Opinion

Opinion

Obama's stump speech for Patrick misses the point

October 20

Less than a year ago, the people of Massachusetts heard President Barack Obama speaking in Boston about why Martha Coakley was the right choice for senator of Massachusetts. History seemed to replay itself this past weekend as Obama stood before the people of Boston on Saturday in an attempt to rally support from an unenthusiastic Democratic base for the re−election of Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick, under pressure from Republicans who are speaking out and showing tight polling results to support it.

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Opinion

What makes a noisy party?

October 20

Many Tufts students living in off−campus housing this fall have noticed that a greater number of their parties have been broken up by the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) and/or the Somerville and Medford police. The feeling is more than just anecdotal, as figures provided by TUPD show that there has been an approximately 24 percent increase in the number of off−campus parties broken up by the police as compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the university has also increased, from $200 to $300, the fine levied on students who violate community standards with regard to overly raucous off−campus parties.

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Opinion

Letter to the Editor

October 20

Dear Editor,

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Opinion

Letter to the Editor

October 20

Dear Editor,

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Opinion

The Primary Source of willful ignorance

October 19

The Tufts Freethought Society (TFS) would like to formally thank The Primary Source for their blurb about the call for a Humanist chaplaincy in their Oct. 6 issue. As we write our op-eds, we consider whether the attacks against Humanism and the proposed chaplaincy are too akin to strawmen to warrant consideration, much less active rebutting, on our part. Do people actually harbor such simplistic and extreme beliefs about our proposal?

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Opinion

Office hours: A word of advice

October 19

Office hours are a valuable resource for students and an integral component of their academic experience. It is also essential to the role of educator that faculty members play. Despite this, many students don't take full advantage of them, and many professors don't take the necessary steps to encourage students to drop by. However, just by following a few simple steps, more students can benefit from office hours — and professors may learn a thing or two as well.

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Opinion

What do Sam Harris and Jesus have in common?

October 18

One of the things I love most about Tufts is the excitement that so many people have about seeking the answers to difficult questions about politics, religion and life itself. Freethought Week, which brought us a colorful smorgasbord of brilliant thinkers who challenge accepted norms, was a fascinating chance to sit down and talk about the basics of the universe without the shouting or name-calling that often deters people from such conversations.

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Opinion

Still searching for affordable health care

October 18

Universal health care took much of the stage throughout the summer. Debates were constant, and many people sat glued to their television screens watching the vote. The reforms that were implemented do several wonderful things. They extend the length of time children can be covered under their parents' plans (as a college student, this is something I will appreciate in the future), make it more difficult for insurance companies to drop expensive customers and remove lifetime caps on medical costs. Yet huge issues remain. People are kidding themselves if they think this reform will suddenly make everyone able to afford adequate health care.

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Opinion

The message from Chile

October 18

Last week's successful conclusion of the mission in Chile to rescue 33 miners trapped more than 2,000 feet underground has led to an explosion of joy and a sense of solidarity both in Chile and around the world.

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Opinion

Elisha Sum | Our Genderation

October 18

Tori Amos once sang, "Tell me what you think they'll do when they find you out … find out you're just a p----, my sweet boy."

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Opinion

From the Public Editor | A new year for the public editor

October 17

With the official vote in from the Media Advocacy Board, I can now confidently and legitimately accept the position of public editor. Conceived back in 2008, the public editor position was created to encourage healthy, meaningful campus conversation by having someone outside the Tufts media universe provide critical opinions on what is written, how stories are reported and what crosses the line of community acceptability.

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Opinion

Fly your (rainbow) flags high

October 17

Tufts observed National Coming Out Day on Wednesday amid much fanfare. A large crowd gathered at the Mayer Campus Center to hear speeches about overcoming anti-gay discrimination and to show support for students and faculty from the queer community while gay-pride flags fluttered across campus.

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Opinion

A burden to carry: Why we must remember our past

October 17

We all have to carry our own burdens. Even though most of us have no kids to support, no mortgages on houses and no jobs on the verge of being outsourced to the other side of the globe, we know what it feels like to have worries. Some are bigger than others: Did I choose the right major? Will I be able to pay tuition for yet another semester? Some are small but still unnerving: Will I finally finish that essay that was due last week or go to see "The Town" at the movie theater?

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Editorial

Balancing the narratives: Israel and Palestine

October 13

At a university that prizes humanitarianism and the just recognition of all voices in conflict, events like tomorrow's Tufts Sderot Awareness Day present a serious imbalance. Tufts' chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine urges the Tufts community to review contending narratives and hear the Palestinian voice. It is our hope to initiate a campus−wide, inclusive discussion that respectively incorporates all voices on behalf of Israel and Palestine.

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Opinion

Joshua Youner | Conscientious and Contentious

October 13

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court issued a staggering decision in the case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The Court struck down parts of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, known as the McCain−Feingold Act. In doing so, the Court has unequivocally allowed corporations, both of the for−profit and non−profit variety, to spend unlimited amounts of money in political campaigns.

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Opinion

Sex talk revolution?

October 13

Sex is BIG. It's big, and it's everywhere. The media is saturated with sex. It floods the forums on the website College ACB at Tufts, the cast members of " Jersey Shore" have an entire room dedicated to "smushing," and on?camera teen moms juggle jobs, schoolwork and screaming babies in the background (a big slap?in?the?face reminder to use protection). It's on our minds constantly: Girls think about it all the time (...right?), and guys definitely do (if I'm ever questioning this, I simply tune in to the constant conversations of my two male roommates talking about the "bangable" girls they see at the gym). Apparently we Tufts students are so sexually charged that the administration had to lay down the law with some dorm room policies last year. If you've resorted to the sketchy scenario of sex a few feet away from a "sleeping" roommate, dear God, read on, and hopefully you've been able to think of some creative solutions since then. Even if you're not actively doing the deed - because of misfortune or personal choice - don't skip ahead to the Sudoku puzzle just yet. Let's be honest, reading this is probably a lot more fun than Sudoku.

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Editorial

Lack of religious knowledge concerning

October 12

While the United States is a highly religious country, an assessment of religious knowledge has revealed that the American people are generally not very knowledgeable about matters of general theology and religious history. The survey, conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, consisted of 32 questions pertaining to general knowledge of world religions. Americans, on average, answered only about half of the questions correctly. This finding begs scrutiny by religious and nonreligious people alike.

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Editorial

Quality news doesn't grow on trees

October 12

Recognizing that giving content away for free may not be the most lucrative  business model, this week The Boston Globe joined the ranks of some other regional and national newspapers by announcing that it will launch a subscriber-only, fee-based website next year.

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Opinion

Peace Prize should not be a political tool

October 11

Winning an award is usually a cause for celebration. Winning the Nobel Peace Prize is something else entirely: It is the recognition of efforts that are already intrinsically valuable. It means that you have dedicated your life to the progress of humanity, and that is certainly something to be proud of.

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Opinion

Elisha Sum | Our Genderation

October 11

Tori Amos once sang, "Look, I'm standing naked before you; don't you want more than my sex?"

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