up for debate Tag

Posted On June 18, 2014By Caitlyn DavisIn Issues, Opinion, The Scene, Up For Debate

Rape Culture & How You Can Stop It

I’ve seen a lot of articles recently regarding ‘rape culture,’ and while many of them are poignant, thought provoking pieces that really contribute to the cause of stopping said rape culture, there are several articles out there that take the term to the extreme, making women out to be victimized. In my opinion, this further propagates rape culture by taking arguments and pushing them to extremes. So I made a handy list, which in my opinion, outlines some of the topics that help call out and end rape culture, andRead More

Posted On June 11, 2014By Caitlyn DavisIn Politics, Rants, The Scene, Up For Debate

Edward Snowden: A True Hero (We Hope)

“Being a patriot doesn’t mean prioritizing service to government above all else. Being a patriot means knowing when to protect your country, knowing when to protect your Constitution, knowing when to protect your countrymen, from the violations of and encroachments of adversaries. And those adversaries don’t have to be foreign countries.” – Edward Snowden     All of Snowden’s actions, up to this point, indicate that he is one of the few people who knows what our government is capable of, and has our best interests in mind. There areRead More
So, lets talk about this Bowe Bergdahl business. Or rather, I’m going to tell you why you should be mad about it. You don’t have to agree; in fact, if you have a dissenting opinion, please share it below. But in my opinion, this is the situation as it stands.   Our President, Barack Obama, released five high-risk Guantanamo Bay Prisoners in exchange for one American Soldier. At first, that doesn’t look so terrible. So our price is 5:1. That doesn’t mean much if it means that one of ourRead More
Today is perhaps the greatest era of social commentary, even more so than just yesterday. We live in a world where everyone is a publisher and one-to-many-communication is the easiest it has ever been. Of course I am talking about social media. Any single person has the opportunity to express, document, and publish their view on anything – this restaurant, that movie, what your girlfriend did, how pretty your dog is. Lighthearted, flippant posting is great social fun, but challenging hard issue on social media brings a new level of responsibility to theRead More
By now we’ve seen the headlines.  We’ve scrambled to make sense of a horrific act of violence that brought a quiet college town to its knees.  We’ve cursed, we’ve mourned and in the case of us Gauchos, we’ve stood together – wounded but unified – in the wake of unspeakable tragedy. Last Friday, a gunman drove through the UCSB beachside town of Isla Vista slaughtering six and wounding thirteen more before turning the gun on himself.  Hours before the event, he uploaded a video explaining the reasons for his attack. Read More
Last week, indie rock superstars Arcade Fire unveiled the music video for their song “We Exist.”  Released May 16th, it is described by the band as “the story of a young person’s struggle with gender identity” and stars Andrew Garfield of Amazing Spider-Man and Social Network fame.  Garfield is shown shaving his head, donning a wig and going out to a bar where he is victimized and beaten by the patrons before being resurrected at the band’s Coachella set. While intended as a shot of support for the trans community, the bandRead More
Former NFL players are a mess. Whether their plight is due to too many concussions, poor financial choices (2 years after retirement, an absurd 78% of NFL retirees are bankrupt or in debt), or now, painkiller addictions, the NFL stars of yesterday seem destined to spend their elderly years in poor physical, mental, and financial health. This week, it came to light that a group of eight former NFL players are suing the NFL, alleging that the league “illegally supplied them with risky narcotics and other painkillers that numbed theirRead More
I’m not a football fan. I have no desire to watch games on TV, and if drug to a live game, I will promptly grab the strongest drink that I pass and enjoy myself in that way. Football, for me, means alcohol and socialization, not watching a game. But, when something like Michael Sam’s media coverage is plastered on my Facebook and Twitter, I have to pay some attention; it’s the price of wanting to stay current. So naturally, I have some opinions. Apparently, Michael Sam was recently compared toRead More

Posted On May 13, 2014By Renée RapinIn Buzzworthy, The Scene, Up For Debate

Killer Robots Are Our Future

I know everyone is really excited about the robot hype in Japan. Asimo is so cute and it’s super cool to watch him run and jump and do tricks! I know we humans are happy to think we’ll have extra robot hands help us around the house or at work, etc. However, did you know the UN is currently debating whether or not we should have killer robots? And by killer robot I mean a fully autonomous weapon that can select and engage targets without any human intervention. So, RED FLAG.Read More
Before I start here, let me be clear: I’m an ardent supporter of gay rights. I believe that being gay is no more of a choice than being white, black, brown, or blue. I believe that gay people are absolute equals in society, and should be treated accordingly. I’ve voted in support of gay marriage every chance I’ve had. And perhaps most on-point, I believe that a gay football player is just as qualified to be in the NFL as a heterosexual player. And that brings us to Michael Sam.Read More
We have movies called “Friends With Benefits,” “No Strings Attached,” “Sex Drive,” etc., but why? These songs on the radio are all about sex and blowing and sucking and licking. Don’t get me wrong, I am a pleasure seeker myself. As humans, that is something normal for us. What isn’t normal, to me, is how much it is broadcasted. I like sex just as much as the next person, but what happened to being in a committed relationship where sex actually meant something? Call me old fashioned or call meRead More

Posted On April 9, 2014By Shannon FolsomIn The Scene, Up For Debate

Dear Millennial Women, Get a Grip

Please note: It is highly recommended that you step off your Pussy Riot pedestal prior to reading this article. Now, ladies: We do not shed all responsibility for our actions the moment we start drinking. Responsible adults are able to make responsible decisions. “I was SO drunk” is not an excuse. You do not become a victim the moment you suck down your first vodka tonic. Women love to blame men for just about everything that happens during a night out, but let’s be honest—you know your limit and ifRead More

Posted On April 8, 2014By Anthony KozlowskiIn Issues, Rants, The Scene, Up For Debate

Who’s to Blame for the Deltopia Riot?

College life has always carried a certain image.  Sure, there’s the prestige, honor and the promise of higher learning, but deep down we all think of one thing whenever our alma mater is brought up. Blame National Lampoon, Revenge of the Nerds or any movie ever made about college, but overall, the media presents the best four years of our lives as the most wasted years of our lives.  Depending on who you are, where you are, or what frat you’re in, that may or may not be the truthRead More