Opinion | Viewpoint

Viewpoint

Let’s give thanks without the history lesson

By Reya Kumar | November 28

I can still recall my elementary school Thanksgiving celebrations. Using construction paper, we made “Indian” feather headdresses and Pilgrim hats to don at our Thanksgiving feast. We celebrated the voyage of the Mayflower (as we had those of the Niña, Pinta and Santa María a month before) and the friendship of two peoples. Considering that 90% of the Indigenous population of the Americas was killed by violence and disease following Christopher Columbus’ famed 1492 voyage, this story is false and deeply misleading.

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Sophomore slump: The new senioritis

By Bela Silverman | November 21

At the beginning of my sophomore semester, I woke up at my desk with my alarm ringing — from what my roommates had informed me — for the last 45 minutes. A half-drunk Celsius sat beside a red solo cup filled with stale Cheerios that had replaced my dinner, and I had exactly five minutes to get to my morning class. It was official: I had entered the sophomore slump.

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Joe Manchin needs to stop trying to be the hero

By Dylan Tanouye | November 21

As the least progressive Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia has been thrust into the national spotlight numerous times for his staunch opposition to many aspects of Biden’s agenda. Despite the criticism Manchin gets from his more liberal counterparts, his recent announcement that ...

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From Las Vegas to Liverpool, the AI invasion has already begun

By Gretta Goorno | November 21

Flying cars, learning machines and domed cities — since the Industrial Revolution, humans have envisioned a future filled with striking, complex machinery. Hollywood has expanded on this concept, producing intense science fiction films like “Blade Runner” (1982) and “The Terminator” (1984) in which evil machines hide among humans, overtaking mankind and wreaking havoc on the planet.

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Music for a different kind of patriotism

By Liam Chalfonte | November 20

Perhaps one of the most tired takes in American politics is that Americans aren’t patriotic enough. However, this sentiment conceals a wealth of presuppositions about what it means to be an American. This is perhaps no better exemplified than by the Zac Brown Band’s song “Chicken Fried” (2005). The chorus describes the ideals of the American heartland: “A cold beer on a Friday night / A pair of jeans that fit just right … See the love in my woman’s eyes / Feel the touch of a precious child / And know a mother’s love.” 

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Tufts has acquiesced in the face of anonymous hate speech

By Kevin Golub | November 20

Sidechat has become a forum for dangerous, anonymous discourse ever since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Furthermore, physical anonymity has been widespread at recent protests at Tufts — protestors have worn surgical masks or other face coverings to hide their identity. The recent fighting instigated by Hamas has exposed the darker side of anonymity, including the unchecked spread of hate speech and inaccurate reporting, as well as pro-Palestine rallies featuring protestors with their faces covered.

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Tufts’ financial quandary, Part 2: How Tufts can correct its past failures

By Kevin Golub and Reya Kumar | November 17

In our last article, we explained the reasons for and ramifications of Tufts’ high tuition. But how can we lower it? The solution is raising money and better focusing funds.

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Tufts’ financial quandary, Part 1: The reasons for and ramifications of high tuition

By Kevin Golub and Reya Kumar | November 16

It is no secret that Tufts is expensive. Tufts is the fifth most expensive school in the country, with tuition for the 2023–24 school year being more than $66,000, well above the national average for private colleges, which is approximately $42,000. This astronomical price tag has numerous implications. For one, it limits the socioeconomic diversity of our student body. A 2017 study found that Tufts is ranked 10th in the nation for colleges with the highest median family income and 50% of Tufts students come from the top 5%. Only 44% of Tufts students are on financial aid, versus 55% at Harvard or 56% at Amherst. These stats are to be expected, with tuition as high as it is. There are certainly many qualified students who would love to attend Tufts, but aren’t here because they simply can’t afford it. Our campus is missing their perspectives and contributions.

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Biden’s low polling isn’t the end of the story

By Reya Kumar | November 15

President Joe Biden is currently polling lower than most of our last six presidents at this point in their first term. The only one who consistently matched these abysmally low numbers is his likely opponent in 2024, former President Donald Trump. The 2024 election is looking to be a rematch between two of the most deeply-disliked presidents in America’s recent past.

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The importance of celebrating Russian and Ukrainian cultures

By Liam Chalfonte and Sadie Roraback-Meagher | November 14

Recently, some members of the Tufts community have called for the decolonization of the Russian Program. Their reasoning is that, by continuing with the program and further celebrating Russian culture, Tufts is complicit in the genocide of thousands of Ukrainians. Undoubtedly, it is understandable to feel anger and resentment towards a country that has continuously been an imperialistic force, caused devastating humanitarian impacts for former Soviet states and deprived people of their lives, happiness and peace. These brutalities that the Russian government has inflicted are undeniable, and the continued suffering of Ukrainians is beyond appalling. That being said, it’s important to make a distinction between the Russian government — one that rigs elections, silences expression and poisons opposition — and the Russian people.

