Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
April 8, 2025

Opinion

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.

"Yes Means Yes" is problematic

October 9, 2014

California recently passed the “Yes Means Yes” law, which defines sexual consent for college campuses, requiring “affirmative, conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity.” In other words, both parties must consent verbally or otherwise to the sexual activity before it occurs. The law ignores any history of past relationships, meaning that parties in relationships — even marriages — cannot assume consent any more than can parties who have just met. And however healthy the intentions, this law places what we consider a dangerous burden of proof on those accused of sexual misconduct.

"Yes Means Yes" is problematic

October 9, 2014

California recently passed the “Yes Means Yes” law, which defines sexual consent for college campuses, requiring “affirmative, conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity.” In other words, both parties must consent verbally or otherwise to the sexual activity before it occurs. The law ignores any history of past relationships, meaning that parties in relationships — even marriages — cannot assume consent any more than can parties who have just met. And however healthy the intentions, this law places what we consider a dangerous burden of proof on those accused of sexual misconduct.

Remember the humanity behind the headline

By EMELINE ARMITAGE | October 9, 2014

This morning, I sat down to finish my opinion piece on the effect that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. would have on U.S.-Pakistan relations, and how President Obama should maneuver in this diplomatic minefield of a relationship. I was prepared. I had done my research: I knew that every American president since Kennedy has tried to intervene in the Pakistan-India conflict, how the disputed Kashmiri border came to be and why it mattered so much to the people of both countries. I knew how vital both Pakistan and India were to the counter-terrorism efforts of the U.S. in the Middle East and across Asia. I knew how the Pakistan-India conflict inserted a huge, sometimes seemingly insurmountable wedge in America’s diplomatic relations. I was ready. I was excited.

Portrayal of women in the media propagates sexism

By SOFIA DIEZ and SOFIA DIAZ | October 9, 2014

It may be 2014, but the silver screen has been stuck in a temporal loop since the 1950s. Sexism in media has been normalized over time, so much so that we don’t even realize it anymore. A study from the University of Southern California captures how women are still underrepresented in the media: To begin with, only 1.9 percent of directors are female and 25 percent of all speaking roles in animated films are filled by women. Lastly, of 25,000 speaking characters in 600 top-grossing films between 2007 and 2013, only about 20-27 percent were women — what?

Entire student body needs to do Bystander Intervention Training

By MEGAN DiTROLIO | October 9, 2014

Bystander Intervention Training (BIT) trains students to better recognize and react to situations of gender violence and sexual assault on campus. The ultimate goal of BIT is to educate students in a host of preventative measures to end gender violence at Homewood. Currently, the training is mandatory for all varsity athletic teams and might eventually become accessible to all Hopkins students.

Don’t be afraid to seek out mentors and ask for help

By TED TAK | October 2, 2014

A wise senior once told me that in spite of all he had done — which was nothing short of amazing — that he was nothing more than “the product of his mentors.” Humility aside, this advice was very helpful last year when I struggled to get through classes. Having people with experience can help a lot. Even when not in a crisis, there seems to be something comforting when speaking to someone who has experienced something similar to what you are facing now.

Opposition to climate change is rooted in partisan politics

By ALEX YAHANDA | October 2, 2014

If you go looking for arguments about climate change, you will typically find the same points made over and over again from both sides. Overall, the debate is somewhat unexciting, as is often the case when people choose to disagree with the scientific community. It is the overwhelming consensus of climate scientists that climate change is a reality. And, even if one is wary of scientific studies, nature appears to be indicating that warming is occurring: Plant and animal species are extending their territories further north, coral reefs are becoming bleached by rising ocean temperatures and certain plants are blooming earlier than normal. Despite all of this tangible evidence, climate change remains as controversial a topic as ever.

Assault on defense: Guns do not belong in civil society

By WILL MARCUS and Opinions Editor | September 25, 2014

I really love guns, don't get me wrong — I love to look at them, read about them, hold them, shoot them, clean them and then ogle them some more (I do draw the line at talking to them, stroking them or singing them lullabies, so please don't be too alarmed). Obviously, I really like guns, but like most of my favorite things in this crazy world, I realize that mankind would be better off without them. I shudder to imagine what some enlightened space-faring race would include in their galactic field manual about Earth: "Earth is absolutely covered with lethal weapons that any human can use to murder another with a single flex of his or her preferred index finger.” There might be a little "fun fact" box in the corner with a little blurb like: "Parts of Earth actually exist where it’s cheaper to get your hands on an assault rifle than on a quarter-pounder with cheese!" Alien textbook conjecture aside, it blows my mind that almost any American can walk into Walmart, a store that also sells pool noodles and inflatable slip n' slides, and buy a lethal weapon.

