Patriotism, nationalism, loyalty, allegiance: all words with positive connotations. To support one’s country is to be a good citizen, and to do otherwise is to be unthankful and petulant. Americans either believe America is the greatest country on Earth, or they don’t—but which group is correct? Until recently it was less common for people to…
Author: Johnny Wagner
Anti-Trump group-think
Election season rages on, and at times it seems there will be no end. Tensions are rising, and drama that was once entertaining is becoming worrisome. Advocates for each of the leading candidates are becoming more and more fervent in their support, and people with opposing viewpoints find themselves constantly under fire. In this stressful…
Thinking critically about St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is here, and the spirit of the day is apparent everywhere. Shamrocks and clovers decorate people and walls, while American rivers run green with Irish pride. Similar to the way many non-Mexicans celebrate“CincodeMayo,”most of the people who celebrate St. Patrick’s Day are not Irish. St. Patrick’s Day seems like just a harmless…
Election Day should be a holiday
Tensions rise as Election Day, still months away, inches closer and closer. Super Tuesday passed by last week, and primary elections are beginning to narrow the pool of candidates to those who have the greatest chance to win. Hillary Clinton leads the Democratic Party, while Donald Trump leads the Republican Party. Clinton and Trump lead…
Privacy and the presidency
The United States was founded upon several essential ideologies. One of the most important ones is the right of privacy that is alluded to in the Fourth Amendment. Lately, however, many prominent Americans have been having their privacy stripped from them. The most relevant privacy issue right now is regarding Hillary Clinton and her email…
Could political correctness cost Dems the election?
Debating Bill Maher and George Carlin Throughout this campaign season, Democratic presidential candidates have made a point of maintaining strict political correctness. While Republicans use controversial terms like “Islamic terrorism,” Democrats refrain from using any style of language that could possibly be construed as offensive. Politi- cal correctness is central to the Democratic candidates’ campaigns,…
Chivalry is really dead
“Chivalry is dead.” It’s a phrase you’ve probably heard, referring to the opinion that men simply aren’t as honorable and gentlemanly to women these days as they once were. In the past, men were held to a high standard in regard to how they treated women. Now, however, men seem to have abandoned the old,…
The problem with B.o.B’s flat-earth rant on Twitter
Conspiracies hold back real progress Twitter and other social media sites are erupting due to a new feud between rapper B.o.B and the entire science community. The subject of the feud? The hip hop artist is promoting a theory that has been disproven for centuries — the idea that the earth is flat. It all…
Affirmative action helps to make education accessible
The practice is outdated When applying for college scholarships, there are inherent disadvantages to being inherently advantaged — and many who are inherently advantaged cry injustice. Minorities in need of financial assistance have access to funds that are otherwise inaccessible to non-minorities, and many non-minorities find it unfair. While something like race-based scholarships might have…
Reflecting on inclusivity this past Holiday season
We should strive to represent all holidays After months of anticipation then only two short weeks of vacation, the holiday season is over at last. Snow continues to fall — as does the temperature — and classes resume as usual. We have successfully survived another round of capitalism via religious holiday, and we have a…

