To The Editor, One of the strongest themes in this election cycle is the public outcry of injustice against our most vulnerable citizens, but I believe that in many ways, individuals of mental illness have been silent victims in this election cycle. The mental health of the major candidates running for office is frequently challenged.…
Thoughts on group housing
Consider for a moment what the layout of our campus would look like if the group houses were selected by our administrators and deans rather than the students. This is a theoretical exercise. Group living has been placed more firmly in the hands of the student body than ever, a decision that has its own…
Stop blowing off assigned readings
The amount of people at this school who casually blow off readings for their classes is astronomically high, and it is a disturbing trend. Though I am not here to condemn the personal choice of individuals who may have more pressing matters (or who simply do not feel like doing it), I do think it…
Review of the MARS dinner from someone who actually attended
Several weeks ago, Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault (MARS) held a dinner and public speaking event that featured several speakers, informational videos and small group discussions about masculinity. While the event generated controversy, it seems like the solution to our endemic sexual assault numbers has evaded everyone, MARS supporters and critics alike. A very…
Tread around—not on—supporters of excessive gun ownership and masculinity
If we want to understand the way people think about and react to discussions about gun control, we also have to simultaneously address our ideas of masculinity. As the dangers of our irresponsible gun laws are being challenged today, so are the vices of hyper masculinity. However, before exploring the relationship between the defense of…
Glorification of white-on-white crime
Several weeks ago, a massive shootout between rival gangs erupted in a restaurant in Waco, Texas, which left nine people dead and several dozen more injured. Following the shootout, nearly 200 people from rival gangs were arrested. The way that the media covered the Waco shootout is remarkably more sympathetic to the perpetrators of the…
Discussing politics with prudence
The September 11 terrorist attacks marked the first point that I became interested in politics. My teachers at school had us read Time for Kids each Friday afternoon, which included accounts of the attacks. I tuned in to Nick News with Linda Ellerbee each week. I was not much of an athlete, and while other…
Placing a student on the Board of Trustees
Most institutions of higher education are structured with shared governance between its students, faculty and trustees. At Lawrence, students participate through Lawrence University Community Council (LUCC). The faculty oversees hiring and various aspects of the curriculum. The Board of Trustees has jurisdiction over everything else. There is communication between the faculty and the trustees, and…
Understanding The Lawrentian’s editing process
Two weeks ago, my content submitted to the Opinions & Editorials section of The Lawrentian became a center of controversy. Specifically, it was my lack of content that sparked this controversy. Rather than including the content of my op-ed, “Feel -good public relation stunts harm fraternities” under its title, Jessica Morgan’s op-ed “Charge courageously into…
Feel-good public relation stunts harm fraternities
In the wake of a Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) chapter leaking two videos involving a housemother and SAE members chanting racist slurs in March, the national chapter and school immediately shut down the fraternity. The individuals involved made public apologies, but the incident ended with SAE no longer existing at the University of Oklahoma. However,…