A weekly publication by Loras College students
Vol. 90, Issue 15
April 19, 2012
my lorian.com
illustration by EMILY FULL
Bullets to bookbags: Are you protected? The are some commonalities among school shootings that took place from 1974 to 2000 by RAJENDRA THAKURATHI co-executive editor
As America gets mired in wars with other countries, a war remains at home in school playgrounds and classrooms. Unlike committed military members, innocent school-goers get killed that creates grim faces on students and parents alike. There is pain, outrage and terror in the communities when these school shootings happen. Although school shootings have occurred in other countries, America experiences them more frequently than any other country. Two University of Southern California graduate students were shot by a gunman last week. Another gunman opened fire at a Christian university in Oakland, California, two weeks ago, killing at least seven people and wounding as many as three more. In February, a teen took a 22-caliber pistol and a knife to a high school in Chardon, Ohio, and fired 10 shots at a group of 5 deadliest U.S. School Shootings students, killing three of them. “There is no one l “Bath School to blame, but the culDisaster,” MI (1927): ture,” said psychol45 dead, 58 wounded ogist and director of counseling center at l Virginia Tech Loras, Michael Boyd. University, VA (2007): “America has a long 33 dead (including history of wars alhimself) though it’s not bloody and tyrant. Individul University of Texas ally, people think simin Austin, TX (1996): ilar to what the coun18 dead, 31 wounded try thinks. They like to have guns for a varil Columbine High ety of reasons: safety, School, CO (1999): 15 sports, or recreation,” he added. dead, 24 wounded “Moreover, people here are individualisl Red Lake High tic. They may think School, MN (2005): 10 of their family, but dead, 5 wounded rarely about their extended families and community,” he added. Some of it is also the “Did you win the fight?” mentality. After 12 students and a teacher were killed in the infamous Columbine shootings of 1999, the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Dept. of Education established an inquiry that examined 37 similar shootings between 1974 and 2000. There were commonalities found in these incidents. Shootings were rarely sudden, impulsive acts. Frank Ochberg, professor of psychiatry at Michigan State University observed that “students don’t become mass killers overnight. They nurse their fantasies and leak evidence. Insults, threats and plans are posted on websites. Classmates often know when a student is ready to strike back. Parents hear rumblings.” Most perpetrators of school massacres struggle to cope with personal failure or significant losses prior to the attack. Researches reveal that there could be some other potential factors like bullying and revenge, mental illness, exposure to violent films and video games, drugs and access to guns, to mention a few.
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The Big Dance The Dance Marathon Committee hopes for a smooth evening with high energy, high fundraising totals and, of course, a few surprises raising committee, have tried a swath of new ideas to stir up involvement. The “Ask Addison” campaign and flash mobs Dance Marathon is at it again, and staying with a trend across campus were just a couple of their efforts. During the dance, participants can expect to encounter such attractions seven years strong, their goals are higher than ever before. as the morale committee, whose sole purpose is to be over And there’s no reason to think they won’t achieve them. Dance Marathon 2012 is set to begin Friday at 8 p.m., last- the top and rambunctious throughout the night. Participants ing until 8 a.m. on Saturday. Those who signed up to par- will also encounter big inflatables, and a Best Buy booth, so even non-dancers will find ways to stay awake ticipate and raise money have something to and energized. work for: $135,000. But for the last week, it has come down to While the total money raised thus far is personal encouragement for each of the danca secret, junior Eileen Torpy, a member of While corporate ers. the Dance Marathon fundraising committee, “We’re making personal connections with sponsorship has said there are certain expectations for all the every dancer,” Van Dyn Hoven said. “Right improved, funds dancers. now we’re splitting up duties to make sure we “We hope every dancer can raise $150,” from dancers can reach all the dancers before Friday.” Torpy said. “This is through donations from Van Dyn Hoven has made an effort online as have declined. family, friends, wherever they can scrounge well, in an effort to bolster enthusiasm, by sharup the money.” Nicole Myers ing stories from just a few of the patients who Reaching the goal will be difficult, but DM president will benefit from the mega fundraiser. They starting off early and often worked into hope that by revealing some of those receiving the committee’s favor. Between 27 corpothe money, further connections can be made to rate sponsors and six more mini-marathons, the cause. money has started flowing in, but to reach “A lot of the first time dancers struggle to feel connected,” the goals, more is needed. said Torpy. “We hope that by sharing some of their stories, “It’s definitely been a challenge,” said Dance Marathon President Nicole Myers. “We’ve done the same things, but they’ll feel more invested in the cause.” Van Dyn Hoven uses Dance Marathon’s Facebook page just a bit better (than last year).” to share her videos, and the team plans on integrating social While corporate sponsorship has improved, Myers said funds from dancers have declined from last year’s numbers. media not only in the pre-marathon fundraising, but even “We keep getting a lot of donations in, and we’re hopeful during the dance, albeit for a limited time. “I was pushing for us to use Twitter last year,” Myers of hitting the goal,” said Myers. “We will have to wait until said. “With it being at night, we try to keep the time a secret. the night of to see the final numbers.” To increase dancer participation leading up to the big night, continued on page 4 Torpy and Julie Van Dyn Hoven, two members of the fund-
by NICK JOOS
co-executive editor
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And the winner is ... turn to page 2 to hear from the new Student Union president
news
April 19, 2012
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my lorian.com
California chemistry by K.T. Heidorn staff writer
Six Loras biochemistry students, Shannon Hennelly, Brittney Westermeyer, Jessica Withey, Christopher Reed, Reena Dev, and Utshaha Maharjan, along with chemistry professor David Oostendorp, attended the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) bi-annual National Meeting and Exposition March 25-27 in San Diego, California. According to the ACS website, those who attend an ACS conferences “walk away with a greater understanding of the role chemistry plays in the global economy, health, safety and the environment and is given the unique opportunity to exchange ideas with leading experts in the field.” The ACS meetings give scientific professionals, including students, the ability to present, publish, discuss and exhibit new research and technology in the field of chemistry. The meetings also give attendees the opportunity to network with potential employers and allows companies, such as makers of laboratory equipment, to exhibit their products. After a day touring the sites in San Diego, the group spent the following three days surrounded by the wide-world of chemistry. The students were able to listen to presentations, network with other students and professors from across the United States, as well as obtain information about masters and doctorate programs from colleges and universities. Hennelly found the graduate school presentations helpful, “I was able to learn more about graduate school requirements and tips on how to get in, and what you should expect once you get into graduate school. It was very informative and helped me to better understand what I would be doing in my years after Loras.” Reed and Maharjan, both seniors, were also given the opportunity to present their senior research projects at the Undergraduate Poster Presentation Session. At this event, conference attendees could peruse through hundreds of research projects and ask questions to the researchers. In order to be allowed to present, students had to receive approval from ACS. Reed, who presented on the “Determination of Copper and Iron Concentrations in Water Samples in Dubuque, Iowa,” reveled in the chance to show his research. “The conference gave me the opportunity to represent Loras outside of our campus setting,” said Reed. “It was also nice to present to a scientific audience.” Loras’ presence at the conference continued to be noticed. The ACS gave Loras’ ACS student chapter an “Honorable Mention” award for their involvement in the Loras and Dubuque community. Hennelly reiterated the importance of Loras’ presence in the ACS community in light of the award, “I believe we should keep striving to do more with our program and keep being recognized at the meeting as an active undergraduate program.”
photo by NICK JOOS
Student Body President Dan McDermott addresses those attending the candidate meetand-greet Monday night in the ballrooms
Tickets punched by Nick joos
co-executive editor
Daniel Thole was named the Student Union President on Tuesday night, edging out Sergio Perez by a mere 11 votes. Thole’s entire elective ticket, which included Vice President Sarah Dickhut, Director of Finance Sara Castillo-Garcia and Director of Communication Hannah Kauffold. The 11-vote margin of victory for Thole is the same number of votes Dan McDermott won by a year ago. McDermott was quick to say the voting is not usually so close. Recent trends also suggest the president-elect has coattails. In the past few elections, everyone in the elected president’s ticket has won. Some of Thole’s early goals are improving technology usage throughout the governmental body, working closely with CAB to ensure the best entertainment opportunities, and mass surveys and interaction with the student body, through personal interviews, to determine the most important issues at hand. He will conduct these interviews with fellow senate members, once the senate members are determined. “There was great competition, and it means the people who supported me and my ticket are very passionate,” Thole said early Wednesday.
