Margaret Gallagher spoke to BC students in an attempt to promote traditional marriage.

Boston College students packed a lecture hall in the basement of the law school to hear Margaret Gallagher give a speech on why she disagrees with gay marriage. Gallagher was invited to speak at Boston College by the BC chapter of the Federalist Society, in keeping with the society’s mission to promote a sense that the “judiciary should say what the law is, and not what it should be.” Gallagher has previously testified before the United States Senate, written for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, and founded an organization to promote traditional marriage, the National Organization For Marriage.

The event was highly anticipated, with over 50 law students and the Boston College Police Department waiting outside of the lecture hall before the final class in SW120 was dismissed. The crowd was far from hostile, but most students in the audience disagreed with Gallagher. In an informal poll taken by Gallagher prior to the event, almost 95 percent of the student body identified themselves as being pro-gay marriage, while the remaining five percent were split between “anti-gay marriage” and “it’s none of your business.”

Gallagher, in forming her argument against legalized gay marriage, concentrated on the ramifications that legalizing gay marriage could have on traditional marriage. She cited “concern about marriage as a social institution,” and the need for the law to reinforce the idea that families with one mother and one father are best suited to raise children. Also, Gallagher referred to the definition of marriage which defines it as “an institution for the benefit of a child.” This definition, she claims, results from three essential truths about the human condition; that intercourse leads to babies, that society needs babies to exist, and that children need both a father and a mother.

Referring to sociology, Gallagher argued that almost every known civil society has an institution similar to marriage. “Societies either find a way to grapple with these children or they cease to exist” she said. “Marriage, as a legal institution, only has the power given to it by marriage as a social institution.”

Gallagher cited the preference for both a mother and a father from personal experience. She conceived as a single mother and Yale student in 1982, only to find out in 1986 that the father was no longer interested in helping to raise her son. She described the effects that this had both on her emotional state and the state of the child moving forward.

In speaking about gay marriage, Gallagher called for understanding in both directions. She lamented about what she sees as a tendency of gay marriage advocates to depict traditional marriage advocates as being bigots and comparable to racists opposing interracial marriage. The danger, she claims, is that the “idea of marriage becomes stigmatized as a form of bigotry.” To try and bridge this gap, Gallagher agrees to hold speaking engagements with gay and lesbian organizations.

In a particularly active question and answer session, law students challenged Gallagher to defend her philosophy against their personal experiences. Students and law professors challenged Gallagher to defend her statements about the preferability of two parent households, her exclusive view of marriage, and her belief that allowing gay marriage would decrease the importance of traditional marriage. The questions were very respectful to Gallagher, if not to other law professors in the audience.

Gallagher and the students actually agreed in more instances than the students probably thought possible, as she conceded that in some instances gay parents could probably achieve better parenthood on average than straight parents.

In terms of offering a solution, Gallagher did not pretend to offer any feasible alternatives to the gay marriage problem. Instead, she suggested that the first step towards any serious debate would include getting “out of a space…where there is licensed hatred against those who disagree.” Creating this atmosphere of mutual respect, she suggests, is the first step towards creating a solution that all can accept.

Mark Herzlich recently overcame Ewing’s Sarcoma and will return next season.

The Observer: You were named one of 16 semifinalists for the Butkus Award, given to the top linebacker in college football, despite not playing this season. What was your reaction to that? Were you at all surprised?

Mark Herzlich: I was very surprised and honored. I didn’t play a down this year, but I guess that they admired my courage and strength.

O: You received an honorary Lott Trophy, marking only the second time in the award’s history that it has been given as an honorary trophy. (The award is given to college football’s defensive IMPACT player of the year.) The chairman of the board of the IMPACT foundation said, “Mark Herzlich represents all that is good in today’s student-athlete and epitomizes what we look for in Lott Trophy candidates. His perseverance, attitude and good works are an inspiration to all of us who love college football.”

How does it feel to have that said about you? Are you proud of your accomplishments both on and off the field?

MH: I am proud of my accomplishments. It is tough to play football at a high level, and it is even harder to beat cancer. I was able to do both, and I am proud of that fact. Any time you get a compliment you are obviously flattered and thankful.

O: How much money have you raised so far for Uplifting Athletes? Will you continue to raise money after this season?

MH: I am not sure about the exact amount, but I think it is close to $200,000. I will continue to fight for the cause for not only next year, but for many years to come as well.

O: BC students have really supported the “Beat Cancer” campaign. How does it feel to know you have so many fellow students supporting you and wishing you well?

MH: The fact that everyone on campus has supported me so much and been behind me throughout this whole ordeal has helped me in my recovery and shows how genuine and caring the people on this campus really are.

O: Has it been difficult for you this season to have to watch from the sidelines when you want to be playing?

MH: It was hard at the start of the season, and then when you get it set in your mind that you will not play until next season, it becomes easier to accept.

O: You’ve called yourself an “assistant-assistant coach.” What would you say you do for this team in that role?

MH: Lately I have been scarcer from the field during the week because I have been home a lot for my last couple of chemo sessions. When I am there, however, I am someone that players can come to with questions about how to play defenses and different technique questions.

O: How has it been being the “assistant-assistant coach?” How would you sum up your coaching experience?

MH: It has been great to be a part of the team and to be on the sidelines. I have gotten much closer with the other coaches and have held the respect of my teammates as well.

O: When head coach Frank Spaziani gave you his yellow towel, what did that mean to you?

MH: It was my welcome back to the team after the tough summer that I had spent at home. It was very meaningful and symbolized to me how proud he was of me and how much the team was behind me.

O: Was there ever a moment where you considered not being on the field during games or not keeping up with your workouts, watching film, etc.?

MH: A couple of weeks, I have felt really terrible on Friday nights and was wondering if I could make it to the game or not. Every Saturday, though, I have woken up full of life and excitement.

O: Why do you think you’re so successful at motivating your teammates when they need a little extra motivation or pumping up the SuperFans when they get a little quiet?

MH: I have always been very emotional and excited about football. That excitement that I have can be transferred to others, and I have learned over the years how to accomplish that.

O: Do you think you’ve grown as a player at all, despite not playing, through coaching your fellow players?

MH: I think that if I had played I would have grown more as a player than I have by not playing, but staying around the game has helped me maintain my football knowledge.

O: Will BC see you back on the field in a #94 jersey in 2010?

MH: Yes, they will.

O: Did the idea of returning to the football field next season help you at all through your treatment?

MH: I would think about that every day. It was my goal.

O: When you envision a return to football, what do you see and how do you feel?

MH: I see myself running out of the tunnel with my team behind me and a sea of yellow in the stands. Words cannot describe that feeling.

O: Now that you’re cancer- free, how are you feeling about leaving the assistantassistant coach position behind and returning to the field as an intimidating linebacker?

MH: I cannot wait to be back playing on the field.

O: What record will the Eagles have at the end of this season?

MH: I can tell you that after this week we will be 8-3… that’s as far as I will go.

Mary O’Hara’s exhibit on display in Burns Library

Mary O’Hara, Singer and  Harpist: A Retrospective is one  of many fascinating exhibits in John J. Burns Library.  This exhibit, which continues through April 30, features newly acquired materials from the collection of O’Hara’s body of work.

O’Hara has achieved renown as a harpist and singer, and she has played a significant role in reviving the harp as an  accompanying instrument.  At  a time when Irish harp music was nearly extinct in the 1950s,  O’Hara renewed this tradition.

Many aspects of O’Hara’s  life and career are on display in  Burns Library.  Posters, records,  medals, plaques, sheet music, and a letter of recommendation from the fifth President of  Ireland, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh,  praising her character and talents may be found in the exhibit, with each item shedding light  on the life of this Irish singer  and harpist.

O’Hara lived a remarkable  life.  Born in Ireland in 1935,  she has performed all over the  world, from Carnegie Hall in  New York to the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

In 1978, she appeared at  the Royal Albert Hall, and even  though she was diagnosed with the flu the previous day, she performed to great critical praise.   She also appeared at the Palladium for Queen Elizabeth and  Princess Alexandra at a “Royal Variety Show” in 1978.

When her husband, American poet and Oxford Rhodes Scholar Robert Selig, passed  away from Hodgkin’s disease  just over one year after they  were married, O’Hara became  a nun at Stanbrook Abbey for  12 years.  According to Elizabeth Sweeney, the Irish Music Librarian and curator of the  exhibit, O’Hara had planned to  give up music at this time in her  life, but the Mother of Stanbrook  Abbey encouraged her to bring  her harp and continue practicing her music.  After a period of  illness, O’Hara was no longer assigned daily labors such as gardening, and instead was allowed  to focus on playing her harp.

However, she eventually  decided to leave behind her life  as a nun.  One song was particularly influential to her.  “Lord  of the Dance” moved O’Hara to  take up performing again after  more than twelve years in Stanbrook Abbey.     O’Hara has been widely recognized for her work and has attained international renown for  her performances.   In 1986, the Eire Society of  Boston awarded a gold medal to  Mary O’Hara “in recognition of  her contribution to Irish music  and culture.”

O’Hara’s harp is currently  on display in Burns Library.   This harp traveled with Mary around the world since she first  acquired it in 1953.  It was made  in Scotland because, during the  1950s, no harps were being produced in Ireland.   The O’Hara papers came  to Burns Library as a result of  O’Hara’s search for a suitable  home for her collection.   The papers were originally  intended for display at Harvard  University, where O’Hara’s husband’s papers are located, but  an archivist there suggested  that the collection would be better served among the other Irish  collections at Boston College’s Burns Library.

In addition to the O’Hara  Collection, there are also very  many other resources available  in Burns Library.  The John McCormack Exhibit showcases  the life and work of this Irish  tenor and will be on display until December 11.  In the coming  weeks, there will be an exhibit  commemorating the murder  of Jesuit priests in El Salvador  to accompany Boston College  Chancellor J. Donald Monan’s  presentation titled “Living Legacies: the 20th Anniversary of  the Martyrs of El Salvador.”   Past collections in John J.  Burns Library include displays  of Haitian Paintings, scientific  holdings, a collection celebrating British Catholic Authors, a  Jesuit exhibit, and Thomas P. O’Neil’s papers.

Sweeney also described an  area of specialty of Burns: “John  J. Burns Library has among its Irish collections an Irish Music  Archives, actively documenting Irish music in America. O’Hara did perform in the U.S. a number  of times, and so it is very appropriate that we archive her work in Burns Library.”

