Mizzou Protests and the Misguided Reactionaries of The Atlantic
Over the last four months, The Atlantic magazine has published a slew of articles lambasting college students for their political oversensitivity. Caitlin Flanagan states, “today’s college kids can’t seem to take a joke.” Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt claim trigger warnings and protests against microaggressions exacerbate mental health problems. Conor Friedersdorf questions the vitriol of […]
The Invisible Man Who Won’t Disappear
At this point in Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, it is no longer a secret to anyone paying attention that the Vermont senator is an immensely popular figure in American politics. On October 3, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Sanders attracted a max-capacity crowd of over 20,000 people.[1] It was his third most popular […]
Thoughts and Prayers
Since the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11, the federal government has expended incredible amounts of time, energy and capital on the image of American protection from foreign terrorism. The nation watched on live television as the Twin Towers caught fire and fell to the ground in New York City, and the Bush administration wasted […]
War of the Words
Almost thirty years ago to this day, Tipper Gore, wife of then-senator Al Gore, met with three other wives of prominent politicians to discuss a very serious issue: children were in mortal danger from the insidious threat of explicit lyrics. After hearing her daughter listening to Prince’s “Darling Nikki,” which contains references to sex and […]
When O’Reilly Attacks
On Tuesday, Bill O’Reilly took down another group of pesky liberals with his patented combination of condescension and gross misrepresentation. But this time his target was…Northeastern? Yes, our beloved school just got torched on the O’Reilly Factor for the following quote, which appears in an RA training pamphlet: “In order to have the experience of […]
Counterbalance: When Policies Die and Elections Begin
For some, politics has always been a topic of interest. For others, it wasn’t until Kevin Spacey, Kate Mara (RIP) and Robin Wright took the screen to produce one of the most influential political drama series since the West Wing. House of Cards season 3 aired on Netflix at midnight (PST) on February 27, leaving […]
Fossil Fuel Divestment: Our Path to a Livable Future
As the climate crisis worsens, it is becoming clear that action must be taken to prevent further deterioration of our environment. As a society, sustainable living needs to become a priority to preserve the Earth and save resources for future generations. One of the major problems we are currently facing is our reliance on fossil […]
Bigger Than History: What Selma’s Portrayal of LBJ Really Means
In one of the opening scenes of the Oscar-nominated film Selma, released this past December, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. pays President Lyndon B. Johnson a visit at the White House to discuss discriminatory voting laws in the South. Dr. King wants President Johnson to vigorously pursue new legislation that would take away the ability […]
Counterbalance: the Grudge Goes Global
Following November’s midterm elections, it was quite clear that with a shift in the balance of power, current policies were going to be modified . What may have been less obvious before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s US visit and Senator Tom Cotton’s Iran Letter, is that the new conservative majority would overhaul basic democratic […]
Counterbalance: To War or Not To War
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) or the Islamic State, the terrorist organization that has seized parts of both countries, has one overarching goal in mind- the creation of an Islamic caliphate. The breadth of this goal alludes to one of the largest dangers […]