Print Edition of The Observer for Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Historian shares presidential impressions
Doris Kearns Goodwin discusses Lincoln, Johnson, both Roosevelts during Christian Culture Lecture
By KATHRYN MARSHALL news writer
pulitzer prize-winning historian doris Kearns goodwin has studied, interacted with and written about numerous presidents of the united states. on Tuesday night, goodwin shared some of her observations of them with a packed auditorium at her lecture, “leadership lessons from the w hite house.”
The talk was the 11th annual christian culture lecture series, hosted by the humanistic studies department at saint mary’s. at the age of 24, goodwin was a w hite house fellow under the administration of lyndon Johnson. spending hours with Johnson
and listening to his stories and memories fired a drive in her to understand the inner person behind the public figure, she said.
goodwin has written on presidents abraham lincoln, Theodore “Teddy” roosevelt and franklin roosevelt (fdr), all of whom were exceptional leaders, she said.
“lincoln was blessed with a poetic gift and a profound sense of empathy, Teddy with an irrepressible energy and curiosity, fdr with a phenomenal memory and first rate temperament, and they shared what is perhaps the most critical aspect for a good leader: the ability to withstand
Panel explores resources for pregnant students
By MEGAN VALLEY news writer
notre dame right to life hosted a pregnancy resources training panel Tuesday night as the keynote event in this year’s respect life week.
“our big week every fall semester is respect life week, and we always pick a specific theme,” right to life president aly cox
said. “This year, we picked ‘you are not alone’ and all the events are about reaching out to vulnerable populations and saying, ‘you are not alone. we care about you. we love you.’”
The event was co-sponsored by the center for ethics and culture, the institute for church life, the gender relations center (grc) and the college democrats.
“we’re trying to train as many
people as possible on campus about what the resources are, because notre dame has some of the best resources for pregnant students in the country, but so many students just don’t know about them,” cox said.
christine caron gebhardt, director of the grc, and Jessica Keating, director of the office
c lown sighting reported at smc
Observer Staff Report
a person dressed as a clown was seen near the entrance to saint mary’s campus on state road 933, according to an email sent to the student body from dave gariepy, director of security. in the email, gariepy said the report was made around 11:36 p.m. monday night. The sighting was reported to security and local
law enforcement. gariepy said security and law enforcement searched the area but were unable to find the person. notre dame security police was also informed about the situation. no additional reports were made, which gariepy said indicates that there is no reason for concern. he said security
Students weigh in on vice presidential debate
By LUCAS MASIN-MOYER news writer
a little more than one week after hillary clinton and donald Trump sparred in the first presidential debate of the 2016 election, their respective running mates, virginia sen. Tim Kaine and indiana gov. mike pence, faced off in their only debate of the election cycle at longwood university in virginia Tuesday night.
nd votes hosted a watch party for the debate in the lafortune ballroom for students to discuss the issues the candidates addressed. over the course of the night, Kaine
and pence were tasked with issues relating to the trustworthiness of their respective running mates, national security, economic development and matters of faith.
Junior shane Jenkins said that the two candidates differed in their demeanor when answering questions.
“Tim Kaine … had certain parts prepared [with] full arguments and stories that he prepared before,” Jenkins said. “he liked to interrupt and was very excited. pence seemed to be more reserved and seemed to be doing a better job than Trump in the previous debate.”
Junior louie filipiak noted that the candidates seemed to have a difficult time addressing each other’s points of view because they have fundamentally different views of america.
“several times Kaine would interrupt because pence was forming his own reality based on conservatism, while at the same time, when Kaine would speak, pence would just shake his head,” filipiak said, “They’re forming their own views of what america is like and almost seemed to think that the other’s was not a true reality.”
both filipiak and Jenkins believed that this distinction was
evident in how the two candidates used certain terms.
“one example is ‘business,’ [with a] positive connotation for pence and a negative connotation for Kaine,” filipiak said.
filipiak said that this debate appeared to be different in tone from clinton and Trump’s debate.
“i think that this debate was a lot more respectful because it was an exchange of ideas,” filipiak said. it seemed hard at times for pence to distance himself from donald Trump and his views, filipiak said.
“The problem for pence is that he is stuck with this looming Trump shadow over his shoulder,” he said.
“every time he tries to explain some conservative ideal, it’s almost with the caveat that we want to do this, but we also have donald Trump to do this.”
filipiak said that this ‘shadow’ of Trump allowed Kaine to go on the attack throughout the course of the debate.
“Kaine had all these things in his arsenal ahead of time on how [Trump’s views represent] extremism, not even conservative extremism but just extremism,” filipiak said.
Contact Lucas Masin-Moyer at lmasinmo@nd.edu
KELLY VAUGHAN | The Observer
Doris Kearns Goodwin speaks Tuesday night in the O’Laughlin Auditorium at Saint Mary’s. Goodwin’s writings focus on exposing the “inner person” behind many famous presidents.
If you could pick a celebrity to be president, who would you choose?
Ben Foley sophomore Keough hall
“John c ena.”
Caleb Vanderloop sophomore o’neill hall
“brett favre.”
Michael Lodenquai sophomore morrissey manor
“paris h ilton.”
Bertie Arce sophomore walsh hall
“Kanye west.”
Maggie Feighery sophomore walsh hall
“denzel washington.”
Nic DeBickero sophomore dillon hall
“Jimmy fallon.”
A Syracuse baton twirler performs during halftime last Saturday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Irish defeated the Orange, 50-33, to improve to 2-3. The Irish take on North Carolina State in Raleigh, N.C. this Saturday.
Today’s Staff
Corrections
The observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. we do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. i f we have made a mistake, please contact us at (574) 631-4541 so we can correct our error.
Jenkins announces ‘notre dame Trail’
Observer Staff Report
in november 1842, fr. edward sorin journeyed approximately 300 miles on foot from vincennes, indiana, to found the university on a piece of land next to a snowcovered lake.
