OPINIONS
MC vs Poway: Homecoming Showdown
Megan Beebe
With football season and fall weather building excitement around the world, high school students are getting pumped for homecoming dances. However, not every dance can live up to students’ expectations. MC and Poway, two competing high schools, both hosted homecomings that stimulated debate over which dance was better. This conversation concluded with the statement that Poway’s homecoming was superior to MC’s. Poway freshman Riley Castillo, attended both homecoming dances and had two quite different experiences to comment on. He noticed how the atmosphere of both dances greatly impacted their preferability. “The MC homecoming was super boring and there was nothing to do other than go in the mosh pit, but Poway’s had fish to look at and a deck where you could hangout and a silent disco and dj,” Castillo said. MC freshman Leena Venkatesh, also attended both dances and found that Poway’s dance had a better appeal due to the location. “MC’s homecoming was fun, but it got boring pretty fast so I only stayed for an hour. Poway’s was really fun, probably because it was at an aquarium and had a lot of food and it just had a better setup,” Venkatesh said.
The Controversy Over Florida’s New Bill, ‘Don’t Say Gay’
Addyson Dempsey
On March 28th, the Parental Rights in Education Bill was signed into a law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. This piece of legislation is otherwise known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. The bill was passed by Florida’s Senate on March eighth and pushed to the Governor. DeSantis’s controversial law will go into effect on July first of this year. This bill states that “sexual orientaion or gender identity may not [be taught] in kindergarten through grade three, or in any manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards,” according to ABC News. This bill also states that it would prohibit the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in a specific manner or in certain grade levels.
The Texas Anti-Trans Law and how it affects Trans Youth.
Nex Ganesan
On Februrary 2022, Texas began accusing families of transgender children of child abuse, with other states following suit. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to state health officials stating that providing gender-affirming medical procedures to transgender children is child abuse under state law. Under the law, doctors, nurses, and educators are now required to report parents who assist their children in seeking transgender healthcare to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). According to The Washington Post, the ACLU has filed a lawsuit against the state of Texas to stop the law from going into effect. A Texas judge has temporarily stopped enforcement. The US Department of Health and Human Services has also released a statement stating that denial of health care to transgender kids is discriminatory and prohibited under federal law as it violates Section 1557 which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex
The Rittenhouse Trial: A Rude Awakening Regarding White Privilege and Systemic Racism
Ro'aa Alkhawaja
On August 25, 2020, then-17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse traveled to Kenosha, Wisconsin in the midst of a protest led in response to a police shooting that left Black 29-year-old Kenosha resident Jacob Blake partially paralyzed. Rittenhouse released fire onto the protesters from his Smith and Wesson AR-style semi-automatic rifle. He fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz. When Rittenhouse shot him, Rosenbaum, age 36, was unarmed. The prosecution of Rittenhouse’s case argued that though Rosenbaum’s death was unintentional, the following few victims were shot with intent to kill. After Rosenbaum, Rittenhouse shot and killed 26-year old Huber and wounded 27-year old Gaige Grosskreutz. While Rittenhouse claims self-defense, according to NBC Chicago, lead prosecutor, Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger, maintains that Rittenhouse was the aggressor, charging him with one count of reckless homicide, one count of intentional homicide, and one of attempted intentional homicide.
Instagram’s Effect on Body Image
Annabelle Greene
Instagram is a heavily prevalent social media platform currently used by over one billion people worldwide. However, in recent growth, Instagram has transitioned from an artsy social app into a platform that perpetuates unattainable beauty standards. It has become less of a safe space for young and impressionable people as increasingly unrealistic expectations to obtain a “perfect body image” emerge on the platform. Many women have felt pressured to look a specific way in order to be considered “attractive,” despite the fact that beauty is relative. This “ideal beauty” standard only fits a small group of people’s opinion that social media has morphed into society’s consensus. According to a study by Mercy Multiplied, 90 percent of those who have eating disorders are women between the ages of 12 and 25. It is also important to note that 72 percent of teens use Instagram daily. There are many components that can contribute to the development of an eating disorder, especially when it comes to scrolling through an app of edited and staged photos. Obtaining and maintaining a “perfect image” on Instagram has become a social expectation for many users. Two MC sophomore students, who requested to stay anonymous, commented on the impact of Instagram on their perception of body image and insecurities. “Honestly, Instagram makes me feel pretty insecure so I try my best not to go on it that much. It sets an unrealistic standard for both beauty and body image,” one sophomore said.
The Palestinian Struggle for Liberation Affects Everyone
Ro'aa Alkhawaja
In 1948, over seven hundred thousand Palestinians were forcibly removed from their homes and ancestral lands by the Israeli military in what is now referred to as the Nakba, or the “tragedy.” Seven decades have passed, and the expelled Palestinians have yet to be granted the right of return. Palestinians who remained on their land currently face subjugation and threats of genocide under Israeli occupation. Many believe lack of direct responsibility and interest in the matter is reasoning enough for dismissal of the Palestinian struggle. Palestine is not a negligible one-dimensional issue, but rather an interdisciplinary struggle that applies to varying initiatives and beliefs. Israel’s occupation is driven by a genocidal agenda, with a regime intended to implement the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. This Zionist agenda negatively impacts spheres beyond social injustice, as it also has considerable environmental ramifications. Due to perpetual bombings and the unlawful use of toxic weapons like white phosphorus, two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are living in an open-air prison under Israeli occupation. According to the United Nations, the air is too polluted to properly host human life. Additionally, Israel’s restrictions on the entry of materials and supplies has led to a severe shortage of clean water available for Palestinians. In Gaza, conditions are so bad that sewage has entered their aquifer and is flowing untreated into Gaza’s coastal waters, damaging marine life. A study conducted by the RAND Corporation, an American nonprofit global policy hub that offers research and analysis to the United States Armed Forces, reveals that 97% of Gaza’s water is now unfit for human consumption.
Biden’s Handling of the Border Crisis
Thomas Bell
The situation at the southern border has hardly improved, leaving those seeking safety and a brighter future in a compromising position. Some politicians, like Trump and his crew, try to frame the border situation as a crisis, which while partly true is leaving out a key theme: the U.S. is not carrying through on its promise to be the shining ray of hope for people who desperately need help. With surges in undocumented immigrants, President Biden’s U.S.-Mexican border policy has been scrutinized. Rates of the number of encounters between authorities and immigrants have surpassed previous records, numbering in as many as 172,000 in March, according to the Associated Press. Additionally, the remarkable spike in border crossings has happened during just the first few months of Biden’s presidency.