Opinion

Cravin' more...

I recently picked up a copy of Scholastic, partially out of pity for seeing them idle in the dining hall for so long. Of the few articles I read, there was one discussing the University of Notre Dame Class of 2014 Facebook group, expressing the writer's qualms with one particular upperclassman. This column is a defense of that man, the myth, the legend.

Cemetery of the unborn

My thanks to the students responsible for the white crosses on South Quad commemorating the unborn children who are killed each day in our nation by abortion. You are to be commended for reminding us all what a tragedy abortion is.

Friends of Aaron Martinuzzi

Dear Notre Dame community,

Time to remember

As I began to read the first three lines of Mark Easley's "Vote the Bums Out" (Oct. 7) I was wondering why he was writing the article just before the November 2010 elections. I thought it was a good idea, but the arguments were a bit outdated. Weren't these arguments more applicable to the midterm elections of 2006? Didn't we already vote the bums out in 2006 and 2008 with the a new Democratic majority and president? As I continued to read, I realized Mr. Easley was talking about voting the Democrats out. That's when I started to disagree with Mr. Easley. His framework is fine, but the content appears a little bit off. So, I'll try to fix it a bit.

Pep band pride

Dear Members of the Notre Dame Marching Band,

There but for the grace of God go I

The saints among us

In my first three columns, I spent time calling out people — freshmen — to not plague our campus with irregular behavior, dining hall goers to get their act together and the football team to live up to their pledge of always giving 100 percent. I intend to do the same here but in a different light, one not intended to make you laugh but one intended to make you think.

Gleek convert

I'm not going to lie. I was reluctant to jump on the Glee bandwagon when the show's popularity skyrocketed last fall. I had seen the pilot months before the fall premier, and while I was amused by the show's basically ridiculous premise, I really wasn't sure how I felt about network TV's first foray into the cultish, campy world of show choir.

Coming Out Day'

Dear Notre Dame community,

Eating disorder awareness week

It is no secret that Notre Dame students are motivated and competitive and often strive for perfection.

Wins are important, too

Ms. Combs,

Stay for the Alma Mater

Notre Dame upperclassmen, you've been receiving a lot of "commentary" regarding your fandom over the last few weeks from alumni and underclassmen. I've seen you stick up for yourself, and I understand where you are coming from. I know why you leave games early and have stopped cheering. This is my 7th year as a student here. Years 1 through 4 were 2001-05, meaning I saw teams that went 5-6, 10-3, 5-7 and 6-6 (including an appearance in the prestigious Insight Bowl). While I was lucky enough not to be a student during the 3-9 2007 season, I have seen two 6-6 records since I returned to school here in the fall of 2008. I understand disenchantment. This is my first letter to the Observer in my 7 years on this campus, and I want to let you all know one thing: stay for the alma mater.

Rationale

I left The Observer offices in the basement of South Dining Hall at 2:30 a.m. one morning this fall, and as I reached South Quad and its wonderful cell phone reception, I received a text from my girlfriend that, in a not-as-family-friendly way, asked "Why the heck do you do it? You're a pre-med. You don't want to be nor will you ever be a journalist."

A prayer worth knowing by heart

In the Catholic Church, today we celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. It's worth spending a little time today, then, reflecting on a devotion that is at the same time beloved, scoffed at, and … well, ignored … by Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

Vote the bums out

Remember, remember the fourth of November. Remember how the politicians in Washington ignored you time and time again. Remember the empty promises of economic recovery and job growth. Remember how they covered up the facts and forced a half-baked healthcare bill down your throat. Remember the bank bailouts and the rewards the Wall Street fat cats received from the federal government for crashing the economy. Remember the trillions of dollars added to the deficit in the last two years. Remember the bungled oil spill response. Remember the soldiers who have died fighting in Afghanistan. Remember the blatant encroachments on states' rights. Remember all your unemployed and struggling neighbors. Remember all the lies congressman and senators have peddled to you about their intentions. There are many grievances to remember this November as all of us (hopefully) go to the ballot box.

Gun control

In Monday's Observer ("My cold dead hands", Oct.4), Mr. Kyle Retzloff writes that Nazi Germany's alleged confiscation of private weapons is proof that an armed citizenry can act as a check on tyranny. This is a claim one often hears from pro-gun commentators. The history of armed citizens in modern politics is indeed instructive, but not as Mr. Retzloff suggests.

Action in accordance with our principles

In response to Sarah Furman's viewpoint in the Sept. 24 issue of The Observer about ethical investments ("A call for ethical investment"), I read some interesting and troublingly dismissive responses on The Observer's website. Some people have argued that the NLRB settlement closes the issue and that students who are raising concerns about HEI are drawing the matter out unnecessarily, or that the Notre Dame magazine article concerning Scott Malpass and his investment strategy is enough of an explanation of the University's "ethical investments." The article from the 2007-2008 winter issue states that the University investments are held to the standard of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and their investment principles. Drawing on this, the USCCB website states investors must seek "investment opportunities that meet both our financial needs and our social criteria…[specifically] 1) refusal to invest in companies whose products and/or policies are counter to the values of Catholic moral teaching or statements adopted by the Conference of bishops; 2) divesting from such companies." Also, the USCCB calls on the necessity of active corporate participation of investors in any case, but especially when the questions of ethical investments are being voiced "to influence the corporate culture and to shape corporate policies and decisions." In dialogue with the University, these specifications by the USCCB have not been carried out, or at least the University has not mentioned their efforts, if there have been any, which is suspect because it seems logical for the University to underscore these activities if the students are demanding evidence of ethical investment.

Hobbies

Last week was a rough one for me. Like most of my fellow Domers, I had my first randomly placed three — test week of the semester with the added bonus of a nasty virus that left me bed ridden for most of the week.

You never really pray alone

There is no such thing as "private" prayer. There is — and certainly should be — deeply personal prayer, but really no such thing as "private" prayer. All Christian prayer, if it is true to its name, is initiated by the promptings of the Holy Spirit received in Baptism, who prays in and through the hearts of the baptized who together are constituted as the Body of Christ, the Church. Two things are worth noting here: First, all prayer begins with God's initiative (it's graced — in the Tradition, the Holy Spirit is often referred to as "uncreated Grace"), and, second, the Church is constituted by God's action, not by mere human choice or conscious decision. Decision is obviously important, as the Gospels relate, in responding to Jesus, but it's also important to remember that the invitation comes first. All prayer then, personal or public, is done in communion with the Body of Christ, the Church, as the Spirit draws us in Christ to an ever-deeper communion with the Father.

It is about winning

Recently an observant (read: pigheaded) freshman decided to let her thoughts regarding the senior class be known. With infallible logic such as, "Notre Dame Football" is not about the football!" I realized how blind I have been the last four years. I haven't been paying $245 each year to watch football, I've been donating that minor fee to socialize for four hours once a week.