Visitors are always welcome  at Burns Library, and there are  many fascinating resources  there.  Burns Library is open  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday  and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and  Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Editor-in-chief, Michael Reer and Managing Editor, Mary Brinkopf, pose with the plaque for Runner-Up Newspaper of the Year.

The Observer at Boston College won Runner-Up for Paper of the Year at the Annual Editor’s Conference sponsored by the Collegiate Network (CN) in San Antonio, Texas. The award was the second CN award that The Observer has in addition to the 2006 award for Paper of the Year.

The two day Editor’s Conference brought together 113 independent college campus newspapers across the continental United States. The conference was sponsored by the CN which was founded in 1979. The CN strives to provide support through grants, internships and jobs to independent college newspapers.

The organization’s goal is to make newspapers less reliant on university funding to preserve the voices of their editorial boards. The conference aimed to promote networking among the plethora of newspapers and magazines and interaction with professional journalists.

Editors attended a welcome dinner at the Hyatt Regency, centered across the street from the historic Alamo and the infamous Riverwalk. The Riverwalk, a popular tourist destination, has multiple shops and bars along the San Antonio River.

At the dinner, the director of the Collegiate Network, Amanda Yasenchak, and Executive Director Douglas Minson, made opening remarks about the future of independent journalism and encouraged editors to continue pursuing journalism. Yasenchak presented individual awards to students for investigative journalism.

On the second day of the conference, a series of workshops were held throughout the day. Workshops focused on a variety of topics ranging from investigative journalism to website maintenance. Students heard from guest speakers at these workshops including investigative journalist James O’Keefe, who gained popularity this past year for his role as a pimp in an undercover video while investigating the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).

O’Keefe, a former Editor-in-chief of The Centurion from Rutgers University, urged students to police their universities to make sure the university pursues the best course for students.

O’Keefe shared excerpts from his college days and his crusades, including his campaign to get the cereal Lucky Charms banned from the dining halls because he viewed the Irish American “Lucky” on the front as offensive. O’Keefe was successful in his battle. He proceeded to write an article in his paper claiming the university was too sensitive towards minority relations.

A series of panels were held throughout the day which included topics: the pros and cons of an independent newspaper or magazine receiving funding from its university and printing controversial stories and appropriate actions to take.

Students also had the opportunity for their papers to be critiqued by the production director from The Weekly Standard, Philip Chalk. Chalk gave editors tips for design and layout for publications.

At the concluding dinner, speakers such as Victorino Matus from The Weekly Standard spoke on the highlights of a career in journalism. Another set of awards were given out: Best New Publication, New Media Award, Best Newspaper Layout, Best Magazine Layout, and Paper of the Year.

This year, the CN decided to award a Runner-Up for Paper of the Year because it felt that one award would not be adequate. The Observer at Boston College received Runner-Up for Paper of the Year for its coverage of crucifixes placed in BC classrooms, a story which was picked up by The Boston Herald, The Boston Globe and other news affiliates and its exposing the Theology Department’s sponsoring of The Vagina Monologues.

Captions bearing the names of the six fallen Jesuits representing the six martyred priests and their two associates have been placed in the Quad.

Six Jesuits, their housekeeper, and her daughter were murdered at the University of Central America in San Salvador, El Salvador on November 16, 1989. This year marks the 20th anniversary of their martyrdom and several events have been planned in remembrance of them.

At Boston College, Fr. Monan, SJ, moderated a program titled “Living Legacies: the 20th Anniversary of the Martyrs of El Salvador” featuring Rodolfo Cardenal, SJ, who lived with the six Jesuits as rector of UCA. Fr. Monan will also moderate a discussion, “Memory and Its Strength: The Martyrs of El Salvador,” with Noam Chomsky and Jon Sobrino, SJ who is a co-founder of UCA. BC also has eight crosses in the quad symbolizing the graves of the martyrs.

Xavier University in Cincinnati streamed a live feed from the procession and remembrance vigil in San Salvador. Special Masses were offered on campus as well as exhibits and film showings. On November 19, there will be vigil and procession on campus.

In California, Santa Clara University welcomed Fr. Jon Sobrino, SJ to deliver a speech on the campus.

The House of Representatives passed House Resolution 761 honoring and remembering the Jesuits and the two women who were also murdered.

The highest honor of all came from the El Salvadoran government. On November 16, Salvadoran President Mauircio Funes awarded the priests the National Order of Jose Matias Delgado, which is the country’s highest honor.

Funes referred to the award as a “public act of atonement” for the mistakes of past governments. The award is an honor awarded to foreigners in El Salvador, named after a priest and doctor known as a leader in the independence movement of El Salvador from Spain. It is awarded to recognize extraordinary merit in humanitarian, literary, scientific, artistic, political, and military fields.

The six Jesuits, Fr. Ignacio Ellacuria, rector of UCA, Fr. Ignacio Martin-Baro, vice rector, Fr. Segundo Montes, dean of the social sciences department, Fr. Amando Lopez, professor of Theology and Philosophy, Fr. Juan Ramon Moreno, professor of Theology, Fr. Joaquin Lopez y Lopez, founder of the Faith and Joy program at UCA, their cook and housekeeper, Julia Elba Ramos, and her daughter, Celina Mariset, were killed in the early morning hours outside their house.

These eight martyrs were victims of the civil war violence in El Salvador that also claimed the life of prominent Archbishop Oscar Romero and several other members of religious communities and large numbers of civilians. A sign left near the bodies read, “The FMLN has executed the spies who turned on them. Victory or death. FMLN.”

The FMLN, or the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front is a Socialist political party in El Salvador formed in the 1980s as a revolutionary guerrilla organization. After the peace accords signed in 1992, FMLN became a legal political party and is now one of two major parties in El Salvador.

According to a Washington Post Foreign Service article from November 17, 1989, during the week of the shootings, hospitals around San Salvador reported 1,627 civilians injured and 100 dead. Many civilian victims explained that the governmental curfew at the time confined them to their homes while rockets, bombs, and machine gun fire from the streets hit them.

Peace accords to end the civil war were signed in 1992, after more than a decade of violence that claimed thousands of lives. Late U.S. Representative Joseph Moakley, a democrat from Massachusetts, led a U.S. investigation into the killings and discovered a cover-up for the murders and responsibility in a high level of the armed forces of El Salvador. In 1991, two Salvadoran military officers were found guilty of ordering the murders. Moakley’s discovery set an international process to end the war into motion.

Cardinal Seán O’Malley greets audience members after his presentation last week

Last Tuesday The School of Theology and Ministry, in company with The Church in the 21st Century Center, invited the Archbishop of Boston to deliver a speech on the importance of the Eucharist. The Archbishop, Seán Cardinal O’Malley, was invited to speak on the way in which the Eucharist participates in the lives of Christians.

The dean of the School of Theology and Ministry introduced Archbishop O’Malley as both a man of authority within the Church as well as theological scholar. A second introduction by a Capuchin friar (the archbishop’s religious order) laid the floor bare for the speech by telling of the Cardinal’s ministry. He focused on his ministry in D.C., when the Cardinal was teaching at Catholic University. The Cardinal lived with an immigrant population and maintained a lifestyle concurrent with them. He refused to change his poor living conditions until some of the issues ailing this community were remedied.

The Cardinal’s discussion of the Eucharist was meant to engender a reverence for the Sacrament, and the strength for a reverent life that comes from the Eucharist. His speech was not steeped in the nuances of the Christian teachings of the Eucharist. Instead, he fleshed out the topic through real-life experiences and stories. The Cardinal’s first point was the great accessibility of the Eucharist to the Christian community. Mass is celebrated many times a day all around the world. God makes himself available with great frequency and resultantly the reflected attitude is one of commonality. In contrast, the Cardinal suggested that followers would make attendance a life’s goal if the Eucharist were celebrated only annually.

In order to demonstrate a true reverence for the Eucharist, the Cardinal told a story that transpired during his ministry in Washington, D.C. Many of his parishioners lived with intimate partners outside of marriage. During Sunday Mass these men and women would not receive Communion because they did not feel that they had prepared themselves appropriately. The Archbishop impressed upon the attendants that the Eucharist is not a gift to be taken for granted.

Father O’Malley credited the culture of immediate gratification with the predominant lack of reverence for the gift of the Eucharist. Christianity holds that the Eucharist is not to be held back but instead given freely. However, the Cardinal stressed the importance of being in a state of preparedness or even grace to receive the Eucharist. Immediate gratification permeates our reverence towards the reception of God.

Christians fall into the impression that reflection and preparedness are not necessary. The Cardinal suggested that prayer and reconciliation (confession) help in opening one’s self to Communion.

The Cardinal then focused on the charge that accompanies the gift. At the last supper Jesus tells his disciples “ As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). In the Christian tradition, the assumption of Jesus during the Eucharist helps to propel one towards charitable acts.

The Eucharist is then instrumental in understanding why Christians are charged with a life of service. Jesus exemplifies the self-giving love that acts as a model to be followed.

In the final moments of his presentation the Cardinal introduced a connection between the role of the Eucharist and some of the more contentious issues in Christianity. He suggested that faithful Christians, in concert with full gravity of the Eucharist, are charged to live chaste lives and grow a sensitivity to the impoverished. He went so far as to say that if one takes the Eucharist and is not affected towards these qualities then something is wrong.

In all, the Cardinal wanted to highlight that Christians should not passively participate in a ritualistic manner. Instead, Christians should recognize the importance of the gift and allow it to direct one’s life to emulate the model of Jesus Christ.

Eagles over UVA 14-0

Frank Spaziani is probably grateful that viewers could only see the game on ESPN 360.com Saturday, as it was pretty tough to watch his boys improve to 7-3 in the fashion that they did. However, the final score was good enough as the Eagles picked up their first road win of the year. They held off the pesky Cavaliers 14-10.

Unfortunately, the game was somewhat typical of the 2009 team. The offense sputtered at times, but was bailed out by Montel Harris. The sophomore from Jacksonville delivered countless punches throughout the day. Harris carried the ball 38 times, amassing 158 yards. His conversion on fourth and one at the UVA 27 with nine minutes to go was crucial. He prolonged the drive, which ultimately led to Uncle Dave’s game winning goal-line plunge on fourth and goal.

One must also remember freshman Luke Kuechly’s extraordinary play. The even-keeled, unassuming diaper-dandy from Cincinnati continued to shine on Saturday, as he was part of 13 tackles, eight of which were solo and three for a loss and a sack.

Kuechly also broke up several key passes. It’s beginning to become easy to take his standout play for granted, but we must stop and appreciate what he has done thus far this year. The former high school safety has truly seamlessly translated his game to a new position at the college level.

