Opinion

Opinion: Starbucks is not the 'global' choice

During my years at American University, I have heard a lot about the school's goal to become the "premier global university." I respect this aspiration, and I certainly think that AU has made great strides to accomplish its goal. That is why, in recent months, I have been utterly disappointed in the University's willingness to consider Starbucks as a coffee option for our campus.

Opinion: Pura Vida as fair as advertised

So this is what happens in the Student Confederation after the student body makes its position known in Eagle online quizzes and RHA surveys. When faced with the fact that the majority of students would prefer a Pura Vida to a Starbucks, Andrew Mullen, a member of the GA said, "Well, we don't ask the student body about every decision we make, and we're the ones who get to make the decision.

Staff Editorial: Muy bien, LASO!

More than 150 students attended the seventh annual Latino Youth Conference at American University this weekend. Thirty AU students donated their time to the gathering, which encouraged the youth to work hard toward a college education. The students attended workshops and heard from various speakers about preparing for their futures.

Social insecurity in U.S.

After a mild winter in Washington, spring has returned to our nation's capital. As flowers bloom and birds whisper a sweet song in the morning air, new life begins. In the political world new life can be witnessed by the rejuvenated bickering between political figures and activists too weak to ever turn their battles into physical confrontation.

Comics

Opinion: Being socially conscious does not make AU a 'hippie' insitution

On Wednesday night, the SC's General Assembly misrepresented not only me, but a significant majority of the students on our campus by backing Starbucks over Pura Vida. Its vote ignored the highly visible efforts of several student groups, including the Community Action and Social Justice Coalition, the Fair Trade Student Association and the Movement for Global Justice.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor: While I generally agree with Jordan Beane's assessment of the latest incarnation of "Fever Pitch," it would have been nice if he had investigated where the idea for the film came from. The recent Red Sox movie began across the pond with a different red-clad team: Arsenal, a passionately supported first-tier soccer team in England.

Opinion: 'Fair trade' not as simple as it sounds

Somehow the Residence Hall Association managed to voted 12-1 against bringing Starbucks to campus without accurately taking all coffee industry issues into consideration. We are skeptical about why the RHA is assuming that Pura Vida is any more responsible than Starbucks.

Staff Editorial: Keep yourself safe

The theft of three laptops and iPods from McDowell Hall on Tuesday was the third such incident on campus in the last few weeks. Similar incidents of burglary have been reported in Hughes and Anderson halls. While it is a shame that this had to happen to any student, every student should know that he is responsible for his own belongings.

Opinion: Pura Vida campaign more than 'surface activism'

I am writing because an editorial that appeared March 21 contained grave mischaracterizations. First, The Eagle characterized the Harvard living-wage campaign as a victory won "without having to take any drastic measures." This is simply not the case. The Harvard campaign was one of the most drastic measures taken by students this decade.

Legal immigration helps

Sometimes, all of life comes together. I wrote a paper on illegal immigration, I had been planning to write a column about it, and when I opened up Monday's Eagle, I saw that Seth Johnson had given me a perfect jumping-off point. Illegal immigration is a problem - on this, I think, Johnson and I agree.

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor: The ban on smoking the D.C. Council is considering seeks to prohibit smoking in private businesses, namely bars and nightclubs. While the government has a right to ban smoking in its own facilities, imposing restrictions on privately owned buildings is overstepping authority.

Opinion: Reflections on a War Much Remembered

This year marks the 140th anniversary of the end of the Civil War, the single most significant event in all of American history. In effect, the war redefined us as a people, and in so doing it served to refine the purpose of our national mission, which, with much difficulty, has always been to try to translate into reality the idealist rhetoric of the introduction of the Declaration of Independence, which is often viewed as the "birth certificate" of the American Dream.

All Thumbs

Thumbs Up SOC's Reel Journalism festival ... SOC is bringing films such as "Citizen Kane" and "Almost Famous" to campus. This event will be an awesome chance to see great films. John Edwards coming to speak on campus ... Kudos to the SC for bringing such a significant political figure of recent times to campus to speak.

Staff Editorial: Bible should skip class

A bill is currently before the Kansas legislature to require the teaching of creationism alongside the theory of evolution in the state's high schools. The fight to challenge evolution in the classrooms of America boils down to the centuries-old clash between religion and science.

All thumbs

Thumbs Up Michael Prather wins Mr. American ... Congratulations to Michael Prather on being named Mr. American in a pageant that took place at the University Club on Friday. African fashion show ... Though we gave a thumbs down last week to African Week's lack of self-publicizing, this event was a highlight of the weeklong event, and an intriguing display.

Take action on immigration

Mexican President Vicente Fox recently called security walls along the U.S.-Mexican border "discriminatory" and "against freedom." Well that's funny, I never knew that anyone had the right to just walk into America and say, "Here I am, give me a job." Perhaps Fox should talk to our Democrats, since apparently our Constitution is just as much a "living" document to him as it is to them.