despite his Michigan roots, is a Southwesterner at heart. Indeed, his golf talents had taken him to a few tourneys down in the SW, and he told me he was planning to compete in a tournament in my native Las Cruces. I shared with him some info. on the place, including locations of fine-dining at which he and his pop would have to stop. He also visited New Mexico State University and, enjoying his time there, put it on his list of prospective colleges to which to apply come the next schoolyear (Boven is one year younger than me). Happily, he decided that NMSU was the right fit for him and, today, he is a senior Aggie, on his way to graduating with high honors and having carved a strong niche within the school's geography department. He will have his choice among several quality grad programs from Geographical Information Systems, including an offer from NMSU to stay and do his masters work for free. Boven has developed into an incredibly thoughtful, intelligent, and caring person, and I am grateful for his friendship. And even though I continually kick his ass in ping-pong, he's even improved substantially in this area. Who knows, perhaps an upset is in the making!

Cheerio from Kalamazoo,

(A comfortable) --Daniel

Between Odds and Ends

When we lose someone close, several assumptions we had about life and its equation fly to the wind. Why and how could the same force bringing people together to fall in love, engendering joy in the heart of a mother as she delivers a baby into the world, or exuding a sense of hope so strong it seemingly cannot perish, also create a devastation and grief of such a severe nature that it forces us to rethink our most basic suppositions about the point of existence. Call it an existential crisis if you like, but when someone, especially a teacher, mentor, and loving family man, is taken from this Earth prematurely, one cannot help but wonder why. What is the broader, positive take-away here? I understand that some, indeed most, of life's important lessons are nuanced and we cannot find meaning in them at the surface. However, after scavengering for hours and days after one of my best friends and mentors was taken, I remain baffled by something could have decided that it was his time go. And so, at a time of unprecendented hope and excitement in my life, a tragedy of immense proportion gives me pause and forces me to reflect on existence and its guiding force.

I am mad. I am sad. Also, I want answers. If my friend, someone who by any interpretation was living life the 'correct' way dies, then what reason is there to live in that way? Persons of faith say that life's true blessing lies in the great beyond. To some extent, I agree, but it is still perplexing to think about how this man, who, in his work as a physical therapist, teacher, mentor, and father, was depended upon by hundreds of people, could better serve out of this world than within it.

One thing that I cannot espace and that brings me comfort is that innate in all humans, I believe, is a deep and sincere desire to do well unto others. This is our purpose. Though our connection to these natural inclinations are sometimes muddled by the societal injustices like poverty, racism, violence, and other forms of horrendous discrimination, our noble urgings do not leave us. It is the battle of human kind to rid the world of vices that detach persons from what their own mind and body know to be true and right. Even without any great guiding force, this inclination does exist within all of us and seems to represent a sufficient cause for noble, kind behavior towards others and to live a life devoted to creating an equitable world.

As I struggle with the tragedy of my friend's death, my heart goes out to his family, whom he loved best. It's both right and good to think deeply about the possible lessons associated with any of lives event, whether tragedy, triumph, or other, however there exists an inescapable truth here that two daughters and a loving wife are without their hero. And this, no matter how you look at it, is a tragedy.

Reflections on a Snow Day

As I look out over a snow-covered street in a corner booth at a cafe in Gallup, New Mexico, I am given cause to take to the keyboard and share reflections on what is going on at this point in my life and adventure fresh out of college.

It's been some time since I last blog, reflecting a flurry of activity in both my personal and professional life. To ensure full disclosure, I'll first reel off a bland list of those things in which I've been most involved of late, and then try to give a more eloquent description of a chosen few.

First and foremost, of course, I am a teacher and work daily to become closer to, and effective for, my students. Seventy-five fourth and fifth graders pass through portable 21 at Church Rock Academy Elementary School each day, and I am happy to try to provide them with a new kind of knowledge and hope, traits they will need to succeed and lead a meaningful, satisfying life.

Secondly, I find great pleasure in the opportunity to continue pursuing my political interests in this new home. I could not have chosen a better year, politically, to return to the Land of Enchantment. With Senator Pete Domenici planning to resign his seat after his term expires in January, 2009, all three of NM's U.S. House Representatives have tossed their names into the rings as a possible successor, leaving three Congressional seats up for grabs. Along with a good friend and close political colleague, I have been hard at work in putting together a proposal to work on the campaign of a Democratic candidate seeking the seat in NM's 2nd Congressional District. It has been my friend's and my goal and hope for many years to see our district return to the blue, and we have dreamed of making a real impact in that process together. Now, we might get out chance. We have wrapped up our proposal and plan to meet with the candidate personally before I leave for Michigan on December 23rd.

Also, I hosted a house party for Senator Barack Obama at my home last Friday. We had a good group of supporters of the Senator's candidacy for the presidency come out, and we learned important ways in which we can work to help him win delegates in the New Mexico Democratic Caucus, which will take place on February 5th. The meeting was conducted by three representatives from the group 'Grassroots Obama for New Mexico', and, at the end, one of them laid forth the idea that I take the lead in starting a group called 'Gallup For Obama'. There exists much support for Obama's candidacy in this part of the state. The key, in terms of translating this enthusiasm to votes and delegates for Obama, will be organization and mobilization. I am all too happy to comply with the representatives suggestion and am hard at work planning our group's first meeting.

Thirdly, I remain excited about my duties as head coach of Gallup High School's girls and boys tennis teams. We plan to begin practice in late January and match play in early March. In the mean time, I've been attending coaches meetings at the high school and reaching out to players around town (by that, I mean I've actually happened upon some players coincidentally across Gallup). My main goal right now is the planning of a tennis tournament here in Gallup (of which we currently have none) in order to a: raise awareness of our program, for which we hope to garner support and enthusiasm and b: raise some much-needed funds for our team. We could sure use them! I am excited about planning my first tournament, which I hope will become a perennial success in the community. I was hired to build a program at GHS and could not be more excited to stay involved in the sport I love in this way.

Fourth, I have become actively involved in my school's Steel Drum Band. Under the guidance of Director Randy Markham, our world-class music teacher at Church Rock who has spent the better part of the last thirty years as a professional musician, traveling the world performing, laying down scores for both movies and T.V. shows, as well as teaching at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, a small group of students has taken up an instrument that, until now, was entirely foreign to them. Our band has performed at numerous locations, and I had the privilege recently of traveling with them and a fellow teacher to a performance in Albuquerque at an inter-tribal conference reception for a formed U.S. Attorney. In addition to the former U.S. Attorney, Regina Schofield, the conference was attended by several tribal presidents from across the country and other influential policymakers and philanthropists. Despite the luxurious and decidedly high-profile surroundings, our students were calm, cool, and entirely professional. They set up the entire stage, moving quickly and fluidly as they did so, and then brought a chatty room to a halt with their musical talents. Indeed, by the end of the night, we'd engendered a conga line and earned three full and separate standing performances. Proud, excited, and tired, the little musicians cleared the stage, packed up the truck, and drove home on a cold NW New Mexico night, arriving at school just after midnight (two things- when I say the students drove home, don't worry- none of them actually took the wheel! secondly, all except for one of the musicians were at school the next morning, only seven hours after returning from the trip!).

We received a groundswell of support after the performance, with numerous people approaching Randy, offering cards and pledges of support for future trips. It got me thinking about my time in D.C. working for Senator Bingaman. We often hosted large groups of dancers from New Mexico, who had come to town to perform at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Knowing what an impact a trip to the capital had made on the young persons I'd had the pleasure of hosting for tours of the Capitol building, I set about writing a proposal to the NMAI to secure a performance for our young ones. I know funding is out there and am excited to see if I can orchestrate this ambitious trip. It would, I think, leave a lasting and formative impression in their young minds.

