Opinion

Thoughts from the Georgetown community.

Voices

Disgruntled Patriotism

From the very beginning of this country's settler-colonialism to the most modern manifestation of Jim Crow through the prison system, these historical examples are part of larger systems upholding the white upper-class power structure. It shows us that there is an intentional inability to establish our values for all Americans. Patriotism should not find its foundation in this history, but rather in the advocates that challenged them. While exclusion is a fundamental part of American history, so too is resistance. Dissent is pivotal in dismantling these exclusionary visions of America. In particular, dissent rooted in fundamental principles of democracy, justice, and equality is one of the most American things imaginable.

By November 28, 2023

Editorials

Support collective liberation, protect pro-Palestine activism

For all the talk about free speech and expression, universities across the country, empowered by governmental institutions, have severely suppressed pro-Palestine activism since Oct. 7. On Oct. 26, Sen. Josh... Read more

By the November 24, 2023

Voices

The University Mission and the Freedom to Define and Decry Atrocity

Shocking. Cruel. Terrifying. Devastating. Criminal. Some say there are "no words" to describe the searing events of October in Israel and Gaza. But these words and many others accurately describe the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians at this terrible moment in the history of the modern Middle East. As scholars of the region who have devoted years of research, study, teaching, and discussion to the Israeli-Palestinian tragedy, we implore our students, administration, and colleagues to care for all humans impacted by the ongoing carnage flooding our news feeds.

By , and November 19, 2023

Voices

Language lessons from my grandmother

For the next year, my grandmother lived with my family to help raise my sister and me. Her gentle touch and her kind eyes grew familiar, so much so that I would often mistake her for my Mamu. It only made sense that my first word was addressed to her: “Aama,” which in Nepali, means “mother” and not “grandmother.” She wore the title proudly, like a pageant sash. I’d like to think this was the beginning, that the first word that spilled out of my mouth was in my mother tongue—a phrase dedicated to the woman who meant the most to me, yet I called her the wrong name. This is a story about words: the ones that were shared, others that were lost in translation, and some that never needed to be spoken aloud.

By November 18, 2023

Voices

Oh, the places you won’t go (if you want to pursue education at Georgetown)

If you want to pursue a field other than law, healthcare, politics, or business, you’re left with few options; there are few productive majors for a college student, like myself, who is interested in early education. As I browsed my options for a new major, I started to question why the options were so limited. While the school offers a myriad of options for students pursuing high-earning fields, the same kind of variety doesn’t exist for students pursuing typically low-earning fields.

By November 17, 2023

Editorials

Combating crime requires conscious, community-oriented solutions

Amid a spike in violent crime in D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser released her new public safety legislation, called the Addressing Crime Trends (ACT) Now Act, on Oct. 23. This editorial... Read more

By the November 17, 2023

Voices

Finding GSPride: Navigating My First-Generation Low-Income (FGLI) Identity at Georgetown

GSP, Georgetown’s program for first-generation and/or low-income students, was the one organization I knew about before arriving on campus. They had reached out to me after my acceptance, assuring me of support in my first year and beyond. When I finally set foot on campus, they welcomed me with a complete bedding set, offering a warm and reassuring sense of belonging.

By November 7, 2023

Voices

SAT/ACT Scores: To Require, Or Not To Require?

With test centers shutting down due to the pandemic, most colleges and universities across the country, including Georgetown, instated test-optional policies beginning in the Fall 2020 admissions cycle. While many of these institutions have maintained these policies, Georgetown has since returned to requiring prospective students to submit their SAT or ACT scores as part of their application. However, this move is contrary to many of the Jesuit values that Georgetown claims to uphold, and the university should revert back to a test-optional admissions policy.

