I am a 30 year old African American male. I have lived half my life in the American Midwest and another half in the Southeast. I earned a Master of Liberal Arts Degree in International Studies at a university in Texas. Prior to this, I completed two Bachelors of Science in International Business and Information Technology in Virginia.
After graduating I lived and worked in Tokyo, Japan as an English teacher and IT contractor from 2001-2002. My overseas experiences also include a semester studying Mandarin Chinese at the Shanghai International Studies University in 1999. I have also traveled to several other nations including Taiwan, South Korea, and Switzerland. I’m presently an employee of a major nonprofit in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Although my current job is “development-related”, I am seeking a career that will incorporate international economic and development issues in the Southeast Asian region.
I am also highly interested in the East and Southeast Asian political economic environment, however, I have interests in a wide variety of topics.
Some Basic Stands on Current Domestic Political Issues:
Abortion: Personally I am against abortion, however, I think it is one of those issues that falls under the category: If you Mind Your Own Business It Won’t Be An Issue.
Affirmative Action: For. If it includes only native born poor Americans, descendants of slaves & Native Americans, and not black Caribbean and African immigrants, etc. I also do not like laws that lead to de facto quotas. I believe in programs that will make people more competitive not guarantee outcomes.
Economics: Regulated free market capitalism, with a strong libertarianism streak for good measure.
Environmental Regulation: I am for rational environmentalism. I do not want the world to be a smoke stack nor like an African Savannah. I am not very much into fear mongering on the idea, I prefer to let the scientific community lead the discussion than politicians.
Gender Differences: They are real, get over them. Neither men or women are superior; they are two halves of the same whole and together create synergy.
Globalization: It is the wave of the future, let yee who stand against it be crushed by the tsunami.
Gun Control: For limited gun control, but the state should never try to take away the right of citizens to protect themselves (especially from the state).
Illegal Immigration: Although I am generally for open borders in regard to trade I am against unregulated free flow of labor. Despite what some racial partisans say in the media, I see no benefit to uncontrolled illegal aliens entering this nation. I am not against immigration! My wife is an immigrant and I believe immigration is necessary. The issue is what type of immigration. We should have immigration policies that are first and foremost good for the nation, not the immigrant. There are reasons my wife and I had to pay thousands of dollars to the USCIS for background checks, disease checks, to make sure I could support her before she got authorization to work, etc. It is not a God given right for any poor person in the world to come to the United States, and it is not feasible. This also does not stop the root cause of why these people are leaving their nations (in the case of Mexico, intense endemic cultural corruption and colorism that has went on since colonial times). Subsidizing the discrimination of Mexico’s (and other nations) elites is not the solution to the problem.
Human Genetic Engineering: Eventually it will happen despite governments around the world seeking to oppress the research and resulting technology. It is going to be an unpredictable part of our evolution.
IQ: It’s real, however current technology can not tell us how much is genetic and how much is environmental, until that occurs, we need to err on the side of caution and continue to try to maximize the environmental variables, because they are the only ones we can control at this time.
Income Inequality: There will always be poor people in a capitalist system, that is okay, as long as there are adequate safety nets and poverty is not generational, but transitory in nature. That is a best case scenario, everyone should recognize that failure to reach equal outcomes is human nature. There will always be a hyper-productive class and a chronically unproductive class because people have different talents and interest that the market will award for differently (or not at all). That is part of living in a free society.
Interracial Marriage: All for it personally, once again if you mind your own business it won’t be an issue.
Math: Damn hard, but I respect those who are good at it. I maxed at Calc I. Math is the language of God.
Racial Differences: I reject the idea of race as a made up concept. I will accept the idea of partially inbred geographic groupings that share some affinities of some alleles. Any differences between humans, are few and far between and insignificant in everyday life. That being said, all men are equal under the law, in how they should be treated due to the fact they are human beings despite their phenotype or ability. If you do not agree with that you are a primitive throwback to barbarism and deserve to be purged from civilized society.
Religion: Agnostic, because that is the most pragmatic position. I am not anti-organized religion, but I do believe religious proselytizing in shared public spaces should be banned. I recognize that organized religion does serve some puposes for the cognitively dull or mentally weak who can not function in life without this type of crutch/framework.
Sex: Very liberal. Just keep it safe and responsible. No disease spreading and bastard production.
Sports: Overrated, athletes are overpaid, although I enjoy a good soccer or basketball game.
Taxes: I support taxes that actually go to the public good and not to support government bureaucracy. Low taxes are preferable in general, but I recognize that sometimes, there is a need for tax increase (in a time of war, national crisis, etc).
Free Trade: For uninhibited trade (*for the most part).
Tariffs: Generally against for developed countries. For, if to protect infant industries in developing countries, depending on the situation. I generally believe in free trade.
Terrorism: A political tool to force concessions or negotiations by making the government look impotent, thereby causing the population to put pressure on their government to negotiate. Commonly used by those who can not win a fight due to low numbers or technological disadvantage. Typically successful if it is able to be carried out frequently over a long period of time. The proper response is to create a strong defense, but also remember this is politically motivated not militarily. Deal with the root social/political causes.
Foreign Policy: Hawkish, but also a strict realist (unlike utopianist neo-cons and leftists).
Minarchist libertarianism: (slightly right of center) can sum up what I am. I believe that the governments main job is to do for people what it can not due for itself, but I take a more liberal view of that than most libertarians. For instance, I believe one of the purposes of government is to protect its citizens. That does not just mean national defense, but also means human and civil rights.
Welfare: Other than food, I want it banned. Leave everything else up to NGOs. If you can not take care of your children the state will take them. That being said, there should be economic incentives in place for poor women not to procreate until such time that they can support themselves and a family. Possibly limited welfare for women who agree to Norplant, injections, “tubes-tied”, etc.
Entitlement Accounts: Private personal accounts (similar to 401K) but with better tax incentives, including health care.
Democracy: The best form of government for developed nations, not always true for developing countries.
Recent Comments