“The two-state solution is dead. Israel has killed it”: New Solutions Are Needed in Push Toward Israeli-Palestinian Peace
You’ve likely seen the videos by now: dozens of Palestinian families being forced out of their homes in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Israeli riot police storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, firing tear gas and rubber bullets at Ramadan worshippers. Missiles fired by…
Take CDC Guidelines With A Grain Of Salt
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on May 13 that fully vaccinated people who are two weeks out from their last shot can now roam maskless in outdoor and most indoor settings. So, is the pandemic over? Not one bit. Less restrictive…
To End Gun Violence, We Have to Rethink Our Society
Content warning: Contains references to gun violence and murder. The United States is a country built on violence. Fueled by settler colonialism and white supremacy, gun and military violence is fostered at home, then exported around the world. Real solutions will require systemic changes that…
The Case for Romance Novels
I have a literary confession to make: I’m addicted to romance novels. It began in sixth grade when I first picked up “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer, then “New Moon,” then “Eclipse,” and finally the exhilarating conclusion “Breaking Dawn.” I read the series three more times…
Developing the East Meadow Ignores Lawsuits, Letters, and Thousands of Students
What are letters from California senator John Laird and the Sierra Club, 88,000 signatures on a petition, and years of litigation to the UC Santa Cruz administration? Gobbledygook, it seems, given the university’s refusal to budge on the layout of its ambitious housing development, Student…
Inequities in Global Vaccine Distribution are Leaving Vulnerable Countries Behind
As I received my second vaccination against COVID-19 at the UC Santa Cruz Health Center on Feb. 12, I couldn’t help but think of the millions of medical professionals and vulnerable populations worldwide who had yet to receive a single dose. It did not feel…
Beware the Surveillance Dragnet
A broken window. That is all the evidence the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) needed to gain access to 375 privately owned cameras, pointed at anyone crossing Union Square for seven days last summer. The blanket use of mass surveillance like third-party camera footage has…
How To Be A Better Journalist, According to David Hoffman
I was pretty nervous when I phoned David Hoffman last Thursday afternoon — to the point where I forgot to do all the things you’re supposed to when starting an interview: make small talk with the source, say a little on what your story’s about,…
The Temporary Outdoor Living Ordinance Offers No Solutions
Accessible and affordable housing has been a major problem in Santa Cruz for almost a decade. Yet, City Council has failed to create any policy that provides real solutions for the houseless community. The city has repeatedly torn down and swept housing encampments, which has…
Letter from the Editors: Statement in Solidarity with Asian Communities and Invitation for Submissions
Content Warning: Violence against Asian and Asian American communities, murder This past week we witnessed one of the worst attacks against diasporic Asians in the U.S. in recent memory. Eight people were shot and killed in Atlanta on Mar. 16 — six of whom were…