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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.

Netanyahu practices bad diplomacy

By WILL MARCUS | March 5, 2015

Let me begin this piece by saying that I support Israel. I'd like to think that this support comes from more objective reasons than my ethno-religious background, but it still probably plays a far larger role than I think. However, this piece is not about exactly why I support Israel, because last night while watching Netanyahu address Congress on Fox, I actually felt that he gravely overstepped. Any time a foreign leader attempts to influence the foreign policy of another country is not a good thing. This is exactly what Benjamin Natanyahu is doing by claiming to be "a representative of all the Jewish people" and with his aim to discourage congress from supporting Obama's nuclear deal with Iran.

SAE suspension wrong, requires reversal

March 5, 2015

The Editorial Board stands in firm opposition to the disciplinary course the University has decided to take against the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity. We view these punitive measures as lacking in both proportionality and basic fairness, and we condemn University administrators for their negligent erring in attention to precedent and context. We urge immediate reconsideration of the case and a new punishment to be handed down.

Raise your glass to an on-campus bar

March 5, 2015

Throughout most of its history, Hopkins had an on-campus bar in Levering Hall that was extremely popular among juniors and seniors. The Rathskeller, or “The Rat,” was a central feature of campus nightlife — a disco even more than just an alcohol source.

Sugar addiction a very profitable affliction

By WILL MARCUS | February 26, 2015

Hello. My name is Will Marcus and I am a sugar addict. I’ve always been the trouble-maker with his hand in the cookie jar, and Halloween is still my favorite holiday. I’ve likely eaten hundreds of pounds of sickeningly sweet indulgences — from deep fried twinkies at the Texas State Fair to delicate souffles at that swanky steak house. Before I proceed in this article I would like to make one thing abundantly clear: I regret nothing. That stuff was indeed delicious, but now it’s high time to make a change.

Hospice care is a viable alternative

By CHLOE FERRIS | February 26, 2015

After introducing himself he handed me a pamphlet. It was hard to understand what he was saying so I watched his mouth form the words. The disease had ruthlessly weakened his muscles including those involved in speech and swallowing. I looked down at the pamphlet. The words myasthenia gravis stared back at me. “Myasthania gravis is a neuromuscular disease that results in severe weakening of the skeletal muscles.”

Deceptive "all natural" labels at stores victimize consumers

By SHARON LAM | February 26, 2015

We proclaim ourselves to be independent Americans, resolutely unswayed by marketing strategies and stubborn in our pursuit of healthy living. We toot our horns when our meals are all organic, without GMOs, all natural... and the food industry knows. They know our new obsession, our new fad to be healthy because the ideal image is not of a person with a thick waistline slobbering over an oily plate of fries.

Varsity sports are integral to Homewood life

By By Shannon Parker, Zach Lorenz, Katie Clark, Josie George, George Bugarinovic, Justin Drechsel and Matt Daum | February 26, 2015

One thing we have learned as student-athletes at Johns Hopkins is that it is impossible to judge the worthiness of something solely based on whether it returns a financial benefit. What athletes gain through giving their blood, sweat and tears simply cannot be valued in monetary terms. Athletics challenge our student-athletes to be better in every aspect of their lives, to always strive for greatness and to honor the tradition that the jersey represents. Here at Hopkins we are proud to have the opportunity to wear our school’s name across our chest, much the same as thousands of student-athletes across the country who also proudly represent their universities.

Off-campus housing process is valuable

February 26, 2015

Breaking free of the on-campus world and bidding farewell to the FFC, sophomore and junior students flock beyond their usual perimeter in search of off-campus housing. Words like “rent,” “Internet,” “water” and “lease” are laced into our to-do lists, right under problem sets, readings and BlackBoard lecture slides. We shed a tear for the toilet paper rolls that will no longer be dropped by their doors weekly, the communal bathrooms that established the original shower singing quartet and the God-given meal plans that provided a stable source of food. But there is a time and a place for adulthood, and it warmly welcomes us with open brochures and “Off-Campus Housing Office” signs second semester.

Fifty Shades of Grey is more than smut

By CARISSA ZUKOWSKI | February 20, 2015

This past weekend was an internationally recognized holiday celebrating love in the name of Saint Valentine, or, as others observe Feb. 14: Single’s Awareness Day. It was also the premiere weekend of the eagerly anticipated film adaptation of the book Fifty Shades of Grey.

