Healthy Food

Hello everyone,

If you are a friend of mine on Facebook or a follower on twitter than you have heard this story already if you are not than you are about to read it :)

So today I went shopping at the local Harris Teeter to get a few items that I need/wanted. I am starting to buy healthier. So I was bought three apples alongside it's other items but yes just three apples and it cost $7.02. When I got home I checked the receipt and was shocked that apples cost so much. So I did some research and I found that according to this website the average price for a Big Mac meal is $6.64. In my opinion this is rather sad. Enough of the story

So as I was posting my issue on Facebook I decided to take this issue to the next level. I went on my Twitter account and spammed Mr and Mrs Obama Twitter pages for about an hour then I started spamming ABC, NBC, CNN, CBS and some other networks to get my cause out there. I know one person can not make a big difference but I feel the need to have this issue showcased. I also took the liberty to email all the representatives from my county as well.

So please go follow me on Twitter my account name is @BarajasMiguel and retweet all of my tweets to the president and all of that good stuff.

Thank you,

Miguel

Silence Speech

Silence

Almost 300 years ago a man that went by the name, Benjamin Franklin, wrote his autobiography to not only explain and talk about his life and his path to success, but also to share what he thought would lead him to what he called “moral perfection.” While he talked about how to “arrive at moral perfection”, he list the thirteen virtues, that he thought would help not only him live a morally perfect life, but also the young people that read his autobiography. I believe that all the thirteen virtues are helpful; I believe that the virtue Silence is the most helpful.

In his autobiography he explains this virtue as followed: “Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.” By definition silence means: 1. absence of any sound or noise; stillness.  2. The state or fact of being silent; muteness. 3. Absence or omission of mention, comment, or expressed concern. What I think this virtue means is, for us not to start rumors of people just because you may not like that person but also for us not to get frustrated by the rumors started about us especially if you know they are just rumors. For us as high school students, this virtue basically means don’t get mad or stressed when someone makes up rumors about you especially if you know that those rumors are not true but not to talk about people unless it is going to help them out.

Has it ever been brought up to your attention by one of your friends at school that this guy/girl has been telling the whole school that you are a whore, saying that you have been sleeping around with all these guys/girls? Has anyone ever came up to you and said is it true that you’re a faggot, that you have slept with so many guys, that you have done this and that with guys? Knowing that it is just a rumor, what would you do? Do you start another rumor calling that person a faggot, whore, or a slut? Do you go up to him/her and start to fight? Or do you do what is right and just tell that person who brought it up to your attention that they are just a bunch of rumor and leave it at that? I think most girls would start rumors about the girls that called them whores, and I think that the guys would go up to that person and just start a big fight. What would you do?

            What I would do, and what I have learned to do is to just ignore the rumors. I have been called gay, faggot, queer, you name it I have probably been called that once or twice, but do you think every time I hear these words I turn around and start saying f—k you, and all that, no I just keep on walking because I know who I am and don’t care about the rumors.

            This virtue also says “Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself”. To us this basically means don’t go around school telling everyone “oh guess what she has slept with all of the football team”, “did you know he has aids from sleeping with so many guys”. It means don’t go on Facebook and mass message all your friends that “this person is a faggot, that you caught them doing this or that”. Benjamin Franklin says to only talk when it benefits the others or yourself, that doesn’t mean to go talk crap about someone because it is going to make you feel better, that is not what this means. Have you ever been one of the people who start the rumors?

            I believe Silence is the best virtue in my opinion to live by, if you don’t like when people talk all this crap about you, imagine how the people feel when you talk about them. Think twice about what you’re about to say before you speak, you never know, one day you might just come to school and find out that, the guy/girl who you started the rumor about has just committed suicide and succeeded. Think before you speak! If you can’t say anything good about someone, then don’t say anything at all.

“A good word is an easy obligation; but not to speak ill requires only our silence, which costs us nothing. -John Tillotson-”        

Equal Rights Editorial

“The hairpin drop heard around the world” (Stone). The Stonewall Riots

are believed to be one of the acts that started the Gay Rights Movement.

We are all created equal, right?

According to “The Pledge of Allegiance”, I thought we all had justice and liberty, not just heterosexuals.

As stated in the “Merriam-Webster” dictionary liberty is defined but not limited to the following: “1. the quality or state of being free: a: the power to do as one pleases, b: freedom from physical restraint, c: freedom from arbitrary or despotic control, d: the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges, e: the power of choice.”(Merr.)

