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Friday, Dec. 26, 2025
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A Catholic response to voter suppression

By Notre Dame Write to Vote · Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022

In the 2020 Introductory U.S. Bishops Letter, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the bishops call upon “everyone living in this country . . . to participate in public life and contribute to the common good.” The U.S. bishops stress that everyone has to partake in political life in our country. The simplest and most universal way in which all people can play a part in public life is by voting. Regrettably, two years ago, then-President Donald Trump began a campaign to suppress Americans’ right to vote and to undermine political representation in our country.

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The long train ride

By Isabelle Kause · Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022

Like many other students in the tri-campus community, I am someone who is constantly thinking about what assignment I have to complete, what projects need to get done and what exams I need to start studying for. So, I think I speak for many when I say that having the opportunity to put academics on pause over fall break was very much appreciated. As sad as I was to say goodbye to South Bend for a week, I also looked forward to being reunited with my family. I especially looked forward to spending time with my golden retriever puppy, Bentley. 

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Restorative justice practices in America

By BridgeND · Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022

I never thought I could feel sorry for a murderer. But, sitting across from Anthony, I did not see a convicted killer. Instead, I looked into the haunted eyes of a forgotten kid trapped in a perpetual cycle of abuse, drugs and violence. I saw regret across the face of a young man who, as a scared 16-year-old, had made a colossal mistake. Molested as a child and brought up in a family of drug dealers and gangs, the world had done Anthony no favors. When he was found guilty of manslaughter in an accidental car shoot-out, Anthony began to serve his sentence at San Quentin, which is a maximum-security prison and one of California’s oldest and best-known correctional institutions. During my sophomore year of high school, I visited this prison. The experience fundamentally transformed my perception of incarceration and highlighted the perilous cracks in the justice system. I realized that we ostracize and stigmatize prisoners to such an extent that we no longer see them as human beings worthy of dignity or respect. Consequently, I began to see the ramifications of Americans’ misguided and preconceived notions of “scary” populations. I saw these “hopeless” populations as men in dire need of rehabilitation, rather than purposeless punishment. 

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The grass is greener where I am now

By Kate Casper · Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022

Today, I want to be anywhere but here. Specifically, I want to be in Annapolis, Maryland, rolling around with friends on some grassy hill outside of the State House, discussing John Locke’s social compact over ice cream. The grass is soft and lush, and the sun is tucked behind a few trees, casting spiky shadows over our bodies.

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The flip phone experiment 

By lettertotheeditor · Monday, Oct. 31, 2022

I came to Notre Dame wanting it all. I wanted incredible memories. I wanted success. I wanted to get holy, get fit and get involved. I wanted to waste no time. I knew that this experience, like high school, would fly by at an incredible pace. Like a fleeting shadow. A blink of an eye, a New York minute. Here, then gone. 

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Faith alone

By Andrew Sveda · Monday, Oct. 31, 2022

Paul’s most scathing words are found in Galatians, where he vigorously defends the doctrine of justification by faith. Why was this teaching so important to him?  

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Red flag reading

By Emma Duffy · Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022

Social media is full of comments on what books are acceptable to read. There are warnings plastered all across online platforms declaring that it is a red flag if someone likes “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salingeror “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn, maybe even “The Stranger” by Albert Camus. At the same time, romance novels such as the ones by Colleen Hoover can not be recommended enough. I must confess, I would much rather engage in the “red flag reading” than force myself to read a sappy love story. 

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Neurodivergence in the classroom

By Jack Griffiths · Friday, Oct. 28, 2022

This week, I’m attending a conference in Vancouver to represent Notre Dame’s Writing Center alongside some of my fellow tutors. All of us will give short presentations pertaining to a common theme: promoting inclusivity in writing center environments. While my peers will be covering topics such as multilingual writers, discouraged writers and writers who respond to different kinds of sensory-based learning, I will give a presentation discussing the specific needs of neurodivergent writers. For me, it is crucial for tutors to make sure these unique students feel valued by the academic communities they’re trying to become part of. Given that neurodivergent students are often ignored, I believe it’s important for writing center tutors to help these folks develop confidence in their writing. I also believe it’s crucial to help these students recognize themselves as scholars who have contributions to make to their universities.  

