OPINION

The divisive figure of Joe Rogan has had a unique career, spanning occupations such as construction work, comedy and martial arts commentating. His popular Spotify talk show, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” makes him the current highestpaid podcaster in the world as of 2021 (Variety). In the past few months, Rogan has been hit with a string of controversies that are being heavily discussed across mainstream media platforms and internet forums. He has also been criticized before on several occasions for hosting far-right guests Milo Yiannopoulos and Alex Jones, as well as for consistently making unsubstantiated remarks against marginalized groups. Currently, Rogan lies at an intersection of complex conversations regarding free speech, accountability and corporate responsibility. Rogan’s role in amplifying known anti-vaccination personalities and the casual racism he has exhibited in his past warrants deplatforming that Spotify is reluctant to perform.

This situation started in December of 2021, when hundreds of public health professionals accused Rogan of perpetuating coronavirus (COVID-19) misinformation following his interview with Dr. Robert Malone (The New York Times). On an episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience”, Malone–who is a notorious vaccine skeptic–drew parallels between the motivation behind people seeking out vaccines and the “mass formation psychosis” present during Nazi Germany. Previously, Malone was banned from Twitter for spreading COVID-19 misinformation, and after Rogan gave him a platform to reach millions of listeners, 270 doctors and educators wrote an open letter to Spotify requesting that they address this as an act of public endangerment. Considering Malone’s infamous reputation, it is shocking that Rogan chose to invite him onto his podcast and spend almost an hour questioning the validity of COVID-19 vaccinations. Following this incident, notable creators including musician Neil Young and podcaster Roxanne Gay demanded that their discographies be removed from Spotify due to the company’s lack of action against Rogan. Spotify then promised to add “content advisories” to podcast episodes that contain potential misinformation but skirted around Rogan himself, citing protection of free speech (TIME). Many observers have attributed this to Rogan’s popularity and Spotify’s rumored $200 million deal with the podcaster. Spotify’s neutrality is, in itself, a political statement, as it has signaled to many consumers that the corporation is more concerned with preserving their relationship with a profitable creator than respecting audience feedback. Not only is this a morally irresponsible decision on the part of Spotify, but consultants and crisis managers have also pointed out how it is damaging to the corporation’s longterm reputation (TIME).

“I think [Spotify should regulate their content] if it is in response to their audience,” junior Arman Omidvar said. “Spotify acts in its own self interest at the end of the day, and they should not be beholden to some ‘perfect free speech’ type of declaration.”

Public ire towards Rogan grew even more in the first week of February, when singer India Arie posted a video compilation on her Instagram Stories of him saying the N-word over twenty times on different occasions. The video then went viral, prompting Rogan to issue an apology on his Instagram account for his use of the racial slur (Los Angeles Times). Following increased audience criticism, Spotify responded by saying they will strive to maintain a balance between expression of free speech and protecting the safety of users. Additionally, they have dedicated $100 million to “socially conscious programming”. However, this dollar sum is half the amount Spotify reportedly paid Rogan for his exclusive podcasting contract and therefore does not seem like genuine commitment to supporting marginalized creators. By choosing a more conservative stance, Spotify has offended a large portion of their audience and representative artists. Rogan’s mistakes have thus become a catalyst for many complicated debates since they were first brought to the public’s attention. Arie has stated that she seeks to remove her work from Spotify not only due to their inadequate response to Rogan, but because she wants to spark a larger discussion about being an artist of color exploited in the streaming economy (Rolling Stone).

“I think [an apology] is the most [Rogan] could have done,” junior Mason Lee said. “Realistically, there is not much else he could have said. It does not change the fact that what he did was wrong and does not change the fact that in the future he is most likely going to keep bringing people on [to his podcast] that have some very interesting opinions about everything.”

Rogan’s use of the N-word is egregious and irrefutably deserves condemnation; however, handling the topic of COVID-19 misinformation requires more nuance than just “canceling” Rogan. In a society that is increasingly defined by polarization and partisan politics, using words like “canceling” to encompass all issues of accountability is too simplistic. Spotify’s lackluster promise to add “content advisories” to episodes of “The Joe Rogan Experience” is insufficient. Nonetheless, silencing any creator that elicits controversy is a danger to free speech. The response to Rogan’s misdeeds has been rightful mass outrage, but instead of jumping on the bandwagon of “cancellation” and indiscriminate censorship, it is important to advocate for accurate information.

“The more it seems like an organized attack against someone that is promoting a concept, the more people are going to rally behind that concept,” English 2 Honors and Advanced Placement English Language teacher Kristian Engle said. “The danger is an issue of trust–these are people who already lack trust in the system that we have right now. The [preferable] alternative is the reinforcement and the dispensing of information that is the most helpful.”

