Opinions
Op-Eds
School vouchers would increase freedom
The state of America’s public schools is in dramatic decline; the fact that this generation will be less literate than the last makes this inarguable. The situation is not one that can simply be solved by continuing to throw more money into our schools. Since 1970, total federal spending on elementary and secondary education has […]
Op-Eds
Political polarization might be a good thing
In 1950, the American Political Science Association’s Committee on Political Parties wrote a report called “Toward a More Responsible Two-Party System.” The report said that party leadership in Congress was far too lenient when it came to dissent within the party ranks, allowing members’ difference in positions to not be as important as they should. […]
Op-Eds
The online revolution
The revolution may not by televised, but it will be viewed on YouTube, shared on Facebook and posted on Twitter. On Dec. 17, 2010, a fruit vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, burned himself alive to protest the Tunisian police. Street vending is illegal in Tunisia, and authorities regularly confiscated Bouazizi’s small wheelbarrow of fruit. He had been […]
Opinions
Letter to the Editor: 'Treason' is no light term
PATRIOT, n. One to whom the interests of a part seem superior to those of the whole. The dupe of statesmen and the tool of conquerors. PATRIOTISM, n. Combustible rubbish read to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name. -"Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary." I find the above two quotes highly applicable […]
Opinions
Letter to the Editor: Alumna proposes dialogue on race
I remain deeply grieved by the tragedy of Jan. 15 (Jeffrey Bordeaux, Jr.’s death), yet I believe it illuminates an underlying problem that threatens our community. What continues to disturb me is this event’s troubling racial dynamics. Both men were black, brawling on the Fraternity Quad, which is composed predominantly of white fraternities and is […]
Editorial Boards
Leaving the Hive
It was recently announced that UR Dining has proposed renovating Hillside Cafe into a Provisions on Demand (P.O.D.) Market, an expansive convenience store that also offers grab-and-go prepared food options. Half of that proposal is an exciting, perfectly sound idea: the cramped, scarcely stocked Corner Store hardly cuts it as a convenience store, and a […]
Sex and the CT
Hygiene optional in college fornication
Courtesy ofhttp://www.permanentmkup.com/ One of my favorite things about college is having the opportunity to live on a campus where the population density rivals that of Bangladesh- and that’s not counting the family living in the basement of Hoeing. While spending two thirds of the year in a human sized ant farm may not seem immediately […]
Op-Eds
Protect victims' rights
We hear constantly that defendants have had their rights violated. These defendants may be the accused or the guilty. Even criminals who have admitted that they are guilty of committing crimes get coddled. But why are the victim’s rights never considered? There is a serious problem with our legal system. The government has its own […]
Op-Eds
The health care bill will not be 'replaced'
Last week, the House of Representatives passed a repeal of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), getting the votes of every Republican and three of the few remaining conservative Democrats. In actuality, however, the GOP is disappointed with this result. Republicans are upset that more Democrats didn’t jump on the bandwagon, as if […]
Op-Eds
Utilizing green roofs
Imagine stepping onto the roof of a building in a city and, instead of seeing asphalt or concrete, you see plants streaming across the roof. Usually, when you go to a rooftop in a major city, such as New York or Chicago, it is to see the skyline view. On a green roof, you stand […]