The defense was pretty dominant overall on Saturday. It probably helped, however, that UVA does not possess one of the more highflying offenses in the ACC. The Eagles never gave up a defensive touchdown though, as their seven points came off a 58 yard pick six by Chris Cook late in the third quarter.

That game-tying pick six was only one of Shinskie’s mindboggling plays. His road woes continued early in the first quarter on the Eagles first drive. BC employed a nice, balanced offense as they drove the ball down to the UVA 5. Shinskie then proceeded to stare down his tight end, which brought about a plethora of defenders. He still tried to muster it through the swarm of Cavaliers, only for it to be picked off by Ras-I Dowling, ending any hopes of early points.

As poorly as Shinskie played, his stat line would have been a little better if Colin Larmond Jr. was able to hold onto the teardrop that was placed in his lap early in the second quarter.  Shinskie threw a 60-yard bomb over the safety into Larmond’s lap, but the sophomore looked up to the end zone instead of keeping his eyes on the ball.
However, after a big 34 yard snag by Gunnell, the ACC active yardage leader, and a big UVA pass interference call, the Eagles put seven up on the board, as Shinskie found senior wide-out Justin Jarvis running across the front of the end zone.
The Eagles went into the half leading, but they did not score again until there was 7:53 remaining in the fourth quarter. The offense was still out of sync after the break. Shinskie and the receivers had no chemistry. The offensive-line gave their     quarterback time to throw but pitch and catch did not consistently ensue.
The big pick six was not the only blunder of the quarter. Shinskie’s worst throw of the day may have been the incomplete pass with 4:43 left in the third quarter. Shinskie rolled to the left and literally threw the ball into quadruple coverage. The ball innocently fell to the turf, however, as several Cavaliers fought over who would receive this gift from Shinskie.
After escaping that drive with a punt, the Eagles fell down by three as Robert Randolph drilled a 38 yard field goal as time expired in the third quarter. The Eagles however drove the ball at the start of the fourth, and the seven-minute drive ended in the Eagles favor. They punched it in and held the Cavaliers off for just long enough. The Cavaliers drove the ball to the Eagle 12 with about a minute left, but came up inches short on fourth down.
The Eagles advanced to 7-3, 4-2 in the ACC, and kept their Atlantic Division hopes alive. They will need Clemson to lose to UVA next week. While that is doubtful, one can always hope.
BC has their final home game next week against UNC at noon. A win over the Tar Heels will give BC a perfect record at home, an impressive feat. Knocking off Butch Davis’ boys and proceeding to knock off the Fridge’s Turtles would make the Eagles a respectable 9-3.
Who knows, maybe we will even play in the Peach Bowl. After all, rumor has it that a large flock of Eagles would make the trek down to Atlanta for New Years. Huh, Dewey McClain?

Basketball

Tyler Roche and Reggie Jackson put on a show Friday night as the Eagles won their first game of the year in front of two shiny HD scoreboards and an enthusiastic crowd of 4,227. The Eagles were without three main contributors, two of whom are starters. Rakim Sanders, Corey Raji and Courtney Dunn were all suspended for the opener and Tuesday’s game against St. Francis for “violating team rules.”

The Eagles played well without them. Roche had a career high 30 points as he was 10-12 from the field and 4-5 from behind the arc. The senior from Hooksett, New Hampshire, stood out on a night when someone needed to step up.

Reggie Jackson dropped 16 and showed great promise. The sparkplug played both guard positions and showed great versatility. He displayed the ability to rain threes, take it to the hole, and anything in between.

Jackson and Sanders should have enough athleticism to challenge any ACC guards this year.

Several other guys stepped up as well. Trapani went down early with two fouls and sophomore Dallas Elmore replaced him valiantly. He scored eight first-half points and played exceptional defense. Elmore is known for his defense and he certainly did not disappoint. His glass pinning of a helpless Ivy Leaguer highlighted a good night at Conte.

Trapani eventually found his rhythm in the second half and ended up with 11 points and 6 boards. Josh Southern posted a respectable 9-5 but only played 21 minutes. He showed some signs of encouragement. His fellow big man, Evan Ravenal, contributed 7-4: numbers the Eagles would likely be pleased with out of him this year.

It’s hard to get really emotional about Biko Paris’ play. He did not play great but did not immensely struggle either. He only had six points in 33 minutes and had a less-than desirable 7-6 assist to turnover ratio. He was only 3-3 from the field, but 100% is 100%.

After watching Jackson shine Friday night, it’s reassuring to know that we have great insurance at the point with zero waiting in the wings.
As mentioned, the Eagles have their next warm-up Tuesday night when St. Francis comes to Conte before the Eagles head to the Virgin Islands for Paradise Jam. They will face Purdue and St. Joseph’s there. We should have somewhat of a pulse on the team by then.

The Eagles also face some decent competition when they come back to the mainland. They will play Providence and Michigan following Thanksgiving. BC has its first ACC game December 6 against Miami. They then have a few weeks of non-conference games but the league games get going full bore on January 9th.

So they have another week or so before they start playing legitimate Division I basketball teams. They looked pretty good Friday night, but they were not playing against the Kyle Singlers of the world, albeit he could easily be from New Hampshire.

Thus there are signs of hope for the Eagles, and we should have some clue which direction we are headed in as we are still digesting that sweet potato and pecan pie. The Eagles also will have the opportunity to add to their tournament resume during that time. One must not overlook these early season, out-of-conference games. Joe Lunardi would certainly be impressed if we ran the table on Tim Duncan’s home islands next week. However, first we will hopefully see Peter Rehnquist and Nick Mosakowski another time or two.

Copies of Eating Animals on display at the book signing.

The New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Safran Foer visited Boston College’s  Vanderslice Cabaret Room to  read from, discuss and sign his  newest book, Eating Animals,  that was released just this year.

Having won tremendous  praise for his first novel, Everything Is Illuminated, which recounts a man’s effort to acquaint  himself with his ancestry, and  for his second novel, Extremely  Loud and Incredibly Close, which  describes a young boy’s quest to  understand his father’s death in the World Trade Center attack, Foer has certainly made a name  for himself in the literary world.

His newest endeavor, entitled Eating Animals, is a written documentary on the horrors of factory farms and the ways in  which people can improve the  treatment of animals.  Sprinkled  generously with Foer’s own  ideas and opinions about vegetarianism and the harsh, unfair  treatment of animals, the book  delves into tricky territory and  threatens to offend those who  become defensive on the topic  of meat eating.

However, Foer’s book introduces the necessary conversation about how we can better our  world and the things we do to it.  At the start of his speech, Foer  explained his book’s discussion of the “practical questions”  rather than the all-encompassing “philosophical questions”  that pertain to our relationship  with animals and our improvement upon it.

In order to give the audience a sense of the writing and  premise of his book he began  by reading a couple pages of the  book’s beginning. Thrusting the  reader immediately into his research for the work, the opening  describes Foer’s “night visit” to  a factory farm that enabled him  to actually view the immoral  treatment of pre-slaughtered  animals that farms so strictly  hide from the public. Joining  him on this illegal field trip is  an animal activist who becomes  three-dimensional through his  vivid, hilarious descriptions.

After giving a preview of his  work, Foer spoke of his personal  experience with vegetarianism.  As a young boy, he asked his parents about why people eat animals, and upon receiving an unsatisfactory answer, he decided  to become a vegetarian.

However, he found this to  be much easier said than done.  Until his wife’s pregnancy, he oscillated between vegetarianism  and meat eating. Determined to  abandon this “swinging pendulum” cycle to set a strong, consistent example for his children,  Foer became a  strict vegetarian.

Although  he supports and  exemplifies the  use of vegetarianism to boycott the immoral treatment  and slaughtering of animals,  Foer – never  asked anyone to  eat differently  – encouraged  the audience  that we can all  “find ways of  saying no” to  factory farms  as long as we all  disagree with  their actions.  For example, a  person can easily give up one  serving of meat  per week. As it  is, we eat more  meat per week  than we ever have, meaning we  all could “eat a little less” and  undoubtedly benefit our health.  Foer noted that the food  industry does make it difficult  to make choices that benefit  animals and the environment.  With the now abundant use of  terms like “organic” and “free-range,” food companies have  packaged their pricier products  so that they appear to be the  better choices over cheaper, “in-organic” brands. Yet, many of  these terms have no one formal  definition, meaning that they  could be plastered to the side of  a package that contains the same  product as the term-less package next to it.  Additionally, he acknowledged much of the population’s  reluctance to change their eating habits in fear of altering or  destroying familial traditions.  Though he admitted it isn’t nice  to say to your grandmother “I don’t eat what you’re making,”  he maintained that her “gesture”  of preparing a meal holds more  importance than the actual food  on the plate.

Moreover, he proposed  that the turkey is not integral to  Thanksgiving and that people  never talk about the turkey, they  simply eat it. In fact, he suggested the absence of the turkey  could promote an interesting  conversation along the lines of  the topic discussed in Eating  Animals.

Foer cited examples from  recent scientific studies that  suggest that conventional animal products, those that come  from factory farms, have unnatural effects on the human  bodies that consume them.  Specifically, women who drink  conventional milk are twice as  likely to have twins than those  who don’t. Also, adolescent girls  are today going through puberty  significantly earlier than they  have ever before. These studies corroborate Foer’s argument  against factory farm-produced  animal products.

Before signing the excited  audience’s copies of his books,  Foer concluded his talk by defining his goal as the complete ab-  stinence of the population from  factory farmed meat. Deeming  it “a lot to ask,” Foer declared  that we need to eventually completely pull away from factory  farms in order to have the best  effect on the animals’ lives. For  now, though, the addition of the  “small steps” will bring us closer to a better environment and  happier, healthier animals.  Copies of Eating Animals on display at the book signing.

Academic Advising Center

There is no system in greater need of reform than the academic advising system here at Boston College. Twice a year, students are plagued to visit their “advisors” to discuss their future classes and receive their access code to register for classes. Although academic advising was most likely a revolutionary idea at its conception, throughout the years, it has become archaic in that it no longer serves its purpose of assisting the student. Instead, academic advising is a failure for the following reasons:

1. Orientation advisors often lack information about the “Credit/No-Credit” rule for Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs or science/ non-science math classes.

As incoming freshmen, some students wish to receive credit for the AP or IB classes they took in high school either to get a jumpstart on their major or satisfy their core requirements. Nevertheless, advisors never seem to have a good grasp of the University’s policy over where credit can be awarded and where it cannot.

