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How do I put this video on my bathroom mirror? So much truth in this, even if it is a bit outdated (like back from the days when I was born). The figures and numbers may have changed since this speech, but 22 years later, Senator Sanders' words about incarceration, poverty, war over education, and the cycle of dooming a large percentage of our population still hold true for our society today. I firmly believe that the "problems" of today's America can be improved once we take a different approach on how we handle issues that have been around for far too long. When one approach has been used for so long, we become accustomed to it, and become blindsided to the fact that there may be more (and beneficial) alternatives. There needs to be a shift in many areas of our society, and the first step is recognizing the fact that current approaches are not the best answer for the long run. "Mr. Speaker, let me begin with a profound remark: Two plus two equals four.In other words, there is a logical and rational process called cause and effect. In terms of Newtonian physics, that means that every action causes an equal and opposite reaction. In other words, Mr. Speaker, there are reasons why things happen, as controversial as that statement may be. A farmer neglects to tend and care for his fields—it is likely that the crop will fail. A company neglects to invest in research and development—it is likely that the company will not be profitable. In a similar way, Mr. Speaker, a society which neglects, which oppresses and which disdains a very significant part of its population—which leaves them hungry, impoverished, unemployed, uneducated, and utterly without hope, will, through cause and effect, create a population which is bitter, which is angry, which is violent, and a society which is crime-ridden. This is the case in America, and it is the case in countries throughout the world. Mr. Speaker, how do we talk about the very serious crime problem in America without mentioning that we have the highest rate of childhood poverty in the industrialized world, by far, with 22 percent of our children in poverty and 5 million who are hungry today? Do the Members think maybe that might have some relationship to crime? How do we talk about crime when this Congress is prepared, this year, to spend 11 times more for the military than for education; when 21 percent of our kids drop out of high school; when a recent study told us that twice as many young workers now earn poverty wages as 10 years ago; when the gap between the rich and the poor is wider, and when the rate of poverty continues to grow? Do the members think that might have some relationship to crime? Mr. Speaker, it is my firm belief that clearly, there are some people in our society who are horribly violent, who are deeply sick and sociopathic, and clearly these people must be put behind bars in order to protect society from them. But it is also my view that through the neglect of our Government and through a grossly irrational set of priorities, we are dooming tens of millions of young people to a future of bitterness, misery, hopelessness, drugs, crime, and violence. And Mr. Speaker, all the jails in the world, and we already imprison more people per capita than any other country, and all of the executions in the world, will not make that situation right. We can either educate or electrocute. We can create meaningful jobs, rebuilding our society, or we can build more jails. Mr. Speaker, let us create a society of hope and compassion, not one of hate and vengeance." - Bernie, reflecting my true and accurate feelings about the "problems" in America

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I think this exemplifies the root of a current problem in our country. There is a lack of knowledge and understanding about world culture from the general public, which leads to fear of differences. I think it's excellent to learn about other cultures, languages, and countries because, to be honest, we live in a world where we don't always interact with the same type of people. It's important to enrich our knowledge with multicultural information so that we can act in a disciplined manner when it comes to current and future socialization with different walks of life, both in and outside of our own community. Sure, a different phrase could have been used, but this assignment was not what it was backlashed about and was taken too far. Having to cancel holiday concerts and athletic events because of a homework assignment?!?!

Growing up in Texas, I came across many moments in my school life where I just didn't completely understand certain references or topics because they were religiously associated, and I didn't have a strong foundation with that particular religion. I'm sure I share this challenge with many people in the country. Rather than viewing it as an unfair situation, or a situation that was trying to convert me, I just viewed it as a learning opportunity because it couldn't hurt to learn about the life around me, right? It would only pose a problem if I was forced to implement and believe what I learned. I never felt the need to stop the learning activity because it was different from what I was raised with. I was taught to treat differences with respect and it has seriously made life much more easier and enjoyable for me.

Respect the differences around you, educate yourself as much as possible about those differences, and you will rise above the people who feel victimized by the differences around them.

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People act in such funny ways to get what they want/like, and act even funnier to stop things that they don't want/like.

Remember when people considered Obama to be ineligible for presidency because his birthplace MAY have been outside of the U.S.? Obama's mother was a U.S. citizen who gave birth to Obama while she was attending university in Hawaii, but not everyone believed this. Even after the White House posted evidence of his verified birth certificate, people were stilldenying that he met the "natural born citizen" requirement for presidency. Even though there was evidence from local Honolulu papers which published announcements about his birth in the area, people still denied him being born in Hawaii. People are STILL wasting time trying to find a way to force his birthplace outside of the U.S., and I think that is so silly. They've been proved wrong for 8 years and have yet to die down about this matter. And they're 8 years late if they wanted to achieve anything because Obama already accomplished what those people tried to stop. Kudos to Obama for moving on from silly people doing these silly things.

