Singing together
Reader, you are but one in many thousands. Nothing distinguishes you from any other person, right now, at least. By the end of this semester, you will be different from the person next to you. You will remember something you had forgotten. I am far away, and you have only a tiny picture of me, but we are connected, and I am going to help you remember that. Right now, I am thinking of you. It has been too long since we have felt connected to one another. No fashion, no gossip, no filler. Let us talk about poetry and life, dreams and war; let us speak to one another of all those things which really matter. Reader, I am thinking of you--let us sing a perpetual song!
-- Austin Dyches is a letters senior.
Reader beware
Most of you already know my MO. On alternate Tuesdays, I take an issue you may or may not be aware of, I outline the details, and I make you think about it. Last semester, I did my best to piss you off, and this semester will be no different. In the next few weeks, I'll be talking to you about capital punishment, sex crimes and "killography". You may not like what I have to say, but you deserve to hear it nonetheless. The world is a bad place, and someone needs to make you pay attention.
I am your nagging conscience, and I have spoken. Now go away.
-- Fletcher Christensen is a psychology and mathematics senior.
Beyond the bickering
Claiming my heritage from Iran, a country popularly known by its membership in the exclusive club deemed "the axis of evil," I guess you could say that I know a few things about evil. I would like to use this column to expound on what I consider to be the true "evil empire." I will also clear up some misconceptions about the politics and culture of Southwest Asia and also demonstrate the importance of the links between that region and America.
Furthermore, with the democratic primaries and the presidential election just around the corner, I have heard nothing but the usual partisan bickering. Most college students know that every liberal wants immorality and communism, while all conservatives want to enslave minorities and keep down the working man.
I do not have enough confidence in my persuasive skills to change someone's ideology, if one should exist to be changed. Instead, this column will explore political issues that have not gained enough popularity, for whatever reason, to become rallying points for partisan mudslinging.
-- Hossein Maymani is a biochemistry sophomore.
Sooner in the sand
The world is such a perplexing entity that to have a concrete view on it would be foolish because you learn something new about it every day. I have been in Iraq for a total of six months, since last March, and there is not a day that goes by that I do not learn something new: a new word in Arabic, some new way to deal with people, some new path to cope with the hurts of this world. If I have a view of the world, it is that you cannot have a view because you cannot see everything that you need to see to truly understand the world and those who live within it. The best thing to do is to question your stances and those around you to help mold the best view of the world that you see. And, from where I am looking, what I see is that people, no matter what land they reside in, have no clue what the other person is about because they do not listen, truly listen, to one another. But, hey, what do I know? I'm just some kid from Oklahoma, right? Well, hopefully through this column, I can not only give you some insight into the daily life of a soldier in Iraq, but also encourage each of you to find your view of the world.
-- Eric Hartmann is a political science and pre-law sophomore.
On Google and trolls
I suppose this is where I should tell you what is wrong with the world and how we ought to fix it, but I couldn't think of a way to say that in 200 words without sounding like a pretentious jerk (apologies to any fellow columnists who may have done this; I trust they will find a grace I lack). My view of the world as I write is what I can see out the window beside my computer table, which is currently a rather nice sunset becoming a rather cold night. So instead, here are some things you didn't need to know about me: I am a 22-year-old human boy; if I were a superhero, my superpower would be Google searching, and if life were like fairy tales, I'd have been devoured by trolls long ago. This semester, I will be discussing all the most pressing political issues from a vaguely leftist perspective, along with whatever else interests me and makes it past the ever-vigilant editors as worthy of your attention. My column comes with the highest recommendation (mine) as the next-best thing after the crossword puzzle to do instead of paying attention in class.
-- Gene Perry is a history and botany senior.
One voice among many
Well, it's that time of year again: new classes, new books and new columnists. Off campus, our success in Iraq has been debatable, the Israeli-Palestinian "roadmap to peace" continues to plunge, mad-cow disease has resurfaced, and illegal immigrants will soon be legally employed among us.