The problem is amplified because the university does not have a standard score for these programs across departments. Thus, students may only need to earn a three or four (out of five) on an AP foreign language to satisfy their requirement, whereas a five on the AP would be needed to place out of statistics.

Thus, I propose that the university seriously reconsider its allotment of credit for these programs. If it chooses to keep them, it should disperse a copy of its AP and IB policies to advisors at the beginning of Orientation and to newly arrived freshmen. That way, both sides will be knowledgeable. The university also should apply these changes to its science and math students who are forced to become conscious of the “math classes for science and math majors” and the “math classes for non-science and non-math majors.”

These classes should be more explicitly marked on the course guide. There is nothing worse than discovering halfway through the semester you have taken the wrong math class!

2. Students will go through at least two advisors during their undergraduate years.

By some ridiculous university policy, students are assigned new advisors at Orientation, their fall semester of freshman year and second semester of their sophomore year. If the student’s advisor decides to go on sabbatical, the student is handed off to another advisor. This continuous shuffle of students prevents them from developing a personal relationship with their advisor.

Thus, when a student finally meets with their advisor, they have to spend five to ten minutes of their pre-scheduled thirty minutes of consultation providing background on their course history, major and minor, leaving little time to discuss graduation requirements and smart planning for their junior and senior years.

Therefore, I encourage the university to take steps to ensure that students do not change advisors so frequently, perhaps by adopting a group model. I understand the university cannot dictate professors not to take sabbaticals but there have to be a better way to cultivate the advisor and student relationship.

3. Advisors oftentimes lack information regarding students’ minors or students who double (or triple) major.

Even when you find an advisor that you like, advisors tend to be pigeon-holed into only focusing on one major. This presents a problem for students when it comes to picking classes for minors or double (or triple) majors.

Students are often told to contact the minor or major director and forced to make another appointment with them. This places a burden on the student who has to seek outside appointments.

This seems absurd when you think that the Lynch School can coordinate and adequately advise its students who are required to double major. The other three colleges on campus should certainly take note. This may be more difficult to implement for the College of Arts and Sciences since its students can pursue many different avenues of study but it is not impossible.

The biggest problem with academic advising is that it has forced a reversal of roles – the student must become the advisor while the advisor assumes the role of the student. Students have to become obsessively proactive in their advising to ensure that no mistakes are made which could hinder their application to a program (such as International Studies) or ability to graduate on time. I understand that an aspect of college is growing up and taking responsibility but if this applied to advising, why would advisors be a required component of university policy? Some balance needs to be struck between students, advisors and the university because the teeter totter has been weighed down on students for far too long.

Chris Woods addressed finance career and questions from CSOM sophomores.

Chris Woods, Head of Industry for Google spoke to CSOM  sophomores. As a graduate of  Boston College, Woods used his  finance degree from CSOM to  propel his career through the  entertainment industry to a senior position at Google. He advised CSOM sophomores on life  at Google, the GMATS, summer  internships, and how to use a finance degree and not work in fidelity.

In an informal setting,   Woods talked about his path to  Google and answered students’  questions. As a finance major,  he stressed the benefits of having such a major in the business  world. However, his main point   to do what you love rings true  no matter what you’re studying.  Though Woods graduated from  Boston College with a degree in  finance, he knew he didn’t want  to work on Wall Street, or in Fidelity. As he put it, there’s “no  reason to stick to a career line  that your heart’s not in.”

With that as the background  for the rest of his talk, he managed  to connect all his past jobs with  Hoyt Cinemas, Viacom, and Sony  to his finance degree. Though he  was not working in banking, he  was using his management skills  to climb his way to the top of the  entertainment industry. Then, in  2006, after over ten years helping  manage finances for the movie  industry, he moved to Google.  There, once again, his finance  skills allowed him to climb the  ladder to Head of Industry.

Though he claimed “not like  I have it all sorted out,” he still answered students’ questions ranging from the GMATS and grad  school to summer internships  and future plans. The GMATS  should be taken as soon as possible after graduation, when the  information is still fresh. As a  recruiter from Google, he highly recommended grad school:  “When we see graduate school,  we definitely look closer.” Not  that it’s a requirement, but especially in the business world, those  who get their M.B.A. have an ad-vantage over those who don’t.

He also talked about Google  itself. Even as other employers  are tentative to hire, Google has  fired up its recruiting process  and the Cambridge office alone is  looking to hire over thirty people  in the next few months. How has  Google managed to not only stay  afloat, but thrive, during the recession?  Woods credits it to the  company’s willingness and desire  to change: “We never grow complacent.”  One in a series of meetings sponsored by the Career Center,  Wood’s talk, titled, “So you  want to Work at Google? There’s  an App for that” was directed  to CSOM sophomores. His major piece of advice was to think  ahead but not to stress. He used  himself as an example of the  many paths that one major can  lead. When he graduated with a  degree in finance, he utilized his  business and management skills  in the work force, but he never  settled for a job he didn’t want. In  today’s economy, it’s easy to grab  the first job that comes along, but  Woods says, “Don’t settle.”

His final piece of advice  to the future business men and  women of America is to use the  BC network. Many of his contacts for his present job at Google  originated through the BC Alum  network. He credits it as one of  the most valuable resources in  the business world.  So, if you’re  worried about what you’re going  to do with your degree,  Woods  has one last piece of advice: “Do  what you love, and the perfect job  for you will find you.”

The lecture served well the  students in attendance. Not only were they able to speak with an  important member of the Google  community, which is a huge recruiter of BC Grads, but they  were able to hear from a finance  major who didn’t let his major  define the rest of his life. Instead,  he used the skills the School of  Management taught him to succeed in jobs that he loved, and he  advised all those in attendance to  do the same.

Franco Majok visits Boston College to speak about his life as a Sudan refugee and about his foundation, the Wanlang School Project.

Boston College students were recently given the opportunity to hear the fascinating story of Franco Majok, a refugee from the African country of Sudan. As a refugee of the Sudanese Civil War, Majok came to the United States in 1998 in search of a better, safer life.

However, after visiting his birthplace, the small village of Wanlang, in 2005, he decided to dedicate his life to improving the lives of those who now live there by building a school to emphasize the importance of education. Shortly after his visit, he founded the Wanlang School Project.

Majok began his lecture, entitled “Stories from Sudan,” by explaining significant events during his life and important facts about the country of Sudan.

Born into an extremely poor family in a war-torn country, Franco Majok spent most of his life running and never lived in one place for very long. During his childhood, his father worked for the police force in Sudan, which was operated by the British colonizers. From the British, however, his father learned the importance of education and became the only man in Wanlang to send his children to school.

Due to the First Sudanese Civil War, Majok left his country in 1970 and fled to nearby Congo. He returned to Sudan in 1972 after a peace treaty was signed between the North and the South.

However, in 1983, the American oil company Chevron discovered oil in southern Sudan, and thus, civil war erupted again. Once again, Majok fled from his village, and this time his education helped him greatly.

“I used my education to escape to the North by reading maps and directions to get to a safe place,” he explained.

Majok was a Sudanese refugee in Egypt, and then in 1998 immigrated to the United States. After working in America for a number of years, he became a United States citizen in 2005. Ironically, the Second Sudanese Civil War ended in this year.

It was at this time, after being away from his homeland for twenty-two years, that Majok decided to make the pilgrimage back to Sudan and to visit his remaining family members in Wanlang. While in Wanlang, however, he was shocked at what he saw.

“There was no school building in Wanlang. There were no school supplies. The children practiced their writing in the dirt on the ground,” Majok told his listeners.

Once he arrived back in the United States, he embarked on a mission to build a school for the children of Wanlang. After raising enough money, he returned to his home village and began the construction of the school.

Fifteen villagers were hired to build the school, which was the first time they had been employed in their lives, according to Majok. Using hundreds of thousands of bricks, the team of builders, including Majok, was able to construct eight classrooms, two offices, a storeroom, a kitchen, and three bathrooms. Desks and tables were also constructed for the classrooms, and training was given to the teachers.

During his lecture, Majok’s words were certainly moving. However, the photographs from his visits to Sudan that accompanied his speech certainly shocked the students. One picture showed a spot in the dirt underneath a large tree where classes had met for years. Other photos depicted the process of building the school and the poverty of the villagers of Wanlang. Nonetheless, the pictures displayed motivated teachers eager to teach the children of Wanlang.

Franco Majok is very pleased with the success of the Wanlang School Project. On his website, he states, “I believe in education because I benefited from it and education saved my life. I believe that education is central in order for Wanlang children to have their own sense of conditions. Otherwise, they have no future.”

In the men’s game, NC State’s Ronnie Bouemboue scored the game’s only goal on a header off of a corner kick in the 6th minute.  After gaining the lead, NC State loaded up their defense to protect their one goal lead, making it difficult for the Eagles forwards to find a way through.

The Eagle’s dominated possession with crisp passes that seemed as if they were going to turn into potential scoring opportunities, but every push by the Eagles stalled inside the 18-yard box. Every cross found a Wolfpack defender rather than one of our strikers.

It wasn’t until very late in the game that BC generated several scoring chances that they should have capitalized on.  During a scramble inside the box in the last couple minutes of the game, Kyle Becker had a clear shot from the penalty spot, but failed to bury it as he blasted it directly at the keeper.  Freshman Kevin Mejia then hit the post with eight seconds left in the game, coming so close to sending the Eagles into their second straight overtime game.

The team is now awaiting its NCAA tournament draw to see whom they will face in the first round.

The Lady Eagles also lost their semifinal game in the ACC tournament. Their first game against Virginia ended 0-0 in overtime, while they lost their semifinal game against North Carolina 0-1 in double over time.

Harvard was 1-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The BC women’s team started off their NCAA tournament appearance by dominating Harvard Friday evening at the Newton soccer complex, where the women’s NCAA tournament is being held. The Eagles won 1-0 in the first round.

The game was not as close as the score indicated as the Eagles dominated possession as well as the shot ratio.  Harvard did not have a shot on goal in the second half, except for a weak header that barely reached the goalkeeper.

The Eagles scored at the start of the second half before Harvard was even able to touch the ball.  BC kicked off, strung several passes together until they were inside the 18 where Brooke Knowlton found Victoria Dimartino who found Amy Caldwell who in turn found the back of the net.  They were passing circles around the Harvard defense, but never managed to score again after the first goal.

