The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

The Observer

The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

The Observer

The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

The Observer

TYLER BURDICK, Opinions Editor Emeritus

All content by TYLER BURDICK
The race for the Republican nomination has ultimately boiled down to Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich.  (SALWAN GEORGES-DETROIT FREEPRESS VIA TNS)

The Importance of the 2016 Presidential Election

March 11, 2016
As I sat watching the Republican debate on March 3, enduring the consistent bickering back and forth that often had little to do with the actual issues plaguing America today, the true importance of this year’s election seemed awfully clear.
I am her big brother, after all. (PHOTO VIA FLICKR)

The Crib and the Door

February 16, 2016
“The crib keeps her safe,” she tells me. Maybe it’s true, but every morning when I let her out I always make sure that she’s just as safe when she is with me.
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz speaks at the North Texas Presidential Forum at Prestonwood Baptist Church Sunday, Oct. 18, 2015 in Plano, Texas. (PHOTO COURTESY OF RICHARD W. RODRIGUEZ/ FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM VIA TNS)

We Need to Define “Natural-Born” Once and for All

February 12, 2016
The problem here is that vagueness in our Constitution’s language is creating a situation where we are publicly constructing the image of what we call “The American.”
Actor John Krasinski and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announce Best Actor at the announcement of the 88th Academy Awards nominations during a live news conference on Jan. 14, 2016 at the Academys Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

The Oscars: A Dilemma of Diversity

January 28, 2016
When it was announced that no actors of color were nominated for an Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards show, there was an understandable amount of outrage.
Caitlyn Jenner speaks to the Chicago House luncheon at the Hilton Chicago on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune/TNS)

Let’s Redefine Our Heroes

December 7, 2015
When Caitlyn Jenner was announced as the recipient for the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, there was a significant amount of backlash, mostly from people who believed that there were simply many other more deserving candidates of such an award.
The gates surrounding Rose Hill send a message about the Bronx. (PHOTO BY PAOLA JOAQUIN ROSSO/THE OBSERVER)

Rose Hill Course on the Bronx: A Good Step

November 23, 2015
A course at Rose Hill has been proposed and accepted; one that aims to discuss the cultural and historical significance of the Bronx as a region of New York.
I should be feeling sad right now, but I just don’t. I wonder if that makes me a bad person. (VIA FLICKR)

A Solemn Affair

November 6, 2015
The figure in the casket was that of my grandfather, yet I did not know him, and for that I resented him terribly.
False Reports: We Deserve an Apology

False Reports: We Deserve an Apology

November 5, 2015
For the very same reason we do not allow people to shout “fire” in a public place where there is none, we cannot allow people to shout “rape.”
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, center, speaks on the debate stage at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

We Need to Start Taking the GOP Seriously

November 4, 2015
As long as I can remember, I have found myself leaning far more to the left than to the right.
(JESSICA HANLEY/THE OBSERVER)

Adjunct Professors: Good in Moderation

October 26, 2015
The problem, however, occurs when adjunct professors want to teach full time, but they are forced to do so exclusively in an adjunct capacity because the university doesn’t want to pay out more than it has to.
(GRAPHIC BY BEN MOORE/THE OBSERVER)

The World Needs “Ze,” and Fordham Does Too

September 30, 2015
The English language is and always has been a living organism. Language is a part of culture, and culture is comprised of the thoughts and ideals of the people.
(Stringer/McClatchy DC/TNS)

Young ISIS Supporters Cannot be Shown Leniency

September 18, 2015
The argument is often made that, owing in part to their youth and naivety, they are actually victims of ISIS.
Controversial Christopher Columbus has a statue in Columbus Circle. (PHOTO BY PAYTON VINCELETTE/THE OBSERVER)

Controversial Figures Deserve Dedications Too

April 15, 2015
Can we honor someone for the good in his life while ignoring the bad, or do misdeeds cancel out good deeds?
(Tyler Martins/The Observer)

College Council Talks Politics, Advising & More

March 25, 2015
The Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) College Council discussed professor political conduct at their latest meeting just before spring break on March 12.
(Michelle Quinn/The Observer)

We May Not Be Ready for Net Neutrality

March 11, 2015
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has just agreed to begin adopting policies in favor of net neutrality, and while it sounds like a progressive development, not many people know what this actually means.
A shot of London’s magnificent Big Ben Clock Tower in City of Westminster, England.
(Courtesy of Tyler Burdick)

What It’s Like Coming Home From Study Abroad

February 11, 2015
I have never been much of a risk taker, but college is a time to overcome obstacles and grow as human beings. And so, as an English major, when I saw that Fordham was offering a liberal arts program in London, I realized that declining this offer would only harm me.
(Isabel Frias / The Observer)

Point: Implement Mandatory Retirement

December 22, 2014
In the working world, job security exists as a lofty and tantalizing goal, and for professors that goal is manifested in the concept of “tenure.” Upon reception, the instructor no longer needs to fear his or her own termination except in the face of an egregious offense or the elimination or downsizing of his department. This often means that instructors can sit comfortably in their position for years on end, oftentimes into their 60s or 70s. But is this really a good thing for the students that they are responsible for?
(Courtesy Jason Howie via Flickr)

Sadbook: Social Media’s Impact

April 24, 2014
It’s neither a secret nor a surprise that today’s kids, teens and young adults are almost characterized by their usage of social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. The prevalence of such outlets raises the question of whether or not social media is a positive influence.
Freedom of Speech: How Much is Too Much?

Freedom of Speech: How Much is Too Much?

March 28, 2014
It is important to remember that the truth of the matter is that freedom of speech is not the same thing as freedom of acceptance.
U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.  (Courtesy Mary F. Calvert via MCT)

Felony Disenfranchisement: Should We Still Have It?

February 23, 2014
The real reason we’ve had these disenfranchisement laws is not because we wanted to continue the racist policies of the South, but because we’ve been preoccupied with the concept of recidivism.
(Courtesy Mark Cornelison/Lexington Herald-Leader via MCT)

Bill Nye Debates Ken Ham: Why This Should Happen Over and Over Again

February 17, 2014
The grand misconception of the conflict between evolutionists and creationists is that, as a whole, it can be taken as a black and white issue, when, in actuality, it’s a lot more complex than that.
Angela Luis/ The Observer

Horns of Calamity: The State of Pedestrian Safety in NYC

February 4, 2014
New York is a cold place in more than one sense of the word. Sympathy or respect from other pedestrians has always been in short supply, and the ultimate root of these mishaps between pedestrians and automobiles is the fact that at least one participant believed that his time was more valuable than the other’s.
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