I ran across this column A Penny For My Thoughts through my newspaper advisor, Matthew Connolly. I'm the photo editor for our school newspaper, The Accent. This column is talking about the possible future of newspapers and how some are outsourcing to India. This is exactly what's wrong with our country, it's all about making money, it's all about greed. I would like to go into the newspaper industry as a photojournalist. More and more I'm hearing that my future in that field is uncertain. At the very least I would have to be a videographer and reporter as well. Video I don't mind so much but I'm not really a reporter.
The author of the column Maureen Dowd doesn't seem to take a stance on this issue. As someone with hopefully a future in the newspaper business and the photography business I personally like to have a hard copy. I mean I prefer reading a newspaper to staring at my computer screen. I prefer to hold a beautiful print of a photo than looking at a digital image on my computer. That's just me. As for outsourcing, I think that's the worst idea. Who will have jobs in America if we keep outsourcing? I mean really, where does it stop? Save a little money, fire American workers.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Day Without a Gay
Wednesday evening I went to my first rally. December 10th was labeled as Day Without a Gay. The idea is to call in to work to volunteer with your local LGBT communities and not make any purchases to protest the passage of anti-gay constitutional amendments in
There were a number of speakers and we learned some cool chants and for the first time I realized how much this issue really affects me. Maybe because I’m getting older and realized that yes, I would like to be married some day. I guess I always assumed I would have some sort of ceremony resembling a wedding but never even considered having the same rights as married couples. I was just content with that as my fate. Now that this issue of gay rights, my rights, is being renewed I am very happy to participate and hopefully see a big change in my lifetime. Well we have already seen changes in a few states. I just don’t know why everyone doesn’t think the Constitution applies to gay people.
American prisons on the rise
Commentary on American prisons on the rise
I also completely agree with you. We need to look at alternative methods as a form of punishment or rehabilitation. Prison is not for rehabilitation, no matter what anyone tells you. I think non-violent offenders should be rehabilitated and given the opportunity to live a productive life instead of thrown in prison. About half of all incarcerated prisoners are nonviolent offenders.
Not only is it very expensive (nearly 50 billion a year at the state level) to house inmates, once they get out of prison it is very difficult to lead a productive life. They have a criminal history now so how will they get a job? If they do get a job will it be a good job they can support a family on?
People make mistakes, they are young and dumb. Some people experiment with drugs and alcohol. Does that mean they go out and murder people? No, and I don't think they should be treated the same way and be given virtually the same punishments. Whether you serve 2 years or 20 you have a criminal record now and for the rest of your life. We leave them with nothing and expect them to make it when they are released.
A 2005 California study found that more than two-thirds of parolees were back in prison within 3 years of release, 40 percent for technical infractions. We need to help these people stay out of prison and break the vicious cycle.
I also completely agree with you. We need to look at alternative methods as a form of punishment or rehabilitation. Prison is not for rehabilitation, no matter what anyone tells you. I think non-violent offenders should be rehabilitated and given the opportunity to live a productive life instead of thrown in prison. About half of all incarcerated prisoners are nonviolent offenders.
Not only is it very expensive (nearly 50 billion a year at the state level) to house inmates, once they get out of prison it is very difficult to lead a productive life. They have a criminal history now so how will they get a job? If they do get a job will it be a good job they can support a family on?
People make mistakes, they are young and dumb. Some people experiment with drugs and alcohol. Does that mean they go out and murder people? No, and I don't think they should be treated the same way and be given virtually the same punishments. Whether you serve 2 years or 20 you have a criminal record now and for the rest of your life. We leave them with nothing and expect them to make it when they are released.
A 2005 California study found that more than two-thirds of parolees were back in prison within 3 years of release, 40 percent for technical infractions. We need to help these people stay out of prison and break the vicious cycle.
Response to Donkey vs. Elephant commentary on gay marriage
My last blog was about gay rights, gay adoption rights, ect. so I didn't really want to touch on the same issue in this last blog...but...looking through classmates blogs I stumbled upon comments made on the Donkey vs. Elephant blog. The blogger disagrees with gay marriage and since I completely disagree with everything said in the blog I am compelled to comment on it.
You said:
Children who are raised by gay parents face hardships that children with strait parents don’t.
