OPINION
The burden of bail
By Leah Abrams | January 12, 2018The jail sits a mile from Duke University and just across the street from the gleaming glass of the Durham Performing Arts Center.
The jail sits a mile from Duke University and just across the street from the gleaming glass of the Durham Performing Arts Center.
As a prominent national university that claims to stand behind inclusivity and diversity, Duke has the chance to draw the line against the anti-immigrant narrative emanating from Washington—a narrative that has for too long skirted human lives for the sake of political expediency.
“We expect Duke students to be academically motivated, community service-minded and extracurricularly engaged. With this class, we expect Duke students to act like somewhat functioning adults.”
I have faith that Oprah and the other powerful women in the media we have grown to admire will still work toward achieving positive impact—even if they are not doing it from the Oval Office.
A fundamental reassessment of Duke’s housing system is clearly long overdue. With the deadline of Central Campus’ closure in summer 2019 growing ever closer, Duke’s current housing transitions could signal a perfect time to address needed reforms.
Here at Duke, the experience of being a student on campus is by no means an easy one. Along with finding friends, keeping up with club commitments, maintaining one’s GPA, evading the sexual assault epidemic on campus, fighting mental illness—all the while maintaining that façade of “effortless perfection”—the Duke bubble can often leave us speechless and at a loss for words.
In an effort to honor their accomplishments and share some of their insights, we have compiled a list of our favorite columns from last semester.
The pursuit of justice and equality before the law have been elusive in Durham as in other American communities struggling with criminal justice reform.
Mac, I love you so much and will never stop loving and missing you like crazy.
Alex was the best friend anyone could ask for. Even if you hadn’t spoken to him in weeks—months even—his demeanor never changed. His warmth, good humor and irrepressible energy made our lives better.
I’m a sophomore at Duke University and a friend of Alex’s. I just wanted to write that Alex was a bright light in the lives of everyone that knew him. He impacted everyone with his selfless and loving personality and deserved nothing but the best.
Alex McIvaine was a St Andrews School junior when our son, a freshman, decided to try his hand (or feet) at cross country. Alex was one of several gifted runners on that team but that excellence did not prevent him from dropping back from the lead on training runs to talk with the newer runners, encourage them and build the kind of rapport that made training runs fun for everyone.
There are no words to express the sorrow and condolence held over the passing of Alex. He was my oldest friend at Duke, and although we grew apart in the last few years, he was always such a comforting and cheering presence on campus. The last time I saw Alex was during parents weekend, when he took his time to greet and talk with my mom, which she notes he never failed to do.
The Duke community suffered a tragic loss when Alex McIlvaine's death was announced. We are still learning details of his passing and will try to relay those details to you in a timely fashion.
We’re still awkward, but this time around, we talk about it, we make jokes about our own awkwardness, and we’re a little more gentle and conscientious about not blatantly antagonizing people who aren’t like us.
The true danger of ideals is that they allow only one way to be a person.
As the editorial page editor of a reputable college newspaper, I’m supposed to judge a column’s worth by the strength of its argument, the fervor of its voice and the call for action it inspires.
The email was sent on Dec. 29, 2008.
So skipping past the American Idol-esque buildup, I am Justin Sherman, and I am Monday Monday.