The Observer has no intention of vilifying or alienating any group of people on campus; our intention was never to offend or make any group uncomfortable. We simply want Boston College and its officials to remain committed to Catholic identity. We would like to extend a heartfelt apology to anyone who interpreted the article to have a different intent.

Boston College has, until now, been cautious in its approach towards the GLC and this campaign. However, the recent display of these symbols in Edmond’s Hall, with the words “Edmond’s Supports Love,” is a very blatant and public endorsement of homosexual relationships by a Jesuit Catholic University.

Boston College has no business endorsing homosexual relationships among its students. Indeed, it is extremely troubling that Residential Life staff at Boston College feel it is appropriate and “educational” for a Catholic University to openly promote a position contrary to Catholic moral teaching.

Will this series of “educational” posters in residence halls include displays promoting chastity, traditional marriage, and the defense of life? Or is ResLife more concerned with placating and supporting the GLC and other groups that oppose Catholic moral teaching on campus?

The “love” of the GLC’s campaign and the Edmond’s poster is not rooted in genuine Christian charity. The Church calls homosexual acts intrinsically disordered. As such, they do not flow from authentic love, the love of Christ.

By supporting same-sex relationships, Boston College betrays this mission in favor of the pernicious fiction of secular, atheistic “tolerance.”

The Observer finds this “advice” ridiculous. The movement has turned into something ugly, and is not something discerning BC should become involved in. Protesters have recently stormed the Israeli Consulate in Boston, which is just another demonstration of anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli tendencies the movement seems to espouse. While some protesters may have begun to get involved with the movement with an innocent, albeit misdirected, stance against the purported 1%, many have begun to promote the movement’s more sinister roots. The Observer urges students to know the facts about the movement before they become involved with something that is quickly turning more evil than ever imagined.

Participants in the panel made it clear that they did not agree with Church teaching on matters of homos ex ua l i t y; however, three of the four panelists still considered themselves to be members of the Catholic faith.

While we did not agree with the panelists on several key points raised during the event, we would like to commend the GLBTQ for encouraging a dialogue that supports religion, and encourages its members in their search for and pursuit of faith. The Catholic faith supports and loves individuals who are homosexuals, but calls them to chastity – like it does all unmarried individuals.

For this reason, we found this particular event to be a promising beginning to an important conversation.

The article minimizes the importance of a nurse’s role within the dayto- day medical ield, reducing the function of a nurse to one who conducts “introductory surveys” of patients and records height and weight. The writer fails to acknowledge the importance of a nurse’s care for the patient, or the extent of the studies required and experience necessary to achieve such a vital position within the medical world.

Allison Cotta, CSON ’13, responds to the article: “While I can understand the point made by The Height’s staff regarding the importance of distinguishing between medical professions, I believe implications within the article were quite offensive to an entire undergraduate college.” She continues on to defend the importance of nursing research through doctorate programs: “Advancements in nursing research, led by nurses with Ph.D., have led to immense improvements the quality of care in all patient settings.”

While we certainly understand the importance of distinguishing between a nurse with a Ph.D. and a doctor within the medical workplace, we would like to offer our full appreciation and respect for those who choose the nursing route of the medical profession. It is our irm belief that it is the role of nurses that facilitates the full healing and recovery of their patients; without their dedication and care, patients simply would not receive the full attention they require.

We would also like to extend our appreciation to our esteemed staff member who is a student in the Connell School of Nursing Class of 2013.

In our first issue, The Observer reported that the Student Activity fee had still risen even with the cancellation of the fall concert.  At the time, Student Programs Office Director Dr. R. Darrell Peterson, Ph.D., told The Observer that a working group has been charged with examining the issue and will soon make a recommendation to the Vice President of Student Affairs.  Recently, we have learned that, presumably in an effort to compensate for the difference between the lowered student activity cost and the income from the raised fee, Nights on the Heights is going to enhance the scale and the quality of the events it presents to the student community.  Instead of many quiet events, like scrapbooking, laser tag, and trivia nights on the weekend, the organization will now host larger, more expensive events on the weekends.

