Views of a college Liberal

Want to save money? Stop killing

2009-02-27T00:15:00.001-06:00

If the state was doing something that cost on average $1.5- 3 million each and every time, and the state could do something different and only spend $750,000, would you want to change? I would. That is the difference between a death sentence and a life sentence. Seven states are considering abolishing capital punishment because of the economy. States could save millions of dollars if we no longer sentenced people to death. I believe this is a great to save money when the states are so stretched for cash, not to mention the moral issues that surround capital punishment. The money we save on capital punishment could be used to help higher education which is in desperate need of funds. I hope that Tennessee will look into this subject as we look at ways to cut cost.

Military Suicide

2009-02-27T00:14:00.000-06:00

In the month of January, more soldiers committed suicide then were killed in combat. The army said that 128 soldiers committed suicide in 2008. That is 128 too many! I hope that the armed forces will look into new procedures to help care for these soldiers. These men and women have fought for our country and we need to give them as much support as we can. I hope this problem will come to the attention of President Obama and Congress and they will be able to work together to fix this problem. I believe if people are having serious psychological disorders, they should be held back from being deployed. After these soldiers have been helped, they should be allowed to be deployed. I hope that our government and armed forces can work together to save lives.

What a great week

2009-02-27T00:13:00.002-06:00

What a great week this has been. On Tuesday, Barack Obama became the first Black president. Two days later, Nashvillians defeated the English only bill. It is great to see two things that I voted on go my way. It is also great to get on CNN.com and see Nashville made CNN headlines about defeating the bill. I believe that Nashville made the right choice on Thursday. I am also very happy that a good number of people turned out and voted for and against this measure. I am very glad to be a part of these elections and can’t wait to vote again!

What does nashville want?

2009-02-27T00:13:00.001-06:00

The English Only ordeal is almost over. We will all find out on the 22th what Nashville wants. From what I have been seeing, Nashville doesn't want English Only. One way I can tell what Nashville wants, is by what Nashville is doing. The opponents of English only have raised almost $300,000 to fight against the measure. The major contributors have been local business and businessmen that include HCA, Gaylord Entertainment and The Nashville Convention center. Also, Mayor Dean and Governor Bredeson have voted against the measure. I hope that Nashville stands up against this measure and votes NO!

Titan economy

2009-02-27T00:12:00.000-06:00

The Titans are helping the economy! Because the Titans made it to the playoffs, it means that there will be another weekend of 60,000 people in downtown Nashville. This means more people coming from out of town and staying in hotels and eating downtown. I hope the Titans win and make it to the AFC championship and bring more people into our great city. I just hope for that game I will actually have tickets!

Can i get tap water please

2009-02-27T00:11:00.000-06:00

I just want to give thanks to Metro Councilman Mike Jameson for making the legislation to stop metro from buying bottled water. By moving to tap water, metro will be saving $30,000 – $40,000 each year. In a time where this country is in a recession, it is great to see our local government trying to save money wherever it can. I hope that metro will try and find other ways to save money so that more money will be available for better things.

Don't ask, Don' tell

2009-02-27T00:10:00.002-06:00

What has “Don’t Ask, Don’ Tell” cost you:

- Over 12,000 military personal have been discharged because of this policy

- $79.3 million was spent to recruit replacements during 1994- 2003

- $256.4 million was spent to train the replacements during 1994- 2003

- $17.8 million for training officers

- $14.3 million for "separation travel" once a service member is discharged

Over $ 300 million was spent just because of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. In a time where recruiting numbers are low, the military is discharging too many people. I hope that when Barack Obama takes office, he will help repeal this discriminatory law.

My views on english only bill

2009-02-27T00:10:00.001-06:00

Here are a few examples at what could happen if the English Only ballot is passed:

- If an international visitor is in Nashville and needed help from our government, they would not be able to get the help they needed in their native language.

- If Nashville wanted to contact a foreign-based company about moving their headquarters to Nashville, we could not contact them in their own language.

- If someone who did not speak English was a victim of a crime, the government could not communicate with them.

- Nashville could not communicate with their many sister cities around the world.

- Our government could not help the many political refugees from around the world that have now called Nashville their home because the government could not speak to them in their language.

The mayor and the majority of the city council are against this ballot. Please join me and vote against this ballot. Early voting starts on January 2^nd and Election Day is January 22^nd.

I am thankful for...

2009-02-27T00:09:00.001-06:00

It is that time of year that I will list the six things that I am very thankful for:

I am thankful that the American people voted in Barack Obama as the next president

I am thankful that we live in a free country where people can vote

I am thankful that women still have the right to choose

I am thankful that Barack Obama wants a college playoff system

I am thankful that the Titans are actually winning

I am thankful that I have the opportunity to write in this newspaper

special election

2009-02-27T00:08:00.001-06:00

On January 22, there will be a special election in Davidson County dealing with the English Only Bill. If we are voting on a law, there should be as many people voting as they can. This special election will not show a true consensus of Davidson County. I believe that many people will not know that this election is taking place and not enough people will be informed enough to vote on this issue. I hope that voters will inform themselves and get out and vote. Early voting begins January 2^nd and will only take place at the election commission. I will be voting against this bill and I hope you will too.

