Valencia Traffic

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(For soundtrack go to bottom)

What are drugs? In general, a drug is any substance that, when absorbed into one’s system, alters normal bodily function. Drugs have a broad spectrum, ranging anywhere from Tylenol to black tar heroin. This includes cannabis, psychedelics, methamphetamines, opiates, alcohol, and nicotine, among many other drugs. There are good drugs and bad drugs, but just because they are legal does not mean they are good for you. Drugs are bad mmkay, but a drug war is worse.

The term “drugs” is a way to broad term to be used, it lumps together completely different substances with completely different effects under one umbrella. What if someone were to set you up someone and all they would say is I want to set you up with a woman/man? Not very specific and there is an infinite range of possibilities. The same goes for drugs. A cannabis user is much different from a meth addict. An alcoholic is much different from a heroin junkie. The right (or wrong) drugs can destroy lives, homes, and people; but so can a drug war.

This war has been going on for decades and what has happened? Drugs have gotten cheaper and better in quality. Not a very big success if the opposite of your goal is accomplished. This war is by definition a failure and a waste of resources. I do not think we should abandon the war however. I am all for eliminating as much drug abuse as possible. I don’t believe we should be waging a war on supply though. There will always be supply as long as there is demand, making it illegal will increase demand, price, and now because it’s illegal more crime has been created.

We should legalize all drugs. I am not for solely decriminalization though. This simply means cops will turn a blind eye to drugs, which leaves the cartels intact and gives them much more power. I believe in legalization and regulation because it puts the cartels out of the drug business, which is their number one income. Historically prohibition raises violent crimes and demand. Legalization will not eliminate these problems, however it will reduce them drastically. There will always be drug users, abusers, and violent criminals, prohibition or not. So if you can’t fix the problem 100%, go for what will solve the problem the next best.  

There are many reasons to legalize. Our prisons are too crowded, too many people are dying because they are afraid of seeking help, and drugs are too easy to get. There are no “heroin anonymous” groups. Even in Traffic, a person is overdosing and the only logical thing his friends can think to do is to dump him in front of a hospital. One of the characters also said that he does drugs because they are cheaper and easier to get than alcohol. Legalization and regulation could change this. Drugs could get out of the hands of kids.

Therefore I believe in legalization and RESPONSIBLE use. A smart person won’t do heroin in the first place. Legalize and don’t be an idiot.

 

Valencia: American History X

American History X, starring Edward Norton, is a controversial film that delves into the lives of a family that is affected by neo-Nazism. Derek Vinyard, the oldest son, is a fierce neo Nazi who is well respected by the local skinhead gangs. One night a few black guys attempt to steal Derek’s truck. The truck is special to Derek because it was given to him by his father who was killed by a drug dealer while putting out a fire. Derek kills two of the black men, one of which he curb stomped (and who could forget that scene?) He is then arrested sent to prison for manslaughter. While in prison Derek undergoes a transformation and sheds his Nazi ways, while his younger brother Danny only gets deeper into the Nazi lifestyle and following Derek’s footsteps. Once Derek gets out he is dedicated to keep Danny from going down the same path he did.

Many people believe the film has an anti-racist message. Others, however, argue the exact opposite and say the film harbors pro-racist messages. Obviously this film can be interpreted many different ways. I believe this film’s message is anti-racist, however it does have racist messages in the dialogue. I do not believe that the film is pro-racism though. I believe in order to show the negative effects of racism it is necessary to actually show the argument of the other side. I don’t think the film would be as effective if the film simply said “Racism is bad mmkay” and doesn’t show the other viewpoint for what it is. It is necessary for the characters to be realistic. It’s easy to hate Seth the fat Nazi in his van, but how about Derek? He is intelligent, smart, and fit, but he’s a Nazi. He is important because he brings up the same arguments a real racist would bring up, yet at the end of it he sees that what he has done has not made anyone’s life better. In prison he is also gets a taste of his own medicine. He experiences what he was treating blacks like, which prompts him to change his ways.

Another argument for the film being pro-racist is that the characters are all extreme cases. The viewer might say, “Well I’m not a Nazi, so I must not be racist.” The film has two important characters who are not extreme cases; for example, Derek’s father. He is a normal US citizen. He has a job, a house, and a family. He is still racially prejudiced though. “What about the blacks? They’re all shown as if they were animals.” This isn’t true, look at Sweeney. A highly intelligent, well spoken, strong, respected black man with 2 PhD’s. Dr. Sweeney and Mr. Vinyard are both realistic characters.

In conclusion I believe this film has an anti-racist message but presents both arguments realistically. I believe that thinking this film is pro-racism is like thinking firemen are violent for using axes to break through doors.

Valencia: Good Night and Good Luck

The film begins in a smoke-filled room in 1958 where we see many upper class people enjoying a dinner party dedicated to Edward R. Murrow. We then see Edward R. Murrow appear in a haze of smoke to deliver a speech. The speech he gives is not some sappy speech one would give when trying to win the Ms. America award. It is shaking, uncomfortable, honest, and true to this day. He speaks about television, and if a historian were to find the recordings that were broadcasted on television at the time they would find evidence of decadence, escapism, and insulation. He criticizes the population, saying it has grown fat, comfortable, and complacent. I believe this is still very true to this day.  The purpose of mainstream television, dubbed the “idiot box” by some, is to entertain and distract. There is hardly any stimulation or any thought-provoking actions. This is what Edward R. Murrow was criticizing in his speech, along with the complacent and comfortable population. Television can reflect a society and it seems to all be decadence, escapism, and insulation, followed by a commercial break.

