Opinions

CW: Discussion of anti-Semitism, white supremacy, violence Dear Puget Sound community members, It is with a heavy heart that I, once again, write to the campus community regarding our failures in supporting and protecting each other.  In yet another email from campus administration regarding anti-Semitic incidents at Puget Sound on Oct. 18, President Crawford stated that “these acts are unacceptable and an affront to our entire university community,” but our university community as a whole has yet to take action against this problem. Let me be clear: anti-Semitism – and...

By Karlee Robinson Consider the multiple elements of your personality — those you share with some and not with others. What would you do if your audience were the world? Lady Gaga vocalizes the pressure artists feel in justifying, dividing and overall compromising their identity. It’s time we as fans realize what we’re asking of our muses. In Lady Gaga’s new Netflix original documentary “Gaga: Five Foot Two,” released Sept. 22, the five-time grammy award winner singer/songwriter explores the turbulent experience of doing “the opposite of what everyone thinks going...

By Sarah Buchlaw CW: Offensive language, discussion of ableism The University of Puget Sound’s Campus Films raved about last month’s showing of “Baby Driver” on their Facebook page: “With incredible chases and a killer soundtrack, this is one you won’t want to miss!” Unfortunately, “retarded” was hurled six times within the first seven minutes of the film. Baby Driver is a film about a getaway driver named Baby, who is so immersed in his personal soundtrack that he rarely speaks. The film opens with a lengthy car chase, and then...

What does free speech look like when turned violent? Hate speech. Protecting one form of speech requires the protection of all, and once acknowledging this, the ironic dichotomy between hate speech and free speech becomes clear. It seems that while we excel at exercising expressive liberties, we’ve violated the sanctity of mobilized thought. Hate speech and free speech express their frustrations through acts of social injustice. It’s from our political systems that their tension seeks release, and in consideration of increasingly polarized parties, their dynamic is especially tainted. Throughout the...

  By Sarah B Tonight, I will begin a 25-hour fast for Yom Kippur, the holiest day of my year, and God has nothing to do with it. I grew up going to an orthodox Jewish preschool, but my family has always practiced (very) reform Judaism. Being Jewish is the most important part of my identity, even though I have known for a long time that I do not believe in God. Holiness without God seems like a glaring contradiction, especially considering that the very definition of the word “holy”...