Print Edition of The Observer for Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Conservative pundit critiques University
‘The Blaze’ columnist Matt Walsh speaks on Catholicism, philosophy of liberal corruption
By LUCAS MASIN-MOYER
ssociate
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a topic of persistent conversation at the university has long been how notre dame adheres to its catholic mission — with guest speakers such as former president barack obama and former Texas state senator wendy davis often being used as examples of a departure from this mission. Tuesday evening in nieuwland hall, matt walsh, a columnist for The blaze, spoke on what he believed to be the university’s departure from its catholic heritage and what he saw as the political left’s corruption of catholicism.
“notre dame has provided us a helpful demonstration of what the consequences are when a catholic
institution loses its catholic heritage,” he said. “ … This institution calls itself catholic but proceeds to betray that identity, and in doing so has scandalized the public.”
walsh cited obama’s speech and certain university policies as evidence of this departure.
“recent history speaks for itself,” he said. “ … we know that in [2009] notre dame hosted the most radically pro-abortion president in history. … a few years ago, management decided to provide marriage benefits to employees in same-sex relationships, citing a legal obligation that does not exist.”
The invitation for davis to speak was key evidence for his case against notre dame’s catholicism,
‘The Hunting Ground’ producer discusses work
By COURTNEY BECKER news e ditor
after creating films that have helped inform changes to university administrative processes, new government legislation and multiple congressional hearings, documentarian amy Ziering was chosen to be the keynote speaker for the student union board’s (sub) literary Festival on Tuesday night.
Ziering — who recently
produced “The hunting ground,” a documentary that examines sexual assault on college campuses and the institutional responses to these incidents — said she tries to create films that will affect change in society.
“w hat i really do like to do is i like to ask questions, and i like to hear other people’s stories and i like to put them on screen,” she said. “ … really, my work is all about, sort of, the importance of [being] rigorous and the
importance of storytelling.”
Ziering said her road to becoming a documentarian stemmed from an interest in academia. her first film was a documentary about French philosopher Jacques derrida. it took about a year of Ziering pursuing him for derrida to agree to be the subject of the film, Ziering said, and he remained a reluctant subject throughout the filmmaking
SMC alumna starts dance company in South Bend
By GABY JANSEN news writer
a fter graduation, saint mary’s alumna hannah Fischer started her own dance company in south bend and is now choreographing dances for the upcoming play “lucky, l iar, l oser,” to be performed at saint mary’s moreau center for the a rts.
Fischer said she wanted to major in women’s studies and dance before there were programs at saint mary’s, so she combined them in a self-designed major along with a major in humanistic studies.
“i did a self-design major at saint mary’s in digital media, women’s studies, and art,” she said.
This liberal arts education at
saint mary’s prepared Fischer for all of her jobs she held after graduation
“it’s demonstrative of the education i got at saint mary’s,” she said. “a nd people ask me what i do at my job ... i have been [a] jack of all trades.” part of Fischer’s job in saint louis was working with
novelist explores impacts of climate change
By CIARA HOPKINSON news writer
bringing a new perspective to an ever-present conversation, indian novelist a mitav ghosh spoke Tuesday afternoon in the mendoza college of business about aspects of climate change much of the world neglects.
The first topic ghosh tackled was wealth and desire — using the value of cloves hundreds of years ago as an example.
“w hat made cloves desirable was the phenomenon that rene girard identifies as mimetic desire, which in his definition is rooted not in basic appetites, but in the crossing of gazes with others,” he said.
we do not, therefore, desire things because we need them, ghosh said — we desire things because others desire them.
deepest reaches of the human soul,” ghosh said.
despite the rise in the global standard of living and the increasing accessibility of these desired goods ghosh said the world has not attained some sort of utopic state of harmony and prosperity.
“The intimate nature of the connection forged by these commodities has not led to greater cooperation or sympathy,” he said. “on the contrary, it has only intensified and deepened the resentment, anger and envy.”
These sentiments, ghosh said, are rooted in the imperialistic treatment of nations, their people and their resources. These tendencies began hundreds of years ago but continues to today. The disregard for the land itself established a precedent not easily shaken.
“The right to consume and pollute is established and justified by the fact of it having happened elsewhere, in rich
see dance paGe 4 see climaTe paGe 4
“ultimately [mimetic desire] would bring into being our own era of globalization — a homogenization of desire on a scale never before seen, extending across the planet and into the
see walsh paGe 3
see producer paGe 4
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
Matt Walsh shared his thoughts on Notre Dame’s Catholic identity and how various liberal views and policies have affected the Catholic Church during a lecture in Nieuwland Hall on Tuesday night.
The observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of notre
Question of the Day:
What is your favorite on-campus eatery?
Zachary Espeland senior off campus “north dining hall.”
Emily McCusker senior cavanaugh hall “e instein’s bagels.”
Tansy
Have a question you want answered? Email
Tess Nelligan sophomore breen-Phillips hall “Waddick’s.”
Kathryn McCarthy sophomore breen-Phillips hall “decio cafe.”
Alanna McEachen junior mcGlinn hall “Au bon Pain.”
The Center for Social Concerns sponsored this year’s Ally Week Prayer Service for the community Tuesday night at the Grotto. The service’s participants prayed for a higher value of human dignity and a more safe and inclusive campus community.
Today’s Staff
Corrections
Jack r iedy’s name was spelled incorrectly in yesterday’s paper. The observer regrets this error.
Snite Museum
5 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Student poetry competition.
“Re-creation and the Exodus” Eck Visitors Center
7 p.m.
A journey through Exodus and Lent. Thursday
How to Date (And Not Just Hook Up)
LaFortune Ballroom
7:30 p.m.
Real relationships on a college campus.
MegaWatt Madness Awareness Bonfire Holy Cross Hill
8 p.m. - 10 p.m.
S’mores, music and energy conservation.
Friday
Voci Italiane: Singing the History of Italy DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7 p.m. Live Italian concert.
Christ’s Passion DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Plays depicting creation to Doomsday.
