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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.

President’s Reading Series excels

May 1, 2014

This Monday, former child soldier-turned-human rights activist Ishmael Beah came to Hopkins to tell the story of his remarkable journey. He was the final speaker of The President’s Reading Series, a joint effort between the Writing Seminars Department and President Daniels to invite acclaimed playwrights, novelists and journalists to bring their unique ideas and perspectives right to the doorsteps of Hopkins students. Colum McCann, Colm Tóibín, Isabel Wilkerson and Ishmael Beah all accepted that invitation this year. Each is a literary heavyweight that has won Pulitzer Prizes, National Book Critic Circle Awards and National Book Awards. 

Editorial Observer: Focus on Humanities

By DEVIN ALESSIO | May 1, 2014

 If you’re anything like me, as finals roll around, readings that you haven’t finished over the semester start to catch up with you and spots in the Brody Reading Room get harder and harder to come by, sometimes you start to ask yourself: is all the stress of a Hopkins education worth it? As a graduating Writing Seminars/Italian double major, I’m not entirely sure.

The Common Core’s war on fiction

By KATE DWYER | May 1, 2014

September: The month when the trees button up their autumn coats, when students scramble to finish their summer assignments, and when teachers dot the last i’s and cross the last t’s on their lesson plans — but four years ago, New York State had something different in mind. On July 19, 2010, the Board of Regents formally adopted the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. On Jan. 10, 2011, the Board approved New York State’s unique additions to the program.

Generation Y, please sit down and listen to yourselves

By CARISSA ZUKOWSKI | May 1, 2014

Generation Y strikes again with loud voices and confidant aims as they strive to build momentum in issues of social change. There is nothing innately wrong or distasteful with activism, but lately, it has reached a dead end. Activists are pulling a push-door, expecting to get through it somehow. Here is a list of the top five activist issues that we all should put to rest; they are overdone, overused and very much past their primes. These issues are already out in the world, and it is up to individuals to make the change for themselves; no amount of protests or info-pamphlets will change their minds. This is not to say that I disagree with their purpose, but I certainly see room for improvement in their means of creating the changes they desire.

Your career isn’t as important as you think

By JOSHUA KAYS | May 1, 2014

You’ve been asked this question since freshman year, and if you happen to be a junior or a senior, variations of this question have probably come up more and more frequently. For some of us, that question may seem infinitely far away, while for others, this question is forced upon us daily, and maybe we still don’t have an answer. Regardless of where we stand in relation to it, we have to be honest — at some point, we will enter the workforce. We will enter the ‘real world,’ as they say. So what are we to do? How do you decide, right now, what you intend on doing for the rest of your life? It’s almost insane to think about. How are you (at, say, 22 years old) supposed to make a decision of what job will satisfy you for the next 30+ years? That involves thinking about whether you’d like to travel or not, if you intend on marrying someone or not, if you plan on having kids or not. Do you really think that any of us can make such a big decision at this age with any sort of wisdom?

Sexual Assault Petition Necessary

April 24, 2014

Sexual assault is an alarming, under-reported reality among many universities and colleges. Recently, Hopkins student groups have advocated for our administration to take additional steps to combat these tragic incidents. On April 23, the College Democrats released a petition in conjunction with the Sexual Assault Resource Unit (SARU) and several other organizations requesting that the University take five actions: provide a website that specifies students’ legal rights, revise the freshman orientation program on rape and sexual assault prevention and make it mandatory, print SARU’s hotline number on all new J-Cards, provide honest email updates detailing the frequency and location of sexual assault incidents and introduce a compulsory anti-sexual assault component to all fraternity and sorority new-member programs.

Apathetic non-voters forfeit right to complain about the SGA

By ALI DELEN | April 24, 2014

The Student Government Association (SGA) is viewed with disdain by what seems to be a majority of the student body. People complain that their representatives don’t do enough for them while others lament that they’re not given any practical capacity to do so. Regardless of why, it seems we’re not satisfied with our SGA. And it’s our own fault.

Liberal intolerance, hypocrisy threatens religious liberty

By ANDREW GUERNSEY | April 24, 2014

The American tradition of religious liberty, which is enshrined in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, predates the American republic itself. Charles Carroll of Carrolton, a signee of the Declaration of Independence, wrote of his immigrant grandfather that “being a Roman Catholic, he pitched on Maryland, where the free exercise of that religion & equal privileges were granted.” Many Americans today, however, take our precious freedom of religion so for granted that they would forfeit it to save a few dollars on their birth control pills. For faithful Catholics and other Christian employers and institutions, the Obama administration’s HHS contraception mandate does not threaten their money, as much as their right to live out their deeply held convictions in the public square.

