Another Post about Music

So, this picture is taken at the Vera Project in Seattle, back when we opened for MILEMARKER (who is this amazing band I've been listening to for years). i don't remember much about the show, just that there were a lot of people and we saw Milemarker play, and they had two drummers (I had seen them a few years earlier and they only had one drummer). I'm not certain now, but this is what made us want to have two drummers in the band (and later we asked Wendelin to join). The show was great. My friend Ryan took this picture. He was a fan for a long time (even of our other bands). I even played in a really bad band with him that didn't last very long for reasons having to do with drugs and the fact that I didn't give one fuck about the band. I just liked hanging out with Ryan, but that rapidly changed. But this was a long time after that, and he was clean and sober and born again, and he came to almost every show we played. Here's the thing about Ryan. He's a good guy, and it's he's a good example of someone whose political views I find disgusting and ignorant, but as a friend he is wonderful. He's a good man and I have a handful of good and bad memories with him.

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Speaking of politics. I got this kid in my class who said, "Anyone who gets help from the government is lazy. We're enabling people by helping them. They're taking advantage..." This went on for a while and I told him that he needed to shut his mouth, because I don't tolerate ignorance in my class. He kept saying, "I know a guy who says, 'if we keep having kids, we keep getting money and I won't have to get a job. easy money." he says this as if this ONE example is enough for the class (many of which are getting money from the government from Fin Aid, to food stamps) to agree. People just yell at him. After class I had to explain to him that Capitalism and Hard work are not mutually exclusive, and that you can't call Healthcare a handout, and quote something about how the American Dream says that we have to work hard to get the things we want. He totally doesn't get the fact that poverty is a hard thing to get from, and it's not about "Wanting" help, it's about help being the only option to survive. Ugh. I could go on forever, but instead, I'll just grade him down if he keeps arguing with fallacies and bullshit and weak claims.

Peace out, Homies,

Joshua