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The Student Newspaper of Oxford Academy

The Gamut

The Gamut

The Gamut

Op-Ed

California gun violence calls for legal restrictions

California gun violence calls for legal restrictions

Celine Park, Staff Writer February 1, 2024

Every American has the right to possess guns for personal safety and protection, granted by the Second Amendment. However, this freedom functions counterproductively, as it also strips Americans of the right to live in a safe environment. As gun violence increases daily and news of lives lost to bullets...

Stanley stans erase the message of sustainability

Stanley stans erase the message of sustainability

Nandita Bussa, News Editor February 1, 2024

The clutches of consumer culture have found their latest fixation in the form of an insulated tumbler, and no, it’s not a Hydroflask. Fans of the newest “Stanley Cup” design preach the ideals of durability and aestheticism while forgetting the value of sustainability, as they repurchase the $45...

TikTok’s preteen frenzy unveils Sephora apocalypse

TikTok’s preteen frenzy unveils Sephora apocalypse

Millie Kwon, Staff Writer February 1, 2024

As preteens raid beauty stores for adult skincare products, the growing obsession with social media trends becomes a concerning reality for new generations. Although social media can inspire a wide audience, irresponsible usage of platforms can negatively influence the behaviors and values of the younger...

Artists abuse creative freedom with religion

Artists abuse creative freedom with religion

Jimena Beltran, Senior Staff Writer February 1, 2024

A dark trend has emerged in the music industry: Religion is deemed an “aesthetic” and has lost its spiritual foundation in return for offensive mockery. Artists following the trend are increasingly exploiting the concept of religion to build their own brand without considering the massive disrespect...

It is time to value environmental preservation

It is time to value environmental preservation

Rachel Yoon, Managing Editor February 1, 2024

Environmental conservation has lost its meaning. Despite backlash from thousands of residents, Irvine Company plans to implement a major urban development project this year, stripping away 400 acres of wildlife corridor from two of the busiest Orange County regional parks. The approved policy will replace...

Protesting for Protection: Chicago residents call for action against the 606 trail construction in 2016 that displaced residents in the name of industrial growth and was inattentive to their needs and lives. (Photo by Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere)

Gentrification pressures OC residents out of homes

Justin Le, Op-Ed Editor December 14, 2023

Gentrification is the process of urban renewal where communities and lower-income residents are displaced by wealthier individuals or businesses, resulting in changes to the socioeconomic and cultural fabric of a neighborhood. In Orange County, gentrification affects cities daily — from drastic changes...

Street vendors struggle with Orange County’s unrealistic regulations

Street vendors struggle with Orange County’s unrealistic regulations

Haley Nguyen and Rachel Yoon December 14, 2023

City officials in Orange County moved to crack down on sidewalk food carts in March by introducing tight regulations on the activity, a decision directly in opposition to California Senate Bill No. 946 passed in 2018, which decriminalizes street vendors in California. The immediate result was a concerning...

Sidewalk Maintenance: A group of restaurant customers at Huntington Drive in Los Angeles enjoy their meal along properly maintained sidewalks and road platforms. (Photo by LADOT/Jim Simmons)

Improving communities through establishing sidewalks

Athena Xing, Staff Writer December 14, 2023

There has been an immense network of complaints about the disproportionately-built streets in Los Angeles, California, especially over the past years. Since 2016, the city of Los Angeles has paid more than $35 million in settlements for the received 1,700 claims and 1,020 lawsuits targeted toward sidewalk...

“Working-class” is not the style for celebrities

“Working-class” is not the style for celebrities

Jasmine Nguyen, Staff Writer December 14, 2023

In the ever-evolving landscape of celebrity culture, the once-captivating allure of luxury and fortune has lost its glitz and glamour. Amid the destructive COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing financial crisis, the public is no longer tolerant of celebrities unabashedly flaunting their wealth, prompting...

How consumerism stole the spirit of Christmas

How consumerism stole the spirit of Christmas

Celine Park, Staff Writer December 14, 2023

Holiday season is around the corner —but what should be a “season to be jolly” is one of stress and worry for many American consumers who feel financially burdened by its cost. There are many whose financial situations do not allow them to prioritize gifts during the holiday season. While a...

Celebrities are not our saviors for solving international conflicts

Celebrities are not our saviors for solving international conflicts

Eshmom Haque, Sports Editor December 14, 2023

Near the end of October, renowned singer Selena Gomez issued an impassioned statement to her millions of followers on Instagram declaring a social media break from the “horror, hate, violence and terror that's going on in the world.” Happening mere weeks after the terrorist attacks on Israel and...

Greenwashing pollutes consumer consciousness

Greenwashing pollutes consumer consciousness

Trisha Phan, Editor in Chief November 16, 2023

“Conscious,” “sustainable,” and “eco-friendly.” Beneath this veneer of environmentally friendly language and earthy colored packaging, companies fail to uphold their sustainable image. As consumers place greater value on green industries, corporations must take action with structural changes...

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The Student Newspaper of Oxford Academy
Op-Ed