Opinion

Opinion

Staff editorial: Eagle staffers' picks

January 25

Now that rumored AU presidential candidate and former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams has taken another job with Public Properties Realty Investment Trust and is seemingly out of the running to be AU's next president, and because the search committee will not divulge any information about the ongoing search, the editorial staff of The Eagle had no choice but to assemble a list of its own suggestions.

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Opinion

OP-ED: NCOR: Now Consider Our Response

January 25

I am writing to dispel unfounded lies that are being circulated by those opposed to the National Conference on Organized Resistance. In Caleb Enerson's column in the last edition of The Eagle and in club's e-mails to the student body, claims have been disguised as truths at NCOR's expense.

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Opinion

The Case for Pro-life Progressivism

By Jong Eun Lee | January 25

I am a Democrat. And I am pro-life. I see no contradiction between these two statements. In fact, I consider sanctity of life as a foundation to the progressive vision of the Democratic Party.

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Opinion

Staff editorial: Sorry, guys: NCOR's speech is also free

January 25

For the last seven years, the National Conference on Organized Resistance has been held at AU. This year, AU students opposed to the conference have organized to create an online petition at www.stopncor.com, stating "I am both embarassed and disgusted that my institution of higher learning has hosted such a motley melange of second-rate fanatics, pornographers, and terrorists" and calling for the Board of Trustees to cease support of the organization.

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Opinion

Letter to the editor

January 25

I much enjoyed Benjamin Lozovsky's articulate review of Jan. 19's Blackalicous Tavern show, aside from the accusatory comment: "Despite the near criminal lack of publicity surrounding the free campus event." As the assistant director of the Student Union Board, I can assure you that promotional measures preceded the day of show to an appropriate degree considering the show was free of charge.

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Opinion

Free to Choose (Even Though I Think You're Wrong)

By Erin Wildermuth | January 25

When I was 17, a younger friend of mine had an abortion. I was the only one she told. We were both pro-life, but her family was traditionally Mexican and she probably would have been disowned if they had found out. Despite my disgust with abortion, I was her confidant throughout the experience.

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Opinion

Staff editorial: Bush's reaction to student loan reform is irrational

January 22

The House of Representatives passed a bill this week that will cut the interest rate on Stafford student loans from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent. The interest rate will be cut gradually and, unforunately for current AU students, will not fully take effect until mid-2011.

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Opinion

NCOR: Never Consider Our Rights

By Caleb Enerson | January 22

American University prides itself on having highly involved students, who heavily involve themselves in the plethora of student organizations here. Each of AU's 5,866 undergraduates is required to pay $73.50 per semester ($147 annually) for an "undergraduate activities" fee.

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Opinion

Staff editorial: In e-mail vs. office hours debate, convenience rules

January 22

A recent survey by The Minnesota Daily found that three out of four students prefer to e-mail professors rather than attend office hours. On top of classes, many AU students have additional time commitments with internships, part-time jobs and extracurricular activities.

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Opinion

Progressive Point

By Jacob Shelly | January 22

As we all returned to D.C. to start the new semester, we were greeted by President Bush's call for an escalation of the war in Iraq. Jay Leno, of all people, had the most succinct summarization of that plan: "The good news is last night President Bush finally admitted he's made mistakes in Iraq.

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Opinion

Staff editorial: Bush's new plan for

January 18

On Jan. 10, President Bush unveiled a new plan for the war in Iraq, in which an additional 21,000 troops will be sent to the war-torn nation. The plan also calls for another $10 billion for reconstruction projects. In all, the plan raises several important questions.

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Opinion

... More Testing, Please

By Jacob Shelly | January 18

Broach the subject of testing and almost immediately there's the complaint that our children are already over-tested, that our system seems to prioritize testing over learning. But this misses the point. In grade school, we had a spelling test every week, and I was quizzed on my timetables at least as often.

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Opinion

The Dream, If We Can Keep It

By Paul Perry | January 18

I had the privilege this past summer of taking a trip out to the Left Coast. My journey to Vancouver put me back in touch with a Canadian friend who studies political theory at the University of Victoria. She's on track to become a world-renowned professor and theorist, so I take her opinion with much more than a grain of salt.

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Opinion

Staff editorial: Contract reinforces high textbook prices

January 18

As the new semester begins, many AU students are out of the bookstore to purchase their textbooks from online vendors. These other resources, including Half.com, Amazon.com and IBeatMyBookstore.com offer textbooks for significantly less than the prices offered by the campus store, which is run by Efollett.

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Opinion

Staff editorial: Dear faculty: Students' time is money, too

December 7

Though AU has a specific policy regarding professor attendance (including notification of department heads and finding substitutes or assigning make-up work), it is not well-publicized and a small amount of professors seem to be taking advantage of this. Undoubtedly, most professor absences are caused by unforseen circumstances like illness or family crises.

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Opinion

Op-Ed

By Katy Johnson | December 7

After living in a refugee camp in Kenya for nine years, Abraham Ayor was one of 3,800 Sudanese refugees accepted to live in the United States. The group, which became known as "the Lost Boys" from Sudan, received plenty of attention when they first began arriving in the United States February of 2001.

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Opinion

Dissecting Anti-Semitism, Now and Through History

By Matt Rozsa | December 7

As those who know me will readily confirm, I tend to be quite outspoken on political subjects; what's more, I hope most of them would concede (although I may be wrong here) that I am generally accepting of dissenting views, no matter how passionately I may disagree with them.

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