Top 5 Most Inspirational Movies

I know there will be lots of you out there with differing opinions on this top five list.  What is inspirational to one is garbage to another, I understand that.  But it is also a timely topic with all the Presidential Hoopla carrying people away.  So here are the five most inspirational movies in my humble opinion, feel free to comment with your own if you think I missed any.

5. Bulworth - in the spirit of the season, I have to admit I have always been inspired by Warren Beatty’s straight-talking politician.  Sure, his sudden bout of honesty is brought on by insomnia and not a troubled conscience, but nevertheless it is an ideal for which I wish more representatives would strive.  And Halle Berry is so so hot.

4. Lord of the Rings Trilogy - When I think the darkness is closing in and all hope is lost, I remember Frodo and the ring and how, against all odds, the smallest of people can change the world.  I know it seems silly, and Tolkien would hate for his stories to become allegory, but to me its true.  As Margaret Mead put it, “Never underestimate the power of a small but committed group of people to change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

3. Rocky - I know its cliche, but the Italian Stallion always inspires me to go out and power up a set of public steps and then dance around on top like I am king of the world.  Who doesn’t love the underdog in Stallone, and feel sometimes as beat up as he, only to triumph in the end?

2. Pre or Without Limits - OK, I know this is a twofer, but they are both so intertwined in my mind I can’t remember which I like better, so I always lump them together.  Of course Prefontaine is one of my all-time heroes, and I will always mourn the tragedy of his short life - and yet envy his ability to go out on top and avoid the eventual fade away most of us will experience.

1. Miracle - There may never be a true story as compelling, at least for Americans, as the Miracle on Ice.  The 1980 US Hockey team beating a stronger, more experienced and for all-practical purposes superior Russian team when it counted most is an unbelievable fairy tale, except that it really happened.  The downfall of this particular movie is that Disney made it so the ice-cream treatment of the plot leaves a little to be desired, but nevertheless the topic is unbeatable.

So that’s my top 5 (or so), but there were many that could have been included.  300, the idea of a small band of Spartans holding off the entire Persian army long enough for Greece to prepare to defend herself is moving.  Braveheart, Saving Private Ryan, Glory, and any number of other war movies come to mind but were purposely left off the list - the fact is they drum up a response of patriotism and pride but do not really inspire me the way others do.  Any Given Sunday, The Replacements, and other football movies can be pretty inspirational, but also kind of all blend together to me - perhaps because I never played football.  Similarly, The Natural and other baseball movies are awesome, but don’t resonate with me personally.  I am sure I have missed a bunch, but that just gives you more opportunity to comment!

Presidential Passion: But is it Real?

I don’t know what it was like on college campuses in the 1960s, but I do know what it has been like in the 90s and since.  In my limited experience, students on campus have cared about as much about presidential politics as the trade embargo against Cuba.  Sure, the extreme partisans of either side start small skirmishes in the fall once every four years, and maybe there will be a sparsely attended rally or two, but nothing like the mania that has hit the UT campus this spring.  I would like to think we are entering a time similar to the marches of the sixties that our parents may have encountered.

Earlier this week we had a heated debate about whether students should be able to express themselves freely and post campaign material in our hallways regardless of the University’s policy forbidding it.  Walking across campus today I was accosted by a Ron Paul advocate, standing alone with giant signs and chanting loudly about the savior-like attributes of the doctor from east Texas.  My class this evening was interrupted by hundreds, maybe thousands or students marching by with Obama signs and calling for change.  There is an electricity that seems to be emanating from this campus that is infecting this politically charged city in ways that are almost scary.  The tension mounts as the March 4th primary approaches.

This new-found passion may be derived from the personalities involved, particularly on the Democratic side of the ticket.  There are people convinced Senator Obama is the answer to all that is wrong with this country, and others that believe Senator Clinton is the personification of evil.  Of course there are Clinton fans that vehemently defend her credentials and abilities and believe Obama is nothing but a snake oil salesman with pretty ideas and no substance.  Both groups are convinced that the victor of this Texas and Ohio primary are destined for the White House, as the Republicans have made such a mess of things thus far.  Energy, excitement, feeling part of something bigger than themselves - yep, this is a lot like how the sixties sounded.

But the sixties were really a response to a social order that was outmoded, outdated, and needed fresh eyes.  America was becoming an urban nation with ever-increasing minority populations and powerful lead characters who were courageous enough to describe the changes ahead.  Are we, now, in similar times?  Or is this just a facsimile of a time when passion fed our spirits for real concerns - but like the faded copy of a copy this time our passion feeds on the excitement of the passion itself?  I hope not.

I hope that this is a sign of the social upheaval this country needs to experience.  There are too many problems that have gone unanswered for too long, and if we don’t start making hard decisions and expecting hard accountability of our government, then more serious rioting in the streets may be in store.  Let us hope that the “Fad” of political passion turns into something that actually makes a difference.  “Yes We Can” start addressing our problems, but it starts with doing and not just talking about it.

Welcome Back! Top 5 Reasons I am Glad to have Attended the LBJ School

Last night’s Democratic nominee debate on the UT campus was an incredible experience.  After volunteering the previous day and witnessing the work and effort that goes into setting up such an event, the day of the debate began with speakers from both camps as well as John King from CNN in our student lounge - just answering questions and candidly discussing both their careers and the upcoming event.  With those insights in mind, I watched the debate in a room full of my classmates, all of us actively engaging the issues ourselves and judging the responses in real time.  What a fascinating and intriguing opportunity, and one that I would not have had without going to the LBJ School of Public Affairs.  So in honor of that opportunity, I am counting today the top 5 reasons I am glad I am at the LBJ School.

5.  The Professors - while I may not agree with many of the professors I have encountered, to even have a chance to engage these knowledgeable and experienced individuals in the issues has really been a great thrill.  I have learned so much from some of these people who have dedicated their lives to the service with which I hope to also become involved.

4. The Skills - I have been able to exercise my writing abilities, but also expanded my presentation and researching skills, my ability to collaborate and work on a team, and leadership through extracurricular opportunities.  I think my critical thinking skills have been enhanced, as my eyes have been opened to varied and diverse policy issues as well as different points of view.

3. The Speakers - as just mentioned, I have been exposed to a variety of policy experts and practitioners with passionate beliefs on myriad issues, and I have delighted in learning about these concerns that otherwise I would not even be aware. 

2. The Opportunities - many of the top five are intertwined, and this one is almost an umbrella for them all, but I believe it to be important enough to have its own point.  The opportunity to dialogue with masters of issue areas, to lead diverse sets of classmates toward a common goal, to gain confidence in my own abilities, and to participate in fascinating pieces of the policy and political world - these opportunities are priceless.

1. The People - the fact is, far and above all the other reasons I am glad to have attend LBJ, I am so thankful to have met young people that think like I and are interested in the things I am interested in and, in the end, want to make the world a better place the way that I do.  I thought I was crazy before coming to LBJ; now I know that I am just part of a mass hysteria of the young that leads many of us to believe we can make a difference.  And I will testify that, of anyone out there, the people I have met at LBJ have the best chance of anyone to do just that.  I am lucky and blessed to have met every single classmate, and feel honored to be in the company of so many great people.

So I intend to get back to the blog a few times a week again, as it is a great medium to test out ideas and a good exercise for me to engage.  I have so little time right now to devote to anything, but one of the speakers yesterday said that in his experience people who can write well and quickly are the most valuable people on politics.  So practicing writing well and quickly, in this blog, must be a good skill to be practicing.  Thanks for your time, let me know what you think when you get the chance!