How It's Made: Founding Fathers

Have you ever watched the show "How it's Made?" It is about... well... how things are made. The channel shows us in a factory setting the precise way an item is mass produced. Each product turns out perfectly identical or is tossed out with the reject pile. Some people are like this. They want to 'fit in' and be able to relate to everyone else rather than risk being different and going above the bare minimum amount of effort required of them (ahem... like me with some of my blogs). But those who are 'normal' rarely accomplish admirable feats because they lack persistence.

Villainous Business clearly shows us that Alexander Hamilton fits in any other description than 'perfect'. His upbringing was far from cushy. Alexander's mother, Rachel Fawcett Lavien, was pressured into wedding her first husband, John Lavien, who was abusive to her even when she was only a teenager. Sadly, Rachel was not blameless herself. It is recorded that Mr. Lavien had Rachel imprisoned for several months at a time for adultery. When her sentence was up, instead of returning to her husband she fled to St. Kitts where she met James Hamilton. Just a few years later, James abandoned Rachel and a young Alexander, leaving them in debt and poverty.

This is when Alexander made the choice to work tirelessly. At the young age of 11, he got a job to support what was left of his family. His mother also worked laboriously which led to her falling ill in 1768 when she died at age 38.

However, Alexander was not the product one would expect from such a tragic upbringing. His employers described him as "bright and ambitious". In fact, Hamilton was so impressive that his boss, Nicolas Cruger, and others helped gather enough money to send Alexander to America to get an education!

Hamilton did enroll into King's College but when he heard talk of the American Revolution he made the better economic decision to fight in the war for America's independence rather than finish up school. He even excelled in his military career where he was promoted to lieutenant of the Continental Army in 1777. This dedicated young man then earned the interest of THE general George Washington and was asked to be his number one assistant!

In 1800, Hamilton left the honorable position of Washington's assistant in order to study law and eventually became a lawyer. After becoming one of the most prestigious attorneys in Manhattan, Alexander was drawn further into government. He then made it his goal to establish a stronger federal government under the constitution- which caused him to butt heads with MANY people.

When Washington was elected president in 1786, Hamilton was appointed the first secretary of state in America. By the time Hamilton stepped down from his position in politics in 1795, he left the economy in a far more secure state then he found it.

Remember how I mentioned that Alexander tended to butt heads with other cabinet members? I was not exaggerating. Aaron Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel that ended his life in 1804.

Hamilton was far from perfect. His upbringing was woefully inadequate. He was stubborn and made some risky decisions. He is even famous for one of the first sex scandals in our nation's history. Yet, this makes him even more of an intriguing person when one considers his wonderful accomplishments in the constant uphill battle that was his life. Hamilton proves that there is no such thing as a 'cookie cutter' mold for a founding father or an influential person. He was persistent enough to flourish no matter what the circumstances were.

Smith, Newton, and Human Flourishing

I would like for you to read the lengthy definition of economics according to Investopedia and visualize what is involved in economics. Perhaps you are thinking of income, wealth, numbers, business and government. Now I will tell you about the economic giant known as the "founding father of capitalism".

Adam Smith was not famous for the reasons in association to economics you would think of at first. His book titled The Wealth of Nations focused primarily on a less expected subject than usual: public policy. His book focuses on that of human flourishing and is more philosophical than the average approach to economics which is that of practicality and number crunching. In his book, Adam Smith provides a good argument as to why philosophy is just as important to policy in regards to economics and defends economic liberty by focusing on individuals rather than numbers.

Adam Smith's definition of economics in accordance to human flourishing can be summed up in three categories: economic flourishing, political flourishing, and moral flourishing.

Smith refused to give into the mentality of an economic hierarchy in which only a minority has the opportunity of becoming prosperous while the 'lower class' is left in poverty. His reality of successful economic flourishing is a non-ranked system where the thriving of the multitudes allows the blooming of the minority to be far greater than it would be without a content majority. To be collectively prosperous is essential because a chain is no stronger than its weakest link. 

Are you willing to invest more time, money and energy into a pet you have grown fond of and named or a feral cat on the side of the road? Most would NOT go with the latter. In the same way, citizens of an economy are more prone to successful exchanges when they not only are assets to each other but an amity to each other as well. The combination of a utility and an allay is the perfect tool to build political flourishing.

