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(08/31/17 4:31am)
Since moving to Nigeria, I have been asked one question repeatedly: “What is it like to be black in America?” In all honesty, I have been reluctant to reply, not wanting to delve into the intricacies of race and respond in a manner that satisfies neither the questioner nor myself. Yet, at a time in which white nationalist rallies have manifested within a mile of my alma mater, an honest response is warranted.
(02/28/17 5:16am)
Two weeks ago, College Republicans Chair Ali Hiestand criticized Opinion columnist Gray Whisnant for writing a “partisan puff piece” which vilifies conservative voters and impedes a constructive political discourse. Surely, it is not surprising that conservatives would take issue with a column which accuses House Speaker Ryan of posing a “threat to democratic values.” I completely agree with Hiestand’s assertion that such rhetoric merely worsens the current state of partisan animosity. However, her response eschews the inclusive, forward thinking attitude our political system desperately needs in favor of the same emotionally charged partisanship that has caused many to lose interest in politics.
(01/19/17 5:15am)
Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton may be the single most disruptive event in U.S. politics for decades to come. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the current state of the Democratic Party. As the nation comes to terms with the implications of a Trump presidency, the left is undergoing an existential crisis — perhaps comparable to that of the GOP following their loss in 2008 — and a general understanding that the party must make drastic changes to its platform or risk collapse has arisen.
(11/15/16 5:04am)
Like many of our readers, I was shocked by the outcome of last Tuesday’s election. In the following days, I, like many others, was at a loss for words and struggled to think of a productive way to move forward. This is a difficult time, not just for Democrats, but also for many others who believe a Donald Trump presidency will fail to protect and possibly infringe upon their constitutional rights. While President Obama and Hillary Clinton have called for unity, such calls are utterly impractical following an election fraught with fear and bigotry. Having been the primary source of such vitriol, any expectation of national reconciliation and unity should be placed on the president-elect, not the public.
(10/19/16 4:15am)
Last week, my colleague Matt Winesett penned a piece calling for the repeal of the 17th Amendment, which established the popular election of U.S. senators. Prior to the amendment’s ratification in 1913, state legislatures elected members of the Senate. Winesett alleges repealing the 17th Amendment would restore the requisite deliberation expected of the upper chamber of Congress and lead to a greater interest in local politics. However, such an action would merely transfer many of the shortcomings in federal governance to the state level.
(10/03/16 2:46am)
Last Tuesday, law enforcement officers from the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, fatally shot Keith Lamont Scott in a parking lot while trying to serve an arrest warrant for another person in a nearby apartment complex. In the days since, this incident has been incorporated into a broader discussion on the policing of minority communities and sparked nationwide protests, one of which occurred last Friday in front of Old Cabell Hall. Despite the case’s public profile, at the time of this writing, many of the circumstances leading up to the shooting remain unclear. With this in mind, one should refrain from making judgments concerning the legality of the shooting until more information comes to light.
(09/20/16 2:32am)
Last week, College Republicans Events Chair Ali Hiestand defended the process that resulted in her organization voting to endorse Donald Trump. Although I am disappointed with this outcome, I agree it would be unreasonable to overturn the results of this vote simply because the outcome is unsatisfying. I implore my fellow liberals to respect this decision and attempt to understand what circumstances would motivate likely voters to support the Republican presidential nominee this November, though I can understand why some would be disappointed by the latter’s decision to do so. Regardless, while many Trump supporters are justifiably upset over the direction the country is headed, this should not justify supporting an individual who threatens the safety and civil liberties of our fellow citizens.
(09/06/16 5:00am)
Two weeks ago, New York Times columnist Roger Cohen wrote a scathing critique of the Obama administration’s failure to hold Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accountable for committing crimes against humanity. Throughout the article, Cohen compares President Obama’s inaction to President Bill Clinton’s initial reluctance to intervene in the Yugoslav Wars. Despite the horrific conditions unfolding in Syria, one can understand the Obama administration’s reluctance to expand its involvement in the conflict. Striking the Assad regime in 2013 would risk immersing the United States in another intractable military conflict that the American public would be unwilling to support to its conclusion.
