Hey everyone, I feel like it is time I introduce myself. 

My name is Kaison Joyner, and I am from the small city of Mansfield, just a little ways outside of the big city of Covington. I have been with the paper for almost six months now. 

When I sit back and think about what I wanted to write for this, the only thing that comes to mind is the desire to honestly voice my opinion on the world I am coming into. 

I just recently turned 18, — back in June to be precise — but I like to say I have been in the adult world a lot longer than most people my age. 

I graduated early at the age of 15 and have been working a full-time job ever since. It frustrates me the time I have been born into and the world that my generation has been left. It is at the point where entering the job market you have to have a degree or a substantial resume to survive. 

I know many people, myself included, who work at minimum 40 hours per week who can’t afford to rent their own place, much less own a home. We can’t afford to survive, and the ones whose sole job is to make sure our economy isn’t unsurvivable, can’t seem to be able to remember their own names, much less run our country. 

Our country once was the light that stood out among other countries, the model country, the ones people who didn’t take “No” for an answer. Now, the two men vying for the president’s position, stir up more issues than they come up with resolutions for. 

Our candidates, unfortunately, make us the laughing stock of the world. From memes on the internet about our current presidential incumbent, to the fact that the man who is running against him is a convicted felon. It is just shameful to be quite frank. 

It honestly has me dreading the future. Looking at our history, we have been on a downward spiral, and it doesn’t look like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. 

The world is at war with itself, from countries warring with each other, to our own country tearing itself apart, from the riots that happen in our streets, to the shootings in our schools, which are happening more and more frequently than I would like to admit. 

So many people blame the current state of the world on my generation. As much as I hate to say it, these issues have been growing for longer than we have been alive. They are just now, coming out and roaring their ugly heads. 

I think if we really voice our opinions, quit being afraid of the consequences, offending someone or being incorrect, we could pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and get ourselves and our country in some better standing.  

Kaison Joyner is the legals clerk of The Covington News. He can be reached at kaijoyner@covnews.com.