Opinion

Opinion

Column: Identity politics has been misused by politicians

Megan Holmen | February 3

Identity politics — everyone has them. Political views and opinions are inherently personal and connected to a person’s larger sense of identity. So why is it that whenever this phrase is uttered people cringe and grow angry? Identity politics rely heavily on the idea that people generally support positions that benefit the groups in which they belong. And why shouldn’t you support positions that benefit you? After all, that fits in with American rhetoric that everyone is responsible for their own success.

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Opinion

Column: Identity politics has been misused by politicians

Megan Holmen | February 3

  Identity politics — everyone has them.  Political views and opinions are inherently personal and connected to a person’s larger sense of identity. So why is it that whenever this phrase is uttered people cringe and grow angry?  Identity politics rely heavily on the idea that people generally support positions that benefit the groups in which they belong. And why shouldn’t you support positions that benefit you? After all, that fits in with American rhetoric that everyone is responsible for their own success. 

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Opinion

Letter: Student Family Housing has a serious cockroach problem

Daily Lobo Reader | January 29

UNM provides many services to students, some better and some worse. As a new graduate student, my family and I relocated back to Albuquerque and moved into Student Family Housing (SFH). The pros: international neighbors, utilities, cable, internet and laundry are included. The cons: limited living space, poor grounds keeping, theft and GERMAN COCKROACHES. That's right, UNM SFH, which houses graduate & postgraduate students, their partners, children & youth, expose residents to roaches.

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Opinion

Sustainability: It's more than just a trend

Luisa Pennington | January 7

It’s 2019 and people are throwing “sustainability” around like we are playing a game of catch. With sound slogans and aesthetically pleasing products, it’s no wonder the term has evolved into a buzzword. I can’t count the number of times I have heard someone recycling, only to receive the adorational response, “Oh, that’s so good of you,” as if the recycler has just solved climate change.

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Opinion

Letter: Why soccer

Daily Lobo Reader | December 9

At 9 pm on a summer day in Germany, Mario, from Mexico, waited to be seen by emergency doctors for an injury to the chest. His friend Arturo from Colombia had driven him to a nearby hospital — in northwest Germany, this past July. The husband of an elderly German couple waiting in line in front of them could hardly contain his impatience with a young immigrant family whose infant needed treatment. It took that family a long time to get registered. Finally, the couple was seen. Then it was Mario’s turn. He, too, took a long time to get registered. Two hours later, after several x-rays and an ultrasound, Mario and Arturo left the hospital, relieved, no ribs broken, lungs and spleen intact.

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Opinion

Column: How to prepare yourself for finals week

Tom Hanlon | December 6

The weeks between Thanksgiving and winter break have previously been described as torture for college students. After enjoying a food-filled weekend with family and friends, University of New Mexico students return to school to face final projects, papers and dreaded final exams. But fellow students, don’t be discouraged, the end is in sight. Here are seven ways to prepare for finals and regain some energy to finish strong.

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Opinion

Column: Ban plastic bags that harm the environment

Andrew Gunn | November 29

In the North Pacific Ocean, there exists a vortex of debris and trash that is estimated to contain at least 80,000 metric tons of plastic. A report in March of this year in the scientific journal, Nature Research, suggests the amount of plastic pollution in one 1.6 million square kilometer section of the ocean is increasing exponentially. This 1.6 million square kilometer section is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), and it is a microcosm of the effects that our society’s rampant growth and insatiable appetite for consumption have on our planet.

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Opinion

Letter: UNM offers a top-of-the-line education

Daily Lobo Reader | November 19

Staff at UNM were recently dismayed at comments made by Regent Tom Clifford and his assertion that UNM “[doesn’t] have a good product.” This claim is false. The University experience isn't a widget you either sell or don't sell or that works or doesn't work. Learning in higher education is challenging and success levels are complex. Degrees are not the only ‘product’ that UNM offers. Great teaching, mentoring, research and programming take place here to engage our students before, during and after they earn any degree.

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Opinion

Letter: Regent Clifford was wrong to criticize UNM's product

Daily Lobo Reader | November 19

I write in response to Regent Tom Clifford’s comments made during last week’s Board of Regents meeting as reported by Andrew Gunn on Thursday, Nov 15. Regent Clifford is reported as saying UNM graduates “get nothing of value that they can show.” It is disheartening to hear that a regent — a person who has been called on to lead the University — carries an opinion so far from the truth.