(08/30/16 4:05am)
I’ve recently come across a debate concerning how academic institutions influence students’ opinions toward the United States. Some conservatives allege that left-leaning teachers and professors encourage students to view the U.S. in a cynical manner and dismiss the multitude of freedoms they are able to enjoy. To an extent, I can understand why one would make such an assertion. Several prominent academics are extremely critical of the United States and it is reasonable to assume some students share similar viewpoints. However, one would assume such attitudes would inevitably arise in institutions of higher learning, which are expected to promote intellectual diversity and respect dissenting opinions. A more concerning trend is occurring on the other side of the political spectrum, where conservatives have consistently attempted to alter educational curricula to correspond to their political ideology.
(08/16/16 4:11pm)
Since 2014, stories of racial inequality and injustice have dominated recent news coverage. This summer, the names Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were added to a growing list of African-Americans killed during encounters with the police. Their deaths have immersed the public in a contentious debate between social justice activists and counter-protesters concerning the relationship between local law enforcement and the communities its officers have sworn to protect. While it is reasonable to assume most Americans desire a justice system that ensures each and every individual receives fair and impartial treatment under the law, the rhetoric used by “Black Lives Matter” and “All Lives Matter/Blue Lives Matter” protesters largely dismisses the complexity of the matter at hand and diminishes our ability to reform our justice system.
(06/13/16 12:19am)
Last month, my colleague Sawan Patel called on the United States to cease intervening militarily in the Arab world, arguing its current foreign policy denotes “a fundamental misunderstanding of… the nature of the conflicts occurring in Syria and Iraq” and strengthens extremist ideologies. I applaud Patel for taking the time to consider the ramifications of unchecked aggression in the Middle East, something Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) must not have contemplated before suggesting the United States bomb Iran’s nuclear program back to “day zero.” However, Patel’s argument is overly idealistic and does not acknowledge the political realities that influence U.S. foreign policy towards the Near East. In a region where autocrats’ intransigence has neglected the need to combat transnational terrorism, continued U.S. military intervention is necessary to defeat the Islamic State and other Salafist jihadist organizations such as Al-Qaeda.
(04/26/16 10:34am)
In the past year, a fierce debate has emerged concerning how to best reconcile the desire to promote inclusive educational institutions while also respecting an individual’s freedoms of expression. In response to requests that administrators become more proactive in dissuading intolerant behavior, critics have retorted that coddled, politically correct students are threatening individual liberties. Such an argument is absurd, as it lacks nuance and a genuine understanding of the ordeals which many minority students frequently experience. Indeed, political correctness is a direct and logical response to those very hardships.
(04/19/16 6:11am)
Last week, fellow columnist Jesse Berman criticized the Obama administration for failing to “offer tangible solidarity” to its European allies following last month’s ISIS attack on Brussels. In particular, Berman attacked the president for refusing to alter his trip through Latin America to accommodate a visit to Belgium. Such a trip, according to Berman, would reaffirm the United States’ support for its ally in the ongoing War on Terror. While Berman is not alone in his criticism, I disagree with him on two major points. First, Berman portrays the “cool and detached” manner in which Obama responded to the crisis as a liability. I argue Obama’s response is indicative of the levelheaded foreign policy approach that sets him apart from the impulsivity that characterized his predecessor’s administration. Second, Berman claims defeating ISIS is “our nation’s top foreign policy objective.” While defeating ISIS should remain a priority, the United States’ central focus in the region should be on addressing the underlying issues that allow extremist groups such as ISIS to thrive.
