Tuesday was a controversial day in Germany with the start of the trial of 93-year-old Oskar Groening, the "Accountant of Auschwitz" as he's known in the German press. He is being charged as an accessory to 300,000 murders. Most people view the events at Auschwitz to be black and white, and therefore, may be confused as to what the "controversy" ... [Read More…]
A week in news that goes beyond Kylie Jenner’s lips
People across the internet have been puckering up for the Kylie Jenner lip challenge. And if the concept of the challenge doesn't make you laugh, the results will. Instead of drastically enhancing their lips, people (yes, men and women) have accidentally burst blood vessels under the skin and caused extensive bruising. And while we'd love to ... [Read More…]
To kick or not to kick the Yik
The Office of Multicultural Enrichment is fighting one of the most powerful forces in the history of civilization: the Internet. The "Kick the Yik" campaign was launched by OME in response to the abundance of racist, sexist and offensive yaks on the controversial app. They are encouraging students to delete the app from their phones. The ... [Read More…]
Campus carry bill seems to cause more problems than it solves
In March, the Texas Senate passed "campus carry" legislation that would expand the state's concealed handgun license (CHL) rights to allow CHL holders to also carry their guns into certain buildings in Texas' public colleges and universities. It's expected to pass the House as well, and Governor Abbott has said he will sign any open carry bill ... [Read More…]
Breaking down the 2015 SA Executive Office candidates
Whether it's during national, local or even Students' Association elections, the Optimist has had a long-standing tradition of endorsing candidates. The purpose of endorsing, like everything else on the opinion page, is to start a conversation. It gets people talking, not just about the candidate the editorial board thinks is right for the job, ... [Read More…]
SA candidates need competitors
It's really unfortunate that there is only one candidate for both the SA presidential and vice presidential races this year. Beau Carter is running unopposed for president, and Caleb Orr is running unopposed for vice president, but this year's ballot box says more about how the ACU student body has changed than it does the candidates ... [Read More…]
Local attention from ISIS points to Dyess Air Force Base
Abilene, the not-so-small small town of West Texas, populated by about 120,000 people. Abilene, where students complain nothing ever happens, and, well, nothing ever happens. Based on this perspective, it's hard to think anyone would ever target Abilene for anything - concerts, fairs or malicious acts included, which is why it was so hard to ... [Read More…]
What do Ted Cruz and Kanye West have in common?
A few days ago our very own Texan, Sen. Ted Cruz, announced that he is running for president in 2016. Like many politicians, this charismatic, outspoken congressman has as many extreme supporters as he does opponents. Some of these opponents are so passionate that they have created petitions and campaigns to knock Cruz out of the presidential ... [Read More…]
New revenue sources welcomed if they mean lower tuition
ACU has made plans to open a new campus in Dallas. Many important details have yet to be decided, like its exact location or which graduate programs will offer on-campus classes rather than online. But even without knowing the details, ACU's incentive and drive behind the plan is clear: money. Universities across the country are seeing their ... [Read More…]
TEDxACU is sharing ideas at a high price
Ten presenters are coming to Cullen Auditorium April 17 as part of an independently organized local TED event called TEDxACU. According to the TED website, "In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience." The cost of "sharing" for students ... [Read More…]