In the aftermath of the recent execution of Kenneth Smith in Alabama, the first execution conducted by nitrogen gas, a renewed debate on capital punishment has started to form, one with a new focus on the methods of execution. Nitrogen gas as an execution method was first proposed in 2014 by Oklahoma State Representative Mike […]
Infrastructure Mania Gone Wrong
Where can you find the lengthiest bridge? The most extensive high-speed railway network? The longest metro system? If there were a list of Guinness World Records exclusively on transportation, China’s name would probably dominate most of its rankings. Having spent trillions of dollars on railways, highways, and waterways, the Chinese government loves to brand the […]
Young Voters and President Biden: A Plea
As we approach the 2024 presidential election, it has become abundantly clear that former President Donald Trump is all but guaranteed to secure the Republican nomination. His overwhelming victories in Iowa and New Hampshire have dealt a major blow not only to Nikki Haley’s battered campaign but also, more symbolically, to the anti-Trump flank of […]
The Revitalization of St. Louis
In a recent article by The Wall Street Journal, St. Louis was described as having a “real estate nightmare” complete with lost jobs, theft, and abandoned buildings. The article gave the example of The Railway Exchange Center, a once-thriving commercial building and department store that has since been abandoned and remains in a hazardous condition. […]
A Wakeup Call for Ranked-Choice Voting
After the definitive failure of campaigns from countless preferable candidates, President Biden and former President Trump finally received their party’s nominations. No powerful Democrats were willing to stand in opposition to Biden, and Trump’s grip on his loyalists was so strong that he managed to become nominated by ignoring his opponents. It’s difficult to view […]
What Does It Mean to be “Anti-War?”
We’ve all heard about the anti-war movement that washed over America in the 60s and 70s. The fiercest opponents of the Vietnam War were generally left-wing, usually motivated by either a belief in pacifism or by a disinterest in fighting in the name of capitalism. Others also argued that political change in Asia was simply […]
Scandals and Lessons From Mallinckrodt
What do you think when you hear the word “Mallincrockt”? To the averageWashU student, it means Subway sandwiches, bookstore textbooks, and a convenientstop for the campus shuttle. But for many across the nation, particularly residents of St.Louis, Mallinckrodt PLC has a complicated legacy. From radioactive bombs to nuclearwaste, from overpriced medication to the national opioid […]
Whose Streets? Ours or Theirs?
Amidst a global reckoning around police-community relations, one thing is becoming clear: we can’t excuse white supremacy as a thing of the past or an inevitable part of our present any longer. The roots of tension in police-community relations are self-reinforcing. Police forces are failing to understand our racial history and current racial environment, while […]
Why the West is Unprepared for WW3
Recent years have been packed with news about America’s enemies growing more aggressive. Russia invaded Ukraine. China dialed up tensions with Taiwan. Iran pushed several of its proxies to escalate attacks against Israel. Venezuela declared ownership of territory in Guyana. Serbia clashed with forces in Kosovo. North Korea fired hundreds of shells to intimidate South […]
Ethical Imperatives: Why Diverting Asylum Seekers Jeopardizes Human Rights
In an era marked by unprecedented and growing global migration, providing refuge to asylum seekers has become a complex and contentious challenge. As nations grapple with economic, spatial, and political barriers to accommodating and integrating migrants, it is imperative to prioritize ethical considerations when evaluating prevailing policies. The evolving policy of diverting migrants, specifically asylum […]