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Transparency, dissent and the Soviet Union’s downfall

By Pablo Lacayo · Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023

The collapse of the Soviet Union was one of the world’s most seismic events towards the end of the twentieth century. Many political analysts have provided a plethora of hypotheses as to why the USSR collapsed the way it did, and the different ways it could have either been avoided or mistakes that precipitated its dissolution. After 70 years of totalitarian government, it is important to explore how small shifts toward transparency and democracy blasted through the foundations of the old Soviet regime. 

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Coretta Scott King: A multidimensional activist

By Grace Sullivan · Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023

Monday marked the 37th year the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has been celebrated as a national holiday. Dr. King’s commitment to overarching equality initiated a monumental fight towards racial justice that will never be forgotten. As an activist that fought to end all forms of oppression, MLK’s work has extended far beyond the Civil Rights Movement and continues to serve as a reminder that change is possible. When reflecting on the important work of MLK, it is important to remember all the important activists that were involved in this historic movement. One of the most notable activists whose work is often overlooked is Coretta Scott King: the wife of Martin Luther King Jr. However, Coretta Scott King was far more than the wife of MLK, she was a pillar of the Civil Rights Movement who expanded Dr. King’s legacy after his death and continuously campaigned for global social justice. On this holiday, it is essential that we remember both the important work of Martin Luther King Jr. along with the profound leadership role Coretta Scott King played in working toward equality in the Civil Rights Movement and beyond.

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The 2023 year of language

By Devin Humphreys · Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023

This beginning of a new semester at Notre Dame coincides with the beginning of the calendar year. While my friends know (perhaps more than they’d like) of my opinions about how we don’t emphasize Advent enough in the church liturgical calendar, the secular New Year provides just as solid an opportunity for introspection, reflection and resolution.

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New year, same me

By Jonah Tran · Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023

I like the idea of New Year’s resolutions. No, in fact, I love them. I think New Year’s resolutions are a fantastic, nearly foolproof way to commit yourself to new goals. They improve productivity, promote ambition and summarily eliminate procrastination. Here are my top three favorite resolutions of all time!

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The myth of the struggler

By Carlos Basurto · Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023

It is of our inevitable interest, particularly within a society like ours, to associate ourselves with the story of The Struggler. The Struggler is the person who has faced hardship after hardship, at times even failing, yet that through each obstacle they have acquired the knowledge, experience and ability to ultimately succeed in their endeavors. It is a story of hope, perseverance and determination. It is also merely that – a story.

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My noisy neighbor

By lettertotheeditor · Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023

I am almost 60 years old and a “non-matriculating learner” back on Notre Dame’s campus. I am not quite a student and I am not faculty or staff. I don’t fit neatly into Notre Dame’s classification structure and my status varies depending on the need or request. I am a Fellow in the 2022-23 cohort of the Inspired Leadership Initiative (ILI). My colleagues and I have all embarked on this encore education experience to discover, discern and design the next phase of our lives, after spending 20+ years in rewarding and successful careers. When I arrived in South Bend in August 2022, I was full of energy and excitement about what I would learn and discover about myself over the next year. This quickly dissolved to exhaustion and weariness and many emotions in between. 

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From COP27 to Notre Dame: Putting solidarity into practice

By lettertotheeditor · Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022

This November, world leaders, official negotiators, scientists and activists descended on a small resort town nestled in Egypt between Mount Sinai and the Red Sea for the yearly U.N. Climate Conference, COP27. I had the great privilege of traveling to attend this important event along with leaders and civil society members from around the world. Before you ask: No, I did not see the pyramids. I did, however, get to sit in on some of the conversations and negotiations which are going to shape our future. I shouted with people calling for change, celebrated when progress was made and shared in frustration at what was ignored.

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South Bend is the greatest city in the world

By Ryan Peters · Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022

Whenever Notre Dame students talk about South Bend, there is always at least a hint of condescension. No one ever says “South Bend” with the same sincerity as “Chicago” or “Dallas.” There is always a touch of irony or a slight smirk accompanied with it. 

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Who is part of our family?

