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Tuesday, March 31, 2026
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Stepan not fit for acts

By The Observer · Tuesday, March 29, 2011

I write this letter in regards to the Spring Concert. I congratulate SUB on pulling an amazing lineup this year, completing an excellent three year run. A few years ago it was Cartel and Citizen Cope; last year it was The Roots; this year has Chiddy Bang and OAR. The board has really done a great job providing talented, relevant acts for our students.

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Jus in bello' or just in bad taste?

By The Observer · Tuesday, March 29, 2011

I believe that members of the ROTC program sincerely pray for peace, as no one suffers the burdens of war more than our nation's military and their families. For this reason, it is troubling to see the invitation to Colman McCarthy to serve as the keynote speaker for this year's 2011 Student Peace Conference (April 1-2) put on by the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. The Kroc Institute's website describes Mr. McCarthy as a "renowned journalist, teacher and peace activist" who has had editorials printed in a number of prominent newspapers. In one such editorial, Mr. McCarthy directly mentioned the ROTC program at Notre Dame. Disputing Father Hesburgh's view that the program serves as a way to "Christianize the military," Mr. McCarthy asked if there was a "Christian method of slaughtering people in combat, or a Christian way of firebombing cities, or a way to kill civilians in the name of Jesus." While it may come as a surprise to Mr. McCarthy, the American military does not seek to engage in any of these activities. Rather, it serves to impartially defend the nation by carrying out the just orders of our democratically elected leaders.

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No lights on the Dome

By The Observer · Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Anyone who crossed God Quad after dark this weekend should have noticed an odd peculiarity: There were no lights on the golden dome. The Office of Sustainability announced that the lights on the golden dome and the Word of Life mural on the Library would be turned off over the weekend as a sign of support for International Earth Hour. As Executive Vice President John Affleck Graves explained, the university was supporting the initiative "by keeping the lights off on these symbols of our campus for a span of 60 hours instead of 60 minutes." While I'm sure it was well intentioned, the decision to turn the lights off on the images of Our Lady and Christ was poor and disquieting.

The Observer

The strength of words

By The Observer · Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Notre Dame student: Every time a Notre Dame guy "hooks up" with a Saint Mary's student a tree is planted along The Avenue.

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God Debate continued

By The Observer · Tuesday, March 29, 2011

I would like to add my own comments to Joseph Nawrocki's Letter to the Editor "The God Debate" (March 25). I was again disappointed this year when I saw the choice for speakers, although I cannot say I was surprised. There is an ever increasing liberalism within this country, this University and undergraduate student populations in general. By liberalism I do not mean the American idea of liberal and conservative — they too are players in a history of liberalism.

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A return to values

By The Observer · Monday, March 28, 2011

There were a lot of bracket disappointments this weekend. From Kansas to Ohio State, it was tough to find a bracket that wasn't destroyed in some way. My biggest bracket upset came in the NCAA Women's Coaches Fashion Bracket. I could not believe Muffet McGraw got out in the Elite Eight. And Kim Mulkey of Baylor won? Come on.

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Student lounge

By The Observer · Monday, March 28, 2011

I have been kicked out of the so-called "student lounge" in Coleman-Morse for the last time. Almost every single time I have gone to study in Room 104 of Coleman-Morse, the Hammes Student Lounge, it has been reserved for some event or some group. Why call this place a student lounge if students do not have regular access to it? I think the lounge in Coleman-Morse is a great place to study for its quiet and calming atmosphere. Besides that, it has a very convenient location and for those of us who live a far distance from campus, the student lounge is a great place to hang out in between classes or other meetings. So why deprive students of this excellent study-space oasis?

