Opinion

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US cannot ignore ongoing gun violence

It is probable people will always strive to adjust to their surroundings. Previously, a large problem with gun violence was that our nation was lulled into a false sense of security between mass shootings. We were appalled by Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook and too many other mass shootings. But as time passed after each horrific incident, we began to be unconcerned about gun violence until we were again shocked into caring by the next mass shooting. But, it seems to me that we may be moving away from becoming apathetic between shootings and instead, we are becoming apathetic toward the shootings even when they immediately occur. The news is filled with so many reports of mass shootings that it’s tempting to put the information out of our minds and focus on something more cheerful. The shootings today happen so frequently that there is no time to become apathetic between shootings, and we instead become apathetic directly in the face of them. We hear so many reports of shootings, and the reports eventually seem mundane to us.

Letter: Biblical translations are legitimate

I want to offer a few responses to Sara Vinson’s thoughtful piece on why the Bible is a poor source of religious authority. Let me say, at the outset, that I fully concur with her that the Bible contains factual errors, internal inconsistencies and some deeply problematic, ethically disturbing content. I am not trying to change Ms. Vinson’s mind in that regard.

Protecting your online reputation allows you to remain employable

Stop posting pictures or statuses about illegal activities on Facebook. According to Nolo-Law for All, two thirds of all recruiters and half of employers research their applicants’ online presence. Employers have been known to turn down applicants because of a negative photo, status or “about” page on their Facebook account.

Marijuana's classification hurts cause

The majority of people overwhelmingly support the legalization of medical marijuana, and by a small margin support full-scale legalization. So I think its time that these policy directors get together and figure out where they are going with this thing. These are two different directions with which Colorado has experimented. I seriously doubt that people who smoke pot would rather go to a doctor, pay him and then go to a store all under the cover that its for medicinal purposes (A lot of the time, it is) than just walk into 7/11 and buy their product. By defining this plant as two different things, both a medicine and recreational intoxicant, we’ve effectively made the road to legalizing both very difficult. Yes, classifying marijuana as a medicine was a smart idea from the start, however the states with medical marijuana programs are now aware of what is going on. They can’t stop someone from lying—they just cant. And the doctor in certain states, such as California, is inclined to give you the required card, receiving money for the approval.

Raising debt ceiling should be solely presidential power

This week Congress agreed to a deal to avoid economic self-destruction. President Barack Obama signed the deal within minutes of reaching the debt ceiling. Unfortunately, this deal did not include any measures to prevent Congress from imposing a self-inflicted wound yet again; it was simply a short term fix that punted the problem down the road until January. The debt-ceiling fight wasn’t even pushed back until after the midterm elections. Meeting the debt ceiling would have been unprecedented and dangerous. Because Congress has toyed with the dangerous notion of not raising the debt ceiling, the power to raise it should be unilaterally placed in the president’s power.

Religion has no place in party politics

To hear my country was a Christian nation from the beginning and that the Founders intended it to be so forever is utterly ridiculous. Politicians say these things in order to keep their people happy however I doubt they are their own personal religious standards. And to every other person who is not of that faith, you are basically cut out of the picture. Many issues return to our own misunderstanding of our country’s founding principles. Yes, freedom of religion is virtually rule number one. However, the hate that has been instilled amongst people who follow different religions or no religion at all is even more graspable in some cases than in past times. Republicans saying what they need to in order to obtain or keep votes instead of saying something that is factually accurate is not OK, but what else is new? This issue strikes a deep cord with me because so many people are not informed about the topic and make such rash generalizations and conclusions. 

Shutdown shows a silver lining

It seems the tides are turning. We just came out of a shutdown with fingers pointing in every direction at every political figure imaginable. Congress has an approval rating similar to that of Zagat’s rating of McDonalds. To borrow a quote from one of my favorite yet still youthful films I say, “The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming.” Yes that’s Harvey Dent from “The Dark Knight” and no, I don’t care what people think about the fact I used that quote.

High school students need action civics

I remember in high school I had a classmate who forgot what Sept. 11 was. In the 2012 election, less than six in ten Americans voted. A third of Americans cannot name all three branches of government and a third cannot even name a single branch of government. There is no doubt not enough Americans participate in the political process or understand how the American government works. A functioning democracy requires a well-educated citizenry. A Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll has shown over the course of 33 years a vast majority of Americans agree American schools must “educate young people for responsible citizenship.” Yet, the National Assessment of Educational Progress found American students receive the worst test scores in civics and history than in any other subject.

Terrorism by oppressed is not an option

Is terrorism rational? Can it be justified? And finally, is terrorism really a final option for oppressed people to utilize? Many would promptly say the act of terrorism is rational since terrorists exert violence in accordance with clear purpose oppression . Furthermore, despite the argument terrorism cannot be justified because it sacrifices civilians, many believe it is an inevitable consequence of marginalization and oppression exerted by superior power which cannot be challenged in conventional warfare. Then, can sacrifice of civilians be also be viewed as an inevitable result of human history? Is there any other way for terrorists to achieve their goal? In that question lies myriad numbers of assertions and thoughts about terrorism and I would like to share mine; terrorism cannot be a final option.

Gay rights platform has more to worry about than marriage

Same-sex marriage rights remain one of the big social issues of the day. The biggest gay rights news in the United States in the last few months was the Supreme Court’s ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional, which allows the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages performed in jurisdictions where they are legal. New updates include renewed attempts to finally get legal recognition of same-sex marriage in New Jersey and Illinois.

