We present our weekly review of selected student editors and news analysts. In this week's edition, they analyze the reasons for the growing wealth gap, demand that combat roles be opened to female soldiers, note that "hate speech" is free speech and wonder what any value a new Great Books program could possibly have.
1) There are major issues all around in the ongoing controversy over the Obama administration’s recent mandate that religious institutions include contraceptives in employee health benefits. Even so, a columnist for the UCLA Daily Bruin thinks that any exemptions for such organizations should derive from their missions, not their employees. Anyway, it’s not about contraception, but religious freedom and respect for the First Amendment, says a colleague in the Emory Wheel.
2) Despite Yale’s resolve to higher a specific minimum number of female and minority faculty members six years ago, a reporter for the Daily News notes that those goals are far from being realized. Commenters seem to take issue.
3) The editors of the Iowa State Daily applaud the Pentagon’s recent opening of several frontline jobs to female soldiers, but still think that’s not enough: all military tasks should be open to female troops without restriction.
4) It’s an election year, and the editors of the Minnesota Daily have just about had it with the shrillness and hypocrisy of partisan politics. A pox on both parties, they conclude. On the other hand, a visit to India leads an opinion columnist for the Michigan Daily to conclude that the American system isn’t as bad as some of us think it is.
5) A writer for the Daily Princetonian describes her own mixed religious identity and its confusing encounter with identity politics at Princeton.
6) Although they salute the efforts of environmentalists and sustainability advocates, the editors of Rochester University’s Campus Times think that they need to tone down the delivery of the message more than a bit.
7) Despite President Obama’s determination to “reset” U.S. policy toward Russia, a political analyst for the Cornell Daily Sun can’t see any dividends and thinks we need to take stock.
8) There’s an awful lot at stake in this year’s upcoming election, and the managing editor of the Arkansas Traveler thinks that the “youth vote” can make a crucial difference in the outcome.
9) An editorialist for the Indiana Student can’t see any use for a Western Great Books program that’s being introduced at IU: what’s it possibly got to do with today’s interconnected global civilization? Several responses argue that it’s exactly what we need.
10) The members of the Westboro Baptist Church say some really obnoxious, hateful things, true enough. But hate speech is free speech, says an op ed writer for the WUSL Student, and instead of suppression, as some recommend, why not use your own rights of free speech to argue with ‘em?
11) There is indeed a growing wealth gap as noted by the Occupy Wall Street movement, but a columnist for The Dartmouth thinks OWS is far off base to blame it exclusively on the 1%.
12) A columnist for the North Dakota Student explains why Valentine’s Day really gets on her nerves.