Recently, there has been a surge of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric circulating, primarily in Texas in the form of a concerning letter from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. This statement points toward a huge step back in the fight for equality and ensuring every person, no matter their identity, is granted equal protection under the law. With the Equality Act having been passed by the House of Representatives twice before, the first time in 2019 and the second almost exactly a year ago on Feb. 25, 2021, these recent attacks on the LGBTQ+ community further intensify the need for the Senate to act as well. This act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to explicitly extend protection to those of any gender identity and sexual orientation from discrimination, not just in regards to employment and housing, but also public accommodations and federally funded programs, according to the National Public Radio (NPR). In light of Texas’s recent blatantly homophobic and transphobic actions, it is incredibly important for senators to act quickly and pass the Equality Act in order to better ensure the safety of LGBTQ+ people throughout the U.S.

On Feb. 18, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a statement against gender-affirming procedures and any prescription drugs to aid in a transgender person’s transition used on minors, voicing how “each of the ‘sex change’ procedures and treatments, when performed on children, can legally constitute child abuse under several provisions of chapter 261 of the Texas Family Code”. Abbott then contributed to Paxton’s sentiment by “calling on professionals, including teachers and doctors, to report parents who give their child gender-affirming care… there would be similar reporting requirements for the general public, and consequences for those who do not report” (NPR). Both Paxton’s and Abbott’s letters exhibit a blatantly transphobic stance, as these gender-affirming methods of care they so harshly criticize are in place solely to help transgender youth feel comfortable with their own identities and aid in their transition.

While the opposition claims that the gender transitioning process is medically unnecessary, transgender individuals consider it to be life-saving (American Civil Liberties Union). In addition to gender confirmation surgery, transgender individuals may also opt for hormone therapy or puberty supression such as puberty blockers, which block sex hormones and delay unwanted physical changes. Though these blockers have also been commonly prescribed to cisgender children–one whose gender identity is the same as their assigned sex at birth–who start puberty too early and adults that with breast or prostate cancer, many continue to vouch for the adverse effects of these procedures on transgender individuals while allowing cisgender people to utilize the same treatments.

Criminalizing gender-affirming care obstructs a person’s individual autonomy and is ultimately against the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. Though Paxton’s and Abbott’s statements currently do not hold legal ground, their opinions are public and feed into the negative stigma surrounding the transgender community and will inevitably result in an influx of hateful rhetoric against and physical attacks on transgender people. The implications of Texans having to report parents of transgender children for providing gender-affirming care would be severe, particularly on school campuses–teachers, administrators and other students will be expected to actively target transgender students. Without protective rights being granted to all members of the LGBTQ+ community, students and American citizens alike will continue to be exposed to the harmful decisions of homophobic and transphobic lawmakers. Now more than ever, citizens must use their voices to urge senators to pass the Equality Act and guarantee that stances like the one outlined in Abbott’s letter will never become law.

ADDRESSING WHOOPI GOLDBERG’S ANTISEMITIC RHETORIC

Whoopi Goldberg, a co-host of the talk show “The View” on American Broadcasting Company (ABC) News, is currently under scrutiny for making controversial comments about the Holocaust while addressing the banning of the graphic novel “Maus” in a Tennessee school district on Jan. 31. On “The View”, Goldberg expressed that “the Holocaust is not about race”; it was about “man’s inhumanity to man” (Yahoo News). This statement drew criticism from people because Adolf Hitler often referred to Jews as an “inferior race” during the Holocaust. As a result, Goldberg was given a twoweek suspension by ABC News president Kim Godwin, even though Goldberg publicly apologized on air a day later. This situation displays a broader issue; like Goldberg, many people do not have a proper understanding of what happened during the Holocaust. Thus, education about the Holocaust and what constitutes antisemitism should be emphasized to prevent more harmful misconceptions from forming.

Some celebrities do not think Goldberg received a harsh enough punishment, especially since she returned to the show two days before her suspension was due to end. However, people who came to Goldberg’s defense mentioned how her comments were made because she was not educated enough on the topic, not because she is an antisemite. Jonathan Greenblatt, the national director and chief executive officer of the Anti-Defamation League, commented on the late-night talk show “Don Lemon Tonight’’ that Goldberg should not be canceled simply because she made a mistake. Greenblatt’s mindset is what causes people to believe that they can get away with making offensive comments; not acknowledging that a comment was offensive is equivalent to people not learning from their actions.

“People have done less and gotten in more trouble, and people have done worse and gotten in more trouble,” World History and Advanced Placement European History teacher Donald Frazier said. “I am surprised [that] she came back in less than two weeks.”