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How we should view technology in education

By Evan Wang | November 14

As COVID-19 rampaged across the world in 2020 and widespread lockdowns swept across the nation, many of the country’s classrooms moved online to continue to educate the nation’s youth during a time of distress. Pencils, papers and textbooks were replaced with computers, phones and Zoom. However, now that the pandemic wave has subsided and students have begun to return to in-person classrooms, it seems that online classes are here to stay. While some celebrate the effectiveness of a technology-driven education system, Americans should take a long pause and think about how technology has changed education.

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It’s time to let women be priests

By Sadie Roraback-Meagher | November 13

Dressed in purple and wielding lavender banners, dozens of women took to the cobblestone paths lining the Vatican to advocate for female ordination this past October. The organizing group —Women’s Ordination Conference — has become one of the largest organizations calling for the ordination of women and gender equality within the Roman Catholic Church. 

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Take note of your candidate’s foreign policy platform

By Toby Winick | November 9

Foreign policy has long been an essential aspect of American domestic politics, though it is not one Americans often consider when voting for president. Foreign policy encompasses choices concerning trade, sanctions, military alliances and treaties, among other issues. Still, Americans are most concerned with the choices that directly impact them at home. In a 2021 Pew Research Center poll, the most favorable foreign policy goals were reducing infectious disease spread, limiting the spread of weapons of mass destruction and protecting American jobs. Comparably, promoting democracy abroad and reducing overseas military commitments were among the lowest. Of course, these issues have domestic impacts, but most Americans prefer to think in the direct terms of jobs and lives, which translates into the largely domestic policy platforms of presidential candidates.

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When an A+ means nothing

By Evan Wang | November 9

The U.S. public education system has long been one of the country’s proudest institutions, yet that same system is now on the edge of collapse. It is well established that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been devastating to American learning, but the underlying problems have been lurking in the background for many years. From staff shortages to absenteeism to a lack of federal funding, it seems that the public education system has become dysfunctional for everyday Americans, leaving students less prepared for higher education. One of the key symptoms of this broken system is the phenomenon known as grade inflation.

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The best nap room is a concert hall

By Lucas Chua | November 9

I was lucky that my mom was a big opponent of attending the Hong Kong Philharmonic’s weekly concert with my dad. His job as a musicologist at the University of Hong Kong got him two free tickets to every concert, and I had the honor of filling the second seat — or more frequently dozing in it. 

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On the nature of daylight

By Maxwell Shoustal | November 8

I absolutely hate waking up early. This semester, I am taking a grand total of one class before 10:30 a.m. — the first of my college career. The entire day before class, I dread the thought of having to wake up at such an ungodly hour. Coming from Los Angeles, I am quite used to having a plethora of sunny days throughout the year.

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A response to Tufts Climate Action

By Kevin Golub | November 8

A note to Tufts Climate Action and its members: After reading your recent Op-ed, I am perplexed and disappointed. Though I applaud your continued persistence to goad Tufts into divesting from fossil fuels, an action which would have virtually no effect on either the climate or the financial success of applicable corporations, I remain disappointed that you have not worked towards a better understanding of financial markets to improve your dialogue with Tufts.

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We must all be patriots to the cause of a just America

By Reya Kumar | November 7

American patriotism is a fraught concept. It often evokes images of the stars and stripes, which, in recent years, have become tied to people such as the so-called “QAnon Shaman” who sported red, white and blue face paint while storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Meanwhile, “patriotic education,” which is in actuality a white-washing of American history, has been pushed by conservatives in response to the long overdue acknowledgment of the impact of slavery and systemic racism in public school education. As for what is considered unpatriotic, star quarterback Colin Kaepernick was effectively blacklisted from the NFL — a uniquely American institution — for kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality against Black Americans.

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For California’s sake, Gavin Newsom needs to stifle his presidential fantasies

By Dylan Tanouye | November 7

On Oct. 23, California Governor Gavin Newsom became the first state governor to visit China in over four years. Despite mostly receiving attention for crashing into a Chinese elementary school student during a pickup basketball game, he framed the week-long trip as a way to discuss climate change and other issues with Chinese President Xi Jinping, even as U.S.-China relations continue to sour. This visit is also an indication of Newsom’s presidential aspirations, since hopefuls without experience in the field often begin their campaigns by building a foreign policy repertoire. While he has explicitly ruled out running in 2024, the Democratic field is wide open for 2028. Newsom’s recent fundraising spree, coupled with his upcoming debate with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, clearly indicate his aspirations for a higher office. However, Newsom’s ambitions are causing him to leave the interests of his constituent Californians behind.

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‘I Won’t Back Down’: A brief history of American campaign music

By Nate Hall | November 7

“9 to 5” (1980). “High Hopes” (2018). “Y.M.C.A.” (1978). What do these songs have in common?They’ve all been used as campaign songs in recent U.S. presidential races. While the music a candidate chooses to play as they walk onstage for a campaign event may seem like a trivial detail, it can play a major role in defining the tone of their campaign.

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