The ultimate sport
We love sports. Something about the competition, the challenge and the thrill of victory is embedded in our culture.
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We love sports. Something about the competition, the challenge and the thrill of victory is embedded in our culture.
What’s one thing every college student dreams of?
Not too long from now, people will look back and think to themselves, “I can’t believe that weed was once illegal.”
There’s a deadly virus outbreak happening across the globe, and many Americans don’t even know about it.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There’s a saying that you die twice.That’s once at the end of your life and again when your name is spoken for the final time. Actress and activist Ruby Dee passed away this past Wednesday at the age of 91, but her memory lives on. Dee is well known for her role in “A Raisin in the Sun.” But you might recognize her as the lively mother in “American Gangster,” a role which earned Dee an Oscar nomination, despite only having 10 minutes of screen time. Dee also appeared in many other popular films during her seven-decade career, but the impact that she left on this world goes beyond her acting abilities. Dee and her husband were heavily involved in the civil rights movement and befriended both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X. She and her husband were involved in Dr. King’s March on Washington. It’s thanks to the efforts and bravery of people like Dee that the civil rights movement was a success. While we might not completely understand what Dee went through during her fight against racism, we can relate her struggles to the current civil rights movement.Now, in the year 2014, the fight for equality has switched focus from race to gender, with gay rights and feminism as the big ideas. Today’s actors and actresses are taking a cue from Ruby Dee by standing up for the equality they believe every person should have. Ruby Dee led a life of conviction to stand up for people’s rights and to fight against inequality. That is why it’s important for us to keep her memory living on. After all, someday it will be people of our generation in her place, being remembered for our battle for equality.syrafter@indiana.edu
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“We don’t negotiate with terrorists, right?”This was one thought running through the minds of many Americans as they heard of President Obama’s exchange of five Guantanamo detainees for an American prisoner of war, Bowe Bergdahl.People who oppose the decision place the blame on the president. They say he was out of line to negotiate with the terrorists.They also claim he does not have the authority to make a deal without first asking permission from Congress. The problem with these claims is that these “rules” basically fly out the window when it comes to war. It is almost necessary to negotiate with terrorists if we want to make any progress, especially when it comes to prisoners of war.Any look back into history will tell you this is true. This shouldn’t change even if the reason for a prisoner’s disappearance is still unknown.Many of the American people are also criticizing President Obama for his decision because he did not bring up the idea to Congress before negotiating. Some people may say he is abusing his power, but I disagree. The reason we elect a president is to lead our country and make executive decisions.What’s the point of electing someone to lead us if he can’t make decisions on his own when necessary? Congress can take forever to decide things and take action. This situation had to be dealt with in a timely manner.Whether the exchange will be beneficial to our fight on terrorism is yet to be determined.But as for the criticism of the President’s actions, at least he got a soldier home. syrafter@indiana.edu
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Imagine finally receiving your high school yearbook only to find your school had digitally altered your photo because it was seen as “inappropriate.” This was recently the case for high school students in Utah. When Wasatch High School released its yearbook, students were shocked to see the yearbook staff had made changes to the appearance of several people.V-neck T-shirts were given necklines. Tank tops were turned into T-shirts. Tattoos were removed.Many students claimed they had worn these outfits to school before without violating the dress code, but they were still edited for the yearbook in order to promote “modesty.”The photo editing wasn’t expected, and it caused frustration for many students.Being told their picture wasn’t “modest” or was “unacceptable” for the yearbook embarrassed some.But the thing is, they are high school students, which means they don’t have a say in the matter.If their school says their tattoo shouldn’t be in a yearbook, guess what — it’s not going to be in the yearbook. Even though high school is a time when teenagers are preparing for the adult world, they don’t have many rights within school grounds.They are required to do what the administration tells them, or else they suffer the consequences. What’s so bad about this lack of autonomy is it all changes when they get out and go to college or work. In