With the recent outbreak of a novel coronavirus, there has been a drastic increase in concern about how to handle the spread of the disease. The origin of the outbreak is believed to be a wholesale market in Wuhan. According to The New York Times, Chinese government officials have “called for an overhaul of environmental… Continue reading Coronavirus paranoia unfounded, based on speculation
Category: Viewpoints
Holding out hope for unity in United Methodism
Matters of religion, like family and politics, sit particularly close to the heart. For many people, their religious tradition is the cornerstone and foundation of their lives, helping to instill them with a sense of belonging, meaning, and purpose. When fissures start to form in the familiar doctrines and trusted religious institutions, a question emerges:… Continue reading Holding out hope for unity in United Methodism
Paying respects to Kobe Bryant
It’s been a somber couple of days in the sports world, transcending all sports and affecting fans across the world. Kobe Bryant, former NBA superstar, along with eight others, including one of his daughters, was taken from this world too early in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Jan. 26. Bryant, a five-time… Continue reading Paying respects to Kobe Bryant
Gun-rights protests in Virginia a model for peaceful activism
Americans throughout history have stood up for their rights. At times, the cause of freedom seemed to require armed revolt, as in the case of the American Revolution or in the various armed, popular uprisings in the history of the republic. Yet, we at The Pacer believe we speak for the majority in maintaining that… Continue reading Gun-rights protests in Virginia a model for peaceful activism
Sparknotes: an obstacle to serious learning
With the start of a new semester, many students are returning to some reading-intensive classes. Perhaps you are a history or English major and you are up to your eyeballs in biographies and novels to read, or maybe you’re in another field but have found yourself taking a few 200-level English courses to satisfy some… Continue reading Sparknotes: an obstacle to serious learning
Student trustee to fellow UT students: Let’s work together
Dear Students, My name is Spencer Ammen, and I have the privilege of serving as the Student Representative on the UT System Board of Trustees. I wanted to take the time to write this letter to explain what exactly the UT System Board of Trustees is, my role as Student Representative and some of the… Continue reading Student trustee to fellow UT students: Let’s work together
State legislature wrong on same-sex adoption
The Tennessee state legislature has now passed a bill that would allow adoption agencies to deny gay couples over religious and moral convictions. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is expected to sign the bill into law, and his office has told reporters Gov. Lee will be signing the bill as soon as he returns from a… Continue reading State legislature wrong on same-sex adoption
Don’t count on your draft number coming up anytime soon
While tensions with Iran seem to have abated, the sheer deluge of World War memes and semi-ironic videos produced about the younger generation’s simultaneous apprehension and delight at being conscripted into combat got me thinking about what the prospect of a mass draft in the modern era would even look like. We are, it goes… Continue reading Don’t count on your draft number coming up anytime soon
Cheating on an Astro-nomical level
The Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB) have been labeled with one of the worst names you can have in the sports world – cheaters. Recently, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred released a nine-page report on findings from an investigation into claims that the Astros used video surveillance technology in their 2017 World Series run,… Continue reading Cheating on an Astro-nomical level
White Supremacy and the Need for a Required Class in African American History
On Nov. 19, 2019, just before the Thanksgiving break, flyers appeared on the UTM campus asking if students were “proud to be white?” and suggesting that if they were, they should “contact like-minded people,” giving a website address. More disturbing still these white supremacists circulated a second flyer at the same time – this one… Continue reading White Supremacy and the Need for a Required Class in African American History