Nights on the Heights has cited the upgrade in its events as a mode of reaching on a wider audience. It also argues that the expanded events as a way to fulfill its mission to give as many students as possible an alternative to the BC party scene.  While these are certainly commendable goals, Nights on the Heights has historically had a poor attendance rate amongst students.  The redistribution of student activity funds from the concerts in Conte Forum to the enhanced Nights on the Heights is simply unnecessary.  Faced with the choice between several B-name concerts and refunded student activity funds, many students would certainly choose refunded money.  Why distribute when we could lower costs?

This would be more understandable if it didn’t fall on each of us to pay taxes fueling things we don’t agree with. Certainly many of us aren’t too keen on spending our paychecks on two separate wars—one of which had little to nothing to do with acts of terror against the U.S. The Tax Foundation has estimated that, on average, Americans fork over about 28% of their income to the government (varying by socio-economic status, of course). At least some of that goes into projects like the “Bridge to Nowhere,” big business bailouts, and yes, even health care. That last part is apparently a problem. The new HHS insurance reform called “The Affordable Care Act” also provides breast-feeding support, domestic violence screening, and preventative hygiene resources as well. Not to mention, prescription birth control is often used for more than just contraceptive purposes – the pill, for instance, helps women regulate their periods and can also help against acne.

Here’s a list, straight from www.hhs.gov, describing what insurance has to provide under the new law: • well-woman visits; • screening for gestational diabetes; • human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing for women 30 years and older;

• human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and counseling;

• FDA-approved contraception methods and contraceptive counseling;

• breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling; and

• domestic violence screening and counseling.

Perhaps there’s more to this new initiative than “an assault on the pocketbooks of Catholics.” Realistically speaking, most Catholic women would actually be in favor of these reforms. Research shows that about 98% of sexually active women of the Catholic faith rely on birth control. And, Catholic populations aside, Boston College caters to a far more diverse array of students with beliefs across the board (as is the case with most universities). Students of different beliefs are going to be sexually active—that’s common sense on a college campus. What does it say of the Catholic mission, which purports to act for the good of others, when BC won’t provide the health resources necessary for students to make informed decisions about their bodies? At the very least we might all be able to agree that effective birth control is a better alternative to abortion, which is more likely to happen when people don’t get the sexual education and resources they need.

This seems to be more a question of generosity rather than religious crisis. Is there harm in providing the resources necessary to protect from situations that none of us want to see happen (i.e., the stress and difficulty of unwanted pregnancy)? For those people who rely on birth control—Catholic or not—this new health initiative is more about accessibility to avoid future tragedies or hardships. The decision to use birth control—moral or not—should be left to specific individuals to make in the confidentiality and security of their own lives and their own faiths. Perhaps, with that understanding, we can put the pitchforks away on health reforms that make reliable birth control possible for people who could really use it.

In recent years, Respect Life Week has fielded much criticism by those who claim that the week offends women and disrespects reproductive rights. Yesterday, a letter to the editor of The Heights was published which renames Respect Life Week “Trample on Reproductive R ights” w eek. T he letter continues on to describe the events as “despicable and misogynist,” and labels the display of child development within the womb as “the emotional equivalent of slapping […] women in the face.”

In response, we would like to raise several points: the mission of the Pro Life Club has never been to alienate or traumatize women. The club’s press release cited its aim as “to provide support for pregnant women on campus, helping them to choose life and aiding those healing from abortion.” The club has consistently sought to offer information and support to the women of BC; it hopes that its events empower women to choose life, free f rom fear. Those “prochoicers” out there would surely appreciate and respect a woman who, upon learning of her unplanned pregnancy, would make an informed and deliberate choice for life. We wonder how a week designed for the empowerment of women can be accurately labeled as misogynist; perhaps the contributor needs to refer to a dictionary.

As for the display of development within the womb, we find the argument that the posters offend the “undoubtedly higher” number of BC women who have had abortions to be a poor one. To simply ignore scientifically verified facts (which is indeed what the posters represent, as they are actual photos taken from inside the womb) just because they are uncomfortable to view is to go against the very mission of a liberal arts college, which seeks to facilitate discussion for the education and betterment of society.