Guns for kids

2009-02-27T00:07:00.002-06:00

Lately I have seen some remarkable events taking place across the United States dealing with guns. In Northern Arizona, an eight year is charged with killing two people. In Florida, a 15 year old girl is charge with the shooting death of her former friend in the hallway of her school. These are the events where I ask, “Where are the parents?” These are the events where I wonder where these children received their gun from. The parents of these kids need to keep their guns safely hidden or teach their kids about guns. These children need to know that you should never handle a gun without the parent’s permission. I hope that if you are a parent with a gun, keep it hidden, teach your kids about guns, or just don’t have one.

History in the making

2009-02-27T00:07:00.001-06:00

As a young person, it is a great thing to see history in the making. As Barack Obama officially won the election, you could hear cheering all throughout MTSU's campus. It was a great sound that so many people actually cared about this election and went out and voted. There were so many people around campus surrounding televisions watching history in the making. November 4, 2008 will be one of those stories I will tell my kids and grandchildren. But, my happiness was shorted lived on campus because of two separate incidents, one of those I believe had to do with Barack Obama's race. It saddens me that there are some people who still hold racist views in this society and that they attend my college. I hope that we can move past these events and come together behind Barack Obama. Even if you did not vote for him, he will be our next president and give him a chance to lead our country before you judge him.

Bipartisan problem

2009-02-27T00:06:00.002-06:00

What ever happened to debating the issues? Both parties have a problem with very negative ads that are dealing with something other than the issues. One senate race has one candidate saying the other one is Godless. All these candidates are trying to use a fear factor to get more votes rather than debating the issues of the other candidate. Why does the personal problems of Barack Obama and John McCain really matter? What we should be looking at is what they believe they can do for this country. I feel this race has turned more into in name calling race than a political one, I think many people do not like either parties using smear campaigns in anyway, because I know i do not like it.

Voting

2009-02-27T00:06:00.001-06:00

Last week I got to vote for the next president of the United States. It was not my first time voting, but it was my first time voting for the president. It was a great feeling and I hope that many more people will have that same feeling. I really want the young first time voters to get out and vote. I want the young people to prove the pundits wrong. College students, you need to get out in vote! Early voting ends on October 30th. I would highly suggest voting early because on November 4th, you might be busy with class or work. If you are in college, check with your college and see if your school will drive you to the polls. I am very happy that MTSU has been driving students to the polls; it shows that MTSU really cares about their students. So remember, please inform yourself about the candidates and go VOTE!

upcoming election

2009-02-27T00:04:00.002-06:00

I believe that this election will finally bring the young people to the polls. I am seeing a growing number of students discussing this upcoming election. In less than a month, over 500 people have registered to vote on MTSU’s campus. I hope that this number doubles by the October 6^th deadline. MTSU and American Democracy Project are doing a wonderful job hosting debate parties and discussion sessions. I see people who come to these events wanting to educate themselves on the right candidate. I just hope that these people will make it to the polls. Remember, the deadline to register to vote is October 6^th and early voting is from October 15^th- 30^th. The next debate is at Belmont University on October 7^th. Watch these debates and educate yourself on the candidates before you vote!

Political Stunt?

2009-02-27T00:04:00.001-06:00

I am perfectly fine with Sen. McCain suspending his campaign to work on the economic crisis that is going on in the United States. The idea of delaying the debate is not okay. I personally believe that delaying the debate is some type of political stunt. The American people are very confused at what is happening right now in our economy. We really need to see what Sen. McCain and Obama will do for our country when one of them is elected. The American people want to know their exact policies. I feel that if the debate goes on, the american people will feel at ease because they know the next president will take care of this problem. I hope that Sen. McCain will show up to the debate and not leave Sen. Obama alone at the podium.

2008-09-24T14:58:00.000-05:00

Every time I go to church, I hope to praise and worship God. I want to learn something new about my religion and leave feeling uplifting. I do not want to go to church and listen to my preacher talk about politics. I believe that churches should not speak about politics or endorse a certain candidate. I believe that by doing this, you may push away some of the members of the church. A church should be a welcoming place to anyone who wants to walk in. By talking about politics, it could mess up the openness of the organization. I hope that as the elections nears, that these religious organizations will take a stand by not discussing these candidates on the pulpit.

Palin links 9/11 to iraq

2008-09-24T14:56:00.000-05:00

Governor Palin made a statement linking 9/11 to Iraq while giving a speech to soldiers bound to Iraq. This is a problem that is still carrying on today. There is no link between 9/11 and Iraq. We do know that Saddam Hussein was a horrible person, but he did not plan and carry out the attacks. President Bush once believed that Iraq was behind 9/11, but has come out and said this information was wrong. This just shows the inexperience that Governor Palin has with common foreign policy. Al-Qaeda was behind this attack and not the country of Iraq. This is just one of the reasons why I am against the start of the War in Iraq.