According to The Huffington Post "We tend to mimic the smiles or frowns of others because it helps us better understand what other people are feeling, allowing us to respond appropriately". Our mimicry of body language can be compared to our tendency to thrive when others are succeeding in an economy. In regards to moral flourishing, man is inherently more likely to do well in a group of successful people than a group of unsuccessful people.

Most are familiar with Issac Newton's first law of motion stating that 'objects in motion tend to stay in motion while objects at rest tend to stay at rest'. The same can be said about Adam Smith's philosophy that the economy will boost in the event of individual flourishing. 

Pretend you have a task to complete while you and your whole family is on the couch watching TV and eating junk. Now picture just yourself doing that while the rest of your family is eating healthy, exercising and getting work done. You'll most likely be more motivated to finish your work when everyone else is being active. Collective success and happiness is the bridge for the people to reach individual flourishing in an economy.

Understanding Autism

     Autism affects one in every 68 children in the United States (Nordqvist). It is, in fact, the fastest growing disability not only in America but in the whole world! Why is it, then, that we know so little about autism?
     The effects of having a member of the family with autism can be tragic when those families who lack proper support and understanding of those around them (Effects of Autism). Society does not know enough about this widespread disorder. Lack of understanding and misinformation on the topic will not only affect autistic persons but will also disturb the well being of families with autistic individuals, which does spread from a personal to a global scale. 
     Extensive research in all areas of this topic point to primarily one key issue: lack of understanding.  In a study titled “Global Perspectives on Autism” 60 researchers and practitioners from around the globe contributed to a collection of studies aimed towards addressing the needs of those with autism around the world. Analysts of several countries including India, Mexico, Africa and South Korea all reported that “the impact of raising a child with autism extends into schools and the wider community with little awareness of autism and some negative experiences of discrimination.” (Global Perspectives). A national profile of autism discovered that “children with autism spectrum disorder were more likely to have unmet needs for specific health care services” than children with other disorders. A report on the state impact of autism shows that “autism is the fastest growing special education eligibility category for public education in California and the nation”(Around the World). Despite researchers revealing that there is now an increasingly high demand for the expansion services for autistic students statewide, the report shows that these services are “in no way commonly provided”(Around the World). This is one of many reasons why the understanding, acceptance and further support for people with autism should be advocated. It will not hurt anyone to learn more about autism. It will, however, provide a better environment for those with autism if they are globally and locally supported. 
     I openly admit that I was hesitant to interview different denominations’ perspectives on my senior project, thinking that my topic had nothing to do with religious worldviews. Boy, was I wrong! Not only were these interviews insightful, they were also incredibly eye-opening as to why we need to understand more about autism. The three different questions I asked each person I interviewed are as follows: First, “Are autistic people equal to others in God’s eyes?" Secondly, “Would it benefit your church to better understand the needs of autistic people in order to minister to them?” Lastly, “Do you have a ministry program for people with autism?”. A Mainline Protestant speaker of First United Methodist Church agreed that autistic people are equal to everyone else in God’s eyes because “He created everyone”. They also told me that “nobody fully understands autism” and a better understanding of it would be beneficial to their church. They also clarified that their church does not have an outreach program for autistic people. A Roman Catholic administrator of St. Isidore Catholic Church had similar views to the first church I interviewed. They said that autistic people are equal to others in the eyes of the Lord because we are “all God’s children”. The second question was met with confusion in regards of “where to start”. For the final query, I was pleased to hear that their “church does have a group of parent volunteers that teach special needs children about their faith”.  Another speaker from the Eastern Orthodox Church concurred that “autistic people are equal to others in the eyes of God.” They also acknowledged that it would “be beneficial for their church to know more about autism”. Lastly, they affirmed that they do not have an outreach program for autistic people. The most shocking interview I had was with an anonymous speaker of an Evangelical Church. He confessed to me that he felt unequipped to answer questions about autism on behalf of his church because he “didn’t understand enough on the topic”.  All denominations agreed that each human life is sacred and should be treated with dignity and that they would benefit from understanding more about autism. However, not a single church I interviewed has an outreach program that is specifically aimed towards autistic individuals.    
     It is already challenging enough that someone with autism will most likely have difficulty trying to fit in and make sense of their surroundings. However, the real struggling occurs when they are surrounded by people who lack understanding of their world. Autistic individuals commonly develop stress-reducing behaviors that can make them appear strange or unruly. As a result of a mass misunderstanding, they are judged by others for behaving ‘oddly’ or being ‘weird’. Parents may even avoid taking their autistic child out to public places rather than face the reactions from people who do not understand their condition; this may cause the child with autism and their family to become housebound and isolated, which has a profound effect on their social and emotional well being (Effects of Autism).
