illinoisreview

Sex on Campus: Not as Fulfilling as you Think

A recent study in the Journal of Sex Research links depression in women to casual sex. This flies in direct contrast to a campus culture that tries to celebrate "uncommitted sex." The problem is it flies in the face of our internal nature, and is the case in most emotional matters, comes down hardest on women.

Like most campuses, the University of Illinois hosts an annual celebration of uncommitted sex called "Sex Out Loud." It presents a generally one-sided account of sex which doesn't represent reality. Sex has consequences and those consequences are felt mostly by women.

God and Science in the Academy

The conflict between science and religion (particularly Christianity) is centuries old. It probably preceded Galileo though Galileo is the portrait scientists hold up when any Christian dares to question the work of a scientist. Both the debate over embryo-destroying stem cell research and intelligent design are the latest battles in this ages old war.

Scientists have a deep-seated fear of Christianity. Not only do they ceaselessly try to "remind" us that Christianity is the cause of most if not all of history's bloodshed, but the actively try to ban it from the one realm where they rule… the academy. FIRE has story after story of the suppression of free expression on campus.

Race-Baiting on Campus

Recently an undergraduate student began circulating on Facebook a 10 + 1 point plan for the "liberation of students at the University of Illinois." Apparently I didn't get the memo that there was still slavery going on in Champaign. This movement started in a response to a suggestion that the various cultural houses be combined to help end self-segregation on campus.

Now much can be said about the under-representation of minorities on campus (or other racial problems in town) but this goes far beyond affirmative action in admission. This list of demands wants affirmative action in grading. Demand #2 stats "We demand that the percentage of undergraduate GRADUATION RATES for Black, Latino/a, Native American, and Asian American students from the University of Illinois at the very least match their percentage of the population of the state of Illinois." How exactly would the University affect this demand? Once you get into college it's up to you to graduate, why is it oppressive to demand the same for minorities (who do benefit from programs designed to help those with remedial problems catch up)?

A Higher Education Lesson from the Nobels

This year, in all but literature and peace, United States researchers took home the Nobel. From economics, to physics, to medicine, to chemistry, US researchers are bar none the best in the world. This is on top of the Times Higher Education Supplement that ranks US universities as the best in the world. Why then, do conservatives complain of liberal indoctrination?

A key thing to notice is that the only "soft" academic field in the Nobels is for literature, a prize an American hasn't won since 1993 (Toni Morrison). This should hardly come as a surprise as American "culture" is saturated with insipid nudity and mindless entertainment.

Campus Community? What Campus Community?

Universities like to celebrate how diverse their campus community is. They’ll have culture houses for this minority and that minority. At the University of Illinois in Champaign they even have an African American Homecoming which is a distinct and concurrent celebration during the normal homecoming on campus. There is no campus community; there are several different communities that occupy the same chunk of land.

If diversity means having a bunch of different groups who don't really associate with each other in the same general area, than these types of programs are a resounding success. However, if these programs are supposed to create a community in any sense of the word, they are a dramatic failure. As with most race-based programs, all the gets produced is more division.

Should Denny Hastert Resign?

In a word, yes. Perhaps he really didn't know about the instant messages as he suggests. Perhaps the media is being too hard on the Republican leadership. Perhaps this was part of a coordinated "October Surprise" to throw Republicans off their game in the month leading up the election. It doesn't matter, if he didn't know, he should have known. Is it fair? Probably not. But this is politics and being a leader is about more than being fair. It's about being impeccable.

A question of timing

Is this an October Surprise? Was this held on to for release to counteract Karl Rove's "Treason Season" just as Republicans were starting to make gains? Its politics, I wouldn't put it past either side to pull a stunt like that. Bob Woodward's book is a great example. It was explicitly timed for the election targeting the issue that the Republicans are strong on.

If it was that, it went too early. Five weeks from now, every iota of detail will be vetted on this issue. If Denny Hastert is going to resign, he will have done it. The Republicans have time, not a lot, to figure out how to handle this. If this scandal ran 10 days before the election they'd be screwed. As it stands, they may still be screwed. However, there is still some time to kick Hastert out (after all Republicans seem to be the only party who routinely kicks out their disgraced leaders, McGreevy being a notable Democrat exception) and to find out if this was timed by Democrats in a controlled leak.

Bush Admits to Nonexistent "High Crimes"; Will be Impeached in 2007

Bush has admitted to the requisite "high crimes and misdemeanors" to allow for impeachment. It doesn't matter that these supposed crimes aren't truly crimes; he has effectively admitted to them being illegal and makes it impossible to claim otherwise. He has shown fundamental weakness leading up to the election that makes Congressional Republicans that much more vulnerable. Ultimately, the Democrats will gain control of the House, will successfully impeach the President, and he will likely be thrown out of office by a weak Senate Republican majority.

