It seems like every day I turn on the news, I don’t like what I see. I read headlines and get angry and worried about what is happening in my country; yet I turn away, I keep scrolling, I think ‘there’s nothing that I can do’ and instead watch cute puppy videos to cool my rage.
The next day, it’s more of the same. Once again, my anger builds, and I cannot stand to sit by hopelessly praying that the good guys win while the bad ones simultaneously throw their hands up in defeat. I must do something, no matter how small, to stand up for what I believe in.
Luckily for me, The Daily Cardinal Opinion page has been the perfect place to express my frustration.
If you’re like me, a worried student and proud citizen of the United States, I encourage you to share your beliefs as well. Trust me, it’s therapeutic.
It doesn’t matter who you are; whether conservative or liberal, freshman or fifth year, majoring in physics or philosophy; you still have an opinion about something, and we want to hear it.
It doesn’t have to be about politics, either. If you think the food sucks in the dining halls or all the UWPD does is pass out breathalyzers, write about it. If you think the Terrace sold out by letting Reebok peddle sportswear all summer or that the scum on Lake Mendota is starting to grow legs, write about it. If you’re mad that your tuition money is getting spent on a new SERF that won’t open until after you graduate, write about it.
The Opinion page is an amazing resource that far too few students utilize. It is a platform shared throughout the campus community that gives a voice to young punks like me that want to be heard.
You can shout your opinions from the top of Bascom or tweet them at your 300 followers, but they are more official and respectable when they come printed on the thin gray paper of an actual newspaper.
In a democracy, the press is the voice of the people. While it is vital that the news desks report unbiased, balanced stories, here on the opinion page we have much more fun because we tell how we really feel.
In the end, I don’t really care if anyone agrees with, or even reads, my articles. My grandma likes them and that’s all that matters. I’m here because I’m tired of watching from the couch as the country I love takes a downward spiral.
Every time I turn on the news I don’t like what I see. The president tweeted something stupid or did something petty and unnecessary to make himself feel like a big man. Our country is being run by an egomaniac and the media cannot help but follow his every move. The people of Flint, Michigan are still drinking lead and the start of the school year will surely bring more school shootings. Nazis are marching in front of the White House while FOX reports on the killer immigrants but ignores the black kids getting killed by cops. The president’s former lawyer and campaign manager are now convicted felons, yet he calls the news media "the enemy of the people" shortly after saying he trusts Putin as much as his own intelligence agencies.
These are not normal times we are living in and I refuse to pretend things are okay. I funnel my fury through my fingertips so that one day I can look back and remember that I did what I could to stand up for what I believe.
I invite you to join us. I’m not much more than a college kid with a laptop. To you, my opinion may not matter, but yours certainly does. Write about it.
Peter is a senior studying journalism and English. Send any comments or questions to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