     Parents of an autistic child who lack support, not wanting to be rejected by the outside world, will commonly avoid the rejection in the only way they see possible: by isolating themselves and their families. As a consequence, they feel guilty that their child is missing out on a ‘normal’ life and discontented not being able to give their child everything they need to thrive. In an unideal situation such as this parents may feel not only isolated but also depressed. Emotional and physical exhaustion often drowns the life of a parent who is too frightened of society judging them to reach out for help. (What is Autism)
      Siblings also suffer serious emotional effects from growing up in this kind of stressful environment; they tend to feel as if they are unable to successfully go out as a family and they may have trouble making friends due to dysfunction in their home. A very common occurrence when parents do not have enough support and are not fully equipped to oversee their autistic child is the sibling of the autistic child becomes a caretaker in an attempt to help out Mom and Dad. Siblings feel they need to and may take on the overwhelming responsibility of, essentially, growing up too young.  While they are straining to save one life, they are destroying their own. The pressure and neglect of a sibling having too many obligations are well documented to have long-term psychological effects on that sibling (Effects of Autism).
     Since families are what form society, it is society itself that is most negatively affected in misunderstanding what autism is.  The whole point of family is for kids to have an environment to learn social skills, life values and morality (Hoffman). When a family feels abandoned by the community, it can become broken and dysfunctional. In this case, not only do all members of the family miss out on living the fulfilling lives they should, but the children of this home will oftentimes not grow up in healthy environments (Effects of Autism). With fully functional families comes structure, accountability and acceptance. If you think about it, each family has its own culture. A family with an autistic child has the potential to bring some extra flamboyance and life to others when that family reaches out in communities. However, if they isolate themselves due to fear of being misunderstood or rejected, they are short-changing themselves and others. 
     I grew up with the mindset that autism should be “healed” or “changed”. My little sister, Julia, who is now 15 years old, has autism. I recall having long prayer sessions with my family for God to bring Julia healing. Now that I think about it, it is not Julia who needs changing. In actuality, it was I who needs to change my mindset. I am constantly reminded of the bible story in John chapter 9 when Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth (Holy Bible). The man had done no wrong. The man was blind in accordance with God’s will because He wanted to use the man’s healing for His glory. A common theory to deduct from this verse is that God created people like my sister just to change them but this message is only a half-truth. God created Julia in His image to further glorify His kingdom of heaven. Genesis 1:27 clearly states that “God created mankind in His own image”. Mankind includes all people, not just those that the public considers “normal”. In Psalms 139:13 King David elaborates more on God’s creation of man by proclaiming “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.” Each delicate part of mankind was created by God. This verse can be used as a friendly reminder that God does not make mistakes! Everything the Lord does is for a purpose. Julia is loved by God just as much as any other beautiful person He has created. It is important for people to understand this if they are to support an autistic individual and their family.
     Autism is a spectrum disorder which means that no autistic person is the same (McAfee). Of course, everyone is completely unique in their own way. However, different spectrums mean that no autistic person is the same neurologically. Autism is a pervasive full-body interference that involves varying levels of disability, depending on both the situation in which an individual is placed and the expectations that are set upon them. In other words, people with autism can have rich, fulfilling lives, given the proper tools to grow (Greenspan). In this way, an autistic person is quite similar to everyone else; they simply require more tools than most people to thrive, which is why they need community support. Although autism is something a person is born with, it does not define who they are. Ignorant titles such as “retarded” that are used to label an autistic person is an injustice to who that individual truly is.  Defining someone only as “autistic” is similar to referring to someone as “fat”; it is a possibility that the person they addressed may be overweight, but it is unfair for that label to consume their identity. Each autistic person is an exclusive individual created by God who is full of personality, passions, and love just like you and me.
     “Spectrum” in ‘autism spectrum disorder’ reflects the wide variation in challenges and strengths possessed by each person with autism. Autism Spectrum Disorder, or “ASD” for short, will range in severity from a handicap that somewhat limits an otherwise normal life to a devastating disability that may require institutional care (Nordqvist). Where someone lands on the ‘spectrum’ is a guideline that shows how well an autistic person adapts to the world; this means that if an autistic individual feels too much over-stimulation they will have to find an outlet (such as a tic) in order to calm themselves down because they may feel overwhelmed. This response is not entirely different from the way the majority of people handle things. Sometimes, life can be hectic, exhausting, or stressful, and we all need an outlet. In a sense, we are all somewhere on the spectrum (DeMeritt).
