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(03/13/17 4:05am)
A few weeks ago, fellow writer Matt Winesett penned an op-ed arguing in favor of merit as being the sole determinant of Lawn room selections. As many others have written in favor of the consideration of diversity in these selections, I will refrain from such lines of argumentation. Instead, I will focus on the presumptions that underlie Winesett’s argument.
(01/24/17 5:00am)
Last semester, fellow writer William Wong penned a column in favor of reforming affirmative action. While I do not disagree with the aim, Wong’s rationale behind it fails to paint a full picture by ignoring other data which contradict his own arguments. Furthermore, his advocacy for an affirmative action on the basis of socioeconomic status omits the role of residential segregation.
(10/26/16 10:09am)
Earlier this month, Viewpoint writer Tsering Say penned a column arguing the Balz-Dobie dorm fosters elitism and lacked diversity. Unsurprisingly, Say’s column ruffled some feathers. Frustrated by Say’s argument and citing their own survey, first-years and current Balz-Dobie residents Kristen Barrett and Wells Tu responded, hoping to disprove Say’s points. Unfortunately, Barrett and Tu’s article is methodologically weak and rests on false presumptions about both honors and non-honors students.
(09/26/16 4:42am)
Earlier this summer, Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, refused to stand up for the U.S. pledge of allegiance. Since then, Kaepernick has continued to defy the custom. In fact, he has even received support from fellow athletes. Kaepernick’s action sparked a mix of reactions. A lot of these reactions, however, were awfully negative. Some critics claim Kaepernick hates America and should, therefore, leave the country. This criticism negates the possibility that Kaepernick loves the United States by presuming love and criticism are mutually exclusive. A look at history and everyday life demonstrates that critique does not necessitate hate for the object of criticism.
(09/12/16 4:15am)
If racial minorities are sincerely disadvantaged by their racial backgrounds, then why is it many Asian-Americans seem to have exceptional occupational and educational outcomes? Some people claim the disparities in outcomes are on account of Asian-Americans being hard workers, insinuating non-Asian minorities are lazy. Others claim culture is the root of Asian-American success. Even more startling, some — as the “Asians are smart” stereotype implies — cite disparities in measures of “intelligence,” echoing the age of eugenics and scientific racism. These explanations have come to comprise what is now known as “the model minority myth.” This myth demonstrates historical ignorance and has been weaponized to push colorblind ideology at the expense of racial minorities (including Asian-Americans).
(08/29/16 4:15am)
How do we reduce health disparities? Typically, American politicians have identified the healthcare system as the primary determinant of the public’s overall health. Today, this fixation on the healthcare system can be observed in debates between Democrats and Republicans, each of whom have different ideas on how to make healthcare more accessible. Though we can agree improving access to healthcare is important, debates over the health of the American public should take into account the social conditions associated with unfavorable health outcomes. If we are to improve the health of the American public, then it is imperative to reduce inequalities related to socioeconomic status.
(05/02/16 12:58pm)
The term “white privilege” is a bit controversial. It refers to a set of unearned advantages white people have over people of color by virtue of simply being white. Some have found the term unnerving because of the belief that it neglects their working class struggles. This belief is a complete misunderstanding. White privilege should not be confused with class privilege (i.e., the accumulated privilege and access to resources that come on account of being middle and/or upper-class). It is completely possible to be racially privileged but financially disadvantaged.
(04/26/16 10:37am)
The first night the chalk messages appeared, I [Hannah Borja, guest writer] was walking home around midnight from Old Cabell with my friend when I encountered a message on the sidewalk that read, “Wealth Gap Explained: Average White IQ: 102, Average Black IQ: 87.” I scuffed the message out and kept walking. Less than two hours later, when I was in my dorm and my friend had gone to flyer around Grounds, he texted me a picture that showed the exact same message with the same handwriting just under the bit I had erased. In response, I went back out and scuffed out that second message. The primary reason I could not stand to have the message written on Grounds did not necessarily have to do with how I feel about racism. The chalk message I encountered was simply not true, so I saw no purpose in it being there.
(03/21/16 6:30am)
Earlier this month, presidential candidate Bernie Sanders quipped, “We are, if [I'm] elected president, going to invest a lot of money into mental health. And when you watch these Republican debates, you know why we need to invest in mental health." Though the comment garnered laughs from the audience, many were also disgruntled by Sanders’ seemingly harmless joke. Jabs are expected in the realm of politics, but they should never come at the expense of a vulnerable and stigmatized group. The laughter and applause received reveal an acceptance of an automatic connection between absurd and vitriolic ideas and mental illness. By making that joke, Sanders implied the Republican candidates are dangerous by virtue of some of their harmful rhetoric. In addition, by immediately suggesting mental illness is the cause of the GOP’s “absurd” ideas, Sanders also implied people with mental illnesses are the only people capable of holding such menacing ideas. This idea persists in political discourses surrounding mass shootings despite contradictory evidence. If we continue to scapegoat mental illness as the explanation for abhorrent ideas and behavior, then we will never resolve the issues of mass shootings or mass violence.
(02/22/16 6:00am)
The year of 2015 was marked by student protests. These protests centered around a variety of issues, including race, student debt, sexual assault and the freedom of speech and expression. The latter issue was at the focus of a viral video at Yale University. This video showcased a student harshly condemning her residential college’s master, Nicholas Christakis, for his and Erika Christakis’ suggestion that students tolerate cultural appropriation. This confrontation stemmed from an email sent by associate master Erika Christakis. Unsurprisingly, writers hounded on this video and its backstory as an opportunity to attack the so-called “liberal college campus,” calling its students “coddled.” However, they fail to grasp the situation from the standpoint of those against cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is not simply about banning someone from wearing a costume based on someone else’s culture. Rather, cultural appropriation is about desecrating the culturally sacred. A closer look at the sociology of religion provides us further insight behind the rationale of protests against cultural appropriation.
