In my last blog I focused on the issue of gun violence in America and the need to tackle this extreme issue from multiple angles. As gun violence continues to progress across the United States it is clear that we have to act aggressively. I last discussed the importance of approaching the gun violence in our youth and how it would be ideal to start at a young age. That we should begin teaching social and emotional skills and health in school districts in elementary school, as well as moral ethics or philosophy classes in high school. These skills are required to become respectful citizens in a society. Establishing these into an educational curriculum would also allow for monitoring our youth, being able to see any red flags or indicators of any of our youth at risk, especially because public school is a stressful environment. It would also be of help to have additional counselors, youth psychologists or mental health officers on school campuses as an additional tool to developing social and emotional skills necessary to overcome frequent struggles our youth faces. We could accomplish these goals across the United States if we decided to declare gun violence as a Public Health Issue 

Viewing gun violence as a public health issue could be an incredibly beneficial and effective solution. A public health issue can be defined as a complex situation that has a significant impact on community health, loss of life, and on the economy. Approaching gun violence as a public health issue would allow the CDC to get involved and develop constructive framework to further investigate and understand the causes of gun violence, especially in our youth. The first step would  involve collecting information on the severity of the issue and analyze the data. The next step would identify the factors that contribute to gun violence. Finding the underlying factors of violence will allow us to identify those most likely to engage in violence or be targeted by it. Identifying individuals at risk would help determine how to intervene and  provide services to those in need and could prevent many incidents from occurring. 

Many public health officials have agreed that this matter needs to be addressed as a Public Health Crisis and have asked Congress to lift the Dickey Amendment. The Dickey Amendment was put into place in 1996 which restricted funds for firearm control and injury prevention at the CDC for being used to advocate gun control, denying the CDC the option to research gun control for over 20 years.

With over 30,000 deaths a year in the United States due to guns, this amendment needs to be lifted, not necessarily to remove the right to bare arms, but to identify the issues behind gun violence and address the actual cause. 

When reading a recent blog Federally high by Osvaldo Hernandez about the legalization of marijuana and the benefits of it for not only people but the United States, I couldn't help but agree with what Osvaldo had to say.  I believe that this article was written for those people that are completely against medicinal and recreational marijuana and trying to help them understand that there are more benefits than negative ones to making marijuana legal in all 50 states. 
   In the blog Osvaldo tells us that as of now medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal in 29 states and the District of Columbia but is still classified as a "controlled substance" making it a federal crime to possess, buy or sell the substance.  Basically it is the definition of a catch 22.  Osvaldo states many people who are against the idea of legalizing marijuana is that "they stress that it would lead to more accidents on highways as well as more crime in our society."  Then they state that there are more benefits to the legalization of marijuana for both state and federal.  That it would "start by lowering the number of people who are in jail for harmless crimes.  Also, once legalized, marijuana can be taxed potentially producing billions of dollars annually in profit." 
   While  I agree that legalizing would be beneficial for state and federal especially if they taxed and sold it the right way we don't have any evidence that it would be beneficial enough to allow anyone to be able to posses this "controlled substance."  We also from previous experience know that although a substance is illegal doesn't make it impossible to get.  Texas for an example is a state that doesn't allow recreational or medicinal marijuana yet in "2010 over 74,000 people were arrested for possession of medicinal marijuana in a state that doesn't allow  medicinal marijuana.  This doesn't stop people either seeing as Texas is one of the five toughest states in America for possession and the penalty you can face. 
   In my opinion I believe that while it would be smarter to legalize marijuana in all 50 states it would take a lot of work and a new way to survey and monitor a persons "highness" to ensure that they aren't dangerous or reckless under the influence.  This is where I think that people become skeptic over the safety of a person smoking and going behind the wheel.  While one person under the influence is groggy and sleepy another person could be jittery and skittish.  This is why I think testing and trying to figure out the high you are on is difficult because everyone experiences different highs.  It is very difficult to monitor someones "THC blood level" in the same way you can monitor someones blood alcohol level and to figure what level they should be at before they are considered dangerous.  However, if they were able to make a device that could measure their "THC blood level" then like an alcohol blood level device they could just set it at a limit where if you are above it you are unable to do certain things.  Making marijuana would be beneficial to help America come out of debt, but it would take a lot of work and trials and errors.  The first thing that they should do is focus on making marijuana legal as medicinal for those that are suffering from illnesses. 