What's more ridiculous is that my very own senator, Ted Cruz, was actually born outside of the U.S., is running for president, and is not facing near the amount of scrutinization that Obama did. I was unaware that he was born outside of the U.S., and that's partly due to the fact that I haven't been blasted by the media about his birthplace being outside of the U.S. There wasn't months and months of coverage about it. I'm not saying Ted Cruz should be scrutinized since he is in fact eligible for presidency, (just like Obama would be even if he was born in a foreign country. Reason is below), but why did Obama face such ugliness about his birthplace even after he proved it? People must have been really concerned about the possibility of a foreign-born individual leading the U.S. then, but have no problem with it now!

Now, the Consititution isn't entirely clear about what exactly "natural born citizen" means, but what makes Senator Cruz eligible for presidency is that his mother was a U.S. citizen when she gave birth to Cruz in Canada, and therefore, Cruz had U.S citizenship since birth. That's accepted as one of the ways in which the "natural born citizen" requirement can be met.

Geez, Senator Cruz's way of meeting the "natural born citizen" requirement sounds like it could have been applied to someone else too if needed, right? But that someone didn't need it because he was already a citizen.

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Everyone, be upset with your senators for letting mass shootings happen over and over again and doing very little to bring about change. Be upset with them for not passing legislation for something like background checks. If revenue from gun sales is what prevents gun reform legislation from passing, then it is really upsetting that money trumps safety in our country. Maybe background checks aren't the solution, but we can all agree that there needs to be some steps taken by our government in order to control this behavior. I want this country to be safer as I get older, and not be constantly worried if it will be my last day to live. I do not recall such frequent shootings during my short lifetime, and thoughts and prayers are clearly not enough. Write to your representative and/or donate to gun control advocacy groups in addition to your thoughts and prayers. Don't wait until it happens to you or someone close. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of thoughts and prayers being the only option that people take in response to these situations.

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Just feelings about recent events.

Sorry, my heart is too big and so is this post...

I am so heartbroken from all the recent natural and man-made disasters around the world. My heart is heavy for all those that have been shaken up this week, and especially for those whose lives were unexpectedly and tragically lost. If it weren’t for the uniformed and non-uniformed heroes who provided control or aid to several situations this week, who knows how much more the world would have suffered from? I hope for those who have survived from the unpredictable and life changing events of this past week to be able to return to the life they once lived, or find the one that they are searching for.

Lives lost from natural disasters are devastating due to their uncontrollable consequences, and the situation itself is never easy to recover from. Always do whatever you can to help these people who are trying to restore their life because as long as you live on earth, it just as easily could have been you that lost your home and/or family.

On the other hand, lives lost due to the deliberate actions of mankind are unacceptable. We should reach out to these affected people also, but I am so sick of hurting from the violent events of the world today. People always mention, “be thankful for living in a country where you are safe”, and although I do feel thankful for being relatively safe, that feeling comes with a heap of guilt as well. This is because I know that while I am carrying on with my life, there are so, so, SO MANY PEOPLE who are trying to be protected from (or fleeing from) the dangers of life EVERY DAY. It’s so frustrating that I get to live the life I live, and others have to worry about actually keeping their life in existence. It’s equally as frustrating to me that people around the world who don’t have to constantly worry about being safe can have their life taken away in a matter of seconds by the evil actions of others.

I often think about the reasoning behind the mass taking of lives like the way they are being taken today, and why they are still happening. Taking lives to solve problems has never been the positive answer, and it never will. One concern I have is that mass killings in one place are responded with…mass killings in another place. What is even more concerning is that many of these attacks are justified; it’s okay for Side A to do mass killings, but when Side B does it, it is taken as if Side A didn’t do the same thing. The truth is that the feelings of fear, terror, and grief are shared by the victims on both sides, and although neither side deserves the loss of innocent civilians, this is continuing to happen in the year 2015 and possibly for many more years to come. The current standard in much of our society is that loss of lives and annihilating cities are appropriate actions for a country with immense power to do, and if those targeted places do anything to defend themselves, they must be repeatedly shattered again, retaliation after retaliation. That is the standard of the Western world right now, and I am hoping for the day in which our world leaders find more diplomatic and progressive ways in solving conflicts without putting their nation’s people at risk. Until then, I’m not sure why we expect disadvantaged countries to just be passive targets because that is never how a country with immense power would react if it was targeted. I don’t believe it is right for any country to target another country, but if you repeatedly poke a bear with a stick, it just MIGHT come after you, right?

