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Gay-Straight Alliance

By The Observer · Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012

As Notre Dame's election season gradually makes its way through every pore of student government, students will head to the polls to determine next year's leadership. Like Wednesday's election of future student body president and vice president Brett Rocheleau and Katie Rose, the ballot will be simple — no special referendums, no initiatives and no propositions.

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I think we've missed the point

By The Observer · Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012

It looks like the debate over contraception in these hallowed pages of discourse are drawing to a close — nonetheless, I'd like to make some remarks about the tone of the debate and the overall point.

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Make new memories

By The Observer · Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012

I have never considered myself a fan of women's basketball. Sure, I know about Notre Dame's successful team, and I know names like Geno Auriemma and Brittney Griner because I watch a lot of SportsCenter. There is another name I also know — University of Tennessee's head coach Pat Summitt.

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A case against the flat tax

By The Observer · Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012

The discussion over the flat tax is always a very interesting one. Usually people who support it are heavy on details of its benefits and light on details of its negative consequences. But when examined closer, the negative consequences of a flat tax would make one wonder why anyone would support it at all.

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A case for the flat tax

By The Observer · Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012

If we acknowledge the way we currently collect federal taxes as both inefficient and unfair, what can we do differently to correct it? The strength of a flat tax is in its simplicity. I don't need fancy jargon or a bunch of obscure numbers to explain it, nor do I need to go too far into a debate to convince a person with half a brain that it is fair to all Americans. It's a concept so easy and so fundamentally better than the current options that only politicians would be incompetent enough to not enact it.

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The immigration challenge of a booming Brazil

By The Observer · Monday, Feb. 6, 2012

The international community has been aware of Brazil's potential for a long time. However, it was not until recently that the country broke free from corruption, high crime rates and extreme poverty. Last month, Brazil passed the United Kingdom as the sixth biggest economy; in addition to an expanding economy, the country will be hosting the 2013 World Youth Day, the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

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Global citizens and scholars of ingenuity

By The Observer · Monday, Feb. 6, 2012

In his work, "How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas," David Bornstein writes, "In rich and poor countries alike, it is common to find the ‘best and the brightest' — young people with an array of options — choosing work that allows them an opportunity for social impact." The students at Notre Dame should be extremely proud to be a part of that dynamic — the best and the brightest who focus on achieving social change for the betterment of the human family.

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Know the Church's stance

By The Observer · Monday, Feb. 6, 2012

I am writing in response to several of the Letters to the Editor published on Friday, Feb. 3. In her letter ("A woman's dignity"), Ms. Reser describes the perspective taken in "Contraception and dignity" (Feb. 1) as "discouraging." What is discouraging, Ms. Reser, is that at the most renowned Catholic university in the nation, so many people fail to understand the Church's stance on contraception, or for that matter, to even care to find out. Mr. Galeziewski's question, "How is (NFP) any different than using a contraceptive?" ("A (brief) case for contraception," Feb. 3) gets at the crux of the problem. The fact that he, like so many, doesn't see the distinction is illustrative of the apathetic attitude that is far too common among students.

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Taking the fifth

By The Observer · Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012

The way I see it, barring divine inspiration or outright plagiarism, you can't write anything good if your heart isn't in it. And as the posters the College of Arts and Letters puts up in O'Shaugnessy Hall suggest, the College would like undergrads to summon up as much heart (or pray for as much inspiration) as they need to produce exceptional senior theses. So do institutions like the Kellog and Nanovic Institutes, which provide funding to undergrad thesis writers, or the Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE), which helps undergrad researchers find funding.

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Changing lives with Teach for America

By The Observer · Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012

On my first day as a teacher at Audubon Middle School in Los Angeles, I realized that my career trajectory had forever been altered. The career in law I had imagined as an undergrad at Notre Dame was capsized by Xavier, one of my 190 seventh-grade English students who single-handedly changed my understanding of a meaningful career.

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From actress to inspiration

By The Observer · Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012

While lounging around my friends' house the other night, we decided to check Netflix's Instant Queue out of pure boredom. We had just watched "A Clockwork Orange" and needed something slightly less vexing or cerebral as an endnote to a lazy movie night.

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Government must respect University's autonomy

By The Observer · Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012

I read with interest the letter published on Feb. 2 by sophomore Evan Graham ("Protecting the right to choose") regarding the University's desire to not provide coverage for contraception in its health plans. Evan, yours is a well-constructed and well-thought-out defense of contraception. Only two problems with it: It entirely leaves God out of the equation and it leaves the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church out of it. You see, the University's employees and students already have "freedom of choice" — they can choose not to work for Notre Dame and they can choose not to attend Notre Dame. But you are advocating taking away any freedom of choice on the part of the University. You, sir, would prefer that the University be forced by the heavy hand of government to fund an act which the Church teaches is gravely sinful. Would you support a law that forced Islamic or Jewish institutions to serve pork? I think not. This is no different. Our government must respect the autonomy of religious and affiliated institutions to make these decisions in the light of faith and conscience.

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Why runners are more funner

By The Observer · Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012

As anyone who has seen the "Race for Rabies" episode of "The Office" can attest, runners are a funny bunch. Through SSLP, I spent my last summer living in Utah, an active community of ski bums, mountain bikers, white-water rafters and yes, runners. At one point during the summer, I recall seeing an entire family — mother, father, son and daughter — all in running clothes and all in matching FiveFinger shoes. Granted, I was in a Wal-Mart at the time, but still — in no other sport do people willingly wear shoes that make them appear to have gorilla feet.

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Power of sound

By The Observer · Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012

Sound. You're always exposed to it. You hear it, you can even feel it, but sometimes you don't even recognize it. Until you notice a silence.

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Vermin vouch for shop

By The Observer · Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012

I'm a junior in Carroll Hall, and I've had my bike repaired by the bike shop two or three times these past few years. Whether the problem was faulty brakes or a bent front wheel, my bike was always returned to me working better than it had been before, beyond the pertinent problem that needed fixing in the first place. On behalf of all men of Carroll, I plead that NDSP keep the bike shop open, or else condemn Vermin to perpetually long and tedious journeys to class as we attempt to survive the year without our precious (albeit prone to breaking) bicycles.

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We have been blessed

By The Observer · Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012

Last Sunday, I walked out of the Senior Retreat with an overwhelming sense of pride for this great university we attend. The opportunity to reflect on my past three and a half years here, alongside my peers, filled me with a wonderful feeling of belonging and community that reminded me of many things that are so clear and obvious yet we often forget to appreciate.

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