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Opinion

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An O-line observer

By The Observer · Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011

I have been a proud and loyal professional football fan ever since I was young. While I have seen my allegiances change from the Los Angeles Raiders to the Dallas Cowboys to the Cleveland Browns and finally to my hometown Chicago Bears, there has been one part of my football fandom that has remained overwhelmingly consistent, and that has been my fascination with watching offensive lines.

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Get the gov. out of marriage

By The Observer · Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011

What is the one institution that has a monopoly on defining marriage? Initially, you may think that religion does. After all, dozens of people gather for the wedding at particular religious establishment of choice. Then, the couple is pronounced "man and wife" and they are a married couple. All of the important moments seem to happen in some sort of place of worship.

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Eyes wide shut

By The Observer · Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011

In response to "‘Grinding' my gears" by Mr. Peter Tenerillo (Oct. 4), I'd like to say I agree with you and Dr. Moss that grinding is not a social interaction and is very easy to accomplish. What really grinds my gears is that you are misleading the young people of this school. I will, although my friends wish I would not, like to shed some personal wisdom upon you.

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Science and God

By The Observer · Monday, Oct. 3, 2011

The Sept. 30 editorial ("Health insurance issue calls Notre Dame's identity into question") suggests a conflict exists between Notre Dame's identity as a Catholic and a scientific research university. The editorial creates a false dichotomy between science and Catholicism. The inscription, paraphrased from Ecclesiastes 3, on Nieuwland Science Hall says, "All things God made are good and each of them serves its turn." If God created the universe, scientifically exploring it can help us understand God's work and, in turn, God Himself.

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Ware scare

By The Observer · Monday, Oct. 3, 2011

At the beginning of last summer, as I went to pick up the subletting forms from the recently-graduated student whose apartment I'd be renting, I had a stark realization. It came via ominous warning.

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Something worth fighting for

By The Observer · Monday, Oct. 3, 2011

Yesterday I spent $5.95 on a Pizza Pollo at Recker's. It tasted like happiness, as always. It also cost the same as about 12 human lives.

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Separate (but equal?)

By The Observer · Monday, Oct. 3, 2011

Over this past summer, the Catholic University of America announced that it was abandoning coed student housing and reverting to a model of single-sex residences beginning with the class of 2015. In an editorial piece published in The Wall Street Journal, university President John Garvey argued that the change would help reduce the prevalence of binge drinking among undergraduates, and would also prevent further development of a "hook-up culture" on campus.

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Europe's double conundrum

By The Observer · Monday, Oct. 3, 2011

There seems to be a lot of good news coming out of Europe in the past couple of days. First, Greece recently passed a new string of austerity measures, most notably a new property tax, aimed at closing its budget deficit. This will likely satisfy the troika, composed of the International Monetary Fund, European Central Bank and European Union, which administers the bailouts given to Greece. As a result, Greece will likely receive the next part of its bailout package, about $8 billion, which will keep the Greek government solvent until December.

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Grinding my gears

By The Observer · Monday, Oct. 3, 2011

Reading Dr. Moss' article "Hip-hop night education" (Sept. 30) made me think (which, if you ask my friends, is something I do not do nearly as much as I should).

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Who needs to readjust?

By The Observer · Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011

Last week, Gary Caruso argued that "religious institutions need to adjust in a way that casts off ancient and outdated traditions whose time to end is upon us." Caruso was questioning University President Fr. John Jenkins' recent petition to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) that the definition of "religious employer" in the pending health care regulations be expanded so that the University will not be required to issue contraceptive services in future health insurance packages.

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Al-Awlaki killing had to be done

By The Observer · Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011

Last Friday, Sept. 30, U.S.-born terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki was killed in an American counterterrorism operation in Yemen. Al-Awlaki, who maintained U.S. citizenship, was a key player in al-Qaeda's effort against the United States and, according to U.S. officials, was instrumental in the planning of multiple attempted terrorist attacks on American soil.

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Challenging a taboo

By The Observer · Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011

When I read Dr. G. David Moss's article "Hip-hop night education" (Sept. 30), I felt myself agreeing with a lot of what he said.

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Catholic identity

By The Observer · Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011

I applaud Fr. Jenkins's recent petition to the Department of Health and Human Services for a more inclusive conscience clause. It shows a commitment to Catholic moral teaching and adds an influential voice to those of all religious groups seeking a conscience clause to protect their beliefs.

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Child within

By The Observer · Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011

While cleaning out my closet this summer, I discovered artifacts of a former self — the child. This pack rat left me with a week's worth of cleaning, discarding and donating. Who did she think she was, collecting hundreds of Walgreens birthday cards and 2nd grade grammar worksheets?

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Hip-hop night education

By The Observer · Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011

If you ask a relationship expert what comprises a healthy sexuality, s/he will most likely talk about the qualities of respect, trust, mutual benefit, etc. If you ask someone in the general public this same question, research indicates that s/he would either 1) have no clue or 2) believe that it means the absence of STD's.

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More than winning

By The Observer · Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011

Winning matters at Notre Dame, but it is not all that matters. Christopher Lilly ("The football coaching internship continues," Sept. 29) has that much right. What Lilly has wrong is his argument that Brian Kelly feels differently. Kelly undoubtedly wants to win, but he assuredly knows other things matter as well.

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Notre Dame is a "bro" school

By The Observer · Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011

Meeting someone new at Notre Dame is almost always accompanied by an obligatory string of "getting to know you" questions. Students ask each other where they're from, what they want to study, what hall they live in and, if they're really short on conversation topics, why they chose to attend Notre Dame.

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The government's not-so-insensible "conscience clause"

By The Observer · Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011

This week, Notre Dame president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., publicly commented on the Obama administration's proposed health regulations governing women's preventive services. In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius — "the daughter of a distinguished Notre Dame alumnus and faculty member," as Jenkins noted to strengthen his case — Jenkins referred to President Obama's 2009 commencement address at Notre Dame. While speaking about abortion rights at that time, the president spoke of his agreement with Jenkins for "a sensible conscience clause" exempting religious institutions that oppose abortion procedures from such mandates. Unfortunately, Jenkins now muddies the issue with an attempt to equate contraception with abortion.

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