Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
December 6, 2023

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.



FILE PHOTO
Maury recounts experiences of discrimination, mistreatment and silence at the hands of University affiliates. 

Disability isn't taken seriously at Hopkins

During my time as a graduate student in the Engineering for Professionals (EP) program, I’ve had nine Hopkins professors. Only two have provided the disability accommodations the University promised. The kinder ones treat accommodations like a courtesy they’re free to ignore.


TONY WEBSTER/CC-BY-2.0
Felix reviews the qualms of American immigration politics and explores new ways the Biden administration could change the status quo.

Kamala Harris on immigration: Same wine, new bottle

The Biden administration has taken the initiative to roll back cruel Trump-era policies, expedite the processing of migrants and make material conditions of the undocumented population more bearable. Nonetheless, the overwhelming approach laid out by the White House still endorses law and order deterrence: The proposed budget for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased for the fiscal year 2022 and a strategy to discourage immigration from the source is being pursued.


RANDALL GOYA / CC BY-SA 2.0
Felix examines the United States' approach to gun violence as the Supreme Court decides to review individuals’ rights to bear arms.

The Second Amendment is America’s self-destruct button

The U.S Supreme Court recently decided to hear and review its first case on an individual’s right to bear arms since 2010. The litigation challenges a New York state law that requires residents to prove “proper cause” in order to obtain a pistol or a concealed carry permit. 


JOHN BRIGHENTI/CC BY 2.0
Arboleda is critical of the Senate as a legislative body, given the undemocratic state it has reached. 

We need to talk about Senate reform

Article One of the U.S. Constitution establishes the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House is based on population size while the Senate ensures equal representation for each state. The hierarchy is said to have been designed to “cool House legislation just as a saucer was used to cool hot tea.”


CYCLICALCORE/CC BY-SA 3.0 
Bali reviews the implications of recent changes to CDC guidelines in light of media misinformation and ignorance.

New CDC mask guidelines are irresponsible and unnecessary

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced new recommendations for the use of masks and other precautions in regard to vaccinated people on Tuesday, April 27. The new guidelines suggest that fully vaccinated individuals can safely choose to not wear a mask or socially distance when outdoors, as long as they are not in crowded areas. 


COURTESY OF PODGOALSJHU
Khudairi and Wang call for students to form pods and communicate openly with their friends about COVID-19 risks.

Let your friends in but keep COVID-19 out

As we emerge from the isolated gloom of winter into the bright spring days, there is hope in the air. The weather is finally warm, trees are blooming and the COVID-19 vaccine is available to everyone 16 and over. The February cluster of student cases is a distant memory, and it’s finally time to hug our friends again. 




IAEA IMAGEBANK/CC BY-SA 2.0
Tie examines the global impacts of Japan’s decision to dump treated wastewater into the ocean.

Fukushima dumping radioactive wastewater in the Pacific is an easy, but wrong, solution

The 10th anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi accident, where an unexpected earthquake generated a tsunami that destroyed the nuclear power plant’s backup generators, fell on March 11. The loss of power and consequent failure of the cooling system resulted in the elevation of residual heat. In an attempt to cool things down, seawater was continuously pumped to the reactor, but ultimately the core still partially melted down. Since then, the disposal of this radioactive seawater has presented a challenge.


This Earth Day, do your part to promote sustainability at Hopkins and beyond

Today, we celebrate the 51st annual Earth Day. Since President Joe Biden’s inauguration, the U.S. has made some progress in the fight against climate change. The country rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement in one of Biden’s first executive orders. With the new administration’s recently unveiled $2 trillion infrastructure plan promoting cleaner energy sources and racial equity, there is reason to be optimistic.


Calling on the GRO: Support minority-owned businesses

As an alum, Baltimore resident and friend to current graduate students at Hopkins, let me begin with this: The adaptability and creativity that the Graduate Representative Organization (GRO) has shown through the COVID-19 pandemic is truly laudable. From virtual cooking classes and coffee hours to giveaways and virtual esports tournaments, the GRO has really stepped up to support and accommodate students during this tumultuous year.





To support the APIDA community, we must combat misinformation

“You may wish that you weren’t Asian, but remember that your ancestors likely went through similar or even worse incidents.” This was a sentence on the anti-Asian racism resources page of Harvard University’s Counseling and Mental Health Services website. Shortly after the Atlanta shootings in March, it was taken down, and an apology was posted.




COURTESY OF RILEY DIFATTA
Difatta and the Check Your Bias campaign seek to raise awareness about targeted violence and terrorism.

Check your bias to curb misinformation and targeted violence

“Tell us about yourself.” I’ve rehearsed my answer over and over again: “I’m Riley, a junior at Johns Hopkins University. I’m studying Psychology and have minors in Integrated Marketing Communications and Leadership Studies.” But recently, my elevator pitch seems to be missing a critical piece of my identity — my race.