Letter to the Editor: The de-recognition of SJP is a blatant violation of student rights and free speech
Dear Brandeis community,
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Dear Brandeis community,
Context: Rather than focusing on a specific political proposal from the news, necessitating thorough background, we will focus on the broader, more existential argument over the retention of capital punishment.
There is a familiar feeling of anticipation leading up to winter and spring school vacations. However, Brandeis seems to disregard the notion that its hard-working students should actually be able to enjoy their well-deserved time off.
When thinking about the topic of Affirmative Action, buzzwords such as reverse racism; privilege; and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion often come to mind, and it’s not always so clear what the actual definition is.
What can be said about the first year experience? Perhaps there is little of the topic I can touch upon. I can’t talk about everyone’s experience — only my own. In my experience, it’s been a wild ride to say the least. The transition from high school, to college is significant, especially since I never went to a boarding school and it’s my first time being away from home. I feel as though I have been at Brandeis for both a couple of months and only a couple of days. Each day is busier than the last, making it feel as though I have been here forever, when in reality it’s only been a handful of weeks.
As students, we get a number of emails from President Liebowitz about the pertinence of world news to the greater campus community, affirmations that higher-ups at the University know and understand how the events going on in places around the world might affect the student body. From a hyper-sensitivity to U.S. News Rankings to a declaration of going to the White House to meticulously surveilling the national media coverage on Brandeis’ response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, we are at times perhaps over-aware of what exactly the University thinks of events occurring outside the so-called “Brandeis bubble.”
In the spirit of transparency — something that has been far too difficult to come across these past few weeks — I feel as though it is important to emphasize that this is a quasi-response to a piece published in Forum last week.
Dear readers of the Justice,
Picture this: It’s Sept. 11, 2001. Planes just crashed into the twin towers. In the following months, Congress authorizes President George W. Bush to use any force he deems appropriate and retaliate against Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. The “War on Terror” is announced and the U.S. begins airstrikes against targets in Afghanistan before invading.
“Midterm season” at Brandeis always seems to span an obscure time period starting as early as the end of September and ending with Thanksgiving break. Across many departments, midterms are scheduled at random points, and there is no set deadline or time period for midterms. Since midterms come in the form of exams, presentations, essays, assignments, and more, this period is a trying and stressful time of the semester for everyone, including students and professors.
Since last semester’s tumultuous housing selection process, the issue of student housing has been at the forefront of our minds. Though worries remain regarding the potential of a housing shortage in the future, it is also important to acknowledge the housing problems that Brandeis students are facing in the present.
Context: On Sept 30, with no time to spare, Congress passed an appropriations bill in bipartisan fashion, averting a government shutdown for at least 45 days that would have seen an estimated 3.5 million federal workers either furloughed or working without pay. In response to the bill’s passage with Democratic votes, among other disagreements, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) initiated a motion to vacate the chair of (oust) the House Speaker. The motion passed passage on Oct 3 with eight Republican and all present Democratic votes , ousting Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). This marked the first of such removals in US history. In this special edition, Gaughan will argue in favor of the decision to oust McCarthy, while Granahan will argue against.
As a humanities student, I tend to be in classes that are mostly female students, particularly in my journalism courses. On one hand, I feel a sense of empowerment in that there are individuals like myself who are interested in and want to be involved in the journalism sphere. However, it also makes me wonder about the newsroom dynamics in our contemporary society. How are women being represented in the journalism sphere? How does the media capture this perspective?
As a daughter of immigrants, attending a top American university was a lifelong dream. I longed for the chance to participate in what I imagined were the highest levels of intellectual discourse.
In the wake of the conflict in Israel and Gaza and the brutality we have all witnessed this past week, the Justice editorial board would like to offer our most sincere condolences towards anyone and everyone impacted by the war. This board condemns violence in any form and any justification of said violence is unacceptable. We understand that the Brandeis community is shocked and shaken over the many lives that have been lost already and that will be lost, and we extend our support in this difficult and horrific moment. If you are particularly struggling, please take the time to support yourself. If your studies are being affected by what is happening, be transparent with your professors and seek support.
Context: By the end of the 117th Congress, a new high of 21 members of the U.S. Senate’s Democratic Caucus had voiced support for abolishing the Chamber’s unlimited debate rule, otherwise known as the “filibuster.” Established in 1806, the rule was meant to eliminate subversions of Senate debate, while ultimately allowing any member of the Senate to delay a vote by continuing to speak for as long as possible. Currently, the rule enables any senator to hold up most Senate votes unless 60 members vote to advance invoking “cloture” without need for actual deliberation on the floor.
Dining is an important part of campus life and discourse and has undergone many changes with the start of the year. One of the biggest updates was the switch from Starship to Grubhub as Brandeis’ main food order and delivery app, in addition to the new “All Access” meal plan. As with any new system, there is always room for improvement, and this editorial board would like to provide some suggestions regarding the new dining experiences.
While it is true that the Black community is not a monolith, there is value in highlighting our shared Black experiences, as they unite us as a people.