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Opinion



Congo
Viewpoint

Tragedy in the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is ablaze once again, and like many times prior, it is Rwanda and their network of Tutsi militants at the helm of this chaos. The history between the Congo and Rwanda has long been fraught with some of the most destructive violence since World War II, and the recent offensives spearheaded by the March 23 Movement militia and their sponsors, the Rwandan Defense Force, in the eastern reaches of the Congo are clear indicators that the region may be entering yet another horrific period of conflict.



Coffee Table Socioeconomics
Column

Coffee Table Socioeconomics: Workaholism

“A workaholic will die before an alcoholic,” said Christina Maslach, professor emerita of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, whose research laid the foundation for the World Health Organization to declare burnout as an occupational phenomenon in 2019. While alcoholics endure a gradual, long-term deterioration of the liver, workaholics face the immediate risk of stress-induced blood clots or heart attacks — potentially striking just when life seems to be going well.


Gray Cannon
Viewpoint

And we’re back to gray

There are some aspects of campus lore that are simply iconic, like Jumbo’s tail, Professor David Proctor and a capella riff-offs. The cannon, for one, is probably the most interactive piece of Jumbo life students have. The times I’ve painted the cannon have been some of the most fun I’ve ever had at Tufts. Listening to music with your club friends, looking up at the stars, trying to write neat letters in paint without getting any on your clothes — painting the cannon is a great bonding activity as well as a nice pastime. The messages on the cannon are constantly changing, with student organizations advertising their events or writing political calls to action. The cannon is a physical object that displays what students are engaging in on campus. So, when the cannon is reset to dull, basic gray over the summer, it’s a reminder of the painting that is yet to come. And the second students come back to campus, the color gray is nowhere to be found. Or so I thought.



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Viewpoint

Painting out free speech

As a child, I was frequently labeled a “social justice warrior” and often told I would “make a good lawyer” by random adults. These designations stemmed from both my loudly vocalized views and my tendency to correct any comments that I deemed offensive or not politically correct. Evidently, I have retained my label of passionate verbalization, given that I am the executive opinion editor of the Daily. Yet, over the years, I have drifted away from my strong moral convictions. Nowadays, I often find myself torn between two extremes, taking a moderate stance on issues. I even justify reasoning that ridicules the very identity groups that I am a part of. I try to understand religious justifications against gay marriage. I take a step back, wondering why people believe in a Jewish conspiracy. My tolerance for other views often leads me to question my morals. Perhaps I am too flexible.


Pop up pub
Editorial

Editorial: Setting the bar higher

A campus bar is a staple of any university — a special place where students can celebrate a big game, grab a beer with an advisor or put their karaoke skills on full display. At Tufts, the MacPhie Pub was once a thriving part of campus life. Following its inception in the ’70s, the pub staged musical performances, organized special comedy acts and hosted trivia nights. While most of the acts were led by Tufts students, the venue occasionally featured outside performances including shows from Tufts alum Tracy Chapman (J’86), who played at the pub for “$5 and a free meal.”


Ukraine At War
Column

Ukraine at War: How private initiatives help Ukrainian universities adjust to the war

Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine despite the attempts of peace talks. Meanwhile, the rocky relationship between President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin diverts the media’s and, consequently, the international public’s attention from the ongoing war. At the same time, Ukrainians continue to adjust to the dreary realities, finding ways to go on with a semi-normal life. In the realm of education, one example of such an adjustment is a charitable initiative by the venture builder CLUST, focused on creating smart shelters for students at Ukrainian universities.


Trump and Pinochet
Viewpoint

Washington 2025 and Santiago 1973

I, along with many other left-of-center individuals, am deeply worried about President Donald Trump’s administration’s recent actions which smack of anti-democratic inclinations. Today, however, I want to touch on a very disturbing aspect of authoritarian regimes that I don’t think people adequately address: the sheer feeling of alienation that comes from living in them. By alienation I do not mean physical isolation from others, but rather the feeling of loneliness that arises from the inability to trust anyone, including oneself.


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Opinion

DOGE should dream bigger

Reducing the size of the federal government has long been a major goal for conservatives. However, since the New Deal, the government has actually expanded, much to the frustration of figures like Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan and Milton Friedman. In fact, conservatives haven’t been able to shrink the government much, sometimes actually contributing to its growth. But President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency is different — it is one of the most aggressive efforts to cut government spending in recent memory.


