The Ferris State Torch » Opinions

Time for an Open Border

Zach Smith, Interim Staff Writer — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:45 +0000

We have a certain pride of our Americanism in this country and sometimes we view ourselves not as a separate people, but one entity–several individuals making up one America.

Yet there are many people who do not fit into our inborn understanding of what “American” is. We tend to believe that in order to be an American you have to be born one or permitted to become one by the government. It’s an exclusive club, and we don’t want to see other people getting in because American is something we treasure as a society.

But it was not always this way; we did not always need special permission from a governing agency in order to become an American. It used to be that all you needed to do to become one of us was to come to this country, live here and work here. The pioneering spirit of the immigrant is what built this country, what made this country great.

We need to stop scapegoating our economic woes onto the immigrant population in this country. Many economists agree that immigration is beneficial to a country’s economy and does not cost us any jobs, contrary to what anti-immigration groups say. Immigration is just a flow of labor into an economy, something which can certainly be beneficial.

A good economic concept to keep in mind in regard to immigration is that of supply and demand, because this is the only real control we need over immigration. If there are jobs available for immigrants in this country (demand) then they will come here to work (supply). If there is no demand, they’ll eventually leave as there are no jobs for them.

We as students here at Ferris are preparing to enter the economy after acquiring some specialized skills and credentials. We need to remember that world around us is fluid and ever-changing, never sticking to any one particular model. Immigration is a fact; the government hasn’t been able to really stop it. Immigration will go on and the world around us will continue to change. This change is something we must learn to accept and adapt to.

Time for an Open Border is a post from The Ferris State Torch. If images or multimedia are missing, please visit the original post at the web site.

Think Before You Ink

Antonio Coleman, Editor in Chief — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:00:02 +0000

Tattooing has been an art form and means of expression throughout history. However, the trend of tattooing has taken on a whole new means of expression.

Colorful arm sleeves and elaborate back art are now replacing small tattoos. Areas once thought as forbidden for body ink are now acceptable places for marking. The idea of “it’s alright as long as no one sees it” has become a thought of the past. Facial tattoos, hand art and stretched earlobe plugs are part of a subculture influenced by self-expression and fashion.

Though our younger generation has accepted the sight of visible body art, there still lies a preconceived notion in regard to professional employment that can negatively influence those with visible tattoos.

The sight of visibly tattooed doctors, lawyers, professors and politicians has yet to become a societal norm that can allow those with extreme body art to show their tattoos in a hiring office without it influencing an employer’s decision. Even if hired, employers adamantly request employees cover visible tattoos with bandages to comply with company norms and dress code policies. Some companies may even have policies where visible tattoos are considered inappropriate to employment.

Though we have accepted the sight of leisurely seeing our friends with extreme body ink and other forms of body modification, wide-ranged acceptance in a professional environment has yet to be achieved.

Regardless of the personal significance, physical beauty or meaning behind a tattoo, they are often still associated with a “bad boy” personality. This can alienate would-be employers and cause individuals to feel discriminated or stereotyped in the workplace. Since it appears to be a long time before a tattoo-covered politician is accepted into the White House, consider how the people you’ll shake hands with in the business world will receive the new ink you’re thinking about getting.

Think Before You Ink is a post from The Ferris State Torch. If images or multimedia are missing, please visit the original post at the web site.

Pillow Talk

Angela Walukonis, Opinions Editor — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:21 +0000

If you’ve ever been in a long distance relationship, you know how difficult they may be and you may miss you significant other more than you’ve ever imagined.

For those who are currently in one, or may have to be apart from their loved one for some time, there is a new product you may want to hear about. It is called “Pillow Talk.”

Now, it sounds silly, but listen to this: Each partner wears a ring sensor that wirelessly transmits the sound of their heartbeat to a pillow insert. Once the transmission occurs, the other person’s pillow glows and the pillow begins mimicking their heartbeat.

