Opinion

Wrestling with tragedy

I didn't know Declan Sullivan personally, and don't presume to write about his tragic death from any personal insight into Declan or the circumstances of his tragedy. I can only write as a member of his community at Notre Dame, and as one who has experienced other inexplicable tragedies — whether it be student deaths at the high school where I taught, or over the years here at Notre Dame, or indeed among my own family and friends. The wounds from these experiences all seemed to throb and ache again as we experienced the loss of Declan last week.

Welcome to the Family, Coach

Welcome to the Notre Dame Family. In short order, you are getting a full taste of the Notre Dame family. Our family, like all families, is dysfunctional. We strive for perfection but often fall short. We have our flaws, disagreements and issues, but ultimately we love our family unconditionally. For those who truly know Notre Dame, love her. Those who don't just don't understand.

Proud to be Vermin

You have all heard jokes about Carroll Hall. Most of you have probably made one or two (or more) comments yourselves about the Lakeside Estate during your time at Notre Dame.

Legacy preferences

With the 2010 football season essentially flushed down the toilet and the signature event of this year's Notre Dame Forum a thing of the past, it is time for the administration to focus on their next great challenge: sorting through the applications of thousands of high school seniors in order to form the Class of 2015.

Inspired by your memory

As I walk around campus this week, I am filled with memories from years ago. On Saturday morning, Nov. 13, 1993 I joined the throngs of students in North Dining Hall for breakfast filled with excitement for the "Game of the Century" later that day: No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 2 Notre Dame. As we got our bagels and cereal, I remember the moment when I overheard another student say: "Did you hear? A freshman died last night!" Seventeen years ago we did not have cell phones, or even wired internet in the dorms, so it took until later in the day to learn the name of the student who was lost from our midst, Mara Fox. She was killed by a hit-and-run driver as she walked along Douglas Road with friends on their way home from dinner off campus. Her death was sudden, tragic, and filled with questions about who was to blame. As news of her death spread across campus, the joy of beating Florida State to claim the No. 1 spot was over-shadowed by the knowledge that a life was lost too soon.

Science, politics and global warming

According to the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, "everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." That Moynihan was a politician is ironic, as politics seems to be the one sphere where different parties actually do have their own facts. Social security, tax rates, charter schools — statistics are constantly produced on both sides by think tanks and used by political journalists. It's easy to get either turned off or confused by the acrimonious debate.

The Observer cover curse

In addition to the posters, flags and signs that are covering up the cinder block walls of my room in Keenan, the inside wall near my door also sports six of The Observer's Irish Insider cover pages from throughout this season. Over the weekend, a friend and I noticed that each of these cover athletes has experienced a considerable setback this year. DayneCrist and Armando Allen have suffered season-ending injuries. Unless the Irish can pull out victories in two of their final three games and become bowl eligible, Ian Williams and TheoRiddick are unlikely to return. Carlo Calabrese missed the Tulsa game with a hamstring injury. The most recent cover features David Ruffer with the headline, "From Walk-On to Starter to Sure Thing." The senior kicker is having a great season, but many are wondering why he did not get a chance to prove so in the final minute on Saturday.

Honoring Declan

You want to do something significant to memorialize Declan Sullivan? Don't think about doing something for videographers. Rest assured, new regulations will protect them. Instead, do something for those he cared about but who are still quite unprotected: football players. Evidence is growing that not only professional but college and high school players are experiencing cognitive and emotional harm as a result of head injuries, even when these fall short of a concussion. For example, a recent Purdue study of 21 Indiana high school football players published in the Journal of Neurotoma showed that eight suffered significant cognitive and neurological changes after a season of football even though only four of them had suffered a concussion.

We will win more

The Giants won the World Series on Monday night. We will win more.

Missed opportunities

I saw and heard President Jenkins' prayer for Declan Sullivan at the start of the Tulsa game on TV from my home in northwest Michigan. However presumptuous of me to improve on his prayer, I nonetheless wish I had heard Father Jenkins speak a final paragraph something like this:

Where is the accountability?

Dear Editors:

Tis the season

The other day, when my roommate and I were shopping for Halloween costume accessories, we stumbled across Christmas decorations in the third aisle of Michael's. While most would argue that late October is too early to begin celebrating the Christmas season, we were both elated and immediately decided to purchase a "Happy Holidays" scented candle and gold colored plastic reindeer for our common room.

Record doesn't lie

Joe Donnelly the legislator is a lot different than Joe Donnelly the campaigner. His record contradicts what he is campaigning on. He wants you to think he has supported policies that have created jobs, is fiscally prudent, and is independent, but his record points starkly in the other direction.

Spirit alive despite finger pointing

In the midst of investigations and allegations and finger-pointing and blame, the Notre Dame family gathered at Sacred Heart Church in a very real demonstration of what Notre Dame is all about.

Why you should vote for Donnelly

Joe Donnelly is the Democratic congressman of the 2nd district of Indiana that includes Notre Dame, South Bend, Elkhart and surrounding rural areas. He is a proud Catholic and a "double domer," with an undergraduate and law degree from Notre Dame.

Pigeons

Over Fall Break I was lucky enough to participate in one the Center for Social Concerns Appalachia Seminar's in New River Gorge National River, West Virginia. After the daily work my Appalachia family and I would tuck in to a homemade dinner, a crackling fire and maybe some s'mores. One night we decided to have a sleepover in the dining hall of the folk center we were staying at, laying our mattresses out side by side. Before we went to bed we decided to go around the room, telling everyone our greatest fears. For the most part, none were out of the ordinary — one girl was afraid of snakes, a boy was afraid of spiders, and another terrified of enclosed spaces. My fear, however, is a little more out of the ordinary — I am terrified of birds, specifically seagulls and pigeons.

ND community unites for Declan

I did not know Declan Sullivan.

Workplace accountability

As the mother of a son who works in videography, I'm personally saddened by the recent death of videographer Declan Sullivan at Notre Dame. This hits close to home because our own son also has videotaped from a scissor lift in windy conditions.

Thank you, Declan

Thank you Declan Sullivan

I have, from time to time, lost faith in my Notre Dame community. I have loved this school for my entire life, so take the former statement as all the more profound. I have felt that our campus is divided against itself in eighty different ways. I have felt that our campus is at war with itself. I have felt that the people on this campus care more about the lack of success that plagues our football team than they do about issues of humanity that affect the world every day. I feel that we are slowly slipping away from the ideals that Notre Dame was built upon, survived on, and currently promotes as the true spirit of our student body.