Freedom of choice has always been one of the greatest factors that America can provide to the citizens but often, the government must make necessary changes and laws that are limiting for the people who do not against it. The issue of abortion in Texas posed a similar problem for the women in Texas. According to Guttmatcher, about 1 in 3 women in America will have had an abortion by the time they are 45. Over half of them are women in their 20s and most of them are unmarried and economically disadvantaged. These statistics show that women don't have abortions because they want to; they have abortion because they know that they cannot provide a decent lifestyle for their own children. Although this does not mean that they are not responsible for the death of a fetus, having no resources to take care of a child and sending them away to adoption might not be what a woman might want for the child.
The Burnt Orange Report recently posted a blog about self-induced abortion. According to the blog, many women in Texas are choosing to carry out abortions by themselves in their own homes. According to statistics, as many as 100,000 to 240,000 Texans have self-induced abortion and the number is only rising. Because these women are denied abortion by the state for whatever reason but they cannot take care of a child, they must use desperate measures and force themselves to go through excruciating pain and kill the fetus inside their own body. These self-induced abortions are also very dangerous for the child bearer as well. If a mistake is made during an abortion, the woman could very well die in the process.
Although I personally think that denying a child's life and future simply because you cannot take responsibility for the child is a very selfish reason for killing your own child, but then again desperate times calls for desperate measures for many women especially if they believe that they simply have no choice. Because I will never personally experience something like this in my lifetime, my opinion is not significant enough to say whether or not a person is making the wrong choice when having an abortion. I do, however, think that if a woman wants to remove the fetus inside their body for whatever reason, it is completely their own decision and their own responsibility. I don't think that we should force a person to give birth to an unwanted child that they cannot care for. The fact that women are still doing abortions on their own shows how desperate they are and I believe that we shouldn't judge these people simply because we cannot relate to their problems.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Monday, November 16, 2015
Comments on Expanding Transportation Alternatives
Saul Antonio Arreguin posted an article for his 512 Politics blog entitled "Expanding Transportation Alternatives."
Mr. Arreguin mainly talks about the terrible traffic conditions in Austin due to the rapid growth and increase in population. He mentions that Austin is the fastest growing city in America and that it is the one of the most condensed cities. Mr. Arreguin then talks about how other cities in Texas are facing similar issues but the problems are not as great compared to Austin's problems because the other big cities such as Dallas and Houston have more territory to expand and allow the population to be distributed. On the other hand, Austin's population is mainly concentrated towards the downtown area, which is where the University of Texas is also located, which also adds a huge number of population in Austin.
The blogger then goes on to talk about the great benefits of the railroad system in Austin and that investing in the Metro Rail System would reduce the traffic because more people would turn to it instead of driving on their own, especially for those who drive in and out of downtown daily, faced with horrendous traffic in I-35 and Mopac day and night.
Although Mr. Arreguin makes a good argument about Austin's increasing population and the traffic problems, I personally believe that investing in widening the highways could be a greater investment. Although the Metro Rail System is a convenient method of traveling, it's clear that the most preferred method of transportation in America is without a doubt automobiles. Cars provide the freedom to take whatever road we choose to drive on, while railroads only provide a set amount of destinations to choose from. Relying on the railroad is a great idea that could greatly help Austin's road with decreased traffic and it also comes with the bonus of reduced carbon monoxide pollution in the environment, but investing in the railroad system will not benefit the Austinites if the people choose the freedom of driving instead of the convenience of taking trains.
Mr. Arreguin mainly talks about the terrible traffic conditions in Austin due to the rapid growth and increase in population. He mentions that Austin is the fastest growing city in America and that it is the one of the most condensed cities. Mr. Arreguin then talks about how other cities in Texas are facing similar issues but the problems are not as great compared to Austin's problems because the other big cities such as Dallas and Houston have more territory to expand and allow the population to be distributed. On the other hand, Austin's population is mainly concentrated towards the downtown area, which is where the University of Texas is also located, which also adds a huge number of population in Austin.
The blogger then goes on to talk about the great benefits of the railroad system in Austin and that investing in the Metro Rail System would reduce the traffic because more people would turn to it instead of driving on their own, especially for those who drive in and out of downtown daily, faced with horrendous traffic in I-35 and Mopac day and night.
