Lighting to Unite

Rocklands BBQ Picnic + Live Music from Around the World + Lighting Extravaganza from Swiss Maestro Gerry Hofstetter = Perfect pre-Summer Saturday Night.

Ok, the lighting was not exactly what we expected, since it was essentially just a really big projector rather than different lights, but it felt so good to enjoy the warm evening.

Despite the humidity, DC is a lot of fun over the summer. There are always tons of free concerts and events outside. I will definitely miss all of the festivities and all of my friends. However, I am sure there will be things to do in Santa Barbara. Feel free to come to DC to explore with me.

[Picture from National Cathedral Webpage]

Myanmar

What makes a story juicy or a tragedy a cause? When does an event make it to the front page of the newspapers? To an event that we all talk and pray about? To an event we wear ribbons in honor of and hold fundraisers for?

I am not pretending to sit on some pedestal, knowing the answers to these abstract philosophical questions. I actually am trying to figure out why there does not seem to be a "buzz" about the disaster in Myanmar and why I, as someone who reads a lot of news, have not taken it upon myself to read in-depth about the issue either. It is always easy to blame the media, but they have put the story out there, albeit without the same kind of coverage as other stories.

A cyclone. Estimated fatalities of 100,000. Over a million and a half people severely affected. Political turmoil. A military junta blocking aid. A referendum during a national emergency.

I know it's hard to care or become emotionally attached to all news stories. This just seems like it would be the kind of story that would affect us, but has not.


[Reuters Photo courtsey of the NY Times]

Real World

A wise woman and fellow law student once said, "Some people come to law school and become alcoholics; some people come to law school and become addicted to reality television."

I definitely fall in the latter category. While editing my paper last night, my roommate and I watched our usual Top Model and Top Chef, and filled the gap by shamefully watching Farmer Wants a Wife. All I have to say is that all order is restored in the reality television world after the upsetting results last week.

I did not use to watch this much television before law school. I wonder what it will be like after I graduate.

Operation Sudden Fall

Between working at a university's Office of General Counsel and having a boyfriend regularly conducts drug busts as a Resident Director, I am more aware of the pervasiveness of "hard" drugs on college campuses now than when I was actually a student.

Two years ago, I may have been surprised to read that 75 SDSU students were arrested in a drug investigation prompted by the cocaine overdose of a freshman student. Not now.

Though some of my more libertarian-leaning friends may disagree with the aggressive police action and undercover work of Operation Sudden Fall (the odd name of the operation "referred to the prospect of sudden death from drug usage"), two overdose deaths in the past year and finding three guns during the search show that this was a little more serious than your average pot-smoking at college. But hey, I might be a little biased since I work for "the man."

On a funnier note, here is my favorite part of the article:

"A criminal justice major was arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine. As he was being arrested, he asked officers if this would hurt his chances for a law enforcement career, officials said."

Loving

In 1958 Mildred and Richard Loving married in the District to avoid Virginia's "Racial Integrity Act." She was African American, he was white. A few weeks later, the sheriffs woke-up and arrested the Lovings at 2 a.m. The Lovings pleaded guilty and Judge Bazile sentenced them to one year in prison, with the sentence suspended for 25 years on condition that the couple leave the state of Virginia.

"Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red, and He placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with His arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that He separated the races shows that He did not intend for the races to mix." --Judge Bazile

Nine years and many trials later, and the Supreme Court overturned the trial court in Loving v. Commonwealth of Virginia, a case that most of us law students read in Constitutional Law. Even though we may have learned about the Civil Rights movement before, it was nonetheless shocking to read about anti-miscegenation laws and the opinions from "learned" judges. Only fifty years ago and across the border.

Mildred Loving died this past week. She never wanted to be a race-relations pioneer. In fact, she and her husband did not go to their Supreme Court trial, never gave interviews, and said they never wanted to be the public face of anything. Like many names of landmark Supreme Court cases, the Lovings just wanted to live their lives.

Thanks to the Lovings and those other names, we get to live our lives--interracial relationships and all.

[Sources Washington Post, Wikipedia]

Happy Battle of Puebla Day

I am always fascinated with how traditions came to be. How turkey became the dish for Thanksgiving, how the Kentucky Derby became the horse race, or how Cinco de Mayo became the Mexican holiday that we all celebrate.

Many people think that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day. I learned early on that was incorrect, and I learned that it had something to do with Mexico battling the French (in high school, we contemplated having a Spanish club v. French club capture the flag event), but I did not know much other than that. Many people liken Cinco de Mayo to St. Patrick's Day, another holiday celebrated more by Americans with ethnic origins, but at least St. Patrick's Day is a national holiday in Ireland.

Now that I have looked it up on wiki, I know what Cinco De Mayo stands for yet I still do not know why it became the holiday. Instead of thinking too much more, I am going to go to my friend's house for some homemade guacamole and carne asada. A little piece of home- California.

Two-Thirds Lawyer

Never fear, I am still alive. After my last in class examination of my 2L year on Friday, I stayed far away from my computer because I could. I actually felt a lot better coming out that examination, so I was happy to end on a positive note and was ready to celebrate accordingly:

After Friday's test, a group of us headed over to Cactus Cantina to sit on the patio, enjoy the amazing summer-weather night, and drink margaritas.

On Saturday afternoon, my friends, Alex, and I headed over to the new Nationals Stadium. It felt so good to sit out in the sun-- probably the most I have been outside since Spring Break. The Nationals won, Teddy Roosevelt chased pirogies during the President's Race, and I got an empanada. After the game, I watched the Kentucky Derby (I still cannot believe they euthanized Eight Bells!), and went to eat Vietnamese food with Alex in Virginia.

Finally, today I slept in for the first time in months. Watched a lot of Top Chef, Top Model, and Project Runway, and went to Trader Joe's.

Pretty much the perfect weekend. Sorry for those still in finals-- I often blog to capture memories and don't intend to make people feel bad. Plus, I still have to revise a paper to become a 3L.