Opinion

Landlubbing pirate fighters

By The Observer · Monday, Jan. 30, 2012

SOPA, PIPA, OPEN, ACTA — The music and movie industries are trying to tear the Internet to bits! When that which we love and hold dear is threatened, we grab our pitchforks, practice our battle yells and head for the streets. At least that's what we did on Jan. 18 when Wikipedia and its net-born pals decided to close for business in protest of the draconian bills sitting in Congress.

Placing the astonishing within our grasp

By The Observer · Monday, Jan. 30, 2012

"When the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this?'" (Mark 6:2).

Mass of Remembrance

By The Observer · Monday, Jan. 30, 2012

Dear Notre Dame Family,

Contraception and dignity

By The Observer · Monday, Jan. 30, 2012

In seeking to promote life, we, the officers of Notre Dame Right to Life, would like to articulate and defend the Catholic Church's clear and unchanging rejection of artificial contraception.

Mandate is an assault on Church

By The Observer · Monday, Jan. 30, 2012

As a Catholic who firmly believes in the Church's teachings on sexuality morality, I wholeheartedly disagree with the new health care mandate issued by President Obama. This mandate, which calls for all employers, including Catholic hospitals and educational institutions, to provide health insurance that includes prescriptive contraceptives, surgical sterilization and abortifacient drugs to its employees, directly attacks the Church's pro-life principles. While an exemption is granted to religious groups who employ and serve only those who share their beliefs, the fundamental mission of Catholic-based organizations is to serve all people in need. Not even Jesus himself would qualify for this exemption!

Confession: I don't hate 3-D...

By The Observer · Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012

I never saw "Avatar." I know, cue gasps of shock and looks of disbelief. I've been dealing with it since 2009 when the subject of those weird blue people, James Cameron and his possible Oscar win were on everyone's mind. But I thought the movie looked like "Pocahontas," which I really only enjoyed because of the soundtrack, so I wasn't going to spend upwards of $15 to see another version of the same movie.

Irish hockey fans: Will you bring it?

By The Observer · Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012

Many thanks to the numerous members of the Notre Dame, Saint Mary's and Holy Cross community that have attended Fighting Irish Hockey games this season and otherwise enjoyed the Compton Family Ice Arena since it opened in October. Looking up to see 5,000 people in the stands at most games has just been tremendous. Your vocal support on so many occasions has served as a real boost to our team's performance in the new arena and we need that enthusiasm to continue to create a true home ice advantage this year and in the future.

Ron Paul, the only good man

By The Observer · Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012

Mr. Newman and Professor Kramer,

How Elmo and weed can make you wealthy

By The Observer · Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012

Since the birth of the Internet, many a person has sought to capitalize upon the web's infinite potential. Many have succeeded, but countless more have failed, succumbing to the economic difficulties that arise from an Internet that changes ‘business as usual' in every single respect.

Share stories: Show Some Skin

By The Observer · Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012

When it comes to discussions about racial and ethnic diversity at Notre Dame, we often focus on numerical data that show progress, or lack thereof: the percentages of students and faculty of color on campus, the under-representation of minorities in fields like science and engineering, the increase in minority student clubs, etc. As a 1984 graduate, I have seen much-needed progress in diversity at Notre Dame, especially in the last 20 years.