     Certain qualities of people with autism, if misconstrued by others, may hinder their social life. It is sometimes difficult for an autistic person to interpret the feelings of other people. This makes it a bit of a challenge to empathize with these people. It is in this sort of situation that someone may get offended by an autistic person’s words or actions when, in reality, they are not trying to be rude in the first place. For example, once when my hair was a mess, I was sweaty from playing kickball and I was wearing a not particularly cute outfit, my sweet little sister with autism, Julia, looked straight up at me and proclaimed “Wow! You look ugly!” It is these kinds of circumstances that provide a great opportunity to kindly remind someone with autism to keep other people’s feelings in consideration. Constant positive repeats of this message will help them better connect with others. At this point, if I were to get offended by my sister rather than teach her, it would only worsen the situation.
     One way an autistic person may deal with stress is by means of performing ‘tics’(Autism and Tic Disorders). Tics (sometimes called ‘stims’) are physical or in some cases verbal actions that may seem unnatural and maybe even frightening. Due to this, tics are oftentimes shunned because they make other people feel uncomfortable and perhaps embarrass, shock or worry parents because it appears their child with ASD cannot control their actions. In reality, tics are usually voluntary movements which are extremely common in most autistic people. When a tic is prohibited or discouraged, it simply worsens an already uncomfortable situation for someone with autism because if the tic is not expressed, the urge to follow through with it does not stop. A tic is similar to having a mosquito bite in the sense that the urge to scratch it becomes even stronger the more you think about not scratching it. Julia has a stim in which she presses her lips into the crook of her elbow when she is uncomfortable. Writing this down seems strange and reading may seem even more bizarre. It is for this reason that we need to understand what tics are as to not misinterpret them. A tic, simply put, is an action done to calm oneself in an overstimulating situation. I used to get upset with Julia when she would perform those jerky movements. It seemed as if she was biting her arm and that was unbearably awkward and unsettling to watch. Until one day, when I was taking Julia for a walk. I started talking to her and she performed her stem again. Perturbed by this point, I asked her “why do you do that?” to which she responded “it makes me feel better”. It was at this point that I finally started to gain some insight into her point of view. While a tic can be interpreted as uncouth to some, it is merely a coping mechanism for others. 
     Academic as well as social and language skills development for someone with ASD will most likely be more difficult for them in comparison to the average child. Although many children with autism are intellectually impaired in some aspects, it is not uncommon for those with ASD to be exceptional at learning cognitive skills. In truth, a sizable proportion of people with autism have high IQs and a unique talent for computer science. In fact, a German software development giant called ‘Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing’ is planning to hire hundreds of people with autism by 2020 as software testers, programmers and data quality assurance specialists (Motzkau). Sadly, many autistic individuals are oftentimes socially isolated. This is upsetting because social developmental growth is every bit as important as growing academically. The deficiency of social development for autistic persons is oftentimes a result of poor understanding of their disorder. 
     The ultimate key to understanding autism is fighting the myths that tend to surround it (Karidis). First and foremost, simply because people with autism may not express their feelings in the same way we do does not mean they do not experience the same feelings we do. An autistic individual feels sadness, pain, love and happiness just as we do; regardless of the possibility that they may imply it differently than us. They can, without a doubt, feel the way we do whether or not they express their feelings the in the same way as us. Since autism is frequently paired with negative connotations, it is important to understand the ‘sunny side of the spectrum’ instead of dwelling on the unideal. For instance, when Julia made an unfavorable remark on my appearance, instead of feeling gloomy I appreciated her honesty, showered and changed my outfit. We should make it our goals to find the beauty in people rather than the flaws.
     Throughout this report, we have seen that ignorance is not bliss when it comes to the understanding of autism. We have detected that if an autistic individual's behavior is misperceived, it will usually affect the well being of them and their families. It has also been revealed that the needs of autistic people have not been adequately fulfilled in public schools near us and around the world. We can also recognize that although the churches interviewed in this paper agree that God loves autistic people just as much as He adores everyone else, they do not have specific ministries for them. We can also note that there is confusion in regards to the facts and myths of autism. It is for all these reasons that I encourage you to get involved in autism-friendly events and educational activities that will take place in April for Autism Awareness Month. Several functions that will take place in April are quick and easy to learn about on reliable sites such as autism-society.org and autismspeaks.org. Promoting these events will support autism awareness, provide inclusion, and bolster self-determination for those with ASD. Getting involved is an assurance that each person with autism is provided with the opportunity to achieve the highest possible quality of life. 

