The State of the Union

Over the past few years I've tried to watch the State of the Union- it seemed like the "good citizen" kind of thing to do. It's honestly one of the president's most simplistic speeches and hardly directed to just the Congress anymore. The Constitution states that he is to update the Congress on what sort of state the union is in and then recommend things that should be done. It also says "from time to time"... not just every January a week before the Super Bowl.

It struck me that this whole "telling Congress what's up and how they should go about their jobs" is really something most presidents do all the time. And this yearly speech must encompass everything and make it seem like the prez hasn't been recommending stuff every Wednesday night anyway. So the result is that the speech is always overreaching in the scope of what anyone can really do because it's real success rate is the Congressional applause-o-meter and how well the American public can believe anything. The combination of all these factors leads to the myth that the president (via the government) can (and should) fix everything. What!?

Hmmm can and should make things better. All things? Sounds suspiciously like the power to do anything, aka omnipotence. Not to mention that the speech makes the president seem like all he wants to do is something good for everyone, aka perfectly benevolent.

All I'm saying is that language like this should hardly be applied to these human-led institutions that any fool's glance at a history book will tell you do not live up to this alleged reputation. The State of the Union is nice- it give you these good feelings about the future and makes you believe in the power of the executive office again, but a closer look has one realize that it is intellectually dishonest in it's continuing historical portrayal of government and in the abilities and rights of mortal man.

This being said, it's not totally awful either. Sometimes it may be the only time a year some average joes tune in to what their government is doing within its power and that education is worth it to keep the shenanigan going. We just need to keep our brains turned on and question even the nicer sounding speeches.

Re-getting-into-things

So I'm home. If you're lost and confused about what I'm talking about, refer to the link in the below post to see everything that went on in Sierra Leone.

Since I've been back I've hobnobbed with relatives, camp friends, Kelsie and her family, and those people living in my house. Brian and I are back under one roof for the first time since high school and now Taylor is living with us (to be in range of a non-distance relationship with Carly in Upland). So it's great, he and I drive up their often and visit the ladies and we hang out all week down here in Indy together.

And in the meantime, I had a few speaking engagements at Taylor- I spoke on the wing about my time in Salone, talked in one of Dr. Jones' history classes, and gave a sermon at church. It was kind of exhausting to do all in one weekend, but it's over and I think it went well.

I also interviewed to be in the MAHE Program at Taylor- a master's in higher ed and student development. We'll see in about a month whether or not I'm in. I'm still deciding what to do with myself in the meantime, but I'll let you know.

Also, would you mind taking a super short (two question) survey for me? Thanks! Click here.