ARTICLES

02 Oct, 2017

DACA Donald Trump announced the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), a policy established by the Obama administration to give some individuals who immigrated to the United States as minors the opportunity to defer potential deportation and obtain a work permit. About 800,000 people – referred to as “Dreamers” after the yet-to-pass DREAM Act – were protected by DACA. Ending the program means that no new individuals can enroll and that those who are currently covered

16 Sep, 2017

While fireworks were ablaze in cities across the United States, perhaps the most important July 4th blast came from the decidedly un-American city of Panghyon. This test, not the first but easily the most alarming of its kind, legitimized the North Korean claim to an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). By definition, a ballistic missile gains the title of ICBM when equipped with the ability to attack within a 5,500 kilometer range. North Korea’s new missile, the Hwasong-14, was reported

13 Sep, 2017

Michigan billionaire, conservative activist, and now, Secretary of Education. In February, Betsy DeVos swung into Trump’s cabinet in a flurry of controversy, particularly surrounding her lack of experience in education. While “potential grizzlies” and a historic tie-breaking vote placed by Vice President Pence may be in DeVos’ past, college looms in my future. That’s why nearly 4 million high school seniors are asking the question: is DeVos making the right moves for our higher education?

06 Sep, 2017

Becca is a white female. She’s about to enter her senior year of high school. She wants to make the difference in the world;her sights are set on Harvard. She has a pretty impressive list of extracurriculars: captain of the varsity volleyball team, debate champion, president of her school’s chapter of the Red Cross. But despite all of her accomplishments, she no longer stands out in the cutthroat college application process. In an attempt to make herself shine in her application to Harvard,

31 Aug, 2017

Unite the Right Rally & White Supremacy A white supremacist rally called “Unite the Right” took place in Charlottesville, Virginia as part of a string of protests against the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue. The rally drew a crowd of counterprotesters. During the protests, a car drove into a group of counterprotesters, killing one and injuring 19. There was also smaller-scale violence between protesters and counterprotesters, which was eventually shut down when the police declared the protests

30 Aug, 2017

I'm writing this as a student, Texan, and American. I am terrified that, in the face of one of the largest humanitarian crises our nation has ever faced, too many of us are doing nothing. Here's why we all need to care. As a Category 4 storm, Hurricane Harvey has brought about 130-mph gusts of wind and waves of destruction rarely seen before. It is the strongest hurricane to hit Texas in 56 years and has devastated the coast with powerful waves and winds. The hurricane is projected to produce

27 Aug, 2017

Back in 2010, the voices of gun control advocates continued to be drowned out by gunshots, until there was one that could no longer be ignored. In 2011, US Representative Gabrielle Giffords’ constituent meeting was the target of a lethal mass shooting. Six died that day, while fifteen others suffered non-fatal injuries. Thankfully, Giffords survived the attack. Soon after, she became an advocate for gun control measures to help prevent any potential future shootings, including curbing magazine

22 Aug, 2017

On April 14th, 2016, Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders squared off in a fierce televised debate moderated by MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow. The two candidates traded barbs throughout the night, most notably in a tense exchange where Hillary Clinton criticized Bernie Sanders for acting like a gatekeeper on who is and isn’t progressive. Since then, debate has raged throughout the Democratic Party about the wisdom of so-called “litmus tests,” in which support for a candidate is

09 Aug, 2017

On the matter of foreign policy George Washington once said, “Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all.” Some 200 plus years later Donald Trump replied via Twitter saying, “Mexico was just ranked the second deadliest country in the world, after only Syria. Drug trade is largely the cause. We will BUILD THE WALL!” From the president’s powers to the president’s image, modern-day American presidents greatly differ from our Founding Fathers. Up until

02 Aug, 2017

Most terrorist organizations don't possess significant amounts of prime land, aren't well-funded through natural gas, and certainly don't have a growing social media presence. The Islamic State, however, is hardly a typical group of terrorists. For the first time in history, the world faces a terrorist organization whose operations are practically self-funded, and whose capacity to spread anti-western sentiment is unparalleled. The Islamic State, however, isn’t the only group setting new