Immigration order tests Obama's executive power

By WILL MARCUS | February 20, 2015

Yesterday, United States District Judge Andrew Hanen stalled Obama's executive order to shield young illegal immigrants from deportation if they were brought into the country at a sufficiently young age. The order also aimed to extend similar protection to the parents of legal U.S. citizens who have been in the country for some years. Despite having the support of 12 liberal states, the order is not supported by a large coalition of conservative states across the South and Midwest because they believe Obama violated the "Take Care Clause."

Immigration order tests Obama's executive power

By WILL MARCUS | February 20, 2015

Yesterday, United States District Judge Andrew Hanen stalled Obama's executive order to shield young illegal immigrants from deportation if they were brought into the country at a sufficiently young age. The order also aimed to extend similar protection to the parents of legal U.S. citizens who have been in the country for some years. Despite having the support of 12 liberal states, the order is not supported by a large coalition of conservative states across the South and Midwest because they believe Obama violated the "Take Care Clause."

University silence on PIKE is negligent

February 19, 2015

Since the start of this school year, the Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) fraternity has been under a suspension imposed by the University. Several weeks ago, the Hopkins chapter of PIKE forfeited its charter, ceasing its official presence on campus. While under suspension, PIKE’s members were forbidden from functioning in any manner as the organization known as PIKE. They could not hold rush events or a pledge class, they could not create a new “PIKE house,” and they could not hold parties, mixers or any other event besides those associated with a pre-approved improvement plan that would condition their return to campus next school year. With their charter now surrendered, though, the fraternity is no longer recognized by the University or the general PIKE fraternity.

Wendland is an excellent choice for KSAS

February 19, 2015

A week ago, Beverly Wendland was named dean of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. The Editorial Board would like to formally express its support for the decision to name Wendland the dean, as we believe she is well-suited to tackle the challenges ahead and to blaze a new course for the school, fostering an atmosphere of interdisciplinary learning and inclusiveness necessary to achieve her stated goals, including “to train the leaders of tomorrow” and to make sure “that anytime a visitor comes to our campus, they leave wishing they could stay.”

America should be beyond orientalism

By SHAUN VERMA | February 12, 2015

Who is ISIS? It’s just like U.S. President Barack Obama said during his speech directed to the UN: “No God condones this terror. No grievance justifies these actions. There can be no reasoning — no negotiation — with this brand of evil. The only language understood by killers like this is the language of force.” Obama calls upon the UN “for a new compact among the civilized peoples of this world to eradicate war at its most fundamental source.” Sound familiar? Replace ISIS with Al-Qaeda, and you’d have nearly the same words used by former President George W. Bush in 2003 just before the invasion of Iraq. History has a terrible tendency to repeat itself, and the discourse surrounding the Middle East, Islam and terrorism has not changed.

Feminism is about gender equality across society

By SHARON LAM | February 12, 2015

I am confused. As a woman, I am perplexed by the word “feminism,” a word fraught with added nuances in meaning, thrown around hastily in complaint of a result; a word which has caused a cascade of movements that have worn on the public's ears. Feminism. In fact, I had to search the literal definition of it on Google, which only added onto my tangled thoughts and sabotaged my efforts to organize my beliefs. Regardless, I thought about the last time I helped my parents carry heavy luggage down the stairs. My sister called out, “Stop trying to be the man!” Her intentions were clearly out of concern — but why did my offer to help carry heavy suitcases suddenly change my gender? More so, why did my guy friend speak in a chipmunk voice and shimmy his shoulder when jokingly imitating a girl? It just doesn’t seem right.

Rush: looking in from the outside

By CARISSA ZUKOWSKI | February 12, 2015

Come second semester, many freshmen and a select number of sophomores wonder what it’s really like to be part of a sorority at Hopkins. I have no idea what it feels like to be a member of the social Greek community here. I have never participated in Panhellenic recruitment either. This is truly the understanding of sorority life from the outside looking in.

Showing up to the open forum is half the battle

By EMELINE ARMITAGE | February 12, 2015

The Hopkins administration has proven to its students, both old and new, that it is inept at handing sexual assault situations. Therefore, it is essential that students hold the administration responsible and demand transparency and answers. There have been major improvements; the administration notified the campus swiftly after a sexual assault was reported in November. However, it still has not earned the trust of its students, and students must continue to demand better from the administration. Unfortunately, the low attendance at a recent Q&A panel on sexual assault shows a potential disappointing lack of interest from students.

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