A college graduate from Scotland, Johanna Montgomery, came up with the idea and actually created it herself as one of her final college projects. Pause. Her final college project was creating a product where you can feel someone’s heartbeat miles away through a pillow by wearing a ring. And I thought my final projects senior year would be cool. This isn’t two dimensional like Facebook, Skype, texting, or instant messaging. This could actually feel like a person is right next to you when they aren’t. It seems surreal, silly, yet completely captivates my attention at the same time.

In her Skype interview with ABC and promotional video, she explains how she wanted to create an awareness of another person, even if they are not there. The video has a few hundred thousand views, and ABC said, “This could be big.” Who knows if it will or not, but by the way our technology is improving and changing everyday this product may simply be a new fad or the way of the future.

You never know what could happen. This idea fascinates me. Our technology is so advanced, we can now sense a person who is far away through a pillow. This could go way beyond the cell phone, computer, TV, iPod or whatever other contraption you have. Pillow Talk sounds like such a funny idea, but could be a powerful tool used to connect relationships on a much deeper level, and it would be incredible if the product actually works.

This product may help ease the pain and difficulties of a long distance relationship. This makes me wonder what life will be like years from now. Check out johannamontgomery.com to see her progress on getting this product to store shelves. n

Pillow Talk is a post from The Ferris State Torch. If images or multimedia are missing, please visit the original post at the web site.

Pillow Talk

Angela Walukonis, Opinions Editor — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:14 +0000

If you’ve ever been in a long distance relationship, you know how difficult they may be and you may miss you significant other more than you’ve ever imagined.

For those who are currently in one, or may have to be apart from their loved one for some time, there is a new product you may want to hear about. It is called “Pillow Talk.”

Pillow Talk is a post from The Ferris State Torch. If images or multimedia are missing, please visit the original post at the web site.

No More Increases, Please

Jessica Smith, News Editor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:20:10 +0000

President Obama announced in his State of the Union Address he will propose measures to bring relief to almost eight million students who will soon see their student loan interest rates double on new loans.

I want to thank President Obama for taking the welfare of college students into consideration. As has been said, college is freakin’ expensive. In some cases, students give an arm and a leg to pay for school.

Beginning July 1 of this year, interest rates are set to double for students who take on new loans. If a new plan is not implemented, millions of students will pay $5,200 more on their student loans, according to a press release.

The press release also stated if Congress does nothing, borrowers who will take out $23,000 in subsidized student loans will see their interest balloon to an additional $5,200 over a 10-year repayment period and $11,300 over a 20-year payment period.

I don’t think this is fair or right by any means. Most college students are already struggling to pay for credit hours, rent, food, gas and other expenses. There’s no reason for Congress to increase interest rates on loans. It is bullshit.

President Obama also said in his address that he wants to keep tuition low, which is wonderful. With the rate it has been rising in recent years and now Congress wants to double interest rates on loans, college is soon going to be unaffordable for those who are not of upper class status.

We also have to take into consideration that the Pell Grant was slashed and summer financial aid here at Ferris and other universities is no longer available. That’s just one example of financial aid being cut.

I get that Congress has to make cuts in certain areas due to the deficit; what I don’t understand is why higher education has to be one of them. Sometimes I wonder if politicians want the general public to become ignorant just so citizens can become robots who will listen to and believe everything they are told.

Without a higher education, there are basically no job prospects and no prosperity. The days of being able to drop out of high school and go right to work like my grandfather did back in the 1950s are long over. He ran a successful business, but that was then. This is now. It’s 2012, and a college education is a necessity to have a successful career.

College should not be a privilege; it should be an option for every citizen. Everyone has the right to a higher education. Nobody has the right to say someone does not deserve to go to college, because they do. In that case, college should be affordable.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum recently made the statement toward President Obama, “Who are you to say that every child in America should go to college? I mean, the hubris of this president to think that he knows what’s best.”

Every child having the chance to go to college isn’t “snobbery” or “hubris,” it’s the right thing to do. Santorum is just another ignorant wealthy politician who is by no way fit to lead this country. That’s another subject, however.

Thank goodness President Obama is thinking of us, unlike Congress.

No More Increases, Please is a post from The Ferris State Torch. If images or multimedia are missing, please visit the original post at the web site.

