THE STUPID PARADE: This Week’s Worst Louisiana College Newspaper Editorials

Welcome to The Hayride’s second installment of the weekly roundup of the dumbest editorials in Louisiana’s college newspapers. Here we will bring you the worst examples of what gets published on Louisiana’s campuses.

The following includes opinion columns and editorials from around Louisiana’s college and university campuses. We have also included the Twitter handles of the writers and the contact information for the faculty in charge of these publications in case you want to give them some feedback. Enjoy!

Sex-selective abortions aren’t really a ‘thing,’ Lenar Whitney is just making things up……………

“TRAP laws are not the only dangers to reproductive rights working through the Louisiana Legislature. The House Health and Welfare Committee will review the Louisiana Pre-Natal Non-Discrimination Act, which prohibits abortion based on gender and provides grounds for civil action against anyone who has an abortion because they are unhappy with the gender of their fetus.

State Rep. Lenar Whitney, R-Houma, who filed the bill, did so in an effort to protect female fetuses.

“It is sad that people in our world would kill unborn children simply because they are baby girls instead of baby boys,” Whitney said.

The sex-based selection that Whitney is fighting against does not happen, as proven by a 2014 study performed by the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum. Pro-life activists claim abortions are the reason more boys are born than girls, but the study found no causal relationship between the availability of abortion procedures and the ratio of male to female children born.

These laws are nothing but harmful and dangerous for the people of Louisiana. When denied the right to a safe and legal abortion, people begin to seek illegal avenues to terminate pregnancies.” — Logan Anderson (Twitter: @LoganD_Anderson), LSU Reveille April 26, 2015

The state needs to separate Church and Hate!

“Dear Senator Mike Johnson and Governor Bobby Jindal,

Following suit with other complaints about the proposed Marriage and Conscience Act, such as those from IBM and the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, our editorial board would like to express a few grievances against this bill that purports to protect and defend “religious freedom,” but first and foremost justifies the discrimination of one of the most vulnerable populations in our state — our already unprotected LGBT community — and secondarily grants legal tolerance to intolerant behavior.

Considering the fact that sexual orientation is not a protected classification in Louisiana, our editorial board is uncertain why lawmakers are pushing for legislation that further disenfranchises the LGBT community from legal protection against discrimination, particularly when faced with our failing education system and various other more pertinent legislative issues.

This bill does not protect anyone’s interests except those who are already situated in a privileged position. This is clearly an instance of the “tyranny of the mob” — when the majority populace bullies and oppresses an already vulnerable minority.” — Editorial Staff, The Loyola Maroon April 24, 2015

Ya’ll, we’re all going to die if they cut higher education!

The demonstration at the capital was successful and was a chance to raise a lot of awareness about what is happening with education budgets, but it is important for students to know that there work is not done. It was said many times during the rally that in order for this issue to stay relevant that students and other supporters must “, tweet, email, call, write, and make office visits to state legislators and demand that they do not decrease funding.” — Destiny Smith, The Southern Digest April 28, 2015

Those evil corporations don’t like 3D printing because it is killing capitalism………….

With 3-D printing technology becoming more widespread and affordable than ever, it won’t be long before you have the power to personally create whatever you desire in the comfort of your own home. However, corporations aren’t going to let you have that power without a fight.

Imagine a near future where you can print anything you want: cars, toys, computers, guitars, jewelry and even prosthetic limbs. The possibilities are endless.

Combined with the power of the Internet, the capabilities of 3-D printing become even greater. Users can create, modify and share 3-D printing with others. Even now, websites such as Thingiverse and YouMagine have thriving communities of creators who are constantly adding printing plans.

Moreover, 3-D printing offers a possible solution to rising levels of income inequality. Rather than purchasing a $20,000 car and taking on debt, a low-income family could make one using a cheap 3-D printer and materials. Ford is already working on 3-D printed car parts, so this scenario is not outlandish.

Problems arise, however, when 3-D printing begins to cut into the profit margins of the corporations that manufacture and sell those products. The more people begin to use 3-D printing, the more these companies stand to lose.

