Digital literacy in the internet age is essential to discerning the accuracy of online media. The distribution of fake news is a massive and relatively new issue due to the interconnected nature of our modern society. Through the use of social media and online tools such as Facebook, people have the ability to both spread […]
Author: Nathan Hinkle
Possible hate crime legislation undermines intention of forgiveness
The implementation of the death penalty for hate crimes limits the possibility of parole for convicts. Hate crimes are a big issue for the United States as racial, gender-based and political tensions increase across the country. In an attempt to address this problem, federal legislation was put forward to arrest those who threaten another person […]
Carbon tax viable option to improve environment
The implementation of a carbon tax could provide a financial launchpad for renewable energy. The concept of a carbon tax is one of the new policies that members of state governments are putting forward to promote the growth of renewable energy resources. For those unaware, a carbon tax is a tax on the amount of […]
State opioid law to create doctor-patient dialogue
The new state law will help educate both physicians and patients about the risks of opioid addiction. The use of opioids in Oklahoma is growing as more patients are prescribed painkillers in an attempt to treat chronic pain. This increase in prescriptions is dangerous, however, as more Oklahomans are becoming addicted to opioids and dying […]
Proposed anti-smoking policy harmful to workers
The policy removes protections for workers who smoke, mostly affecting those in rural areas. Smoking and the use of tobacco is still a big issue in Oklahoma that affects many groups. The current rate of smoking in Oklahoma is 19.6 percent of the population. In addition, Oklahoma’s rate of high school smokers is higher than […]
State Question 801 a step toward better public education
Increasing allotted public funding is ideal for improving education, but altering pre-established funds is a viable temporary measure. Education funding in Oklahoma is still a large issue for schools across the state. In April, the state government passed a new tax bill that helped increase the pay rate of teachers by 15 percent. While this […]
Increasing voter registration protects democracy
To bolster high voter registration rates, the United States could emulate how European countries encourage voting. Voting rates for the upcoming midterm elections across the United States are at a extremely low rate. While the concept of the low turnout midterm election is a common theme in the American electoral process, it has hit a […]
3D-printed guns lack governmental oversight
3D-printed guns present a major safety hazard through their lack of serial numbers and plastic parts. Due to the rise in availability of 3D printers, people are now able to produce firearms at a cheap cost. In 2012, a company known as Defense Distributed proposed a plan to sell blueprints on how to build plastic […]
Okla. insulin cost due to lack of affordable healthcare
A 500 percent increase in the cost of insulin over the last 15 years should be counteracted with a state-wide expansion of Medicaid. Diabetes is a constant medical problem across the United States, especially in Oklahoma, where the rate of diagnosis is higher than the national average by around two percent. It affects a large […]
OK sign not restricted to white nationalism
Though political internet groups co-opt mainstream symbols, their varying meanings still exist in a larger cultural context. With the rise of the internet and the spreading of social media, common symbols have a variety of different meanings due to their use by different groups. Because of this, symbols may gain negative connotations due to the […]