To continue an argument that purposely seeks to ignore fact only robs the women that currently reside on this campus of the benefit of knowing the truth, and colors their impact on future generations. We would hope that any “pro-choice” and women’s rights activist would want their fellow students to be fully informed of all facts before making a decision as important as one concerning a human life.

Lastly, we would like to clarify that miscarriages are not a subject that belongs in the debate surrounding life; to miscarry is a tragic event that in no way results from a woman’s choice.

Anyone who has actively paid attention to the actions of the Pro Life Club over the past several years would recognize the effort they make to reach out and support women who suffer from post-abortive syndrome on campus.

They have connected women with numerous organizations that seek to aid in the healing process, and we would recommend anyone on campus offended by Respect Life Week to pursue this option.

Congratulations!

Oremus pro invicem. (Let’s pray for one another.)

Richard A. Watson, M.D.
Past President, Catholic Medical Asso (USA)

Those who oppose his thought do so because they enjoy the benefits they receive by existing as a “separate entity” and play the race card whenever it helps their cause, which is despicable. What I would like to see next is an article that calls for the removal of the AHANA and GLC from UGBC. Those two groups are not a part of the elected process and should not be granted permanent seats on the board purely because of their lack of “Whiteness” or alternative sexual preference.

I did not know about your paper until recently, when I heard of this article. I would once again like to compliment you on your work in revealing the truth. Further, I would like to be added to your listserv. I am interested in getting involved.

Thank you,
Nick

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires all insurance plans, including those offered by Catholic universities, to cover contraceptives.  Boston College, like many Catholic colleges in the state, has dutifully complied with this law, even though Catholic teaching strongly opposes the use of artificial contraception.

Belmont Abby, a Catholic Benedictine college in Belmont, North Carolina, faced a similar dilemma in 2007.  When the college realized that contraception, abortion, and sterilization were accidently covered in their employee health insurance packages they immediately removed coverage of these services from the plans.

Eight faculty members at Belmont Abby soon filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), alleging that the university “discriminated” against women by refusing to cover prescription contraceptives.

Belmont Abby could have apologized to the federal government, reinstated coverage of services in conflict with Catholic moral teaching, and gone about their business.  But for this university, the Catholic teachings on human dignity and the sanctity of life took precedence over an unjust exercise of government power.  Belmont Abby retained The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty to defend the college against allegations of discrimination.  They utilized legal channels to fight the charges while raising awareness of the injustice in radio, newspaper, and magazine pieces.

BC is indeed required by Massachusetts law, and now federal HHS mandate, to offer contraceptive services in its employer-offered health care plans.  But it is not required to stay silent and accept the government’s unjust policies.  BC should make it very clear that contraceptive mandates are an attack on religious freedom and the university should do everything in its power to fight policies that are in direct conflict with Catholic moral teachings.

According to the Residential Life website, “Residential living at Boston College is viewed as an integral pat of the holistic development of students.”  The office is committed to “nurturing environments that are rooted in the Jesuit Catholic tradition and that emphasize spiritual, moral, personal, and intellectual growth and development.”

For a campus so devoted to personal expression and development we find it to be quite the disappointment that residents are restricted from displaying their patriotism proudly.  The demeanor of the Mod residents showed respect for proper American flag protocol; one Mod even made the effort to fly their flag at half-mast on September 11, an act of reverence toward those who heroically gave their lives to preserve the values of this nation.

George Arey, Director of the Office of Residential Life, cited the prohibition of American flags as falling under the BC policy relating to the attachment of any combustible items to the Mods.

Our vote?  Let Mod residents fly their patriotism high.

Once inside, after listening to an hour of prerecorded top-40 songs, mostly about fornication(like Teenage Dream), the Spring Concert sponsored by that Catholic student organization finally began.

One of the warm-up rappers instructed the audience to put their fists in the air, and then to slowly turn their fists into a middle finger (meaning, of course, F*#& You) “to the police.” I looked at the security guards in the room to see if they were complying with the reverend on the stage. They just remained stone-faced.

Among other topics sung about by the guys on-stage — the rapper seemed to have an obsession with pussycats, because he mentioned them an awful lot. One of the lyrics to the main performer’s song included feeling “jet-lag” after a particularly mind-blowing experience with such a cat. Not sure how a cat puts you to sleep, but evidently this guy who performed gets knocked out by these knock-out cats fairly often. Must be some kind of disease. Evidently the rapper also really likes booty, too.

