by The Cowl Editor on February 2, 2018
Opinion
Trump: Think Before Speaking
During the 45th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., President Trump completely misspoke before a crowd of pro-life advocates.
What began as a standard, run of the mill anti-abortion speech took a turn for the worse when Trump went careening far off script and said, “Right now, in a number of states, the laws allow a baby to be born from his or her mother’s womb in the ninth month. It is wrong, it has to change.” A woman standing behind him nodded in agreement.
Media outlets bubble wrapped the gaffe, claiming what Trump meant to say was that it is wrong for women to undergo third trimester abortions.
There is no doubt he meant to say something different, but this slip up is not an isolated incident for Trump, and reinforces the fact that he will speak utter nonsense without batting an eye.
Some people say that Trump is unfit to be president because he exhibits signs of one mental illness or another. This is an inappropriate and insufficient case against him.
President Trump is simply incompetent, stumbling from one hiccup to the next. And while misspeaking is forgivable, failing to correct oneself after this kind of mistake is not. This reveals something truly worrying: in President Trump’s eyes, he really is a “very stable genius” who can make no mistakes, no matter how obvious they may be.
-Lela Biggus ’18
Make PC Pet-Friendly
As the owner of two golden doodles, I have found that one of the hardest things about returning to campus after winter or summer break is leaving my pets behind. Coming across a dog on campus and getting those few minutes of playtime are the highlight of my week.
Although this is a treat, many animal-loving students could feel this happy all the time if Providence College were made a pet-friendly campus.
Certain universities have designated buildings where pets such as fish, cats, and small dogs can reside. Of course, this amenity comes with strict rules and regulations that the owner must follow.
However, more and more campuses are allowing animals to live on-campus. Starting next year, Johnson and Wales University will be piloting on-campus, pet-friendly communities in three different residence halls. Some of the rules include designated-areas, only allowing one pet, dogs no more than 40 pounds, only certain breeds allowed (i.e. no German Shepherds, Pitbulls, Akitas), and a minimum age of one year old.
Although not everyone is a pet-person, it is not fair to take away this possibility altogether for those who are. College is an opportunity for students to become independent; having your own pet would only promote this in college students.
In addition, we have seen how great animals are for morale, such as when the barnyard animals visit campus during times of stress (i.e. midterms and finals). If we had this kind of companionship full-time, it could decrease stress levels overall. Ultimately, pets could help improve students’ mental health on-campus at the College.
-McKenzie Tavella ’18
More Diversity in Hollywood
The 2018 Oscar nominees prove to be a step in the right direction for representation in Hollywood.
The nominees were more diverse in nature with Greta Gerwig becoming the fifth woman to be nominated for Best Director and Jordan Peele becoming the fifth black director to be nominated for the same prize. Rachel Morrison is also the first woman to be nominated for Best Cinematographer for her work in Mudbound.
Amid an award season steeped in controversy, the nominees show signs of progress. Today, it can sometimes seem as though people are more divided than they are connected. The representation of more perspectives in the media, however, can prove to be therapeutic. As new voices are introduced, an opportunity is created to increase communication and empathy among all people through the sharing of art.
There is still room for improvement. While Guillermo del Toro, a Mexican director, received a nod in his category, there are still few Latino and Hispanic nominees. Likewise, Pakistani writer and actor Kumail Nanjiani received a nomination for his screenplay, The Big Sick, but there is still a need for more Asian voices to be heard. As the film industry changes, it will be exciting to see more voices being shared.
-Gabrielle Bianco ’21