Opinion

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OPINION

Think, before you Uber

By Jon Spike and Samantha Wilcox | Oct. 6, 2015

In recent years, the taxi industry has been taken by storm by newcomers such as Uber and Lyft. With their user-friendly apps, strong customer service and cult following among youth, these companies seem like the wave of the future when it comes to getting from Point A to Point B. However, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to these companies, and maybe you should second-guess your decision on how you’re going to get to that party before you call Uber.

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OPINION

Abortion laws need to consider the mother

By Hae Rin Lee | Oct. 6, 2015

I am a Christian, but I support abortion. As a kid, I was taught to value lives with great care and dignity—any form of taking away lives was forbidden. One example of taking away life is abortion. It certainly is a great deal of torment to watch this helpless life end without having a chance to stand in this world, but it is also a painfully complicated issue for others as well. Because abortion is not all about the death of a baby before birth. It is a great tragedy for all parties involved in the process of conception and process of controlling the fate of the potential life.

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OPINION

Catholic Church struggles to retain LGBT-supporting millennials

By Jack Kelly | Oct. 5, 2015

A historic and highly controversial event occurred on Saturday, Oct. 2: Monsignor Krysztof Olaf Charamsa, a Polish priest who served with the Vatican’s doctrinal arm, was released from his duties within the Vatican. This dismissal came following Charamsa’s public announcement of his homosexuality.

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OPINION

Property owners should be able to exercise control

By Tim Heinzel | Oct. 5, 2015

Giving private businesses the right to “discriminate” (control who they conduct business with) isn’t about discrimination—it’s about private property rights. Fighting for social justice, equality, and tolerance is a very noble cause, but there comes a point when passing legislation to attempt to make things right actually makes things wrong.

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CAMPUS NEWS

How labels ruined my Greek experience

By Marisa Bernstein | Oct. 5, 2015

Congratulations! You have all survived the beginning of another school year at UW-Madison. For freshmen, that meant waiting in line until your calf-high sock tan lines fade just to board the elevator on move-in day. For others, it meant lingering on that treacherous intersection on Charter Street to see if you could score some free tuition. And, for some, the new school year meant Greek recruitment.

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OPINION

Understanding the plight of a left-handed individual

By Cal Weber | Oct. 4, 2015

I’ve always been pretty average. I’m a white, middle-class male, maybe a little taller than most people. But I am special in one way. I’m one of the 10 percent of people in the world who are left handed, and let me tell you, it sucks. You know how Madonna said that she is a “Material Girl” living in a “material world?” Well, I’m a left-handed boy living in a right handed-world; we are the 10 percent.

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OPINION

Gun control deserves serious attention

By Sebastian van Bastelaer | Oct. 4, 2015

A mentally unstable man opened fire at a school this past week, ending the lives of several people and tragically changing the lives of countless others. President Barack Obama spoke about the need for reform. The flags flew at half-mast and vigils were held. After a few days, the memory of the incident faded into obscurity for most as the country moved on to the next big news story. Sound familiar?

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OPINION

Sexual assault dialogue demands inclusivity

By Theda Berry | Sep. 30, 2015

It’s difficult to read campus newspapers recently without seeing accounts of sexual assault, yet the reactions of women on campus have been missing from this deluge of media. Whether the articles in question have been reports on the alarming number of campus assaults, accounts of local atrocities like the rape and near-homicide that occurred on the Capital City Bike Path, discussion of college surveys on the topic, news of reactionary student organizations or opinion pieces, these stories have not represented the fear and disgust expressed in conversation by many of the women I know.

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SCIENCE

Letter to the Editor: The strange silence about climate change policy and the looming apocalypse

By Ryan Reszel and Benjamin Zycher | Sep. 29, 2015

I kid, of course: Silence is the last adjective one would use about climate policy, except with respect to such minor parameters as the actual benefits of various policy prescriptions and the actual evidence of climate impacts, about which more below.