Fifth, I am hard at work with my team plugging away on our campaign for the Youth Ambassador position of the 2008 class of 'Young People 4' fellows. My field manager is creating a winning strategy for the three days of campaigning, which will take place in D.C. in late January; I have submitted a stump speech for review to my communications director, and, with her go-ahead, I will record a video delivering the speech at my school, capturing stock footage of the special place where I work to be shown to YP4 fellows during the confenrece; and, as with any campaign, we are working hard to raise the funds necessary to optimize our field plan. So, if you've not already done so, we definitely would love to receive a little financial support from you (e-mail me for more information on sending contributions or the nature of our campaign effort, more generally).

Sixth, I recently took on a new position at my school entitled 'Student Support Team Facilitator'. The Student Support Team program is designed to offer extra support for students who struggle in the classroom due to academic, behavioral, medical, organizational, or other factors. The team consists of the student, a parent, school administrator, school councilor, SST facilitator, and, in some cases, other people such as community leaders, coaches, or other influencers. What we do is meet periodically to set goals and brainstorm solutions for the student to help them meet those goals. At each meeting, we review the goals, how the interventions (solutions) have fared in helping the student reach the goal and revise our plans based on the needs of the student. My job as SST Facilitator is to keep the lines of communication between teacher and all other members of a student's team as open and effective as possible. The job requires a lot of paper work and organization, but I am happy to step up and fill this spot for my school. I hope and expect to do well in this position.

Finally, there are the personal elements. Without wanting to go into too much detail, let me just say that I feel continually blessed by my colleagues at Church Rock, friends across the country and world, and family in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I receive support and guidance from veteran teachers and administrators at Church Rock and feel quite fortunate to be going through this experience with two other TFA students who are in there first year there, as well. Moreover, my good friend Andy, a third year TFA teacher at Church Rock who teaches the same students as I do, provides daily support, humor, and friendship. I feel blessed for the friends and family I have formed at Church Rock. From the teachers, to the cooks, to the custodians (with whom I've formed particularly close friendships), we are all in the effort of providing our students with every chance to succeed, together.

Moreover, I increasingly enjoy and feel connected to, my roommates. They are in a unique situation, teaching together at a particularly troubled schools. Listening to them recount oddities from their day makes me feel, on one hand, particularly fortunate to be at the school where I am, and, on the other, in total admiration of the commitment they continue to display toward teaching in a very difficult setting. My roommates are highly intelligent, humorous, passionate, energetic people, and I treasure the good fortune that allows me to live with them.

In closing, the love and strength provided me by family in Michigan sustains me through the hardship of teaching. I lament not being able to spend more time with my 14-year-old bro during these critical and critically formative years. However, his continual success leads me to believe that he's on a good track and what I can and should do is simply express encouragement, love, and that I am always there for him to talk or conspire, when need be. My father, like a rock (a quite comical rock), gives me everything I need, whether in terms of sending me contact information for a family member, forwarding an important e-mail, trying to book a flight, taking time off from work to pick me up at the airport, or having a conversation with me about the latest status of the sporting world. I respect my father greatly and admire the way that, through the years, he's been a pillar of dependability for my family. I strive to practice his discipline in my own life. I don't know if he knows how much I respect him and cherish his teachings. Perhaps the blogosphere will help convey the message. My mother, as always, fuels my creative being. Our discussions, up, down, heated, and often argumentative, invariably get me thinking and in a very passionate way. I take my commitment to politics from her. I also inherit my extreme dislike for racial, economic, social, and other types of injustive from my mother. She's inspired in me an inability to turn away from things that don't feel right. From her, I've receive unconditional love, a blessing without peer, and, as I move through life, I feel abundantly fortunate to have three people looking over and out for me, no matter where I or they may be. I find strength in my family and look forward to seeing and speaking with them on December 23rd.

Well, this 'bland list of those things in which I've been most involved of late' has turned into something of an essay. Such is the case, I reckon, in blogosphere, where ideas run unrestrained and the mind feels free to hash out its various weights and burdens. I actually feel I've benefited from typing out before me the things in which I'm involved. It is difficult to track them sometimes, and writing has a way of clearing and organizing my mind. Go blogs!

Finally, two things- first, I've started a new book, 'East of Eden' by the acclaimed author, John Steinbeck. Having read another novel by him, 'Of Mice and Men', I was attracted to this piece. He also writes about the Salinas Valley, close to which I was born and where the mom's side of my family has its roots. I find his language raw and intoxicating. His comments on the desires, hopes, shortcomings, and capabilities of humankind grip me. The beauty of his prose engenders thoughts on, and a new realization of the natural beauty of the world I thought I could have. The parallel in 'East of Eden' between the main characters and the biblical figures Cain and Abel makes this piece and its message timeless and instrumental regardless of year. I'm racing through it. Check with me to chat if you've read the book, too.

Second, a new light has entered my life. She's in Albuquerque and an implant from the charming, early-voting state New England state of New Hampshire. Finding it unlikely that I convey any semblance of my excitement toward this incredible new person who has come into my life, let me leave it with a simple thought- someone who gives you clarity of mind and silently compels you to be honest in an absolute sense makes you afraid. Fear and love, though, are close cousins, and I appreciate the excitement her thought gives me throughout the day.

Cheerio on a Gallup snow day,

--Daniel

Gobble Gobble

As another Thanksgiving passes, I'm reminded to take particular care and think of the various things for which I should give thanks on this day of reflection. However, today seems atypical in nature. Over the past year, I've undergone a period of change unlike any known yet throughout my life. I graduated from college; made voyages to Nicaragua and Ireland; was accepted into, and then became a part of, Teach For America, and endured the training that went along with it; am 75% through a young leaders program that has reaffirmed my desire to run for office, and created within me a new confidence in my ability to do so well and successfully; I've established a new home in Gallup, New Mexico, a place about which I'd known scant little, previously; and, finally, I'm making my way 'on my own', that is, I'm out of the dorms, away from my family, fending for myself. Yet, as soon as I write this down, I know exactly how silly it is to proclaim, ever, that I am, in any way, shape, or form, alone. The truth is that I have hundreds of wonderful people behind me, offering love and support, and molding me into the type of person I want to be.

Just this past week, for example, I returned to Las Cruces, New Mexico, the town in which I grew up, to spend a week of vacation with friends who, for all intents and purposes, are family. There exist many examples to discuss of the type of wonderful people who embrace me any time I pass through this magical city, however, I feel as though focusing on one family, in particular, nicely and effectively illustrates the good fortune I've had in meeting supportive, loving folks throughout my life.

Tim and Thea Hand know me and know me well. Tim has been a friend and tennis coach of mine since I was 13. He knows the ins-and-outs of my game. Moreover, he know the inner-rungs of my spirit, what makes me tick, where I want to go, and how I should get there. Thea taught me in high-school. She delivered many important lessons that I carry with me to this day and work to employ in my own classroom. One lesson in particular has stuck with me and passes through my mind often. It was a monologue by Thea regarding the difference between 'tolerance' and 'acceptance', and the preferential nature of the latter over the former. She exclaimed that one could tolerate someone else without ever taking the effort to truly know their beliefs, traditions, or way of life, more generally. Acceptance, however, causes one to reflect on her or his own beliefs, and how it might be, indeed it is, O.K. for others to believe different things, practice different activities, and lead their lives in the way they choose. Acceptance is tought, but more valuable, than tolerance. Teach tolerance? Nay, teach acceptance.

The Hand family has welcomed me throughout my post-Las Cruces career. Whether it was offering advice for passing through school, helpful pointers to become a better tennis player, or encouraging thoughtful reflection on just what I want out of life, they have always been there for me. I feel that I am truly one of the family. Thea's son, Ryan, is a remarkable young man, student, and tennis player. This 12-year-old has tremendous upside, and I enjoy and take very seriously the responsibility of providing him with a good example. I can only hope that he may take some things from me and my experience that help him as he passes through his. With all Thea and Tim give me, it seems the least I can do to help Ryan meet his awesome potential.