I would highly recommend you reading Federally High by Osvaldo Hernandez to learn their opinions of why marijuana would be beneficial to our country and how it could help.

     April 1st is just around the corner and while many kids are preparing themselves for the ultimate prank, there are thousands of others that are planning on walking out to demonstrate to the government, the world and anyone who will listen that the time has come to do something that will end youth violence.  While we are only coming into the month of April there have already been a total of 17 incidents involving a shooting on school property this year. That is an average of 1.4 shooting a week!  This is entirely shocking and disturbing, not only is this excessive but the lack of enforcement by our government to strongly address the issue proves that America has become numb to the horrific events that are happening to these young students.
Our government needs to take a more aggressive approach to protecting our youth with less aggression. Gun control debates have been controversial and very slow moving, but it also only addresses only a single factor of the issue. I want to explain, I do agree that gun control is incredibly important and necessary to limit the chances of weapons getting into the hands of youth.

Florida has just passed a law changing the minimum legal age to purchase a rifle or long gun from a licensed dealer from 18 to 21 years old, this change has happened in response to the terrifying Parkland school shooting resulting in a total of 17 deaths. The scary truth is that most state laws allow individuals to buy a rifle at the age of 18 when buying from a licensed dealer. When purchasing long guns from a private dealer, many states have no minimum legal age. Evaluations and stricter laws on gun control in all of our states should be taking place to limit the chances of dangerous weapons getting into the hands of our youth. An increase in security in public schools will also help limit weapons from being brought inside of the schools.
However, another very important approach seems to be overlooked amongst the gun debate. This is improving the overall social and emotional health of our society. I think it is important to remember that youth suicide is also at a high alongside youth homicide.
A public health approach would preventative rather than responsive and would be incredibly beneficial to our youth and would lower violence in public schools. School climate has strong effects and influences in mental and emotional health. State guidelines should require students to receive credits from a social and emotional curriculum to graduate. An increase in guidance counselors, social workers, and community resources that can focus on preventing bullying, discrimination, relationship building with other youth and adults, and a system to identify youth that is struggling should be implemented throughout all of the United States. Additional Programs need to be established and offered to the public that offers assistance to students that are struggling emotionally and socially as well as a protocol in place to protect that student that could be a harm to themselves or others.
Lastly, we need to focus on the structure of discipline within our school districts and society. Our society as a whole, inadequately responds to unwanted behavior. For example, we yell at children to quit yelling. This is not teaching them the way to properly handle the situation and how to avoid a negative conflict, only to engage in it.
 Rather than isolating, separating, and punishing youth for misbehavior, especially in a school system surrounded by peers that can shame and embarrass you, we should provide discipline that focuses on a positive method of teaching self-control, responsibility, and confidence with additional guidance and counseling.
To successfully prevent violence amongst our youth we must address all of the contributing factors that lead to it.

     Almost a month has gone by since February 14, 2018 and what many people remember about that day is what they did with their significant others or lack of for valentines day, so quickly have they forgotten the words Stoneman Douglas High School and what that day will forever mean to the students there.  Seventeen people were killed and seventeen more were wounded by one person in one of the world deadliest school massacres yet.  While many find themselves pushing these horrible thoughts and events out of our mind the younger generation is tired of this routine and are demanding to be heard, even if it means their education.  

      A recent editorial written on February 26, 2018 by The Huffington post titled My Kid Doesn't Need Permission To Walk Out talks about the repercussions that the younger generation is potentially facing if they follow their fellow historians paths and join the walk out that are scheduled throughout American high schools to tell the government that they want stricter gun laws and less mass school shootings. I believe that this article is written not towards the younger generation but the older generation that feel that the younger kids are just acting out in acts of rebellion.  I feel that what this blog editorial is trying to come across is completely correct in the mission that what they youth is trying to do isn't to stand as a "symbolic gesture of youthfulness" but as a way to tell Iowa government that they must drastically change their gun laws and recent pro-gun bills that have been passed.  The article states that recently the "Iowa's Republican-controlled legislature passed one of the state's most extreme pro-gun bills last year, barring law enforcement from notifying firearms sellers if any gun owner's permit has been suspended or revoked."  What this means is that if your gun license is suspended or revoked a police officer is NOT allowed to tell people who sell guns.  This means that even if it is illegal for you to buy a gun you can still buy one, this is absolutely absurd.  This is what is wrong with the country and partially why there are so many shootings, because it is beyond easy to get a gun.  This is why the younger generation is doing a walk out, because they are "somewhere between rage and grief, and the kids and their schoolmates are simply fed up."  