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This is just one parallel from the 50s that is evident today. In the 50s there was McCarthyism; today there is the Patriot Act. Is the Patriot act our modern-day version of McCarthyism? I believe it is.  What is the number one similarity? The number one similarity today is the use of fear. In the 1950s people were afraid of communism, especially here on our home soil. Today, the fear of communism has been replaced by the fear of terrorism. Instead of the Cold War, we have a war on terror. The same constitutional rights that were taken for security from communism are being taken today to be safe from terrorism, and if you criticize it, the terrorists win.

Who is to blame for this? The government? Should we simply blame everything on the government and call it a day? No. The fault lies with us as well. As Edward R. Murrow stated in the beginning and the end of the film, we have grown fat, comfortable, and complacent. We have a built in allergy to anything that would make us uncomfortable. Can a population like that change or fix anything? Of course not, because no one would ever want to step out of their comfort zone. Can you think of any hero that has ever done something of importance while in his comfort zone though? It’s called courage, and there’s not much of it going around.  Edward R. Murrow was against this. Like Ben Franklin once said, “Those who sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither.” I believe the Patriot Act and McCarthyism are this quote in motion. When a society reaches this level, it can never be a good thing.

Valencia : The Good, The Bad, and John Halder

 “Something that makes people happy can’t be bad can it?” said Anne to John Halder as groups of ordinary German people, including small children, walked by waving Nazi flags. The movie Good brings up many questions. In particular, I find the most prevalent question in this film is, “is John Halder a good man?” 

I personally believe John Halder has good intentions, but is not an entirely good man. For example, before he even officially joined the party, he cheated on his wife with an attractive young student. He eventually ends up leaving his wife and children for this woman as well. This clearly shows John Halder’s morals and willpower are questionable. He is not a horrible man, nor a great one, but he is certainly a weak man who doesn’t stick to his guns. He even expresses how he does not agree with the party multiple times in the film. For example, the book burning outside of the school, as well as when he is sitting with Anne by the parade. He obviously does not want to be a Nazi, but he still ends up becoming one anyway. It seems that almost nothing he does is out of his own accord, from writing an argument for euthanasia for the Nazi party,  to the end where he is an official gestapo officer inspecting a Jewish concentration camp.

 As Edmund Burke once said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” This quote echoed in the back of my mind throughout the whole film. John Halder hardly did anything that was actually good in this film. He simply did what he was told and did what was best for himself, which is what nearly any person would have done in his situation. He wanted to keep his job, his family (well, families) and most of all, his head. Can one really blame Halder for what he did? What would you have done had you been in his situation in Nazi Germany in the 1940s?

Halder also contemplates throughout the film whether or not he is a good man. It is not only until the end that he realizes he is not a good man according to his actions. In conclusion, I think internally Halder is a relatively good man, but his fear and extraneous circumstances have forced him to become a bad, but not necessarily evil, man through his actions. He is a good man who did nothing and allowed the evil that is the Nazi party to prevail.

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Valencia - Flaco, yo

My full name is Daniel Paulo Valencia-Moody Banegas-Rivera, but you can call me Flaco.

I was raised in New Orleans but have lived in Honduras and Spain.

I think one word to describe me would be diverse.
For example, here's some of the stuff I enjoy.
-Welding
-Car restoration
-Boxing
-Printmaking
-Drawing
-Guitar (from flamenco to classic rock, you name it)
-Sewing
-Making baked goods
-Spelunking
-Carpentry
-Automotive Design

I grew up in a very musically inclined family, everyone plays at least one instrument. My musical tastes are very broad. I'm not lying when I say I listen to pretty much everything. My favorite music is the kind you can drive to with the windows rolled down with one hand on the steering wheel. Favorite genre is classic rock though, from about early 60s to mid 70s. Favorite record label is Community Records.

Movies, I'm not much of a modern Hollywood blockbuster fan, it's kinda like talking to a very pretty girl who doesn't have too much in the upper room. Although very visually appealing with explosions and tons of CGI, where's the story? It may be in 3D, but I can probably predict the entire plot within the first 5 minutes.

Cars have always been a big part of my family and my life. Pretty much every guy in my family speaks car and owns or has owned a nice ride. My father got me into restoring cars. He owned a 68 Impala which he restored himself and was supposed to be passed down to me, however it was stolen. So I went out, bought a rust bucket 64 Chevy Nova which I named Nadia, and restored it from the ground up. Still working on it here and there though.

A few years ago my father gave me the best advice I've heard.
Afterwords he proceeded to pack his bag and ride off on his motorcycle.

This was his advice:
"You're gonna die."

He paused for about 5 seconds.

"So have some fun, and it's better to live with regrets of having done something than not doing anything."

My biggest hero in life is my grandma for many reasons. First off she is nothing short of a bad ass.
She lived through the air force (where she actually met my grandpa) , as a Vietnam protester, Woodstock, sneaking draft dodgers over the border, being a missionary in Honduras (where she currently lives), you name it. She's even owned a muscle car. It was known as the "Wildcat" and she said she used to get from one end of LA to the other in 5 minutes. She knows a thing or two.

There's a bunch of other stuff but that's what conversation is for, plus I don't really feel like writing something that sounds anything more like a Myspace "about me" section from middle school. OH YEAH