Opinion
12
FINFROBD@MIAMIOH.EDU
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 STAFF EDITORIAL
What does Miami stand for? The following reflects the majority view of the editorial board When prospective students go on campus tours, they are often told that the famous poet, Robert Frost once called Miami’s campus, “the most beautiful campus that ever there was.” But sadly, the campus that Frost stepped foot on decades ago looked significantly different from today’s. If Frost were to walk around Miami’s campus today, he would see a campus with construction around every corner. New, modern buildings like Armstrong Student Center, which just added its East Wing a couple years ago, and the Farmer School of Business have both changed the landscape. Miami even knocked down some academic buildings to make way for Café Lux and Redzone. While university landmarks like MacCracken Hall have undergone extensive interior remodeling, historic buildings like Wilson Hall meet their demise under Miami’s campus plan. Miami cannot continue to claim that the campus is historic while removing some of the iconic buildings that defined a university founded in the early 1800s — one with a rich history, yet plenty of alumni who can no longer recognize the place in which they “led such a life.” Our old buildings provide substance and history to Miami’s campus. They help current students to connect with the past
and for alumni to reconnect with the memories they made here. Getting rid of these buildings, without first attempting to preserve their character, shows a clear lack of respect for the university’s history. At other “public ivies” like the University of Virginia and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, current students can look at old photos of the campus and find that, aside from the makeup of the student body, the campus looks mostly the same. This constant renovation of our image makes it hard to for students to connect to alumni who shared a different experience. The ability to connect with the history of your campus is a quintessential part of college, and it is one that is not afforded to Miami students. Are we just building new things to cater to prospective student demands? Other historic universities manage to anchor renovation to the historical integrity of the university, but it seems Miami has given in to the PR ideal of a campus, rather than one that fosters school spirit and a sense of importance. James Brock, a former economics professor who retired last year, said Miami has embroiled itself in a “facilities arms race” as it competes to outspend other universities to beautify our campus architecture. “Of course, in the end, no one wins,” Brock said. “And the loser is the students who have to pay the cost of all of this stuff.”
Democrats need to beat Trump above all else
BEN DEETER
AUDIO EDITOR I try to read the news every day. My collection of email newsletters, daily podcasts, free New Yorker articles (I have two left this month) and student subscriptions give me an array of viewpoints and content to consume. I say “try to read” because some days it’s just too much. Some days, I’ll focus on the things that actually make me happy. Such activities include reading books, going outside or anything else that will stop me from remembering that Donald Trump is the president. That is what the members of the Democratic primary electorate need to remember. We need to remember the longest government shutdown in history. We need to remember the attempt to take away health care from millions of people, and the latest revival. We need to remember family separation at the U.S. - Mexico border. We need to remember that getting him out of office is the number one priority. This means the ability to win and broad general election appeal ought to be the most important metrics. The candidate we choose has to be able to do that, and right now the field is over-crowded with candidates who have absolutely no shot and are just wasting everybody’s time. High-quality polling has shown that Democrats want a candidate who can beat the president more than one who’s ideologically pure. The focus must stay on candidates that will have broad appeal. Much like President Barack Obama built a coalition of diverse young voters along with party elites, the eventual nominee needs to not only appeal to progressives, but also to moderates and conservatives disillusioned with the president. Especially considering the latter two represent a larger portion of the general electorate. A candidate that at least comes off as moderate has greater potential to be a uniting force and help improve our politics in broad strokes. For instance, Ohio only has one Democrat holding statewide office right now (Sen. Sherrod Brown) and is quickly becoming a less hospitable place for the more liberal among us (see the heartbeat bill). The moderate-to-conservative Ohio electorate that brought us to this place won’t be convinced to get rid of private insurance or make other sweeping changes, and the Republican rhetoric painting Democrats as “radical” is already working. Appealing to those voters with measured messaging and digestible policy proposals is the path to victory and a more cohesive politics. While progressives might control the conversation on social media right now, they’re overrepresented on those platforms.
Moderates will ultimately deliver the election to the Democrats. This is why Bernie Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, isn’t the choice. Even though he has an upcoming Fox News town hall, he’ll be preaching to a audience of baked-in partisans whose nightmare fuel is the word “socialism.” The candidates that represent the ability to win and appeal broadly are Joe Biden, Beto O’Rourke, Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg. Biden hasn’t declared yet, but that hasn’t stopped him from topping most primary polls. He represents the most potent challenge to the president. The combination of his experience in politics and his more moderate politics will attract the coveted Obama-Trump voters and other moderates in Midwest states that handed Trump the presidency. The recent inappropriate touching controversy might prove problematic once he actually enters the race. But it’s not clear how this will affect him, given that he has strong support among older Democrats who aren’t likely to be persuaded by #MeToo arguments, especially in a case that wasn’t overtly violent or sexual. O’Rourke has a track record of broad appeal. In his run to unseat Ted Cruz from the Senate, projections put him as many as nine percentage points behind. He finished within three points and garnered more than 4 million votes in a historically red state. In addition, he raised more than $6 million on the first day of his campaign, more than all of his Democratic competitors. This speaks to his caliber as a candidate that inspires people. He plays largely on hopeful and optimistic rhetoric, encouraging people to put aside division and come together. In the face of such a negativity and division from the president, his message is welcome to voters in early primary states. Harris exists in an interesting gray area. She’s closer to Bernie than Biden ideologically, but that hasn’t kept her from being an establishment favorite. She has a strong individual donor base and