First is the war in Iraq. The United States spends approximately $12 billion a month on the Iraq War, which equals about $5,000 per second. Also about 4,182 innocent Americans have died and there have been over 100,000 injured. Now I understand that most of those people risked their lives for our country but I think there is a point where enough is enough. Why are we even fighting anymore? Is it really worth losing all these people? Those are two very complicated questions. Some people say we are fighting for oil others say we are fighting to keep the Middle East out of a civil war. I say it is both. Most of the United States oil comes from the Middle East so we are trying to protect that. I think the more important reason for George Bush, though, is to keep the Middle East from having a civil war. Now I understand he is trying to help avoid having a war but what I don't understand is why we are still fighting in a war to avoid another war. That doesn't make sense.  I believe taking all the troops  out at once would be a disaster and it would be very dangerous for us here in America. But I do think that war is not necessary at this point. I think a little by little we should start bringing our troops home, then the war will hopefully start dying down and we can figure out another alternative to help stop the uprising of a civil war. 

    Along with the war in Iraq, I also really care about same- sex marriage. Everyone has a different belief about the subject. There are many homosexual individuals in our country but most of them are not aloud to marry legally because of the Defense of Marriage Act. The act states that "no states need treat relationships between persons of the same sex as a marriage." This restricts people just like everyone else to share a legal companionship with the person they are in love with. Homosexuals do not chose to love the same sex. Why would they? Why would they choose to be discriminated against, looked down upon from the majority of the U.S. citizens? and have an extremely hard life in general. Honestly I know of no one that would choose that. I think this law really contradicts the 14th Amendment that states, "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States". Isn't the Defense of Marriage Act taking away those peoples privileges and immunities? The Defense of Marriage Act goes against the Constitution, the first official set of laws in the U.S.  Thus it is ridiculous that is even a law. By two homosexual people joining in matrimony how does that hurt anyone else? Honestly it doesn't so I think everyone should have the same rights of marriage. They are people too they should have the same rights as us. They should be able to enjoy the same happiness that everyone else does.

    Thank you for taking the time to listen to what I have to say about two very controversial issues. I hope you took what I had to say into account. Thank you.