Voices

Voices is the Op-Ed and personal essay section of The Georgetown Voice. It features the real narratives of diverse students from nearly every corner on campus, seeking to tell some of the incredibly important and yet oft-unheard stories that affect life in and out of Georgetown.

Voices

SCOTUS hearing, but not listening, on same-sex marriage

Last week, the Supreme Court herd oral arguments in two gay rights cases involving Proposition 8 (which banned same-sex marriage in California) and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA, which... Read more

By April 3, 2013

Voices

Justices ignore historical context in aff. action cases

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear Schuette v. Michigan Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, after hearing Fisher v. University of Texas earlier this term. “Another affirmative action case?”... Read more

By April 3, 2013

Voices

NCAA culture of impunity a threat to university life

In March 2010, LaMichael James was charged with menacing, strangulation, and assault of his ex-girlfriend. In February 2011, Darrell Williams was charged with rape and sexual battery. In December 2012,... Read more

By April 3, 2013

Voices

Carrying on: Sexism in science sucks

Sitting in a large intro science class in Reiss 103 last year, I was struggling to keep my eyes open. The lights had been dimmed for the PowerPoint presentation, and... Read more

By April 3, 2013

Voices

Foreclosure a reminder that four walls do not make a home

We have to be out of our house by August 1. The word “foreclosure” sounds so foreign—it brings to mind images of credit rating agencies and the “millions of Americans”... Read more

By March 20, 2013

Voices

Transparency of social media puts rapists on the record

On Aug. 12, 2012, a 16-year-old girl named Jane Doe woke up naked in a Steubenville, Ohio basement she didn’t recognize. From what I can imagine, she felt shame and... Read more

By March 20, 2013

Voices

Angels of the desert illuminate humanity of immigrants

Walking solemnly into the courtroom on a warm Arizona day, I’m immediately confronted with the smell of sweat and the sight of 40 migrants seated in the rows to my... Read more

By March 20, 2013

Voices

Carrying on: Insecurity of the unknown

Among Georgetown seniors, the conversations tend to get a little repetitive—who did what with whom at Tombs last night, who’s going to Tombs tonight, how awesome it is to be... Read more

By March 20, 2013

Voices

To invest in America’s communities, divest from fossil fuels

Two weeks ago, I attended the Power Up! Divest Now! Student Convergence at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. Students working on divestment from across the country gathered to learn from each... Read more

By March 13, 2013

Voices

Chavez sparked the revolution, time to set it on fire

Hugo Chavez is dead. As a Venezuelan of my generation it’s a reality I find difficult to accept, or even wrap my head around. Chavez came to power in 1999—in... Read more

By March 13, 2013

Voices

Unregulated drone wars threaten U.S. prestige abroad

The Senate has finally confirmed John Brennan as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, yet controversy over the Obama administration’s drone program still lingers. The criticism came to a... Read more

By and March 13, 2013

Voices

Carrying on: Birth of a self-made man

The thought of being my own boss is surreal. Taking on some kind of entrepreneurial endeavor, making my own hours, being responsible for a group of people, and doing things... Read more

By March 13, 2013

Voices

Soundoff: Debt debate is completely unnecessary

Everyone says it’s tough to find common ground between Democrats and Republicans today in Washington, but when it comes to the national debt the leaders of both parties basically stand... Read more

By February 27, 2013

Voices

Soundoff: Fix the debt now or risk sinking later

The federal debt is mounting. It has exploded since 2000, rising over 250 percent. At face value, it’s difficult to see the immediate effects of irresponsible government spending. What are... Read more

By February 27, 2013

Voices

Carrying on: Majority, but still a minority

Since the Super Bowl, I’ve been a little obsessed with Beyoncé. I know I’m not alone in this, as it’s basically the only thing the Internet can talk about. What’s... Read more

By February 27, 2013

Voices

50 years on, still living in the illusion of a post-racial society

Many have claimed President Barack Obama is the fulfilment of Dr. King’s half-century old dream, pointing to the election and reelection of the first black head of state as the coming of a post-racial society—an America no longer concerned with race, but instead views all individuals based on the content of their character.

By February 27, 2013

Voices

Carrying on: Talkin’ ‘bout my generation

At the end of every year, Lake Superior State University releases a list of “banished words,” or words which have been so overused throughout the preceding 365 days that they have lost all meaning and should never be said again. When I looked at 2012’s list, though, I was disappointed.

By February 20, 2013

Voices

Arabic department mimics chaos of Tahrir Square

Since I can remember, I have wanted to study Arabic. The Arab world has always had some inexplicable draw for me: I am fascinated by its culture, food, and history. So when I chose to attend Georgetown, I immediately enrolled in Intensive Modern Standard Arabic.

By February 20, 2013

Voices

Academy shoves ‘torture’s handmaiden’ into a Hurt Locker

The Academy Awards definitely has a high school lunch table element to it. It’s the biggest bling-out of the Hollywood year where the celebrity elite applauds each other’s artistic efforts and secretly hopes nobody else wins. Somebody’s bound to get snubbed—this year, however, the nominations have stirred special indignation.

By February 20, 2013

Voices

Double assault: Losing the battle on rape in the military

The highly publicized The Invisible War, a nominee for Best Documentary Feature for the 85th Academy Awards, is making citizens and military personnel alike painfully aware of the extent of male and female sexual assault in all branches of the military.

By February 13, 2013