Commentary: "Protect Self-Discovery" -- The Minds behind Sexual Orientation Discrimination

On August 12, 2015, Glasis Rodriguez, founder of the political blog “What is Happening in Texas Today?” posted an editorial called Protect self-discovery revealing how laws geared towards education didn’t protect students who are gay, lesbian, bi, or transgender. Because these students are not protected, there is a correlation in the number of LGBT suicides in schools due to bullying as in the case of Brandon and Larry: Brandon who shot Larry due to Larry’s sexual orientation. The author proposes that schools either add a policy protecting LGBT students or create separate charter schools for LGBT youth.

I do agree with what Rodriguez has to say. Although, I have to point out that students who bully and disrespect others are in fact despicable, but it is not entirely their fault. I suggest that this is a result of terrible parenting – parents who don’t look out after their child and those who remain too oblivious to care what they are doing. It is also through a parent where a child starts developing their earliest views about the world and its people. Brandon probably grew up with homophobic parents who, of course, has guns laying around in their house not properly stored away from their 14 year old son. However, a child may grow up with “these” parents (if any) and may not be influenced to do bad things to others, but we as humans also learn from our environment and through the people we meet such as our friends. These “friends” (that unfortunately have been affected by bad parenting) who encourage discrimination are sure to influence the student who decides to hang out with this group. In short, a student can be influenced by a group of friends to do bad things due to those friends' lack of parental guidance. Years later, without something happening to correct these students, they will grow up to be the bad parents that was described earlier - endlessly repeating the cycle. If we could somehow change the way all adults behave and act around children in the whole world, would the end to bullying stop. However, it is impossible to change every single adult (18+) in the entire world let alone their views, perspectives and behaviors.

So enacting LGBT protection laws and policies is the best way to ensure a student’s safety in schools. Creating separate charters for LGBT students is also a possibility that I do support. However, I am just concerned that others – who don’t understand the point of the school’s founding – might believe this is a form of segregation of LGBT students leading to further discrimination towards students coming from that school. But if we were to truly make an impossible difference in the world, we do not have to constantly pass laws and policies (write out with pen and paper) to ensure the rights of humans, we do not have to ridicule the infrastructure of the government or how it governs, we don’t even have to change how the school system works, their outreach of education or their quality of education. Rather, we look at the world from the inside-out, starting with the most basic component that makes up all these incredible things (rights, buildings, education, etc.) in this world: the people. If we are able to change the behaviors, perspectives and views of every human now, generations of children and adults with these qualities will sure to come. The problems that were previously mentioned above will be solved naturally over time. While it all does sound completely foolish and extremely Utopian, it is again extremely impossible. However, we are coming of modern era where we are showing improvements in the way we accept reality for how it is. More people than ever are accepting the LGBT community than it ever did back in the 19^th century. As of June 26, 2015 (a little bit late compared to other countries but nevertheless approved), U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in the states. Therefore, there may still be beacon of hope in the midst of a cold and dark society. But I digress. On the subject of matter, enacting policies and laws or setting up charter schools for the LGBT is the only thing we can do now that will ensure the safety of LGBT students and their right towards a stable learning environment and their entitlement to search and discover who they truly are.

Energy Efficient Data Centers/Supercomputer Reform - Japan Helps Texas!

As of recently, Obama signed an executive order known as a National Strategic Computing Initiative which focuses on energy efficiency – a movement which is revealed as his “Clean Power Plan” targeted to shrink the nation’s carbon footprint by reshaping its energy sector [the Texas Tribune]. This eco-friendly drive for a cleaner environment has already got Texans to introduce change. Texas Secretary of State Carlos Cascos will be joining the University of Texas, specifically Texas Advanced Computing Center, and partnering with the Japanese government through its New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization to achieve roughly a $13 million project aimed to make data centers more energy efficient saving millions of dollars in the long run. Heavy reliance on the amount of technology advancements, data sharing and storage on computers generate much bulk data and digital information from data centers across Texas and around the country. These powerful supercomputers take up a lot of energy from the power grid costing tech companies millions of dollars in utility bills. By partnering with the Japanese government, Texas is finding a way to eliminate the costs of ineffective energy consumption and utilize that energy towards more productive means. The partnership will produce a high-voltage direct current power system boosting data efficiency by avoiding costly energy conversions from solar panels, backup batteries and computing racks. The Japanese organization will be installing a 250-kilowatt solar farm as a power source for the computers on sunny days. The trade-off of the partnership is simple and generous: the university will get more computing power while Japan gets to study the technology with the help of Texas researchers to save energy use elsewhere.

This plan for a better environment and effective use of energy consumption should be allowed and funded as needed. If this partnership were to achieve its goal, data centers around Texas will be using less energy while working around the same (or better) efficiency and lowering utility bills for tech companies. U.S. data centers used up about 91 billion kilowatt-hour of electricity in 2013 – enough to power all homes in New York City twice – and will continue to grow to 140 billion kilowatt-hour by 2020 in a report by the NationalResources Defense Council and Anthesis. By reducing the amount of energy spent on data centers, perhaps Texas’s carbon footprint (as well as the nation) might also decrease leading to less pollution and the burning of fossil fuels. Also this project between Texas and Japanese government organizations will create a stronger alliance between Japan and the U.S. Although this might increase the debt that Texas might have to pay, in the long run, this will save the state more money by efficiently using and allocating energy resources and lowering the cost of utility bills.

Commentary: "Campus Carry" Gun Laws -- Safe for Future America?

In the editorial ["CampusCarry" Gun Laws -- Safe for Future America?] published by Katie – founder of the Texas political blog ForSake of Texas – the author expresses her concerns over the potential harm that will be introduced when laws allowing concealed handguns on campus were passed by legislature, specifically SB 11, “Campus Carry”.

