Over the past few years, the United States has been hit with many terrorist attacks, but the majority of those acts of violence have not been labeled properly. Common conceptions of terrorism in the United States take the form of international terrorism, such as the attacks on 9/11. In contrast, the FBI defines domestic terrorism as “perpetrated by individuals and/or groups inspired by or associated with primarily U.S.-based movements that espouse extremist ideologies of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature.”Acts of violence perpetrated by white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other alt-right groups account for 71 percent of extremist-related deaths…
Author: Baylor Lariat
The sorority encouraged students to wear their Sunday best for a good cause.
There have been 308 mass shootings in the United States this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. One of the most recent shootings claimed the lives of 13 California residents while they were out dancing at a country bar. Before that, 11 were killed in a Pittsburgh synagogue as they were worshiping. Before that, 10 at a high school in Texas. This editorial is constantly relevant, and that’s because gun violence is a near-constant issue. Each time people die due to gun violence, we see the same cycle: People hear reports of a shooting — immediately, they jump to…
In this episode, our anchors cover the suspicious package found outside of Tidwell Bible Building last Tuesday, the upcoming Baylor opera show and the football team’s chances against the up-and-coming Iowa State Cyclones.
Whether you realize it or not, we all consume art daily. From photography and cartoons on social media to YouTube videos to music on Spotify. These platforms have made it easier than ever before for creatives to share their artistic expression with the world, but at a dangerous price — free. This distinction is increasingly important, as social media has made us more and more accustomed to getting artistic content for free. As the consumers of these artistic products, we also have the ability as consumers to become patrons of the arts. Of course, some of these artists like YouTube…
Far too many times, we put ourselves into boxes — male, female, Christian, non-Christian, Democrat, Republican. There are so many boxes we can fit into, and it greatly determines how we see ourselves and others around us. This is shown through either inadvertently or consciously stereotyping the people we interact with every day, even in the context of churches in Waco. When we encounter someone on Baylor’s campus, one of the most popular questions to ask is, “What church do you go to?” It’s considered a conversation piece, but more than that, it’s a way for us to gauge who…
By Emily Honeywell | ContributorFor Baylor students, the phrase “ring by spring” brings about many different emotions. This idea is widely known across campus: If a couple is dating by the time they graduate, the expectation is that they should get engaged. This stigma leaves people in one of two places. Those in relationships face the pressure to know who they’re going to marry at age 22. Those not in relationships feel their college career was unsuccessful if they have not secured a spouse during their four years at Baylor. This expectation of Baylor students puts unnecessary pressure on students…
By Josh Burton | ContributorThe Baylor Lariat Editorial Board published an editorial on Oct. 23 titled “Feminism deserves more than one year.” It was a well-written article that highlighted important feminist issues and stated that although this year has been dubbed “The Year of the Woman,” there is still much work to be done in the years to come. However, this editorial was written as a letter addressed to women, and I see no reason to limit the content of the editorial to a female audience. Unless the feminist movement does a better job of enlisting the support of men,…
By Aaliyah Miller | ContributorIn the editorial, “Complaining about stress shouldn’t be a competition,” the message was clear that comparing what you do to your peers has a negative effect on yourself. Specifically, by comparing each other’s workloads — making it a challenge to see who has it worse.With finals season approaching, I do feel that this is an issue that is going to become more apparent as time goes by. Ever since high school, people have compared themselves to one another based on looks, personality and clout. But now in college, there are a lot more stressors other than…
In a special election broadcast, our anchors cover McLennan County’s reaction to Ted Cruz’s narrow win over Beto O’Rourke, how Democrats clinched control of the House while Republicans held onto the Senate and more.
