Observer Department: Opinion
Get out and vote
Dear NECC Students, Election season is upon us again! And, it’s time for you to use your voice at the polls. Northern Essex Community College has a strong history of student voter participation. In the 2018 midterm election, the college was recognized by the All in Democracy Challenge with a…
Deja vu all over again
As the 60th anniversary of the Cuban missile crisis rapidly approaches, it might be a good idea to consider what lessons can be drawn from it – especially since even President Biden has warned that “Armageddon” is a possible outcome of the current situation in Ukraine. I can testify that…
Witch hunt or hoax? Will Donald Trump ever be held accountable for anything?
Since Donald Trump left office in January 2021, he has been faced with a range of criminal and civil investigations as officials probe everything from his alleged mishandling of classified documents to his involvement in the Jan. 6 assault on our Nation’s Capital. On Aug. 8, the FBI carried out…
Modern utopia: A visit to Santa Catalina Island
My alarm goes off playing the Captain America theme song on my mobile phone, I reach over to turn the volume off and check the time. Its 5:30am, why would anyone be getting up this early unless they had to be at work? As I look at the time, I…
Would the real pedophiles please stand up? The irony of Republicans calling Democrats pro-pedophilia
During the Supreme Court Justice confirmation hearing of Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sen. Josh Hawley accused Jackson of being soft on child pornography offenders. Court records show that Jackson did impose lighter sentences than federal guidelines suggested but also in line with sentences other judges have imposed for the same crime.…
The Mission Act wasn’t built in a day
Walk a mile in my shoes, comes to mind when I hear someone says the word “Veteran.” When people look at veterans, they see a person in uniform who is was willing to put their life on the line to protect this country. When a child sees a veteran, they…
Media platforms should not spread ignorance
If you read the a recent edition of The New York Times you’d find an article nestled away in the Technology section about Joe Rogan. If you’re a millennial, you’re aware of exactly who Joe Rogan is and the ignorant vitriol he routinely spews on his podcast. If you are…
Praise Putin? Some Republicans have affections for Russian dictator
In late February, former U.S. President Donald Trump had nothing but praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia was preparing to invade and declare war on its neighbor state Ukraine, as NATO scrambled to formulate a defense of Ukraine. At a fundraiser in Florida Feb. 23, the former president had…
My dream job
The last year of the last century I was committed to changing my life significantly. I wanted to stop working in a factory full of ink, inhaling thinner, and other toxic products which were affecting my stomach. I was tired of carrying the smell of “fresh paint” everywhere, even after…
How Will the New Omicron Variant Affect You?
The novel coronavirus has brought many ups and downs this year, keeping the entire world on its toes as it rained havoc all throughout the globe. This past month we have seen cases on the rise. Why is this? This is because of the new strand of COVID-19. COVID came…