I asked the high-school-aged-looking gentleman next to me why he was a fan of rapper-Wale, and he explained to me that unlike most rappers, Wale does what he does because he likes to do it, not just to make it big. And I thought, gee, what a relief, because it had seemed to me up to that point that the showmen were just trying to generate hype by repeatedly mentioning their Web site address and by playing cheesy audio liners with their production company’s brand name.

Most of the audience, at least up in the front, seemed to be of high school age. The others acted like it; a few girls swooned at the rapper’s flattering words of them, while others just looked timid and uncertain. So did most of the guys around me, for that matter. They were looking for an answer to whatever void was in their lives, exactly the void that a Catholic College can fill. But the reverend on the stage certainly didn’t have the right answer, that’s for sure. Unless the answer to all of life’s voids is a booty-call, because the rapper did talk about that quite a bit.

The cussing rappers sure did seem angry, particularly at the “po-leece.” They talked alot about how black people (which they repeatedly referred to as n-words) ain’t never get a break and they ain’t going to. They expressed frustration at the government for making them suffer so much, and particularly one of the opening acts drove home the idea that upward mobility for a black man is impossible. It almost made you feel sorry for the rapper, unless you were one of the black high school students, in which case I’d suspect it’d make you feel bad about yourself.

Which made me wonder if I was really at Boston College, the same Boston College that just a short 45 years ago was so Catholic it wouldn’t even allow a student to write a thesis on the subject of contraception.

It was that Catholic, once upon a time.

I suppose times are a’changin’, and so the new Catholicism is about hating on the police and minorities, and about booty calls and getting infected by those poor pussycats. Lent? Well, don’t be hating on my hamburgers. Everybody else is eating them. Just like everybody else in the crowd is flipping off the po-leece. We have got to be tolerant now, even at the expense of committing grave sins. Sins are too controversial to talk about now — we might offend somebody by talking about what’s wrong, because somebody might be doing the wrong thing, and we wouldn’t want them to stop, now, would we? No, that would require too much grace. More than God has, I’m sure. Get with the times, God.

Poor cats.

Peter Vadala

I would also like to thank our staff for continuing to push the envelope with their stories.  Without their hard work and dedication, The Observer would not exist, nor would our grant sponsors, the Collegiate Network, have recognized us as the 2010 Newspaper of the Year.

In particular, I would like to recognize the following members of our staff:

• The Executive Staff – Max, Ian, Jesse, Rachele: Thank you for your support and assistance during my tenure as editor-in-chief.  You have been a tremendous help in organizing and facilitating the newspaper.

• The Section Heads – Anne, Morgan, Parker, Andy, Chelsea: Thank you for continuing to assist your writers in producing thought-provoking, thorough, and articulate articles.

• The Seniors – Max, Kaitlin, Elise, Lara, Phil, Denny: Thank you for four years of excellence in journalism.  You will be greatly missed next year.  We wish you the best of luck in the future.

This will by my final issue for The Observer at Boston College.  During my senior year next year, I will be pursuing other interests, including training for my third Boston marathon, volunteering for my fourth year with 4 Boston, writing an honors thesis for the English department, and applying to law school.

I will be handing the editorship off to Allison Gallagher, who will serve as editor-in-chief for the 2011 – 2012 academic year.  I am confident that I am leaving our publication in very capable hands, and I wish her the best of luck.

I would like to thank everyone who has been a part of or involved with The Observer in any way for three wonderful years.  Please continue to support or engage our publication in the future.  May the dialogue we have started here continue.

Thank you,

Megan K. Rauch

Editor-in-Chief

Wise informed students that all events in US history were oppressive to black Americans.  The Observer therefore condemns BC for celebrating Marathon Monday (Patriots Day).

Thanks to Wise’s lecture, The Observer hasagreed to donate its entire budget to the ALC.

Jesse Naiman has chosen not to go to law school and instead travel to Africa to help children with AIDS.

The Observer will be implementing Affirmative Action policies in choosing its editorial staff.

