This is the Southern Poverty Law Center's "Hate Map" which shows each state with the number of registered "Hate Groups." They do not show how MANY members there are per group, so for South Carolina's high group registration, there may not be as many members as there are in Indiana's 17 groups. This is crazy. If you go to the actual site, you can click on each state and see the actual lists of each group and where they are located (by city.)
"All hate groups have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics."
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map <
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Chris and I are slammed next week with exams. Noticed this (seriously, I didn't move or place either of these) while studying together today and thought it was pretty funny.
"All hate groups have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics."
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/hate-map <
I love the fall in Clemson. I don't like when the fall turns to winter, but I won't get ahead of myself..I'm going to enjoy this time away from the heat. Biking to class looking at the leaves changing..wearing sweatshirts and jeans..not walking into class dripping with sweat.. :) ahh, so good.
I especially can't wait to go apple picking again. Nothing says fall like fresh picked baskets of apples and smelling the freshly made apple cider that they make right there at the orchard. Yuuuummmmmy.
Plus, THIS fall I have an engagement party, and wedding dress shopping to look forward too. Best fall ever? I think so.
And speaking of fall, Chris and I went to the "Awaken Fall" retreat with the Resonate group from Greenville this past weekend. Two houses on the lake. five boats. tubes. sun. water. and Jesus. Lots of Jesus. We hard core dove into the Holy Spirit..or he dove into us? Both I guess. It was much needed. Amazing, indescribable worship in the attic of the house. And the greatest part was seeing my fiance worshiping next to me, complete sold out for God. Eyes closed, hands up, singing his heart out to our amazing Father. Breathtaking..I will never forget it.
I especially can't wait to go apple picking again. Nothing says fall like fresh picked baskets of apples and smelling the freshly made apple cider that they make right there at the orchard. Yuuuummmmmy.
Plus, THIS fall I have an engagement party, and wedding dress shopping to look forward too. Best fall ever? I think so.
And speaking of fall, Chris and I went to the "Awaken Fall" retreat with the Resonate group from Greenville this past weekend. Two houses on the lake. five boats. tubes. sun. water. and Jesus. Lots of Jesus. We hard core dove into the Holy Spirit..or he dove into us? Both I guess. It was much needed. Amazing, indescribable worship in the attic of the house. And the greatest part was seeing my fiance worshiping next to me, complete sold out for God. Eyes closed, hands up, singing his heart out to our amazing Father. Breathtaking..I will never forget it.
Ah, for now, I guess it's just the "Chris and Jordan" blog..but my hope is that even after we're married we will be able to update this site together. I'm always obsessed with those family blogs where they continually post videos and pictures of adventures/their kids/etc.
Here we go!
Chris and Jordan
Here we go!
Chris and Jordan
Check it out. I live in an apartment complex up at school that is exactly 3.5 miles from campus, or 4.5 miles if I take back roads. I've been driving my car back and forth every day to class which is a pain because
1)traffic is ridiculous
2)I have to leave THIRTY minutes before class starts (as opposed to waking up 15 minutes before class last year when I lived on campus..and
3)The parking lots are mostly on the outer edges of campus which means after you park, it still takes 15 minutes to walk to class (my classes are in almost the dead center of campus).
So basically, I started the 2 week hunt for a bike off of craigslist. This too was somewhat of a pain because there isn't a category for "Clemson," there's just one for "Upstate/Greenville." This means that if I got LUCKY, I'd maybe find something as close as Anderson..but that's still about 25 minutes away..and so picking it up, fitting it into the car, etc..just a hassle. Plus, I was only willing to pay about 35 or 40 dollars.
For two weeks I searched and searched, found random 30-50 dollar sales as far as Greenville, Taylors, Anderson, Spartanburg...and I almost settled on Anderson, but I just wasn't sure about that bike..it needed new tires on top of paying 30 for it, which could have put me at about 60 dollars.
I waited about two more days, and then I randomly checked craigslist again. There was a post that said
"Free bike, putting it out on the curb in front of my apartment tomorrow morning, needs some work before its ridable, first come first serve before the trash gets it."
Then I looked at the location: Clemson.
HOLLA. I didn't care what the bike looked like at that point. I emailed the guy, said I lived in Clemson too and asked if he could put it out tonight so that nobody else would get it. He said sure, put it out at 8:45, and Chris and I picked it up at about 8:47.
Okay so, this bike is LEGIT. 21 speed, looks like its in good condition, brakes work, nice bike seat..it just needed a new chain and new tubes for the tires (not even urgent..we rode it without the new tubes.) So I got a chain, Chris put it on..and this morning I took the back roads to class.
Workout: check.
Save gas: check.
Help the planet: check.
Got a SWEET bike for FREE: check plus.
I'd say it's just a win all around. I'm about to be so fit by the end of this year.
1)traffic is ridiculous
2)I have to leave THIRTY minutes before class starts (as opposed to waking up 15 minutes before class last year when I lived on campus..and
3)The parking lots are mostly on the outer edges of campus which means after you park, it still takes 15 minutes to walk to class (my classes are in almost the dead center of campus).
So basically, I started the 2 week hunt for a bike off of craigslist. This too was somewhat of a pain because there isn't a category for "Clemson," there's just one for "Upstate/Greenville." This means that if I got LUCKY, I'd maybe find something as close as Anderson..but that's still about 25 minutes away..and so picking it up, fitting it into the car, etc..just a hassle. Plus, I was only willing to pay about 35 or 40 dollars.
For two weeks I searched and searched, found random 30-50 dollar sales as far as Greenville, Taylors, Anderson, Spartanburg...and I almost settled on Anderson, but I just wasn't sure about that bike..it needed new tires on top of paying 30 for it, which could have put me at about 60 dollars.
