Recently, Joe Puchner wrote an editorial entitled “Treatment of RFRA supporters unfair.” The piece refers to a recent and controversial piece of Indiana legislation which provides additional legal...
One of the most pleasant surprises of this school year was Elliot Spillers’ election as SGA President, marking the first time in almost 40 years that an African American student has filled that role....
Education in America is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it represents a stepping stone. It serves as a ladder, a tool with which enterprising young people can achieve their dreams.On the other hand,...
It’s hard to know how to respond to Joe Puchner’s recent column on political correctness. On the one hand, I understand the need for reservation when speaking about such sensitive topics as religion....
In the aftermath of Ferguson, our country faces many questions with no clear answers. These questions touch on race relations, the changing nature of our police force, the formative role media plays in...
I don’t care much about football. I know that’s a strange thing to say around here, but it’s true, and I can’t explain why. So on gamedays, I use my time to do other things. I go to the rec center,...
The University of Alabama’s upcoming ban on smoking will undoubtedly be the subject of some controversy. Announced Tuesday, this ban will affect almost everywhere on campus and prohibit both ordinary...
Next week when registering for classes, you may see one of your required courses is a seminar. You may be excited for the easy A, or nervous about being asked to speak in front of your peers. Or, conversely,...
There’s a tactic in the pro-life movement that works like this: abortion opponents argue that abortion is medically unsafe and under-regulated, and they push for the adoption of extreme new safety standards....
Sometime between March and September 2014, after significant pressure from student groups, The University of Alabama updated its nondiscrimination policy to protect gender identity and expression. When...
Almost two years ago, I was voting when an active shooter situation trapped me in the Student Recreation Center. I didn’t know if it was a coincidence that this was happening on Election Day, or if...
There’s a form of discrimination that America doesn’t like to talk about. Compared to all other Americans, members of one particular minority group are two to six times as likely to attempt suicide,...
For many students at The University of Alabama, undergraduate studies are just the first step on the long road towards a master’s or Ph.D. These students will commit huge amounts of time and energy...
A constant question in the war on terror has been, “Why do they hate us?” Americans don’t understand why al-Qaeda would want to attack our country. We don’t understand why the Islamic State of...
Last week, Samaria Johnson wrote an excellent piece titled “The University must provide support for black students, not just words.” As is the norm for controversial columns, Johnson’s piece received...
Three sorority sisters in full selfie mode, smiling broadly and pressed close to fit in the frame. Beneath their faces, the caption “Chi O got NO n-----!” By now, many of you have seen the image....
When I was 18, I’d never spoken to a group of more than a dozen people. But when I read passages in class, I was told I had a “radio voice.” When I came to The University of Alabama, I applied to...
Over the past week, something has happened in Israel that seems all too familiar. Armed conflict, sparked by rockets being launched from Gaza into Israel, has broken out once again. As it goes on, regular...
There’s a disturbing trend in the way our campus talks about rape.Our campus, like most college campuses, has a rate of sexual assault that is much higher than in surrounding areas. Hoping to start discussion...
Our SGA Senate just made a symbolic concession to the goal of Greek integration. Tuesday night, SGA President Hamilton Bloom introduced a resolution almost identical to the one that the Senate allowed...
“Thanks, Obama!” is apparently a very dangerous phrase to use satirically. But for Republicans throughout the country, it’s a rallying cry with fewer boundaries each day. For proof, look to Romney...
The cost of attending The University of Alabama for one year is estimated to be around $24,000. To some that number will seem like a lot, and to others it may seem perfectly reasonable. But what really...
Alabama has a problem with choice. Over the past four weeks, our representatives in the House have approved bill after bill designed to make Christian sexual norms the common law. House Bills 31, 490,...
If you’re a new student who’s thinking of seeking out opportunities in student government, you’re in luck. Our student handbook tells us that SGA elections are for any student who meets a modest...
Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of not walking past aborted fetuses on my way to lunch. For some time, a yellow tri-fold display, covered with vague moral assertions and images of underdeveloped, disembodied...
In the wake of shootings at Purdue and near Michigan State University last month, Andrew Parks wrote a column supporting concealed carry on The University of Alabama’s campus. He claimed in this column...
