Bold Steps for the Convivial

I’ve got an idea…

Tonight as I sit in bed, memorizing 50 new words for GRE, Fantastic Mr. Fox is playing in the background. In the midst of cramming words like refulgent, laconic, and garrulous into my cranium, I can’t help but stop and soak in the artistic beauty of this film. When I watch, my left brain becomes entranced from the get-go. My eyes lock onto this crafty fox as he flows fluidly across the screen in what can be tersely described as stop-motion refulgence (thanks GRE).

This avenue of art invokes a childlike sense of wonder in my mind, raising a beautiful question in my mind: “How did they do it?”

Turns out they did it through a commendable combination of creativity, diligence, technology, and team work. It took the talented cast and crew 5,229 shots, consisting of 621,450 frames, to capture the footage needed to bring this film to life. If we do a bit a of math and plug the 621,450 frames into the film standard of 24 frames per second, we can calculate that over 25893.75 seconds (431.56 minutes) were taken in the filmmaking process. Even more amazing is the level of meticulosity reached to ensure that these 621,450 frames would run smoothly once pieced together in post production. 

To take a deeper grasp on what this means, take a look at this film trailer. For every single second of film you see, 24 individual frames had to be taken. And in between each of these frames, an artist had to go in and make the most precise movements to the puppets so that every shot flows fluidly. As I continued researching the making of Fantasic Mr. Fox, I came to a realization: Wonder is beautiful. 

An ancient Greek proverb states “wonder is the beginning of wisdom.” Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle once said, “wonder is the basis for worship.” Wonder is that spark within the human mind that leads to bold new thoughts and revolutionary discoveries.

If Christopher Columbus had allowed fear to swallow his urge to wonder, the world might still be living under the presumption that the world is flat.

If Galileo had never wondered at the stars, mankind could still be unaware of far off galaxies. And mankind may have never discovered Pluto, then pompously decided that Pluto was unworthy of “planet” status… anyway, that’s a tirade for another time… 

And if a wonder-filled Benjamin Franklin never had the curiosity to fly a lightning-friendly kite in a thunderstorm, we could still be sitting in the dark. I certainly wouldn’t be typing this on my MacBook right now.

Wonder dares us to dream, dares us to seek something greater than ourselves.

Sometimes I wonder if through all our advancements and discoveries, if we have pushed too far. But then again, this only presents another opportunity to wonder.

I’m curious to hear what makes you wonder.

To sum things up, I’m about to post this blog and finish watching Fantastic Mr. Fox. I fear that the image of barn “27 B” has permanently burned its way onto my television screen. But before I go, I’ve got an idea… At some point over the upcoming year, I’m going to create a stop-motion project of my own. And it’s going to be wonderful.

#HotBox

It’s officially been one week since the 48 Hour Film Project hit Nashville, TN, and I have yet to officially recover. Six sporadic hours of sleep over two days has a way of doing that to a man. Anyway, I digress…

For those who are unfamiliar with the 48, it’s a creative, chaotic perennial contest where filmmakers are asked to go above and beyond the call of duty. After drawing a random genre from a hat, each team is given a random character, prop, and line of dialogue from which they have 48 hours to formulate into a 4-7 minute film. 

Last Friday night at 6pm, 54 Nashvillian teams sent representatives to NuMynd Studios (48 Hour HQ) to receive the random elements. As the clock struck 7, the last element was announced and the delegates sprinted out of the studio with the wildest of ideas racing through the air. It was beautiful chaos on the grandest scale. On my way out of the studio I called my team and the creative amalgamation known as filmmaking began. Here’s what my team, Sons of Liberty, came up with:

Title: ” The Accidental Kidnapping of Ellie Minors”

Genre: Dark Comedy

Character: Evan Minors, City Employee

Prop: A Chess Set

Line of Dialogue: “It’s not easy being me.”

Synopsis: An unexpected relationship forms after the mayor’s daughter is accidentally kidnapped.

