Unfiltered Ocean

California's Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom shared a video from the N.R.A. that was utterly foul and putrid. It bothered him, and it bothered me as well. In it, they condescendingly belittle liberals, exclaiming how they are brainwashing people through the media, through Hollywood, and through schools. After making this an issue of us versus them, the N.R.A. proclaimed in dictatorial fashion that only they can "save our country and our freedoms...[by] fight[ing] this violence of lies with the clenched fist of truth." By "violence of lies," they mean active attempts to crush their false narrative. And by "clenched fist of truth," they mean propaganda. The N.R.A. has been very successful in promoting their hateful ideology and stifling all efforts to pass any real reforms in our gun laws. By their own hideous talents, they've managed to change the conversation around Sandy Hook from being focused on ensuring that elementary school children are ...

The Democratic Party is going to need to shake up some things in order to regain political power. Granted, it will take a lot of money, but otherwise, these are clear steps. 1.) Run Competatively. Even if a state like Alabama or Texas isn't likely to vote Democrat, we need to invest in candidates in those states as much as we invest in candidates in California or New York. Remember, in Georgia's 6th Congressional District, the Democratic Party spent upwards of $30 Million dollars and lost by 3.5 percentage points. Meanwhile in Montana and South Carolina, the party only spent $340,000 and $275,000, respectively. The party lost in Montana by 6 points and in South Carolina by 3.4 points. Though throwing copious amounts of money doesn't always win an election, imagine if we invested just a little more money (and time) in Montana and South Carolina. 2.) Run At Every Level. The Democratic Party only controls 16/50 Governorships, 18/49 State Houses, and 13/49 State Senates (...

When I see Randy Bryce, I see my father. He's dressed like him in his work clothes and work boots. He's got the stickers of all of his union affiliations on his hard hat. They're both middle aged. However, they are also different. Mr. Bryce lives in Wisconsin while my father lives in Hawaii; and while Mr. Bryce is an Ironworker, my father is a Carpenter. Regardless of those differences and commonalities, they share an even greater commonality: they are working men. Men who know what its like to put in a hard days work and to bust their asses for a decent wage. Of course, this isn't just about men, but women too. My mother is a Lab Technician in a car factory in Kentucky. One Grandmother was the first female Slot Machine Mechanic at the Binion's Horsehoe in Las Vegas; while the other is a Cook at Paris Las Vegas. And just to add to the long line of working class people that I am descended from: One Grandfather was a welder and a Air Force Veteran. One Great Grand...

*NOTE: I am an American, and therefore, I am writing about this topic from the eyes and perspective of an American. I am no expert on British politics, though I will say I know more about it than most Americans. If I am factually incorrect at any point, please let me know, and I will fix my mistake. Thank you. On Friday, June 8, 2017, Britons across the United Kingdom woke up to a hung parliament. Prime Minister Theresa May's decision to hold an election in order to increase the number of seats held by the Conservative Party backfired spectacularly. Though the Conservative Party still has the most seats in Parliament, they no longer have a majority. This complicates many things: 1.) What party will lead the country now? 2.) How will the United Kingdom be able to negotiate a good deal for Brexit? 3.) Who will be Prime Minister? 4.) How will this affect relations among the various countries of the United Kingdom? I will do my best to answer this questions and to offer my opinion....

If you turn on your TV or check social media, you're bound to hear or read about terrorism - specifically terrorism committed in the name of Islam - but what about terrorism committed by white supremacists, nationalists, and other right wing radicals? Almost two weeks ago, a White Supremacist by the name of Jeremy Christian stabbed three men on a MAX train in Portland, Oregon. The three men, two of whom would die from their stab wounds that day, intervened when Christian was harrassing two young Muslim teenagers, telling them to get out of the country. On November 27, 2015, Robert Dear, a white man, shot up a Planned Parenthood Clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado, killing three people and injuring nine more. His motive was his opposition to abortion. On June 17, 2015, Dylann Roof, a white man, shot up Emnauel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine people and injuring one more. His motive was to start a race war between black people and...