Conditions are rife for a global revolution, with channels to drive one ever strengthening. All that's missing is a charismatic leader to pull the strings. History imparts that person will arrive. Pray for goodness because it could be evil.

In the relief of the shade, or rather, in our mixed shadows, we are one. Nature has deemed it so. Be it in Gaza... be it in Israel... be it Sunni or Shiite, these are like a boy throwing rocks at his own shadow; a boy throwing rocks at himself.

When this generation allows Americans the basic right to marry and earn money from a plant that isn't responsible for "2.5 million years of potential life lost (YPLL) annually," then future legislation will be based more on reason than superstition or prejudice.

For all of its virtues and vices, America has always stood as a beacon of hope. Movements such as civil rights, women's suffrage, and gay equality could not have occurred if America did not promote hope and possibility.

Instead of spending the morning thinking about the barbecue I was going to, or how thankful I was that my father immigrated to the only country i've ever called home -- I thought about how I was going to get profiled at Newark airport.

Because America. That's why.