First of all, I want the world to know how proud I am of my team. Bringing a short film to life in 48 hours is an arduous task that really tests what you’re made of. My colleagues of Sons of Liberty passed with flying colors. For the most part, we had a team of first timers, which is quite admirable. Congrats guys. You rocked it, and I look forward to working with you all in the future.

This two day process is like clockwork. If your work doesn’t flow smoothly, the filmmaking can all fall apart very quickly. People can talk all day about strategy for taming such a beast, but it really comes down to two things - having a strong team dynamic and being adaptable.

When you have 48 hours to completely start and finish a film, a lot can happen. For example, if it winds up raining when you meant to shoot an outdoor scene, then you better have a back up plan (or get a poncho and adapt to the weather). Problems will always arise. It’s just a matter of keeping your cool and transforming the issue into some positive.

Perhaps the most helpful advice I can give to fellow 48 Hour Film Project directors is to surround yourself with a good team. And not just people who are gifted in their craft, but folks who have good heads on their shoulders. In football, they say a quarterback is only as good as his wide receivers. Imagine Vince Young dropping back to hit Kenny Britt on a pass across the middle when, all of a sudden, the play breaks down. If Britt and his fellow receivers freak out and shut down, there’s going to be trouble. On the other hand, if the receivers stay focused and keep the play alive, you can have something beautiful on your hands. I don’t know about you, but I like having people who can keep the play alive.

Along with the team dynamic, it’s important to note that everyone serves a purpose. Whether it’s holding a boom, tossing out an idea, or finding a guy who owns a sweet motorized scooter, EVERYONE has a role to play. It’s critical to realize that even the smallest piece plays a vital role in pulling a project off in a weekend. For example, we had a guy who didn’t get the chance to be behind the camera until the last scene, but then he sparked the idea for a window shot that showcased the Nashville skyline, one of my favorite shots in the entire film. 

Before closing, I want to note what this weekend meant for my journey as a filmmaker. This was my first time to compete in this project in several years. Over the last year I’ve been taking intentional steps in my practice of filmmaking. When I came into this project, I wanted to gauge where I am in my journey compared to where I was three years ago. It puts a big smile on my face to see how I’ve not only developed as an artist, but as a person. Not to be ostentatious, but I’m very happy with the person I’ve become over the last few years. The relationships I have built, combined with the tenacious mentality I take into every endeavor of life, really showed up in the making of this film. When combining this with my freshly acquired knowledge of film, I’m really happy with where I stand. I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to practice the art I adore while spending such quality time with friends.

Lastly, I would like to raise a toast to everyone who competed in Nashville’s 48 Hour Film Project. It takes a lot of hard work and creativity to pull this mother off. You should be proud of what you’ve accomplished.

“The Accidental Kidnapping of Ellie Minors” will be premiering at Belcourt Theater this Thursday night at 9:40pm. If you’re in the mood for a snappy dark comedy, come check it out!

Oh, and of course, it always takes a bit of luck. You know, a lot can happen in 48 Hours.

Today was one of those days where the heat blast from opening your car door gives you goosebumps. Yes, Nashville was nothing short of a smoldering inferno, but that didn’t stop our brave group of Summer Scholars from making their way to the Parthenon for an afternoon of frisbee that fell nothing short of monumental.

I was the first on the scene, arriving at around 2:15pm. Under the white skies of Nashville, one could not help but notice the ominous rainclouds rolling in. We had previously worried that our scholars might succumb to heat stroke, considering the heat index was at 111, but God had other plans in mind. As I took my first steps in Centennial Park, the bottom dropped out, releasing a mighty torrential downfall of soothing rain. The golf ball sized droplets quickly cooled the park, drenching everything in their path. I took shelter beneath the sturdy doric columns of the Parthenon and watched God make it rain. I remember chuckling happily to myself, saying in my internal monologue “What can’t my God do?”

I quickly had an encounter with a group of students from Arizona who were in town for a business seminar conference. The asked if I would mind taking their picture in front of the Parthenon, so with my grandest display of Southern hospitality, I obliged. 8 cameras and 9 photographs later, I had charmed the group. They were sure to take a group picture with me as well so that they would never forget our moment together. I concluded with a quick history lesson on Greek architecture, then my summer scholars and fellow LU workers showed up. It was frisbee time.