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OPINION

Unplug and reconnect with the world around you

By Samantha Wilcox | Sep. 29, 2015

For the first time in 33 years, the sun, moon and earth aligned perfectly in a row, bringing us a super moon total lunar eclipse. Such a rare and awe-inspiring event deservedly attracted lots of hype around the world, with billions of people looking up to see the cosmic beauty.

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OPINION

Move into adulthood on your own time

By Cal Weber | Sep. 29, 2015

I’m currently lying on my floor, next to a bowl of mashed potatoes, while my Adele album plays in the background and I neglect all of my responsibilities. My thoughts are wandering from school stress to student loans to the fact that I eventually have to grow up one day. One crucial question crosses my mind: When do you officially become an adult?

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OPINION

Debunking common myths about the minimum wage

By Brittany Schoepp and Tim Heinzel | Sep. 28, 2015

Economic fallacies seem to be ingrained in the minds of many Americans. According to economically illiterate individuals, so-called “greedy capitalists” would pay each of their workers one cent per hour while raking in massive profits unless we have a minimum wage. Additionally, children would totally be working 12 hours a day in coal mines without the presence of child labor laws. Fortunately, none of these horrific myths are true.

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FOOTBALL

Enjoying Badger sports does not require athletic fanaticism

By Lilly Hanson | Sep. 27, 2015

If you would’ve asked me a year ago where I would place myself on a scale of 1-to-10 regarding my viewpoint of sports, I probably would’ve placed myself very low (low meaning that even though I enjoy attending sporting events, I don’t really have a passion for them).

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OPINION

Criticism of Sanders misses the mark historically

By Elijah Gray | Sep. 27, 2015

The article entitled “Sanders’ socialism falls short” that appeared in the Sept. 23 issue of this paper provides poignant insight into the degree to which Bernie Sanders detractors are blind to historical economic trends and the success of socialist principles around the world. In the article the author purports to put backers of Sanders’ aims for things like universal healthcare and free college in their place by noting that these programs would cost money.

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OPINION

'Voluntourism' blurs the lines

By Jessica Gartner and Sebastian van Bastelaer | Sep. 27, 2015

A brave soul stands in front of the class, waiting for his time to shine. Once the murmuring dies down, he jumps into an energetic, well-rehearsed pitch for his volunteer group, spewing examples of adventures to be had and sights to be seen. He passes out a collection of colored sheets that reiterate his point, leaves and finally lecture can begin.

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OPINION

How I gave back to my community by joining City Year

By Houa Vang | Sep. 23, 2015

A few months ago friends and family would ask me what I was going to do this year. I would answer, “Just City Year, an Americorps program.”

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OPINION

Walker’s absence harmful for Democrats

By Molly Reppen and Ben Miller | Sep. 23, 2015

Monday night, Democrats across Wisconsin cheered as Gov. Scott Walker officially announced he was ending his 2016 presidential campaign. The decision came after recent polls showed Walker with less than 1 percent of the vote. However, if you are a Democrat, now is not the time to be celebrating. In fact, you should be bracing yourself for the worst. It all comes down to one man: Marco Rubio.

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OPINION

Feminist progress needs to go further

By Natalie Maczuga | Sep. 23, 2015

I was recently sitting in a class centered on the issues that men and women face, including social injustice, inequality and gender forces among other things. In the midst of discussion, I heard a comment that made my head turn: “There has been progress, so why can’t we be happy about the progress that’s been made?” The simple answer: because it is not enough.

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OPINION

Trump's policies reflect un-American ideals

By Samantha Wilcox | Sep. 22, 2015

When I was in the second grade, I came home from school with an assignment to research a significant historical figure. Naturally, I contemplated researching heroes such as George Washington and Martin Luther King Jr. But, when I shared this plan with my mother, she told me to research a significant woman in history.

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OPINION

Sanders' socialism falls short

By Tim Heinzel | Sep. 22, 2015

A lot of UW-Madison students and a significant portion of the American public are considering supporting Bernie Sanders in his bid to be the next president, and it’s not surprising that he’s gaining so much support. After all, who wouldn’t want free healthcare, free college, a guaranteed living wage, guaranteed paid vacation and renovated national infrastructure? No one, right?