Opinion

Thoughts from the Georgetown community.

Voices

Our father, who art in Congress

One night last spring, working as a host at a ritzy Washington restaurant, I met a conservative congressman and his wife at the door. Knowing their table was far from ready, I started chatting while hanging up their coats. Discovering my Georgetown affiliation, the congressman’s wife demanded to know my religious and political views. The congressman rolled his eyes, clearly wanting to leave his work at the office, but when his better-half found out I was both a liberal and a Catholic, she demanded to know how I feel about abortion. The air of pleasant small talk dissipated after I said “pro-choice.” She smirked at me. “Not very Catholic, eh?” For the rest of the night, whenever we passed, she would lean over and ask, “Jesus change your mind yet?”

By February 1, 2007

Voices

Bonding through brutality

I’m a firm believer in the unifying powers of a good game. You can’t beat that surge of adrenaline and camaraderie that accompanies a rousing round of Pictionary and the toe-curling thrill that every painstakingly organized game of mafia creates. I have a special place in my heart, however, for backyard games.

By February 1, 2007

Voices

Heelys: wheely, wheely fast

It had rained the night before and, as my classmate fluidly sailed past me on the slick asphalt path, my reaction was that I had witnessed a miracle. It was my first time seeing a pair of Heelys. The first messiah had walked on water—could the second one glide inexplicably across wet pavement?

By February 1, 2007

Voices

More complicated than carbs

I grew up on a strange blend of Happy Meals and granola, white bread and Flintstones’ vitamins. My physical activity revolved around a hula hoop and relatively infrequent Jane Fonda workout sessions alongside my mother. The monkey bars frightened me, and I still can’t quite turn corners on a bicycle.

By February 1, 2007

Editorials

Aborting a balanced debate

The Hoya perpetuated the one-sided view of the abortion debate supported by the University and displayed a lack of journalistic integrity.

By the January 25, 2007

Editorials

Mis-state of the union: Our response to the president’s speech

Tuesday night our country heard a lame duck quacking, and it was a sad sound.

By the January 25, 2007

Voices

Pop! goes the femur

I knew that the head of this patient’s femur was going to need to go back into his pelvis. They would drill a hole through the bone and fix it in place to the bed frame until surgery could be performed. I had learned to steel myself for the brutal procedure, picturing it in my head before it actually happened in front of me, like I’d done countless times over the previous six months of my internship in Indianapolis’ public hospital. I remember idly wondering if they would need a spade bit.

By January 25, 2007

Voices

The first snow of the rest of my life

When it is going to snow, you can smell it in the air. There is a cool bite, but not so cold that a deep breath stings going down. Just before the snow is the best time to walk outdoors, look up into an overcast sky and wait with anticipation.

By January 25, 2007

Voices

Hillary and Bill, sitting in a tree

After 227 years of white men in the nation’s highest office, this election has experienced a “surge” in diversity. Among the announced Democratic candidates are half Mexican-American Gov. Bill Richardson, half African-American Sen. Barack Obama, and full Woman-American Sen. Hillary Clinton. Yet while Clinton has the novel opportunity to potentially be the first female politician nominated for the presidency by a major party, her surname will constantly remind us that she is not just any lady.

By January 25, 2007

Voices

Carrying On: Life and death in the fast lane

If you’ve ever fallen asleep at the wheel, you know what a bewildering experience it is to wake up. And if you survive, and bring your car to a safe stop, those moments of terror recede into something between a dream and a memory.

By January 25, 2007

Editorials

Resisting the urge to surge

To surge or not to surge, that is the question. Look at the facts: Iraq is a land area larger than California. Baghdad alone has a population of over six... Read more

By the January 18, 2007

Editorials

Unparallel parking system

Jobs work on the basic principle that you trade your time for monetary compensation. But if you happen to work at the Leo J. O’Donovan Dining Hall or the Campus... Read more

By the January 18, 2007

Editorials

Getting to girls early on

Eliminating poverty, ending cancer, brokering world peace—everyone’s had a daydream or two involving these noble goals, but let’s face it: they’re not too likely. Thanks to the development of the... Read more

By the January 18, 2007

Voices

A true patriot’s priorities

Five golden rings, four calling birds … three American fryers … two turtledoves and a partridge in a pair tree.

By January 18, 2007

Voices

Several films, zero fame, all love

The wind was heavy, it was too cold for a tee-shirt and I was scared my nipples were going to show up in the shot. It’s not a normal concern for me, but Ross has a damn nice camera, and he assured us this was being filmed in HD. Every detail, every blemish, would show up on the projection screen in his basement when we were finished, from the discontinuities in my hairstyle to my potentially cold nipples. Cinema!

By January 18, 2007

Voices

Get bent, Beckham!

This past summer, a couple of friends and I got tickets to see FC Barcelona play the New York Red Bulls at Giant’s Stadium. It seemed that the entire tri-state area had tickets to the game. It was not an intense devotion to Red Bulls that attracted these fans. We all wanted to see Ronaldinho dance around challenges, Messi blast through defenders, and Deco score goals. Giants’ Stadium roared when Barcelona possessed the ball, and at one point erupted in chants of Messi’s name. We were there for Barcelona, and quite frankly we could not care less how the Red Bulls faired.

By January 18, 2007

Voices

Carrying on: Is Somalia Iraq 2.0?

“Islamist attacks destablize southern region.” “Road-side bomb leaves 20 dead.” “U.S. strike kills multiple civilians.”

By January 18, 2007

Editorials

Making student loans easy

As part of its one hundred-hour legislative agenda, the newly elected Democratic majority aims to make college education more affordable.

By the January 11, 2007

Editorials

There’s no place like the dorms

Just two days ago, students returning to University housing for the spring semester were caught in the rush of last-minute details that inevitably occurs at this time every year, when there is less than a day to move in before the start of classes.

By the January 11, 2007

Editorials

The principal of Fentytown

The confetti has barely finished falling and the last of the 15,000 guests are still trickling out of Adrian Fenty’s lavish inaugural ball, but the mayor is already delivering on the cornerstone promise of his campaign: change.

By the January 11, 2007