The downpour continued as we took the field, completely saturating the group within a matter of minutes. We jumped, slipped, slid, and rejoiced in the cooling rain for the next twenty minutes. This is when everything changed.

All of a sudden the rain was gone, taking the shade giving clouds away with a mighty gust of wind. Yes, everything had changed. Now it was a showdown with el sol as the heat began to escalate, raising the humidity along with it. Before the next battle charge of team Elephant Graveyard (my team, who played for keeps), we could hardly breath. We could practically see the water vapor rising from the ground. It felt like I was running underwater. Every breath felt like a quaff of vapor, but we endured.

We continued in this fashion for the next hour or so, running, sweating, and selling out for the big catch. You know, the traits that synthesize a game of frisbee into something along the caliber of ULTIMATE. At one point, I had to drop a Street Fighter reference, comparing myself to Dhalsim for my long stretching defensive moves. (Oh, and I think I breathed fire at one point, combusting my defender. I can’t be sure, but it was scorching hot either way.) My team appreciated the reference, so we gave a triumphant elephant roar (pucker your lips and exhale through your mouth as hard as you can, you’ll see what I mean) before trampling our way to victory.

After a brutal afternoon on the field, we all awalked away with our heads held high. Mostly in disbelief that it was so hot and humid outside. This was a great day to meet some future Lipscomb students and teach them a bit about college’s staple sport. We wrapped up the afternoon at Sweet Cece’s in Hillsboro Village where I discovered a frozen yogurt combination worthy of an accolade. Homemade vanilla, topped with Fruity Pebbles, coconut shavings, and yogurt ships. I sprinkled on a few blue berries for the sake of aesthetics, and I was good to go. Trust me, it’s worth your while.

On a closing note, I’ve been so thankful to spend time with my friends at Lipscomb Admissions as well as future students. Admissions has been my home for the last two and a half years, and I’ve felt an emptiness without it since graduation. It is a true joy and blessing to have these people in my life, and I’m thankful for every moment I get to spend with them. I also miss meeting incoming students and sharing what little bits of knowledge I can. I met a young lady today by chance who is passionate about film, but was having doubts about continuing her education in the art in fear of the job market. We sat down and talked for about two hours today to eat lunch and watch a few online videos I had made. We discussed the art, movies that inspire us, what schools we were looking at, and what we’d like to do someday. I also gave her some insight on how to make herself more marketable as a filmmaker. For example, if you major in communication, then pick up a minor in something that expands your marketability - say through business or education (anything to make you well rounded and get your feet into different doors). I believe my strongest point orbited around the notion that film is a beautiful, creative art. Even if you wind up primarily doing a job that has nothing to do with film, you can still practice the art actively on the side through freelance projects or independent filmmaking, both of which are wonderful, and potentially lucrative, hobbies. After two hours of great conversation, I believe I had eased her fears and inspired her to chase her filmmaking dreams. She told me she couldn’t wait to go home and tell her mom what we had shared.

It’s in moments like these I really see God at work. A few weeks ago I was having dinner with a few friends when one asked me “What do you think your spiritual gift is?” Without hesitation I responded that my gift is all about people. I love meeting with new people, connecting, and sharing experiences. That’s why I loved my job through Lipscomb Admissions, it may have been the best/highest paying job on campus, but I was also able to use my spiritual gift in an every day professional environment. Through my film work, I’m also meeting new people and sharing, which makes me very optimistic about my future.

Wherever I wind up down the road, I know that I’m going to use my connective gift in every way possible. 

Yes, I can safely say that today was monumental.

Tonight I reached a new plane of social media enlightenment. I have reached tweet number 2,000.

