May 21, 2013

The Socialist’s Journal: Turnabout

Trevor Brookins

*Growing up as a basketball fan in New York City during the 1990s I naturally rooted for the New York Knicks. Which meant I naturally hated the Chicago Bulls. While most people across the country worshipped Michael Jordan and saw him for what he was (the greatest player in the history of basketball), I saw [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: Jason Collins

jason collins

*Monday, April 29, 2013 – Professional basketball player Jason Collins comes out as a gay man. That night the NBA playoffs continued with three teams avoiding the end of their seasons. Tuesday, April 30, 2013 – An American Airlines flight from Portugal crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Georgia. The last words [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: The Two Evils?

Trevor Brookins

*Those who advocate for maintaining torture as an option for interrogation often pose the following scenario: what if lives are at stake and the only way to obtain pertinent information is through torture? Many of these advocates lean conservative and therefore they also often argue against public surveillance programs. In summary: government is too powerful [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: The Most Important Amendment

Trevor Brookins

*A sizable chunk of our country, usually labeled liberal, believes the first amendment to be the most important concept in our Constitution. A different sizable chunk, usually labeled conservative, consistently trumpets the second amendment as the key to our Constitution. The differing perspectives in this instance are rooted in what folks believe to be critical [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: LeBron James and the New Paradigm of Success

lebron james

*On the eve of the NBA playoffs and the seemingly unstoppable force that is the Miami Heat, I take a look back at my take on LeBron James’ decision to sign with Miami. LeBron James chose to sign as a free agent with the Miami Heat and in doing so made himself public enemy number [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: Standing in the Supreme Court

Trevor Brookins

*Last week the Supreme Court heard arguments regarding Proposition 8, a California law that prohibits the state from recognizing homosexual marriages. And while there are many directions the Supreme Court can point our country, one option is completely unacceptable. If the Supreme Court upholds the previous ruling it basically throws out the law. This would [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: Quick Hits 2013 Pt. 1

Trevor Brookins

*I don’t understand why every new building constructed doesn’t make use of some renewable energy source – solar and wind would be the most obvious examples. I don’t know how feasible this is logistically but wouldn’t it make sense to put a wind turbine on the roof of a new building or solar panels down [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: Relegation

Brookins Head Shot

*In the past month two major events occurred in American sports: the death of Dr. Jerry Buss, the primary owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, and the realignment of the Big East Conference in Division 1 college sports. At first glance these two phenomena are not related. But for certain owners in the NBA, [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: CPAC 2013

Trevor Brookins

*At the end of this week many of the nation’s leading conservative figures will meet in Washington to discuss the direction of the country and propose counter measures. The list of featured speakers offers headliners of both genders and many ethnicities, illustrating that conservatism is not monolithic and that elements of conservatism can be attractive [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: Looking Forward & Looking Back

Trevor Brookins

*This seems like common sense but it bears repeating: No one can look at what’s in front of them and what’s behind them at the same time. The closest you get is a rear view mirror in a car. But even then your focus is on one and your peripheral vision allows you to notice [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: Paying College Players – Again

Trevor Brookins

*In light of the recent situation regarding the NCAA investigation methods, it makes sense to come up with a way to avoid this predicament again. And the solution is simple: allowing players to be compensated. Here is a column I initially wrote after Ohio State was sanctioned for improper benefits going to players about a [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: Shifting College Demographics

Trevor Brookins

*I loathe national letter of intent day. For me it represents the hypocrisy of young athletes feeding the sports industry and that industry clearly being interested in them and those athletes generating revenue but not gaining any profit for themselves. But national letter of intent is becoming more and more instructive in another way. In [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: Drone Strikes

Trevor Brookins

*If the countries of the world were ranked, many people across the globe would rank the United States first. But this is curious because the United States does not rank very high in education, has the largest national debt with a recently downgraded credit rating, and is a less and less attractive location for businesses [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: What Are The Odds?

Brookins Head Shot

*This will come off as hating but it’s actually realism. What are the odds that a baseball player who admitted to using performance enhancing drugs at one point in his career to live up to his contract would use them that one time only? And what if there is no real change in production during [...]




The Socialist’s Journal: Warrior Princesses

Trevor Brookins

*I think a mandatory military draft is order in our country. Keep in mind this is from someone who doesn’t take commands well and would have never volunteered for the military (but would have served if necessary), and someone who wondered if my sister and brother-in-law were crazy when they signed up for the army [...]