When is Enough, Enough?

In my first blog I discussed how women are treated by men if they are in an abusive relationship. What I didn’t look at or focus on was how men can be abused by women. When men are in the process of growing up, they are taught to be strong and they are told that complaining is a sign of weakness. This is why men who are in abusive relationships are reluctant and ashamed to say anything, even if the relationship is becoming life-threatening. According to a battered men website, a few signs to look for in finding out if you are being abused is if your wife or girlfriend:

- Embarrasses or humiliates you in front of friends or family
- Intimidates you
- Threatens you or threatens to harm herself if you leave her
- Treats you as if you are her servant
- Restricts your contact with others
- Makes you feel afraid or as if you need to “be careful” around her

The list goes on and on. Below is a link to a diagram of the cycle of abuse from the “Heart to Heart Network, a Support Network and Self-Help Database for Abused Women.”

Just recently, I saw male abuse on television and I thought to myself “how long has this been going on in our world without me knowing about it.” The question I’m posing to you this time is do you think that abuse is a growing problem that should be worked on or is it still something that is pushed off to the side and not many people are worried about? Just remember that abuse effects everyone.

Interracial Dating

As I look around, I have noticed that interracial dating had become a lot more common and respected then in the past years. Of course many would argue that it was once illegal, but even if it was legal in those times it would still not be as accepted as it is today. Interracial dating has always been an argumentative topic. As a nation that was once segregated, this is an awesome improvement. "People are finding people with common interests and common perspectives and are putting race aside," says Knapick, 22, in the article New generation doesn't blink at interracial relationships. Interracial dating seems to be challenging to many but in the same sense, there are many dating web sites that focus strictly on interracial dating, like interracial match. Having web sites that specialize in matching different races, shows that many people are quite interested in dating someone of a different race. After dealing with the looks, stares, and whispering, respect needs to be given to those who make that attempt to be optimistic. The thought of bring home someone of a different race to meet the parents always scares people away from the thought of interracial dating. In life many people let the thought of what others think influence how they feel about someone, but yet have the audacity to complain about not finding that “perfect match,” when in doubt they probably did but was being naive and missed out on the right one. Why would you let the thoughts of someone else influence your happiness?

“Young Love: Stop Hitting Me”

"What have I done to you? I thought you loved me? Why do you keep hurting me." These are the constant cries of teens in abusive relationships. According to kidshealth.org, 1 in 11 high school students report being physically hurt on a date.

When the popular jock, or cheerleader approaches you in school you never think he will put his hands on me. She will never slap me if another girl says hello to me. You are caught up in the looks of how you two will be precieve when everyone finds out you go with the most popular male, or female in school. Many of times as adolesecents we act nonchalant towards the red flags that we are in an abusive relationship. We go through the abuse mentally, physically, and emotionally. 1 in 4 teens girls who have been in a relationship revealed they had been pressued to perform oral sex or engaged in intercoure. More than 1 in 4 teens girls in a relationship(26%) report endurng repeated verbal abuse.

Why do we never speak up? Why do we never turn to someone for help? Nearly 80% of teens who are in a domestic violent relationship stay in the relationship with their abuser. That same popular guy at school has now given you a black eye, and fractured a vital bone. The most popular ,and beautiful cheerleader has slapped him for the first time. He was always taught not to hit a women, so he starts to distant himself more and more from her. Your friends take notcie to the changes in you. Suddenly you began to show signs of "power and control".

This epidemic of domestic violence in relationships amongst teens stream from their partners having to be in control, jealousy, possessiveness, and manipulation. Charcteristics held by a person in a relationship such as these are warnings to seperated yourself early from having to advance further into a relationship that will tear down your self-esteem and dignity. Everyone does not hold the power to walk away or fight back.

So............When will it be enough to walk away?

Should Gay Marriage Be Acceptable?

Usually, families consist of a male,

female, and a child. Nowadays, it is becoming more and more common to see same-sex marriages surround society. Homosexual marriages are becoming increasingly acceptable. Many people believe that gay marriage is wrongful or considered a sin, but many also believe that marriage should be a sacred commitment between two individuals who are in love. Nobody should be denied the right to wed based on sexual orientation. Individuals, based on some scientific research studies, are born gay and can't help the way they are. Others choose to be homosexual, which is their way of living, which should be acceptable. Then again, most gays are determined by a hormonal switch! Nobody wakes up one morning saying, "hey I'm going to be gay and be discriminated against." It's something in their hormones that tell them to behave they way they do. Nobody should refuse the right to wed, no matter gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual preference. Denying homosexuals their right to wed is minority or reversed discrimination.

Gay marriage has it's advantages and benefits. The number of adoptions would increase dramatically, reducing the number of foster kids and orphans. This is a good look because many male-female households have children out of wedlock and there are many teenagers who have kids and neglect them. Gay couples seem to have a genuine commitment to raising a loving family because they cant produce with one another. Gay marriage should be allowed mainly for the aforementioned reason. God's intention of marriage was supposed to be between a male and a female. Really, marriage should be between two lovers, regardless of sexual preference. . . as long as it isn't between objects! P.S: Love Makes the World Go Around.