Hello Rangers! My name is Charlie Means, and I am thrilled to be writing for The Regis Highlander this year. Since this is my first article as a Guest Writer, I assume that they will give me something easy to write about… and it’s politics. Oh dear. All kidding aside, I actually wanted to take this opportunity to shift focus away from the presidential race, and look at some of the propositions and amendments that are on the ballot in Colorado for November.
Read MoreDespite differing political affiliations, everyone should be in mutual agreement that the Department of Education (DOE) and the various programs within the department, are vital and that their work is imperative. The DOE is responsible for providing necessary assistance and aid towards our education system, and to those that benefit from it. Recent news regarding Trump’s plan to completely defund, and shut down the DOE has sparked controversy on what this could mean for the millions of American families and individuals that rely on federal support from the DOE.
Read MoreOn September 10th, 2024, the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump took place. The main topics included the economy, abortion, immigration, and health care. Whether you identify as a Republican, a Democrat, or as an Independent, voting is crucial, especially in a time of chaos.
Read MoreJust before his death, Osman Hamdi Bey painted a portrait of an old man attempting to train tortoises and succeeded in indirectly depicting the inherent deficiencies of a dying government. Bey was the preeminent artist during the Tanzimat, a time when the Ottoman Empire was struggling to adopt the technological innovations of Europe while preserving their sense of identity and culture. In his 1906 painting, The Tortoise Trainer, Bey displays the simple scene of an elder (who bears a resemblance to the painter himself) using a flute and vegetables to train the tortoises at his feet.
The image is a satirical one; regardless of who the man and the reptiles are meant to represent, he is an antiquated figure in antiquated garb and using antiquated techniques to coach creatures for a pointless purpose (tortoises were once used as living decorations but certainly no longer by 1906), rendering this entire moment an anachronism: there is no reform or action that the Ottoman government can take to salvage itself, as the political structures by which it operates are the very nooses slowly tightening around its neck.
You can look at The Tortoise Trainer and think of the Ottoman Empire, ‘destined’ to fall and fracture after World War One, but I see the United States in every brushstroke, a comparison quite evident not just by the candidates of the 2020 election but attitude of its voters.
Read MoreThough I’m sure as we approach election day everyone has heard about the presidential candidates, however, not everyone is sure of what else is on the ballot. When voting, there are federal and state positions looking to get filled that not everyone knows about. Out of state students who especially don’t know what views some candidates have can be inclined to only vote for the president. With that being said, here is a quick guide to individuals running for federal office on your Colorado ballot.
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On Sept. 23rd, the Office of Victim Advocacy and Violence Prevention set up a display on the quad with a sign that read, “Say something when you see warning signs (red flags) for sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking. Put a flag in the ground to show your support!”
Photo by Morgan Jacobus
Last week, the Red Flag Campaign was featured on campus outside of the Student Center. They hosted a Zoom discussion regarding relationship violence and sexual assault, but aside from that it did not receive a whole lot of attention on campus. The Red Flag Campaign is a part of the Intimate Partner Violence/Sexual Assault Research Development Group in the Institute for Women’s Health at Virginia Commonwealth University, designed to bring awareness to the issues of relationship violence that can be prevalent on college campuses and beyond. While it can feel like the topic gets beat to death, it is ultimately more important now than ever to bring attention to women’s issues.
With the recent Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, it is clear that women’s rights are under attack, and if Barrett is approved, they could be for decades. Not only would she restrict a woman’s right to safe abortion, including cases of rape, she would also restrict access to helpful organizations like Planned Parenthood. While the Red Flag Campaign is doing incredibly important work, it is ultimately a team effort that will achieve the necessary results for women in America.
Already President Trump has taken significant action against sexual assault survivors on college campuses. Title IX, a rule concerning sex-based discrimination and sexual assault on college campuses, has been severely limited by his administration. While the goal of the Red Flag Campaign and other survivor advocacy groups is to make it as easy as possible for survivors to report instances of sexual misconduct, the Trump administration has done its best to ensure survivors do not report what happens to them. What had previously been a broad definition intended to allow for ease of reporting has now been narrowed to “severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive” actions of sexual misconduct, according to his new version of Title IX. This definition is extremely harmful to survivors trying to report sexual misconduct because it is entirely subjective. As a result of the subjectivity of the rule, administrations who want to lower their school’s sexual misconduct statistics can simply decide that instances of clear misconduct were not actually severe enough to justify investigation. Rather than giving power to victims who simply want to see some sort of justice, President Trump has given power to the abusers and college administrations.
While attacks such as these can make college students feel powerless, it is important to remember why an extremely conservative Supreme Court nominee is being pushed through at the last hour. Conservatives know the power young people hold. Young people have the ability to sway elections, and for the first time we can have more impact on this election than the Baby Boomer generation. Sexual assault survivors are counting on us to preserve their rights, and for that reason along with a billion others, voting is more important now than ever. The Red Flag Campaign is an example of what survivors of relationship violence and sexual misconduct deserve: someone to stand in their corner. Vote this November and do your part in standing with survivors.