Meet the Bloggers: Heather Lewis

Greetings Jerks!  I’m Heather Lewis and I’m going to be bringing you all the political updates you will need this fall.  I am new at Jerk and I couldn’t be more excited to be covering the mudslinging and scandals bound to come our way this campaign season.  But before we get to that I will tell you all a little bit about myself…

 Year and Major: I am a senior political science major, heavy on the politics, light on the science.

Hometown: Allentown, PA, the Billy Joel song says all you need to know.

Most Embarrassing Moment: The aftermath of 90% of the things that come out of my mouth.

Biggest Lie I’ve Gotten Away With: I’ve gotten away with it, why spoil the fun now?

Movie I Could Watch Over and Over: Any and all of the Harry Potter movies, my Hogwarts application is pending.

Feel free to follow me on twitter @hp_lewis, subscribe to my blog and give me feedback or let me know your thoughts about the upcoming election!

**If you’re interested in becoming a Jerk Blogger, contact us at jerkmagblog@gmail.com

Meet the Bloggers: Lakota Sky Gambill

Sup dude!? I’m Lakota Sky Gambill, I’m your girl for politics! That’s right, a Native American from bum-fuck Utah will be feeding you the latest, best, daring, and most outspoken blogs for this election season. I’m so stoked, though, before I start railing on the political world, lemme’ tell you a bit where I’m from.

Major and Year: Communication and Rhetorical Studies, Sophomore
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah (No, I’m not Mormon, let’s not go there.)
Most embarrassing moment: Hm, well one time I was hanging out with a friend and the bands New Medicine and Halestorm drinking a few brewskis. It was after the concert and we we’re casually drinking, laughing, having a good time. When my friend Martika handed me a beer, like a fool I dropped it in front/ on side of their tour bus. Bus of course was pulling up at the time and well….I shot the tire out, pushing their tour date back about three days… Sorry Halestorm!

Biggest Lie I’ve Gotten Away With:  I was in the photography class at my high school as well as an editor for our school newspaper. Both the classes we’re so disorganized to the point where it was annoying, so I convinced both classes that the semester was going to be very hard for each of those two classes and while I was supposed to be in Journalism, I was working hard in the photo room, while supposed to be in photo, I was in Journalism, vice versa (May I remind you that these classes were both morning classes). I asked nicely and explained my story, I asked if they could mark me present though I was working in another room and still be able to give me an A. Well kids, for a whole year I never stepped foot in those classes and maintained an A with doing nothing. I’m bossed up.

Movie I Could Watch Over and Over: ANIMAL HOUSE, no one can rage like they do.

Feel free to follow me on twitter and can read about me ranting about shit @misslakotasky, tweet at me, contact me, ANYTHING you want me to cover about my blog or if you just wanna talk shit and snarky remarks, DO IT UP. We’re all Jerks here.

**If you’re interested in becoming a Jerk Blogger, contact us at jerkmagblog@gmail.com

Paul Ryan likes to Rage

Mitt Romney’s pick for Vice President, Paul Ryan, has stirred up the political controversy in the media. Calling him, “Mitt’s left wing” Ryan already has a view of the Catholic conservative that either you love or you hate. Though broadcasted on CNN, I found it very interesting that on Ryan’s Facebook page, the outlet where we as the people can connect to Ryan and understand him at a deeper level, there listed is one of his favorite bands…Rage Against the Machine.

Rage Against the Machine, the greatest politically charged band of our generation, (and my favorite band that I have a tattoo dedicated for) has lyrics that specifically aim their anger and frustration at the “1%”, and the majority of the Republican Party. Tom Morello, guitarist of Rage Against the Machine and Harvard University graduate, wrote about his view on Paul Ryan’s choice of band in an Opinion piece blogged on Rolling Stone.

Morello states in the article, “But Rage’s music affects people in different ways. Some tune out what the band stands for and concentrate on the moshing and throwing elbows in the pit. For others, Rage has changed their minds and their lives. Many activists around the world, including organizers of the global occupy movement, were radicalized by Rage Against the Machine and work tirelessly for a more humane and just planet. Perhaps Paul Ryan was moshing when he should have been listening.”

If not a fan of Rage or if not having heard of them, then you can’t exactly understand to the extent on the contradiction of Paul Ryan’s choice. I mean, the band name itself, “RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE,” Let’s think, who is the machine? Rage is the anthem to many rebel groups in the U.S., the fact that Paul Ryan is a supporter of the music means in a sense, he supports the message behind it. Hear me on this, Rage sings about Native American genocide, American imperialism, rebelling against authority, and to think that Paul Ryan’s conservative beliefs and strong outlook in the republican party can actually stand to listen and understand the music? If coming from that standpoint, how could you support that? So the question is this, is Paul Ryan’s love for Rage a possible leak of socialist and democratic out looks, or is he just simply ignorant?

-Lakota Gambill