With journalists, if they are ever writing an article about journalism it is usually to rant and banter about something that people found controversial and how that breaks the 1st amendment to freedom of speech or freedom of the press. Today however, is different. As we look at a girl from Texas who recently shined a light on not only religious discrimination, but the freedom to share that discrimination with everyone.

Erika Cook is a writer for Cypress-Mauriceville high school’s “The Bear Facts” newspaper in Orange Texas. She recently published an article about what it’s really like to be Mormon and to deny the stereotypes that come with being a Mormon such as how all Mormons are polygamists or what they believe. She tells her story of being one of the few Mormons in her school and the bullying that has come along with it.

“I have been ridiculed so much because many people believe in these misconceptions,” she says.

A lot of people don’t have this problem, as Utah is where many Mormons live or came from, but we can’t forget that not all people like certain religions, and thus question their beliefs. It’s best to say let them believe what they want to believe, and not ridicule them on how far-fetched, or how crazy they might sound. It’s like ridiculing a Vegan for their stereotypes.

Now I’m not comparing Vegans to a religion, I’m just saying that they go through stereotypes, and what people judge them on on a day-to-day basis. Maybe help them accept who they are, instead of bullying them for it. What people don’t understand it what struggles they go through. This applies to not only religions and Vegans, but the race, gender, the LGBTQ community and others. It takes one to power through discrimination, and to write about it and get national attention is very powerful. Our thanks to Erika Cook.

Cook is an excellent journalist. She has written many stories. An interesting fact is that her staff profile bio is the iconic verse of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I’m going to take notes and also have a creative staff profile. My staff profile for Sophomore year is going to be the theme song lyrics to Friends. This will happen.