Editorial by Madeline Perez

Dear Readers,

Hey, everyone! Welcome to this new issue of Binghamton Review. As Thanksgiving seems to be the “theme” of this entire month (somehow overshadowing National Epilepsy Awareness and my own birthday), the spirit of gratitude has somehow overtaken me and puppeteers my body like a corporation would a politician (SLY REFERENCE to our nation’s politics). As I see sunlight bleed through colorful leaves, I feel thankful that I’m here to experience it. I can’t help but feel grateful for all I have. SIKE! You can ALWAYS own more—BE more. Why feel satisfied when you can purchase?? Why fix what you can throw away?? Wanting things propels the meaning of your existence. PURCHASE! WANT! CHASE! BUY! CONSOOM!!! Sorry, I blacked out for a moment there. The truth is, I WOULD be thankful if I wasn’t holed up putting together this issue on the night of my 21st birthday, when I should CLEARLY be legally drinking myself into a coma. I mean, that’s basically tradition, right? On the bright side, there are so many things for you to be grateful for. The Bing Review, for instance. We put our blood, sweat, tears, and other bodily fluids into writing enough pages to fill this issue. You may be wondering why there’s an emo turkey on the cover. First of all, he’s swag as fuck. Secondly, his name is Sparky. Thirdly, I was planning to make a joke along the lines of “Local emo turkey doesn’t mind Thanksgiving, says dying would be metal.” This would go along with the second prong to the joke, “Town turkey prostitute also speaks up, says she ‘wouldn’t mind being stuffed.’ As much as I wanted to execute this gag with visuals, I’m scared that if I put boobs on a sexy turkey it might reinvigorate Binghamton University’s furry community, and after the “Sexy Baxter Incident,” that’s a risk I’m NOT willing to take. There are plenty of other things to be thankful for. Your job, for instance (if you’re currently employed, which we here at the Binghamton Review are not), as this is what justifies your existence. Turn to page 6 for more about work ethic in “Workin’ 9 to 5, a Way to Make a Livin’?” by Midas Leung. Did you do your civic duty last week? And no, I’m not talking about municipal shit. Voting is a fun thing you can do with your friends, if you had any. Read “Should Everyone Vote?” by Arthur O’Sullivan as he considers questions such as: Should everyone vote? Should everyone have the right to vote? Will the authorities ever find that body I threw into the Susquehanna River in 2016? Those first two and more on page 5. Finally, I legally need to plug my own article. Listen to me very carefully: You MUST read “The Online Romanticization of Mental Illness” on page 10. You want to become more educated on how American culture has shaped our perception of mental health. You also want to contribute to our next issue and give us approximately one hundred thousand dollars directly to the Review’s bank account. Well, that’s all for this issue. To learn more, you can look to your left at the table of contents, or further into the issue to find out the old fashioned way. Also, I’ll be expecting that money before December comes around. Peace out! Sincerely,

Madeline Perez

Binghamton Review is a non-partisan, student-run news magazine founded in 1987 at Binghamton University. A true liberal arts education expands a student’s horizons and opens one’s mind to a vast array of divergent perspectives. The mark of true maturity is being able to engage with these perspectives rationally while maintaining one’s own convictions. In that spirit, we seek to promote the free and open exchange of ideas and offer alternative viewpoints not normally found or accepted on our campus. We stand against tyranny in all of its forms, both on campus and beyond. We believe in the principles set forth in this country’s Declaration of Independence and seek to preserve the fundamental tenets of Western civilization. It is our duty to expose the warped ideology of political correctness and cultural authoritarianism that dominates this university. Finally, we understand that a moral order is a necessary component of any civilized society. We strive to inform, engage with, and perhaps even amuse our readers in carrying out this mission.