The following questions are directly from a poll taken by the Dispatch from 11/16-12/03/2018. Polled through Google forms, 534 students responded, consisting of 140 Seniors, 94 Juniors, 132 Sophomores, and 168 Freshmen. In total, 341 Females, 173 Males, and 20 Nonbinary/Gender non-conforming users responded. The following quotes are from responders who offered to be interviewed and give their reasoning. Visit the original story here.

Gun rights:

• I believe that current regulation standards need to be changed or updated. (72%, 339 Votes)
• I believe that current regulation standards are as the Second Amendment intended. (28%, 135 Votes)

Total Voters: 474

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I believe that current regulation standards are as the Second Amendment intended: 

“While I do believe the second amendment, or the right to bear arms is important, and it should be socially acceptable to bear an arm in the average household, I also believe that there would not be a hurt if further restrictions were applied. Things like background checks, licensing and standards are a must in things like bearing arms. It should be a necessity to ensure the area is safe in the purchase or giving or possession of a firearm is known.”

Freshman Brandon Patrick, Democrat

I believe that current regulation standards need to be changed or updated:

“Personally I believe that the qualifications for a person to own a gun should me much stricter than they are now, such as more thorough background checks, mental health examinations before being able to purchase a gun, enact a federal waiting period from when someone decides to purchase a gun to the time it’s actually put in their hands. I also think that semi automatic weapons should be completely taken of the market and banned because I see no reason to keep one that is valid enough to overrule someone’s right to live. I think the greatest challenge right now is the people who believe that creating stricter gun laws will take away their Second Amendment right. If a person strongly argues for their right to bear arms in the United States, and are a responsible gun owner, then simply placing tougher restrictions on who is fit to own a gun won’t have any affect on them. It only keeps guns out of the hands of those who are a threat to other people. I think some Americans need to further understand that they may need to give up some ease when it comes to purchasing a gun in order to save people’s lives.”

Senior Bonnie Campbell, Democrat

Abortion:

• I believe that abortion should be accessible and legal. (80%, 429 Votes)
• I believe that abortion should be illegal. (20%, 105 Votes)

Total Voters: 534

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I believe that abortion should be accessible and legal:

“I think it should be legalized because women have the right to decide what to do with their bodies and if a child can’t be raised in the best life it can have with parents who love it or can support it, it doesn’t make sense to force parents to bring a child into the world. Also, if abortion isn’t legalized, people will continue to try and get them, it will just be less safe. To ensure accessibility, we should have people properly trained in the matter of performing an abortion. It shouldn’t be crazy expensive either.”

Freshman Arlo Craft, Democrat

I believe that abortion should be illegal:

“If the mother is going to die because of the birth then I feel that [abortion is] okay, if someone was assaulted then that too.”

Senior Wolfgang, Republican

Birthright Citizenship:

• I believe that citizenship should be granted to children born to illegal immigrants in the US. (82%, 440 Votes)
• I believe that citizenship should not be granted to children born to illegal immigrants in the US. (18%, 94 Votes)

Total Voters: 534

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I believe that citizenship should be granted to children born to illegal immigrants in the US:

“It should be granted because we’re an inclusive country that should bring new culture, work, etc. [For] people born here in the USA, [it’s] easy to gain citizenship but it’s very difficult for people not from the USA.”

Freshman Santi Castillo, Democrat

I believe that citizenship should not be granted to children born to illegal immigrants in the US:

“I do not think birthright citizenship should apply to illegal immigrants children. There is no reason that those children should be given citizenship simply because of their physical location. However, if the parents have a visa or are legal immigrants, then they should be granted citizenship, because their parents are within the law by being here.”

Freshman Chris Thompson, No party

Police Brutality:

• I believe that police unfairly racially profile. (70%, 373 Votes)
• I believe that police are doing their jobs to the best of their ability. (30%, 161 Votes)

Total Voters: 534

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I believe that police are doing their jobs to the best of their ability:

“I think that in the past there have been cases of police brutality where they went too far. Unfortunately there still is lots of discrimination in America and some white police officers who may have been right in arresting the individual, went too far in arresting them by beating them or charging unfairly based on color. Also there are a lot of officers that will arrest by assumption because of color, even though they are innocent. This has to change in order for the system to change. I personally believe that some police officers, but not all, do discriminate on minorities partly because some are racist unfortunately, and because there are a lot of bad neighborhoods as poverty that minorities get unfairly sucked in. A lot of people stereotype, [including] some police and it has turned into a system and a cycle that is hard to change.”

