War & Peace & Prom Dates of Course

As a JSEC High School student we have enough pressure with everyday life.    With everything happening often all at once and with the availability of news just about everywhere, it seems like its almost impossible to take a breather.  With our fast pace society becoming faster than ever and access to events happening locally and globally, stress and anxiety seems to be a common theme with what teens feel.   It can be sensed as a feeling of dread, an edginess, a cold wind that won’t stop howling.    It seems like sunny days are just an interlude. You can’t relax. All peace is temporary, short term. Anxiety is a thief, taking our sleep, our energy, our well-being and our peace.   Speaking of peace that’s one issue that seems to be on the table and the fear that we may not have that if a war were to break out.  War is an issue  that seems to be a very constant issue these days.   As a teenager I just want to worry about graduating high school and planning for the next steps in life; however, almost daily I hear about war.    The seemingly weekly war threats with the USA vs. N. Korea has me a bit worried.

North Korea’s leader is Kim Jong-un(김정은) seems to be challenging the USA’s President Donald Trump to war and President Trump seems to be vocally responding diplomatically and non-diplomatically with his own war of words with North Koreas leader.   Kim Jong-un is the supreme leader of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea also known as North Korea.  This war of words, many of us feel,  could lead to war itself and its something that’s been on my mind and yes it does cause even more anxiety.    I feel like wars should not be fought without reason because if we are fighting without a purpose what is the point of fighting at all.  Some feel it isn’t a bad thing to fight because we fight to protect the ones we care for and the ones we love need to be kept safe from the dangers of the world.   Some feel like it is a bad thing at the same time because no one’s life should be taken from them and  everyone deserves a life that is not ended by war violence.   I feel this wars should only be used as a last resort and diplomatic means should be used first and foremost.

Violence should never be the answer to peace.   I feel like students should take more of a stand against war, against violence, and promote more discussions about this topic.  People reading this article should keep in mind that nobody should have to suffer the tragedy and loss of losing their child in combat, for fighting a war that can be prevented by making the right choice to talk things out.  There are many retired Veteran’s that will tell you they thought fighting was right for their country and for their families, but they themselves never lived a normal life having witnessed some pretty bad things, experienced violence, seeing bloodshed, and having friends die in war.  Many soldiers experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder caused by serving in war.(PTSD)  Often the sights, sounds, and horrible actions of war haunt soldiers for the rest of his life.    This video below showcases just a glimpse of how war can take a toll on soldiers:

Looking at both sides of everyday issues is important.  Diplomacy should always be first and this is the first time in many of our lives where many of us are feeling the real potential of war.  I understand that threats from N. Korea sometimes warrants the mindset: ‘the only way to fight fire is with fire’ and that this may be the only way to stop the threats against the USA, but I hope and pray that both sides meet to discuss a plan to resolve the issues so all can live peacefully with each other.                                                                                                     We want to live in a peaceful world, without worries and fear, and a world where we can get back to worrying about teen stuff like tests, exams, parents, families, dating, college essays, universities, and of course let’s not forget about one of the most important things….’Who are we going to ask to the JSEC Junior/Senior Prom’.

-Jordan Ortiz (JSEC Sophomore)