Opinion

In "Rejecting AIDS Denialism" in the Nov. 10 issue of the New University, Mengfei Chen wrote a powerful article about the importance of South Africa facing the reality of HIV if they are to limit its spread and, eventually, if we, as a world people, are to master the disease. I would like to add, however, a very important point. In the United States, we also live in the midst of "denialism."

With President-elect Barack Obama having won by a convincing margin of 201 electoral votes and no recount in sight, it is finally time for the change that Obama has been preaching on the campaign trail since February 2007. However, he has his work cut out for him, as his unabashed idealism will now be thoroughly put to the test, especially as the United States and the rest of the world inches toward a depression. He has set the bar high for himself, as both Democrats and Republicans expect him to live up to the hype and high expectations by promoting political, social and economic progression through bipartisan unity.

It would be difficult to pinpoint the exact number of extraordinary renditions conducted by the United States because many people who have disappeared are never heard of again. Those individuals who reappear provide us with valuable insight into the real tactics involved in the "War on Terror."

Profanity takes center stage as the United States Supreme Court reviews a case regarding the use of four-letter obscenities on broadcast television. Specifically, the court is considering whether the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) crossed the line when it began issuing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fines for any on-air use of the words "fuck" and "shit." This will be the first time in 30 years that a decision will be made regarding regulations over television content.

It's what you don't know. The New York Times published an article claiming that a "handful of studies" found evidence that university professors' political leanings have no effect on students' political orientation. However, the article leaves out as much information as the professors they discuss omit from their syllabi.

The words "school," "professor" and "liberal" are often joined together in the same sentence because it is frequently claimed that professors are liberal and that their beliefs are uncritically accepted by students. However, that claim is now less tenable after the release of a recent study in "PS: Political Science & Politics," the journal of the American Political Science Association. The study looked at 7,000 students at 38 institutions and concluded that students are not indoctrinated or instilled with the beliefs held by their professors.

This week on campus is Islam Awareness Week, brought to you by the Muslim Student Union (MSU). With over 300 registered organizations on our campus, we are spoiled with amazing programming that enlightens and educates us. With so many events on campus, why should you come to Islam Awareness Week?

As noted in last week's article entitled "Re-evaluating the Iran Threat," it is unlikely that Iran is building a nuclear weapon. However, even if it does, an Iranian nuke would not be the threat to international security that many politicians and analysts suspect. However, the majority in this country seems to feel the opposite way, including President-elect Obama, for whom Iran's nuclear program is presumably a top priority.

As a natural rights activist, I feel disappointment toward the Proposition 8 opponents, supposedly my allies, who hurl anathemas to defend a politically flimsy position that has little to do with natural rights. On the other hand, Proposition 8 supporters played fair game in their pursuit to exclude homosexuals from the domain of state matrimony. I would even argue that a majority of Proposition 8 opponents are not against exclusion in itself, but are only for the inclusion of what they perceive to be an acceptable group.

A week after Election Day, Washington voters had to spend some serious time considering such a situation. Last Tuesday, Washington voters approved Initiative 1000, making it the second state after Oregon to approve medically assisted suicide. The measure passed by a margin of 58 to 42 percent.

"Hope" and "Change" have been the rallying cries of this election campaign. Now that the votes have been counted and the "Candidate for Change" Barack Obama is our president-elect, how much hope should we have that change is on its way?

Just this October, at a HIV/AIDS conference, South Africa's new Health Minister Barbara Hogan stated, "HIV causes AIDS." To an outsider, those words are unremarkable. They state the obvious. Of course HIV causes AIDS. The link between the virus and the syndrome has been a fact since 1983. Yet, these three words represent nothing short of a revolution. It has taken countless studies, relentless pressure from activists, doctors, scientists and foreign governments and finally the outbreak of political infighting to bring about acceptance of that statement.