I happen to live in one of those countries with immense power. In fact, I happen to live in one that has brought cities to the ground, taken innocent lives, and put incorrect information into its own people in order to keep an ongoing idea of hatred and violence going. The media won’t put it that way, but once you take a look at media from other nations, you can really see some of the correct, unedited, and unbiased information. I am not proud of many of my country’s decisions when it comes to warfare, and it hurts as a citizen to find out the truth. But for learning and not repeating reasons, I would always rather know the truth, and the truth is that we have been both the bear that was poked with a stick AND the stick that poked the bear. We do the same things that we get riled up about.

That being said, I am a firm believer that there are more good, kind-hearted people in this country and world than bad people, and that there is more light than darkness. My country especially succeeds in this. The way people have expressed themselves in response to catastrophic events recently and in the past is where the beauty of mankind is shown, whether it is through direct comfort and housing, volunteering, donations, prayers, words of sympathy, public memorials, vigils, and so much more. I’m sure that if we opened ourselves up to more of the world’s unfortunate situations, we could be that much more of a better global support system for each other.

Let us acknowledge the fact that the world has multiple situations that need our attention, even if the media does not think so. Let us not let the media tell us what events to be concerned and appalled about. Let us use our own heart and mind for how we treat others. Let us be aware that there are people besides ourselves who deserve a safe life. Let us realize that a life lost here is the same as a life lost there. Let us hope for a world that is better in diplomatic communications. Let us cease the heartaches for lost lives and the hopelessness for those currently suffering. Let us hope for more unity in humanity.

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It is the lowest of lows to discourage someone from anything because of what faith they follow. Our president can be Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, one who worships tacos, all of the above, none of the above, or even an atheist. It really is the year 2015, but even when our constitution was being drafted in the late 1700s, it was decided that religion shouldn't come into play for holding any kind of office in the US, which I strongly agree with. Ben Carson's comment just reminded me of the time when I was a kid and wanted to be president (lol, I actually wanted to have every job ever at one point), and a certain adult told me I couldn't because I was a girl and that girls couldn't handle that much work! I was so hurt! I spent that entire night crying because 1) no matter what kind of person I was, I couldn't be president because of what I was born with, and 2) an adult I looked up to literally struck off a part of my life for me. Now I was a pretty tough kid and have moved on since that day, but imagine a young kid today being discouraged from being president (or any job) because of what faith they follow. It's detrimental! As kids and young adults, we grow up learning and being reminded to respect others and their differences, but then have grown adults (who are aspiring to represent our country) say that certain differences are not acceptable (even when there's no law saying it is unacceptable). It makes the "unacceptable" feel unaccepted in a place they call home, and that really isn't a nice feeling to have. In a country like America, it is truly unacceptable to let this kind of attitude spread. It's very contradictory to what we stand for; we feed off of diversity and would suffer without it, seriously. We have made progress towards treating people equally, so let's not revert that progress. I won't give any consideration towards a candidate's religion when it comes time for voting because ideas and policies are much more applicable to me. That is why it is so baffling and ridiculous to know that there are people still debating Obama's faith, as if all of his presidency is invalid if he is a particular faith.

So, yes. It is 2015, America is as diverse as ever, and a president using personal religious grounds to make and support ideas is only going to become more and more ineffective for an ever-diversifying America. An American government representative who caters to any one particular religion cannot honestly say that they considered all of their people before making ideas and policies.

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WHOOPS. I went on a long break. Actually, I just ranted on facebook instead of here, which is what I wanted to stop doing when I started this blog. I’ll just transfer my rants from there to here, and hopefully I can remember to use this place more often.