Saturday
“Going for Gold” Stepan Center
4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Olympics-themed fundraiser for cancer research.
BCAC Fashion Show Washington Hall
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Celebrating the diversity of black culture.
Sunday
Frank Eck Stadium 12:05 p.m. The Irish take on the Yellow Jackets. Tickets available online. Vespers Basilica of the Sacred Heart 7:15 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
process.
“he was being pedagogical,” she said. “not because he didn’t see the value in storytelling — and this is important — but because, for him, storytelling is something to be taken very, very seriously. it’s important and difficult. Words and what you say matter, and you have to take care — there’s a profound responsibility involved.”
This responsibility stayed with Ziering as she embarked upon her career as a filmmaker. in 2006, Ziering said, she came across an article by author and journalist helen benedict, which alerted Ziering to the “epidemic” of rape in the u s military.
“What was so problematic was not just the crimes themselves, but the fact that these victims had no access to any kind of impartial system of justice,” she said. “ … i asked her if her article had been picked up and gone wider and she said, much to her surprise, it had not.”
after discovering that, according to the department of defense, “every day in our military, 49 men and women are sexually assaulted,”
Ziering said she spent about a year trying to secure funding for a film exploring this subject before she and co-director Kirby dick decided to produce the film on their own.
Climate
con T inued F rom Page 1
countries,” ghosh said of developing countries’ attitude toward economic progress.
The problem is that the image of perfect, universal prosperity as we understand it is simply unattainable, ghosh said. no political leader, ghosh said, can tell the blunt truth — the planet cannot sustain a world population that lives according to american standards of living. either the poor must continue in poverty or the wealthy must drastically change their lifestyles.
ghosh also delved into some of the more hidden aspects of climate change. capitalism and industry are not, ghosh said, the sole cause of climate change. Power has become inextricably linked with fossil fuels, creating what ghosh called an “energy regime.”
“Today’s status quo, globally speaking, rests not just on the use of fossil fuels, but also on their flow in both the physical and financial senses,” he said. “during the last century, anglo-american global strategy came to be focused on the nodal points through which oil is distributed around the world.”
The military is both the foundation and the life force of such a power structure, and maintaining a powerful military requires enormous amounts of energy, more than most of the countries of the world combined, ghosh said. Looking at climate change through this lens, ghosh said, is more difficult than through an economic or technological lens.
“We are happy to make
“ … it was the obligation, it was that responsibility,” she said. “i heard their stories and i was like, i’m all in. i don’t care, we’re going to make this somehow, someway, and i just felt responsible to make that film, even though everyone said i was so crazy.”
Ziering and dick premiered their film, “The invisible War,” at the 2012 sundance Film Festival to standing ovations and an outpouring of support.
“it broke the story of the epidemic of rape in our military, and unleashed a tsunami of outrage,”
Ziering said.
Part of the aftermath of the film included the introduction of over 35 new pieces of legislation, as well as over 500,000 soldiers viewing the film as part of military training. The same campaign that contributed to political reform also led to the production of “The hunting ground,” Ziering said.
“Part of what led to all of these policy changes was we did this outreach campaign, and we simply showed the film on campuses,” she said. “and the strange thing that happened was every time we showed it on a campus, a survivor of campus assault would come up to us and say, ‘You know, this happened to me here.’”
once people started coming forward with their stories of surviving campus assault, Ziering and dick felt an “obligation” to shine a light
sacrifices in order to solarize our houses and shrink our carbon footprint, but would we be equally willing to sacrifice our place within the power structures of the world?” he said.
Part of the issue is the concealment of the reliance of all major nations on their militaries, ghosh said. civilians like to believe they are in control, that they are more than parts of an institution. The truth, however, is that in enjoying our position of power on the backs of the weak, we bear a responsibility for our military’s actions and energy use he said.When asked
on the problem of campus sexual assault, she said.
“it’s very hard to make these kind of films,” Ziering said. “it’s hard technically, obviously, but it’s hard emotionally. … but again, we just felt like someone’s got to do this [and] we’re in a good position to do it.”
The impact of the film made the arduous filmmaking process worth it, Ziering said.
“What’s so interesting and instructive about the importance of storytelling — or this echo effect — is how everybody sort of gets empowered by when you do share and open up, if you feel comfortable doing so, and what a powerful impact it has,” she said.
in an interview with The observer, Ziering said the response from campuses across the country to screenings of “The hunting ground” has been “extraordinary,” and urged students to engage in honest conversations about sexual violence.
“i’d love for notre dame students to watch the film ‘The hunting ground’ and talk about it,” Ziering said. “ … it’s a small percentage of men that commit these crimes, but our rape culture protects them. and it’s time for us to stop protecting perpetrators and start protecting victims and survivors.”
Contact Courtney Becker at cbecker3@nd.edu
how we can change the trajectory our planet is on, ghosh responded with support for the one leader whom he sees as challenging the status quo — Pope Francis.
“i think the only really effective thing we can do is to support Pope Francis,” he said. “he is the only global leader who has provided any kind of alternative framework for viewing climate change … his is the only one that looks at climate in terms of genuine justice, not in terms of a mimetic justice.”
Contact Ciara Hopskinson at chopkin1@nd.edu
incarcerated youth through dance and theatre.
“That work really centered around 13 to 18-year-old young women incarcerated,” she said. “i did that for three years and would love to do that again.”
When she came back to south bend, Fischer said she wanted to start using dance as a means by which to have a conversation.
“i just found the dancers i knew in town and found some [other people] that weren’t dancers, but wanted to have conversations that use movement to have the conversation,” Fischer said. “not everyone i work with is a classically trained ballet dancer.”
Fischer got involved with saint mary’s upcoming show when one of the dance professors asked her to help. This lead to Fischer and playwright casey Whitaker exchanging information about the show, she said.
“once i read the description [of the show] i was really interested in being part of the process,” Fischer said. “so when i read about the topic … i was like ‘that is very right up my alley of what i am interested
in,’ which is interdisciplinary work that is not just theater for theater sake, or dance for dance sake, but is going to push a conversation along … and to bring people in to the conversation.”
