Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
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Opinion

The opinions presented below are solely the views of the author and do not represent the views of The News-Letter. If you are a member of the Hopkins community looking to submit a piece or a letter to the editor, please email opinions@jhunewsletter.com.

This year's Oscars, and why the stories we tell and celebrate matter

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | February 28, 2019

Some people might dismiss the importance of the Oscars, criticizing the Academy members for not only being predominantly white, but also superficial and elitist —  for nominating films touted by critics and professionals rather than those that everyday people know and love. But despite the faults we may find in the Oscars, they still matter. The awards influence our own opinions on which films are worth seeing, on the films and filmmakers that we choose to support. They determine who we look up to and which stories are deemed culturally significant to our society at the time. 

FILE PHOTO The University is offering more specialized mental health resources this semester to help Black students dealing with hardships during the pandemic.

Students, stop perpetuating our toxic culture of overwork

By SARAH CRUM | February 28, 2019

Sapere aude!” Immanuel Kant screams at me from his essay on enlightenment. “Have the courage to think for yourself.”  I look up from my desk on D-Level and feel the bones in my neck crack. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the sun, so I’m pretty sure you can use the fluorescent lights to see through my skin and into my vital organs. 

Why Hopkins should keep its contracts with ICE

By TIM SHADE and ADAM O | February 28, 2019

When we think of the impacts of U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, the imagery is impossible to ignore. Who could forget the sound of children crying for their parents while U.S. government officials laugh or the sight of barbed wire strung along fences just feet from citizens’ private homes? Almost universally, these images stir passion and anger. 

WHOISJOHNGALT / CC BY-SA 4.0 Opponents of affirmative action argue that it discriminates against Asian-Americans.

How affirmative action has benefitted Asian-Americans

By CINDY CHO | February 23, 2019

When I first heard of the square-off between Students for Fair Admissions against Harvard, I instantly sent the CNN article announcing the court case to my high-schooler of a cousin saying that even though I couldn’t do it, he at least had a “wayyyy” better chance now. Outwardly, I would flaunt my disapproval at Edward Blum plastering an Asian face on his conservative anti-affirmative action program. Deep down, however, I thought that if Blum’s case made it to the Supreme Court, my fellow Asians would likely get better chances at the Ivy League.

Sexual assault, hazing, death: Is this the cost of brotherhood?

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | February 21, 2019

It’s February, which means that many fraternities and sororities at Hopkins and at other colleges nationwide have just recruited their newest pledge class. To those new recruits, we extend our congratulations. Many students find a sense of community and lifelong friendships in the Greek organization to which they belong. But to those of you who’ve joined fraternities, we’d also like to express our concerns. 

Gun control alone won’t reduce gun violence

By NATALIE WU | February 21, 2019

Last week, on the anniversary of the Parkland shooting, media outlets reflected on the strides in gun control that we’ve made as a result of the survivors’ movement. I want to add to the conversation by reflecting on what we can do better as we go forward.

How dating apps promote sexual racism

By SARAH Y. KIM | February 14, 2019

I am not your Korean fetish.” That was the Tinder bio I wrote last summer, which came with some decent pictures of myself and a surprise painting of Judith slaying Holofernes. A not-so-subtle finger to the patriarchy. 

To effect long-term change, SGA should focus on realistic initiatives

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | February 14, 2019

Next week, the Student Government Association (SGA) will hold an impeachment trial against Executive President Noh Mebrahtu behind closed doors. SGA members introduced articles of impeachment at their latest weekly meeting, but not before telling one of our reporters to leave the room. That same day, SGA sent an email advertising a Students Against Private Police rally with the subject line “ICE Protest Tomorrow!” And last semester, it had to pass a bill to stop members from using social media, texting, web surfing and shopping during meetings. 

FILE PHOTO Kim argues that discouraging students from using elements of fantasy in their stories is constraining for aspiring writers of color.

Fantasy matters. Just ask writers of color.

By SARAH Y. KIM | February 14, 2019

In high school I nursed wild ambitions of publishing a fantasy novel. The plot was muddy, but I knew my heroine. Her name was Elizia. She was a woman of color, and she spoke with all the outrageous, cringeworthy angst of a Brontë character. She was brave and intelligent and a born leader, a liberator of women and the poor who also dabbled with sorcery. 

