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Make it count

By The Observer · Monday, Sept. 20, 2010

Although the Nov. 2 midterm elections seem like they are months away, in reality, they are just a short six weeks from now. Are you ready to vote?

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When beliefs falter

By The Observer · Monday, Sept. 20, 2010

I propose one overarching question, for which I hope that the Notre Dame community may have the answer.

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The press box

By The Observer · Monday, Sept. 20, 2010

This letter is written as a response to the column written by Mr. Chris Masoud on Sept. 16 ("Section 32").

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Got it wrong

By The Observer · Monday, Sept. 20, 2010

Ryan Williams' article "Where's the protest?" (Sept. 16) is a poor display of social progressivism trying to twist Catholic teaching to fit its own political agenda. His arguments are weak, faulty, and in need of correction.

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Stop the presses

By The Observer · Monday, Sept. 20, 2010

Obviously the South Bend Tribune sports reporters will all disagree with me, but let's start helping Notre Dame football with no more media interviews, except for the post-game ones.

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Send college students to war in Afghanistan

By The Observer · Friday, Sept. 17, 2010

President Barack Obama has said of Afghanistan, "This is not a war of choice. This is a war of necessity." If that is true, every citizen between the ages of 18 to 25 should be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. A volunteer army should not allow the rest of American young adults to disconnect from debates on just and necessary wars. Let's analyze the nine years of evidence to find justification for President Obama's claim.

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Being part of the community

By The Observer · Friday, Sept. 17, 2010

With its new beND program, student government is trying to tackle the complicated issue of the University's relationship with the community — a focus of every student government administration each year.

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Welcome home again

By The Observer · Friday, Sept. 17, 2010

They cling to resumes padded with exceptional SAT scores and extracurricular activities. Their GPAs place them in the top of their classes in schools scattered around the country. They are club presidents, team captains, AP students and active volunteers. Their eyes betray an eagerness they attempt to mask with crossed arms and nonchalant stance.

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Passing judgment

By The Observer · Friday, Sept. 17, 2010

This is a response to Christopher Masoud's article "Section 32" (Sept. 16). Now, I sit in section 32. In fact, I sat directly behind those slimy Michigan girls. I felt a feeling of the utmost shame as I read your article, Chris. I didn't even do anything to make these girls fear for their physical safety (something which I recently found out was classified as assault, but forget the law). In fact, I acted appalled at my fellow student's behavior and shunned him. I even apologized for him! I don't know what came over me while I was standing there; I guess I just got caught up in the moment. But you, Chris, know better and can therefore pass down your judgment from the press box while sipping on club soda.

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Section 32

By The Observer · Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010

I was sitting comfortably in the press box this Saturday, taking in another great matchup between Notre Dame and Michigan. In the press box, you can't raise your voice, express any emotions or do pushups with the folks over at ESPN.

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Deepening our commitments

By The Observer · Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010

This Tuesday, Fr. Dick Warner, CSC, Director of Campus Ministry for the past 21 years, departed for Rome to become the newly-elected Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross worldwide. The Notre Dame community — both the people who live here, and the institutions that thrive here — have been blessed by his wisdom and holiness.

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Where's the protest?

By The Observer · Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010

On Monday, former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich will be on campus showcasing his new documentary, "Nine Days Which Changed the World," which recounts the nine-day visit Pope John Paul II made to his native Poland in June of 1979, a visit that emboldened opposition to Soviet communism in Eastern Europe.

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An unexpected news

By The Observer · Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010

Three years ago one of my daughters who is in her 30s announced that she was expecting a baby although she wasn't married. My wife and I were stunned. We have eight children and Rebekah is number four and nothing quite as dramatic had ever happened to the others. We immediately asked and was assured that she would proceed with the pregnancy to term. We explored the options, adoption or keeping the baby but decided that it was too early to make a decision. Fortunately, her boyfriend was very supportive even asking Rebekah to marry him. She wasn't ready yet, one thing at a time.

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That girl from math class

By The Observer · Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010

Notre Dame football is that girl. You know, the one who sits next to you in math class. Seemingly perfect in every way, you never thought you stood a chance with her. But you were okay with that. Then she starts batting her eye-lashes at you and laughing at your jokes. Could this be the one? Jumping out of your skin with excitement, you ask her out. But wait, she already has a boyfriend at Michigan (or USC or Purdue). You're heartbroken. You see, it wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't given you hope. What a tease.

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The price of knowledge

By The Observer · Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010

While discussing wasteful spending during the 2008 presidential campaign, Sarah Palin remarked that, "sometimes these projects have little or nothing to do with the public good, things like fruit fly research in Paris." To some, this may indeed seem like government largesse at its worst. However, while it may have scored a few political points, it reflects a sad misunderstanding of the underlying science. Palin doesn't reflect upon the fact that flies have much of the same genetic makeup as humans, acknowledge the increasingly multinational nature of science, or point out that society is fortunate that we harvest and study mutant flies rather than human children. However, her point tangentially touches upon a more nuanced issue: what kind of research should the public fund?

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Pure intimidation

By The Observer · Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010

I'm very disappointed after reading all the negative responses to Matthew Keenan's obviously well thought out and intimidating idea. Matthew's is quite possibly the best idea I've ever heard, except in the fact that he didn't go far enough with it.

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Purposelessness

By The Observer · Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010

Ethics was born in the struggle against the moral relativism of the Greek sophists — in the struggle to discern right from wrong in a time when such concepts had come to be seen as the impositions of arbitrary will; ethics therefore assumed, all along, that there is a fact of the matter to discern — that there is, in other words, an objective normative order, a purposiveness in things — and in men — independent of what use one would make of them. "For we are debating no trivial question," Plato reminds us, "but the manner in which a man ought to live." Each thing, he declares, is fulfilled by a particular good — one determined by its nature. And this is true of men no less than of things: regardless of what one happens to desire, there is some right way for one to live, some proper form of life at which one ought to aim.

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