Voting: 2012-2013 Student Union Executive Board president
vice president
Daniel Thole: 233 Sarah Dickhut 381 Sergio Perez: 222 Sarah Keely 128 Robert Bauch: 74
For more information on what’s happening around campus and in Dubuque, check out our website at mylorian.com. Whether you’re on campus, somewhere in Dubuque, or overseas, mylorian.com keeps you on top of the goings-on in Dubuque and on campus. Also, make sure to vote for our Lorian “2012 Person of the Year” nominations, linked off the main page. Your fellow Duhawks have done wonderful things, and deserve your vote.
director of communications
director of finance
Hannah Kauffold: 298 Sara Castillo: 325 David Mendoza: 224 Pasquale Luz: 196
Any old books, car or television that you no longer need? On Saturday, May 5, you can receive money for them instead of trashing them. Reserve a spot today for only $10 by sending an e-mail to lorian@loras.edu. A group can have no more than 3 people.
news
April 19 , 2012
A ‘Sul’ute to Laddie by Surya Pandey features editor
Laddie Sula, a professor of economics, is retiring. His journey with Loras began in 1963 when he received a basketball scholarship. He major was (can you guess?) economics. Sula went on to attend the University of Illinois to receive his master’s degree and then Georgia State University to receive his Ph.D. He was drafted to serve in Vietnam war, but got a deferment because he was offered a teaching position at Loras. He has been teaching for 43 years now. This year Sula is terminating his long career at Loras. The Lorian talked to Sula about his teaching career and his time at Loras. So we present you a brief interview with Professor Sula.
that regard is different. Then, two-thirds of faculty were priests. So, on the surface, it was much more Catholic. Obviously, now we have a much more non-Catholic population but it is good because it educates students for the world that they are entering
On Economics … “It’s a great subject. A lot of students are fearful of economics, In my mind… it is a lot of common sense; most people think economically... they think benefits and costs, make decisions all the time;…. in that sense it is very simple. I don’t understand how you can read a daily newspaper without understanding economics.”
What is the highlight of your Loras career? I have been lucky because of sports, part of an early career at Loras. The highlight as a teacher has been to be close to colleagues and students and to see so many students go on and do so well with their education… College is some place you go to learn something but also when you look back upon your college career you think about those teachers, those administrators, and those staff people that really were very supportive and helpful to you.
How did you get drawn to this field? “I had a very good teacher. Those who study economics, they tend to think rationally. I have always been interested in politics and to understand politics you have to understand economics; it’s a great discipline for understanding what is happening in the world.”
On college & teaching … “If you want to pick a word about college, it’s “balance.” Balance your time, energy, check book, everything … In many ways, college is like a big factory, in one end we are bringing boys and girls, and at the other end we are taking out young men and women, the transition is amazing. Being a teacher is almost like being a parent. In some sense, as a teacher you almost feel like a surrogate parent to some students. It makes me very happy to know that as an individual I contributed in some way to a student in learning something, improving, and having that opportunity… I’m sure teachers in any school have some of that, I think you get a little more of that in small school and Loras is special in that way!” What are your rewards? “Rewards is not only money, (it is) seeing enjoyment of students graduating, seeing colleagues do certain things… One nice thing about teaching is that you get summer off so that enables me to do some traveling; My wife and I like to travel.” What do you imagine yourself doing if you weren’t teaching? “I am a people person. Urban society fascinates me; I would have gone into that field. I always thought I’d be a fireman when I grew up (laughing).”
On Loras College …
Did you have any moments of disappointment? There were always moments of disappointment when some students didn’t do better than they did. Every teacher, when they walk out of the class, knows pretty well whether you really connected with the students or you didn’t; sometimes it’s the material, sometimes it’s just a bad day. In reality, Loras has always been a fun place to work at. You get a lot of support from people you work with directly;
What do you wish were different? Obviously, almost everything that you’d like to do at Loras would require more money. For example, because of the financial crisis a few years ago some of the scholarships we had given out in the past had been cut or not given, that’s one thing I wish would change. Just make life Obviously, air conditioning in Hoffman Hall (laughs). It takes time at a smaller school to get decisions; make all of the funding for these things. career choices on We have seen some movement towards diverwhat fulfills you, what sity on the student body, faculty and staff; if we are going to prepare students for a global world, makes you happy. it should be mirrored in faculty, students and staff And the money will in college. They are beginning to do a little more but we come. You always get need bring back a lot more alumni. There are a money, but happiness lot oftoalumni that are successful, and they should is not for sale. be brought to campus to give talks.
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Roy Wood Jr.
How do you sum up your experience at Loras? “It’s been a great experience. What I really enjoy is the fact that we have small classes and we get to know the students; you look up and down the hall and you have English, History, Politics people teaching… you get to know colleagues all across different disciplines. You can walk into the president’s office, deans office… you know the administrators on a personal level in lot of ways. You can talk to people much more easily at a small school. There is a plus and a minus … you teach a wider variety of classes, so you are a jack of all trades master of none to some extent.”
How has the college changed over time? When I first came to Loras, it was all male; that has changed. I lived in Keane Hall, you had to be in your dorm room at 10 o’clock, they had a bed check at 10 and lights out at 11. Before the computers, you had more students come to your office to ask questions, now they send e-mail. I usually am fairly brief because I’d rather that they come to the office… that way I can talk to them personally. Students today are much more “street smart,” much more cognizant of what’s going on around them because you have a lot more information because of the computers. We used to spend much more time in the library because we had to dig through books to find information, now due to computers… you spend much less time searching and the whole process of research in
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On leaving Loras …
What’s in store for you in the future? I have a lot of books I haven’t read. My wife and I like to travel, we want to do some travelling. We’ll stay around Dubuque, and I’m sure I’ll be on campus. I’ll probably spend a lot more time in the library after I retire than I have lately. I’d like to write a short history of the economics program at Loras. There’s a couple of research projects that I never got on to that I want to get to. If I get bored, you might see me sitting up in the snack bar with a little sign saying “economics tutor” (laughing). I think I’ll keep busy. I probably won’t miss the committee meetings and registration… but I’m sure I’ll miss the students and colleagues. Do you have any words of advice for the students? Talk to your teachers. Meet every teacher you have; go and visit them in their office. Make up some excuse if you have to, but go and talk to the teachers. Get to know them. Whatever your area of interest is, find some magazine that talks about that and read. Read an article, ideally, a day but at least one a week. Don’t waste college just doing as little as you possibly can to get by. What would you like to say to the Loras community? Thank you for all the support that I‘ve gotten from my colleagues, the staff, the housekeeping, the physical plant, people up in the snack bar, and everyone that have always been helpful. Any place you go, things aren’t going to be perfect but I have had a very, very blessed life at Loras. I can’t imagine what else I would have done.
my lorian.com
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The stories behind the songs Bella Voce, Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, and others perform Saturday night by ANDREA BERNS features editor
Blissful melodies were inundating Christ the King chapel Saturday night, as the Loras choirs, directed by Dr. Bruce Kotowich, performed expressive canticles of praise and worship. These choirs were none other than Bella Voce, the women’s choir; Chamber Singers, a selected group of young and talented musicians; and finally, the Concert Choir. The choirs presented a breathtaking performance of pieces of music such as: “Set Me as a Seal,” “All in the April Evening,” and “The Seal Lullaby,” “Rejoice in the Lamb, Op. 30,” and “Requiem, Op. 9” (Concert Choir). In between each musical number, an eloquently written reflection over the meaning and origin of the music was read by Dr. David Pitt and Dr. Bruce Kotowich. A few of the topics covered in Dr. Pitt’s reflection over “Rejoice in the Lamb” included the meaning of the lyrics based on a poem written by Christopher Smart during his time at St. Luke’s Hospital. He had no one to accompany him except his cat, who makes an appearance in the song: “For I will consider my cat Jeoffry. For he is the servant of the living God. Duly and daily serving him … For he knows that God is his savior.” This plays into the theme of cat and mouse, a “creature of great personal valour” as the cat “takes female mouse” and the “male mouse will not depart, but stands threat’ning and daring.” This is a very “David and Goliath” view of Smart’s ever-present animal analogies, illustrating how the mouse, along with the cat’s service, participates in the act of reflecting God’s word. “Requiem Op. 9” is a nine-movement piece of music in Latin, was performed by the concert choir. The meaning of these lyrics reflects a prayer asking God to deliver us from the horrors of hell— the teeth of the lion and the toiling fires—and to grant us eternal rest, which is the literal meaning of the word “requiem.” In his reflection, Dr. Kotowich mentioned imagery, especially in the fourth movement, “Sanctus.” In this movement, the sopranos and altos represent the heavenly choirs of angels while, in contrast, the tenors and basses represent mundane humanity and mortality, as both the angels and the humans sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts.” The concert received very positive reviews, having been called a “sophisticated program wellsung by the students” and “college-level repertoire which engaged everyone.” It was, overall, a very successful and enjoyable performance. The Loras choirs invite you to their next concert, the PDQ Bach Festival, which takes place on Saturday, May 5, at 7 p.m. in the Fieldhouse.
Correction In an article titled “Helping Homacho” in the March 29 edition of The Lorian, Argaw Oremo is paraphrased as saying there were 5 million applicants to the Diversity-Visa Lottery at one time, referring to the lottery that he won in order to come to America. That was incorrect. What Oremo said was that there once were 1.5 million applicants at one time. The Lorian also apologize for the darkness of the photo of Oremo to accompany the story. On some copies of the Lorian, his facial features were indistinguishable. It’s mostly out of our control, as the photo darkened substantially on the press, but it’s regrettable all the same.
news
April 19, 2012
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my lorian.com
Guns: Loras is relatively safe, but ...
