political polarization // The Observer

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Voter turnout among University students increased 18.1% in 2020, election survey finds

Maggie Eastland | Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Despite voting challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Notre Dame students flooded the absentee polls in the 2020 presidential election. Even though the majority live outside Indiana, students secured absentee ballots with help from campus civic engagement groups like ND Votes. According to a Center for Social Concerns (CSC) research report published January, 71.4% of

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‘Why has education become so political?’ And other questions you have about Indiana Senate Bill No. 167

Renee Yaseen | Thursday, January 13, 2022

Editor’s Note: Due to a copy editing error, part of the last sentence was originally left out of this piece. It has since been added. The Observer apologizes for this error. I’ve attended Indiana schools for just shy of 17 years. This week, Indiana Senate Education Bill 167, and the surrounding debate, made national headlines.

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Take off your rose-tinted glasses

Letter to the Editor | Tuesday, April 13, 2021

On January 20, 2021, the people of the United States of America and the rest of the world once again witnessed one of the hallmarks of this country’s democracy, as outgoing President Trump and incoming President Biden engaged in a peaceful transfer of power, a lasting American tradition that is envied by millions around the

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Civics is dead, good riddance

Vince Mallett | Friday, November 6, 2020

I’ll start with a disclaimer: I’m writing this Monday. When this column is published Friday, we will hopefully know the outcome of the presidential election. As of right now, I have no idea. I believe that everything in this column will still be true Friday, but I’m sure it will be interpreted differently based on

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This November, a call for humility

Ellie Konfrst | Tuesday, October 27, 2020

It’s a tale as old as time — or, at least, as old as cable news. Americans are more politically divided than ever, and traditionally unifying places, such as the Thanksgiving table, have become battlefields filled with impeachment-shaped land mines. The conversation about American political polarization is more salient than ever as the country approaches

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There’s more to politics than this

Edward Brunicardi | Thursday, October 8, 2020

The highest political aspiration is that of a U.S. President. They lead the free world, guide our political parties and share with us a moral compass to follow into tomorrow. Because of this, one would think the debates for such a position might reflect the political character of this country. Unfortunately, during last week’s debate,

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Building through consensus

Letter to the Editor | Thursday, October 8, 2020

Growing up, I have always felt a strong attraction to everything political, and ever since I can remember I would spend my time combing through the political pages of Nicaragua’s only two circulating newspapers, following the turbulent and sometimes chaotic political scene of the Central American nation I get to call home. I must confess

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We are engaged in a great Civil War of ideology

Letter to the Editor | Tuesday, September 29, 2020

When I was in fifth grade we studied the Civil War. Our teacher gave us extra credit for memorizing the Gettysburg Address. As an overachiever, I jumped at the chance. Now, 20 years later, I can still recite most of it, but the words have taken on a new meaning — a new urgency. In

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The importance of the upcoming primaries: The dangers of polarization

BridgeND | Monday, March 2, 2020

On Sept. 13, 2017, a gunman opened fire at Freeman High School in Spokane, Washington. The alleged suspect, a 15-year-old sophomore, brought an AR-15 rifle and a pistol, killing one student who attempted to prevent the shooting from taking place. Three other students were injured and taken to the hospital. This is not an event

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What political polarization means for the 2020 election

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