Flaws in inclusionary zoning laws allow for further gentrification
An urban policy battle is taking place in the historic SoHo and NoHo neighborhoods of New York City. The conflict in question involves Mayor Bill DeBlasio’s new rezoning plan for…
Karina Burnett
Visions of a culture in decline at the 2021 Met Gala
During the 2020 election season, I wrote an article about the commodification of political duty in response to liberals pumping out endless “Vote” merch. Although voting season has ended, this…
The Texas anti-abortion law and the rise of snitch culture
The anti-abortion law recently enacted in Texas reveals a dismal American reality. Texas Senate Bill 8 dictates that through “private civil actions” individuals can sue anyone they suspect of…
Billionaire philanthropy is a scam
It’s astonishing how even at this point, when multibillionaires have reached apocalyptic levels of wealth and power, “philanthropy” is still seen as a valid form of charity. Both Jeff Bezos…
The systemic factors behind individual guilt in vaccination rollouts
In the midst of the COVID-19 vaccine roll out, the ethical implications of getting vaccinated—especially for people who are eligible for non-health related reasons—have become more complicated. Somehow, despite the…
Celebrity culture during pandemic reveals excesses of American reverence
Despite a national obsession with heavy words like “independence” and “freedom,” Americans seem obstinately stuck in the search for a figurehead––whether that be a politician or a reality TV star.…
Vassar needs a student union
As the inherent dysfunction of our electoral system is laid bare and our precarious environmental condition becomes painfully evident, sticking to outmoded ways of governing that ignore the dire state…
In Phase 3, Vassar has to make decisions on priorities, freedoms
As the restriction on leaving campus stays rigid for on-campus students at Vassar, the sense of closed borders has exacerbated the ubiquitous mid-October ennui. While restlessness and exhaustion around this…
Vassar reopened successfully, but most colleges are in crisis
The “Vassar Bubble” has always been a common turn of phrase, but the term has never been more literal than in Fall 2020. While historically it just described Vassar’s echo…
Real political resistance is more than just voting
What is real political resistance? Recently, liberal campaigns have used the simple word “vote”—often alone, maybe emphasized with an exclamation mark––to hastily plant in place of a more definite progressive…