“Loras is pretty safe,” said Molly Schumacher. “However, because of the nature of such a vioSome argue that the problem has less to do with lence, it’s hard to tell what’s going to happen. A lot guns and more to do with civil liberties. The sec- of times, there are signs, and we watch them careond amendment of the U.S. Constitution allows fully,” she added. people to have guns. Schumacher said that the Loras staff is also giv“It does, but people have interpreted it the wrong en disaster drills monthly to train to respond to sitway. The constitution provides so many liberties uations. and freedom to the people, even of possessing Although this war is unpredictable, it is certaingun. But that doesn’t mean they have the liberty ly avoidable. Schumacher encourages students to to shoot others,” said attorney and Loras professor sign up for the emergency notification system that Mary Lynn Neuhaus. allows them to be aware of the emergencies of any Iowa has loosened its laws in the last few nature. years, making the process to receive a gun perOchberg further noted in his research that there mit easier. As a result, within weeks of enact- is no evidence that America has more bullies, more ment, thousands of Iowans lined up to fill out bullying, more victimization, and more victims forms for the permits, including Iowans with fel- compared to other nations. But new school proony convictions. Moreover, after the shooting of grams should be promoted that protect all chilTrayvor Martin, the “stand your dren from stalking, hazing, and the new, ground” law has gained notoriety Loras undergoes evolving forms of abuse: ostracism and for giving more leeway to those humiliation through electronic social lockdown who claim to kill not necessarily networks. in times of out of self-defense, but out of an Counseling is a big part of preventing easier standard: whether or not the incidents as such. emergencies shooter felt threatened. “Isolation from family and one’s comthat involve “Laws are not the absolute protecmunity can be hard for some people, but violence. tions when there is intent to break counseling and maintaining a commuthe law,” added Neuhaus. “Gun vinity can avoid incidents like gun vioolence is like an accident. It could lence,” Schumacher said. happen anywhere at any time.” Loras’ no weapons policy says that possession After the Columbine shootings in particular, that of or firing of firearms, fireworks, explosives, amleft a total of 15 dead, new safety measures were munition, sling shots, balloon launchers, paintball adopted in schools, including so-called zero toler- equipment, knives, bows and arrows, air-soft guns, ance policies for remarks or actions that could sug- items construed as weapons, or any other weapgest a threat of violence. It’s for all the schools, ons capable of inflicting personal injury or damage colleges and universities in the nation. may result in severe judicial action. Any employ“It’s the same everywhere when it comes to ee bringing a firearm to the workplace, property, or schools and the protection of the welfare of the carrying a firearm in a college vehicle is also subchildren,” said Neuhaus. ject to discipline and other actions. Loras College undergoes lockdown in times of We may demand peace from the government in emergencies that involve violence of such nature. regards to its involvement in wars abroad, but when In 2010, when a local gas store was robbed at it comes to peace from such violence at home, it gunpoint, the school went through this. will come from awareness and prevention.
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Lorian file photo
DM: 20% increase in fundraising last year continued from page 1
“Therefore, we encourage people to not bring their phones,” Myers continued. “This year, we are going to have a Twitter station for the first four hours, with a few laptops open. Next year, however, we are changing to a daytime event, so we will probably do away with not knowing the time. People will be able to bring their phones.” Last year’s $129,000 greatly exceeded the goal of $109,000, and each year previous, the totals rose by nearly 20 percent, and last year’s record total made Loras’ Dance Marathon the highest earning in the nation, per capita. “Increasing by 20 percent each of those years is a huge accomplishment,” Myers said. “There are many national charities that don’t increase even close to 20 percent.” “Out of the 121 colleges in the nation to host a Dance Marathon
last year, Loras was one of 31 schools to grow by 20 percent,” said Kevin Meyers, vice president of Dance Marathon The event will start in the ACC ballroom, followed by dinner, before moving off to Graber and, weather permitting, the Rock Bowl. The committee is hoping for a smooth evening with high energy, high fundraising totals, and of course, a few surprises. “Two years ago a few of the neighbors made a noise complaint when it was in the Rock Bowl,” said Torpy. “A police officer came and we told him what we were doing,” said Meyers. “And before he turned around, he looked at us and said, with a smile, ‘FTK.’” Dance Marathon, a celebration even the law can’t slow down. Check up with the Lorian next week for a full recap of Dance Marathon’s final fundraising outcome.
LORIAN lorianclassifieds@gmail. com CLASSIFIEDS
563-588-7954
Apartment for Rent 4-bedroom house for rent one block from campus. Available mid-May. Includes washer & dryer. $925. Call Jeff @ (563) 590-1000.
Room for Summer Rent Extremely nice house has an open room for this summer. Around $280/ month, counting utilities. Scenic overlook. Super cool roommates too. For more information, please contact Jeff at (319) 601-9648.
House to Sublet Looking for 2 people to sublease a house for the summer. $340 per month. All utilities are included. Bed included as well. Located on Belmont St.
illustration by EMILY FULL
CAMPUS-WIDE CLIMATE SURVEY
If you have anything to sell or donate, send us the details and we’ll list your items. For more information contact us.
Please contact kelsey.bergan@loras. edu or alyssa.schroeder@loras.edu for more information.
Pro-life Thought for the Week Umbert the Unborn by Gary Cangemi
Part-time job College Pro Painters is looking for students to knock on doors and offer homeowners free estimates for their painting needs this summer. This job pays well and has flexible hours. For more information, please contact Joshua at (563) 542-8548 or Joshua.Wernimont@loras.edu
Seniors Pictures Photographer As the graduation date nears, don’t forget to save the memories by taking pictures with your closed ones at Loras. For all high quality photography needs and graphical works, please contact (563) 8451483. Cheap price.
— Advertisement from Duhawks for Life
April 19, 2012
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my lorian.com
Let’s look at the big picture O
n Tuesday, April 10, the Obama for America campaign hosted the Greater Together Student Summit in Iowa City. More 200 college students from the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, Luther College, Drake University and Loras the event in yler zymanski attended person or via webcam. Also attending the event were Kal Penn, a celebrity and Obama campaign activist, and Mitch Stewart, the “battleground state director. They spoke about how they believe in the president and the power of America’s youth. The speakers talked at length about the health care overhaul (the Affordable Care Act) that took place two years ago, saying it is one of the greatest progresses in recent American history and that it changes the concerns many young Americans have about getting coverage. Kal said, “Do we really want to roll back all the progress or do we want to keep it going?” The U.S. has seen a number of positive changes since Barack Obama took the oath of office, and he plans on doing so much more, not because it is politically advantageous, but because it is the right thing to do. Not one human is perfect, so it becomes it important that we learn and work together. Our very own Loras student, junior Erin Sexton, a junior, shared her lifechanging story of how her life changed after she was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. She also knows that there are tens of millions of people suffering from the same condition. Being diagnosed a few years back, she discussed it as one of the most frightening events in her life. She did not know what was happening or what the future held. With the Affordable Health Care Act, Erin received piece of mind and assistance that she would not have otherwise. Erin is one of numerous Americans who are being helped by the Affordable Car Act, whether it involves eliminating “lifetime limits” of benefits, coverage for pre-existing conditions, or allowing young adults to covered by their parents until they are 26. The youth summit showed men that as a nation, we have made great strides in justice, commitment and helping each other out. But it also was clear that there is so much more to be done. The event is a symbol of the strength and unity young Americans have with the Obama Administration as a result of his commitment and accountability. The issues Obama campaign fights for are not solely reflective of the Democratic Party’s priorities, but they are dedicated to the preservation and prolongation of civil liberties and rights as human beings. It is strongly emphasized that people, no matter what social class, faith or background, need to continue to talk with each other and find common ground on issues in order to bring about more positive changes to not only this nation but to the world. As we saw at the youth summit, when we work together, we are greater than the sum of our parts.
