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Pessimism is the enemy; let’s not speak too soon

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While some students are dreading what they assume will become an inevitably fully online semester, how must we expect to fight the battle against COVID-19 without any optimism? Yes, classrooms, instruction, and campus life may be radically different, but the university still has managed to bring students together in the place many of us feel is ... [Read More…]

We are here to serve you

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Every media outlet has opposition, but in the past few weeks, The Optimist has become glaringly aware of theirs. While every journalist or journalism student is prepared to face pushback when sharing opinions or news that doesn’t always focus on the positives, sometimes it is important to step back and remember why student media exists in the ... [Read More…]

It’s up to us to stay in-person

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As we enter this challenging semester, it is important to recognize that it is up to us, the students, to keep ACU healthy, safe and in-person. ACU has many procedures in place to ensure the safety of students and staff, including mask requirements, social distancing and increased sanitation. These measures keep us safe while we are in class and ... [Read More…]

Don’t lose Jesus in the chaos

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The year of our Lord 2020 has taken everyone on a whirlwind roller coaster ride. Tragedies, while always having been commonplace, seem to have exponentially increased. The passing of Kobe Bryant shook basketball fans and others worldwide. The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd sparked a revitalization of the Black Lives Matter movement and ... [Read More…]

In-person classes may be short-lived

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New positives, quarantining and temporary online instruction are just a few of the many things ACU will likely witness this fall semester. Despite the best and valued efforts from the university, they cannot prepare for or contain a COVID-19 outbreak. Several other universities across the nation, including Notre Dame and North Carolina, have ... [Read More…]

My faith and my rights

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I have heard a lot of talk recently about “rights” in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. “What about our right to assemble for worship?” people ask, as stay-at-home orders force us to conduct church services virtually. “Why do I have to wear a mask? Don’t I have the right to make decisions about my own health?” People have balked at orders to stay ... [Read More…]

White ignorance, Black lives

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Like many white Christians, I have been reading, listening and acting in response to COVID-19. I’ve also been reading, listening and acting in response to the uprisings sparked by the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and Rayshard Brooks. I have considerable privilege to choose when and where to be in solidarity with ... [Read More…]

I was raised by a racist

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I was raised by a racist. I grew up in rural west Texas, raised by two loving Christians who did their best to raise me with the same ideals they had. As a teenager, I got lectures from my step-dad on religion and politics pretty regularly, and I always assumed he could never steer me wrong. He worked hard and spent his vacations doing Habitat for ... [Read More…]

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