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(05/06/22 8:59pm)
I joined The Cavalier Daily first semester, first year as an Opinion Columnist, served as the Senior Associate Opinion Editor second semester, served two years as the Opinion Editor and am closing out my last semester where it all began as an Opinion Columnist. Being on The Cavalier Daily has been my only constant during college — the only thing linking me to that 18-year-old girl fresh on Grounds. As I grew into myself, I changed, and my friends, interests, hobbies and other extracurriculars all followed suit. My major changed twice. My job changed four times, and my mentality undoubtedly changed for the better. But through all of that, I remained tied to The Cavalier Daily. In many ways, that makes this goodbye different from the others.
(04/05/22 4:36am)
The Univesity has a long history of sexual violence. The University’s founder, Thomas Jefferson, had a sexual relationship with Sally Hemings that can only be defined as rape. Hemings was just 14 years old when Jefferson was 44 — and to state the obvious, he owned her according to the law. Hemings was incapable of granting or withholding consent. It was also not uncommon for early students of the University — exclusively white men at the time — to assault the enslaved servants around Grounds. Given such violence, one can easily trace the lineage of sexual violence on and around Grounds. With an Honor system that does not adjudicate sexual assault cases, a highly-criticized Title IX office and a well established history of failing survivors, there have been ample demands to amend the University’s relationship with sexual violence. One immediate and effective way the University can support survivors of sexual assault on Grounds is to ensure they are not left with the financial burden of their assault. The University needs to establish an easily accessible and comprehensive fund to pay survivors’ hospital bills immediately.
(02/27/22 6:00pm)
The University carries an indisputable level of prestige. It possesses the status of a “public Ivy” and consistently ranks in the top five among public schools in the U.S., coming in fourth for three straight years. It also boasts top ranking graduate programs, earning U.Va. a respectable reputation in all regards. This reputation led me to hear that a degree from the University would take me anywhere I wanted in life long before I even started elementary school. Ever since, I have looked forward to being able to say the coveted line — “I have worn the honors of Honor. I graduated from Virginia.” I essentially placed the University on a fixed pedestal, as many of those around me had done and continue to do. So, when looking back at my experience as a fourth year student, it may seem surprising that I am actually disenchanted with the University. I feel let down and betrayed by a school I was taught to view as an infallible institution capable of making my dreams come true.
(01/31/22 5:01am)
Reconciling my go-getter, social justice ideals and the comforts of products from businesses with practices I oppose has wreaked havoc on my psyche. I am a regular Amazon customer. My seemingly uncontroversial music addiction is being fueled by a platform under fire for its alleged enablement of misinformation. I still run into Chick-fil-A for a quick meal, walk into a Starbucks before the locally owned coffee shop right next door and occasionally ignore the claims of unethical sourcing if it is against my favorite brand. All of these things bother me. I do not morally support companies that ignore climate change, worker’s rights, humanitarian issues or social equity — however, I have continued to support such businesses and corporations economically through my purchases, subscriptions and brand loyalty. The issue is not that I am unaware of the relatively large discrepancies with my beliefs and my actions, but rather, I am afraid my life will somehow be worse off without some of the businesses I have listed above. This very first-world, privileged stance is alarming. Today, I am hoping to walk you through how I changed my behaviors in the hopes that you will too.
(04/22/20 7:30pm)
Within a four-year margin, the imprisonment of women increased by 32 percent — a number higher than both the national average and that of men, who saw an increase of a mere four percent during the same window. In response, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia released a report detailing alarming trends in the Commonwealth’s imprisonment of women.The report attributed the shocking increase to the unique challenges women face within the criminal justice system, citing “a mix of substance abuse problems, over-prosecution of petty crimes and mental health issues rooted in trauma” as examples. According to the report, women are six times more likely than men to have been abused prior to incarceration and “often enter the criminal justice system through attempts to cope with poverty, abuse and drug addiction.” However, the most alarming finding of the report is that of motherhood — over 80 percent of incarcerated women in the Commonwealth are mothers who are typically “poor, young, unmarried and uneducated” with potential underlying issues and trauma.
