Editorials

Opinions from the Voice’s official editorial board.

Editorials

Why can’t we stay?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Although the good doctor was most certainly not referring to Georgetown students right to live in high-priced community housing, the point still stands.

The West Cloisters Homeowner’s Association voted Wednesday on a measure to prohibit more than three unrelated individuals from living in a Cloisters residence.

By the April 11, 2002

Editorials

How are we doing?

As part of the reaccreditation process by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Georgetown last month released a self-study report that looks into various components of University life and offers over 100 specific recommendations for suggested improvement.

By the April 4, 2002

Editorials

Marijuana: Why not?

District of Columbia voters will have the chance to vote, perhaps as early as November, on the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes following a March 28 ruling by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan.

Sullivan overturned a federal law known as the Barr Amendment that forbade the District from placing the question on the ballot, decreeing that the Barr Amendment limited free speech and he judged that “the Constitution does not allow Congress to pre-clear acceptable viewpoints for public debate and expression.

By the April 4, 2002

Editorials

Crack kills

Show us an efficient super-criminal with civic aspirations, and we’ll show you a way to get this city running tight as a drum. Unfortunately, all anybody’s been able to show us is last week’s Metro section story in the Washington Post detailing former D.C.

By the April 4, 2002

Editorials

A black and white issue

Georgetown has a reputation as an African-American-friendly school. Surveys in Black Enterprise, movies such as Boyz N’ the Hood and Georgetown’s stories basketball program have created the popular image of an institution that is open and welcoming to black students.

By the March 21, 2002

Editorials

Too much compromise

In a letter to the campus community released Tuesday, Vice President for Student Affairs Juan Gonzalez detailed his proposed compromise on the issue of a resource center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. This compromise represents an important step forward for the University, but it raises questions about the administration’s decision-making process.

By the March 21, 2002

Editorials

The season’s over?

This past Sunday, the Georgetown Hoyas Men’s basketball team decided not to play in the National Invitation Tournament, ending its streak of 27 straight postseason appearances. Head Coach Craig Esherick said that his team initially accepted an offer but eventually declined because tournament officials could not guarantee them a home game at the MCI Center?which will host part of the NCAA Tournament?or an away game close to Washington, D.

By the March 14, 2002

Editorials

Changing the Church

A scandal has erupted among Catholic parishioners that has become a national disgrace. The Boston Globe reported Jan. 6 that the archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Bernard Law, had sheltered a pedophiliac priest rather than reporting him to the authorities. When Cardinal Law discovered that this priest had raped several boys, he simply sent him on sabbatical to Rome, the Globe reported.

By the March 14, 2002

Editorials

Knock Tyson out of D.C.

Sadly, the D.C. Boxing and Wrestling Commission voted unanimously at Tuesday’s public hearing to grant former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson a license to fight in Washington, D.C., which may result in a June 8 bout between Tyson and current champion Lennox Lewis at the MCI Center.

By the March 14, 2002

Editorials

Equal-opportunity speech

Red Square, Georgetown’s designated free-speech zone, was the center of controversy Friday when two groups of Georgetown students staked out the area. One group chalked up Red Square and posted flyers reading, among other things, “There are Gay Hoyas, too” and “There are Lesbian Hoyas, too.

By the February 28, 2002

Editorials

Every career fair counts

Last Wednesday night, Vice President for Student Affairs Juan Gonzalez indefinitely postponed a progressive career fair that was scheduled to take place the following day in the Leavey Program Room. The Student Activities Commission-approved fair was organized by GU Pride and H*yas for Choice, a group not recognized by the University, and was to feature organizations such as Catholics for Free Choice, Amnesty International and Choice USA.

By the February 28, 2002

Editorials

Big Brother’s back again

In addition to those currently in use on M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, the Metropolitan Police Department has introduced even more security cameras across the city that threaten the rights of District residents. The new Joint Operations Command Center brings together video feeds from the newly-installed and the existing cameras to form the largest network of video surveillance cameras in the United States.

By the February 28, 2002

Editorials

Out with the old, in with the new

The Voice traditionally evaluates the performance of the outgoing Georgetown University Student Association executives by comparing their original campaign goals with their actual accomplishments. For former GUSA President Ryan DuBose (CAS ‘02) and former Vice President Brian Walsh (CAS ‘02), however, this kind of comparison would not provide a completely fair assessment of their administration.

By the February 21, 2002

Editorials

Winning ugly

In an 11th hour effort to sink The Yard referendum, members of the Georgetown University Student Association convened late Sunday night to draft and send out e-mails to students condemning the attempts to create a new undergraduate governing body. The various e-mails, which went out to almost every student University-wide, all used varying language but contained the same message: Don’t vote for the Yard.

By the February 14, 2002

Editorials

Two pages too little

Following several months of discussion between students and administrators, Vice President for Student Affairs Juan Gonzalez rejected the proposal to create a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender resource center. Gonzalez, who had remained silent for weeks on the issue, issued a formal written response to GLBT committee members last Tuesday.

By the February 14, 2002

Editorials

Vote Bridges/Ayer on Feb.11

Students need effective leaders for the Georgetown University Student Association—ones who don’t just promise change, but who can advocate and deliver tangible results. Our most effective advocates next year would be Kaydee Bridges (SFS ‘03) and Mason Ayer (SFS ‘03).

By the February 7, 2002

Editorials

Don’t play in The Yard

Students will vote Monday for a new student government, the Yard. We cannot endorse it for three reasons.

In the proposed Yard Commons, club leaders would be required to organize themselves into nine clusters, and each cluster would send a representative to the Council.

By the February 7, 2002

Editorials

GUSA Presidential Election Minutes: Feb. 3

Matthew Brennan (SFS ‘03)/Sean Hawks (CAS ‘04)

Brennan: so we bring a very good mindset to GUSA leadership. two viewpoints—I am a finance side, and Sean has a lot of GUSA experience. we have clear goals to achieve in the next year; if you look at our platform, its all things that can happen.

By the February 7, 2002

Editorials

DeGioia: there’s more to state

University President John J. DeGioia focused primarily on non-controversial issues in his first State of the School address Tuesday. He applauded the Georgetown community for how it handled the events of Sept. 11, praised the senior class for its unprecedented leadership and reaffirmed dedication to fostering strong faculty, facilities and financial aid programs.

By the January 31, 2002

Editorials

Responding without responding

Fortunately, University President John J. DeGioia responded last week to the Medical Center faculty petition protesting his decision to appoint current Executive Vice President Sam Wiesel to a new executive position in the Medical Center. Unfortunately, his response offered too many words with not enough substance.

By the January 31, 2002