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I was so upset to hear how this much needed piece of legislation failed to even make it to the debate floor. This bill passed overwhelmingly in the House (102-40), but was one vote away from being debated on the Senate floor, where it could have possibly brought about a statewide ban on texting while driving. My main question is: what is going through the oppositions’ minds when they are hearing countless stories about people losing their loved ones because of text messages? They give me the impression that they are in a “too bad, so sad” kind of attitude, which is so terrible to think of when you realize these people are running the state and the daily lives of Texans. I can’t even handle the defense the opposition use either, which is “the law would be unenforceable and could infringe on personal liberties”. EXCUSE ME. First of all, the other FORTY FIVE STATES who have a texting and driving ban have data that shows texting bans and other driving restrictions have brought a decline in texting and driving incidents. Even one life saved means the law is working! Secondly, do you realllllyyy put your personal liberty up that high and THEN the safety of yourself and others? I actually know a lot people who probably do put their priorities in that order (which is pretty sad), but this type of bill is exactly intended for those irresponsible and selfish people. It looks like this group of people includes many members of our government as well. I have already made a post about texting and driving and my strong opinions toward it, but now I will just add that I am disappointed in many members of the Texas government for putting personal liberty above the safety of Texans. Personal liberty is indeed important, but when it endangers safety, it must be controlled. I hoped people were smart enough to not text and drive, and I hoped people would rather live with a texting and driving ban than the guilt of harming/killing someone due to texting and driving, but I guess life is not that ideal. I would like to thank the 102 House members, the 11 Democrat and 7 Republican Senate members, lobbyists, and the victims/families of victims who went through this ridiculously hard fought process to make our great state a safer place to live in. I also want to recognize the awesome cities of Texas who did not wait for a state decision and passed their own citywide ordinances against texting and driving. I am sure that list will get bigger over time. It should have been common sense for this statewide bill to pass like it did in almost all the other states in our country, but sadly, there will be many victims of texting and driving in our state over the next two years who will lose their lives at the expense of the poor decisions of irresponsible government “leaders”.

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PHA (Public Health Announcement)

I’m no doctor or pharmacist or certified health official, but I hope some of the points I make are logical enough to persuade you to take care of yourself. I took a U.S. Healthcare class this semester that made me frustrated every time I attended class. Although this class was two hours long, it was only on Fridays (not the best start to the weekend, but at least I didn’t have to deal with it more than once a week). My frustration is mainly upon the greed that is sometimes disguised too well in this country.

If you haven't noticed, the United States operates in a way that tries to squeeze out every last penny that they can from us. One area that the United States has greatly succeeded in with regard to this matter is in health care. I’m not just talking about medical costs that we all know can be ridiculous, but I’m talking about the whole idea of health care when we are both healthy and sick.

Now I know money is an important factor in keeping things operating, and services can’t be completely free, but there is a logical balance between money and health that our country has trouble meeting or refuses to meet. A balance that our European counterparts do a much better job in maintaining, and most of their people will tell you that they feel that they are being taken care of, not taken advantage of when it comes to their health care (many non-European countries also maintain the balance better, but I used Europe because of our similar lifestyles, culture, and economic status). Even if their taxes are higher, they are getting the benefits handed right back to them! (Don’t we all want tax to fund society in a way that makes our lives better? Think about all the taxes we pay and how much of it goes to who knows where. It’s quite frustrating. I want a monitoring device on where my tax money is spent.)

Anyway, getting money and following strict regulations is so important in our country that it often supersedes providing the good health and well-being of people. This is so sad considering we are a developed nation and monetary issues end up as the reason why people suffer here from health related problems for an undetermined amount of time. Recently, there was a girl suffering from end-stage cystic fibrosis and was in desperate need of lungs, but she had to wait on an agreement between the insurance companies and the hospital to work out how it would all be paid for. This is a girl who could pass away at any moment, and health insurance companies were negotiating payments and delaying the process of the girl receiving new lungs… It all seems so backward and unethical to me. These are the healthcare people we rely on to provide us services when we need them, but money before life is the message our healthcare system has.

Out of all the countries in the world, we spend the most money per person on health care (obviously, the chart above doesn’t show every country, but it does show the huge gap between us and other countries). More spending does not mean we are the best. We are nowhere near the best. Nope, out of a list of 11 similar wealthy nations, we are ranked dead last year after year by a WHO healthcare system ranking that covers efficacy, equality, and outcomes. We spent the most, ranked the worst in efficiency and equality, and had the unhealthiest people. All red warning signs of something we are definitely not doing right.

