Presidential Idiocy

During the 1870s and 1890s, multiple federal laws were passed outlawing polygamy. The LDS Church's practice of plural marriage had been a thorn in the relationship between the much-maligned fledgling faith and the US government for 40 years, engendering a military occupation, and the installation of a puppet government. The Federal government viewed polygamy as general immorality that could be legislated against. While the Constitution of the United States has always protected religious freedom and the practice of plural marriage was singularly a 'Mormon faith' phenomenon, the US government deemed then that no amount of religiosity could justify plural marriage (and continues to do so today). Which makes the current atmosphere of religion vs. culture vs. the law of the land in regards to Islam so frightening and ultimately disheartening for any serious student of human behavior.

The recent example of the New Jersey judge who interpreted the religious law of Sharia to be of greater value than that of the law of the land is stunning (http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/07/sharia-in-new-jersey-muslim-husband-rapes-wife-judge-sees-no-sexual-assault-because-husbands-religio.html) and while the appellate court overturned this idiot's ruling, it opens the door to scary prospects. What about female mutilation? Honor killings? Stoning for Sharia-forbidden crimes? At what point is the line drawn between freedom from religious persecution, and respect for the most basic of human rights assured in the Constitution?

In point of fact, this question of human rights versus religious freedom has become a presidential affair, only with the president choosing a disconcertingly wrong side. (Note: I am using an absolute. This is beyond question or doubt.) The debate in which Mr Obama has so unwisely plunged is in regards to a proposed $100 million mosque to be built at Ground Zero. (http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/08/201081422058404426.html)His defense was faulty, "I believe Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in the country." There are more than 100 mosques in New York city at present. Muslims aren't hard-pressed to find a place to practice their religion.

What's more, Mr Obama went on to chatter about an unshakable commitment to religion because of our Americanism, or some such drivel. Unfortunately for his fatuous assertion that a mosque at Ground Zero will be a symbol of healing, this unshakable commitment runs headlong into one of the key assertions of the Declaration of Independence, one of the most important documents in human history, which predated the Constitution by some 11 years. "We find these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. (italics added)"

Wherein there is religious freedom, or more importantly, the right to do anything one wishes as long as one's religion countenances it, listed? In fact, as in the example of the Mormons and their plural marriage, the government has the right to place strictures on religious activity. Instead, the phrase "pursuit of happiness" catches the eye. This, then, is the keystone to understanding Mr Obama's failure to grasp the cause of anger for many Americans when he chose to endorse this mosque proposal. He ignored a greater precept for a lesser one. The one American whose sole responsibility is to "preserve, uphold, and protect" the Constitution of the United States chose to overlook a core principle in the drafting of the Constitution to make political hay.

Almost 3,000 people died in the 9/11 attacks. The entire city was in mourning, Jew, Hindu, Christian, Muslim alike. This event rippled across the country. If one simply assumed that every person that died had at least 100 people who knew them, either personally or professionally, this is an impact of 300,000. Add in a 'Six Degrees of Separation' dynamic, and this number can leap to 1.8M. And this number doesn't begin to truly capture the effect on the country and her citizens. While the 800,000 Muslims in New York would possibly benefit from the access to (yet another) mosque in the city, it is guaranteed that the 1.8 million who were directly affected by the events of 9/11 would have a thumb in their collective eye, a constant reminder of the most painful of national tragedies, and a symbol of Islam, the religion twisted to the point of martyrdom and mass murder.

This obelisk of pain would be a continual obstacle to this principle of the "pursuit of Happiness." How can one be expected to move on, heal, and begin to pursue happiness when there is a daily physical monument to the most emotionally traumatic event in one's life? Mr Obama had best bone up on his Constitution, his history, and his grasp on the American psyche, as this endorsement could prove to be the albatross to his reelection bid in 2 years. Of course, then again, he could just let the Mormons go back to multiple wives.

Back to the Grind

Dear. Good. Holy. God. I'm back working in restaurants. It could be worse, I realize. I could be back to trash collecting, sewage pump cleaning, or gay porn. But there is something terribly, terribly wrong with me serving people. It's not that the job is difficult. Certainly, it can be for some folks. I just did it for so long that there is no longer a whole lot of challenge. (In fact, the challenge I give myself now is to see how close to the line I can step. You know, the line that keeps you employed? Yeah, that line.) The more I consider the whole thing, the more it occurs to me that the reason it makes so little sense for me to be in the service industry is that, well, you see, I dislike people.

Oh sure, as individuals, people are great. One by one, people are fascinating, intricate, and funny creatures. Even the perceptibly boring ones can provide moments of distraction, if nothing else. No, it definitely is not a situation where I am a misanthropist. I just don't like people. People who need to impress their friends with their knowledge (which most often comes close to what most industry employees learn by their 2nd year), people who love to laugh too loudly at jokes that aren't funny, and people who like to belittle service workers because they make so much more than the service workers all have a special ring in hell devoted to them.

People who think 15% is above and beyond the call of duty, who think tips is an acronym for To Insure Prompt Service, who think incorrectly prepared food is the server's fault, and people who think Sunday afternoon is the right time to dine are all beginners who make the job so much worse than it need be. And wine buyers who sniff the cork, who don't bother smelling their wine before tasting it, and who attempt to return a wine because they don't like it are all guilty of an idiocy that goes far beyond the trite "the customer is always right".

No, I say, the customer is not always right. It is perfectly reasonable to return a wine that is cooked or corked. It is not reasonable to return a wine that a guest does not care for, because, frankly, it's the customer's responsibility to know what he or she likes. Tantamount to returning a rainbow trout to the kitchen because it is too fishy, this type of action incenses industry workers and shows a lack of respect for the process, the traditions, and the sense of fair play.

