Opinion Columnists
Louis Capozzi | Tread on Me
While only 11 percent of Americans identify as ideological libertarians, they could make or break the race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
Benjamin Zou | A more colorful palate
I refuse to allow Western attitudes convince me that to be male and Asian is to be inherently and non-negotiably unattractive.
Isabel Kim | In one ear and out the other
Bemoaning the fact that “you can’t trust the news” is immature, rooted in the expectation that everyone universally is trying to be accurate — not trying to sell you something. Interaction with media is a two way street, and there is no excuse for pinning all the blame completely on newspapers.
Louis Capozzi | Another brick in the wall
There’s a wall at the center of the 2016 presidential election, but Mexico has nothing to do with it.
Jack Hostager | A crisis we don't own
The problem with the way that we discuss mental health at Penn is that we emphasize the “at Penn” part far too much. In doing so, we have tricked ourselves into thinking that mental health is specifically a Penn problem.
Senior column by Clara Jane Hendrickson | Thank you and farewell
When I arrived in Philadelphia, the airline lost my luggage. I remember the first time I made my way down Woodland Walk (before construction began on the new dorm).
Amanda Reid | What is Penn pride?
College acceptance has always been tied to pride, whether it be personal or school- oriented. The acceptance email for Penn is delivered in an unshakably triumphant Quaker fight song, heralding the shedding of new skin, ushering in a community that will soon be yours.
Joe Tharakan | Reflections on a year at Penn
As a junior transfer student, I have the unique perspective of having gone to Vassar College, a small liberal arts school which is in many ways the polar opposite of Penn. The joke I like to tell about Vassar is that “It’s a small liberal arts school, which is very small, very liberal and very artsy.” The entire Vassar student body is the size of one year at Penn.
Alessandro van den Brink | Keeping it civil
Like those at most northeastern universities, many of Penn’s students are liberal. Because of this, I wasn’t surprised when I read an article in The Tab called “What it’s like being a Republican at Penn." The writer interviews a member of Penn College Republicans who details some of the abuse he’s received simply based on his political orientation, including a moment in which he wore a College Republicans tank and was told “I can’t believe you’re wearing that.” The one part of the interview that seemed out of place and inaccurate, however, was when the anonymous Republican claims, “I believe conservatives are very tolerant of liberals while liberals are very intolerant of conservatives.” While the rest of the piece is a glowing endorsement of bipartisan thinking and respecting opposing viewpoints, this sentence simply throws across an unsubstantiated stereotype that really isn’t true.
Alec Ward | It's a shame
It’s been a tough week, and it’s only Wednesday. Everyone had too much end-of-semester work to enjoy the nice weather over the weekend, Donald Trump W’68 won the Pennsylvania primary, and the DOJ launched a ludicrous and unconstitutional attempt to criminalize academic open expression. If you, dear reader, read this column with any sort of regularity, you can likely guess that I could write angrily about any of these at length.
Emily Hoeven | You are what you think
When I applied to be an opinion columnist a year ago, I wasn’t quite sure if I fit the mold. Most opinion columns I’d read, whether in The Daily Pennsylvanian or in national newspapers, were about politics, economics or controversial things.
Cameron Dichter | Do we need a new party?
After struggling in recent primaries, Donald Trump has turned to one of the more popular phrases of this election season — “the system is rigged!” Of course, there’s a reason that line of rhetoric has been so effective.
Clara Jane Hendrickson | Taking women seriously
“This is good. These girls always think it will help to talk to the press, and every time they come off looking cheap.” This line from “Confirmation,” a docudrama about the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings has stuck with me for days.
Louis Capozzi | Dumping democracy
While this line was spoken by "House of Cards" character Frank Underwood, this sentiment is increasingly common in political discourse at Penn and around the country.
Alec Ward | Words, words, words
In the short span of time since the Penn community received the tragic news that yet another student had taken her own life, there has been an outpouring of grief and resolve to take steps to prevent future losses.
Amanda Reid | What kinda Asian are you?
In today’s racial climate, which has seen a lot of division, tension and revolt, it always seems difficult to insert the “Asian” voice in the dialogue — partly because Asian is an umbrella term.
Meerabelle Jesuthasan | Maintaining painful legacies
Student suicides feel strangely distinctive on campus. AP journalism guidelines state that generally, suicides are not newsworthy “unless the person involved is a well-known figure or the circumstances are particularly unusual or publicly disruptive.” In this university bubble, however, each suicide resonates.
Ben Facey | Everyone is a journalist
Since deleting the Facebook App on my phone — something I suggest all of you do as well because it will add literally hours to your battery life — I rarely get the pleasure, well, displeasure of scrolling through my Facebook feed.
Alessandro van den Brink | #FreakingOut over freaking out
Last week, I read an article by Scripps College student Sophie Mann which made the bold claim that feminists — and liberals in general — equate victimhood with status.