SoPo Issues

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One of the main focuses at We Are is teaching our generation about politics and social issues. We believe this is so important because in the world we live in, politics define who we are, our groups, preferences, mindset and what separates us from the other political groups. Politics has consumed us so largely that we refuse to listen to other sides of the argument just because we think we believe something so strongly that any other solution isn’t right. The sad part is, even adults have let politics take over their lives in a way that leads them to perform such disgusting and hateful acts to each other. This will transfer over to our future members of society if we don’t try to make a change to it now. 

We never realize how heavily this negligence towards educating young people about these topics is affecting our nation until we see it for ourselves. The first time I noticed the neglect of knowledge towards our world in our youth was when I was talking to one of my friends at school. To put it quite frankly she was a supporter of the All Lives Matter movement. It never occurred to me that someone I got along with so well had such drastically different opinions. After further discussion, I realized that she had no clue what the All Lives Matter movement was about. She told me, “I support it because I don’t want all non-black people to die.” And when I tried to explain to her that that was not the intent behind the movement, it prompted disbelief. She said, “No, my parents support it so I don’t believe you.” When I explained the killings of many people because of the color of their skin, and the many prejudices faced by the African American community, she was in shock. And this was when it truly hit me. 

Everywhere I would go I would see kids making decisions without considering the other side. People were breaking friendships and hurling insults over their opinions, making decisions that would harm them simply because they didn’t know the reality of the situation.

I wondered why our youth was so misinformed and judgemental. So, I started doing research. I found that according to  Common Sense Media: Age-Based Media Reviews for Families  in a survey they made in 2017, they claimed that 56% of kids don’t understand fake news apart from real ones. According to a very recent study as described by CNN in 2021, 3/4 people think they can spot fake news when they actually can't. 47% of teens choose Facebook as their preferred news media outlet which coincidentally has the most spread of false political news. But most of all, so many kids in the country don’t even know what is happening in their very own world. 

This led me to the question of why? Why are kids so misinformed? And this was when it truly hit me. We never tackle these issues in the place where we spend an overwhelming amount of time, a majority of our waking hours during weekdays, near 1000 hours annually according to  according to ED100.org. School. Ah school. The most bittersweet place of all.

We are taught to ignore these pieces of life and instead of learning how to deal with a difference in opinion, we simply don’t talk about it. Youth are taught to keep their opinions to themselves, and aren’t given a chance to see the opposing side’s arguments. They are not given a chance to see real situations, and instead base their information off hearsay. I wonder how this translates once we get out of school, into the real world. Actually I know. That is the problem. 

An attack happened on the United States Capital in January this year. People who were brainwashed, raided the capital violently, resulting in the deaths of 5 and injuries of dozens according to the NY Times. These people were young when they were slapped with false claims and pressure to be a part of certain affiliations, and because they were not even haven a chance to look at other people’s perspectives or how to deal with a difference in opinion at their homes or schools, when someone added to their fire, they exploded and did an act of hate and greed. These people never learned how to deal with conflict. If we don’t start teaching kids about the importance of respect and empathy, then what happened at the capital will repeat over and over again. 

They will forget about the past participles, and lattice multiplication, and the eighteenth child of that ancient British monarch they had to take a test on. But when they turn eighteen they are slapped in the face with things they failed to mention, like relationships, politics, finance, mental health, drugs, loans, and how to deal with conflict and difference in opinion. This needs to change.

Instead of ignoring these issues, and convincing ourselves that they aren’t important, we need to take it head on. Especially nowadays that there is an abundance of violence, disagreements, and misinformation. And I’m not saying we need to completely abolish everything we are taught in school. A lot of the things we learn in school are important, like basic arithmetic and history, but we also NEED to implement things that will help us succeed in life. 

If we start introducing kids to these topics from an early age, they will have a better understanding of the world as we know it and will be much better equipped to tackle issues they will face. 

And not just politics and world affairs, there are so many other topics that we are so undereducated about. This change needs to happen in both our curriculum and in what we’re taught outside of school. 

We need to know how to write a proper application, apply for jobs. We need to know more about trafficking, our bodies, how to protect them and preserve both our mental and physical health. And we need to teach boys about menstruation! It is a normal human thing that most females experience, and the sooner we normalize it, the less it will be taboo or something to be teased about. We need to learn about drugs, vaping, and how exactly they affect one’s body. We need to learn about peer pressure and how to say no. We need to educate ourselves and others and make our opinions based on facts. 

Most importantly, we need to know the basic concepts of morality and compassion, respect and dignity, valuing each other, and handling conflict with civility regardless of their beliefs, religions, backgrounds, genders, etc. And we need to do this in order to prevent what we’ve all seen we’re capable of. 

And since we can’t change the entirety of the public school system (not yet, atleast), we are going to make reliable, factual episodes on social and political issues and injustices that our youth needs to understand properly, without any fake news or conspiracy theories. We will update our youth on important events every single week to ensure they know more about the world they live in. This is so important as we grow up so we can make decisions that are legitimate and valid, as well as reasonable and logical, which is quite the opposite of a lot of events that have happened recently. Maybe even by educating people on issues like these, we can inspire some people to inflict change and spread knowledge on something else that they are passionate about. Most importantly, all political knowledge behind, we want to teach kids about listening to different perspectives, having more open mindsets, and dealing with conflict in a dignified and respectful manner. We want to stop whatever heinous acts that have been committed in the past from ever happening again.

Citations:

“Do Tweens and Teens Believe ‘Fake News’?” Common Sense Media: Ratings, Reviews, and Advice, Do tweens and teens believe "fake news"?

Prior, Ryan. “Most Americans Think They Can Spot Fake News. They Can't, Study Finds.” CNN, Cable News Network, 1 June 2021, Most Americans think they can spot fake news. They can't, study finds

Healy, Jack. “These Are the 5 People Who Died in the Capitol Riot.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 11 Jan. 2021, These Are the 5 People Who Died in the Capitol Riot 

Poverty is a pressing matter in our society today and affects more people and youth then you would probably expect. Poverty in youth is actually a main focus here at We Are, and a topic that especially compels me. 

When we as an organization expand to the point of being a registered nonprofit organization, our donations will go towards helping kids in poverty gain resources that will help them succeed, as well as providing materials for a hands-on approach to teaching. 

One of the main reasons we started this organization was because we noticed that kids in poverty have even less access to proper and reliable education and opportunity. I am going to start off this section with talking about what poverty is, how common it is in our country and across the world, the effects of poverty on youth, and ways to help.

Poverty is officially defined as being in a state of not having enough material possessions orm  income for a person's basic needs. The United States has a significantly less poverty rate than other third world countries, however the rate of poverty is still so high that 14.4% of kids in 2019 were living in poverty at a point in their childhood. That is over one per every ten people. In fact, the poverty rate for kids is almost 5% larger than adults. 

The rate is even worse for children of color. Over 35% of African American children lived in poverty as of 2019. This is a completely outrageous amount and not only makes living difficult to survive in, but also induces a much harder path for success and opportunities.  According to Caroline Ratcliffe, a seasoned individual on the topic of poverty, kids in poverty “struggle academically, do not complete high school, and have spotty employment as young adults.” 

This leads me to the next topic of discussion: how kids are affected specifically by poverty and the long term effects of poverty. Adult achievement is closely correlated to childhood poverty and the length of time one may live in poverty. According to a study by Ratcliffe in late 2015, persistently poor children are 13 percent less likely to complete high school and 43 percent less likely to graduate from college than financially stable children or children who are not persistently poor. Not only is this true, but only less than five percent of children in poverty complete college by the age of 25, and also have an extremely lower rate of consistent employment. 

