MrYoungGun's plan to fix this country in 8 easy steps. Well...easy-ish!

Hello, World. I don't really need much of a preamble for this one. I got to talking to my barber about healthcare and why it's so fucked up. That conversation was basically the conception of this blog. Here we go:

How to fix this country in 8 easy steps:

1. CLOSE THE EDUCATION GAP:

For years now, we have allowed our public schools to slide down the slippery slope of mediocrity. Classes are too big. Teachers are not paid enough and most of them don't have the training that they need. The standards have been set too low. And no on has really addressed the problem. The real problem. The first part of the problem is that parents don't understand the role that school plays in their children's educational development and the role that they themselves play in their children's educational development. The first thing that us parents have to understand is that while it is the job of the public education system to educate our children, it is NOT the job of public education system to instill in them DESIRE learn. Guess who's shoulders that falls on?

If you send your 5 year old to kindergarten, and he does not know his ABC's, you have never read to him nor at least attempted to teach him to read, have not spent time with him doing the smallest thing like having him count the number of grapes that his is given to snack on each afternoon...if you have abandoned him to the electronic babysitter known as television, if you have not at least tried to instill in him the fact that there is an entire world out there beyond what he sees before his eyes, if you have not instilled in him the idea that there is a history that took place before him and a future that will go on after him, than you have set him up for failure. Simple as that. (Yes, I know that was one big run-on sentence. Yes, I know the irony of that fact). As parents, our job - before our sons and daughters ever step foot in a classroom - is to instill in our children the desire to learn. And...we...are...failing...

Beyond that, our children do not spend enough time in school. That is a large part of the reason that our children have fallen so far behind the rest of the world in terms of education. A friend of mine taught English in China for 3 years. Some of his students moved to America and attended high school here. They would email him regularly, telling him how easy the work, how they are excelling in every subject, how even after homework from advanced placement college-level courses, the still had more free time on their hands than they ever have before. Now why was that the case? Because when you are coming from a country where they place a real priority on education, a country where if you are not trilingual, you are falling behind, a country where you are in school from 7am - 7pm, six days a week with no summer break, going to school from 8am - 3pm, , then five days a week is a walk in the park. Our children need to spend more time in school and they need to get more out of the time that they spend there. This business about being allowed to drop out of school at 16? What type of shit is that? Everyone needs a high school education. Period. I'm so sure of this fact, that rather than try to defend it, I'm just going to move on to my next point.

Our children need to be held to a higher standard and more stringent graduation requirements. I am 26. If you are within 4 years of me, then I guarantee that you know at least one person who you graduated high school with who could barely read. Had no idea what a square root was. Had no idea what a thesis statement was. The sad part about that - and the part that people never want to acknowledge - is that it is not her fault. We let her slide by without this basic knowledge. He have socially promoted her into a world that does not offer social promotions. I have another friend who is a teacher in Florida. As of two weeks a go, she was no longer allowed to grade based on punctuation, sentence structure, spelling and capitalization. As long as she can follow the student's train of thought, then that is what matters. Are you fucking kidding me? I know a certain person, who shall remain nameless, who is unable to get a decent job. They are unable to get a decent job because their resume is a piece of shit. Misspelled words, punctuation and spelling off, etc. Now, why do you think this person thinks it's no big deal to submit a resume that is in that condition? That's right! She was allowed to slide by without having ever been held to the standard of 'Maybe, just maybe, this will be important later on in life, so you have to learn it now'. If you want to see a true depiction of the methods used to academically cripple our kids, watch season 4 of 'The Wire'.

2. UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE:

Yes, I said it. No, I'm not a socialist. We are one of the only prosperous, developed countries in the world without health for all citizens. I mean real, substantial healthcare, paid for by the government. If the government does not look out for the well-being of it's citizens, than I think we need to rethink what this county stands for. Now, I know there are some young thundercats out there who don't think that they need insurance. Hell, I was one of those young thundercats not too long ago. But as I stated, it is the job of the government to look out for the well being of the people. And that means, to a certain extent, protecting the people from themselves. And yes, I know how expensive universal healthcare is. However, later on this blog, there is a section about balancing the budget and getting rid of the national deficit, along with several other changes that would more than pay for healthcare for every man, woman and child in The United States.

Free healthcare for all citizens. Say it with me, people.

