Perspectives

I am not a collection of parts.  I am a human being with autonomy, a free mind and full command of my personhood and my dignity. Some have tried to tell me that this is only true if I follow certain societal guidelines for how a woman should dress and behave, but I know it to be a constant and immovable fact. I am never an object to be conquered or dominated. If I am dressed … [Read more...] about Society should not blame the victims

An opinion column published in the Oct. 25 issue of the Graphic, “Racy Halloween costumes could attract unsafe attention,” has drawn widespread criticism for its choice of language and called our staff to consider the importance of word choice in conveying intended meaning. The article, written by a staff writer, argues that racy Halloween costumes could be unsafe for women … [Read more...] about Language should reflect ethical standards

‘Tis the season. No, not Christmas season nor even the season of other proper holidays like Thanksgiving or Daylight Savings . Indeed, those lovely days will be coming soon. Has anybody else noticed the pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks or the sweet promise of winter break just around the corner? Added to that, cold northern winds are blowing across the bluffs to prompt many a … [Read more...] about Nam Knows Best: Formally Yours

These were the wise words that Dean Hall used to open our Listening Summit last weekend. The idea of the Listening Summit is to bring us together with Italian university students and listen to each other to gain a better understanding of one another. We talked about domestic politics, foreign policy, culture and the economy. Somewhere in the midst of all this academic talk, … [Read more...] about 'Listen Deeply. Speak Kindly. Love Generously.'

A Missouri pastor named Phil Snider recently made waves when he delivered a speech at the Springfield City Council that began as an attack on gay marriage but underwent an unexpected 180 degree turn as he concluded by advocating for marriage equality. I would encourage you to watch the video yourself, to experience the full impact of the surprise plot twist, but in short, he … [Read more...] about Conservatism takes a turn for the better