The Drums of Hindu Nationalism

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Nationalism is one of the most dangerous forces on Earth. It blinds otherwise insightful men and women, and it removes logic from those whose abilities of ration are rarely impaired. So what happens when one interbreeds religious nationalism with classical nationalism? What happens when religion and race become so intertwined that it's hard to tell the difference? While the 'other' lurks around every corner, the need to protect not just their nation's mortal but immortal legacy grows stronger. And this is the line where Hindu nationalism sits.

A Matter of Habit

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Election Turnout and the Entry Level Voter. It is no secret that people between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four are less likely to vote than any other age demographic. While youth vote campaigns have existed for quite some time, in recent years even a larger focus has come on to the issue. While the sheer statistics of the low turnout of the youth vote are quite obvious and irrefutable, the reasons behind it are not quite apparent. This article puts forward a very simple idea: The primary reason younger voters don't show up to the polls is simply because they aren't used to voting in the first place. To study the effects of habit on voting, this paper will look at twenty-one to twenty-seven year olds both before and after the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971. To make these comparisons I will use the American National Election Study Cumulative Datafile that covers 1948-2004. Voting behavior of this demographic will be compared to a control age demographic unlikely to still be effected by a lack of habit in voting (sixty-one to sixty-seven).

The Archetypical Presidency

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The President of the United States of America is often the focus of film and television drama. By looking at popular media, this article will examine what basic archetypes emerge from this popular fiction. But by forcing our image of an archetype on anyone who would try to portray that position, are we actually doing ourselves a disservice? Will we then expect all representations in both fiction and reality to meet this expectation? This article will look to define the archetypes that pervade our collective cultural fiction, and see how we are also applying them to our genuine politicians. It will also examine how Politicians attempt to evoke these same images for their own advantage. (Originally written in May of 2006)

The Case For Network Neutrality

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Imagine you're pulling onto a tollway. Now I know we don't have toll based highways in Wisconsin, but just hop along on the metaphor train with me for a moment, okay? Rather than just having a single toll for all drivers though, you're faced with a choice of two sets of toll booths...

Nader 'The Shepherd for the Political Left'

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On Thursday, Sep. 16, Ralph Nader appeared before a packed Schofield Auditorium. Campaigning in his seemingly umpteenth presidential bid, Nader presented an interesting, educated, and most of all energizing speech. Some have asked, "If he can't win this election, why is he bothering to run?" though, and that I hope to answer.

Feingold 'Taking the High Road'

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Senator Russ Feingold's campaign stopped by the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire campus on Sep. 2 during his "High Road Challenge Tour." During his speech, the Senator said, "It's unfair to the people of this state; they deserve a campaign based on issues," and this really is the point of the High Road Challenge, as the majority of Republican advertising has been focused on character assassination.

What's Wrong With the Word Pussy?

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Pussy. Five letters, each on its own harmless and without impact, but you put them together... and oh boy, do you have problems. Yes, it's a slang term for female genitalia, but until recently I've never thought twice about it. You see, it's recently been pointed out to me that the term "pussy" is offensive.

Fraternal Frustration: Or How The Town Next Door Managed to Be Dumber Than The Frats

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Let me start by explaining something important about me: I hate the Greeks. I find the vast majority of fraternity guys morons, and the majority of sorority girls vapid. Yes, I am the stereotypical Greek hater. But I'm about to do something I never thought I'd ever do - defend the frats. That's right, Mr. I-irrationally-hate-the-Greeks is stepping up to the plate to defend them. (I just felt shivers, did you? Was that hell freezing over? Crap...)

The 'Dean Scream' That Never Was: Scrutinizing Spin and Media Misportrayals

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We all remember the image: Former Democratic front-runner Howard Dean, seemingly yelling like a madman after placing third in the Iowa caucuses. The media was delighted, a formerly favorite candidate losing his cool up in front of a crowd is always a good piece to boost ratings. But there's a simple question that no one seemed to ask: What is it really a film of?

You're Not Safe, Get Over it. How The Students of UWEC Have Been Led Into A False Sense of Security.

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Eau Claire is supposed to be safe, and bad things aren't supposed to happen here. Well, it's not, and they do. But that's not the image that the town and University want. No, the UWEC website advertises and pushes the image of a "Safe" city... But how far are they willing to go to protect that image?