Whitaker said she wrote the play to be a “dramedy.”
“it’s this hard, serious topic, but it’s also very comedic,” she said. “it’s a multimedia project, so there’s dance and sketch comedy and we’re using this projector to do shadow puppetry.”
Fischer said she wantsw to have dialogues with hard topics in her work.
“at the end of the day, i am an artist and i want to have conversations … especially the tough conversations … [those that are] not going to beat around the bush,” Fischer said.
Fischer said that she thinks the new show will be groundbreaking for the community.
“i think saint mary’s has never seen a show like this and south bend has never seen a show like this,” she said.
“Lucky, Liar, Loser” will be performed from april 27 through 30 at the moreau center for the a rts at saint mary’s.
Contact Gaby Jansen at gjanse01@saintmarys.edu
Paid a dverT isemen T
Paid a dverT isemen T
By TREVOR CANTY scene Writer
“What you know about Wingstop?” c hris r ock screams on “Idols b ecome r ivals,” a track off r ick r oss’s latest LP, “ r ather You Than m e.” The comedian wants to make sure that r oss, the proud owner of several Wingstops, is all business on his new album.
r oss, however, has been spending too much time eating his Wingstop favorite, the “10-piece lemonpepper, baby,” and not enough time on his lyrics. The lead single “Trap Trap Trap” relies heavily on a weak bass line; it doesn’t have quite the same punch as “Purple Lamborghini.” m oreover, the lyrics leave much to be desired — the word “trap” appears at least 100 times in the song (I lost count after that). r oss takes his simplicity to an entirely new level; each song feels like an amalgamation of his s napchat story captions. h e relies heavily on quips about his ankle monitor which famously went off at the White h ouse when r oss met thenPresident b arack o bama.
Though r oss’s social media presence may indirectly hinder his lyrics, the consequent transparency adds a unique authenticity to the album. r oss’s chest tattoos of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington grant the track “ d ead Presidents” a strangely personal tinge. While trite, r oss’s lyrics are unquestionably real, tangible and unique. r oss
even takes shots at n otre d ame’s financial aid program: “Ain’t no financial aid out in n otre d ame” raps r oss in “Powers That b e.” h e might want to fact check that one, even if the sentiment surely resounds with many students across campus.
Throughout the album, r oss’s charisma and talent shine through when he distances himself from awkward pieced-together verses. h is strongest tracks reflect on his journey through success.
“Idols b ecome r ivals” is a direct shot at b irdman, well-known mentor of Lil Wayne and founder of c ash m oney r ecords. r oss paints a picture of the rap game as web of connected rappers who are so close to each other musically and personally that opportunities for betrayal are constantly present.
The narration of b irdman’s infamous treachery is intensely personal: “ d amn, s tunna, I loved you” raps r oss in an uncharacteristic display of emotion. “Idols b ecome r ivals” is an important addition to the southern rap canon that is still relevant. While the n ew o rleans-based Lil Wayne may have faded into obscurity, others wronged by b irdman, such as Florida native dJ Khaled, continue to release hit songs. n oticeably, r oss’s tone is disappointed rather than angry, almost approaching pity. There is no denying r oss’s success allows him to indict a former superstar like b irdman without fear of repercussion, a display of power more effective than flaunting his watches and jewelry on s napchat.
As r oss would be quick to point out, the numbers
do not lie: h e is a force to be reckoned with in both the world of music and the world of wings. As c hris r ock notably points out in “Idols b ecome r ivals,” the two aren’t mutually exclusive. At the end of the day, r oss has created an album that is stagnant musically but thematically progressive. Using s napchat to make “ r ather You Than m e” a visual album for his fans was an ingenious power move by r oss.
o verall, r oss seems to be resting on his laurels, and no one is blaming him for it. h e has carved out a spacious, comfortable spot for himself in luxury rap throughout more than ten albums — not to mention a spot in wing sales. Perhaps diss tracks aimed at b uffalo Wild Wings are already in the works.
Contact Trevor Canty at tcanty@nd.edu
“Rather
You Than Me”
Rick Ross
Label: Maybach Music Group
If you like: Ace Hood, Jeezy
Tracks: “Idols Become Rivals”
By KELLY MCGARRY scene Writer
At least that’s what the Academy would have you believe.
The b est Animated Feature Film winner “Zootopia” told the story of a female police officer overcoming discrimination. Its lead was female and uplifting, even if she was also a bunny. b ut in the most esteemed categories, that was not the case.
s tarting with c asey Affleck’s win for b est Actor for “ m anchester by the s ea,” the portrayal of women in 2017 Academy Award winning movies was nothing short of disappointing, even without considering the sexual harassment allegations against the actor.
First and most simply, “ m anchester by the s ea” doesn’t pass the b echdel test. There are women in the movie. Technically, they do talk to each other, in a meager quantity and poor circumstance. They most certainly don’t talk about something other than a man, and they’re often notably interrupted by Lee’s (Affleck) womanizing teenage son, Patrick.
The cast of female characters includes Patrick’s two girlfriends, each unsuspecting that the other exists, and the enabling mother of one such
girlfriend, who uncomfortably waits in the living room knowing her daughter is having sex upstairs.
Then there’s Lee’s ex wife, r andi ( m ichelle Williams), who shares a traumatic memory with Lee. When she runs into him on the street, her sincere apology and invitation to lunch turn into begging. s he cries and calls him “honey,” and tells him, “I love you.”
A poised Lee tells this out-of-control woman, “There’s nothin’ there.”
And so the one female character with any emotional depth is portrayed as irrational and even adulterous, now that she is remarried. The sympathy she might have elicited is undermined by Lee, who shares her trauma, but maintains control.
o n the other hand, “ m oonlight,” the worthy winner for b est Picture, was a rare victory for diversity. Its story of a gay black man was a welcome change from last year’s # o scars s oWhite problem.
b ut “ m oonlight” doesn’t pass the b echdel test either. The mere three named female characters never even speak to each other. “ m oonlight” doesn’t pick up the gender slack.