People living in poverty also commonly have to leave school as teenagers so they can support their families, which leaves them without the cognitive and literacy skills needed to further their careers. Kids in poverty also have a tendency to do worse in school, not only because of the bad teaching systems and less resources, but also because kids in poverty feel less inclined to want to achieve a higher education because they feel destined to do whatever work their parents do, or to drop out. 

Less education means not as good of a job, which in turn leads to dire financial situations which could lead to so many other problems involving healthcare, children, violence, basic needs, transportation, etc. This means that children in poverty have a much lower chance of having an improved quality of life as adults, which will simply continue this string of poverty in youth.

However, this issue does not just correlate with academic outcomes, but also with many other factors. Many kids in poverty also live in worse neighborhoods which brings with it an increase of violence, bad company, and gangs. This group of young adults is more susceptible to drugs, alcohol, and overall addiction. They are typically exposed to growing up faster, so they see a lot of violence at a young age and do not get to properly develop a fair childhood. 

Youth in poverty does not have enough access to other things such as healthcare and knowledge about things such as birth control, which leads to both worsened health conditions (thus a lower life expectancy) and also an increased chance of premarital childbirth. In fact poor kids have a higher chance of being in poor health as compared to non-poor kids. These can include an increase in obesity, asthma, infant mortality,  injuries, mental health problems, etc. 

Kids in poverty also have a 30 percent higher chance of becoming pregnant before marriage than youth that is never poor. This could also play a large role in the outcome of their lives.

The last major aspect I would want to discuss is how kids in poverty are treated socially. In school, kids that think of themselves as higher up on the social hierarchy ladder often pick on those kids who are struggling at home, which could leave a lot of negative mental health conditions. 

On top of all the pessimism and rude behavior these individuals face on a daily basis, many of their situations at home make it difficult for them to focus on anything else. Because the parental poverty rate is correlated with the child poverty rate, most of the kids in poverty have parents who are also in poverty. This means that many of their parents do not have sturdy work or relationships, which could take an extreme toll on their young, impressionable minds, which is a major reason why kids in poverty also have many more behavioral and emotional issues. 

It’s not that children in poverty don’t have any potential to be as successful as adults, it’s simply that our society makes it difficult to get out of the loop of being in the social status that you were born into. Poorer kids especially are not given the opportunities and tools needed to even consider breaking societal boundaries. 

And keep in mind, most of these statistics are just for Americans. Across the world, poverty rates and outcomes are so much more drastic and need attention. Many more parts play a role in these third world countries including race, gender, age, location, etc.

To help, first and always, educate yourself. Do not be judgmental. If you see a kid at your school struggling, offer them help. Whether it’s just giving them a snack or sitting by them at lunch, these small actions could encourage them to be happy. Being observant and paying attention could make a world of a difference, because so many kids around you are struggling. They could be at your school or clubs, but they are inevitably existent. These kids have the potential to do something incredible, and just by involving yourself in their lives you could open those barriers. Also, donate to foundations targeted at this issue. We linked many similar causes on our donation page.

And of course, try to spread the word about our organization. How will we help this issue? By providing a free and easy to access source for different, important topics, we hope we can influence many kids in poverty and create an entertaining yet useful atmosphere through our organization. We want to help these kids have a safe place where they can learn about things and topics that are shunned away in society, but are important for growth, especially for a younger audience where finding a relatable and informative platform is so difficult. Ultimately, we want to reach out to hearts across the nation, and potentially even the world one day.

Citations:

Kearney, Melissa, et al. “Child Poverty in the United States.” Econofact, 9 Mar. 2021, Child Poverty in the United States ... econofact.org

Ratcliffe, Caroline. “Child Poverty and Adult Success.” Urban Institute, 5 May 2020, Child Poverty and Adult Success

Thomas, Deja, and Richard Fry. “Prior to COVID-19, Child Poverty Rates Had Reached Record Lows in U.S.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 30 Nov. 2020, Prior to COVID-19, child poverty rates had reached record lows in U.S.

“Poverty and Education.” ChildFund, Poverty and Education | ChildFund

Reuell, Peter. “Harvard Study Shows Exactly How Poverty Impacts Children's Success.” Harvard Gazette, Harvard Gazette, 3 July 2019, Harvard study shows exactly how poverty impacts children’s success

Gupta, Rita Paul-Sen, et al. “The Impact of Poverty on the Current and Future Health Status of Children.” Paediatrics & Child Health, Pulsus Group Inc, Oct. 2007, The impact of poverty on the current and future health status of children

Ben Lesser is one of the most sought-after experts in health. “Ben Lesser.” Dualdiagnosis.org, 20 Mar. 2021, Economic Status and Abuse 

It’s very important for teens and kids in the modern world to understand exactly how the government in the U.S. is run, what elements make the government run smoothly, and what makes our government so special. 

Why do we, as kids, even need to learn this? Well, in the future, children and teens will be voting. All of us will be voting. Voting is so significant because it can change the state of our country, and each person can voice their opinion on which candidate they want to be the face of our country; the person that could either make or break our future. So we need to be prepared for the big day when we can finally vote, so we can be as educated as possible about how the government runs and what it would mean if their favored candidate got elected. 

It is also so helpful for kids to understand political parties and policies put in place so they can better understand how our country works overall. Imagine if a kid didn’t understand the way the Senate worked, or maybe they couldn’t grasp the concept of the electoral college. They wouldn’t understand how elections would run, which jobs did what, and the different roles each person plays in the government to make our country united and strong.

 I have been confused about different aspects of our country and political parties, but when I was informed, it made so much more sense and I could form my own opinions. But if a teen or child understands the three branches of government, the way elections are run, political parties, etc., they will be able to make logical, educated decisions with just the right amount of background info on how our country works in the first place. 

I truly believe that a country full of educated, passionate youth can lead our nation to success, and that every child and teen should have the opportunity to be educated on important political and social issues just like any other adult. Why should we ignore these issues for youth, and not teach them in schools or learning environments?

I have commonly faced situations where kids my age didn’t grasp or understand a certain topic regarding political parties, the basis of our government, etc., and that isn’t their fault. I have been there too, and I still am on certain topics. 

We were never taught these significant issues that impact our future in so many ways. Instead, some people create opinions based on what others think, and don’t stop to do research of their own on topics that matter so much to them and those around them. I hope this encourages kids to dive deeper into the basis of our country and genuinely try to understand it so they can benefit our country and the lives of our generation for the future.      

One of the most important and arguably most chaotic parts of the U.S. government is political parties. The U.S. government has many political parties, but two of them are noticeably more prominent than the rest. Ever heard of Democrats and Republicans? Considering their important role in government and society, I would assume you have. 

These are the two parties with opposing beliefs, each party trying to get their candidate into the role of president. But what do these parties even mean? If you’re a teen, you probably know which party your parents support, and may even willingly support them without even knowing the characteristics of each party. 

You may think you identify with a Democrat or Republican, but I want to clarify the values and policies each party identifies with so you as a teen can form your own opinions on political parties. This was how I was able to form my own opinion. 

It is so important for kids to be able to take in information and use it to make opinions for themselves instead of readily agreeing with the decisions of their peers or family members without even understanding the concept of it. Kids in school and at home are so easily influenced, and being a teen or child is a very impressionable age where anyone can influence you easily. 

