Opinion
Go ahead and 'kill'
By
The Observer
· Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009
I would like to add my support to Lizzie Laughman's letter in which she encouraged the student body to put competition aside for the UConn game ("Be class, respectful," Nov. 16). She's right — even though we just lost to Navy for the second time in three years, our main concern should be not to hurt the opposing team's feelings. Maybe we will win the coveted College Football Bowl Subdivision award for "Classiest Football Team" or "Nicest Student Body." We can put that trophy right next to the Jeweled Shillelagh and all of the BCS trophies we've won recently.
Stay classy, ND
By
The Observer
· Monday, Nov. 16, 2009
This past weekend I attended the Notre Dame-Pitt game at Heinz Field. Despite the loss and the relatively poor performance that our team exhibited on the field, I came out of that game prouder than ever to be a member of the Notre Dame community. I don't think I have ever heard that many four letter words in my life, especially those directed to people who were quite obviously not Notre Dame students. The worst part is the Pitt insults were not even creative; their student section had only two chants throughout the entire game — "Let's go Pitt" and (more often) "F**k the Irish."
Sparkle motion
By
The Observer
· Monday, Nov. 16, 2009
I am just as excited for the new "Twilight" movie as the next 21-year-old female. "New Moon" actually looks pretty darn entertaining. Everyone's hair looks better and the action sequences feature Dakota Fanning and the guy who plays Colossus in the X-Men movies. If the clips in the TV spots are any indication, this thing might be a legitimately "good" movie, as far as an adaptation of a clichéd and derivative publishing phenomenon can be.
The facts
By
The Observer
· Monday, Nov. 16, 2009
You cannot be pro-life and pro-choice at the same time. I understand that abortion is a difficult issue, but you stand on one side of the fence or the other. While women do not take abortion lightly, easy access to abortion has caused the rate of repeat abortions to sky rocket.
More importantly, be loud
By
The Observer
· Monday, Nov. 16, 2009
In response to Lizzie Laughman ("Be classy, respectful," Nov. 14), I would like to make my own request of all Notre Dame fans. I'll start with the following disclaimer. In no way is the "kill" chant related to Jasper Howard, and I guarantee that the UConn players, should they even hear the chant, wouldn't make that connection. Howard's death was tragic, but considering the context of the chant, that we are fans cheering on our team, I don't see how shouting "kill" would dishonor his memory. However, though I disagree with the self-important, politically correct, "We are ND; we're better than everyone else," attitude that seems to motivate Lizzie's call to not perform the chant, I see a way to reconcile her motives with a desire to make Notre Dame Stadium a more intimidating environment for our opponents.
Slumbering echoes
By
The Observer
· Monday, Nov. 16, 2009
After Notre Dame's recent losses to Navy and Pitt, I have done a lot of thinking. I then came to the realization that something is terribly wrong with the Irish football team. However, since everybody has his or her own opinion on what needs to be changed, I will be as vague as humanly possible so nobody can tell me that I'm wrong. In fact, I'm going to format my rant as a mad-lib. Okay, here it goes:
Long-term approach
By
The Observer
· Monday, Nov. 16, 2009
Once again, talk in the ND community is replete with the question: "Do we fire Devine, Faust, Davie, Willingham or Weis?" What has often prevailed in the past is the short-term "Blame the coach and find the next Rockne" solution, often carried out in a way that comes across to the general public as panic.
Taking terrorists at their word
By
The Observer
· Monday, Nov. 16, 2009
In August of 1996, Osama bin Laden issued a fatwa to fellow Islamist supporters across the globe, declaring war against the United States.
Fire Sports Editor
By
The Observer
· Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009
At this time in the football season, I think we at Notre Dame require a change in leadership. The Observer Sports Editor, Matt Gamber, has made inexplicable mistakes in his game predictions this year. I'm sure no one will forget that in the biggest game of the year against USC, Gamber picked our beloved Irish to lose. Though he was in the end correct, this is not the kind of support we need in such an emotionally-charged game. Just this last week, he picked a blowout win over Navy, completely overlooking and disrespecting a solid opponent and lulling Observer readers into a false sense of security. Maybe Gamber should spend more time crunching the numbers and watching film like a true sports analyst should, and less time going on walks with his significant other. Hopefully Fr. Jenkins and Mr. Swarbrick heed my advice: Gamber must go. Charles Nejedlyjunioroff campusNov. 10
A recipe for memory
By
The Observer
· Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009
Every time I eat pancakes, I think of my grandfather. Something about the smells of syrup and fresh batter and the combination of those things melting in my mouth takes me back to my childhood. When I was three years old, my mother and I would go to my grandparent's house every Tuesday morning, where my grandpa would make us pancakes. I still remember him standing at the stove in his bathrobe while Mom sat at the table with me. Those mornings are some of my earliest memories, yet I can still picture them clearly in my mind. Last week, Grampy passed away. And so I found myself boarding a bus for Cleveland to be with my family. As I stared into the endless cornfields along the Ohio turnpike, I was flooded with memories of Grampy. He, on the other hand, didn't remember much of anything by the end of his life, as is true of so many people who develop Alzheimer's disease. I began to wonder what memory really is, after all. Why am I able to vividly remember those Tuesday mornings when I was three years old, but in his last years of life my grandfather struggled to remember things as simple as the names of his grandchildren? And worst of all, what will happen if my own parents lose their memories, and will I someday also have Alzheimer's? When I arrived at my aunt's house last Thursday evening, I found my family hovered around a table covered in photographs. They were making display boards of pictures for the wake the following morning, but I found that the very process of looking at the pictures was most important. Each photo sparked a different memory. Some of the pictures triggered memories I did not even know I had, such as piling into my grandfather's old red Mustang convertible with my cousins for a ride around the neighborhood on a sunny summer afternoon. Scientists can explain memory, and I hope they continue to make progress in research about Alzheimer's. But all we need are our own experiences to understand how it all works. Years from now, you won't remember reading this column. Instead, you might have memories of sitting in the dining hall reading The Observer and talking to your friends. But if you happen to be eating pancakes, I can guarantee you they do not compare to the ones my grandfather made. One last thing about those pancakes: When I was still three years old and sitting in Grampy's kitchen, I asked my mom why his pancakes were so good. "They're made with a special ingredient," she told me. She paused, and I asked impatiently about this secret recipe. Grampy chuckled as Mom responded with just one word. "Love."