In a 2009 America article, Rougeau writes about race and religion during the 2008 presidential election.  He argues that, because many American bishops affirmed the importance of voting for a pro-life candidate, they were out of touch with people of color.  He claims that “Obama’s simple presence in the Oval Office” will do more to reduce abortion than any law passed by a McCain administration.

It is not surprise, then, that he was chosen by then Senator Barack Obama to be on the candidate’s national Catholic advisory committee, as a member of his National Steering Committee.

Senator Obama’s campaign message on the topic of contraception and abortion was in no way compatible with Catholic social teaching.

Many remember when Obama told a crowd at a Pennsylvania campaign rally that “I am going to teach [my daughters] first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.”

His argument that electing the most pro-abortion president in history will be the best way to defend the unborn is laughable at best.  As one of his first acts in office, Obama repealed the Mexico City Policy, allowing federal tax dollars to fund overseas abortions.

In Evangelium vitae, Pope John Paul II declared that “It is impossible to further the common good without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop.”

Rougeau misses this point when he argues that other issues are just as important as abortion in determining who Catholics ought to vote for.  Other issues may be important, but, as Pope John Paul II wrote, they must rest on the defense of human life, from conception to natural death.

It is therefore disappointing that BC Law has chosen Rougeau, a professor who has shown a blatant disrespect for the Catholic Church’s fight against legalized abortion in the United States, as its next dean.

It is our hope that, as dean, Rougeau will reconsider his opinions on the Church’s defense of human life and affirm the responsibility BC has, as a Jesuit Catholic institution, to promote and defend the teachings of the Church.

Many current seniors balk at the prospect of giving money to BC before graduation, but the Senior Gift is an important part of the culmination of the BC experience.

Gifts to the BC Fund provide the necessary resources to allow BC to provide financial aid to the 70% of students who rely on that assistance each year.

Boston College meets the demonstrated financial need of all students, based on the FAFSA rating and Expected Family Contribution calculated by Student Services. In addition, gifts fund the over 200 student clubs and activities on campus, allow BC to retain a world class faculty, and help to improve the overall BC experience.

This fiscal year, the BC Fund has added some healthy competition in the form of the Race to the Finish Challenge.

An anonymous donor has pledged to name $100,000 in scholarships after the first four alumni classes to reach a participation goal by the end of the fiscal year, May 31. For the Class of 2011, that means 1,148 donors, or 50% of the class.

U.S. News and World Report uses alumni donations as a factor when ranking Colleges. Therefore, donating to your alma mater increases the prestige of your diploma.

Unfortunately, BC falls far behind other private universities like Notre Dame, Harvard, Brown, Duke, and Georgetown in alumni participation.

It is imperative, then, that the Class of 2011 steps up and meets the Race to the Finish Challenge. Gifts can be made to the BC Fund or specified to individual clubs, teams, or departments. Each gift can make a difference to make a better BC.

In response to the recent rapid changes in weather, one student remarked, “It’s crazier than CharlieSheen.”

Dave Shinskie believes he has the experience and skill to be a stater forthe Men’s Basketball team.

BU made March Madness, proving the validity of the term “madness” in the name.

Hippies wanted the Church to refrainfrom serving the Eucharist on“Meatless Monday.”

The ALC and The Observer are putting aside their differences to bring students another Black HistoryMonth Special during “Meatless Monday.”

Grant, from Briarcliff, NY, was visiting friends at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs when he went missing. He was a member of the College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program and had been studying economics.

The Observer extends our deepest condolences to the Grant family and all of Alexander’s friends suffering at this time. Fr. Leahy, S.J. and Campus Ministry will hold a memorial service to remember Alexander’s life tonight, March 22, in St. Ignatius Church at 7:00.

It is appalling that another campus newspaper used this unfortunate occurrence as an opportunity for breaking news. This lesser publication even went so far as to post the information on Facebook, where vulnerable friends of Grant who had been unaware of the situation were shocked to learn of his tragic passing. It had been posted prior to official notification from the University. This is extremely disrespectful to the Grant family and friends.

We find the exploitation of this untimely loss to be horrifically distasteful journalism. We wish that they had chosen to employ the values taught to every member of the BC campus and not used this tragedy as a shameless plug for their own purposes.