No Choice Palin

2008-09-04T23:01:00.000-05:00

There is a lot of talk dealing with the choice of Governor Palin pulling some of the Hilary Clinton supporters her way. I don’t think that could happen because Governor Palin does not support women’s rights. She is totally against a woman’s right to choose what to do when she gets pregnant. Governor Palin is quoted saying that abortion should only happen if the mother’s life is in endangered. Palin also said that if her own daughter was raped, she would want her daughter to carry the baby to term. Governor Palin is strongly against having sex education in schools. She wants abstinence only sex education even though the statistics shows that abstinence education has no affect on the teens. This nation needs sex education in our schools. We need to have a dual abstinence and sex education program. This nation needs to teach our young people that you should wait to have sex, but if you do, use a condom. According to National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, every day 10,000 U.S. teens contract a sexually transmitted disease, 2,400 get pregnant and 55 contract HIV. I believe that statistic alone should be the reason why every single school teaches sex education. I believe if we had more sex education, that the rate of abortion would drop. I think everyone would like to see that number drop. Vote for women rights, vote for Obama

When the troops donate

2008-08-14T21:45:00.001-05:00

I believe that if you haven’t served in the war, you really don’t know what is happening over seas. We each have our own opinion about what should happen with the war. The troops are the only ones who know how the war is progressing. Recently, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics did an analysis of campaign contributions made by troops who were overseas when they made there contributions. The analysis shows that the troops gave 6 times more to Barack Obama over John McCain. Even Ron Paul, who is anti-war, received four times more money then John McCain. As we all know, Obama wants to make a plan to withdraw most of the troops, and McCain does not want to withdraw the troops. I think it says a lot that the troops are giving money to a candidate who wants to pull the troops out and to another candidate who is totally anti-war. The troops know what is best for this country, and it seems like they think Barack Obama is right for this country. Obama 08!

Reading

2008-08-14T00:56:00.001-05:00

Now that I am starting my junior year at MTSU, I understand why the school system made me read books when I was younger. Reading books is the best way to learn new words and to have fun while you do it. My mom forced me to read one of the Harry Potters book when I was younger. Since then, I have read all those book and I am now reading other books on my own. I hope that more parents are like mine, and make your kids read books, it will help them out in the long run. I am going to try to read atleast three books a semester, starting with Barack Obama's "The Audacity of Hope." So I hope that more young people will pick up a book, it could change your life

The Death Penalty

2008-08-14T00:55:00.001-05:00

Here are some statistics about the death penalty:

Executions cost more then life sentences. It costs 2 million per person on death row vs. $500,000 per person that is sentenced to life.

The innocent could be executed. Since 1976, when the death penalty was reinstated, 82 inmates have been freed from death row. That is 1 person to be found innocent for every 7 executed.

The government says that killing someone is wrong, but the government is doing the exact same thing they say not to do. So the government is basically saying, “Do what I say, not as I do.”

So if you want the government to spend less money, you should be against the death penalty. It will save money, have fewer appeals, and save innocent lives.

Autism is real

2008-07-26T08:47:00.001-05:00

I was shocked when I heard that syndicated talk show host Michael Savage said 99 percent of autism cases is a brat that hasn’t been told to cut the act out. I can’t believe that a man of his stature believes that autism is a fraud. Autism is very real, so real that 1 out of 150 people children are diagnosed with autism. Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. It is part of a group of disorders known as autism spectrum disorders (autismspeaks.org). Last summer I worked with two autistic kids for four weeks. I can guarantee you that they were not brats who needed to cut the act out. These children had a real disorder, and needed help. On September 13, 2008, there will be a fundraising event at the Nashville Speedway. Walk Now for Autism is a family walk and fair to raise awareness about autism. Also, Walk Now for Autism is an event to raise money for the ongoing research on autism. I ask all of you to look up this event and walk to raise money. I will be there that day, and hope to see many or you there.

Thank you myspace

2008-07-26T08:46:00.000-05:00

Everytime I get on the computer, I always check all the regular news sites. A few days ago I saw that there was an amber alert and read what was going on. Later on that day, I logged onto myspace, and the same amber alert was right there on myspace. Myspace uses the information that is on your profile to send out amber alerts that are in your area. I think this is a great idea and I hope that other social networking sites will follow Myspace and add the amber alert. With the way more and more young people are using these sites, we could locate and save many more missing children.