The b est Actress category forces at least one relevant female character to be recognized, but e mma s tone in “La La Land” is no victory.
“La La Land” shamelessly feeds off the gender stereotypes sometimes mistaken for nostalgia. In
the clip played during its b est Picture nomination, s ebastian ( r yan Gosling) mansplains jazz to his tolerant date m ia ( e mma s tone). That’s a pretty good representation of how the movie goes.
s ebastian goes on to explain other things to m ia, like their relationship and her career. Throughout the film, we see s ebastian in a working environment, pursuing his passion. m ia, on the other hand, is mostly seen interacting with s ebastian. s he watches him play. h e doesn’t watch her act.
In the ending (spoiler), we’re supposed to understand that m ia achieves success. h ow does h ollywood tell us that concisely? With a baby. We know m ia made it because she comes home to a man and a baby.
This is what an o scar-winning female role looks like.
The argument of the b echdel test is that women are irrelevant in high-grossing films. e ven in the b est Actress winner, the character is irrelevant in her own life.
When the 2016 o scars were criticized for a lack of diversity, it was blamed the on number of academy members that are white, male and over 50. While those demographics might be shifting for the better, it’s essential that women aren’t left behind.
Contact Kelly McGarry at kmcgarry@nd.edu
The joys of running
Marie Fazio news Writer
s aturday morning, s tepan c enter was buzzing with excitement as runners stretched, chatted and commiserated over the upcoming 13.1 miles we were all about to undertake, a feat that is still probably less painful than the chemistry and physics exams that happen in the same space.
As with a surprising majority of n otre d ame students, I ran cross-country in high school. To put it bluntly, it was my life. e verything revolved around my practice and race schedule, and it seemed that every moment was either running, looking forward to (or sometimes dreading) my next run or recovering from my last one. When high school graduation hit, I “retired” and began to “run for fun.” I was worried about having no one to run with at n otre d ame. I couldn’t have been more wrong, as was proven with the short amount of time that it took for the h oly h alf to fill up to capacity. Though my competitive running career has long since been over, I appreciated the h oly h alf as an opportunity for me to relive the glory days.
I was surprised by the number of people I knew who decided to train for the half with no running background. That’s the beauty of the sport; it can be picked up at any time by anyone who puts in the time and effort. h and-eye coordination isn’t even a requirement. o nce you start you can’t stop. It might be the most health benefiting addiction in existence. The adrenaline rush that one feels as a race is about to start is somewhat similar to what I imagine running through tunnel in the n otre d ame stadium would be like.
Granted, finishing the h oly h alf may not be quite the same as scoring a touchdown in front of 80,000 plus people, but after months of training it sure does feel like it. Around mile 11, when my legs were tired and my shoes felt as if they were made of bricks, I cannot put into words how encouraging it was to see people lining the sidewalks with signs and music. m aybe it was the dehydration mixed with sheer exhaustion talking, but I had an overwhelming feeling of the n otre d ame family. s trangers cheering for strangers; runners finishing the race and heading back to the finish line to cheer for their friends. I think that in the midst of the all the pain — it’s no secret that running is not an entirely pleasant experience and requires a certain level of insanity — it’s incredible to see the positive culture that runs such as the h oly h alf create.
s o congratulations to all of the runners. You may not be d ivision I athletes, but if you can run a half-marathon you definitely didn’t peak in high school. h ere’s to the closest we’ll ever get to n otre d ame athletics.
Contact Marie Fazio at mfazio@nd.edu
The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
leTTer To THe ediTor
Choosing hope in invisible illness
A year out of nd, I have seen and heard about the invisible illness campaign at nd that just occurred. As a former r yan h all r A, I have the privilege of knowing three of the beautiful “Invisilillies,” and was touched by their openness and effort to make this campaign possible. m iles from campus, I could almost feel the relief of these brave students in giving voice to their inner burdens, and doing it in a way that educated and promoted seeing past the exterior of every person on campus. m y time at nd showed me again and again how important it is to see beyond the exterior of an extremely put together and successful student to understand that we all have stories, many of them painful. m y story has been profoundly influenced by an invisible illness, much more than I ever like to admit, even to myself. I experience on average a migraine about every other to every third day, along with a few million other Americans. m y migraines wake me up, they make me nauseous, sick, tired, irritable, light sensitive and cause horrible pain. I try to hide it, to push through and ignore the pain and nausea, because to do otherwise would be admitting defeat, something I am not willing to do. I pretend I am fine when friends are around, but by now my closest loved ones can usually see past that. I have tried endless medications, some with bizarre and frightening side effects, chiropractic, massage therapy, herbal supplements — you name it. m y migraines are a constant in my life, my cross. As I am sure many of those with invisible illness also do, I try to concentrate only on how bad it could be, how much worse off so many other people are, rather than admit that it is hard, that it sometimes breaks my spirit to wake up in pain again, that I make choices and sacrifices that others don’t
leTTer To THe ediTor
have to to avoid pain. I am not the only one who lives in fear that I will wake up in pain and be unable to concentrate on the morning of an important test, a fun event, or now as I prepare for marriage, on the morning of my wedding. d ecisions like going out with friends are calculated, since I have about a 75 percent chance of getting a migraine. e ven my decision to become a physician assistant was influenced by migraines.
b ut this burden that I carry is something that makes me, me. It makes me passionate and compassionate. o ne of my residents last year suffers from an invisible illness, and walking with her as she faced horrible pain and eventual surgery helped me to realize that my pain, as hard as it is, made me better able to offer support. In my career path, I will be able to relate to and better understand my patients who come to me with chronic pain and invisible illnesses. s o I choose not to look at the ways in which migraines control and infect my life, but rather at the way they make me a better person. I live in hope, not only because of a successful clinical trial for a new migraine medication, but also because I believe that my invisible illness, and all invisible illness, have some kind of silver lining, perhaps even redemption. And last week, we as an nd community near and far were able to see the fruits of that silver lining, thanks to the bravery of those who chose to be vulnerable, making their invisible illnesses visible. We choose hope rather than despair, and give hope to those who struggle in invisibility and silence; you are not alone.