This august, the university will sponsor a pilgrimage retracing sorin’s footsteps to commemorate the 175th anniversary of notre dame’s founding, university president fr. John Jenkins announced in an email monday night.
a ll members of the notre dame community are welcome to participate in the journey, Jenkins said in the email.
“Together we will embark on a pilgrimage dedicated to our lady, a journey of hope and thanksgiving,” Jenkins said.
The congregation of holy cross, the french religious order to which sorin belonged, received land for the university as a gift from a local bishop, according to the email. sorin and seven holy cross brothers made the trek north from vincennes to build the school.
details about the “notre dame Trail” can be found at trail.nd.edu.
The journey will be approximately 320 miles, according to the website, and will take place from aug. 13 to aug. 26. The pilgrimage will conclude on notre dame’s campus with a mass on south Quad.
GALA-ND/SMC hosts
LGBTQ pilgrimage in NYC
By EMILY McCONVILLE news writer
on sunday, the gay and lesbian alumni of notre dame and saint mary’s (gala-nd/smc) led a “pilgrimage of mercy” in new york, encouraging recognition of lgbTQ catholics during the catholic church’s extraordinary Jubilee year of mercy.
interactive process,” bourke said. “we extended our forgiveness and mercy to the catholic church, and we ask for those same things in return.”
bourke said the rally was meant to be “an expression of faithful lgbTQ catholics.”
catholics.
“we need someone willing to take a controversial stand, someone within catholic leadership and the catholic community,” bourke said. “notre dame could do that.”
maintained a watch of campus throughout the night.
The incident comes amid a series of reports of clown sightings from across the country. The sightings began in august in the southeast region of the country, where people dressed as clowns
tried to lure children into the woods with candy, and has since spread across the country. Threats on social media from said clowns and alleged sightings have led to official warnings from law enforcement, school closures and more than a dozen arrests.
gariepy said students should call saint mary’s security if they witness any suspicious activity on or near campus.
The pilgrimage, co-sponsored by Kentucky-based lgbTQ rights group fairness campaign and several other lgbTQ organizations, began at 11 a.m. with a 1.5-mile walk to the doors of the church of st. paul the apostle, where 50 to 60 marchers attended the regularlyscheduled mass. afterward, a rally was held, featuring notre dame alumni speakers such as galand/smc chair and 1977 graduate Jack bergen, television personality and 1957 graduate phil donahue and 1982 masters graduate greg bourke, who — with his husband michael deleon — was a plaintiff in obergefell v. hodges, the supreme court case which legalized same-sex marriage.
“what we wanted to show with this pilgrimage is that being merciful and forgiving is an
paid a dverT isemen T
“There are many of us, and pope francis has started to push that door open for us,” he said, referring to the statements the pope has made on lgbTQ issues.
The rally was also inspired by university president emeritus fr. Theodore hesburgh, bourke said.
“by supporting the civil rights movement among conservative circles, he was ahead of the curve in many ways,” bourke said. “now, he is respected and admired for that courage.”
bourke said a main theme in the day’s speeches was the need for mutual reconciliation.
“we all need to give a little and work better at understanding each other,” he said. “we need to find that area we can agree on.”
gala-nd/smc is not recognized by the university as an alumni group, but bourke said notre dame could become a leader in welcoming lgbTQ
The pilgrimage was not the only event of the weekend. There was a football game watch on saturday, as well as a benefit hosted sunday by gala-nd/smc to raise money for its lgbTQ student scholarship. The scholarship has existed for two years, and bourke said it is one of the primary goals of the group right now.
“we want to send a message that notre dame is a great place to go to school,” bergen said. “no matter who you are, you should feel welcome at this university.”
“we want to celebrate our part of the catholic community,” he added. “The pilgrimage was an opportunity to get people together, but also to encourage the catholic community and notre dame to look at things differently, to foster that mercy and compassion for each other.”
Contact Emily McConville at emcconv1@nd.edu
Presidents
adversity,” goodwin said.
she said lincoln overcame adversity by imbuing his life with an ambition to leave the world a better place because he was there.
Teddy roosevelt overcame his share of losses by using constant activity to bounce back, as when he went to the badlands to recover from multiple family deaths. fdr’s strong faith and humility of spirit pulled him through times of crisis, goodwin said.
all three presidents also surrounded themselves with strong staffs, goodwin said. lincoln famously appointed a cabinet goodwin referred to as a “Team of rivals” in the title of her book on lincoln, while fdr’s wife eleanor was his “weapon” who compensated for his weaknesses.
goodwin said fdr did not necessarily form a team of rivals, but he formed an inner circle where all could speak their mind, and Teddy roosevelt linked together success and perseverance. she said despite some differences in leadership techniques, all the men moved their leadership abilities forward.
“all three men kept growing, taking time to be self-reflective, learning from their failures and mistakes and turning those failures into success,” she said. a leader naturally experiences complications and frustrations, and the three presidents had ways of dealing with this as well, goodwin said. lincoln would write “hot letters” in response to stressful situations to get a hold of his anger, and then not send the letter. goodwin said president obama does this as well.
fdr would insert fiery references into drafts of his speeches, pinpointing specific people and situations with which he was frustrated. Through the editing process, these harsh points would be removed, but the exercises of both lincoln and fdr allowed the men to think through situations before acting rashly, goodwin said.
“They all figured out ways to stay connected to the people they served, a critical aspect in a democracy,” she said.
connection and communication with the people is very important, goodwin said. lincoln traveled to the battlefield a dozen times during the civil war, and Teddy roosevelt traveled across the country by train, interacting with common people along the way. fdr would bring people together in conversation at cocktail hours, she said.
goodwin said each president communicated with his people in the way proper for the time period.
lincoln was especially good with communication through his speeches, such as his second inaugural speech which he infused spiritual faith and politics. Teddy roosevelt’s punchy style was suited to press, she said. fdr was ideal for speaking during the radio age, as seen in an address he delivered on d-day in the form of a prayer.