high school, many students aren’t even allowed to wear flip flops, but when they get to college they are free to run around barefoot if they so please. Instead of making it a gradual transition into the freedom of college, high schools keep a tight lock on their students and make almost all choices for them. This can lead to whiplash when students suddenly have all this power and no wisdom in channeling it.Many schools see their students as children who aren’t able to make decisions.But they’ll be making plenty of life-altering decisions soon.High schools can still tell students what to wear, what to say, what to read and, apparently, what their photo in the yearbook will look like. No matter how angry the students at Wasatch High School are about their photos being edited, they don’t have a say in the matter.But maybe they should.syrafter@indiana.edu@sydraft
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After a long, exhausting weekend of eating pizza and watching movies on Netflix, a realization hit me. Without even noticing it, I have been brainwashed into thinking that there aren’t any side effects of heavy drugs. Or if there are, they aren’t a huge deal. Our whole childhood, we were taught to stay in school, don’t talk to strangers and say no to drugs. And as fifth graders, we all swore that we would never try any type of drug. However, now that we are at an age where drugs are most available and appealing to us, we are being shown only their fun aspects.One of my favorite scenes of any comedy is in “21 Jump Street” where Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill take the drug. Each stage of the drug was funnier than the previous one. I could not stop laughing the entire time. It didn’t even occur to me I was laughing at a highly dangerous thing until I talked to my younger sister about the movie. She had found it just as funny as I did, which kind of concerns me. That got me to thinking about how Hollywood portrays drugs to its viewers. Pop culture tends to glorify drugs in a way that makes people want to do them. When we were little, we only saw the scary and gruesome side of drugs. Nowadays, I only see the fun aspects of the same drugs. I even find myself singing about them when songs like “We Can’t Stop” by Miley Cyrus are stuck in my head. One of the hit TV shows right now is “Weeds,” a comedy about a single mother who sells marijuana. And, of course, we can’t forget about “Breaking Bad,” which tells the story of a man who makes meth. While a show about weed isn’t that big of a deal to me, because marijuana doesn’t cause that much harm, a show about meth has me a little concerned. Shows like these are becoming the norm in our society, and drugs aren’t seen as a huge problem like they used to be. And when a movie or show demonstrates one of the negative aspects of drugs, they tend to mention it briefly instead of emphasizing the seriousness of the situation. I’m not going to say Hollywood is completely in the wrong for making some light of drug use. There is obviously an appeal that comes from drugs, otherwise people wouldn’t use them. But there should be a balance in how drugs are portrayed.It is completely up to the individual whether or not they want to try drugs. Using drugs of any type will produce both positive and negative sides for the users and the people around them. Movie and TV producers should take this into consideration when featuring drugs in their programs. syrafter@indiana.edu @sydraft
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Good news, everyone — Fleetwood Mac is getting back together for a reunion tour. The band, which formed in 1967, has been separated for 17 years now. They plan to start their tour in September and then travel throughout the United States during the following few months. As a huge fan of most music from the 1960s and ’70s, I was ecstatic to hear one of my favorite bands would reunite. Despite my excitement for the reunion, I am a little skeptical of the sudden regrouping of the band. After all, vocalist Stevie Nicks did say that when it came to vocalist and keyboardist Christine McVie coming back to the group, there was “more of a chance of an asteroid hitting the Earth.” I am hoping for the best with this reunion tour. But generally speaking, older bands that get back together tend to fall short of the fans’ expectations. The music that fans know and love just doesn’t sound the same when it is coming from a reunion band. The vocals of a young lead singer tend to change a lot as they grow older, and in many cases are not as great to listen to.But I don’t doubt for a second that the reunion tour will attract many fans. That’s the great thing about the reunions of great bands — the fans still flock. They are still loyal to the band, so of course they will show up and it will be great.The reason why fans are excited tends to be more about getting to say that they saw Fleetwood Mac than hearing an incredible show. They are just looking for the experience that comes with seeing the band.And that is OK with me, because most of the fun that happens during concerts happens because of the crowd that is there. My hopes for this reunion tour of Fleetwood Mac is that they will put on a great show. Since I wasn’t exactly able to see them in their full glory, I’d love for their show to live up to even half of my expectations. Generally speaking, it’s either a hit or miss when it comes to old musicians making a comeback tour. They can either be as great as Paul McCartney or as unimpressive as others have been.Despite past performances by reunion bands that didn’t live up to expectations, I am very excited to see what Fleetwood Mac will bring to their newly reunited band. syrafter@indiana.edu@sydraft