Harvard made a push to tie it up at the very end of the game off of several long throw-ins that served as crosses, but none of the Harvard strikers could put a head on the ball.  The game ended in an act of frustration by a Harvard midfielder as she took out her anger with a vicious slide tackle that merited a red card.

The Lady Eagles move on to the next round to face Connecticut.

An Angel Frees the Souls of Purgatory c.1610, by Lodovico Carracci

There is perhaps no more obvious disparity between the outlook of modern Catholics and that of Catholics in ages past than the way in which each looks upon death, judgment, heaven, and hell, the four “last things”. For centuries, the Church saw judgment as something essential to the Faith, and encouraged a holy fear that gave rise to so many of Michelangelo’s brilliant works, the Baroque Ossuaries, the Dies Irae, and a multitude of artistic achievements which deeply moved people to contemplate their last end.

It would be difficult to argue, however, that there are many elements to modern liturgy or catechesis which exert any kind of influence similar to the past. The use of black vestments, the singing of the Dies Irae, and any mention of hell, judgment, or purgatory, have all become rare or extinct. This month of November, which the Church dedicates specifically to the poor souls in purgatory, often passes with little to no mention of their sufferings, or the importance of prayer for them.

Many would claim that such notions are a thing of the past, and that belief in a merciful, loving God naturally compels us to do away with them. Such an assertion, while right in its conception of God, nonetheless overlooks the logical consequences of such affirmations about Him. If God is essentially loving, and creates us to love and be united with Him for eternity, it is only fitting that He not coerce man or violate human free will. A divine coercion, however, would be necessary if hell were eliminated, as man’s free will would not be allowed to choose anything but eternal union with his Creator. This is why even hell is in fact an act of God’s mercy, as the souls of the damned are not brought into heaven contrary to their resistant wills, but rather are permitted to remain in the state which they have chosen for eternity. Hell is still a punishment in the sense that man finds himself there in a radical state of disorder, but he nonetheless sees his disorder in a proper place, which would not be the case were he to be in heaven, and suffer from seeing an additional level of it through a lack of Divine justice.

This ignorance of death and judgment can also be tied to the anthropocentric, worldly outlook of many modern Catholics, and it is principally on account of this that purgatory is so immensely ignored. The Church lists prayer for the dead among the spiritual works of mercy, and the great saints throughout history have always placed an immense emphasis on aiding the Church suffering. This dimension of the Church, though, is implicitly excluded when Christianity becomes merely a secondary tool for the purpose of introducing social change. If this world is the only one that matters, it is only natural that those souls suffering in the next life be disregarded. This sort of outlook, taken to its logical conclusion, also places heaven and hell as secondary concerns, and makes eternity an afterthought in the process of working for social justice.

When union with God in the beatific vision is seen as man’s true telos, and when Divine justice and mercy are understood in their proper harmony, the sense behind Catholic doctrine becomes immediately apparent. Prayer for the souls in purgatory ought to occupy a huge part of a Catholic’s life, as these souls are so close to reaching their ultimate happiness, yet suffer so immensely from their temporary deprivation of it. Prayer for them can relieve their spiritual suffering and shorten their stay in purgatory, an act of mercy at least on par with alleviating the sufferings of the homeless and the hungry. Our acts of charity will also ultimately lead them to become great advocates for us, should we find ourselves in the same position they currently occupy.

Likewise, Catholics ought not to see the just punishment of hell as something opposed to Divine mercy, but rather a glorification of God’s justice, and act of His mercy in permitting the reprobate to the avoid additional suffering they would endure through being forced to enter heaven. Furthermore, while Catholics ought to truly fear hell, such a fear, as St. Francis de Sales puts it, must always be the servant of a true, disinterested love for God. If hell is nothing but eternal separation from Him, we must fear it not with a selfinterested “mercenary spirit”, but rather because we know that a holy fear will keep us on guard, and encourage us to be united more deeply to the God whom we ought to love for His own sake above all things.

USCCB Bishops have a coffee break at their General Assembly in Baltimore.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) meets in Baltimore for its annual Fall General Assembly from November 16th to 19th, 2009. The meeting began Monday morning with Mass, followed by regional meetings, then the public plenary session. The Bishops will hear an address from Francis Cardinal George of Chicago, the president of the USCCB, and elect chairs to the committees on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations; Divine Worship; Domestic Justice and Human Development; Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth; and Migration.

Additionally, the meeting will include a preliminary report on the Causes and Context Study on clergy sexual abuse of minors, conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and a report by the National Religious Vocation Conference related to a recent study of religious vocations.

A number of votes will also be taken on sections of the new Roman Missal, a pastoral letter entitled “Marriage: Life and Love in the Divine Plan”, a document on reproductive technologies, “Life-giving Love in an Age of Technology”, and a revision of directive no. 58 in “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services”.

Concerning the Roman Missal, a number of alterations have been made in the new text to render it a more faithful translation of the Latin. Most significant, perhaps, is the change in the words immediately after the consecration of the wine from “for all” to “for many”, in keeping with the Latin pro multis (as well as the original Greek, polus) which had been used throughout the Church’s history up until more recent liturgical reforms. This is in accord with the wishes of Pope Benedict, who has stated that “for many” is indeed the proper and more desirable translation. Other noticeable changes have been made as well, with the people responding “and with your spirit” to the priest’s “the Lord be with you”, a more literal translation of the Latin, et cum spiritu tuo, and a translation of the Nicene Creed which also bears significantly more resemblance to the Latin text than does the one in current use.

The pastoral letter on marriage will present the basic tenets of Catholic teaching on the Sacrament, in order to assist the faithful in understanding its nature and purposes, living it faithfully, and preserving and furthering its identity as a necessary and unique social institution. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, the chairman of the Bishops’ Subcommittee on Marriage and Family says “The Catholic Church has a vision for marriage that can sustain spouses in good times and in bad times – one that can lead them to happiness and holiness in their relationship. This message is based on both reason and faith; it is God’s plan for the good of the spouses, their children, and family, and society as a whole”. The USCCB has adopted strengthening marriage as one of its top priorities for coming years, and it appears that this letter, should it be approved, would be a significant step in that direction.

The document on reproductive technologies will serve to restate and clarify the Church’s stance on such issues as sperm and egg donation, in vitro fertilization, surrogate motherhood, and human cloning. The Bishops appear to be aiming this document primarily at couples dealing with issues of infertility, as it also includes licit ways, such as adoption, for infertile couples to build families and welcome children.

Lastly, directive no. 58 in “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services” reads “There should be a presumption in favor of providing nutrition and hydration to all patients, including patients who require medically assisted nutrition and hydration, as long as this is of sufficient benefit to outweigh the burdens involved to the patient”. While the USCCB has not made it completely clear as to what a possible revision would consist in, it appears that the statement is somewhat ambiguous with regards to what might qualify as “sufficient benefit”, and lends itself to be interpreted as saying that nutrition and hydration are not always obligatory. It would appear logical for the Assembly to address such issues.

It appears that the USCCB has a significant opportunity to encourage orthodoxy among American Catholics, through clarifying Church teaching on matters where there is often immense confusion, and making alterations to the liturgy which more accurately communicate the Articles of Faith and the essence of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Let all Catholics pray that the Bishops be able to assist and instruct the faithful, and effectively be the light of all nations which Christ called them to be.

To the Editor,

I am writing to protest in the sharpest possible terms your printing of the Pro-Choice≠Pro-Abortion cartoon in your last issue.

The cartoon as drawn clearly showed tiny fetal body parts protruding from the bucket of bloody remains. But in the cartoon as printed the brilliant details were reduced to so many dirty smudges – somewhat the way real fetuses are reduced by the process of abortion. In future, please scan you cartoons with more care.

Sincerely,
Ronald R. Tacelli, SJ

Hope the enclosed donation makes a dent toward reaching your budget goals. I really enjoyed your last two issues, especially the “BC Lobbyists Donate Exclusively to Dems” article by Jesse Naiman and the opinion piece by Jared Scheinuk on “The Truth Behind Democratic Deceit.” Keep up the great work and let us know if there is anything else we can do to help.

Steve Sutton
Vice President
Campus Programs and Development
The Leadership Institute

A certain campus opinions journal recently called an Observer cartoon the most bigoted thing they had ever seen. Our suggestion? Get out more.

The same opinions journal wrote a letter to The Heights claiming that they stole their news article about the union contract negotiations; they stole the story from The Observer.

In keeping with Tradition, the men’s basketball team suspended multiple starters before the start of the season. Realizing that his bench was a little short, Al Skinner showed up ready to play in shorts and t-shirt, risking his advertising deal with Eastern Clothing of Watertown.

The Observer is printed on recycled paper, making it the greenest paper on campus.

Obama’s bow to the Japanese Emperor was incorrectly executed, and not for lack of practice.

Unfortunately, the cultural passivity on campus in regard to this phenomenon perpetuates because there is little action taken to correct this problem, although there are some who attempt to bring attention to and correct the hook-up conundrum.

Where Your Hook-Up Is Going

The major challenge of a hook-up is that the concept is shrouded in purposefully vague language that forces no one to be direct or express feeling. For the most part, this hazy discourse is employed to prevent us from getting hurt. In the same way that we have a fear of failure academically, we are also afraid of failing at relationships and pseudo-relationships. Sorry, Mom, Dad, and Little League coaches across America, but there is no prize for just showing up when it comes to engaging with the opposite sex.

Moreover, the term “hooking- up” means everything from taking out the trash to being married with three children, which further complicates matters. There are, according to yours truly, four different levels of hooking-up:

1. One-Night Stand: Maybe you know each other’s first names. More than likely, you have no idea about the last. You probably met at party. Amber-colored glasses and a little liquid courage make everyone more attractive, right?

2. I don’t know: You may see your hook-up buddy on a regular or semi-regular basis, but you have no idea what they do when they are not with you. You also have no idea with whom or with what else they are hooking-up.

3. Exclusive: This label, when applied to your involvement with another person basically informs them, “While I do like you in one way or another, I don’t like you enough to make it FBO (Facebook official) or even be seen in public with you necessarily.” It is possible you find yourselves in this situation because one of you refuses to make a commitment and is using this term as a means of placating the other’s feelings.

4. Dating: This category, while often the most rewarding, is an anomaly at BC. Hopefully, your relationship will be strong enough to survive in a culture that does not to support or sustain it.

When we do decide to hook-up, there exist several possible outcomes that can result from this act:

1. Never speak or make eye contact in public: While this may seem like a safe option when you find yourself sneaking out of a stranger’s room at the crack of dawn, reeking of Natty Light and sweat, campus, in particular the dining halls, BC will suddenly appear a whole lot smaller than 9,000 undergraduates. If you employ this tactic after ending something with another person, you will seem like a coward. This other person will think you suck. Word will spread of your actions, and once again, you will suffer from a serious case of campus claustrophobia.