By October 30, 2023

Voices

At Georgetown, diversity should be more than clickbait

Sure, Georgetown has done some truly meaningful work, at least in my experience. It was the first American university to appoint a full-time Muslim chaplain and establish a mosque complete with ablution stations and a halal kitchen, and the resources provided by Muslim Life heavily influenced my college decision. But at the end of the day, the attention Georgetown gives to these religious and ethnic minorities on social media is not reflective of the attention it gives them with policy and action. In reality, Georgetown has a tendency to act for these minority communities only in response to student mobilization.

By October 22, 2023

Editorials

Georgetown must break its silence on Israel’s violent occupation of Palestine

Content warning: This article references systemic violence, Islamophobia, and antisemitism. The editorial board recognizes the escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine has been grievous for Jewish and Palestinian communities.... Read more

By the October 20, 2023

Voices

How music goes beyond borders to bring us together

I always thought the phrase “music unites people” was just one of those cliché things that people like to say. However, my perspective quickly changed over spring break when I went on an immersive trip to Cuba through Georgetown Music Ministry. I realized how ingrained music is in human nature, making it something that connects us both to each other and our historical roots.

By October 15, 2023

Editorials

Student media is valuable, and our funding has failed to reflect that

As the school year began, the Voice, along with other student organizations, grappled with the fate we have come to expect every year: a reduced budget. While budget cuts aren’t... Read more

By the October 7, 2023

Voices

Sometimes, I hate opinion columnists (and not just when I disagree with them)

Rather than a broad range of opinions being published, they are limited to those of a group of primarily white writers hailing from elite universities. Other perspectives, more relevant to other parts of the population, are ignored. But even if these columnists weren’t the products of predominantly elite universities and were more diverse, I would still have an issue with them: they simply exist.

By October 6, 2023

Editorials

Vote Cobb-Mehta for GUSA Executive

Well folks, two things happen at this time every year: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” climbs the charts and, of course, GUSA Executive elections. For seemingly... Read more

By the October 4, 2023

Editorials

Georgetown must rebuild equitable admissions at every stage

The Supreme Court’s decision to repeal race-conscious affirmative action has brought inequitable college admissions practices to the forefront of discussions on higher education. Make no mistake, however: affirmative action was... Read more

By the September 23, 2023

Voices

Come one, come all to the “girl dinner” table

Instead of meticulous control or binge-eating, girl dinner is listening to what your body is telling you. Her version of girl dinner is not an every-night affair but an occasional pick-me-up. While it can be made up of snacks, it also includes small cooked plates that are discordant but somehow make sense altogether. Girl dinner is realistic: it’s a representation of the modest and uneventful ways everyone eats.

By September 22, 2023

Editorials

In light of activist burnout, solidarity is a necessary remedy

Content warning: This article discusses anti-Black systemic violence. Attacks on Black lives are ubiquitous. It has been nine months since Tyre Nichols joined an ever-growing list of names we vow... Read more

By the September 13, 2023

Editorials

Georgetown’s Socially Responsible Investing policy means nothing without accountability

Georgetown prides itself on its Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) policy. It remains complicit, however, in unethical investments in harmful companies. The SRI policy’s mission statement, created in 2017, emphasizes the... Read more

By the September 9, 2023

Voices

“Objectivity” in journalism needs a rewrite

A news journalist’s job is often portrayed as reporting on the world in an objective manner. Objectivity aims to put emotions and personal beliefs aside and state the cold hard facts. This is often interpreted as showing both sides of a story, with the intended purpose of presenting readers with all the facts to draw their own conclusions. However, this emphasis on objectivity in journalism is problematic as it doesn’t require context, asks for two sides to be presented equally, and has been used to silence marginalized groups.

By August 29, 2023

Voices

The urban myth of rural life

When many of you read the word “rural,” you already have preconceived notions of what the word means. The majority of these perceptions are less than flattering, painting people from rural areas as uneducated, uncouth white people proudly donning infamous MAGA hats and espousing bigoted ideologies regarding minority groups. This surface-level understanding of rural history and culture has permeated Georgetown, resulting in prevalent stereotypes of rural people as prejudiced and uneducated, even for individuals in higher education.

By August 29, 2023