To Vote, or not to vote, that is the question...

            Robyn Evans addresses the issue of voting, or lack there of, in Texas. I agree that many of the eligible voters in Texas choose to avoid the polls during elections. There are several explanations but the most common one that I hear is…“My vote really doesn’t matter”.

            Unfortunately, this is the view that most of the voting population has in Texas. I have been raised in a politically informed house and continue to observe political issues at the local and national level. Many people in Texas feel that their vote doesn’t matter because it is such a conservative state and no matter what, the Republican candidates seem to always win election by a large margin.

            I talk to several people about politics on a regular basis and for the most part it seems that my peers share a lot of the same beliefs as I have. I then ask them why they choose to not vote and they simply just give the excuse of “it’s a broken system”.

            Its time for us, the younger generation, to take this state by the horns. We need to all get out and vote, and drag our friends to the voting booths as well. People would be amazed by the changes that would occur in Texas if everyone that could vote would vote.

            Remember, a lot of people have sacrificed and given their lives for us to have the rights to vote. Vote. and show them that it wasn’t in vain.

When A Man Loves A Man...It's More Than Brotherly Love.

           What is love? In the English language the word “love” is used for several different meanings. We all love pizza and ice-cream, but its not the same type of love that we share with our family. Love is a special word in the English language that expresses affection for something or someone. It can be used to describe our relationships or even our interests, and does not require any form of legal documentation.

            Marriage, on the other hand, requires a legal document and allows a couple to be expressed legally as one. For example, a married couple can file taxes together and can even be included with spousal benefits from employers. Marriage is a basic human right that allows people to express their love for each other and allows them to “team up” for life’s many challenges.

            Since marriage is a basic human right why are we keeping people from enjoying the benefits of marriage just because we don’t agree with their sexual orientation? Throughout Texas history we have excluded several groups of people from their basic human rights. For instance, there was a time in this states’ history that blacks were not citizens and considered as property. We also did not allow women to vote during elections. These examples of our dark past seem ludicrous and insensible, but if it wasn’t for federal laws these practices may still continue today.

            The United States Supreme Court is currently debating same sex marriage at the federal level. I think it is time to look forward and address issues that affect Texas and the great people that live within this state, instead of declining the right for people to become married. Love and marriage complement each other and should not be restricted to a single type of relationship.