3. ENACT A MINIMUM MARRIAGE AGE:

There are a lot of issues within this country that stem, directly or indirectly, from the breakup of the American family. Our children suffer, our economy suffers, etc. One of the ways to prevent this is to enact a minimum marriage age. If you want me to be 100% honest, I think that minimum age should be 25. But in the interest of being at least a LITTLE realistic, let's go with 21.

Truthfully, at 18 or 19, you don't have the skills needed to make a marriage work. And if you do, you are one in a million. You are not mature enough to make an informed decision about rather or not you can truly spend the rest of your natural life with another person. You know why? Because at that age, you do not even know who 'YOU' are. And even if you do, the person that you are now is not the same person that you will be at 25. Will your spouse seem as desirable to you then? You to them? Hmmm. I know it seems that this may not be as important so some of the other things on this list as far as getting this country back in shape, but in my opinion, it is one of the most vital. Over the last few year, the divorce rate has fluctuated between 48% and 53%. That is half! Half the couples who get married end up divorced. Children separated from one of their parents. Stay-at-home moms and dad's forced to begin life again by diving into a horrible job market. Divorce settlements eating away at savings accounts. Child support payments crippling dad for the next however many years. Etc, Etc.

And no, I am not saying that there would be no such thing as divorce with a minimum age requirement for marriage. But if you have a brain in your head - even if that brain was nurtured by the public education system that I bashed earlier - then you realize that enacting a minimum marriage age in this country would go a long way towards curbing the problems that cause divorce. Or not. Who knows?

4. A MAJOR OVERHAUL OVER THE POLITICAL PROCESS ON REGARDS TO THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

First of all, the term of the president should be lengthened from 4 years to 5 years. Lengthening the term would allow the president another year to fully explore the validity of any policies that are put into place. Too often, our presidents pass laws and policies that by design, yield the bulk of their effectiveness on the back end, years after being put into play. Lengthening the presidential term to 5 years gives those policies a fighting chance, as way to determine whether they are effective or not. Second, it would make my next point an easier pill to swallow...

Do away with the incumbent, limiting presidents to one term in office. One of the main reasons that no real progress ever gets made, and one of the main reasons that you see so few politicians - presidents in general - stick to their word, is because instead of doing what is best for the people, they are doing what is best for them...in their re-election campaign. A man who knows that he is not eligible for re-election is a man who is free to carry out the acts that he feels are best for the country. No more passing laws that favor the XYZ industry because the XYZ industry has contributed $100 million to your re-election campaign. No more passing laws that alienate one group of people, for fear of pissing of a second larger group of people. Which brings me to my next point. Campaign contributions should only be allowed to come from individual donors, totaling no more than $50,000, and from organizations and business grossing less than $1 million a year. No more pork-barrel politics. We like our politicians clean and ready to do the will of the people. Not spineless bastards who are constantly bending over for a couple of dollars.

In line with that, the president of the United States should not be paid for his services. Not a single dime. Room and board is fine, damnit. And I know that the president's salary is not that much - somewhere in the neighborhood of $400,000/year. But it is the principle. A stipend for life after your out of office? Sure. Being paid for being the president? Negative! Also, can someone please explain to me why we still have an electoral college? The electoral college system has crippled our economy, crippled out children academically, crippled our economy and has us fighting two wars, neither one of which we can 'win', in the traditional sense of the word. How did the electoral college process manage to do all that? By allowing that one fella to move into the White House, even after losing the popular vote. One man, one vote, majority rule! No more electoral college.

5. THE LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA

No, Renyea, I DON'T smoke. But let's be honest. Do any of you know anyone who does not smoke because it is illegal? Me either. The fact that marijuana is illegal in this country, but cigarettes and liquor are not is totally baffling to me. Lung cancer and alcohol related fatalities kill more people every WEEK in this country that marijuana related fatalities in a year. Legalize it, Uncle Sam. If you make marijuana legal, guess what you get in return? Billions of dollars in sales tax. Billions of dollars saved by not having to enforce useless, antiquated laws. Billions of dollars saved by not having to shuffle people through the legal system. The American economy would thank you. Think you would find something to spend that money on?

6. GET RID OF THE NATIONAL DEFICIT AND BALANCE THE BUDGET

How? With a ten year period of funding cuts to federally funded programs and a multinational debt forgiveness program.

