Boycott Jon & Kate Plus 8 and make it a Trending Topic on Twitter!

I'm officially boycotting Jon and Kate Plus 8.

Last weekend, I spent two days watching the J&K+8 marathon because hospital tevees don't give you many options. It was fun watching it with my mom, but even she got annoyed with it. But as I was watching, I remembered all the good times with the BMVers spent mocking and laughing our bellies off at Kate documenting their first 'poopies' in the potty trainers, Jon throwing the V-Day shirt at the ground ("IT'S A MEDIUM"), and of course, the "happy" couple bickering in front of the cameras.

But an hour before the premiere, I started Googling all the controversy surrounding the couple. I stumbled upon Gosselins Without Pity, Aunt Jodi's call to boycott the premiere, and all the websites dedicated to fight for the rights of the eight kids. Five minutes before the start off the premiere, I put on my running shoes and turned off the teevee.

What did it for me was that the kids were missing out on a real childhood. I look back at all my good and bad childhood memories with fondness. But when the Gosselin kids grow up, they'll realize that all the game nights, outings to the cow farm, and vacations that make up their childhood, were all concocted to boost ratings for a television show. It's just so disheartening.

The only reason TLC will keep the show is for the ratings. So please, stop watching the show. When we stop tuning in, TLC will have to pull the plug. A bunch of high powered, teevee execs obviously don't have hearts or a moral sense to look out for the kids' best interest, let alone their own parents.

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Use the hashtag #boycottjon&kate on Twitter

Repeat Assault

I know, I'm so late to the game. But this is what Pop/R&B/Top 40 should sound like.

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A word from the wise

"No human, nor any living thing, survives long under the eternal sky. The most beautiful women, the most learned men, even Mohammed, who heard Allah's own voice, all did wither and die. All is temporary. The sky outlives everything. Even suffering."

-Bowa Johar, Balti poet, and grandfather of Moufazer Ali

[From Chapter 16 of Three Cups of Tea]

Book review: Three Cups of Tea

Book Review: Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Three Cups of Tea puts you directly in the shoes of Greg Mortenson, a real American hero. After a failed attempt to climb one of the second highest mountains in the world, he stumbles upon a small village in Northwest Pakistan. Disappointed and shocked by the village’s lack of a proper school for the children, Mortenson embarks on an incredible and inspiring journey which takes him all over Pakistan and Afghanistan to build much needed schools.

I want to point out five great things about this book:

[1] You will be in awe of Greg Mortenson. He is the epitome of generosity. While trying to raise funds for the first school, Mortenson scrounges on necessities, such as proper living arrangements. For months, he sleeps inside his car while parked on the streets of Berkeley. He is open-minded, humble, and empathetic which allows him to build strong friendships with diverse groups of people. His sincerity allows him to gain the affection of even the most hardened of personalities. Mortenson’s ability to transcend so many different cultural boundaries is simply amazing and a privilege to witness.

[2] You will see recent history through the eyes of a sympathetic and knowledgeable American. His journey of building schools in Pakistan begins in the mid-90’s. Through Mortenson, you are privy to the Pakistani side of the Taliban regime, Kargil conflict, the murder of Ahmad Shah Massoud, rebuilding of Afghanistan after the Taliban, Operation Enduring Freedom, and the invasion of Iraq. As Americans, we only saw what was reported on the television. But Mortenson goes through the impact of these events on the Pakistani and Afghan civilians.

[3] He will challenge your understanding of the “War on Terrorism.”

[4] There are so many endearing and memorable people that Mortenson befriends such as his avuncular mentor, Haji Ali, the leader of Korphe.

[5] Building schools in Pakistan is not easy. But his perseverance and the determination of the Pakistani friends he meets along the way is infinitely inspiring.

This is one of my favorite non-fiction books. I especially admire how Mortenson recognizes the importance of young girls as strong agents of change. Many thanks to Joan for the awesome gift.

Go read it!

Suggested Links:

Central Asia Institute (Find out more about Mortenson's work)

Three Cups of Tea website

Amazon.com: Three Cups of Tea

First-hand witness: Iraq Veteran Against the War and for Rethinking it

Rick Reyes served when the U.S. went into Afghanistan and Iraq. The son of immigrant parents, he grew up in East L.A. and wanted to enlist in order to make his family and country proud.

But he was disheartened following his experiences in the 2001 and 2003 wars:

After receiving an order, we would ransack homes, destroying windows and doors, chairs and tables, families and lives--detaining and arresting anyone who seemed suspicious. The problem, of course, was that it was impossible to distinguish militant Taliban members or Al Qaeda from innocent civilians. Everyone became a suspect.

...

Another time, my squad and I detained, beat and nearly killed a man, only to realize he was merely trying to deliver milk to his children. These raids compelled me to tell Congress we have been chasing ghosts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

...

But how effective is such military might against extremists who blend in with innocent civilians and fight guerrilla warfare? Moreover, how effective can it be when we leave civilians little alternative but to support extremists?

Read the entire article and his plea to ask Congress to rethink the strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan in The Nation.

Reyes' article reminded me of Three Cups of Tea. Mortenson initially supported the War in Afghanistan but later became disillusioned with it. Witnessing the eyes of innocent children orphaned, injured, or displaced by U.S. missiles, he wondered whether Washington would continue if they saw what he was seeing on the ground.

Although the U.S. government was right in going after Osama bin Laden, they also inadvertently created a generation of people who would also hate America. Mortenson found that creating schools that would offer a balanced (and culturally sensitive) education is more effective than guns in fighting terrorism. (See "Another Way to Stop Terrorism," a 2006 Parade article spotlighting Mortenson's work. The article garned mass attention and support for Mortenson and the Central Asia Institute which planted more schools, vocation centers, and water works projects in Pakistan and in Afghanistan for children.)

Grandma