2. Wander in the abyss forever: Author Jodi Picoult writes, “The human capacity for burden is like bamboo–far more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance.” Let us try not to burden each other with not knowing. Sometimes, awkward conversations are the ones worth having. You might even be surprised to learn that the other person feels the same way as you do. If this is not the case, in the end, you will be doing your hook-up buddy a favor by not leading them on, or you will be lucky enough to get out of a situation that would be potentially harmful and damaging to your self-esteem.

3. Get an STD: Like I said before, hook-ups are actions that often coincide with dishonesty. You never know about what or how severely the other person is lying. It is always best to be careful. You are a child of God. Act like one. Your body is a temple. Treat it as such.

4. Get Married: To put the possibility of this final alternative into perspective, it would be like when Jim from The Office made a pie chart to explain how Michael spends his time: “This tiny sliver here, is ‘critical thinking.’ I made it bigger. So that you could see it.”

At Boston College, the motto frequently most often used to describe the student body is “Work hard. Play hard.” How about, for a change, we play nice too? That means, going out without the motivation of not going home alone, getting to know someone before getting down, and not forgetting that honesty is always the best policy.

To you, dear readers, I present this challenge. Next time you think about hookingup with someone, ask him or her instead to have coffee, see a movie, go for a walk, whatever. Together, we can bring about a positive change that is not full of empty promises, as seems to be overwhelmingly popular in American culture and politics. Ending the hook-up culture on campus will actually be a change we can believe in. Yes, we can.

Professor MacIntyre is the author of God, Philosophy, and Universities: A Selective History of the Catholic Philosophical Tradition. He has taught at Brandeis, Boston University, and Wellesley, as well as other institutions.

Known for his “penetrating analysis and tireless critiques of Western ethical and political culture,” Professor MacIntyre drew a crowd so large that late arrivers had to sit on the ground between the aisles.

MacIntyre began his speech after a considerable introduction noting his accomplished career. He jokingly quipped, “It is good to have nice things said about you at the beginning of a lecture, since people may not still be saying them at the end.”

His presentation addressed the current problems facing academic philosophy. He noted that students are often asked questions that they do not have the disposition to answer. Moreover, the preeminent pedagogical approach essentially encourages mimicry.

Students report on the questions and answers of philosophers— people other than themselves— and learn to write papers that imitate the argumentative structures of these other philosophers. Philosophy, MacIntyre lamented, has become exclusively academic—relegated to those with specialized expertise and compartmentalized to spheres separate from the general populace.

MacIntyre mentioned that, quite contrary to the contemporary current of philosophy, the discipline originated from the questions of plain people. He referenced John Paul II, who delineated these primary existential questions, “Who am I? Where am I from? Where am I going? Why is there evil? What happens after this life?” Fides et Ratio noted that it is characteristically human to be a questioning being.

Philosophy was meant to be “an exercise of the whole community,” yet it has presently developed into an esoteric activity. MacIntyre illustrated this by noting that any tendency today to encourage philosophy outside of academia would elicit a negative response.

MacIntyre proceeded to highlight the problem of today’s conception of happiness. One quotation he used for the contemporary definition of happiness is that it constitutes being “stupid, selfish, and in good health.” The specialization of philosophy has directly contributed to the main problem with our culture—its unreflective and unquestioning temperament.

MacIntyre outlined ways to combat today’s situation. He appealed to a dialectical separation of ourselves from the thinking of the dominant culture and a linguistic analysis and re-conception of good and happiness.

As for the teaching of philosophy itself, he pointed out that teachers must situate philosophy to their students as a “conversation—a narrative begun long ago with the existential questions of plain people.”

Professor MacIntyre graciously took questions from the audience. One student sought advice for those at the graduate level of study. MacIntyre said he did not believe in the Ph.D. program for philosophy. He encouraged going out into the work force for 5 years, and then reconsidering at the end of that time if one wants to pursue study further.

Professor MacIntyre’s speech was both thought provoking and accessible—serious yet mixed in with occasional humor. The crowd certainly did not leave intellectually empty-handed, having been graced by an evening with one of the most prominent philosophers of our time.

 But what about the argu-  ments in favor of Question Two?   To hear marijuana advocacy  groups tell it, police departments  would finally be free from the  burden of hunting down recreational drug users.  They would  have more time and money to  pursue dangerous criminals and  everyone would be better off.  

At Boston College, the  much-celebrated decriminalization measure hasn’t had much  of an effect.  “We haven’t seen  much of an influx,” said 11-year  BCPD veteran Sergeant Cadogan.  “There hasn’t been much  of a difference; we’re enforcing  Boston College’s rules.”  In this  case, BC’s regulations on drug  use are clear: marijuana is forbidden on campus regardless of  state law.  “Of course,” he clarified, “if someone has the quantity  to indicate trafficking, obviously  we look into that a little deeper.”  

“Colleges and universities  are often private institutions  which have their own sets of  rules,” acknowledged Bill Downing, the director of the Massachusetts chapter of the National  Organization for the Reform of  Marijuana Laws (NORML).  Still,  he thinks the legislation has a  positive effect at schools like BC.   “A lot of times, what the colleges  had depended on as a backup  would be to turn these crimes  over to the local police.  And now  that’s just a $100 citation.  That’s  a good change.”  

Money was always a big part  of the marijuana debate.  Nine in  ten marijuana related cases are  posession, and there are more  arrests for marijuana than for  violent crimes.  The economic  argument for decriminalization  was that townships could save  time and money by making money on marijuana posession fines  rather than spending money  prosecuting for posession.  

However, police depart-  ments have reported difficulty in  realizing that $100 fine.  Without the threat of arrest looming,  it can be difficult to coax a veri-  fiable name from a baked-out  marijuana user.  Since the user is  only committing a civil offense,  the officer often has no legal recourse.  

Here at BC, the law was  never about saving money.  It  never affected BCPD policy at  all, since they enforce stricter  rules than those imposed by the  state.  And with a fully-function-  ing police unit, it is not often  that BCPD turns over marijuana  users to Boston authorities.

 “Off-campus is Boston PD,”  cautioned Cadogan of BCPD.   “They operate under state law.   A student caught there could  end up facing both fines, from  the school and the state.”  It is  worth noting that in some situ-  ations BC offers the option of   community service or a monetary fine.  As for spending money, “We’re not sitting out at the  reservoir with binoculars.  If we  get a complaint, we go check it  out.”  

“The issue is societal  change on attitudes towards  the recreational use of marijuana,” summarized Downey of  NORML.  “The hope is that by  decriminalizing, and pointing  out that marijuana is actually a  safer recreational drug that oth-  er legalized recreational drugs,  eventualy even the most stoic  board of directors will see that.”

The donors and The Collegiate Network also deserve significant credit because without the necessary resources, we could not publish our product and our ideas. They have stuck with us through the tough times and the good times, realizing that any college publication will go through high and low points. They have been extremely supportive, and it always seems that they write encouraging letters at just the right time.

Looking over the staff room, you would never know that The Observer was even considered for an award. The staff is far from satisfied, instead emboldened to work harder than ever with the hopes that next year we might be able to bring home first place. They know what needs to be done to take the newspaper one step further, and are certainly working overtime to bring us there as soon as possible.

An administration official recently remarked, “The Observer is certainly a conservative, Catholic newspaper and they make no apologies for that.” While we are proud of our heritage, which embraces the values of Catholicism, personal responsibility, and the Western Tradition, these are aspects that inspire our opinions and Catholic issues sections. We are most proud of our efforts in the realm of news, as this section has improved the most over the past two years. Establishing an alternative, stable, and reliable source of news for the BC community is fundamental to our future success. While we know that the official’s comment was meant to be a compliment, we think it shows how far we have yet to go to shed our image of being solely an opinions or Catholic issues publication. We hope that, going forward, our news writers have a bit of a chip on their shoulder, and that this gives them the motivation to work hard and prove that any publication can achieve greatness through sheer hard work and determination.

The most recent masterpiece of the Democratic Party is a 1,990 page behemoth of a healthcare bill/Medicaid expansion that will cost upwards of one trillion dollars. The Affordable Healthcare for America Act would drastically increase the role of the federal government in healthcare.

If passed, the bill would require all individual and employment based health insurance plans to meet “federal standards.” H.R. 3962 also provides for the creation of a public option health plan, which is a government-run health plan designed to compete against private health plans. This legislation would drastically increase the role of the federal government in healthcare by imposing strict regulations on insurance premiums. Under H.R. 3963, age rating of premiums would be limited to no more than a 2 to 1 ratio between the highest and lowest premium costs. In addition, the bill establishes a process by which private insurance companies would have to provide justification for all premium increases prior to implementation.

Finally, The Affordable Healthcare for America Act contains various mandates that would be placed on individuals and employers. Most significantly, the bill requires all Americans to have government- approved health insurance or face a penalty. An additional income tax will be imposed on people who do not comply. Those who do not acquire health insurance within five years of the passage of this bill will face a potential jail sentence. As for employers, those who do not offer health insurance to their employees would be forced to pay an 8% payroll tax.

Have a headache yet? You should! What exactly are the Democrats trying to accomplish with this baffling legislation? They claim that this bill will make healthcare more affordable and accessible to Americans, but in reality, this legislation will fundamentally alter our healthcare system and in doing so will cause more problems than it will solve.

For starters, the public option is a disaster waiting to happen. One needs to look no further than Canada to see the negative effects that the public option will have. In Canada, it takes months to schedule a normal checkpoint and nearly a year to get radiation treatment. Infusing the healthcare system with inefficient bureaucracies will undoubtedly decrease the quality of healthcare and hinder the ability of those who currently have health insurance to obtain treatment in a timely manner.

In addition, the public option is an un-American invention in the sense that it runs contrary to the free market principles upon which this country was founded. The proper role of the federal government is to minimize the abuses of the free market, not to dominate the market.

Nancy Pelosi and company are misleading Americans by promoting this bill as providing Americans with options. Ultimately, there will be only one option: the government plan. People will flock into the public plan as private insurers are unable to match the artificially low costs of the government plan and employers opt to pay the payroll tax.