I've experienced many kids at our school who have supported something or someone without even knowing the facts, but once they were educated on the different aspects of the situations and stopped to listen to the other point of view, they considered both sides of the issue and made a decision on their own. So, before I dive into the basics of the Democratic and Republican parties, I want you to have an open mind and truly consider which party fits your own beliefs and values.

We’ll start with the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party is the oldest political party in the U.S.; in fact, it’s actually one of the oldest political parties in the world! It originated in 1792, and has changed drastically from its earlier history. 

The most prominent belief coming from the Democratic Party is that there should be equality in all areas of life; this includes race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc; they also have a strong belief in educational opportunities for all people. 

The Democrats also find it extremely important to safeguard our environment from harm, and have a strong opinion on climate change. Climate change and environmental issue beliefs vary from party to party, but Democrats believe that the issue of climate change is urgent and will affect not only this generation, but future generations on our earth. Democrats care deeply about coming up with solutions to slow down or halt the process of climate change, including protecting natural resources and making sure we keep a clean supply of air, water, and land on our planet. 

One of the largest differences between the Democratic and Republican parties are their views on taxes, which groups they believe should be taxed the most, and who should pay what amount of taxes. Democrats support a tax system which has a gap between social classes. This means that the taxes are cut for middle class and lower class citizens, while they are raised for upper class citizens. For example, if you make a salary of $300,000 a year, you would have to pay more taxes than a person who makes a salary of $50,000. 

One of the main values of the Democratic Party that most Democrats support is that everyone should have access to healthcare. Healthcare is a common term you’ve probably heard in politics many times, but you may now know what it means. In shortened terms, healthcare means the distribution of medical aid, help, and care to people and communities. Universal health care means that every citizen will have access to standard medical care. 

Basically, this would mean that everyone would have health insurance. Health insurance is a way for people to not be required to pay for medical expenses like surgeries, injuries, medication, etc. If someone broke their arm and required surgery but they had health insurance, the health insurance would cover most, if not all, of the medical bill. Many people agree with this system, while others disagree because it could cause issues to the economy and government. 

What are the Democratic views on education? Democrats have a goal of providing all children with equal access to education and proper tools that will help our economy thrive. Democrats view financial aid as a helpful way for more children in the country to access the opportunity for college, and want to increase the college completion rate, along with increasing growth in the field of higher education and proper job training. 

Immigration is yet another highly political topic that has caused a lot of conflict between the two biggest parties. Democrats are working towards an immigration reform, meaning a change in policies with the ways we deal with immigrants at the moment. Democrats believe that we should have border security and set down laws for immigration, but they also value the idea of upping the amount of employment and family based immigration visas, which will allow immigrants to work and live permanently in the country. 

The view on firearms is another issue the two parties don’t exactly see eye to eye on. Most Democrats believe we should reduce the accessibility of guns, but not to the extent that we completely disregard the rights of some gun owners. Democrats believe they can accomplish less gun violence by expanding the reach of background checks to ensure terrorists, domestic abusers, or dangerous criminals will not be given access to firearms. 

Regarding death penalty, some Democrats believe that this should only be used in certain situations, but there are differing opinions. Death penalty (also know as capital punishment) means that when someone commits a capital act such as murder, they will be executed to pay for their crimes. There are so many different views and dimensions for death penalty, and even Democrats themselves are divided on this issue. According to a study done on the Democratic view on death penalty, 4% of Democrats don't know or refused to answer, 29% strongly opposed it, 33% opposed it, 19% favored it, and 15% strongly favored it. As you can see from this study, there are varying opinions on this subject, but the majority of Democrats oppose death penalty. 

That was definitely a lot of information to take in about the Democratic Party- and that wasn’t even half of their values, beliefs, and policies. We will discuss this topic more on our podcast, and don’t forget to check the links under our citations section to learn more about the Democratic Party. 

Now, on to the Republican Party. The Republican Party was started in 1972 by supporters of Thomas Jefferson. 

Republicans believe that American citizens are united to help America become a better place, so people can achieve the “American dream.” Overall, Republicans believe that a smaller government with less regulations and restrictions will benefit our country the most.

Republicans consider safety and health of humans to be the most important concern regarding environmental issues, and value humans as our country’s most important resource. They believe that any policy placed down to aid in environmental issues should also respect property rights, along with benefiting economic growth and development. Republicans also think that citizens should all have access to lands reserved for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting. Some groups of Republicans don’t believe humans are the main cause for climate change (around 45%).  Republicans are typically more conservative and less supportive of more progressive movements and behaviors. 

Some Republican views on taxes include removing the marriage penalty and opposition to acts that would create carbon taxation on businesses or people in general. 

What is the marriage penalty, and what does removing it mean? If a couple is married and both partners make a certain amount of income, they will have to pay more taxes than a single person who makes the same amount of income as one of them. If both married partners made an income of $100,000, they would have to pay higher amounts of taxes than that of a single person making a salary of $100,000. 

Carbon taxation is a tax imposed when a person, company, or business burns carbon-based fuels such as coal and natural gas, which the Republicans are against. 

Republicans also agree with the idea of tax cuts (reduction on taxes), for businesses or people who receive high incomes. 

Republicans support a patient-centered healthcare system rather than one that is government centered. Republicans believe in a more loose and “free” approach to healthcare, and feel that Americans should be able to not only choose their own healthcare, but their own way of managing it. 

On the matter of education, Republicans think that we should construct a system of higher education, consisting of students who are better prepared for certain fields of study they are interested in and a decrease in working minimum wage jobs that will do nothing to better their education. 

Republicans also support limited federal government action regarding education, including demolishing federal student loans, and keeping only private loans. Federal student loans are created by the government, and include parts that are set by the law, allowing parents and students to borrow money that comes straight from our government, whereas private loans come from a specific organization such as banks or schools, and are commonly more expensive than federal student loans.

Most Republicans strongly believe that educational opportunities will vary, but those who have more talent, skill, and hardworking attributes as a student should be given more opportunities, and that we should disregard the area of living or income of each student and focus on their performance in schooling instead. 

On the topic of immigration, Republicans view immigrants as major threat to our country and say measures taken to restrict immigration will make our country a better, safer place as a whole. Republicans support the idea of using the U.S. military and troops to prevent immigrants from entering our country. Although some Republicans have a varying view on this subject, most Republicans believe that systems should be set down to make sure immigrants entering the U.S. illegally should not reap the same benefits as those who enter our country legally. 

Firearms is a topic constantly talked about between the two major political parties, and Republicans view freedom as a fundamental value of our country, and feel that it is a right of American citizens to own firearms. In the Republican interpretation of our country’s constitution, they believe that it is everyone’s right to own, carry, and use firearms based on the second amendment, which states that “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” 

Finally, the Republican view on death penalty, or capital punishment, has changed and altered over time, and there are many different aspects to consider when regarding this heavy topic. According to a study conducted in March of this year, 42% of Republicans strongly favor with death penalty, 33% favor it, 13% oppose it, 9% strongly oppose it, and 3% don’t know, or refused to say. This gives you a general idea of Republican views on this topic, but again, it is hard to make a generalized statement on their overall view on death penalty as a whole political party. 

There are so many different topics and subjects to cover regarding political parties, and all of them play an important role in how our country works. I hope you were able to gather information on each party and form your own opinion as an individual. Of course, I did not cover everything, as there are so many different parts to it, and it might seem overwhelming at times. But I hope that one of these parties resonates with you, and if not, that is ok, as there are many other parties in our country. Although they are less talked about and generally less represented in our country, there are countless other parties to look into. 