Kaitlyn Kennedy class of 2016 April 1
Zahmapalooza
h as Zahm done something to annoy you? e ver wanted to take out years of built-up frustration caused by n otre d ame’s favorite scapegoat through some harmless means that won’t get you into trouble? If so, come throw pies at my face. If not, come throw pies at my face anyway. m y name is Alex b onino and I am the president of Zahm h ouse, and I am extending a cordial invitation to all of campus to try their best to decorate my face in the name of charity. Friday will be the first ever Zahmapalooza on n orth Quad. Zahm will be hosting a variety of carnival games after classes are over for the first week of April, so come out and see how hard you can splatter whipped cream all over my ugly mug. e very pie you throw will cost $1 and all proceeds go toward the the c hildren’s d ispensary and h ospital of s outh b end. s o if you love helping people, come blow off some steam by plastering the president of n otre d ame’s most prestigious residence house with r eddi-wip. h it the weight room and perfect that throwing motion, and perhaps you can be the first person to knock the
contacts out of my eyes.
o ther than emotionally scarring me, you can also participate in a multitude of carefree events at Zahmapalooza. Try on one of our s umo suits and challenge your friends to a battle of strength, participate in the b un r un (it’s just a hot dog eating relay race), or just come hangout in the sun and eat some good food. There will be plenty more activities, but we shan’t spoil them; come find out for yourself what else is in store. All that matters is that we will be having ourselves a splendid afternoon on Zahm Quad, so be sure to stop by and have fun with us. Additionally, I tend to get bloody noses pretty easily so you might get the added bonus of plowing pie so far up my nose that I have to take a break to mop up my face.
o ut like my dignity,
Alex Bonino sophomore march 23
Eddie Damstra dinner Table Talks
A call to defund Planned Parenthood
o n Thursday, v ice President m ike Pence was the tie-breaking vote in a repeal of a regulation implemented just two days before President b arack o bama left office. The regulation o bama passed disallowed states from barring Title X funds from organizations that provide abortion, the most prominent of which would be Planned Parenthood. o verturning such a regulation was certainly an absolute necessity. There is no reason why states should be forced to allocate Title X funds towards abortion providers.
h owever, while progress was made on Thursday, there is still a substantial amount of work to be done by c ongress and President d onald Trump in order to truly stomp out federally subsidized abortion within the United s tates. I hope and pray that this becomes a top priority for the majority- r epublican c ongress, as well as Trump.
While the radical abortion lobby and many on the political left argue that the h yde Amendment prevents tax-payer money from going towards abortions, this is simply a deception tactic. While the h yde Amendment disallows tax money from going directly towards an abortion service, funds certainly go directly into the pockets of Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood then has the discretion to move funds towards
abortion services, which effectively means that tax-payer money contributes to the financing of abortions. Federal tax money is entirely fungible, which allows for such loopholes to take place. After all, without federal tax dollars, Planned Parenthood would not be the single largest abortion provider in the United s tates.
It is my position, and that of much of the scientific community, I might add, that abortion is the killing of a human life. Therefore, I do not at all see the rationale behind its legalization.
b ut even if I were forced to accept such a perverse reality as the law of the land, I should, at the very least, be able to refuse financing such a practice that I perceive as murder.
I find most taxation excessive and immoral. h owever, there is no worse of a moral evil than forcing someone to contribute their hard-earned money to the government where it will be used to perpetuate a practice they view as murderous.
A normal response from the abortion lobby to an argument of this kind is to stress the good that Planned Parenthood does for women. s urely, this is true. It is not as though Planned Parenthood is merely an abortion factory. m any women receive worthwhile and essential services from Planned Parenthood. h owever, Planned Parenthood is far from the only organization that offers such women’s health services. In fact, there are over thirteen times as many federally qualified health centers as there are Planned Parenthood centers. These federally qualified
health centers are effective, properly networked and provide the same exact services as Planned Parenthood, minus the practice of abortion. Logically, it seems to make sense to shift federal funding to these federally qualified health centers. Women will get the same essential care without allowing tax-payer funds to contribute to abortion. Planned Parenthood and its abortion services could still exist; it would simply have to exist without the aid of federal funds. I will be supremely disappointed and infuriated if the Trump administration and the r epublican-majority c ongress are unable to make significant progress on defunding Planned Parenthood. While I believe Trump is far from the perfect representation of the pro-life cause, the political convenience of having r epublican control over the legislative and executive branch cannot go unutilized in the pursuit of saving the lives of the unborn. It is despicable enough for the government to ask me and millions of others to live in a society where the unborn are routinely killed. Please stop making us also subsidize such heinous acts.
Eddie is a sophomore from Orland Park, Illinois. He is majoring in Economics and Political Science and considering pursuing law school after his time as an undergraduate at the University of Notre Dame. He can be reached at edamstra@nd.edu
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
breaking: Pence brings wife out to dinner
r ecently, debates have sparked over what may be this decade’s most pathetic controversy. At a time where Turkish people are living in constant civil unrest, s yria is in rubble and the entire country of venezuela is starving to death, the media has decided to devote time to picking apart our vice president’s dining habits. In a 2002 interview, v ice President m ike Pence admitted that after marrying his wife Karen, he made the decision to never dine alone with another woman. The internet and the mainstream media were immediately up in arms, with singer and actress b ette m idler even tweeting, “# m ikePence won’t dine with a woman without his wife b/c he doesn’t trust himself or b/c he thinks his wife will run away while he’s out?”
Frankly, this sort of reaction is disheartening and utterly contrary to rational thought. It appears that we have seen constant coverage of marital infidelity and secret celebrity affairs for far too long. Jay-Z is quickly forgiven after making millions of dollars publishing his wife’s musical account of his own infidelities. Ashton Kutcher
and m ila Kunis are considered one of h ollywood’s most prominent power couples only a few years after Kutcher cheated on, and subsequently divorced, d emi m oore. Yet, m ike Pence has become the villain in this story. The villain who cares enough about his wife to make their marriage the best that it can be. It seems that the only thing that is unforgivable is fidelity.
