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Posts published in “Opinions”

All You Need is Faith, Trust, and Lexapro

My last relationship ended a few months before the pandemic started. Just as I decided to “put myself back out there,” suddenly there was nowhere to go. But now, as the “unprecedented times” excuse looks increasingly flimsy, I am forced to confront the harsh reality that if I want to date someone again I need to do the unthinkable: go on dates.

Haitian Refugees and the Violence of U.S. Nationalism

In mid-September, more than 10,000 Haitians appeared at the U.S.-Mexico border to seek refuge in the U.S. from their unstable country. Images circulated online of U.S. border agents on horseback, whipping migrants as if they are herding cattle. As they attempt to ward off and punish the refugees for presuming that they have any right to belong on American land, it enrages me to see such a horrifying and irredeemable act of violence directed towards migrants who are simply searching for safety and stability. 

R. Kelly: Why did it take so long?

R&B music star R. Kelly was finally convicted for sexual assault, sex trafficking and sexual abuse of underage women Sept. 27 of this year. He faces life in prison and although it appears some justice has been served, I’m still skeptical. If this case is like so many others, the reality of this sentence will probably be a short period of public punishment before he’s given an ankle bracelet and sent home.

On the S.A. Allegations at UMass Amherst

How do you begin the opinion piece about sexual assault on a college campus? Maybe, if you’re like me, you’ve had a decade or so of practice in the area. You know the talking points by heart– you know that assault is especially pervasive among college students. That universities tend to prioritize their donors, not their survivors. Maybe you’re like 27% of my peers: you’re practiced at managing the aftershocks of your own assault as you navigate higher education.

Letter to the Editor

We, the Community Health Organizers, constructively disagree with the article, “How to Have a Good Convocation,” published on September 1st in The Sophian. Although we recognize that the article was not meant to be taken seriously, all Smith students have a responsibility to model safe and inclusive practices for living in community, meeting new people, partying, and participating in consensual sexual encounters. This is even more important during a pandemic, to keep everyone safe and healthy.