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Opinion/Politics

Free speech is under assault in Minnesota

In civics and history classes in our Republic, we hear the same stories so much that some of us just tune out completely, we end up forgetting things. As for myself, I lapped it all up. Civics, history, political theory, the question of citizenship, all of those are like drugs to me. I recently purchased a copy of the Federalist Papers, which I know will relegate me to “nerdy political junkie” status for the rest of my life, and I am more than happy to own up to it. In those same stories we hear, the buildup to the Revolution goes something like this: King George taxes the colonists. Colonists say “no taxation without representation.” King George and Prime Minister North said, “eat my shorts” and enacted the Intolerable Acts. Boston Massacre. Lexington and Concord. Bunker Hill. War. Declaration of Independence. America wins, the end. What’s lost but so very… Keep Reading

News/Politics

Senate and House district 14 candidates have last face-off in town hall

While Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton had their final standoff before Americans head to the polls, candidates running for Senate districts 14, 14A and House district 14B all participated in a town hall meeting on the campus of St. Cloud State University in the Cascade room in Atwood Memorial Center. District 14 includes current seat holder Republican Jerry Relph and incumbents Democrat Dan Wolgamot and Democrat Steven Zilberg. Republican Tama Theis and Democrat Aric Putnam are running for Senate district 14, and with House district 14 B, current seat holder, Republican Jim Knoblach and incumbent Democrat Zachary Dorholt. Instead of moderators asking prepared questions, students and community members were able to craft questions on a notecard and toss it into a pile, which the moderators picked and read. Topics of discussion were very similar to the debate held a month prior in the Miller Center Auditorium; the issues included public… Keep Reading

News/Politics

Minnesota senator speaks about race and gender in politics

The SCSU Women’s Center welcomed district 63 Senator Patricia Torres Ray (DFL) as a guest speaker for the second session of their weekly event “Women On Wednesday,” which introduces new topics dealing with women’s issues for discussion each week. According to the DFL senate caucus website, she is the first Hispanic American to be elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2006 and the first minority woman to run as lieutenant governor in Minnesota.   Now in her tenth year of office, she currently serves as the chair for the Education Policy Committee and the Senate’s Education Finance, Higher Education and Workforce Development Division, and State and Local Government Committees. It hasn’t been an easy road for Torres Ray. Originally born in Columbia, she immigrated to the U.S. with her husband. Soon after, she began to learn English and became a U.S. citizen. She received a B.A. in Urban Studies from… Keep Reading

News/Politics

GOP vs. DFL Debate covers police relations, achievement gaps, MN bonding bill

On Wednesday night, students, staff, and St. Cloud community members gathered inside the Miller Center Theatre for the GOP vs DFL debate for Senate and House districts 14 A and B. The candidates traded jabs and discussed hot topic policy issues facing central Minnesota, including police and community relations, bonding bills, and sexual assault on college campuses. Each party had three contenders including Republican Party of Minnesota members; Jerry Relph, State Senator for district 14; Tama Theis, State House district 14 A; and Jim Knoblach, State House district 14 B. For the Democrats there was Dan Wolgamott from Senate district 14; Aric Putnam, State House district 14 A; and Zach Dorholt of House district 14 B. The evening started off with Senate district 14 Dan Wolgamott facing against current State Senator Jerry Relph. Their first topic of discussion was systemic issues within the criminal justice system, a similar topic brought up… Keep Reading

Editorial/Politics

1st Presidential Debate: Performance review

With the first Presidential debate in the books, it’s still difficult to know which candidate will make it to the White House, considering both are widely unpopular by a very large demographic. Both performances in the debate were deemed by most to be below par, especially Donald Trump. Trump repeated his same slogans multiple times throughout the 97 minutes they were allowed, denying past claims and scapegoating others for his shortcomings. Sweeping things under the rug… While Clinton was the apparent winner, her performance was also quite lackluster. She may have been prepared, but all of her answers seemed very scripted and memorized out of a public policy textbook, which is not the way you want to present yourself for a debate. Had she gone up against someone else aside from Donald Trump, she most likely would have lost. The debate topics surfaced around the economy and global trade with… Keep Reading

News/Politics/SCSU News

The Office of Civil Rights visits St. Cloud State

A branch of the Department of Education, the Office of Civil Rights made a 3-day visit to St. Cloud State University, following a complaint to the Department of Education by an SCSU student. The complaint involved a sexual assault allegation made by the student. The student then filed a complaint with the Department of Education referring to St. Cloud State’s investigation about the matter. All the persons involved in the investigation as well as the complaint have been and will remain confidential until the investigation by the Office of Civil Rights is complete.   When complaints are filed with the Department of Education, the Office of Civil rights gets involved, depending on what the case pertains. Title IX also plays a factor in this case due to subpart A and B, which focus on sexual violence and sexual assault. The department focuses many of its efforts on investigating St. Cloud… Keep Reading

News/Politics/SCSU News

Election results show higher voter turnout, next year plans begin

A total of 641 ballots were counted for Student Government elections at St. Cloud State, showing an increase from last year, where there were only 307 total responses for presidential elections. There are 14,182 eligible voters on campus, which means that 4.52 percent of eligible voting students made it to the polls, according to a statement from Student Government. Even with the election results showing an increase, changes to Student Government’s Constitution can’t be made without at least 8 percent of the student body voting, explained Summer Vogl, president of the organization. That means the GPA increase for members of Student Government’s executive board won’t be enacted. But, this year’s turnout was still enough to appoint candidates to their positions for next year. The breakdown 361 votes (58.2%) went to Johnson-Olson 236 votes (38.1%) went to Mitchell-Kennedy 1 vote (.001%) went to Neuman-Maskey 22 votes (3.5%) went to no candidates For Senators At-Large… Keep Reading

News/Politics

Protestors continue to fight for justice for Jamar Clark

In the weeks after Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced the officers involved in the shooting of Jamar Clark will not be charged, Black Lives Matter Minneapolis (BLM) and the NAACP are demanding the case be reopened. Months of protests and rallies have ravaged Minneapolis in the months after the fatal shooting of Clark, a 24-year-old African American, by officers responding to a domestic abuse call on Nov. 15. Since then, protestors have been fighting for charges against the officers involved. Freeman announced on Wednesday, March 30, during a press conference that the officers, Dustin Schwarze and Mark Ringgenberg will not be facing indictment in the shooting of Clark in November. During the conference, he played the long-awaited video footage witnesses took in the aftermath where the shooting took place and provided a step-by-step testimonial of the events and investigation. BLM issued a press release last week stating, “Mike Freeman… Keep Reading

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