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OP/ED
theclariononline.com
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Letter Perform acts of kindness on campus from the editor Daniel Hernandez News Editor
Natalie Miranda Editor in Chief
Thinking back to my first semester at Citrus College I can now say I was walking blindly. I didn’t get involved in anything, never talked to anyone in any of my classes, never set foot in the library and did not even know we had a campus newspaper. Fast-forward a few semesters and here I am in my second semester as editor in chief of the paper, writing for students who are probably sharing the same experiences as I had. My goal as editor in chief is to get students informed and help take the blinders off. I know that coming to college fresh out of high school or even transferring from another campus can seem daunting and students often get lost in the mix trying to familiarize themselves with their new surroundings. Knowing where particular services are on campus and what events are to take place may take some students a while to figure out. It took me two semesters to know we even had a café. My hope is that by reading the Clarion students would not only know what is happening on campus and what Citrus has to offer, but also to get inspired to get involved in some way, whether it be a club, student government, the Clarion or a sport. I can honestly say that joining forces with other students who share similar interests as yours truly makes college the best years of your life. We at the Clarion try our best to inform students, so we hope you do your part and get involved. Reading the paper may seem ancient, like something only your grandparents do, but I can guarantee there is something in here that will catch your attention every issue. I know everyone is on the Internet 24/7 thanks to all the great technology we have and we’re online, too. Check out our website, theclariononline.com, if reading the inkon-paper Clarion isn’t your thing. As the Clarion staff, we try our best to give students what they need to know and what they want to know—a buffet of stories, if you will. If you feel there is something we are missing or something you’d like to see in the Clarion, don’t hesitate to email us. While reading an article, if you disagree or think our staff didn’t do a stellar job on covering a story, share it with us in a letter to the editor so we can better serve you. We thrive off student readership and hope that you find as much enjoyment in reading the Clarion as we do in producing it.
With a new semester in mind and the feeling of starting fresh with new classes, new professors and new classmates should also come the feeling of kindness. With a diverse campus of students, faculty and staff, we all are going through different stages in our lives. Sometimes our preoccupations with our own problems and concerns can cause us to become unaware of our surroundings and behave in a cold manner towards others. It is stressful to keep up with classes, work a job on the side, deal with relationship problems, or family issues. Nevertheless, everyone should channel that stress into doing random acts of kindness on and off campus. So you may be having a bad day today. Others will go through it tomorrow or the day after. But if a random individual had simply smiled at you, wouldn’t that have made your day feel less stressful? It certainly would have made my day better. Smiling as you are walking to class can make a huge difference in other people’s lives and it doesn’t cost a cent to do so. The best part is that it will make you feel better when you receive a smile back. Another simple act involves
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listening. Our generation seems to have forgotten how to listen to others. Most often we want to do the talking, or we multitask instead of focusing exclusively on the conversation. If you invest even a few minutes of your time in listening attentively to a friend, a classmate, or a family member, it could make a huge difference in their lives. We all carry ourselves a certain way. Some of us put no effort in to what we wear and some of us are fashion trendsetters. Nevertheless, complimenting an individual on how they look can help those with low self-esteem feel better.
However, compliments should not only be based on appearance. We all have unique characteristics that define us and helps carry ourselves. Complimenting those extra efforts made by some could help bring in a positive feeling to the one being complemented. Recognizing each other for the work that is being put in as a student, as faculty, and as a staff member can help create a better learning environment for all. Lastly, students sometimes forget that professors have lives outside of the classroom, but they are here to work for the stu-
dents. Teachers are people who care about student success, especially here at Citrus. Greeting your professor with a “good morning,” or a “goodbye,” can make the semester a memorable one. Professors should also do the same. I challenge every student, faculty, and staff to practice kindness amongst each other. Let’s make this a memorable semester. Be creative and come up with your own acts of kindness and implement them in your every day life.
Amazon tax: Let the people decide Bre Payton Features Editor
Collecting sales tax from Amazon.com Inc. may seem like a fair thing for California to ask of such a large corporation, especially since the state remains in a desperate financial bind – but don’t be fooled. Raising taxes does not automatically generate income for the state. In fact, California lost jobs and revenue because of ABx1 28, the bill that Governor Jerry Brown signed into law June 28, which requires large out-of-state retailers to pay a use tax if the company maintains a presence within the state. Seattle-based Amazon.com Inc. is refusing to comply with these new tax expansions. According to the Los Angeles Times, Amazon.com has dropped thousands of vendors from its’ site in an effort to do away with a ‘physical presence’ within the state that would render it subject to taxation. “Amazon… has cost Califor-
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nia over 18,000 lost jobs and $4.1 billion loss in sales resulting in over $7 billion in lost economic activity in 2010 alone,” the California Retailers Association trade group told the Times. The tax is expected to capture an estimated $1 billion in revenue that previously went uncollected by cash-strapped California. Forcing large corporation that employees so many Californians, to collect sales tax is a risky no-
tion. California is not the first state to enforce these tax policies. It is following the example of Rhode Island, North Carolina and several other states including New York, which is currently being sued by Amazon.com in an attempt to repeal the tax. Clearly, it is not worth losing $7 billion dollars in economic activity in an attempt to save an estimated $1 billion in tax revenue. While the tax is currently part
of the law, Californian’s should be able to decide whether it stays, or goes. It is, after all, their jobs and businesses that are at risk of being affected by less economic activity. It is unfair to implement a new tax law without the consent of the people paying the tax. The matter should be dealt with in the November election, so the people can undo the harm that has been done to the economy through increased taxation.