Unfortunately, there has been a global rise in antisemitism over the course of the past couple years during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; for instance, people protested against COVID-19 vaccine mandates by wearing yellow Star of David patches. According to National Broadcasting Company (NBC) News, in November, protesters stood outside Jewish New York Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz’s office to speak out against a bill that requires children to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend school. To the Jewish community, the yellow Star of David patch is a symbol of oppression, as Jews were forced to wear these badges during the Holocaust to differentiate their social statuses. If Jewish people were found without the badges, they would be punished with beatings or even death. Protesters wearing the Star of David and comparing vaccine mandates to the oppression that Jews experienced during the Holocaust is highly inappropriate. Between 1941 and 1945, more than six million people were murdered simply for being Jewish; people using this symbol to protest against vaccine mandates that are in place for health and safety reasons shows not just that they are ignorant, but also that they are blatantly antisemitic.

“Learning about the Holocaust in school is very important so that events like the Holocaust will not repeat in the future,” freshman Stella Schwab said. “If people were not educated, they would make the same mistakes.”

Goldberg’s comments on “The View’’ were tone-deaf and demonstrated what society needs to work on as a whole. The Holocaust is fading from public consciousness, and the recent rise in antisemitism deserves more attention. Education and awareness about the Holocaust should become more widespread, especially among the general public. Ignorance is dangerous, and it can lead to future atrocities.

“Do not focus on [Goldberg’s comments] as the central aspect of antisemitism,” senior Saul Munn said. “View this as an aspect of a general, broad increase in antisemitism.”

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As President Joe Biden honored the retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer on Jan. 27, Biden concurrently announced that he would be nominating the nation’s first Black female justice as Breyer’s replacement. Breyer’s retirement from the court gives Biden his first opportunity to select a Supreme Court justice, as it is within his executive power to appoint one. Biden believes that appointing a Black woman for the Supreme Court justice has been long overdue and is looking to follow through on the commitment he made during his presidential campaign to diversify the Supreme Court (Los Angeles Times). Thus, Biden selected Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on Feb. 25 (National Broadcasting Company News). Jackson is a 51-year-old judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit who previously clerked for–or assisted with the duties of–Breyer. This appointment does not alter the Supreme Court’s political balance, since without Breyer the court has six conservative justices appointed by Republicans and two liberal justices appointed by Democrats (Cable News Network). Freshman Emilia DiPiazza agrees with Biden’s idea of change brought to the Supreme Court.

“I think it is very exciting that the Supreme Court has representation from [different] races and genders,” DiPiazza said. “[Biden nominating a Black woman] is a historic event, a long overdue milestone in more representation and [a step towards] a more diverse government.”

To finalize a nominee, Biden worked with a group of internal advisers, who work with him long-term and work on projects with him, and external advisers, who do consultant work and work for Biden short-term, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden’s team began reaching out and meeting with the nominees during the first week of February, and they eventually narrowed it down to a short list of 10 candidates. In addition to Jackson were Leondra Reid Kruger, a 45-year-old justice on the California Supreme Court who previously clerked for former Justice John Paul Stevens, and Julianna Michelle Childs, a 55-year-old Federal District Court judge in South Carolina. Sophomore Katara Chang feels that there should be an increase for minority representation in political positions of power.

“I think that the nominations for [the Supreme Court justice] position are qualified and capable,” Chang said. “Although there have still been no Asian American, Native American or Pacific Islander Supreme Court Justices, this is definitely a positive step.”

Biden’s plan to diversify the Supreme Court helps address the problem of discrimination in politics that has been prevalent in the past (The New York Times). This is due to the fact that in order to have a qualified pool of potential justices, there must be a large number of experienced attorneys and scholars. Many women and people of color were often excluded from the top positions of the legal profession due to racial and gender discrimation as well as economic factors (Pew Research Center). In 22 states, there is not a single justice who is a person of color, including 11 states where people of color makeup at least 20% of the population. Given the higher rates of incarceration and harsher sentences to people of color, more racially representative state and federal Supreme Courts could prove to be beneficial in creating an improved justice system (Democracy Docket); just last year, the incarceration rate of African Americans in local U.S. jails was 465 incarcerations a day, which is higher than any other ethnicity (Statista). Moreover, Jackson has been receiving a great amount of support from fellow politicians such as former president Mitt Romney and lawyer William Burck. Junior Sarah Wang feels that there should be no room for discrimination in a political environment and encourages everyone to vote and exercise their civil duties.

“[People of color] and women appointed in political positions should be unquestionably normalized because for decades [they] have been more than qualified and impassioned to take office,” Wang said. “Discrimination is a real and present threat, and the democracy and our nation depends upon us. The best way to achieve change is to let your voice be heard.”