Love is love....

Today in my English III class, my teacher was randomly drawing topics for the class to write an argument about. One that he selected was gay marriage. Some people rolled their eyes, some said they didn't want to write about that topic. I said I COULDN'T write about it. At least not a five paragraph argument, where I'm supposed to pick whether its right or wrong. Like I said in class, I'm neutral when it comes to gay marriage or relationships.
I do think people should have the freedom to be with who they want, and marry whoever they want.. I think Its pretty dumb that its LEGAL is 20 states for first cousins to get married, but only in 9 states is it legal to marry someone of the same sex... So basically the "Government" is telling us that its okay to be incest but being gay is a sin. When this subject is brought up, it really bothers me. I have a really close friend that is gay himself. I've known him since middle school, and  I have watched him struggle. I remember when he used to lie to me, & tell me that he had a crush on this girl named Grace. Looking back now, I know he was afraid of the judgment he would receive and scared to see his closest friends reaction.Then one of my best friends, Sierra told me & our other friends that her Dad was gay. Yes, it was a shock. But we never, in any kind of way, judged him. I don't think gay people should have to feel this way!!! Society makes gays feel like outsiders or freaks.. & honestly it is nothing but complete ignorance.. You should be able to love who you want, marry who you want, date who you want & so on... If people are gonna support things like cousins getting married, then why cant gays have that same kind of acceptance?!
So after really thinking about all of this, I realized I do have an argument . LOVE IS LOVE... Love knows no race, no color, no gender.. Love is just love itself... I am not gay, but I support gay marriage 100%!!!!

I can relate to Ralph.

Today in my 7th period English 3 class, we read a story called Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
I feel like this story describes high school! In this particular story, he is basically telling his readers to follow our own path, & not let society mold you into what it wants you to be. I feel like this applys to high school for many reasons. In school your one of 3 things. Either a follower, a leader, or one of those people that kind of do their own thing. If your a leader, your a role model for your peers. Your the one that the followers want to be just like. Your the one with the up-to-date fashion, plays sports, good looking, & intelligent. If your a follower, you base your day-to-day life on what else you can do to be more like that person you look up to. Then there are people like me, that dont really try to fit in or be the best. High school is tough, there is always going to be someone that doesnt like you and always someone judging you. Another point that Ralph Emerson made in his story was that we need to accept who we are and the life we have been given. We all have a place in life, and we should never try to be like or envy someone else. I feel like high school is one big battle or contest for kids. Everyone wants the BEST grades, the best clothes, the nicest shoes, the newest technology, the best car... Who can get their permit & license first. Who can throw the best party. Kids these days have lost the whole concept of school, & thats why more teens are dropping out. Its basically a race to grow up. They want to be grown, and free. Obviously, they havent been informed on how much tougher life is after high school. The last thing I really liked that Ralph Emerson wrote in his story is that even the greatest people throughout history were misunderstood. He said that its okay to change your mind, and be wrong. Even if your not right, you can learn from the mistake. Its all about being your own person and not letting anthing or anyone choose your path. I just found this story very inspiring, and easy to relate to. If you have not read it, you definetly should! Self-reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson .