Conservative policies can improve America’s standing

With Donald J. Trump most likely headed toward defeat in the general election, many political pundits are talking about the impending death of the Republican Party. Nevertheless, these reports are very much premature. Thanks to successes in down ballot elections, the Republicans have a sufficiently deep bench of governors, senators, representatives and state legislators to remain competitive in elections throughout the next four years.

We need strong American leadership to combat climate change

In American presidential elections, the short term rules. News cycles have been dominated by Donald Trump’s latest outrageous soundbite and conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton’s “failing” health. We’re told that Trump will immediately build a wall to “solve” the immigration crisis, and that as soon as Clinton becomes president, the email scandal will suddenly disappear.

Editorial: Why College Republicans should speak to us

The JHU College Republicans released an official statement on Sept. 26 endorsing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The one-paragraph brief was posted on their Facebook page and garnered significant critical attention from the student body. Three weeks later, the College Republicans posted a longer statement explaining their decision, citing Trump’s experience as a negotiator and his tendency to be critical of both sides of the political aisle as qualities that bolster his candidacy. The statement then took a contradictory and confusing turn when the group did not encourage students to vote for Trump despite their endorsement

Editorial: Standing in solidarity with the Humanities Center

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Humanities Center at Hopkins, and it may also be the year it is eliminated.

The Board of Trustees and the anti-apartheid protests of the 1980s

The Hopkins Board of Trustee notes are only available 25 years after they are written; therefore, only records before 1991 are available. From 1985 until 1987, Hopkins undergraduates, graduate students and a few faculty protested the University’s investment in apartheid South Africa by erecting mock shanty towns around campus under “the Coalition for a Free South Africa.”

The Big Four organizations need to be more transparent

Prospective students on campus tours often hear references to the “Big Four” in relation to student activities at Hopkins. This is not a reference to the top consulting firms that entrepreneurship and management minors seek employment at; It refers to four large student-led organizations that plan events and programs for the Hopkins community: the Milton S. Eisenhower Symposium (MSE), the Foreign Affairs Symposium (FAS), Spring Fair and the Hopkins Organization of Programming (HOP). These organizations contribute toward building community and traditions on the Homewood campus.

Students need to understand Asian-American struggles

In recent years, a great deal of emphasis has been placed on issues of race. Not only are we challenging the integrity of deeply-rooted institutions like the police and the entertainment industry regarding race, but we are also opening dialogues about systemic racism in the smallest aspects of our society. Recently, programs focusing on these issues, like the one at Clark University introducing freshmen to the dangers of subtle microaggressions, have drawn a lot of attention.

Don’t assume PC culture is always right

It’s an era of ultra-liberalism, where users on social media platforms such as Tumblr and Instagram have biographies riddled with labels that add color in a few quick words to identify them, empower them.

Why saying “not like other girls” is damaging

Hopkins students need to accept their shortcomings

Everyone at Hopkins is stressed out. We all have papers and exams and problem sets and lab reports and and and we can’t possibly have the time to get all of that done and also be in an a cappella group and a theater group and a sorority and a community service group and and and also sleep.

White supremacy pervades our politics

After the 2005 recording of Donald Trump bragging about sexual assault surfaced this week, several top Republicans have been disavowing him or rescinding their endorsements (my future children will potentially read about the “pussy tapes” in their textbooks; Let us softly weep).

The Bamboo Café brings community and diversity

The day is Wednesday. The time is 12 p.m. For those passing through the Mattin Center, Bamboo Café offers a convenient lunch stop with a variety of Asian dishes. Some order their bahn mi sandwiches to go, others sit among friends to enjoy a bowl of steaming hot jook, a Korean-style porridge dish that was recently added to the menu.

Hopkins students need more sleep: Bring back naptime

Sleeping seems like such a simple thing. You go to bed at night and wake up in the morning, and whatever happens in between is what we call “sleep.” It’s you lying still in your bed for six to eight hours, and then when your eyes open in the morning, you’re refreshed and ready for the day.

Editorial: Indigenous Peoples’ Day should replace Columbus Day

Monday marked the 79th anniversary of the establishment of Columbus Day as a national holiday. The tradition first began in 1937 to commemorate Christopher Columbus’ landing in the Americas on Oct. 12, 1492.

Reality TV subverts comfortable narratives

My obsession with reality TV started when I was about 10 years old. Occasionally during Sunday family lunches at my grandmother’s house I would sneak upstairs and watch VH1 reality shows, namely Flavor of Love, Rock of Love and Charm School.  

Let’s start talking about mental health

When I was younger, I was afraid to order my food from restaurants. I wouldn’t talk to waiters, and I wouldn’t talk to cashiers. I would timidly whisper my order to my mother, who would relay my words. That’s just one example of how my social anxiety manifested itself before I knew to call it that.

Germany’s 2017 elections put Europe at a crossroads

Conservative populism, arguably the most concerning development of the decade, is on the rise across the Western world. Conservative populism appeals to the common man in that it rejects current political consensus and is very anti-elite. Back in 2010, the political establishment’s grip on political power seemed absolute. Today, however, fringe politicians like Marine Le Pen and Nigel Farage wield substantial influence over the electorates of France and England, respectively. It seems as though Germany is no exception.

Editorial: The importance of balanced discussion on Greek life policy

At the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (OFSL) revealed its Chapter Assessment Program (CAP) to the general student body.

Presidential debate raises questions about our beliefs

Squinting at a small computer screen, college students across the country streamed the first presidential debate from their dorm rooms on Monday, Sept. 26. For most college students, this is the first election cycle that warrants our voice with any degree of authority. This is the first time we are eligible to vote. Fortunately, this milestone coincides with our journey to sculpting our own political identity. After 18 years living under our parents’ roofs, we are both liberated and abandoned on our quest to find our political ideologies.