Works Cited

 "Around the World." Monarchcenterforautism.org. Monarch Center for Autism, 2009. Web. 18 Feb. 2017.
"Autism and Tic Disorders." Seattlechildrens.org. Seattle Children’s Hospital, 23 Sept. 2013. Web. 9 Jan. 2017.
"Effects of Autism on the Individual and Their Family." Autismbedfordshire.net. Autism Bedfordshire, 21 Mar. 2017. Web. 15 Jan. 2017.
"Global Perspectives on Autism." Medicine.mcgill.ca. Ed. Elsabbagh, Bailey, and Mayada Elsabbagh. Canadian National Network of Centers of Excellence, 2012. Web. 7 Mar. 2017.
 Greenspan, Stanley I., and Serena Wieder. Engaging Autism. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo, 2009. Print.
Hoffman, Jan. “Along the Autism Spectrum, a Path Through Campus Life.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 19 Nov. 2016
 Holy Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 2015.
 Karidis, Arlene. “How to Help Children with Autism.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 20 Mar. 2017. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.
McAfee, Jeanette. Navigating the Social World: A Curriculum for Individuals with Asperger's Syndrome, High Functioning Autism and Related Disorders: Future Horizons, 2013. Print.
Motzkau, Martin. "Autistic Workers a Worthwhile Challenge for SAP." Spiegel.de. Spiegel, 22 May 2013. Web. 17 Feb. 2017.
 Nordqvist, Christian. "What Is Autism?" Medicalnewstoday. Healthline Media, 11 June 2015. Web. 8 Jan. 2017.
 "WHAT IS AUTISM?" myautism.org. American Autism Association, 2016. Web. 15 Feb. 2017.
“Your Religious Community.” Autism Speaks, Autism Speaks Inc, 24 July 2012. Web. 14 Jan. 2017.

The Winter of Our Top Banana

According to the article by James Pethokoukis, America is economically thriving but its happiness is stunted. The search for happiness and the need for economic growth tend to be at odds with each other because Americans tend to be easily dissatisfied. James' writing titled "Why I’ll take economic growth over ‘happiness’ any day" claims that the reason behind the United State's discontent is "the entire idea of drawing broad, cross-country conclusions from these subjective, survey-driven happiness indexes".

I was on my school's cross country team. I was required to run a long distance- everyone in the race is. But what if you are not happy with your race results? Not to sound like a Disney movie but when it comes to some long-term goal such as this, happiness comes from within... follow your heart. Just kidding, that is waaay too Disney. Happiness comes from reaching your personal goals and being genuinely content with your own personal growth, despite the fact that you might not be top banana in the eyes of other competitors. You have to be your own top banana.

In paragraph one I touched on the idea that Americans tend to be easily dissatisfied. Is that inherently a bad thing? I would argue it is actually good for our economic growth, despite it being not so great for our happiness. Since we live in a capitalistic country, dissatisfaction in one product means satisfaction in another because we have options and competition! Being "unhappy" in an economic sense is not a big deal (unless you are actually living in poverty). Being unfulfilled with a product simply paves the way for a better one. WOO CAPITALISM! So, unhappiness in the economic world should not be portrayed as "The Winter of Our Discontent" but rather as an opportunity or motivation to make that better product, get that promotion, sell that car, get that job or nail that interview.

