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OPINIONS
MONDAY
January 23, 2017 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
Women’s marches continue to make America great SHANKARI SURESHBABU Columnist
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he world watched as Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the U.S. And in protest, the women of the U.S. marched. In D.C., Chicago, New York City and even on our own campus, millions of women and men came together to express objection to the inauguration of our new commander-in-chief. They wore bright pink “pussy hats” and held up handmade signs that said things like, “Women’s Rights are Human Rights,” “Grab ‘em by the patriarchy,” and my personal favorite, “Hell hath no fury like 157 million women scorned.” I was hiking in Turkey Run State Park while this happened, slightly bitter that I was missing out on this monumental moment in history. I watched the messages, pictures and tweets roll in from my friends as they marched in various cities. What struck me as truly amazing about the marchwas not only the hoards of women worldwide that came to object to Trump’s backward and disrespectful philosophies about women, but also that we live in a world where our voices are being heard. To add another immigrant’s tale to the mix; when I was five, the two coolest places in the world (in my mind) were New Delhi and America. When
ANGELA KERNDL THE DAILY ILLINI
Approximately 5,000 local men and women gather at West Side Park before marching through downtown Champaign on Saturday. Columnist Shankari Sureshbabu encourages citizens to continue voicing their opinions and standing up for their beliefs. I was six, and moved here, I walked into a Wal-Mart, with Barbies and candy in every corner, and I thought my beliefs were proven true. I later learned about the melting pot, women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement, and felt safe knowing that I was part of a society that always, to me, chose the right battles and erred on the side of justice. Then wretched 2016 came around. Trump won the primaries, the elec-
tion and seemingly, the acceptance of many in the society I thought was too good to make an intolerant, ignorant and clearly inadequate person our president. Despite this disappointment, I am giddy with excitement and pride when I see my friends unabashedly standing up for their rights. The thought that our ideas and actions can have the power to influence and to be so consequential is undeniably exhilarating.
THE DAILY ILLINI
EDITORIAL University shouldn’t forget state it serves
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niversity leaders have often invoked the historical mission of the University — to serve as an educational institution for the people of Illinois who may not have any other opportunity to receive higher education — this year in anticipation of the school’s 150-year anniversary. Much has changed since 1867, including the makeup of the student population. A school that started with the purpose of educating the residents of our state now trains its eyes on other areas of the country and the world. The school faces a crisis of purpose as Illinois residents increasingly look outside of the state for their education because of the University’s negligence. The Board of Trustees discussed this issue at its meeting last week. President Timothy Killeen informed the board that the number of Illinois high schoolers is projected to decrease 14 percent by 2031, equaling a net loss of around 16,000 students. If these students at-
tended schools within the state, it would increase tuition and fee revenue by $215 million. But in search of even more money from out-of-state students, the University continues to follow its plan of looking outside Illinois for students. This isn’t to say that we don’t understand it. We do. In order to be considered a first-class institution, the University’s arm must reach as far and wide as it can to influence as many people as possible. It needs name recognition and societal impact to accomplish its goals. The problem does not stem from broadening the horizons of the school or diversifying the student population. It comes from forgetting its roots — the residents of Illinois. The people at home must not be forgotten or pushed to the wayside. The Illinois General Assembly keeps making it hard to serve the poorer students, by underfunding financial aid to the University. But the solution isn’t to allow these students to go elsewhere. They should be able to look
to the University and count on it to serve them. If they can get into the school, money shouldn’t stand in the way. When President Killeen says students are leaving and the University needs to look in new places to increase enrollment numbers, the logic is wrong. A new problem is occurring, but perhaps there is an old solution. In the past, Illinois residents didn’t flock to other states for college. So, to the University administration, we ask: as the 150-year celebration begins, take some time to return to old ideas and think about how the school used to serve the state. Some of these ideas might still work today. Instead of turning the sights of the University ever outward, reflect inward and recognize the gifted Illinois students who are willing to pay out-ofstate tuition rather than attend “one of the best universities in the world.” The original purpose of the University is still an important goal. Please don’t discount Illinois when you are striving to change the world.
BRIAN BAUER THE DAILY ILLINI
Chairman of the Board Edward L. McMillan and President Timothy Killeen attend the Board of Trustees meeting at the Illini Union on Sept. 8. The Editorial Board is concerned that the University is deviating away from its mission with new intiatives to increase enrollment.