Private insurance companies are not the only businesses that will fill the negative effects of the public option. Given that the public plan’s reimbursement rates would not cover the cost of care, it is likely that many hospitals, barring a bailout, will have to shut their doors. It is no secret that hospitals lose money on Medicaid and Medicare patients. In addition, this legislation, which lacks malpractice reform, would expose physicians to a considerably greater degree of malpractice liability.

Contrary to the claims of Democrats, the limitations that this bill imposes on the age rating of premiums will actually lead to a significant increase in the cost of health insurance for young adults. Because insurance companies, under this legislation, cannot charge seniors more than twice as much as 18 year olds, the natural result will be higher premiums for young adults.

The expansion of inefficient entitlement programs will be counterproductive to the goal of bringing down the cost of health care in the long run. Higher taxes, misguided Medicare cuts, and increased government control over healthcare constitute an awful recipe for reform. Since Obama, Pelosi, and Reid, in proposing this legislation, obviously believe that health insurance is a form of interstate commerce; they should allow Americans to purchase health insurance across state boarders. This is one example of how the healthcare system could be reformed by providing Americans with real options instead of government mandates.

Instead of taking the logical approach following embarassing in New Jersey and Virginia, which would have been to rethink their healthcare strategy, Obama, Pelosi, and Reid have decided to move forward with their liberal agenda of big government and high taxes – consequences be damned. Hopefully Americans will respond in the midterm elections just as they did in 1994.

This often leads to quotes or ideas being taken out of context and shedding a negative light on a candidate. Whatever piece is being examined could even be a misrepresentation of what a person believes in the present day, vastly different from whatever controversial view was expressed back when the piece was written. Still, even though college is a time for intellectual development, it is late enough in a person’s life that he or she should know that what they are writing could draw negative attention down the road. Therefore, people should be held accountable at any point of their life for something they wrote or expressed in any way during their college years.

Especially for someone aspiring to make a career in the public sector, people must take caution in what they express in writing. College is a time during which many students become caught up in hysteria and political or social movements of different ideologies. Holding people accountable for what they write will necessitate that students use better discretion and more careful examination of what they are getting involved in. This way, they will think more introspectively and truly examine whether or not they support what they are getting into. If so, then that person should stand by his or her conviction through all time, be able to explain and justify it, and integrate it into their many stances. However, if a person is not sure that he or she truly supports a certain cause, then they will not be so quick to espouse it in writing.

Many people maintain that college students should be able to explore their minds and beliefs and should therefore not be held accountable for what they write. But exploration is done through observation, not through practicing support. A student’s mind should be made up on how he or she feels regarding a specific view or statement before it is supported in writing. One’s convictions, beliefs, and ideals do not change that strongly from college through to adulthood that they should not be held accountable for a view they expressed in writing, and if in fact one has such an extreme change of heart, then he or she should sufficiently be able to defend and explain how their decisiveness has varied so greatly.

There is no arguing that the college years are some of the most important formative years in the mind of a thinker. Nevertheless, they are also a time for young adults to begin to take personal responsibility and put an end to the rashness of action and belief that defines junior high school and high school years for American youths. Starting in college, people must become directly accountable for their actions, words, and writings. Therefore, college students must be decisive enough in their beliefs before they express them in writing so as to be able to defend them and be held responsible at any point later down the road. After all, from college onward, it is truly to each his own, and the lesson of most primary importance is personal responsibility.

MLJ Airparts, the company invented for analytical purposes, is a division within the Aviation and Aerospace Group of the “diversified technology and manufacturing leader,” MLJ International. The company began in the 1920s, the innovation of Mark L. Johnson, a friend of the Wright Brothers and admirer of airplanes. MLJ first went public in 1961; after this date the company quickly grew through a succession of mergers and acquisitions, and expanded its product offerings. Today, the company is composed of five business groups: the Automotive Group, the Maritime Equipment Group, the Power and Energy Group, the Building Technology Group, and the Aviation and Aerospace Group. It is this last group on which the competition concentrates.

Bon Scott, the President of MLJ Airparts, is new to his position in the company. He is currently looking at a downturn in sales within his division and faces increasing pressure to bring sales statistics back to their projected values. Sales representatives have urged Scott to cut prices in order to increase number of sales; however, Scott believes that such action would not effectively solve the problem as data shows that airline parts are undervalued in some regions. The business development department has also advised Scott to expand the business beyond selling parts in order to promote growth and compensation for lost sales. Scott has sought assistance in developing a plan to address the downturn in sales; he needs to look into the different opportunities available to the company to formulate a successful plan of action.

It is at this point that Boston College students enter the picture. Their designated task is to serve as consultants in this particular case and advise Bon Scott. Their proposition was to consist of three parts: a brief summary of the case and the most pressing issues the team will attempt to resolve, analysis, key findings, and insights into the company, and the team’s recommendations for Scott.

Teams submitted a one-page proposal to the committee; leading teams were then notified and told to prepare a final presentation on Sunday, November 15. After the presentations, Andrew Moore and Michael Canfield were declared first place winners. They each received $100 in cash; second place team members, Andrian Goyco, Alexandre Chavotier and Guillaume Kauffer, were rewarded with $50 cash prizes.

Not only did the competition develop students’ analytical skills and provide insight into the consulting industry, but it also offered an excellent opportunity to network with Deloitte Professionals, an increasingly important skill to have in to- day’s economy. Congratulations to the winning team and runners up on their hard work.

Archbishop Claudio Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, spoke at the meeting and noted that less than a third of Catholic websites take advantage of available Web 2.0 technology.

Speaking about the Internet, Celli said, “Generally, other instruments for evangelical proclamation and for Christian formation are favored, while the means of social communication are left to the initiative of individuals or small groups, and they enter the pastoral program only at the secondary level.”

Presenting at the conference were executives from Facebook, YouTube, and Wikipedia. At this meeting, moderated by Jim Mc- Donnell of the Signis World Catholic Association of Communication, attendants were asked who had a Facebook profile – one in four attendants raised their hand. One in ten said they had collaborated on Wikipedia, and one in six said they had uploaded videos to YouTube.

For nearly fifteen years, the Church has utilized the internet as a form of mass communication. Since 1995, the Vatican has managed its official website (vatican.va), which is filled with thousands of Church documents, press releases, pieces of Italian artwork, rare manuscripts, and other valuable information.

In a 2006 interview with BusinessWeek, the editorial director of the Vatican’s website, Sister Judith Zoebelein, said of the Internet, “[It’s] very Franciscan: You can touch it, you can change it, and you can touch people with it.”

But static websites do not have the same power as they had just a few years ago. The internet has been evolving into what is called, “Web 2.0,” a web built on interaction and content sharing between users.

Embracing this type of social media, the Holy See launched an official YouTube channel (youtube.com/vatican) in January 2009, where it has since uploaded over 400 videos in collaboration with Vatican Radio.

At the 43rd World Day of Communications on January 24, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI presented a letter in which he discussed the changing patterns of communication and the importance of social media.

Benedict wrote, “These technologies are truly a gift to humanity and we must endeavour to ensure that the benefits they offer are put at the service of all human individuals and communities, especially those who are most disadvantaged and vulnerable.”

He said that the popularity of social networks “should not surprise us, as they respond to a fundamental desire of people to communicate and to relate to each other. This desire for communication and friendship is rooted in our very nature as human beings and cannot be adequately understood as a response to technical innovations.”

Following the publication of the letter, a series of social networking applications were released by the Holy See, including a Facebook application and iPhone application which provide messages and news announcements from the Vatican.

Interestingly, this past week Archbishop Celli commented that the Pope “sends his own personal emails. He does! He has great appreciation for new technology,” and is even comfortable surfing the web.

Since the establishment of Vatican Radio, in cooperation with Guglielmo Marconi, in February 1931, the Holy See has considered mass communication an important part of its mission to spread the Gospel. At the Second Vatican Council, the document Inter Mirfica (1963) emphasized the importance of the “media of social communication.”

“All the children of the Church should join, without delay and with the greatest effort in a common work to make effective use of the media of social communication in various apostolic endeavors, as circumstances and conditions demand,” declared the document.

While Inter Mirfica was written before the invention of the World Wide Web, its message holds even more importance in our current world of constant social communication through mass media. The theme for the European bishops’ Commission for the Media conference, “The Internet culture and Church communications” is one that is of vital importance if the Church is to continue to successfully utilize modern media.

 The discussion focused on  the negative consequences re-  sulting from the embargo, rang-  ing from the humanitarian and  political disadvantages to the  economic and commercial stag-  nation.  The panelists stressed  the importance of distinguishing  between the Cuban government  and people, arguing that mea-  sures taken against the former  should not hamper the lives of  the latter.

 The embargo has restricted  the availability of medical provi-  sions and food products to the  Cubans, thus jeopardizing the  health and livelihood of millions.   For example, there have been in-  creased reports of iron deficiency  anemia in children, which stems  from the shortage of nutritional  food products in schools, daycare  centers, and hospitals.  Roberto  Goizueta, panelist and professor  of theology at Boston College, de-  tailed his personal involvement  in the “Friends of Caritas Cu-  bana” organization: “We brought  basic medicines and supplies  of all kinds to the impoverished  countryside, everything from  Advil to toothpaste,” Goizu-  eta said,  “we saw the work that  other Catholic groups were do-  ing down there…and as a Cuban  American, there was a part of me  that felt an inherent responsibil-  ity to these people and their sufferings.”  

Furthermore, it has been ar-  gued that the embargo provides  Cuban Dictator Fidel Castro with  a scapegoat for the nation’s eco-  nomic and foreign woes.  “[the  embargo] has given Castro an  extra source of political power  that he otherwise might not have  had,” said Jennie Purnell, pro-  fessor of comparative politics at  Boston College.  “The U.S. is perceived as Goliath, and Castro as  David.”  

According to Purnell, the  embargo even gives Castro a  political advantage over his en-  emies, allowing the island na-  tion to become isolated from the  rest of the world without the bad  press and international backlash  that would ensue from a strict  dictatorial mandate of such.  

Yet the embargo has had  the reverse effect on the United  States’ foreign affairs.  The U.S.  has faced international rebuke  from the United Nations for its  actions.  In the most recent vot-  ing, 187 countries – a record  number – condemned the embar-go sanction and advised that it be  brought to an end.  Purnell noted  that, “not only has the embargo  been extremely counterproductive to our foreign relations, but  the fact that we don’t have diplomatic relations with Cuba, but  do with other repressive regimes  is hypocritical…for the past fifty  years, this has been an unsuc-  cessful course of action.”  