I invite you to criticize Pence for his politics at every chance that you get but don’t dare degrade the importance of a faithful marriage by attacking a man for admitting his own human frailties. The political world is filled with constant temptation and story after story of politicians cheating on their spouses (ever heard of m onica Lewinsky?). e very marriage is unique and each has its own challenges that must be faced. h e chose to put his wife above himself and to prove the love that he has for her, tackling those challenges head on. h e publicly admitted the temptations that this world presents and he does everything he can to ensure that those temptations don’t get the best of him. I challenge you to be that openly courageous.
m att Walsh recently summed up the absurdity of this backlash in saying, “ d o you believe your spouse is literally impervious to the sin of lust? If you do, please tell us how you managed to climb to h eaven and marry an archangel.” m ike Pence is no less immune to the temptations of lust than was John F. Kennedy or b ill c linton or even Anthony Weiner. The difference is m ike and Karen Pence chose to set boundaries. e very successful marriage should have boundaries like these. The Pence family is no different. In fact, the c atholic c hurch teaches us to avoid the “near occasion of sin” just as they are doing. Let’s reclaim the love, sacrifice and commitment that used to be essential to a marriage and give Pence credit where credit is due. I thank m ike Pence for bringing attention to our society’s blatant disregard for successful marriages and faithful practices. Keep up the good work m r. v ice President.
Cam Kormylo sophomore April 3
leTTer TO THe ediTOr
Happy Birthday: Think before you follow through. e motions will be difficult to control if you aren’t pragmatic about how you handle personal situations. d on’t feel you have to take care of everyone else’s responsibilities for them. stay focused on doing what’s best for you. Problems with partners will surface. The trick will be to know when to compromise and when to walk away. your numbers are 9, 14, 20, 28, 37, 42, 48.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): m aking assumptions could lead to poor choices. o bserve what everyone else is doing. Time is on your side, and gathering information will be in your best interest. keep your life simple and concentrate on self-improvement, not trying to change others.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Pay more attention to home, family and domestic changes that need to be addressed. l ove should be a priority along with personal improvements that will energize you and provide the psychological boost you need to achieve your goals.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): help others for the right reasons and avoid taking on the impossible. m aking last-minute changes due to emotional concerns or revealing information that isn’t yours to share will make you look bad. Take the high road.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): d on’t let emotional situations lead to snap decisions that can damage your personal or professional relationships. money concerns will escalate if you spend needlessly or are generous to a fault. moderation in all aspects of life will be required.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): b ase each decision you make on facts, knowledge and insight. move forward with the intent to make things better, not only for you, but for those you care about. d on’t let anger stop you from doing what needs to be done.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): b ase each decision you make on facts, knowledge and insight. move forward with the intent to make things better, not only for you, but for those you care about. d on’t let anger stop you from doing what needs to be done.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): e xpecting others to want the same things as you will lead to problems. g ive others the benefit of the doubt and go about your own business. e ngage in personal growth, learning and stabilizing your position, not trying to change others.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take a moment to assess your feelings and to consider what moves you the most. d elve deeper into your subconscious and ask yourself questions about what you are doing with your life. s hare with someone you love.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Temptation is a state of mind. d on’t give in to a sales pitch or emotional manipulation. l ook for opportunities that are beneficial to you, not something that will only help someone else. Invest time in yourself.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): keep an open mind, but don’t agree just because someone is enthusiastic or persuasive when presenting you with an offer. b e on guard at all times and protect your assets, possessions and your financial future. e motional spending will lead to loss.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): s omeone you thought you could trust will let you down. keep personal information a secret. s omeone is likely to use emotional tactics to make you look bad. d o your best to bring about positive changes and greater security.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): g et involved in activities you can enjoy with someone you love or that include the youngsters in your life. Participate in something that you believe in or that concerns you. you can make a difference if you try.
Birthday Baby: you are creative, insightful and sensitive. you are determined and energetic.
Jumble | dAvId hoyT And Jeff knurek
sudoku | The mePhAm grouP
JusT add waTer | erIc cArlson & John roddy
winGin’ iT | bAIlee egAn & olIvIA WAng
masters without Woods matter
Rachel O’Grady Assistant managing e ditor
d espite the forecast, spring has officially sprung and it’s practically time for a tradition unlike any other — The m asters. It is, what I believe, the very best and most fun week of golf, from the tradition to the song and of course, to Augusta n ational.
h aving said that, this year already feels a bit different, because — in what has turned into the norm — Tiger Woods will not be not playing in this year’s tournament. For even the most amateur of golf fans, myself included, this is at the very least odd, given the ubiquitous nature of the Tiger Woods name.
b ut it’s okay that he’s not playing. The golf world is such a great place right now, and there is so much more to pay attention to. It’s not just about Tiger anymore — and it hasn’t been for a couple of years.
For Jordan s pieth, this year is a chance to finally rid himself of the memory of the quadruple-bogey from last year’s disaster of a tournament. h is collapse was incomprehensible, but he finally has the opportunity to overcome the demons that have no doubt haunted him over the past year. As s pieth said himself in an interview last week, “The m asters lives on for a year. It brings a non-golf audience into golf. And it will be nice once this year’s finished from my point of view, to be brutally honest with you.”
For some in the field, a shot at making history is at stake. o nly once since 1966 has someone won all four major championships, and r ory m cIlroy — perhaps the most likable golfer on PGA Tour right now — has the opportunity to complete
the career grand slam this weekend. With a suboptimal performance at the 2016 m asters, m cIlroy is surely chomping at the bit for that green jacket.
While Phil m ickelson has no shortage of green jackets, with a win this weekend, he would be the oldest person to win The m asters, cracking Jack n icklaus’ record of 46 years old. Additionally, with his fourth win, he would join Arnold Palmer, Woods and n icklaus as the only golfers with four of the coveted jackets.