By lettertotheeditor · Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022

The University of Notre Dame has always been my dream school. I chose to attend this university over others because as soon as I set foot on campus, it felt like home. 

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The opposite of war isn't peace, it's education

By BridgeND · Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022

Mahatma Gandhi once said,“If we are to reach real peace in this world, we shall have to begin with the children.” If we are to begin with the children, we are to begin with their education. A quality education contributes not only to socioeconomic progress, but also to the holistic development of the individual. I think that many, like myself, would agree with this philosophy on education — there is much more to it than training for the workforce. Still, Gandhi’s proposition begs the question: Can the education of children truly build peace? Fortunately, it can; accessible and quality education can serve as the keystone of peace within a society and ultimately, the world.

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Stop researching and give it a go

By Mikey Colgan · Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022

I get body slammed on my face. Then next thing I know, I have been twisted into a human pretzel. My arm is being pulled one way then the other and I am hanging on for dear life until eventually all hope is lost. I tap. Take a deep breath. Then get right back to it. This has been what my Tuesday and Thursday nights have consisted of for the last month since starting at South Bend’s Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu. I have been humbled in ways I could have never imagined and have also been tapped out in more ways than I can keep count. Even with all that struggle and zero success, and by the way, I mean zero success, I am thrilled I entered the cruel, ego-crushing world that is jiu-jitsu.

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Motivational phrases for finals 

By Pablo Lacayo · Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022

Throughout the years, my voracious appetite for politics and history has led me to come across a wide array of slogans, phrases and soundbites that for one reason or another have stuck with me due to their significance, effectiveness or messaging. To me, they are comforting phrases that provide me with motivation, inspiration and hope to finish off whatever task is at hand. In my mind, if they were good enough to be spoon fed to the masses, they should be able to do the trick and motivate me. As finals week quickly approaches, I hope these help in one way or another. 

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Not worshiping ash, but preserving fire

By Devin Humphreys · Monday, Dec. 5, 2022

Let me tell you a story. A couple of months ago, I was at an establishment at the Duncan Student Center that definitely shall not be named, securing a late lunch of chicken nuggets and waffle fries one Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, one of said chicken nuggets was exceptionally crispy, so much so that it chipped one of my teeth! And thus I was required to schedule a dentist appointment to get that taken care of. Eventually, once all was said and done, in early November I was able to get in to have my teeth X-rayed, and the dentist arrived at the conclusion that the cavity that had formed would need a root canal. So a couple of weeks later, I returned for the dentist to prepare my tooth for the root canal process, only for the dentist to find that the situation was not as bad as she had anticipated. I would only need a crown to handle the problem with that tooth. She placed a temporary crown over my tooth, and by the time you’re reading this, that crown will have been replaced with a permanent one.

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What’s hot and what’s not

By Alysa Guffey · Monday, Dec. 5, 2022

I’ve had the same coffee order for seven years. Seven years. That’s one thing that will probably never change. It’s well-established in my daily routine, and I can be stubborn when it comes to my coffee. But what about the everyday elements of life that ebb and flow, move up and down, change left and right? I present to you: Ins and outs circa December 2022.

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The Liver King: a tale of raw meat and lies

By Jonah Tran · Monday, Dec. 5, 2022

The year is 5000 B.C. You just completed a successful three-day hunt. You speared the mastodon to death and harvested its organs. Your personal chef prepared for you a feast of grilled ribeye steaks, raw liver, testicles, and bone marrow. Before you settle into your makeshift straw bed inside the cave, you inject yourself with the daily doses of long argine 3-IGF-1, CJC-1295, ibutamoren, omnitrope, testosterone cypionate, nandrolone decanoate, and winstrol. The copious supply of anabolic steroids, which accounts for a monthly expense of nearly $12,000, is necessary to have single digit body fat year-round and to be primal. This is how our ancient ancestors lived, right? They lived off the land.

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Gratefulness

By Isabelle Kause · Friday, Dec. 2, 2022

As I made my way back from Chicago to South Bend after a relaxing and enjoyable Thanksgiving break with my family, I found myself reflecting on the last few days with an immense amount of gratitude.

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