Oscar Berry, Opinion Editor
January 31, 2019
Filed under Opinion, Opinion Pieces
As I sit here on January 13th, the federal government has been in a state of partial shutdown for 23 days. The President’s promise of vetoing any spending bill without significant funding for the construction of further barrier infrastructure along the southern border and the Democrats’ refusal to grant him any such funds, have led to this impasse, and the disastrous effects are already beginning to be felt. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees, without paychecks, find themselves unable to come to work or are working with rock-bottom morale and lowered effectiveness.
January 31, 2019
Trump shocked the world on December 19th when he announced via a video on Twitter, “We have won against ISIS. Our boys, our young women, our men—they’re all coming back, and they’re coming back now.”
Levi Herron, Metro Editor
January 31, 2019
Filed under Opinion, Opinion Pieces
Last November, a Christian missionary named John Chau was killed while attempting to make contact with an isolated tribe in the Bay of Bengal. This tribe, the Sentinelese, live on a small island in the Andaman and Nicobar chain. Nearly every attempt to interact with the Sentinelese by those outside the tribe has been met by a hail of arrows. By landing on the island, Chau ignored the obvious wishes of the Sentinelese to have no contact with the outside world.
January 31, 2019
Every few months, Community Meeting is extended to a full hour, classes are shortened, and a conversation begins—it’s become increasingly common with each passing year. Introduced in 2016, Community Conversations (commonly known as X-Blocks) are aimed to tackle issues affecting the school community and provide a means for students to discuss their own opinions in a safe and structured environment. While such goals are laudable, the end result has been the reverse; instead of bringing critical issues to the forefront, most X-Blocks end up devolving into inside jokes. In short, these overly-scripted discussions trivialize very real issues.
January 31, 2019
In Cambridge, we pride ourselves on being a hub for a diverse range of people, places, and experiences. Many praise the city for its apparent ability to maintain an “ideal balance” between innovation and support for our diverse population. But it often seems that in an effort to grow, the city is leaving its people behind. Recently, I was reminded of this emerging gap in Cambridge politics when I learned my neighbors are in danger of losing their family home.
Jairee Torres, Contributing Writer
January 31, 2019
Filed under Opinion, Opinion Pieces
For the past several years, the use of detention as an immigration enforcement strategy has increased drastically. Immigrants, asylum seekers, and lawful permanent residents are being detained for long amounts of time despite the fact that there is no reason to think that they are dangerous to society. Detainees are treated like convicted criminals, and are often placed in solitary confinement regardless of their age or health.
January 31, 2019
Some believe he is Barack Obama but white. Despite narrowly losing his Senate campaign in Texas (48% vs. 51%) to Republican Ted Cruz, Beto O’Rourke has entered the spotlight as one of the more exciting Democrats for 2020. While O’Rourke has not officially declared his candidacy, many Democrats and donors think that he could be the future of the party. Unlike President Trump, whose policies on immigration and “Dreamers” make no sense, Beto provides both clear and fair solutions.
December 20, 2018
As I set out to write this article, I felt like the Grinch: just another climate article bringing sad news and taking away holiday cheer. But fear not, for I found that holiday waste is much more within our control than other issues, and it can easily be tackled at the individual level!
Oscar Berry, Opinion Editor
December 20, 2018
Filed under Opinion, Opinion Pieces
From the election of far-right nationalist Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil to the retrenchment of the Chinese state to the institutional abuses here in the United States, 2018 was a bad year for democracy. So too were 2017, 2016, and, arguably, 2015. In fact, most historians agree that since the economic recession in 2008, democracy itself has been going through a recession of its own.
Ella Spitz, Contributing Writer
December 20, 2018
Filed under Opinion, Opinion Pieces
As we are nearing the holiday season, people are beginning to spread joy by giving presents to their loved ones. Stella Jacobs ’21, currently enrolled in Jewelry Making, spends her time crafting rings, earrings, and bracelets. However, instead of keeping her class projects, she says she tends to give them away as presents to her friends.
December 19, 2018
Our CRLS Student Government started the year with momentum and enthusiasm. Within the first month, we facilitated several successful fundraisers to ensure that we can put on fun events this year that will be more affordable. If you stopped by Lizzy’s Ice Cream or bought any gear, thank you!
November 29, 2018
On October 28th, Jair Bolsonaro defeated Fernando Haddad in the second round of Brazil’s presidential election. Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain, will be sworn in as the president of Brazil on January 1st.
Bolsonaro has been dubbed the “Brazilian Trump” by some, but I find that this comparison fails to grasp just how destructive the President-elect can be for Brazil.
