When I was younger, I was taught never to discuss politics in social settings. At that time, speaking about politics could even be considered rude, however, in more recent years, I have noticed an increase in political discussions and hostility between party members.

Before the 2016 election, I didn’t really pay attention to policies or elections, but due to the rising polarization, I felt an increasing pressure to educate myself. I also observed that in the U.S., there is now no such thing as “avoiding politics.” I did my own research and formed my own opinions to participate in productive conversations. 

As politics have become more polarized, people, such as myself, who generally avoided public affairs started to form political opinions. In today’s society, the culture of discussing politics has changed and it seems people are consuming more media than ever to inform themselves about policies and candidates. 

In addition, conversing about politics has become more normalized, and with the upcoming 2024 election, it is important to inform ourselves and participate in civil interactions with those of opposing views.

Modern-day political conversations can either leave people feeling validated or hostile after a heated conversation about opposing views. 

Along with more heated conversations, experts also worry about how differing political views could lead to violence. 

Studies performed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Johns Hopkins University showed that “20 percent of Republicans and 13 percent of Democrats said political violence was warranted these days, while 25 percent of Republicans and 17 percent of Democrats said threats to opposing party officials were defensible.”

The polarization of politics has increased hostility between Democrats and Republicans. Political parties nowadays seem to align with character-defining values which contributes to the separation of parties. This extreme separation heavily affects undecided and independent voters.

UO sophomore and undecided voter Connor Jaffe elaborated on what it is like to feel pressured into aligning with a political party. He explained how he redirects political conversations away from his political views and to focus more on the specific topic of discussion. 

“In some cases, if you have a conversation about politics, people kind of ask certain questions to get you to say that you’re more Democratic or more Republican,” Jaffe said. “I like to kind of deconstruct the question and ask them, kind of clarifying questions to see what they really want to know. Because most of the time they are just wondering whether you support a more Democratic approach or a more Republican approach.” 

With the further polarization of political parties, people such as Jaffe will continue to be pressured to take a more solid stance. 

“Choosing an independent is not really a possibility anymore. Representing both sides is not seen as acceptable,” Jaffe explained. 

Hostility between Democrats and Republicans will discourage undecided people from voting since they feel overwhelmed by the violent discourse surrounding the election. 

Policies and laws that are passed affect every single one of us, and we must research to educate ourselves and encourage others to do the same in a positive way.

Attacking people with opposing viewpoints will never solve any issues within the U.S. Elected officials need to stop capitalizing on this violent polarization, and we need more respect and communication between political parties to move forward and improve our country.

The post Smith: Forming a Political View is No Longer Avoidable appeared first on Daily Emerald.

To me, nothing is better than waking up to rainy weather, making a cup of coffee and cozying up on the couch to binge-watch a good show or movie. These are some of my favorite films that excite me for fall.

“Harry Potter”

The “Harry Potter” movies always remind me of autumn, especially when the students first arrive at their school, Hogwarts, and enjoy the “start-of-the-term” feast. This event closely resembles Thanksgiving with pumpkins, corn, chicken legs and amazing-looking desserts on display.

 The movie also features many rainy and snowy scenes that depict the fall weather. Along with the seasonal scenes and food, the storyline and plot of the “Harry Potter” series is unmatchable. 

There is adventure, magic and mystery in these films, drawing in viewers of all ages and keeping them wanting more. 

“Gilmore Girls”

Another favorite fall series of mine is “Gilmore Girls” which follows a young girl, Rory Gilmore and her single mother, Lorelai Gilmore. The show centers around Rory and Lorelai’s friendship as mother and daughter in a small town with a friendly community. 

Cliff Morales, UO sophomore, is a passionate viewer of Gilmore Girls and is the person who introduced me to the series.

“The scenery, the set design and the characters are very easy to associate with the fall,” Morales said. “The show brings me comfort because of the consistency of the characters … it has a good reflection of community.”

The show features the characters in warm clothes that are typically fall colors such as orange or red. 

“Wednesday” 

In addition, Tim Burton’s “Wednesday” is an eight-episode series on Netflix for those wanting a shorter series to binge during the spooky season. 

