Letter to the Editor: Students Are the Key to Gun Reform
Melvin A. Benarde Ph.D., Special to the Torch
April 25, 2018
Filed under Opinion
Dear Editor: As a retired academic I wholeheartedly support the nascent #NeverAgain Movement! I’m an old guy, but still ready for a good fight. These mass killings must stop. What’s needed now is a ban on military-style weapons, AR 15s and AK 47s along with high capacity magazines; denying ...
Trump and the Syria Airstrikes, Explained
Shabib Afzal, Staff Writer
April 25, 2018
Filed under Opinion
On April 14, President Trump tweeted about how a “perfectly executed strike” occurred the night before in Syria. This strike was done in response to a chemical attack that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad committed against his citizens earlier. Done in collaboration with the United Kingdom and France, the 10...
Modern Day Slavery in Libya Needs Attention
Ajifanta Marenah, Contributing Writer
April 25, 2018
Filed under Opinion
On Thursday, as we were wrapping up class, I asked my professor what his thoughts are on the trafficking of human beings in Libya. To my disappointment, the professor responded that he can not comment because he was not aware of the situation. I looked around the room to see if anyone else was shocked or re...
Flames of the Torch: #SaveStudentNewsrooms
April 25, 2018
Filed under Home Scroll, Opinion
Today, student newspapers across the country will stand in unity to promote the importance of independent student-run media on college campuses. In light of an emerging national distrust in the media, now more than ever is the time to protect the voice given to college students through these publ...
Syrian Airstrikes, A Mistake
Ariana Ortiz, Features Editor Emeritus
April 18, 2018
Filed under Opinion
In President George W. Bush’s speech preceding the March 20, 2003 invasion of Iraq, he told Americans that “the danger is clear,” and “the United States and our allies are authorized to use force in ridding Iraq of weapons of mass destruction.” He also invoked the horrors inflicted on the...
Michael Cohen Raid Pushes Trump Witch-Hunt
Derek Klingel, Contributing Writer
April 18, 2018
Filed under Opinion
On Monday, April 9, Donald Trump’s longtime lawyer Michael Cohen had his law firm office and his hotel room searched by the FBI. Many news organizations are reporting that the main reason for this raid was to find documents regarding payments Cohen made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels bef...
Female Rappers Hurt the Feminist Movement
Rasheeda Campbell, Staff Writer
April 18, 2018
Filed under Opinion
Female rappers such as Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Azealia Banks and Remy Ma talking about how other women do not compare to them does not fit into the feminist idea of women uplifting other women. These rappers are role models to many young women; especially those who want to pursue being rappers th...
Flames of the Torch: Introducing the 96th Editorial Board’s Goals
April 18, 2018
Filed under Home Scroll, Opinion
Last week the Torch elected its 96th editorial board. As we reflect on our last e-board’s accomplishments in terms of the overall coverage of the St. John’s University community, we wish to continue to bring our readers the news that they care about and, more importantly, the news that they need to know...
Flames of the Torch: on selecting commencement speakers of more diverse backgrounds
April 4, 2018
Filed under Opinion
Last week, St. John’s Law School announced that this year’s commencement speaker will be former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. Not only is this exciting, as Bharara has been an influential figure in the landscape of the U.S. government, but it is also a step in a promising direction, following the lead o...
Exclusive Activism: Is #MarchForOurLives for Minorities?
Kennisa L. Ragland, Staff Writer
April 4, 2018
Filed under Opinion
A thematically important question in a Liberation Theology course I took was in the form of a phrase: "for whom?" It possesses meaningful and directive implications. That being said, I'd like to attach it to the end of an issue, one that has, especially in recent years, been a hot topic for the United...
March For Our Lives… Now What?
Alexia V. Carvajalino, Staff Writer
April 4, 2018
Filed under Opinion
On Saturday, March 24, hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, parents and survivors crowded the streets nationwide with the intent to demonstrate that gun control measures need to be increased in the United States. With more than 800 sister marches spanned across six continents around the wo...
Accepted Students: Don’t Judge St. John’s Yet
Erin Sakalis, Staff Writer
April 4, 2018
Filed under Opinion
I was not excited to start college. I was unsure of the career path I wanted to pursue, I was pessimistic about commuting, and I was unsure what to expect. I am proud to report that in my first two years, I have had an exceptionally positive experience at St. John’s University for a plethora of (o...
