Opinion

By Rory Fish | gargoyle@flagler.edu

I start most of my school days swearing. Not because I’ve woken up late, not because I dropped my blow dryer on my foot (OK, maybe this one is true some days). No, I am swearing because I cannot find a parking spot to save my life.

With the wonder that is the St Augustine Parking Garage, why does practically everyone who lives on campus with a car have to keep said car in an on-campus lot? What daily, immediate need do you have for your car?

Unborn children also deserve the right to happiness

By Katie Crabb | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens, tens of thousands of them young people, assembled in Washington, D.C., for the 36th annual March for Life last month.

It was my third year attending the event, and it was no less inspiring this time around.

By Julie Hirshan | jhirshan@flagler.edu

The Oscars selection process, like so many other things in life, isn’t fair.

Every year when the nominations come out, I am always surprised by which movies and actors have been nominated and which have been left out. I think that certain movies are deemed Oscar-worthy right from the start, while others are eliminated before they are even released.

Human rights violations too touchy for politicians to tackle

By Cal Colgan | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Last month, the nation watched as Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States—and the first half-black president of this country. There were whispers of change, hope and prosperity among the students at Flagler after they watched the new president speak of facing difficult times together- not as Muslims, not as Christians, and not even as representatives of our various cultures- but simply as Americans.

Yet, as the saying goes, “The shadow of the past eclipses the future.” And although the shining light of “the audacity of hope” still resonates in the American psyche, the rest of the world has not forgotten the dark shadow cast by George W. Bush and his cronies.

Environmental issues pose a threat, yet few people understand their importance

By Haley M. Walker | hwalker@flagler.edu

I have always been a worrier. Things that would normally never shake anyone can usually send me spinning. Even insignificant events like forgetting to pay a bill on time, being late to class, not finishing a book or having unorganized notes are all sources of an embarrassing amount of fret to me. While I recognize that these little things do not affect everyone, I have become aware of a much more significant and wide-reaching situation that might become a shared worry to us all.

Facebook causes problems for non-traditional couples

By Julie Hirshan | jhirshan@flagler.edu

It seems that in today’s society, young people can be reluctant to define their roles when it comes to romantic partnerships. I haven’t had any psychological or sociological training in this area. I’ve gathered these thoughts from my own experience and observations of my friends, family members and acquaintances.

Photo contributed

Editor’s note: Lundyn Davis, a 2006 alumna who majored in political science, traveled to Washington D.C. for Obama’s inauguration.

By Lundyn Davis, ’06 | gargoyle@flagler.edu

I feel so privileged that I was able to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama. The experience was one that I will never forget.

Understanding and appreciating every kind of celebration

By Julie Hirshan | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Every year, as the holidays approach, I always hear lots of people around campus talking about “Christmas break,” and organizing countless “Christmas parties” for their clubs and organizations, as well as among their groups of friends.

Each time I witness one of these politically incorrect statements, I try to casually interject that a more appropriate name might be “holiday party,” or that I am actually looking forward to “winter break.”

While a snowy holiday can be nice, some prefer a warm Winter

By Erica Eding | gargoyle@flagler.edu

The holiday season can be an argumentative time of year. I’ve seen customers confront store clerks when they wish them “happy holidays” instead of a “merry Christmas.” I know parents who refuse to lie to their children about Santa Claus, and see him as a symbol of greed and capitalism.

Personally, I’ve found something else to be offended by. What’s with the geographical discrimination? All this talk of snow ball fights, sleigh rides and Frosty the Snowman leaves us Floridians feeling left out.

Family traditions make celebrating holidays more meaningful

By Kelsey Flynn | gargoyle@flagler.edu

My favorite part of Christmas morning is running downstairs with my sister and waiting for my Dad to finish hiding “the pickle”.

Every year for as long as I can remember my family has had this tradition. My Mom grew up in a German area of Wisconsin and most of her friends had a pickle ornament that they would have to find in the Christmas tree. My mom wanted to be like her friends had her parents start this tradition and now mine does it as well. Pickle ornaments are not the easiest to find.