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opinion/politics
April Nov.19,3,2012 2011
Loras’ version of ‘survivor’
Keane
Simple szymantics
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my lorian.com
— A little over the top —
When you think about it, our 2-party system rocks
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editorial
Our ‘crippled’ campus It’s the typical nightmare: You have class on the fourth floor of Hoffmann until 10:50, then class on the third floor of Hennessey at 11. Your professor keeps you in class a little longer, and you have a test you absolutely have to be on time for. It’s not uncommon for many of us. Now, on top of that, imagine you’re in a wheelchair or on crutches. Many parts of Loras, as many of us have figured out by now, are not easily accessible for handicapped people. Hennessey doesn’t have anything but stairs connecting floors, the lift in the ACC has been out of commission for months now, and the only connection between upper and lower campus is a very steep hill that even the most ablebodied of students find any way to avoid. Fortunately, there have been few, if any, people moving around in wheelchairs as of late. And injured athletes usually do not need to use crutches for an extended period of time. But there is a serious flaw in its campus design, so what can Loras do to minimize potential accessibility problems? First of all, maintenance is a must. Things like the lift in the ACC need to be available at all times, the ramps need to be cleared of obstacles (like snow) and the steepest incline needs to be way less than it currently is. Second, there need to be more options for getting around. Elevators are all well and good, but when you need to go completely out of your way to even get to one, you might as well be coasting down Loras Boulevard. Hennessey has nothing but stairs, you
have to go down some stairs to even reach the elevator in the Visitation, and no one seems to know where the elevator is between the fourth and third floor of the ACC. Finally, getting from class to class is a race in itself, our legs tiring from every expedition from Hoffmann to Keane and back. Imagine how it must be for someone who has to rely on their arms to get themselves from place to place. Loras claims to be open to people from all walks of life. What about the people who can’t walk? — The Lorian staff
Editorial staff co-executive editors Nick JOOs and rajendra thakurathi news editor MARY AGNOLI features editor SURYA PANDEY sports editor JACK METZ photo editor KeLSEY BERGAN illustrator AYUSH SUBEDI advertising manager Mike Broton assistant features editor
COLIN HALBMAIER copy editors Laura Hebbeln K.T. Heidorn MATT KOCH Hannah way moderator TIM MANNING
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re all Americans either Republicans or Democrats, with no middle ground? In today’s polarized political atmosphere, it may seem that political affairs in the United States are staunchly red and blue. However, like most disciplines, politics is a field best seen in shades atrick rady of gray (or in this case, purple). America’s two-party system is often a point of criticism both domestically and globally. Dissenters argue that a nation of 319 million citizens needs more than two political parties to garner proper representation in a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The United Kingdom, a nation of about 60 million, sends three major political parties to Parliament: the leftist Liberal Democrats, the left-of-center Labour Party, and the right-wing Conservatives. Dissenters argue that these more ideologically pure parties can better relate to their constituents, leading to a happier and healthier democracy. However, as is often the case with European politics, what looks appealing in principle, does not go down so well in practice. With three or more major political players, parties struggle to achieve a simple majority. Without such lawmaking power, legislatures lack comprehensive vision and political goals are obstructed in a partisan haze. Secondly, many parties holding seats could dilute the lawmaking body to the point of nonpartisan-ship, sacrificing the political relatability of parties for equality of differing ideologies. Finally, parties might have to form coalitions covering ideological gaps, thus diluting their conservative or liberal message. Such circumstances currently exist with the Liberal Democrats/Conservative coalition in the United Kingdom. The far-left party is working closely with the right-wing party dilutes and restricts policy. The two-party system in the United States works, because each is large and inclusive. Blue-dog Democrats work with far-left liberals and moderate Republicans work with Libertarians. The broad platforms allow for wide inclusion, with parties often scuffling for independent voters in the middle, a virtue that ensures political moderation. But why do Americans feel so committed to a party to begin with? Must party platforms be so specific that they cater to every voter’s individual ideology? The answer is no. Party ought to be a means to an end. The argument should not be “How well does a party represent me?” but rather, “How am I shaping the party?” Active citizens should frame the argument with their principles, not wait for the construction of party platforms and then wonder why they do not fit it. The lifeblood of democracy is men and women willing to stand up for their principles, not waiting for a party to point them in the right direction.
Read and Right
Hoffmann
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U n r e a d M e s s ag e
The car came faster than anyone could have avoided. I saw it coming over the hill at the last minute, turning in front of me without a clue. My foot found the brakes, my hands spun the wheel, but it was already too late. With the squealing of tires and the sickening sound of collision, it happened. I felt myself flying forward, stopped suddenly by my seat belt and the rapidly expanding air bags. I was winded, I was sure there would be a red line from the belt down my chest, but I was alive and breathing. I filled my lungs with air and opened my eyes, not realizing that they had ever been closed. I was fine. My girlfriend in the passenger seat was not. Turning to her, I reached out, shaking her slightly. Her body was limp, a thin trickle of blood running down her cheek. Her hair was getting darker by the second, stained by the life flowing out of her. I said her name once, keeping my calm, but soon found myself shouting her name, shaking her more and more. After a minute of this, I realized that she needed help. For all I knew, so did the person in the other car. In her hand was her cell phone, which I pulled away from her limp fingers. The screen was cracked and lifeless; somehow it had been shaken enough to break. Without setting it down, I found my own phone on the floor of the car. Thankfully it was still working as I dialed the emergency number with shaking fingers. “Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?” said a stern-sounding woman. “I’ve just been in a car accident on the corner of Newberry and Smyth,” I said, looking out the cracked windows for the road signs, “I’m fine, but my girlfriend is unconscious and bleeding from her head.”
by COLIN HALBMAIER
assistant features editor
At this, I clenched her lifeless hand, praying she would hear me and show some signs of life. “Stay on the line, sir. We’re dispatching emergency vehicles to you now.” When I walked into the hospital
lobby, my parents stood up immediately and embraced me tightly. I did the same to them, but my mind was on more important things than my own well-being. When they brought up driving me home, I stepped back and said I couldn’t go with them right now. The doctors had already broken the news to me; my girlfriend had slipped into a coma, and the outcome looked grim. Her parents were on their way from their home several hours away, and it didn’t feel right to leave her alone in the room. My parents understood entirely, and with a final embrace, left me to my business. I found her room after asking several nurses and navigating the labyrinth of hallways. I pushed the door open gently to find no doctors or nurses. Against the wall there was a heart monitor, beeping rhythmically, alongside several machines and IVs, which added a gentle hum to the atmosphere. There on the bed she lay, tucked under a thin white blanket, with several wires and tubes hooked
Aband ned by ANDREA BERNS staff writer
Forbidden fruit And its sunset-colored friend Each waiting to ripen And fulfill its destiny Only to be launched By the shadow of youth, Wasted from its purpose, And collided into A nearby rooftop.
up to her at various places on her body. I circled her bed slowly, taking in the horrific sight, yet blown away by her beauty, even unconscious. I found a wooden armchair against the wall and pulled it over to the bed. She looked so peaceful, as if she was simply asleep. If it wasn’t for the machines, you would never have been able to tell the difference. They had cleaned off the dried blood, and her beauty shone through as brightly as ever. Reaching over, I gently stroked her hair, letting it fall through my fingers as they brushed against her soft cheek. You could feel the life in her, as faint as it was. Eventually my hand found hers, and I held it. I sat like that for several minutes, losing myself in the cadence of hospital machinery. My eyes fell upon her closed eyes, but my mind wandered far away, to times gone past. Every memory of her, of us, flashed before my eyes in an emotional rush of sadness, but also happiness. She had always been the one I had gone to with my problems, because she was the one I knew I could say anything to. She understood what it was like to be me, and I learned what it was like to be her. We were one and the same. Silently, I wished we could talk now. My right pocket began to vibrate. Reaching in, I pulled out my phone and saw one of my friends had
texted me, asking if I was okay. I replied, assuring him that I was fine. Just as I was about to put it back in my pocket, I changed my mind, choosing to hold it instead. I opened my old messages and brought back our old conversations. We talked about anything and everything, no matter what came to mind. Our entire history was right there in front of me. “I wish we could talk. I miss you,” my thumbs found themselves typing on the keys. Before I could think about what I was doing, I was sending the message. My left pocket began to vibrate. Reaching in, I pulled out my girlfriend’s phone. Somehow it had come back to life, recovered from the crash. A message flashed on the screen: “1 Unread Message.” I pressed the button, and my own words stared up at me from the screen. This was how she saw her half of our world. I took in everything, from the fonts to the colors; it was like seeing myself in a new light that I couldn’t quite understand. I realized that I had never actually seen her phone before. I found myself beginning to text back. “I’m not gone, we can still talk! What’s up?” Now my phone was buzzing on my lap. I set hers down and picked up mine again, feeling a familiar thrill at seeing that I had a new message from her. I opened it, and began to type. “Just sitting in the hospital room waiting for you to wake up. I’m worried about you. :(” “I know you are, and I appreciate that. Stay strong!” “I’m scared you’re going to leave me.” “Don’t be scared; it’s going to be okay. Everything happens for a reason.”
To be continued ...
21 Jump Street
Takes the Leap by MATT KOCH staff writer
Free ticket, free popcorn, free pop, and good company: thanks to CAB, 21 Jump Street had everything going for it. But apparently, that was not enough. A friend told me, it was the Other Guys goes to high school—but that hardly seems fair to the Other Guys. Actually, the problem with 21 Jump Street actually becomes crystal clear when compared to The Other Guys or a Naked Gun movie. 21 Jump Street was not its own movie. It had an original premise—original as comedies can be and recognizing the fact that it is a TV series remake—and proceeded to make wholly unoriginal humor out of it. The movie opens and the audience is treated to a glimpse of our two protagonists’ high school career. Schmidt (Jonah Hill) is a nerd, and in true nerd fashion, he makes an utter embarrassment of himself asking a girl to prom. Jenko (Channing Tatum) watches this debacle unfold from behind some lockers snickering at Schmidt’s misfortune. Jenko is the supercool-jock-attractive-manly man that—surprise, surprise—struggles in school. The movie fast forwards seven years, and both gentlemen find themselves in the police academy. Jenko still can’t pass a test, and Schmidt still can’t run a mile. Naturally, they become best friends. After a dismal start as park-patrol riding bicycles, they get transferred to the 21 Jump Street Division. This unit of misfit cops is led by Captain Dickson (Ice Cube), and his seemingly innumerable insults may make him the most entertaining character in the movie. He sends Schmidt and Jenko back to high school to infiltrate the dealers and find the supplier. The movie is by no means awful; it just settles for
boring laughs and repetitive stunts. I can’t count the number of times someone gets high at an inopportune time in a movie nor can I count the number of teenage parties that get out of control. These gags and others like them came off stale to me. I think the acting is what saved this movie. Channing Tatum proved he could be funny to people who are not teenage girls. Jonah Hill showed yet again that he has a subtle charm that makes him endearing and funny. The minor rolls such as Ice Cube and Chris Parnell had their own quirk, which livened the movie. Admittedly, I am in a minority in not loving this movie so take my words with a grain of salt. Judging by the many laughs in the theatre, it is safe to say the audience enjoyed it much more than I did. And at any rate, I’m quite positive it would be better than seeing American Reunion.