    While the younger generation is fed up with the lack of gun control, the "oblivious blind eye" towards the N.P.R, the older generation is fed up with the children.  As of now a school district in Texas announced, "that any student participating in such protests against gun violence would be suspended for three days."  A Nevada school district "threatened to keep kids from participating in school-sponsored events, including benching school athletes."  What this is telling the younger generation is that their needs, their wants are not only ignored but wrong.  How can the government expect for any change to happen when they are allowing other people from the government, people from the state tell them to be quiet and to give up their beliefs and wants or else suffer the consequence.  While I agree with this article that kids don't need permission to walk out, I feel that the older generation that also agrees with this should stand up and speak up and defend the younger generation and what they are trying to accomplish.  I feel that this article should call out the older generation that they need to stand up and speak for the younger generation, that they should help us fight this cause with the younger generation.  We can only grow and become "greatness" when you united.

  I encourage everyone to read this article and become the voice of the nation that says we won't be silenced anymore, that something needs to be done, and we need to listen to the new voice of America.  To read the article click the following link: My Kid Doesn't Need Permission To Walk Out

      The issue that has been on the minds and mouths of Americans of all ages since Valentines Day is mass shootings, tighter gun controls and the safety of our students.   On February 14, 2018 an armed teenager walked into a Florida High School, killing 17 people and injuring 14 more.  This isn't the first time a mass school shooting has occurred and unfortunately if the American people and the government don't make a change it wont be the last and will never change, all while we become more numb with these horrific events.
       A recent editorial written on February 18, 2018 by The Houston Chronical titled "No more moments of silence: Voters must speak out against firearms." I feel this is exactly what America of all ages needs to read.  I believe that while it is intended for the voters of America to read, it should also be read by the government and officials as well.  This editorial piece is written by Houston Chronicle and is stating that they believe that while the moments of silence for these horrific events are understandable they are not and should not be accepted.  That "we should listen to those among us who summon the strength to rage against the insanity we have come to tolerate."  I couldn't agree more with this, unfortunately during the time and roughly about a month or so we forget until it happens again.  However according to a recent survey,"78% of millennials believe it is too easy to purchase a gun; 59% believe that gun violence would decrease if regulations were strengthened." They state that Americans young and not so young know what need to be done, and that a large majority of Americans support sensible gun-regulation measures.         
       Although I agree that Americans want a more sensible gun-regulation we are allowing ourselves to have our hands tied down, we the millennials that want the change are being lazy and don't take the actions it requires to make the changes.  In the article they tell the reader a.k.a the voters that if someone is running for office and they won't even mentions the phrase "gun control" then we should vote them out, or if they are associated with the NRA we should vote them out.  While I agree that this is the best way to start I feel that the article should have told the younger generation to be the voice by voting.  That if we want the change then we must first take the actions that we need to become the change.  As of now while I feel this article will get the millennials in agreance with more gun control, but it will unfortunately become silent once they don't feel the sting of the recent shooting.  Only until another shooting and then they will care again but will remain silent once the sting is gone.
      I encourage of you to read the article and then to be the voices that won't be silenced anymore.  To read the article click the following link: No More Moments Of Silence

    A sensitive subject that has been brought more to the attention of the public eyes since the President elections is the deportation of illegal immigrants.  As of now the government is looking for their fellow government workers to send in their labor data to Immigration and Customs Enforcement also known as I.C.E.  It is without a doubt that many of the workers know that doing this would be used to track down and deport undocumented workers, entailing them to break up families.  However, there was one person, Jordon Dyrdahl-Roberts, who decided upon getting the memo to quit his job.  I believe that this article is a great read for everyone who is feeling discouraged or distraught about the government and where it is at. It is a positive, uplifting story that even one voice can be heard.


I encourage all of you to read this article for an uplifting memo and how all voices of America can be heard, if you're willing to stand up for what you believe. Click here to read the post:  Washington Post

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