Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
September 15, 2025 September 15, 2025 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

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.

Aleph/CC BY-SA 2.5 Angela Merkel may run for reelection to the office of Chancellor of Germany in 2017.

Germany’s 2017 elections put Europe at a crossroads

By HOWARD SENIOR | October 6, 2016

Conservative populism, arguably the most concerning development of the decade, is on the rise across the Western world. Conservative populism appeals to the common man in that it rejects current political consensus and is very anti-elite. Back in 2010, the political establishment’s grip on political power seemed absolute. Today, however, fringe politicians like Marine Le Pen and Nigel Farage wield substantial influence over the electorates of France and England, respectively. It seems as though Germany is no exception.

Presidential debate raises questions about our beliefs

By STEPHANIE HAENN | September 29, 2016

Squinting at a small computer screen, college students across the country streamed the first presidential debate from their dorm rooms on Monday, Sept. 26. For most college students, this is the first election cycle that warrants our voice with any degree of authority. This is the first time we are eligible to vote. Fortunately, this milestone coincides with our journey to sculpting our own political identity. After 18 years living under our parents’ roofs, we are both liberated and abandoned on our quest to find our political ideologies.

SGA signature petitions lack legitimacy and logic

By MAX JARCHO | September 29, 2016

About a week ago, I had gathered in a library study room with some friends. Although there were some new faces in the room, I focused on doing my work, not on meeting new people. Someone I hadn’t met before caught my attention, however, when they requested us all to sign their SGA candidacy petition.

MIKE MORBECK/ CC BY-SA 2.0 Colin Kaepernick provoked controversy by kneeling during the national anthem.

Kaepernick’s protest is not disrespectful

By EMELINE ARMITAGE | September 29, 2016

Last week, the sports section of The News-Letter published an article criticizing San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem in a protest against the oppression of black Americans. Although I vehemently disagree with the article and applaud Kaepernick’s bravery to bring issues of white supremacy into discussion, the article did provoke thought about nationalistic imagery. Specifically, how myself (a twenty-year old) and the young-adult authors of anti-Kaepernick pieces, could grow up with the same nationalistic symbols in the fervently patriotic post-9/11 world, yet develop such different viewpoints.

Listen to the victims of sexual assault

By EMELINE ARMITAGE | September 22, 2016

Aside from the national electoral candidates, one name seemed to dominate this summer’s headlines: Brock Turner, the former Stanford University student convicted of three felony sexual assault charges after he raped a fellow student.

Modern college students are theologically illiterate

By KARL JOHNSON and HAMMAAD SHAH | September 22, 2016

When Harvard College became the first institution of higher education in North America, it was founded on religious terms. While exploring truth claims about the natural sciences and humanities, students were also trained to study the divine and spirituality, beings and principles not physically measured. Most others in the Ivy League, and many beyond, followed this model.

Editorial: Student groups working with prisoners help our city

By THE NEWS-LETTER | September 22, 2016

Hopkins announced the winners of the second annual Ten by Twenty Challenge last spring with the goal of the challenge to deepen the University’s connection with the greater Baltimore community. Individuals from across the University submitted 80 ideas, which received votes from thousands of interested students. In the end, five winning proposals were selected to receive up to $20,000 in grant money.

DONKEY HOTEY/ CC BY 2.0 We need to stop posting political memes, like caricatures of our politicians, and of Mark Zuckerberg.

Stop talking about politics on your Facebook and Twitter

By CARVER BAIN | September 15, 2016

I know. When your crazy, Republican aunt from Idaho posts on Facebook that Trump is a reasonable choice for President of the United States or your radically liberal friend from high school claims Clinton has never done anything wrong in her life, it can be tempting — irresistible perhaps. I admit, I’ve given in a few times. But please, stop talking about politics on the internet.

Universities should resist advertising on social media

By ALEX SILBERZWEIG | September 15, 2016

You might drive past one every day, you might see a freshly printed picture of one in the newspaper you read or you might even attend one — a school. We regularly associate schools with picturesque buildings, rows of students with their heads studiously bent, centers of education and intellectual betterment. The students supposedly attend classes at their schools to learn about the world around them and pursue their passions.

CLIFF/ CC BY 2.0 After 9/11, John Stewart said, “You see, we’ve already won.”

How social media has fractured the American spirit

By LIAM HAVIV | September 15, 2016

Last Sunday was the 15th anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. I sat and watched the same two videos I have watched every year for the past few years. The first video is of President George W. Bush throwing out the first pitch of game three of the World Series at Yankee Stadium. The second is of John Stewart’s iconic return to The Daily Show following the attacks.

University inconsistent with sexual assault alerts

By THE NEWS-LETTER | September 8, 2016

Senior Stuart Walters was charged with multiple accounts of sex offenses, false imprisonment, property destruction and assault after an altercation with his girlfriend on Tuesday, Aug. 2. The News-Letter reported on this incident on Aug. 13 after obtaining information from The Baltimore Sun, and the University has not released a statement or sent out a security alert about the incident.

NANDO ARRUDA/ CC BY-NC 2.0 Pokémon Go allows users to catch various pocket monsters, like this Pikachu, out in the real world.

Stop hating, Pokémon Go has brought joy to millions

By GILLIAN LELCHUK | September 8, 2016

If you haven’t heard of Pokémon Go by now, you must actually be living under a rock. Niantic’s smartphone game, which allows players to catch Pokémon by walking around in the real world, launched on July 6 and has since then gathered hoards of passionate supporters and critics.

Spike Lee’s speech missed the point

By René J. Muller | September 8, 2016

On May 18, Shelton Jackson “Spike” Lee addressed the 2016 Hopkins graduating class at the Royal Farms Arena and received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. Director of “Do the Right Thing,” Lee was recognized for his achievements as a filmmaker and for other contributions he has made to American culture.

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