When I think back over the compilation of 2,000 thoughts characterized in 140 characters or less, a piece, I recall a lot of good times, funny videos, intriguing articles, and playful stabs at fellow tweeters. Ah, this presents a most satisfactory opportunity to tell the tale of my first tweet…

In February of 2009, I took my first trip to Washington D.C. as part of an American Law course. I had heard a slight buzz beginning to grow about this new social media insurgence called “Twitter”, but didn’t really give it a second thought. It wasn’t until I was walking the chilly streets of the nation’s capital with my mentor, Beth Morrow, that I began to give this whole tweeting thing the time of day. She had been tweeting from her blackberry, informing the world of all the shenanigans our group was getting into in Washington. I was intrigued. The idea that I could share any event of my trip to anyone who cared to peruse my thoughts (followers) really had my narcissistic gears turning. 

One arctic morning as we prepared to pay a visit to George Stephanopoulos in the famed Newseum, I discovered Beth was getting updates from George himself to gauge his thoughts on his upcoming shoot. She was becoming more informed through the use of social media. At this point I began to see this new forum as not only entertaining, but useful. 

After returning home, I hopped onto my macbook and @MrJakeMorgan was born. Since then I’ve really seen some beauty and creativity through the concise thoughts of my peers. I’ve also learned to follow my favorite news sources and sports teams to stay up to date on the matters that I find interesting. I’ve even launched several other Twitter accounts, one for a community organizing campaign with 2nd Harvest Food Bank, and another that I like to call the AMP Initiative (Aquatic Mammal Preservation) which I use to post interesting stories I find about aquatic life and people taking a stand to preserve wildlife. The possibilities are really only limited by the bounds of your creativity.

You may still be one of the skeptics who’s been holding out all this time, claiming that you’re better off without it, and perhaps you’re right. Just know that you’re missing out on a chance to stay up to date with the world we live in while giving your 140 characters (or less) on the matter.

Oh, and did I mention all unprivatized tweets are being stored in a database within the United State Library of Congress? My voice is being recorded so that in 100 years, society can look back and see what I was saying and what the world was talking about. With this 2,000th tweet, I’m making my mark on history. How about you? 

We all take our own approach to individual liberty. Myself, I enjoy taking full advantage of our Constitution’s First Amendment which prohibits any law from, among other things, “infringing on the freedom of speech.” Last Sunday night, on our nation’s 234th birthday, I demonstrated this liberty by screaming “AMERICA” at the top of my lung from the Shelby Street Bridge in downtown Nashville.Everyone commemorates individual liberty in their own way, but I assure you, on July 4, 2010, there was no better way to celebrate than taking in the South’s greatest firework show over Music City, Tennessee.

After finding free parking at the Tennessee State Capitol Building, my party meandered through the masses downtown to get a bird’s-eye view of the firework extravaganza. We settled centrally on the Shelby Street Bridge, which resides just above the might Cumberland. With the symphony playing in the warm summer air, the stage was set for the show of the year.

The first streaming flare took to the sky as the clock struck 9:30pm. For the next half hour, the rockets’ red glare lit up Music City like, well, to quote country music artist Toby Keith, the 4th of July. It was truly a sight to behold as the incandescent lights and vibrant colors reflected on the towering duo of the Batman Building & the Pinnacle. The drumfire thundered beneath the bridge and echoed all the way down the Cumberland. Truly remarkable…

To view a highlight video of the evening, click here!

The South’s greatest firework show came to a triumphant close with a finale worthy of the founding fathers. (Well, maybe not Alexander Hamilton, but the King’s College was practically impossible to please) An array of reds, whites, and blues (along with oranges and purples) dazzled the crowd in the voracious spectacle. As the light of the last comet faded into the smokey night, the crowd erupted into cheers and approbation. Maybe I’m just a sucker for explosions, but the show was thirty minutes of combustable bliss. You’re free to form your own opinion, but I stand firm that Nashville is home to the South’s greatest firework show. This event only comes around once a year, so be sure to mark your calendar for 2011!

The summer sun is hammering hard in Nashville, so I’ve been attempting to limit the hours I spend outdoors. This has led me down a path where I find myself watching and studying a lot of films. Over the last week, I’ve entered the world of award-winning filmmaker, Wes Anderson. In fact, The Life Aquatic is playing in the background as I’m typing. His films, like The Royal Tenenbaums and The Darjeeling Limited, are opening my mind to a radical new dimension of the art. Yes, they most certainly are a work art.

