2008 Woodie Awards
Almost a week has passed since conservative intellectual Phyllis Schlafly spoke here at the University of Massachusetts. Judging by the reactions from protestors and members of the College Democrats, Schlafly's remarks about the dignity of housewives and the counterproductive effects of feminism were dismissed as conservative banter.
The Iraq War has seen a marked change in the roles women play in the military, continuing the expansion of available roles which began with the end of the draft. Most of these changes have been positive, with a few important exceptions, but this had not quelled debate from all sides of the political spectrum.
While we are living in the most technologically advanced society to date, some things simply remain the same. The average person today faces the same sort of pressures that their forefathers did. Getting and keeping a good job, making a decent living, raising kids and juggling other commitments can create enough anxiety to leave even the strongest person some serious stress.
The idea that racial discrimination is over-exaggerated unfairly portrays minorities as victims, is a gross misunderstanding. If we are not victims in a society that invalidates our concerns and masks its discrimination through more politically correct terms, such as class, then what the hell are we? Brad DeFlumeri's argument that black people need to focus on rising above racism instead of portraying themselves as victims is weak because he doesn't realize that all minorities in this country are victims - in a society that is run by and for white people.