We will discuss this more on our podcast, and I will also provide websites that I found helpful and informative for this topic. As a country, I personally feel that it is incredibly important for kids and teens to be passionate and have strong opinions on world affairs and how our country works, as this is what fuels a fire in youth, making them better prepared, energized and ready to make an impact in our world starting today.

Along with learning about political parties, it is also very important for kids and teens to learn about the structure of our country and how our government runs. You may have learned in school that our country is made up of three branches, but if not, I will briefly discuss them and their role in our government system. 

The three branches that form the basis of our government are the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. I’ll start with discussing the executive branch, as this one is the one that most people have likely heard about. The executive branch includes the President (currently President Joe Biden), which is a very critical part of our country. The President plays a large role in our country as a whole and sets certain values, beliefs, programs, and systems that are the backbone of our economy, workforce, military, healthcare system, tax system, and even more. 

Not only does this branch include the POTUS (President of the United States), it also includes the Vice President (currently Vice President Kamala Harris), who leads commissions on important topics, supports and advises the president, serves as a high-level emissary, and presides over the Senate. 

The cabinet is also an important part of this branch, and their main role is to advise the president and provide support and a range of opinions. Currently, the cabinet includes the Vice President, and the heads of various departments. 

On top of the president, Vice President, and cabinet, the executive branch also consists of different departments. These departments all focus on a specific topic. For example, one of the departments is the U.S. Department of Education. This department would make decisions and policies and provide assistance and aid for topics regarding education. This department would focus on things like student loans and create effective policies for these different sections of education. There are 15 departments, and they all play different roles in our country and reside over certain issues and topics. 

The legislative branch is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives makes and passes federal laws, along with representing the citizens of their state. Depending on the population of the state, the number of representatives in the house for that state will either increase or decrease. For example, the state of New York has a higher population than the state of Iowa, which means that New York will have a larger number of representatives than Iowa because the population of citizens residing in the state is higher. The House of Representatives has the important ability to impeach a government official, so if they had proper evidence, they could begin the process of impeachment for the president. 

The Senate can either confirm or deny a foreign treaty proposed by the president, and can only be put into action if ⅔ of the Senate agrees. The Senate also has the power to approve of or deny positions appointed by the president (for example, members of the cabinet). The last major role of the Senate is its ability to conduct trials for federal officials, and members of this branch can act as the judge and jury for these cases. If someone from the House of Representatives began the process of impeachment for a government official (for example, the president), the Senate would preside over this case and make a final verdict.

 Last but not least, the judicial branch, also referred to as the court system, includes both the federal court and the supreme court. The judicial branch has a main job to review laws and decide if they are constitutional. The Supreme Court is the highest court in our entire country, and it handles cases that involve the well-being of our country at a much larger scale. 

Along with the three branches of government, the electoral college is also a prominent part of our government, especially during elections. Each state has a representation in the electoral college, and states with larger populations of people have a higher number of electoral votes.  The concept of the House of Representatives also applies to the concept of the electoral college since population plays a role in the amount of sway a state has on a certain subject. Each state has a certain number of votes in the electoral college, so when one state votes for a certain candidate, their number of votes depend on the population of the state. The electoral college is the main deciding factor for who wins the election. 

As a member of youth, this information may seem like a lot. Many of you might not have known this stuff, and I certainly hope you gained something from this. Whether you learned more about your own beliefs and values, formed an opinion on which political party you support, or learned something new about each branch of government, this article was aimed to help you better understand the fundamental basics of our country so you can understand our world in a better, clearer way.

Educated voters are the best kind of voters, and well-taught citizens can benefit society in helpful ways. I will not be able to cover a lot of parts of our government, because, truthfully, there are so many. If you find yourself confused or unable to understand a topic, that is completely normal, as some of these topics are hard to grasp. There are so many technical terms that go along with these topics, and so many policies that are hard to comprehend. When I was researching while writing this, I realized that not a lot of sources educate kids on things like political parties and branches of government are formatted in an easy to understand way, and some can be quite confusing for youth. Some of these topics were confusing for me too before I had started doing research and even before it, so I wanted to write this in a way that was easy to understand.

But I hope that by reading this, you learned something about the country we live in, because I certainly learned a lot from writing this! Writing this made me realize how much there is to learn from our country, and the incredible amount of growth our country has experienced. I want children and teens to be proud to live in America, and to feel well represented in our society today. 

The first step in this process is to educate yourself, because without knowing this stuff the real world can seem hazy, confusing, and full of issues hard to understand. I, for one, can now watch the news and have a better understanding of what people are talking about, instead of taking in choppy bits of information without even understanding what it means. 

There is so much depth to the topic of government and politics, so many different opinions and beliefs, but at the end of the day, it is important to have your own opinions while also respecting the opinions of others. Sharing your opinion and encouraging others to share their opinions in a beneficial way can help kids and teens see both sides to an issue, as well as take information in a more helpful way. 

By hearing what others have to say, you can understand their own thought processes and why they think the way they do. This is important, and should happen more often than it does. People should be able to express their opinions on political parties without feeling threatened, attacked, and demeaned, and should instead be able to say what they believe while also patiently listening to what others have to say. 

It’s important to have an environment where people feel comfortable and excited to share their opinions, because when youth form strong opinions, this is what causes them to feel more passionate and involved in their community. 

Since I didn’t cover everything, I have provided resources under the government citation links that discuss these different topics and go more in depth about them. Also, on our podcast, the We Are Podcast, we will be discussing these topics more, so we totally encourage you to check out our podcast too!

Citations:

Democrats, 25 July 2019, Education

Democrats, 25 July 2019, Immigration Reform

Admin. “REPUBLICAN VS. DEMOCRAT - Platforms On Immigration.” REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP, 17 Oct. 2008,/. REPUBLICAN VS. DEMOCRAT - Platforms On Immigration

Democrats, 25 July 2019, Health Care

Democrats, 23 July 2019, Environment

Democrats, 22 July 2019, Preventing Gun Violence

RepublicanViews.org. “Democratic Party Beliefs: Republican Views.” |, 3 Feb. 2018, Democratic Party Beliefs

“Democratic Party.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., Democratic Party | History, Definition, & Beliefs

RepublicanViews.org. “Democratic Views On Taxes: Republican Views.” |, 3 Feb. 2018, Democratic Views On Taxes

“Home.” Carbon Tax Center, What's a carbon tax?

Lhatfield. “Compare and Contrast the Republican and Democratic Tax Platforms.” CS&L CPAs, 15 Aug. 2016, Compare and Contrast the Republican and Democratic Tax Platforms

Amadeo, Kimberly. “Republicans Economic Views and How They Work in the Real World.” The Balance, 30 Nov. 2020, Republican Views on the Economy 

RepublicanViews.org. “Republican Views on Immigration: Republican Views.” |, 3 Feb. 2018, Republican Views on Immigration

Craig Kafura, Bettina Hammer. “Republicans and Democrats in Different Worlds on Immigration.” Chicago Council on Global Affairs, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, 8 Oct. 2019, Republicans and Democrats in Different Worlds on Immigration

RepublicanViews.org. “Republican Views on Gun Control: Republican Views.” |, 3 Feb. 2018, Republican Views on Gun Control

RepublicanViews.org. “Republican Views on the Environment: Republican Views.” |, 3 Feb. 2018, Republican Views on the Environment

“United States: Gun Ownership and the Supreme Court.” Second Amendment | Law Library of Congress, 1 May 2012, Second Amendment | Law Library of Congress

History.com Editors. “Republican Party.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 4 Apr. 2018, Republican Party - HISTORY

U.S. Embassy Tbilisi | 6 October, 2020 | Topics: History. “What Do U.S. Vice Presidents Do?” U.S. Embassy in Georgia, 7 Oct. 2020, What do US vice presidents do?