In fact, it won’t be long before 3-D printing and other emerging technologies threaten the very livelihood of capitalism itself, according to economist Jeremy Rifkin. — Alex Mendoza (Twitter: @alexmendoza_TDR), LSU Reveille April 29, 2015

The cops are really, really bad……………

Every other week, law enforcement gives us another reason to distrust them. Whether it’s campus, local or state police, they are becoming more undependable, and people of every race should fear that.

As Americans, we should be able to find comfort when we see a police car or feel protected knowing that “911” is only three taps away. The key word here is “should.” Many Americans have felt safe at one point, but in recent years, “fear” is now the stigma associated with police officers. — Clarke Perkins (Twitter: @ClarkePerkins), LSU Reveille April 29, 2015

Mitch Landrieu is right, we need more property taxes.

New Orleanians will vote on a ballot measure approving an $8 million per year property tax increase to provide more funding for the New Orleans Public Library on May 2. In a city where not all the libraries have reopened since Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent levee failures, New Orleans’ struggling libraries need all the help they can get. Voters need to approve the tax increase to keep these essential centers of community building and development open.

The New Orleans Public Library is facing a financial crisis. It has been operating on a $2.7 million deficit since 2012, forcing it to dip into reserve funds for the last three years. If this measure does not pass, the library system will suffer severe repercussions, ranging anywhere from the reduction of already insufficient operating hours to actually ceasing the operations of up to half of New Orleans’ 14 library branches.

Critics, like government watchdog the Bureau of Departmental Research, say the city should use the money that would fund libraries to pay New Orleans’ other debts and fund necessary programs like firefighters’ pension, infrastructure repairs and an increase in the size of the police department. Further, they questions the timing of this measure, as it comes as the same time as other tax measures.

New Orleanians, however, will barely feel the tax increase of this reform. For a homeowner with a house valued at $300,000, claiming a homestead exemption, taxes will only increase an extra $56.25 more per year. Homeowners with the homestead exemption and homes valued at $600,000 will experience an increase of $210. In a state with some of the lowest property taxes, this increase will have a negligible effect on this income bracket. — Emily Carmichael (Email: ecarmich@tulane.edu), The Tulane Hullabaloo April 22, 2015

Bobby Jindal hates us………….

A week ago, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal showed that his focus is on posturing for an upcoming run at being selected as the Republican Party’s nominee for the next presidential election and not on correcting the damage he has done to this state.

For those not aware, the governor penned an opinion piece in The New York Times stating that he is “holding firm against gay marriage.” It is no surprise that he would believe this way, as it is common among Republicans to be against same-sex marriage. It is Republican state senators and representatives who are passing or attempting to pass bills such as Louisiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2010 or the Marriage and Conscience Act. However, the matter of state is being allowed to ban same-sex marriage is now being heard in the Supreme Court. Jindal’s attention is needed elsewhere.

It is undoubtedly beating a dead horse to mention the fiscal disasters that this state has seen in the last seven years, but there will never be enough words to properly explain the state of Louisiana’s budget following Jindal’s butchering of it. It has also been exhausted that Jindal has spent much of his time out of the state, shaking hands and kissing babies, for a presidential run that is as likely as Congress axing the term limit clause in the Constitution and allowing President Barack Obama to run for a third term. — Editorial Staff, The Nicholls Worth April 30, 2015

The new mayor of Shreveport is, like, amazing!

As the first African American woman mayor of Shreveport, Ollie Tyler is a strong– willed, God-fearing woman. She is a catalyst for change in education and in the community.

Tyler was a poor girl from Caddo Parish on an academic scholarship when she embarked on her educational journey at Grambling State University. She said she was influenced by the dynamite professors at GSU to become an educator.

“I don’t believe you can do much in life without goals and dreams,” she said. She also has a master’s degree from Louisiana State University.

Throughout her 40 years in the education system, Tyler has been a pioneer to women and African Americans. She was the first African American to serve as superintendent of schools for Caddo Parish Public School System and state deputy superintendent of education for Louisiana in August 2007. — Tierra Smith, The Gramblinite April 11, 2015

Twitter handles for the faculty at the papers featured:

Bob Ritter, Director of Student Media at LSU (Twitter: @rwritter)

Michael Giusti, Senior Media Advisor at Loyola (Twitter: @mdgiusti)

 

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