Inconsistencies in Bible are a deal breaker

There are a million things that can influence a person’s religion or lack-there-of. For me, it was the Bible. Personally, the translation, interpretation and manipulation makes faith in the Bible as a holy book impossible.

Legislated civil rights for gays will minimize hate crimes

There are far too many issues happening in the world today for us to concern ourselves with who loves whom, and why. There is terrorism, nuclear warfare, global climate change, mass shootings, poverty and hunger, and yet we still have politicians spending their time arguing against gay marriage. The fact is that some men fall in love with other men, and some women fall in love with other women. Why concern ourselves with who people want to love? Love is love.

Burke is the right opponent for Walker

Letter: Medicinal marijuana is not the answer to our health problems

While medical marijuana undoubtedly holds promise as a means to treat a number of legitimate medical conditions, that alone is not a sufficient standard to merit its usage as a medicine. Such a decision should not be made by politicians whether they serve here in Madison or in Washington, D.C. Rather, it ought to be made through the appropriate regulatory processes within the Food and Drug Administration, as all other decisions regarding medicinal approval are made.

Values questioned through shutdown

A couple weeks after the partial shutdown of the United States’ government, the American public’s confidence in our two-party system is at an all-time low. Parks are closed, tax audits have ceased, food inspections are slowed and our nation is inching closer to defaulting on our obligations. If this picture sounds bleak, it should. While this fight may have started because a few principled house Republicans decided to put their foot down on President Barack Obama’s health care law, it has transformed into a highest-of-stakes game of chicken.

Editorial Cartoon: The 'Trek' to the Capitol

While Mary Burke is a formidable opponent, she faces an uphill battle to win the race to 2 E. Main St. and unseat the political juggernaut that is Gov. Scott Walker. The governor has money, connections and judging by the 2011 recall election results, at least 53.1 percent of Wisconsin on his side. Many people don’t want a recycle of the 2011 recall, so in order for Ms. Burke to have a chance, she’ll have to gear up, grab the handles, get a grip and cross the finish line to the governor’s mansion.

Lack of bipartisanship is detrimental for our government's efficiency

Government shutdown, a looming debt ceiling deadline and constant bickering between parties has become the standard in American politics. The term “bipartisan” has been thrown to the wind to be replaced with party lines and personal interest.  The entire definition of politics is being rewritten everyday as our officials drift further away from constituent interests and closer to partisan goals and party ambitions.  This trend has not benefited the American people. Politicians today have diverted from the path of bipartisan responsibility and chosen instead to pursue their own agenda.  This shift can only be rectified by ushering in a new age of politicians. These politicians need to be aware of the strife caused by a lack of bipartisanship and understand that there’s only one way to change things: by being the change. Ever since the recession that hit the American economy, politics has been a struggle.  The economic crash led to unrest within our government, unrest that led to both parties resisting collaboration.  This behavior has led to a lack of reaching across the aisle, something that’s required to provide the best governance of our society.  Congress’ approval rating currently stands at 11 percent; the president’s rating is 44 percent, 10 percent less than the average for presidents.  Without engaging the other side, no strides can be made without back-door deals and political games between parties. This lack of cooperation is not only detrimental to progress, but also the legitimacy of the United States on the world stage. 

Panhandling should not be confused for homelessness

Just over a year ago restrictions on panhandling increased in Madison. As of October 2012, panhandling within 25 feet of an alcohol licensed establishment, an outdoor eating area, an intersection, the central business district, or an ATM is illegal. This makes it basically impossible to shake a cup of coins anywhere on State Street anymore and I could not be happier about it. Before I inspire any serious controversy, there is a difference between homeless people and panhandlers. The number of homeless individuals is rising in Madison. According to Porchlight Inc., the largest company supplying housing to low-income residents to Dane County, there are over 3,500 homeless people in Dane County every year. Their statistics show more than 1,200 single men, 500 single women, over 1,000 children and 500 families were homeless in 2010. Porchlight also claims over 2,000 people were turned away from over-crowded shelters in Madison in 2011. I encourage any help for the homeless. There are over half a dozen places in Madison that are specifically designed to help the homeless. Places like Porchlight Inc, and Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin offer resources to the homeless. Anyone can donate to these causes at any time. There are locations in Madison for homeless people to stay like Bethel Lutheran Church and the Road Home. These places could always use the help of college students like us with the time to volunteer. It is important to respect the homeless and treat homeless people like people.

We should legalize medical marijuana

This past Thursday, the debate over medical marijuana in Wisconsin was revived when state Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D- Middleton, and state Rep. Chris Taylor D- Madison, introduced the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuna Act. This act would legalize the usage of marijuana for patients with various debilitating conditions such as cancer and muscle seizures. Prior to Thursday, I knew very little about the usage of marijuana as a medicine. But after attending the press conference where the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuna Act was introduced, I decided to do some research on the positives and negatives of medical marijuana. I was astounded by what I found. Numerous doctors and experts all said the same thing: Marijuana has a healing effect unlike any other current medicine.

Letter: "She's the First" empowers women in the developing world through giving the gift of education

You’re probably well aware that Friday marks the beginning of Homecoming weekend—yet another opportunity to celebrate our world-renown University and all it has to offer. But what you may not know about Friday is that it is also the United Nation’s International Day of The Girl. While it may not seem like these two events have much in common, they do. They both laud the value of education, but do so in different ways.