(02/08/16 5:00am)
With the looming presidential election, many Americans are trying to decide which candidate is best for the country. Among those candidates, we find former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who seems to have a good chance of winning the entire race. If she were to become our new commander-in-chief, then she would also be the first female U.S. president. This feat would follow another historic event: the election our first African-American president, Barack Obama. When Obama was elected, people said it was not only a great stride toward racial progress but also indicative of the end of racism in America. Considering such claims, a Clinton election would probably result in declarations about the end of sexism in America. In fact, some people may even say sexism is no longer a problem or is barely a problem today, but these individuals would be far from correct.
(01/25/16 5:00am)
Last year, my colleague Ryan Gorman penned an article titled “Individuals — not institutions — perpetuate racism.” The well-intentioned article contends, as its name suggests, that modern institutions are not liable for racism. Rather, the constituents of these organizations are the ones who should be held accountable. Gorman argues, “Just as correlation does not imply causation, discriminatory actions taken by individuals — however horrifying or overt they may be — are not necessarily indicative of the virtues of the institutions they represent.” Though he acknowledges that individuals can be both consciously and subconsciously racist, Gorman’s use of “virtues” suggests an institution can be racist only when its practices are intentionally harmful. Gorman’s argument is understandable but rooted in a misconception of what constitutes “institutional racism.”
(11/23/15 5:00am)
Over this summer, University students received an email about two new requirements: the completion of the Alcohol-Wise and sexual violence education modules. The former is meant to ensure students are well-educated about drinking habits; the latter is meant to ensure students know proper sexual conduct and how to effectively respond to incidents or potential incidents of sexual assault. Both sexual assault and irresponsible drinking are understood as social problems. Along with external pressures, these understandings are what led to the mandated modules.
(11/09/15 5:05am)
In the open opening lines to her acclaimed essay “The White Album,” Joan Didion writes "We tell ourselves stories in order to live… We interpret what we see, select the most workable of the multiple choices." What does Didion mean by this? Among other things, she seems to be telling the reader humans have a propensity to distort reality in favor of a safer and more pleasant facade. We shape narratives in a way that reflects stories we have previously told ourselves. Oftentimes, we do it to make the reality of hardships more digestible. These stories include the jaded trope of “everything happens for a reason,” “everything is possible” and many more. As Americans, in order to make sense of our realities, we have been telling ourselves the narrative “if you work hard, then you will succeed.” This aphorism is dishonest because it ignores the cumulative factors that result in a person’s success.
(10/26/15 4:00am)
Last semester, the University’s Board of Visitors unveiled its Affordable Excellence tuition plan, which aims to increase both the racial and socioeconomic diversity within the student body. The home page for this plan claims it will make college "accessible to all” students. On that page, you will find a testimony by a class of 2018 student. Part of the testimony reads: "For me, having to not worry about paying so much back in loans after I graduate is definitely a good thing.” While I do not personally know the quoted student, many of the students meant to benefit from the Affordable Excellence plan are lower-income students and first-generation students. That said, the claim of making “college accessible to all” is misleading. Making college accessible to lower-income students and first-generation students is not solely about the cost of attendance. Ensuring college accessibility requires providing these students with the needed academic, emotional and administrative support.
(10/12/15 4:05am)
On the second Monday of every October, the United States observes a holiday that venerates the precursor to genocide. That Monday is today — Columbus Day. Initially, Columbus Day was pushed forward by Italian immigrants and Italian-Americans who sought to use Columbus as a shield to mitigate anti-Italian sentiments. Then, Italian-Americans adopted Columbus as a symbol of the achievements and contributions made by Italians to the United States. Later, Columbus was adopted as an idol for the Catholic organization Knights of Columbus. This push led to Columbus Day being officially recognized as a federal holiday in 1932. Nonetheless, we cannot simply ignore Columbus’ crimes for the sake of his “good.”
(09/28/15 1:29pm)
Halloween is right around the corner, and many students are excited for the glut of costume-themed parties. Though some students will be nothing short of elated, for other students, the day will foster a certain degree of befuddlement. The confusion will of course be in an attempt to answer the question: how on Earth does one think it is okay to wear a costume whose basis is being another race? Besides your classic superheroes and hilariously bold T-Sully impersonators, you will find an occasional partygoer taking up the great misfortune of accessorizing, trivializing and mocking the cultures of other students by way of cultural appropriation.
(09/14/15 4:10am)
Every year, new students arrive on our campus for fall orientation, where they will attend a variety of mandated events and activities. One of these events includes Grounds for Discussion — a theatrical performance that focuses on issues of “high-risk drinking, the honor code, roommate disagreements, eating disorders, and sexual assault.” Though not explicitly mentioned on its webpage, the event also contains a skit on racism. The program aims to encourage students to act decorously and refrain from imprudent behaviour, but it falls flat with respect to racism.
(08/31/15 4:15am)
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “political correctness?” Do you think of it as “things that are okay to say” or as a way of infringing on your freedom of speech? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, political correctness is “conforming to a belief that language and practices which could offend political sensibilities (as in matters of sex or race) should be eliminated.” The term was popularized by conservative political pundits and is used against American liberals. Sometimes, as we saw in last semester’s article by Zeke Reed, liberals also use it to castigate what Reed calls “self-cannibalization.” This immediate association of political correctness with modern-day liberalism is misleading.
(04/20/15 4:05am)
Last month, columnist Sasha Wan wrote an article titled “Don't exaggerate systemic racism” in response to the lead editorial by the Managing Board. The designated title is misleading because it implies she acknowledges the reality of systemic racial bias. She does not admit that it is extant; instead, she repudiates its presence.