Either from parents, siblings, mentors or friends, we have all heard it countless times: “Soak in college. It goes by fast.” Eventually, the overused catch phrase loses its meaning. But students should take a step back and embrace the underlying truth behind the saying.We are currently in a period of our lives that can often lead students into the false feeling that we have all the time in the world. Youth feels like a renewable resource that will never run dry. But this is simply not the case. Here are a few sobering thoughts to consider: Seniors in college are…
Story by LizzIe Thomas | Staff Writer, Video by Melanie Pace and Emma Whitaker | Broadcast Reporters After a close race that has brought a debate for Texas identity and values to the forefront, Rafael “Ted” Cruz has been re-elected to the US Senate, beating Robert “Beto” O’Rourke by 2.6 percent statewide and 23.26 percent in McLennan County. Cruz is widely known for his tough stances on gun control and immigration. With the win, Cruz kept alive his hopes of mounting a second presidential run once Trump leaves the White House. In his victory speech, Cruz said his win affirmed…
Baylor started the game on a 24-0 run and never looked back
Story by Raegan Turner | Staff Writer, Video by Kennedy Dendy and Jenna Welch | Broadcast Reporters Tuesday night, Wacoans and Baylor students alike gathered across the city to track the live updates of the U.S. Senate election. Incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz won the election with 51.2 percent to Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s 48.1 percent, as of 11 p.m. Tuesday with 84 percent of precincts reporting. One of the several watch parties in Waco was organized by Portland, Ore., senior Eric Soo, the president of the Baylor College Republicans. The event was hosted with the McLennan County Republican Party,…
By Bailey VanNatta | ContributorI grew up in a very conservative Republican home. I considered myself a Republican until the 2016 election when I realized something fundamental: The Republican Party, since being overtaken by Trump in 2016, seems to not care about the needs of others. It is a very “me”-driven party.You can go on and on about how the Republican Party is pro-life and how the Democratic Party is Pro-choice to try and prove that the Republican Party cares for others. To quote Ted Cruz, “every human life is a precious gift from God.” I completely agree with that,…
Google staffers showed amazing international support for women all over the world Thursday as they participated in a walkout to voice their anger about the company’s arbitration policy. The company’s policy demands that any harassment disputes are dealt with internally rather than through other methods, such as the courts.Critics of forced arbitration say it is used to not only protect the reputations of both the company and the accused, but to also silence sexual harassment victims who are unable to appeal against decisions or take further action. The arbitration policy actively silences women by not giving them a chance to…
Story by Harry Rowe | Staff Writer, Video by Kennedy Dendy | Broadcast Reporter A rogue adult diaper near Tidwell Bible building led to a campus visit from the McLennan County Sheriff’s office bomb squad. The diaper, wrapped in white tape, was first reported to the Baylor University Police Department, who received to a call from a concerned member of the Baylor community. They responded and investigated the package, but did not find anything wrong with it. “We responded and we did an initial assessment on the package, and there was no indicator that this package was a threat to…
By Megan Rule | Contributor This year’s midterms are highly contested, drawing crowds in for early voting the size of those that come out during presidential election years. States that have historically been staunch Republican or Democrat now have races that could swing the other way. The push to vote is stronger than ever, with a lot at stake including the House and Senate majority and a chance to control the nation’s capital for the next two years. Many factors come into play, including hot topics such as healthcare, immigration, the recent nomination of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the Trump…
Story by Bridget Sjoberg | Staff Writer, Video by Emma Whitaker | Broadcast Reporter Homecoming weekend is an important moment for many in the Baylor community, but proved to be particularly special this year for the Baylor class of 1958, who celebrated their 60th class anniversary. The alumni celebrated this reunion with a dinner at the Baylor Club at McLane Stadium on Friday evening, as well as with some members who walked and rode in Saturday’s homecoming parade. A few members held a banner with the class motto “We’re the greatest of the great, we’re the class of ’58, and…
