Heather Weigel

Opinions Editor

Articles (68 total)

Opinion: A local perspective on Native American mascotization

The Eagles used to be the Hurons, the Stanford Cardinals used to be the Indians, and the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians are exploring a name-change. This change is also being reflected in nearby Clinton, as well as other high schools around the United States. These pushes aren’t new, and the rationale hasn’t changed much: mascotization isn’t the honor some think it is.


Opinion: Abortion rights still under threat despite SCOTUS ruling

Chief Justice John Roberts has granted lower courts and state litigants an outline for arguing cases similar to Whole Women’s Health and June Medical Services while states still qualify abortions as elective procedures not only in an economic sense, but also in determining physical access to healthcare. The recent Supreme Court decision is not the shining victory journalists and activists want it to be.


Opinion: Now is the time for data-driven, common sense police reform

American legislative bodies and advocacy groups should take advantage of the consensus around needing police reform. Part of that is having an honest conversation about what reforms work, how to push them through, and how to navigate reform while keeping unlikely allies motivated to join and continue the cause.


Opinion: Conspiracism is a popular phenomenon; addressing it requires understanding and dialogue rather than censorship

The best way to navigate popular conspiracy theories is to approach them from the understanding that these theories are a mostly natural phenomenon and that people aren’t necessarily wrong to endorse some of them. They may be factually incorrect, but they are not behaviorally out-of-bounds. Popular conspiracy theories should also be approached with the knowledge that public debate itself can put a ceiling on conspiracy theories. Facebook and Youtube may have added fuel to the conspiratorial fire by removing the “Plandemic” video.



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