*This article contains language that may not be appropriate for minors*

In this actually insane, ridiculously controversial ride of an election season, a few candidates have made themselves known more than others. On one side of the table we have the former First Lady, Hillary Clinton, who was a household name before she made her second presidential bid. Perhaps the former FL has become even more spoken of in recent months because of the unprecedented challenger to her campaign, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who has made his own name widely known.

On the other side, the notorious Donald Trump is all most people see (much to the fault of the TV news media). Trump sucks up the majority of the spotlight with the uncouth statements that he makes every few moments. Turning on the morning news often yields the same results– an update on Trump’s ravings from the last 24 hours.

Trump was up against Texas Senator Ted Cruz and the Governor of Ohio, John Kasich. His two contenders often fell into obscurity in his wake, though Cruz appeared to be a real contender for the Republican nomination. Despite his decision to drop out of the 2016 presidential race, it is important that we think about what might have been– many considered Cruz the “next best option.”

Multiple well-known figures have come out with statements recently telling America not to vote for Cruz. This includes former Speaker of the House, John Boehner, a member of Cruz’s own party. To be specific, Boehner reportedly called Ted Cruz “Lucifer in the flesh.” Boehner went on to say the following:

“I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life.”

On a more humorous note, Ted Cruz’s college roommate, Craig Mazin, has also made a number of statements about Cruz via Twitter. These comments sometimes discuss Mazin’s college experience with Cruz, but also speak of Cruz’s character.

While none of these statements are explicitly about Cruz’s policies, this is where the Senator becomes more problematic. Just for clarification, here are some of Ted Cruz’s most staunch proposed policies:

In recent months, Cruz has made it very clear that he opposes all abortion– including abortions in the case of rape or incest.

Cruz has also said that if he were to become the President of the United States, he would attempt to abolish the Department of Education, along with four other major federal agencies, including the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the IRS.

On the topic of American Muslims, Cruz has said that he supports increased policing of neighborhoods with large populations of Muslim citizens. “We need to empower law enforcement to patrol and secure Muslim neighborhoods before they become radicalized,” Cruz has explicitly claimed. Apparently Cruz is under the misconception that the only population that can become radicalized is a Muslim population.

Ted Cruz is also a large proponent of ending the era of “political correctness,” or in other words, being a decent human being. Cruz claims that political correctness is “killing people.”

These are just a few of Cruz’s stunning policies. The list of ideological thought processes and fundamental principles gone awry goes on and on. While we now have Trump as the de facto Republican nominee and this seems entirely horrible, America just might have a dodged a Ted Cruz bullet.

And while it may seem as though Ted Cruz is effectively waging a war against himself with his undesirable social thought, the internet is waging a war that is much more fierce.

If you’re looking for a laugh, just Google “Ted Cruz Zodiac Killer.” Let the Internet tell you itself. But here is a final piece of beauty provided for you to feast your eyes on:

Shut Up and Listen is a politically-based opinion column in which you, the reader, shut up and listen to what I have to say and then formulate opinions and come to your own conclusions. 

The post Shut Up and Listen: Ted Cruz is the Zodiac Killer appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Dear Donald Trump (or Drumpf, or whatever your name is),

As the campaign goes on, and more of my Facebook friends publicize their support for you, I find myself wanting to thank you.

As more and more people reveal their prejudices that you have publicly condoned, and my white friends express shock at the bigotry they hear, I am so, so grateful for your campaign.

As you isolate yourself from various demographics (Mexicans, Muslims, women, disabled people, POWs, Asians, black people, and many more), you affirm the words of oppressed people everywhere.

Finally, no one can deny that racism, ethnocentrism, ableism, and other forms of discrimination fester in this country, and affect millions of people every day. When you go on TV and propose a ban on Muslim people from entering this country, no one with a satellite or wi-fi connection can deny that people have prejudices against the religion of Islam and its participants. This extends to all other groups your words attack.

