The Student Government Association (SGA) holds its elections every spring semester. It is tempting to look at the elections and think, “Who cares? SGA doesn’t do anything important for the university anyway, right?” SGA handles many important topics that surround our campus. Whether you believe that SGA affects your college life or not, it still… Continue reading SGA elections are too important to ignore
Category: Columns
Heartbeat bill makes sense, but can cause problems
The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat. According to The Tennessean, the 99-member House voted 65-21 despite early confusion among Republicans regarding amendments and criticism from Democrats. “Colleagues, we cannot continue to allow the slaughter of the unborn while we hope for better… Continue reading Heartbeat bill makes sense, but can cause problems
Yes, blackface is racist; old photo of governor in rebel uniform isn’t
The world of politics is a cruel and unforgiving one. No one in any sector is safe, especially if you tend to lean a little bit more right than your counterparts across the hall. In recent weeks, our newly elected governor, Bill Lee, had a photo leaked from back in his college days. Lee was… Continue reading Yes, blackface is racist; old photo of governor in rebel uniform isn’t
Destroy the political parties and save politics
All factors that equate with long-term electoral success seem to be swinging in the favor of the Democratic Party. According to Pew Research, by 2055 America will be majority-minority with groups like Hispanics and African-Americans comprising a greater portion of the population and therefore the electorate than ever before. Hillary Clinton carried those demographics in… Continue reading Destroy the political parties and save politics
Peace memorial doesn’t cross church and state boundaries
Controversial memorials have become a flashpoint in the American political realm over the past few years. Whether it be a Confederate flag flying in an old Confederate state or, a giant cross in Maryland commemorating World War 1, memorials and other symbols have been pushed to the forefront of social issues. The giant cross in… Continue reading Peace memorial doesn’t cross church and state boundaries
Equal (Draft) Rights
The time has come where men and women are truly created equal; at least, that is what a federal judge in Texas thinks. On Feb. 22, Judge Grey Miller from the Southern District of Texas ruled that the current U.S. draft policy was unconstitutional. His new proposal would allow women into the Selective Service, potentially… Continue reading Equal (Draft) Rights
Baseball is still America’s game
Growing up in a mostly blue-collar family in rural McNairy County, I had a relatively ordinary upbringing for the people of this ordinary province. My parents were divorced; we were partly-raised by our grandparents, and we were not an especially religious family. We were uninteresting in nearly all aspects, save one. The Ballards had a… Continue reading Baseball is still America’s game
Sanders’ bid for presidency puts Democratic Party at crossroads
Democratic senator and self-described Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders recently announced his bid for the highly anticipated 2020 presidential race. Sanders gained traction during the infamous 2016 presidential election, particularly in the Democratic primary. The Vermont senator, who based his anti-establishment campaign around grass-roots donations, resonated with people who felt disconnected from the government. Young people… Continue reading Sanders’ bid for presidency puts Democratic Party at crossroads
Kaepernick ends legal battle with NFL, should play again
Colin Kaepernick’s nearly two-year-long collusion case against the NFL and its owners is finally over, at least on paper. The case, in which Kaepernick alleged that NFL owners colluded to keep him out of the league, ended in a settlement on an undisclosed amount of money. In return, the NFL gets to save face and… Continue reading Kaepernick ends legal battle with NFL, should play again
Should government make weapon exporting easier?
As of Feb. 7, the Trump administration proposed a new set of rules regarding weapons manufacturers. The new rules would include lessening the requirements for gun companies to be able to sell arms overseas. As of right now, companies have to obtain a license through the U.S. State Department, which charges an annual fee of… Continue reading Should government make weapon exporting easier?