Opinion

A Letter from the Editor

Dear McKendreans,

As I sat down to write this farewell letter, a wave of sadness washed over me. I have been all gung-ho about graduating and finishing my college education. I was the girl who knew exactly how many days were left until the end of the year. Basically, I had a serious case of senioritis. But now, as everything comes to a close, it's a little bit sad. But, I have to remember all the good times I have had at McKendree; some of these awesome times I'd like to share with you.

I started working on the McKendree Review my freshman year. By sophomore year, I was heavily involved and loving it. I will never regret working for the school newspaper. I'm glad that I chose to go to a smaller school because it allowed me to be in a position to create a new and exciting newspaper every couple of weeks. More

I Get By with a Little Help from My Friends

It seems like just yesterday I was taking a tour of McKendree, making my way across the campus I would eventually become all too familiar with. I remember being so exited. This was a place completely new to me; a place where I could meet new people and do new things. Well four years later I have met a lot of people and I have done a lot of things; some good and some bad. I didn't always try my best and some times I didn't even try at all. So how did I come this far? Why am I on my way out in four days?

First off, I believe in being completely honest. That being said, I could not have done any of the things that I did without the help of the people I surround myself with and I owe them everything. I would have pulled my hair out a long time ago if it wasn't for every single one of my friends. More

Being Gay at McKendree: Hated or Tolerated?

"That's so gay!"

When is the last time you heard someone say this.in your class this morning? In the hallway last night? It's a phrase that's thrown around more on a college campus than it should be, considering that we're supposedly in a place of higher learning. Does anyone stop to realize what they're saying? It makes the word "gay" synonymous with "stupid." Why?

I conducted informal interviews with several students and professors to find out what being gay on a small campus like McK is like. Not everyone that I interviewed is openly gay, but I wanted opinions from across the spectrum. My results were interesting; one thing commented on in every single interview was the use of the phrase "that's so gay."

Words are more powerful than you might think. While professors will acknowledge that most of their students "don't mean it that way," it's probably because they've heard it since junior high and wish to ignore the appalling levels of naïtéhat McKendree students show. College students who still use this phrase, especially within earshot of a gay person, show a level of ignorance that is inexcusable. More

How Important is NATO for our Nation?

In 1951, the Soviet Union warned six states against joining the European Coal and Steel Community, for fear that the new organization would impinge on the Soviet Union's power. Not surprisingly, no one listened, and the organization eventually blossomed into the European Union.

Half a century later, Russia is again warning states against joining an international organization. At the recent summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, President George W. Bush invited the Ukraine and Georgia to join the organization.

In doing so, Bush single-handedly ignored Russian President Vladimir Putin's wishes; Putin does not want the states of the former Soviet Union fraternizing with the West. In encouraging NATO to venture into Russia's sphere of influence, Bush has stirred up debate in an organization that is still seeking an identity after the fall of the Soviet Union.

For once, Bush is right. Expansion of NATO is needed to promote democracy and to stop conflict worldwide. Please read the following arguments, and then contact your congressional representative. Tell them to do everything possible to encourage the expansion of NATO to include the Ukraine and Georgia. More

What's in Your Cup?

After a long night of studying, one of the first tasks upon waking up is to down a large cup of coffee to stay awake.

The task itself is almost mindless. One goes to the nearby coffee shop, picks out the caffeinated beverage most desirable, purchases it and proceeds to consume it. But what about the steps in between? What exactly is the cup of coffee comprised of?

For many years, the import of coffee beans was unregulated and the process of acquiring this product became unjust. The treatment of coffee bean farmers was more than simply unfair, it was cruel and the environment in which coffee beans could grow was becoming nearly unmarketable. The major issue at hand was that the farmers were receiving less compensation for the quality of their product and the only aspect of the situation gaining anything was the importer. Nothing was gained by either the exporter or the environment. More

Public Affairs Forum:
Do We Need God to be Moral?

The issue of morality is one of the most highly debated issues in the history of the world. From Aristotle to Pope John Paul II, thinkers and leaders alike have pandered moral advice while the rest of the world debated which advice to accept. The discussion of morals has led to the development of a few basic moral philosophies. In this article, in light of the recent debacle involving Obama and Wright, I would like to discuss the connection of religion and morality. Can Obama be a good, moral president even if his pastor is a little off? I think that while the concept of a god is helpful to the development of morals, morality can exist absent a faith in such a god.

The concept of morality is, simply, an idea that actions are either right or wrong. It establishes a theoretical standard by which actions are measured and judged either moral or immoral. But who or what establishes this standard? There exists a line of thought that God is the ultimate judge of what is right and wrong. Whether He is present as the end judge or the establisher of the standard of morality, He is instrumentally involved in the conception of morality. I agree that the concept of God can be very helpful in the formation of morals, but I believe that is the extent of His role in the process. There is no reason that a god is necessary in the determination of morals, nor is there any reason his judgment of morals is necessary. More

Who You Gonna Call:
A Guide to Learning More About Ghosts

I really want to be a ghost hunter; I suppose parapsychologist is the correct term. There's only one place in the world that offers doctorate degrees in parapsychology. So after investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in an overseas education at Coventry University, I'd be making about ten thousand dollars a year.

Given that I don't want to live in a box for the rest of my life, I put my dream of being a professional parapsychologist aside. That doesn't mean that I can't be interested in the field. It's very possible that some of you are interested, as well. More

Unfortunately, I've found that most people keep their interest to themselves because they are unaware that others, with their interest, are out there. While I could write about bars, clubs and restaurants you should visit this summer, I am instead encouraging you to explore the unknown. Consider this my handy guide to alternative entertainment.

A Birthday Trip to the City

Attributing this "journey" to my spontaneous nature, I blatantly told my fiancéI wanted to go to St. Louis for a nice, relaxing birthday dinner. After growing up in a somewhat densely populated city, residing in Belleville has taken away much of my metropolitan mindset and from time to time, it grows bothersome. Usually when I mention the desire to drive the mere 20 minutes to the city, he whines and says he doesn't have the gas. But not this time. I brought the time factor into my argument: my twentieth birthday.

As soon as I turned the key in the ignition, I felt better. The stress of life seemed to fade and my mind painted fanciful pictures of tall skyscrapers, thousands of streetlights and people who don't all look exactly the same. I had no idea where I was going, but I knew I could find my answer in St. Louis and a delectable dinner as well. Cory, having spent his entire life in Mascoutah, could never quite understand my fascination with the city. He drifted off to sleep as I merged onto Interstate 64 and was woken by my hand on his leg and a high-pitched proclamation: "Look! Look! The city is so beautiful at night." He nodded absentmindedly, asked me if I was sure where I was going before dozing off again. More

The Benefits of Smoking Cigarettes

Smoking is habit that will leave your clothes and breath smelling like an ashtray, yellow your teeth and probably provide you a nice case of lung cancer with an emphysema chaser. One can hardly doubt that such facts are painfully obvious given numerous government campaigns spanning multiple media outlets as well as private news outlets including this very paper. Cigarettes have killed millions and continue to kill millions more. After accepting all of these things as truths, there are reasons why cigarettes and other tobacco consumption techniques are simply awesome.

Save the Environment

It's understood that humans are killing the environment via global warming. Luckily there are nations that are attempting to become hydro-carbon-free. Brazil is a great example of this, with plenty of government support for alternative fuels and more efficient diesel vehicles. One of the best sources of bio-diesel is Copaiba oil, which can literally come out of certain types of trees that grow in Brazil and other locations as ready-to-burn biodiesel. Unfortunately, this alternative fuel hasn't caught on much and still needs development. More