(04/06/16 5:38am)
Last month, Governor Patrick McCrory (R-NC) signed the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, or HB2, which was enacted in response to a February nondiscrimination ordinance passed by the Charlotte City Council. Charlotte’s ordinance originally enabled transgender individuals to use the bathrooms of the gender with which they identify. Since its passage, HB2 has ignited a nationwide debate concerning its ethicality and constitutionality. Given the law’s provisions and the absurd logic used to justify its passage, it is not difficult to understand why HB2 has generated so much controversy. While supporters of this law will cite the need to protect public safety and privacy, this law represents a deliberate attempt to imperil those very notions.
(03/29/16 4:06am)
Lately, issues of socioeconomic diversity have dominated University discourse. Earlier this month, University President Teresa Sullivan and United for Undergraduate Socioeconomic Diversity, or UFUSED, hosted a student-faculty event featuring speeches from first-generation students. The following week, UFUSED and Sweater Vests as Tank Tops, or SVATT, co-sponsored a student dialogue discussing socioeconomic pressures to dress a certain way at the University. I am glad such dialogues are taking place. At times it appears as if the interests of first-generation and low-income students are not acknowledged as often as other issues affecting the University community. Unlike groups such as the Black Student Alliance, whose weekly “What’s the Word Column” is featured in this very publication, groups addressing the needs of these aforementioned communities appear to lack similar advocacy platforms. While the renewed focus on issues affecting first-generation and low-income students is certainly encouraging, the University should do more to service the needs of these student communities.
(03/23/16 5:54am)
The 2016 presidential primaries may forever be remembered for their insurgent candidates. Nearly one year after declaring his candidacy, Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) platform of tuition-free public colleges and Wall Street reform has energized young and working class voters and placed him in a position to make a serious bid for the Democratic nomination. On the right, Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) promise to “rein in Washington” has attracted millions of women, evangelicals and older voters to his cause. In both cases, the candidates consistently accused “establishment” politicians of serving special interests and being unresponsive to the needs of the average citizen. The public has clearly proven it wants to change the nature of American politics, yet it continues to place its support behind radical politicians whose policies appear destined to retrench our government in political brinksmanship. This presidential election, Americans should support more centrist politicians, not partisan ideologues.
(03/16/16 12:50pm)
Last week, guest writer Evelyn Immonen wrote a fantastic piece concerning the racist origins of the “Redskins” football team name. Reading this article brought to mind a similarly culturally insensitive image located within the Charlottesville community. Many of you may not have noticed the George Rogers Clark statue located in Monument Square, across from Mellow Mushroom. If you did, you might have wondered why the city of Charlottesville would boldly display a statue depicting the “Conqueror of the Old Northwest” on horseback, riding toward a group of Native Americans who appear to be cowering in his wake. At best, this depiction may represent an ill-thought attempt to pay homage to a historic icon born in the city of Charlottesville. At worst, this monument appears to romanticize Manifest Destiny and the subsequent expulsion of millions of Native Americans from their homelands. Either way, this monument is a disgrace upon our community and should be removed.
(03/01/16 6:57am)
On Feb. 7, Beyoncé “broke the Internet.” By the 8th, one could not step foot on Grounds without hearing students discuss Beyoncé’s latest hit single, which was applauded by The Cavalier Daily for its “embrace of the forward thinking social politics of the black community.” While I applaud “Formation” for its outspokenness and visually striking imagery, I believe the public fascination with this video is a bit unwarranted.
(11/23/15 5:05am)
“I don’t hate white people. I hate whiteness. I hate how whiteness bleaches out its troubled past,” remarks an actor in the closing performance of Black Monologues. As I looked across the crowd assembled at Helms Theater, I was surprised such a diverse audience was interested in a performance specifically geared toward highlighting racial incidents on Grounds. At times, the University community appears uninterested in acknowledging issues of race at all, as was apparent in the mixed reactions to last year’s student protests of the exoneration of officers Darren Wilson and Daniel Pantaleo. Perhaps the fact that such a crowd was interested in Black Monologues proves more students are willing to discuss racial issues affecting the Charlottesville community and the nation at large.