Besides the high cost of medical care, the US does very little to enact preventative care. For instance, we all know obesity is a problem in our country, but is the government doing all they can to make our food healthier for us? Are they setting and following guidelines on food proportions? Do they over-encourage home-cooking rather than eating out? No, but other places are. Our country’s view on health is disgusting because the idea of “obesity leads to money” is very popular in some greedy minds. Obesity leads to health complications, which will lead to medical visits, which will result in money, which is exactly what this country puts first, regardless of how they get it. If patients have to suffer and pass away, then so be it. This is the exact mindset of too many people running our health care system. As you can see, there are people in this country who want you to be unhealthy, but they won’t express it directly of course. They will express it by sitting back and not taking the most responsible actions in order to keep us healthy. And I hate to say it, but they are winning. But don’t worry! You can be healthy with the decisions you make! It’s always just a few little steps that can get you back into a healthier lifestyle, but you do have to make the effort. Eating smaller portion sizes, walking, and taking less antibiotics are some pretty easy things everyone could do more of around here. (By the way, antibiotics aren’t always the answer! Know when to use them because often times they act as temporary relievers so that you can take another visit to the doctor and – you guessed it – pay more money. It’s a vicious cycle, guys.) Don’t let the irresponsible people ruling us determine the status of your health. Get smart and take care of yourself to prevent life threatening and costly situations! I don’t know about you, but I think the world is a pretty cool place, and I want to be healthy so I can experience as much of it as I can during my lifetime (cheesy, but true). And if you have health conditions that are chronic/genetically related and require a one-time treatment, I suggest looking into receiving that treatment from overseas. You would be surprised at some of the cost differences and how much more you could receive for the same amount of money you would pay here. Our healthcare could use a lot of improvement, and perhaps should adopt some ideas from other countries. Clearly, our methods are not working as well as they could.  

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The Texas House on Wednesday tentatively approved a statewide ban on texting while driving, a measure that made it all the way to Gov. Rick Perry's desk in 2011 before getting vetoed.  

This isn’t quite as much of a human rights issue as my last post, but I believe people should have the right to be able to go out for a drive without wondering if they are going to be a part of a texting and driving incident. I will say that I have developed a fear (and even hatred) towards driving. Not because I am a bad driver, but because I don’t quite trust everyone on the road to be driving their best. Hooray, Texas House! Despite the fact that an official texting while driving ban has failed to have been passed in the state of Texas several times, it is good to know that there are some people in the Capitol who are still fighting for common sense. At least I think it should be common sense to not text and drive, but we all know there are always those people who think driving is an activity that doesn’t require undivided attention. For these people, texts must be responded to immediately because they are our lifeline and we do not exist in this world if our replies are not sent within .325 seconds of receiving a text. That’s why these people need this law. They don’t realize their self-worth or the worth of others. Of course, the bill would have to be passed by the Senate and approved by Gov. Abbott before going into effect, but let’s hope this time people like our government leaders realize that texting and driving is a problem, and that this is a much needed law. I’m sure the 40 who voted against the bill in the House have never lost a loved one due to texting and driving because if I lost a loved one due to texting and driving, I would be doing all I could to make sure it doesn’t happen again. But I don’t need to lose a loved one to realize that a texting while driving ban is needed. I wish our representatives thought like that too. Texas is actually one of five states in the U.S. that hasn’t implemented a texting and driving ban for all drivers. That’s right, the other 45 states have at least agreed upon taking an initiative to control texting while driving BECAUSE IT IS INDEED AN ABSURD REASON FOR CAUSE OF CRASH/DEATH. We are slacking, Texas!

Rick Perry’s reason for vetoing the almost passed texting ban bill in 2011 was that he believed it was a “government effort to micromanage the behavior of adults”. Excuse me, but some adults really do need some micromanagement because they knowingly make quite a lot of really unwise decisions that are subconsciously (sometimes consciously) mimicked by our younger and more dangerous generation. These decisions involve the risk of losing lives. Yikes. What is there to argue if this micromanagement saves lives? Honestly, I don’t consider these “adults” to have fulfilled one of the main duties of being an adult: making wise decisions. They might as well be teenagers, at most. As a kid, I always thought adults knew best, and that I should try to be like them. All of them. I was very observant and always tried to understand why they were doing what they were doing, while under the notion that everyone had good intentions behind their actions. As I grew older, it became very obvious that most adults don’t always act like how they should, and that it is my responsibility to learn and know what is right and wrong in order for me to make decisions. Observation simply isn’t enough for me to decide on how to act, but it is appalling to me how many people’s behavior is solely based on what they observe from those around them. Many young people think texting and driving is okay because their parents and other adults do it, or because they have that typical teenager mindset of always "beating” danger. No! Stop that! Do not be typical! Adults spend so much time when we are young to keep us out of danger, and they say things like ���no, don’t touch the stove”, “no, don’t play with matches”, “no, don’t talk to strangers”, “no, don’t try to staple your fingers together”, and so much more. Why does “no, don’t text and drive” not get taken as seriously? We may be at an older age than the first no’s we heard, but texting and driving is just as much of a danger than the other no’s we have been hearing our whole lives, if not more. There’s no such thing as outgrowing danger. Parents and guardians, be adamant about not texting and driving to your children like you’re talking to a stubborn toddler. You have my permission to do so. Stop paying their phone bill or something. Be upset with them. I always throw my purse and phone in the backseat as soon as I get in the car. However, my dad still reminds me to not text and drive, and I don’t mind at all even though I am 20, in college, and not under his supervision anymore. Human guardians are not like animal guardians where they have no ties to their offspring after they reach a certain age. You can still participate in parenting even after your children are 18, so do it wisely. Be the example too! Nobody, including older adults, should be texting and driving! Not even on farm road XX, service roads, Sally Street, the highway, and ESPECIALLY not during rush hour traffic. People are sometimes too worn out or stressed to even drive properly during those times (I have witnessed everything on Hwy 75. It is a blessing every time I reach my destinations). And to all the people of my generation, you are not immortal. Stop thinking that you are cool and capable enough to do texting and driving. One mistake could be a deadly mistake, and maybe even your last mistake. And if you text and drive after reading this, know that I am frowning upon you :[ You need to be alive because I will be forever sad if your life is lost to something like texting while driving.