I’m a huge fan of vibrant colors, which Anderson uses to his advantage in seemingly every shot (especially primary colors). It’s almost as if the backgrounds of his films come to life and become characters, playing intricate roles in every sequence. Anderson’s unmatched level of symmetrical shots, dysfunctional character development, and witty scripting really get a young filmmaker’s imagination running. 

Perhaps the most intriguing part of all this film studying is that I’ve also rediscovered the joy of making films, and at one of the most capable points in my life. Later this summer my team, Sons of Liberty, will be competing in the Nashville 48 Hour Film Project. We held our first official team meeting last weekend as we created a short comedy about an over patriotic gym coach while painting an allegorical portrait of the weakness of overly boastful nationalism.

This will technically be my fifth go around with the most frantic, exhilarating 2 day film competition in existence, but the first time I’ve competed in several years. I’m particularly exited about what this electric July weekend will hold since my film knowledge and technical skills have certainly increased 10 fold since my last attempt. We’ve put together a really creative, hardworking team this year, so needless to say, this project is going to something to remember.

Admittedly, there’s still a lot to learn on this filmmaking journey of mine. Every day I strive to learn a bit more and take a few more steps down the road.

A fire has been sparked and it’s not going to burn out anytime soon.

On my way home from work today, I had a phone conversation with my mother. During our chat, she asked me about my life, my new job, and all the essential motherly questions. I also told her about the film projects I’ve been working on, including an professional internship offer for later this summer. After assuring her that I was making enough money to buy groceries, which are an unbelievable burden on my bank account (thanks, real world), she remarked that it’s amazing how God keeps opening doors in my life. There was a pause before I could respond. This statement really hit me.

God is awesome, truly, literally, awe-inspiringly awesome.

I can see the path that has been set before me, and I’m so thankful for all the gifts, opportunities, and support that God has given me. The combination of my new job with Lipscomb University’s Department of Communication & the fresh arrival of “Life” and “Yellowstone” on blu-ray have me more focused than ever to dominate this upcoming graduate school exam and mortar some legitimacy into my fresh career as a filmmaker.

Through the course of 2010, God has continued to open doors for my future. For the first time in my life, I really have a vision of where my journey is leading. I can’t be sure if I’ll wind up landing on the East coast or the West. Who knows if I’ll be practicing my craft along the Potomac, in the breeze of the Pacific, or the foothills of the Rockies. Heck, who’s to even say what colors my future flag will hold. I can’t even pretend to have all the answers, but I know I’m focused and prepared for what may come.

I’m thankful to see that God is opening doors.

This week I had the chance to road trip up to Washington, D.C. with two of the coolest girls you could ever hope to meet. My last visit to the nation’s capital was over a year ago, so I was thrilled to be back in town. With the rainy and dreary weather on hand, I began to doubt that the sun shined anymore in D.C., but weather aside, I could not have had a better time.

To kick our D.C. adventure off, Monday (day 1), on the mall checking out the National Gallery. After grabbing some scrumptious eats at a local pub, I would wager we spent the better portion of the next four hours meandering through the Gallery’s grand halls. Playing critic all afternoon really took it’s toll, so we hit the Metro back to Virginia for a Middle Eastern dinner. On the way home I made the comment that the Metro tunnel reminded me of something straight out of Star Wars.

Apparently, I wasn’t alone in this observation, so we decided to wrap up our night by sprawling out on the couch to watch Star Wars: Episode 4, a capital idea!

On Tuesday we ventured through the dreary weather for my meeting at American University (AU). After taking an quick informal tour of the campus, we parted ways. The girls went to check out the National Cathedral while I sat down with members of AU’s School of Communication (SOC). During our discussion I learned all the ins and outs of the film degrees, scholarships, and even scored tips on finding local residence. Next, my SOC representative explained AU’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking, an organization designed for students just like me who want to travel and show the world a side of nature they’ve never seen before. As if I wasn’t sold enough on D.C. and AU beforehand! 