“all three men left behind legacies that reveal a moral aspect to their leadership purpose
behind their power, leaving behind programs and legislation that advanced the cause of liberty, economic opportunity and social justice,” goodwin said.
goodwin said stories live on in memories, and that she learned history through recounting dodgers baseball games to her father when she was young.
“i shall always be thankful for this curious love of history, allowing me to spend a lifetime looking back into the past, allowing me to believe that the private people we have loved and lost in our families, and the public figures we have respected in history … really can live on, so long as we pledge to tell and to retell the stories of their lives,” she said.
The 2017 christian culture lecture, taking place next october, will feature author margaret atwood.
Contact Kathryn Marshall at kmarsh02@saintmarys.edu
Panel
of human dignity and life initiatives, opened the panel by addressing some of the myths about pregnancy on campus.
“if a student becomes pregnant, she will not be kicked out,” Keating said. “The man who helps her get pregnant will not be kicked out — no one will get kicked out.
you are allowed to stay in the dorms, up until the time you have your child. The dorms, you might know, are not the greatest place for raising a small child, so the university will work with you to find appropriate housing.”
Keating said notre dame has been ranked among the top schools for pregnant and parenting students by students for life of america.
“To get one of these rankings, a school must have some sort of program for pregnant and
parenting students, which we do,” she said. “The school must have scholarships for pregnant and parenting students, which we do. The school must also offer housing for students and dependents, which the university does. we have lactation rooms, diaper decks, child care, etc.”
one of the university’s strongest resources, gebhardt said, is designated pregnancy support advocates and advisors.
“There are two of us on campus: myself and annie eaton, who’s a care consultant,” she said.
“we meet with students who identify and are looking for resources. what we do is we provide caring and nonjudgmental support. we connect people to the resources, both here on campus but off campus as well.”
part of the university’s “holistic support” is financial support.
“we try to provide a financial safety net,” she said. “There is money available for students for
the unexpected costs that come with having a child, whether it’s child care — for graduate students, we’ve replaced a furnace before. There are resources.”
cox said while the keynote event for respect life week helped encourage pregnant students not to have abortions, the rest of the week — which includes writing letters to inmates on death row — encourages the promotion of all life.
“The mission of our club is to promote respect for life from conception until natural death,” she said. “we want to make sure campus and our club members know that [abortion] is not the end of the story.”
more information about services and support for pregnant students and their partners is available at pregnancysupport. nd.edu.
Contact Megan Valley at mvalley@nd.edu
paid a dverT isemen T
paid a dverT isemen T
By ADRIAN MARK LORE
s cene writer
following the release of her spectacular fifth lp “apocalypse, girl” in 2014, norwegian experimental singer-songwriter Jenny hval met both high praise and sharp criticism. her admirers found the music cathartic in its exploration of mid-life uncertainty and internal conflicts as a woman trying to navigate an often hostile maledominated world. Those who reproached her focused precisely on this latter point: not only was her music exceedingly political, they argued, but her lyricism was whiny, inaccurate and overall absurd.
regardless of one’s stance on the issues at hand, it seems inconsistent to criticize an artist’s decision to use their craft as a medium for self-expression, even if this is an expression of sociopolitical opinion. often, these stances are integral to an individual’s identity and heavily inform their worldview, and this is unquestionably true of Jenny hval’s visceral vein of feminism. w hile the issue has played a role in her music since the start of her career, it first came to the fore on her fourth lp, “innocence is Kinky.” since then, much of her output has focused on her experience of poisonous gender dynamics in the western world.
her unapologetic approach to the politically-charged topic is what many fans — both women and men — find refreshing about her both as a thinker and as a musician. raw references to female anatomy and to bodily
functions that some public figures have openly characterized as disgusting ring subversive in a way that recalls the militant agitation of ‘90s riot grrrl pioneers sleaterKinney. of course, this means that hval makes essentially no effort to appeal to any who would not heed her message to begin with.
on her latest record, “blood b----,” hval is similarly unrepentant if not more so. This is clearest in the album’s underlying narrative: a tale of a female vampire that serves as a vehicle for an exploration of blood, especially, she told pitchfork music, “the purest and most powerful, yet most trivial, and most terrifying blood: menstruation.” at the very least, she is certainly not pandering to the masses.
however, if the record sounds like intimidating high art on paper, in reality it is quite accessible and worthwhile in its honesty. opinionated listeners will proceed with caution, but fortunately hval’s music is sufficiently compelling beyond its controversial themes. a dark ambiance drives the album forth between soft instrumentation and hval’s own hypnotic coos. The record is by turns chilling and heartbreaking, especially on tracks like “conceptual romance,” in which hval’s rhetoric is least overwrought. indeed, it is hval’s insistence on belaboring certain points that can be tiresome about this record. w hile the record’s aesthetic differs significantly from some of the catchy indie-rock sensibilities of “apocalypse, girl,” the lyricism of its successor is hardly innovative. both feature much of the same comically bizarre anti-capitalist
metaphors, although these feel particularly jarring when detached from the tongue-in-cheek backdrop of “apocalypse, girl.” This occasionally unsound juxtaposition on her latest release means that hval has a tendency to sound serious in a self-conscious way on some of the record’s key tracks.
overall, however, hval’s sixth lp is a worthwhile foray into a thematic field frequently explored by female musicians but infrequently to such a raw degree. one may interpret this as a fundamental flaw of her approach to craft, but i prefer to see it as the product of ideological integrity. perhaps to emphasize her point, she is unstoppable in her resolve to honestly discuss issues important to her, even when faced with bitter backlash. regardless of one’s political opinions, this is an indisputably courageous act.
Contact Adrian Mark Lore at asanch11@nd.edu
“Blood B----”
Jenny Hval
Label: Sacred Bones
Favorite Track: “Conceptual Romance”
If you like: Susanna, Holly Herndon, Grimes
imagine a region in this world where the air you breath is poison, the water you drink is ghastly and the land you live on is subject to utter destruction. cancer rates are 50 percent higher than the anywhere else and birth defects are 43 percent higher than the rest of the country you live in. This place not only exists in the world, it’s right here in the united states: the appalachia region of west virginia.
