Opinion – Northern Iowan

Are TV shows effective teachers?

October 14, 2019

It seems like the perfect innovation: a device that provides entertaining, interactive education to your child 24/7 free of cost (with the exception of the monthly cable bill, of course), allowing you to safely plant them in front of the screen while you work or savor your free time. While early TV...

Companies need to distinguish between platform and publisher

COLIN HORNING, Opinion Columnist

October 14, 2019

In the year 2019, it’s easier than ever to share your opinions and express oneself for the entire world to hear, thanks in large part to the Internet and social media companies who have provided the masses with services that allow a virtual free-speech platform. A little over a decade ago, it was basi...

New political ideology is needed

MOHAMMED RAWWAS, Opinion Columnist

October 10, 2019

The standard liberal dogma suggests that the barrier to combating climate change is the fact that conservatives in the U.S., and especially Republican politicians, do not acknowledge the scientific fact that climate change is occurring and is caused by human activity. We are constantly being told that...

Observing Jesus as a political figure

CALEB STEKL, Opinion Columnist

October 10, 2019

Christianity gets a bad rep these days, especially among left liberals who think that any religiosity whatsoever is inherently oppressive, anti-feminist and most definitely patriarchal. Having a god is the ultimate recipe for disaster, both politically and socially. Does not the history of Christianit...

Mental health deserves more

ABIGAIL BENNETHUM, Opinion Columnist

October 7, 2019

As a society, we have done some amazing things to destigmatize the topic of mental health. In 2019, it is more accepted and more people are being educated on how to either help a loved one or help themselves. People are realizing that it is not a light switch that you can simply switch off, and how we ...

Be mindful of the effects of climate change

KEVIN WIGGINS, Opinion Columnist

October 7, 2019

Sexing up history is something that historians have struggled with for generations. Of all the dogmas of history, the fall of Rome has been a focal point of Western fascination since time immemorial. One of the most recent and brilliant products of this fascination is Kyle Harper’s “Fate of Rom...

Impeachment not to be taken lightly

COLIN HORNING, Opinion Columnist

October 3, 2019

The topic of impeachment has been circling the news cycle over the last few weeks due to a phone call in which President Donald Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding relations between the two nations and the investigation of 2020 presidential candidate and former Vice Pres...

How the anti-vax movement harms autistic people

EMERSON SLOMKA, Opinion Columnist

October 3, 2019

Throughout my life, it has always been apparent that I was a bit abnormal. Since I was a child, I’ve been faced with an inability to make eye contact with others and have always struggled in social situations. Classmates considered me a freak, while teachers were simply puzzled. Then, at the age of 1...

Failure is necessary in politics

CALEB STEKL, Opinion Columnist

September 30, 2019

Samuel Beckett, one of the most prolific writers of the late 20th century, wrote a paradoxical yet absolutely true statement: “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” This mantra has been taken up by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs as a business practice, a slogan to remind them of the resilience require...

Wellness Services: homecoming safety tips

Guest Column

September 30, 2019

Editor’s Note: This guest column was submitted by Student Wellness Services. As the centennial homecoming celebration draws near, consider making a homecoming safety checklist to ensure you are able to have a fun and safe time throughout the week! Homecoming goes beyond the game. If you choose n...

The ‘gift’ of western democracy

MOHAMMED RAWWAS, Opinion Columnist

September 26, 2019

You wake up late one Saturday morning. You get out of bed and brush your teeth. You step outside to grab your mail. As you open the door, you vaguely see something gliding in the pale blue sky of spring above Suburbia, Iowa. You see a package drop from the unidentified flying object to the idyllic w...

Women’s rights is a logical deciding factor

Letter to the Editor

September 26, 2019

Editor’s Note: This Letter to the Editor was submitted by UNI Professor Emeritus of Marketing, Steve Corbin. Passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920 gave women the right to vote, yet they remained relatively quiet at the polls for decades. But, in every presidential election since 1980, women have...