opinion

Clarifications

By The Observer · Friday, April 23, 2010

After reading the article in The Observer regarding the Family Friendly Petition presented to the University in which I was quoted ("Graduate students to file petition," April 16), I said to myself, there are numerous ways in which my comments could be misconstrued. I thought, someone is bound to respond to this, and with no small degree of vitriol. Sure enough, in The Observer's April 21 edition, Emily Stetler obliged. Ms. Stetler's letter, "Not So Friendly," demonstrated that some clarification is required on my part lest my comments be too narrowly and uncharitably interpreted, and the cause of the organizers of the Family Friendly Petition be undermined.

Pep rally focus should be students

By The Observer · Friday, April 23, 2010

Notre Dame football weekends are rich in rituals, from midnight drummers' circle to tailgating to cheering in the stands. But the festivities start with the Friday night pep rally.

That Little Black Dress

By The Observer · Friday, April 23, 2010

As our tuk-tuk turned down the dirt road into the center of Vang Vieng (Laos) and I saw the restaurants where televisions were playing old episodes of "Friends;" my face lit up like the top of the Chrysler Building. I was so happy for our arrival at this legendary Southeast Asian mecca of day drinking that one of the Slovenians I was travelling with pointed out the look on my face. I was brimming with excitement.

Take it easy on Golic

By The Observer · Friday, April 23, 2010

As the son of a die-hard football fan and alumnus, a title which hopefully will extend to myself in about three weeks, I know the importance of this university and the desire to represent it with honor. On Friday, the new Shirt will be unveiled for the football season, and, like past years, Mike Golic will be in attendance. As a graduate who made a name for himself here and in the NFL, as well as a proud parent of a current football star, he always enjoys coming to campus. Unfortunately, this time will be bittersweet. For those you who do not know, Mike recently lost a bet to his ESPN Radio co-host Mike Greenberg. The unpleasant task facing Mike Golic, while cheering his school and promoting his new book, is to don USC Trojan red and gold during his time on campus. Anyone who sees him should understand his hardship and refrain from any insults, but rather sympathize with this ambassador to our school and keep in mind the tremendous burden placed on him this weekend. Mike Golic is a man of his word; he endured a live waxing on his show last year due to a failed wager. He truly bleeds blue and gold, so during this weekend look at him with respect and empathy while restraining yourself from yelling any obscenities that become associated with just about everyone who wears those appalling colors. Go Irish! Christopher Lushis senior St. Ed's Hall April 22

Misrepresentations

By The Observer · Thursday, April 22, 2010

In her April 21 letter "Not so friendly," Emily Stetler criticizes the organizers of the "Family-Friendly Petition" for relying "on inadequate theological paradigms" in their effort to encourage the University to provide better health care coverage for spouses and children of graduate students. What these "inadequate theological paradigms" may be is unclear, since the three examples that Emily Stetler offers do not reflect the actual opinions of the organizers, but positions that she attributes to the organizers by taking their statements out of context and making unfair inferences. As a consequence, in arguing against the supposed "inadequate theological paradigms" of the organizers, Ms. Stetler criticizes positions that no one, in fact, advocates.

Peer institutions suspicious of HEI

By The Observer · Thursday, April 22, 2010

It has become apparent that to the administration, neither National Labor Relations Board complaints nor the testimony of workers is a legitimate cause for ethical concern over investments in HEI. So, let's consider something more basic.

How Christians should stress

By The Observer · Thursday, April 22, 2010

Let's take "What Would Jesus Do?" and apply it to finals week. Let's also eliminate the possibility that, as the Son of God, he already knows everything. Let's assume that, fully human like us, this would be a stressful week for him. And that we look to him as a model. So, then, what does Jesus have to teach us about handling the pressures of finals week?

Not so friendly

By The Observer · Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The organizers of the so-called "Family-Friendly Petition" have presented rationales for their movement that rely on inadequate theological paradigms. Married graduate students, they seem to believe, represent adults who epitomize Catholic values. Thus Peter Campbell's observation that students who come home to children are "a perfect symbol of the kind of values that the University wants to instill in its undergrads" ("Graduate students to file petition," April 16). Really? Shouldn't a Catholic university want its undergraduates to become adults who can creatively and critically challenge injustice and live compassionate and moral lives regardless of their marital status?

Bookstore Officiating

By The Observer · Wednesday, April 21, 2010

First, I'd like to give major thanks to all who facilitate Bookstore Basketball, even to an extent those I'm expressing my concern about in this article. And while I'll admit that it's very hard to criticize volunteer officials in a charity basketball tournament, I'd like to make some observations. First, it's obvious that officials are needed to have a final determination, otherwise games would become even more heated than they are. And while such tournaments should allow for more contact, there has to be a limit to what is allowed and a limit that remains consistent throughout the game.

What do you want to do before you die?

By The Observer · Wednesday, April 21, 2010

This is the question posed by the four guys of MTV's "The Buried Life" (see Courtney Cox's "The Buried Life Uncovered," Feb. 25), who have a list of 100 things they want to do before they die. Inspired by a friend, I made a similar list two years ago and have since accomplished 14 of an ever-growing 118 goals. I won't get overly preachy with how much I've learned about myself or how life is short and we need to take advantage of the time we have, but I will say, it's been fun. So I challenge you to make your own — call it a bucket list, life goals, 100 things you want to do before you die, whatever. They can be silly (No. 10: milk a cow), random (No. 64: crash a party), simple (No. 76: compliment a stranger), meaningful (No. 30: fall in love), serious (No. 89: volunteer in a third world country), or near impossible (No. 113: witness an Irish national championship — Coach Kelly, make this happen!). Life is short and our time at Notre Dame even shorter. Figure out what you really want in life, both the big and little things. Write it down. Do it. Live it. As for me, No. 43: Publish a Viewpoint article is a check.

The cold, harsh real world

By The Observer · Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Staring down the end of my college career can feel a little like staring down the barrel of a gun. In the years leading into my matriculation at this university, I heard dozens of relatives and friends older and wiser than I describe college as the best four years of their lives. The implication being, of course, that life only goes downhill from here. I've had all the fun I can have, drank all the beer I can drink and made all the friends I can make. That's where the gun thing comes in. It's the real world flying at me just faster than the speed of sound, and ending life as I know it. That is indubitably a cause for concern.

Compulsory discrimination against 'Homosexuals and Sex Perverts,' 1935-1969

By The Observer · Wednesday, April 21, 2010

"Have American homosexuals ever experienced the types of legal discrimination facing women or racial minorities?" The answer is a resounding "Yes!" even if we ignore the issues of marriage and military service. Between 1935 and 1969, federal state and local governments went to previously unknown lengths to find, expose and rid the nation of what authorities called "sex perverts."