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Opinions

OPINION

That girl with the red lipstick

For me, fashion and makeup are more than just a superficial means of expression. They are the tools of my survival. When I was in high school, I never wore makeup, and did not give much thought to fashion. I dismissed makeup and fashion as a superficial waste of time, as something “other girls” wasted their energy on.


The Spectrum
OPINION

Letter to the editor: Robert Spencer's views cause concern

I am writing in response to the article on the speaker Robert Spencer, invited to campus on May 1st. I share the concerns expressed for free expression even by those whose views I might find abhorrent or discriminatory. I am a strong supporter of the First Amendment, and, though I'm not a legal expert, it seems that the university may have little basis for barring the speaker. Also, since Mr. Spencer regularly portrays himself as a righteous victim of thought-policing I am wary of giving him any more ammunition for this position.


OPINION

It’s time to fix the NHL

Playoffs are the time of the season where every sport should shine. Then there’s hockey. Instead of moments to reflect and absorb the magic that the postseason brings, a plethora of issues are brought up. Declining viewership, branding issues and new review policies are some of the problems that plague the NHL.


OPINION

Celebrating vegetarianism

The start of this year marked five years since I decided to start living a vegetarian lifestyle. I've always said that it's been one of the best choices that I've ever made. Becoming a vegetarian has given me a sense of accomplishment, a triumph of willpower, a contribution and sacrifice of my owneffort toward a greater good. This major lifestyle change was completely spontaneous.


OPINION

Come out on your own terms

Even if you’ve known that you are LGBTQ since you were five years old, it can take years—decades even—to make sense of your unique identity and how you wish to label (or not label) yourself. I’ve known that I was bisexual since I was at least 11, but I didn’t start sharing this information until I was 18 years old. And even then, I only came out to close friends. I didn’t publicly and formally come out until last fall, when I wrote a column about coming out as bisexual for The Spectrum.


The Spectrum
OPINION

Letter to the editor: UB’s smoke-free policy

In 1994, UB put into place a smoke-free campus policy. This is well before I came to the University, however, in my three years at the school I cannot think of a time that I have seen this policy enforced. I have lived in the dorms, the on-campus apartments, and now off campus, I have had classes on North and South campus, in Ellicott, the spine, and at nearly all of these places, I can point out cigarette butts and the places smokers go to smoke.


OPINION

Moving seven times is the charm

My favorite show to watch as a kid was “Recess.” The cartoon was based around a group of kids – Spinelli, T.J., Gus and more – who played together but ended up getting into more trouble than they should have. One character stuck out to me: Gus.


OPINION

UB Athletics’ announcement to cut four teams was insensitive, unprofessional

We are grateful UB Athletics has decided to take a look at how it is spending our student fee money. But we are shocked at the callous way administrators chose to announce $2 million cuts and the disintegration of four UB teams. They lined 120 student athletes up in a room at 8 a.m. Monday and collectively slaughtered their college dreams. Is this UB’s definition of providing an education?


OPINION

Pepsi ad trivializes civil rights protests

Pepsi’s newest advertisement could not be more off the mark. The new ad features model Kendall Jenner clad in a blonde wig at a photo shoot as a protest hits the streets in the background. It is unclear what this protest is even about; demonstrators carry cheesy signs with messages like “spread love” and “join the conversation,” that don’t indicate what the group is fighting for.


OPINION

We want peace, geese

There was once a time when I thought the snow was the coldest thing on this campus. It was a simpler time, before I encountered the most diabolical, cold-hearted creatures on planet earth: the geese. When I say “the geese,” I’m not referring to any goose. The UB geese are far from your average birds.


OPINION

Baby, put that phone down

I’m proud to be from the “tech generation.” The access to constant information, entertainment, resources... life has never been easier or more complicated. And to think it hasn’t always been this way; a world once existed without Uber, streaming TV or Instagram.


OPINION

Finding my journalistic calling in New York City

During her speech at the College Media Association convention in New York City this past weekend, Ann Shoket, former editor in chief of Seventeen, emphasized the importance of honoring your childhood dreams and the limitless aspirations that you dream up sitting in your teenage bedroom.



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