To begin discussing the issues in appalachia first means addressing its existence. coal mining is undeniably woven into the blood of west virginia’s history, and the estimated three trillion dollar exploitation that has happened there is often pushed under the table because of large corporations’ control over all outlets both politically and in the media. filmmakers mari-lynn c evans and deborah wallace confront the grimy situation head-on in their documentary “blood on the mountain.” Their film aims to fill in history textbooks that simply skip over the polarized topic because, according to west virginia’s governor, “it would make them look bad.”
The battle of blair mountain occurred less than a century ago, but it is covered up and removed by local schools. The event is west virginia’s version of Tiananmen square. with no internet, cell phone towers or communication with the world outside their own,
citizens are left uneducated, dehumanized and uninformed of life beyond coal’s grasp. problems with yellow journalism and corporate malpractice dates back to the times during l incoln’s presidency when coal companies started flexing their control over the region. without any ability to voice their opinion, workers are left either dead from the black lung or silenced. The hopelessness in the eyes of the people that live in appalachia crowns these sorrows. in an interview, evans discussed the feudal living that these workers experience, victimized by the large coal companies. The coal mines are the only places to work and the air is “so thick it can be cut with a knife,” says one of the workers that has silicosis, which is an extremely common disease among mine workers. Tens of thousands of these workers have contracted silicosis and the black lung, leaving them unemployed and without healthcare or pensions. The miners have suffered tremendously throughout the years, with nothing being changed.
w hen asked about the release of the film being timed with the election, wallace commented that “sometimes the release date is set, other times it sets itself.” evans said that a merican politics is in a tricky state, and big changes are coming, for better or for worse. undeniably, however, something must be done. The coal industry is dying, and to deny this denies the possibility of change. The last decade has witnessed the death of coal’s influence, and to allocate money back to coal would be to deny helping the situation of appalachia. for too long,
the coal companies have been able to buy politicians, but the hope for this film is to bring national attention to the need for change for the region in west virginia. The film is extremely well made, voicing opinions across the entire issue. from ongoing rallies to archival footage, the film is as much a historical lesson as it is a riveting political picture. evans and wallace happily relayed to me that the film has begun the discussion between important political leaders to address this polemic on west virginia. before this film existed a divide across the political spectrum existed that halted progression and even discussion about appalachia. The film aims to pay its respect and acknowledge what has happened while also encouraging action to rectify the injustices that have plagued appalachia.
evans warns that what has happened in appalachia is happening, or can happen, in other parts of the country and the world. The a merican culture is under attack from large corporations, who devalue human life and happily exchange natural resources for quarterly earnings. evans claims the film is “heaven-sent and hellproof,” and this is as good of a selling point as any, for the excitement of change around changing appalachia is gaining momentum, and the film has not even been officially released yet.
Contact Tommy Anderson at tander18@nd.edu
The views of this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Observer.
Tommy Anderson s cene writer
InsIdE cOlumn
i rish, the language
i’i’m about a semester and a half from finishing a supplementary major in irish language. it’s been a wonderful three years. i’ve had the opportunity to work with professors on anthropological research, study ancient literature, conduct my own research and spend a full 12 months in ireland.
it’s also been three years full of questions. w hen i tell someone i’m majoring in english and irish, there’s almost always a question that follows. “w hat’s the difference?” “w hat do you mean by irish?” “oh, do you mean gaelic?” and my personal favorite, “do you mean the accent?”
as with most things, i have two expectations regarding these kind of questions: for the wider world, i expect and accept these questions as inevitable, and within notre dame, i always hope for better and am just slightly disappointed when better does not come.
To be clear, i don’t expect more from notre dame students because of any one trait typically attributed to the student body. i don’t expect them to know more about my major because of their intelligence, or because of their commitment to catholic values. i hope they know more because our mascot is the fighting irish.
by virtue of calling ourselves the fighting irish, we collectively should know more about what it means to be irish — beyond the stereotypical images of american st. patrick’s day, guinness and Jameson. between the department of irish language and literature and the Keough-naughton institute, the opportunity to explore ireland and irish-ness is easily available at notre dame. The dublin study abroad program is one of the most popular and the required notre dame class there definitely seeks to ensure that alumni of the program know a little bit about what it really means to be irish.
but for the general student body, these opportunities might not be convenient — time is limited and we all have to make choices. so here, instead of simply encouraging students to take advantage of those opportunities, i’ll try to answer some common questions.
“w hat’s the difference between english/irish?” and “w hat do you mean by irish?”
This answer could be complicated, and try to get at the nuances of irish history as it interacts with english/ british history. but for now, in terms of my particular focus of study, i’ll just say i’m actually studying two different languages, english and irish. w hen i do study irish literature written in english (which i do), it’s usually within the english department and involves particular discussion of the colonial situation in ireland.
“oh, do you mean gaelic?”
no. gaelic is a family of languages — gaelic could mean i was studying irish gaelic or scots gaelic or manx gaelic. it’s not wrong exactly, but i could as easily say i was studying anglo-frisian and mean english or gallo-rhaetian and mean french.
“do you mean the accent?”
i know it’s said the irish accent is one of the hardest to imitate and i’ve heard plenty of awful ones. personally, i try never to imitate it because i really can’t do it myself. but even a difficult accent does not usually have a unique undergraduate major. certainly studies have been done on hiberno-english and its particulars. but the irll department is definitely not devoted to teaching student about “top o’ the mornin’ t’ ya,” which no one really says anyway.