Additionally, D.C. is home to Discovery Channel Head Quarters, National Geographic, and Animal Planet, each of which provide internships for AU SOC students. I can’t imagine a more ideal internship for my situation then working with Discovery Channel, which currently has over 20 AU SOC alumni on staff. I walked away from AU with the confidence that I will be returning to D.C. soon to embark on my next step in education.

Afterward, I met up with the girls at the cathedral for a choral worship session. We then proceeded down the street to the Cactus Cantina to celebrate! Fiesta!!! If you’ve never experienced the Cantina, trust me, it’s MUY BIEN! We wrapped the party up with a late night run to Silver Diner. Even though my jukebox request for “I Will Survive” never came through, enjoying my chunky monkey milkshake over some classic conversation was the perfect way to end the day.

On my last night in D.C., I met up with another friend for an amazing Capitol Hill burger followed by a monument tour. Apparently in May D.C. becomes field trip central, so it was a challenge to do any reflecting amidst the cacophony of middle school chaos. Still, we managed to bounce some deep thoughts around. It’s just the beauty of the monuments.

My favorite monument, FDR, has over 20 powerful quotes that are truly timeless. Whether applying to war, peace, or the depression, Roosevelt offers brilliant insight that we could easily follow today. I remember being moved by this monument one cold February night one year ago. These quotes still sent chills through my body today. 

“I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, and ill-nourished. The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” Second Inaugural Address, Washington, D.C., January 20, 1937. (Redistribution of Wealth, Unemployment, Health Care)

“Men and nature must work hand in hand. The throwing out of balance of the resources of nature throws out of balance also the lives of men.” Message to Congress on the Use of Our Natural Resources, Washington, D.C., January 24, 1935. (Gulf Oil Spill)

And then there’s my personal favorite from FDR’s wife, Eleanor, which we can apply to any modern conflict. 

“The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man, or one party, or one nation. It must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world.” Address before Congress on the Yalta Conference, Washington, D.C., March 1, 1945. 

After walking what had to have been miles upon miles, it was time to say farewell to the city and catch the Metro out. It’s easy to say goodbye when you know you’ll be back soon.

Today as we drove home, I felt incredibly encouraged and inspired by my time spent in Washington. I’m not sure if I could have had a better time.

I know that it will be a real challenge in my life to step away from Nashville to begin my life as a young professional, but I feel deep down that this is the right path. I’m not exactly sure where this path will lead me, but I feel like the first stop is in our nation’s capital. With a supporting family, great friends, and a God who’s looking out for me, I’m very confident that the future is bright.

This week was truly a capital adventure!

It’s astonishing how we take for granted God’s creation. We spill oil into the sea and pollute earth’s beauty, but we are completely at nature’s mercy when the rains begin to fall and the wind starts to howl.

This weekend Tennessee saw the wrath of mother nature as waters rose well above minimum flood levels. Mayor Dean went as far to declare Davidson county is in a countrywide state of emergency. We’re housing 200 evacuees in Lipscomb University’s Student Activity Center, which is terrific, but hundreds, maybe thousands of others are displaced and seeking shelter. The body count from the raging flood waters has reached double digits and could be higher. And currently, the Cumberland, where we dump a majority of our sewage, is making its way onto Second Avenue. Our city hasn’t seen a flood like this in almost a hundred years.

Welcome… to Nashlantis.

As I walked outside tonight, I could feel a natural peace in the air. If you take a look at the plants in Nashville, you’ll see that the trees, the bushes, the flowers, and the grass all look so green and happy. Here at Lipscomb, you can hear the cacophony of frogs singing through the night. Even the clouds over head seem to have a certain serenity to them. The heavy rains may have been damaging to human property, but they were a blessing of cleansing to God’s creation.

