Opinion

By Julie Hirshan | gargoyle@flagler.edu

“Obruni? Obruni!!” the children called after us as we passed by, hesitant at first, but then excited that they’d caught a glimpse of the outsiders.

“Obruni” means “white,” and my sister’s fair skin and blonde hair stood out like moonlight on the ocean. There is no doubt that we look like we don’t belong.

The first question I get asked when I tell people that I went to Africa this past summer is, “What did you do there?” I usually reply that I volunteered at an orphanage, but a more appropriate answer would be that I had the most eye-opening experience of my life.

Audio Slideshow: Loving Without Boundaries in Africa

By Rachael Yaeger |

I spent the first two months of my visit to Florence cowering from Italian men, finding them repulsive, sleazy and greaseballish. Under the impression that most Italian guys thought they could get any American girl that walked past, I was constantly infuriated on the streets hearing the relentless, “Ciao, Bella.”

By Bill Weedmark

Would you know it if you were under constant surveillance? Would you know if someone monitored your phone calls, or if the media were telling you the complete truth? If “Big Brother” were truly watching you, would you have any idea? Probably not.

If you’ve ever read George Orwell’s masterpiece 1984, then you know that these ideas are all touched upon in the novel. The government of 1984 is one which sees and hears all, which filters the news to reflect administrative “truth” and in which individual rights are almost non-existent.

By Glenn Judah

Since this is the last issue of The Gargoyle for the year I thought I would look ahead to next year. This will be the completion of my third year at Flagler. So far all signs show I’m going to graduate in four years. How is everyone else doing? That’s good, or hey, don’t get discouraged (insert either answer that applies).

I’ve grown up a lot in these last three years and so has Flagler College. Just take a walk on campus and look around at all of the construction, but try not to get hit by a piece of falling debris from the art building restoration.

By Nick Massie

Coming from the North, I was never really confronted with the overwhelming twang of the South.

Driving down the interstate while changing my radio from station to station, it became more and more difficult to find some decent music. The more I changed the dial, the more I heard songs about pickup trucks and barbecue sauce.

By Danielle Marsh

Birds flock to the south for winter, fish migrate upstream to procreate, and tourists flock to St. Augustine to annoy students. I’ve only been at Flagler for a year and I’m already fed up with tourists.

What spurred this dislike are the many unpleasant encounters I’ve had with tourists. Just the other day I was coming back from my car, carrying several heavy bags from my most recent shopping trip. A tourist stopped me and started asking me questions about where the gift shop was. She could clearly see my hands were full and I was struggling to hold everything, yet she insisted on asking me several questions about the campus. When I couldn’t answer a couple of questions she got really rude with me and walked away.

By Andrea Huls

You have to be kidding me. After reading what President Bush said about visiting Latin America this week, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It seems that now Bush is a revolutionary who is going to combat injustice and poverty.

According to a Washington Post article, Bush said, “The millions across our hemisphere who everyday suffer the degradations of poverty and hunger have the right to be impatient.” If I am not wrong, there still are thousands of people that survived Hurricane Katrina who are struggling every day. American people have the right to be impatient too, Mr. President. What are you doing about it?

Julia Redemske, Staff Writer By Julia Redemske On the day I popped out of my mother, I was 2 feet tall. Try squeezing that out between your legs. Now at 6 foot 3 inches, I have spent a lifetime towering over my peers. And no,…

Kelsey May, Senior Writer By Kelsey May My conscience is done with homeless people. I wish it weren’t true! I really do, but in my old age of 22 I’ve become too skeptical to give my spare change away anymore. The last time I helped…