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(01/28/13 7:07am)
Barack Obama spoke of equality for all in his inaugural address last Monday. He acknowledged the United States’ shortcomings, saying that “while these truths may be self-evident, they’ve never been self-executing.” And he was right. Recent events may have garnered hope for many progressive thinkers, but I will again quote Mr. Obama in warning that we cannot “succumb to the fiction that all society’s ills can be cured through government alone.”
(01/22/13 6:17am)
Last week, my fellow Monday columnist Meredith Berger offered her commentary on the narcissism complex that exists in our generation. She attributes this problem to the pervasiveness of social networking sites and to the false sense of pride that our prowess at video games creates. Although I ultimately decided that I had a different take on this phenomenon than the one Ms. Berger provides, let me preface my argument by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed her column. It was well-written, well-researched, and prompted an intense inner dialogue and debate for me.
(01/14/13 2:00am)
When the news of yet another mass shooting came out of Newtown, Connecticut last month, the United States reacted in an emotional way. The country was heartbroken and appalled that such a thing had happened; the loss of 20 young, innocent lives is not something that can be ignored or rationalized. Afterwards, the media was saturated with activists insisting that “now is the time to talk about gun control.” I disagree. The “right” time to talk about gun control passed years ago. Have we forgotten Columbine, Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, the assault of Gabby Giffords or the movie theatre shooting in Aurora, among many others? We have missed so many opportunities to recognize and address this problem. When 20 children die, frankly, it seems too late.
(12/03/12 3:56am)
Thomas Jefferson, in a letter written December 26, 1820, expressed his hope that the University he was creating would “be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind, to explore and to expose every subject susceptible of its contemplation.” He wished to educate the youth of Virginia and beyond in a “broad and liberal and modern” fashion. Many people will cite the preceding quotes in support of the general education program at the University, as validation of competency and degree requirements.
(11/26/12 2:46am)
Prior to registration, there is a common warning that echoes around college campuses: “That’s a weed-out course.” We are discouraged from taking certain classes — especially those required for pre-professional tracks — as upperclassmen and even a few professors will attest to the potential GPA damage that could result from our enrollment. Some may argue that these classes simply cover material that is more intellectually challenging, and thus they are more difficult than typical intro-level classes. But in my experience, and the experiences of many of my peers, these classes seem engineered to be a struggle, designed to “weed-out” those students who are considered inadequate before they waste their time pursuing a profession such as medicine or business. To designate certain courses — such as General Chemistry or Principles of Economics — “weed-out” courses, and then to act as if doing so is in the interest of your students, is ridiculous. The idea of a weed-out course is a wholly flawed concept.
(11/19/12 3:03am)
Over the past decade, thousands of soldiers have tragically died from combat. Less acknowledged, however, is the multitude of soldiers who have died by their own hand. These men and women died for their country, too, and their deaths were equally tragic. Although they may not have lost their lives in a war zone, their deaths were inarguably direct results of their participation in the war. When they bravely agreed to risk life and limb for their country, many of them may not have realized that they were threatening something else as well: their mental health. Many soldiers return home with traumatic brain injuries and mental illnesses such as PTSD, depression and anxiety, and yet many do not seek treatment. Soldier suicide rates are on the rise and something needs to be done to try to change the trend.
(11/13/12 2:21am)
Last week, a writer for Charlottesville’s The Daily Progress reminisced about Kurt Vonnegut’s 1971 visit to the University. Sunday marked what would have been his 90th birthday. Although Vonnegut himself did not believe in meaningful occurrences, I think even he would have to acknowledge that now seems like an exceptionally appropriate time to discuss his life’s work. Essentially, I chose to write this article because I believe Kurt Vonnegut is wholly underrated. I believe more people should read his books, because doing so could potentially open their eyes to new opinions and perspectives. Let me state succinctly — if shamefully melodramatically — my feelings on Kurt Vonnegut: I would not be the person that I am today without his books. He changed my life.