For years we have lived beyond out means, funneling money into places that didn't need it. That is part of what got us in trouble. Now, we seem to think that we can get out of that trouble by putting a band-aid on the problem. Negative. Tightening of the belt. That is what will fix this problem. Doing more with less? That'd be great. But more realistically, doing less with less! That means funding cuts to most federally funded programs. The national park system? Funding cuts! Arts programs? Funding cuts! Medical research that is not geared towards the preservation of life? Funding cuts? Deep space exploration? Funding cuts! If that means closing down tourism an all National Parks, shutting down most of Nasa, putting a hold on research geared towards allowing paraplegic's to walk again, then so be it. But there has to be somebody that is willing to make those tough call. That is the price of leadership. You cannot please everybody. And when you try to, you shortchange everybody.

The amount of money that we owe to other countries is ungodly. But, the tricky part is that the reverse if true as well. A debt forgiveness policy adopted by the 25 richest nations in the world would go a long way towards not only rebuilding the worldwide economy, but building up relations with some of the countries that we have traditionally considered enemies. Whether it be money, food stores, relief supplies, military aide, etc..forgive and forget.

7. RETHINK BOTH OUR FOREIGN POLICY AND OUR MILITARY POLICY

For some reason, we seem to think that it is out job to play junior high school principal to the rest of the world. We feel the need to put our nose in affairs that we have no stake in and nothing to do with. Affairs that have been boiling for centuries. We want to ensure peace in the Middle East. We want to send aid to Tsunami victims. We want to open out borders to those who want to come to this country and live that American Dream that they hear some much about. We want to ensure that Israel and Palestine play nice with each other. And please do not think that I am saying that we are wrong for doing any of these things. But my question is...at what cost? At what point do we go into self-preservation mode and ensure that WE are in good shape stretching out arms out to embrace the world?

The reason that we have been able to do some of the things that we have is because most of the world still looks to us as an example. But that didn't just happen for no reason. That type of admiration developed because the foundation of this country was solid and the ideals that were advertised were the ideals that would be found here, for the most part. But if we keep going the way we are going, the world will soon realize that it has been worshipping a false God. And when that happens...who will step in an protect us?

How simple is this: A quick pullout of Iraq and Afghanistan. And when I say quick, I mean within a year. $12 billion a month, and thousands of American lives. at some point you have to ask 'Do the ends justify the means?' Answer? Fuck no! S.H. is DEAD. His political party is in shambles. There have been democratic elections. Successful ones! Train the military. Train the state police and other investigative ad peace keeping branches, then leave! That's it.

8. SERIOUSLY INVEST IN ALTERNATE FORMS OF FUEL

We live on a planet. That planet is called Earth. And man, is it dirty! The carbon footprint of the United States is HUGE compared to out population. Now, no means do I consider myself a tree-hugger, but even I can admit that we have a problem. For generations, we have consumed natural resources at an alarming rate. For some reason, we never gave any thought to what would happen when those resources run out. One way to not have to work about killing Earth or depleting out resources? Develop alternative resources. Wind...solar...hydro...ethanol...it's all out there. In addition to that, doing so would reduce our dependence on foreign oil, which would go along way towards giving us some leverage when coming back to the negotiating table in regards to foreign policy. Hell, alternate forms of fuel and the exploration oil fields in Alaska and the Gulf Of Mexico could probably do away with out dependance on foreign oil all together.

That is pretty much it. Let me just say before I wrap up that I know some of my logic is a bit flawed. But the point is if somebody doesn't have this conversation, all is lost.

Also, let me say that I wanted to dedicate a lot more time and energy into several of these ideas, particularly the reformation of the political process and healthcare, but it's 2am, I'm tired and my son is waking up right now, expecting some food.

Far be it from me to disappoint him.

HIP HIP LYRIC OF THE DAY:

I'm the one that wanna Spear Brittany/ Give Pink some black, put it near her kidneys

-Crooked I

(How enlightening!)

The writing of 'HR' - Vol. 2

Welcome back.

So here's the deal...even though I've written a few screenplays at
this point, I still like to play around with different methods and
habits. For example:

1. I usually create a fairly detailed outline before I type 'fade in'.
A brief description of each and every scene that I need to write. With
this project, I'm kinda just compiling a list of things and ideas that
need to be explored in each act. How I'll convey those thoughts and
feelings and thematic ideas through my characters is something that
I'll just let develop on it's own through the course if writing.

2. I usually write very methodically. 'Methodically' being a euphemism
for 'slowly'. This time, I think I'm gonna write the first draft hard
and fast. Within a month, if possible.

At this point, I've got most of the story down in my head and a
general direction of how I want things to go. Within a week, I should
be ready to actually start writing. Hopefully, once I get started I
won't be able to stop. I'm pretty excited about the prospect of what
this script can be.

