Fire, Phones, & Fighting

By Silvia Uribe

About the Gap Fire events:

Tiny Blue Radio

This was my first time being semi-close to a wild fire. Other than campfires and the contained ones during Christmas in my fireplace, this element was completely unknown to me. After this disclaimer, I have to admit that the long weekend of the 4th of July felt longer than I had ever expected. Unfortunately, it was not a bit fun. Having a great view of the mountains from my balcony, my family and I were able to sit for endless hours and watch the fire slowly moving down the front of the mountain. It was like a crippling beast, paralyzing us with fear and inching closer, especially at night. In addition, the fact we had no electrical power increased our feeling of powerlessness. Because of this, we developed an unhealthy (I'm sure) relationship with our tiny, battery-powered, blue radio, from which none of us could be apart from for long - fighting furiously at times over its rightful location in the house. I felt so much stress and confusion that I turned the TV on channel 20, when power was available, just to read the rolling text; even though useful, additional verbal updates were annoying to me at the time, for some reason. Warnings and evacuation orders were issued, and on our tiny blue connection to the world we learned that some were resistant to leave their homes. In disbelief I wondered why. Do we value our possessions more than our life?

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As I was sitting at the Camino Real Marketplace last Friday morning, I saw people (many people, I should say) gathering around the Direct Relief International truck to get their fair share of masks to protect themselves and their family (or so they said) from the ash. So far, I have not seen one person wearing those masks in public either in Santa Barbara or in Goleta. I wonder, did they only get those masks as a free souvenir item from the Goleta GAP fire? Or maybe the masks are just too uncomfortable to wear? Either way, it defeats the purpose, don't you think?

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About The New Cell Phone Law:

How it is possible that even though we knew it posed a threat to our safety to talk, text or IM on our cell phones while driving, it was not until it would cost us money that we decided to stop doing it? I wonder again, does it mean that we pay more attention to our pocket than to our safety? Do we have our priorities reversed?

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About Our Acceptance of Violence in our Society:

On Saturday night I had the not too lucky opportunity, for the first time, to watch the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) at a downtown bar in Santa Barbara. I had only heard about these fights before. These two young fighters were confined and ready to fight in what seemed to me to be a cage. There was another person in the cage dressed as a referee, except this person seemed to be just an interesting accessory to the show. He enforced no rules, whatsoever. The bar patrons were paying little attention to the TV screen. The fight started and I saw all sorts of kicks on the head, torso, and legs. At times they were in what I call a "nut" position, where it was hard to determine, which part belonged to which person. I started feeling very nervous. Purposely, I focused my attention on another TV that was showing images of Dubai, which were way more inviting than the fight. At some point, and in the middle of the blaring music, the verbal exclamations of my bar peers made me turn my head and I saw their facial expression. Some had a horrified look, others were half covering their eyes, and others were screaming all sorts of things. I turned back to the fight cage screen and what I saw was unbelievable. Blood everywhere! On the fighters, covering their face and body, on the ground, on their clothes, and even drops of blood flying through the air with each blow. I had to turn my head again in horror and disbelief. It was the most savage thing I have ever seen, but believe it or not, it is legal, and people pay big bucks for a seat to see it live, or to watch it on TV through pay per view.

I thought that the Roman Circus spectacle was over and done with centuries ago, and we had become a little more civilized. People go around pleading for animals' rights; dog fighting is illegal in our country. I wonder, what about people fighting to death? No one stopped the fight until one of the fighters was presumably unconscious! What if he was dead? Does the fact that we want to assume those fighters are "capable adults" make it right? Really?

Silvia Uribe is a freelance writer with a Latino perspective.

Cross-posted at Edhat.com

No More, No Less!

By Silvia Uribe

My husband likes to add one year to my age (whichever it may be) whenever asked. Interestingly enough, he doesn't do the same for himself. How tremendously annoying is that? And no, it is not that I'm interested in taking a couple of years off, but why would I want to add more? Especially, if it is true that time is subjective, as philosophers assert, and it is in reality only a measurement that humans have agreed upon for practical reasons. I declare that I have not made any agreements on this as of yet!

