As we prepare to graduate from Concordia College, we leave with one mission in mind: to influence the affairs of the world through responsible engagement (to this end I am helped this week with information from Kalkidan Molla). Most African Cobbers have been part of or have seen the political, economic and social injustices that…
Author: Howard Mukanda
Catalog diversity or hypocrisy?
A year ago, I was not happy at how Concordia overlooked the presence of minority students; we used to see minority students clustering together in DS, class and almost everywhere people gathered. This year, it seems this issue is being addressed. In last week’s Concordian issue, I saw two remarkable articles, one of them titled…
Hate for hate
“Sin is Sin” and “The Innocence of Muslims” are extremely different cases that came into the spotlight as a result of social media. What we see, however, is the public response to these issues is not appealing and that leads me to ask: why do we respond to “hate” with animosity? How about dialogue instead…
Adios, Amigos
It’s been fun. We are glad to have known you and we wish you all the best. Somehow we know that no goodbye can say what needs to be said, how just a few words can tell what a heart feels. You’re unable to completely close one door and only willing to crack open another,…
Do we need Laundry View?
Imagine the laundry machine texting you to let you know that your laundry is done. Just imagine being able to see from your laptop which machines are in use and which ones are not, gaining the ability to reserve a laundry machine without leaving your room. This service can easily be made available by using…
How can we keep our faith?
Last week was Easter. Many students went home and spent some time with families and friends. For those who are Christians, Easter was a great time to reconnect with their faith and appreciate the gift of life that Christ has given us. College is a thrilling experience and a period for both academic and interpersonal…
My response to Kony 2012
When the Kony video went viral on Facebook, I was one of the first people to watch it. Hours later when I opened Facebook, there was an outcry from most of my friends literally begging every living soul to watch the Kony video. The video was well produced and incredibly compelling, eliciting a visceral emotional…
Social media’s double-edged sword
Recently, social media has transformed us into a generation of super-empowered individuals. We are now able to broadcast our ideas, images, videos and opinions with the click of a mouse. The size of our potential audiences and the speed with which we share information are increasing daily. We can support charitable causes, speak out against…
Why we need more de Klerks
With ongoing catastrophes around the globe, the world needs more selfless men and women: people who are willing to go beyond their comfort zones to pursue justice and perpetuate a better life for others. One of these people is Nobel Laureate F.W. de Klerk, the key speaker at this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Forum at…
We are all responsible for peace
The world is different now; with the introduction of democracies and the United Nations, our thoughts about wars and diplomacy have progressed. Intolerance of ethnic and racial differences has diminished considerably in this century, and, most importantly, people are beginning to understand that nations don’t cause wars; it is us as individuals who suppress peace…