UTHRT: HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023!

 Dear Friends, 

Happy New Year 2023!

A year is gone; another year is here. 2022 has been a great year. I learned a great deal, traveled, and grew.

This year, I learned about the devil. As Covid-19 faded and life went back to semi-normal, Hollywood decided to organize the Oscars 2022 Academy Awards ceremony. The spectacle offered people something to Twitter, Share, and Like around the country and world. 

I watched a part of the event on a short YouTube video after the fact. I saw a comedian making jokes. An actor, a victim of domestic abuse, laughed at them until his wife's eyes awakened him. Then, in a sudden panic and fear, he left his seat, walked onto the stage, and slapped the comedian in front of 16.6 million viewers.

Furthermore, he returned to his seat and engaged in a barrage of insults, but nobody reacted. Then, the academy honored him with the best Actor award 2022 and allowed him to speak. Under tears, he apologized to everyone except the victim of the verbal and physical assaults. He concluded his speech by blaming the devil. At that moment, I realized the devil never existed. It is a human creation, a scapegoat when individuals don’t have the courage to assume their responsibilities and refuse to acknowledge their worst behaviors.

Also, the year 2022, I thought, would bring a breath of fresh air for many American students when the U.S. government announced that it would provide them a relief called "Student Loan Forgiveness" (“SLF”) after a few tumultuous years under Covid-19. As a good Samaritan, I accepted the fact that everyone would welcome the good news. Yet, at the town square, the Student Loan Forgiveness news went under a storm of partisan politics.

Some were happy as they would benefit from the relief and thought it would be the right thing to do. Others believed the relief amount was too little and politically motivated. Also, the (“SLF”) relief angered many, as they thought it was an unfair decision the government made against them. In their view, they forfeited going to school, and some of them joined the army to avoid debt. And now their government was giving free handout money to other Americans. As I analyzed the situation, I learned the recipe for misery is to compare your life with others and that whatever you do, there will be unhappy people in our society. So, do the right thing and let history be the judge.

Yet, today the promise of relief is at the U.S. Supreme Court after some states, non-profit organizations, and individuals sued the government. They alleged they were wronged by the proposal and believed that the president did not have the prerogative to make such decision. Ultimately, we will have to wait and see what the Law says about the promise and entertain whether education should be a right.

Moreover, on the night of November 9, 1989, when people in Germany dismantled the wall of Berlin, we all thought it was the end of the cold war. Yet, on February 24, 2022, we saw it reappear in Ukraine, and innocent Ukrainians were the victims.

Finally, this year, I learned to find the key to happiness in forgiveness. I realized humans are not perfect. So, to live happily in our society, one must learn to forgive, which means forgive yourself first and forgive others. As in the journey of life, it is better to travel light.

My travels took me to different neighborhoods, cities, towns, and parks this year. I spent most of my time walking randomly to meet the beauties of this world. 

I grew in 2022 by pursuing my journey to seek beauty and truth and share them Under the Human Rights Tree as I believe Freedom of Speech is sacrosanct. Through that process, I have founded an organization and intend to make it my life’s work. Visit: www.uthrt.org

2022 came and went, and I hope we learned and grew from it. 2023 is here. I hope we embrace it with courage, travel and try our best to make it a joyful year. Again, I wish you and your loved ones a Happy New Year 2023!

Sincerely,

Alpha