Finally, while d ustin Johnson is easily a favorite to win the 2017 tournament, he is — at the very least slightly — overhyped. While there is no denying Johnson is good — great, even — coming off three wins in as many starts, to go for a fourth in a row is difficult task to achieve, particularly at The m asters. o n a practical level, Johnson’s ball flight is left to right, while Augusta typically favors those who play a draw. That’s not to say that’s the end-all-be-all for Johnson, but it certainly doesn’t help. And while a fourth straight win would be impressive, it’s important to recall the words of Johnson’s former caddy b obby b rown, who said “ h e’s not the most dedicated player on the planet … And thank God for the rest of us that he isn’t.”
s o regardless of who you’re cheering for, or if this is the only weekend you watch golf all year, The m asters is filled with a collection of incredible storylines, and there is no denying this year’s tournament will be something unlike any other.
Contact Rachel O’Grady at rogrady@nd.edu
The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Irish travel West to Lake natoma Invitational
Observer Sports Staff
notre dame will travel to s acramento, c alifornia, for the Lake natoma Invitational, which will take place on April 8 and 9. After a performance in Austin, Texas, headlined by a victory for the second varsity e ight boat, the Irish look to pick up speed out west. Last year, notre dame had a strong showing at the Invitational. The field at the Invitational is filled with top teams including s acramento state, c al, stanford, brown, Gonzaga, c lemson, c entral Florida and b oston University.
s oftball
by sophomore infielder
c aitlyn b rooks combined to score two runs, pushing n otre d ame ahead of the c ardinals 2-1.
Louisville struck back with two of its own runs in the fourth inning due to two n otre d ame errors. The c ardinals extended their lead to 4-2 with a solo home run in the fifth.
The Irish continued to fight, relying on clutch offensive plays from sophomore infielder m elissa r ochford and junior pinch runner b ailey b igler to cut the lead to 4-3 by the end of the sixth inning. In the seventh inning, r ochford drilled a hit to center field, scoring senior outfielder Karley Wester and r eed and putting the Irish ahead.
Junior pitcher Katie b eriont sealed the win for n otre d ame with solid
pitching in the final inning, throwing out the lead
Louisville runner at second base and helping n otre d ame secure the 5-4 win.
Louisville struck immediately in the second game of the series s unday afternoon, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning following a quick rb I single. b rooks and freshman infielder Katie m arino reached base in the top of the second inning, but were left stranded on base after two n otre d ame strikeouts.
The Irish managed to overtake the c ardinals’ strong pitching in the top of the fourth when senior outfielder Kimmy s ullivan and junior infielder s ara White recorded rb Is to push n otre d ame ahead 3-1.
The Irish offense continued with a r ochford rb I that scored r eed and a m arino rb I that brought home freshman pinch runner Alexis b azos in the top of the fifth, putting the
The races commence at 8 a.m. on April 8 and 9 in at Lake natoma in s acramento, c alifornia.
Irish up 5-1.
Wester scored with a hit to center in the top of the sixth inning, giving the Irish their largest lead of the game at 6-1. Two runs for Louisville in the bottom of the seventh cut the score to 6-4. n asland shut down Louisville to close the game, making that the final score.
The c ardinals avoided the sweep, winning the final matchup of the series 7-4 m onday night.
The Irish went down early as Louisville took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. r eed led a n otre d ame rally with a single to center field, and b rooks hit a two-run home run to tie the game.
Louisville took control from that point on, ending the game with a 7-2 c ardinal win.
n ext, the Irish will take on Fort Wayne in a nonconference home game Wednesday at 5 p.m. at m elissa c ook s tadium.
MICHAEL YU | The Observer
Sophomore Caitlyn Brooks follows through on a swing during Notre Dame’s 1-0 win over Eastern Michigan on March 29 at Melissa Cook Stadium. Brooks drove in the lone run in the game.
Looking forward to the rest of the season, rohrer is focused on maintaining her health.
“my main goal is to stay healthy because i have been on a good track for a while and i have been feeling good,” rohrer said. “obviously, i want to get better and faster, but if my health stays at the level it is now, then i will be able to get faster. i’m looking forward to having [irish graduate student] molly [seidel] again to race with. We are going to put out great times together because we have each other to work out with and push each other. it will be really exciting to see what we can do at accs and nationals.”
seidel also raced in the 10,000-meter race, in a different heat and earning the win in her section. Five other irish athletes had top-ten finishes at the stanford invitational.
so it is cool to say that, but it’s not totally true. but my time will still be up there.”
after the performance that garnered attention from many, rohrer will not run the 10,000-meter race for a month.
“The longer the race the less you run it because it takes that much more of a toll on your body,” rohrer said. “so i am not going to race it again until the accs, which is in a month, about midmay. Then i will race it two weeks later at regionals and i should race again two weeks later at nationals. more than i should race it, but i have to.”
Paid a dverT isemen T
While rohrer and company were competing in california, multiple irish athletes also partook in the Texas relays. The results from that event were headlined by senior anthony shivers, who finished fifth in the discus and junior Payton miller who finished in fifth place in the 400-meter dash. miller also took part in the 4x400-meter relay, which finished in 17th place.
The irish squad will next see action at the sun angel Track classic, which begins Friday in Tempe, a rizona.
Contact Meagan Bens at mbens@nd.edu
with 28.11.
The o wls also sit second in the nation in draw controls per game with 16.78. s peaking after her team’s defeat to the Tar heels, i rish head coach c hristine h alfpenny said her team has been focusing on improvement in that area all season, and believes her squad may be close to winning crucial possessions at the draw.
“The draw is an area we’ve been looking at since the beginning of the season,” h alfpenny said. “The ball hit our sticks first a number of times [against north c arolina], so we’ve just got to work on coming up with it, going in twos, being a little more convicted and getting our feet behind those ground balls.”
a gainst an unranked o wls team, who were defeated 20-7 by the same m arquette squad the i rish defeated 219, the i rish may be hoping for a task relatively easier than the difficult stretch that saw the i rish play five ranked opponents in a row — the first
four of which came on the road before the i rish hosted the no. 2 Tar heels. The i rish went 1-4 during the span, but h alfpenny said she is pleased with where her team currently stands.
