Browsing: Points of View

The first thing that needs to be addressed about leggings is that they are not pants.

This is a fact that several people seem to be adamant about.

If you’re unfamiliar with the fashion trend, leggings are a tight, stretchy and usually black article of clothing, most popularly worn with an oversized T-shirt, sweater or dress.

The 14th anniversary of the Columbine shooting occurred last Saturday. As we remember the tragic massacre, we should remember it as it was and avoid perpetuating myths.

Dave Cullen’s book “Columbine” demonstrates the consequences of media misinformation. The book’s glowing reviews and awards from many sources are a testament to his extensive research.

My mom says she, along with countless other parents in Oklahoma City, were in a panic, scrambling to make sure their children were safe. I was 2 years old when it happened, and so naturally I have no exact recollection of that day.

The tragedies occurring in Boston on Monday and West on Wednesday have brought to light the several devastating things that can happen in societies not only across the world or in third-world countries, but also right here at home. My heart has gone out to the people who have suffered and are still suffering and it amazes me every day the generosity and kindness that human beings can show toward their fellow men and women.

Back in February, I received an email from my roommate. In the subject box, she typed “Thought you might get a kick out of this!” In the email was a link to an article published in the Daily Illini, the University of Illinois’ equivalent to the Lariat. The column, which ran Feb. 19, was titled “Student Athletes: The Kings and Queens of Campus.”

I was intrigued.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been asked what I think defines me. And for as long as I can remember, my mother has told me that I am a black woman first and foremost in all things. I have taken this to heart especially with the realization that even after decades of fights for equality both white and black America still has a prevailing tendency to alienate, demean and dismiss black women.

In the coming weeks, students around campus will prepare to leave Waco to spend their summer vacation at home with their families. Others will continue to take classes at Baylor, working towards, completing their degree. But wouldn’t it be nice if we could do both?

Concealed carry laws: They’re all over the news.

Congress can’t come to consensus on the issue. Here’s the answer: Texas should secede. Then we will be free to make our own laws. It’s the only logical solution.

This morning while I was getting Starbucks, the cashier annoyed me to no end.

Why, you may ask?

She was just too excited. She had the biggest grin on her face, like giving me my Passion Tea drink was just the best part of her day. I do believe it could have been me not having enough caffeine in my body at the time to deal with someone’s exuberance, but it was also the fact that since I wasn’t in a good mood, anyone else being in that good of a mood was just annoying.

Last week, the Associated Press deserved the criticism it received when it adapted the official AP Stylebook to exclude the phrase “illegal immigrant.” Arguing the world “illegal” can only describe an action, the AP instead mandated writers use “living in or entering a country illegally or without legal permission.”

The change affects hundreds of newspapers across the country, as AP Style is the industry standard for journalism.

Education is a right that many people take for granted, which is sad because people in other countries dream of that opportunity. As college students we should understand how valuable education is because it allows us to get ready for the real world.

April is National Sexual Abuse Awareness month, and it provides an opportunity to highlight sexual violence as a preventable problem.

Almost everyone has talked to someone who has been a victim of sexual abuse or sexual assault, whether you knew it at the time or not.

A bill that advanced through the state Capital yesterday would cut the amount of time necessary to earn a concealed handgun license by more than half.

The bill, proposed by New Braunfels Republican Sen. Donna Campbell, would reduce the class time necessary to get a CHL to a measly four hours because it’s apparently “long, redundant and boring” to spend the requisite ten hours learning how to properly and responsibly carry a potentially deadly weapon.

The airline Samoa Air is introducing a new flight-pricing program today. Passengers are to pay based on their combined personal weight and luggage weight in kilos.

Chris Langton, the head of the airline, has been quoted on several different news sources, including Australia’s ABC Radio, that this program is “the fairest way of traveling.” “He also said: “Airlines don’t run on seats, they run on weight.”

Schools are meant to keep their children safe, but one school district in Maryland has taken this duty too far.

St. Mary’s County school district has proposed a ban for elementary schools on hugs or pushing children on swings between parents and children who are not their own.

If I were anything like the Tyler Perry version of black women, I would be a loud, sassy, wisecracking, no-nonsense woman. However, those who know me best know I am nothing like that. I am a quiet, sometimes sarcastic, some-nonsense-talking young woman.

The migration of women from the workforce into business ownership is one of the great economic realizations of the American Dream. The U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce has grown to more than 500,000 members. Most of our members are small business owners. And we aren’t opposing an increase in the minimum wage – we’re supporting it.

If you would have asked me to run the Bearathon last year, I would have wondered why you were talking to me. Prior to the Bearathon, I had never run more than five miles at once. But what seemed like an impossible dream became reality as I was inspired to run the Bearathon this year because of an insight my professor, Dr. Jeter Basden, gave in the Introduction to Ministry class.

Education reform may be one of the few political issues that appears to have bipartisan support. That being said, solutions so far have failed to achieve encouraging results.

Especially alarming is the fact that increased funding seems to have no effect on solving the problem. Since 1960, real (inflation-adjusted) education spending per student has more than tripled. However, test scores and graduation rates have not seen any improvement.

I’m sure almost all of us have seen a dead squirrel or two. Driving down the road is the prime time to see one. I can’t be sure, but if you’re from Texas you’ve probably seen more dead armadillos. However, being from Georgia, I’ve seen hundreds of dead squirrels over my lifetime.

Environmentalism is a growing trend. Since global warming appeared in the national spot light, more states and cities have started green initiatives.

Austin is the latest example. You won’t be hearing people asking if you prefer paper or plastic in Austin grocery stores anymore. The city effected a bag ban March 1. It’s called the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance.

There are hundreds of types of them, several colors, prices and sizes. You can get accessories, apps and attachments. E-readers have been very popular in the last few years, and there are also several opinions about them.

Sports media is dominated by ESPN. Its round-the-clock coverage on Sportscenter, paired with its engaging talk shows, such as “First Take” and “Pardon the Interruption,” constantly serves multitudes of sports fans around the world.

Though ESPN has always been my go-to channel when turning on the TV, lately it’s been disappointing.

Imagine yourself lying on an ice-cold bed with tubes running throughout your body as you begin to wonder if you’re going to make it. You stare out the window wishing you could be free and enjoying life. While this may sound depressing, it is the sad reality for many cancer patients.

At Baylor, sometimes the names can be a bit confusing.

For example, the English department is located in the Carroll Science Building, there is no fountain on Fountain Mall and nobody knows what the name Minglewood Bowl has to do with that patch of grass behind the Martin Parking Garage.

Many religious institutions use the First Amendment as a defense in an attempt to shirk their responsibilities for sexual abuse that occurred under their watch.

However, the freedom of religion clause in the First Amendment is not a defense for sexual abuse.