People keep repeating this phrase about how you say what others feel too afraid to say, and further, what other politicians won’t say. And they’re right. White people have thought the things that you’re saying out loud for years! You didn’t invent racism, Donald! You aren’t the sole cause of oppression in this country! You’ve just facilitated its growth and encouraged others to engage in hateful speech! Now that you’ve got a huge platform and lots of support, white people can be openly fucked up. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU for concretizing the issues I discuss in my column and show. THANK YOU for making people everywhere realize how bigotry thrives and is encouraged in AmeriKKKa. THANK YOU for affirming my experiences and making me feel like I’m not crazy when I discuss discrimination. Thanks to you, I know I’m right!

Furthermore, there are certain assumptions I can make about someone who supports your campaign. Either they agree with your bigoted remarks, or they’re willing to ignore them which means they don’t understand the gravity behind your statements. Either way, you’ve made it simple to decide whether or not I will get along with a stranger. Like hair gel.

Politicians used to hide behind words like “heritage” and “history” and “freedom of speech” and “states rights.” Now that you’ve spouted off all the awful comments about almost every demographic, they can’t hide behind such bullshit anymore. They have to face their own prejudices they’ve worked so hard to mask.

Blatant discrimination has reared its ugly, orange, toupee-wearing head. Your ugly words have stripped the veneer of so-called “political correctness” so people can be openly prejudiced. As white people everywhere gasped, oppressed people angrily pointed their fingers at the TV and yelled “SEE?!”

So thank you, Donald. You’ve confirmed that we’ve got a lot of work to do in this country.

The idea of “decolonizing our minds” is highlighted in the writings of the author, feminist and social activist Bell Hooks. She encourages us to critically examine every thought and action, free ourselves from the coercive ideologies, and overcome the impacts of structural oppression. This bimonthly column will analyze spaces and times where and when we can pause and make strides in this arduous process, and also highlight figures who are helping us to decolonize ourselves. 

The post Decolonize Your Mind: Thank you, Donald Trump appeared first on KRUI Radio.

We’ve all seen it. That is, Hillary Clinton‘s desperate and often embarrassing attempts to appeal to the youth voters of America.

It’s awkward, it’s cringe-worthy, and sometimes even borderline painful. Check out prime example number one, from Hillary’s Snapchat story:

If that wasn’t enough, here is prime example number two:

These social media outreaches are obviously pointed directly at millennial voters– after all, most folks above the age of 30 are befuddled by the quickly disappearing videos of Snapchat and “those tiny pictures the kids are using to send messages.” So, what’s the catch here? Why aren’t these focused appeals working on America’s youngsters?

Here are some reasons, Hilldawg.

My feelings towards the tremendous debt that I am going to be dragging behind me for potentially the next twenty years can’t be expressed with some little pictures. I don’t want to “chill” in Cedar Rapids with you; I want you to stop preaching justice for the middle class while taking millions of dollars from large corporations and banks on Wall Street to support your campaign.

There’s just something that Hillary doesn’t have that can be found in a few other candidates– integrity. It could potentially be this lack of integrity that turns the millennial voters away.

In our young lives full of photoshop, biased news, and backstabbing competition, something that we as millennials might value over anything else is the truth. Our generation is constantly searching for what’s right, what’s just, and what makes sense to us the most. Hillary represents the very opposite of this sought-after truth that many millennials are hoping to find in a presidential candidate.

Hillary stands for everything that we as young voters are against– she is the establishment, she supports the polarization of two party politics, and her campaign is one of the most carefully-orchestrated fronts in the world. Each move she makes is cautiously formulated — backed up by public polls and leagues of advisers. Her political opinions change with the times, and her main talking points shift more often than not to pander to the community she is visiting. How much of this is politics, and how much is desperation for the vote?

Many millennial voters are drawn to Hilldawg’s Democratic opponent, Bernie Sanders. It’s easy to say that her shifting views look shady and shallow when compared to Sanders’.

Hillary has flip-flopped on the Iraq war, same-sex marriage, and immigration to just name a few issues. And while we can be glad that on some of these topics it seems like she’s come to her senses, how much is she actually an advocate for? If she is elected, how many polices will she actually work to enact?