Brutal Bahrain protest crackdown reveals character of US ally

By BAYLY WINDER | April 24, 2014

A tiny (only 3.5 times the size of Washington DC) island off the coast of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain lies in the heart of the Persian Gulf. Although it was the first state to strike oil in the region, it has a relatively small amount remaining. Within the American context, it is probably best known for hosting the massively important Fifth Fleet of the United States Navy.

Neo-neo-colonialism

By NIKA DI LIBERTO SABASTEANSKI | April 22, 2014

“The sun never sets on the British Empire” remained a true statement for centuries thanks mostly to the use of brute force. Each conventional colonization since then has employed the same tactic. However, a new modus operandi has been adopted that is far more subtle, yet permeates boundaries that canons and swords could only dream of. No representatives from the invading nation need even be present to ensure the efficacy of the agenda. In fact, the citizens of the colonizing nation tend to be entirely oblivious of the magnitude of the invasion, and those under the proverbial fire are either painfully aware or peacefully ignorant of the changes. This situation is not some faraway dream or unwritten Ray Bradbury novel - on the contrary, it is the reality today. After finally having the opportunity to really immerse myself in a number of different cultures (albeit all European), I have found that America has become the everyman’s culture.

Private firms stimulate U.S. economy while fighting global poverty

By CHELSEA OLIVERA | April 22, 2014

Since 1990, nearly 1 billion people have been released from the chains of extreme poverty. The poverty rate among developing countries has fallen to 20.6% in 2010, from 43.1% in 1990.  This remarkable achievement is being applauded around the globe as a major accomplishment for the governments and international agencies which developed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 1990.

Physician assisted suicide should be legalized

By CARISSA ZUKOWSKI | April 22, 2014

What would you do if you only had a month to live? This hypothetical question for most healthy individuals is the unfortunate reality for many terminally ill patients. Death is as inevitable for those who are healthy as a horse as it is for those battling incurable diseases; the only uncertainty in this matter is time. We do not know when we are going to die, but in the back of our minds, we know that at some point the blood will stop pumping through our veins and the world will continue without us. Most of us view death as an unfortunate occurrence, a painful loss. This is certainly true in many and perhaps most instances. However, we sometimes forget that death can also mean the end of suffering, or the ultimate source of closure. As complicated as death is, it is dichotomously simple. Because of its complicated consequences, physician-assisted suicide is a popular topic of debate in America’s changing health care policies. The American Medical Association (AMA) formally rejects the validity of physician-assisted suicide. However, it has already been legalized in 4 states. In appropriate times, physician-assisted suicide can serve as a solution, and should be a legal and viable option for Americans.

In defense of girly coffee drinks

By WILL MARCUS | April 22, 2014

I don't think I've ever hugged my grandfather, for he has insisted on shaking my hand ever since I was toddler. I use the word "shake" loosely, in the way a Killer Whale might "shake" a seal before swallowing it.  Picture an eagle sinking its formidable talons into the soft, furry body of a confused and terrified field mouse. I vividly remember seeing his hand contort into a terrible claw like appendage, my hand feeling like a raw porterhouse steak between the steel-crunching jaws of a massive crocodile. This happened every time I saw him until I was in my late teens.

Self reflection is a valuable and necessary experience

By NATHAN BICK | April 22, 2014

I came to Hopkins as an undecided student — someone not only unsure about a particular major, but equally unsure about even the general subject or field of study I wanted to pursue. After speaking with so many Hopkins students who seemed to have things planned out so well, I realized that although I knew the general topics that I enjoyed and what subjects I liked in high school, I had never really considered what I would study - or even do - in college. Confronting these realities and decisions was a shock to my system and led to unanticipated stress. But it also led to significant personal growth during my first semester.

Gender testing in professional athletics: Caster Semenya

By MEGAN DiTROLIO | April 22, 2014

Caster Semenya should be known for her impressive running ability. What she is better known for is her gender ambiguity, a conflict that has affected her running career and her life in general. The South African has represented her country in track and field in various prestigious meets around the world, including the Olympics. Her participation in women’s track however has not gone without controversy, scrutiny and personal humiliation for the young athlete.

J Street U student Town Hall an important opportunity

By JENNY FERENTZ | April 22, 2014

This coming Saturday, the J Street U student Town Hall will be happening on our very own campus. Over 300 students from across the country will gather with experts, activists, and prominent political figures to stand united in support of U.S. leadership to achieve a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Supreme court should protect reproductive freedom

By MEG O'CONNOR | April 22, 2014

“The widespread use of contraceptives has indeed harmed women physically, emotionally, morally, and spiritually — and has, in many respects, reduced her to the ‘mere instrument for the satisfaction of [man’s] own desires.’” It’s hard to believe that anyone actually thinks this, let alone declares it as fact. But this is just one example pulled from the 59 amicus briefs filed in support of Hobby Lobby, a for-profit corporation arguing for exemption from the contraception mandate of the Affordable Care Act on the grounds that it is an unconstitutional violation of “its” sincerely held religious beliefs.

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