The show, “Wednesday” is a spin-off of the classic Halloween movie “The Addams Family” that follows the teenage Wednesday Addams as she navigates Nevermore Academy. The school is seen as a sanctuary for supernatural students, and Wednesday finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. With the help of her new friends and her spontaneous visions, she uncovers the deep-rooted history of her ancestors in the town of Jericho. 

Jenna Ortega, who plays Wednesday, does an amazing job portraying a spooky character that is initially seen as cold and harsh. Yet as the film series unravels, the viewer can come to understand that she has many layers. 

Her character development throughout the show allows the viewer to feel more attached to Wednesday and has us all asking, no, begging Tim Burton to release the next season. 

“American Horror Story”

Another spooky watch for the holiday season is “American Horror Story” also commonly referred to as AHS. 

This show features a new plotline with recurring actors playing different characters each season. For instance, “Season 2: Asylum” is about a mental institution and “Season 3: Coven” is about witchcraft. 

The show also incorporates different types of horror such as gothic horror displayed in the themes and psychological horror portrayed within the character’s thought processes. 

In “Season 7: Cult”, both horror types are displayed. The main character Ally believes she is going insane while she is stalked by killer clowns. Ally is gaslit and feels as if she is going crazy as she is tormented by a cult group. 

I haven’t seen many episodes of this show, but the ones I have witnessed never fail to send a chill down my spine and leave me pondering the concept of the show for the next week. 

Emily Hall, UO Sophomore, has seen various seasons of AHS and is a big advocate of it during the fall time. 

“American Horror Story has a lot to do with ghosts and spirits and there is typically a haunted place in each season,” Hall said. “It is kind of a comfort show, strangely enough, because the characters are just so complex, and you can relate to certain parts of them.”

Hall also explained that AHS typically has a Halloween episode where spirits can leave the place they are restricted to and haunt people from their previous life. Details like this make this suspenseful show one of the best watches during the fall season.

There has been a lot of uncertainty with the politics and economics of the world lately which has caused a whirlwind of concern and emotions. This challenging time certainly has everyone asking: “What weekend should Halloween be celebrated?”

This year Halloween lands on a Thursday, which has stirred up discourse from confused college students about when to partake in festivities. 

In college culture, Halloween is typically celebrated the weekend before the holiday so the festivities can take place during the month of October. However, with Halloween landing on a Thursday, we should take advantage of the day placement and celebrate during both weekends. 

Halloweekend is a term coined by young adults and college students, describing the weekend to go out, dress up and celebrate Halloween. 

For students all over the country, Halloweekend is one of the most hyped-up times during their college career. Most students plan a line-up of multiple Halloween costumes and some enthusiasts even go out during the school week; somehow, they are able to wake up for classes the next day. 

During popular college events such as Halloweekend, I noticed myself and my peers prioritizing social events over school work and responsibilities.

However, with the extension of the holiday this year, there will be less pressure to go out. Students can focus on their school and extracurriculars when needed and decide to socialize when they are available since there are more opportunities to get dressed up. 

The Instagram account @OregonChicks conducted a poll to their nearly 13,000 followers to see when University of Oregon students plan on celebrating Halloween. The poll asked followers if they were celebrating the weekend of Oct. 25, the weekend of Nov. 1, or both weekends.

The poll results were revealed with an Instagram post that read: “By a large vote, Halloweekend will be celebrated all throughout the last 2 weeks of October and emphasis will be placed on the weekend of Nov. 1.”

The Instagram poll results concluded that most UO students plan to celebrate the holiday after Halloween and the hardcore individuals will continue the festivities throughout both weekends. 

UO fraternities have yet to release their schedules for their Halloween events, however, it can be assumed that parties will be held throughout the two weekends. 

Furthermore, some of the best local Eugene bands are joining together to play a Halloween-themed show at WOW Hall.

On the first Halloweekend, bands including Grrlband, Moonbear, Bowl Peace, Housekeeping and Common Koi will perform on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. This event will be one of the perfect ways to kick off the Halloween festivities by dressing up and listening to live music.

In addition to the local band performances, many football enthusiasts are looking forward to the Ducks v. Illinois football game which also lands on Oct. 26 at 12:30 p.m. 