Are you saying that children of straight parents are not picked on or teased by classmates? Kids are kids, there will always be the bullies who pick on other kids. Always, it's a part of life. It is the homophobic parents who put these ideas in their childrens heads.
You said:
Children need both a maternal and paternal influence to be healthy.
This claim is just a little ridiculous, I'm not sure how to respond. According to the 2006 census there were 12.9 million one-parents families in the United States. That is a lot of unhealthy people being raised according to your claim. I do think that two people raising a child is preferable to one person but I don't think the child would discriminate between two mommies, two daddies or a mom and dad.
You said:
One other claim that I cannot stand is that gay people are the way they are because of genetics. There are no genes that determine one’s orientation. Being gay is a choice people make for whatever reason and all choices have consequences.
Being gay is a choice huh? I don't know why anyone in their right mind would CHOOSE to be gay. I was raised in a Mormon household. I don't know if you are familiar with their teachings but like a lot of churches they believe gay people are going to hell. For a long time I believed this too. It has been a very long struggle but I've almost made it to the end, complete acceptance. I KNOW this was not my choice. It's so much harder than being straight, why would anyone choose that? Gay teens are 300 times more likely to committ suicide than straight teens. Does that mean they are happy about being gay? No. Would they be straight if they could? Probably.
You said:
I personally do not agree with gay marriage.
As an American all I want is the equal rights. This IS a civil rights issue. There have been many parallels to the African-American civil rights movement of the sixties. Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe writes, "For if opposing same-sex marriage is like opposing civil rights, then voters who backed Proposition 8 are no better than racists, the moral equivalent of those who turned the fire hoses on blacks in Birmingham in 1963". It wasn't very long ago that interracial couples were not allowed to marry. In 1967 in the Loving v. Virginia case, the Supreme Court ruled by a 9-0 unanimous decision that bans on interracial marriages were unconstitutional. Today would anyone think twice about two people of a different race marrying?
You said:
Children who are raised by gay parents face hardships that children with strait parents don’t.
Are you saying that children of straight parents are not picked on or teased by classmates? Kids are kids, there will always be the bullies who pick on other kids. Always, it's a part of life. It is the homophobic parents who put these ideas in their childrens heads.
You said:
Children need both a maternal and paternal influence to be healthy.
This claim is just a little ridiculous, I'm not sure how to respond. According to the 2006 census there were 12.9 million one-parents families in the United States. That is a lot of unhealthy people being raised according to your claim. I do think that two people raising a child is preferable to one person but I don't think the child would discriminate between two mommies, two daddies or a mom and dad.
You said:
One other claim that I cannot stand is that gay people are the way they are because of genetics. There are no genes that determine one’s orientation. Being gay is a choice people make for whatever reason and all choices have consequences.
Being gay is a choice huh? I don't know why anyone in their right mind would CHOOSE to be gay. I was raised in a Mormon household. I don't know if you are familiar with their teachings but like a lot of churches they believe gay people are going to hell. For a long time I believed this too. It has been a very long struggle but I've almost made it to the end, complete acceptance. I KNOW this was not my choice. It's so much harder than being straight, why would anyone choose that? Gay teens are 300 times more likely to committ suicide than straight teens. Does that mean they are happy about being gay? No. Would they be straight if they could? Probably.
You said:
I personally do not agree with gay marriage.
As an American all I want is the equal rights. This IS a civil rights issue. There have been many parallels to the African-American civil rights movement of the sixties. Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe writes, "For if opposing same-sex marriage is like opposing civil rights, then voters who backed Proposition 8 are no better than racists, the moral equivalent of those who turned the fire hoses on blacks in Birmingham in 1963". It wasn't very long ago that interracial couples were not allowed to marry. In 1967 in the Loving v. Virginia case, the Supreme Court ruled by a 9-0 unanimous decision that bans on interracial marriages were unconstitutional. Today would anyone think twice about two people of a different race marrying?
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
A small victory for gay adoption
All this talk of gay marriage and gay adoption just makes me sick. I suppose this too shall pass and one day we will have equal rights along with women and minorities. Okay, maybe they aren’t exactly equal but they have come a long way from the 1920’s or 1960’s. That being said, that one day I can look foward to having equal rights, well that doesn’t help me right now. One day I would like to marry the person I love and have children, most likely adopt as in vitro fertilization is crazy expensive. Maybe I could adopt from India, I saw that once on Oprah. I’m veering off topic.
