Opinion

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Common phrase alienates UW students

In our society, there is an ever- increasing sentiment that people should check their privilege in regard to things like race, sex or sexual orientation. This means that when interacting with another person, one should take into account the various ways in which things outside of anyone’s control have affected that person that may or may not apply to others, such as one’s race, sex or sexual orientation.  However, one area I believe is being greatly overlooked in terms of privilege checking is one’s family’s wealth.  

Campus sexual assault deserves no second shot

California recently passed a bill known as the “yes means yes” law, which requires positive affirmation of intent for sexual activities on college campuses. The new law states that silence or a lack of resistance does not constitute confirmation and any sexual activity taking place without consent would therefore be punishable as sexual assault. Furthermore consent can be revoked at any time and the previous affirmation would then be void. Proponents of this law applaud the California Legislature for taking the first step to end victim blaming. Instead of asking the victim if, how and when they said no, the investigation will shift its focus to the accused. This new law serves as a positive example to the rest of the country that it is time to take action against the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses. But while progress is happening in California, there is troubling news closer to home.

Obama administration receives undue criticism over handling of ISIL threat

Several days ago, President  Barack Obama appeared in an interview with CBS News and admitted that the White House has underestimated what was happening in Syria for months. 

When it comes to exercise, no two bodies are the same

The word exercising is not in my vocabulary. In fact, “let’s get swole” would not be a phrase you’d ever hear me say. I’m all for staying fit and living a healthy lifestyle, but going to the gym would never be my idea of fun. As a five-foot-eight-inch male who is fairly thin, I’ve never had to exercise to keep my shape. My entire family is all relatively skinny so I’ll have to thank my genetics for what I’m working with. “Hey Genetics, is this all you’re giving me? This is how muscular of a person I’ll be? Okay, alright. That’s fine with me.”

Burke must work on expanding outreach

Wisconsin voters would be foolish to fall for Scott Walker’s attempt to make his opponent, former Trek Bicycle CEO Mary Burke, appear incompetent. At this point, the race is still a toss up, but Wisconsin just made history by electing Tammy Baldwin, an out and proud lesbian, to the U.S. Senate in 2012. That’s why, as a realistic socialist and regular optimist, I believe Wisconsin is totally capable of making history again. But the voters have to actually get to the polls, and that requires registering. And while Mary Burke has spent enough of her own money on this campaign, she would be well advised to rely mainly on her speech from now until Election Day. After all, it’s free (usually) and it means a lot more to voters than negative advertisements like a grown man standing in a hole and then somehow blaming her for being stuck in it, as Gov. Scott Walker’s most recent ad does. Walker’s ads are rather creepy, if you catch my drift.

Music critiques lack perspective

Being a fan of rock and roll from the 1960s, I occasionally visit YouTube to listen to albums and songs from the decade. Sometimes during these digital jaunts (and against my better judgment) I make my way over to the comments section to see what my fellow YouTubers have to say about the music. Usually all I find are genuine words of approval towards the music and its creators from die-hard fans, but every now and then I come across a particularly cantankerous individual who has taken the commenting opportunity to bemoan the state of contemporary popular music.

Newest EA Sports games split opinions

HeForShe: Time to act

Population growth and overconsumption require innovative solutions

As our world has entered into the 21st century, the issue of global birth rates are prevalent in both developed and developing nations. According to the demographic transition model, as a nation becomes more industrialized and economically advanced, its birth rate will decline due to the rising costs of living standards and urban living space that discourages making a large family. In one way, the low birth rate could be perceived as a good omen since it shows how advanced and developed the nation has become. The problem rises when couples start to not reproduce enough to replace the previous generation, providing countries with a lack of workforce to sustain their economic legacies. I personally believe we should be concerned about this issue, but should not fear the worst.

