Campaign funds have continuously been influenced by the numbers in the polls and proved more influential than candidates’ platform values. Most recently, we have seen Michael Bloomberg soar in the 2020 presidential election polls after self-funding over $400 million into his campaign. In October, two-thirds of the Democratic candidates spent more than they raised. Since then, candidates Kamala Harris and Corey Booker dropped out of the presidential race in December and January, citing a lack of funds as their most prominent reason for leaving the campaign trail. A presidential candidate’s chances at winning the presidency should not be determined by…
Author: Baylor Lariat
Controversy ensued in response to Feb. 12 Chapel speaker Kaitlin Curtice, an author and citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, as some students felt that she was pushing a liberal agenda, while other students believed she was only expressing her Christian views in a different way than most Baylor students would be used to.Conflict carried onto Twitter with a variety of complaints from students and even parents, one of whom even called The Lariat personally and asked if divisive speakers like this are the norm at Baylor.The reactions to Curtice revealed discrepancies in what the Baylor community believes is appropriate for…
One in four people in the world will be affected by a mental health or neurological disorder in their lifetime.While this is a widely held statistic from the National Institute of Mental Health, it does not include everyone who needs treatment to remain happy, healthy and lead a life worth living. Nobody’s PerfectAlthough many people may think they lead a perfect life, they can be proven wrong even by the words of a teenager. “Nobody’s perfect. I gotta work it, again and again till I get it right,” Hannah Montana said. Even though she is a fictional pop star living…
No matter what classes one is in, it’s common to hear sensitive topics discussed and subjects that may be triggering brought up. This is completely normal, and it’s beneficial for students to become better educated about the issues that affect ourselves and the people around us. Sometimes tough topics can be lectured about in class, a video demonstration is shown, or a guest speaker is brought in to present. All of these ways of presentation are typically well-intended—the issue lies not in difficult subjects being covered, but in them being brought up without warning. If a complex topic like domestic…
With celebrities always in the headlines and the spotlight, it’s easy to get lost in their world portrayed by magazines, news outlets, television and social media. However, we often don’t realize how manufactured celebrities’ appearances really are. The truth is that most celebrities portray a false or altered version of themselves. Although they may not mislead us intentionally, they are held to a higher standard where their imperfections are called out and criticized at a much higher extent than the average person. Behind the scenes of these seemingly perfect pictures taken by or of celebrities is often a whole team…
By Cameron Copeland | ContributorTwelve former Baylor basketball players, including Chuck Lincoln, Kerry Castleberry, Pat Nunley, Craig Kaiser, and Jay Shakir, who played together from 1978-1984, reunited Saturday to watch the No. 1 Bears take on No. 14 West Virginia at the Ferrell Center. The former players were recognized by Baylor sports announcer Derek Smith at the game during a time-out call. Shakir, who played as a point guard through 1985, said witnessing the team evolve decades later makes him proud to see what Baylor basketball has become. “To see them rise to this level that they’ve probably never been…
Subtitles are tiny. With such good movies filmed in languages other than English, it’s time for the American audience to get over the little-word hump.“Parasite” won the Oscar for best picture. It’s the first foreign-language film to win in the category in the 92-year history of the program, and it’s a major milestone for the foreign film community. When “Parasite” won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, director Bong Joon Ho got on stage and said once Americans get over the “one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles,” there is a massive number of amazing films they can enjoy.Take “Roma,” last…
I’m a bit of a Baylor nerd. I sometimes imagine myself being at convocation as Samuel Palmer Brooks Immortal Message was delivered in May of 1931. The thought alone makes me giddy. Brooks was nearing the end of his life when he wrote the salient manuscript which seems to prophetically speak to the future.“To you I hand the torch. My love be unto you and my blessing be upon you.”This past Saturday, I performed my last set as the head DJ at Scruffy Murphy’s. While I’m no university president, I can’t help but feel a tinge of what Brooks must…
By Emily Cousins | ContributorThere have been very strong reactions to Kaitlin Curtice’s chapel speech Wednesday, specifically over her prayer and the content of her message.When I read in KWTX News 10’s article and Baylor Young Conservatives of Texas’ official statement that she prayed to “Mother Mystery,” I will admit I was skeptical of her message. However, I went online and watched her entire speech in Chapel myself, and she prays to “Mystery,” not “Mother Mystery.”This discrepancy may not seem like a big deal, but it changes the whole meaning of her prayer. Some students were saying this was a…
The female body has always been something society views as taboo. In the past, it was evident in the strict concealment of collarbones and ankles. Even now, in the 21st century, these prudish restrictions on women linger within the remarks about female performers.Judging women for the way they choose to present themselves is antiquated. Some may believe they are advocating on behalf of women by demanding more modesty. This side argues that women are exposing themselves to be objectified when dressed scantily. Yet it is precisely because of the way women’s bodies have been used to justify harassment that it…
