Freedom on the march
For the past four years, Fukuyama-style neoconservatives such as myself have grimly born witness as, around the world, the lights of liberty and freedom grew dim or were snuffed out. Bush, chastened by his failed Social Security reform, Hurricane Katrina, and a midterm defeat, gave up his freedom agenda. Obama, more eager to extend an open hand to dictators than wrest them from power, similarly demurred. And so we stood by, outraged but helpless, as Hugo Chavez solidified his dictatorship in Venezuela; as Cuba’s despotism positioned itself to outlive its founder; as Russia backslid into authoritarianism; as much of Eastern Europe began its descent into autocracy; as Bush’s mismanagement of Iraq and Obama’s incomprehensible tolerance for election rigging in Afghanistan dashed our hopes for democratic reform; as the toeholds of Arab liberty in Lebanon and Palestine grew more tenuous; as Iran brutally suppressed the democratic urges of its people; and as Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mauritania, Niger, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Burundi, and Sri Lanka, amid recession and instability, became significantly less free.
Difficult times encourage patriotism, hope
During the many hours I spent in Cairo following the recent protests, the appearance and the opinions of the protestors surprised me more than anything else. Citizens of Cairo are generally very down-to-earth, easygoing people with a great sense of humor, and this mood was evident during the protests, despite the harsh conditions. I was also surprised at the lack of animosity the protestors displayed towards the United States in light of the support and aid the U.S. has given to Hosni Mubarak’s regime in the past. Every time I got into a taxi, the driver could not wait to give me his opinion of American politics — which generally boiled down to “Bush: Bad, Carter: Good” — and assure me that he still liked America and wanted to travel to or live here someday.
Health care reform works for students
Last week, I woke up with the right side of my face paralyzed. When I used some mouthwash, the right corner of my lip quivered, dripping liquid. Then I wiggled my ears (because I can): only the left ear wiggled. I looked into the mirror, and laughed at seeing my face with unmatched expressions. Then it wasn’t so funny anymore.
Health care repeal is a terrible, terrible idea
Last week, in a 47-51 vote, the U.S. Senate rejected an amendment to the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act. Sadly, this vote will not end the Republican push to repeal ObamaCare. Going forward, Republicans are mounting a two-pronged assault on the health care reform’s individual insurance mandate before it comes into force in 2014. The first line of attack is to challenge the law in court, arguing that compelling all citizens to purchase health insurance is an unconstitutional overstep of the federal government’s powers. The second is to de-fund the agencies tasked with policing the mandate, which amounts to a de facto repeal.
Corrections
An article published on Feb. 4 about cut varsity sports incorrectly characterized club wrestler Grant M. Kadokura ’11 as the 2010 NCAA Division III Wrestling Champion. Kadokura is the 2010 National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) National Wrestling Champion, not the NCAA varsity champion. The NCWA is the collegiate club wrestling league.
It’s a MAD World
Imagine two men, John and Nick, standing at the edge of a precipice. They are chained together at the ankle by a heavy chain such that if one falls over the edge (or throws himself off the edge), the other will fall with him, and both will die. John is trying to coerce Nick into giving him something — for convenience, let’s call it a MacGuffin. John has the strength to throw Nick off the cliff, but does not have the strength to simply seize the MacGuffin from Nick — he can only have it if it is willingly given away. Let us also imagine that John values the MacGuffin more than Nick does.
H.R. 3: A frightening affront to rape survivors
Editors Note: Readers are advised that this article contains discussions of the circumstances of rape.
Autocratic rule is a failing strategy
Of the 22 countries in the Arab League, three posses quasi-democratic governments. The remaining 19 are absolute monarchies, constitutional monarchies or “strong-manned” republics. Each of the three nations that do qualify as being democratic is struggling with its government. Iraq, which had democracy forced upon it by the United States seven years ago, still has an unstable government. Lebanon has a novel crisis in the form of its brand new government, and Palestine still awaits recognition as a state by half the world. It time for the rulers of the Arab League — both the non—democratic and barely democratic countries — to gracefully embrace democracy for the greater good of their people.
Corrections
A Jan. 26 article about Bad Ideas weekend incorrectly stated that the homemade sledding hill was 20 feet tall. It was 8 feet tall.
Cairo is burning
It is the eleventh straight day of protests in Egypt, and nearly every day has been marked by fierce and violent clashes between protesters and riot police. The president, Hosni Mubarak, an 82-year old autocrat, has only avoided the fate of his Tunisian counterpart by sacking his entire government and scheduling elections for September, at which point he claims he will step down. Given the mercurial nature of revolutions, and of Arab revolutions in particular, anything is possible — but for now, the Egyptian regime seems set to end with a whimper, not a bang.
Your move, PBE
Phi Beta Epsilon can resolve the debate over their expulsion from the Interfraternity Council and whether their actions constitute hazing by releasing the document detailing the incident in question to public review. This document, describing membership education activities for the pledge class of 2013, is the key piece of evidence in determining whether PBE’s activities qualify as hazing.
Welcome [Back] to MIT
Editor’s Note: This editorial was originally published on August 31, 2010, at the beginning of the fall semester. We believe much of its advice is still relevant today, for any MIT student.
Yes, it’s still the economy
It is easy to look back on 2010 and say that it will not soon be forgotten, that a year of oil and information leaks, Tea Party and sanity rallies, and cyber-warfare in Iran will leave indelible marks on the world.
A look back, and ahead
MIT is a different place today than it was one year ago. On a global level, MIT is connecting to the rest of the world in ways it never has before. On a local level, MIT itself is evolving — faced with new financial realities and a need to remain competitive with peer schools, the Institute has seen significant changes to important aspects of academics and student life. Many of 2010’s changes will define MIT for years to come.
‘Patriot Probes’ at the airport
This past Thanksgiving I, like many of you, passed through Boston Logan Airport in order to get home. Prior to my trip, I had been looking forward with a mixture of giddiness and dread to the opportunity of being subjected to an “enhanced pat down,” an experience I hoped would be illuminating, if not mortifying.
The story BCG offered me $16,000 not to tell
The city was strange and the society was unnerving, but what disturbed me most about my Dubai experience was my job as a business consultant for the Boston Consulting Group.
Dorm presidents defend REX
We have been told that the proposal to reduce the length of orientation has come down from your office, and so we as representatives of the student body are coming to you to ask that you amend the suggested changes to preserve the full length of Residence Exploration (REX).