opinions Archives – The Statesman

Without drastic climate action, California will continue to burn

Xenia GonikbergOp-eds OpinionsFebruary 23, 2021

#OPINION: Winters are getting colder, and summers are getting warmer. Extreme temperatures are becoming more common as the effects of climate change continue to ravage communities across the United States.

How Donald Trump’s impeachment lulled a false sense of accomplishment

Steven KeehnerOp-eds OpinionsFebruary 22, 2021

#OPINION Instead of critiquing the left and right, I’d like to address those celebrating Trump’s impeachment and the detachment from reality that continually gets swept under the rug.

Staff picks: Our Black heroes

Steven Keehner, Sam Lauria, Cindy Mizaku & Fanni FranklBlack History Month 2021 Op-eds Opinions Special IssuesFebruary 20, 2021

#OPINION: The opinions editors at The Statesman describe Black figures who inspire them.

Young people need to maintain momentum after the 2020 elections

Anne GreenOp-eds OpinionsFebruary 20, 2021February 25, 2021

#OPINION: The state of our nation depends upon the checks and balances that we hold our representatives to through democratic elections. We can decide to maintain the status quo or invite the next generation of leadership.

Whitewashed history inhibits us from learning about the past

Matt VeneziaBlack History Month 2021 Op-eds Opinions Special IssuesFebruary 17, 2021

#OPINION: One of my favorite subjects in high school was history… Looking back now, it was very obvious from the textbooks I read or lessons I learned that “American” meant “white.”

Defund the police because society should reassess our values if Black lives really matter

Maya BrownBlack History Month 2021 Op-eds Opinions Special IssuesFebruary 16, 2021

#OPINION: Every time I see a blue lives matter flag wavering in the wake of a cruel Black death, my stomach begins to compress. I cannot help myself from tracing down the complicated, yet broken system that is law enforcement in this country.

“Does it surprise me? No”: Members of the SBU community comment on lack of Black memorialization

Steven KeehnerBlack History Month 2021 Faculty News Special Issues Top StoryFebruary 13, 2021February 19, 2021

Of Stony Brook University’s 64 named buildings and spaces, only four Black historical figures; Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, Jimi Hendrix, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman are memorialized, according to a list compiled by the university’s archivist.

Rap continues to empower and push discourse around race relations in America

Catalina BenavidesBlack History Month 2021 Op-eds Opinions Special IssuesFebruary 13, 2021February 18, 2021

Rap music today reflects the messages of both Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Rappers have used their platforms and lyrical talent to express to their audiences that the fight for equal rights for the Black community is not over.

What it really means to be an ally

Justin ChassinBlack History Month 2021 Op-eds Opinions Special IssuesFebruary 13, 2021February 19, 2021

When we break it down, productive allyship is a continuous process of three qualities: perspective, learning and action.

To find happiness, pave your own path

Steven KeehnerOp-eds OpinionsFebruary 2, 2021

In a passionless and loveless world, love and passion aren’t enough anymore. But there’s a beauty behind uncertainty and self-discovery that is worth learning from.