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Let’ s See A M
ovie!
by JOEY RUDDY “My favorite staff writer pa rt of films w listening to pe ople’s stories. as S he sa ys her life transform Hearing at producing the favorite part of touches me,” ion stories always fi sa showing peop lm was actually Spiekermeier id senior Jacob le their film an , ab working on hi out the favorite part of what kind of response it go d seeing s fi t. “I will never Spiekermeier lm, Manasseh. forget when th co en e movie nc te lu re de d d one of our in his an Lauren DeWit terviewees t’s documenta d ca m e up to Jaco Cedar Rapids ry in the fi hugged us. A b and I crying and brings nation past weekend lm festival, over the t that momen al pr t, . Their docum w I ho e kn me, for free. oductions close to ha ew d do ne something entary focuses on th good and e empowering. “This is a grea living together lives of four women ” at films from film t chance to watch T th he e Manasseh H pa ir w in Dubuque, a on ouse seclusion shel documentaries first place for student nation and to makers across the women. ter for se hundred dollar as well as a two on a limited bu e what others are doing The documen sc ho la rs hip as at the film fest said. “This is dget,” Spiekermeier a glimpse into tary gives the viewers a ival. Students an award only ones invo are not the want to see m great program and I living at the M the lives of four women or lv ed lives are transf e and more people’s Loras professo . lives were toucanasseh House, whose r S ch ae fer and his Loras College role in transfor ormed. Everyone has a and compassio hed by the grace P min ro du ct io ns co Ted Rosean su “The real ques g their community.” owner’s, drea n of one woman, the bmitted work. lleague tion is why w m. documentary, you not want Their ould to M Dewitt, a juni go an ?” Schaefe of Deeds the life of Bis “You’ll be en for this film w or, says the inspiration hop Loras. Sch , covers tertained, you’ r said. as the angered, you’ ll ae ll be challeng be “When I was established a year ago. do Silver Reel for best profes fer won ed di a si cu ff so to think on er m ph en al en om tl ta y. or ry The e working for LCTV New . for just about re is really something He says this w about the open s, I reported a story ev eryone at a film festival all ye as the best film festival.” Shelter in Dowing of Safe Strides ar, though no t on th nt e only own Dubuque e for Loras S This event w developed an and in He is referrin tudents to check out. affiliated, and ill be free for all Loras said DeWitt. terest in the topic,” g starts today, an to the Julien D “W International Sunday. d ends on Schaefer, info hen my teacher, Craig Film Festival ubuque rmed me that (JIFFD) th at w il l be he was looking fo the shelter ld closer for thos in Dubuque, a bit For more info a video about r students to develop e with travel co rmation on their cause, I A pr nc il er 19 ns -2 , 2. The w immediately the Film Fest interested in he as Loras students JIFFD is free to ival, includin lping out.” , g the Loras Stu thanks to a donation by dent Union. T a schedule of he festival events, check
out www.my
lorian.com
From Southampton to New York
The Tale of Titanic by COLIN HALBMAIER
assistant features editor
It was 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912, when Frederick Fleet looked across the calm ocean and looked into the face of death. He pulled the alarm, but it was too late; only moments later, the ship collided with an iceberg and signaled the beginning of the end. Two hours and forty minutes later, the RMS Titanic sank beneath the waves, never to see the light of day again. The Titanic was only four days into its maiden voyage, traveling from Southampton in the United Kingdom to New York City in America, when the tragedy occurred. 2,223 people were on board at the time: 739 in First Class, 674 in Second, and 1,026 in Third. The Titanic was designed to be the ultimate in luxury, complete with the finest restaurants, the most comfortable in lodging, and the most beautiful in design. Its most impressive characteristic, which soon became its most ironic, was its claim to be unsinkable. Despite the beautiful and intricate design, the ship had a major flaw: it only had enough lifeboats to carry 1,178 people--slightly more than half of the total passengers on-board at the time. The iceberg scraped the side of the ship, buckling the hull plates and filling five of the sixteen watertight compartments. As soon as the crew realized that the ship was going to go under, evacuation of the passengers began immediately, starting with the women and children. In the following two and half hours, as the ship slowly sank beneath the waves, 710 survivors fled the scene in lifeboats, many of which were only partially filled. 1,514 people are known to have died in the wreckage; some died in the wreckage of the ship itself, while those who were pulled under by the ship suffered and died from hypothermia in the freezing North Atlantic Ocean. The impact made by the sinking of the “unsinkable” Titanic was felt worldwide. There
was a great deal of outrage and confusion in public, much of which criticized the building of the ship and the way the crew handled the incident. The world reached out to the women and children who lost everything in the wreck, while many of the men who fled were accused of being cowards and socially shunned. In addition to the social outrage, the maritime world was shocked and outraged by the event. Public inquiries led to overall improvement in maritime safety and the establishment of many of the policies still in effect today. The wreck of the Titanic was found on the ocean floor in 1985, submerged 12,415 feet in the freezing North Atlantic. Relics have been salvaged from it and displayed in museums and collections worldwide. There have been numerous expeditions to the ocean floor to explore the wreckage and make more sense out of the tragedy so many years before. A plethora of documentaries, movies, and debates exist on the ship, analyzing and criticizing how things could have been avoided if different actions were taken. This interest in the Titanic has made it one of the most famous ships in history. Last Sunday marked the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking that fateful morning. Many of us today know about the ship’s story through the 1997 film Titanic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, recently brought back to theatres for a short time in 3D. The world is taking another look at the legendary tragedy, paying new respects to the people who lost their lives that day and remembering the lessons learned at such a high cost. The RMS Titanic, the legendary ship that never reached port, has made its mark in maritime history for a hundred years, and will never be forgotten in the centuries to come.
1 - Five Flags Center 2. - Holiday Inn 3 - The Bank Gastropub 4 - Chocolaterie Stam 5 - The Hub 6 - Hotel Julien 7 - Mason Dixon Saloon 8 - The Lift 9 - Lot One 10 - Mississippi Moon
activities
April 19, 2012
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Campus Dining 1. List five food items found in the Loras college cafeteria that are rich sources of folic acid. 2. What vegetable is the richest source of protein? e-mail your answers to Campus.Dining@loras.edu by Sunday 9 p.m.
2 winners to receive prize from Loras College Campus Dining
Boydology
Dr. Mike Boyd, the director of the Counseling Center, answers student questions concerning anything that relates to keeping it together while doing this crazy thing called college.
His cheat ‘n’ heart
Hey Mike: I was wondering if my boyfriend is cheating on me and he won’t tell me what should I do?
—Worried
Mike Says:
Honey, if he told you, it would not be called “cheating.” That would be called “breaking up.” If you are in a relationship that is only a few months old and you do not trust him, bail out. It is not a good sign for the future. If that seems to always happen after a few months, talk to someone about how you pick lovers or about how you lose trust. If you are in or get in a committed relationship, defined as both of you realistically planning to stay together until you are old and as gray as me, then if you worry about this you should talk about it a lot and figure how to rebuild trust. Good luck. — Mike
Pick-up woes
Hey Mike: Why is it so hard to pick up women anyway?
— Loner
Mike says:
Well, Loner, in those 10 words you said a great deal, all about yourself, not about women. It seems to me that you need to get your head on right if you want to be more successful at developing relationships. Note the word, “relationships.” “Picking up girls,” implies nearly anonymous pairing up for your individual purpose. A relationship is a mutual endeavor. It has been hard for you to pick up girls because the girls may not have wanted to be picked up. Now TV and movies would have you believe that it is supposed to be easy, but few of us are movie stars, so we need to have something besides looks to offer. Try qualities such as sincerity, friendship, joyfulness, and so on. Forget the lines like, “Are you busy tonight at 3 a.m.?” and try something like, “You are in my biology class, aren’t you? What did you think of the test on Tuesday?” Finally, where you go to meet people matters. If you look for the girl of your dreams at a basement beer party, your dreams better be limited to dark smelly, drunken places. Look elsewhere. — Mike
E-mail questions to Michael.Boyd@loras.edu. The identities of the senders will be kept confidential.
