PARTING SHOT: Getting into my groove
By Nazar Aljassar | April 27, 2017Thank you to all who have been with me on my journey.
Serving the University Community Since 1890
Thank you to all who have been with me on my journey.
We as students may not have the power to effectuate change within local law enforcement systems. But we can use our resources to make other members of the community safer by making them more aware of their legal rights when encountering police officers.
Defenders of the liberal arts should oppose and look down on courses such as “Game of Thrones” because they dilute the value of a rigorous liberal arts education.
I am glad our police officers regard student safety with such great importance, but I am troubled by what appears to be an inequitable enforcement of laws in Charlottesville.
Candid speech, while admirable, is no excuse for a politician’s ideological shortcomings. In the case of Trump, his tendency to “tell it like it is” does not redeem his toxic misogyny, nativism or jingoism, none of which sound better coming from a foghorn than from a dog whistle. What people like Trump and his supporters fail to understand is that political correctness is not some trivial issue manufactured by the left to restrict free speech or thinking.
There currently exists a disjuncture between the proportion of Americans who are willing to donate their organs and those who actively register to become organ donors. Many polls and surveys demonstrate that the majority of Americans would be willing to donate their organs upon death, yet only about 45 percent of American adults are registered donors.
The national conversation surrounding campus fraternities, wrapped in the mantle of elitism, neglects the benefits that our fraternities provide to their members and the University at large. For many people, participation in a fraternity provides them with opportunities for personal development and peer support. The fraternity as an ideal, rooted in shared values of brotherhood and character, is worth our pursuit.
The BSA makes a fair point. I do not think the Rosa Parks piece would have been published with stronger black representation in The Cavalier Daily. Somebody along the editing chain would be aware that the article is inappropriate. If I can extract anything from the publication of the April Fools’ articles, it is that the paper’s demonstrated lack of sensitivity toward issues facing minority communities is a natural consequence of homogeneity in our staff. We lack the minority representation to be able to effectively do what we do.
To be clear, I don’t mean to say that the Guide Service shouldn’t receive a space on Grounds to perform its functions as a tour-giving organization. I think the Guide Service is one of the most necessary organizations on Grounds particularly given its role in preserving the history of our University. Over the past few years, the Guide Service has made significant strides in addressing slavery at the University in its historical tours. Additionally, tour guides are often the first faces that prospective students see when they come to Charlottesville.
Injustices associated with law enforcement affect all, but black Americans are by far the greatest victims. It would be dishonest to neglect differences in the way black and non-black bodies are treated by American institutions. The very fact that certain people are able to ignore racial disparities and declare that all lives matter demonstrates that not all lives matter the same.
