pop culture
The headline rundown: Modern popular culture topics in the realm of politics, legislation and activism.
Why Hate Speech Cannot Exist in America
As a teenager in a public school in California, I am constantly surrounded by leftist opinions. With my conservative views, I can find it quite frustrating when people are spouting their opinions with no facts to back them up.
Eliza WhitePublished 5 years ago in The SwampThat's Racist
Recently the actor Orlando Jones, who plays Mr. Nancy on American Gods, posted a video on his Instagram. The video shows a white woman, Corinne Terrone, screaming racial slurs at a black man, named Eric. There was something he said in his caption that stuck out to me. "The issue is my white friends think they know more about racism than me... they know more about something they've never experienced than I do and we can't discuss how that's racist without them losing their minds."
Catherine AgatiPublished 5 years ago in The SwampLiam Neeson and the Outrage Age
When you first heard it, it sounded as if Liam Neeson was offering an expression of life imitating art, speaking in an outtake from any of his Taken trilogy or Gangs of New York, or from Non-Stop or The Commuter, or a scene from his latest film, Cold Pursuit: the famed Oscar-nominated Irish actor as the bludgeoning avenger, the everyman prowling the streets, seeking justice — or at least vengeance.
Michael Eric RossPublished 5 years ago in The SwampRoger Stone Was Just Arrested. Who Will Be Next?
For about two years, people have been waiting on Bob Mueller's inquest into the election misconduct to come to a head. The FBI already indicted several major names in Trump's 2016 campaign crew, including Michael D. Cohen, George Papadopoulos, and Paul Manafort.
Ossiana TepfenhartPublished 5 years ago in The SwampDear ESPN, Keep Your Politics Out of My Sports Broadcast!
As a kid, I loved playing sports. I still do as an adult. Posters of Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain covered my walls and I wanted to be just like them when I was a little girl. My sister Julia played basketball and my brother Steven played football, so athletics were quite commonplace in my household. Julia was the only girl on her team, so she was somewhat of a celebrity in our neighborhood. Everyone knew who she was by her pink Air Jordan sneakers and brightly-colored Scrunchies. Steven was a star quarterback. As a kid, I played forward when I played soccer. Once the final school bell had rung on a Friday, I couldn't wait for it to be a Saturday morning so I could release all my pent-up energy on the field. My father was a basketball and football coach, so involvement in sports was definitely a rite of passage. That was nearly 20 years ago. Nowadays, ESPN looks more like CNN or Fox News. In a video for PragerU, Outkick the Show host Clay Travis puts it this way:
Devin Nassar-ReisPublished 5 years ago in The SwampAriana Grande and Blackfishing
Ariana Grande recently came under fire for using a "blaccent" in a promotional video for her newest single, "thank u, next." Grande, who is Italian-American, spoke with an over-the-top ghetto accent in describing a childhood photo. Several Twitter users compared this clip to a clip of her speaking about ten years ago. Her look was quite different then as well.
I’m an Artist. Your Offense Is Not My Problem
A song from The Little Mermaid has been cut from a Princeton performance for being offensive. “Baby It’s Cold Outside” has been removed from certain radio rotations due to being offensive.
Joel EisenbergPublished 5 years ago in The SwampYour Fave is #Problematic
Callout & Cancel Culture—the pop culture writer's best friend. We have to get real here: drama is fun. It's toxic and horrible and literally ruins people's lives - but it's also fun. No wonder YouTube is full of drama channels. We want the tea. We need the tea.
Noelle ClarkePublished 5 years ago in The SwampKalvin Garrah Was Deleted and Chase Ross Was Demonetized—Youtube Loves Punishing Its Trans Creators
This morning, many queer individuals woke up to shocking news on Twitter: Kalvin Garrah's channel has been deleted. #BringBackKalvin. While some are devastated or disappointed, others are content with this decision. But most people are angry. Angry that, once again, YouTube has taken down a queer person's content just because their opinion isn't what they want it to be.
Blake DylanPublished 6 years ago in The SwampWhy Are You Ranking: Most Significant Moments Regarding Kanye West as Expressed by American Presidents Listed from ‘Good Life’ to ‘So Appalled’
As he has hinted at an award show, rapper, producer, fashion designer, husband, father and omaven Kanye West wants to be President of the United States of America by 2024. But does he know about the Iowa Caucus and the Electoral College? What credentials does he possess that would make him a viable candidate for the leader of the semi-free world? While Kanye contemplates on becoming commander-in-chief, he can reflect on the previous presidents who became piqued, raised ire, or endorsed the Hip Hop megastar. For over a decade, Mr. West has experienced three American presidents mention his name in some form or fashion. Like a clothing factory that stitches together fabric, the words and actions that the presidents exchanged in regard to West brought together an embroidery of derision, dismissal, and admiration. Kanye West, as his debut album, The College Dropout (2004) attests, knows nothing collegial beyond a few arts classes and does not possess a degree. Now, this didn’t stop President Harry Truman from capturing the highest office in the nation. But what does he have to offer that will make America exceptional again? Maybe a MAEA hat would be too awkward. But if West is serious about his intentions to become president, he will have to weigh some serious issues before he even gets a chance to begin a potential run. So, get your Yeezy Boost sneakers and campaign buttons for, Why Are You Ranking: Most Significant Moments Regarding Kanye West as Expressed by American Presidents Listed from ‘Good Life’ to ‘So Appalled.’
Skyler SaundersPublished 6 years ago in The SwampCartoons and Fake News: A Rude Awakening into the Plague of a Digital Society
In an era where peddlers of fake news thrive like flies in a dumpster, people of goodwill may attempt to clean up the mess, but most will still believe the bs.
Karina ThyraPublished 6 years ago in The SwampDepictions of Communism in Cinema and Other Media
Communism has always been an ideology that has keenly interested me. As a Democratic Socialist I 'believe that both the economy and society should be run democratically—to meet public needs, not to make profits for a few.'(Qoute taken from Democratic Socialists of America Website, 06/02/18.) I personally do have sympathies towards some of the ideals associated with communism but then also my political opinion is that the ideal only works in principle. It does not and never has worked in practice.
Craig YorkPublished 6 years ago in The Swamp