The University News

Homecoming blues

Editorial Board • September 28, 2007

What are you doing for Homecoming? If you attend Saint Louis University, chances are good that you won't be doing much. Although the Homecoming celebration is relatively new-certainly relative to the nearly century- old celebration at the University of Missouri-Columbia-the excitement levels surrounding the week are appallingly low.

O’ America!

[email protected] • September 21, 2007

Who hasn't heard or read at some point in their life that America is the land of opportunity? J. Hector St. John de Crevecoeur, in his book What is an American? (1782), sees America as the land of "fair cities, substantial villages, extensive fields . good roads, orchards, meadows and bridges.

Democrat investment in Iraq failure may backfire

John Witt • September 21, 2007

"This war is lost." With those words, on April 20 this year, Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), clearly laid out the Democrats' national philosophy on the Iraq war. The party became essentially tied to declaring that the war was not winnable and thus the best course of action was to remove American troops from Iraq as quickly as possible.

The ‘Jena Six’

Editorial Board • September 21, 2007

The society in which we live is ever-changing, but it seems that even as it progresses, some prejudices-as archaic as dinosaurs-survive. Hate is still prevalent, and segregation-if not de jure, then de facto-still persists. One cannot be fooled into believing that the world has rid itself of racism.

In search of taste

Editorial Board • September 21, 2007

Taste is a personal matter. Problems begin to crop up when taste becomes a public affair. In a recent edition of The Recorder, a student-run newspaper for Central Connecticut State University, a comic strip was published that has prompted powerful reactions from the public.

Thanking CSO leaders

Sam Howard • September 21, 2007

Just to ensure that all of these PHENOMENAL people get in the paper, I want to THANK everyone who participated in the first-ever CSO Student Leader Retreat this past weekend-Friday, Sept. 14-Saturday, Sept. 15. This was a weekend where CSO Student Leaders were CONNECTED to resources available to them at SLU, administrators who are important to their success, to the Student Government Association and most importantly, to one another.

Students stand up for peace

Jim Allen • September 21, 2007

While the debate over the war in Iraq continues and Congress prepares to vote on another multibillion dollar supplement, peace activists in St. Louis organized a five-day 24-hour vigil outside of Senator Claire McCaskill's office in the Delmar Loop . Last night, I had the opportunity to join in that vigil along with a group of Saint Louis University students.

Fielding complaints

Kevin Crookshank • September 21, 2007

Intramural soccer on the field at Laclede and Vandeventer is a good experience. We have lights to play under, fences to corral loose balls, goals with nets and wheels for easy movement, referees, and even a lined field. I'm very thankful for all these amenities.

Pondering peace; choosing justice

Rebecca Gorley • September 21, 2007

Dear Saint Louis University, Thank you for choosing to bring Jane Elliot to speak Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007 on this campus. Speaking crucial and compelling words about the unmistakable dissonance that pervades American society, she issued a challenge to make the choice to step out of comfort and complacency and start to make genuine choices to live actively aware and peacefully, with love and acceptance for one another.

Future greatness depends upon present confidence

Samiksha Tarun • September 21, 2007

Mahatma Gandhi, Christopher Columbus, George Washington, William Shakespeare, Albert Einstein . and the list of greats continues. Did Albert Einstein know that he was destined to change the world through his exploration of science? On bright, sunny, lazy days, did Einstein imagine that he would discover ideas in science that seemed unfathomable, or that he would be considered one of the greatest scientists the world has ever had? Did Isaac Newton know that his laws of physics would still be relevant today-and studied throughout the entire world? Did Shakespeare realize that he was going to be considered one of the greatest writers in history? Did Gandhi know that he would bring independence to India? When he was in college, did he think of bringing independence to India? Did Martin Luther King, Jr.

Public transportation

Editorial Board • September 14, 2007

Here in middle America, all the hottest trends seem to arrive late. Capri pants, yellow cars and a light rail public transportation system all came after other large cities in the country had accommodated such trends years before. Now, almost 15 years after MetroLink began operation, the trend of public transportation still has yet to truly catch on.

Smoke signals

Editorial Board • September 14, 2007

Clean air is a wonderful idea. Sadly, because of pollution, it is an idea that has little possibility of becoming a reality. That is not to say that there should not be a push to reduce pollution in the atmosphere, merely that until we can focus on the large polluters, perhaps it is not worth trying to micro-manage the polluters who may be small in stature but not in their contribution: smokers.