preme Court justice, the once respected have always been an unattainable illusion
Sharon's Shenanigans The Benefits of Barking COMMENTARY BY SHARON FLOREZ, OPINION EDITOR
As the U.S.’s highest judicial entity, being appointed as a Supreme Court justice is a great honor, therefore candidates must prepare thoroughly for questions regarding the U.S. Constitution. However, during her third confirmation hearing, Barrett struggled to remember the first five freedoms granted by the First Amendment: basic civics knowledge that is required to pass the American citizenship test. This quickly raised concerns that she may be unqualified for the Supreme Court seat — one that requires her to protect citizen’s civil rights and liberties. Barrett, a relatively new and inexperienced judge, was clearly not chosen for being remarkably
knowledgeable on the Constitution. There is no denying that her religious stance played a significant role in her selection, as it would help accomplish a long-term goal of President Trump. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump vowed to appoint justices that would overturn Roe v. Wade, a Supreme Court decision that ruled that it was a woman’s
right to have an abortion. So far, it can be said that that President Trump has nominated Barrett to meet his promise to the nation. It seems the only qualifications Barrett has to be qualified as President Trump’s Supreme Court nomination is her alignment with Trump’s religious and political ideologies. Otherwise, Barrett would be considered unqualified and uneducated — not at all fit to be Supreme Court justice. She has served as a judge since only 2017, and until she was nominated by President Trump, she had never worked as a defense lawyer, solicitor general or a prosecutor, according to newsmagazine Mother Jones, all jobs that would prepare Barrett to defend civil rights, liberties and those seeking justice. In 2018, The Atlantic wrote that “evangelical leaders across the country point to [Vice President Mike Pence’s] record on abortion and liken him to a prophet restoring conservative Christianity to its rightful place at the center of American life.” Christians are continuing to push to pass more Christian legislation, completely disregarding the aim of the separation of church and state. “I feel like politicians just pull on the most attentive subject and sensitive topic, which is religion, just to get their identity as a candidate to matter and hopefully in this case be given the opportunity to be elected,” junior Saryá Erlyne Dany said. Faith cannot continue being a consistent part of legislation because it promotes the discrimination of marginalized people, whether intentional or not. Already, LGBTQ+ members and women face enough discrimination. Whether or not the respective candidates are religious, citizens should not have their rights threatened by Christian beliefs. Barrett’s nomination disrespects the honor held by the Supreme Court Justice title. The separation of church and state has been set aside to appeal to the majority Christian population in the United States, setting Christianity as superior to other religions, In matters of law, religion should stay a personal matter, not a public one, for the well-being and progression of this great nation. h
Do you suffer from social anxiety? Do you feel an overwhelming amount of pressure from societal expectations? Luckily for you, barking is the ultimate solution to your deep-rooted fears of inadequacy. For the record, barking is not for everyone. The edgier kids prefer to roar like beasts and act deranged in the late hours of the night — for safety reasons, of course. However, those who do choose to partake in this experimental idea will soon realize that barking is a great form of communication because it sends a clear message. Everyone around you will know that you are a force to be reckoned with. Let’s say you are walking down a dark alley and a strange man cat-calls you — you are only three barks away from scaring him off. Without a doubt, he will be caught off-guard and think twice about messing with you. If you are in class and feeling inferior, a few barks will instantly declare you as the alpha, a superior being worthy of the utmost respect. By the end of the day, everyone will know you for the immense power you carry. Additionally, barking offers phenomenal spiritual and mental health benefits. Guaranteed, barking releases you from all societal expectations, deepcleanses your chakras and opens your third eye. Forget meditation. Legend says that in some cases, people report experiencing major glitches in the matrix, astral projection and quantum jumping. Social anxiety? Gone. Stress? Non-existent. Panic attacks? Missing in action. How, you ask? The answer is simple: social dominance — all for only a few barks a day. Once you declare to others that you will not partake in their fragile perception of reality, you free yourself from set expectations. The world is all yours to take. The system no longer compels you and you are instantly granted complete freedom and control over your life. You become the main character. So whenever you are feeling uncomfortable or awkward, bark like a dog. If someone is being racist or acting like a Karen, growl and snarl for extra points. Only bite if threatened. It is your world and everyone else is just living in it. h
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