All posts by Avens O'Brien

Avens O'Brien is a second-generation libertarian residing in Los Angeles, CA. She spends an enormous amount of her time working for a digital media startup, and the rest of her time on numerous pursuits of passion: she tends to participate in fun antics and adventures (which she then writes about) as well as pretending to be really smart about politics and philosophy. She's an agitator of ideas, a doer of things, and contributes regularly for DL Magazine and Thoughts on Liberty. You can find all her writing on AVENS.ME.
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To Nakoa Moonhawk

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Nakoa.

October 5th, 2008 – January 10th, 2012.

We lost Nakoa yesterday. He has moved on to the next great adventure of the cosmos. I am devastated. My heart aches and I beg that you all hold the Breitbachs and Estafens close in your heart as they process this loss. Just as I logged on to notify everyone on Facebook, I found that a dear friend had just given birth to a baby boy on the same day, and I remembered that the circle of life continues, heedless to our human emotions.

I grieve for one life, try to rejoice for another, and realize that life is continually full of bitters and sweets, but tonight I light a candle for the spirit of Nakoa, and hold the family close. May they have the strength to get through this, may they feel the love we send.

I can only be thankful for the summers we spent, the adorable mispronunciations of my name, the laughter, the happiness, the willful sullen faces he’d make at the most curious moments.

The world is darker for this loss, but that which lies beyond is so much brighter for the gain.

Thank you for holding vigil with us, and for what strength and love you spare to heal our hearts and aching souls – I ask it not for myself, but for this family I was so fortunate to spend a year as part of – for Maple & David, for Alam & Judah, for Pearl, Michael, Jakob, River, Jackson, Chiron, Josh & Jessica. Hold them closely in your hearts.

Life is fleeting, don’t forget to say I love yous, don’t forget to make it count.

Current Events

Human Rights Are LGBT Rights

Hillary Rodham Clinton gave an amazing address before the United Nations in Geneva today. This is a beautiful speech, both in content and in form, the likes of which I aspire to some day write myself. As I’ve been lacking in original content lately, I figured I’d post something inspiring, interesting, and relevant.

[brightcove vid=1312977734001&exp3=1857622883&surl=http://c.brightcove.com/services&pubid=1705665025&pk=AQ~~,AAAAAGWqYgE~,KxHPzbPALrFGi6o0QhQY9IxyliWBJ3Vq&w=300&h=225]

Continue reading Human Rights Are LGBT Rights →

History

Thanksgiving

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Yesterday was the American holiday of Thanksgiving. I was never particularly taken with the children’s lore of Natives and Pilgrims making peace over shared food as I was always made aware by my academic and sometimes cynical parents about the genocide of Natives and the problems of imperialism.

As a teenager, what I observed most was the sheer gluttony of the holidays; an abundance of food while, in much of the world, people go hungry – we as Americans consume until we enter “food comas”, only to be brought out of them by early morning sales the next day as another display of gluttony and consumerism pervades our collective culture – Black Friday. Continue reading Thanksgiving →

History, Neo-Paganism

Halloween & Samhain

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Yesterday was October 31st, which was the holiday of Halloween.

There is an excellent article by Isaac Bonewits about the pagan origins of Halloween, which I highly recommend you read – but I’ll be the first to admit that by now and in mainstream American culture, Halloween is a secular holiday where people dress up in costumes, children get candy, adults get drunk, and everybody has a grand time.

However, I am one of those odd people well acquainted with the pagan origins of Halloween, as I was raised by neo-pagan parents who also happened to be academics. So forgive me as I ramble on about the other less mainstream aspects of this particular holiday. Continue reading Halloween & Samhain →

Past, Poetry

Poetry of the Past – Snippet

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Apocalypse Snippet

a burning bush
told me to seek higher ground
to build a boat and float around
for forty days and forty nights
of mighty rain and wind and dark
but there’s no wood for this ark
all the trees have been cut stark
made into paper for a billion Bibles
when all God needed to do was smile
and tell us one word from above: Love

Avens O’Brien, May 2006

Current Events, Past

I Wasn’t There

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Today is September 11, 2011.  Ten years ago today, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airline jets, two of which forever changed the skyline of one of America’s most beloved cities.

I could use this anniversary to talk about how our country came together in the months following the attacks.  I could tell you my perspective on how our politicians did and continue to capitalize on the public’s fear of further attacks.  I could tell you about what I perceive as foreign and domestic policy mishaps prior to and after the attacks, about blowback and wars of concept.  I could tell you that a few months ago we learned that the mastermind behind these attacks met his end at the hands of our Navy Seals.  But those things happened after, and I want to talk about that day, and this one.

I could tell you where I was when it happened.  I could ask you where you were.  But the significance of September 11, 2001 isn’t about you or me.  I can tell you where we weren’t.

Neither of us were one of the nineteen hijackers.

We were not one of the 246 passengers or crew aboard United 93, United 175, American 11 or American 77.

We were not one of the 411 first responding personnel of the FDNY, NYPD, Port Authority Police Department, EMTs or paramedics who died trying to rescue people or fight fires.

We were not one of the 658 employees at Cantor Fitzgerald, nor were we among the 358 employees of March Inc. or the 175 employees of Aon Corporation, all of whom where trapped above the point of impact and had no chance of escape.

In fact, we weren’t one of the 1,355 people in the North Tower at or above point of impact.  We weren’t one of the 107 below who didn’t make it.

We weren’t one of the 630 people in the South Tower, which thankfully had begun evacuating after the North Tower was hit.

We weren’t one of the 125 people killed at the Pentagon, 55 of whom were military personnel.

We weren’t one of the 2,977 innocent people who died that day as a result of this terrorist attack.

I wasn’t there.  I was safe.  I was alive.  I am safe.  I am alive.  I hope you are safe.  If you’re reading this, you are alive.

We are alive.  We’ve been able to process, come to terms with, place blame for, respond, and capitalize on a shared moment in time in which many were murdered – and we live on.

It’s September 11, 2011.  Ten years ago today, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airline jets, two of which forever changed the skyline of one of America’s most beloved cities.

Today is just another day that we are still alive.

I’m appreciative of that fact.  Please, use today to appreciate that fact.

Travel

Mid-West Wandering

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Dubuque, Iowa.  I cannot believe I’ve been here this long.  The house I’m staying in is set up on a bluff overlooking the city.  If I bothered to wake up early enough, I could sit on the front steps and watch the sun rise in the East over the Mississippi River.  From this vantage point I can see Illinois and Wisconsin.  At night, the same view is littered with blinking and stationary lights – alerting boats and aircraft alike to the position of the bridges. Continue reading Mid-West Wandering →