TOP NEWS OF BOWLING GREEN, KY
Author: Cassie Pennington
Legalizing Gay Marriage
Gay marriage has led to an ongoing issue here in the United States on whether or not to legalize it. Some pros to legalizing gay marriage is that same sex couples would have access to the same benefits enjoyed by heterosexual couples, gay marriage is supported by the Constitution and poses amendments to liberty and equality, gay marriages can bring financial gain to state and local governments, and it poses a civil right. Some cons to legalizing gay marriage is that the institution of marriage has traditionally been defined as between a man and a woman, allowing gay couples to wed will further weaken the institution of marriage, people should not have their tax dollars used to support something they believe is wrong, marriage is a privilege, not a right, and marriage is a religious right between one man and one woman.
States that allow Gay Marriage California, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine, Maryland, Washington
My opinion on legalizing gay marriage is that it should be legalized. Gay people don’t have it off easy; it’s already hard enough as it is. All people are equal, and deserve the same rights as everyone else. I know that some people don’t agree with gay marriage at all, but just because they don’t like it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be allowed. Gay people want a family too, so being married would make it much easier for a gay couple to adopt a child. The reason that most people hate legalizing gay marriage is because of religious reasons and it makes them feel uncomfortable. I don’t think that is a valid enough reason at all, because a lot of stuff makes people uncomfortable, but that doesn’t make it wrong. Also, there are many different religions, so your one religion shouldn’t reflect on everybody. A September Quinnipiac University poll found that 56% of American adults and 57% of registered voters supported same-sex marriage. Only 36% of both groups were opposed. Public support in the United States for same-sex marriage solidified, as polls consistently showed that same-sex marriage enjoys majority support with increasing tendency.
Say NO to Texting and Driving
When it comes to texting and driving, we can all say that we have done it. The temptation to reply back to a recent text while driving, or to make a phone call to tell a friend you are running a few minutes late it just too much. But is it worth the risk of not only your life, but also the others around you? Everyone’s thoughts of texting and driving are “oh, it’s just one text, I’m a good enough driver, it won’t be a big deal.” Well, this is a very big problem, and it needs to be fixed. Some laws have been placed that you can’t text and drive, but they are very hard to enforce because it would be too hard to tell if they are looking up directions, changing a song on their iPod, etc., or if they are actually texting. One recent law that was enforced is that you can’t be talking on the phone while driving if you are under the age of eighteen. Texting and driving will always be an issue, and it will never be solved. But what you and I can do is try to prevent this. Spread the word, and try to inform your family and friends of the many deaths/injuries caused by this.
DEATH Penalty
Death penalty is really controversial, and it’s one thing that no one can come to a full agreement on. Some states allow it, but some states don’t. A lot of people feel very strong about the justice system, and some people will grow up to be lawyers, police offices, etc., but no matter who you are and what you do, everyone has a strong opinion about it.
Keith Prive, student of Greenwood High School, has some words of opinion to share about this subject. “First of all, it’s a really good way to scare people to not committing a crime because they will have a really harsh punishment. A lot of people say that killing is wrong, and I agree with that. But at the same time, if you are facing the death penalty, then you have problem done worse then murder. If I was a family of a victim, and I knew someone who killed one of my loved ones, and was still out there, I wouldn’t be able to rest until I knew that person wasn’t still out there, and that justice was served.”
Cyber Bullying
"Cyberbullying" is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, cell phones, or any other technological device with access of the internet. It has to have a minor on both sides, or at least have been instigated by a minor against another minor. Nearly 43% of kids have been bullied online. 1 in 4 has had it happen more than once. 70% of students report seeing frequent bullying online. Over 80% of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most common medium for cyber bullying. Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying. Cyberbullying can have major effects on people, and sometimes even lead to suicide. Think twice about what you say to people, even it is just a joke.
Teens and Alcohol
Drinking and driving with teens has become an icreasing problem throughout the years. Mother’s came together and made a problem to help out the issue. This program is known as MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). The mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States, more than tobacco and illicit drugs, and is responsible for more than 4,700 annual deaths among underage teens. Although drinking under the age of 21 is illegal, people aged 12 to 20 years drink 11% of all alcohol consumed in the United States. More than 90% of this alcohol is consumed in the form of binge drinks. On average, underage drinkers consume more drinks per drinking occasion than adult drinkers. Drinking can lead to many problems, and driving is the main problem. Drinking and driving puts everyone in your surroundings in danger, including yourself.