Do you believe that by allowing states to ban or enforce any law dealing with same-sex marriage is right? Did you know homosexual couples are not even allowed to adopt kids in some parts of the “United” states? Would it be right if homosexuals were to make a law banning marriage between a man and a woman?

I’m GAY and Proud!!! That phrase has been more and more popular over the past years as more and more people have been open about their sexual orientation. I am sure most of you have heard something on the news on how LGBTQ activist are fighting to have the same rights as heterosexuals, or heard about “Prop 8”, how about Maryland has recently passed a law legalizing same-sex marriage. Before 1969 there had been a few disputes dealing with same sex marriage but it wasn’t until June 27, 1969 after what they called “The Stonewall Riots” that battle for Gay Rights began.

In the “Merriam-Webster” dictionary privilege is define but not limited to the following: “a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor” (Merr.)

As stated in the Us Constitution, Amendment 14, part 1: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States…” (Steve.). If this amendment still holds true, the laws that are in place by the states now should be taken out.

Did you know in some places in the world woman are not allowed to marry the man of their choice but instead have to marry who their parents have chosen for them. Did you know in Saudi Arabia men and woman must obtain permission before marrying someone that is not from Saudi Arabia? Did you know in the “United” States among the 50 states more than half of them have a law banning same sex marriage?

Is marriage considered a privilege?

If marriage is considered a privilege, which I think it is, according to the constitution of the “United” States, states should not be allowed to make any law that takes away the privileges of a citizen, right? With that said I believe that all the laws in place now against same-sex marriage should be taken out. Don’t you?

Even if marriage is not considered a privilege in your book, you should not be against it because of your religion because it states in “Galatians 3:26” that “we are all gods children through faith in Jesus Christ” (Bible). You should not be against it just because “its nasty” to see two guys kissing in public; two guys kissing in public is the same thing as a man and a woman kissing in public, neither of them are doing harm to you or anyone else. If the churches do not want to marry a gay couple then they don’t have to but at least allow them to get married by the court, don’t you think, that would be fair?

I myself am not gay but I believe everyone should have the same rights and not be treated as second class citizens. I believe that, no matter if it is two guys or two girls or a guy and a girl that want to get married should be allowed whether through civil court or by a priest in a church, we are all the same. We all love it may be the same gender or the opposite but people should be able to love who they want to love. I believe that the fight for same-sex marriage to be legal is not just to be married but to be treated the same as everyone else. I believe that gays do not need a piece of paper showing that they love their spouse but want the piece of paper to show that they too, are the same.

I believe that until people of the LGBTQ community get the rights that they deserve this will be a battle that will never end.

The following links are the references that I used through out my editorial 

Bible    à   http://bible.cc/galatians/3-26.htm

Merr    à http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liberty

Merr 2 à http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privilege

Steve   à http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am14.html

Stone   àhttp://counterlightsrantsandblather1.blogspot.com/2009/06/hairpin-drop-heard-round-world.html

My Views on same sex marriage

It is 02-15-2012... the day after Valentines day :) did everyone have fun? get fat? ha I sure didn't. I passed out candy at school :) so since last time I posted my life seems better, yeah things have been happening.. like deaths in the family and all but we can't let everything bring us down forever, can we? I have recently added the "share this" gadget to this blog and to my other one dealing with what i think are important issues in the country. :) my hair is still growing for Locks of Love :) yay. I recently joined "Trevorspace". Trevorspace is for people of the LGBTQ community as well as for heterosexuals :) it is for people of ages, if not mistaken, 14-24. It is where different people can meet new people, make friends, maybe even find your special someone:) It is also like the "Trevor Project", it is used to prevent suicides. I think everyone should join "TrevorSpace" as well as"The Trevor Project".

I also recently found out that on May of this year the citizens of North Carolina will be voting of SAME SEX MARRIAGE, I do not believe there should be a barrier on marriage. I believe marriage is/should be considered a privilege for the US citizens because not everywhere in this world are people allowed to get married whenever they want. Think abuot it before reading on... Do you think it is a privilege? and if it is a privilege, as stated in the US Constitution Amendment 14 Section 1 states:

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

What that amendment says to me is anyone who is a citizen or has become a citizen of the USA has the right to marry who he/she chooses to without the state saying anything about it. I believe by the states making these laws on banning same-sex marriage is going against the US Constitution. If marriage is a privilege I believe all the states that have banned SAME SEX MARRIAGE, should have those same laws taken out of effect, because as I stated earlier the US Constitution clearly states that the states are not allowed to take away the privileges of a natural or naturalized citizen.