Superbad Liquor Store Re-enactment
by MIKE HARLOVIC
spirituality/opinion
April 19, 2012
The 2 sides of hate speech W hen I was younger, I was never able to understand the idea behind “reclaiming” words, particularly slurs. How a minority could take vicious hate speech and then flaunt it as a positive slang name was beyond my comprehension. Didn’t rett obbins they know they were degrading themselves? Wasn’t it unfair that the hate slur’s definition was relative to the speaker and whether they were in the minority? Didn’t using it create further prejudice against the afflicted minority? One prominent example, and the one I focused on in my youth, is the use of the word “n----r” in the black community. From my experience, there were two opposing arguments in the debate over the “burial of the n-word.” Those against the word held the same opinion I did, that using it only further promoted racism. Using it degraded the speaker, degraded blacks in general, and sent a message to other races that calling a black person a “n-----r” was apparently Rockin’ RObbins
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acceptable. Quite simply, the burial of the word was the only logical option that would move society in a more accepting direction. On the other end of the spectrum came the opinions of blacks who used the word. They claimed that they could “take back” the word and make it their own; a “term of endearment” as Sherry Sheppard of The View put it. Their idea was that by reclaiming the word, they took the racism out of it, making it instead a form of self-empowerment. This idea was alien to me as a white kid and therefore an outside spectator. I quite honestly thought they were insane. Then I came out of the closet and hopped into a discriminated minority of my own. Gays have as big of a landfill of hate slurs as blacks do, and antigay hate reigns supreme in the world of bigoted slang terms. Initially, my opinion didn’t change. I wasn’t going to wear “f----t” on my sleeve as a form of empowerment. Rather, I’d prefer to see it incinerated alongside n----r. But over time my opinion changed, and my frigid feelings toward the word began to thaw. I began to understand the feeling of self-empowerment. Just as “n-----r” was used for
generations to degrade and oppress blacks, “f----t” was and still is heavily used to oppress gays. My opinion soon became that my reclaiming of the word “f----t” did have some benefit to my self-image. It deflated the hate within the word. I took control of the word out of the hands of the bigots and brought it under my jurisdiction. I felt I could better manipulate “f----t” and belittle its homophobic impact by using it casually with other gay men. To a degree, I’ve been able to lessen the pain and degradation the word can cause me. But in the end, hate is hate. “N----r” and “f----t,” even when reclaimed, are still used as weapons by bigots. The intolerant, demeaning definitions of hate slurs cannot be erased, even if slang definitions are made to compete with them. Burying hate slurs is unfortunately impractical to accomplish, and reclaiming them is a double edged sword, bringing both empowerment but also legitimizing degradation. The right response to slurs is still in the laboratory, but in the meantime people should analyze both these stances and give a thought to those minorities who struggle with slurs in their daily lives.
Sensationalism trumps knowledge
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ith the exit of Rick Santorum, Republicans can claim a greater sense of certainty about who will duke it out with President Obama. The front-runner, Governor Mitt Romney, is the inevitable victor for the Republican race. eith linn Unfortunately, Romney has inherited Santorum and Gingrich’s “war on women.” Recently, this issue has been captivating our outlets, yet it seems a trifle in comparison to the issues which Romney needs to use to derail the Obama camp (domestic energy policies, promotion of private growth, and foreign policy issues). These pertinent issues have taken the backseat to liberal claims that conservatives don’t value women. However, more recent comments stemming from Hilary Rosen claiming that Romney’s wife is a stay at home trophy wife have fortified this debate place at the forefront of American media outlets’ agendas. The fact is that Mrs. Romney has battled MS, beaten cancer, and worked to erect a model family. She and many stay at
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home parents are the glue which bind these families, equally as important as what one might consider the bread-winner. Rosen claimed that Romney’s wife doesn’t represent American women, alluding that she was a caged bird. I find Rosen’s comment to be offensive to any woman who chooses to raise a family as a full-time job. With the goal of creating more dissonance between women and Republicans, the liberal camp and media outlets have been dousing Republicans in anti-woman rhetoric, and yet not only do recent comments from Rosen accentuate the falsity of the claims, but the argument derails the process. I’m all for providing voters of this country, who are largely uninformed, pertinent information so that they can make responsible decisions when voting. Politics in this country have become ridden with trifles. If any one person was to be elected, would the role of women in this country be altered? Absolutely not. We live in a modern society. Even if a woman became president, it wouldn’t change anything for women in this country, although it would be a monumental moment in our history and certainly a glorious day. Aside from being a proud moment in our history, what did President Obama’s
Knight time by JOEL POHLAND
deputy grand knight
The Knights of Columbus’ annual (K)Night with a Knight auction was a huge success this year. Held on Monday, April 2, the Knights auctioned off 12 of their own, along with a dinner with Jim Collins, a dinner with the seminarians, and a dinner at the K-House. The event brought in over 60 people to bid on the Knights and the dinners. The night was filled with laughter and bidding wars, and in the end brought in $1223 for the Hope House. This year has been a very successful year for the Knights of Columbus, and it has been an honor to serve as Deputy Grand Knight this year. I have enjoyed working with a great group of men developing faith and working with them through service and events. We brought in many new members and strove to build our organization as an accountable and strong one on campus. We hope to continue our success and continue growing in numbers and faith.
inauguration do for the average black person in this country? I’d argue less good than bad, and so would Herman Cain, but I’ll be labeled a racist by some of the more sensationalist liberals for believing so. Our media outlets are liberal, and the Americans want sensational news. The result: extremely liberal beliefs and uproar against anyone who voices a sensible conservative argument. I’m not saying the Republicans who bash gays, or ridicule patients walking into Planned Parenthood are not innocent because they, too, are sensationalists. Here is a real example: Newt Gingrich has been quoted as saying Spanish is the language of the ghetto. Our sensationalist liberal media was quick to jump down his throat and label him a bigot. What he meant was if immigrants in this country don’t make the effort to learn English they may be disenfranchised, less successful, and thus forced to live a life in the ghetto. That is certainly fair, and probably the bitter truth. Yet other immigrant groups have come to this country, and learned English, and as a result are quite successful. The bottom-line is that as a result of Americans’ demand for sensationalism as opposed knowledge and rationale, we will never be able to get anything productive done.
letters to the editor Letters to the editor must be signed and verifiable (a phone number and address usually will suffice), and they must not be libelous or mean-spirited in nature. The Lorian reserves the right to edit letters for accuracy and space. All of the columns in this opinion section — outside of the editorial — represent the views of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Lorian staff. Please send letters to lorian@loras.edu.
For more information on what’s happening around campus and in Dubuque, check out our website at mylorian. com. Whether you’re on campus, somewhere in Dubuque, or overseas, mylorian.com keeps you on top of the goingson in Dubuque and on campus. Also, make sure to vote for our Lorian “2012 Person of the Year” nominations, linked off the main page. Your fellow Duhawks have done wonderful things, and deserve your vote.
my lorian.com
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from the seminary
Politically incorrect
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by AARON JUNGE seminarian
ometimes, you just have to call evil “evil,” and a recent advertisement by the folks from “Freedom from Religion” is just plain evil. It’s evil because evil is divisive, destructive, hateful, and ultimately impotent. The advertisement is said to be an “open letter to liberal and nominal Catholics” that urges them to “vote with their feet” and leave the Church. While some have raised claims that this ad is hate speech and never should have been run, I think it’s time the masks fell away and we were all able to speak of reality and not with the language of political correctness. Put simply, the ad is wrong. To begin with, it wields a sword to divide the Church along strictly political lines into liberal and conservative camps. The ad further argues that the liberals don’t belong and ought to defect. I’d just like to speak to everyone regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum: that is a bold-faced lie! We’re all part of the same team here, and that team is a team of sinners. Whether it’s sins of the mind, sins of the heart or sins of the hand, we’re all guilty. It’s easy to look at the Church’s leadership and blame them for being sinners (as the ad is, again, very swift to do), but perhaps all of us ought to look into our own hearts this and see where we all share guilt. It’s a pretty hopeless picture, which is exactly why the ad is so dark in its design: it drains life and leads to the same despair that Judas himself fell into: “you’ve sinned, you’re not perfect, God doesn’t care about you, God could never love you.” Thank God (quite literally!) that this is the opposite of the truth. God LOVES us, all of us: liberal, conservative, and every other distinction we might manufacture amongst ourselves. And it’s a love that’s deeper than politeness or kindness. We’re all sinners, yes, but we’re sinners that the Son of God died for. He didn’t want to lose us and that love is stronger than any division, any sin, and stronger than death itself. That’s the Good News, that’s the Gospel. It’s the Church’s mission to spread that Gospel, even to the shedding of blood, or enduring name-calling. It’s a Church built on the foundation of a man that denied Jesus three times, but who knew to turn to the Lord for forgiveness and conversion. Love converts, love changes, love heals. So I offer a different message (and not just to some narrow, divisive group) to all Catholics, and all people of good will: come home! It’s a journey that all of us are on because we’re all sinners. The challenge is to not just sit and splash in our own little mud puddle of sin, but to let the Father wash us off, convert us, and bring us back where we belong. Jesus would have forgiven Judas, but because he doubted the Lord’s love he despaired; let’s not despair, any of us. We’re shown in this ad not a “Freedom from Religion” but a freedom from love, and that just isn’t how the story ends. We are loved into freedom and new life by the heart of the Son offered to us by the Father. What a Heart to find, and what a home to enter into in the beauty of the Church.
opinion
April 19, 2012
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What do you think ...
my lorian.com
... the new student body president should do? Nang T. Khai
senior Promote racial diversity; strive towards tangible goals; improve RHA.
