opinion
Opinion pieces from the left, right, and everyone in between.
5 Pandemic Changes we ought to keep (and 3 that need to end immediately)
COVID-19 is not the only disease out there in the world. Even as vaccines bring the pandemic under control (but it is not over) that doesn’t mean that we should aim to get everything back to the way it was in 2019. Even though this last year has been defined by illness, its been one of health for me. This last year I haven’t had a cold once, I’ve never gone that long without one. That was kind of nice, maybe we shouldn’t give up all of our social distancing measures. Here’s some changes that should stay:
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in The Swamp
Can Writers Be Apolitical?. Top Story - April 2021.
Short answer: no. No, they cannot. Long answer: it's a little more complicated than that. I find discussions of politics to be incredibly fascinating. Maybe it's because I study in a program heavily based on politics and write about current affairs every day. Growing up, I was privy to a phrase that rings in my ears to this day. Three things you never talk about: money, politics and religion. I have to say, even as a child, I thought this was a weird turn of phrase. On the smörgåsbord of interesting conversational topics, why is politics off limit? What about politics triggers our delicate sensibilities and makes such topics untenable?
By Laquesha Bailey5 years ago in The Swamp
Isn't That Your Job?
While I sit at home and contemplate my life, as I’ve had ample time to do this past year, I’m reminded of my first semester at Simon Fraser University. Back then I was 19, bright-eyed and blissfully unaware that I would be completing my university studies from the comfort of my living room. My first class at Simon Fraser was Criminology 135: Introduction to Canadian Law and Legal Institutions and my professor was a stern man who had once been the Attorney General. I loved it. So much so that I began doing things like drinking coffee and pulling all-nighters to ensure that I performed well because, like everyone says, “college is where it really counts”.
By Zachary Bennett5 years ago in The Swamp
You Are Part of the Problem
I have a few things to say here, and I’m not sorry. This stuff is really bugging me; the cognitive dissonance is strong (and I don’t know why it’s not the same for those of you for whom this applies). Holding such starkly opposing views so strongly should cause cognitive dissonance... and if it doesn’t, there’s some work you need to do. There are a lot more examples than just those listed here, and I’m sorry if I missed yours, but writing all these out is depressing.
By Jenn Kirkland5 years ago in The Swamp
What Would I Say To Our Country? We Must Do Better!
America, it's time to do three things. Redesign, Rebuild, Reclaim! The words can mean many things. They are by themselves verbs, or transitive verbs if you wanted to get technical. They’re also when put together, a mission statement for anyone that has suffered a failure, a loss, or fallen on hard times. Let’s face facts. In today’s world, we now need more strength than at any time in recent history. We’re all going to suffer from the rapidly changing universe we live in and our lives will inevitably be affected by the sudden change in both our immediate world, our communities, our country, and unfortunately, I do believe our planet.
By Jason Ray Morton 5 years ago in The Swamp
