Posts in Opinion
On the Heels of a Tragedy: North Carolina Legislature Loosens Gun Laws Despite Yet Another Devastating School Shooting

“March 23, 2023, brought yet another horrendous act of gun violence in the United States. A short two days later on March 29, 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly was able to pass Senate Bill 41, also known as the Guarantee 2nd Amend Freedom and Protections Act. The bill’s most serious implications come in its first section most commonly referred to as the “pistol permit purchase” section, which ends the requirement to obtain a permit from one’s county sheriff before purchasing a handgun.“

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The Importance of Differentiating Between Academic Speech and Free Speech on College Campuses

“Free speech has and continues to play an essential role in higher education, yet recent political polarization has put a strain on the effort to maintain the essential divide between academic speech and public discourse.“

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Feel Like It’s Getting Harder to Vote? You’re Not Alone

“Voting, the bedrock of our democracy, is the single most important practice for citizens to make their voices heard. Yet, since the 2020 election, Republican state legislatures across the country have passed voter suppression bills under the guise of “protecting integrity in our election.” This façade does a poor job of covering what these laws are truly intended for: making it more difficult to vote.“

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Senators Push for Stricter Social Media Guidelines for Kids: Will This Cause More Harm Than Good?

“The main question that the Kids Online Safety Act provokes is who gets to dictate what is and isn’t allowed on social media. Concerns of censorship come amid claims that Elon Musk, Twitter’s new CEO, has suspended accounts for criticizing him as well as a flood of Library book bans targeting stories centering characters that are LGBTQ+ and people of color. Opponents of the Act such as Evan Greer voice valid concerns about Censorship and authoritarianism.“

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Celebrating the Renville Treaty: Indonesia’s Growing Role in International Relations

“Excerpt: On the 75th anniversary of Dr. Frank Porter Graham’s negotiation of the Renville Treaty, the Carolina Asia Center held a joint conference between The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) in Jakarta which discussed Indonesia’s past, present, and future on the world stage…Indonesia is rapidly gaining economic and political influence on the world stage via increasingly diverse foreign direct investment, Indonesia’s sway within ASEAN, and the desire to forge an independent Indonesian path.“

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Donald Trump’s Endorsements Turned the Red Wave into an Almost Red Drought

“Katie Hobbs, the Democratic Secretary of State of Arizona, defeated Lake by just under one percentage point in a state where given today’s unfavorable political climate towards Democrats, it should not be this close. Hobbs’ win sends a strong message to Donald Trump that his MAGA politics are still seen as unfavorable to most swing-state electorates.”

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Trump for Presidential Run in 2024: Will His Age Be an Issue?

“Biden, who was elected to his post at 78 years old, is subjected to constant attacks about his advanced age and its impacts on his profession. A problem arises when people pose different reactions when discussing Trump’s age, who, if elected in 2024, will also be 78. The question now is: how will Republicans play around with this fact?“

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The Cost of Debt

“Only recently having left the world of mask mandates, vaccines, work at home orders, and increased prices, the state of the dollar must be preserved in an already weakened economy. With inflation the highest in over forty years, having been capped in July at 9.1%, additive changes such as loan forgiveness will seek to halt its decline back to the recommended 2%.”

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Column: The Issue with OSHA’s Vaccine Mandate

“The desire to end the seemingly never-ending pandemic has led Americans to put a lot of faith in the federal government. This can be dangerous. The United States has checks and balances and separation of powers for a reason. If these were neglected, it could set a dangerous precedent. Some businesses have already implemented vaccine requirements on their own terms or because of a state mandate; however, a federal mandate carries a heavier weight and attempts to usurp state sovereignty. After all, the 10th amendment provides the states with the authority to oversee public health, not the federal government.”

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Column: Why Trump Shouldn't Run in 2024

“Overall, Trump had his pros and cons; however, he is not what the country needs in 2024, nor is Biden for that matter. This conclusion is strictly due to age. In the last two elections, we have elected the two oldest presidents in history, this title belonged to Reagan before Trump and Biden’s elections. It is time for both parties to move forward and to the side so that the next generation can pick up the reins. As Condoleezza Rice recently said, “It’s time now for the next generation of party leaders to ‘move ahead and deal with the American people’s issues’.”

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Column: The United States Needs a Secular Political Revival

“From its earliest colonial roots, the United States has been a Christian nation. Even the establishment clause, which prevents the declaration of a federal religion and is codified in the Bill of Rights, was included with the understanding that there were so many regional denominations of Christianity in the colonies that to impose one of them as dominant would inhibit the freedoms of our fledgling nation. America was created by Christians, for Christians. Understanding that is the first step to understanding how we ended up with a comprehensive abortion ban in Texas that allows citizens to sue people they suspect have undergone or helped someone else attain an abortion procedure (SB8). It is also a realization that is needed to overturn SB8 and legislation like it in the future.”

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The Biden Administration’s Surprisingly Positive First Fifty Days

“Going into Inauguration Day, many Americans were satisfied to finally see the Oval Office reclaimed by someone who, while not perfect, seemed to have common courtesy and basic administrative competency. For others, the relief inspired by Donald Trump leaving public office was mitigated by a concern that nothing would fundamentally change under a Biden administration. While President Biden is still far from a progressive president, recent orders and proposals by him and the Democratic party which he leads should inspire some confidence in those uneasy about Biden’s capacity to affect positive change.”

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The Battle for the Nation's Soul Will be Won or Lost in North Carolina

“If it feels like some sick game to get over 270 electoral votes by cobbling together a map of states, that’s because it is. The defining issues of our time, like the COVID-19 response, racial equity, and health care ought to be decided by one person, one vote. Unfortunately, those aren’t the rules by which we play. To restore decency to our country, it is imperative that we find our way to 270 electoral votes. A victory right here in North Carolina can ensure it if the Blue Wall falters once more.”

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