Contact Caelin Miltko at cmiltko@nd.edu
Stepping out of the shadow
The belfast peace wall cast a cool shadow on an otherwise pleasant s aturday afternoon. The memories and experiences of conflict in the city, and in all of northern i reland, cast a much larger shadow over the entire island.
standing in that shadow last weekend, i finally and solidly arrived at a rather simple conclusion i had been working towards for a long time: e mpathy and understanding are a lot easier in theory than in practice.
i think, or at least hope, that most people would consider these valuable and admirable qualities. a smaller number would probably consider themselves empathetic and understanding. i hope a majority would say they at least try to be both.yet when i look at the serious issues people grapple with today, i see a severe lack of both empathy and understanding. for the past nearly three years, i have hung a piece of paper above whatever desk i have worked at, with the words “Keep asking why” scrawled in red permanent marker. i wrote the those words for myself on a sheet i tore out of my reporter’s notebook after a series of particularly frustrating debates that grew out of a class i was taking on race in the united states. it still hangs on the wall above the desk in my bedroom in d ublin, and serves as a small, personal reminder for my deeply held, if naive, belief that when addressing any contentious issue, the only way to move beyond superficial and emotionally clouded arguments and arrive at the serious heart of the problem, you must repeatedly ask why things are the way they are. nothing is ever as simple as it might seem on the surface. nothing just “is.” To assume otherwise, and unquestioningly accept something as natural or given is to willfully neglect the truth. i n such a polarizing a merican political atmosphere, i struggled to come up with of an example that illustrates my point without being construed as explicitly partisan or overly ideological. s o i’ll borrow one from new york Times columnist nicholas Kristof, who in a 2015 column wrote about what he called an “empathy gap” in the united states, one that i think spans the globe today. using as an example his high school friend, Kevin, Kristof articulates the need for empathy and deeper understanding of complex social forces.
“The doctors say he died at age 54 of multiple organ failure, but in a deeper sense he died of inequality and a lack of good jobs,” Kristof wrote. “l ots of a mericans would have seen Kevin — obese with a huge gray beard, surviving on disability and food stamps — as a moocher. They would have been harshly judgmental: ‘ w hy don’t you look after your health? w hy did you father two kids outside of marriage?’”
Kristof views empathy similarly to the way i do: as a method to employ nuance to real life situations that demand deeper understanding. a s a 2015 piece
in The atlantic notes, though, this is not the only way people have understood empathy in its relatively short life as a word, and concept, in the e nglish language. psychologist paul bloom argues that empathy can be “parochial [and] bigoted.” a nd, as the author of another atlantic piece writes, “people are often more empathetic toward individuals who resemble themselves, a fact that can exacerbate already-existing social inequalities. a nd empathy can cause people to choose to embrace smaller goods at the expense of greater ones.”
but that’s precisely why i think empathy and understanding have to always go hand-in-hand. i f people are psychologically more likely to be empathetic to people like themselves, then they must also strive to understand the challenges and issues facing people unlike themselves.
at home in c hicago, i live in a neighborhood full of public servants. no fewer than three police officers live on the same block as me. i deeply value and appreciate their sacrifice and service, and i know them all to be genuinely good people. but i have taken too many classes, read too many books and articles and had too many discussions to belittle the national conversation on race and police violence down to the level of a blue vs. black l ives matter mentality. a nd to argue the ludicrously oversimplified point that “a ll l ives matter” blatantly ignores the gravity and complexity of the issue. it’s not that simple, and nothing ever is.
To use another recent example, if you find it appalling that athletes refuse to stand for the national anthem as a form of peaceful protest, but aren’t equally appalled by the state of race relations and gun violence, you need to reach for a broader understanding of our nation and the people who feel it does not value them.
my trip to northern i reland last weekend put this all in perspective for me. w ithin my lifetime — and the lifetimes of the 50-some notre dame students who took the trip with me — people in the places we traveled were killed for their religion, or their political beliefs. i’m not saying that empathy and understanding alone would have solved or prevented The Troubles in northern i reland, or any other great social challenges. To do so would demean the historical and cultural complexities of the situation, a direct contradiction to the understanding such issues require. but in order to step out of the icy shadows of any conflict and into the light of peace, empathy and understanding must lead the way.
Jack Rooney is a 2016 Notre Dame graduate, and The Observer’s former managing editor. He is currently spending a year living and working for the University in Ireland, and writes these columns to keep him busy and satisfy his need for journalism. Follow Jack on Twitter @RooneyReports and/or email him at jrooney1@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Caelin Miltko s cene writer
Jack Rooney i rish eyes
Happy Birthday: l ogic and patience will be required. you’ll be tempted to overstep boundaries when dealing with partners and spending on things you don’t really need. it will be difficult to say “no” to masterful manipulators this year, but being gullible will be costly and create problems between you and your family members and colleagues. c ommon sense must take precedence over desire. your numbers are 8, 11, 14, 23, 27, 38, 49.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): l et your practicality take over when dealing with money matters, settlements or your health. a quick fix will only mask whatever problems you face. g o the distance by sticking to the methods that have proven to work for you in the past.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): speak freely about your plans and you will find out quickly who is going to help and who isn’t. a short trip or a search for information that will help you move forward without a glitch will pay off.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): rely on your past performance to drum up support now. d on’t be too shy to present your achievements to others. integrate what you have been successful doing into something else you want to pursue. s hoot high and take what’s offered.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): initiate a change at home that will improve your life. stay within your budget and avoid an altercation with someone who is not in favor of the changes you want to make. o nce completed, the reaction will be positive.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take a short trip or get together with people who can offer you information that will help you make progressive vocational moves. p roblems at home will wear you down if you aren’t able to say no.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): g etting together with someone who will challenge you to be your best will encourage you to bring about the changes that can improve your relationships. Try something new for a change.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): p ut more time, effort and imagination into your job. c heck out what’s required to get the position you want. signing up for a course or apprenticeship will encourage you to pursue your goal. you’ll find success if you never give up.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): a little charm and a passionate approach to what you believe in will win you favors and help you reach your goals. i mplement the changes that will help you succeed, and celebrate your victory with someone you love.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): i f you expand your interests, your knowledge will become a valuable commodity among your peers. s omeone will use unorthodox methods to try to outmaneuver you. d on’t share secrets or you’ll end up having to defend your reputation.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): a financial deal or contract can be negotiated and put to rest. you’ll come out on top as long as you don’t let last-minute changes alter your course or change your mind. Trust in yourself and follow through.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): strive for excellence at work and when taking care of your personal health and wealth. s how discipline and be courageous. you’ve never been one to follow the crowd, so why start now? d o whatever it takes to improve your life.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): s hare your ideas and you will be offered suggestions that will give you the freedom you need to reach your goals. Taking good care of your health and finances will result in positive gains and looking your best.