I whole-heartedly agree with what the author has to say. The state of Texas already allows the act of carrying a handgun in public places and local areas. But isn’t extending the limitations to include schools and universities a little bit too extreme? Katie’s editorial already contains some statistics of school shootings and deaths caused by surreal criminals. I would also like to add to those numbers but in a more ironical way – the rate at which suicides occur. Everyone is concerned about their own personal safety and they think that by allowing guns in colleges and universities that they would be protected from others. However, that same gun that was used for protection can be used against oneself. College is a rough time for young adults. Their perspectives on life and mentality are not fully developed causing irrational actions to be taken when invoked by simple emotions such as sadness, stress, depression and anger. And – what psychiatrists and psychoanalysts have observed through multiple studies – suggests that society generally acts due to personal, impulsive emotions rather than hard logic or justice. A suicide report from 2004 and 2005 shows that many suicides occur in southern states (yes Texas is included) – most deaths around the age of 15 to 24 years old (ages most students in college would be). A whopping estimate of 32,500 men and women have committed suicide and the choice of method is indeed by firearms by around 17,000 victims – over half the amount deaths that took place surpassing other methods such as suffocation, poisons and ‘other methods’ combined.

“I think it’s a great day for all Texans. It makes Texans safer. We know that our concealed carry licensees will, as they become eligible to open carry, will use their best judgement in every situation," gun proponent Sen. Estes told Breitbard Texas.

I would also like to comment on Sen. Estes “wise” words. Sadly, in my opinion, there are a few people with pristine good judgement as the words “best judgement” is skewed through every individual like a game of telephone. The ability to carry a licensed gun is enough for someone to feel a gain in power and authority derived from absolutely nothing. In many cases, authority figures such as the police force are already making headline news with their infamous use of gunfire and force upon innocent people. If we can’t get our officers to be using guns “in their best judgement” what makes it justifiable to let every person with a gun license carry around concealed firearms on school campuses?

The need to do so is an unnecessary one. Just because you have a gun doesn’t necessarily mean it will protect you 100% of the time. For instance, if you were held at gunpoint from behind or if you have been caught off guard by an approaching criminal with a gun. The act of just reaching for “something” have caused many criminals to open fire as well as police officers. During such instances, trying to outsmart your opponent is very risky and the cost of that risk may be more than just a scratch or bruise.

The risks of allowing guns on campus is potentially higher than the benefits that will come from the law. Below is another detailed editorial of mine about the subject of concealed guns on campus.

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It's not our fault that we can't protect ourselves from disaster! by Keenan

"This debate has been going on for quite some time now – “Should Texas allow those with concealed handgun licenses to carry weapons in public college buildings and classrooms?” If you are talking about on-campus police officers who uphold the law and bring misdemeanor to a minimum, then yes. But, of course, this question is addressed to anyone who has a license to carry a gun. Ironically, knowing that if everyone – who has a gun license – is secretly concealing a hand gun for personal safety doesn’t seem to make me (or anyone else) feel safer or protected around campus.

I don’t feel like it is necessary to carry concealed guns around campus. I don’t mean to sound cliché but schools are places for learning not a potential shooting ground. Say, for instance, that a school was under attack by a distraught student threatening to stab anyone who comes his way. “Sure, I’ll just shoot him down and be a hero” most people would think. As the famous saying goes, “Never bring a knife to a gun fight”. But what if he has a gun? An individual would need to consider: Would it be smart to fire into a group of students who are scrambling away to safety? Is what you’re doing something that the police can’t handle? In cases like Columbine and Virginia Tech, the police did fail to handle the situation effectively, claiming the lives of many students and teachers. But is it worth it to take matters into your own hands?

Successfully taking the life of a potential threat would bear some mental impact on individuals who have never even claimed a life before especially students. I believe I could speak for most (not all) students (and many other individuals) that we are not experienced with taking the life of another individual. It isn’t daily that we encounter criminals and gun them down. While on the topic of a student’s mental state of mind, individuals are more likely to act out due to personal feelings rather than pure justice. College is a rough time for students learning to find their way to fit into society and find what they are going to do. The curriculum and workload isn’t easy either. Stress and depression can easily drive a student to pick up the gun and pull the trigger in their own dorm room. Some people say those who commit suicide are weak-hearted/minded people and probably don’t concern themselves too much about their death, but, hypothetically, the tables turn once this person turns out to be a close friend or relative. Many people can also act out due to anger, jealousy, sadness, etc. And what about college life outside the learning environment? Drugs, parties, alcohol, initiations, rushes, pranks, etc. are possible events that can lead up to the use of a gun. Also, those who are not even licensed to have a gun can easily obtain one by taking it from a friend without their notice or can just simply ask them.

I read a comment on the provided link by a ‘pro-gun’ individual suggesting that a “major incident” hasn’t occurred yet in schools that do allow carry-on guns on campus. However, just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it won’t. There are more risks involved allowing guns in schools than not. It does not happen frequently that gun shooting occur on campus. And you might say that people will be more prepared when the time comes when an unexpected shooter appears on campus. But that could be said for any normal, sane person who – all of a sudden – snaps or loses control and picks up a gun. If a homicide did occur on campus, wouldn’t it be easier for the culprit to blend into their environment or blame it on someone else simply because guns are allowed on campus?

There is a reason why not all Texas schools are allowed to carry concealed handguns even though the state allows individuals to openly carry around firearms. There is potentially a greater risk for problems, crime and accidents if it was. If a school does experience a shooting, perhaps we should not blame ourselves for the event for not having weapons on hand but rather police or law enforcement for their ability (or lack thereof) to control the situation. Yet we should blame the school or university for their lack of security/police forces on campus or direct our focus toward Texas government for their lack of funding towards schools to pay for better security."