Immensely pleasurable are those guests who know the role of guest. Those who imbibe in the atmosphere of low lighting, the murmur of pleasurable company, and the feel of heavy silverware are the best kinds of guests. These are they who swirl their wine aggressively and inhale with half their face in the bowl of the wine glass. When these people lift their heads, eyes half-closed, and faces blank in ecstasy, there is never a question. These professional guests most often will make eye contact, nod at the server, and gesture to their table mates. These are the people that I love, respect, and appreciate serving.

These guests dine on Tuesday nights or, at most, Thursday nights because they know these are nights where service is at its best and restaurants are at their operational peaks. These guests are meticulous in their orders, and never ask, "Are you sure you can remember all this?" These guests understand that sometimes the people next to them who arrived later might be served first, especially if that table is eating pasta, and their own table is enjoying a Chateaubriand.

Gratuity to these guests is a word whose etymology hearkens a likeness to 'gratitude'. These guests don't look at a bill to determine the service quality. These guests will tip 30% or higher and think nothing of it. Not because of any great personal worth, but more because a server's performance has genuinely earned it. Guests like these recognize effort, professionalism, and quality. Unsurprisingly, these are those people who drive expensive vehicles that may be a few years old. They know how to spend their money with their whole being, heart, mind, and soul.

These guests are modest in their conversation, intelligent in their intercourse, and quiet in their comport. Their humor is understated and tactful, rarely offensive or demeaning. Their opinions are interesting, and they are the folks who offer a glass to their server. Education to these guests is a lifelong process; the server is yet another source of information. Disagreements with their service staff are always light-hearted and playful. The line of respect is never crossed with this guest. These are guests who fascinate me and make my job worth the paltry sum I earn.

For me these are guests for whom I can only challenge myself to be the best possible service worker I can. These guests are people I hope to impress and for whom I hope to provide an unforgettable dining experience. Every time I serve these people, I set the line that I must leap a little bit higher, to see just how far my experience and instinct can take me. These moments make this job tough, because I make it so. It's at these times I am glad I don't collect trash or clean pumps, and I'm always glad I don't do gay porn. I realize it could always be worse. By dear good holy God.

Inspired by Three Clicks

Inspiration comes from so many varied sources. It can be found in the words of a coworker or client, the whispers of a lover, or the visuals in a mirror. The writing of heroes, enemies, madmen, and saints all can ignite a spark to change. From the decision to try a new hobby to determining a significant life change is in order, inspiration is never minuscule. True inspiration arrives with a force of enthusiasm that is both exciting and intimidating. It's serious stuff, this thing inspiration, and with that gravitas comes the responsibility to act.

The motivation to change and initiate a new way of thinking and being often hits as a result of outside factors. For Banks Lee, the inability to lock a roller coaster shoulder restraint due to his weight was the catalyst to reshape his life. Having peaked at over 300 pounds, he realized that the the thrill of riding an amusement park attraction paled in comparison to the ability to do so, and the freedom inherent in a healthier weight. He set a goal for his weight, has started blogging about his efforts, is more health conscious about his diet and is now walking and swimming daily.

Banks' approach has the hallmarks of what will be a successful life change. It is focused, well-defined, and (importantly) noteworthy. Inspired change can almost be expressed as an algebraic formula:

I + (E x G)(W x S)/C = Degree of permanence of the affected change.

Where I = inspiration, E = enthusiasm, G = goals, W = effort involved, S = support, and C = conditions that serve to resist change and embrace the status quo.

In Banks Lee's example, it can be shown that his failure to be able to ride the coaster (I) provided him the motivation (E) to lose enough weight (G) in order to lock the restraints down and take the ride. As such, he is exercising and eating more properly (W), has started a blog where he receives a constant stream of well-wishes and advice on weight loss (S). Where he faces his biggest challenge is that his current place of employment (C) is through Disney at the M&M's park, named after the chocolate candies. Which is an incredibly big condition, seeing as diet is a crucial part of weight loss.

Inspiration is a rarity in the human experience in that it is both mechanical and organic. It is mechanical in that it results from a process, whether that be a process of events or thoughts, and it is organic because that process is impossible to presage. Inspiration can be maddening because the process leading to it is only visible in retrospect. One cannot walk out the front door and decide to be inspired. And chasing inspiration is akin to falling asleep with fingers crossed and hoping for a certain dream. It's herding cats, writ large.

What's more, inspiration is never a continuance, rather the ignition of the new. The phrase, "I was inspired to keep doing what I was doing," is either ridiculous or the utterance of a feeble mind. Inspiration begins unforeseen ways of being and thinking. These new ways of thought and act can be uncomfortable, stretch us as people, and give us increased opportunities to fail spectacularly. But when we succeed?

Ahh, when we succeed, the success is doubly sweet. The nectar of achievement is tooth-achingly saccharine when it is through personal inspiration. The young adult who graduates college because it has been parentally-driven can in no way grasp the glory for a retiree who walks a college campus for exercise, only to uncover a lifelong dream and to return for a degree. What is more is that those who are inspired, have followed the formula above and succeeded actually find themselves more open to future inspiration. After all, self-affirming results are behavior cementers.

The student who decides to stop sleeping in late in the morning in order to study more, immediately sees an increase in mental acuity and better grades. What better affirmation of positive change? When Banks finally snaps the shoulder bars down and takes his ride, will he exit the coaster and head directly for the churro stand? Doubtful. When coupled with hard work and the right elements, inspiration can make any change possible. The important part is keeping ourselves open to it.