Response to "Gun Control"

I would have to say that I disagree with both Reanne and Sonia on this topic. Yes, gun violence is a major problem in today's society but it is not because of people who follow the rules and regulations and get their guns legally. The problem is the people who get them illegally. The problem I see with taking guns away from those who are mentally stable and have followed all the rules to be able to carry those guns is that just make it harder to stop those who get the guns illegally. There have been so many cases where someone with a concealed gun license has saved lives. If anything, knowing a couple students around me have concealed handguns license would make me feel safer because I know they did things by the book. They know what they are doing, they have passed the necessary tests and procedures, and one day they could save my life. It isn't the people with concealed carry license that are shooting up schools and robbing gas stations, it's the people who get those guns illegally. Selfless Globe

Tension Between Countries

Tensions between countries seem to be rising every day. After Syria gassed their own civilians, and then we blew up their base, and now Russia and North Korea want to get involved. Things seem to be escalating very quickly. I understand why Trump, and the US, had to bomb the Syrian base. I realize that killing civilians, especially your own, cannot go unpunished. My only question is why do we have to be the big brother every time? Why is the US always the one who has to step in and put a stop to something? I know someone has to do, but why does it always have to be the US? 

Trump wasn't just sending a message to Syria, he was sending a message to the whole world. He's saying that if anyone steps out of line then the US is going to be right there to stop it. I especially think this message was meant for North Korea and Kim Jung-un. North Korea has been wanting to blow us up for some time now. Trump had to make sure that the whole world knows that the US is not going to just stand by and watch. 

I believe that most of the world looks up to us as the big brother. We have been defending ourselves and other countries from “bullies” for a while now. We did it in the Middle East, in Syria, and now we are prepared to do it in North Korea. I don’t think that anyone wants it to come to that. Only death can come from North Korea and the US launching their nuclear missiles. There is no good ending to that and everyone knows it. 

USA Gov: Flag Desecration Post

I agree with you 100% that burning the flag is wrong. It is disgracing our country and everything that it stands for. People burn and desecrate the flag in order to make a point that they do not agree with something that our Country is or isn't doing. In a way, they are protesting and by desecrating the flag are saying they want no part of whatever it is they are protesting. Since it is not illegal to burn the flag there is not much we can do to stop it. While I think it is wrong to desecrate the flag, I do not think that it should be illegal. I do believe, however, that there are better ways of protesting. Instead of desecrating the flag people could participate in a protest, write a letter to their congressperson, or simply make a youtube video telling the whole world how displeased they are with what our country is doing.  USA Gov

Why Marijuana Should Be Legal

The legalization of marijuana is a topic that is growing more and more very day. While you can make arguments for both sides, I think it should be legalized. Now you might say that it is bad because it impairs your judgment, but doesn't alcohol do the same thing? Some people also make the argument that it causes a decrease in brain function over time, but there is no scientific data to support this claim. Furthermore, the medicinal uses of marijuana outweigh any minor side affects it may cause. Medical marijuana has been used to treat spasms in multiple sclerosis, nausea from cancer chemotherapy, as well as seizure disorders and help for pain with Crohn’s disease. Not only that, but marijuana is natural. It is a plant that grows in the ground. It is not a manufactured medicine like morphine or codeine that is now more synthetic than natural. It makes sense to make it legal because if people want to smoke marijuana, they will find a way to smoke marijuana. No law is going to stop them from obtaining it. Another reason it makes sense to legalize it is because it would be taxable by the government and therefore bring a profit in. It would 1) be an added bonus for those who use marijuana that the price would drop since it wouldn't have to be brought in from other states, and 2) since it's now legal, the price would drop because it wouldn't be dangerous to buy it anymore. The states that have legalized marijuana have brought in a substantial amount of revenue to their state because of it. I believe that the legalization of marijuana is not an if, but a when. 

Love Keeps People Alive Longer

The Article “Now, there's proof: Love keeps people alive longer”, by Dr. Keith Ablow is about the human need for deep, meaningful relationships. Dr. Ablow is a psychiatrist and member of the Fox News Medical A-Team. Dr. Ablow makes the argument, and backs it up with a Harvard research study, that people live longer when they have deep, meaningful relationships. He says that ”They show that feeling and expressing love is the single most important variable in remaining emotionally and physically healthy and living longer.” This article hits home for me due to the recent passing of my grandmother. She was loved by very many people, and she loved them just as much. Her husband died 40 years ago, and she just recently passed at the age of 97. I do believe that she lived as long as she did because of the relationships she had with those she loved. Not just the relationships with family members, but with anyone she ever met. I believe that Dr. Ablow and the Harvard researchers are correct when they say that true relationships do help people live longer. It is a shame that the current generation is so caught up in the “likes” and “retweets” and how many people view their snapchat story. I’ve noticed that younger generations don’t have as many good friends and relationships, they just have a lot of acquaintances. With all the different forms of communication today it is hard for kids to have meaningful relationships. They don’t have face to face conversations and I believe that’s going to hurt this generation in the long run. What struck me the most is this: “it is the quality of relationships—not the quantity of them—that matters”. It isn’t about having a bunch of friends, it’s about having a few really good friends. 

Fox News

Tammy Bruce is a radio talk show host, New York Times bestselling author, and a Fox News political contributor. As far as presidents and politics go she seems to be pretty knowledgeable. Bruce is writing to all of the Democrats and anti-Trump citizens who are constantly attacking Trumps character. She makes the argument that Trump is much like Reagan in a way because Trump and Reagan were both highly protested. Not only were they both protested, but their own character was attacked. Not their policies or anything like that, but simply untrue rumors to try and mar their reputation. The rumors they spread are ridiculous. Saying that Trump has a mental illness or even going as far as saying he has syphilis. I understand if people don’t agree with everything that Trump does or says, but he still deserves peoples respect. After all, at least half the country wanted him to be president. I completely agree with Bruce that they are similar, and I also agree that there needs to be a change. People need to get over the fact that Trump was elected because nothing is going to change. He isn’t going to be kicked out of office just because some people don’t want him to be president. Like Bruce mentions, the media is of no help. The media just amplifies everything and makes it worse. If things don’t change then things could get bad very quickly. No matter how many people dislike him, I don’t think anyone wants to see another president get assassinated. It surprised Bruce that families like the Bushes and the Kennedy’s  haven’t come out and said anything defending Trump since they know what it’s like to see a President get assassinated. It is a very scary world we live in right now, and I think that is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

Tammy Bruce, "Trump-Reagan parallels are scary, but not for the reasons critics think", Fox News, http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/02/24/trump-reagan-parallels-are-scary-but-not-for-reasons-critics-think.html

Terror List

Two American backpackers were recently stabbed to death in Australia by a French National who had no known ties to any terrorist groups. While the Australian police decided that it was not an act of terrorism, the US said it was. The assailant said “allahu akbar” when he killed the two victims, but the police decided that this was not enough to label him a terrorist, especially when he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. It seems to just be another case of the government trying to make US citizens scared of the Islamic people. It makes no sense that the US government would count this as a terrorist attack when the Australian police didn’t. The man who killed the two backpackers was mentally unstable and most likely unable to comprehend what he was doing. Labeling him as a terrorist has done nothing but make the parents relive their children’s deaths, as well as make others afraid of the Islamic people even more. This was an interesting article and is worth the read, especially with everything that has been going on with the travel bans and such. 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/02/08/mother-slams-trump-including-daughters-death-terror-list/97633054/