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Opinion
November 6, 2018
A call for civility after election Midterms give great opportunity MATTHEW PIPKIN Columnist @MattPipkinJr
CONNOR McNAIRN Columnist
Today, Americans will go to the polls to vote on all 435 U.S. House seats, 35 U.S. Senate seats, 36 governorships and numerous positions in state legislatures across the country. In addition to these legislative positions, Americans will also participate in a symbolic referendum on President Donald Trump’s leadership. While it is true that the president himself will not be on the ballot, a full rebuke of his vitriolic leadership could result in major Democratic gains in the House, potential gains in the Senate (though less likely) and significant shifts in the political dynamics of state legislatures. A number of major political races across the nation have dominated news headlines: Beto O’Rourke’s Senate surge in Texas against the incumbent Ted Cruz; Stacey Abrams’s momentum in her Georgia gubernatorial battle with notable vote suppressor Brian Kemp (Georgia’s Secretary of State); Andrew Gillum’s push for the Florida governorship against the embattled Ron Desantis; and many others. But it is likely that the majority of those reading this particular column, who are presumably Maryland residents, will not be given the chance to impact those races aforementioned. Rather, we will have the opportunity to maintain a Democraticallycontrolled state legislature, send Democrats to Washington to represent Marylanders in the House, re-elect Democratic Senator Ben Cardin, and perhaps most significantly, elect Mr. Ben Jealous – a civil rights champion and stalwart for education – to the Maryland governor’s mansion. Maryland voters will also have an opportunity to decide whether two key initiatives will help bolster education spending and voting accessibility in future. Maryland is the wealthiest state in the union and has long enjoyed a high-performing education system. And this year, the “lockbox initiative,” which centers on allocating all casino revenues toward education
funds, could provide significant benefits for Maryland’s schools. Current Governor Larry Hogan has wasted no time taking credit for the lockbox, as he has used it to boast of his commitment to education in the state. While it is true that Hogan was in favor of creating a statute that would aim to funnel casino money into Maryland’s schools, the Democratically-controlled state legislature is actually responsible for the initiative on the ballot. The legislature’s initiative, rather than temporarily protecting education funding via statute, seeks to amend the Maryland constitution in order to more permanently establish secure education funds. In addition to boosting and securing education funds, Marylanders will also have the chance to make the most fundamental of democratic rights – voting – a more accessible reality for citizens within the state. The second referendum question on the ballot questions whether those who are not registered to vote should have the opportunity to register on the same day as Election Day. It is worth noting that the effort to allow same-day registration is led by the Democratic legislature and has not received the governor’s endorsement. Amid an increasingly divisive national conversation regarding voter suppression, Maryland has the opportunity to serve as a leader with regard to voting accessibility through this crucial referendum. It is difficult to overstate the overall importance of this election. Republicans have enjoyed control of each branch of the U.S. government for the past two years and have injected a relatively unprecedented level of toxicity into our politics. But the beauty of midterm elections is that voters have the opportunity to act as a check on reckless leadership. What’s more, voters in Maryland also have the chance to elect representatives and vote on initiatives that, despite federal government impotence, will spell great gains for the state. For those who still have questions regarding their ballots or races specific to their districts, I implore you to visit votesaveamerica.com to better roadmap your Election Day choices.
By the time this article is published, it will finally be Election Day! It will be a day that determines how the country responds to the policies instituted by both major parties at the national, state and local levels. For many, this day signals how Americans feel about the Republican Party, especially towards President Donald Trump and his administration’s public policies. All speculation made by voters, politicians and media pundits alike will be thrown out the window as our eyes will be glued to screens nationwide as we wait for the results. Anything can happen, so we need to make sure each and every one of us do our job in keeping our emotions in check. Being emotionally charged by the outcome of the election does not give you the right to destroy public and private property. While this happens on both
sides of the aisle, the far left has been particularly guilty of this in their mob-like mentality in recent years and altercations. Public figures like Maxine Waters and Eric Holder, both of whom have insinuated the use of violence, have had their words turned into soundbites to rally raw emotion on the far left. The mainstream media has perpetuated this rhetorical cycle, fanning the flames in their pursuit of higher viewership and ratings. What does this rhetorical cycle lead to? Well, look no further than our own campus here at Towson University. While most people who reject taking my literature do so in a courteous manner, I cannot begin to describe how many times I’ve received scolding remarks from people as they zip by me at the polling place. By the look and verbiage some people give me, you would have thought that I had smacked their grandmother. It seems misdirected to yell at a volunteer handing you a flier over the county council race (one that they probably have no clue
about) because of their displeasure over Trump’s policies and remarks. Being the Towson College Republican president on campus, I have found instances where many of my members are scared to go out and electioneer at the Towson Administration Building on campus. They simply could not imagine running into their friends, professors or colleagues as they hand out literature for the Republican side on campus. Images from social media of people getting harassed at colleges for supporting various candidates have been ingrained in their minds. This hurts the entire political thought on campus and prevents us from having honest conversation with people on campus. Regardless of the outcome on Tuesday, keep in mind that there are many friends and family around you that hold different views and beliefs of your own. Recognizing that they too want what’s best for America is the first step towards gaining a better understanding of each other amidst the hostile political climate.
Ending the mental health stigma SAMUEL SMITH Columnist
Hi. I’m Samuel Smith. I’m 18 years old, a Capricorn and I’m bipolar. I have bipolar II to be specific. That’s not something you normally say. You wouldn’t introduce yourself and say what mental illness(es) you have. Most people would look at you funny if you mentioned them. Even in the best of friendships, sometimes you can’t tell them you’re mentally ill. Why is this? Why is there a stigma? Bipolar disorder affects me. It affects how I act, what I do and certain rituals I have (I have to take medicine after breakfast and dinner, and it’s almost comical how big my pill organizer is). Folks are perfectly willing to ask what that little blue
and pink pill is, but when they find out it’s lithium, suddenly I’m a freak, I’m other, I’m sickly. But just like the fact I’m a Capricorn, my bipolar II should be equally mundane. It should not elicit a response when I say I’m bipolar, just as it shouldn’t elicit a response when I say I’m a Capricorn (unless, of course, you’re an Aries). Mental health is important. It’s just as important as any other health and as important as physical health. But there’s such a stigma around it. How about we analyze that stigma, think critically about it and attempt to get rid of it? According to, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the first step is to “Talk openly about mental illness.” This is probably the hardest thing to do. It’s hard to be open about something so stigmatized, but it’s so worth it. By
being open, by sharing your story, you’re inviting others with mental illness to be open and honest, and you are inviting those who do not have a mental illness to think about how they think about mental illness with a critical lens. A friend of mine on Facebook recently commented on how “bipolar” the weather has been. Language like this is not okay. Unless someone explicitly has a diagnosis (and is okay with you sharing that diagnosis), it’s not okay to place a label like that. Also, avoid slurs such as “retarded” as there is a history of abuse behind such words. Hi. I’m Samuel Smith. I’m 18 years old, a Capricorn and I’m bipolar. I have bipolar II to be specific. But I’m so much more than my mental illness, and I’m so much more than the stigma surrounding it too.