Birthday Baby: you are outgoing, strong-willed and proactive. you are passionate and possessive.
just Add WAtEr | eric carlson & John roddy
jumblE | david hoyT and Jeff KnureK
sudOku | The mepham group
Beckham Jr. needs to grow up
o ver the last two years, new york giants receiver odell beckham Jr. has captivated fans across the nfl h is physical skills are undeniable, and he’s made the one-handed catch an expectation rather than a luxury. simply put, he has the tools to be one of greatest, if not the greatest, receivers to ever play the game.
but over the final weeks of last season and the first few weeks of this season, it has become clear that reality will never reach that potential for the wideout. a nd that’s because beckham Jr. has shown himself to be out of touch with the reality of the mental barrier he seems to face every time he takes the field.
h is immaturity first showed itself on the field last year, when he squared off with then-carolina panther’s cornerback Josh norman in a battle that won’t soon be forgotten. norman didn’t necessarily keep up with beckham Jr. with his play, but he got into his head. a nd that’s all he needed to do to get beckham Jr. off his game. he dropped just over three percent of all his targets last season, but in that game alone he dropped two catches that could have perhaps propelled the giants to a win in a game they ultimately lost.
but many thought this incident was a mere anomaly. well, at least until this season. now, the narrative of this season for both beckham Jr. and the giants has been his temper tantrums, both on and off the field, that have become a distraction for the team.
w hether it has been the image of him slamming his helmet on the ground, picking up unsportsmanlike conduct penalties or losing fights to kicking nets, beckham Jr. has been the center of attention in new york for the last two weeks, and in both cases the giants have suffered as a result.
i n a tight game against the washington redskins just two sundays ago, both giants head coach ben mc adoo and quarterback e li manning had to devote time on the sidelines — time that could have been better spent making in-game adjustments in order to win
— consoling a distraught beckham Jr. and handling what amounted to a temper tantrum a young child would’ve been embarrassed of.
Then, the giants spent all week having to answer questions about the incident. mc adoo recognized it as a distraction and essentially acknowledged a need for beckham Jr. to mature on the field. but the wideout denied it was a distraction for his team, telling reporters that he wasn’t going to change who he was on the field and his passion for the game.
a nd again, after monday night’s loss to the m innesota v ikings, beckham Jr. and the giants once again had to answer those same questions due to his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taunting during the game, controversial as it might have been. a nd again, he denied his antics as being distracting, rather putting the blame on everyone else by arguing the referees, media and nfl are “all working against [him].”
but what beckham Jr. seems unwilling to understand with that statement is that he needs to grow up. h is statement shows him to be out of touch with the reality that is professional sports and his role in it: everyone wants to win and dominate while doing so, but he’s the only who can’t seem to handle adversity when it’s thrown his way.
Just yesterday he reportedly said he’s “not having fun anymore” playing football due to the attention being paid to his behavior during games. a nd his head coach, quarterback and teammates had to answer more questions about this — questions brought on by his behavior, his being out of touch with reality and his immaturity.
i f beckham Jr. fails to come to terms with the reality of the situation, he will continue to be a distraction for his team. a nd he may just leave the giants no choice but to bench him until he grows up.
Contact Ben Padanilam at bpadanil@nd.edu
The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Toronto wins wild card game on walk-off homer
Associated Press
T oron T o — e dwin
e ncarnacion hit a three-run homer in the 11th inning off u baldo Jimenez, and Toronto blue Jays beat the b altimore o rioles 5-2 in Tuesday night’s al wild card game to advance to a d ivision s eries matchup against Texas.
Jimenez relieved brian d uensing with one out in the 11th, and d evon Travis singled in a 1-1 pitch. reigning al mvp Josh d onaldson singled on the next pitch, and Travis went all the way to third as left fielder nolan reimold bobbled the ball.
e ncarnacion sent the following pitch, a 91 mph fastball, soaring into the second deck in left. e ncarnacion immediately knew it was gone and raised both arms in triumph, index fingers pointed skyward.
francisco l iriano retired five straight batters on four groundouts and a strikeout for the win after closer roberto o suna left with an injury.
o rioles closer Zach britton, who was perfect in 47 save
chances during the regular season, never got in the game.
“nobody has been pitching better for us than u baldo,” b altimore manager buck showalter said. “it didn’t work out.”
Toronto opens the d ivision s eries at Texas on Thursday. l ast year, the blue Jays beat the r angers in five-game d ivision s eries, sparked by Jose b autista’s memorable bat flip following a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the seventh inning of g ame 5. The teams brawled in may this year when b autista was punched in the face by r angers infielder rougned o dor following a play at second base.
The roof was open at rogers c entre, formerly sky d ome, where all 24 previous postseason games had been played with it closed.
Jose b autista led off the second against c hris Tillman with his fifth postseason homer. mark Trumbo, who led the major leagues with 47 home runs, gave b altimore a 2-1 lead in the fourth with a two-run homer off marcus stroman.
e zequiel c arrera’s rbi single chased Tillman in the fifth.
w hen Toronto pinch-hitter melvin upton Jr. flied out to the warning track in left field to end the seventh, o rioles outfielder hyun s oo Kim was nearly struck by a can that was thrown from the stands. c enter fielder a dam Jones angrily gestured toward the seats, and showalter came out to register his displeasure with the umpires.
blue Jays fans tossed bottles and debris on the field during game 5 against Texas last year, upset at the call that let o dor score from third after catcher r ussell martin’s throw back to the mound deflected off shin s oo c hoo’s bat.