We are not whiners

2008-07-10T22:20:00.000-05:00

For the first time in years, the Iraq war isn’t the most important issue in this election. The most important issue for the voters is the economy. With the price of gas and other food rising, the voters want to see something different this next presidential election. Phil Gramm, a top adviser to Sen. John McCain, said that the American people who believe the economy is the most important issue are whiners. Mr. Gramm thinks that we are in a “mental recession” and we are a “nation of whiners.” If we are in a “mental recession”, why is the dollar the lowest we have seen in years? Why are prices of eggs up 45% in the past year? Phil Gramm has insulted the 44 percent of Americans who think that the economy is the most important issue in this election. I do not think we are a nation of whiners, but an intelligent nation who knows when something is going wrong in our country. I hope that the next president will have the answers to these economic problems.

Patriotism

2008-07-04T09:08:00.001-05:00

If I do not wear a flag pin, does that make me unpatriotic?
If I sit and enjoy the star spangled banner without my hand on my chest, does that make me unpatriotic?
How can someone who is running for president of The United States of America be unpatriotic? How can someone give up so much of his life to be president, and not care about this country? When people say that Barack Obama is unpatriotic, I loose respect for those people because they actually believe those ludicrous statements. A flag pin does not show how patriotic you are to your country. Standing up for what you believe is right for this country, is patriotic. So I ask you, have you been patriotic lately? I show my patriotism every Sunday here in The Tennessean.

GI BILL

2008-06-28T19:36:00.001-05:00

I am a Student Orientation leader at MTSU, which is a person who helps with the freshman orientation. I was very excited to see someone who was enrolling through the GI Bill in my group. I am very happy that this man served his country and now is going to go to school for free. I hope that many of our servicemen and women will take part in the GI Bill and go to school for free. I think the GI Bill is a great way to thank our them for the work they have done. I hope that we can expand the GI Bill to offer more money and more benefits for our soldiers.

Stimulus Check loophole

2008-06-19T21:04:00.001-05:00

When I heard that the government was going to give out stimulus checks, I was very excited. I made over 7,000 dollars last year, which is 4,000 dollars over the minimum. I was looking forward to that check, and was going to put some of that money back in the economy. I soon found out that I am stuck in a loophole. Since I still depend on my parents, I am still filed under my parent’s taxes. Because of that, I do not receive any money. So that leaves me receiving nothing for the work that I did all year, while other people are receiving their checks. Also, my parents do not receive extra money for filing me on their taxes. The government has missed a vital part of the country, the young people. These are the people who are going to be the next leaders of the world, and the government forgot them. I am very disappointed that a program like this has missed so many deserving people. I know that many of my friends would have taken the money and spent it right away, putting more money into our economy. I hope that next time the government has a plan like this, that they remember all the young people out there.

Tax Cuts

2008-06-12T22:18:00.001-05:00

Some critics are saying that Barack Obama wants to tax the poor. Let me throw a few facts out there about both candidates that I found in The Tennessean on June 12(Tax plans offer middle-income families a $1,000 break)

- Both candidates want to reduce taxes for the middle class by $1,000
- Families in the lowest 20 percent of income ($19,000) would have a $567 tax cut under Obama’s plan but only a $19 cut from McCain’s plan

- Families in the top 1 percent of income ($ 603,000) would have to pay over $100,000 under Obama’s plan but would get a $45,000 dollar tax cut from McCain’s plan.
- Both plans would add to the national debt, but McCain’s plan would cost 1.3 trillion dollars more than Obama’s plan.

Obama is not going to tax the poor like some critics are saying. These statistics come from The Tax Policy Center.

"Low- and middle-income taxpayers would undoubtedly be paying lower taxes under the Obama plan," said Len Burman, director of the Tax Policy Center.

The DREAM Act, immigration reform

2008-06-12T22:17:00.000-05:00

There are many illegal immigrants who were brought to this country at a very young age. I believe that these immigrants should have a chance at legal status. This is why I support the DREAM Act, which is a legislation that would allow long-term illegal immigrants a chance at applying for legal status. These students would have to have a clean criminal record and go to college for two years or serve in the military for two years. It would take these students at least six years until they would be able to apply to be a permanent residence. I believe that this should be one of the many changes in the process of immigration reform. We should not blame these young people who want to go on to college and do something with their lives. If you agree with this, please search the DREAM Act, and e-mail your state representative and tell them to support the DREAM Act.

Lottery Scholarship

2008-05-24T11:05:00.001-05:00

Let me say that I am very pleased with the results of the House and Senate agreeing to lower the GPA requirement for the lottery scholarship. Students can now have a 2.75 until their junior year and a 3.0 their senior year to keep their scholarship. A 2.75, a B-minus, is still doing really well in college. When many of these students graduate, they will go into the workforce. Many employers will not care what GPA you graduated with, but with the activities and work experience that you did during school. If I was hiring someone, I would rather hire someone with more work experience than someone who had a higher GPA. By lowering this requirement, more people will stay in school and get a college degree. I am glad that the state is going to use all the excess money in something that will educate and help many students go on to live great lives. Let me take this chance and thank all the Senate and House members for all the work that you put into this bill! Thank you!