(12/22/19 10:40pm)
During yet another stress-filled finals season, students were once again forced into unhealthy, often binge-centered habits in order to survive the last few assignments separating them from winter break. Every year students pack into Clemons Library, where they consume higher levels of caffeine to get through an excruciatingly long week of exams and papers. Much of this is fostered by the University’s stress culture — a common state of academic competitiveness that encourages unhealthy behavior and poses significant threats to mental wellness.
(12/10/19 7:34pm)
As climate change is becoming more prevalent in legal conversations around the world, a growing number of nations have begun subscribing to the idea of “environmental personhood.” The concept aims to grant natural resources various legal protections through new legislation and lawsuits. While this idea seems promising, it is being implemented on too small of a scale.
(11/14/19 5:07am)
The University recently made the decision to remove the decades-old tradition of a 21-gun salute from the University’s Veteran’s Day vigil. President Jim Ryan justified removing the honored practice from this year’s celebrations by stating it “is not required,” has the potential to disrupt classroom learning and could promote gun violence concerns around Grounds. However, following immediate backlash, he was forced to respond to community discontentment in regards to this decision. Ryan has since been quoted saying that he aims to “take a closer look at options” that could possibly “enable us to re-introduce the 21-gun salute to the program” in future years. Although Ryan’s response gives me some hope, the initial removal of the 21-gun salute demonstrates the administration’s lack of respect for ROTC students who will one day dedicate their lives to defending our nation.
(10/21/19 4:22am)
Although the United States does not enforce a nationwide requirement for sex education in public schools, the majority of states have their own legislation outlining how “family life” will be taught, if at all. Most of these programs range from bad to worse, meaning their ability to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to make healthy, informed sexual decisions is virtually nonexistent. This means many young people in America do not receive a comprehensive education to protect themselves from teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases or unwanted sexual experiences. In part, this is because only 29 states and the District of Columbia require sex education, and only 37 states mandate HIV education. Of those states, 17 require said “sex education” to be considered “medically accurate.”
(09/23/19 3:39am)
After the recent release of a video asking students to refrain from shouting additional phrases during The Good Ol’ Song, University President Jim Ryan was forced to respond to pushback from some of the student body. Some students believe the video wrongfuly equated the phrase “not gay” with the phrase “F—k Tech,” to which Ryan stated was not the intent of the video. He is quoted saying, “Obviously, one is very different from the other. Saying ‘not gay’ — that's really divisive. Saying ‘F Tech’ — that's just not who we are, in terms of sportsmanship.” Yet even with the clear difference in the level of harm done by the two phrases, Ryan went on to say the University and the participants of the video “wanted to stop both” from being chanted during The Good Ol’ Song.
(09/06/19 5:58pm)
Following a string of deadly shootings across the nation, gun control is once again the focus of our country’s political debate. Representatives on both sides of the aisle — while having different opinions and motives — do appear to agree that immediate action is required to adequately address what is being labeled a “gun violence epidemic” in America. The White House is also hinting at a piecemeal legislation package that claims to be bipartisan in addressing a wide range of “bills, ideas and concepts.” Yet when questioned on the legislation, the White House staff was unsure about its future, having no clear direction outside of President Donald Trump demanding something that “could pass both chambers.” However, they did note the focus of the legislation is to expedite the death penalty for those convicted in mass shootings.
(07/23/19 11:47am)
Several police officers in Phoenix, Arizona, are currently under investigation following a shoplifting incident gone wrong. The officers followed a vehicle — occupied by two adults and their two small children — from a local Family Dollar to a nearby apartment complex after receiving a phone call about a stolen doll. Upon arrival, the officers drew their weapons, approached the car and began threatening to shoot, which according to the filed police report was due to the backseat passengers “moving frantically.”
(06/21/19 10:06pm)
Post-secondary schools across the nation often administer in-class examinations that require students to purchase pre-stapled packets of loose leaf paper called blue books. Students at the University should be fairly familiar with this process as most professors currently lean towards conducting essay or short answer exams that demand said books. These exam books can be purchased for fairly cheap at various places around Grounds. One such location is the University’s Bookstore, which also carries green books. The only difference between the two different examination books is the color of the cover — hinted at in the name — and the type of paper used to construct them. Green books are made from recycled paper containing a minimum of 30 percent post-consumer recycled content, whereas its blue counterpart is 100 percent virgin paper fiber, making it objectively worse for the environment.