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Opinion

Column: How to handle dietary restrictions for Thanksgiving

Megan Holmen | November 19

Turkey day is only a few days away, and Americans across the country are preparing for the annual day of thanks, followed by the day of supermarket and mall chaos — black friday. But to be prepared to scavenge for the best deals in stores and online, it is an accepted fact that a well-stuffed belly (and a well-stuffed turkey) is a must. However, for vegetarians, vegans and other dietarily restricted folks out there a belly for battle is harder to achieve. Gathering with friends and family it’s likely we all know someone with a dietary restriction — or two — myself included. This Thanksgiving have no qualms about what will be served for dinner, as there are modern options for all. Turkey may be known as the cornerstone of Thanksgiving dinner, but it doesn’t have to be. Soy options are available at most local grocery stores, meaning vegetarians and vegans can enjoy tofurkey, and even vegetarian stuffing.

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Opinion

Letter: Religious books contain dangerous messages

Daily Lobo Reader | November 15

After the Gulf War, a large Albuquerque fundamentalist Christian church held a rally celebrating U.S. victory in Iraq. I went to that rally. I held up signs strongly opposing war. A man told me, “Blessed is he who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock.” That is an awful, actual verse in the Bible (Psalm 137:9). Many Christian fundamentalists believe the whole Bible is the perfect Word of God.

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Opinion

Letter: The Daily Lobo is a waste of time

Daily Lobo Reader | November 15

For a long time I've considered The Daily Lobo more of a daily lobotomy, or more accurately Twice-a-Week Lobotomy. The Twice-a-Week Lobotomy is in good company with the Alibi. I remember when there actually was a Daily Lobo published daily, at least Monday thru Friday. I can also remember when the Alibi was actually not too bad.

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Opinion

Column: You should vote in the ASUNM Senate Election. Here's why.

Justin Garcia | November 13

Most students will probably never meet a member of the board. Some undergraduate students, however, go out of their way to meet and influence them. They’re called senators, and they are a part of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico.

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Opinion

Column: Why it's important to vote in 2018

Megan Holmen | November 5

According to a study conducted by PBS, only about 58 percent of eligible Americans took to the polls in 2016 to vote in the presidential election. For many Americans, it might come as a surprise that so few eligible people vote, but some may expect this. With midterm elections approaching fast, now is the time to vote Many Americans feel that their vote doesn’t matter — which could be a key issue to why voting statistics are so low. If you type into Google “does my vote matter?” a whole host of articles pop up with phrases like, “No really, your vote doesn’t matter.”

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Opinion

Letter: I want to live simply and die simply

Daily Lobo Readers | October 28

Editor, I enjoy living simply and I want to die simply, whether I die tomorrow or 30 years from now. I reject cremation! Cremation of one body requires the energy it takes to drive a car thousands of miles. I reject embalming! Embalming is an expensive, unnecessary use of poison chemicals. Cooling the body with no embalming can delay burial to two or three days after death.

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Opinion

Letter: Faculty need more management training

Daily Lobo Readers | October 28

Editor, In some academic departments, faculty members supervise some staff members. We will refer to these faculty members as FSS (faculty supervising staff). While FSS may go through the minimum required mandatory training such as sexual harassment and safety many do not take any organization development courses offered by Human Resources (link provided above) which teaches them useful skills to be a good supervisor.

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Opinion

Column: Racist Halloween costumes are never okay

Sol Traverso | October 28

The controversy over the offensive nature of certain Halloween costumes has been revisited once again this year. NBC canceled Megyn Kelly’s show for comments she made about blackface as a Halloween costume. On her show “Megyn Kelly Today,” Kelly posed the question to her show’s all-white panel on the topic of ‘blackface,’ and asked, “What is racist about that?” The next day she apologized for the comments. “What is racist? You do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface for Halloween, or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween. Back when I was a kid, that was okay as long as you were dressing up as a character,” Kelly said.

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Opinion

BioBlog — Honey and New Eye: The Ingredients to Combat Modern Bacteria

Eldjon Baltazar | October 23

Since their discovery and widespread use, modern antibiotics have changed society and saved countless lives. However, microbial resistance to our panacea against infection is becoming a serious problem. Undergraduate Eldjon Baltazar discusses how scientists and medical professionals are using older remedies to solve modern problems and recounts how his experience battling antibiotic resistant bacteria influences his future career path in a recent UNM BioBlog.

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Opinion

Letter: Bashing Trump will not help Democrats

Daily Lobo Readers | October 23

Editor, I seem to be in the minority in today's national Democratic Party. I disagree with the tendency of most Democrats (including political candidates for Congress and those in the news media) to constantly bash Donald Trump over his obnoxious personality and his divisive comments.

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Opinion

Letter: Taproom doesn't mitigate dangers of alcohol

Daily Lobo Readers | October 23

Editor, Many people who were taught that having sex with anyone they are not married to is sin — drink booze to turn off their shame and guilt. Many men who were taught that having sex with men is sin, many women who were taught that having sex with women is sin, drink booze to turn off their shame and guilt.