Lorna Pamba sophomore
Work towards improving food in the cafeteria.
Jose Ortiz
junior Get more scholarship opportunities for everyone and more job opportunities for international students.
Kyle Hendrickson first-year
Get a fraternity started.
Aleksander Serafimoski
senior Eliminate the financial compensation for e-board of the student union and use that money for events and other things.
Mikey Karasch first-year
Maintain the Faber Clarke Field.
Smriti Shakya
sophomore Improve registration process and housing sign-up process.
Micaela Mertens first-year
Extend the dining service hours on weekends.
Amanuel Hmariam junior
Make the laptop less expensive; either change the company or the policy; I think we pay a lot more than what we should.
Rodrigo Samaniego senior
Add a latenight snack station and/or extend the market/POD hours.
Jillian Wulf sophomore
Extend library hours.
Jeilah Kanake junior
Reach out to other colleges to put together better and bigger events. .
Global issues hit close to home by Stephanie Schulze for the Lorian
When one generally thinks of human rights issues it is easy to think of events around the world that are constantly being brought up in the news, but one rarely thinks of the human rights issues that need to be addressed in his or her own backyard. Dr. Jenna Lea’s Global Issues class decided for their class project to focus on the issue of human rights as a global and local problem. The class decided that this is an important issue that needs to be addressed, and the best way to start is to get the word out on campus. It is one thing to learn about global issues and politics in a classroom. However, it is another matter to actually go out into the community and do something to change the situation as well as raise awareness. As a member of this class, I am happy to say that we are ready to act and get the word out across campus in order to motivate other students to get involved and learn more about the issues at hand.
International human rights issues sometimes are easier to recognize than human rights problems in our own area. Violations of international human rights generally make national and international news headlines, whereas issues that are occurring in our own towns oftentimes are not mentioned. International human rights issues sometimes are easier to recognize than human rights problems in our own area. Violations of international human rights generally make national and international news headlines, whereas issues that are occurring in our own towns oftentimes are not mentioned. No matter where a violation of human rights occurs it is still an important issue that should be addressed. It is important to note
that as long we stand by and only take notice of the events when they are brought to our attention we are not helping the situation. The Global Issues class has decided that while international human rights issues are important, it is also important to help resolve some of the human rights issues here in Dubuque. To focus on the international human rights issues, we will be showing the documentary The Human Experience on April 25th in the Science Hall. To focus on the local human rights issues the class has decided to collect items for the Dubuque Rescue Mission. There will be collection boxes in the dorms as well as in Dr. Lea’s office in Hoffman Hall. We will also have three days throughout the rest of the semester where we will have a table outside the cafeteria to collect items. There will be more information posted across campus soon in regards to the events and what is being collected. Please help our class to spread the word about human rights issues here in Dubuque and around the world in order to help provide aid to those who need it.
sports
April 19, 2011
Tennis team picks up two victories
my lorian.com
The record has not been indicative of the team’s effort this season, but, finally, there was a breakthrough at home this past week by RYAN BINSFIELD sportswriter
The month of April has had its ups and downs for the men’s tennis team as they continue to struggle to find their stride this season. In six contests this month, the Duhawks are 2-4 thus far, bringing their season record to 2-13 overall. They have three matches remaining. There have been bright spots for the Duhawks, as their lone two wins came in backto-back contests against Simpson College and Aurora University. They have since followed up their wins with three straight losses. The season hasn’t quite panned out like they had hoped, but the young squad is continuing to stay motivated. “We know the season hasn’t brought us the number of wins we would have liked, but we are hoping we can add more wins to the total,” said coach Daniel Kurt. “No matter what your record is you want to finish the season strong. Our team is very young and any wins we can add at the end of the season will help us build into next year.” In the two victories the Duhawks won by a score of 6-3 against Cornell College and snuck past Aurora University 5-4. “In our two wins we had great doubles play. We won 2 of the 3 matches at doubles, That really lets you take momentum into singles,” said Kurt. “Against Aurora on Thursday, we were down 5-1 in our three doubles and junior Justin Gonner, and sophomore Jeff Kasel came back to win 8-6. Justin Gonner really carried the team back and played lights out to guide the two of them to the victory.” In the Simpson match, first-year Jon Moore, Kasel, Gonner and senior Justin Steines took away singles victories. The team was also able to walk away with doubles victories from the teams of first-year Brian Falvey/Moore and first-year Tyler Livingston/Kasel. Against Aurora, Moore, Falvey and Steines won their singles matches. And the doubles teams of Falvey/Moore and Gonner/Kasel won their doubles to aid in the victory. The Duhawks hope to continue to try and build off their victories this season and end the season with some momentum. “Any victories are great for team chemistry and great for momentum, and with our two victories against Simpson and Aurora, we have definitely gained a little confidence as we finish out the season,” said Kurt. “That will definitely help drive us to make progress in the off-season, to help us improve our individual games and our record next season.”
LEAH SEDELLE CHAPMAN
Junior outfielder/infielder Mike Canevello dives into third base.
Big wins for Loras, cancer research by JULIAN GALLO sportswriter
This spring break marked a very special milestone for Coach Carl Tebon and the baseball team. On April 5, Tebon and the team took to the field against a strong Monmouth College baseball team. The two games went very well for the team, and they came out of the day with two more victories, 13-1 and 3-1, respectively. What made these wins even more special was the fact that it gave coach Tebon his 400th win as baseball coach. He has won 344 games in charge of the Loras team to go with his 56 wins in his three seasons with UW-River Falls. The milestone was not an easy one to reach, but when asked about it, coach Tebon did not feel the credit should go to him. In fact, he even cracked a few jokes about it. “It’s something that makes you feel older more than anything else,” said Tebon. “It’s not really about me. I coach and try to guide the team, but the players are the ones who should be congratulated. It has been their hard work and success that has propelled us to this point.” With that being said and having that behind them, the team looks to continue their success. Their next goal is the Conference Tournament. Even though this is the next goal in sight, the team knows that they need to take the rest of the season game by game and that every game is going to make a huge difference in the conference standings. “It’s going to be a dog fight for a spot in the Conference Tournament. We will have to wait until the Cornell game to see what happens,” said Tebon. “We are going to fight for every win to even give us a chance to make it. Wartburg, Buena Vista, University of Dubuque, and Cornell are all good teams that are in a similar position as us. They will be fighting to get their chance to make the
tournament as well which makes them very dangerous.” This past weekend the Duhawks had a three game series against Coe College that holds a 17-10 record overall and 96 in the conference ranking them second in the standings. After dropping the first two games, 6-15 and 3-16, respectively, the team prevented the sweep with a 9-4 victory .Junior Ben Cottrell pitched five innings before Jeremy Gerardy closed out the final two innings. The majority of the Duhawk offense came off of the bat of junior outfielder, Billy Kass, who hit a 3-run home run to start the game following two walks that put runners on for Loras early in the 1st inning. Kass came up again in the second inning and sent another ball over the fence driving home two runs, to give him a grand total of five for the game; he would finish with six. Kass was named Iowa Conference “athlete of the week” following his performances. Kass hit .400 and boasted a whopping slugging percentage of 1.133 during a four-game span. He went 6-for-12 with two doubles, three home runs, eight RBI and four runs scored in the Duhawks’ 3-game weekend series with Coe. One thing that has been impressing coach Tebon this year has been the mental strength and maturity of the team. It comes partly from the leadership of the upperclassmen, but it also comes from the coaches and the respect that each person has for each other. “I’m very proud of how this team carries themselves; we recently raised over $10,000 for cancer awareness and shaved our heads to pay respect to cancer patients,” said Tebon. “This team is very unified and mentally strong. We may be young, but now that we have some experience we are more than ready to play some serious baseball.”
11
Track teams look to build on successes by JEFF SCHMIDT sportswriter
The Duhawk track and field season is well under way. With four outdoor meets already completed, the Duhawks have passed the halfway point of the season. Just this last weekend, the Loras track and field team made a short trip to Wisconsin to compete at the UW-Platteville Invitational. After coming off of a successful showing at the Loras Midweek meet, the Duhawks continued to roll on Saturday. At the weekly team meeting on Monday, Coach Bob Schultz had over 3 pages of personal records and top ten additions to read off. This bodes well for the remainder of the season, giving the Duhawks something to build on. Their eyes are always set on the conference championship meet, and everything else exists to prepare for that meet. Coach Schultz commended his team for the effort they put at the Platteville meet. “The team probably holds the best competition that we will see this year,” said Schultz. “The fact that [the team] competed so well and stepped up to the competition is awesome.” Some of the biggest D-III track powerhouses of the country were present at the meet: UWOshkosh, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Track Club, UW-Whitewater, Wartburg, and many others. Despite this, the Duhawks held their own, coming in 2nd among IIAC schools at the meet. Loras had 4 athletes finish in the top 3 for the meet. Sophomore Josh Goerdt got 2nd in the open 400 with a time of 48.38 seconds, putting him at number 10 in the nation and number 2 on the Loras all-time list. Freshman Emily Sotelo got 3rd in the 400 hurdles with a time of 66 seconds. Sophomore Katie Langmeier got 2nd in the high jump with a height of 5’6’’, putting her at number 8 in the nation. Sophomore Kirsten Schultz got 2nd in the Javelin with a hurl of 114 feet 4 inches. Junior Katie Flogel, a captain on the women’s team, was very excited about the weekend’s performance and has high hopes for the remainder of the season. “We had great competition this weekend as we always do when we compete against Wisconsin schools and Wartburg. As I was watching all my teammates compete, I noticed everyone was rising to the occasion of having some good weather and great competition,” Flogel said. This weekend the Duhawks have a meet at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. The women will compete on Friday, the men on Saturday.
