Holy Moly Me Oh My

I can’t believe my last post was last Friday. It seems like months since I last said anything. The Film Festival came to a close tonight, which was amazing. If you get a chance to watch Presumed Guilty on POV/PBS, do it. The film follows the story of an innocent man in jail in Mexico, and explores the flaws and injustices of the Mexican penal system.

But more importantly, at this moment, I have 6 days and 12 hours until I leave NYC. I was thinking about that today. I went to MoMA to see the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit, and then to Le Pain Quotidien for a pot of coffee and coconut macaroons, and while sitting at the communal table drinking from my bowl of coffee (yes, a bowl), I realized just how short my time here has been. Four years of my life – four significant years – I’ve spent in NYC. Whether or not I’ll come back…who knows.

Maybe Someday My Dreams Will Match Up With My Pay

It’s been a long day, and tomorrow will only be longer. But I just have to say a few words about the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival, because it’s really incredible.

I’m currently a consultant with the film festival, and I’ve seen a good number of the films. Tonight I saw Camp Victory, Afghanistan, which follows the events that unravel over three years as the US National Guard tries to help train the Afghan Army to bring stability to the country. I hadn’t realized how little the media actually covered regarding the rebuilding of this entire nation. And furthermore, I had no idea how complicated it is. I mean, I always knew how complicated it all was, but seeing things happen and listening to the struggles on both sides…it’s eye-opening.

After I saw Camp Victory, I spent some time with the Youth Producing Change filmmakers. Seeing them all here from all over – Afghanistan, Kenya, Texas, Slovenia, L.A., Brooklyn – and watching them interact has been priceless. It’s so great seeing youth engaging in arts and human rights and activism and wanting to learn more. I love it. I love it all. It always gives me hope to see young, peaceful youth trying to live a good life and share themselves with others.

Anyway, that’s what I wanted to say. If you’re in NYC, come out to the festival. It’s the best $7-$12  you’ll spend this summer. (well, one of the best.)

Short Things

A short list of things I don’t want to forget and may explain later.

1. Talking about Buffy makes me want to re-watch Battlestar Galactica.

2. I’m angry that there are people in the world who are anti-choice, and make it their lives’ mission deceiving women for no one’s benefit.

3. The BSG soundtrack is so good.

4. If it weren’t for art, science wouldn’t know how to think outside the box.

That’s What She Thinks

I was talking with a friend the other day about politics, specifically the left vs. the right. At some point I said that I consider myself  a centrist, and my friend looked at me and said “You? You’re not a centrist. You work for a human rights organization. You’re definitely left.” I laughed but didn’t give it much thought.

But now I’ve been giving it some thought. That shouldn’t be the case. I’d say more often than not, if you asked someone if she thought human rights were important, she’d say yes. Everyone cares about human rights. It just seems that some care for certain human rights more than others. Just because someone believes in big government and social services, it doesn’t always mean she fights for human dignity.

And what about those “socially liberal but fiscally conservative” folks? Like my mom and my manfriend/boyfriend/person/thing? They’re both for human rights, but don’t believe the government is efficient. (That was my stance for a long time as well. Still is, but that’s another story…) Just because they don’t support the universal health care plan, it doesn’t mean they don’t believe everyone deserves affordable, quality health care.

Anyway, just some things I think are worth mentioning.