Aaron, Rick. “What Does a Vice President Do? Roles and Responsibilities of a VP.” ABC4 Utah, ABC4 Utah, 8 Oct. 2020, What does a Vice President do? Roles and responsibilities of a VP

“Branches of the U.S. Government.” USAGov, Branches of the US Government

The House Explained, The House Explained | house.gov

“Public Opinion on the Death Penalty: Where Republicans and Democrats Agree (and Disagree).” Georgetown Public Policy Review, 3 Mar. 2021, Georgetown Public Policy Review / Public Opinion on the Death Penalty: Where Republicans and Democrats Agree (and Disagree) - Georgetown Public Policy Review

Funk, Cary, and Meg Hefferon. “U.S. Public Views on Climate and Energy.” Pew Research Center Science & Society, Pew Research Center, 2 Oct. 2020, US Public Views on Climate and Energy

Let’s face it, our country has a lot of issues. Our world has a lot of issues. There is no denying this fact. We face so many everyday issues and a larger series of social issues that take a toll on everyone living in our country and on our Earth, causing conflict in unimaginable ways. But throughout these social injustices and issues that are begging to be solved, we have been able to band together and show our support for different movements and advocate for the rights of people who truly deserve it. 

And this is a beautiful thing. I think it is such a wonderful thing that we can find ways to support each other and try to solve these pressing issues that are causing so much pain and difficulty in society. A lot of these issues stem from a bigger cause, and have actually been going on a lot longer than many people think. Issues like racial discrimination and gender inequality have been happening on this Earth for so many years, and although we have made innumerable progress with these issues, we are absolutely nothing close to completely solving them.

 It takes time, work, effort, and most of all, people who genuinely care, to solve these issues. It takes small steps and long, hard-worked advocating to chip away at these issues that take place in our society so much. These issues are sometimes overlooked, and are being suppressed in our society in ways that cause extreme unhappiness, unfairness, and so much pain. These issues matter, and they affect people EVERY DAY. 

I want to stress that even though yes, we have made SO much progress, we also have SO much more progress to make. These societal issues affect such a large group of different people, including people of color, women, people living in poverty, and even more. 

Just simply educating yourself on these extremely significant issues can help you become more aware of everything going on around you so you can better support and benefit your community in ways that help rather than harm. 

To start off, I would like to discuss how schools, the place where teens learn and grow, don’t teach this stuff. How could this be? The very place we’re supposed to be learning and preparing ourselves for the real world, we aren’t getting the education and opportunities we need to be an active part of our community and understand the weight of everything going on around us. 

The only way we can make progress is by teaching people about these issues so they can advocate, help, volunteer, donate, do anything and everything they can to help. The only way we can make progress is by educating our youth, the future of our world, on issues that would otherwise never be solved due to neglect and improper interpretations. The only way to make progress is to actually address these issues. And I think that is so important. 

There are so many social issues happening in our world right now, it is actually hard to cover close to half of them. But I am going to talk about the ones that I feel are pressing in our country, society, and community right now and should be addressed so we can continue to move forward into a future of equality and prosperity. 

You have probably heard of the Black Lives Matter movement, which is a way to advocate against unfair treatment of black people and a large amount of deaths that have taken place for extremely unproportionate reasons due to the circumstances. Many people have been advocating for this movement, and it is amazing that our country has been able to become engaged and active in the lives of black people in our country, and I think it is so incredibly important that we take the time to listen and to accept that we need to improve and take steps towards becoming a country that is fair towards not just some, but ALL of its citizens. 

Many black people who never deserved to die will never get to spend another day on this Earth, and their families and loved ones now have to suffer due to injustices in our society and systemic racism. It might seem like our country is fair and equal, but truth be told, it’s not even close. To be honest, when I first heard of this movement, I didn’t understand what it meant, but the moment I educated myself, it became clear that Black Lives Matter is something that is a large and important movement happening in our country, and that advocating for it can create much needed change. 

Racism is actually very prominent in our society and is resulting in discrimination and, in extreme cases, death. George Floyd, along with many other black people in our country, have died because of police shootings that seem to be specifically targeted towards black people. George Floyd did not deserve to die. Neither did Breonna Taylor. Neither did Daunte Wright. Neither did so many other black people who died because of the flawed actions of our country.

 I want to talk about the details of some of these different deaths, because for me, when I truly took the time to learn and hear these people’s stories, that was when I realized how important, how urgent, and how meaningful this is. It’s not just the story of something that happened, it’s the story of a person who never deserved to die, who never deserved to fall at the hands of our country. It’s the story of someone who was faced with hateful prejudices that caused them to lose their lives. 

George Floyd, 46 years old, died in Minneapolis, Minnesota. George Floyd was arrested because he was suspected to have used a counterfeit bill, which is basically fake money. George Floyd was sitting in his car when the police car arrived near his house. When the officers attempted to put George Floyd in a squad car, he struggled and fell to the ground, saying he was claustrophobic. Another officer arrived, and again tried to get George Floyd into the squad car. George Floyd fell to the ground again, and was restrained by officers. One officer placed his knee between Floyd’s head and neck, making it hard for Floyd to breathe. It was obvious that George Floyd was in a state of distress, and he complained about not being able to breathe, clearly stating that he was going to die. The officer did not move or do anything even though he knew Floyd was in a near-death state. George Floyd was presumed dead soon after. 

George Floyd never committed any crime deserving death, yet he ended up dead. The amount of Black deaths involving police is appalling, especially because with most of them, there was no reason for that person to die. George Floyd had children, a family, so many loved ones who suffered from his death. 

Hearing Breonna Taylor’s death, I was not only mortified, but disgusted and truly saddened that something like this could happen in our country, in America, the place I was born and raised. Breonna Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were in their apartment when officers forced entry into their apartment. Kenneth Walker did not hear the officers when they supposedly said they were entering due to an investigation of drug dealing, and believed them to be intruders breaking in. Kenneth fired a warning shot. The officers then fired, and although Kenneth remained unharmed, Breonna Taylor was shot dead. 

Breonna Taylor, the 26 year old woman who did absolutely nothing wrong. The woman who had an entire life in front of her, only to see it shot down due to the racism black people in our country face on a day to day basis. The racism that is taking lives. I would highly encourage you to search up Black Lives Matter on your own and learn more about the movement as a whole and the personal stories of different people involved. 

Right now in our country, black people are facing issues that most other races aren’t facing, which leads me into the All Lives Matter Movement. Although All Lives Matter might seem great on the surface, because after all, all lives DO matter, a lot of people don’t understand the true meaning behind that. I encountered a scenario where someone I knew supported the All Lives Matter Movement simply because they didn’t understand the depths of the meaning behind it, why it was even created, and what it was actually advocating for. 

All Lives Matter was actually created as a way to undermine Black Lives Matter, pushing it to the side as if the Black Lives Matter Movement didn’t have any impact in our society, and basically ignoring the deaths that have taken place and coining the term “All Lives Matter.” Think about it. All Lives absolutely do matter, but black lives are what we need to focus on RIGHT NOW, because at the moment, black people are facing discrimination that no other races are facing. As a country, we cannot all be equal until black people are equal. 

