Trump’s response to bigotry is not fixing the problem
November 06, 2018
The manner in which Donald Trump has chosen to disregard the opinions of minority populations, as they face ever more heinous actions against them in broad daylight, is both irresponsible and a poor example for citizens and leaders of the country.
You’ve registered to vote. Now What?
October 30, 2018
Election day is really coming up! On Tuesday, November 6, people all over the country will be heading to their polling place to make their voices heard. If you have registered to vote, you can be one of these people! There is a lot of information you need when it comes to voting, so here is a guide just for us Behrend students.
The Intellectual Dark Web
October 30, 2018
Free thinking and unfiltered media is the direction online users are looking for. The Rubin Report, The Joe Rogan Experience, Waking Up with Sam Harris, and the Jordan B. Peterson Podcast, are just a few of the YouTube channels viewed by millions per week that provide intellectual discussions on a diverse group of topics. So what do we call this group of controversial figures discussing controversial topics? Eric Weinstein, an economist, writer, and managing director of Thiel Capital calls it the “Intellectual Dark web.”
What is Nationalism?
October 30, 2018
The President has called himself a Nationalist, and the American people mad at him, and at each other. But, what does it mean to be a Nationalist? What is Nationalism? Is it pride in one’s country, or is it racism? Unfortunately, there is an astounding amount of nuance that will be brought up in addressing the definition of Nationalism.
Hate and greed and action
October 30, 2018
On Saturday, Pittsburgh was hit with a tragedy: A Jewish synagogue was the target of a hate crime by an anti-semitic man. I don’t think this tragedy and unacceptable expression of hate was “unimaginable” or “unthinkable,” as many events of mass murder are often described. I am extremely sad and mad, but not surprised.
Why we can’t afford you being apolitical
October 16, 2018
I’ve heard other people talk about how they don’t want to be involved in politics. This is simply not acceptable. It does not matter if you do not like it. The issues that are being debated are important to many people’s lives and the people who are voted in, whether that be a school board member or the President of the United States, have the power to change things in a way that will affect your life. This isn’t an if, it’s a when and how.
Post grad pressures
October 16, 2018
One of the subjects that engulfs a senior college student’s life is what they’re doing after college. Relatives ask about our plans at every family gathering and friends ask at least once a week if any news has come up with interviews and offers. The pressure builds up and if you don’t have a job offer two months before you walk across the stage, you feel like a failure.
The death of the American moderate
October 16, 2018
It’s needless the say that the political pendulum shifts with time and that the views of the two main political parties have also changed. This is natural as populations change, which affects the overall view of the electorate. However, in recent years this trend has taken on the more disturbing trend that ultimately may damage the ability for the country to progress.
The pros of my matriarchal family
October 16, 2018
Whenever I picture home, it always looks some what the same. Hanging out with friends and family, talking about anything, playing board games, watching movies, etc. And I love spending time with my family, because not only do I come from a big family -I’m 22 and till this day, there’s always a few new faces at family events - but more than half of my family members are women. I know. It’s great and I love it. No really, I love it.
Gay rights do not end at marriage
October 09, 2018
Gay people used to live their lives in secret, having to hide who they were in order to conform to the desired norms of society. Not only could same-sex couples not get married, but consensual sexual encounters between two people of the same sex also used to be punishable by prison time. Both of those have since changed. With these victories, it might make it seem as if the movement has accomplished its goal. However, that is far from the case.
The difference between acceptance and diversity
October 09, 2018
It’s common for us to think of ourselves as accepting individuals. We like to believe that we can deal with diversity and differences that other people bring to the table but we’ve let ourselves be clouded by stereotypes and have closed ourselves from diversity because of them.
Claiming victimhood as a way to fear monger
October 09, 2018
“It’s a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something you may not be guilty of. This is a very difficult time,” No, Mr. President, it is not a very scary time for young men and false claims are so miniscule that it is a non-issue. Once again, Trump has used the tool of taking the status as a “victim” from actual victims and is using it as a tactic to appeal to his base and get what he wants; he is using fear to turn people against the #MeToo movement.
Caring for yourself in the modern world
October 09, 2018
Life can be a complicated mess sometimes. Personally, it seems like the difficult things wait to come until they can all come at once. Papers, exams, personal problems, and just about everything else decide to hit me within about a five-minute span. Lately, I have been trying to look after myself just a little bit more.