Senior Rachel Peckman, Republican

I believe that police unfairly racially profile:

“Minorities face discrimination when dealing with police because these days, police are very strict with the rights of young people and they are found oftentimes being discriminated because of age, gender, and race. Police these days cannot trust the youth to have parties by themselves without police supervision. The general public today may not feel safe with police in public areas because with all of the recent police shootings and brutality they feel like they may become a victim in a crime zone soon.”

Freshman Emilio Aldrete, Democrat

Healthcare:

• I think all citizens should have the right to affordable health care. (88%, 471 Votes)
• I think that healthcare should be privately funded. (12%, 63 Votes)

Total Voters: 534

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I think all citizens should have the right to affordable health care:

“People can’t go to the doctor and get mental and physical help because they can’t afford it, and it’s not fair that on the daily people die because they can’t get the help they need. Taxes are expensive if the people who are wealthier got more taken out of their paycheck than the people who are trying to work. If they passed a law on cheaper health care it would be better for literally everyone: people who already can’t go to the doctor because the state says they make to much money and have cheap insurance, and the wealthy because it would take less out of their paychecks as well, and company owners could pay their employees better.”

Freshman Denice Monroe, Democrat

I think that healthcare should be privately funded:

“I think healthcare should be privatized because it provides incentive for doctors and nurses to work. In places with public healthcare, physicians get paid less meaning they have to be really great, passionate people to put in all the same effort for less pay, and in reality most people are not like that; they want to be paid for their services. It would also raise taxes for the public and the American people would be paying for other citizen’s health insurance. There are also a lot of statistics dealing with increased preventable deaths in countries where there is public healthcare. And I know that people who advocate for public healthcare worry their pre-existing conditions will not be covered, but in reality the majority of private insurance companies do cover many of those conditions.”

Senior Rylee Holder, Republican

Gov’t Support/Welfare:

• I would rather pay more taxes in return for more government support programs. (63%, 335 Votes)
• I would rather have lower taxes and less government support programs. (37%, 199 Votes)

Total Voters: 534

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I would rather pay more taxes in return for more government support programs:

“If you’re talking about programs like welfare and food stamps then I wholeheartedly support them. Any government funded project that helps the people live comfortably is good. Support programs are worth higher taxes because I think helping people is a worthwhile endeavor. Plus social security is a great thing to have once you’re older. Paying more for yours and other people’s futures is a good thing to do.”

Junior Aaron Bohl, Democrat

I would rather have lower taxes and less government support programs:

“I believe that healthcare is a great idea in a perfect society where money and lazy people don’t exist. I believe that people are only entitled to what they earn and I don’t think taxing the people who have worked for their hard earned money should be taxed to pay for health care for those who don’t deserve it. I understand that there are people out there that truly need help and government aid is fine but for the wealthy to pay for everyone’s healthcare is unreasonable, especially when people don’t deserve it. I also think that government taxes should be lower to help stimulate the economy and create more jobs and business. It’s ridiculous that corporations have to move out of the US because taxes are so high.”

Senior Sarah Rolan, Republican

Military Spending:

• I believe that the military budget needs to have more regulation. (65%, 345 Votes)
• I believe that the military budget is being used wisely. (35%, 189 Votes)

Total Voters: 534

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I believe that the military budget is being used wisely:

“I personally think it is fine the way it is.”

Sophomore Luke Lovelady, Democrat

I believe that the military budget needs to have more regulation:

“I don’t think it’s justified considering the amount of money it already has, and the advances we have. It’s should be decreased because I personally think we have other sectors of the national budget that need more funding.”

