The opinions presented below are solely the views of the author and do not represent the views of The News-Letter. If you are a member of the Hopkins community looking to submit a piece or a letter to the editor, please email opinions@jhunewsletter.com.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt once called the U.S. the “Arsenal of Democracy”, under the specter of World War II and the Great Depression. However, it is painfully clear that we are not living up to that lofty goal.
The dangerous side of family vloggers most recently came into global discussion following a scandal involving YouTuber Ruby Franke, who was more popularly known by her family content channel “8 Passengers.” Franke has recently been charged with child abuse and was arrested in August after authorities found a malnourished child with “open wounds and duct tape on their extremities.” This is proof that YouTube’s child protection policies must be improved.
The News-Letter published an op-ed last week titled “The Israel-Hamas war is not too complicated for Hopkins students,” which took a pro-Israel stance on the conflict. Following its publication, The News-Letter and the article’s author received backlash for its lack of historical context on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As the world watches on and argues about who or what to condemn that led us to this reality where thousands have been killed in Gaza with no ceasefire in sight, we must ask ourselves what we would like to happen. Do we just want a world of retaliation and retribution, or do we desire a meaningful solution?
In response to “The Israel-Hamas war is not too complicated for Hopkins students” published October 18, 2023:
If you ask Hopkins students about what is going on between Israel and Hamas, a common answer you’ll receive is, “It’s complicated.” What’s weird is that this refrain is all that so many people have to say, and that doesn’t quite sit right with me.
When we mention to people back home that we go to Hopkins, many of us are asked if we want to be doctors. While it is true that pre-med culture is prominent on campus and Hopkins is renowned for its medical institution, the University is strengthening its reputation of academic excellence in the social sciences.
Hasan Minhaj’s popularity has largely stemmed from his ability to tell jarring truths about being Muslim-American in humorous tones. Heartbreaking realities are much more palatable, especially for non-brown audiences, when told flippantly. It has been well documented throughout history that comedy is a form of social commentary. However, it is clear that some of the Minhaj’s tales that spark chuckles are often only ostensibly true.
Daum argues that McCarthy’s removal as Speaker of the House demonstrates the chaos and uncertainty of the future of the Republican party.
Tiwari argues that the Indian government is overreaching in their attempts to curb Khalistan movements and should prioritize maintaining relationships with the West.
If you’ve been following the news this week, you’ve likely seen Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s rumored relationship front and center. Following her appearance at his football game, fans have been analyzing short clips of the two interacting in an attempt to piece together the details of their relationship. Even senators are speculating on how well-matched the two are.
Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey was federally indicted in New York for taking thousands of dollars in bribes on Sept. 22. Menendez is accused of extortion, specifically of using his position on the powerful United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations to obtain favors of value.
Don’t be surprised if you flip on C-SPAN and see Sen. Mitch McConnell wearing Levi’s and a T-shirt on the Senate floor.
Despite the allegations made against Trump, his past indictments and his current flippant attitude toward the situation, a poll from The Wall Street Journal found that 59% of Republican voters named Trump as their first choice, up from 48% prior to his indictments. This is political fanaticism, and I am used to seeing it because I come from a country where it’s the norm.
History is not solely a record of our mistakes. It is also a record of the greatest of humanity, of all the people before us who did the impossible — the people who did not get discouraged by how impossible change seemed and set out to make change happen despite knowing it would not be seen in their lifetimes. History shows a vital strength and a stubbornness that, in a world too focused on reality, we need to regain.
A Schrodinger's douchebag is someone who says offensive statements and contrives their level of seriousness and whether or not they were joking based on other people's reactions. A new politician has given the old-fashioned Republican Party a brown face, but when you strip away his Obama-esque charisma, all you're left with is a controversial pundit who stirs culture wars. Vivek Ramaswamy picks and chooses his identity, affiliations and views based on his audience.
Being politically active doesn’t seem as meaningful as it used to. For those of us who were excited to finally turn 18 and bubble in a ballot, voting may now feel more symbolic of our civic power than actually capable of enacting change. If you feel disillusioned with the political sphere, we’re in the same boat.
Popular concerns around AI, while hyperbolic, betray a deeper current of unrest surrounding the recent advances in public-facing AI. I believe that by looking at our past, engineers and automators can understand these concerns and plan for a not-so-distant, remarkably different future.
If you have scrolled through LinkedIn recently, chances are your feed has been filled with posts from fellow students reflecting on their summer 2023 internships, announcing summer 2024 internships or showing off full-time job offers alongside the logos of Fortune 500 companies.
As freshmen are adjusting to campus, so are we. For returning students, this isn’t the Hopkins we’ve always known (though that’s not necessarily a bad thing). With new physical changes and new policy changes, our ever-evolving campus looks a bit different this semester.
