Op-Eds

Fruit on campus: a seriously rotten deal

Ah, pesticide. As much as I appreciate insight into agricultural processes, I’m not a fan of tasting the crop-dust on apples — or maybe it’s not chemicals, maybe I’m tasting the industrial plastic the apples were shipped in. Or the oil from 10,000 hesitant, collegiate fingers. Whatever’s in my mouth, it could use a bath. […]

The classics should not be all Greek to us

Some foreign language programs have no need to justify their existence. Certainly few would advocate removing programs like Spanish or French from high schools, given how many people worldwide (and, especially with Spanish, in the United States) speak them. Nor do languages like Arabic and Mandarin lack their defenders, given their importance to current American […]

Boredom and business

During reading period and the week before final exams, students often find themselves overwhelmed with schoolwork. They’re mentally overloaded, whether from studying for exams or finishing assignments such as papers, projects or lab reports. Some professors have exams on the last days of class instead, but this usually gives students even less time to prepare. […]

Married to the church: Celibacy is outdated

I am a happy “lapsed Catholic,” meaning that I go to Mass every Christmas, Easter and a few other times in between. Still, I am pretty much a loyal Catholic in practice. I love the liturgy, the mysticism and the connection to the past. However, as someone who’s been interested in the priesthood since the […]

Modest prediction: Dems can flip the House

I’m going to make a very premature prediction. It could easily be wrong, but I stand by it. I believe that the Democrats are going to take back the House of Representatives in November 2012. It’s a very premature declaration, to be sure, but it’s one that I believe will happen for three reasons. First, […]

Self-defense should be protected by law

Last month in Florida, 19-year-old Antonio Gordon knocked out the front teeth of a 13-year-old boy in a bowling alley parking lot. In response, 17-year-old Marqualle Woolbright shot Gordon in the chest with a .22 caliber handgun, killing him. No murder charges have been filed, though. This is because Florida has a law that adheres […]

Capitalism: green on more than money

Environmentalism and capitalism aren't as much at odds as some would like you to think. In fact, a true environmentalist would respect the power of the free market. Read More

Qaddafi still has some outs, but should worry

Muammar Qaddafi's power has for the most part eroded and the old dictator is on the run. Perhaps, however, he has a few tricks left up his sleeve. Read More

Fresh pork: why earmarks shouldn't be bashed

Earmarks are often bashed in American discourse, but they are necessary to the way American politics works for a number of reasons. Read More

Why U.S. media bias is still very effective

While the United States frequently criticizes the Chinese state for censorship, the American public forget that there are clear examples of bias in the American media as well. Read More