New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

Government

The False Promise of Closing Rikers Island

The False Promise of Closing Rikers Island

The city’s so-called proposal to close the jail and build four new ones only guarantees the creation of the newer jails. Rikers’ closure, set for 2026, is not guaranteed to happen.
Asha Ramachandran, Contributing Writer October 27, 2019

The New York City Council overwhelmingly voted earlier this month to close the notorious Rikers Island jail complex. The $8 billion resolution will replace Rikers by building,...

Journalism’s Impact in Wake of Impeachment

Journalism’s Impact in Wake of Impeachment

Following up on our findings from the Opinion Desk’s “Future of Journalism” series last spring, Hanna Khosravi analyzes the role of the modern-day journalist at the forefront of the national conversation during this chaotic political period.
Hanna Khosravi, Editor-at-Large October 14, 2019

When WSN’s Opinion Desk published its series on the Future of Journalism last May, the state of our union was distinctly different. Five months ago, as our pieces came out, the...

The Battle for LGBTQ Rights Is Far From Over

The Battle for LGBTQ Rights Is Far From Over

After the landmark 2015 case legalizing same-sex marriage, some believed the American fight for LGBTQ rights was over. However, three upcoming Supreme Court cases could change everything.
Emily Dai, Contributing Writer October 7, 2019

The Supreme Court is kicking off its new term this Tuesday with three monumental cases that could alter the direction of the LGBTQ rights movement. Altitude Express Inc. v. Zarda,...

DNA Collection Program Demonizes Migrants

DNA Collection Program Demonizes Migrants

Americans must recognize that the new U.S. immigration policy of DNA collection is a racist step toward genetic mass surveillance.
Jun Sung, Deputy Opinion Editor October 7, 2019

Soon, U.S. immigration officials will be allowed to start collecting DNA samples of detained migrants. Supporters of this argue that the program is necessary to find people posing...

What the Puerto Rican Government Owes Its Women

What the Puerto Rican Government Owes Its Women

Puerto Rican women are being attacked. Despite protests, the government has only just begun to tackle the problem — but it may not be enough.
Sofia Martinez Rivera, Staff Writer October 4, 2019

A video began circulating Twitter last week and further inflamed an already-heated discussion regarding the lack of protection for victims of domestic violence in Puerto Rico....

The Supreme Court Is Facing a Legitimacy Crisis

The Supreme Court Is Facing a Legitimacy Crisis

Sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh have recently resurfacedand the Supreme Court is certainly heading toward a crisis in public confidence. The question is, will it be able to recover?
Emily Dai, Contributing Writer September 30, 2019

Almost exactly one year ago, the American public watched Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s gripping account of a sexual assault perpetrated by then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh...

An Obituary for Bill de Blasio’s Political Career

An Obituary for Bill de Blasio’s Political Career

After dropping out of the presidential election, Mayor Bill de Blasio returned to New York City. But what exactly did he come back to?
Emily Dai, Contributing Writer September 26, 2019

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s political odyssey has officially ended — not with a bang, but with an utterly pathetic whimper. Last Friday, de Blasio announced on MSNBC’s...

alexandra chan

Voting in New York Almost Got Harder

The deadline to register as a voter is approaching, but Governor Cuomo wanted it even earlier.
Alexandra Chan, Staff Writer September 23, 2019

In early September, Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed changing the date of New York’s 2020 presidential primary from April to February, claiming he wanted to stress the importance...

The US Needs a General Strike

The US Needs a General Strike

The National Labor Relations Board’s plan to redefine graduate students as non-workers poses a new threat to the growing labor movement. If the plan succeeds, mass action is the only response.
Cole Stallone, Opinion Editor September 23, 2019

Three years ago, graduate students earned the right to unionize. A new proposal from the National Labor Relations Board seeks to take that right away. This is a part of a series...

The Plight of International Student Journalists

The Plight of International Student Journalists

International students are facing the economic consequences of the increasingly divisive rhetoric surrounding immigration in the U.S.
Ramisa Rob, Staff Writer September 20, 2019

As an aspiring journalist from Bangladesh residing in the United States, it feels reassuring to me to see organizations like the “National Association of Black Journalists”...

How Framing Directs the Democratic Debates

How Framing Directs the Democratic Debates

By turning Democratic policy into Republican talking points, debate moderators make the events about themselves and their potential profit rather than about the candidates.
Scott Oatkin, Staff Writer September 18, 2019

The Democratic debates have come and gone, and once more they have utterly failed to create the comprehensible and substantive discussion that voters long for. The candidates themselves...

Ending Afghanistan Starts at the University

Ending Afghanistan Starts at the University

As a forever war drags on, students must understand their historic importance in stopping conflicts and pick up their contemporary responsibility to oppose the war in Afghanistan.
Cole Stallone, Opinion Editor September 13, 2019

Eighteen years ago, the United States began preparing for war. Supported by 88% of Americans at the time, the Bush administration rushed into a conflict in Afghanistan that has...