We need stability
By
The Observer
· Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009
It is not a surprise that almost immediately after the last seconds ran off the clock for the Navy game the "dump Charlie" critics were again out in force. We looked bad in that game. Our offense was pathetic and our defense just didn't show up (although Coach Brown is correct in his criticisms of the cheap shots by some of the Navy defensive players — there were some leg whips that weren't called as well as numerous crackbacks). However, we had too many chances to win to end up losing.
Be classy, respectful
By
The Observer
· Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009
As the Connecticut game approaches, I wanted to bring attention to the students, band members, cheerleaders and all fans of Notre Dame football to be aware of the chants used at this game. I was already surprised at the chants used during the Navy game, seeing as some of them are not appropriate while playing a team that is literally fighting for our freedom. After seeing no change in that, I wanted to make sure to ask everyone to not do the "kill" cheer when we play Connecticut this week. For those who are unaware, its starting cornerback, Jasper Howard, was stabbed and killed earlier this season. I think as an honorable, Catholic college, we should at the very least be sensitive to this and not use this cheer. I hope we can put some competition aside and respect their loss. Lizzie LaughmanjuniorLe Mans HallNov. 14
Bring back Brown
By
The Observer
· Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009
I will preface this with the acknowledgement that the Irish secondary has grossly underperformed on the field this year compared to pre-season "on-paper" expectations. The reason could be anything from coaching to players being over-rated. Nonetheless, my biggest disappointment this year has been the "disappearance" of Corwin Brown.
Ginger pride
By
The Observer
· Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009
One generally expects to be able to go about one's life without facing public intolerance of one's unusual hair and uneven melanin. I was therefore shocked when I opened my Observer Nov. 13 to find myself staring at bold racism in three menacing panels of "The Mobile Party." Needless to say, my weekend was ruined.Why must our community of higher learning be tainted by derogatory remarks about gingers? My people are important contributors to American society. We provide an elusive high standard for the hair dye industry (have you seen some of those magentas?). Gingers single-handedly keep the sunscreen industry afloat. If we are forced to hide indoors because of shame caused by comments like Hofman, Wade and Rosemeyer's "gross," how will Neutrogena continue to market its 85 SPF Ultra Sheer Sunblock? Our economy is in bad enough shape already. This racism must end.Some readers may scorn my cries. "Gingers aren't a race," you may tell me, as others have before, "merely a disease upon humanity." I have viewed the sickening South Park propaganda about my people — lies, mere lies. Of course gingers are a race; we have a collection of so many recessive traits that we must surely be descended from a common genetic source. Consider Erik the Red, a hero of our ancestors, a proud and noble explorer. Would history have remembered someone as boring as Erik the Dirty Blonde? I leave that for you to judge as you will. I ask all gingers and friends of the ginger people to join me, however, in judging the authors of the hurtful strip from Nov. 13, as well as The Observer editors who deemed such hate acceptable for publication. We must stand firm until our people are freed from the shackles of bigotry. Megan AldrupjuniorHoly Cross HallNov. 15
Dr. Solomon's hopes for Notre Dame
By
The Observer
· Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
In this column, "The Notre Dame They Know," I will interview individuals who have been influenced by the University of Notre Dame.
Party in the P.R.C.
By
The Observer
· Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
Recently I took a page out of the playbook of some of my former Spanish teachers by using pop music in an attempt to have a fun activity while teaching my students English. Without giving two thoughts to the apathy that the 16-year-old version of myself had towards listening to Juanes hits like "A Dios le Pido" and "Es Por Ti," I quickly began the process of making handouts of lyrics with blanks that my students would fill in with words such as "somewhere," "run," "prince," "princess," and "story" as I played the song on my laptop.
Notre Dame Spirit
By
The Observer
· Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
As a member of the Class of 1989, I was able to witness the transformation of a football program under the leadership of Lou Holtz. The intensity and endless work ethic of my classmates was instilled by a man who simply knew how to motivate young men and guide them to achieve their ultimate potential. After six straight years in the national championship hunt (‘88, ‘93), Notre Dame has not been able to regain its consistent championship swagger. It was a shame when Lou was forced to leave the University he cared for so deeply, and it has been amazing observing the University's misguided judgment in efforts to replace him.