When we trust other people, through our fate into their hands, their naturally emerges a sense of vulnerability. We, in essence, are no longer in full control of our future. I never worry about this, and this, undoubtedly, is a luxury not enjoyed by all. I needn't worry about trusting others because those closest to me, I know, care deeply for my future and development. I many times wonder if the people in my life are aware of how grateful I am for them. It would be easy for them not to be, given my sub-par abilities in terms of keeping in touch, expressing gratitude, or displaying some of the other basic behaviors of a good friend, in general. However, I hope that, with this posting, somehow, over the Web, I can convey a real and genuine sense of my thankfulness on this special day for all of the love and support I have received and continue receive, especially over the last year of change. May each of you spend wonderful, enjoyable, and relaxing time with friends and family this Thanksgiving. I'll be thinking about each of you as I enjoy mine.

Cheerio from Las Cruces.

Sweat lodge rings in the cultural new year

Last Wednesday, I attended a 'sweat lodge' at the home of a good friend and colleague. In some Navajo traditions, the sweat lodge constitutes a cherished cultural component. Discussing the ritual with my colleague over the course of several weeks, I felt excited, if somewhat anxious, when he finally handed me a map last Wednesday and invited me to take part in the revered Navajo 'sweat'.

After a bit of difficulty (my own fault, entirely) in finding my colleague's home, I arrived just before six, as the sun moved slowly lower and lower beneath the horizon. Stripping down to some trunks, I made my way to the small structure in which it seems the ceremony was taking place. A man outside the lodge, Emerson, led me to the entrance. I could hear a drum and singing taking place inside. Slowly, excitedly, I entered.

What I saw when I slipped inside the skins and blankets could not be easier to describe- absolutely nothing. It was pitch black! I sat down. I could tell, once the curtain opened a bit later, that the space was comprised of a circular bench, on which the sweaters sit, and, in the center, a pit in which the numerous lava rocks that brought the space to incredible temperatures (temperatures that make your fiercest sauna seem like the frozen food section at your local grocer) rested, emitting tremendous warmth and producing intense and immediate perspiration all over my body. The music and singing began, chants I could not decipher, but the passion, emotion, and strange precision of which there was no mistaking. I was in an intense setting- this much, I knew, was true.

The temperature increased with each splash of water on the rocks. The steady 'whoosh, whoosh' was invariably followed by a piercing tinge on my skin as the hot air penetrated my body. My nose began to run. Water raced down my face and chest. My side hurt. Still, I felt well- strangely well. It was as though all of the ills and pent-upedness collecting inside of me were, somehow, racing out along with what seemed like several pounds of liquid I lost.


The chants meant a lot. I could tell that these words, songs were sacred, traditional, passed-on through many years. The men sang with such conviction in their voice that I remember wondering what these men were like in their everday life. Were they quiet? Reserved? Perhaps this exercise, once or twice a week, gave them the outlet they needed to vent pent-up frustration and remain in a strange, admirable calm for the remainder of the week. Whatever the case is, the chanting means a lot- both to the men who were leading it and me as a sat there in amazement of what was transpiring.

As the night wore on, I became more fully aware that something very healthy for my soul was happening. I felt lighter, more concentrated. My head cleared, body uncoiled. I embraced the heat, and it seemed to surround and protect me, from what, I don't know- but it had, undoubtedly, shifted from foe to friend, from adversary to ally. Each bead of sweat represented apprehension and stress leaving my body. I began to feel what my colleague had so sincerely described.

Finally, as the night drew to a close, the sweaters lured me back in to the lodge for one more round. They said that it would not take long but joked under their breath that 'it'll be hot!' Having just gone through nearly three hours of heat, I figured a few more minutes would do me well and, after helping to load in the remaining lava rocks, rejoined my newfound companions in the heat chamber. A man who, earlier, had been identified as the local chief, gave a special welcome to me, expressing his thanks that I was teaching and a hope that I would return to join them again. In turn, I thanked him for the opportunity to take part in this special ceremony and affirmed that I would, indeed, come back to take part again. After going around the circle, offering kind and encouraging words to the remaining sweaters, the chief initiated a traditional Navajo mountain song.

With each splash, I felt the heat rise, until it was too much. As the voices' volumes rose, I began to breathe in fire, each inhalation acquiring less oxygen then the last. My mind raced, panick (and pain) set in. I reached in, trying to draw upon a calm, a strength, an invincibility that, simply, was not there. Finally, fearing that something could go seriously wrong with my physical state, I urgently expressed a need to leave the lodge. After a coupld of calls, I exited, rolling out into the cool night air. Of course, I felt weak, but I knew I had done the right thing. Staying in the lodge would have posed a very serious risk to my physical health. I was, it seems, not ready for the 'last round'.

Minutes later, as the other sweaters emerged from the lodge, panting and laughing at the extremity of their actions, they teased me for leaving, but later assured me that almost no 'first timers' made it all the way through the last round. They expressed confident that, with time and increasing acclimation, I would find the strength and calm to endure the rapidly rising temperature. Importantly, they also recommended that I tilt my head down, not up, as it gets hotter. 'Thanks, boys,' I replied- this knowledge would have been of great benefit as I had held on for dear life minutes earlier!

Wednesday night's event further evidenced the tremendous opportunity I have here to learn a great deal about, and fully immerse myself in, a new culture. It is a goal of mine, in life, to continually possess a fascination with, and openness to, the process of putting myself in unfamiliar places, particularly as regards learning about new ways of life. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend the sweat lodge and look forward to returning in future. Perservering throughout the last round now constitutes something of a right of passage in my mind, that is, something I must find the inner-strength and peace to do. As my cultural education continues and quicken in Northwestern New Mexico, my proximity to these assets becomes closer. I can feel the end of that last round and will report on what it feels like as soon as I know it more intimately.

Cheerio.

Rock, Chalk, and that Ticking Clock: Adentures from Week 11

Last week was a big one at school. Not only are we settling into our second quarter, and moving closer toward a sense of normalcy in our classrooms, but Church Rock Academy teachers and staff also had their first quarterly 'report-out' to district and state educational officials regarding our progress thus far in the school year. As a first-year teacher, I was not overly-involved in the construction of the presentation that the leadership team made to our audience, however, I felt a sense of responsibility for the results contained therein.

Unsure of how our presentation was being received but confident that we do a lot of good things at the school, comments by our district assessor at the end of the talk provided a sense of pride and inspiration for the CRE staff. Our assessor said that, of all the quarterly report-outs she'd attended this year, ours was the most comprehensive, thorough, and revealing one she'd seen yet. While, again, I did not help put this together, I think her comments speak to the unity and chemistry that we, as a staff, have developed at Church Rock. Much of this is due to the coach-like approach taken by our principla, Gary Schuster, who served as a football coach for many years and strives, above all, to ensure that staff is on the same page and each individual feels valued. This is a divergence, I'm told, from the school's past, and welcome and positive change.

The sense of progress is powerful. I began thinking about how lucky I am to be at Church Rock. Everyone, from the teachers, to the custodians, to the specials instructors (P.E., band, library), to the councilor, plays an important part in what we do, and, in her or his own way, helps kids do well in school. I've been part of many different teams in the past, but never one of this kind. It has always, in the past, been about striving to become better and more effective as a group, but the results rested squarely with us, as opposed to over 200 students for whom our cohesion can mean the difference between a quality educational experience or, well, not.

This week was also big for me, personally, in my classroom. On Wednesday, my program director for TFA, who has been an incredible resource and used to teach at Church Rock, came in to do her 'extended observation' of my classroom. Unsure of how to approach this, I simply decided to do what I always do in terms of preparing and then implementing the lesson plan- nothing special. I felt as though giving her a glimpse of how things normally run in my class would be more beneficial for her and me, as it would allow her to give meaningful feedback I can apply immediately in our normal process in the class. Adding an interesting quirk to the observation was that Wednesday was Halloween, and while most candy consumption comes in the evening, a good number of my students had gone ahead and jumped the gun on that one, beginning the candy intake probably before they even reached school! I knew I'd have my work cut out for me in running a calm, focused lesson for my PD.