Each Senator is allowed to write a 500-word opinion within a week of any bill being voted on by the full senate body. The six Senators listed below chose to combine efforts for their dissenting opinion on the failure of Senate Enactment (SE) 67-10. This bill aimed to restructure Student Senate into a more representative body by creating seats reserved for each academic and college program, valuable student populations such as First In Line or Multicultural Affairs Coalitions, as well as five at-large seats per class.As we stand in solidarity with those whose voices are not welcomed at the table…
By Meg Peck | ContributorOn Wednesday, progressive Christian author, poet and storyteller Kaitlin Curtice spoke during Baylor’s chapel.As a multiracial woman and citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, Curtice centered her talk around decolonization and balancing her Native heritage with her Christian faith. She began by performing a land acknowledgment to recognize the indigenous people of this area. From there, Curtice explained her upbringing as a biracial person in the Midwest and evangelical church and how she reconnected with her Potawatomi culture later on in adulthood. She discussed how colonization and the removal of the Potawatomi Nation from the Great Lakes…
Since the last time the Baylor Lariat published an editorial on e-cigarettes, many things have happened:All states raised the legal age of smoking from 18 to 21 in Sept. 2019.The FDA banned certain vaping flavors. The FDA cracked down on specific vaping products, such as Juul.However, vape juice is still leaking through the cracks within the legislation. Students turned their attention from the limited Juul products and pre-filled pods to a similar product: Puff Bars. Puff Bars made it through the strict confines of laws restricting vaping and tobacco products.The quick and easy replacement of Juul proves that FDA’s legislative…
With the start of Black History Month in February, it’s a time to recognize both past injustice while also focusing on ways that we can better our nation moving forward. While our country has taken huge strides forward in terms of representation and equality for African Americans, we still have a long way to go to fully tackle institutionalized racism. In a month that celebrates black culture and recognizes both past and current injustice, it’s important to focus on ways that black individuals are being portrayed in media and pop culture, particularly as the Oscars are held Sunday. \When nominations…
The Iowa caucus was a disaster, and while New Hampshire was a simpler voting process, it still has an outsized effect on the national discussion due to its early placement in the voting calendar. The primary season needs an overhaul.Iowa is the No. 16 state for best representative of the national voting body, according to a NPR study.It’s close to the top in similarity in education level, age, income and religious fervor, but Iowa is 85% white, while America is just 60%. New Hampshire is much farther down the list, No. 49 to be exact. The state is bottom-eight in…
When Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives, Mitch McConnell and the majority of Republicans in the Senate had already made their choice to acquit Trump.While the argument was being given to remove Trump from office, many Republicans were complaining there was not enough evidence. However, these were the same people who had blocked bringing forward more evidence and witnesses in the first place.Finally, the Senate had heard both arguments, and it was time to vote to consider new witnesses and evidence. The Senate voted to not investigate further.This is the moment that will go down in history.…
The Iowa caucus results were delayed for days due to the malfunction of an app used to record votes. Throwing out traditional vote-counting methods at first opportunity for the next latest and greatest thing ideally makes life easier. However, implementing a new system should be a gradual process.The app IowaRecorder was meant to speed up the counting process so results could come in faster than ever. Instead, it quickly caused more harm than good with vote totals not being recorded or uploaded correctly.Vote reporters soon tried to revert to traditional methods of calling in vote totals, but the lines were…
The genre musicians are categorized by for Grammy nominations should be based on the music produced and not on the race of the artist. After the 2020 Grammys were given out, fans and musicians alike voiced their opinions on this year’s categories.Tyler, the Creator spoke up about this after his album “IGOR” won Best Rap Album of the Year, even though the music itself contains less than 30% of actual rapping. Tyler called the win a “backhanded compliment” in a speech after receiving the award because he would prefer to leave the rap and urban categories for a more mainstream…
Following Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing, social media has been overflown with support and reactions. Celebrities, fans, sports teams and friends of the former Lakers star have looked to social media to pay tribute and respects.However, some have taken this emotional and sensitive time to negatively comment about Bryant and his past actions, more specifically his rape accusation in 2003. Immediately following the announcement from TMZ, Twitter users began to compare his death to other celebrities’ deaths, videos claiming to be footage of the helicopter were uploaded and mentions of Bryant’s questionable actions of the past began to surface. Whether these…
The ability to be an Internet influencer lies at every smartphone owner’s fingertips. With a camera and a multitude of social media sites stored in a handheld device, content can be generated in a matter of seconds. Whenever we see oddities in our everyday life — a unicycle-rider on campus, ridiculously cute dogs, an exceptionally exotic outfit — our immediate inclination is to take out our phones to post for friends to see, too. It is a beautiful thing that technology allows us to share a moment with those who weren’t present, but sometimes we can abuse that power. There…
