With November around the corner, debates about the politicians, the presidential candidates and the acts being voted on are swarming across the Aragon campus. The acts being voted on include a gun control proposition, a cigarette tax, a plastic bag referendum, a multilingual education act and a proposition to repeal the death penalty.
Proposition 63 is based on people’s belief for the right or restriction of gun control. Some argue that gun control infringes upon the Second Amendment’s rights of individual gun ownership and may invade people’s privacy through the added use of thorough background checks for ammunition purchases. However, stricter gun laws may reduce violence, death and crime rates in schools and the community.
Freshman Nick Lee says, “[They should have] tracking devices on every gun. [Furthermore] If you only have one [gun shop] in every state, a big gun shop, it’s easier for you to figure out where [the gun came] from.”
Proposition 56 proposes an increase of the tax for a pack of cigarettes from 87 cents to $2.87. As this ban may reduce the use of cigarettes, a major health concern, it also hurts the cigarette industries when they lose money due to the decline in smoking. Government and Economics teacher Kevin Nelson says, “[cigarette companies will] argue that [the cigarette tax] is against freedom.” Some people advocate for the cigarette tax as it prevents smokers from smoking these cigarettes and gives money to fund for health care and tobacco prevention programs. Nelson explains, “[The cigarette tax] is a corrective tax … focused on stopping new, younger smokers from starting … by making cigarettes more expensive.”
Proposition 67 would to reinforce the 2014 plastic bag ballot that bans single-use plastic bags, with the exception of meat, dairy and produce. Store owners and citizens may have difficulties adjusting change on common plastic bags. Environmental Science teacher Megan Thaler acknowledges, “[Plastic bags] are more convenient and [people] might use them for … trash bags, and picking up pet litter … [Plastic bags] are light and easy to transport.” Prohibiting these single-use plastic bags may improve the environment as Thaler believes, “plastic bags are a lot worse [for] the environment because of the oil used to produce plastic and because plastic [does not] decompose.”
Proposition 58 strives to repeal the current proposition that prohibits non-English languages at public schools, thus eliminating multilingual classes and increasing English acquisition. However, some people want curriculum to be taught bilingually in order to ease students into English. Sophomore Stefan Veizades states, “I think that it’s a good idea to have a place where people can learn English better and not just be thrown into a classroom where they don’t know anything.”
The death penalty repeal of Proposition 66 proposes to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment without of parole.
Some people want to keep the death penalty because the execution of the guilty person gives justice to the victims. However, Junior William Graham believes, “An eye for an eye is not necessarily good for … a country that is based on freedom and ideals.”
The cost and the impact of the current death penalty will alter the values of the current government. Graham provides a logical standpoint, saying, “[it] costs so much to execute someone, both to purchase drugs and go through all the court appeals and holding cells.”
Nevertheless, these debates on the various propositions being voted on will be settled Nov. 8.