I waited about two more days, and then I randomly checked craigslist again. There was a post that said
"Free bike, putting it out on the curb in front of my apartment tomorrow morning, needs some work before its ridable, first come first serve before the trash gets it."
Then I looked at the location: Clemson.
HOLLA. I didn't care what the bike looked like at that point. I emailed the guy, said I lived in Clemson too and asked if he could put it out tonight so that nobody else would get it. He said sure, put it out at 8:45, and Chris and I picked it up at about 8:47.
Okay so, this bike is LEGIT. 21 speed, looks like its in good condition, brakes work, nice bike seat..it just needed a new chain and new tubes for the tires (not even urgent..we rode it without the new tubes.) So I got a chain, Chris put it on..and this morning I took the back roads to class.
Workout: check.
Save gas: check.
Help the planet: check.
Got a SWEET bike for FREE: check plus.
I'd say it's just a win all around. I'm about to be so fit by the end of this year.
.jpg)
Chris and I are slammed next week with exams. Noticed this (seriously, I didn't move or place either of these) while studying together today and thought it was pretty funny.
We've been discussing and contemplating some pretty interesting doctrines in Socy lately, including Merton's Insider-Outsider Doctrine. The theory is nothing new, considering it was first written many years ago, but fascinating nonetheless. At first glance, it is easy to form an opinion on the subject, and considering the article is extremely thick..it takes a few hours to get through it fully, much less comprehend and soak Merton's analysis of society. Basically, the point is that since no individual can know all things, there is a necessary function in society of providing and exchanging knowledge about various "truths." For example, I'm not a biologist, so I have to rely on my biology teacher/text books/trusted resources to give me accurate information about things related to biology. It then goes on to conclude that because of the necessity for us to "rely" on others for information that we cannot test or attain through our own experiences, society splits into two groups; the Insiders and the Outsiders. It is possible, according to Merton, that you could be an "Insider" for multiple scenarios, and at the same time an "Outsider" for others. For instance, I would be considered an "Insider" concerning my demonination (or lack thereof), my ascribed status (upper-middle class, white), my education, etc.
At first, I quickly rejected many of Merton's claims, because while it is true that social class, race, and gender affect how you're socialized..Merton goes as far as to claim that because of "Insider-Outsider..ness," The only way to attain full awareness of any situation is to be socialized in that way. For example, according to Merton, only an African American could teach black history, otherwise it is not only biased but also inaccurate. A male biologist couldn't teach female anatomy because..he's not a female. Not only does this way of thinking limit the "truth" of the knowledge that we've already attained, but it limits our social interactions with people that are different than us.
I couldn't help but look at this from a Christian perspective, and I could see that although these ideals "seem crazy" to me, I often believe that others don't understand what I am going through because they haven't experienced where I am in life. That may have some truth to it, but it smothers others from being empathetic towards me, and it limits my desire as a Christian to "meet others where they are" without judgement or without feeling that I "won't be able to help." God puts so many different people in our paths, both so that they will be witnesses to us and so that we may be witnesses to them. These people are, more often than not, from COMPLETELY different places in life. We are called to fellowship with EVERY single person, and to believe for a second that I can only truly share "truth" regarding situations that are based solely on personal experience and ascribed statuses is both discouraging and incredibly inaccurate. This idea, in my opinion, promotes seclusion, separation, inequality, and unattainable cross-cultural experiences, or "truths," and relationships..which is pretty much a list of what I think God would NOT want our lives to encompass.
Just an idea.
At first, I quickly rejected many of Merton's claims, because while it is true that social class, race, and gender affect how you're socialized..Merton goes as far as to claim that because of "Insider-Outsider..ness," The only way to attain full awareness of any situation is to be socialized in that way. For example, according to Merton, only an African American could teach black history, otherwise it is not only biased but also inaccurate. A male biologist couldn't teach female anatomy because..he's not a female. Not only does this way of thinking limit the "truth" of the knowledge that we've already attained, but it limits our social interactions with people that are different than us.
I couldn't help but look at this from a Christian perspective, and I could see that although these ideals "seem crazy" to me, I often believe that others don't understand what I am going through because they haven't experienced where I am in life. That may have some truth to it, but it smothers others from being empathetic towards me, and it limits my desire as a Christian to "meet others where they are" without judgement or without feeling that I "won't be able to help." God puts so many different people in our paths, both so that they will be witnesses to us and so that we may be witnesses to them. These people are, more often than not, from COMPLETELY different places in life. We are called to fellowship with EVERY single person, and to believe for a second that I can only truly share "truth" regarding situations that are based solely on personal experience and ascribed statuses is both discouraging and incredibly inaccurate. This idea, in my opinion, promotes seclusion, separation, inequality, and unattainable cross-cultural experiences, or "truths," and relationships..which is pretty much a list of what I think God would NOT want our lives to encompass.
Just an idea.
Okay okay okay, I am not allowing this blog to turn into an obsession of engagement and wedding plans. However, I shouldn't feel bad about it if it does for the time being....this is a pretty big time in my life. Although, it's not the ONLY thing going on...I'll try to keep it balanced. ;) So all I will say is that I am extremely excited that we have an actual date set (and booked!) and a honeymoon set (and booked!!!!) It's all becoming more real, and awesome, and yes.
May 15th!! I think it's 256 days away? Somewhere around there.
I'll write a real non-wedding post sometime soon..
May 15th!! I think it's 256 days away? Somewhere around there.
I'll write a real non-wedding post sometime soon..