(11/06/12 3:05am)
By the time this article runs, election day will be upon us. There is an issue that I think vitally needs clarification before you all cast your votes, and as I have been blessed with the forum of this column, I’m going to use it.
(10/28/12 11:56pm)
Everyone has their mind on Halloween this week. Come to think of it, everyone has had their mind on Halloween for the past month. How could they not? Department stores, grocery stores and superstores alike start to sneak their Halloween decorations and their costume racks into the aisles as soon as they have exploited “Back-to-School” season to its limit. By Labor Day, you can hardly walk past a store or diner window without seeing a stick-on pumpkin or black cat, nor can you switch on the television without hearing about the latest costume trends or upcoming scary movie marathons. It is ridiculous. And I can predict with absolute certainty what people will start talking about as soon as Halloween passes us by — Christmas and its associated search for the perfect presents. Almost immediately, wreaths will begin appearing on doors, cardboard castles full of candy canes will sprout up in front of check-out lines, dazzling lights will hang from the ceilings, and Santa Claus will take up residence in the local mall.
(10/22/12 3:33am)
Within the next few weeks election season will come to a close, and as I reflect on the process, I realize that it has been a rough time for everyone involved. The ever-enduring presidential candidates had to trudge all across the United States — or at least across the few battleground states that they deemed worthy of their attention — while also finding clever ways to misrepresent their opponent’s claims and records for their own campaign ads. They had to perfect their fake smiles and retain one or two statistics that they could cite hundreds of times over. It was all very arduous.
(10/15/12 4:07am)
At the risk of seeming compulsive, I come to you again this Monday with commentary on the
entertainment world. About two weeks ago, the cast of Full House got together to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the show’s premiere episode. As the cast tweeted about their mutual love of New Kids on the Block, anecdotes of the olden days and group shots of all of them arm-in-arm, I was overcome with a wistful nostalgia. Being a first year often makes me feel immature and inexperienced, like a toddler in this “college” game. But as I realized that it had been a quarter century since one of my favorite after-school specials had premiered and at least ten years since I had started watching it, I suddenly felt very old and longed to revisit my childhood.
(09/28/12 4:36pm)
As an incoming first year, choosing a place to live was a non-issue, as all first years are required to live on Grounds. I’m not complaining about my lack of control, though. I am currently writing this article from my bedroom in the lovely Watson-Webb, and I couldn’t be happier. Well, you may remark, of course you’re happy! You’re in the New Dorms complex, which means you’ve got the blessings of air-conditioning, elevators, drywall and carpet! Stop rubbing our noses in it, geesh! Not all dorms are so well-accommodated.
(09/26/12 2:52am)
From the perspective of a modern college student, CNN and Twitter’s daily list of “trending topics” are equally reputable news sources. I check the list periodically in order to be kept abreast of the happenings of the world. Recently, I have seen one phrase in particular mentioned quite often. The phrase is “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” which happens to be the title of a brand new reality show on TLC. The imminent and vaguely threatening title of the show is quite appropriate. Like a pop cultural infection, it has attacked and destroyed every media outlet in my life.
(09/20/12 6:18am)
Fans of Parenthood, a comedy-drama that follows the lives of the Braverman family, breathed a collective sigh of relief in May when NBC announced it would be renewing the show for a fourth season. After a season-three finale that left fans with many unanswered questions about their favorite characters, it wasn’t clear the show would return. The only thing more agonizing for fans than yearning for assurance that the show’s plot would be fulfilled has been waiting for the fourth season’s premiere, which aired Sept. 11.
(09/13/12 4:59am)
Die-hard fans of certain musical artists are often wary of purchasing (or even perusing) a tribute album. Even if they deign to give it a listen, their criticisms are usually numerous and harsh, and they will insist “the original songs were so much better.” They say it, and it’s probably true; it is rare that a reproduction will measure up to the authentic version of a treasured tune. That said, “Just Tell Me That You Want Me,” the Fleetwood Mac tribute album released Aug. 14, makes a valiant and successful attempt.