Luckily, you get to put up with me for the next 16 weeks. My name is Tariq Alzoubi, and I am a senior majoring in industrial engineering. I do not know whether to consider myself a conservative or a liberal because I consider both to be a matter of opinion. My views on certain issues such as the war in Iraq may be considered liberal, while my views on issues such as illegal immigration and gay marriages may be considered conservative. I do not mean to single out those particular issues; they are just examples. I am open to all professional comments and professional criticism. We are all here to be educated and learn from one another. I look forward to being one of the many diverse voices on campus this semester, and I wish everyone a successful semester.
--Tariq Alzoubi is an industrial engineering senior.
Nonfeminist ice cream
Welcome back to Sooner land. This semester, I'll be taking a stance on various topics as I state my case for a wide range of issues. This stance will, for the most part, be conservative. I am not a radical, a feminist or a punk artist, just a girl from the heartland trying to get a decent education. I am thankful for this opportunity to give a voice to my thoughts. For example, I think the chocolate chunks in mint-chocolate-chip ice cream are infinitesimally small and hope this imbalance will soon be corrected. In addition to this, I believe in truth and principle, and I value work ethic and equality. As an opinion columnist, I'll be writing articles addressing issues pertinent to you as an OU student. Hopefully, you will find my articles intriguing, or at least worth distracting your attention in class. I look forward to sharing my opinions with you this semester.
-- Hillary Cox is a letters and pre-law freshman.
Leading an inspired life
I am a licensed professional counselor and master addictions counselor. I have worked at OU Counseling and Testing and several area hospitals, and I currently work at OU Health Science Center's Prevention Services, helping adults cope with HIV infection. In addition, I teach a variety of psychology courses and give seminars and talks to clinicians and other groups. Most of my training is in the areas of human sexuality and relationship dynamics.
I have devoted my career to helping people understand themselves and the world more accurately. I believe that we are all more similar than different and that we all want to connect in safe and sustaining ways. Further, I contend that most everyone is capable of leading a more inspired life. I plan to write about this!
-- Rich Wedemeyer is a licensed professional counselor at OU Health Sciences Center.
Outside the mainstream
I am a senior here at OU. My major is history, but I am also interested in politics and journalism. My hobbies include jogging, playing tennis, watching movies and reading. I am a conservative with a Christian worldview. Look for hard-hitting and challenging columns from me this semester that encourage you to think about issues in a different way than the mainstream media present them. I will attempt to be fair in my judgments, and I will research the topics I discuss in order to make meaningful observations. It is likely I will have a couple of columns that won't take the standard conservative position. I like variety, so look for a wide range of topics in my columns, like the media, politics, social problems and campus issues. I will be writing every other Thursday. My first column will address the issue of bias in the media.
-- Wes Provine is a history senior.
Thinking out loud
As Coco Chanel once put it, "The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud." Sometimes, thinking for myself puts me in a situation where I become hard to categorize. We, as the new opinion columnists, were asked to write a short paragraph explaining our worldviews and what we intended to discuss in our columns. My worldviews are a jumble of ideas. For example, I am a libertarian who believes in fiscal conservatism and social liberalism. I hail from the great state of Texas, but I couldn't be prouder to be at the University of Oklahoma. My plans for my column space are also varied. When I was asked whether I would use my powers for good or for evil, I chose good. Perhaps that is the best introduction I can make. I will endeavor to deliver an interesting column on who knows what every other week.
--Sarah Rice is a communication and political science freshman.
Spiritual artistry
People in the Bible Belt talk about their "spirituality". So, I will too. I am a non-affiliated pantheist, and things I personally consider to be sacred--the Earth, freedom of expression, sexuality, charity--are constantly under attack from the religious right. I feel obligated to fight back against this base irony.
However naively, I also see my role as a columnist as a vehicle for better communication between the College of Fine Arts and the rest of the community. I may not know any more about art than anyone else, but
hello there & you too