has effectively courted larger donors for a first quarter fundraising total of $12 million. She also exists in a class with Biden and O’Rourke that is particularly feared by the president. Trump advisers have told Axios that the president hasn’t figured out an easy way to engage and dismiss Harris. If he sticks to his usual style, he could easily slip and say something blatantly racist or sexist to Harris. Not really something you want to do with a former prosecutor. Buttigieg is on a roll. Ever since his CNN Town Hall, he’s had a lot of momentum. Similar to O’Rourke, his optimistic messaging about taking back “freedom” and intergenerational justice appears to resonate with an array of voters. It also doesn’t hurt that his husband, Chasten, has become a social media darling with an incredible sense of humor, refreshing honesty and pictures of the couple’s dogs. These four, a former vice president, an all-star Senate candidate, a former prosecutor and a millennial mayor, represent the best hope for the party moving forward. Whittling down the field to a few candidates who have broad appeal and the ability to win is the best option. If we really believe that President Trump must go, it’s the only option. deeterbj@miamioh.edu
Across the country, state funding for higher education is down. States have collectively cut almost $9 billion in higher education funding. Ohio is in the same sinking boat. In the 1970s, Miami received as much as 65 percent of its annual budget from the state. Now, that figure has dipped below 10 percent. These cutbacks make alumni donations increasingly more important. But will alumni be willing to donate to a university that has replaced many of the touchstones that held their collegiate memories? Will those donations be used to restore the dorms and buildings in which they lived out their Miami experience, or will that money be used to tear them down and build new ones? If Miami values the historical significance of our school and what these buildings represent, then it needs to preserve the character and integrity of the campus from the inside out. Wilson, Harrison and Alumni Halls are old and outdated, but they add character that many students would be sad to see go away. Even old dorms like Emerson Hall still have historic meaning on campus, and should be preserved and refurbished rather than destroyed. It’s hard to find a sense of what Miami means without our history. Going for style over substance is counter to what Miami has always claimed to stand for – just look to the old university motto. It’s time Miami took a hard look at the commercialized nature of the culture on campus, and return to its roots.
Why shouldn’t Kim Kardashian West be a lawyer?
KIRBY DAVIS
MANAGING-EDITOR-AT-LARGE Kim Kardashian West told Vogue, for the magazine’s May cover story, that she’s studying to become a lawyer. Some people are infuriated and/or confused by that. But why shouldn’t she become an attorney? As evidenced by the 2001 classic “Legally Blonde,” and lots of real-life female lawyers (did you see what Amal Clooney wore to last year’s Met Gala? Or any photo of Laura Wasser?) it’s possible for someone to care about both fashion and criminal justice. While her husband has praised President Trump and met with him in the Oval Office, Kardashian West has long been vocal about her liberal politics. She posted a selfie with Hillary Clinton on Instagram in summer of 2015, with Kanye West grimacing in the background. The following spring, Kardashian West seemed to formally endorse Clinton in a post on her personal website, writing: “No matter what candidate you support for the next presidential election, you have to admit that it’s fucking AWESOME that a woman is up for the job!!!” The West family also joined the March for Our Lives protest in Washington, D.C. last spring, advocating for stricter gun laws. “Having my daughter march alongside her grandfather and parents was a day I hope she remembers forever,” Kardashian West captioned an Instagram photo of Kanye and their daughter North, age 4 at the time. “I know that the younger generation will vote to change these gun laws that so desperately need to be changed … I hope when it comes time to vote we all step up and vote to protect our children.” Last year, Kardashian West worked with her attorney to lobby Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner to convince the president to grant Alice Marie Johnson clemency. The 63-year-old grandmother had been sentenced to life in prison for a first-time, nonviolent drug offense. After reading about Johnson’s case online, Kardashian West was determined to help. “I hope to continue this important work by working together with organizations who have been fighting this fight for much longer than I have and deserve the recognition,” she tweeted afterward. Even if Kardashian West were to help only one or two other people with her future license to practice law, wouldn’t that be worth it? A random civilian without 100 million Instagram followers and seven perfumes named for themselves
likely wouldn’t have been able to appeal directly to the president to help Johnson. Kardashian West can, and probably will, use her fame for good. Her late father, Robert Kardashian, was also a prominent Los Angeles attorney. He defended his longtime friend O.J. Simpson, and whether or not you believe Simpson was guilty, Kardashian got him acquitted of murdering wife Nicole Brown Simpson and friend Ronald Goldman, in 1994. Kardashian was also a businessman, and Kardashian West has often spoken about his influence on her. “I feel lazy when I’m not working,” she has said. “I learned all my business sense from my dad. He always believed in me, and I think the last thing he said to me before he passed away was, ‘I know you’re gonna be OK. I’m not worried about you.’” Kardashian West seems to have the work ethic to study 18 hours a week with two mentor lawyers, take a “baby bar” exam soon and continue studying for three more years if she passes, which is one way to obtain a law degree in California (and three other states). “She’s incredible: just the kindest, smartest — I have been so impressed by everything she’s doing and how committed she is,” Erin Haney, one of Kardashian West’s mentors, told Vogue. Most Kardashian West critics take is-
“Even if Kardashian West were to help only one or two other people with her future license to practice law, wouldn’t that be worth it?” sue with the fact that she’s famous for being famous, or that she does nothing but take mirror selfies and try to tone down Kanye’s often intense Twitter rhetoric. But shouldn’t those critics be happy that she’s attempting to become a traditionally productive member of society now? And for critics of Kim K’s new career direction, wouldn’t you rather she pursue justice for people as a properly licensed attorney for people who may not have help otherwise? She didn’t just buy a stack of law textbooks and start calling herself an attorney; Kardashian West is training the same way as anyone who wants to become a lawyer but can’t attend law school for whatever reason. Again, she can use her popularity and influence for good, and probably get some of her young fans invested in politics and/or criminal justice. So what if she’s wearing her own makeup line while she’s doing it? daviskn3@miamioh.edu