Issue 2013- 4:20 Blaze it Yo

by Jack Williams

Sup School. It is I, Jack Williams, here to lay some fiery, political truth upon the masses. Speaking of FIRE, I would like to discuss an issue that has set the world aBLAZE. Tensions have been HIGH, as parties both sides of this issue attempt to ensure that their aspirations don't go up in SMOKE. If you couldn't guess, the issue I am referring to is…tenure.

Jk it’s the recreational use of marijuana.

 It seems to me, that recreational weed is the issue that everyone wants to discuss…the issue that everyone has an opinion on. In my AP Gov class, when the issue is brought up, everyone sits up, a smile crosses their faces and all of a sudden, politics have become interesting. Clearly, we as young adults have made it clear that this is the issue that we to challenge. Or, more aptly, this is a miscarriage of justice that American teens feel must be rectified immediately. Don’t believe me? Weed has had bans against it since 1905, and suddenly, recreational use has been legalized in two states. People are obviously starting to make noise.

Public opinion has uprooted over a century of precedence. The suddenness of this change suggests that our generation is at the helm of this change…even at our young age, we can shape our country’s future…. So what are we using this power to do? Let me put it to you this way: In this great country of ours, certain states prohibits a marriage between two people of the same gender due to irrational and ignorant prejudice. But clearly, the fact that weed is illegal requires our attention first.

“Gay marriage be damned! I want to get high on the weekends!” Right?

Real talk people: this isn’t about whether or not weed should be legal, and obviously, supporting its recreational use doesn’t mean that you aren’t aware or vocal about other political issues…but if this last year has taught me anything about public opinion, it’s that when enough of us want something changed, we can make it happen.

Trying to legalize the recreational use of marijuana is an abuse of this power. Seriously, there are more important things that require our attention.

Issue 2013: Marriage Equality & Guns

by Ryann Tucker

America is moving and changing quickly and I believe that same sex marriage is a big debate that needs to be ended. Personally, my beliefs are that love is love and you should be allowed to marry whomever you please. I come from a religious family, and I think that religion is important but the Bible is not a manual for how we should run our country. And I think that, unfortunately, religion plays a larger role than it should in our country’s decision-making process. Same sex marriage is an issue that I feel should really be a non-factor moving forward, because giving gays the right to marry isn't going to cause any true issues in our country.  We might have a few protests here and there but all in all the results of allowing same sex marriage in America can only be beneficial. That’s one of the reasons why I was so happy when President Obama formally stated that he has no problem with gays and that he's in full support of gay marriage. It shows that our country is moving forward in a positive direction.

The next issue that I feel is important and need of a quick resolution are the tightening of the U.S. policies on gun control. I feel that gun control policies should be stricter because the massive amounts of guns in US civilian hands are just not necessary. The murder rate in the US is extremely high compared to a lot of other countries that have tightened their gun policies. The recent school shooting in Connecticut has made so many people aware of the issue that is the weak American gun control system. If you’re above a certain age and not a former felon you can purchase a gun in the United States. Guns are lethal weapons and I feel that the only people that should have easy access to them are those whose job require that level of protection. I also really think that assault weapons and the other types of guns that we use in warfare should not be available to the public. In my opinion it’s completely unnecessary. I do believe that normal civilians should be allowed to have a gun if they have passed a series of psychological evaluations and have proof of proper storage in their home for the firearm. The problem with that is that once a gun is sold to a civilian then it is in circulation in the population. The government has no way of knowing what it will be used for and who's hands it will truly be in, which is very scary.

Issues 2013: Guns & Marriage Equality

by Pierce Maby

As much as I, or anyone else, would like to see some progressive changes coming out of Congress this year, I am not too optimistic. I was pleased with many of the results coming out of Election Day; results including Obama earning a second term in office, fewer tea-partiers in Congress, and radical changes to gay marriage and marijuana laws in several states. I would like to see our country advance towards increased gun control, and perhaps even towards marriage equality.

We’ve entered the New Year with the Connecticut shooting fresh in our minds. Immediately following the attack, the nation saw widespread support for reforming gun laws. By now, however, the ripples of the initial impact seem to have subsided significantly, both in the media and in everyday conversation. In addition to the dwindling momentum, the NRA, as well as conservative members of Congress, will do anything and everything in their power to prevent gun laws from becoming stricter. Perhaps some reform will come, but I don’t expect anything too substantial.

Though the United States has made several landmark civil rights advancements in the past century, I don’t believe that we’re at a point in 2013 where that can simply stop altogether. After all, we can’t just teach our children that our nation ensures “liberty and justice for all”, only for them to learn that this is a blatant lie. Although 2013 may not be the year for the legalization of gay marriage, I at least hope for some progress towards marriage equality, especially on the federal level.