By Cameron Stuart | Radio Director When the United States was in its infancy, a government was established, the likes of which would become revolutionary. The idea of representative government and democracy in the highest order was all to counteract the absolute tyranny suffered under the imperial reign of King George III. All these grand new ideas of freedom, liberty and happy pursuits were forged in the U.S. Constitution, the document that, in my humble opinion, is the most important piece of literature in American history. What the Constitution does not explicitly mention, however, is the idea of executive actions.…
The Big 12 recently fined Baylor $2 million by for “reputational damage” to the conference as the result of Baylor’s sexual assault scandal. Baylor is also under investigation by the NCAA, the Department of Education and the Texas Rangers. The Big 12 is not the party that has suffered damages due to Baylor’s gross mishandling and cover-up of sexual assault on campus. Victims of sexual misconduct here at Baylor have suffered in a tangible, life-altering way. We ask that Baylor match any fines it pays with donations to organizations that aid sexual assault survivors. No one can make Baylor do…
By Whitney Johnson | ContributorWith midterm elections coming up, the political climate has heated up nationally, regionally and locally. The big question is: Are you a liberal or a conservative? But the real question should be: Why should it matter? The political spectrum gets more polarizing daily, but everyone loses sight of the main goal: to better America as a whole. The Texas Senate race has been one to watch. Rep. Beto O’Rourke of El Paso faces Sen. Ted Cruz for the Texas Senate position. With everyone keeping an eye on politics, our society has become divided. I hope that…
Baylor MA Friday worked to bring awareness to this years elections by showing the true professionalism of people of color on campus.
By Claire Crites | ContributorOne of the newest members of the Trump cabinet, Robert Wilkie, was sworn in this past July as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA). In this position Wilkie will have to directly face the current contentious debate over how veterans are able to receive mental health care. According to the National Institutes of Health, 18 to 22 American veterans commit suicide daily. It is clear that veterans are not receiving the mental health care they deserve. Veterans statistically face a higher rate of mental health issues and suicides than their civilian counterpart but receive less access…
In this week’s episode, our anchors cover Thursday night’s fatal car wreck on the I-35 near campus, Baylor Homecoming details and the upcoming men’s and women’s basketball seasons.
Story by Brooke Hill | News Editor, Video by Julia Lawrenz | Broadcast Reporter Saturday’s halftime show will be a unique collaboration between two musical student groups, a capella group VirtuOSO and the Baylor University Golden Wave Band, featuring music from the Tony-award-winning musical “Hamilton.” Dr. Isaiah Odajima, Director of the Golden Wave Marching Band, said the band had already decided to collaborate with VirtuOSO before the specific idea of doing a Hamilton show came about. “We always like to do something special for homecoming, and we haven’t collaborated with anyone in the School of Music for a while with…
Nominees for Homecoming Queen and her Court describe the tradition and their roles in Baylor’s Homecoming Week.
By James Worsham | Contributor When I enrolled at Baylor and registered for my first semester of classes, I found it burdensome to have to take core curriculum classes that I didn’t see as important to my education. However, reflecting on my time here, I came to appreciate these classes, and have arrived at the conclusion that core curriculum classes at Baylor University fill a very important role in a student’s education and should not be reduced. In the first place, the truth is that not every college graduate ends up in a career directly related to their chosen field…
“Purity culture” in the evangelical church can be harmful, not by supporting and advocating for chastity but by weaponizing it. This school of thought disproportionately and negatively impacts women. Purity culture emphasizes virginity until marriage and often implies that a woman’s worth is found in her purity. Purity culture claims that women’s bodies and clothing can cause men to “stumble” with lust. Rather than placing the responsibility for sexual thoughts or actions on the man or boy who enacts them, purity culture places the responsibility on the woman or girl being looked at and lusted after.If women’s bodies are blamed…
The support the #MeToo movement receives is unfairly limited by partisanship. If we more thoughtfully considered the reality and complexities of the experiences of sexual assault survivors rather than using divisive rhetoric, we would be able to engage in a more productive conversation and find more communication between opposing sides.Since the prosecution of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and popularization of the #MeToo movement in October 2017, YouGov’s poll on behalf of The Economist found a “small but clear shift against victims.” The poll demonstrated an increase in the percentage of people who think false accusations of sexual assault are a…
