Women should voice their opinions more freely


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Throughout my youth, I’ve loved to write. When I was just a kid, it made no difference to me that I still struggled with English. From short stories scribbled in tacky notebooks to poems scrawled onto restaurant napkins, writing was a release for my cluttered mind. My words flowed freely without censorship, and I spilled […]

Brandeis’ critics fail to recognize precedent of inviting Ali


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On Monday, Brandeis University announced that it revoked its 2014 commencement ceremonies invitation to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a controversial Somali-born feminist and political essayist known for her criticism of female genital mutilation and her anti-Islamic sentiments, according to Time. This revocation came as a result of outspoken objection by Brandeis students and faculty who likened […]

Brandeis wrong to revoke Ayaan Hirsi Ali invitation


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Brandeis University’s recent revocation of its honorary degree invitation to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born feminist and political essayist, has caused a firestorm of outrage. Though the university claims that its withdrawal of the invitation was due to Ali’s radically Islamophobic views, the truth shows otherwise. Brandeis should have stood by the invitation it extended […]

Student voice on LAUSD will better diversify decisions


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From protests on college campuses in the 1960s to vigils in response to the wave of violence in the 21st century, the student voice regarding issues that matter has always made a statement. During emotionally charged moments in our country, students and their movements have commanded the attention of adults and have swayed political decisions. […]

Hall of Fame must not limit inductees


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Starting from those formative toddler years, I soaked up everything that my parents enjoyed. When it came to music, I was stuck with what they liked. It wasn’t until much later that I discovered all of the music out there. I appreciated the revolutionary musical groundwork laid by The Beatles, all while blasting Run-DMC in […]

Executive orders a vital step towards equal pay


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It was Equal Pay Day. And instead of paying attention during an international relations lecture, I was passionately retweeting the White House.   “‘There are commentators out there saying that the pay gap doesn’t even exist … It’s not a myth, it’s math.’ — President Obama #FairFutureNow,” tweeted President Barack Obama. President Barack Obama signed […]

School stabbing should not detract from gun control efforts


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On Wednesday, 16-year-old Alex Hribal rampaged through the hallways of Franklin Regional Senior High School in Murrysville, Pa. with two kitchen knives in hand and stabbed 21 of his fellow classmates and a security officer before being tackled to the ground by assistant principal Samuel King, according to Reuters. Though some have made the argument […]

Schools must be prepared for threats regardless of weapon


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No gunshots pierced the air, but the gory scene on Wednesday at Franklin Regional Senior High School in Murrysville, Pa. catapulted the already contentious subject of gun reform back into debate. Twenty-one students and a security official were wounded by 16-year-old Alex Hribal, who went on a stabbing spree with two kitchen knives until he […]

Paying Congress more will not solve problems


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It was a statement that only a Congressman who isn’t up for reelection could make. “I think the American people should know that the members of Congress are underpaid,” said Representative James Moran, a Democrat from Virginia who is retiring at the end of this session, in an interview with CQ Roll Call. For background, […]