For starters stroman allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, struck out six and walked none. Tillman gave up two runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Extra, extra!
This was the second extrainning wild card game.
Los Angeles advances with victory over Chicago
Associated Press
rosemon T, i ll. — c andace parker scored 29 points and the l os a ngeles sparks beat the c hicago sky 95-75 on Tuesday night to advance to the wnba finals.
Kristi Toliver added 21 points and league mvp nneka o gwumike had 17 points and nine rebounds for the sparks, who led by as much as 28 and won the semifinal series 3-1.
They will face the defending champion m innesota lynx in a best-of-5 series for the league title. The
top-seeded lynx swept phoenix in the other semifinal and will be going for their fourth title in six years. The second-seeded sparks return to the finals for the first time since 2003 after winning championships in 2001 and 2002 with l isa l eslie.
c appie pondexter scored 19 points and rookie i mani b oyette had 15 to lead the fourth-seeded sky. c larissa d os s antos had 14 points and Jessica breland added 12. c hicago played without 2015 mvp and leading scorer e lena d elle d onne, who has a thumb injury.
The sparks won the first two games of the series by an average of 17.5 points before the sky took g ame 3 70-66 on sunday.
a fter shooting 6-of-33 from beyond the arc in g ame 3, the sparks made 9 of their 13 3-pointers Tuesday. Toliver hit all four of her 3s.
The sparks shot 55 percent from the field and made 28 of their 30 free throws — including 14 of 15 by p arker.
The sky went on a 19-9 run to pull within 10 in the third quarter. pondexter scored 10 points in the period to help c hicago rally.
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“Lost in the sky, Clouds roll by and I roll with them, Arrows fly. Seas increase and then fall again. This world is spinning around me. This world is spinning without me and every day sends future to past. Every breath leaves me one less to my last. Watch the sparrow falling. Gives new meaning to it all, If not today nor yet tomorrow then some other day.”
Ben Padanilam a ssociate sports e ditor
WnbA | sparKs 95, sKy 75
s wimming
to race and to execute our race strategy.”
in addition to the event friday, the men’s squad will take on oakland while the women’s team will race against indiana state on saturday. These events are independent of the dennis stark relay and will be run as standard meets. at this early stage in the year, building confidence from strong performances can be crucial in getting a team off to the right start and put them on track for a successful season, according to litzinger. he said he sees this weekend as a great opportunity for the swimmers to continue to get more races under their belt and grow more accustomed to the competition they will be facing throughout the remainder of this season.
“again, this a great way to get into racing form, especially with back-to-back meets like this,” litzinger said. “The relay format allows us to get multiple swims in and puts more of our athletes in competitive situations.”
looking beyond this weekend, notre dame will see a break in its schedule of events due to fall break before heading off to atlanta in two weekends to take on georgia Tech. for this weekend, however, action kicks off at 5 p.m. friday with the 52nd annual dennis stark relays. both the men’s and women’s meets scheduled for saturday start at 11 a.m. both days’ events will take place at rolfs aquatic center.
Contact Alex Bender at abender@nd.edu
m s occer
sending the crowd inside alumni stadium into an uproar.
gallagher, who has provided a spark to the irish offense by leading the team with 24 points due to his 10 goals and four assists on the year, said the team’s result was unexpected but added that he was proud of the way both the offense and defense played against the hoosiers (6-1-4, 1-0-3 big Ten), who came into the match having only given up five goals all season.
“i don’t think we expected to score [four goals], but we definitely knew we were capable … if we played to our strengths,”
gallagher said. “That’s what we did tonight, and thankfully we put four in the back of the net, but we also have to take pride in the clean sheet — our back line was very, very solid tonight — so we’ll take pride in that.”
irish head coach bobby clark said he was impressed with
gallagher’s performance and the constant pressure he put on indiana throughout the game, crediting both gallagher and his teammates for the way in which they set him up.
“i thought they had a hard time handling Jon,” clark said. “his speed and the quality of balls that were played to him were very good, but he was great.”
irish senior defender brandon aubrey, in addition to his defensive efforts, scored notre dame’s fourth goal in the 71st minute with a six-yard header off a corner kick by graduate student midfielder evan panken, emphatically sealing the win for the irish. clark said it was a hard-fought battle against indiana for all 90 minutes, despite what the scoreboard might otherwise indicate.
“it was a hard game,” clark said. “The goals came and they fell for us, but it wasn’t an easy game. i think until the fourth goal went in, i didn’t really relax. … i thought indiana opened better than us in the first 10
minutes, [but] once we got the goal i thought we settled in … but it was a hard game, and it hasn’t changed my opinion of indiana — they’re a very good team.” notre dame will next take the pitch saturday at 7 p.m. when it hosts no. 11 wake forest at alumni stadium. The irish have preached training their eyes to look forward and to focus on the next game, but they also took some time to reflect on the season so far and what it’s meant
after the big win, according to gallagher.
“it’s been very special for the team,” gallagher said. “i try to put in my shift. i try to work as hard as i can and give everything to the team. i worked really, really hard in the offseason and so did the entire squad, and it’s paying off so far, but we need to focus on saturday now and keep rolling.”
Contact Joe Everett at jeverett@nd.edu
paid a dverT isemen T
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Irish junior midfielder Blake Townes gathers the ball during Notre Dame’s 4-0 victory over Indiana on Tuesday at Alumni Stadium.
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the table.”
l ast year, n otre d ame’s contest with c lemson was affected by h urricane Joaquin. The game was played as scheduled — despite s outh c arolina declaring a state of emergency — but the rainy conditions led to four i rish turnovers as then- n o.12 c lemson knocked off an undefeated n otre d ame squad, who was ranked sixth at the time.
e ven if the game versus the wolfpack (3-1) winds up being wet and rainy, Kelly said his team should be able to handle the field conditions.
