Aid in the aftermath

By Maroon Editorial Staff / January 7, 2005

In times of great tragedy or crisis, it can be difficult to feel as though one can make a difference in the lives of those affected. It would be easy to feel overwhelmed over the past few weeks as images of the deadly tsunami that hit South and Southeast Asia on the 26th of December...

America must engage Osama bin Laden

By Joshua Steinman / January 6, 2005

Recent Osama bin Laden videos have created a subculture of analysts who claim that the world’s most wanted man is moderating. Those individuals are creating a verbal house of cards built on wishful thinking and flawed logic. These armchair pundits, operating both in the mainstream and the “blogosphere,” misunderstand bin Laden’s history, motives, and goals....

The makeover: a dangerous obsession

By Ashley P. White-Stern / January 6, 2005

It’s the New Year! What better time to contemplate the intersection of consumer society with the culture of the makeover, now so pervasive on television? I am sure you are all very familiar with the makeover genre: There is a makeover show for everyone. Like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the show that teaches...

The right is fighting a culture war to “save” us

By Hollie Russon Gilman / January 6, 2005

Is my entire liberal existence a loathsome lie? I was raised to value rugged intellectualism, aspire to speak French, drink lattés, drive Volvos—OK, well maybe not, but you get it. How did the term “Northeast liberal” become an insult? There are people in our country who elect leaders whose policies inherently hurt them. These people...

U of C iPod addicts lost for week in recent snow: “We didn’t know.”

By Jesse Zink / January 6, 2005

There is a shadowy and insidious force lurking throughout America, a force so powerful and ubiquitous that it has found its way into the lifestyles of an increasing number of “average” Americans. This force threatens the very foundations of our society and can easily be declared the Greatest Threat to Democracy. What is it to...

Examining Church and State through film

By Matt Zakosek / November 30, 2004

It’s often said that two things one should never discuss in polite conversation are religion and politics. Well, that old adage is suddenly a lot easier to remember, because for the first time in recent history, religion and politics are becoming inextricably linked. Don’t be fooled by the declining ratings for CBS’ Joan of Arcadia—whether...

Finalizing reading period

By Maroon Editorial Staff / November 30, 2004

Throughout this week, and at this time in quarters past, professors have circumvented the official final examination schedule by giving final exams during Reading Period. Perhaps the instructor wants to go on vacation early with his family, or thinks he’s aiding his students by finishing the course a week early. Whatever the intentions, early exams...

University benevolence does not compensate for lasting inequality

By Ashley P. White-Stern / November 22, 2004

For two years in a row I have spoken as a student panelist at the prospective student informational session. Both years, Ted O’Neill, dean of admissions in the College, prepared us panelists for what he called “the inevitable question”: security on campus. “Be honest,” he would say, “but there’s no reason to scare them. The...

When academic panels go very wrong

By Niraj Sheth / November 22, 2004

The November 10 panel on the Middle East, hosted by the Student Committee on the Middle East (SCME) and entitled “Examining National Identity: Nationalism, Transnationalism, and the Future of the Middle East,” demonstrated exactly how low a poorly managed event can fall. As a student unsure about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I was hoping for some...

Latke tops hamentash

By Maroon Editorial Staff / November 22, 2004

In the past year, the Maroon has endorsed with trepidation candidates for the U.S. presidency and student government at the University, in races that featured so many complexities that a clear choice was not obvious. This Tuesday, however, the Maroon endorses with its full support the candidacy of the latke as this year’s winner for...

The endangered list of small places

By Daniel Gilbert / November 22, 2004

This is the next installment in a series of articles about a summer spent in the Peruvian village of Cochas Grande. I would like to begin this column with an amendment to my last one, “Traveling and Telephones.” As I found out last week, via an e-mail from a friend in Huancayo, the telephone has...

Reforming the drunk van

By Maroon Editorial Staff / November 21, 2004

Waiting for up to an hour. Rude or uncooperative drivers. Unanswered calls. These are a few of the complaints voiced by students at a meeting this week on the status of the Late Night Van Service. The van service is a well utilized and well loved program of the College. Yet when it does not...