The lesson I chose involved direction. We have been learning about maps and map skills, one of which relates to the compass rose, a key element of all good maps, as my students (I hope!) would tell you. On Wednesday, I decided to focus on relative location, that is, the idea that one place rests in a particular direction relative to another. For example, Santa Fe is southwest of Topeka, Kansas. The idea was to introduce the concept and then distribute a worksheet featuring ten city combinations, requiring students to find the relative location of the first city to the other.

The review of our previous lessons to maps statted well. Students recalled, seemingly with ease, the key components of a map, and some different types of maps we'd studied to that point. I had good participation from students with a range of performance levels, which I and my PD thought encouraging. Things were off to a good start.

As I moved into new material (the portion of the lesson in which a new concept is introduced), things continued to go smoothly, I thought. I discussed the concept of relative location, using a globe and map to illustrate my point that two locations have a directional location, and also throwing in the point that, though most cartographers orient their maps so that north is 'up', this need not be the case. To illustrate this point, I flipped the globe upside down and asked students to tell me in which direction north was. Most realized that, though the physical location of the globe had change, north still pointed toward the North Pole, which, now, was at the bottom of the globe. Got it? Well, most of my kids did, and this is the key thing!

After introduction to new material, I had to volunteers pass out our activity on relative location. I gave students my behavioral and performance expectations. They were to work in teams and raise their hands, though not call out to me, if they needed help. I went immediately to some of my lower-performing students, for whom the difference between a successful and unsuccessful day is largely inertiatic. In other words, if they start off well, they will keep going with an assignment. Getting the ball rolling then, is the key. So, I strode over to some of the students I knew would need assistance getting going, and, to my delight, they seemed to enjoy the activity and, not only did they understand the basic requirements, they also worked cooperatively to move forward on it. Nice!

I continued to circle the room. My strongest students were looking good, and I began wrestling with the thought of having them, upon completing the assignment, help other students who had not done so yet. I decided that this would be a good idea, but it didn't come to this as, by the time I was ready to collect the assignment, most students, even the typically quickest workers, had only just finished. In sum, I was pleased with the class' efforts. Though it took some students a while to get going (this is usual with my students), most everybody had completed a good chunk of the assignment, and, more impressively, many had helped their peers do the same. Teamwork, baby- yeah!

After this, and about one hour into our learning day, it was time to take a practice spelling test. I've been giving students ten spelling words per week beyond their grade level. Last week's words were particularly challenging, and I was curious to say how students would perform in our practice assessment (I give the real test on Friday). As we moved into the test, I was, first of all, pleased with the professionalism my students took to testing. They were quiet, attentive, and working hard. We successfully completed the assignment, and then students traded and graded. We were a long way from our class goal of everyone making a ninety percent or above, but results have improved since our first practice test, and I was encouraged.

By this point, my PD had left. I felt unsure as to how she thought things had gone. However, during a quick glance at my e-mail during lunch, I saw that she had sent me a message with sincere and encouraging remarks on what she'd observed in my class that morning. This thrilled me on a number of levels. First, I have tremendous respect for my PD and want to make her proud and show that I consider her suggestions and put them into play. Secondly, since she formed strong connections to Church Rock during her time there and taught siblings of many of my current students, I feel a particular sense of responsibility to do well at this school and meet my responsibilities to families with which she has close ties. Reading that she thought I was making progress in these areas excited me and means a great deal. I felt good about the mornings events.

Looking ahead, I feel increasingly excited, encouraged, and energetic about what we do and will do at Church Rock. I've decided to start a weekend mentoring service, which will allow students to get three hours of extra practice with their work on Saturday mornings. More than that, we'll use computer technology and the internet in our activities, as well as teach students important test-taking strategies that we'd, otherwise, not be able to cover given the time constraints of the school day. Staff response to the idea, with many teachers and even some administrators volunteering to help out. I'm excited to see if we can use this extra time to bolster our students skills enough to bring them up to proficient on their state testing in the spring. After pouring over the number with my two colleagues that also teach 4th and 5th grade students at Church Rock, it became clear that we have a number of students who are knocking at the door of proficiency. Regardless of your stance on standardized testing and its ability to render an accurate assessment of students' academic abilities, the rules of the game are such that schools and students are judged largely based on how many students pass these types of assessments. We play by the rules of the game at Church Rock and, as such, would like to offer our students every opportunity to make the grade come test-time. Hopefuly, the weekend program will make strides in that direction.

Also, coming out of an awesome AmeriCorps conference in Roswell, New Mexico last weekend (yes, I visited the International UFO Museum and, yes, it was awesome, and, yes, I think that there was some sort of government coverup, not necessarily implying that an alien ship crashed in Roswell in 1947, but something occurred other than a weather balloon malfunction- this could be a whole different blogging topic!), I have a good idea, I think, of a service project for Church Rock that would get the community involved and do good things for our school and students. Last Saturday, as part of the 'make a difference component' of our conference, several New Mexico AmeriCorps members visited Pecos Elementary School and went to work on painting and renovating their playground. Forutnately, several of the AmeriCorps members present (not including myself, clearly) were trained artists. They set about creating an incredible 'learning tree' just outside the door that students use to get outside. It was elaborate and incredible. I wrote a message, which always inspired me when I was a kid, on their sidewalk. It read: 'knowledge is power'. I also helped paint lines onto the basketball court, which, before our arrival, was bare. Other service volunteers created four-square and hopskotch areas. By the time we left, the Pecos Ponies had themselves a wonderful, brighter new playing area, and it was great to see the fruit of our effort borne out before us. It was a satisying morning of service.

Leaving the school, I reflected on how easy it would be to replicate what we had done at Pecos at Church Rock. I ran the idea by my principal, and he backed it 100%, suggesting that we might even be able to use school funds to buy paint, tape, and brushes. The way I envision it, staff, students, family, and other community members could come together for a couple of hours on November 10th or 17th to shape up our playground. None of our b-ball courts have lines, and, given the excitement a substantial number of our students hold toward playing this sport, it would be a great thing to spruce up the old courts. Moreover, brightening up our play area, and cleaning up trash in the schoolyard will allow all Church Rock stakeholders to take pride in their school. All of this is designed to bring more people closer together toward the end of increase academic gains for students. If this small project does anything to move toward that noble objective, then I think it is worth it.

Finally, in exciting news, I've got three things for you. First, I had an excellent time traveling out to have dinner with a good friend who lives near Zuni, NM, on Wednesday night. This young lady has been a great resource and friend for me as I transition into this new life, and I was thrilled to visit her. She, moreover, lives in an incredible log cabin, the decoration of which reflects her sophistication and appreciation of multiple cultures. It was a nice evening, and I enjoyed conversating with her, her roommate, and a fellow TFA '07 Corps Member who came over, as well.

Secondly, I ordered a cool, long-sleeve Church Rock t-shirt. Vamos, Bulldogs, vamos!

Finally, G-Force, the team I joined as part of the Gallup Adult Soccer League, has earned a three-seed in the playoffs and wil square off tonight against a worthy opponent in the quarterfinals. We beat our opponents 2-1 in our first game due to an incredible effort from our keeper, my roommate, Josh, from Baltimore. They have been itching for a rematch and will be gunning for revenge tonight. Still, we're up to the task and will approach this game with ferociousnes and a strong desire to advance. Is our soccer pretty- no? Is it effective- hopefully, after tonight, the answer will be a decisive yes.

Cheers from Gallup,

--DBalke

Running for Office

The last two weeks serve as another example of the exciting place to which I've come in my life. After concluding our first quarter grading period, which lasted nine weeks, teachers and students in Gallup-McKinley County Schools received a week break to collect their thoughts and recover from more than two months of study. It was certainly a challenging time for me, coming in as a new teacher, but as I calculated students' grades and filled out report cards, the rush of what I am currently doing for a profession truly hit me, and I felt thankful, once more, for the critically important opportunity I've come across to change educational inequality in this country for the better.