Vegetarian meal options remain poor

It is hard to put into words the increasing frustration I felt the three times I went up to the sandwich shop at Gordon’s and asked for a sandwich with tofurky, a tofu based turkey substitute. In response I have heard, “I don’t think we have that”, “Sorry, it’s frozen right now”, and “What is that” and each time I smiled and said nevermind when they asked me if I want something else, but what I would really like to say, more than anything, is,“Then why is it clearly displayed as a choice with all the other meats you serve at least a hundred times a day on a daily basis.”  This in addition to waiting eight minutes for veggie burgers, eating a disproportionate amount of rice bowls, and waiting for the day the vegetarian taco filling actually exists is what many vegetarian students at UW-Madison face when they elect to eat in the dining halls.  

India’s MOM makes it to Mars, cheapest yet

With the news of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also known as Mangalyaan (Hindi for “Mars-Craft”), successfully taking orbit around Mars, it is clear there is a new technological powerhouse on the horizon. 

MOM on Mars, forgets kids on Earth

With a successful insertion in Martian orbit through its Mars Orbital Mission (MOM)  Sept. 23, India joins only the United States, Russia and the European Space Agency as the only countries to successfully send a mission to Mars. Being an extraordinary scientific achievement, it’s understandably a source of national pride for India. At the same time, about 620 million people in India do not have access to adequate toilets, and the $74 million price tag for the Mars mission could have been put to better use. India’s space program has been beneficial in typhoon warnings and monsoon predictions, so it has definitely benefited the country, but many probably feel the money put towards the Mars mission could have been put toward improving the country instead. 

Letter to the Editor: Climate change: Pentagon forecasts grim future

Climate change and world peace will each be highlighted on Sunday September 21, the International Day of Peace. In our nuclear-armed, temperature-rising, resource-depleting world these issues are intricately related and represent the greatest threats to our planet. It is not coincidence that they be highlighted together. We must make the connection between peace on the planet and peace with the environment. Sunday’s People’s Climate March will empower citizens the world over to demonstrate the will of the people and demand action as global leaders convene in New York on Tuesday for the U.N. Climate Summit.

Full-time employees deserve a living income, raise in the minimum wage

The recent occurrences of fast food employees striking across the nation to raise their wages to $15 an hour brings to the forefront of political discourse the real value of a worker, a topic of discussion that has been missing in mainstream media for far too long. This discourse can get ugly sometimes, though, when people who are against raising the minimum wage use personally charged arguments in an attempt to validate their points. They might say, “I worked for $7.25 an hour, and if I can do that so can others!” or “Why should we pay McDonald’s workers $15 an hour? Their jobs are so easy; half of them don’t speak English anyway, and sometimes they get my order wrong!” These sorts of statements, or others displaying similar animosity toward fast food employees, are nothing more than loud, condescending, and useless noise. They tend to come from right-wing political commentators, but in all fairness, what else can you expect from them anymore?

Selling arms to rebels: History should guide policy

Early on Tuesday morning, President Barack Obama made a statement in which he confirmed the United States, along with a coalition of five other Middle East countries, had begun to attack the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) headquarters in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa. 

Social media app Yik Yak continues to draw controversy and praise

Expectations for a perfect roommate remain foolish

Campus alcohol policy remains dated and ineffective

A recent objective of the administration has been to change the university's culture surrounding alcohol and other substance usage. Basically, the university would like to change the school’s reputation as a huge party school. 

North Korea hints at societal changes and new openness

It is undeniably true that North Korea is mostly known for its glooms, which include, but are not limited to, human rights violations, dictatorship, starvation,  Stalinist communism and isolationist  diplomatic policies. Based on those descriptions, many will assume that North Korea could be considered one of the most tyrannical regimes in modern history, especially today. However, one should not assume that it is still the complete hermit kingdom of years past. 

New voter ID law is misguided

Voting, an essential and fundamental part of our country’s past and present, became more difficult Friday after a panel of three federal appeals court judges brought a controversial state law out of legal limbo.