So, does capitalism leave us room to be comfortably miserable and constantly wallow in our discontent? UH OH SPAGHETTI-O'S! If you answered "yes" you are missing the point of capitalism and self-improvement... better luck next time, kiddo. Dissatisfaction should not be treated as an excuse for melancholy, but rather, it should be seen as a big ol' light bulb going off in your head saying "heyyyy... maybe I should stop buying this crappy product" or "oohhh... maybe I should not work at McDonald's all my life."   

So, as the artificial James wrote addresses discontent as "unhappiness" I would say that it is, in fact, a beneficial thing to be unsatisfied in certain moments. I draw this conclusion due to the fact that being unhappy with your circumstances is a big push to change for the better. So, 'not being happy', although it does not seem entirely good at first, can be used as a helpful tool in order to drive the economy up in a healthy way by means of self-advancement. You can not live a stagnant, dull, unfulfilling life and still be happy with yourself because we are made to have dominion over the earth, rather than mope around. Our instinctive drive to keep on pushing to be the top banana is what makes capitalism so successful. It is the cherry on the banana split. Heh. Now I gotta split. Heh. I'm not peeling too well. Heh. But seriously I need to eat lunch.

ARE YOU bREADY FOR MORE???

There are several motivations for investing in Panera bread. Ryan Derousseau, an investment journalist, elaborates on why to invest by announcing that "Panera is riding a wave of health-conscious consumers in order to maintain its edge." I predict that the Panera Bread restaurant that will be opening soon in Yuba City will be successful because, aside from regular orders, they provide catering and online ordering opportunities. Although there are several restaurants in Yuba City to compete with the newly opening Panera, it stands a good chance in the competition due to its healthy menu options.

Panera Bread's success can be accredited to its genius franchise model. This franchise model helps increase profitability by offering a steady stream of revenue in the form of rent and royalty income. Franchsiment of the company is always boosting it further because in order for any company to franchise Panera, the company is required by its partner, Panera, to open at least 15 bakery-cafés within a six-year period in any given market. This means that more successful bakeries are being opened regualarly which is a great boost for Panera's shareholders.

Now, something that may seem to be a barrier for this restaurant will actually put it at an advantage over its competitors- raising of the minimum wage. Raising of the minimum wage will without a doubt raise prices of restaurants. This puts Panera Bread at an advantage over other companies because it has healthy and high quality eating options such as organic and gluten free foods that are worth paying the extra money for; opposed to a competitor whose options are not worth the extra cost.

Panera Bread is also one of the highest in quality fast food places in the United States. Aside from making large strides in its catering business, Panera has better increased the superiority of its restaurant by means of expensive kitchen revamps and technological improvements.

In fact, Panera has been so successful that it became a temporary problem in 2014 known as the "high class dining issue". People would walk in the restuant, see the long line and fancier dining and leave thinking it was too long a wait to linger around a while. Rather than lose customers, Panera acted fast by improving its services by means of more catering options, better technology and more efficient services.

Due to Panera's 15 bakeries a year franchising plan, it has become incredibly widespread with the quality and efficiency to keep up with higher demands and a much larger amount of customers. Plus Panera Bread offers garlic bread in their store, which is the best form of bread. It is beauty. It is grace. I say that not as an opinion, but as a fact. For example, it's about 60 degrees right now, i’m wearing a black shirt and duck pajama pants and garlic bread is the best form of bread known to mankind. These are undeniable facts. It is for all these reasons why you should strike while the iron is hot and invest in Panera. Fun fact: The Ivestopedia stock has been up since I got it.

The Educated Spouse Powerhouse

You are not wasting your education doing something you love. People who say that women are wasting their education on staying home and raising kids is horribly mistaken if the women’s passion in life is to raise children. Traditionally women are the ones to stay home and take care of children not because they are lesser than men but rather because they can better play that home-maker role than most men.
 

 The term “homemaker” makes one think of someone who just babysits buys groceries and cleans the house. This alone is important for a functional home but a homemaker can always be more than that.