After spending Monday through Thursday, basking in the glory of a leisurely life of running, reading, writing, and relaxing in Gallup, I headed on up to Denver for the third convening of my Front-Line Leaders Academy (FLLA). As some of you may know, FLLA is a program with which I've been involved since May. It is run by People For The American Way (PFAW), a progressive political advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., which is in the business of training progressive young leaders in the nuts and bolts of running a winning campaign. They encourage us to run young, and, as someone who's long wanted to do this (since November 3rd, 2004), I've appreciated the real-life practice and straightforward criticism and suggestions that our trainers have offered during the first three conferences.

Denver is a cool city! I'd never been before, aside from stopping through in the airport on my way to destinations beyond. However, as we made our way back to the hotel and saw the, I will say, 'post-modern' nature of downtown, I thought that Denver would be a cool place to visit. After reuniting with my other Fellows (there are 20 of us, in total), who are becoming something of a family to me, we began our training. I gave a brief presentation on TFA and my experience with the organization, as several other fellows, most of whom are still in college and all of whom are incredibly passionate, dynamic individuals, have expressed interest to me in applying for, or at least learning more about, TFA.

The presentation went well. I felt comfortable explaining my time as a teacher over the first nine weeks and confident that all the passion I feel for what I'm doing and trying to do with my student, shined through to the other fellows. After my opening statements, my peers asked good, meaningful questions regarding the difficulties of teaching, the logistics of teaching while trying to pay back student loans, as well as the support structure a TFA Corps Member has. I believe that I provided helpful information to my friend and think that many of them will now strongly consider applying for TFA.

After my presentation, we moved into a public speaking session, overseen by our communications guru, political consultant and PFAW staff, Joel Silberman. Joel is an incredible man, coming to the political scene after a long and successful career in the arts. He can sing, act, and, most importantly for us, he knows what looks good in a presentation. His criticism is tough, real, and helpful, and will leave us ready and confident when we step up before crowds to tell them who we are.

I must admit that I was not as prepare to deliver my speech as I would have liked to be. My first draft was written hastily, and I'd not been able to memorize the second draft, as we were supposed to do. However, once I began speaking, rather off-the-cuffedly, I would say, I began to feel more and more confident. I spoke about the ills of educational inequality in Northwestern New Mexico, as well as its connection to economic hardship and environmental degradation. Many of these connections simply make sense, and as I moved through my discourse, I gained steam. Hopefully, this will become a recurring pattern as I give more and more speeches. Gaining confidence as a public speaker was something that would make this weekend particularly special to me.

Dinner on the opening night was outstanding. We went to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., a charming establishment fashioned, of course, off of the themes of the acclaimed '94 blockbuster, Forrest Gump, a personal favorite and Academy Award winner for Best Picture. We had several engaging speakers, most of whom were young elected officials (YEOs). They included our program's head, Commissioner Andrew Gillum, who is an incredibly charismatic young leader and city commissioner from Tallahassee, Florida and Representative Alisha Morgan (D-GA), who won a state house race as an African American woman in her early twenties in a district largely comprised of the constituency who sent GOP stalwart Newt Gingrich to Congress.

Alisha is a personal favorite of mine in the program. She constantly keeps us focused, especially in terms of why we want to run and, I think more importantly, why we deserve to serve as elected officials. She demands that we find that vision, that motivation that will drive us every day on the campaign trail. I have found mine, and Alisha's constant encouragement and persistence in challenging us to perform at a higher standard has certainly played a great role in my personal development as a leader.

The main speaker of the night was a young state representative from Colorado, who is currently running what will most likely be a successful campaign for state senate. Rep. Mike Garcia (D) spoke to us about being a young, graduate student at the University of Arizona in Tucson, on his way to a career as a political science professor. One day, he received an opportunity to serve as a legislative assistant for a Democratic representative in Washington offered through the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He loved his experience there and the ability it gave him to play a meaningful role in shaping people's lives in a very real way.

After Rep. Garcia's fellowship ran out, he found himself disinterested in the life of a student and teacher's assistant at U of A. He felt lost and wanted to become involved in the political process in his home state of Colorado. After searching unsuccessfully for a job as a staffer for an elected official at the state legislative level (these positions typically do not exist in the full-time form), it dawned of Rep. Garcia one day, during class, that he should simply drop everything and run for office himself. The issue was, he had no idea how to do say. After doing research and sitting down with his family to plan their campaign in what was one of the most organic, grassroots-oriented manners I've ever heard, he beat out three estalishment candidates as an unknown in the Democratic primary and went on to victory in the general. Mark's story is inspiring and illustrative of the open nature of running for office in our democracy. It shows that anyone, with the right motivation and fire in their heart, can do great things and connect with voters. I hope to run with the same steam that Rep. Garcia exhibited in his first election.

Saturday provided several helpful sessions. We discussed everything from fundraising to communications to ethical campaigning and policymaking. What I appreciate so much about FLLA and similar training institutions in which I've taken part is the very 'real' way in which they prepare trainees to successfully run for office. We all have optimism, but optimism, though critical, will only take one so far. We need skills that will help us be effective, transparent candidates, and FLLA does a great job of providing these skills.

At the close of the day, there was excitement in the air as fellows were to receive their roles in the program's graduation project. The project consists of a simulated election. We were each to be given a role in a campaign, including candidate, campaign manager, communications manager, finance manager, and field manager. Four candidates were to be selected, who would then go to the business of building their team. There was nervous anticipation amongst many fellows, but I felt comfortable in that whatever role I was given, I would do my best to succeed.

When we received our envelopes containing our positions, I calmly and slowly (it was hard to open!) opened mine. The process reminded me of college, when the professor would return tests or papers to the class. Amidst typical chaos, I would always slowly look at mine, often waiting until leaving the class and building altogether to look at my mark. I see no need to flip out in situations of great anticipation. Indeed, as the Good Doctor Mr. Luther King, Jr., once said in one of my favorite quotes from him: 'The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but in times of challenge in controvery.' Amidst the controversy, I stayed calm and looked at my envelope.

Candidate. I was confident that this was the role that I would receive, and when I saw my name on the board, and a matching indication on my card, confirming that this would be my role, I felt excited, determined, and ready to get started. After leaving the training site, fellows walked back to hotel in an anxious mass, with many negotiating to determine on which team they would work. I was determined to have my team form organically. After glancing at the list indicating campaign roles, I selected my top-tier candidates for each position and decided that I would wait until a bit later in the evening to make the ask. I walked back to the hotel with Jessica Carter, an incredibly intelligent and charismatic young woman from Philadelphia, Mississippi, currently studying at Cornell. Jessica doesn't know it yet, but she possesses a quite power that draws people to her. I first noticed this quality in Jessica at our first conference in Atlanta, when she stood before the group and told her story of traveling from a tiny town in rural Mississippi to one of the country's most prestigious universities in upstate New York. If that were not enough testimony to the strength, confidence, and ambition of this young woman, she has decided that her political path leads back to her home-state, where she will run for mayor and then...who knows?


Right away, I knew I wanted Jessica on my team, and as soon as we locked eyes, I knew she felt the same way. We began to talk and quickly solidified her position as communications manager in the campaign. FLLA staff has been working with Jessica to open up more as a speaker, and placed her in the communications manager role as a means of helping her along in this regard. I have no doubt that her life experience, creativity, and boldness that will emerge in full-force during the campaign will make Jessica an intricate part of our campaign's success.

The fellows, seeing as how it was our last night together at the conference, decided to go to dinner together. When I arrived in the lobby and stepped off the elevator, my eyes almost immediately locked with Angie Buhl, a razor-sharp, extremely pleasant senior from South Dakota, who I'd identified as the campaign manager I wanted on my team. Throughout the FLLA program, Angie and I had developed a great friendship, and our mutual confidence in one another was evident from early on. As soon as our eyes hooked up, she approached me, and we both were kind of like, 'yeah- we're going to be on the same team!' Since there were not quite enough fellows to fill all positions on all teams, one team member was going to have to do double-duty on my staff. So, I asked Angie if she would feel comfortable, in addition to serving as campaign manager, head up our effort's financial operations. She agreed, and we had the second piece of the puzzle in place!

