Before becoming known as a political dissident Havel wrote plays reflecting the effects of Soviet communism on human creativity.  His plays were windows into his mind.  I immediately related to this because of my passion for history/international politics and my interest in screenwriting/acting/movie making.  My mother, a novelist says that fiction is autobiographical because you are seeing how that author views the world, what makes them tick and their life experiences.  An example of this is Alfred Hitchcock.  Many of his movies featured male leading characters with problems with their mothers.  Hitchcock himself lacked a positive relationship with his mother.  My own ideas for movies combine my love for history/international politics with certain themes of my life and how I view the world.  In many ways Havel is my inspiration of finding a way to combine both of my interests.

In researching his life and impact on Soviet communism in Czechoslovakia one thing I realized was oppression on creativity is just as destructive as the physical oppression. If the human mind is forced to confine itself, humanity will become stagnant and eventually degenerate.

Politically, the world has lost a respected voice on the power of nonviolent resistance and democracy.  The height of the Velvet Revolution was a nationwide strike where virtually the entire Czechoslovak nation filled the streets.  The communist government in power at the time stepped down not long after.  Of course, the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia was one of many revolutions happening all over central-eastern Europe in the late 1980s.  Many have compared these events to the Arab Spring of this year.  Before his death Havel commented that the uprisings in the Arab world face obstacles the former Soviet republics did not.  Unlike Arab states post-revolution, newly democratic central-eastern European states had at least some experience with democracy as a foundation.  The lack of that will test the strength of democracy in the Arab world.

Rest in Peace Vaclav Havel.

I’ve never understood the fascination of the religion of presidential nominees in this country since we’re supposed to have a separation of church and state.  More than that, our Founding Fathers envisioned a country of diversity in all aspects.  Undermining a presidential candidate’s ability to be a effective Commander-in-Chief on the basis of religion clearly contradicts that.  Yes the majority of the country is Christian but the United States is supposed to be a country welcoming and proud of its diversity.  The president of the United States is supposed to serve all Americans regardless of religious affiliation.  Especially today when people’s main concerns are jobs and the economy, poking at a candidate’s religion should be the last thing on our minds.

Based on his final letter to the world in thanks for supporting and fighting for him, it’s clear that Troy knew what the global community knows–that the battle for his life or death was bigger than him.  He was not the first and will not be the last.  This case has sparked an international outcry over the death penalty in the United States, which remains the single industrialized country to retain it.  Many within the US will point to the racial politics at play.  How those found guilty of killing white victims are more likely to be given the death penalty than of crimes against black victims, and the disadvantaged and poor are more likely to be sentenced to death because of their lack of resources.

Interestingly I’ve read of some people considering changing their view on the death penalty as a result of this case.  Surprisingly I don’t have an opinion over whether the death penalty is constitutional or not.  My perspective goes a lot deeper. This morning a fellow law student of mine brought up a good point.  Troy Davis had 22 years and multiple opportunities to reverse his conviction and was not able to, so it’s impossible to argue he was denied Due Process.  I immediately wondered, what does it then say about our legal system that we can have standards in place to make sure we don’t wrongly punish someone for a crime, yet manage do so anyway?  My explanation: man is inherently imperfect, therefore anything created by man is inherently imperfect.

Laws, governments, congressional bodies, legal procedures, these entities are all imperfect, which means justice in the human sense is imperfect–because it can punish the wrong person and let someone who actually did commit a crime go free.  Although as I said I have no opinion on the death penalty other than its misapplication based on race and class, I will say that a government’s decision to use the death penalty is on the moral conscience of that entity and anyone who makes decisions in its name.  If Troy Davis was truly innocent, his blood is on the hands of the Georgia Pardons & Parole Board, the Georgia & US Supreme Court justices and anyone else who had the power to stop his death and didn’t.  My colleague also pointed out it is not unconstitutional to wrongly execute a prisoner.  Even so, the conscious decision to end someone’s life (in this case via state execution) is a karmic decision.  One that anyone who makes these kinds of decisions will have to answer to God for.  Supporters of the death penalty remind everyone that polls say the majority of Americans support it.  Then the Americans in favor of it will face the karmic affects of their belief, since beliefs affects actions.