The Grant family and everyone affected by this heartbreaking tragedy remain in our thoughts and prayers. Campus Ministry and University Counseling Services are available for anyone who struggling to heal and cope with this sad event.

Our first initiative is the Prop the Door Campaign. BC students should have access to their dorms through every door. If facilities can use them, why can’t we? The Administration’s argument for student safety is ridiculous. In the cold, rain, snow, or in case of a real danger, I want access to the safety of my dorm immediately. I don’t want to walk around the entire building. In addition, only BC students have the ability to swipe in, so there is no real security risk. BC just wants more control. Until the Administration concedes this simple and sensible request, prop the doors for yourselves. Use any means necessary, and prop every door from upper to lower campus. This is a relatively small issue on our agenda but one that will show the Administration we are serious.

In time, we will also demand change in the dining hall prices and healthy alternatives by organizing boycotts. $2.40 for a Chobani yogurt at BC compared to $1 at Whole Foods is the definition of price gouging. We will also fight for the ability to substitute chips or fries with healthier choices, free of charge. We also want to challenge other policies with protests and petitions. The allocation of funds for certain departments, especially those in the fine arts, after all, we are a liberal arts school, student groups, and clubs, can be increased. I support the core but it is ridiculous that more interesting, upper level, elective classes do not count towards these requirements. What ever happened to “Ever to Excel?” Some other issues we hope to address are career center resources, bus schedules and routes, sexual health resources, police activity, and off-campus, mainly 2000, rules. In addition to standing up to UGBC and the Administration at BC, we also aim to make an impact on treatment of others within the student community. This means treating fellow students, as well as workers at BC, with courtesy and respect. That said, we expect the same in return.

Join the Revolutionary Government of Boston College to learn more about what we stand for. Friend us on Facebook- Rg Bc- and keep your eyes open for our mark. Share your concerns and we will help lead the way in making the changes you want across the board. The time for Revolution has come!

An unprecedented event… BC actually hosted a night of prayer on campus.

In light of the revolution on campus, BC will be shutting down the Internet to quell the rebellion.

In an effort to secure their position as the superior coast in the East-West rivalry, following the NBA All-Star game, the West revealed Tupac isn’t dead.

Coming soon to BC: Chevify your life.  Brought to you by Government Motors and its CEO, Barack Obama.

We are honored that “Vote against Growth” UGBC election team requested our endorsement, even if it was an election violation.

We agree with the comedy group, Asinine, that The Heights should stop trying.

In an effort to keep up with their Comm Ave. rival, who have scheduled a panel honoring Bob Drinan, S.J., Boston University has scheduled a panel of their own to honor BU parent, O.J. Simpson.

Unlike national, state, or local elections, the UGBC ballot requires a student to select their choice of candidates from a pre-determined list.

This is an unfortunate feature of the voting system because a student must select a candidate, even if they disagree with the platforms of everyone listed.  Students can certainly refuse to vote if they feel they are not represented by any of the candidates, or they have deep-seated disagreements with the candidates’ platforms, but such refusal is often perceived as laziness rather than a vote of protest or an expression of no-confidence in the eligible candidates.

Many students do not feel strongly connected to one of the four candidate teams running for president and vice president of UGBC.  Some feel that their student government is out of touch with their opinions and values.  Others question the prudence in appropriating a significant portion of student activity fees to UGBC, ALC, and GLC.

These students, though, cannot submit a “blank ballot” through myBC, and so they are forced to decide between either voting for someone they do not agree with or abstaining from voting altogether.

In the coming presidential elections, UGBC should offer students the right to select “none of the above” when submitting their ballot.

Fr. Drinan was known as Dean of the BC Law School and for being elected to congress as a priest.  Catholics criticism of Drinan centers on his support for pro-choice legislation.  What we find most scandalous, however, is that Drinan was allowed to run for office in the first place.  John Paul II should not have had to bar priests and religious from running for office for Catholics to know that such activity is unacceptable.  In serving in congress, Drinan blurred the distinction between two worlds, misguiding the American public.  The inner life of the Church should never be confused with party politics, and the ministerial duties of the clergy do not include support for one piece of legislation over another.  By supporting party-line politics as a Jesuit, Drinan projected the false illusion that the Christian faith demands support of a certain ideology.  Nothing is further from the truth.  Christians, guided in good conscience by their faith, can reasonably disagree about matters of politics.  Moreover, we question the degree to which a priest can exercise his duties as a minister of the sacraments while fulfilling the demands of political office.