Jesse Wolfson was the person I knew I wanted to go after to run our field activities. Jesse is a 'super-senior', as he'll excitedly tell you, at Yale, majoring in mathematics and hoping to pursue a PhD. in the same subject beginning next year. He has one of the sharpest minds of anyone I've yet met, and we have connected at a number of political discussions during the courses of the conference. Our outlooks on politics, and the current ruptured state of democracy in our country, largely match. We lament the departure from truth that elected officials seem to make so often, today. We want to work for a time and setting in this country's political setting in which truth, not political calculations, guide policymaking. We want an intricate understanding of all issues, rather than half-baked solutions that, if cleverly-messaged, play well to an unsuspecting electorate. As I said, Jesse specialized in math, but he is rock-solid on any number of topics, particularly politics. I knew I wanted him on board from the word 'go'.

Jesse was my toughest sell. While I felt as though he was leaning toward my camp from the outset, he, in the interest of giving each candidate a fair chance at making their pitch, decided to hear from each person and decide of which team he'd like to be part. As the night progressed, he narrowed his choices to two teams- mine and that of Julianna Andrews, an incredibly charismatic, intelligent student at the University of Arizona. At dinner, Jesse spoke with Julianna and then came to me to offer a chance for me to distinguish my campaign and why he should join. I talked about my unique perspective as a teacher, and the commitment to educational equality resulting therefrom. I argued that, while young progressives have any number of issues that mean most to them, each can agree that progressing toward the type of country and world that we all want, one of equality, justice, fairness, transparent governance, and hope, all starts with offering all children, regardless of background, a fair chance to meet their academic potential. I said that, as a teacher, I had a keen understanding of what that takes, which would shine through during the campaign. Moreover, I told Jesse that this campaign would be ours, not mine. Each person would play an important role in suggesting and developing ideas, whether in terms of policy solutions to pressing problems or planning out the way we will do voter outreach. Eventually, Jesse agreed and decided to hop on board with 'Team Balke'. I was extremely excited to have the confidence and support of this dynamic combination of young minds. Together, we will come up with the ideas and strategy to run a winning campaign. I am thrilled to learn what can achieve, together.

Sunday was our first opportunity to work together as a team in a real campaign situation. The final event on the day's agenda was a debate, which would offer each candidate an opportunity to share her or his beliefs on a number of important progressive issues. The subjects ranged from education, to foreign policy, to the dropping value of the dollar (a question about which I was extremely excited and to which I chimed in immediately to respond). The format was that we would each give a one minute opening statement, respond to two questions from the moderator, have the opportunity to ask each other one question, take two questions from the audience, and then offer a two-minute closing statement.

One minute is not a lot of time. We had what I think was a compelling opening statement planned, which described the inequity I'd observed in my classroom, especially when compared to the opportunity possessed by students in more affluent areas. As one of the staff held up the '30 seconds' sign, I was not even 1/4 of the way through my statement and scrambled to finish up. While I did not botch the statement, it went from what should have been a great strength to a neutral performance. I will work hard to polish this area of my presentation.

As we moved into the questions, I gained steam. I first received a question on 'school choice', which means different things to different people, in many cases referring to school vouchers. I talked about how I think the choice all students should have is that to receive a quality education, regardless of their economic, racial, or social background. I spoke boldly and clearly and think I came off well. Things were off and running.

As we moved along, the other candidates, Mike Makarski (a bold, intelligent, personable young man from New Jersey, who will soon run for school board there), Edwin Zambrano (a passionate, stylish, extremely kind Venezuelan-born community activist from New York City), and Julianna (who, as I said before, is an intelligent, passionate student leader from the University of Arizona), each offered interesting and impressive answers to a wide range of questions. I felt, however, that the message crafted by my team and the delivery I was able to offer, resonated best with the crowd. Moreover, I felt increasingly comfortable and confident, which is precisely what I want most coming out of the FLLA program. I have no shortage of passion or excitement about the issues about which I care most deeply. At times, however, I have felt as though I do not present my beliefs or solutions in as coherent a manner as I would like. This seems to be changing, and I am incredibly excited about that.

When it came time to give our closing statements, I felt determined to make up for my less than stellar performance in the opening. I returned to the cause of educational inequality and my experience as a teacher. I talked about how, while we stand for many important values as progressives, we all stand for giving everyone an equal chance to meet their full potential, particularly with respect to the area of education. Speaking last, I was closing the debate and on a mission to do it well. I looked around the room, connecting with individuals in their eyes, coming to them while staying planted firmly in my chair. I wanted them to feel the passion and fire in my heart about the issue of inequality, of inadequate health care for our country's poor and middle class, and of other issues on which progressive must take the lead if we are to shine as a country. The feeling I experienced reminded me of my long-interview for TFA, when I could feel all the passion and excited I held toward the idea of returning to New Mexico to teaching pouring out of my heart and mind and entering into my interviewer. Things went well on both occassions, and I was pumped as I rose out of the candidate's chair at the close of the debate.

As we move through this campaign, several things will be learned. First, this is the first time I've headed a mature campaign. In college, while running for student senate, which we did successfully, I ran as part of a slate in which I played a key role. However, I did not top the ticket, and there were a numbr of others making decisions to guide our group. Still, I gained valuable experience in that campaign and we enjoyed success. I will certainly translate my experience there into the present effort. We also have to raise money, which I've never done. Reaching out to friends and family to ask for financial support, though seemingly a thing that would create discomfort, is something I feel fine doing. If I believe in myself, which I do, than I should not feel apprehensive about asking others to do what they can to support me. Moreover, I am incredibly blessed to have a number of friends and families who care deeply about me and my personal goals. I look forward to depending on close personal connections to gather financial support for this campaign. Finally, when we come to our final conference in January for the election, I feel confident that our team will have crafted a message and plan that will win the most votes amongst the 200 fellows of the Young People 4 class of 2008 (another progressive, youth leadership program sponsored by PFAW).

The position for which I am running is Youth Ambassador, and my responsibilities are to identify and advocate for the issues that YP4 fellows believe in most strongly and deem most important. I will play a role in YP4 and FLLA's programming and recruitment. There is also the opportunity to travel to different progressive conferences, speaking on the important of youth involvement in the movement, as well as the critical role that young candidates will play in taking our country back from elitist interests and vesting it in the hands of everyday Americans. We have a tremendous task before us, and with my team, I look forward to successfully capturing what is no doubt an amazing opportunity to play a key role in the progressive movement. I ask for your support in this exciting journey.

U.S. House Votes to Label Turkish WWI Attacks Against Armenians as Genocide

On Wednesday, the United States House of Representatives International Relations Committee voted to label as genocide the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman forces during World War I. While Turkish Embassy officials and the White House continue to scramble to prevent a vote on the measure in the full chamber, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) seems determined to bring it before members for consideration.

Many have questioned the wisdom (and reason) for bringing up the non-binding genocide resolution up at this time, with countless other measures on the Congressional docket. However, few debate that the atrocities incurred by Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire during the First World War were atrocious and just as many would labe them, collectively, as genocide.

The Bush Administration has been bent on stopping the resolution since rumors that it would come before the International Relations Committee. Geopolitical considerations determine this stance. Turkey offers U.S. military forces key logistical support in the Iraq War, and as it inches closer to EU membership, has been developing a more prominent role in the global economy. Many Administration insiders fear that passage of the genocide measure would generate a severe backsliding in the state of U.S.-Turkish relations, and recent events, most notable the temporary recalling of Ankara's ambassador in Washington, seem to lend credence to their concerns.