Coffee Table Socioeconomics
Column

Coffee Table Socioeconomics: Enhance our business education

With its highly educated workforce, business-friendly legal system, strong sense of interconnectedness between universities and government and businesses that drive continuous technological breakthroughs, the United States is arguably one of the best places for industries to succeed. However, none of this would be possible without a foundation of strong business education. Business literacy is essential in the private sector, where startups thrive and hands-on engagement with business ideas is key — it’s also an area where Tufts falls short.


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Viewpoint

Pronunciation, not polarization

The last time I doomscrolled on TikTok was nearly two weeks ago, before telling myself that I needed to stop what my parents would call an “addiction.” I had responded to over 40 different comments and videos, a feat that consumed precious study time and kept me up far too late. The slew of responses to my comments contained words such as brainwashed, communist, sore loser, elitist, sheep, puppet, snowflake — the list goes on. I found it hard to believe how a “sheep” and an “elitist” could have anything in common. Consequently, I began to wonder what has become of political discourse amid the era of President Donald Trump’s two terms and a significant national political divide. 


World leaders
Viewpoint

Europe, it's time to step your game up

These past few weeks have been quite exhausting, with the administration of President Donald Trump topping off thechaos by delivering a carnival of a congressional address. I worry about a lot these days when it comes to the future of our country, but now I, and really all of us who live in America, have yet another worry: the near-complete collapse of the post-World War II international order, underpinned by a possible splintering of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.


Amazon Prime Boxes are Pictured
Viewpoint

From Prime to predatory

The American retail market can be described with three words: variety, variety and still more variety. Anything and everything one could need is available for purchase at the biggest retail providers. Just walk into the closest Target, Walmart or Aldi, peruse the meticulously organized aisles and walk past the food, makeup, hardware, clothes, toys and technology. Tell me you haven’t found exactly what you're looking for. Now, imagine you could indulge in that same sense of pure bliss, calm and convenience from the comfort of your home. Fortunately, you can with Amazon.



Through Indigenous Eyes.jpg
Column

Through Indigenous Eyes: What’s in a name?

For weeks, a battle between the administration of President Donald Trump and The Associated Press has raged over Trump’s executive order that changed the name of the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America.” The AP has stated that it would continue to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as such and has since been barred from White House press briefings. Now, the issue is being brought to court, with the AP suing Trump administration officials for violating the First and Fifth Amendments. But in that same executive order, another name was changed — one that the AP Stylebook has been updated to reflect.


Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon is pictured at her Senate confirmation hearing.
Viewpoint

A WWE executive’s dreams of killing public education

President Donald Trump recently proclaimed that U.S. schools are “last in education out of 40 [countries],” but “No. 1 in cost per pupil.” Despite both of these statements being false, Trump is clearly determined to lift our nation’s failing public education system out of the gutters. More than one in three public school students are behind in grade level, while around half of Americans say K-12 education is going in the wrong direction.


Counseling Center
Viewpoint

Trigger warnings are necessary — we shouldn’t have to just ‘stay triggered’

Some conservatives are known for using simple-minded but harmful vocabulary in their rhetoric, especially online. They have a schoolyard bully-like tendency to simply cry ‘snowflake’ and mockingly ask “Why are you so triggered?” in response to many of the serious arguments liberals attempt to make on the internet. This enables them to disregard any of the substance of their liberal opponent’s arguments, while simultaneously attacking them as being ‘too weak.’ According to these right-wingers, it is impossible to form a logical argument while incorporating one’s personal feelings, and cold-hard facts alone should be the only evidence appealed to. I happen to believe this is completely false. In fact, empathy has been shown to be key to conflict diffusion, and thus, online conflicts, particularly political arguments, could stand to benefit from increased civility if both participants were to attempt to be more empathetic. Additionally, growing research is linking empathy to liberal political views, while failing to do so for right-leaning views, indicating a clear empathy gap among the parties.


Roan.jpg
Viewpoint

Pop Princess 101: Chappell Roan is too weird for you

It was bound to happen — within months of Chappell Roan’s sudden rise to stardom, she fell victim to criticism of her costume choices, blunt political commentary and privacy boundaries. Chappell Roan had quickly lost the Midwestern-girl-to-popstar allure she amassed in late 2024. However talented she is, her extravagant aesthetic isn’t palatable to the general public, nor should it be — her persona is rooted in queerness and flamboyance, which appeal to a specific demographic.