That is why right now, in our current state, giving black people the equality they deserve is what we truly need. I’ve come across some kids who blindly supported this movement, not knowing what it meant to its full extent. And I understand why people would be confused or uneducated, because we, as kids and teens, never even learned about this in school! Black Lives Matter is such an important topic to address and is so prevalent in our society, yet we completely ignore it in schools. It’s important nowadays for kids to be able to educate themselves by listening to others while also doing research of their own. 

To support the Black Lives Matter movement, advocate for it on your social media, post something about it on Instagram,  talk to your friends about it, support companies, authors, and businesses run by black people, or donate to foundations created to support black people or the families of black people who have died.

Racial discrimination is also prominent in other areas of our country. Another movement regarding racial discrimination and racial inequality is the Stop Asian Hate movement. This movement blossomed when six Asian women were shot in Atlanta at several massage parlors. The majority of the women killed were Asian, and the shootings seemed to be specifically aimed at Asian people, as the businesses the shooter targeted consisted of high percentages of Asian people. 

And this isn’t the only situation where Asian people have been targeted. Across the globe, Asian people are experiencing such terrible hate crimes directed at them, and there has been a visible rise in these hate crimes happening as a result of COVID 19. This racial discrimination and hatred is absolutely disgusting, and I know that as a nation, we can do better. 

We have the resources and materials to be an incredible nation, yet many races, including black people and Asian people, are facing acts of hatred and violence directed towards them on a daily basis. And I, for one, think it is SO important that everyone in our society not just acknowledges these issues of racial discrimination, but actually advocates against them and helps our nation work towards unlocking its full potential.

Along with racial issues, mass shootings are also a very pressing issue our society is facing today. In the single year of 2021, we have faced over 147 mass shootings. 147. I personally couldn’t believe my own eyes or ears when I heard that. This whopping amount of mass shootings that have occurred in less than a year is not just terrifying, but extremely concerning. Now whenever we go out to the grocery store, we have to ask ourselves: Is a mass shooting going to occur? Should I be worried? When kids go to school, they have to ask themselves: Will there be a school shooting today? Should I be scared? And to live in that fear, to have mere kids being terrified of when the next shooting will be, is incredibly saddening. 

There are different types of mass shootings that occur, but a mass shooting is defined as a situation with several victims of gun violence. Different scenarios include school shootings, hate crimes, and public shootings. School shootings have been top headlines on the news for a while now, and it is devastating to see how this affects kids, their mental health, and their overall safety. It is absolutely devastating to see. 

Mass shootings can affect the mental health of many people, kids especially, so if you know anyone who has survived a shooting, get them a therapist or the mental health help that they require. Also, if you are at school and see unusual behavior from a certain kid, such as threats or hit lists, report it to a trusted adult IMMEDIATELY, as this could be the first sign that the school might be in danger.

On top of mass shootings, racially targeted hate crimes, which I’ve discussed before, are also very prevalent and happening often. There have also been countless randomized shootings at public places such as even a grocery store. Mass shootings are becoming way more prevalent in our modern society, and we need to bring awareness to these shootings and understand the pain and destruction they cause.

Now, onto the topic of the body positivity movement. I’m sure you’ve heard of this movement somehow, because it seems to be becoming a growing movement that more and more people are supporting and advocating for. In simple terms, this movement is a way to empower individuals to be confident and content with their body. And I think that it’s great that we are encouraging and promoting confidence in the way you look, and the idea that we should ignore the stigmas in our society and instead be completely happy with the way we look. 

This is a wonderful message to send out, especially since confidence is so important in life. We should all be confident in our body no matter what, but there are always ways that ALL of us can improve our health. For example, drinking more water, getting more sunlight, sleeping more, taking part in more physical activity, and eating a balanced diet. Being overweight and obese or underweight actually causes a lot of health issues and can be extremely dangerous, so these conditions should still be taken seriously and we shouldn’t completely neglect our health just because we feel confident. 

And everyone has room to improve with their health while still being confident. For example, I have had a bad diet lately and could definitely work at eating more healthy and nutritious foods. I can be confident while also finding ways to improve and be healthier.

It is important to recognize that everyone has a different body shape, and that is absolutely ok. People have different natural body shapes than others, and that is TOTALLY fine. Whatever your body looks like, you should be proud and confident, but also realize that you can always work to be healthier, and this will not only lower your risks of having many dangerous conditions, but it will also make you feel more motivated and inspired. 

So what I’m trying to say is that you should be confident no matter what: if you are obese or overweight, you can be confident while still finding ways to improve and be healthier. And even if you are a perfectly average weight, there is usually room to improve your health in some way. 

One thing a lot of people don’t realize is that being underweight can actually be just as dangerous as being overweight. If you are underweight, it is also important to recognize this. If you are dealing with any sort of eating disorders such as binge eating disorder or anorexia, it’s also so important to confide in loved ones about your struggles and seek professional help. 

Confidence is such an important part of life, and with our society nowadays there is a leaning towards “being skinny,” and many people feel they have to look this way to be attractive, which is not true in any way, shape, or form. Everyone has different body shapes, and that’s totally fine. You don’t have to be skinny, nor do you have to be large, nor do you have to be tall, nor do you have to be short. 

I support this movement, but also want to acknowledge that if you are struggling with an unhealthy lifestyle, it is important to address that because it could, genuinely, save your life. And I also think that EVERYONE can improve and work towards living a healthier lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of your confidence in the process. 

The Me Too Movement is an important movement in our society dealing with the issue of gender inequality and unfair treatment of women. This movement is focused on cases of sexual harassment directed at woman, and is a way to give woman a voice in our society and let them share their stories. 

So many women have been sexually harassed or raped, and it’s truly disgusting. Women deserve treatment way better than this. The saddest part about this is as many woman across our country tried to share their experiences with rape, abuse, or harassment, so many people didn’t believe them. And this is completely debilitating. 

But I’m so incredibly glad that we have been able to talk about this stuff and women have been able to share their experiences, because women should be able to make their own choices and should NEVER be forced into anything they don’t want to do. 

In a recent study conducted in the UK, it found that 97% of women between the ages of 18 and 24 have been sexually harassed in their lifetime. When I read this, my jaw dropped open. That is almost ALL WOMEN. 

It is so sad, so terrifying, so disgusting, to see that women are treated this way. In our society, women should be given the choices men are given, and no person, no matter who they are, should be harassed or raped. This movement is something that our country NEEDS, because the stories of these women and their traumatic experiences absolutely need to be addressed and heard so we can recognize the issue and deal with it. It is important for women to take certain safety measures because, as sad as it is, that is the way our country works. But it shouldn’t have to be this way. We need to spread awareness about this heavy topic and advocate for the lives of women who have been affected by this issue, while also protecting ourselves. 

Our country has so much hope, as you have seen throughout these many different movements and positive ways of approaching these heavy networks of social issues. We have come up with peaceful ways to address these issues, and I think that is so beautiful and wonderful. We have done a lot of work, and we still have work to do to make our country the best it can be. 

Citations:

Hill, Evan, et al. “How George Floyd Was Killed in Police Custody.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 June 2020, How George Floyd Was Killed in Police Custody

“George Floyd: What Happened in the Final Moments of His Life.” BBC News, BBC, 16 July 2020, George Floyd: What happened in the final moments of his life

“Breonna Taylor: What Happened on the Night of Her Death?” BBC News, BBC, 8 Oct. 2020, Breonna Taylor: What happened on the night of her death? 

