The Bowdoin Orient

The Bowdoin campus has become a battleground for groups fighting on both sides of Maine's upcoming referendum on gay rights, Question 1.

After publicly questioning the ?logic and motivation? of U.S. Marine and Maine College Democrats President Alex Cornell du Houx '06 for his military service, Secretary of the College Republican National Committee Dan Schuberth '06 has issued an apology.

A new regulation may soon give the government the ability to monitor user communication on the Bowdoin network without the College even knowing about it?and requires the College to pick up the several-hundred-thousand dollar tab for the system upgrades needed to make it possible.

After a lengthy search for candidates for the position of dean of academic affairs, the Search Committee has narrowed the field of applicants to four contenders, all of whom have been invited to visit the campus.

Bowdoin will hold a memorial service for Kathryn Scott '06 today at 12:30. The chapel service, entitled, "Kathryn Ann Scott: A Celebration of Life," will be led by Mary Baard, who is associate pastor of the First Parish Church in Brunswick.

Google searches billions of pages?but not the Bowdoin College web site.

The academic affairs committee will be distributing a survey to students this week regarding the ideas proposed in the academic bill of rights.

Maine citizens?including hundreds of voters from this campus?will go to the polls Tuesday to vote on Question 1, a proposal that would repeal Maine's law protecting individuals against discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation. Maine's decision on November 8 will send a message to individuals throughout the state. We hope that Maine will choose to say that it is okay to thrive as who you are.

Question 1 has overshadowed another proposal on Tuesday's ballot that is also important for the people of Maine. If approved, Question 7 would help protect one of the most important elements of Maine's economy: our working waterfront.

Before the movement on behalf of "civil rights" began last century, "discriminate" meant nothing more than to make a clear distinction. Since then, the word has developed a new connotation that has all but eliminated the old; it now refers to distinction-making on the basis of class or category without regard to personal merit. Nowadays, those who speak broadly of "discrimination" are normally referring only to discrimination against those who belong to the Left's victimological pantheon, including blacks, women, Hispanics, American Indians, immigrants, homosexuals, and the disabled.

You?ve done everything right. You?ve made the initial contact, and your crush is interested and intrigued, but not afraid that you will show up outside his window at 3 a.m. with tear-streaked cheeks and an oversized stereo above your head blasting ?In Your Eyes.?

Two weeks ago, Alex Linhart's "Freedom to hire" op-ed asked us to examine America as a country and a concept that valued "liberty over equality." Perhaps in some convoluted way, Mr. Linhart is right. Equality has never been a mainstay in the American ideal. Instead, it's something we've had to fight for.

I have nothing but the highest degree of respect for any soldier who is brave enough to take up arms in defense of his or her country. This respect is offered regardless of a soldier's political beliefs. I sincerely apologize to those who were offended by my remarks.

I want to express my thanks and admiration to all those students who have been working on the Maine Won't Discriminate campaign. Their energy, enthusiasm, and dedication will be the decisive factor in turning out voters within the Bowdoin community, the town of Brunswick, and throughout the state to defeat Question 1.

This most recent instance of political pre-pubescence should be seen as a natural culmination in a campus political culture dominated by personalities instead of ideas.

I was somewhat taken back by a few of the comments made by Mr. Watterson on the subject of grade inflation at Bowdoin in the 10/28/2005 Orient edition ("Grade inflation a Bowdoin reality").

I write in response to Professor David Vail's attempt to attack my arguments regarding Question 1. The professor, however, never touched the "meat" of what I was saying and instead insisted on petty name calling.

A Bowdoin alumnus with a penchant for the paintbrush addressed an audience of current students and faculty Monday afternoon, discussing where his studies in art have taken him since graduating in 1989.

Not being one to yell at the screen during a movie, I would like to congratulate Saw 2 for provoking my very first in-theater outburst. The inaugural yelp, which went something like "Don't you dare crawl into that oven!" was, of course, acutely premonitory. It was soon confirmed that Joe Hapless didn't give spelunking through an industrial size furnace during a horror film the second thought it probably deserved.

Ah, yes, 'tis the season for the beloved winter ales. Though I'm not a huge fan of the strong taste that characterizes most Sam Adams brews, I had heard good things about their winter lager and decided to give it a try.

Two weeks ago, the Red Sox's work this off-season created the illusion of a team capable of dominating the next season, with the foundation to be a competitive team for years to come.

Maybe it was the dismal way the Celtics ended their playoff run last year. Maybe it is because New England is so well endowed in the arena of professional sports that the average Bostonian has little time for a bunch of losers.