As Elizabeth Warren said in Boston: “We can whimper, we can whine or we can fight back. Me, I’m here to fight back.” The importance of this power to speak your mind and influence history does not go unrecognized by me, and it surely does not go unrecognized by the millions of women and minorities my age, defending rights that they shouldn’t even have to ask for. In a time when I have to check and double-check
the legitimacy of everything I read, it’s relieving to know that there is still one undeniable truth: there are millions of people still on the side of diversity and tolerance who are actually taking this whole “leader of the free world” thing seriously. As we grow older, the power to shape history not only sits in the palm of our hands, but rests on our shoulders. I am quite clear about the side that I lean on, but advocating
for what you believe in is important regardless of your political preferences. As for those who went to the march today — those who regularly defend the rights of others and those that protest bravely and will again — I commend you for not sitting idly by in the face of injustice. Here’s to four more years of nasty women making history.
Shankari is a sophomore in LAS. surshbb2@dailyillini.com
Americans must hold Trump to high presidential standards ISABELLA WINKLER Columnist
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felt a sinking feeling finally hit me while watching the Obamas bid farewell to the nation during President Donald Trump’s inauguration Friday. I realized that the rhetoric Trump has been spewing for the last two years is no longer just rhetoric. What used to be uncertain about the future is now happening — Trump’s promises are no longer empty. The hardest part is not only adjusting to a new president, who is so farremoved from reality, but moving forward as a nation seemingly more divided than during any other recent presidency. Even through the obstructionism and filibustering that pained Barack Obama’s administration, the nation never seemed this disconnected. What we can learn from Obama’s presidency is how to be critical of who we trust to lead our country. While Obama was a hero for many, he wasn’t perfect and didn’t fulfill all of his endless promises. But the vile criticism he received had less to do with his accomplishments and more with partisan gamesmanship. President Trump even claimed that there would never again be a black president after Obama. Underneath the blatant racism and desperate analysis of Obama’s every move, there was absolutely legitimate criticism. The Affordable Care Act had downfalls, Obama left his climate legacy potentially reversible and some Chicagoans felt he did not deserve to pat himself on that back for his work in inner-cities. It is possible to like and support the president while still being critical of him. Jumping to his defense when he rants on Twitter or admits to sexual assault is not productive for the common cause. Even more so, his inconsistent views that changed throughout the course of his campaign need to be kept in check.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LILY KATZ
Trump supporters gather in the Courtyard Cafe at the Illini Union to watch the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump. Columnist Isabella Winkler believes it is crucial to stay critical of the nation’s leaders. We can expect our new president not to be as graceful in accepting criticism, as proven by his juvenile deflection of every rumor about him on Twitter, but it is important to criticize what actually matters. Just as it was important to do for Obama, we must focus on Trump’s real strengths and weaknesses. President Trump’s followers have proven to be loyal under any circumstances, which makes it seem like they won’t hold him to a high standard during his presidency. If people truly think that Trump will make America great again, then they must hold him accountable to fulfill that promise. A common theme in his campaign was taking strong, extreme stances and then reverting back to moderate rhetoric. For example, he flip-flopped his initial claim that he would dismantle environmental agreements when he said he did see the connection between human behavior and climate change and would keep an open mind about the Paris agreement. But one of his first acts as president was announcing an end to Obama’s climate and pollution regulations. He also described his relationship with Vladimir Putin in 2014, saying that he “spoke, indirectly and directly, with President Putin, who could not have been nicer.” In August of last year, he claimed to have never met Putin. His promise to “drain the swamp,” a catchline that caught on with his
fans, was also left unfulfilled: A big chunk of his cabinet has sat on boards for companies that spent millions on lobbying Most concerning is his Secretary of State pick Rex Tillerson, whose ties to ExxonMobil and history of lobbying the government are pretty swamp-ish. Sunday morning, Kellyanne Conway revealed that President Trump will not be releasing his tax returns, an issue that was much debated during his campaign. In September, Vice President Mike Pence released his own returns and assured that President Trump would be doing the same. Not only is his failure to release his tax returns dishonest, it raises concerns about his alternative priorities and agendas. His inconsistencies are alarming not only because they demonstrate the wandering course he has taken to become president, but they also showcase his lack of knowledge on important issues. He just says what he thinks other conservatives want to hear and hopes it will stick. Calling out Trump’s contradictions is critical to moving forward. While his supporters remain convinced that he is our savior, the truth is that his unpredictability is no asset to the country. Just as concerned citizens helped keep Obama in check, we mustn’t let ourselves blindly follow President Trump — his supporters included.
Isabella is a sophomore in ACES. iwinkle2@dailyillini.com
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