Opinions

The thinking process that brought me to my current perspective on animal equality started the summer before sixth grade, when my family was on vacation in Michigan. We walked into our cottage after a night out to find the floor covered by hopping sand fleas that had found their way to the light while we were away. My sister squealed and started jumping up in the air, stomping on the fleas. My parents laughed and joined in. As I watched, I was overwhelmed with horror. My family was joyously, carelessly...

The administration deserves quite a bit of credit for the 20-year Master Plan for the University. There is a tangible sense of improvement; it is evident in the new buildings, admission statistics, and in the overall quality of the student experience. A campus in transition has opportunities to establish new institutions.  One of these is the former Sigma Nu fraternity house. I think that instead of establishing a new fraternity, however, the University should establish a sustainable living co-operative. What exactly is a co-operative? Simply, a living arrangement in which...

If you live in America, own a TV and have eyes, you’ve probably encountered reality television. One recent incarnation of this modern phenomenon is MTV’s “Jersey Shore.” It features eight unnaturally tan Italian American 20-somethings partying, hooking-up, fighting, and engaging in otherwise lewd behavior in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. It’s not hard to see that, as a concept, this has the potential to be enormously entertaining. Who among us doesn’t love to see other people make fools of themselves? If only that were the attitude with which all of “Jersey...

If you have spent hours watching a late night “Law and Order: SVU” marathon recently, you have undoubtedly encountered commercials extolling the values of online college. But even in a culture dominated by electronics, an online degree cannot provide the same amount of value that a degree issued by a traditional college. Online classes often only require a credit card number, while brick-and-mortar colleges require an extensive application process in which the applicant proves that they have an impressive background in scholastic and extracurricular activities. Online colleges create a bubble...

If you are a young person with a shred of hope that our generation is politically powerful, this November’s election is crucial to achieving the change that Americans were promised with Obama’s election. Two years ago, the United States saw one of the strongest unifications among the 18- to 24-year old age group (the age group also referred to as “Millennials”), when 68 percent of propelled Obama into office. Recently, however, our age group has been less enthusiastic about defining themselves along the party lines that were crucial to a...

In Seattle only a year ago, a friendly street performer was beat to death by three unassociated and underage teens who, upon trial, were sentenced to only 72 weeks in juvenile detention because their ages kept them from being tried as adults. The brutal act appalled many Seattleites who were familiar with the “Tuba Man” Ed McMichael, but were more shocked by the leniency of the judge. For many, this is an all too familiar situation: underage individuals committing crimes that would lock them up if they were a couple...