OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Talking about death is an important part of life
Mar. 23, 2015If there’s one thing Americans don’t like talking about, it’s death.
Opinion | Columns
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Race: What matters is identity, not categorization at birth
Mar. 23, 2015Ariana Miyamoto was born May 12, 1994, in Sasebo, Japan. She is a Japanese citizen. She speaks Japanese fluently. She spent her childhood years in Japan. She identifies as Japanese. Miyamoto’s beauty, talent and strong sense of patriotism enabled her to win the 2015 Miss Japan Pageant. With this victory, Miyamoto will represent Japan in the Miss Universe Pageant. Despite her qualifications and talent, Miyamoto has faced criticism, and people have questioned her ability to represent Japan.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Public-humiliation trends a setback for modern society
Mar. 23, 2015The sixth annual TEDxUF conference was held Saturday, and it was a chance to see the awe of TED Talks come to life right here on our own campus. Unfortunately, I did not manage to land a ticket. But, inspired by the availability of an event on campus so similar to the innovative presentations I used to watch every week, I went searching for some good TED Talks to watch.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Ted Cruz’s candidacy announcement signals start of 2016 presidential race
Mar. 22, 2015Fun fact: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, fiery lawmaker and the person who bears the closest living resemblance to the guy from “American Dad,” was born in Canada.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Democrats voting no on Trafficking Act is a shameful, political charade
Mar. 22, 2015There comes a time in American history when a bill is introduced into Congress that has real bipartisan support and has such common-sense appeal that it would be idiotic for anyone to block it. To want to play politics with a bill of this nature would be asinine and would prove one’s ineptitude. Yet, this “well, duh, we are going to vote yes on it” bill is being obstructed by Senate Democrats, and no end is in sight for them to realize the senselessness of their stance against something that, I’m sure, 99.99 percent of the population supports.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Consent is not sexy, but it doesn’t need to be — it’s necessary
Mar. 19, 2015I invited someone over to my place a few weeks ago. I texted them early in the day to meet up later in the night, but by the time we were supposed to meet up, I wasn’t feeling it. I was tired, but I felt bad for backing out — I was the one who asked them to hook up and knew they would be disappointed. So, I kept my commitment and we met up.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
The world eagerly waits for Vladimir Putin to spit that fire
Mar. 19, 2015A specter is haunting Russia — the specter of gangsta rap. Over the course of his 16-year reign, Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly affirmed his status as a disciple of hip-hop’s more aggressive permutation. This could be seen most recently from March 5 until this past Monday, when Putin was nowhere to be seen, spurring both media outlets and the world audience to work themselves into a tizzy over where he may have gone and why.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Fearmongering hinders problem-solving
Mar. 19, 2015We all reach a point when we are so stressed we think our world is spiraling out of control. It’s a terrifying feeling that is something akin to skydiving and not having your parachute open. Fear and anxiety can ruin a day, week, month, year or even a lifetime. More often than not, we pull through and move forward. However, what happens when the anxiety is affecting sizable portions of the world?
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
What if Vladimir Putin had really died?
Mar. 18, 2015Russian President Vladimir Putin hadn’t been seen in public between March 5 and March 15, and it made everyone a little worried. In a world constantly connected by social media and more traditional forms of news, world leaders — including our own President Barack Obama — have become more available to their subjects, at least in terms of their appearance in the public and technological sphere. In this reality, the disappearance of a constantly sought-after public figure becomes even more concerning.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Kylie Jenner’s relationship is a bad example for young girls
Mar. 17, 2015When it comes to relationships, I usually refrain from passing judgment of any kind. My mindset is: Why judge someone if they are genuinely happy? It’s not up to me to decide if a relationship is right or wrong with regard to age, race or gender. I figure, if two people are happy, let them be happy. But my usually solid stance quivered when a relationship between two celebrities was confirmed last week.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
PETA: not a voice for vegans
Mar. 17, 2015As a sophomore in high school, I educated myself on issues of animal cruelty and meat production in the U.S. After thorough research, I made the decision to change my lifestyle. I adopted a vegetarian diet. I maintained it for the last five years, and fully transitioned to a vegan diet about six months ago. I don’t walk around with a soapbox in hand, ready and willing to talk about my views on animal maltreatment or government-regulated factory farming. I often refrain from even using words like “vegetarian” or “vegan” because they elicit baffled and confused responses that I don’t often have the time or energy to deal with. Clearly, I have strong opinions that motivated me to make a lifestyle change, but I don’t often engage others in conversation about animal rights unless I’m asked a direct question.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Oklahoma University's SAE shows we are not removed from segregation
Mar. 16, 2015This year is already proving to be an important one in regard to race. The narrative this year has been one of simultaneous progression and regression. Around the time of the 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, race is once again a prevalent topic in the news. While a number of media outlets have been celebrating the success of the film based on the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, a more recent news story shows we have not made as much progress as we thought.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Anti-LGBTQ+ bills legalize discrimination
Mar. 16, 2015As the nation waits for the Supreme Court’s looming decision on marriage equality, some state governments are rushing to enact anti-LGBTQ+ laws.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Let's go to Mars, for science and for America
Mar. 16, 2015During Spring Break, I took an opportunity to visit our nation’s capital to take in all the history and stories it had to offer. From seeing all the monuments that pay great homage to past presidents, taking tours of buildings like the Capitol and the White House that hold such political significance and facing the blast of snow that caused the federal government to shut down, it was a trip I’ll never forget. I’ll also never forget some of the thoughts that crossed my mind as I explored what could be called a political science major’s playground.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Representation in children’s television important, necessary
Mar. 16, 2015It’s been a week since our return from Spring Break now, and perhaps the collective misery of going to your 8:30 a.m. class has worn down into a more manageable annoyance.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Created Equal has a constitutional right to demonstrate
Mar. 15, 2015The reaction to the demonstrations of the Ohio-based, anti-abortion group, Created Equal, when it came to campus Tuesday and Wednesday was overwhelmingly negative. The protesters, angry passers-by and columnists in this newspaper expressed their ill will toward the group and its demonstration. Some students claimed the whole demonstration was ineffective. Others thought it was tasteless.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Sexual health is just as important as other issues
Mar. 12, 2015Welcome back, spring breakers! I hope that by now your hangover has worn off and you’ve started the countdown until summer.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
President Obama urges support for Student Aid Bill of Rights
Mar. 12, 2015In an economy increasingly built on innovation, the most important skill you can sell is your knowledge. That’s why higher education is, more than ever, the surest ticket to the middle class.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Influx of fabricated news leads to misinformed society
Mar. 12, 2015A poll released this week shows Americans trust Fox News more than any other television news network. The notion that Americans trust Fox more than any other network demonstrates one of two things: Either Americans are very dumb, or the quality of television news across all networks is very poor. Regardless, it demonstrates that the fourth estate needs serious work.
OPINION
|
COLUMNS
Republican legislators in Arizona not interested in compromise
Mar. 12, 2015As a political science major, it is my job to understand what motivates political actors to make certain decisions. The natural inclination is to assume that political actors — like, I don’t know, let’s just say the Arizona Legislature — base their decisions on a well-informed, rational basis — or, at the very least, a basic sense of fundamental human decency.