Gupta, Manas Sen. “What You Need To Know About The Stop Asian Hate Movement.” Augustman, 27 Mar. 2021, Culture What You Need To Know About The Stop Asian Hate Movement

Press, The Associated. “US Has Been Wracked with Several Mass Shootings in 2021.” AP NEWS, Associated Press, 16 Apr. 2021, US has been wracked with several mass shootings in 2021

Thompson, Rachel. “97% Of Young Women Have Been Sexually Harassed, Study Finds.” Mashable, Mashable, 10 Mar. 2021, 97% of young women have been sexually harassed, study finds

Ah, the issues of morality. As the world continues to grow and develop, issues regarding morality and dealing with situations are becoming more and more controversial and blurred. And contrary to what some people may believe, morality should play a large role in everyone's life without the factor of religion, career, popularity, etc. 

Due to recent behavior and events that I have observed, at We Are I made it a priority to make sure that morality is talked about and really understood. Morality is not only being selfless and charitable, but there are so many aspects to it that will make the world a more understanding and peaceful place. Over this section, I’ll talk about the basics of morality, why it is so important, what has happened without it, and how you can implement this ideology in your lives from a young age.

So, what is morality? Morality is defined as principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. There are many different interpretations of morality and what it means, but really morality is not defined by religion, age, or other practices, like many people may tell you. Morality is a very complex set of introspective questioning and beliefs where the overarching theme is to be a person who makes decisions thoughtfully and typically for the greater good. 

I won’t go over all the different aspects of morality because it is such a broad topic, and that would take way too long to cover, but I would like to talk about the most important parts of it that children need to know from a young age.

First: the importance of being open minded. Having an open mind is such a big part of being morally correct. Open mindedness not only allows you to become more knowledgeable about different peoples opinions and their perspectives, but it also can allow for people to be more critically observant. In addition, being open minded could expose you to causes that you haven’t considered before and can in turn make you less stressed out because you are willing to change and understand instead of fighting all the time. According to Business Insider, people who are more open minded see the world differently are statistically proven to be happier, healthier, and even more creative. That is amazing, and so important! 

Another extremely important aspect to morality is dealing with conflict. Now, you may be asking yourself, what does that mean? Although at first glance, this concept seems easy to grasp. It is actually a lot more complex and neglected than one might think. In the place where most of our growth is taught, school, we never once had the opportunity to take a class on how to handle conflict with others in a way that doesn’t harm anyone. 

This is why so many kids across the nation are already resorting to negative means of dealing with conflict, including exposing embarrassing photos on social media, bullying, blocking off other people, and being violent towards others as well. It is sad how little this issue is talked about, considering that this could play a major role in our future ways of dealing with issues. 

Through Education: Building A Better Future even describes the teaching of morality as ‘making children better people outside of the four walls of the classroom.’ I think a popular ideology around this topic is that some people are just born to be either peaceful and violent and there is no way that we can influence that outcome. This is extremely false and so important to debunk because by teaching conflict we can teach so many more kids how to properly handle their emotions.  PBS: Public Broadcasting Service states that by learning some strategies on how to deal with conflicts, kids can become better problem solvers and maintain friendships. 

Unfortunately, the mass majority of schools don't require or even implement moral ethics into their school systems. To me, this is such a good opportunity missed. Not only will implementing these ideas make kids think more about real world issues and how to properly solve them, but it also will engage them more than any typical class. 

People typically get more involved in situations that they are either passionate about or feel is relatable to their lives. Because these moral dilemmas are realistic, they require a lot of problem solving skills and the ability to properly assess situations whilst providing students with actual scenarios they might encounter later on in life. 

In an article by  The Atlantic Monthly, the writer not only mentions how our school system fails to address ethics and morality, but also how these topics came across in a classroom. He first mentions how the concept of morality was kind of a foreign topic amongst kids, although it was one that engaged the students in a way like they never had before. The author detailed how when he asked his kids a moral situation, almost all of them made a decision that didn’t consider the other parties involved. It was startling how little these students thought about putting themselves in the opposing sides' shoes.  And this is for no reason other than the fact that morality, ethics, and empathy are not topics addressed nearly enough in schools. 

The very same article (which is fascinating, I highly recommend checking it out below in my citations) provides several startling statistics on morality and how students see it in everyday life. According to the  2012 Josephson Report Card on the Ethics of American Youth (as cited in the article) “57 percent of teens stated that successful people do what they have to do to win, even if it involves cheating. Twenty-four percent believe it is okay to threaten or hit someone when angry. Thirty-one percent believe physical violence is a big problem in their schools. Fifty-two percent reported cheating at least once on an exam. Forty-nine percent of students reported being bullied or harassed in a manner that seriously upset them” (via Why Don't Schools Teach Children Morality and Empathy?). 

This is extremely sad and needs to change. We as a nation are all too willing to sacrifice the humanity of our youth for the hope of them doing better on academics to the point where our generations are losing basic empathy.

So, you may be asking, to help with this problem, what can you do? Well, if you are a parent, try to teach your kids these concepts from a young age. There are many ways to implement morality into everyday lessons, and I'm sure if you google some cool lessons for kids, you will find so many useful activities! 

As for all the kids reading this, the first and best thing you can do is always try to understand the other party in a conflict. Instead of jumping to conclusions, always try to gather all the facts and see different perspectives on the matter. By expanding your thought process, it allows you to be much more productive and overall be a better human. 

Other steps you can take are researching ethical concepts. Most .org websites are very reliable sources and will teach you so much about morality. Videos on the subject are on YouTube. Initiating conversations with family, friends, teachers and other individuals can enlighten you further. You could even contact a knowledgeable person on the topic or attend a seminar! 

And finally, the best option in my opinion *wink wink*, is to keep up with our podcast, the We Are Podcast on most major streaming platforms. Through this podcast, we hope to help our fellow youth have a better understanding on the issues of morality and give them tips and different perspectives on how to deal with some situations they might be facing. Together we can help each other and help each other figure out the complexity of being ethical as teens. We will talk about things like how to better deal with situations, the importance of morality, different aspects to it, your moral dilemmas, times we struggled, and viewer questions, and we will even try to get in experts to talk about it with us!

If we start introducing kids to these topics from an early age, they will have a better understanding of the world as we know it and will be much better equipped to tackle issues they will face. Teaching these basic concepts from a young age could change the negative outcomes of the past and mold kids’ minds to be more understanding, empathetic, and solve problems much more efficiently, thus leading to a better future.  

Citations:

Barnwell, Paul. “Schools Are Failing To Develop Students With Moral Identities.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 15 Aug. 2016, Why Don't Schools Teach Children Morality and Empathy?

ThroughEducation. “Why We Still Need Moral Education.” Through Education, 12 Dec. 2019, Why We Still Need Moral Education

“5 Strategies to Help Kids Resolve Conflict.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 27 May 2021, 5 Strategies to Help Kids Resolve Conflict |…

Oppong, Thomas. “Research Shows That Open-Minded Individuals See the World Differently - and as a Result Are Happier, Healthier, and More Creative.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 21 Oct. 2019, Research Says Open-Minded People Are Happier and More Creative 

Generation after generation, our world has developed in incredible ways, and we have been able to come up with efficient methods to get simple tasks done, as well as create a society where it is easier to access many important resources. 

We now have various ways of transportation, countless industries and businesses that play a role in our society, infrastructure that leads to the boom of population and resources, and appliances that make life easier each day. 

But with all these new and helpful resources and technologies, there are also many consequences. Cars may be a fast, efficient way to get to different places, light fixtures and appliances might be helpful for us in our daily lives, and businesses might rely on fossil fuels and earth’s resources to power their wares, but none of these things come without a negative toll on our earth. 