The question remains, however, whether or not lawmakers can, ethically, vote against the resolution condemming Ottoman murder of Armenians as genocide in light of political interests. Congressmen can reasonably grumble about having to make the decision of whether or not to support the measure (strengthening ties to Turkey are, afterall, progressive for the U.S.), but if they do, in principle, believe that what occurred was genocide, then there exists a moral requirement that they vote in its favor. A friend put it well to me when, though expressing confusion and a bit of dismay that this resolution had come to the fore at the present time, he said that one must 'call a spade a spade'- that is, if genocide took place, then genocide took place. We cannot deny it, even if doing so might bring us closer to a valued friend. The U.S. must continue courting favor in, and building parnerships with Turkey, but not at the expense of compromising our moral integrity. Let us hope that our Turkish friends realize that, as Speaker Pelosi stressed, a vote in favor of the genocide resolution is a knock on a regime that no longer exists, not those currently laboring to move Turkey toward a better, more prosperous future.

Cheers,

--Daniel

U.S. Economic Embargo of Cuba- 47 years on

Nearly one-half century ago, the Kennedy Administration, in an effort to put the clamps on an emerging Marxist-Leninist regime in its back yard, slapped an economic embargo on Cuba, which more or less severed all relevant commercial ties between the two countries. At the height of Cold War political gamesmanship, Cuba, not typically recognized as a world power, whether in terms of economic, political, or military might, suddenly became a key pawn in the U.S. and Soviet battle for global dominance. With strong backing from the latter, however, Cuba extended its revolutionary wings into developing countries across the globe. Fallen communist icon Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, (who died forty years from yesterday when he was executed at the hands of Bolivian soldiers and CIA operatives in a plan Washington now admits to having sponsored) spent time not only in other Latin American republics, but also traveled to the Congo in Africa, working to replicate the 'miracle' of the Sierra Maestre in this new, struggling state.

Though the Cuban experiment categorically failed in spreading successful revolution in the many countries in which it was attempted, the commitment of the Cuban population to its ideals (which closely align to Castro's notion of the 'New Man', or a citizen whose main and only aims are to better the welfare of his community and fellow humans), undeniably live on. Moreover, Che and Fidel Castro, Cuba's face since the '59 takeover, have achieved romantic status in the eyes of hundreds of million of Latin Americans and receive the admiration of political frontmen in Venezuela and Bolivia, amongst others. Indeed, U.S. efforts to drum up support for its embargo of Cuba are a perennial laughing stock in the UN General Assembly (this from a former professor who represented the State Department in New York and further evidenced by the paltry number of votes cast in the U.S.' favor whenever the embargo, or other resolutuons speaking ill of the Castro regime, come up for consideration). Many responsible foreign policy strategists and academics recognize that the best way for the U.S. to make the political inroads it desires in Cuba when Fidel and brother Raul pass is not through the total isolation envisioned by the embargo, but rather engagement over common ground and areas for cooperation.

This reality, and the clear understanding that the U.S. and Cuba both stand to gain from diplomatic dialogue, is severely complicated by presidential politics in the former. Cuban exiles represent a large voting block in Southern Florida, a state with a hugely determinative impact on presidential elections. This demographic has a staunchly anti-Castro stance and votes accordingly, leaving any politician hoping to have success in Florida with little choice, it would seem, but to acquiesce to their preference in terms of U.S.-Cuban relations, that is, a continuation of the embargo.

However, this demographic is changing. The children of Cuban expats feel less close to their parents' hatred of the embattled communist leader and tend to vote more liberally. Indeed, we could be nearing a time where politicians from parties both left and right will not have to play to the interests of conservative Cubans in Southern Florida in order to get to the White House. Democratic Rock State/Presidential Candidate Barack Obama (D-IL) recently suggested that, as President, he would engage in diplomacy with Cuban leadership, whether Fidel or brother Raul, and would like to seriously reassess the merits of the embargo. Most other front-runners have not gone as far as Obama, but there is growing acceptance that a turning point in terms of U.S. policy on Cuba has arrived- and not a moment too soon.

The Embargo's Impace:
Nearly 50 years later, the U.S. economic embargo on Cuba has, at best, failed to meet its objectives of 'peacefully' spawning regime change in the island country. At worst, it has been a major culprit in perpetuating the less than stellar welfare condition of its nearly 11.5 million inhabitants. President after president has failed to capitalize on the cultural ties that link Cubans and U.S. citizens. Current President Bush, who quite possibly owes his current job to illegal political maneuvering in the state of Florida, has shied away from utilizing the one extremely obvious thing he has in common with Fidel Castro in order to continue U.S. policy: a love of baseball. Indeed, last summer, the U.S. Treasury Department looked to keep Cuba out of the World Baseball Classic for fear that the country would benefit economically from its participation in the contest, which took place on U.S. soil. This ridiculous objection was eventually dropped, paving the way for a strong showing from the Cubans, but the fact that it was raised initially illustrates the strong misgivings U.S. leaders have toward showing any sort of semblance of endorsement toward, or engaging in even the most lukewarm of engagement with, Cuba, even forty-eight years after the revolutution.

The unfortunate scapegoat of Washington's continued failing policy toward Cuba, of course, is the Cuban people itself. Not only have they have been denied the chance to capitalize on ecomonic opportunities that would undoubtedly result were the embargo lifted, but the U.S. (under Bush and other administrations, Republican and Democrat, alike) has regulated the travel of U.S. citizens to Cuba so tightly that it is now extremely difficult for former Cubans living in the U.S. to regularly visit loved ones. Moreover, students of Latin America and international relations, more generally, myself included, are continiously frustrated by the government's clamp down on scholarly visits to the country (a TA of mine, who was authoring a PhD. dissertation on Cuban history was not even able to travel to the country to conduct research!). Nobody wins in this petty political game, but there are many losers, and they live in both Cuba and the United States.

The Embargo's Larger Implications:
But the negative impact of U.S. policy vis-a-vis Cuba expans beyong the realm of this bilateral relationship, especially under the Bush Administration. Indeed, for a president who has seen his standing in the coutrt of international opinion fall substantially in the aftermath of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, continuing and strengthening the embargo serves as yet another example of a cocky, short-sighted, bullyish to foreign policy. Bush's U.S. has been pegged as unwilling to engage in honest, constructive discussion with those who hold positions that differ strongly from its own. Countering this image holds great promise for what will become Bush's lasting legacy in terms of statesmanship, or lack thereof. However, it will require policymakers within the Executive to bite the bullet and sit down with adversarial operatives abroad. A great place to begin would be Cuba. Forty-eight years on, Castro is not going anywhere- until he passes. His brother, though less on a charismatic figure, will most certainly retain power after his brother's death, and it is unrealistic to expect an immediate sea change in Cuba's political makeup when the country's upper political echelons are finally devoid of the Revolution's leading figures (note the absence of the expected pandamonium after Fidel Castro ceded power to brother Raul last summer following a major medical operation). The best way for the U.S. to pursue its goal of helping to forge a democratic, economically liberal Cuba is to open the realm of dialogue, promote cultural exchange, and discontinue an embargo that has brought, and continues to bring, undue hardship on millions of people in this island country ninety miles south of the U.S.

U.S. Presidential Politics and More on Trade

Tonight, leading contenders in the GOP race for the presidency will gather in the heart of the realing U.S. automotive sector to debate issues ranging from a possible military confrontation with Iran to the ever-growing trade deficit. This evening's debate is notabe for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it offers potential Republican voters their first glimpse of the oral sparring ability of former actor and U.S. Senator, Fred Thompson, who hopes to raid good looks and an easy-going speaking style all the way to the White House. Thompson has taken heat for getting into the race so late, and some claim he dodged the latest GOP debate, when he chose instead to announce his candidacy for the country's top job on the Tonight Show. While strategists gave Thompson high marks for his scheduling priority that night (the Tonight Show garnered more than twice the number of viewers than did the debate), this evening, Thompson will be put to the test and have to come up with real policy solutions to problems pitched to him by an unforgiving audience. He has been criticized for failing to offer specifics of how to remedy pressing issues such as problems with Social Security, the budget deficit, health care shortcomings, and, oh right, a war in Iraq with no end in sight. Should Thompson fail to produce tonight, he may be cast off as a pretty face with little in the way of real policy solutions to the country's most pressing challenges. The heat is on for Thomspon.

