Miss Quinn

Young people associating with drugs and alcohol is not a new topic. However, social media is offering a new and dangerous opportunity for adolescents to be exposed to drugs. Teens are vulnerable to the effects of what they see on social media, as they are highly susceptible to peer influence and pressure. Celebrities constantly post pictures of them drinking and getting high on a variety of platforms, and that influences the teens that watch. Additionally, tens aren’t only exposed to celebrities engaging in this behavior, but also their friends and families; this normalizes the behavior of overdosing on prescription drugs and binge drinking. Making teens wrongly believe it’s okay to do the same. A study conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University found that teenagers who regularly use social media outlets are more likely to drink, use drugs, and buy tobacco than those who either don’t use it, or those who use it less frequently. Social media...

The American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into, can obtain their own version of success in society. Where upward mobility is possible for anyone. It is achieved through sacrifice, risk taking, and hard work.  The term “American Dream” was brought about by historian James Adams in his best selling 1931 book, “Epic of America.” He described it as “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability and achievement.” The idea of the American Dream has much deeper roots. It’s roots can be found in the declaration of independence which states, “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”  In a society based on these principals, an individual can live life to its fulles...

      One of the most important educational, political, and social issues of today is how to best have a civil conversation in a democratic society. Our past, present, and future depend on this essential process: citizens gathering, listening to each other, debating, and making up their minds to determine the course of an action.        Polarization of opinions, coupled with the speed and access of the digital age, have made it increasingly difficult to keep our conversations civil in America today. From shouting matches, to opinionated blog posts, to rhetoric- filled political debates, we are  confronted everyday with uncivil conversation.        To me, civil discourse is truthful, productive, audience-based, about listening and talking, and each speaker's own responsibility. Civil discourse is not mere politeness, about telling people who they are, or purley performative. So what h...

Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft are constantly under investigation for numerous allegations; ranging from sexual assault and harassment, to rape and verbal abuse from the drivers. There are national concerns that rideshare companies aren't doing enough to keep their customers safe. After numerous lawsuits, these particular companies are under a lot of pressure to perform stronger driver background checks and adopt better security checks to protect passengers. Numerous complaints say that Uber and Lyft failed to routinely perform background checks on drivers and failed to monitor drivers for inappropriate conduct after they were hired. In the past few years, Uber Accident Attorneys have seen many personal injury claims and civil lawsuits filed by passengers across the country. Although recent safety changes have been made, law officials are recommending fingerprint-based background checks, vedio, and/or audio recordings of rides, and an option for women to request a female dr...