Editorials

Opinions from the Voice’s official editorial board.

Strip search ruling violates Americans’ rights

In a five-to-four decision last week, the Supreme Court decided to allow any arrested individual to be strip-searched, regardless of the degree of the offense. The constitutionality of the decision is debatable, but the ruling represents an egregious offense against the rights of Americans. The case in question involved a man who was strip-searched despite having been cleared of the crime for which he was charged. The decision expands police rights against women, a group that is already subjected to coercion and occasional brutality—although there are many honorable officers, there is also the minority who would willingly abuse the power not only to strip search, but also make arrests with an allowance to strip search as a motivation. It also detracts from the long-held assumption of “innocent until proven guilty”—many who are arrested are not even on trial, yet they are immediately presumed to be dangerous and desperate enough to hide weapons, drugs, or other dangerous goods on their bodies.

By the Editorial Board April 12, 2012

SNAP program assists in stamping out poverty

Earlier this week, the United States Department of Agriculture released the results of a nine-year study demonstrating that the country’s food stamp program is effective in alleviating poverty among its participants. In today’s political climate, where conservative candidates and pundits have launched attacks on America’s social welfare programs for encouraging laziness and complacency, the results of this study present a strong argument in favor of the continuation of such programs and highlight the utter incoherence of the radical right and its view of poverty and government’s role in the economy.

By the Editorial Board April 12, 2012

Unprecedented bill curtails women’s choice

In the latest development in the red-state onslaught against women’s reproductive rights, Arizona is on the verge of passing one of the most egregious anti-choice bills yet. Unprecedented in scope, the bill would ban all abortions after 20 weeks, and require women to receive an ultrasound 24 hours before an abortion. In keeping with the theme of other personhood bills springing up across the country, this bill seeks to undermine Roe v. Wade, which guarantees women the right to an abortion up until the point when the fetus is viable outside the womb. However, this bill goes to great lengths to undermine women’s choice, while shaming the women who attempt to exercise their reproductive rights.

By the Editorial Board April 12, 2012

Sharks must unite to fight ocean pollution

On March 28, the South Pacific state of Tiburonia sent a delegation of research sharks to study North Pacific fish and shark communities. The purpose of the trip, according to research leader Gil Maneater, was to “investigate the health conditions in the North Pacific and hopefully come to some conclusion as to why North Pacific emigrants are mired with high levels of disease.” Their findings shocked and horrified them. A massive garbage patch consisting entirely of human debris, mostly plastic broken down into confetti-like pellets, has built up along the North Pacific Gyre current and, until now, been unknown to Tiburonia sharks. This giant quantity of minuscule plastic pieces, while not always visible to the naked shark eye, not only causes severely impaired vision for hunting but also makes native fish and shark populations sick as the pellets build up in their digestive tracts.

By the Editorial Board March 29, 2012

Shark finning necessitates mass uprising

On March 23, the marine residents of the small coral enclave of Pleasant Tides awoke to a scene of horror. Lonnie Leftfin, a local public school teacher and coach of the Pleasant Tides High School marine soccer team, lay finless and dying in the town square, parasitic eels approaching to finish off this once-revered shark. Since then, dozens of shark protests have sprung up in Pacific Rim communities from California to Korea. Although some take a more hard-line stance, the principal message of the demonstrations has been to call for a moratorium on the practice of finning. Despite sharks’ pleas, humans have turned a deaf ear to this tragedy, as they continue their destruction not only of the shark population, but of the very oceans they inhabit. The protesters’ message, therefore, does not go far enough. They should be demanding not only a permanent stop to finning, but a dramatic change in how humans treat the ocean, and should be ready and willing to overthrow their oppressors by force if their demands are not met.

By the Editorial Board March 29, 2012

Sharks should hate humans, not each other

Environmental issues usually get the most coverage when humans focus on oceanic issues, but instances of social inequality persist at a level that the vast majority of Georgetown students would find abhorrent. Movies such as Jaws portray sharks as ruthless creatures incapable of self-control, which is the typical depiction of sharks in popular media. Finding Nemo depicts sharks as the bloodthirsty vampires of the sea, jumping into attack mode at the scent of the slightest drop of blood, but it also exposes a serious problem within the shark community—intra-species inequality.

By the Editorial Board March 29, 2012

Georgetown should encourage neurodiversity

Gender equality, respect for the LGBTQ community, and racial diversity are all common topics of discussion at Georgetown. But most students remain unaware of another movement on campus—neurodiversity, a philosophy that acknowledges neurodevelopmental differences, such as developmental, cognitive, learning, or behavioral disabilities, as a normal part of the human experience. Although this mindset is beginning to take hold on campus, students and the administration alike can do more to ensure that those with mental abilities different from the stereotypical norm are comfortable and welcome on campus. The admissions office should also actively recruit these individuals to encourage a wide range of perspectives and experiences in the Georgetown community.

By the Editorial Board March 21, 2012

Rutgers suicide highlights persisting prejudice

On March 16, a New Jersey jury reached a verdict in the case of Dharun Ravi, a student at Rutgers University who was accused of spying on his former roommate. In September 2012, Ravi set up a webcam with which to record and broadcast his then-roommate, Tyler Clementi, having sex with another man. Three days later, Clementi, who was not out to the general public, committed suicide by jumping off of a bridge. On Friday, the jury found Ravi guilty on charges including bias intimidation and invasion of privacy. He faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

By the Editorial Board March 21, 2012

Goldman won’t change until we make them

Last week, Greg Smith decided to resign from his position as an executive director at Goldman Sachs with a bang. He lashed out, via an op-ed in the New York Times, at the predatory and indecent banking culture that is the norm at Goldman Sachs, claiming that the company had detracted from its previous mission of “teamwork, integrity, a spirit of humility and always doing right by our clients.”

