The Observer is a student-run, daily print & online newspaper serving Notre Dame, Saint Mary's & Holy Cross. Learn about us.
-BridgeND | Thursday, November 14, 2019
“Political polarization” is a term that is often thrown around in the media and news. By definition, political polarization is the “divergence of political attitudes and ideas to the ideological extreme.” Polarization is the idea of “us” and “them,” and this ideology can and does cause confusion and tension between those with differing views. The
BridgeND | Thursday, October 31, 2019
The Eighth Amendment, which prohibits “cruel and unusual punishment,” has always given constitutional scholars some difficulty regarding who is the proper actor to determine its meaning. The task of interpreting the Constitution traditionally falls to the courts, but for judges to apply their personal analysis of “cruel and unusual” seems arbitrary and more than a
BridgeND | Monday, October 14, 2019
For many, Columbus Day is a 19th century holiday in a 21st century world. It is not a harmless celebration of the old world meeting the new. It is the glorification of colonialism, a catch-all term for the social maladies that no longer plague a diverse and progressive society: paternalism, exploitation, coercive conversion. Yet it
BridgeND | Thursday, September 26, 2019
One in three species of birds live in the Amazon rainforest. One in every 10 species known to mankind can be found there. For the last 55 million years, the Amazon has been home to some of the most beautiful scenery on the face of the planet. And as of this year, the Amazon is
BridgeND | Thursday, September 12, 2019
After what one can only assume was five minutes of deliberation at a board meeting, the University has sent word of another policy change to affect daily student life. On the heels of poorly received news of the 3-year housing rule and greater restrictions for off-campus seniors, the administration has delivered another blow to student
BridgeND | Thursday, August 29, 2019
The Supreme Court was never designed to be democratic. Exercising “neither force nor will, but merely judgment,” in the words of Alexander Hamilton, the Court was seen by America’s Framers as the weakest branch, incapable of imposing its own judgments and removed from the political sphere and in dire need of protection from the legislative
BridgeND | Wednesday, April 24, 2019
There has been a lot of pushback against the University’s announcement to prevent future off-campus seniors from participating in dorm activities, and rightfully so. Yet, there is an honest concern that the administration might dismiss this indignation, believing that students would have been upset no matter what policy it had come out with. But the
BridgeND | Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Notre Dame is kind of a weird place. I’m not certain quite how controversial a statement this is but I think we might need a reminder every now and again, so here goes. I’m certain many of us have had the frustration of trying to explain to friends back home that yes, seeing monks and
BridgeND | Wednesday, March 20, 2019
You’d be forgiven if your mind was elsewhere over spring break, but in the last week, the national media seems to have remembered the mayor of South Bend, Indiana is running for president. After a CNN town hall where he stunned viewers with direct, substantive answers to policy questions (as well as throwing some shade
BridgeND | Wednesday, February 27, 2019
The LaFun ballroom echoed with chatter, punctuated by the passionate gesticulations of people engaged in lively debate. One table, however, had a mood better echoed by the somber evening — twilight spreading in from the western windows. A pro-life senior and her pro-choice classmate were engaged in an intense quest to understand each other. Mati