From the Barrel of a Gun
With the tragic shooting in Arizona splashed across the American media, there has been a flood of commentary attempting to make sense of the senseless act of violence. Amongst them are commentators who have pointed their antagonism towards the second amendment and the level of gun ownership within our country. Writers have pointed to the […]
Point-Counterpoint: Wikileaks, The Importance of Information Asymmetry: In Defense of Secrecy
Secrecy is a necessary part of government in the modern information age where an event can happen one moment and be reported to the whole world the next. According to former Assistant Director of Central Intelligence for Analysis Mark M. Lowenthal, secrecy is a essential for successful intelligence operations. Classified information collected and retained by […]
Point-Counterpoint: Wikileaks, Open the Vault: Against Government Secrecy
We are fashioned to accept truths, to conform to the narrative of our leaders. To question the authority or legitimacy of the powers that be can be dangerous. Most people accept the rules set out for them by government, even if they do not fully understand or see the supposed benefits of the social contract. […]
Big Girls Don’t Cry
Big Girls Don’t Cry: The Election That Changed Everything for American Women by Rebecca Traister is a thorough analysis of the roles women played in the groundbreaking election cycle of 2008. Traister examines the actions and impact of all the obvious participants, including Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, and Michelle Obama, as well as those whose […]
Indeed, A Part of America: Americans Who Believe in Islam
“I should like to assure you, my Islamic friends, that under the American Constitution, under American tradition, and in American hearts, this Center, this place of worship, is just as welcome as could be a similar edifice of any other religion. Indeed, America would fight with her whole strength for your right to have here […]
Un Prophéte: 2009 French Film
The romantic allure of Paris often obscures American perceptions of French film. French cinema can be as gritty and moody as that of any other country. In recent years, critical favorites, such as Marion Cotillard’s Oscar-winning performance in La Vie en Rose (140min, 2007) and the cult hit Amélie (122min, 2001), have allowed French movies […]
The Voice of the Dolphins, and Other Stories
The Voice of the Dolphins, by Leo Szilard, brings into question the many sociopolitical paradigms exposed at the height of the Cold War, since shuffled behind a red curtain stained with shapes of hammers and sickles. The hardheaded diplomacy of the 1960s clouds the vital questions that the ideological struggle was essentially based on: the […]
The Politics of Sound
Words have never been enough. While the brain can process thousands of feelings and sensations every minute, spoken language will forever be a bottleneck that retards the sharing or expression of sensations from one person to the next. Think about it – how often are you left struggling to relay a thought to a colleague […]
A Little More Conversation: Reshaping the Abortion Debate on Campus
This March, NU Right to Life faced a series of hostile attacks after hosting the University’s first “Respect Life Week”. The organization, seeking to promote a culture of life amongst the student population, found itself under fire from students who felt that Student Activities Fee (SAF) money should not be spent on what they considered […]
Against the Revolted Multitudes: Why A Lie is More Scandalous Than the Truth
Was there ever a time when people trusted politicians? Given the United State’s democratic system of governance, the men and women that preside over our daily lives are supposed to be the few among us who are capable of leading America toward prosperity. While mankind is rife with destructive inadequacies and backward tendencies, a select […]