Time, to me, has always been a difficult concept to grasp. The fact that it accumulates on people's body and psyche intrigues me. The notion that we are considered of age twice, depending on what we are talking about is mind-boggling. We are not allowed to drink until we're 21, but we are considered mature enough to vote at 18? Talk about posing an untimely double standard! I wondered about this when I was young, but I was too busy learning life to stop for long and ponder the issue. The question of how it is possible for a human being to go from such a cute baby form and size to that of an adult has puzzled me forever, especially when my children were babies. And then, how time passes, and how things pass in relation to time? Fascinating! What was crucial yesterday has no relevance today. Go figure! Understanding time must be a virtue that only a few posses, and I'm not one of them. Knowing when to get attached or when to detach from someone or something, taking time as a thought process aide, or understanding how time helps to heal our wounds … these things get in the realm of the impossible for me.

However, now that I'm older, I think I understand time better as it relates to age; to my own, that is. Other's age, I still don't understand. Sometimes it seems to me that 13 years old is too young to smoke, to have sex or to decide about their future. Twenty-five years old seems too young to be thinking about plastic surgery and too old to dream about marrying the latest NBA star. And, fifty years old seems too old to wear all sorts of name brands on clothes and accessories as a walking billboard, or to practice gossip as a sport, and too young to not have plans of their own and just wait for their grandchildren to come visit them. See how confused I am?

There's one thing that I'm certain about: I wear my age proudly. I wear it as soldiers wear their war medals. Each year represents a won battle and, believe me, the land mines have exploded very close. The grenades coming from God knows where have made me hide at times, and the missiles directed to my head have not been easy to deviate. The armor that I've used has been perfected as each battle ended. It is much better now but not impenetrable, which keeps me alert at all times. The tools that I've used to detect and fight the enemy (i.e. positioning systems, alarms, night viewing equipment) are quite sophisticated by now. I have researched new and improved weapons to counter the effects of most attacks. The ones I prefer are those that either disarm or completely neutralize the enemy. It takes a great deal of skill to use them, but they are actually my favorite ones.

Have I ever attacked first? You bet! Did I enjoy the victory? Not a bit! Every time I used a deadly weapon first I got badly hurt as well, so I learned that a defensive approach (on an "as needed basis") works much better for me. Now, I have a good collection of medals; most of them for courage, some for achievement, a few for good conduct, and a couple of meritorious ones. Even though the battles can get rough at times I still like to fight the fight and conquer new territories both inside and out. Plus, the alternative is not very promising if you think about it.

Obviously, increasing or reducing my age could either take some of those earned medals away or will give me some that I haven't earned yet (and merit is important to me, if you should know). So honey, no more, and no less…just my age, please.

Silvia Uribe is a freelance writer with a Latino perspective.

Cross-posted at Edhat.com

Requiem To Laura Cleaves

By Silvia Uribe

When I arrived at the DA's office building on Thursday May 8th, it was a balmy morning; I could smell the ocean and the freshness of nature; the birds were chirping and the majestic Santa Barbara Court House clock sounded 8:15. (The previous night, in my dreams, I was chatting on the phone, laughing and making plans with a friend to get together.) That day, in the late afternoon, I would be on my way to Santa Maria to meet with her for the last time. I needed to finalize the carpooling plans with other mutual friends who work in that office, and I wanted to do it as soon as possible.

As I was sitting in the rather new, white, "intelligent" building, whose lights turn on and off automatically and keeps a comforting temperature at all times, I couldn't help but looking at the people who were seemingly floating through the hallways, in a somber mood. Even though they went about their business in the usual manner, there was heaviness in the air and in the way they walked; most of them wore monochromatic black attire. In the normally loud office, one could not hear the everyday laughter, or the jokes played among peers. The office was quiet; people spoke softly as if their voices could disrupt their memories of a lost friend, and colleague.

The Santa Barbara District Attorney's office's 140 or so employees in the whole county knew Laura Cleaves. The senior Investigator who, due to her 25+ years of experience, dealt with the most complex case load, the one who had the highest work ethics, and who always tried to do the right thing; the woman who opened the doors of her home every year during Christmas time, so people could rejoice with her decorations and welcoming goodies; the Sheriff's Office trainer, the horse lover, and the excellent wife, mother and cook. She was fun, calm, gracious and humble, as only the great can be. Her impeccable reputation preceded her, but she acted like one more among her peers.

It was hard for everyone to hear about the accident that ended such a rich, full life. When the telephone rang at my home in the early morning of May 2nd, I could not believe or make sense of what I was hearing, but it was unfortunately true. Laura was killed by an irresponsible, egocentric, and brainless drunk driver who ripped us all of a wonderful human being, who provided a great service to our community.