With local performances, football games and frat events, there will be plenty to do during this Halloween season no matter which weekend you decide to celebrate.

Warning: The following column contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence. 

Rapper and producer, John Sean Combs, more commonly known as P. Diddy, was indicted on Sept. 9 and arrested in Manhattan on Sept. 16 without bail. 

Combs’ accused actions of sex trafficking, drink spiking, rape, physical abuse and so much more, have finally caught up to him. Combs deserves nothing less than a lifetime behind bars for his exploitation and crimes.

Allegations and rumors have circled Combs throughout his whole career, however, news of his abuse and exploitation blew up when singer Casandra Ventura, famously known as Cassie, filed a lawsuit against him in Nov. of  2023.

Ventura’s lawsuit was filed under the Adult Survivors Act of New York City. This act creates a one-year window that allows victims of sexual abuse to sue their abusers years after the mistreatment occurred.

Combs suspiciously settled this lawsuit within a day and pleaded not guilty to any criminal offenses. 

Ventura began her relationship with Combs in 2005. The two met when Ventura was 19 and when Combs was 37. 

In 2007, Ventura signed to Combs’ record label, Bad Boy Records. She signed a ten-album contract, connecting her to Combs for a decade.. 

Between the years 2005 through 2018, Ventura accused Combs of violently mistreating her. 

She was allegedly drugged, raped and forced to have sexual relations with male prostitutes while Combs watched and recorded.

In addition, she claimed to be physically abused by Combs. He allegedly attacked her and kept her out of the public and away from others while her wounds healed; then the cycle would continue.

On March 5, 2016, there was recorded surveillance footage from the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles where Ventura was seen attempting to flee her room. 

In the video, Combs ran after her, threw Ventura to the floor and kicked her until she was motionless on the floor. 

Along with the abuse, Ventura also alleged that Combs blew up rapper , Kid Cudi’s car after Cudi, also known as Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, allowed Ventura to seek refuge at his house when Comb’s abuse escalated. 

After Ventura’s lawsuit, nine women and one man have come forward to support Ventura’s claims with their own experiences, with disturbing accusations, about Combs. 

“As alleged in the Indictment, for years, Sean Combs used the business empire he controlled to sexually abuse and exploit women, as well as to commit other acts of violence and obstruction of justice,” US District Attorney, Damian Williams said. “Today, he is charged with racketeering and sex trafficking offenses.”

One of the main focuses of Combs’ criminal charges is organizing “Freak Offs”. 

Combs allegedly used his position of power to pressure women and men in his social circle to engage in sexual acts with sex workers. He was also accused of drugging his victims so they would easily comply with his sexual requests.

In Ventura’s lawsuit, she claimed that these Freak Offs lasted for days and in some instances, victims had to receive IV fluids to recuperate from the constant physical exertion and drug intake.  

Ventura alleged that she was given excessive amounts of “ecstasy, cocaine, GHB, ketamine, marijuana and alcohol” which allowed her to disassociate during the Freak Offs. 

In the civil lawsuit, Ventura also claimed that Combs would instruct her “to pour excessive amounts of oil over herself.”

When Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami residences were raided by federal agents, 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant were found and seized. 

This was one of Ventura’s many claims that aligned with what federal agents discovered when investigating Combs. 

Ventura must have felt a whirlwind of pain, physical and emotional throughout the years she was trapped under Combs’ control. I respect the courage and strength Ventura used to finally disconnect herself from Combs’. 

Living in fear and pain for all of those years would definitely take its toll on an individual and I hope Ventura can someday heal from this experience and get the justice she deserves. 

Combs allegedly used his position of power to pressure innocent people into doing heinous sexual acts for decades. Ventura and the other victims deserve justice for all the harm Combs has caused them.

With the start of the new school year, some new students are excited to jump into the college lifestyle by cheering at football games, meeting new people and attending frat parties. 

Either to celebrate a football win or to fill up a quiet weekend, frat parties have become a big part of the social scene for college students here at the University of Oregon, but they aren’t always as fun and exciting as they seem. 

Frat parties are not worth going to. 

I went to a lot of parties in the fall term of my freshman year. My first few experiences made me a little disappointed because the parties weren’t what I expected.