(04/19/19 1:58am)
The Supreme Court, in 1973, upheld a woman’s right to terminate pregnancies in the first trimester — weeks 1 to 12 — and deferred power back to the states regarding the legality of abortions in the second and third trimesters. This landmark decision in Roe v. Wade protected women against the criminalization of abortions based on their constitutional right to privacy. However, many legislators are currently trying to challenge that decision with the introduction of new abortion bills across much of the southern region of the United States. Several of these bills are referred to as “heartbeat bills,” meaning abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat — which happens around six weeks — are illegal in most cases. Yet, some states are going as far as considering to criminalize abortions, threatening jail time and the death penalty to women seeking to terminate their pregnancies. The unnecessary restriction of abortions is interfering with a woman’s fundamental right to privacy, established in Roe v. Wade, and with her natural right to autonomy as a human being.
(04/14/19 11:56pm)
First instituted in 1950, the Uniform Code of Military Justice is the primary body of laws used to govern members of the armed services. While it resembles civilian laws and is enforced in a similar manner, it permits a separate judiciary sector of each military branch to interpret said laws and sanction its members accordingly. UCMJ is particularly needed because offenses such as absence without leave, desertion, insubordination, aiding the enemy and a long list of others are unique to military service members and cannot be heard in civilian courts. Additionally, only other military personnel can truly comprehend what those appearing in front of them are going through, so having separate military counsels, court-martials and police is necessary. However, with a seperate sanctioning system comes separate problems.
(03/07/19 2:12am)
Currently sitting on a $9.5 billion endowment, the University earns a spot in the top five wealthiest public colleges in the United States. This outrageous wealth has fostered an environment of elites with a silver spoon in their mouth, believing the community owes them more than they owe it. As a result, the institution, its money and its students are failing to give back to the greater Charlottesville community and to itself. Thus, with nothing to lose and everything to gain, the University has allowed students to bask in their own imagined glory.
(02/12/19 6:49am)
The University is no stranger to the issues sexual assault cases create, as prominent magazine Rolling Stone made apparent through its controversial 2014 article “A Rape on Campus” and its subsequent retraction. However, determining the facts of a case is only one issue that has been brought to light through articles, while many others, such as rape prevention, sometimes remain overlooked. Until these issues are brought to the surface and addressed, the University will continue to exhaust all of its efforts fixing the wrong problems surrounding rape culture on Grounds, overlooking the true issues at hand.
(01/22/19 3:56am)
Charlottesville possesses an astounding amount of history. From the historic Downtown Mall to the various buildings around the University, members of the community have a glimpse into the past with every turn. However, this history is not always inviting. In fact, it is usually the opposite, as we are often times reminded of this history and its presence in our lives in the worst ways possible.
(01/07/19 7:08pm)
The existence of Greek life on American campuses is long-standing and these organizations often dominate the social scene at many colleges. Fraternities and sororities recruit hundreds of thousands of members across the nation every year, pledging to instill values of service and leadership in its members. And while that may be true, fraternities in particular face a unique and difficult obstacle — college party culture. Fraternities have been engulfed in a culture of partying that emphasizes the importance of alcohol, drugs, sex and fun. To top it off, nothing is off limits and almost no rules apply. This becomes extremely toxic when mixed with underage students, an endless supply of beer, dangerous hazing stunts and a seemingly unbeatable culture that supports it all.
(11/27/18 5:20am)
As the results rolled in from the 2018 midterm election, Democrats across the nation watched both in fear and hope as the outcomes appeared questionable for most of the night. The blue wave many hoped would seize the nation suffered some major losses, such as Beto O’Rourke losing to Ted Cruz in Texas, Stacey Abrams’ defeat in the Georgia governor’s race and Leslie Cockburn losing here in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District. However, those losses cannot be compared to the monumental progress Democrats made throughout the country on a much broader scale. This election spoke volumes regarding the rejection of the current state of affairs, and Democratic voters let their presence and persistence be known across the nation as they made history and simultaneously set themselves up for much larger successes in 2020.