Golf team prepares for IIAC Championships by RYAN BINSFIELD sportswriter
The Men’s Golf team has gotten their spring season underway and have posted two fourth-place finishes in three meets thus far as they prepare for the Conference tournament on April 27. Junior Sam Herrmann continues to lead the young squad posting team high finishes in each meet. They finished 3rd place overall in the Duhawk Spring Invite on April 1st and in their most recent meet, the Wartburg College Invite, on April 14th. The Duhawks competed in two meets this past week, April 12 in the Clarke University Invite and April 14-15 in
the Wartburg College Invite, posting 4th place and 13th place finishes respectively. In the Clarke Invite, the Duhawks posted a team score of 331, 26 strokes off the first place team. Herrmann and first-year Drew Massey led the team with scores of 80 to tie for 16th place overall, followed by teammate Bubba Carter, a sophomore, who shot an 83. At Wartburg, the Duhawks shot 637 in the two-day meet for a 13th place finish. Herrmann shot 146 to lead the team, followed by Massey with a 160. First-year Alex Beck brought in the third best team score with a 165. “After the first few meets we are showing signs of improvement,” said head coach Jeremy Hawkins. “We have a lot of new faces on the team this season and there is a definite
learning curve, we just need time to get better.” First-year Massey has been the Duhawks’ most consistent performer outside of Herrmann, coming in with the second lowest scores for Loras in each meet which included a top-10 finish in the Duhawk Spring Invite. Closing in on Conference tournament play, Coach Hawkins has high expectations for his team. “I think that we have been playing below our potential, but we have been improving every week. If we continue that trend, we will be happy in the end,” Hawkins said. This weekend the Duhawks will compete at the Buena Vista Invite before competing in the Conference championships the following week.
sports
April 19, 2012
12
my lorian.com
sports editorial
The greatest month in sports
With a new baseball season and playoffs starting for NBA & NHL, April is the best
A
Jack’s Smack
pril marks one of the greatest months we have in the sports industry when it comes to entertainment. The month begins with the end of March Madness. Even though the tournament did not come through with a high value of excitement as it has in the past, it culminated with an impressive run by Kentucky, which claimed the national championship. Now the Kentucky program will get ready to rejuvenate its program following the announcement that five of their underclassmen are declaring for the NBA Draft, and all five will probably be drafted in the first round. Of course the main anticipation and excitement for the month of April is centered around the smell of the freshly cut grass with the return of “America’s pastime”. Baseball is great because one always knows what to expect with the tradition of opening day around the league. With the ever-changing world that we live in, it is nice to know we can still find excitement in the game that determines the best over nine innings of pitching perfection and hitting prowess. Some things just never change. That is why it was not surprising to the see our favorite personality, Ozzie Guillen, run his mouth almost out of Miami. He is, honestly, the only man who can be the ideal fit for a baseball team taking over a new market filled with diversity and turn a strong chunk of that demographic against him with what he says; it is truly remarkable. Of course the ten baseball games that most teams have played so far this season are not much of a sample of how the season will turn out, which brings us to the final reason April is one of the greatest months for sports: the NHL and NBA playoffs. Despite the excitement for both, I cannot help but call out how disappointing the NBA playoffs will be. If anyone out there thinks the two teams that will come out of the Eastern Conference will be teams other than Chicago and Miami, then they obviously own a jersey or two of that team. The NBA playoffs are as predictable as the plot line from Titanic 3D. On the flip-side, the playoffs that we see in the National Hockey League are unlike any other in American sports. It is the only sport where the outcome of the games can be so uncertain, and the only game with traditions that involve tossing octopi or rats — thank you Detroit and Florida, respectively — onto the ice after a victory. In a shining example that nothing ever is guaranteed, the Vancouver Canucks, who won the President’s Trophy for having the best record, was knocked out of the playoffs by the No. 8-seeded Los Angeles Kings. Going into Tuesday night’s action on the rink, there already ad been seven overtime games. Bovada’s (www. bovada.lv) “proposition bets” prior to the start of the playoffs put the “over/under” at 17.5 for the total number of overtime games during the playoffs, and we are only in the first round. The only thing that has bothered me about the NHL playoffs so far is the on-ice violence that has taken place. The atmosphere is all part of the NHL, but players are getting carried away with some hits, and it all started when Brendan Shanahan let Shea Weber off the hook with a slap on the wrist fine of 2,500 dollars for his head bash on Henrik Zetterberg. Mario Lemieux, former great and current Pittsburgh Penguin’s owner, has even said that he is ashamed of his team’s antics, and he should be. His team is setting the wrong tone for the playoffs, starting with his punk of a captain Sidney Crosby, the former face of the NHL. Pundits have all the right to be crying foul around the industry of sports on what we are seeing, but the fingerpointing begins with Brendan Shanahan, who could have set a tone of his own by suspending Weber letting the league know that there is a line that can be crossed.
Jack Metz
LEAH SEDELLE CHAPMAN
Sophomore Alaina Rigdon takes a cut during Loras’ doubleheader sweep over nationally ranked Coe.
Sophomore hurls no-hitter during sweep of ranked Coe Softball team is riding a 4-game winning streak going into Wednesday’s doubleheader by JACK METZ
sports editor
A week ago, it seemed the softball team was searching for its identity, reeling from six straight losses and an 0-4 start in the conference. But after this past weekend, Loras won four-straight games against conference opponents Wartburg and Coe. The doubleheader sweep over Coe is particularly significant because Coe was ranked No. 3 in NCAA Division III. Coach Ashley Rogers said she was not too concerned about the team’s rough stretch. “We had played some real strong competition. Luther and Carthage were both teams who had been nationally ranked, and Luther is still ranked,” said Rogers. “Carthage is really strong and Simpson is very strong. I thought we played well at times in those games. It was just a matter of playing a complete game, and I think we finally broke through this past weekend.” The team did break through with victories last Thursday against Wartburg College and followed it up with a sweep of Coe on Saturday, which also marked “Senior Day.” Leanne Szela, Cassandra Maniatis and Katelyn Jones were acknowledged prior to the action. But the real highlight of the weekend would turn out to be at the hands of the Duhawks’ sophomore pitcher Lara Mangialardi, who pitched a no-hitter against the Kohawks in the first game of the doubleheader, winning 1-0. “A no-hitter is a hard task to accomplish, especially in the game of softball and especially against our conference Lara opponents. EveryMangialardi body is so strong offensively,” said Rogers. “She kept them off-balance, and our defense made outstanding plays to keep the no-hitter intact for her.”
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A no-hitter is a hard task to accomplish, especially in the game of softball and especially against our conference opponents. Everybody is so strong offensively. She kept them off-balance, and our defense made outstanding plays to keep the no-hitter intact for her games, unfortunately did not get the win, but we did play well.
Ashley Rogers, softball head coach
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Despite Mangialardi’s success on the mound, she did not let the nerves get to her throughout the game, even though the team was having similar problems at the plate. The game was still scoreless as the Duhawks came up to the plate in the bottom of the seventh. “I was on second base with Holly Klein in front of me at third. I saw the sign for the squeeze play, and I got excited because I knew this was our opportunity to finally take control of the game and win,” said Mangialardi. “I would say my nerves were worse in the top of the seventh (inning) when Coe had a runner at second (base) with nobody out. In that situation, saying I was nervous would be an understatement.” Loras’ bats woke up in the second game against Coe. Kellie Klein provided the power in the first inning as she drove in three runs with her fourth home run of the LEAH SEDELLE CHAPMAN season. The Duhawks hitting prowess, enhanced by a late-inning home run Sophomore pitcher Stephanie by junior Regan Thies, combined with Popovich winds up from the complete-game pitching performance mound. Popovich held Coe by sophomore Stephanie Popovich, seto just one run on three hits cured a 6-1 victory over Coe. during the second game of a The Duhawks, who had a record of doubleheader sweep Saturday. 15-11 overall and 4-4 in conference entering Wednesday’s games against BueHowever, while all onlookers waited na Vista University, also honored their to see if they would witness a rare soft- three seniors before the Coe game, a ball no-hitter, Mangialardi was not even class of seniors who were praised by aware of the opportunity until late in the Rogers. “They have been a pleasure it work game. “I honestly didn’t realize I had it go- with, and this is the first class that I have ing until the end of the game. I kept been with for all four years so it’s a bit thinking there was a hit that I forgot more personal for me.,” said Rogers. about or something,” said Mangialar- They are a great group of girls, it will di. “Coe was putting the ball in play a definitely be sad to see them leave the lot, so the team’s defense had a lot to do program, but their contributions have left a good legacy at Loras.” with my success.”