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Over the past month in the delirium that is post-election, the MIT Confessions page on Facebook has brought into light unpopular political opinions and viewpoints from anonymous members of campus. Rather than view these unpopular perspectives as an opportunity for conversation, many MIT students have instead attempted to close discussions with supporters of President-elect Donald Trump with Facebook comments such as, “I’m sorry buddy but your support for Trump is indefensible. Nice try tho.” Social media is but one of many battlegrounds of political debate, or lack thereof. MIT students have admitted that some of their professors have publicly mocked the President-elect and his followers in their classrooms, and that others in the class do not speak up to challenge the remarks. In a survey of the MIT College Republican Club conducted by The Tech, one member wrote:
Threats to science and what MIT can do
Donald Trump will be the first president to completely disregard data and blatantly devalue expert judgment. If the MIT administration wants to justify its decision to engage in its fight against climate change, then this is the opportune moment to do it.
Inclusive language in MIT classrooms
Should MIT try to dissuade usage of sexist and colonialist terms in our curriculum? If so, how should they go about this?
Respecting the process, opposing the outcome
Americans voted in a legitimate election Tuesday, and the result was that Donald J. Trump will serve as the 45th president of the United States.
Love still trumps hate
Most of America fears Donald Trump. Exit polls show fifty-eight percent of voters were concerned or scared by the prospect of a Trump presidency. Millions feared Donald Trump, yet voted for him anyway.
Long term solution needed for MIT campus waste disposal
Approximately 100 billion pounds of food are thrown out every year, accounting for 30 to 40 percent of the available food supply. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that food accounts for 21 percent of the waste sent to landfills and incinerators, the largest percentage for any single material in the waste stream.
MIT Democrats for Hillary Clinton
We want to vote for and work with someone who is dedicated to furthering the progress of the past eight years; someone who has given her life to public service and continues making history
We need fossil fuel divestment
This October marked the one-year anniversary of the release of MIT’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), which seeks to use the university’s expertise in research, education, and outreach to address global warming.
Hope as a political engine
Hope may produce temporary disappointment, but it was and is and will continue to be our most powerful engine for progress.
UNESCO validates religious discrimination in Jerusalem
UNESCO drafted a resolution that is entirely antithetical to its proclaimed purpose and ventures into the absurd for a group that claims to be intellectual, freedom-oriented, and peaceful.
The role of third parties in the 2016 election
In the brawl of the general election campaign, a less apparent spectacle has been playing out on the margins – third party candidates have experienced a huge surge of support.
Students must shape the future of MIT’s campus
According to MIT 2030, “Between 1998 and 2010, MIT renovated 875,000 gross square feet (gsf) of existing buildings and completed over 2.6 million gsf of new construction.” To put that number into perspective, the area of a football field is less than 58,000 square feet.
The socioeconomic status of transgender people in India
Growing up in India, we often came across “Hijras,” people who we understood were somehow labeled as different.
Browsers’ bid for relevance is turning them into time-bombs
The growth of mobile devices and the apps that fuel them has been followed by a decline in browsers, locking more and more of the Internet into silos controlled by giant corporations that love “disruption” when they're the ones doing it, but not so much when they’re the ones being disrupted. The browser ecosystem is weaker than it’s ever been, and that’s made it ripe for predation — and you’ll find no better example of it than something happening under MIT’s own roof.
Letters to members of the MIT Administration
MIT community members respond to the administration's decisions regarding Senior House.
No loopholes in protecting civil rights
Earlier this month, the Massachusetts Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill that would represent a crucial step forward for transgender rights in the state.
Addressing recommendations for inclusivity
Since December, we have had the exciting opportunity to work together in a historic collaboration of students and senior administration to consider the recommendations for a healthier and more inclusive MIT community.
The UK is stronger in Europe
The U.K. is the third largest member of the EU and one of its most important voices. Yet many advocates for “Brexit,” Britain’s exit from the EU, are trying to convince the citizenry that leaving is necessary.
A reflection from within the LGBTQ community
I am proud of my capacity for love. I never would have thought that a community of straight people who could not empathize with my experience could serve as my rock.
MIT and the climate challenge
A plan for action is for MIT an essential early step. Following up now with concrete action, and ramping up commitments as opposed to letting them dwindle, will be a momentous task.