+
ASK ANISSA »
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
OPINION
Text your questions to Anissa at 913-701-7UDK (7835) with the hashtag #AskAnissa
Q: "How do you handle people in arguments when they get overly aggressive and start taking hits to every personality flaw that you have? I have this friend that can never be wrong, is incapable of apologizing, and fights dirty and mean. She is one of my best friends but I can not get through to her that when we argue and it makes me question whether living together next year will be an issue."
A: In my lifetime, I too have met and fought with people like your good friend. The last fight I had with a person like this I took a moment, stepped back, looked at the person who was screaming at my face and realized that the argument we were having was not an argument at all, but a personal attack on me... READ MORE ONLINE》
Q: "My 20th birthday is tomorrow, and I still can't drink. What are some fun ideas for my birthday party?"
A: Ah, the big 2-0. Actually, turning 20 has been known to feel an awful lot like limbo since you've been an adult for two years but you still can't order your alcoholic beverage of choice along with dinner. But just because this birthday has a reputation for being awkward doesn't mean it can't still be a grand time.
I would give you a personal example from my own birthday, but I was not as blessed as you to have a birthday in the summer. I got finals week instead. Thanks, Mom. Luckily for you, you live in one of the most interesting towns around: Lawrence ... READ MORE ONLINE »
SEE ANISSA'S COMPLETE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS AND MORE AT KANSAN.COM
ABUSE FROM PAGE 05
it does not mean they are incapable of abusing you. The only difference is the scars are emotional, and oftentimes emotional scars take longer to heal than physical ones.
A person who claims to care about someone deeply should never refer to that person in derogatory or negative terms. The words "I really want to hurt you right now" should never be spoken. Phrases such as, "I have a bad temper," "I've just had a bad week" or "I was
just really angry" are nothing but excuses to validate the harmful words that had been spoken 20 minutes before.
Emotional abuse is real, and it should not be taken lightly. According to Healthy Place, an online resources about mental health issues, if emotional abuse continues long enough, it can lead to depression, underachievement, the inability to trust and more.
that their abusive situation will improve or being unaware that they have the right to leave the relationship. Again, someone does not have to physically hurt you for you to be able to walk away from a relationship. Cruel words and aggressive arguing that make a person feel unsafe is more than enough reason to leave.
either left by the one they are hurting, or until they see the person they love crying on the bathroom floor.
I have found that many women who stay in these relationships do so for various reasons, including the belief
If you are in an emotionally abusive relationship, allow your significant other the chance to change their ways because you were the person who left, not the one crying on the floor.
I do believe people are capable of changing, but a person who emotionally abuses someone they love may not get to the point of changing their ways until they are
Anissa Fritz is a junior from Dallas studying journalism and sociology.
Political furloughs: Taking action
GUEST COLUMN
tegislators are given 90 days to agree upon the coming fiscal year's budget, upon other things.
Sabrina Cushing @ssabbyccatt
The political climate in Kansas is appalling. Every year, our
This year, they have run over their limit by 19 days now, costing taxpayers over $700,000. The fact that 165 legislators and our governor refuse to cooperate for the benefit of all Kansans is disgusting
A step in the right direction was made on Saturday when SB 11 was passed, which classifies all state employees as essential, meaning the furloughs will not go into effect — at least for the time being. This bill allows the government to continue working on the budget until June 30 without furloughing thousands of state employees.
Unfortunately, SB 11 has as many cons as it does pros. Extending the deadline certainly prevents the loss of jobs (assuming they get a budget passed in the next three weeks), but it doesn't address the fact that our government is failing us.
Before SB 11 was passed, as many as 30,000 workers in Kansas were facing furloughs. Meanwhile,the legislators are making money for every day they've worked overtime, and until Saturday, they didn't seem to care about those who elected them.
This is, in my opinion, the exact opposite of what should happen. If our government cannot agree upon a budget in time, they should not get paid to continue arguing amongst themselves. Rather than the impending threat of furloughs on Kansas state employees, why not furlough the legislators? It's their fault that we are even in this mess.
Punish those who cannot compromise,not the citizens who are depending upon their government.
Every single year, the Kansas legislature moves closer and closer to failing to meet its budget deadline. This year's legislative session has been the longest and most costly in the history of our state, which is unacceptable.
After the federal government shutdown of 2013, citizens were assured this would never again happen. Unfortunately, this assurance obviously only applies at the federal level.
Why has nobody in Washington, D.C., addressed the problem in Kansas? And more importantly, why are our legislators being paid overtime to bicker when state employees who elected those officials were threatened with furlough?
The threat of furlough occurs all too often. This year's SB 11 was a small step in the right
direction to prevent future furloughs, but there is still an incredible amount of room for improvement.
Only through banding together and voicing our opinions can we, the citizens, make our voices heard. We voted the legislators in, and they work for us. It is time for all Kansans to actively participate in the political atmosphere of our state.
Passive complaints will only do so much. If you want something accomplished, take action. Writing an e-mail to your senators and representatives takes five minutes. Our generation has the power to change things, but we must take action. The time for sitting by apathetically has passed.
Sabrina Cushing is a senior from Osage City studying creative writing.