Why I didn’t report
October 02, 2018
These past few days my news feeds have been flooded with the #WhyIDidntReport and with each new Facebook post and Tweet the stories have grown more and more heartbreaking while the reasons stayed relatively the same: “I didn’t want people to think less of me,” “No one took me seriously,” “I didn’t want to ruin his future.”
“Don’t look away from me”
October 02, 2018
The #MeToo Movement revolutionized the way our society looks at sexual assault. Or
at least we thought. I see this moment, whether or not to confirm Kavanaugh, as a test of the progress being made. Will we believe the women? Will we allow someone who has several sexual assault accusations against him sit on the highest court in the land? Will we let Kavanaugh set the example that it doesn’t matter what you did at 17?
Anxiety made me a better person
October 02, 2018
I have struggled with anxiety for a little over 15 years. I have tried getting help, but ultimately I stop seeing every therapist and counselor because my anxiety convinces me that they actually do not like and that I am just wasting their time. I am at the calmest I have ever been in my life, but I am still a complete ball of nerves. The only thing I can do at this point to help myself is to live with it.
Understanding the Colin Kaepernick and Nike debate
September 18, 2018
On September 3rd, 2018, Nike revealed that they were making Colin Kaepernick the face of their “Just Do It” 30th anniversary ad campaign. This was met with quite a variety of responses, the most extreme including individuals burning their items and ripping off Nike logos.
Pros and cons of a five hour workday
September 18, 2018
In the summer of 2015, an online surf brand, Tower, took the business world by storm when its creator rolled out an initiative entitled “Summer Hours.” In the spirit of embracing the outdoor lifestyle brand, the Australian based company officially adopted an 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM work day: five hours.
Debating Serena Williams’ legitimacy
September 18, 2018
Serena Williams recently showed the limits of her audacity, questioning why she was chastised so severely for something that many other athletes had been given full passes for. The umpire for the second set in the 2018 US Open Women’s Final, Carlos Ramos, gave Williams an astonishing three code violations through the course of her set, and she argues that this is the reason that she was defeated by Naomi Osaka.
Debating the Nike boycotts
September 10, 2018
Boycotting Nike because of their Colin Kaepernick ad is not going to change the world. Covering the internet in videos and pictures of burning shoes, cut up socks and defaced swoops does not mean anything to a company worth as much as Nike, and it does not mean anything to the rest of us either.
Conspiracy theories and their consequences
September 10, 2018
Conspiracy theories are rampant on the internet and there seems to be at least one for nearly everything. From the moon landing being faked to bizarre celebrity gossip, these baseless theories are largely harmless, and most people disregard those who purport them. It can be fun to read whatever people come up with and laugh at the ridiculousness of the claims made.
Essays vs equations
September 03, 2018
As an arts and humanities student, I hear and see a lot of comments on a regular basis that essentially devalue my entire college career. When talking to my STEM-major peers about my workload, I am usually answered with eyerolls and an, “Oh, that’s all?” or “That’s so easy! You’re lucky.” This is what Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (AHSS) students are hear constantly and it needs to stop.
Teacher salaries: stuck in the past
September 03, 2018
School experiences are one of the few factors that we all have in common. The lives of all Americans are influenced, if not often largely shaped by, our teachers, yet we see example after example of teachers being forced to sacrifice parts of their lives to make the necessary impact that the foundations of society rely upon instead of being rightfully rewarded for their work. The root of the problem is simple: the salaries we provide them with are barely livable.
Treat yourself with care
August 27, 2018
Mental Health in some aspects is more important than physical health. In fact - I don’t think you can have the one without the other. According to Dr. Brock Chisholm, the first Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), as he famously stated, “without mental health there can be no true physical health”.
Letter from the editor (in chief)
August 20, 2018
Welcome to a new school year! If you are new to Behrend, welcome to Behrend! If you are returning, welcome back! Regardless of whether you’ve been here for five minutes or 50 years, I hope you will take advantage of the opportunities this place has to offer and use this time to talk to some new people. Take this experience in while you can!
Defending the freedom of the press
August 20, 2018
Since the onset of his presidential campaign, President Donald Trump has repeatedly assaulted the press, and, by extension, The First Amendment. Obviously, normal criticism that is expected, as reporters and news outlets are not perfect, Trump has labeled any news outlet with whom he disagrees or who dares to criticize him, as “fake news.” This emboldened attack on the freedom of the press is unprecedented and dangerous.