Although Mr. Arreguin makes a good argument about Austin's increasing population and the traffic problems, I personally believe that investing in widening the highways could be a greater investment. Although the Metro Rail System is a convenient method of traveling, it's clear that the most preferred method of transportation in America is without a doubt automobiles. Cars provide the freedom to take whatever road we choose to drive on, while railroads only provide a set amount of destinations to choose from. Relying on the railroad is a great idea that could greatly help Austin's road with decreased traffic and it also comes with the bonus of reduced carbon monoxide pollution in the environment, but investing in the railroad system will not benefit the Austinites if the people choose the freedom of driving instead of the convenience of taking trains.
Monday, November 2, 2015
The Land of Opportunity
Education and foreign policy are two topics that are always in discussion in Texas for obvious reasons. Education has and will always be one of top concern in America because the education system ultimately determines how the future generations will shape the world. What many people don't understand is that America is a country developed by foreigners who have contributed to the growth of the country since its origin until today. More and more foreigners immigrate into America acknowledging that America could be the land of opportunity. For some foreigners, this new-found opportunity is education. Not all countries around the world provide an education system that is deep and constructive for students who want to achieve further. In fact, many countries around the world don't even offer a proper education for the children. For students like these, the only way to have a proper education might be to study in the United States.
According to the Institute of International Education, there were approximately 886,052 international students in 2014 and is getting higher every year (8% increase since 2013). It was also stated that there was a 72% increase of international student population in higher U.S. education such as colleges and universities since 2000. This shows how rapidly international students are entering the U.S. as well as how much foreigners contribute to the education system in America.
Although students and children from all around the world come to America to continue or even start on their education, many are forced to return to their country because they cannot afford to pay for their education. There are many reasons for this. The main reason for this is because college tuition is just too expensive for a foreigner. Many students in America graduate from their high school and decide to attend the state university that provides in-state tuition. This is justifiable because the purpose of in-state tuition is to provide for those who have already paid the taxes for the state while they were a in-state resident.
Another reason why international students cannot afford to stay in America is because they are not allowed to have any kind of jobs without a work permit. It is very common for students, especially college students, to have a part-time job in order to pay for their bills, food, tuition, and other basic necessities. Because of the problem of illegal immigrants coming in to the U.S. and "taking" jobs from Americans, the government has decided that it would be a good idea to not allow any international student to have a job. Although it is possible to get a work permit, there is a long and difficult process and is rarely given out. Because these students are not able to get jobs, many of them drop out and return to their country simply because they cannot afford to live. A solution for this problem could be allowing international students to have at least have a part time job, or at least make the work permit process easier.
I believe that America should be welcoming international students and making it easier for them to stay and have the proper education that they want. We are fortunate for an education system that allows for each and every student to have the opportunity to learn and achieve their dreams; why can't we share this opportunity to those around the world who aren't fortunate enough. Although immigrants are not completely without problems, we should still try to help all children around the world by providing them with hopes of coming to America and helping them achieving their goals.
According to the Institute of International Education, there were approximately 886,052 international students in 2014 and is getting higher every year (8% increase since 2013). It was also stated that there was a 72% increase of international student population in higher U.S. education such as colleges and universities since 2000. This shows how rapidly international students are entering the U.S. as well as how much foreigners contribute to the education system in America.
Although students and children from all around the world come to America to continue or even start on their education, many are forced to return to their country because they cannot afford to pay for their education. There are many reasons for this. The main reason for this is because college tuition is just too expensive for a foreigner. Many students in America graduate from their high school and decide to attend the state university that provides in-state tuition. This is justifiable because the purpose of in-state tuition is to provide for those who have already paid the taxes for the state while they were a in-state resident.
Another reason why international students cannot afford to stay in America is because they are not allowed to have any kind of jobs without a work permit. It is very common for students, especially college students, to have a part-time job in order to pay for their bills, food, tuition, and other basic necessities. Because of the problem of illegal immigrants coming in to the U.S. and "taking" jobs from Americans, the government has decided that it would be a good idea to not allow any international student to have a job. Although it is possible to get a work permit, there is a long and difficult process and is rarely given out. Because these students are not able to get jobs, many of them drop out and return to their country simply because they cannot afford to live. A solution for this problem could be allowing international students to have at least have a part time job, or at least make the work permit process easier.
I believe that America should be welcoming international students and making it easier for them to stay and have the proper education that they want. We are fortunate for an education system that allows for each and every student to have the opportunity to learn and achieve their dreams; why can't we share this opportunity to those around the world who aren't fortunate enough. Although immigrants are not completely without problems, we should still try to help all children around the world by providing them with hopes of coming to America and helping them achieving their goals.
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