The Jesuit superior who allowed Drinan to run for office lacked prudence and vision.  BC, and the Jesuit order at large, ought to honor Jesuits who seek God in all things rather than support ideology.

In response to the original bill, the Boston College Law School has a statement in its handbook for job searching which explained why it reluctantly allows the military Judge Advocate General (JAG) to recruit law students on campus.

The handbook states that JAG “has a long history and a current practice of sexual discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.” Since the federal government denies millions in funds to schools which do not allow the military to recruit on campus, the Law School promises to “ameliorate any negative effects” of allowing JAG to recruit on campus.

Needless to say, BC Law’s recent decision to revise this policy is appropriate seeing as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has been repealed. However, we at The Observer find it troublesome that our law school has such an antagonistic towards our nation’s military.
The US Armed Services employ many BC alumni in many different functions, and we find it deplorable that our law school refused to allow an organization to recruit on campus.

We would like to mention that the former policy requiring that homosexual servicemen and women not serve openly was not the result of a military decision but of Congress. Yet, BC Law would probably not discourage its students from pursuing internships through the US Congress or the Supreme Court. For this reason, we cannot help but conclude that this policy reflects a more deeply seeded bias against our military. In addition to changing its statement in the handbook, BC Law ought to alter its attitude towards the US Military.

“A doctor who cuts into the necks severing the spinal cords of living, breathing babies, who would survive with proper medical attention, is committing murder under the law.” said Williams.

Gosnell is also charged with the murder of Karnamaya Mongar, who died from an overdose of anesthetics during her procedure.

Operations and anesthesia were performed and administered by unlicensed employees, one of these employees was a 15-year-old high school boy. In addition, Gosnell is not a certified OB/GYN.
In Gosnell’s office, authorities discovered jars containing severed feet of babies as well as bags and bottles holding aborted fetuses.

Even pro-choice advocates can agree that Gosnell’s procedure, or “snipping” as he calls it, is murder.
It is heinous that live human babies died at Gosnell’s hands.
His arrest occurred the week before the annual March for Life, which takes place in Washington DC to commemorate the anniversary of Roe v Wade and to protest that decision.
Although Gosnell’s crimes are extreme, it should remind us that the ready availability of abortion at all states of pregnancy ought to raise eyebrows. It was only until recently that partial-birth abortions, a procedure eerily similar to that which Gosnell performed, was made illegal.

Approximately 50 BC students traveled to Washington DC to participate in the March for Life 2011.
These students are defending the unborn and upholding the Catholic teaching that life should be protected beginning at conception.

The horrors uncovered in Gosnell’s “Women’s Medical Society” demonstrates the need to reexamine the issue of abortion in America. We need to cultivate a culture that upholds the dignity of women and their children, allowing both to flourish.
As the 38th anniversary of Roe v Wade is observed, it is time to face the controversy and stand up for the rights of all Americans, including those not yet born.

As a source of news, we deeply regret including misinformation in our publication, and we will be wary of trusting other campus publications as sources in the future.

We apologize for an honest mistake, but maintain that we have violated no journalistic ethics.
The Observer, simultaneously, laments that we were subject to severe scrutiny by the groups involved over the issue.

Our online edition was altered within 24 hours of publication with a correction and apology. Furthermore, the other news source from which we drew our information has yet to change their website, over a month since publication, and yet was no so scrutinized.

We would like to clarify that, had we obtained the facts about what was distributed at this event, we would still have run a story. The Students for Sexual Health have been given an esteemed position among student groups, despite their unofficial status and antagonism towards the school’s mission.

Their inclusion in the event was a mistake and the organizers of the event should be held accountable for their participation. Whether it was condoms or lubricant, students at a Catholic school should expect better, more tactful expressions of festivity at official campus events.