It still doesn’t feel real. Who would have thought someone who was invincible on the basketball court — the closest thing we have to a real-life superhero — could simply be gone because of the stroke of some truly terrible, evil luck? What’s funny, in a horribly morose way, is that I fashioned myself as a Kobe hater through all my years of basketball fandom. Being from Houston, and a Rockets fan, naturally, all the years of heartbreak and pain that man caused me simply by being so incredibly good that he could dismantle a team by himself made me…
The New York Times has recently come under fire for its endorsement of two presidential candidates, Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren. Those who are outraged claim that journalism has become too biased, but they need to realize the difference between staff desks.The endorsements were not written by reporters. Rather, they were written by an editorial board which is made up of journalists who are paid, not to objectively cover the news, but to have opinions about it. The Times defines its board as follows:“The New York Times editorial board is made up of opinion journalists who rely on research,…
Eating at college can be difficult—with the majority of students eating on a limited budget and a tight time schedule, the easiest option often seems to be grabbing a bite at Chick-fil-A or Steak and Shake in the Bill Daniel Student Center (SUB). But students shouldn’t have to forgo healthy eating for convenience and affordability. Healthy eating can lead to academic achievement in students, according to a CDC study. The document, titled “Health and Academic Achievement,” said that the “lack of adequate consumption of specific foods, such as fruits, vegetables, or dairy products, is associated with lower grades among students……
Other universities sports fans may see Baylor University as only a basketball or a football school, but there is so much more success to the Bears athleticism than is celebrated, even on our campus. A lot of other universities’ define their sports programs by the success of one main team. This could be because it’s the only field the university actually excels at, but Baylor students and alumni know that there is so much more to the Bears than football and basketball. In order to destroy others preconceived notions and stereotypes about Baylor’s pride for their teams, we must support…
In a time when news travels fast and technology travels even faster, it often seems like life can change in an instant. It takes just one post for information to go viral within minutes. Events happening thousands of miles away from you can feel very salient and personal. Headlines such as the suspected case of coronavirus on Baylor’s campus, for example, may have hit you hard and left you feeling uneasy. A push notification shifts your perception of reality instantaneously. This sudden shift can easily lead to panic and mental chaos. When something scary or dangerous happens to one person,…
What do people believe? Do they believe in a gender? A sexual orientation? An ethnicity? None of the above. People believe in ideas and values, and that’s what they should base their vote on.Bernie Sanders was recently accused of telling Elizabeth Warren that a woman couldn’t win the presidency. The only way that could be true is due to America’s obsession with identity politics, the practice of voting for a candidate that looks like or has the same traits as oneself.The phenomenon formed in reaction to the “colorblindness” policies argued by the Reagan administration. This included deregulating key points in…
Comedy can be controversial. Not everyone is going to laugh at the same jokes as you and some people may even find a joke offensive that made you laugh so hard you peed a little bit.Sometimes, comedy can cross a fine line that divides what should be joked about and what shouldn’t. It may be difficult to define where that line ends and what jokes may even go into bullying territory.The 29-year-old YouTuber and comedian, Cody Kołodziejzyk, has been accused of crossing this line twice now. Although the Canadian YouTuber makes fun of controversial videos, he has in no way…
While people often think of food and plastic waste, clothing is another item overflowing in our world’s landfills. Unlike fast fashion brands that follow ever-changing trends and are made of materials that wear out easily, sustainable brands create classic pieces that will last years. Sustainable fashion is another facet to the movement toward being more environmentally conscious.Companies like Everlane, Outdoor Voices, Reformation and Patagonia are a few examples of how sustainability is gaining momentum in the fashion industry. Brands are beginning to focus more on the environmental impact their clothing has, and in response, consumers are beginning to be more…
By Eric Tucker | Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Baylor University President Kenneth Starr joined the Trump legal team for the President’s Senate trial. Starr served as Baylor’s president from September 2010 to May 2016 and was the university chancellor from 2013 to 2016. Starr was removed from his position as president by the Baylor Board of Regents effective immediately on May 31, 2016 after findings from Pepper Hamilton law firm about Baylor’s response to reports of sexual violence. Starr resigned from his role as chancellor on June 1, 2016. In addition, Starr was a faculty member at the…
The feeling is unfortunately common — we find a position we are ecstatic to run for or a group we can’t wait to be a part of, but just as soon as we begin to prepare for the new opportunity, we discover that the spot went to someone else instead.The beginning of a new semester allows for a variety of new opportunities. With different classes and often activities to become involved in, a new semester often leads to a variety of ways to get involved in campus and work life. However, with new opportunities come even greater chances of rejection.…