So, why will the audience Thompson and his Republican rivals face tonight be so 'unforgiving'? The answer has a little to do with geography and a lot to with the worsening situation of industrial workers across the country. With the elimination of barriers to global trade that have come about with the emergence of the World Trade Organization and free-trade agreements like NAFTA, U.S. workers have watched their jobs leave the country as corporations employ move abroad to take advantage of lower wage requirements and environmental standards.

Tonight's debate will take place in Dearborn, Michigan, just outside of Detroit, also known as the 'motor city' for its history as the heart of U.S. autmotive production. Courting support from the powerful United Auto Workers union, which represents a large chunk of vehicle manufactuers, used to be a prerequisite for winning the presidency. However, as strong business interests have begun to clamor more intensely for freer trade and less restrictions on their ability to operate in other countries (a.k.a. search out cheaper labor abroad), GOP lawmakers and presidential candidates have become torn over which interest to back: the powerful and politically active automotive industry (as well as other sectors being weakened due to the expansion of global trade, including steel and textiles) or the business community, more generally, who stands to gain from closer economic ties with the outside world.

Thousands of workers across Eastern and Central Michigan have lost their jobs as the U.S. 'big three' automotive companies, Ford, GM, and Chrysler, seek to lighten their load in terms of salary, pension, and benefit obligations. In the U.S., automotive workers have traditionally enjoyed a solid salary, ripe with medical and other insurance benefits, and security in the form of a dependable pension that paves the way for a comfortable retirement. Automobile companies, therefore, saw an opportunity when trade barriers began disappearing as they could move their business abroad, wherein they would face no such obligations in employing workers. Workers in developing countries are willing to work longer hours for substantially less money than their counterparts in the U.S. They also are less inclined to organize, which frees automotive corporations from the harsh confrontations it faces with unions like the UAW in the states.

Unable to opt out of contracts and other guarantees made to employees, U.S. automotive companies have flirted with (or fallen into) bankruptcy, as they try to keep up their business practices and made good on their obligations. They have watched foreign corporations, such as Toyota, replace them as the most successful automobile companies in the U.S. While the 'big three' continually seek ways to reform the way in which they handle worker guarantees, there exists little chance that even the best deal they could hope to strike with U.S. workers would leave them competitive with automotive companies who base their production abroad.

The U.S. automotive industry, then, stands at a crossroads. The only way for Ford, GM, and Chrysler to remain solvent is to develop a strategy that takes full advantage of the global economy and the cheaper labor offered in other countries. The problem for GOP contenders for the presidency is that, with an issue as big as this, country-wide candidates must take a position. With many displaced unionists in the audience, there will be no hop-skotching around the brunt of the problem either. Tonight, each Republican will have to show their cards, revealing whether, as president, they would back specific domestic interests or progression toward a global economy, void of elimination to international trade.

Each GOP hopeful favors trade liberalization on the stump, as the conservative audiences to which they preach, typically, tend to lean toward an easing of restraints. However, each candidate needs to perform well in Michigan, which has moved its primary date up and is now one of the first places in which voters will make their choice known for the Republican nominee. One candidate in a particularly prickly predicament is former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. He has deep ties to Michigan and is expected to perform extremely well there. Indeed, his father represented the state as governor and entertained a brief push for the White House himself. Moreover, Romney chose Michigan as the place from which to launch his presidential bid, and were he to win there on election day, people would begin to look beyond his leads in other early voting states such as Iowa and New Hampshire and start to see his candidacy as the real deal, even formidable.

However, Romney will have to walk a fine-line when he steps up to the plate in Dearborn tonight. On the stump, he has been forced to cozy to free trade in order to shore up his conservative bona fides (many Republicans criticize Romney as ingenuine, sighting his previous support for abortion and gay rights while running for Senate in Massachusetts in the early 1990s). However, victory in Michigan almost undoubtedly requires the support of blue-collar Republican voters, many of whom have lost their job due to an easing of global trade barriers. Will Romney choose to stick to his conservative, pro free trade mantra, or yield to the calls for protection from Michigan's industrial base?

The answer to this is probably both. Many candidates facing a similar position have opted out of taking a firm position on global trade by stating their support for free-trade deal at the bilateral, regional, and global level, while calling just as vociferously for transitional aid for displaced workers. Unfortunately, just as trade-capacity building money has failed to truly help the plight of farmers in countries with whom the U.S. has FTAs (see yesterday's blog entry), transitional aid has a similarly dismal record in the States. It is not that the amount of money secured for this noble purpose has been insignificant. Indeed, millions of dollars have been offered to workers to look for new jobs or seek retraining in more dynamic, sustainable industries. Medical benefits have even been offered to workers who have been sacked for a period of time while they search for new employment. However, a complicated and largely unpublicized application process has left the percentage of eligible applicants who have actually benefited from transitional aid in the low single digits.

Another common copout amongst GOP candidates regards taxes. Some, such as former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee claim that the real culprit in the lessening share of U.S. blue-collar corporations in global income shares is not a freer international trade scheme but, rather, the 'immense' tax burden they face. True, U.S. businesses must pay back more to government coffers than their counterparts abroad, but the solution to their predicament can scarcely be solved by lowering taxes. However, playing this card allows Huckabee to score a two-fold political victory amongst conservative loyalists. On one hand, he continues along the party line on trade, praising its merit and pressing for further liberalization. On the other, he argues that the key for U.S. businesses to succeed in a new, looser trade climate rests with the government ability to lower taxes. Win-win!

In sum, what we can expect to see from Republican candidates tonight is high-octane political rhetoric, aimed to please as many key constituencies as possible (while working hard not to upset others) and little in the way of meaningful policy proposals. The real answer on the U.S.'s seemingly paradoxical free trade conundrum rests in early recognition and enhanced and enlarged access to education. Blue-collar industries in Michigan and other locales across the country are dying. They are dying because citizens cannot feasibly adapt to a new way of generating income, that is, shifting away from car production, coal mining, steel production, and other industries that are losing out to similar activities abroad. What needs to happen is a recognition by policymakers that, in the interest of these workers, their children must be offered the incentives to prepare themselves to, instead of carrying on the family tradition, immerse themselves in knowledge that will allow them to gain employment in another, more sustainable field.

However, as millions of Americans know all too well, education aint cheap! The same government that travels the world in search of reducing trade barriers and opening borders to international commerce must simultaneously address the negative offshoots of these activities on the domestic population. Policymakers in Washington should identify the regions that stand to be hit hardest by freer trade and divert extra financial resources to these areas to ensure that young people have every opportunity to obtain a college education and spread their professional wings in any area they see fit. There are numerous other things that must be done to ensure that all U.S. inhabitants feel the benefits that free trade theoretically guarantees. However, hiding behind falty, insincere solutions that play well among focus groups and key constituency groups that a politician hopes to court in hopes of winning an election is worse than a non-answer- it is a disservice to their country.


Also, forty years ago from yesterday, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, the Argentine doctor and Cuban Communist Revolutionary was executed in te jungles of Bolivia. Across Latin America and the developing world, more generally, Guevara is remembered as a committed activist for the plight of the global poor, while in the U.S. and other rich countries the thought of this emboldened leaders conjures up thoughts of an impractical and altogether dangerous vision for society. Whatever the case, Che's memory has left a lasting legacy on the ongoing Cuban Revolution and that country's relations with the U.S., which has maintained an economic boycott against the island for more than forty years. A future blog entry will analyze Che's effect on Cuba's path over the last half-century, as well as the extent to which the U.S.'s approach to relations vis-a-vis Cuba has helped or hindered each country's development and prosperity. It will also look at the way in which U.S.-Cuban relations could influence the '08 U.S. presidential election.