“i feel great about where we’re at,” h alfpenny said. “i ’m excited about where we stand. There’s a lot up for grabs. We can prepare for going into battle in the postseason in these late games, and start battling for seeding in the national picture. i feel great about what we’re going to do. i ’m excited about the development we’ve had. We’re learning our lessons now, we’re finding a little bit more maturity and a little bit more fire.
“a t the end of the day, i hate to lose, even to learn lessons, but i think we’ve been learning a lot with this schedule we’ve played and i think it’s going to pay dividends if we allow it to.”
The i rish and the o wls will meet in a tlanta’s Fifth Third b ank s tadium on Thursday. o pening draw is at 1 p.m.
Contact Daniel O’Boyle at doboyle1@nd.edu
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer Irish graduate student Molly Seidel competes in the 3,000-meter race at the Meyo Invitational at Loftus Sports Center on Feb. 4.
KATHLEEN DONAHUE | The Observer
Senior attack Grace Muller fights through a group of defenders during Notre Dame’s 16-13 win over Ohio State on March 7 .
KATHLEEN DONAHUE | The Observer
Senior attack Cortney Fortunato looks for a pass during Notre Dame’s 16-13 win over Ohio State on March 7 at Arlotta Stadium.
track and field | sTAnFord InvITATIonAL
Rohrer breaks school record for
By MEAGAN BENS sports Writer
At the s tanford Invitational this past weekend, sophomore Anna r ohrer ran her first career 10,000-meter race in 31:58, setting a new notre d ame record and posting the fastest time for a female in the world so far this year.
Prior to the meet, r ohrer did not have any specific goals for the 10,000-meter race.
“ b efore the race, a lot of people asked me what I was thinking, and I kept telling them that I really was trying not to think about it,” r ohrer said. “I didn’t look at the seed times, I didn’t think about how fast I was going, or what splits I wanted to run because I didn’t know what to expect. I knew there were going to be professionals in it, all I wanted to do was just stay with them as long as I could.
“I was surprisingly relaxed at the starting line; I was more excited for this race than I had been in a long time. There was nothing for me to compare it to, I am just
going to go and see what I can do and not think about it.”
r ohrer said she was not aware of what she had accomplished immediately after the race.
“I didn’t really realize how good it was,” r ohrer said.
“When I broke 32 I knew it was fast, but I didn’t really know any of the statistics about it, like who has ran it faster, where that places me in comparison to others, I really didn’t have any idea. I had amateur thoughts at that point and didn’t really know much about it. I just felt good that I ran fast.”
According to r ohrer, her time may be the fastest at the moment, but will fall down the ranks as more people run the race this year.
“It is kind of blown out of proportion because not a lot of people have raced a 10k yet this year,” r ohrer said. “Yes, it is really cool to say my time is the fastest in the world right now, but the fastest people in the world have not raced yet.
see TrAcK paGe 11
Irish win two, take series over Cardinals nd hits road, looks to rebound
Observer Sports Staff
n otre d ame went 2-for3 over the weekend in an A cc road series against Louisville.
The c ardinals (21-10, 5-2 A cc ) entered the series undefeated in the A cc , posing a potential tough challenge for the Irish (19-14, 6-6 A cc ). In s aturday afternoon’s first game, n otre d ame found its offense early with a first inning single by sophomore left fielder Ali Wester. s he made her way into scoring position, but was left on base after a deep flyout.
The c ardinals scored first with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning, making the score 1-0. h owever, n otre d ame’s senior starting pitcher r achel n asland elicited a pop fly to first and a ground ball out double play, ending the inning.
The Irish took the lead at the top of the third inning when an rb I single by junior infielder m organ r eed and an rb I groundout
By DANIEL O’BOYLE sports Writer
n o. 12 n otre d ame will take a break from its A cc schedule this week, traveling to Georgia for a nonconference matchup with Kennesaw s tate.
The o wls (5-4, 1-2 A- s un) have been among the top offensive teams, scoring an average of 15.11 goals per game, putting them at seventh in the nation. They have matched or exceeded the 20 goal mark four times.
h owever, Kennesaw s tate has struggled on the other end, ranking in the bottom twenty in the nation in scoring defense.
In what may be a highscoring affair, Irish senior forward c ortney Fortunato could get chances to increase her already-impressive scoring tally for the season. s he currently sits eighth in the nation in goals and in a tie for ninth in points.
The o wls’ high-scoring offense has been driven by multiple players, with four different Kennesaw s tate players — sophomore
midfielder h aley s wift, junior attack c onnor Zophy, senior midfielder s ydney Farwick and senior midfielder Taylor m cGhee — scoring 24 or more goals this season and a fifth — freshman midfielder Izzy Palermo — with more than 15.
Attempting to stop those players from adding to their totals will be sophomore Irish goalkeeper s amantha Giacalone. Giacolone has been a standout performer for the Irish (9-5, 3-2 A cc ) in the past two weeks, earning national Player of the Week honors for her performance in the team’s victory over s yracuse, before making a career-high 18 saves in the team’s 16-9 loss to n orth c arolina. That performance saw Giacolone climb to third in the nation in total saves. Giacolone may be tested regularly against Kennesaw s tate, which has proven unafraid to take shots so far this season. The o wls are first in the nation in both shots per game, with 37.78, and shots on goal per game,
MICHAEL YU | The Observer Irish sophomore outfielder Ali Wester attempts a bunt during Notre Dame’s 1-0 win over Eastern Michigan on March 29.
nd women’s lacrosse
EMMET FARNAN | The Observer
Sophomore Anna Rohrer runs in the women’s 3,000-meter race at the Meyo Invitational on Feb. 4 at Loftus Sports Center. Rohrer finished the women’s 10,000-meter race in 31:58 at the Stanford Invitational.