Christianity

2008-04-17T17:35:00.000-05:00

Do you want to know why I am turning away from Christianity? Christians! I have received many e-mails stating that I am going to have “eternal consequences” and that I am not a Christian. I thought being a Christian is accepting that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. After these past weeks, it seems that I am wrong. Basically, people are telling me I am going to hell because of my personal opinions on issue like same-sex marriage and abortion. Every time I receive an e-mail, I am stepping farther and farther away from Christianity. These people need to learn that you cannot convert me by telling me I am going to go to hell. If you want to try and convert someone, you need to respect the person you are talking to. I just thought I would let these people know, that you are doing a great job turning people away from religion.

Muslims and Christians

2008-04-05T13:59:00.000-05:00

This next coming week is Islam Awareness Week at MTSU. A friend of mine who I met on my volunteering trip to Chicago is the president of Muslim Student Association. I am very excited to attend some of the events that she and her organization are putting on. I get really get upset when people want to protest Muslims in general? People base their judgments off radical Muslim in the Middle East. They portray all Muslim hating all Americans and Jews. People will tell stories of different Muslims doing horrible things. I can tell you the same amount of things that Christians do that aren’t right. I read a story about 10 Christians who attacked a Jewish couple because they wished them a Happy Hanukah. Luckily, a Muslim teenager stepped in a saved the Jewish couple from being beaten to death. See, I can play the same game as everyone does and tell you stories from the other side. You can’t base your judgments off of news stories. Of course, the news is going to portray the worst of the worst. What I have learn about Christianity is that God is the only one who can judge, so why is everyone judging these other religions. You are not God, or anywhere close to him! There are many Muslims out there; some that you don’t even know are Muslims. Let’s break down these stereotypes between these religions. I have been best friends with Muslims for years now; it has opened me up to a whole new interesting culture. I challenge each one of you, go out and learn something new.

Abortion

2008-04-04T10:06:00.000-05:00

Every six minutes a woman dies because of an UNSAFE abortion. There are many women dying in other countries because abortion is illegal. The number of woman dying would increase dramatically if the USA decided to ban abortion. Abortion is the right of the woman and should always be. The numbers show that each year 1/3 of all pregnancies are unplanned and 1/4 of pregnant women decide to abort. This should be a right to every woman! This issue doesn't deal with morality or anything of that sort, it deals with a woman's right to choose!

Gay Marriage

2008-04-04T10:05:00.000-05:00

What if you couldn’t marry the person you love? This is happening to many people in the United States of America because they happened to love someone of the same gender. Gay marriage should be legal and they should have the exact same rights as men and women who are in love. I always hear that you should always treat people equal, so why can't we treat these couples equal? I hope that I will be able to see my friends marry the person they love.

The Iraq War in numbers

2008-03-20T19:32:00.001-05:00

Here are the cold hard facts about the Iraq War.
3,989 Soldiers Killed

29,395 Soldiers seriously wounded

12 Billion dollars spent every month in Iraq
$390,000 -Cost of deploying one U.S. soldier for one year in Iraq

190,000 guns lost in Iraq

127 journalists killed

8,009 Iraqi police killed
Is all the deaths worth it? Is it worth all the money spent, and all the lives that have been forever changed? I don’t think so. This war will never end. Because of George W. Bush, we are always going to have troops in Iraq.

We need SEX education

2008-03-13T14:55:00.000-05:00

The CDC recently conducted a study and found that 1 in 4 teenage girls are infected with some type of STD. That is equal to 3.2 million teenage girls nation wide. Also, in some places, 1 in 3 girls will become pregnant by the age of 20. That is an outrageous number when we have so many resources that we do not use properly. We need to abolish the Abstinence only sex education that is being taught in our school districts. Teenagers need to be taught about sex from a professional rather than learning the wrong information from their friends. I believe this would decrease the numbers of STDs, teen pregnancy, and even abortion. We also need help from the parents of teenagers. The teenagers need someone they can openly talk to. Many teenagers are afraid to talk about sex to their parents in fear that they will be punished. I believe if we had sex education in schools and help from the community that we can beat this problem together.

My spring break

2008-03-13T14:54:00.001-05:00

While many college students are in Florida getting tans and partying, I decided to spend it volunteering. This spring break, I spent a week in Chicago giving back to the community. I am here with MTSU's Alternative Spring Break program doing various activities around the city, including beach clean up, visiting an assisted living community and working in the Chicago Food Depository. My favorite activity was working with inner city kids at the Chicago Boys and Girls club. Programs like these are a refreshing change from the disturbances of their outside environment. These programs keep these kids out of trouble by providing fun activities inside and helping the kids with their homework. This has been a very beneficial trip for me as well as the other students of this trip. We all wish that we could stay longer and further help this community. I hope that we can bring this same spirit back to Murfreesboro and disprove the stereotypical nonexistent role of college students in the community and their lack of care for it. Hopefully this experience has had the same effect on the others in this group as it has had on me.