The silver lining here is that the country is having a serious discussion on the death penalty, its inequalities and the isolation of America for continuing to use it when most of the countries that we consider ‘civilized’, have abolished it.

I can only imagine Troy Davis’ last thoughts as he was strapped to the gurney for 3 hours waiting to hear if he would live or die.  This after languishing in prison for 22 years.  I truly hope/believe he has found peace with the Divine.

On September 23, Palestinian leader President Mahmoud Abbas will submit a bid to the United Nations Security Council for full membership in hopes of the Palestinian territories being recognized as an official state.  However the United States, one of the Permanent 5 has vowed to veto it, insisting the Palestinians can only achieve official statehood through negotiations with Israel and not through international organizations.  As that day rapidly approaches, senior American and European diplomats are in increased talks with the Palestinian Authority to convince them not to submit this bid.

My immediate question was why were American diplomats so concerned with preventing the bid from even being voted on when they had pledged to veto it?  The US could simply veto the bid and everyone could move on.  If only it was that simple.  The Palestinians must know what the US government knows–that the US may have veto power in the Security Council, but the Palestinian bid for statehood is one that most of the international community feels should already be on the books.  The US can certainly use its veto power, but to do so would put the American government at odds with the rest of the world and undermine American credibility.

To a lesser extent, Britain is in the same predicament.  British and French leaders Cameron and Sarkozy respectively were just in Libya congratulating the transitional government.  Both leaders are acutely aware of their newly elevated status in the region and would be wise not to upset it.  At home, although British Conservatives traditionally support America’s close ties with Israel, Cameron cannot risk alienating the Liberal Democrats who overwhelmingly support Palestine.  Supporting Palestine would also fall in line with increased Anglo-French cooperation.  However it would upset Britain’s ties with Israel.

The Palestinians are turning to the UN out of frustration for the lack of progress in talks with Israel, which stalled last year.  The Palestinians wants a 2-state system according to the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as a shared capital, but Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu continues settlement construction in east Jerusalem and in the West Bank.  No matter the outcome in the Security Council, the Palestinians could seek ‘observer’ status in the General Assembly, a lesser form of recognition but would be a symbolic victory and give them leverage in future talks.  Israel on the other hand, is growing increasingly isolated as its relations with regional neighbors Jordan, Turkey and Egypt are deteriorating.

Even with ‘Observer’ status at the General Assembly, the US and Israel fear any recognition by the UN will allow the Palestinians to join the International Criminal Court.  Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Maliki has said if the Palestinians were allowed to open proceedings, they would, against Israel.

It’s interesting that Republicans accuse of President Obama of ‘abandoning’ Israel and Rick Perry accused the president of ‘appeasing’ the Arab world at the cost of Israel, when compared to Carter, Clinton and the most recent Bush, Obama has been more staunchly ‘pro-Israel’ than his predecessors.  On CNN today, former president Clinton said the government should act to contain the damage that vetoing this bid will cause.  Clinton also said that the Israeli government needs to get honest about it’s intentions.  If it has no interest in working towards a two-state solution it needs to say that loud and clear rather than claiming it wants negotiations when it’s actions clearly say otherwise.

I agree with Clinton and would take it further.  When this bid is vetoed, Obama needs to press Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to return to the bargaining table and make concessions to bring the Palestinians back.  If Obama is going to risk America’s fragile image in the Middle East, Netanyahu needs to make it worth his while.

The other side of this is the American Jewish voting bloc.  Although only 2% of the national electorate, the bloc is important in swing state Florida.  Pressing the Israeli government could mean isolation at home and with Obama’s reelection not assured, he needs all the votes he can get.

It’s my last day of summer break before law school begins again and as always I’m surprised by recent events.  I’m excited and nervous to begin a semester that  has the power to make or break me (at least in my eyes.)  But I know I’m not the only one in my school or law school in general to face this situation and it is not a reflection on me.

One of my problems last year was balance.  Yes law school is stressful and time consuming but I’m still only 23.  It does me no good to spend all my time studying and never going out to dinner or to the movies once a week.

This morning I checked my Facebook to see a former college professor of mine, update his status on this exact topic.  He noted Europol’s statistics on terror attacks, that 99.6% of them are carried out by non-Muslims, in particular far leftists, far rightists (i.e. this guy) and others.  In the US the statistics are not much different, with 94% of terror attacks carried out by non-Muslims according to the FBI.  In fact, Jewish extremists are responsible for more attacks than their Muslim counterparts.