Until next time...

HIP HOP LYRIC OF THE DAY:
Nowadays everybody wanna be a rapper/ about two years ago everybody
was a trapper/ obviously money us what everybodys after/ tell me
what's going on, I could really use some answers
-Generation Lost, B.O.B

The writing of 'HR' - Vol. 1

Hello out there. So I got a crazy idea the other day. It was 4am and I was working on this new script idea that I've been kicking around in my head for a while. Then, like a Mack truck, an idea hit me: A blog series chronicling the writing of this next script - from idea to finished first draft.

This intrigues me for a couple of reasons. A) When I'm battling writer's block, which happens more often than I'd like, I can walk away from the script, jot down a blog entry about the whole thing and automatically feel like less of a loser for not being able to summon my muse at will. B) When I'm a big shot Hollywood scribe, one of my slavishly devoted film geek fans can dig this puppy up and run wild with it. C) I can look back on this year from now and see just how completely ass backwards my process was back in the 'early years'. I thought about just starting an entirely separate blog for this, but to be quite honest, I'm a lazy bastard. So I'll just be peppering this new theme throughout this blog. The MrYoungGun Chronicles is already a hodgepodge of different thoughts, themes, emotions and rants anyway, right? Right!

I won't really go into specifics of the particular details of the script. Not because I'm some paranoid ego-manias, scared someone will steal my ideas, but because I've discovered that talking about an idea too much kind of takes the air out of it, flattens it and automatically gives it less merit. But when I'm done I might let a select few read it, so that you may heap praises upon me. (Kidding! Or am I?!?) I think that's it. So...here we go:

Like 8 or 9 months ago, one of my best friends told me about this short story that her had been writing. It was very...ambitious. Just to give you an idea of what I mean by that, it involved French aristocracy, gamers, American street gangs, political undertones and young woman who was VERY handy with a couple of Glock 17 pistols. It was a lot to take in, but I immediately latched on to one particular element of that story that interested me. As always, he gave me free reign to steal the idea and run with it. So I jotted that little kernel of an idea down in my 'ideas' file (every respectable writer should have one) and totally forgot about.

But the strangest thing happened to me while I was at work the other day. There I am at my desk, listening to a podcast, when suddenly that little puzzle piece of an idea popped in my head, along with all of the potential directions that I could take it. I immediately jotted down a few notes and went back to work. That was about 2 weeks ago. Since then, I've basically just been letting the idea marinate in my head, telling me what it wants to become. It seems to want to become a small, dark, intimate coming-of-age script. I've got the basic structure down, and the characters have revealed themselves to me, and I'm kind of working out the story arc now. Things are falling into place nicely.

I'm excited about this idea. Of course, I'm excited about EVERY idea that I have, so we'll see if this puppy has as much staying power as I think it does. Also, I've decided not to write an outline for this one. Well, not as extensive and outline as I usually write. I usually write a 2-4 page outline, with every scene numbered, and a pretty detailed description of what happens in each scene. But what I've discovered is that I find myself just writing to get to the next scene on the outline, as opposed to taking in the lay of the land and allowing the story to have free reign. It may wok out better, it may blow up in my face. Either way, I'll find out.

To be continued...

HIP HOP LYRIC OF THE DAY:

I always said what the fuck I felt/ go ahead and spit that murder I wrote/I ain't never cared 'bout hat you felt/Fuck you, nigga! I know I'm dope!

-Kanye West, 'Go Hard'

Child of Hip Hop

I can remember it like it was yesterday. My momma, my sister and I
went to Candler Road flee market. I stopped at the first bootleg music
stand, excited to cop my first piece of music with my own money.
Before this, it was shit that I borrowed from friends and shit that I
recorded off the radio. Dude was having a 2 for $10 sale so I browsed
around, looking for one thing in particular...and whatever else
tickled my fancy. I left an hour later with Goodie MOB's Soul Food and
Too Short's Gettin' It. Cassette tapes, of course.

I was eleven years old then. Fifteen years later and there are few
things I look forward to more than hopping in the Impala, shooting
over to Best Buy and copping that new Jay-Z or that new Outkast or
that new Nas. I've got an ongoing love affair with hip hop. And I
don't see it ending anytime soon. No matter how old I get. My tastes
may change. But not my love of the artform. And here's why...