Where Hillary’s important issue track record is sketchy at best, Bernie has been saying the same freaking thing for the last 30 years, or potentially even longer. Perhaps it is here, in this “democratic socialist” that millennial voters find the honesty and justice that we have all been searching for in the political system.

Disillusionment with American politics is running high, and Bernie Sanders represents a “political revolution.” In this dichotomy, Hillary is just the same old, same old.

Once again, it just comes down to the truth. Does Hillary tell it often? We don’t really have clue. Each word that she says is pre-fabricated and each tasteful pantsuit is probably picked out weeks before its appearance. Yes, she is a warrior of women, and of the impoverished, and of those who have been systematically oppressed, but it might just be a front. Or, it might not be.

So, who is the real Hillary? I guess that’s the problem– no one truly knows.

For more fun times, check out Hilldawg on Twitter.

Shut Up and Listen is a politically-based opinion column in which you, the reader, shut up and listen to what I have to say and then formulate opinions and come to your own conclusions. 

The post Shut Up and Listen: Why Hillary Can’t Catch My Millennial Vote appeared first on KRUI Radio.

I know what you’re thinking, readers.

“Bernie Sanders? How is he an artist? Isn’t he just another dirty old politician? This column’s going to Hell.”

Bernie Sanders is definitely an old politician, but he qualifies as an artist because in 1987, he released “We Shall Overcome,” a folk album recorded with 30 other local musicians in Vermont. Sanders doesn’t exactly have golden pipes, so instead of actually singing, he sort of… talks through the lyrics. They’re still powerful! Listen below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV4L_OHGpyo

If you aren’t convinced, he also acted in a movie called My X-Girlfriend’s Wedding Reception as Rabbi Many Shevitz, where he drew from his own upbringing in Brooklyn to perform the role.

Actors and musicians are artists in my opinion! Now that we’ve established that I’m abiding by my own rules, let’s talk about how Sanders is decolonizing our minds.

The Vermont senator has touted his record of actively supporting the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, and he should! He marched in Selma with Martin Luther King Jr., opposed the Vietnam War, was a member of SNCC, and is one of the only candidates in the 2016 presidential election who has acknowledged the exigency of systematic, institutionalized racism and police brutality. He has vocally supported the Black Lives Matter movement, advocated women’s rights, LGBT+ rights, recognizes the threats of climate change and so many more issues. He has made incredible progress on veterans’ affairs and supports pretty much any disadvantaged group of people you can name. Sanders’ campaign for the presidency has made income equality a top priority, and makes the vital distinction that the problem affects minority communities in different, more severe ways. Sanders has been outspoken about how our country’s economy and government privileges wealthy people and ignores the struggles of the rest of the population.

I’m as surprised as you are!

A 74-year old straight white male politician represents my interests closer than any other candidate running in 2016.

His campaign has successfully brought high numbers of young people into the political process, which leads to an entire generation of voters (and future politicians) becoming knowledgeable, engaged, and aware of these important issues that he discusses. Since we will inevitably inherit these problems, his engagement with the younger community has educated them and instilled passion in the youth.

Many of my peers feel their votes don’t make a difference, and that real change is a Utopian idea. But Sanders has made the prospect of a “political revolution” seem real, possible, and more importantly, in our control.

Whether or not you support Bernie Sanders as a presidential candidate, he has undeniably dedicated a large part of his life to achieving justice for disadvantaged people. By integrating more young people into the political process, he has helped to educate a whole new generation of voters about serious issues that other politicians ignore. Bernie Sanders fights against establishment politics and decolonizes our minds by encouraging us to fight the rigged economy, the corrupt campaign finance system, and social injustices.

The idea of “decolonizing our minds” comes from writings of the author, feminist and social activist bell hooks. She encourages us to critically examine every thought and action, free ourselves from the coercive ideologies, and overcome the impacts of structural oppression. This monthly column will analyze spaces and times where and when we can pause and make strides in this arduous process, and also highlight figures who are helping us to decolonize ourselves.

The post Decolonize Your Mind: Feel the Bern! appeared first on KRUI Radio.