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Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and anti-gay friends in the Texas legislature prematurely celebrated 10 years of Texas’ same-sex marriage ban by cutting a hate-filled cake at the Texas Capitol.

First post for SBBN!  I suppose the best way to do these is to post the article link and then discuss my opinions rather than just going off on a tangent. Well, here we have some members of the TX GOP party celebrating…um…a Marriage Act? That might sound harmless, but the Texas Marriage Act includes a same-sex marriage ban. This is a ban that these people must take much pride in because I do not see or hear about other acts being celebrated in such a manner by this party only. Common types of events to celebrate: birthdays, weddings, accomplishments such as graduation, holidays, religious festivities, and anything that is a milestone in life or brings people together for joyous reasons. Having a celebration that essentially denies rights to a group of the population?!? Why would you do that?! Who does that?! Surely not a group of government leaders whom we choose to represent us and the people’s interests. I expect considerate and more mature behavior from leaders. I honestly do not know how a group of people can publicly (or even in private) come together to celebrate a piece of legislation that they know does not give equality for all. This is a childish “we won, they lost. Let’s remind them of it” kind of situation dealing with human rights. That kind of attitude is tolerable in areas such as sports (although it is not good sportsmanship) but it has no place around human rights. Much of the world is taking great strides in the expansion of human rights (go, world!), so it does not seem fitting for a country universally known for freedom to have people be denied the right of legal marriage. How can these people who are celebrating be so inconsiderate of others’ feelings? Feelings that involve love, which can already be a challenge for anyone without the government interfering. And for Rep. Donna Campbell to say that LGBT people are the ones being discriminatory?! I have never heard of non-LGBT people being discriminated upon by LGBT people to the point in which non-LGBT people feel inferior. I must have missed that article. I understand the GOP’s strong connection with religious values supports their idea of marriage between a man and a woman, but to make a law about it that would apply to all of the state’s population is violating the separation of church and state. In fact, making laws about legal marriages (which are handled by the state) based upon religious principles is against the constitution. I would say that the GOP is actually stepping over the line on one of their own ideals: to strictly adhere to the constitution (separation of church and state). However, it is still possible to follow your beliefs/faith and be in accordance with the constitution (which does not support citizens making laws in favor of a particular religion because freedom of religion is a dominant principle in this country and a vision of our founding fathers)! This is how one may be a member of a political party and still be in accordance with the constitution: have your own beliefs, follow them, discuss them among your friends if you wish, and pass them down to your children if you want, but never let your faith and beliefs impede upon the life, desires, and happiness of others. If you do not wish your life to be impeded upon, then do not impede on others’ lives (unless you are saving someone from abuse, danger, or inequality. Do take immediate action on that). Acceptance is all that is wanted from everyone, and it causes no direct harm. Maybe you will feel offended by the lifestyle of others, but maybe your lifestyle offends others. A world of different people will have different views, but the trick is to cooperate, coexist, and collaborate in this one world we all share and have made beautiful throughout history. You just do you, and let them do them. Everything will be okay and the earth will still revolve, I promise. Breathe. I also heard that you can still believe in your beliefs in this country even if those around you do not. Give it a try.