Climate change, also known as global warming, is a pressing issue that our society is facing that could, potentially, destroy our entire future on the planet that we call home. Animals are dying off, and natural disasters caused by rising temperatures are threatening our earth more and more each day. 

You may ask yourself, but what can we even do about this? What can one person do about this? The answer is, many things. Simple things like recycling, picking up trash, reducing the use of cars in your life, and taking shorter, colder showers can impact the earth more than you could even guess. 

But this is easier said than done. And plus, even if you take the necessary action, that doesn’t guarantee that other people will. This is why advocating for this dangerous environmental issue is so important. I want to stress that simply spreading the word and encouraging others to cut down on waste and overuse of materials can actually spread the necessary awareness we require to tackle this issue head on. 

On top of climate change, pollution is yet another environmental issue threatening the livelihood of our earth. Being exposed to pollution for long periods of time can actually be harmful to the human body, and pollution can leak dangerous toxins and substances into our water supply. 

It is also dangerous to many animals around our globe, as pollution can destroy habitats and cause issues for thousands of animals. You might have heard the phrase “Save the sea turtles,” and if so, you know that this is referring to the harmful pollution being dumped into the ocean on a daily basis that is hurting the sea turtles greatly. The sea turtles are actually physically eating the trash or getting caught up in it, which is causing innumerable damage and death. This same thing goes for so many species of animals in the world. 

Pollution is so harmful, and we need to take action and rise against this very important and debilitating problem our Earth is facing. Continue reading to find out specific ways we, as humans, are causing this damage to our Earth, and how you can help.

Climate change is affecting our earth in so many ways. For example, rising sea levels and habitat loss. Rising sea levels are caused by glaciers and large sheets of ice melting around the world, which, in turn, is caused by the rising temperature of our earth. But how do using things like cars and factories even cause climate change, or global warming? 

The majority of cars are powered by gasoline, which is a non-renewable resource. Although gasoline might be a quick, easy, and efficient way to power our cars and a large portion of our appliances, we also have to look at the downsides. Burning gasoline releases carbon emissions and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which are more harmful than you could even imagine. 

But what even are carbon emissions and greenhouse gases, and what do they do to our Earth that is so bad? Carbon emissions is a term for the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is bad because the trapping of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is a leading cause of climate change and global warming, the seemingly endless cycle affecting our Earth day after day. Greenhouse gases are any gasses that trap heat in our atmosphere, warming our Earth. 

A lot of people don’t even stop to think about this. When driving to school, I can definitely admit to being guilty of overlooking and overseeing the harmful impact I am having on the Earth. It is such a common everyday activity, and as humans, we have become accustomed to relying on cars as our main source of transportation. 

I can definitely say with confidence that I cannot even IMAGINE my life without a car. Eliminating cars altogether is not at all what I’m trying to petition. But reducing your use of cars can be helpful. If you can walk to an event without using a car, that would help our Earth in ways you might not even realize. Just reducing car use by the tiniest bit is a start. If you live 5 minutes away from a park and usually drive there, consider walking, or even biking there. Hybrid cars are also a much cleaner version of normal gasoline powered cars, and I hope that, in the future, the types of cars grow more popular and this technology continues to develop. 

You would also be shocked about how much electricity, appliances, lighting, heating systems, cooling systems, and large businesses and factories are having a toll on our Earth. Just like cars, all of these everyday elements of our life we have come to treasure release harmful carbon emissions and greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. 

Do you have a heater in your house, or air conditioner? Just air conditioner, a simple yet harmful appliance, emits around 117 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually. 

One way to reduce the impact of appliances is to simply turn off the lights in your room when you don’t need them, or keep the thermostat at a relatively low yet still comfortable number, such as 69 degrees. Also, if it is possible for you and your household, solar panels are a great solution to this growing issue and are extremely eco-friendly. 

And I’ve bet you’ve heard this a million times, but reuse and recycle. You’d be surprised by how many household items can be reused, like jars and bottles. 

Taking shorter showers is also important. If you’re one of those people who routinely takes 30 minute hot showers, reconsider this and try to limit this time to 10 or less minutes. 

I recently had to do an assignment for my science class where I had to measure my carbon footprint. I was shocked and saddened by how much damage me, one person, was doing to this Earth. As a country, the U.S. has a jaw dropping carbon footprint of 16 tons, and I felt ashamed about how much resources I was wasting and consuming, and how much I, one person on this planet, was harming our beloved Earth. It made me realize how much one person could do to this large expanse of a planet, but I also figured, if I could harm the planet that much, I could also help it that much too. Even if it means starting small. 

I also recently watched a show about a teenage politician who based his campaign on the seriousness of climate change and how it was affecting our Earth. That was when it really sunk in. We are ruining our own planet, the place we call home, and our years are limited. We don’t even know what the state of our Earth will be when our children are born, when our grandchildren are born, when their children are born. 

We are living in a ticking time bomb, and our years on this Earth are limited. We have to think about not just us, but future generations. The Earth needs to be saved, and everyone living on it right now is in the perfect position to save it. Everyone on this Earth contributes to climate change and global warming, meaning that every person on this Earth has the capacity to chip in and do what it takes to save our planet. Spread the word about our impact on Earth because, at least for me, being aware of the ways I was hurting my own planet allowed me to have the motivation I needed to not only write about this, but do small things like unplugging outlets when I’m not using them and taking shorter, colder showers.

Now that I have covered climate change, I would like to talk about pollution. Pollution not only harms humans and our Earth, but the animals inhabiting our Earth whose habitats and lives are being ruined because of it. And we need to stop this before it gets worse. 

What is pollution? Pollution is the distribution of waste onto the surface of our Earth, and could be anything including littering by leaving a candy wrapper on the ground or throwing a wrapper into a water source. It might not seem as if little things like leaving wrappers out or casually throwing plastic into water actually has an effect on our Earth, but the buildup of this waste in different areas of our planet is causing problems for everyone. 

Imagine an animal living in a park. Suddenly their habitat, the place they live and call home, is filled with materials such as waste and plastic, wreaking havoc on the area around them. Their water source is now filled with toxic and harmful materials and chemicals, and they get wrapped and caught up in the garbage. This is causing harm and deaths of countless species of animals, and it needs to stop. 

We need to be more conscientious about how we are dealing with trash rather than nonchalantly throwing it into areas where wildlife already have established homes. Pollution is not only harmful to wildlife, but also to us as humans. Long-term exposure to pollution can cause many health issues including cardiovascular issues and respiratory issues. Sounds bad, doesn’t it? It is. 

But how can you help? Simple things like picking up your own trash, organizing trash pick ups, or picking up litter that you see near water sources can help a lot. One of my friends and I actually did a trash pick up for a project at our school, and we ended up finding so much garbage. It is crazy how much litter there is, and even crazier to think that we, humans, are the cause of it. Simply being educated on your own impact and finding small ways to help out will make a difference. Next time you feel like throwing that plastic bottle into the water, think twice about all the poor animals whose home will be devastated. Next time you see a gum wrapper on the road, pick it up. The simple things matter when it comes to stopping pollution.

Our Earth is precious. And it deserves to be saved. And every single person has the opportunity to save it. There are so many instances in everyday life where you can contribute to pollution and global warming, but there are also many instances where you can contribute to helping stop them. Think about your impact, and take action. Help save our planet. 

Citations:

“Air Conditioning.” Energy.gov, Department of Energy on Air Conditioning

“What Is Your Carbon Footprint?” The Nature Conservancy, What is a carbon footprint? | Carbon Footprint Calculator

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