Opinion

Viewpoint

Cowboy Carter ain’t a country album — it’s a treatise on genre we badly need to hear

By Liam Chalfonte | April 8

On March 29, Beyoncé dropped her latest album, “COWBOY CARTER.” This sprawling, 79-minute epic has been the subject of constant talk since she first teased it during the Superbowl with singles “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and “16 CARRIAGES” The record was immediately termed Beyoncé’s ‘country album.’ Some theorized that the album would be a reaction to her performance of her song “Daddy Lessons” with the Chicks at the 2016 Country Music Association Awards, which created intense, racially charged backlash for not being “country enough” (despite the clear bluegrass genre of the song). Beyoncé set the narrative straight, however, in the days leading up to the album’s release, posting, “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”

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Column

The Policy Perspective: Blue states are floundering

By Keshav Srikant | April 8

Clean energy is a core part of the Democratic Party’s platform. The 2020 Democratic Party platform calls for building a “globally competitive clean energy economy”[a]. Yet in 2024, the state with the most installed solar infrastructure is not New York or California, where Democrats dominate state government, but Texas, a Republican-controlled state[b]. This isdespite billions of dollars spent by California’s state government to invest in solar[c].

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Viewpoint

Harvard’s errors leave an uncertain future

By Kevin Golub | April 8

My grandfather was a proud alumnus of Harvard University. Upon graduating, he went to medical school and subsequently entered military service in World War II, serving in India as a captain in the Medical Corps. He went on to have a distinguished career in medicine and a lengthy retirement in South Florida before passing away in January 2020 at the age of 102. My grandfather was a constant mentor: He inspired me to pursue classics in college and instilled in me core values that I will hold for the rest of my life.

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Viewpoint

How DEI can change society — and save lives

By Liam Chalfonte and Reya Kumar | April 5

A recent article published in the Daily argued that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts are detrimental in a variety of ways. Particularly, it argued that DEI in the medical field prioritizes diversity over merit, disadvantaging patients. However, evidence indicates that DEI improves medical care for minority communities without affecting the overall quality of care. Furthermore, DEI initiatives across all professions work to create more equitable outcomes and combat systemic biases inherent in society.

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Viewpoint

Keep dining halls open longer

By Kevin Golub | April 5

Tufts’ dining establishments are an integral part of the university. Students rely on them for meals primarily because Tufts’ location is suburban enough that walking elsewhere is not always a viable option. These establishments are most important for first-year students, who are mandated to enroll in the Tufts Premium Meal Plan despite its absurdly unrealistic expectation that students will actually use anywhere near 400 swipes.

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Column

The Casual Death of Education: The failures of American sex education

By Evan Wang | April 5

Public education isn’t all about math and reading. There are many other topics students need to experience and learn about to become healthy and functioning members of society. With discourse around sex education becoming increasingly common, we must understand what adequate and competent education concerning sex looks like for America’s youth. However, the state of sex education in our public education system is in shambles and the public must take notice and address the ever-expanding problem.

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Viewpoint

Conquering Utah’s ‘Mighty Five’ … and their tourists

By Bela Silverman | April 4

Over spring break, my friend and I joined a school trip to hike Utah’s iconic national parks of Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Zion. Collectively known as the Mighty Five, their reputation upheld, as I bore witness to some of the most beautiful landscapes and geological features of the world. Up for a challenge, I spent ten days driving from Nevada to Colorado, waking up at dawn to lace up my mud-caked boots and hiking until dusk with hopes of beating the crowds and maximizing my tour of the national parks.

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Viewpoint

Love Island: Prison or Paradise?

By Derin Icinsel | April 4

When it comes to guilty pleasures, nothing quite compares to “Love Island” (the U.K. version, obviously). Whether it’s the idea of a romance between two people on a summer holiday or the strong urge to imitate their British accents, there’s something about it that lures you in, no matter how critical you might be of reality TV. For me, it differs from other successful shows such as “The Bachelor” or “The Real Housewives” because of how real everything feels — a feature that deserves praise as much as it does severe critique on the production side.

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Column

From Classroom to Clinic: Massachusetts and mental health parity

By Deeksha Bathini | April 4

During my psychiatry rotation at Tufts Medical Center, I found myself in the emergency room, helping determine whether a patient should be involuntarily hospitalized. The task of committing someone against their will is riddled with ethical dilemmas. Throughout my medical education, the notion of patient autonomy stands paramount to any other ethical principle. But, in the ER, the tenet completely unravels.

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Opinion

Have books become obsolete to university libraries?