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Varsity, club and intramural sports comrpise more than 80 of the sports activities offered here at IU, Little 500 is one of the main annual events in Bloomington, and the gym might be the busiest place on campus.With all of the different physical activities that IU offers, you have to expect some injuries. But our campus is not injury or handicap friendly. From personal experience, I can attest that Bloomington is not easy to get around when you cannot walk correctly. If you have crutches, it is a struggle just to make it to class. But no one seems to care. Stairs, doors and bridges may not seem like problems when you can walk around freely. But if you get injured those things make getting around campus a challenge.An abundance of stairs make many of the buildings on our campus not handicap accessible at all. When I was injured and relegated to crutches, about half of the automatic doors I tried didn’t work, making the buildings that are supposed to be handicap accessible difficult to get into as well. And if you have a class in Ballantine Hall, it just gets worse. Yes, you can get a key to the elevators. But that is only after you make the trek to the library, which could be a difficult task in itself. The recent abundance of ice here in Bloomington has added an extra challenge to the already difficult-to-navigate campus. You’re probably wondering why injured people just don’t use the handicap van program.The problem is, there is a waitlist to get a spot in the van. This makes it so new people cannot use the service until the current riders are able to walk around again. In theory, the van service is a good idea, but it is of no use to the people who are stuck on the waitlist. All of these factors make campus seem like an obstacle course for students with disabilities. People who have trouble getting around might not choose to come to a school as large as IU because they are worried about traveling to class. That should not have to be a factor when choosing what college to attend. Lack of accessibility might not seem like a big deal if you can walk easily. But for those who are injured or have some sort of disability, getting around campus is yet another thing to worry about. College students already have enough stress in their lives. Not being able to make it to class and falling behind because of an injury or disability should not be one of them. syrafter@indiana.edu
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The start of each great era is preceded by a great change. Right now is that time of change. When we look back on memorable eras, we tend to think of the culture of that time. The Roaring Twenties were characterized by parties and flapper girls. The 1960s launched the Civil Rights Movement. The ’70s were marked by great rock music. And, of course, the ’80s had a style all their own. It is now 2014, and America’s culture is changing once again. As far as music goes, artists are starting to produce innovative sounds that have never been heard before. Beyonce’s new self-titled album combines sound clips with her own style. Other artists such as Kanye West and Eminem also applied new approaches to sound in their latest albums. This new take on music is comparable to the start of rock ’n’ roll in the ’40s and ’50s. Or perhaps it is more similar to the dawning of rap music in the early ’80s.But music isn’t the only thing changing in the United States. The culture wars continue to rage on. For example, the fight for civil rights is further escalating with the rise of our generation. The temporary defeat of HJR 3, which would’ve defined marriage in Indiana as only between one man and one woman — while also refusing to recognize civil unions — was tabled after the mobilization of progressives. The entire country is facing the same-sex marriage debate right now, and it’s not going to last forever. One day, when our generation is talking to its grandchildren, they will find it hard to believe that people weren’t always allowed to marry whomever they wanted. I believe we’re in the beginning of a major cultural shift in our country, just like the Civil Rights Movement of the ’60s marked a new era. Along with these other changes, our era is also bringing about a change in the way that people view certain things, such as the legalization of marijuana.With Colorado’s new laws legalizing the sale and recreational use of weed, the rest of the country is bound to follow.The legalization of weed will likely be thought of in the same way as the end of the prohibition of alcohol in 1933.America’s music is changing. Civil rights battles are being fought. People are thinking more progressively. Many of these things have happened before and have been remembered as great times in American history. That is why I believe 50 years from now, Americans will look back on the past. They will recognize these years as the dawning of a new era.syrafter@indiana.edu