So, I try not to think about it but I won’t say it doesn’t hurt when I hear another state explicitly bans gay marriage. Now they are talking of banning gays from adopting as well. One bright spot from the strictest state on gay adoption, gays had a victory in Florida yesterday when a judge ruled the ban unconstitutional. Florida is the only state to have an outright ban on gay adoption. Utah prohibits adoption by any unmarried couple or individual. And while Mississippi does not explicitly ban gay and lesbian individuals from adopting, it does prohibit adoption by same-sex couples. The state of Florida has already vowed to appeal and this case will likely end up in front of the Florida Supreme Court. Now that the states have almost completely banned gay marriage in the U.S. (it is outright illegal in 45 states) they are moving on to gay adoption as next on their agenda. I just want to live in a place where I have the same rights as everyone else! Why is that not an option in America? Because the Bible tells us so?
So, I try not to think about it but I won’t say it doesn’t hurt when I hear another state explicitly bans gay marriage. Now they are talking of banning gays from adopting as well. One bright spot from the strictest state on gay adoption, gays had a victory in Florida yesterday when a judge ruled the ban unconstitutional. Florida is the only state to have an outright ban on gay adoption. Utah prohibits adoption by any unmarried couple or individual. And while Mississippi does not explicitly ban gay and lesbian individuals from adopting, it does prohibit adoption by same-sex couples. The state of Florida has already vowed to appeal and this case will likely end up in front of the Florida Supreme Court. Now that the states have almost completely banned gay marriage in the U.S. (it is outright illegal in 45 states) they are moving on to gay adoption as next on their agenda. I just want to live in a place where I have the same rights as everyone else! Why is that not an option in America? Because the Bible tells us so?
Friday, October 17, 2008
Obama's (So Called) Tax-Plan Disaster
The blog I will be commenting on is called Obama's Tax-Plan disaster and can be found here http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OGExY2UzNjQ5YjAyNWUzZmI2MDQyNmU4MmU2NGI3ZDg=
I found this on the national review blog which is a conservative blog so obviously his audience is Republican. It was written by Cesar Conda, and he is a former economic and domestic policy advisor to Vice-President Dick Cheney. I suppose that makes him credible. Of course in the middle of this economic crisis I don't know if I would trust Bush's team to make wise decisions with my money.
Okay, lets get down to it. Mr. Conda is critical of Obama’s tax plan. He says that Obama will raise taxes for families making $250,000 or annually and re-distribute the money, via tax credits to lower and middle class working families. He follows that up with this will “do widespread economic harm”. Personally that doesn’t sound like a terrible idea to me. It sounds like a great idea to me actually. Help the people who need the help. America is consumed with greed, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I for one and excited that there is someone who seems to really care about helping working people. That’s what’s really going to help the economy, working people having money in their pocket. We have a problem in this country, our economy is in the worse state since the Great Depression and who does that impact the most? The working class, not someone who makes over $250,000 dollars a year. I do not agree with Cesar Conda’s argument in this blog as you can see. It just doesn’t make sense. For the first time in a very long time we have someone who appears to really care about the American people and who is going to try to make things better.
I found this on the national review blog which is a conservative blog so obviously his audience is Republican. It was written by Cesar Conda, and he is a former economic and domestic policy advisor to Vice-President Dick Cheney. I suppose that makes him credible. Of course in the middle of this economic crisis I don't know if I would trust Bush's team to make wise decisions with my money.
Okay, lets get down to it. Mr. Conda is critical of Obama’s tax plan. He says that Obama will raise taxes for families making $250,000 or annually and re-distribute the money, via tax credits to lower and middle class working families. He follows that up with this will “do widespread economic harm”. Personally that doesn’t sound like a terrible idea to me. It sounds like a great idea to me actually. Help the people who need the help. America is consumed with greed, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I for one and excited that there is someone who seems to really care about helping working people. That’s what’s really going to help the economy, working people having money in their pocket. We have a problem in this country, our economy is in the worse state since the Great Depression and who does that impact the most? The working class, not someone who makes over $250,000 dollars a year. I do not agree with Cesar Conda’s argument in this blog as you can see. It just doesn’t make sense. For the first time in a very long time we have someone who appears to really care about the American people and who is going to try to make things better.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Sarah Palin is NOT qualified for the office of the Vice-President!
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