Through hip hop, I've made a lot of friends. Good friends. Close
friends. Whenever I'm riding high off of something I've accomplished,
feeling myself too much, my nigga Jay-Z comes along and reminds me
that 'success is like lust...it's good to the touch...it's good for
the moment...but it's never enough'. When this kid Doug that I went to
school with was pushing my buttons, my man Styles reminded me to 'show
him ya gentleman first. If he don't respect that, then show him ya
gangsta!'. When I'm procrastinating on shit I know I need to get done,
Pimp lets me know that 'one day ya here, next day ya gone'. So I get
busy building my legacy.

Hip hop speaks to me; and I speak back.

A few weeks ago when m Michael Jackson died, I saw a lot of people on
television crying. Apparently they we so touched by Michael Jackson's
music that they felt that their lives would never be the same. Me? It
took me by surprise at first. But a few hours later, I was over it. In
fact I was irritated that coverage of his death seemed to be on every
channel that I turned to. I was 13 when Tupac got shot the second
time. I remember coming home from basketball practice everyday, and
turning on the news, sure I'd see that he had come out of his coma. I
figured it was only a matter of time before he was back to his old
self and making records a out how 'real niggas don't die!'. When he
died, it fucked me up for a while. I had lost a friend; someone I
could lean on when times were tough. Michael Jackson might have been
the 'King of Pop' but Pac affected me on deeper level. The power of
hip hop.

No other artform is more taylor-made for people like me. People who
came from little or nothing. Underdogs who are determined to make
something of themselves. The love affair has been burning hot for a
long time. And it won't be cooling off anytime soon.

HIP HOP LYRIC OF THE DAY

I'm in my 20's so a new Nas joint used to give me the chills!
-Joell Ortiz, 'This is hip hop'

Test to see if mobile blogging works

From my iPhone to infinity!!!!!

Been a while.

Hello world. Haven't blogged in a minute. And, boy, has a lot happened. I guess the most obvious would be the birth of my son, Aj. Long story short, my better half woke up with crazy strong contractions at about 2am on June 8th. 27 hours, 3 shifts of nurses, 2 midwives, 3 failed epidurals and 3 anesthesiologists (did I spell that right, Brenna?) later, my son was born. 7 lbs, 3 oz's, 19 inches. It was quite a sobering experience. One that I will never forget. My son is lying right next to me on the couch, and I am realizing that he is simultaneously my greatest accomplishment and my biggest challenge. That's all I'll say about that.

I guess the next biggest thing that has happened in my life is the fact that I got a promotion and a raise at work. First of all, let me express how much I love my job. It is literally the only job that I have ever had that i enjoy getting up and going to everyday. The importance of that facet cannot be understated. When I started at Apple last May, I decided that I would put my all into the job and see where it took me. What I'm getting in return is a stable career (at least until I sell a screenplay!) and a sense of accomplishment everyday when I get off that I have never had before. I'm excited about my future at Apple. That's all I'll say about that.

I am also rediculously excited about my upcoming trip to Atlanta at the end of the year. I haven't been home since 2005 and I can imagine how much the city has changed since then. Also, I'm excited to introduce KT to Atlanta, as she has never been. I keep telling her that she'll find it...interesting. She doesn't really understand what I mean. But she'll get it when we touch down. I've been trying to coordinate a get-together with all my boys. Hopefully, they can all make it to Atlanta and we can see each other. I have a feeling it probably won't happen again, with most of us getting married, having kids, buying houses, etc. We'll see. I'm excited to see if any of them have stepped their Monopoly game. Cause as I recall, I still have the crown on my head!  That's all I'll say about that.

I haven't been able to write a word in a month. I haven't really gotten myself on any real schedule as far as work, writing taking care of my house and taking care of my son. I've learned the hard way that something has to give. And it looks like that thing will have to be...sleep. I've been experimenting with getting some writing done while I am up in the middle of the night feeding Aj and trying to get him back to sleep (like I am right now). IT's looking promising. But we'll see how it turns out. That's all I'll say about that.

That's pretty much it, people. Until next time...

HIP HOP LYRIC OF THE DAY

Bang bang, nigga let's get it on/ I've always been a monster but it's worse now that my son's been born

-Sheek

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090404/ap_on_re_us/one_man_s_apology

I know the article is loooooong, but please take a few minutes to read through it.

Is anyone else as unmoved by this as I am?

HIP HOP LYRIC OF THE DAY:

Don't give the black man food, or the red man liquor/red man fool, black man nigga!

Lupe Fiasco, American Terrorist