“Just try not to turn it over and get too far behind in the game,” Kelly said. “ i think for us, it’s always about wind more so than it is about precipitation. we should be able to be fine relative to the field conditions. b ut, you know, we are very good at moving the ball and throwing the football in most conditions, unless the wind becomes at a point where the ball just can’t be moved through the air. Then, we get into formations that we already have in our system, and we’ll employ those.”
defensive youth l ast week’s matchup against s yracuse saw a number of new faces receive playing time for the i rish defense. f reshmen cornerbacks Julian l ove, d onte vaughn and Troy p ride Jr. and sophomore safety n icco f ertitta all saw extended snaps. l ove is listed as a starting cornerback on the most recent depth chart for the team, and Kelly liked what he saw out of his young defensive backs but said he needs to make sure everyone gets in the rotation.
“ i really was impressed with [ p ride Jr.],” Kelly said. “ i wanted to play him. a nd i thought we should have played him, so i ’m making those personnel decisions. we played him a little too much, [and] quite frankly, we played n icco f ertitta a little too much. h e had 90 snaps, more than anybody because he had 18 snaps on special teams.
“ s o we gotta do a better job of balancing those things out from a defensive perspective. o f course, we lost [freshman safety] d evin [ s tudstill] early and that changed it up a little bit, but we should have used [sixth-year graduate student safety] avery [ s ebastian] a little bit more in that situation to save all those snaps.” a longside l ove, s tudstill, junior safety d rue Tranquill and senior cornerback c ole l uke will round out the starting secondary against the wolfpack.
Contact Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@nd.edu
a dverT isemen
GRACE TOURVILLE | The Observer
Irish freshman defensive back Julian Love eyes the ball during Notre Dame’s 50-33 victory over Syracuse on Saturday at MetLife Stadium.
FOOtbAll
ND, NC State discuss contingency plans
By MAREK MAZUREK sports e ditor
a fter weathering the storm that came from the firing of defensive coordinator brian vang order, notre dame may have to weather a more literal storm this weekend.
hurricane matthew is projected to hit r aleigh, north c arolina, this s aturday at noon, right when the i rish (2-3) are scheduled to kick off their contest with north c arolina state.
i n his press conference today, i rish head coach brian Kelly said the team will be ready to play any time between s aturday at noon to sunday at noon, if the game needs to be rescheduled.
“ we’ve talked at great length, [the] c ommissioner of the acc has spoken with us about — really everything is on the table right now,” Kelly said. “ we’ve given them a window that we’re available to play this game from [noon s aturday] until noon on sunday. we feel like anything after noon on sunday starts to encroach
sWImmInG & dIvInG
on our ability to prepare for stanford.
“s o there is quite a bit of flexibility. we feel like we’ve secured accommodations and flights and such to leave a big window of availability to play this game.”
n c state released the following statement Tuesday afternoon regarding the possible conflict.
“ we are monitoring the path and potential impact of weather in our region due to hurricane m atthew,” the university said in a statement.
“ w hile we will make every effort to play our much-anticipated game with notre dame this s aturday as scheduled, the safety of both teams and our patrons is our first priority. we had a conference call [Tuesday] afternoon with the acc and notre dame, will remain in communication and monitor the potential conditions.”
Kelly said there has been no talk yet of moving the game up to friday, but he did, however, mention that “everything is on
see fooTball PAGE 11
notre dame to host stark relays
By ALEX BENDER sports writer
This weekend will be a busy one for n otre d ame, as it prepares to host a pair of meets this weekend at home in r olf’s a quatic c enter.
b oth the men’s and women’s squads, which are combined as one unit for the first time since 1995, come into this upcoming weekend having defeated both m ichigan s tate and i owa last f riday in e ast l ansing, m ichigan. The meet last week proved to be unique as the events were swum outdoors and in a 50-meter o lympic pool.
f ollowing the meet, i rish head coach m ike l itzinger said he was pleased with both the men’s and women’s teams performances.
“ b oth teams took the opportunity to race,” said l itzinger. “ w hile this seems elementary, it is critical that we control and match up whenever possible. The
sOccEr | nd 4, indiana 0
Irish dominate Hoosiers in top-10 matchup
groups worked hard at that skill and will continue to practice it this weekend.”
This weekend, the team kicks off competition with yet another unusual event f riday in the 52nd annual d ennis s tark r elays, an event named in honor of the first head coach of both teams. The event, started in 1964, is made up entirely of swimming relays with a few diving events as well.
The team will be competing against a number of teams in the event, such as o akland, iupui , i ndiana s tate, b owling g reen and w right s tate.
c oming into this event, l itzinger said he recognizes the team has to be in the right mindset if they are to succeed, and he believes the team is up to the challenge.
“ w e love racing at home, and i think it will be exciting,” l itzinger said. “ o ur mindset is simply to win,
By JOE EVERETT sports writer
o n a clear Tuesday evening inside a lumni s tadium, n o. 2 n otre d ame took care of business on its home turf, beating n o. 6 i ndiana 4-0.
The goals came early and often for the i rish (9-1-0, 3-1-0 acc ), who quickly turned the top-10 matchup into a onesided affair. s enior midfielder o liver h arris got the scoring started for n otre d ame in the 13th minute, heading in a cross from junior midfielder b lake Townes from seven yards out to give the i rish a lead and net his first goal of the season. Junior forward Jon g allagher then took over the offensive responsibilities, sending in a 20-yard deflected strike into goal in the 23rd minute. h e then wasted no time padding the i rish advantage again as he capitalized on another assist from Townes one minute later to give the i rish a 3-0 edge,
CHRIS COLLINS | The Observer
Irish junior forward Jon Gallagher controls the ball on a run during Notre Dame’s 4-0 victory over Indiana on Tuesday at Alumni Stadium.
GRACE TOURVILLE | The Observer
Irish freshman defensive back Donte Vaughn tackles the ball carrier in Notre Dame’s 50-33 victory over Syracuse on Saturday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Vaughn tallied six tackles in the game.