Expanded Horizons

Antonio Coleman, Editor in Chief — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:06 +0000

February is African-American history month and Ferris State University students and staff members are putting on events to acknowledge the achievements of Black Americans throughout history. These include discussions on the Black urban rebellions of the 1960’s, the story of the Greensboro four and a look into the social impact of Idlewild.

As a campus community made of students from different ethnic backgrounds and beliefs, college should be an opportunity to learn racial acceptance and become educated on the differences of others.

Whether it’s a five-star presentation of Zach Wahl’s life with the LGBTQ community, the Jim Crow museum, or a room of FSU students learning calligraphy for Chinese New Year, our campus works to expand our cultural experiences.

Therefore it’s important as students that we allow ourselves to be willing to go beyond our cultural boundaries and take on a new way of thinking.

Let these events be an opportunity for us to acquire the knowledge to accept and challenge our previous principles. Minority registered student organizations and offices dedicated to student diversity are resources giving us a look at a world much larger than our classroom. By acknowledging and accepting the differences of others, we in turn learn to fix our own flaws and misconceptions.

Our success beyond college is dependant on our ability to coexist in a society of different ethnicities, beliefs and sexual orientations, and how we choose to familiarize ourselves with these differences. This shapes the attitude that will support us much further than our grades and other scholastic achievements.

Though as college students we feel the need to lock ourselves in our rooms and study, it’s the experiences outside our door that dictate who we are and how far we can go. Our knowledge is most useful when it allows our thoughts, conversations and actions to better those around us.

Expanded Horizons is a post from The Ferris State Torch. If images or multimedia are missing, please visit the original post at the web site.

Cartoon February 1, 2012

Nobody (Doesn't Show Author) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:01 +0000

Cartoon February 1, 2012 is a post from The Ferris State Torch. If images or multimedia are missing, please visit the original post at the web site.

Move…Get Out the Way

Mary Anne Benson, Production Manager — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:00:48 +0000

It’s 6:45 a.m. and I am awake heading to the Rec Center just to find out that it is already packed.

Seriously? It is never packed this early in the morning, why now? Oh, that’s right, people are back to school after the winter break and they felt the need to make a New Year’s resolution. And what is a better resolution than getting in my way at the gym, where I go regularly (or used to)?

I am refusing to go to the REC until the end of January (which is nearing, thankfully) when I know most people will have given up. It has happened for the past three years I have been here. It is a trend I despise.

I am happy people have committed themselves to become healthier and more active, but why even do it when you quit in three weeks? I wouldn’t mind if I knew these people would stay but instead they just come to annoy me for a short period of time. I don’t even go to the Rec at this time. I work out at home.

Not only will it happen after New Years but right before Spring Break. Just an FYI, it takes a lot longer than a week to get in shape. We all wish we could look good in a bikini in a week; it would be a lot less work and time that we don’t seem to have.

It is hard to stick with exercising in the world we live in and I do commend the people who try with their hectic schedules to squeeze in exercise. Maybe the overcrowded Rec has something to do with poor design. It isn’t the largest fitness center I have seen. Ferris is trying to improve but maybe if they have more hours available people wouldn’t be crammed and not want to go.

So as the end of January is nearing maybe Ferris can do something about the overcrowded gym. Ha, wait, what am I thinking? That will never happen.

I love seeing the Rec being used. Way to go to people who try, but if you quit so suddenly what was the point of ever going? To show you are a quitter? If you make a New Year’s resolution, do yourself a favor and don’t give up.

This article was not intended to slander anyone but make people aware of how are society is. Yeah, I was harsh but as a society we have become accustomed to being lazy.

Let’s work together on making the most out of our New Year’s resolution or many of us will become the majority and quit. Nobody wants to be a quitter but it is the easy way out!

So after you are done reading, grab a workout buddy; they are the best motivators. Some days you don’t have time or feel like doing much physical activity but everyone needs a break. Go for a walk, do some light stretching.

I encourage all to take what I have said and think about any resolution you have made and I challenge you to stick with it for the whole year. Good luck to everyone and even if I do get ticked off with the over crowded Rec, at least you are trying. Never give up, put all you can into any goal you set in life.

