“Abortion Rights + Women’s Choice = Freedom!”

A fellow classmate’s blog posted on November 3, 2014 caught my immediate attention. In her Blog “Pulling Out” Ms. Karis states that Texas government should mind their own business and “STOP” pressuring women against the option of having an abortion. As a woman I strongly agree with Ms. Karis that Texas Government should not interfere with women’s choices on the issue of abortion or make it difficult for a women to have access to an abortion clinic; all women should have the freedom to decide what is good for them and their body. According to a statement made by President Barack Obama, “A woman’s ability to decide how many children to have and when, without interference from the Texas Government, is one of the most fundamental rights we possess. It is not just an issue on choice, but equality and opportunity for all women.” This all leads to women’s rights and women’s choices! Rather a man or a woman we are all entitled to have the choice to choose what is right for our body, not Legislature!

Ms. Karis makes a strong point by addressing the issue of the many children who are placed in foster care because their families either don’t want them or can’t afford to care for them. I believe the option of an abortion are normally considered and/or chosen by women is because they are  too young to care for a child, are in an abusive relationship, pregnancy is conceived through rape, are financially unstable, or wrong timing for a child at the time of conception. If Texas government continues to push the issue of abortion or make it difficult for women to get the help they need then this will lead to problems such as child abandonment, child abuse, unsafe abortion alternatives, or even lead to the extreme of a mother murdering her own child. The recent abortion law that has been proposed in Texas is making it hard for women to seek help. Ms. Karis goes on by stating, “The worst part is that places, such as Planned Parenthood, do so much more than perform abortions; they educate and inform people about sex, give them free contraceptives, breast exams, and other tests.” This clearly justifies Ms. Karis’s argument on the fact that Texas’ Legislature should mind their own business and allow women to have control of their bodies. These clinics are extremely helpful to women in many ways!

As a mother of four children, I am neither for nor against abortion, but I strongly agree with Ms. Karis that Texas Legislature should grant women the freedom of choice! No one regardless of gender should be told what they can or cannot do with their body!

Say “NO” To Marijuana!!!

Who says marijuana is not harmful! Children today are exposed to tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs at increasingly younger ages. The media is rife with images that promote smoking and drinking as "cool," fun, and a natural part of life. Preventing drug use should be an important focus of everyone’s life. The effects of drug use can be devastating and can ruin the prospects of a promising future for many. Texas State Legislators should not be involved with the distribution of recreational marijuana. A substance such as marijuana is considered unhealthy and should not be distributed with the help of the state, because the goal of the state should be to protect its citizens’ health and not to expose them to harmful risks.

Texas should not legalize recreational marijuana because the easy availability of drugs would create new consumers rather than rescuing current ones. Legalizing recreational marijuana will send a message to children that drug use is acceptable. Legalization of recreational marijuana can lead to significant cost burdens that come along with increased marijuana use. It can lead to a greater need for drug education, rehabilitation and treatment. These costs can be higher than any revenue accumulated from the sale of recreational marijuana. Drug use is dangerous to persons besides the user. Drug addiction can lead to criminal behavior. According the NCADD, “The use of illegal drugs is often associated with murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny/theft, serious motor vehicle offenses with dangerous consequences, arson and hate crimes.” The use of marijuana can lead to other types of substance abuse.

A drug user cannot make an informed and rational decision because the use of the drug eliminates that user’s ability to think logically. For example, there will be greater social costs from decline in worker productivity and school performance.

The Alcohol-DrugEducation Service states:

Marijuana affects the central nervous system as a hallucinogen and as a depressant. THC is rapidly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. You then feel “high” which can range from feelings of calm and happiness to feeling silly and giddy or paranoid and anxious. When taking high doses, it’s possible to experience hallucinations. The “high” usually lasts for 2-4 hours, but your perceptions can be affected for many hours afterwards, even when you no longer feel “high”.

In Denver there were two deaths linked to marijuana use. According to CBS News:

One man jumped to his death after consuming a large amount of marijuana contained in a cookie, and in the other case, a man allegedly shot and killed his wife after eating marijuana candy. Wyoming college student Levy Thamba Pongi, 19, jumped to his death at a Denver hotel on March 11 after eating more of a marijuana cookie than was recommended by a seller, police records show - a finding that comes amid increased concern about the strength of popular pot edibles after Colorado became the first state to legalize recreational marijuana.

Marijuana is known to be a pain suppressant and has some medicinal positive benefits, but managing the negative effects is more costly than its prohibition so Texas should not legalize recreational marijuana. Legalizing it may result in long-term problems such as crime, institutional/health burden, a weak labor force, etc.… In all honesty, I think the consumption of marijuana should be illegal in Texas and all states in the U.S.A. The children of today are the future of tomorrow, but with marijuana in the picture the future of tomorrow will consist of drug addicts! Legalizing it would take money from our pockets! We have enough crimes in Texas! Who knows how much more we would have if Texas choose to legalize recreational marijuana! Crimes and accidents will increase and so will the deaths of innocent people.