Opinion Columns
Toe the Line: College Republicans | Gun control
Due to the most recent Oregon shooting, the nation has begun its recurring, but short-winded debate about how to fix our “gun problem.” Those on the conservative side of the spectrum tend to emphasize the need for better treatment of mental health and the need for the protection of the Second Amendment: the peoples’ right to bear arms.
Titus Adkins | Dear Alec Ward, your freedom of speech is safe
Alec, before I begin I’d like to say that this is not an attack on you, but on your harmful and racist views.
Theodore L. Caputi | The Netter Center of learned optimism
What makes certain people stand-out performers? For years, I’ve tried to pinpoint common qualities among high achievers.
Ravi Jain & Sonia Sidhu | Minority mental health
As Penn students, we care a lot about careers. On-campus recruiting seems to be on everyone’s mind as lunch time conversations turn to resume formatting or company culture and dinner plans are cancelled to attend info sessions
Gina Elias | Procrastinators, unite!
When it comes to the virtue of “industry,” Ben Franklin’s language is clear: “Lose no time.
Louis Capozzi | A royal 'Bern'
The coronation has been scheduled. For months, the media has declared Hillary Clinton the inevitable nominee, while the Democratic Party has actively protected her by limiting the number of debates and obstructing other candidates from entering the race.
Alec Ward | The illiberal impulse
As The Daily Pennsylvanian reported last week, a group of students at Wesleyan College stole and destroyed a press run of the college’s student newspaper, The Wesleyan Argus.
Clara Jane Hendrickson | Let them do their job
If Pennsylvania House Bill 262 becomes law, employees of adult entertainment establishments will have to pay $50 to register with the state, including a copy of photo ID, personal criminal history, eye color, hair color, stage names, height, weight, personal address and phone number.
Emily Hoeven | Intellectual weight-lifting
Building intelligence is like building muscle. You don’t get stronger from lifting weights that are easy for you to lift. You get stronger from lifting weights that are a bit too heavy for you to continuously lift comfortably.
Toe the Line: College Republicans | Immigration reform
"As the son of an immigrant family, I am happy to be a guest in this country, which was largely built by such families." Pope Francis said in his opening remarks to his trip here in the United States last week.
Toe the Line: Penn Democrats | Immigration reform
As the 2016 presidential campaign has progressed, it has become clear the issue of immigration represents one of the fundamental differences between the Democratic and Republican Parties.
Vaios Triantafyllou | Papacy under the microscope
Last week, during the pope’s visit to Philadelphia, much of the city was forced to shut down (as happened in New York and Washington, D.C.) The events took place despite the existing separation between church and state and the fact that less than a fourth of U.S.
Jeremiah Keenan | Not a chance
Many believe that the Theory of Evolution scientifically confirms a strictly materialistic view of the origin of life.
Theodore L. Caputi | Separation of schooling and state
Sen. Elizabeth Warren recently wrote an op-ed about her plan to mitigate America’s $1.2 trillion student loan burden by imposing fines on universities whose alums are unable to pay off their student loans.
Ravi Jain | Understanding Ahmed’s Story
The incredibly strong social media response in support of Ahmed Mohamed may seem like an indication of a changing tide in United States attitudes to Muslims, but the handcuffing itself is evident of an entrenched Islamophobia that will take many decades to heal.
Gina Elias | Smart compromise
Most of us students face the problem of constantly feeling that there is not enough time in the day to get everything done that we need to.
Louis Capozzi | A wholly political pope
The arrival of Pope Francis in Philadelphia last weekend was a mixed blessing. While the Pope’s arrival christened a classless Friday at Penn, the pomp surrounding his visit created a trinity of chaos, store closings and traffic.
Alessandro van den Brink | Give the pope a chance
By the time this article is published, Pope Francis will be in Philadelphia. While that may excite a huge portion of the school, as it should, I’ve noticed that there’s a portion of students that have simply been uninterested in the pope’s arrival simply because they’re not religious.
Toe the Line: Penn Democrats | Syrian refugee crisis
The United States government should welcome any person seeking refuge, provided they do not pose a threat to our national security or to the public safety.