Gerald Easter, professor of  comparative politics at BC, spe-  cializes in communist govern-  ments and their post-communist  transitions.  Professor Easter ar-  gued, “Castro and the Cuban gov-  ernment have done their best to  consolidate and monopolize sev-  eral power resources: coercive,  economic and ideological re-  sources.”  “In this instance,” Eas-  ter acknowledged, “the embargo  itself provides the economic  power resource for the Cuban  government to monopolize.”  

The general consensus  among the panelists was that  the embargo is more adverse  to the United States and Cuban  citizens than it is to the Castro  administration, and thus, should  be ended.   “It is hard to argue  that the United States’ economic  sanctions – a blunt instrument in  achieving political reform – have  achieved any of their intended  goals,” said Purnell,  “but it has  certainly made life harder for  the Cuban people…I think there  is great merit in the desire to end  a repressive regime, but there is  a moral cost to be incurred along  with this.”

The reasons for banning publicity for quarrels between labor and management are clear and necessary at any university, including Boston College. Because a university operates on a limited budget, the demands made of union employees often come down to dollars and cents. This fact is especially true here at Boston College, considering the recent economic downturn. If unions were allowed to publicize disputes on college campuses, they would win support from countless left-wing students and faculty members. Once the union wins popular support in a favorable environment that the modern university provides, the university faces a dilemma: balance the budget, or succumb to popular pressure.

Based on the arguments that pro-Union activists have used to support their cause, it is clear that they are using emotion to win their battle. Students in support of the Union have cited the Catholic position on social justice to argue that BC is not living up to its Jesuit identity with regard to the treatment of its employees. While these statements create the impression that BC is treating its service employees unfairly, they overlook the countless benefits that these workers receive. Service employees are treated in an equitable and honest manner; claims to the contrary demonstrate the inability of the SEIU to win support with logic rather than emotional appeal.

Despite our reservations, we too value the work of our service employees and consider them to be integral to our Catholic community. We hope that this dispute can be resolved amicably.

McDonnell correctly insisted that this thesis should not reflect his current views as a candidate because the essay was written in an academic environment free from the constraints of reality and because his views had changed as he grew older. Regardless of a candidate’s political affiliation, society should give little weight to college-age work because it is often unrepresentative of how the candidate has matured with age.

Now Governor-elect McDonnell, who buried Deeds in the general election two weeks ago, is not the first politician whose views have changed over time. In fact, some prominent elected officials even supported the other party in their earlier years. Such “flip-floppers” include Hillary Clinton, who served as president of the Young Republicans at Wellesley College, freshman Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) who was Cochair of Michael Dukakis’ 1988 presidential campaign in Utah, and even President Ronald Reagan, who was a Roosevelt New Deal supporter before realizing the errors of his ways. Youth, and college in particular, is a time when people will experiment with ideologies that are either more radical or the complete opposite of the views they hold today.

Exceptions to this principle certainly exist. If the candidate’s radical views carry into the present, voters are right to have reservations. White supremacist and perennial Louisiana political candidate David Duke is a textbook example. He founded a white supremacist organization in college and once attended a campus rally in a Nazi uniform. Right after college, he joined the Ku Klux Klan. After spending decades of his life running for congress, senate, governor, the Louisiana legislature (he won one term in the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1989), and the presidency, he is still an active proponent of white supremacy. In this case, Duke’s collegiate escapades should not be ignored.

Instead of worrying about politicians’ activities of yesteryear, we should be more alarmed by the ideas currently coming from President Obama’s closest advisors. We should be more concerned that White House’s communications director Anita Dunn told a group of high school students that Chairman Mao is one of her favorite political philosophers because he followed his dreams of creating a communist China in spite of adversity. Or examine former “Green Jobs Czar” and former self-avowed communist Van Jones, who signed a “9-11 Truth” petition alleging a government conspiracy to cover up what “really happened” on 9-11. The fact that President Obama would openly associate with individuals who profess these beliefs while holding high office brings his judgment and ability to perform the duties of the president into question.

I contend that voters have a right to know what their elected officials believe. It is, therefore, understandable that the electorate is interested if a politician’s early activities paint a different picture of the beliefs that he claims to profess. However, considering the human propensity to change and mature with age, one’s early activities should be afforded little if any weight in rendering judgment.

Efforts should instead be spent to determine whether the views our politicians currently espouse are the beliefs they actually hold. McDonnell’s dusty thesis should return to its proper place in the Regent University archives. We should instead spend every ounce of effort to determine the true beliefs of our elected officials.

Bob Lewis, BC’s vice president for human resources and representative in the ongoing negotiations, believes that the demonstration was in violation of Article 14, but said that the union disagrees with his assessment: “I believe the union went beyond what it is entitled to do under the contract; the union feels it was a form of communicating with its members.”

However, BC graduate student and pro-union activist Kathleen Sellers disagreed with Lewis’ assessment. While she acknowledged that she is not qualified to interpret a contract, she believes the event was an informal gathering that did not violate the terms of the contract: “Some workers were eating lunch together in a very open, public space on campus and a few students joined them. €That’s far from picket lines obstructing traffic or interrupting work. €Honestly, I think it builds such a nice sense of community to be reminded now and again that we are all invited to the table– to share a meal together at this Catholic University.”

As protests of BC’s proposal continue with a growing facebook page and online petition, the rest of the contract details the benefits that all SEIU members receive.

BC is currently required to pay Union employees time-and-a-half for every hour worked over the standard forty hour work week, meaning that for every additional hour worked over forty hours, employees receive 150% of their regular hourly wage.

Appendix A of the contract found on SEIU Local 615’s website details the hourly wages that BC service employees earn as of June 1, 2008. For example, electricians and helpers currently earn between $21.80-$30.66 per hour; appliance repairmen earn between $21.80 and $29.86; plumbers earn $21.80-$30.66; carpenters earn $21.80-29.91; locksmiths earn $29.11-29.91; painters earn $21.80 to $25.93, and instrumentation mechanics and electrical technicians earn $30.76.

Even more menial workers earn well-over Massachusetts’ minimum wage of $8.00 per hour. Custodians currently earn $14.61-$20.14; athletic maintenance employees make $20.05- $21.78; and mailroom workers earn $19.77-$20.98. Considering the time-and-a-half rate workers earn for each additional hour over forty worked, employees listed here would earn in between $21.92 and $46.14 per hour. Taking into account the median salary of $24.59 listed in Appendix A and the salary range of $14.61 to $31.01, the median time-and-a-half rate of Union employees is $36.89 with a range of $21.92 to $46.52 per hour. While these statistics do not take the number of employees earning each particular wage rate into account, it does represent the possible salaries that SEIU Local 615 members at BC can earn according to the contract.

Unionized employees also enjoy extensive benefits beyond base pay up to four times Massachusetts minimum wage. Union members are given fourteen paid holidays each year, and employees required to work on holidays enjoy a time-and-a-half pay rate for hours worked.

Employees also have the opportunity to earn paid vacation days, unlimited sick day accumulation with incentives for not using sick days, sick leave for work-related injury, eight weeks paid maternity leave for females, pay for jury duty, severance pay in the event of downsizing, group life insurance, a pension plan, medical and dental insurance, and full tuition remission for children of employees.

The SEIU proclaims itself to be the fastest-growing union in North America, with over 2.1 million members in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Representing workers in healthcare, public services, and property services, the SEIU actively boasts its work to help elect President Barack Obama and its efforts to pass the current healthcare reform bill in congress.

SEIU Local 615, the chapter representing BC’s service employees, oversees union activities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. Electronic filings with the Massachusetts Secretary of State indicate that SEIU Local 615 has donated to the Gay and Lesbian Labor Activist Political Action Committee, the Coalition for Our Communities, Democratic State Representative William Lantigua, and former Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo.

Boston College and SEIU Local 615 have recently extended the contract to December 1, 2009, but negotiations are still ongoing.

Take a look at what some friends and I did one weekend. We enjoyed it, without drinking. On one evening, a group of friends and I went to see the comedian Rob Riggle perform in Robsham that night. Following about two hours of laughter, we ran into some other friends who had also attended the comedic performance. Some fro-yo with amazing company and hilarious Rob Riggle quotations at the lower dining hall topped off Friday night.

Saturday, I met with a high school friend from another college and enjoyed touring her around campus. We spent a lovely time catching up over supper. After dropping her off at the T-station, I anxiously texted some friends to see if the improv-comedy show by “My Mother’s Fleabag” had already begun. I arrived in the nick of time to see the opening of the show. Yet another night well spent: laughing, socializing with friends, meeting new ones, bumping into others. And most of all, another night spent without a drop of alcohol.

Now maybe you do not like comedic performances. Fair enough. If you enjoy dancing, this past weekend was all about showing off your moves, with the International Prom sponsored by the International Club on Friday night as well as the Intercollegiate Dance, sponsored by the Cuban American Students Association and Cape Verdean Students Association. And the Black and White Soiree on Saturday, sponsored by Nights on the Heights, thrilled students. If you are still not convinced there is something out there for you, just take a look at all the events sponsored by Nights on the Heights. You do not need to go a step further than checking your BC email. There are an abundance of fun creative activities offered weekly: open mic-nights in The Chocolate Bar, movies in Robsham, comedic improv shows in the O’Connell House, and trivia nights in Vandy.

You also might argue that some of those events cost money for a ticket. Maybe you did not want to pay $10 to see Rob Riggle perform. Fair enough. But how much does it cost to buy a “handle” of vodka? How about some rum? Or maybe you are a beer-type of person. Regardless, if you like to go out and drink you are most likely spending at least $40 per weekend, or even per night, on alcohol. Just weigh the choices: spending too much money for a horrendous migraine the next morning disabling you from finishing that large pile of homework or spending a little for a good laugh sparing you the headache.

But you do not always have to spend or even stay on campus to have fun. Try out a new restaurant, go see a movie in Boston. Catch up with friends from other schools nearby. Have “take-out” from the dining hall and enjoy a night in with friends: watching re-runs of The Office and gossiping or even playing FIFA or Wii.

In the end, it is a matter of choice. Most people see a fun night out ending with their heads next to a toilet bowl, if they even make it there. Yes, perhaps having a few drinks with friends and listening to music is enjoyable. Yet there is a point where fun turns into dilemma. This goes for pretty much everything that you do; as soon as you or a friend become over-excessive the night turns into a bad one, whether it be drinking too much or getting into an argument about what movie to go see.

So no actually, you do not necessarily have to drink alcohol to have fun. You can but you do not have to. There is always something else out there for you to have fun doing. So do not forget to check out all the events happening next weekend, You just might enjoy one or two!