Where I Stand — Marisol Montoya: Spirit of debate lives

Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004 | 8:46 a.m.

Editor's note: More than 1,000 students from high schools throughout Southern Nevada participated in the 49th annual Sun Youth Forum on Nov. 23. The students were divided into groups to discuss a variety of topics. A spokesperson was chosen from each group to write a column about the students' findings. Today's columnist is Cimarron-Memorial High School student Marisol Montoya, who writes about the discussion in her group, "Home in Nevada."

By Marisol Montoya

In recent years America has experienced a decline in bipartisanship and cooperation in politics. This was highlighted in this election and has been seen in the bitter divides over social issues and legislation.

With the Sun Youth Forum occurring as the election wounds were still open, one might assume that these divides would be more prevalent than usual. As expected, there were divisions and they were deeply drawn by personal beliefs.

However, what I experienced at the Youth Forum was a stark difference to the lack of political cooperation shown in recent months. My peers listened to each other and were respectful of each other. A strong example of this was demonstrated when the issue of the death penalty was discussed.

The room was deeply divided -- 17 supported the death penalty while 15 were opposed to it. Specifically, on the issue of the death penalty for minors, those in favor believed that if you kill someone you should pay the price with your own life. It was also stated that the funding to keep someone in jail for life was too much of a financial burden on taxpayers.

But that argument was countered with a strong rebuttal, that the price of executing someone is actually more expensive than keeping someone in jail for life. Many people, including myself, also had a problem with the fact that America is the only western democracy that uses the death penalty. For opponents of the death penalty, the risk of executing an innocent person was also far too great to sway anyone's opinion to the other side.

The divide in our room over the death penalty was very similar to the one in the political arena, but when it came to an even more divisive issue, such as gay marriage, there was much agreement.

Only six people in the 30-plus group opposed gay marriage. Everyone in our room came to the agreement, however, that as much as marriage may be about love, this particular issue is about the rights that come with marriage or a civil union, such as the rights of inheritance, taxes, real estate, hospital visitation, medical and legal decisions.

While some students were uncomfortable with the word marriage, all seemed uncomfortable at denying rights based on sexuality. Almost all believed that someone's religious beliefs should not determine human rights. Some even felt that the government should not be involved in marriage, period, and that the government should just honor civil unions for all and that a church or religious sect could choose to recognize it as a marriage.

All I wanted from the discussion was an answer to my question: If homosexuals can fight and die for our country, why can't they have the same rights all others are entitled to? However, the best response I received was that the military has a "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, which I already knew.

While we were still contemplating the rights for homosexuals via marriage, another debatable right was addressed. Should you have the right to use marijuana? Contrary to popular belief, an overwhelming majority of the students did not support legalization.

Seventeen supported legalization while 14 opposed -- a difference of only three people. (One student had no opinion on the issue.) To me, it seems ridiculous for someone to possibly lose their right to vote if they're convicted of using a non-addictive drug.

Common ground was reached, though, on a medicinal purpose for marijuana. This is because marijuana, for many patients, is the only drug that can effectively cut the nauseating edge of chemotherapy. It also gives you an appetite.

Not even THC pills give the same effect as smoked marijuana. Ultimately, we agreed that if marijuana was ever to be legalized in any form, regulations and taxes would have to be imposed. An issue also tied with regulations and money, because taxes ultimately mean money, was Yucca Mountain. While an overwhelming majority were opposed to Yucca Mountain, nearly everyone felt it was inevitable. Most of the group said they would support it as long as the security and storage were strictly regulated.

However, the sarcasm in accepting it was shown when everyone said they would gladly take the waste dump if Nevada's schools were given as much money to spend per pupil as is spent on education by those states ranking in the top five in the country. While the looming threat of nuclear waste shadowed many students' perceptions, including my own, some believed that there was hope in stalling the waste dump from being used anytime soon. So strong was this belief that some students came together to help form Youth Against Yucca Mountain.

The Sun Youth Forum gave more hope for the re-emergence of bipartisanship that seems to have been lost in recent years. These youths, representing the future of our country, were working and listening. It wasn't a shouting match of "my ideas are better and are not to be compromised." I was proud to see that cooperation in politics is not an extinct concept. Perhaps more of this will take place in politics in the near future.