Move…Get Out the Way is a post from The Ferris State Torch. If images or multimedia are missing, please visit the original post at the web site.

Do a Double Take

Mary Harris, Copy Editor — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:00:04 +0000

Double standards are with us wherever we go, but do you really notice them in your everyday life?

I never noticed them before I left for college, now it is almost impossiable for me ignore them thanks to education.

Look at the entertainment industry, for example. Girl punches guy: comedy. Guy punches girl: abuse. Lesbians are hot, but gay couples are gross. If a guy sleeps around, he’s a sex god. If a girl does it, she’s a whore.

We have all seen these stereotypes in movies and other forms of media, and yet we normally don’t think anything of them. These examples are the most common, but there are hundreds more lurking in our lives — especially on the Internet.

There is a demotivational poster floating around the Internet that has a picture of a lock with a caption that says, “A key that opens many locks is an awesome key, but a lock with many keys is just a bad lock.” I will leave your imagination to the task of decoding this ambiguous message.

Many of these double standards stem from attitudes based on traditional stereotypes of gender roles. Regardless of how you look at it, men and women are treated differently.

Have you heard young women on campus call each other “bitches?” I have. It astounds me that it is supposedly meant as a compliment (judging by the fact they were smiling). But if a male called a female this name, I doubt he would be walking in a straight line afterwards.

A friend of mine once told me that everyone in his engineering classes is always shocked when females enter the class. He says these classes are mostly male dominated and having a female in the class is unusual at best. You see this attitude in the business world as well.

When I went to last year’s career fair on campus, I quickly discovered that no matter how assertive I acted, the potential employer would look over my head at the next candidate: a male. This was especially true for employers in the construction or technology industry.

If you look on the website called notalwaysright.com, a website for people to post their humorous customer stories, they list several examples of customers who will refuse to work with female employees in the technology or video game industry because they assume she doesn’t know anything about the subject.

I have only discussed gender double standards, but there are so many more including racial. I remember my friend in high school telling her friend he was not allowed to call her “white” if she could not call him “black.”

We take these double standards for granted because we have been desensitized to them. They are our cultural norm. Pay attention as you go to class. Challenging your view on the world can help you grow as an individual.

Do a Double Take is a post from The Ferris State Torch. If images or multimedia are missing, please visit the original post at the web site.

Consecutive Wins Hits Double Digits

Not Busy, Just Nosey

Antonio Coleman, Editor in Chief — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:00:04 +0000

A common phrase spoken by Ferris State University students is “I never have enough time.” For most college students, after the assignment deadlines and textbook reading, any spare time is spent resting up for the next day’s routine of rushing.

Though it appears either our days are getting shorter or our responsibilities are overwhelming, we cannot ignore the amount of time we spend consumed in the lives of others.

A study by the measurement and information company Nielsen reported the average user spent seven hours a month on Facebook. Experian Hitwise reported Twitter users visited the social networking site 10 visits per month. A number of college students can confess to spending even more time tweeting and Facebook stalking.

When considering the time spent Skyping, channel surfing and texting, it appears the lack of time in our “busy” lives is only the consequence of lifestyle distracters we habitually incorporate in our everyday schedule.

It’s almost become necessary that we remain logged in to some social network while at work or in class. The highest-viewed television programs tend to be reality shows focusing on the lives of celebrities and pregnant teens.

I agree social media is a beneficial resource for building and maintaining friendships by staying connected in the lives of others. However, our society’s increasing dependency on staying interconnected at all times has limited the time within our lives we are allowed to personally develop.

Though we are constantly informed on the everyday experiences of friends, we neglect to contribute to our own responsibilities, goals and potentials. What if we used the reported 13 hours per week we spend watching television to learn an instrument or new language? The seven hours of social networking can be used to lose weight or organize personal finances.

Therefore, next time you think to yourself “I never have enough time,” reevaluate the time you spend plugged into the lives of others.

Not Busy, Just Nosey is a post from The Ferris State Torch. If images or multimedia are missing, please visit the original post at the web site.