Commentary RE: Bag ban-The impacts

In this blog presented by one of my classmate titled, "Bag Ban-The impacts" I think that he did a good job of laying out the pros and cons of a topic that has recently affected all of us Austinites. I think that Wes did a good job of laying out his opinion but at the same time making points that were honest, and which I am sure many of us felt this same way initially for instance, when he said that at first the thought of this bag ban was more of an annoyance and resistance to change more than anything else.

 I agree with him that after initially hearing about this ban I thought to myself, that is going to be a pain to remember my reusable bags, or I thought it was some kind of an inconvenience. As Wes stated after a few months of forming the new habit of bringing my bags along with me, I find it to be not that bad and if this little act can save our planet in even the slightest I am all for it.

I found Wes' blog to be well thought out in his presentation and informational about the facts that supported his thoughts on this topic. I especially found it to be interesting when he brought up the fact about this ordinance making it easier for shoplifters, which I had always slightly thought this to be a possibility but I wasn't aware about the facts behind it.

Overall, Wes did a good job of commenting on this topic as well as putting forth his opinions about it in a reasonable and honest fashion.

Original Comentary #2 Texas and gun control

Texas is notorious for having some of the most leniant gun laws, the concerns over this fact have risen over time because of the violence that has occured due to the lack of laws. One of the reasons that Texas has such low rankings in its laws is because there is not a minimum legal age requirement for gun posession which consequently can lead to more violence. In 2009 it was recorded that in Texas 65,561 offenses were reported for violence involving a concealed hangun for those 21 and over and only 101 of those convictions was the person carrying a concealed hangun license at the time of the offense. There is also a concern about the increasing amount of violence in Mexico and at the border which raises concern that the violence will be brought into the United States.

With the fact that Texas does have such lazy laws when it comes to handguns, it is important that people are aware of the magnitude that these weapons can have and this is enforced with measures sch as calls for restrictions on gun shows, child access prevention laws mandating the locking up of guns, and bans on assault weapons. Enforcement of measures such as these are crucial in keeping people safe, because guns are not always placed in the hands of someone that is capable or in a right state of mind to be possessing such a weapon.

With recent talk about passing laws such as handguns being allowed on capuses and in schools it is apparent that Texas doesnt intend on getting rid of the posession of these weapons anytime soon. While this topic may be controversial it is the reputation that Texas carries in being supportive of handguns and treating them without strict force when compared to other states. If Texas is going to continue its ongoing affair with its affinity for hanguns the only hope is that we can do so in safe manner and always keep in mind that even though these weapons are meant to protect and provide safety, they are also often misused in instances that lead to violence, crime, suicide, and tragic events.

Commentary on article: Why did the Fetus cross the road?

I found the article, Why did the fetus cross the road to be very organized in the information that was being presented as well as a good insight upon such a touch subject. The facts that were presented about why a woman would chose to have an abortion in the first place are not only truthful, but honest. Stating that maybe its possible that a mistake happened, birth control failed, or factors are present that are not allowing you to care for a child at this particular moment in time. I particularly agree with the statement about how clearly ironic this topic even is seeing as how the Senate proceeds to pass a bill prior to this not allowing women to get the birth control that they need to prevent having babies, and then they chose to pass a bill that prevents aborting the babies that they have caused due to lack of resources. That combined with the so called "protection" this bill will provide women when in all actuality it leaves more reasons for women and young girls to turn to unsafe conditions to have these abortions, leads me to believe these people don't know what they are talking about. I think that the author of this article did a good job of laying out good information based on this topic and provided a good argument for those that agree with pro choice and the rights of women. I am a big believer myself in these rights.