Civic Ed.

Welcome to our Opinions section, where diverse voices converge to share personal perspectives and insights on current events, societal issues, and beyond.

Op-Eds, short for opinion editorials, offer a platform for individuals to express their viewpoints, spark dialogue, and contribute to the broader discourse shaping our world.

Personhood: The fetus isn’t a person before consciousness or a similar trait
Bodily Autonomy: Even assuming the fetus has a right to life, the government shouldn’t force someone to use their body to prevent the fetus from dying
Patriarchy: Bans and severe abortion restrictions prevent women from having proper control over their reproductive lives

Sources

Roughly 62% of Americans opposed the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a number largely driven by Democrats (82% opposed) and moderate Republicans (49% opposed)
Most Americans (65%) do not believe a right to life begins at conception. However, 56% believe some late-stage abortions should be illegal. Few Americans say abortion should always be legal (19%), and very few say it should always be illegal (8%)

Personhood: The fetus isn’t a person before consciousness or a similar trait
Bodily Autonomy: Even assuming the fetus has a right to life, the government shouldn’t force someone to use their body to prevent the fetus from dying
Patriarchy: Bans and severe abortion restrictions prevent women from having proper control over their reproductive lives

Sources

The fetus is a person from conception or shortly thereafter because of its rapid development or potential
Bodily autonomy does not trump a right to life. Responsibility for a pregnancy must be considered in most cases
Some claim that abortion causes psychological harm to women
Social Degradation: Abortion represents a decline in substantive, family values
States’ Rights: Abortion laws should be determined at the state level, not the federal level.

Sources

Both sides are concerned with human rights and the well-being of what they perceive as a marginalized community. There is also quite a bit of policy overlap between Republican and Democrat citizens. Most people believe abortion should be permitted with restrictions (e.g., bans or strong regulations on late-term abortions).

Let's Talk About: Abortion

Equality: Our immigration institutions can be very discriminatory and difficult to navigate. Immigrants should not be treated as criminals or burdened with further restrictions.
Stereotyping: The rhetoric surrounding border security unjustly stereotypes immigrants and inflames discrimination.
Human Rights: Police crackdowns on border security result in violence and unsafe conditions that violate human rights.
Crime Rates: There is little to no evidence that immigrants, undocumented or otherwise, directly produce disproportionate crime increases.

Most Americans (78% according to a 2024 poll) consider the current immigration situation at the Mexico-US a “crisis” or a “major problem.” Roughly 80% of Americans believe border policy is being handled poorly.
A significant majority of Americans (60%) believe diverting more judges and legal personnel to immigration would be a good policy. A similar majority (56%) believe people should be given more opportunities to legally enter the U.S.
Majorities in both parties believe it’s important for asylum seekers to apply for approval before reaching the border.

Personhood: The fetus isn’t a person before consciousness or a similar trait
Bodily Autonomy: Even assuming the fetus has a right to life, the government shouldn’t force someone to use their body to prevent the fetus from dying
Patriarchy: Bans and severe abortion restrictions prevent women from having proper control over their reproductive lives

Sources

Rule of Law: Immigration laws should apply equally to everyone. Exempting undocumented immigrants from deportation violates this principle. Such violations are unfair for immigrants who go through the legal process.
Crime Rates: An influx in immigration, especially unregulated or undocumented immigration, results in higher crime rates.
Economic Security: A massive influx in migrants results in greater job competition, displacement, and loss, in addition to lower wages for certain occupations, strained social services, and higher taxes.

Sources

Immigration is undoubtedly a polarizing issue. However, the vast majority of Democrats and a near-majority of Republicans agree on certain reforms. Based on current polling data, it seems that the majority of Americans — including significant portions of both parties — want to see further legal resources diverted to the border and expanded opportunities for legal immigration.

Let's Talk About: Border Security

Severity: The effects of climate change will be and have been severe.
Resolvability: Climate change can be mitigated through international cooperation.
Cost vs Benefit Analysis: The costs of climate change outweigh the costs of carbon reduction or other mitigation policies. Some argue that sustainable energy will bolster the economy.
Disproportionate Effects: The effects of climate change will be felt most strongly within poor communities.

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Majorities of both Republican and Democratic voters support planting a massive number of trees to reduce carbon and support tax credits for carbon capture tech.
A majority of the country supports expanding renewable energy. However, most do not think fossil fuels should be phased out entirely.
As of 2024, a majority of the country believes climate change is a significant issue, but that it’s not a top policy priority compared to the economy, healthcare costs, and other problems.

Personhood: The fetus isn’t a person before consciousness or a similar trait
Bodily Autonomy: Even assuming the fetus has a right to life, the government shouldn’t force someone to use their body to prevent the fetus from dying
Patriarchy: Bans and severe abortion restrictions prevent women from having proper control over their reproductive lives

Sources

Effect Exaggeration: The effects of climate change may be significant, but are frequently overblown. We have more pressing priorities.
Cost vs Benefit Analysis: Eliminating fossil fuels would do more economic harm than good, especially for poor communities. Expanding energy is necessary, and many Republicans say that includes fossil fuels.
Hoax: Some within the Republican Party say climate change is a hoax. Any existing climate change is natural.
Mitigation: Some within the Republican Party believe climate change is a significant issue and say it should be mitigated somehow, perhaps through innovative, market-based approaches.

Sources

There is partisan overlap on some aspects of this issue. Majorities of both Republican and Democrat voters consider climate change a significant problem — albeit not their top policy priority — and support certain carbon reduction initiatives. The GOP is especially fragmented on this issue. Many Republicans align with stereotypically Democratic policy suggestions.