My presidential prediction

2008-02-28T09:22:00.000-06:00

I hope that in the next coming month that we (the democrats) can decide on a candidate to run for president. I think that this close race is hurting the democrat side. As a democrat, I am getting tired of the same old debates about the same issues. I am ready for the main debates between the republican nominee and the democrat nominee. My opinion is that Barack Obama is going to get the nomination sooner or later. I hope that in this next primary that Barack Obama will win again, and Hillary Clinton will see that she is losing momentum. I predict that Barack Obama will get the nomination and become the next the president of The United States. I do truly believe that Barack Obama will bring change to this nation. The American people want something new, and that is what they will get when they elect Barack Obama. Barack Obama has my vote and I know he has many other young people’s vote!

Customs should not search media devices!

2008-02-11T15:01:00.001-06:00

Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed suit against the department of Customs and Boarder Protection for "lengthy questioning and intrusive searchers." There have been many instances where Customs has gone into people's personal computer and even made people tell them their passwords to get into their computer. I think that is too far! There is too much personal information stored on computer such as bank records, personal photos, personal e-mail and even financial information for different companies. I read an article on CNN about an individual who has flown into the states and on five different occasions the Customs officials have gone through his laptop. It just happens to be that he is of Pakistani background and he think that is why he is being searched so many times. He is an IT consultant who travels around the world and could have very sensitive information on his computer. I think that Customs should stop these searches. They do not have the right to go into someone's personal computer. They have all the right to look at it and make sure it's not a bomb and look through all the luggage, but once you have logged on to the computer, I believe they have gone too far. I hope this man wins this suit, and Customs stops the practice of going through computers and other media devices.

2008-02-07T21:15:00.000-06:00

After the tragic events at Virginia Tech, many schools including MTSU added an emergency text message service. It finally came into effect when I feel asleep on Tuesday. About 2 am, I received a text message from MTSU stating, “CAMPUS ALERT Tornado warning, take shelter immediately." My roommates were awoken by the tornado siren that was blaring in Murfreesboro. I just want to say that I am very impressed with MTSU and their emergency text message service. I feel very safe knowing that if anything happens on campus, that I will be notified within minutes.

Free Health Care

2008-01-30T12:33:00.000-06:00

I am currently a sophomore at MTSU. I have been sick this week and had to go the MTSU health services to get a note to prove to my teachers I sick. I went in, talked with a nurse, they checked my vitals and made sure I was alright. I went to the counter after the checkup to get something copied and that was it. I was shocked, I asked the women there if I needed to do anything else, and she said no. First thing I did was call my mom and said I got a free checkup. I couldn't believe that didn't charge me at least ten dollars. I know that I pay fees for school and that lets me go get a free check up but it felt good.
Why can't everyone have the opportunity to go to doctor when they are sick.

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The media picks the president, not the voters

2008-01-30T12:11:00.000-06:00

The only way that many people learn about the candidates is through the TV and the newspaper. I believe that the media covers more people other than others. A prime example is John Edwards, who just dropped out of the presidential race. Every time I turn on TV, all I hear is about Obama or Clinton. If the media does not put your name out there, people wont vote for you. I remember in the last election when the media took advantage of Howard Dean. He was just giving a really powerful speech. The media took a little peace of the speech out of context and made him seem like he was crazy. After that, he slipped out the polls and he dropped out of the race.
I love to watch CNN and keep up with the politics on TV and the internet and I have only heard about Ron Paul once! Ron Paul raised a lot of money through online donations, but the media never picked him up. Today was the Republican debate, and the CBS did minute recap of the debate. They showed everyone but Ron Paul. I would just like to see if John Edwards and Ron Paul would of done differently if they were in the media more like the other candidates.

- work in progress--

Super Tuesday

2008-01-22T23:05:00.000-06:00

Super Tuesday is quickly approaching and I hope that everyone else is excited as I am about this chance to vote. I am only 19 years old; I did not get a chance to vote in the last presidential election and I am ready to vote for the candidate I want to run this country. I want everyone, young and old, to go to the polls on February 5. I would particularly would love to see a huge turnout in young voters like we saw in the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire. The young voters in this country can change this election dramatically. There were 4.6 million more young voters (under the age of 30) that voted in the 2004 election then there were in the 2000 election. The young voters favored the democrat side, and I personally believe that will be the case this election.
This super Tuesday will be able to show us who the clear front runners are in the republican feild and just confuse more people in the democrat side.

The greatest gift is giving.

2008-01-11T22:18:00.000-06:00

I just watched a news story about a bank in North Dakota that gave its employees 1,000 dollars to give away to anyone they wanted to. For me, I love to give back to the community and volunteer. It makes me feel so much better after I have done that. I wish that I could have money and document the money that I give away. Maybe one day I can start a "giving blog", that will keep up with the people and their stories that I gave money to. I think that would be a great experience for me. It would make me so happy and allow me to meet so many wonderful people. I am a very caring person and would love to make someone's day or week by giving them a little gift to carry then on. If for some reason you are reading my blog and know someone who would like to give me money,let me know. I know this concept is nearly impossible but it would be amazing to videotape it and write about it. Maybe i can throw this concept around to people and give money away by using advertising the company's name. That's all it takes for some company to donate 100 dollars or so. Maybe years from now I can come back to this concept and do it. Until next time, be safe, be informed, and blog!