For undergrads, balancing a healthy lifestyle with other responsibilities can often seem like a losing battle. No one thinks they’ll actually gain the freshman 15, but its causes become apparent quickly:...
In 2008, the parents of 11-year-old Kara Neumann made a choice. They decided that, per their religious beliefs, they would not seek medical attention for their ailing child. Instead, they would pray over...
Tuesday was this year’s final meeting of the Honors College Town Hall, scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. and feature Mayor Walt Maddox and University of Alabama President Judy Bonner. At 6:25 p.m., Bonner...
Last week, Erynn Williams wrote a column on the topic of diversity – or lack thereof – in the entertainment industry. Ms. Williams argued that the lack of diversity in certain industries isn’t because...
I don’t receive mail from my family. Not because they don’t love me, but because it would cost $125. That’s the cost of renting a mailbox from the Ferguson Mail Center. Previously, mail could be...
You may have been at last Saturday’s Homecoming game against Georgia State University. Odds are, you weren’t; there are 17,000 student seats, and only 71.3 percent of those were filled. It’s a common...
On Tuesday, 90.7 The Capstone put together a panel to discuss the issue of race on campus. This panel included six professors, State Rep. Chris England and myself – but what’s more interesting is who...
At this moment, The University of Alabama stands at a tipping point. On the one hand, we have accomplished tremendous things in the past two weeks – UA Stands, the implementation of continuous bidding...
Wednesday morning, almost at sunrise, several hundred students got out of bed and made their way to the front steps of Gorgas Library. After a week of planning, kept secret until Tuesday night, the organizers...
Wednesday morning, almost at sunrise, several hundred students got out of bed and made their way to the front steps of Gorgas Library. After a week of planning, kept secret until Tuesday night, the organizers...
Around this time each year, something interesting happens. For a period of about two weeks, there will be a concerted effort by student media to hold the greeks accountable for their actions. It has become...
Some things can be adequately handled with flowcharts. In fact, flowcharts have the potential to fill many important roles. They can be used to outline safety protocols, describe programming processes...
There is always a media circus surrounding the selection of a new pope, but it’s a shame that so much of that attention wanes once he’s been chosen. It’s likely that most Americans have heard about...
Studying out of state is many things. It’s daunting, exhilarating and terrifying. It opens the world to you, but ends elements of your life that you thought were interminable. It changes the way you...
On February 26 last year, neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman saw 17-year-old Trayvon Martin walking through his Florida town and decided he looked suspicious. Zimmerman followed Martin on foot,...
If you’re one of the 12 million Americans who relies on student loans to pay for college, heads up – things are about to get ugly. Monday, Congress missed its deadline to preserve current interest...
The list of people who have given up everything for a cause is full of heroes. Many of America’s most prominent historical figures are people who turned their backs on comfort and security for the sake...
The 74 lowest-performing neighborhood schools in Alabama may see significant changes headed their way. They may also be receiving more media attention, since today they were all identified as “failing”...
On a day-to-day basis, how afraid are you of terrorism? Are you vaguely anxious? Are you actively terrified? Are you afraid enough to surrender your rights? Most Americans, of course, aren’t that...
If you’re a student at The University of Alabama, you should be questioning the hire of Josiah “Jo” Bonner. For those of you who haven’t been keeping abreast of the situation, here are the details:...
When Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries explained why his store doesn’t carry women’s clothes larger than size 10, he may have explained more about his brand than he wanted consumers to know. “A...
The first thing I saw when I approached Bama Students for Life’s billboard display was a man arguing with a woman, the latter near tears. As I listened, she explained that she had ancestors who had died...
Everyone at the University with functioning eyes and a basic level of situational awareness knows about the “Pants Guessing Game,” although some know it by other names. The Guessing Game is a mode...
We’ve all heard the statistics, as much as we might wish we hadn’t: 20 percent of women will be sexually assaulted during their time at college. Only about five percent of sexual assaults will be reported...
The condition of Alabama’s schools is one of the most serious problems facing the state, and Alabama Republicans have found what is unequivocally the worst solution imaginable. Recently, they approved...
