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Story behind condemnation

By The Observer · Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011

In Chris Damien's article "Acting for love," (Feb. 16) he mentions the Church's stance on gay marriage while debating against homosexual love. Here, I will argue against this discrimination and against any modern practice of homosexual condemnation we find in the Bible.

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The Notre Dame need to belong

By The Observer · Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011

It begins from the very first moment of Freshman Orientation, shortly after you make that first step onto campus and immediately know this is the place for you, and it continues all the way through your four years at Notre Dame. That of which I write is the need to belong, the Notre Dame need to belong. Sure, every human wants to belong to something and be a part of something, but what measures are necessary to truly achieve it?

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Tackle hugs

By The Observer · Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011

Walking around campus, you see people huddled in groups, scurrying from building to building.

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Political bias in the academy

By The Observer · Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011

At last month's Society for Personality and Social Psychology's conference, University of Virginia social psychologist Jonathan Haidt began his lecture on bias in academia by polling the audience. He first asked the 1,000 some-odd members of the audience to indicate, by a show of hands, who would self-identify as a political liberal. According to him, about 80 percent of the audience responded in the affirmative. He then asked who would self-identify as a centrist or libertarian, to which he received a few dozen responses. When Haidt finally arrived at the question of who would self-identify as a political conservative, he saw a grand total of three hands, or 0.3 percent of those in attendance.

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The ring of life

By The Observer · Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011

My heart pounded vehemently against the walls of my chest. I felt it would never stand still again. I tried to align my mind, my body, my heart, to face what I was about to. I had nowhere to stand and nowhere to hide. My heart told my head, this time no. My head told my heart, let it go. They applied some Vaseline on my face and treated my nose, to help with cuts and blood. They cloaked and hooded me. Yes sir, it was me. I went out back to get out my gun, and yes sir, you haven't met me. A priest from the missions thanked us and blessed us in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I took my brother by the glove, stood tall and remembered what we stood for. I wished him good luck and prayed that we walk away stronger men than those who were about to enter the ring of life. On this mind and on this heart, I aligned myself to do what I had to. On my feet I looked out, night has always pushed on day. You must know life to see decay, but I won't run. I'm scared of what's behind and what's before, but this we are — an everlasting vibe.

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The personal pitfalls of Craigslist

By The Observer · Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

It is astounding how devastating and immediate the consequences can be from a misstep while Internet socializing. On the surface, banter could surely not harm one responding to a "woman seeking a man" ad posted Jan. 14 on Craigslist that asked why men all "look like toads." Unfortunately, ferocious forces fell upon a congressman who embellished his response: "Hope I'm not a toad. :) i'm a very fit fun classy guy. Live in Cap Hill area. 6ft 190lbs blond/blue. 39 … Lobbyist. I promise not to disappoint."

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What true freedom is

By The Observer · Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

I often read Viewpoint articles that make me feel the need to respond with a letter of my own. Laziness and a generally laid back attitude usually stay my hand before I even begin. However, after reading the Viewpoint titled ("Consequences of Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Feb. 15), I felt an overwhelming need to express my profound objections at the views expressed in said article.

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Love in different forms

By The Observer · Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

Based on what appears to be your own self-assuredness and apparent wisdom on related matters ("Acting for love," Feb. 16), I ironically presume that you know nothing of what it feels like to be a self-identifying homosexual. It is precisely because of this that I strongly disagree with your statements on "holding hands, caressing, kissing" and their casual evidence in today's society.

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Revuepoint

By The Observer · Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

At approximately 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12, Fr. Doyle, Vice President of Student Affairs, made a telephone call to Keenan Hall's rector, Fr. Dan Nolan. The Revue had to be changed. SAO had received too many complaints about the content of the show and decided it was time to step in. To placate the unhappy, immediate action needed to be taken. Later that morning, the president of Keenan Hall, along with the producer and director of the Revue, met with SAO representatives to discuss the content of the show.

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Election committee decision warrants explanation

By The Observer · Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011

A campaign "ethics clause" violation that delayed the results of Monday's student body election results did not, in all likelihood, change the final outcome of the entire process, which came to a close Thursday night with the announcement that junior Pat McCormick and sophomore Brett Rocheleau would serve as the next student body president and vice president, respectively.

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Envisioning the next 10 years

By The Observer · Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

The Robinson Community Learning Center marks its 10-year anniversary this Friday, and our local community and University have much to celebrate. Emerging in 2001 as a partnership between the Northeast Neighborhood and the University, RCLC is a nexus for community empowerment, neighborhood social capital and community-based research and learning. On the eve of this occasion, I offer two commendations and a set of observations and questions to guide the way forward.

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Get well soon

By The Observer · Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

It is mid-February, and I do not need to tell you it has been a cold, snowy winter. No matter if you played snow football or curled up on your futon with hot chocolate, chances are your immune system is weakening.

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A lesson from Earnhardt

By The Observer · Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

Feb. 18, 2001: Michael Waltrip crossed the finish line for his first win in 462 consecutive NASCAR races. It was Daytona racing's biggest stage and his brother, Daryl, made the call from the broadcast booth, in tears.

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Freedom for all

By The Observer · Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011

Ever since the protests for political change have kicked up across the Arab world, my colleagues on the right wing have feared about the takeover of anti-U.S. Islamic extremist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood that we have seen in places like Iran, Palestine and others in the Middle East. These fears are unwarranted in my opinion. The basic definition of freedom is the ability to choose your own fate in this world individually and collectively.

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Consequences of ignorance

By The Observer · Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011

Yesterday, I read a frustrating piece in which Michael Falvey recycled a number of debunked arguments against allowing gays to serve in the military ("Consequences of repealing Don't ask, Don't tell," Feb. 15). He talks about the 60 percent of infantrymen who, in their infinite wisdom, have been able to predict how their units would function were gay people allowed to serve with honor and integrity in the military. I know that I don't need to throw out numbers from the report, as Mr. Falvey has certainly already read it, but he seems to have missed some key statistics: 70 percent of the overall military think that gay service members serving openly would have little to no effect on unit cohesion, and of the 69 percent of service members who responded that they believed they had served with someone who was gay, 92 percent said that their unit's ability to work together was either very good, good or neutral. There's also the fact that countries such as Israel, England, Germany, Australia, Italy, Canada and at least 20 others already allow gays to serve openly in the military. Unit cohesion has not been adversely affected in their militaries.

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Consequences of not repealing DADT

By The Observer · Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011

"The repeal of ‘Don't ask, Don't tell' will introduce conflicts and concerns at the small unit level will take away from the actual training leading to war ("Consequences of repealing Don't ask, Don't tell," Feb. 15)."

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Acting for love

By The Observer · Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011

Alex Coccia, in his Valentine's Day article "Be For Love" (Feb. 14), depicts what I take to be pangs in the hearts of our homosexual brothers and sisters at the University of Notre Dame. Seeing a man and woman holding hands, caressing, kissing, can awaken a deep longing for a fulfillment that can only be found in the heart of another. These bodily acts of love are done so casually in our culture that one begins to question, "Why can't anyone do them?"

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