Young Voters

2008-01-04T15:49:00.000-06:00

Calling All College Students! Calling all college students! You need to register to vote! You need to get ready to choose the next president of the United States of America! Your vote counts! I hope this next election in November will draw out many teenagers. I think we(teenagers) can change to presidential election by our votes. If somehow we could get so many teens to vote, it would make me happy. If my candidate lost because of the overwhelming young voters, I will be happy. It saddens me to hear people say they are not going to vote. Then, they will go around and complain about the president. I will vote, and I hope that I can persuade other people to vote. This is going to be the closest election is some time, and everyone needs to be heard!

Teen pregnancy

2007-12-30T17:17:00.000-06:00

1 and 3 girls will be pregnant by the age of 20. That is a really messed up stat. I don't get how so many people are having so many kids where it is so easy to get contraception. Birth control, condoms, not having sex and many other ways can prevent you from having a kid. But people do not care. They think it wont happen to you, but it will happen to the ones who don't see it coming. Having kids can change your life forever! You cannot return a kid, or throw it away, it is yours till the day you die, or get it taken away by DCS.
I wish I could go to schools and talk and try to help these teens who are having sex. But education system is so afraid to talk about sex. They are afraid of what the parents will say, those parents are the ones whose kids are having sex without them knowing! Damn, we live in a society that is based on Sexs, Drugs , stealing, gambling! We need to teach our young people how to live! We need to give them resources! There was none in my highschool , no place to go get condoms or anything like that. You had to learn on your own! WE NEED TO END ABSTINENCE ONLY EDUCATION. I am sorry George Bush, TEENS are having sex. They need to learn to protect themselves. Protect from having kids or from getting STD's. It is something we need to do! Why don't people understand, they are soo against Sex education until their kid gets pregnant! I hope that schools systems will learn that we need better sex education!

Young People and Death

2007-10-01T10:38:00.000-05:00

Wow, another young person has died. This morning i woke up to seeing people on myspace and faceboook posting RIP TAB. I didnt know who that was until i saw CNN, and at U of Memphis, found out someone i went to highschool with was shot and killed. As i didnt know the guy really well, i remember his face but that is all. But i know how these people are feeling. I have lost a friend at a young age also. In the summer of 2006 i lost a friend to suicide. So unexpected. So hard to get through. Just want to tell everything that i know how yall are feeling, i have been there, and it's best to talk it out with your friends. well i am off to class.. will update later

The news of the good.

2007-09-29T12:44:00.000-05:00

I flip through the channels in my college apartment. I love watching the news and watch it many times a days. But what i don't see on the news is the many good things that people are doing every single day of their lives. Finally i see that CNN is doing a special on Everyday heros or something of that sort. I am glad they are doing that, but there needs to be more. There are so many good people, good teenagers that are doing so much good.. You need to put them on the news! stop showing how bad teens are, but show the ones that are making a difference..FOR THE GOOD!!!! God it makes me so mad when i see them(the news agency) portrays teens as sex addicted, drug addicted, alcoholic , partying up to no good people. But that is wrong, cause there are so many people doing good things. and i just hope that people will now that, and one day the news will show that more than they show the murder and rapes and all the crap.

Buy cigs out of state...go to jail?

2007-09-28T18:19:00.000-05:00

I live in Tennessee and recently they increased the tax on cigarettes. This has caused many Tennesseans that live close to the boarders to drive out of state and buy cigarettes cheap. But, there is a law in place that if you buy more than 2 cartons of cigs out of state and cross the boarder with them; you cigs will be confiscated, you can get fined, go to jail or even get your car impounded. I think that is ludicrous. I dont see how they can takeaway your right to drive to another state to buy cigs. Many people will loose their cigarettes to the police just cause they didnt buy them in TN. I think that is crazy. I think we should change this law. I am not a smoker, but i believe they are taking away our freedom by shopping somewhere else.

Happily Ever After

2007-09-28T14:43:00.000-05:00

This is an essay i wrote last semester. May not be the best. But my point is clearly stated.