By Juliet Chehade | April 2

Libraries are central to university life. They supply students with numerous resources, ranging from books and online databases to study locations. Every time I enter the library, I’m greeted with shelves upon shelves of books as I make my way to my usual study spot. I’ve noticed that these books remain largely untouched; many are covered in a thin layer of dust.

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Column

The Casual Death of Education: As students vanish, so does the future

By Evan Wang | March 29

When I was in middle school, I became seriously sick due to an asthma attack. While I recovered relatively well, I continued to use my sickness to persuade my parents to let me stay home which resulted in me missing weeks of school. While I felt great about not having to listen to my teachers or learn algebra, the results were predictable: I failed most of my classes during the last quarter of seventh grade. The ramifications of my actions continue to this day, as I struggle deeply with math because I skipped so many days of class back in seventh grade. My experience is not unique; chronic absenteeism, as this phenomenon is called, is a persistent problem for millions of American students.

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Viewpoint

We need to say goodbye to DEI

By Kevin Golub | March 29

The U.S. is no stranger to political polarization. Polarization has grown over the last several decades and shows no signs of stopping. Though much of this polarization is fueled by divided opinions on recent presidents, I believe there is another major culprit: diversity, equity and inclusion. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the job market, corporate DEI positions increased by 123% between May and September 2020, seemingly in response to the tragic death of George Floyd. Since then, DEI has been injected into many facets of life, from medicine to artificial intelligence.

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Guest

Op-ed: Defending Ukraine and combating Russian aggression

By Cosmo Curtatone | March 29

It has been over two years since Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine and despite the gloomy outlook of animminent Ukrainian defeat back in February, 2022,Ukraine has withstood the Russian onslaught and defended their nation and people. However, the war rages on as Russian troops are on the march across the more than 620 mile frontline as they attempt to subjugate more of Ukraine to destitution and darkness.

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Guest

Op-ed: The romanticization of suicide and martyrdom: Israel and Palestine

By Theo Marvin | March 29

Content warning: This article discusses suicide.On Feb. 25, a U.S. Air Force service member named Aaron Bushnell tragically self-immolated in front of the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C.. When I heard the news, I was upset because I, like most reasonable people, see suicide as a sad act committed by those who are likely mentally ill and in need of help.

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Viewpoint

It’s time to be honest about my time at Tufts

By Justin Hong | March 28

Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide. I struggled with whether to write this piece. I write this not as a sign of disrespect towards anyone, but to express my disappointment that this year’s Wendell Phillips Address, the speech at the Baccalaureate Ceremony given by the winner of the Wendell Phillips Award, won’t highlight a story that reflects my experiences at Tufts.

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Viewpoint

State politics has a dark money problem — Gavin Newsom is just the beginning

By Dylan Tanouye | March 28

Fast food labor unions scored a major victory in California when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act in September 2022. This bill created a statewide council to determine the minimum wage for employees of large chain restaurants, which the bill itself has already raised to $20 an hour. However, the bill notably exempted restaurants with bakeries from this wage increase. While the reasoning behind this exemption was initially unclear, a report from Bloomberg revealed thatNewsompushedits inclusion to benefit the popular chain Panera Bread.

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Column

Ukraine at War: Remembering Ukrainian students killed by Russian aggression

By Mariia Kudina | March 28

The “Unissued Diplomas” exhibition is a collection of short stories about Ukrainian students who were killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine. To honor their memory, a series of digital postcards was created, detailing their majors, interests and the tragic stories of their deaths.

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Guest

Op-ed: The remarkable failure of the TCU Senate

By Jacob Ackiron | March 27

Regardless of one’s support for or opposition to the recent BDS resolutions voted on by the TCU Senate, one thing that many students on campus can agree on is the Senate’s ultimate culpability in sowing divisiveness on campus.

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Guest

Op-ed: Try again, President Kumar: Renewing calls for Tufts to adopt March 4 TCU Senate resolutions

By Rumeysa Ozturk, Fatima Rahman, Genesis Perez and Nicholas Ambeliotis | March 26

On March 4, the Tufts Community Union Senate passed 3 out of 4 resolutions demanding that the University acknowledge the Palestinian genocide, apologize for University President Sunil Kumar’s statements, disclose its investments and divest from companies with direct or indirect ties ...

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Editorial

Editorial: Running up that Hill — Tufts should expand fitness opportunities

By The Editorial Board | March 14

It doesn’t take an Econ major to notice the disparity between supply and demand for physical activity at Tufts. Two issues are especially prominent: The Tufts gym is too crowded and it is too difficult to register for a physical education course. Given the registration difficulties that seem to persist semester after semester, along with students previously noting issues regarding the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center, the quandary of searching for fulfilling exercise ought to be addressed by the university.

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