From elections to guns to the economy, Americans have no shortage of things to disagree about – except Dolly Parton. Based on a YouGov survey, only 6% of people held a negative opinion about her. Her music, movies, charity work and iconic look make Dolly a darling of country music and a mainstay of American culture. There is no doubt Dolly Parton has an incredible career. She has  25 No. 1 singles...

It’s that time of year again: Christmas decorations out the day after Halloween, holiday music playing on speakers in Walmart, and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” streaming everywhere. When thinking about Christmas music, Elvis Presley, Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Mariah Carey all come to mind. While these gems of music are fantastic, one album stands out...

History and Background Ever since the 2016 gubernatorial election, the North Carolina Republican-majority legislature has tried to strip the powers of the governor. When Democrat Roy Cooper beat incumbent Republican Pat McCrory, the Republican Party lost trifecta control. Trifecta control is when one party holds the majority in the Senate and House of Representatives, and governor’s office.  When...

“The science says this, the science says that,” drones a pundit from a news station that only cares about viewership. More pathetic than the display of poorly presented empirical evidence are the comments on social media pertaining to climate change. “Science is wrong,” some say. “Well, science says,” respond others. The profound ignorance of many, including educated members in society,...

In 2020, AP Stylebook recognized the capital B in Black when referring to race, ethnicity or culture; it continues instructing writers not to use the term “Brown” when referring to race, ethnicity or culture. The Appalachian follows AP Style, as well as our internal style guide. Despite AP Stylebook’s instructions, The Appalachian will use the term “Brown” when applicable and capitalize the...

The American South has a reputation in the rest of the country for being backward, conservative and ignorant. Many Americans, particularly on the left, point at the South as the cause for the nation’s problems, such as racial inequality and higher rates of poverty. Yes, the region is haunted by its tumultuous history, but that doesn’t mean it’s a lost cause. Even though the region is historically...

Did anyone have any of 2020 on their 2020 bingo card? A pandemic? Killer hornets? Nightly fireworks to no end? No? Me neither. But this is where we are — a pandemic, presidential election year, societal unrest — all while moving to Appalachian and starting classes. We are living in a time that, literally, is unparalleled. How do we navigate this, you may ask? Together. We are all in this together...

The November election will undoubtedly determine the fate of our nation and, subsequently, the fates of future generations. While all of us may never fully agree on what this path should be, what we can agree on is fundamental change is desperately needed. Unfortunately, I must take responsibility for my part in contributing to the tumultuous and dangerous political climate originating from Washington....