Happily Ever After
What if you could not marry the one you love? That would be absurd because everyone should have the right to marry whomever they chose. This is happening every day because individuals are prevented from this basic right. The United States Constitution states that all men are born free and equal. If this is true, why are they denied the fundamental right to marry? Every person, no matter their sexuality, should be able to get married and have the same rights as everyone else. The legalization of gay marriage is currently a prominent issue facing society today. Same sex marriage should be legalized because homosexuals are being discriminated against.
Discrimination is defined as: “to make a distinction in favor of or against a person or thing on the basis of the group, class, or category to which the person or thing belongs rather than according to actual merit” (discrimination). Homosexuals are being discriminated against from the government and the people.
The inability to marry has both emotional and financial consequences. Homosexuals are losing rights because they are not allowed to marry. Married couples have special privileges that non married couples have. Same sex partners miss out on those special privileges. Same-sex couples across the country are denied more than 1,000 federal protections and rights (Same-Sex Marriage is a Feminist Issue). Most states deny
committed lesbian and gay couples hundreds of additional benefits. Same-sex couples are not allowed to share social security, Medicare, family and medical leave, health care, disability, military and other benefits. They cannot inherit 401(k)s and other property from their life partners without a will. According to Lambda Legal, same-sex couples can lose more than $10,000 per year upon retirement due to a lack of social security benefits that would be bestowed upon opposite-sex married couples in identical situations (Same-Sex Marriage is a Feminist Issue). All these are rights that homosexuals are losing just because they love someone of the same sex.
A civil marriage is a marriage ceremony performed by a civil official besides a clergyman (Murch).Everyone should be able to get a civil marriage. Civil marriages should be available to everyone because everyone is equal in the eyes of the government. A religious marriage is a marriage performed by a religious official subject to applicable religious guideline(Murch).Religious marriage are totally different from civil marriage, civil marriages have no religious part in it. Civil marriages would have no effect on religious marriages unless the religious organizations would agree to marry the couple.
Many Christian churches are against the unity of same-sex couples because they do not want to marry people who are homosexuals. Churches only marry people who meet a certain criteria. For example, Catholics have the power to deny people who wish to get married if they do not meet the requirements of the church (Frequently Asked Questions About Marriage). The church already decides who can marry , and they do not have to marry anyone they do not want to. Allowing same-sex marriage will not affect the church unless the churches decide to allow the marriages. Some of those 1,000 rights lost are the gift and estate tax. When someone’s spouse dies, property transfer to the other spouse is deductible for purposes of determining the value of the decedent’s estate (Marriage Rights and Benefits). Also, gifts from one spouse to another are deductible for purposes and the gift tax. The law permits transfers of property from one spouse to another without any recognition of gain or loss tax purposes. Same-sex couples do not have the privilege of these tax breaks, which can cause a same-sex partners to have to pay more money.
Also, same sex partners do no have the same rights when it comes to the medical area. Same sex partners can not visit each other during the restricted visitations hours. If the couple was married, the partner would be able to visit anytime they wanted to. After a partner has died, they other partner is not able to make final death decision because they are not married (Marriage Rights and Benefits). Even though the two people have shared their life together, they can not even make the final decision for their partner.
Many top jobs are starting to recognize homosexuals as equal in the work place. Many jobs do not discriminate against homosexuals in their discrimination policies. Forty-nine out of the fifty Fortune 50 companies have this policies in affect (Employment Non-Discrimination Act). This shows how much support for equality is happening with the top companies in America. These companies show that homosexuals are equal just like everyone else. If all people are equal, they all should have the same right to get married? Also, opponents want to deny same-sex partners from giving marriage because the couple will not be able to have a child. If this was true, why are there 2.1 million married couples who are infertile (infertility). These couples cannot have children, but they still are
married. If this argument was true, the 2.1 million couples would not of been married.
Same-sex marriage should be legal in the United States because everyone is equal and should be treated that way. Homosexuals are losing out on many rights because they are not allowed to get married. If same-sex marriage was made legal, nothing would change but the fact that people who love one other will be marrying each other.

Works Cited

Bidstrup, Scott. "Gay Marriage: the Arguments and the Motives." Bidstrup. 2004. 12 Apr. 2007 .

"Discrimination." Dictionary. 12 Apr. 2007 .

"Employment Non-Discrimination Act." Human Rights Campaign. 11 Apr. 2007 .

"Frequently Asked Questions About Marriage." United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. 11 Apr. 2007 .

"Infertility." National Center for Health Statistics. 06 Oct. 2006. 12 Apr. 2007 .

"Marriage Rights and Benefits." Nolo. 30 Apr. 2007 .

Murch, Robert. "Definitions." Civil Marriages. 2005. 12 Apr. 2007 .

"Same-Sex Marriage is a Feminist Issue." National Organization for Women. 17 Mar. 2004. 12 Apr. 2007 .

Chicago Cops - 10,000 plus complaints

2007-09-28T14:31:00.000-05:00

I just turned on to CNN and found a story about all the bad things that Chicago cops have done. How can cops become so bad. There are over 600 cops that have 10 plus complaints against them. How can you have so many people with complaints and nothing happens to them. I do not understand how nothing is happening to these cops. Two of the cops that have so many complaints against them have been promoted. These are the people that are supposed to protect and serve, but are doing the opposite. It always seems that nothing is ever done until a news agency brings it up. I hope now that CNN has brought it up that these officers will be reprimanded and the right action is took.