The stereotyping in the media is so subtle that it’s become our gut reaction whenever we hear of an attack, we (I include myself) always assume the perpetrator is Muslim.  I hope someday we can move past such stereotyping, not only of Muslims but all groups.  Now more than ever, we need to come together as one nation, one people.  If you look at history, the divisions in our country (by race, religion etc) have the potential to destroy us more than any external act could.

My heart goes out to those in Norway affected by these attacks.

During a visit to the United Nations I was reminded of Southern Sudan’s secession, which happened 2 days ago.  Finally southern Sudanese have their freedom.  It occurs a year or so after a referendum where over 90% voted for southern Sudan to become it’s own country.  After the bloody civil wars that engulfed Sudan during nearly all of it’s entire history as an independent country I’m happy to see something positive happen to the region that both sides embrace.  I just hope both sides find peace and a new rivalry does not begin between the two nation-states.

I visited the UN Headquarters in New York City and while I still have an aversion to working for the international organization, I was reminded how much I love international relations.  It truly is my passion and I really want to work in the field when I graduate from law school.

Perhaps I’d be in a different situation at another law school but it’s crystal clear as my mom says “there’s more going on here than meets the eye.”  The politics within my law school or any school cannot be ignored and with our country’s economic situation not getting better, politics become ever more important.  My colleagues in the same situation as me are frustrated

Another thing I keep thinking about is my goal in all this.  Why am I going through all this trouble to get a JD?  Why am I preparing to repeat 2 classes, stay in school possibly a year longer than planned (not that the job market is that great right now anyway), devote so many hours pouring over books, briefing cases, outlining, taking practice exams in addition to going to class?  Because I want my JD.  I don’t necessarily want to be a lawyer, but I want to use my JD and all the skills I’m learning in law school in international relations/US Foreign Policy.

In preparing to repeat 2 classes and 1 2L class, I’m thinking about how Fall 2011 will be different than Fall 2010.  First off, I do not have my Master’s thesis to worry about.  That is DONE and I have the degree.  So law school will be my exclusive focus.  Second I’m able to get myself to and from school.  Having my driver’s license (and a car) really does make a difference.  Now I can eat lunch and stay on campus to study, or I can go to a restaurant closer to home for lunch and study, or I can come home, take a nap and then study and have time left in the day.  On days I don’t have class I can go to a restaurant or book store to study.

When I’m under stress my natural inclination is to withdraw and only think about the source of the stress.  I never want to leave the house and I end up not being productive and just sleeping.  Being able to get myself places helps but I need balance.  I need to play as hard as I work.  Luckily my parents are really great about this and help me find a balance between being a dedicated law student but allowing myself to relax and have a little fun so I don’t feel trapped.

Reflecting on my first year of law school forces me to accept my limits, something which does not come easily to a competitor/perfectionist like me.  I put 100% effort into whatever I do and expect 100% results.  Whether that is the right or wrong approach I do not know but one thing that frustrates me about the law is how a lawyer can give a case or situation everything he or she has and still come out on the losing end, not because they weren’t a competent attorney but simply because a judge did not agree with them.  Depending on the case/situation this can be as simple as resolving a contractual dispute or something which can fundamentally alter the course of one’s life.  Either way that is not something I would enjoy encountering on a regular basis.

Reflecting on the past year also makes me consider how much of our lives is really under our control.  Though contradictory I’m sure, I believe life is affected by the choices we make.  At the same time there is some aspect of our lives outside our control; otherwise what gives someone a fascination with medicine and how the body works versus someone who loves writing and creating characters?  Every individual has a gift given to us by God.  When our mind recognizes we have found our passion God is telling us “this is your gift to the world–use it.”  We then have the choice to follow God’s calling and fulfill both our desires and God’s plan for us, or not.

This is not to say life will not get messy sometimes, we will wonder what the heck we are doing and if this is what God had in mind?  (I write this as a partial reminder to myself.)  But always, remember God knows all, sees all and NEVER makes mistakes.  We are created in His image and we are exactly where God wants us to be.  We may not like it, we may wonder will our lives always be like this, but we keep going.

The key is to never give up and keep your end goal in mind.