Laura with her sweet smile was there, at the religious service in spirit, welcoming everyone for the last time. (I smiled at the thought that she and I made the meeting we arranged the previous night in my dreams.) For her friends who vastly overflowed the large church capacity one thing was very obvious, there was no doubt or disagreement about what kind of person she was. Those who gave the eulogies, and the rest of us in our minds, described her as ethical, warm, trustworthy, committed, and loving. Most of us were trying to contain our tears in an attempt, not always successful, to quiet our pain.

Maya Angelou said once that "A woman of courage enters a room, and everyone is put at ease. There is something appealing in the way she walks and in the way se holds herself." This is the memory I will always keep about Laura.

Her human presence might be gone, but her impact in all of her family, friends and the community outlives her.

Silvia Uribe is a freelance writer with a Latino perspective.

Cross-posted at Edhat.com

This Latina Wonders...

By Silvia Uribe

After all of these months of political campaigning, of heated arguments between candidates, and supporters, of an endless parade of political pundits dissecting each of the candidates’ words, attitudes, and moves, have you gotten a clear idea whether America is more racist or more sexist?

Hillary Clinton is criticized for speaking softly, aggressively or mid tone. When she talks about her vast experience, they say she is “same old, same old”, when she expresses her opinions she is too divisive, if she shows her emotions, she is “fake”; nothing that she says or does seems to be right. On the other hand, Barack Obama’s tone only needs a few adjustments…at times, they say. Since he lacks experience, he brings hope, and when he laughs about his opponent’s campaign, he’s not condescending, but he is addressing the issues; when he tells us that he didn’t know, after 20 years of attending the same church, about his pastor’s opinions…he is not lying, the argument is that in fact, he is hurt for having to distance himself from the “crazy” man.

And what’s up with the tone that the media uses lately referring to Clinton? Are they making fun of her because she doesn’t want to quit? 64% of democrats don’t want her to quit, and why would she? People should know by now that quitting is not women’s nature. Most women tend to hold on to, and take life commitments to completion. From raising their kids, to accomplishing great careers, they stick to their goals even in light of great difficulties and barriers of opposition and discouragement. Women can take on great responsibilities, including some that correspond to men, when they are not up to the game. Women are not quitters, what can I say! I think that the media loses respect and the already little credibility it has when making so common, but so unprofessional remarks.

If all of the above is not enough answer for you, you might want to consider the fact that Clinton’s detractors say that those white, middle age and middle class voters who prefer her are racist, but the black voters who prefer Barack are not blamed of the same; or how about Hillary’s overwhelming victories, some by incredible margins in Arkansas, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Ohio? All of them in the double digits! The media and the public down play them, but when Barack wins by similar or even smaller margins, those same voices are loud and prompt in praising his “colossal” victories to death.

Are we more racist or more sexist? I think I have my answer…what about you?

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This Latina Wonders... Does anyone remember Edwards criticizing Obama for praising Ronald Reagan and his politics at a campaign rally back in January? Edwards said then that “is not a good example of change for a presidential candidate running in the Democratic Party to admire Ronald Reagan, the man who busted unions, the man who did everything in his power to destroy the organized labor movement, the man who created a tax structure that favored the richest Americans against middle class and working families, ... " is Edwards so power starved now that he feels the need to support Obama?

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This Latina Wonders… have both Democrats and Republicans learned at least one or two things from this eternal race? How about not letting campaigns to be so long, huh? Or to set limits to campaign spending? If politicians are so good in their fundraising efforts, shouldn’t they raise money, for example, to serve people’s basic needs and not to spend so much in their advertising efforts? Millions and more millions! Isn’t it a slap on the face of those whose main priority is being able to get mental health services, or having food on their table, or a place to sleep, or better education, or for a lot of baby boomers, some certainty of a Social Security income when retirement time finally comes? If they raise money so efficiently, shouldn’t politicians have higher goals than mere self promotion, and shouldn’t we all choose to put our money to better use?

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And finally, I wonder… are the difficult days for America ending, so to speak, with the Bush administration? Or will they be prolonged with a series of more unfortunate events, starting with the next presidential election?


Silvia Uribe is a freelance writer with a Latino perspective.

Cross-posted at Edhat.com