Finding my soulmate: a platonic love letter to the opinion editor
April 24, 2018
Two years ago, I was a sophomore in college about to end a five-year relationship with my first boyfriend. I didn’t know who I was. I didn’t like who I was. When looking forward at my junior and senior years, I was completely at a loss.
Addressing income inequality is necessary when considering accessibility to higher education
April 08, 2018
Recently around the Behrend campus there have been a number of tour groups. This is the time of year when high school seniors are trying to make their final decision or when younger students are figuring out where they would like to apply.
March 27, 2018
In an ongoing Penn State Behrend outreach mentor program, Behrend students go to different middle schools and engage in positive youth development classes to sixth grade Erie middle school students.
Let sexual freedom ring
February 27, 2018
As Erie natives know, there’s a specific sex ed program that comes to high schools from the Women’s Care Center that’s less about sexual education than it is about learning to avoid ever even thinking about sex unless one is absolutely, one hundred and ten percent sure that he or she has found The One.
Will we never forget? A letter from the editorial board
September 12, 2017
The infamous attack on the World Trade Center that occurred 16-years ago is still a heavily controversial topic. There are two teams: those who wish to continue serious mourning for the almost 3,000 Americans who lost their lives on that day and those who wish to move on from the event.
Body acceptance is beautiful
September 12, 2017
I’m here to tell you that, as important as the concepts of healthy eating, staying active, and treating yourself in moderation are, it is equally important to encourage children to feel good about themselves, to build up their self-esteem from the inside out and to, yes, accept the way they look even if that look does not coincide with the thin and fit model our society praises.
Fat acceptance is harmful
September 05, 2017
The body positivity and fat acceptance movements are dangerous and irresponsible over corrections to the problem of bullying and harassment. Most decent human beings are in agreement when it comes to condemning abuse targeted at people because of their weight, but encouraging people, particularly children, to embrace their obesity is even more harmful than what it seeks to correct.
Climate change must be addressed
August 29, 2017
Recently in my Environmental Science class we discussed the debate surrounding our ever rising population growth rate. One side argues that our population is exceeding the amount of sustainable resources we have. Meaning, we will eventually run out of resources and worldwide famine will end the human race.
Even Nazis deserve free speech
August 29, 2017
Recent events in Charlottesville have once again led a disappointing percentage of the country to call for a ban on speech they find objectionable, usually spouting some nonsensical slogan along the lines of: “hate speech is not free speech.” These people, almost all of whom are on the political left, feel that the government should be able to shut down rallies and speakers they personally disagree with.
The president will not be impeached so easily
August 29, 2017
Since the first few weeks of Donald Trump’s presidency, the possibility of his impeachment has been thrown around with an almost irresponsible regard. The president as it stands holds some of the lowest approval ratings of any former president at this point their presidency.
Union City students upset historically black college
August 29, 2017
Living in a small town, news travels fast; but imagine when news from a small town makes national headlines on websites such as Buzzfeed, the Washington Post, Yahoo ,and Fox News. This is exactly what happened on Saturday, August 19 in my hometown of Union City, Pennsylvania when two girls from our high school visited Washington D.C. on a field trip. What started out as an educational trip to our nation’s capital quickly turned sour after the group took a lunch break at Howard University.
Kym's Opinion: Charlottesville
August 22, 2017
The white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia has revealed a lot about our nation--not just those who participated but administrative reactions in its aftermath.
An air of hatred has been building since far before the election, and Donald Trump’s appointment into office has given those individuals who were already uncomfortable embracing the differences of others a platform from which to speak: a bigger, even more privileged platform.
Maddie's Opinion: Charlottesville
August 22, 2017
Throughout the course of the past few months, and after this past weekend in particular, it's been nearly impossible for me to wrap my brain around and address all that has occurred within the political spectrum of this country. And to be honest with you, I’m pissed off, mortified, and disgusted to say the least.
Just call me Hillary
April 18, 2017
As many of you know, I am a passionate person. My rants and my outbursts are nothing more than me simply being who I am. And with that same passion and the same fervor, I have actively contributed so much to my environment. And after months of guidance and support, this year, I finally got the guts to run for SGA.