PUBLIC DOMAIN Shade hopes Republicans will follow in the footsteps of leaders like Reagan and Bush.

Democrats aren’t a solution to Trump. Republicans are.

By TIM SHADE | February 14, 2019

For centuries, the world’s oldest democracy has depended on a productive tension between two major parties. When the political pendulum in Washington swings from right to left and back again, the minority party knows that they will get another turn. Historically the ruling party likewise recognized that they would soon be in the minority, and this led to a government of restraint — one which prioritized stability and order over short-term policy victories. The two-party system enabled Americans across the political spectrum to trust that their representatives would act in good faith. 

In the fight against climate change, remember its effects on minorities

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | February 7, 2019

Although people of color and those who live in low-income communities generally have the lowest carbon footprint, they often live in areas with the worst air quality and are most susceptible to flooding or other weather hazards. Meanwhile, those of us who have done the most to aggravate climate change – higher-income individuals, mega-corporations and business magnates – have the resources to avoid the consequences of our actions. 

STEPHANIE LEE / PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF Students have called for the administration to end its contracts with ICE since 2018.

We must continue to oppose the University’s ICE contracts

By MAISS MOHAMED | February 7, 2019

As we begin Black History Month, it is an optimal time to reflect on the noble efforts of African Americans to gain legal and constitutional rights for minorities during the Civil Rights Movement. While considering the actions taken by the brave men and women of this community, it is important for us to note that the success of the movement was partially due to the influential work of students. From participating in walkouts and sit-ins to organizing and leading protests, youth helped to spearhead the Civil Rights Movement.

Justice for Jussie Smollett won’t be enough

By RUDY MALCOM | February 7, 2019

Black gay actor and activist Jussie Smollett told police that he was attacked on Jan. 29 by two men shouting racist and homophobic slurs. In a follow-up interview, Smollett said one of them also yelled, “This is MAGA [Make America Great Again] country.” On Monday, the Chicago Tribune reported that Smollett had received a letter a week before saying, “You will die black fag,” with “MAGA” written as the return address.

Here’s why sorority recruitment is flawed

By ALYSSA WOODEN | January 31, 2019

This weekend, hundreds of underclassmen will go through the process known as formal recruitment in the hopes of joining one of the five Panhellenic sororities at Hopkins. For many students across the country, Greek life is a crucial aspect of their college experience. It’s where they meet their closest friends, find personal and academic support and make professional connections. But for some, the actual recruitment process evokes none of those positive qualities.

Confronting and understanding my boredom

By SARAH Y. KIM | January 31, 2019

“Ever to confess that you are bored means you have no inner resources.” This is a line in John Berryman’s “Dream Song 14” that I kept scrawling on pieces of scrap paper this past winter. My dad had once told me almost the exact same thing when I was seven, sitting in the back of the car and whining about how bored I was. Since then, I can’t remember a time I admitted to him that I was bored. 

MICHAELMAGGS / CC BY-SA 3.0 Japan uses the koban system, a form of community policing that uses “police boxes.”

What Hopkins can learn from Japan’s police system

By RIKO YUJI | January 31, 2019

As an exchange student brought up in Japan, it was a whole new idea that people can feel threatened by police officers. By taking sociology classes, participating in local volunteer activities and talking with minority students at Hopkins, I learned that people in Baltimore -- especially minorities -- regard police officers not as their protectors, but as potential threats because of their discriminatory, unjust policing. 

As Hopkins expands into D.C., what does that mean for Baltimore?

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | January 31, 2019

Last Friday, many of us received an email that Hopkins had purchased the building that currently houses the Newseum, a museum in Washington, D.C. that is dedicated to promoting freedom of speech. Located on Pennsylvania Avenue, the building is positioned at the heart of the nation’s capital and will primarily be used to centralize the University’s graduate programs, including the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Hopkins Hospital continues to undervalue the lives of its patients

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | December 6, 2018

When Johns Hopkins established the Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1889, he sought to provide quality healthcare and serve as an invaluable resource to the surrounding community. Yet recent reports on the conditions at the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla. and the Johns Hopkins Hospital in East Baltimore illustrate an appalling failure to carry on our founder’s mission.

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