Randy's Abortion Issue

I understand what your saying but everything in life we all as human beings disagree on something. I think the people that do disagree on abortion maybe just have not experienced it or have not been in the position where they might consider it, which is why they are against it. Point is I agree with you on how we the public should have more of a say as to what we women do or don't want to do with our bodies.

As I was reading Is abortion justifiable in cases of rape or incest? I believe it should be an option women have if they do want to have in abortion in cases like these. I'm not knowledgeable in rape cases but I do know for a fact that it is something that people hate and suppress in their lifetime, so why have a remembrance of it?

We as citizens should have a voice in what we want to do with our body!

How do I contribute?

How do I or we contribute to Texas state and local government?

I believe that paying taxes on goods to the local government is a huge contribution. We pay taxes for mostly everything we buy. The taxes we pay each day help our state and local government stand as it is today. I have to admit paying taxes is no fun but we are so use to it, that it comes naturally. Without us taxpayers our state would be in a bad condition.

Another way I believe I contribute to Texas state and local government is by simply being a student. I attend Austin Community College and therefore pay my tuition bill which goes to the school, professors, and local government. This money is used to give me an education as well as be able to have facilities that can give myself and others the chance for an education. I also feel that by going to school I can one day use my knowledge I learned to somehow help the state of Texas in whatever job I may pursue.

Contributing to Texas state and local government doesn't necessarily mean that it has to be done money wise but it can also be what you can do for a state, community, or people. We all contribute something to this state whether it is knowledge to our job or knowledge we share with our family. Being a good citizen is crucial for everyone. If all citizens of Texas were "good people" there would be less crime and peace in this world.

Texas state and local government gives us much of the public things we use today such as schools and highways as well as try do what is best for the people. So how do we give back?

Next time you think about how you contribute to Texas state and local government or how does it contribute to you think about everything you do each day or what you plan to do in the future.

Costly Mistakes

We all make mistakes. While reading the Austin American Statesman I came across the editorial Show us that we can trust you. An Austin Police officer Leonardo Quintana makes a mistake to not turn on his dashboard camera and murders Nathaniel Sanders II. Police claim that as Quintana approached Sanders, he had a gun so the officer was acting in self defense. According to the article Quintana had opportunities to activate his patrol car camera but did not, in return this has caused minorities and citizens to question Austin Police trust.

This editorial enlightens the Austin residents, police officers, and citizens all over America. The evidence the writer has comes from the Travis County grand jury, Leonardo Quintana, and police department leader Acevedo. Police officers should always do what they are trained to do if you have the chance to do it. Another thing citizens, minorities or not why should we carry a gun in our car?

In conclusion this has led to Sanders' family to file a lawsuit against the Austin Police department, which in return involves us tax payers. I agree that Quintana made a mistake, but in my opinion it was unnecessary. We are all trained to do our job right so do it if possible. I want to be able to trust my community's police department and I know they are trying their best to clear everything up but can it not be at tax payer's expense? Decisions we make sometimes do not just involve ourselves but others as well.

Do you consume alcohol?

In the Austin American Statesman newspaper the editorial There will be blood is brought to the attention of Austin drinkers. The argument in this editorial is we as citizens should have medical staff take our blood if needed to be tested for alcohol consumption rather than police officers. Some people refuse to blow in the breath alcohol testers supplied by police officers, which is why taking a blood sample is the alternative to whether or not an individual is intoxicated. The author received his/her sources from the Austin City Council. Drinking and driving is a very dangerous maneuver in any part of the country so as to this resolution passed I believe it is a good idea. Honestly if I were ever to be in that situation I would rather have someone in the medical staff take my blood rather a police officer. On my behalf and I'm sure of other Austin residents we trust that our police officers are trained to do their job but I'd rather have a specialized medical employee do anything that is involved with my health. Austin is a hot spot for drinking due to our infamous 6th street why is why police offers are enforcing a "no refusal" operation with blood testing if they feel the need. The author agrees that taking blood is no fun but it has to be done because there is many dangerous drivers out that can harm an innocent person's life or their own. The author also states "Mandatory blood tests are their worst nightmare." I think we can agree that if you've been drinking and driving you do not want to get caught, so getting a blood test would be your least favorite thing to do at the time. I side with the author and how relieved he/she felt after Austin City Council gave the right of taking blood to medical staff rather than police officers.

Did you ever feel like you were not prepared enough for middle school, high school, or college? I attended the University of Texas at Austin my freshman year of college and boy was I lost and overwhelmed! So where did my education or our education go wrong? According to The Dallas Morning News and their editorial about education some elementary teachers are not qualified to teach the required core subjects effectively to children. In response the U.S. Department of Education wants to make it a requirement for first-year elementary teachers in Texas to pass a broad exam in order to be "qualified". By doing this test it is not for sure that teachers will be exceptional but it can help eliminate teachers that are not qualified. The Texas Education Agency is now waiting for Washington's approval. I hope that this compromise is approved in order for children to have acceptable stepping stones in order to build on their education and not be as unfortunate as I was.