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Land of hope and glory?

By Pablo Lacayo · Friday, Oct. 28, 2022

There is no doubt 2022 has been a very rough year for humanity, as the world struggles to keep up with a wide array of crises, including red-hot inflation, surging energy costs, increasing levels of food insecurity and the ever-looming prospect of a global recession. The United Kingdom has stood out among the Western world, as it has been more hard hit than other Western countries. The logistical challenges accentuated after the country’s departure from the European Union made British supply chains more vulnerable during the Coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath, which in turn contributed to the country dealing with higher levels of inflation than its Western European counterparts. British energy bills have also been among the ones that have risen the most within the continent, and the value of the pound dropped to its lowest level in nearly four decades. In September, financial analysts projected the United Kingdom was already in the throes of a recession, and the outlook as winter approaches threatens to only get bleaker. 

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The midterm elections: voting rights and gerrymandering

By Grace Sullivan · Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022

With the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade, drastic climate disasters and increasing political polarization among U.S. citizens, the midterm elections are essential in determining our government's ability to take on these issues. As Amber Phillips said in her article about the importance of the midterm elections, this election has the power to reshape our country. 

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Death and rebirth of (in)tolerance

By Carlos Basurto · Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022

When one takes upon themselves the challenge of imagining the wisest person to have ever lived, attributes such as empathy, kindness and a willingness to forgive are traits bound to define such an idealized sage. This is due to the fact that the more one engages with the human experience, the more likely one is to comprehend —perhaps even relate — to their fellows. A simple act such as an attempt to see a foreign worldview with a gentle, nonjudgemental gaze could be one of the most human things to do. A silent recognition of the inherent humanity of them all and how, despite it all, they are of the same value once the day comes to a close. 

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Kanye West shows responding to antisemitism requires education, not just condemnation

By Blake Ziegler · Thursday, Oct. 27, 2022

The latest chapter in the ongoing controversies of Kanye West is his antisemitic tirades. Over the last month, West has spewed nearly every antisemitic trope in the book. On Instagram, he suggested that the rapper Diddy was influenced by Jews, playing on the notion that Jews control the media and other societal institutions. The insinuation is dangerous because it portrays Jews as puppet masters of the world and responsible for the world’s ills. After being restricted on Instagram, West shared on Twitter that he’s “going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.” He clarified later that he meant “DEFCON 3” in reference to a stage in U.S. defense readiness. However, whether he wants to kill Jews or go to war with them, both are clearly antisemitic. He also tweeted that Jews try to “black ball anyone who opposes [their] agenda,” again spreading the antisemitic conspiracy that Jews control the world.

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Latin for fun and profit

By Jonah Tran · Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022

Salvete omnes qui aut forte aut sua sponte tempus die exceperunt adesse nunc mecum. Quod scripsi est ordini maximi et certe dignus legendo multitudinis discuplorum. Ego ipse pollicior. 

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Earn your dopamine release

By Mikey Colgan · Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022

It’s too easy. I just stop looking at my work for a second to check my phone. A notification pops up. I click on it. After viewing my notifications, I want to put off work just a little longer. So eventually, I think to myself: why not check on some Celtics or Patriots news? Then, a minute break suddenly turns to 20 minutes of completely wasted time. I look up from my phone and realize what I’ve done. I feel disappointed and try to get back to work. Now, a question I’ve had a tough time addressing is why I continue this vicious cycle when I know exactly where it will lead me. Thanks to a podcast hosted by Canadian psychologist, Jordan Peterson, with guest Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and professor at the University of Stanford, I finally have discovered a scientific explanation of why we are inclined to waste time and ways to address it.

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