I have grown up my whole life witnessing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. I have never known it to be anything else but a conflict and the so called ‘peace process' that many people  have looked to for help has proven to be only a process and nothing else.

SCU is concerned about its reputation, so our administration finds itself in the unique position of calling graduates ‘adults,' but at the same time giving us the liberty of circus animals. What bothers me most, however, is that the newspaper and administration are celebrating this colossal sham. 

I constantly hear all kinds of stories about roommates. One friend got along fine with her roommate until said roommate had seven people over to their room to smoke marijuana, saturating her bed and clothing with the smell. Another friend liked her roommate as long as the roommate remembered to take her medication. When she forgot, her manic-depressive disorder made her nearly impossible to tolerate.

Since freshman year, we've believed in the dichotomy of the Santa Clara Bubble and the surrounding Real World. This year, we must come to terms with the notion of stepping outside the bubble permanently. Right now, we're all waiting for the answers that will determine our first few steps.

Art is a crucial part of the balance needed in a child's education. Without proper funding, many children — especially low-income children — are missing out on the development of their creativity and the intrinsic value of art, music and theatre.

In the real world if someone was drunk before 5 p.m. for most of the week, they would be considered an alcoholic.  Their family and friends might hold an intervention for them, and they would be encouraged by professionals and nonprofessionals alike to seek help in rehab or Alcoholics Anonymous or some sort of medical program.  In college, however, this behavior is completely acceptable. 

If we have a commodity that is free, proven to be safe — the EPA regulates tap water whereas roughly 60 to 70 percent of bottled water is unregulated — available in tap water, the question remains: why do we need bottled water when it creates so much waste and has such a large environmental footprint? 

Immersion trips are an amazing opportunity and I would recommend that everyone participate in one during their time at Santa Clara. But they are not just a week where you deign to help the less fortunate. They are life changing learning experiences that teach you solidarity, respect, and tolerance. I will be forever grateful for my time in East Los Angeles and the friends and knowledge I gained there. 

"That test was so gay!" or "Class was retarded today" are commonly heard phrases. Though for the most part it is true that people do not use those words to offend people who are gay or suffer from learning disabilities, the fact of the matter is that these words were originally used in this slang manner to be just that — offensive.

I highly doubt this new war is about ethics or social justice. Instead, as it always seems to be, we have launched ourselves into a third war – that we cannot win – for money.

Planned Parenthood is often overshadowed by the greater debate of abortion being right or wrong. But this is not that debate. It is about the health care and support this organization provides to women and couples who do not have the means to do so for themselves.

October 7th, 2011 will be the tenth anniversary of the war in Afghanistan. In the beginning, there was a justifiable reason for the war: the Taliban allowed a safe haven for Al Qaeda. We have since moved from that initial goal of ousting Al Qaeda, into yet another case of nation building by the United States.

Regardless of how social and connected it makes us all feel, we have willingly signed our lives away to Facebook without realizing just how much power they have, and how irresponsibly they have been wielding/could potentially wield it.

I have come to realize that the more experience I have starting with a blank slate and without any crutches such as old friends or family to turn to, the better off I will be in each new endeavor.

The eclectic array of locally-owned businesses shaped the personality of Mendocino, reminding me just how important small businesses are to the life of a community.

Moammar Qadhafi's people are holding out in the capital with the guns and the money, but the dictator deserves to fall just as hard as the last guy — let's see if justice wins out.

Recently one of my friends from home was cheated on by his longtime girlfriend. He was devastated, and came to me to talk about the situation. While our conversation did not really help him come to a decision about what to do in his relationship, it did get me thinking:Why do people in relationships cheat?