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Volume 47, Issue 122 | FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2014 | ndsmcobserver.com
Coulter delivers Lincoln Day address Columnist and author speaks on health care reform, gun control and immigration By JACK ROONEY Associate News Editor
Conservative political pundit Ann Coulter addressed a standing-room only crowd at the Carey Auditorium of the Hesburgh Library on Thursday night as part of Notre Dame College Republicans’ Lincoln Day event in a speech centered on health care reform, gun control and immigration. Coulter said the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as “Obamacare,” made the familiar American concept
of health insurance illegal in the United States and instead instituted a welfare program funded by insurance premiums. “Obamacare has made actual insurance illegal,” she said. “Insurance is … when a lot of people pay a small amount to a program, and then if catastrophe strikes, that will be paid for by the program. “Hopefully you will lose your premium, hopefully you will not have a catastrophe see COULTER PAGE 5
WEI LIN | The Observer
Political commentator Ann Coulter speaks Thursday evening in the Carey Auditorium of the Hesburgh Library. Coulter’s speech concluded the Notre Dame College Republicans’ Lincoln Day celebration.
Students meet policymakers By MADISON JAROS News Writer
Student body president Lauren Vidal and vice president Matthew Devine, both juniors, traveled to Washington earlier this week to discuss the interests of the Notre Dame student body with policymakers as part of their involvement in this year’s Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Student Advocacy Trip. The trip, which drew
representatives from 11 ACC universities, focused primarily on the importance of federal funding to support undergraduate research and financial aid, Devine said. “Collectively, students were advocating the continued support of research and filling what they referred to as the ‘innovation gap,’ in terms of developing countries and looking at continuing federal support of … research opportunities,” he said.
The topic of federal funding is one that is important to Notre Dame not only because of the importance of research and financial aid to the University, but also because of Notre Dame’s status as a private university as well, Vidal said. “Notre Dame has a lot of institutional funding from our endowment, especially when we’re dealing with student financial aid — a lot of
Committee to unveil The Shirt
see ADVOCACY PAGE 6
Event examines religion, spirituality and well-being
WEI LIN | The Observer
Irish head coach Brian Kelly stands before a crowd at the unveiling of The Shirt 2013. He will reveal The Shirt 2014 at a ceremony Friday.
By M ACAIL A DeM ARIO By CHARLIE DUCEY
News Writer
News Writer
This week’s exploratory spiritualit y session, Spiritualit y Monday, took place Thursday and examined faith in the context of aging populations. Senior biolog y major Haley Koth shared her senior composition project research findings at the Saint Mar y’s Center for Spiritualit ysponsored meeting. see EVENT PAGE 6
NEWS PAGE 3
CAROLINE GENCO | The Observer
Senior Haley Koth shares her composition research on spirituality and religion at a Spirituality Monday session on Thursday.
VIEWPOINT PAGE 8
SCENE PAGE 10
The Notre Dame community will celebrate The Shirt’s 25th anniversary with free food, entertainment and student discounts at the unveiling ceremony at the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore beginning at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Junior John Wetzel, president of The Shirt Project, said the ceremony would spotlight members of the Notre Dame community with
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performances from student groups. “The unveiling ceremony has been around since 2002, and it is always a great time for the community to come together,” Wetzel said. “The event will feature fantastic performers including AcoustiCafe, P-Fresh, the Bagpipe Band, Irish dancers, pom squad, Glee Club, Leprechaun Legion, the Notre Dame cheerleaders and the see THE SHIRT PAGE 7
MEN’s LACROSSE PAGE 20