The enfranchisement of non-whites in America was, unsurprisingly, a long and difficult process. Many of you know that even after the vote was legally extended to African Americans, unscrupulous state officials...
There are three things that should be known about Alabama House Bill 57. The first is that the bill would make the safety requirements placed on abortion clinics much, much more strict, setting a new precedent...
Football is more than a game here at Alabama. Everyone knows that. It’s a cultural institution, a source of identity for the University and a financial bastion that has helped make this University great....
Medical marijuana is a thorny issue because so many people have strong feelings about recreational marijuana use. Many dismiss it off the cuff due to associations of marijuana as a recreational drug. But...
I am a National Merit Finalist. The University of Alabama gave me the laptop I’m writing this article on, pays for my tuition, room and board, and will pay me $6,000 over four years in additional stipends....
If you follow politics, there are certain words you’re likely to hear a lot. And sometimes, a lot is simply too much. Sometimes, a word is so overused or so badly used that it loses its meaning and becomes...
The United States Constitution is one of our country’s greatest assets, and one of the most valuable and important documents in history. However, as much as we all take pride in our founding documents,...
Sometimes, a loss is just a loss. You pick yourself up, shake yourself off, and try harder next time. Sometimes, however, failure means more than that. Sometimes it’s a wake-up call. This Tuesday, Republican...
The University of Alabama is, on the whole, very strict in its enforcement of the law. Bikes that are not locked to bike racks are tagged and sometimes impounded. Cars that are parked illegally are frequently...
As Election Day approaches and the nation’s media become more and more focused on the presidential race, it’s important not to forget about the other offices to be decided this November. In particular,...
Mother Jones released a video Monday showing remarks made by Mitt Romney at a private fundraiser. These remarks, which Romney did not realize were being taped, tell us more about his character than he...
If you have chalk, five minutes and the inclination, you can create a message that will be seen by literally thousands of people on campus. And if you walk past the Quad or the Crimson Promenade on your...
Paul Ryan can run a marathon in two hours and fifty minutes. It’s an impressive figure, until you learn that it’s not true. When Paul Ryan told the public about his supposed (and, if true, wildly...
At the time of this writing, the Republican Party is trying to send a message to the American people. What they’d like to tell us is that they’re discontented, that we should be discontented, that...
Same-sex parentage, climate change and love affairs will hit the screen of the Bama Theatre during its annual Bama Art House Film Series which began on Aug. 21 and continues until Oct. 24. The series...
Vice President Joe Biden has a long and storied history of saying the wrong things. In the past, Biden has been called out for insensitive remarks on the avian flu, the vice presidency, Obama’s inauguration,...
There’s something bizarrely compelling about the idea that fast-food restaurants can become entangled with hot-button social issues. In case you haven’t kept up on chicken-related current events, the...
Americans like drama. We vicariously enjoy gossip, tension and conflict, and we’re prepared to pay for the access to these things. Look on the shelves of any convenience store, and you’ll see entire...
Two weeks ago Obama used his power of executive mandate to pass into law a series of reforms covering the subject of immigration. These reforms grant de facto amnesty to immigrants who meet a number of...
When a politician does something that breaks the stereotypes of their party, they’ll usually be congratulated for it. Say what you will about party politics, but Americans like to see our leaders defy...
Isolation a problem at UA By Nathan James Everyone has seen at least one film or television show centered on college life. According to these media, college is a nonstop cascade of friends, enemies,...
Romney is, of course, a conservative Republican; yet he has none of the typical Republican assets. He does not appear sympathetic to the working class, nor does he tout his religion or morals, nor does...
It’s no secret that overcrowding exists on our campus. Since 2003, enrollment has increased by over 50 percent and shows no signs of slowing down. Even if overcrowding wasn’t reflected in statistics,...
It’s hard to think of a topic that divides people as strongly as abortion. To the left, it’s a symbol of feminine equality and women’s liberation; to the right, it’s legalized infanticide. It...
Republicans have been out to oust their greatest enemy, President Barack Obama, since he flattened the supposedly unbeatable McCain in the 2008 election. Mitch McConnell, the highest-ranking Republican...