Obama’s laissez-faire immigration policy will taint his legacy

By EMELINE ARMITAGE | September 25, 2014

On June 30, in response to the growing border crisis and opposition to immigration reform from Congress, U.S. President Barack Obama promised to use his executive powers by the end of the summer to “fix as much of our immigration system as we can. If Congress will not do their job, at least we can do ours.” President Obama had good reason to make such a strong statement — in June, more than 52,000 (now 63,000) unaccompanied children were detained at the border.

Sexual assault prevention needs to be on us

September 25, 2014

The White House recently announced a new initiative called “It’s On Us” that aims to combat sexual assault, especially on college campuses, by encouraging men to stand up and speak out. In our editorial last week, we discussed the negative implications of the inventive anti-rape devices that are just starting to carve out a niche for themselves. We criticized this type of technology because we believed that, as simply a reactionary precaution, it compromises the sense of urgency we should all have about addressing the underlying issues. The “It’s On Us” campaign is exactly the education we think is necessary to do just that — to address the issue at its source.

BSU protest should serve as an example

September 25, 2014

Last Thursday, members of the Hopkins and greater Baltimore communities gathered in silent protest in response to the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, which occurred on Aug. 9 in Ferguson, Mo. Positioned around the Keyser Quad, dozens of protesters — organized by the Hopkins Black Student Union (BSU) — stood united in deafening silence, carrying signs that challenged spectators’ understanding of police brutality. Traveling around Gilman Hall and then down to N. Charles Street, the demonstrators peacefully forced those passing by to pay attention to their cause and to ask questions about how the Brown shooting affects the rest of society.

Organization is the key to being an effective professor

By JAMES CAMERON | September 18, 2014

Ah the first few weeks of school: that magical time when most people actually attend class, and the walkways are clogged with freshmen trying to find the same lecture hall they will be in for the next four years. The beginning of school also brings with it another peculiarity: the early-leaving student. The brave soul who boldly stands and leaves within the first 20 minutes of the first meeting of a class, having made the snap decision that his or her time is better spent in other ways, or perhaps in other classes. Watching these people pack up their things and walk out of a packed room, heads held high, made me wonder, “What is it that affects you so greatly that you can decide in the space of a few minutes whether a class is worth spending the rest of your semester in?” The answer is, of course, the one thing that separates one lecture hall from another: the teacher.

The wonderful truth about the Hopkins Inn

By Christy Lee | September 18, 2014

Whenever I tell people I’m from HopInn, I brace myself for a barrage of questions: “Where is it? Is it like a hotel? Is it really isolated? Is it depressing over there?” I'll get to these questions soon enough, but the truth is we are an amazingly close-knit community for the weird and the awesome.

Why I'm going to wait before buying an Apple smartwatch

By Manyu Sharma | September 18, 2014

As mobile computing technologies continue to develop, we've reached the point where stylish, wearable technology has actually become a reality. Apple and Motorola have both released their own “smartwatches” that run on batteries that need to be charged daily. Both watches have their own distinct styles; the Moto 360 mimics the circular style of actual timepieces, while the Apple iWatch has a square shape with rounded corners. Much more than simple timepieces, these devices include a variety of features such as heart rate monitors, wireless charging, barometers and built-in pedometers. The fact that these devices can maintain a charge throughout an entire day's use and are completely contained in waterproof housing captures just how far modern mobile technology has come.

It's going down, I'm yelling Tinder - unraveling a phenomenon

By MEGAN DiTROLIO | September 18, 2014

Tinder, defined by its official website as “a fun way to connect with new and interesting people around you,” has racked up quite a reputation these days. Known as a sort of a “hookup” app, Tinder is not quite percieved as intended. Originally intended to facilitate connections with mutual friends, Tinder is instead understood as a source of easy, no-strings-attached booty calls.

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