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

Sen. Chuck Hagel represents the very best of Georgetown

On Jan. 7 President Obama nominated former Republican Senator from Nebraska, Vietnam War veteran, and Georgetown professor Chuck Hagel to replace Leon Panetta as the next Secretary of Defense. Ever since details of the possible nomination leaked in December, the choice has proved controversial and been attacked by a diverse group of political organizations.

By January 17, 2013

Voices

Let’s be honest about rape

Rape. The very word seems harsh, cruel, and reminiscent of something beyond the bounds of civilization. Say the word ‘rape’. Just say it. Do you feel ashamed, like you said something that just shouldn’t be uttered in polite society? A survey of the front page of The New York Times, CNN, Headline News, or even the DPS Crime Blotter makes it seem that way, using euphemisms like forcible fondling, violate, or assault to avoid the abject horror of having to simply say the word ‘rape’.

By January 17, 2013

Voices

Psychology student psychologically scarred by psychos

I’m a psychology major and my life philosophy is very simple: people are inherently good. Deep down in the dark corners of the heart, there is the intention to do good and be good. There is love, courage, passion, and all those beautiful things that give you shivers down your spine.

By January 17, 2013

Voices

Tornadoes and hurricanes and earthquakes oh my!

The most riveting entertainment, besides the carnal details of Silvio Berlusconi’s life, comes from The Weather Channel. Like any teenage soap, the direction of events on The Weather Channel are somewhat nonsensical and there’s always a plot twist at the end. As a small child who was clearly above the pettiness of morning cartoons, I would spend hours watching the weather and attempting to understand the patterns.

By January 17, 2013

Voices

Irrelevance and distortion: Autism and the Newtown shooting

This past Friday, the United States experienced an appalling tragedy: 26 people, 20 of whom were children, were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The perpetrator responsible, Adam Lanza, is believed to have suffered from Asperger’s syndrome, a more severe autism spectrum disorder that not only hinders social interaction but also limits linguistic and cognitive development. Immediately after the status of the gunman’s behavioral health was revealed, a number of media sources alleged that Adam Lanza committed this massacre because he had Asperger’s syndrome.

By December 21, 2012

Voices

If the Grinch can glorify Christmas, so can atheists

Last Christmas Eve, a rumor started making its way around the dinner table. “The atheists are trying to ruin Christmas again,” the more religious of the company proclaimed. The situation,... Read more

By December 6, 2012

Voices

Carrying On: Single-sex schools are so fetch

In that oft-quoted scene from Mean Girls, Lindsay Lohan’s voiceover describes Cady Heron’s classroom interactions with the dim but studly Aaron Samuels: “On October 3rd, he asked me what day... Read more

By December 6, 2012

Voices

Georgetown student activism extends just short of their iPods

It doesn’t take long to realize that the range of musical interests here on the Hilltop is minimal. Nearly every party and friend you encounter will be blasting the same... Read more

By December 6, 2012

Voices

Literally drowning one’s sorrows, Mayan apocalypse style

In 17 days, the Earth as we know it will no longer exist. Following the Mayans prediction, we will all perish on Dec. 21, 2012. Those that are unfortunate enough to be some of the last to die will watch everything that mankind has built crumble in front of them.

By December 6, 2012

Voices

Voyage to foreign land of Tennessee leads to reflection on faith

Years ago, in the South, “pounding of the preacher” was a common custom used to welcome newly hired priests to the town and to the congregation. Members of the church... Read more

By November 28, 2012

Voices

Imagine all the people

Carl Sagan was not alone in thinking that “Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were.  But without it we go nowhere.” Indeed, imagination’s undeniable connection to art,... Read more

By November 28, 2012

Voices

Hipster hysteria! Much maligned epithet must ironically die

It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment, but at some time early on in my freshman year, my fellow floor residents decided to collectively brand me as a hipster. Perhaps... Read more

By November 28, 2012

Voices

Happiness is a warm, but ignored, mark of success

Holidays are a stressful time; there are drunken relatives, nagging relatives, and generally just a lot of relatives. Inevitably they corral the younger generation to talk about their lives and... Read more

By November 28, 2012

Voices

Oh, zombies! Disease prevention lurches to the forefront

Through different stages of my life, I’ve always been haunted by certain temporal terrors. From death by fire after a particularly gruesome PSA when I was in the fifth grade... Read more

By November 14, 2012

Voices

Teach for what? Troubling questions surround the TFA model

For most students, landing a highly competitive and coveted job is a momentous occasion, complete with the obligatory call home to Mom, a boozy celebration with friends, and the immense... Read more

By November 14, 2012

Voices

Testing teachers’ tolerance

It’s Education Week, a week of lectures and panels put on by the D.C. Schools Project and D.C. Reads, and Georgetown students have been exploring issues like racial diversity, income... Read more

By November 14, 2012

Voices

Life lessons from Georgetown’s own lifelong learner

Every so often, and more frequently now that I’m a senior, I find myself in a bit of an academic rut. Whenever it happens, I tend to take a step... Read more

By November 14, 2012

Voices

A History of Bro’s

Frederick Douglass once perspicaciously noted that “food to the indolent is poison, not sustenance.” Okay, now that I’ve gotten all the bros to stop reading, I’m going to explain how... Read more

By November 7, 2012

Voices

Disenfranchised doyenne fumes at dark side of democracy

The U.S. is infamous for its low voter turnout. The Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance ranks it 120th out of 169 voting countries, putting it behind such bastions of... Read more

By November 7, 2012

Voices

Late? Look no further, laggard learner, than collective action

After my freshman year in college, high-brow, intangible theories were dead to me. I took a full course load of philosophy and liberal arts courses that left me begging for... Read more

By November 7, 2012