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Ring by Spring” is the goal for some women in college.It’s an easy plan: get a boyfriend in the Fall, get an engagement ring by Spring, live happily ever after.But it’s unclear why anyone would want to be tied down so early in life. College should be a time for you to go out and get to know yourself.You should have some fun, try new things, work hard toward your goals, and learn who you are. Too bad it’s all too common for women to attend college in order to get their “MRS degree.”This idea that the only thing that a woman needs from college is to find a man to marry is extremely sad. And quite frankly it’s a waste of the great opportunities that college has to offer.The primary focus of attending college should be to get a degree and better yourself as a person. If you happen to fall in love and find that special someone who you want to marry, that’s great.But that should not be the main goal.In the past few weeks I have seen the engagement of five different college couples, all of whom are 19- or 20-years-old. While I truly hope that they have the happiest marriages possible, I do not believe that now is the time for a wedding.Sure, people back in the day used to get married at much younger ages, but this is the 21st century. It’s OK to focus on yourself before focusing on finding a mate.Another problem with getting engaged so early in life is that you don’t know if you will be the same person five years from now as you are today. Since coming to college I’ve seen almost everyone I know change and grow into a different person than they were in high school. It’s great that some of them are still with their high school sweethearts, but I can’t imagine the relationship being the same as it was in high school.Being together for a long time in high school isn’t a good enough reason to tie the knot at the beginning of your college career. There is just so much that could change in such a short time.People changing during college isn’t a bad thing. We can’t all be our 17-year-old selves forever. But when it comes to marriage, it can have a huge effect on whether or not the relationship will work. So, there’s no reason to rush into something when you have your whole life to make it happen.Rushing into things is how people get stuck in mediocre marriages. It is OK to take your time and hold off an engagement until the right person comes along. I know many people want that fairy tale story of finding love in college, but I suggest you don’t rush into marriage.First, find out who you are. Then, find someone who will work with you.After all, college is a place to get an education, not an institution for matchmaking. — syrafter@indiana.eduFollow columnist Sydney Raftery on Twitter @sydraft.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bored? Feel like judging people based only on a few selfies? There’s an app for that.Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you read that correctly.The recently popular app “Hot or Not” is the latest tool in ruining self-esteem and inflating egos.It asks you to upload a few pictures of yourself. Other people can view your pictures and say whether they think you are hot or not. This app is basically just an excuse for people to sit around with their friends and talk about how big some girls’ love handles are, or how some guy really needs to go to the gym. And it’s pretty pathetic. Our generation is already one that puts way too much emphasis on looks. The “Hot or Not” app only adds to that culture of self-centeredness, and I can’t see anything good coming out of it. One of two things will happen to the people who decide to put their pictures up on this app. Either they will be ranked “hot” and their egos will get even bigger than they already are, something no one around them wants. Or they will be ranked “not” and they will feel even worse about themselves — a feeling that no one needs to deal with just because of some app.People have enough excuses each day to judge eachother — and themselves. Adding convenience to the experience only hones our tendency to criticize.As for the people doing the rating, they aren’t going to end up much better off than the people whom they are judging.By using this app, they perpetuate the idea that it’s acceptable to judge people based only on their looks. When it comes to personality, that isn’t a great thing to believe. The people rating the pictures will inevitably compare themselves to the people they are judging. This could lead to the same self-esteem issues in themselves.I’m not saying that everyone should walk around talking about how beautiful everyone else is.Obviously, we all have different ideas of who is attractive and who isn’t. I am saying that people shouldn’t be sitting behind their pearly white iPhones looking at someone’s pictures and deciding if that person is worthy to be called “hot.” So please, people, do something better with your smart phones — like beat all 515 levels of Candy Crush.— syrafter@indiana.eduwFollow columnist Sydney Raftery on Twitter @sydraft.