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.

What role should safe spaces play on campus?

By TIANCHENG LYU | November 30, 2017

In recent years, the concept of “safe spaces” has become an integral part of conversations on college campuses across the U.S. Originally coined to help educational institutions resist forms of harassment and hate speech against the LGBTQ community, the term has taken on much broader connotations. Now a “safe space” generally refers to a place or a forum where marginalized individuals gather to share their experiences without having to feel uncomfortable or discriminated against.

Voting against net neutrality is not in the public’s interest

By SAMUEL FARRAR | November 30, 2017

After two years of constant debate, on the Tuesday over Thanksgiving break, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) finally released its plans to repeal the Obama-era net neutrality rules enacted in 2015. This decision may be the most damaging to the American consumer in this nation’s history.

VICTORGRIGAS/CC BY-SA 3.0 The Federal Communications Commission will vote to repeal net neutrality rules on Dec. 7.

Understanding Swedish and Finnish NATO Accession as a Question of Sovereignty

By RORY MCCLAIN | November 16, 2017

With Russia’s reemerging penchant for asserting its political, military, and economic influence over neighboring states, including the 2008 war with Georgia, its ongoing intervention in Ukraine, and, most recently, a large military exercise conducted in Belarus in September, is it any wonder that Finland and Sweden are experiencing an acute sense of insecurity?

Editorial: The University’s history of offshore investments undermine its integrity

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | February 7, 2018

Last week, a leak of financial documents exposed the offshore financial holdings of a slew of important individuals and corporations. Dubbed the “Paradise Papers,” the documents shed light on the hidden financial activities of people like the Queen of England and members of Trump’s cabinet.  The leaks also shed light on organizations such as Facebook, Apple, and our very own Johns Hopkins University.

CC BY-SA 2.0/EDWARD KIMMEL Ralph Northam (left) of Virginia was one of many Democrats who won elections last week.

Major wins for Democrats are also victories for our country

By SAM MOLLIN | November 16, 2017

It’s already been a bad few weeks for President Trump. Two of his former campaign workers got indicted on corruption charges and a couple more are under serious questioning from the FBI for their possible roles in Trump-Russia collusion. His legislative agenda has gone nowhere as per usual. By any metric he isn’t doing well, but the only metric that matters is what the voters think. And last week, on Nov. 7, they showed us just how angry they are.

The media needs to investigate Hillary Clinton

By JAMES A | October 24, 2018

Things can’t seem to get much worse for Democrats and Hillary Clinton at the moment. After a historical campaign waged by the U.S. media, the DNC and the federal government to undermine and ultimately terminate Donald Trump’s unlikely candidacy and ascension to Executive Office, a backlash of equal force is now making itself forcefully felt.

Israeli settlements hurt Palestinian livelihoods

By EVAN DRUKKER-SCHARDL and MIRANDA BACHMAN | November 16, 2017

This past August, 80 children in the town of Jubbet ad-Dhib arrived to their first day of school to find their classrooms gone. Concrete slabs sat in the place where, the evening before, six trailers stood with whiteboards, pens, papers and books awaiting the students and their teachers. Undeterred, or perhaps without any other options, the children began to study in the hot August sun before the school set up a tent large enough for most of the children.

Fraternity culture is inherently misogynistic

By EMELINE ARMITAGE | November 9, 2017

About once a year, the fraternity debate is reignited at Hopkins, and the same arguments are trotted out. Fraternities are good, look at the brotherhood; fraternities are misguided, they need Bystander Intervention Training (BIT); fraternities are neutral parties, the problem is alcohol. People avoid condemning fraternities as a whole institution. The administration does not want to anger a large portion of the student body, and non-affiliated students don’t want to face the social consequences of criticizing fraternities. I think fraternities are misogynistic and cannot be reformed.

Hop Cops inadequately protect our students

By SAMUEL SKLARIN | November 9, 2017

I’ve always believed that everyone should try their hardest at their job. Whether it is being the President of the United States or cleaning bathrooms at CVS, which is a field that I am sadly very experienced in, people should take pride in doing their jobs right and in doing them well. I don’t think the Campus Safety and Security staff subscribe to this same belief.

We must fight back against racism in our food system

By CLARISSA CHEN and DIVYA KORADA | November 9, 2017

Sometimes what’s on your plate might be difficult to swallow. Recognizing the individual’s participation in an exploitative and unjust food system is not easy, and finding constructive ways to change the system requires creativity. Common ways to address the consumer guilt of participating in a broken, conventional food system often turn into attempts to be a conscious consumer, a problematic movement led by rich white folk.

ELVIS BATIZ/CC By 2.0 The authors argue that Baltimore’s food ecosystem discriminates against people of color.
GAGE SKIDMORE/CC BY-SA 2.0 Stanton argues that Trump’s supporters follow in his footsteps by changing the conversation.

Changing the conversation is a dangerous debate tactic

By WILLIAM STANTON | November 2, 2017

The 2016 Republican candidate, voters, and platform for President of the United States was incredibly serpentine (and successful) in defending their candidate, Donald Trump, against controversy and scandal. I argue that one of the most powerful tools he and his supporters use for both debates and defense against scandal is the tactic of controlling the conversation.

It’s time to fight back against unregulated vapes

By SAM MOLLIN | November 2, 2017

Vaping has become incredibly ubiquitous over the past few years. It’s been showing up at parties, on campus and pretty much anywhere else you’d expect people to be. CDC statistics show that 38 percent of high schoolers and 13 percent of middle schoolers have already tried vaping. Vapes have been allowed to proliferate with virtually no oversight by any public health or government agency.

It’s not enough to say you’re a feminist

By GILLIAN LELCHUK | November 2, 2017

Growing up, I never felt like I was treated any differently for being born a woman. My mother and my teachers and Disney Channel taught me that I could be anything I wanted to be. I believed that so much I never even considered it might not be true.