As I read on about the man-caused oil flow in the Gulf of Mexico, I am shown humanity’s indifference to God’s creation. The ocean, our greatest resource, is essential to our survival. Yet, we continue to pollute the seas with sewage, fertilizers, toxins, and oil. I fear that we will not realize the value of clean water until it is gone. I may not see the death of the ocean in my lifetime, but I fear that my children or grandchildren just may. We have to start acting today to protect our greatest resource.

Last week I went to see Disney Nature’s newest film “Oceans” twice in theaters. Not to spoil anything for future viewers, but I was really stunned by the pollution segment of the movie. Radiation shots from space reveal the flow of sewage, toxins, and pollution as they course through our rivers and into the sea. Then, Disney takes us into the heart of the pollution and into the life of a sea lion searching for food amidst the stagnant plastics and food wrappers. Every time we throw something away, it just goes somewhere else. That somewhere is most likely someday going to be the ocean. I’ve been trying to keep that in mind every time I need to toss something in the trash.

“Oceans” Narrator Pierce Brosnan concludes by stating, “Human indifference is truly our oceans’ greatest threat.”

God has only given us one Earth. We have to take care of her.

Today , as I stood in my backyard, I experienced one of those so called “awe inspiring” moments…

“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4)

My old friend, Eric, was in town from Denver with his wife and two children. This afternoon they came over to my house for a delicious roast beef dinner with all the fixings. I hadn’t seen Eric in a year and a half. As I anxiously awaited to see him and his new family, I didn’t know what joy was just around the corner. See, Eric, a black man, and his wife Brianna, a white woman, have a beautiful 2 year old son named Malachi. On my side of the fence, we have a mixed baby ourselves in my 27 month old nephew Jayden - the cutest/my favorite kid in the world. When our guests pulled up for dinner, I ran outside with Jayden to meet them. I put him down for what I expected to be an ultimate toddler showdown, but instead, I witnessed something truly beautiful. As soon as Jayden hit the ground, he ran toward Malachi and they embraced, letting out high pitched cries of excitement. As these two little ones smiled and laughed, I couldn’t help but be overcome with joy. As we went inside for a fun night of fellowship, I was amazed with the love these children can show for a total stranger. It was simply “awe inspiring.”

Jayden and Malachi don’t see color and they don’t know hate or judgment. All they know is love and joy. I really wish we all could see the world through their eyes, through the precious eyes of a child.

As I look at how our nation is handling the issue of immigration in Arizona, I see a government that isn’t serious about correcting the problem. Regardless of your political affiliation or stance on immigration, we all have to understand that southwest’s newest law is one that not only condones, but enforces racial profiling. If you haven’t heard by now, this new law requires state law enforcers to ask for “papers” from anyone they “suspect” of being an illegal immigrant. (But fear not, law enforcers have to have reasonable cause… which is pretty much based on the color of your skin) If the suspect, regardless of citizenship, doesn’t have a birth certificate on hand, they are immediately arrested. If the party can not present a birth certificate within the designated time frame, they will be exported from the United States.

Our nation has to see how dangerous this type of law can be. While many conservatives have rushed to the defense of Arizona’s Governor Brewer, this legalized and enforced racial profiling puts Arizona among the ranks of Hitler’s Germany and Apartheid Africa. Even more discouraging, legislators in states like Oklahoma and Iowa are being inspired to put similar bills into action. Here in Tennessee, legislators are choosing a more subtle approach by quietly passing a bill that would make English the official, legal language of the volunteer state. Unlike the referendum that the city of Nashville openly voted down last year, this new approach is creeping through capitol hill

If you want to stop Tennessee from joining the ranks of Arizona, raise your voice. Pick up the phone today and call your local representative. For Lipscomb students, you can call Rep. Beth Harwell at (615) 385-0357 or overwhelm her email at rep.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov. She was elected to listen to us, so let’s make it happen!

Also, you can go join the “Do I look ‘illegal’ Day” movement on Facebook!

The United States is at a pivotal point in time in history. The wish I make tonight is that we all start seeing the world through the eyes of a child. This may be the bleeding-heart dream of a liberal, but it’s something we’re called to strive for.