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Filling out the bucket list

By The Observer · Monday, March 28, 2011

We're back from spring break, which means that we are now in the last half of the last semester of the last year in college for me and my fellow seniors. And while I didn't ever go to Mexico, Florida, Puerto Rico or someplace similar for spring break (college foul, I know), I did make an epic road trip with my high school buddies this year, so at least I can cross something off my Notre Dame bucket list. The concept of a Notre Dame bucket list was always something that I had in the back of my mind. After all, we are only on campus for four years, it would be foolish to not experience everything that the school had to offer. However, apparently posters were being passed out a few weeks ago outside of DeBartolo with a list of 100 things to do before you graduate. Someone had finally created an actual bucket list! Of course, being the absentminded person that I am, I didn't end up with one.

The Observer

Spring concert

By The Observer · Monday, March 28, 2011

Well it's that time of the year for Notre Dame to announce what magnificent act(s) will be performing at the annual Spring Concert. Hoping to make up for the dry, drab and dreary performance by the geriatrics of Guster, Chiddy Bang and OAR will be taking the stage in about two weeks. The people could not be any more excited for this spectacle; two acts with such a great sense of musicality and pure talent.

The Observer

Going home

By The Observer · Sunday, March 27, 2011

The fencing team psychologist has told us many times about the process of "going home" — closing your eyes and imagining yourself at the threshold of home, taking a few steps in and imagining where you are, taking in the details, the smells, and the sounds. Then you go into your room, opening the door realizing that this is your home. Then you fall on your bed, calm and relaxed.

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A necessary evil

By The Observer · Sunday, March 27, 2011

Despite Mr. Easley's right-wing rants in "Where idealism and realism don't intersect" (Mar. 24), I find there to be ample room for unions in 21st century America. Not only is there room for unions, but unfortunately (yes, unfortunately) they are necessary. Unions began as a way for workers to organize and fight for fair labor conditions during the turn of the industrial revolution. Over the years these unions have gotten away from their roots and do, as Mr. Easley describes at times, step over their boundaries and ask for too much. Unions have in themselves become greedy and at times corrupt. I know this from firsthand experience, having paid my dues and been a member of the Teamsters Union while working in a dairy manufacturing plant. Often the goals of union leaders were not representative of all union members and were overly aggressive. Sadly this attitude of unions is necessary.

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A defense for college students

By The Observer · Sunday, March 27, 2011

Not far removed from ND, I argued while I was there and continue to argue that the higher powers at ND have created a culture of drinking that are constantly putting the kids in tough situations.

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Looking forward to a tight topic at God Debate II

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

The upcoming God Debate II between Sam Harris and William Lane Craig has me even more excited than I was last year. The title "Is Good from God?" already has something that last year's debate was lacking: a tight topic.

The Observer

The fruit of labor

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

At first I greatly appreciated your piece ("Where idealism and realism don't intersect," Mar. 24) as satire, but eventually I became worried that you were serious. I am responding to what I am afraid are your actual opinions.

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Observer fever

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

On Wednesday night, I had a minor crisis in The Observer offices: we ran out of purple pens. Normally, this would not be an issue. Purple isn't even my favorite color — blue is, if you were wondering. In fact, I do not even own one purple article of clothing, including underwear (I just checked). Why was the absence of purple ink in my life such a travesty? Simple: Justin Bieber's favorite color is purple.

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Observing contradictions during Lent

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

It is an unfortunate fact that greedy, self-serving, mean-spirited people abound around us daily in our society. Personal contradictions range from the subtle to the outlandish. For example, twice yearly — during the Christmas season and Lent — a humanist organization purchases advertising titled, "What Humanists Think," and places it on the Metro buses in Washington, D.C. Their message proclaims that some people do not have to believe in God to be good. Yet during the past two years, as routinely as those posters appear on the divider wall behind the driver's seat, intolerant so-called "good" Christians inevitably deface and destroy them by adding biblical citations or crossing off the words, "do not."

The Observer

The God Debate

By The Observer · Thursday, March 24, 2011

Next month, Notre Dame is hosting round two of "The God Debate." Those who organized this forum are to be applauded, for I can think of no subject of more fundamental importance than the question of the existence of God. However, the choice of speakers both this year and last leaves me a bit perplexed.

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