Senior Taylor Bhuiyan, Democrat

Minimum Wage:

• I believe minimum wage should be increased. (76%, 407 Votes)
• I believe that the minimum wage is sufficient. (24%, 127 Votes)

Total Voters: 534

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I believe that the minimum wage is sufficient:

“It’s not that I feel like he minimum wage is sufficient, because I would argue any day that people deserve a high wage for the work they do with the economic despairing we see in America. However, if we raise the minimum wage there will just be inflation and company’s will be passing the cost down onto consumers by making the prices higher. This would really cause for the raise in wage to mean nothing since goods would cost more anyway. Also, a fact not most people know is that US territories must abide by federal minimum wage, which has really been hurting Puerto Rice since the cost of living is so much lower there and such a high wage limits how many a company can higher. So even if we were somehow to fix the issue of inflation, we would see that our federal jurisdiction would have a crippling effect on other assets of our economy that we might not have thought of.”

Junior Ashlyn Dahl, Democrat

I believe minimum wage should be increased:

“I think minimum wage isn’t sufficient because as the price of living goes up the minimum he wage stays the same. I think that the current minimum wage affects the current student because if the students need to help pay for things because their parents don’t make enough then they would need to work more hours.”

Senior Trinity Garcia, No party

LGBT rights:

• I think that refusing service based on gender or sexual identification is discriminatory. (81%, 434 Votes)
• I think that businesses should have the right to refuse service to whoever they like. (19%, 100 Votes)

Total Voters: 534

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I think that businesses should have the right to refuse service to whoever they like:

“I’m absolutely fine with religious bakers refusing service to people who they don’t wish to serve. Is it bad? Yes. Should you be looked down upon if you do discriminate based sexual orientation? Yes. But what this really comes down to (at least in my opinion) is are individuals entitled to the services provided by businesses? And the truth is no. No one is entitled to things they want and you can’t force someone to serve you if they don’t want to. This is my own personal opinion, but I honestly find it border line tyrannical to force someone to provide a service to another individual even when they don’t want to. Also I’m not only defending Christian bakers but also Jewish and Islamic bakeries as most abrahamic religions tend to not be too fond of homosexuals or homosexuality in general.”

Senior Brian Lister, Republican

I think that refusing service based on gender or sexual identification is discriminatory:

“Businesses refusing service to people who are part of the LGBT community is most definitely considered discrimination. I believe this because LGBT people are just that. People. When businesses refuse service to anyone on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, they are refusing to serve a fellow human. It’s morally wrong. An issue that most people don’t take into account regarding LGBT rights is how much stress people in this community are put under daily. This is called “minority stress,” and it can come from many different stressors such as denial of basic rights, harassment, and family rejection. Many people that are not in this community look past the fact that LGBT community members are constantly being discriminated against for just being who they are. This minority stress can lead to higher rates of suicidal thoughts and actual suicidal actions.”

Junior Cat Hill, Democrat

Marijuana Legalization:

• Recreational marijuana should be legalized. (57%, 307 Votes)
• Marijuana should only be used medically. (35%, 187 Votes)
• Marijuana should be illegal. (7%, 40 Votes)

Total Voters: 534

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Recreational marijuana should be legalized:

“I feel that if marijuana was legalized, it would significantly affect our economy. Given our economy isn’t the best it could be, the potential it has to become such a big corporation would lead to improvement. In addition to legalizing it nationwide, it would help our prisons. If it were legalized then prisoners serving for marijuana possession charges could be released, relieving the stress on that infrastructure. It should be legalized all over the country. I believe you should be 21 to buy and smoke it, as it is in Colorado and other states. Medical marijuana should also become more of a norm, given its medical advantages.”

Sophomore Laine Smith, Democrat

Marijuana should only be used medically:

“Marijuana should only be available medically because as it has benefits to healing some things, teenagers use it a lot of times as a coping mechanism which I don’t think is very good for our generation. I think that society would hurt [if it was legalized recreationally] because it will be everywhere and will be encouraged even more towards younger people.”

Sophomore Ava Pajak, No party

Marijuana should be illegal:

“I think marijuana should be illegal because a high schooler’s body is not fully developed and a drug like this can really damage it and hurt us in the future. A negative effect of marijuana would be a decline in school performance. High school students need to go to class every day and learn as much as they can so when they get to the real would later on in life they know what they’re getting into and have a stable job.”

Sophomore Laura Starkey, No party