By the Editorial Board March 21, 2012

We are all to blame for sensationalist media

Even for the exceedingly low standards applied to the American press, in these past few weeks our media machine has outdone itself. The public has been exposed to an uncommon amount of sensationalized, dubious news reports surrounding topics like insurance coverage for contraception and the Invisible Children documentary about Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony. Although not altogether uncommon, this round of media malarkey is especially destructive for what it covers up—the civilian killings in Afghanistan, a pressing transportation bill in the house, Voter ID laws, and more. Sensationalism has become a natural part of our media’s culture, as people follow trends instead of properly informing themselves. We must commit to consuming thoughtful, competent media and shaping a society where others do the same.

By the Editorial Board March 15, 2012

Voter ID laws undermine American democracy

On Monday, the U.S. Justice Department blocked a proposed voter identification law from taking effect in Texas, saying it violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The measure, approved in May 2011, would have required voters to show photo identification in addition to already stringent voter registration requirements in the state. The DOJ’s move is undoubtedly the correct one, but more must be done to combat these overt conservative efforts to disenfranchise minority voting blocs.

By the Editorial Board March 15, 2012

Military culture must change after killings

In the early morning of March 11, a U.S. Army sergeant stationed near Kandahar, Afghanistan, slipped away from his base and murdered 16 civilians, including women and children. Evoking memories of the Haditha killings of 2005, as well as the recent urination on civilian corpses by U.S. Marines and the burning of Qur’ans on military bases, the tragedy provides an opportunity for the leaders of our armed forces to examine a military culture in which these atrocities arise.

By the Editorial Board March 15, 2012

Crimes expose twisted safety priorities

On Sunday, February 26, Georgetown students received email alerts from the Department of Public Safety regarding two crimes committed that day against students within blocks of the front gates: one sexual assault and one armed robbery. These reports are worrisome not only because the very occurrence of such crimes so close to campus is shocking, but also because the language employed in the reports perpetuates a blame-the-victim attitude with regard to sexual assault that is harmful and irresponsible.

By the Editorial Board March 1, 2012

Georgetown undervalues alternative opinions

On Sunday, the Georgetown Occupy contingent facilitated eight hours of workshops and teach-ins in Red Square, in direct response to a Wall Street Boot Camp training session that occurred on the same day. Georgetown students, faculty, and even alumni from the Chimes a capella group contributed to the vibrant discussions of the day.

By the Editorial Board March 1, 2012

Racial prejudice alive and well in America

This month, several media outlets have been criticized for their use of racial slurs in coverage of New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin’s ascent to stardom. ESPN.com published an article about Lin with the word “chink” in its headline, a clear allusion, intentional or not, to the racial epithet, and Fox Sports reporter Jason Whitlock publicly apologized after tweeting a joke about Lin’s sexual capabilities. Saturday Night Live responded with a skit in which four reporters, two black and two white, made racial jabs at Lin. The script flipped when a white reporter began making jokes about blacks, and the others admonished him for his offensive allusions to social conditions still stifling the growth of black communities—which they had all done to Asians moments before.

By the Editorial Board March 1, 2012

Government, colleges failing students on debt

A group of students at the University of California, Riverside have proposed a plan to put themselves through college while avoiding massive student loans: students would pay their tuition after graduation by giving up 5 percent of their annual income over a twenty-year period.

By the Editorial Board February 23, 2012

Vandalism displays need for wider dialogue

In the early hours of Saturday morning, a vandal spray-painted the words “U.S. wanted for murder” in capital letters on the campaign banner of GUSA executive candidates Colton Malkerson (COL ‘13) and Maggie Cleary (COL ‘14), which was in the form of the United States flag. A heated debate on campus revealed the divergent opinions on whether this was a legitimate form of expression, or whether the insult of a national symbol should be condemned regardless of circumstance.

By the Editorial Board February 23, 2012

MPD’s bogus statistics betray public trust

Because of a statistical manipulation, Chief Cathy Lanier’s Metropolitan Police Department reported an impressive 94 percent homicide closure rate for 2011. But by artificially inflating its success, MPD is exaggerating how much safer the city has gotten during Lanier’s tenure, and in effect betraying the trust of the public. The artifice is especially puzzling in light of the fact D.C.’s violent crime rate has dropped in real terms during Lanier’s tenure.

By the Editorial Board February 23, 2012

Clara and Vail provide the best vision for GUSA

There are a great many options in this year’s GUSA presidential election, and each one presents quality ideas. But one ticket clearly stands out from the pack with the necessary experience, a practical and ambitious policy platform, and a wider vision for what GUSA can be. Clara Gustafson (SFS ‘13) and Vail Kohnert-Yount (SFS ’13) are that ticket, and a vote for them represents a concrete investment in enhanced student life, a richer academic environment, and a redoubling of Georgetown’s commitment to sustainability and social justice.

By the Editorial Board February 16, 2012

D.C. must curtail corporate political influence

On Thursday, Feb. 9, D.C. Attorney General Irvin B. Nathan ruled that the “Fair Elections to Restore Public Trust” initiative, a potential revamping of D.C. campaign finance law, is constitutional and not in conflict with the 2010 Citizens United vs. FEC decision by the Supreme Court. Supporters will now need to collect 22,000 signatures from registered voters in the District before the measure can go before the public in a referendum on election day. The initiative proposes a series of measures that would bring D.C. campaign finance regulations into line with federal regulations. Although the proposed rules do not entirely curtail the insidious influence of money in politics, they represent a step in the right direction for D.C., which currently lags behind many states and the national government in addressing this fundamental problem in American democracy.

By the Editorial Board February 16, 2012

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