My experience at frat parties consisted of a bunch of sweaty people dancing in a basement which only continued to get mustier. By the end of the night, my feet hurt, and I had to walk back home in the cold while wearing not nearly enough clothes. 

The brothers who are assigned to monitor the party and not participate in drinking, are called sober monitors. I found myself feeling more safe when greeted by the sober brothers, especially after hearing about all of the negative allegations surrounding frat parties.

Overall, I never had a bad experience with any of the brothers or guys at the frat. The parties just weren’t as fulfilling as I thought they would be.

As the school year continued, I realized that I valued the time spent with my friends in the dorms more than I enjoyed the frat parties and I stopped going altogether. 

Generally, frat parties aren’t known to be the safest environment for students. Just within this past school year, some UO fraternities have been alleged to have drugged attendees or assaulted their female guests. 

As of March 7, Theta Chi was temporarily suspended for drugging two attendees at the beginning of the 2024 year.

Last winter term, Phi Delta Theta and Delta Sigma Phi were also placed on interim suspension due to more alleged drugging. 

In addition, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, SAE, also known to many college students as “Sexual Assault Expected,” is typically known as the frat to stay away from, especially after its s disaffiliation from UO for drugging and assaulting attendees. 

Sara Bowin, a sophomore at Delta Gamma, explained the Panhellenic Counsel’s warnings about disaffiliated and suspended fraternities.

The UO Panhellenic Counsel is part of the National Panhellenic Conference which organizes, supports, and advocates for the sorority chapters at universities nationwide. 

“They [PHC] tell you at the beginning of recruitment, ‘These are the frats who are disaffiliated,’” she explained. “They kind of make it a note to you: ‘don’t attend these ones or be aware of the activities of why they’re suspended.’” 

Along with alleged drugging, partying also promotes underage alcohol abuse. Students might feel pressured by their peers to drink before these events or some underage guests might be interested in attending frat parties since it is an easy way to access alcohol. 

Additionally, partygoers sometimes drink too much, making them more vulnerable in the disordered environment of a frat party. 

Sam Burgess, the safety and wellness board delegate for Alpha Tau Omega, explained that they discuss the safety of their members and guests at their chapter meetings each week.

“I think the main thing is definitely having access to a lot of water,” he said. “Another thing is making sure that, if there’s a case where we need to have someone get walked home or have them get an Uber home, that we can do that for them.” 

Burgess also explained that they are making the parties more exclusive this year by checking UO IDs, which will help control the environment at the frat. 

Through his work with safety precautions, Burgess thinks the safety of the frat depends on which one you are going to.

“I feel like they are [safe] sometimes. It really depends on the fraternity,” he said. “It really depends on their safety guidelines and if brothers know what to do in certain situations.”

Safety is constantly brought up at affiliated fraternities but there is always room for improvement, and each fraternity does things differently, which makes college partying unpredictable. 

Along with the inconsistent safety at frat parties, they are also overhyped. Some see college parties portrayed glamorously in films such as “Animal House” or “Neighbors” which can make the reality – which is far different – disappointing.

I asked Bowin if she thinks frat parties are worth going to. 

“I’m gonna be honest, no,” she answered. “A basement is not my idea of fun.” 

Bowin explained that she hasn’t necessarily had any negative experiences at frat parties, but they just aren’t really worth it.

In addition, the chaotic environment of frat parties makes it difficult for an individual to seek proper help if they have been drugged.

Angelika Stoleck, a Delta Gamma member, explained the importance of safe partying when alcohol is involved. 

“Know your limits. Have fun, it’s college. It’s a real quick four years of your life, but safety is the number one priority,” she explained. “Always have a buddy with you, get your group of girls together, go out, have fun, but know each other’s limits.”

Although frat parties can be dangerous in some cases, most have safety precautions set in place that are constantly being analyzed and improved.

My advice to freshmen is to skip the partying phase. Find some strong connections with your peers and enjoy your time with them instead of getting wasted at a frat and not remembering anything the next day. 

For those still looking to party, my advice is to have good people to go with, look out for one another, don’t overdo it on the alcohol and never take an open drink from anyone.

 It’s okay to experience certain college milestones, but be safe and smart about it.