It is no secret that many Democrats (and certainly left-wing activists) want to impeach Bush. This drive started roughly on the day of inauguration in 2001. They've invented and refined charges throughout the past few years. Some of these have been completely debunked by the facts, others have hung around. For instance, the scandal of the Valerie Plame incident is that the prosecutor, after knowing who the leaker was the first day of the investigation, allowed the witch hunt to continue. The investigation also proved that not only did Bush not lie about Niger, but the claims were actually true.

If the 2006 Illinois Elections were a Movie...

by John Bambanek

(for those who don't get the reference, look here).

If the 2006 election for Governor of Illinois were a movie, the poster would look something like this:

"Whoever wins... we lose"

Associated Press Embraces Bias and Supports Abortionists in News Coverage

This clip is from the Associated Press stylebook. It is used by newspapers across the country to provide guidelines in how stories should be written. By and large, many guidelines are neutral and simple are matters of style (i.e. capitalization, punctuation, etc). However, in this one entry, standing unique in comparison to the whole guide, the AP picks sides in the abortion debate and insists that the pro-abortion side be the one supported in news coverage.

If Planned Parenthood wants to use pro-choice and anti-abortion, that's there perogative. However, the Associated Press, as journalists, pretend to be objective in their reporting. In this case, they choose propaganda terms to portray those against abortion in the worst light and those who support it in the best light. Framing, apparently, is not just for politicians anymore.

Art Imitates Life: Survivor and Racism

Amid all the furor about the show Survivor beginning next season with teams organized on racial lines, one thing has been lost. While Survivor is just a TV show (a.k.a. not real life), in reality society in the United States is divided along these same lines without as much of a peep of criticism. New York City officials want to extend their power over what other people watch on TV, but refuse to police their own boroughs for racial equity.

As examples, there are Black radio stations, White radio stations and Latino radio stations. The same applies for television. Communities are very frequently divided along racial lines. When the communities aren't geographically, the groups will divide themselves socially.

Federal Court Rules Protecting America is Unconstitutional

The ACLU has convinced a federal judge that monitoring overseas communications of terrorists is against the constitution. Despite the fact the preamble lists defending the nation as an acceptable federal government function, the ACLU and US District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor said that the risk "innocent" communications could be intercepted far outweighed the risk of Al Qaeda attacking the United States. Despite programs such as ECHELON, CARNIVORE, and others that existed happily (albeit controversially) under the Clinton Administration, the possibility that George Bush might actually defend the country is a threat the Constitution cannot bear.

Despite the evidence, the media still calls the case a matter of "warrantless wiretapping" despite the fact that the clear intention is to monitor international calls. This ongoing deception is an attempt to create hysteria that the US is becoming a "police state" and that the treats are from Republicans, not terrorists. This is the same political quarter that brings you the idea (despite all evidence to the contrary) that George Bush and not Al Qaeda is behind 9/11.

Book Review: Conservatives Betrayed by Richard Viguerie

The marriage between the Republicans and conservatives has been a loveless and unsatisfying marriage. The Republicans keep "stumbling home after midnight, smelling of booze and cheap perfume." And it is time for the marriage to come to an end.

Conservatives Betrayed: How George W. Bush and Other Big Government Republicans Hijacked the Conservative Cause by Richard Viguerie thoroughly lists, more than any other resource I can think of, the balance of indiscretions the Republicans have visited upon conservatism under the Presidency of George W. Bush (and even before that election). The days of the Contract With America are long gone and replaced with what can only appear to be a very similar spending philosophy of Democrats.

Framing and Strawman Politics

by John Bambenek

Has George Lakoff ever met a conservative? Read any conservative books? Actually sat down and talked over conservativism with someone who actually holds it? From his latest co-written article "Bush is not Incompetent" it appears the answer is no. Lakoff's latest "research" shows that reframing a discussion isn't about getting your points out, it's about changing the facts and definitions so you can demonize opponents who may have perfectly valid points of view. It's the politics of tyranny, not democracy.

Consider how Lakoff defines the three fundamental tenets of conservativism: individual initiative, the President is the moral authority, and free markets are enough to foster freedom and opportunity. Focusing exclusively on the second tenet for a moment, where does this come from?

Defending the Right of Congressmen to Break the Law in Private

by John Bambenek

Over the weekend, the FBI executed a search warrant to search Representative William Jefferson’s congressional office. While it might be amusing to point out that the distinguished gentleman from Louisiana is a Democrat, the intent here is not to make partisan jabs (okay, maybe a little). Corruption has been a part of both parties and neither has a lock on it. (Just look at Illinois).