Opinion

What’s your privacy worth? On June 6, what might normally have been a national U.S. debate became a worldwide uproar when the British newspaper The Guardian published a story alleging gross privacy invasion by the United States government. Former government contractor Edward Snowden allegedly provided the paper with Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) documents that showed national communications-service providers, such as Verizon, had been forced to hand over millions of phone records for U.S. customers. Snowden had obtained the documents, he told news sources, while working on national-security projects. […]

As warmer weather came around, so did natural disasters. In the past few weeks, flooding and tornadoes have left many people without homes. I watch the news, and I feel like changing the channel when it’s time for weather reports. Oklahoma has been hit with back-to-back tornadoes, reminding Missourians of the 2011 Joplin tornado and others that have hit our area. The first tornado hit the small town of Moore, Okla. It operated in the same manner as the Joplin tornado, devastating everything in its path. […]

Most people today use some form of social media, whether it’s Facebook, Myspace, Twitter or Tumblr. It’s a great way to keep in contact with friends and family in different parts of the country or world. Social media can be used to distribute information. In the case of an abduction, a tweet could alert the public and insure a child’s safe return. Businesses use Facebook to sell products. College students use it to reach fellow classmates and get assignments. […]

Society is far too lenient on powerful people who make terrible decisions based on dogmatic beliefs. This is especially true when there is tangible evidence that those decisions will be detrimental to the health and well-being of people. Discussions on the theological leanings of Pope Francis were a sad reminder that even if he interprets the Bible liberally, he still is a Catholic who will characterize homosexuality and contraceptives as immoral. Francis will likely follow in the footsteps of former Pope Benedict, who insisted that condoms not be distributed by Catholic humanitarian groups in sub-Saharan Africa, where HIV is rampant. […]

The St. Louis primary election will be held on March 5. Voters will choose from three Democrat mayoral candidates: Lewis Reed, Jimmie Matthews and incumbent Francis Slay. The winner will become mayor because he will face no Republican opposition in the general election. Slay has been mayor since 2001 and is seeking a fourth term. He formerly served 10 years as a St. Louis alderman and six years as president of the Board of Aldermen. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Quincy College and a law degree from St. Louis University. […]

For as long as the media has existed, it has portrayed “inferior” groups, such as women and racial minorities, in a negative light. Newscasts, movies, sitcoms and even cartoons paint their pictures with stereotypes, creating fear and intolerance of anyone who is different. Television programs present an abstract view of society, based on the ideologies of the reporters, commentators, writers and directors. This shapes the feelings of viewers toward individuals and groups, especially viewers who are ignorant of other lifestyles. […]

Have you done something you sucked at today? I thoroughly suggest the endeavor. What’s that? You don’t like doing things unless you’re good at them? You don’t want to look silly? Allow me to explain why you should start acting outside the box: It is through trying new things in life that you become an interesting person. A comedian named Kyle Kinane once made a great point about why people should strive to be weird. If aliens came to Earth and looked down at humanity, what would they see? People mindlessly driving cars, staring at their phones and walking along the road in single file. […]

The older generation tends to criticize the younger generation for not being “good kids,” and often they’re correct. But sometimes parents are blamed for being absent or not disciplining their children correctly, which is not always the case. As a single mother, I agree that today’s children are mostly rude and disrespectful, and they act as if everything is owed to them. Very rarely do you see a child help an elderly person walk across the street or carry groceries to their door or car. […]

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in December was traumatic and heartbreaking. It should not be downplayed by any means. My heart goes out to the families of the 20 children and six adults who were killed after a gunman opened fire in classrooms and hallways. Unfortunately, it took a crisis for the government to get serious about gun control. Once something catches the public eye, it’s suddenly urgent to act. Once America’s image is tainted, the clean-up crew is quickly summoned. Now it’s time to make changes, huh? All those children had to die before officials began considering preventive measures. […]

When did it become a crime to love?  Isn’t that a human right? Sometimes I feel discrimination is contagious, but a lot of people feel being gay is contagious. If a gay person sits next to them, stands close to them, or even touches them, they think they’re going to “get it.” The reality is, homosexuality is a way of life.  People are being themselves, so let them. If we live in a world where people aren’t allowed to be themselves, then something is wrong. I hear a lot of people say that the Bible says homosexuality is a “sin.”  But the Bible also says, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone” (John 8:7). Who’s to judge the way a person conducts his or her love life? A sin is a sin. There is not one person greater than the other, so let God do his job. He’s good at it. […]