If a women is to get an education and end up becoming a “house spouse” is she wasting her time, money and life? Not necessarily. A homemaker can be so much more than society's cardboard cutout of what they appear to be. Simply because someone does not get a salary, does not mean they are unreliable. In fact, I would trust a volunteer, for example, at a Sunday school more with kids than someone who is only willing to do the job to get paid. Why? Because they are passionate enough to take care of kids regardless of their “position”.

If people think that women who got educations should be reserved for paying jobs, then who do they expect to raise children? This just leaves us with uneducated people raising our youth. Would it not be better for society and the economy for an educated mother to be raising kids? The children will grow up in a nurturing and well-rounded environment with both mom and dad as educated role models for them. Now, since these children are a being raised so well, they are more likely to get an education themselves, especially with both parents being able to guide them through college, having both been through it.
 

Homemakers should be encouraged in their choice to use their education as a tool to raise their children, rather than be discouraged because their position doesn't pay. They are making a wise decision in better mentally equipping themselves before raising the very kids that will be our next generation of homemakers and paid workers.

These articles reminded me of the preacher that came to our school to speak Friday. He explained to us that pastors are in place to better equip the congregation to spread the gospel. So, if pastors get a bible education are they wasting their lives if they are equipping people to go on missions trips and not attending the trips themselves? No. They are educating, helping and encouraging others. This is something that would be extremely difficult without an education. Both the job of the pastor and what each person in the congregation chooses to do with his message is irreplaceable.

So, should women be discouraged from raising children and get jobs instead? Absolutely not! Women should have a choice. Educated mothers open a realm of possibilities for their children which will, in turn, be even more beneficial to the economy and the value of family. The mentality that women with educations should be bound to getting jobs rather than raising children because they should be “free” is the very idea that strips them of their freedom. HOUSE-SPOUSING WITHOUT SHAME! DESTROY THE ANTI-PATRIARCHY!

Freedom to Fail

Freedom is the ability for a person to act as they want without hindrance or restraint. When read or spoken this word often displays an image of a bald eagle soaring through the sky or an American flag waving in the wind in my mind. Freedom is always a good thing, right? Up until recent events, the last thing I would think of when someone mentions 'freedom' is 'car crash'.  Yes, the package of self-rule comes with an ugly bow of responsibility that is often tossed out when the gift is received.

According to road crash statistics, nearly 1.3 million people die in road crashes each year. That is a total average of 3,287 deaths a day! Road crashes are the leading cause of death among young people ages 15-29. Everyone can agree that car accidents are tragic and we want to prevent them.  The real question is: "what can we do to actually reduce wrecks?"

Will regulation prevent car collisions? We all know there is an excess amount of restrictions for drivers. Abiding by these laws are simple enough but that does not necessarily mean we follow them. When was the last time you went over the speed limit or answered a text while driving? I am not trying to guilt-trip anyone. Reasons for breaking these seemingly irrelevant laws are justifiable. Maybe someone will speed to work in order to not lose their job or they will answer an important text while still on the road. It is the fact that breaking these safety rules seems innocent that makes distracted driving such a  dangerously common cause of injuries and death. Rules will always be broken when the value of breaking them at first seems to outweigh the cost.

Technology is a great way to minimize motor vehicle impact, right? After all, 90-93% of car crashes are caused by human error. Autonomous cars have already been created, they are just not street legal, yet. It seems that crashes will be nearly impossible when such advanced technology is in charge! Yet, we need to be reminded that it is humans that are developing these new technologies. Not only that, these new cars are also extremely expensive and will not be owned by the common driver.




Distracted driving is the number one cause of accidents on the road. A few months ago, my dad and older brother were involved in a car crash only to find out the lady who hit them was doing her makeup while driving. March 1, 2017, my mom and four younger siblings were rear-ended by someone not entirely paying attention to the backed up the highway. The day after, a friend of mine was also hit by a distracted driver. Thankfully, all of these people survived the crash, yet many cars were destroyed and my little sister is still in the hospital.

Will there ever be an end to driving accidents? The truth is, the roads will never be danger free because everyone is bound to break rules and make mistakes. Traffic will be the safest when people realize that their actions can affect other driver's lives. Of course, nobody intends for their texting while driving or reckless speeding to harm anyone, but by the time they are impacted enough to really learn that lesson a crash has already occurred. The high cost of cleanup, medical bills and lives simply are not worth it.