Writer
Academic Writing
Here you can find exerpts and links to other essays and papers I have written during my time at Michigan, outside of the Minor in Writing.
The Debate over Free Speech on Campus, a Rogerian Argument
Fall 2018
In October of last year Richard Spencer, one of the leaders of the white supremacist movement, requested to speak on the University of Michigan campus. To say that there was an uproar on campus would be a vast understatement. There were protests, marches, meetings convened, and numerous opinion articles published in The Michigan Daily expressing a wide range of thoughts. One of the most vocal of these opinions was coming from a campus movement, #StopSpencer, with the goal of ensuring that he would not be allowed to share his grossly bigoted message on campus in any way. The widely held, at least most vocal, belief around campus and my social circle was in line with that. Under no circumstances should Spencer be given the space to espouse hatred on this campus. Students were outraged that this was even being considered as an option. Then, there are also those who argue that free speech is an unlimited right that should be granted, without question, to anyone with any message...
Read more here.
Korematsu as insight into the Court’s power, or lack thereof
Fall 2018
In 1942, the Supreme Court decided United States v. Korematsu, putting the final stamp of approval on the displacement and internment of Japanese citizens and immigrants. Throughout history this decision has been largely considered one of the most shameful and racist decisions made by the Supreme Court. While that is true and should not be undermined, the reality is that the Court was not acting in a vastly powerful way, but was rather conceding to the government and military out of fear of harming its credibility and institutional standing. Lemieux and Lovell argue that one should not let an “obsession with Judicial Review lead to overlooking other ways judges shape policy” (13). This is evident in Korematsu, as the Court did not make or overturn any policy, but rather, affirmed the internment policy through proving its loyalty to the military and government. In so doing, the Court demonstrated the notion that its legitimacy rests upon public opinion and trust. This turmoil is especially evident when looking at internal debates between justices, external pressures, and the shaky constitutional standing on which Korematsu was decided...
Read more here.