???

CAN YOU GUESS WHICH OF THESE STATEMENTS IS TRUE???

1)  I have had plastic surgery once in my life.

2)  I’m going to Europe in December.

3)  I am the oldest of three children.

4)  I am seriously afraid of roller coasters.

5)  I just purchased a truck.

6)  I have three tattoos.

Evolution of Dance - By Judson Laipply

Up In Smoke?

Marijuana:  Should We Reform Laws Prohibiting Its Use?

            Legalizing marijuana or as what most refer to as “weed,” has been a debate for some time now.  Americans from every class of society has its view on how this issue should be handled.  With any difficult decision, there are some things that must be considered.  First let’s look at the pros and the cons of marijuana use and the effects it has on our society. 

            People in general refer to marijuana as the “stepping stone” drug which is one of the primary arguments for those who oppose legalizing cannabis.  Another argument is that it is unhealthy for those who use it.  Personally I have to agree with both of these statements. 

            Those who support this venue argue that those who are suffering from serious illness’ can find relief from discomfort when under the influence of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis.  Others say that the government would be able to tax the import and export of marijuana if it were legal.  Still others feel that if cannabis were legal, it would free up our law enforcement agencies to pursue much serious drug trafficking. 

There are a million reasons why legalizing marijuana should not be allowed, all I need is one.  I don’t think that legalizing marijuana should be permitted.  I used to smoke weed a lot and I do know where its habitual use takes a person.  To those who say that legalizing marijuana would bring profit for our nation, I say to you, “Do we really want to live in a country that makes its money from drug trafficking?”  I understand that those who are gravely ill benefit from its use, and I believe that medicinal marijuana should be allowed by prescription only.  But even then, so many people know how to work the system and abuse it one way or another.  I think once all the facts are out on the table, our legislators and the voters should make an ultimate decision for the future of marijuana in our country today.

My View on Family

            What constitutes a family has been an issue of debate for decades.  Americans have always had an idea of what the typical family should be like.   For instance, the 1950s was an era where marriages thrived and divorce rates were low.  This theory is reflected through television shows such as I Love Lucy or the iconic model family from Leave it to Beaver.  As the times we live in change, so do our perceptions of what a family is and this is also demonstrated through such television shows.  During the late 1960s people had somewhat accepted the reality of divorce and we can see that with our favorite blended family The Brady Bunch.  These days we have programs featuring serial killers raising children (Dexter) and single moms selling drugs (Weeds).  So with that being said I think it is safe to say that our idea of what a family is will continue to evolve.

My family is great example of the evolution of the home unit throughout the years.  My grandfather and his wife adopted my uncle in 1954 and then my mother in 1956.  They lived the American dream until cancer abruptly took his wife.  My grandpa remained a single parent for some time during the 1960s then re-married my grandmother in 1966.  My grandma was also a widow and had two children from her first marriage.  As with most blended families, a period of adjustment began to take place.  As a result of this transition and the preceding death, it left a huge wall between my grandma and my mom that still continues to this day. 

I place my family’s history at the reader’s disposal because it is in a situation like mine that I learn the true meaning of what family is.  Despite the lack of respect or emotion on my mom’s part, my grandma has always been there for us.  My grandma ended up taking me in when I was sixteen and raising me throughout high school and by doing that demonstrated an unconditional love for me that I don’t think blood relation could ever surpass.  To be completely honest, blood relations doesn’t really have much meaning to me because I have never really known an unconditional love from a blood relative (because there are only three of us).  I don’t say these things for sympathy or pity, but rather to prove the point that family is a greater force than just DNA.

If we were to take a survey on the streets asking people about their definition of what family is we would get a wide variety of answers.  The Christian community considers family a union between husband and wife, not to mention they call everyone they meet “Brother or Sister.”  The same sex households will argue that a family is a home with two loving people raising their family with love and equality.  No matter how a family is structured, all have this one thing in common; love.  I know many people have dysfunction in their families, but in the end family always equals love.