Communication Department Video

Here is the Videopodcast is Nadine and I made for the Communication Department!

Positive politicians inspire even to the bitter end

October was a big month for me. I met Laura Bush and Rudy Giuliani and saw Sarah Palin speak. All pretty cool things with epic pictures to go with them (as I’m sure you have seen in The Merciad).

I can honestly say I was the most star struck with Laura, most relaxed with Rudy and the most inspired by Sarah.

Being in a room of 8,000 people with a joyous and excited energy level was the first rush for me. We weren’t there to fund raise, unlike the other two events I attended, we were there to show support and to get excited and hear her talk about her plans and her running mate.

The possibilities and the positivity were overwhelming and I found myself choked up towards the end. Her passion and her excitement and confidence filled the entire room and people couldn’t help but hoot and holler and clap at the end of each sentence.

She wasn’t saying anything unique or things we didn’t know. She talked about her and McCain’s goals. But what she was saying was, “I got you, I can hold you up and together we can fix what needs to be fixed.” And I really believe it.

She had some really good lines like:
“You shouldn’t be working for your government; your government should be working for you.”
“We haven’t just been talking the talk. John and I have been walking the walk.”
“I want to thank our nation’s veterans for protecting our red, white and blue.”

The most notable and memorable one for me was this:
“For a season a man can inspire with words, but for a lifetime a man must inspire with deeds.”

Seeing how happy and confident she was up there, made me think… could I do that?

Not be VP of course, but could I be a politician? I love public speaking and I’m passionate about my politics. It’s a possibility but not a probability in my life.

I think people voting for Obama feel the same way. There is passion and inspiration that is just contagious and infectious. A world of possibilities is where I feel like we are heading no matter the candidate chosen. The best thing to do is to remain positive and open-minded.

You could be the next president after all.

Please say it ain't so!!

“Why are we still watching these stupid political commercials? I thought the election was over.”

Please, please, please tell me this is an isolated incident and that people are not really this unaware or disinterested?

One of my friends spoke these words to which I had to take several deep breaths. While I already know she has no interest and isn’t registered to vote, I kind of thought that for some reason she would at least know how it works. A 20 minute conversation ensued in which I had to explain that the highly decorated Nov. 4 box on my giant wall calendar (visible during the conversation) has not yet passed.

Blank stare…

“Meaning no one has voted yet?”

“Right. They will on Tuesday,” I said.

“Won’t that take a long time?”

“Yes. All day.”

More questions followed like, how come I had already voted… to which we all know means I filled out an absentee ballot. Another about how long does it really take, to which I said again, all day.

The thing that concerns me is not this conversation, but the one that followed.

We were talking about the job market and life after school. She said she was worried about healthcare and taxes. As she spoke the following words it felt like I was hitting my head against a brick wall.

“Well I don’t want to pay high taxes just because of this stupid war and I want guaranteed healthcare.”

How can someone care so little and then turn around and expect to get everything they want without working for it or at least being a part of the conversation? If these things are really her passion, she should have voted and taken the time to figure out which candidate is going to impact her life in the most positive way.

I decided to say nothing back to her. I ended the conversation so I didn’t throw her across the room. No one has to agree with me or like what I like but you do need to be educated and passionate and realize politics is part of your everyday life. It is too late for her to act now even if she wants to and believe me she’s still blissfully waiting for this country to “get over it.”

Can a girl get a solace?

I just need to know that she is the only one, that it’s just like a one in a million thing that people don’t get it.

Didn’t we all watch School House Rocks as kids, I mean come on…

Catholic Convenience: Playing by the rules?

There are some rules that are meant to be broken. Staying out past curfew, driving a little too fast or trespassing to see the best fireworks are all rules that we accept and often bend or break.

For most people though, playing by the rules is an important part of life.

For example, football fans would riot if a touchdown no longer was worth six points and only two. Fashion fanatics would dive off the deep end if mid season the pencil skirt was replaced by the bubble skirt. Academics would sink into deep depressions if suddenly an F was worth more than an A. Changes in rules like these do not ever happen.

These are rules that are widely understood and accepted. When rules like these are changed, anger and chaos inevitably ensues.

Understanding all of that, let’s take a look at a rule that was thrust upon the Merciad last spring.

Last year, Barack Obama took out an ad in our college newspaper. The ad had a picture of him and encouraged people to vote. Hilary Clinton came to our school to speak, and the bishop boycotted graduation. After that, the administration said political ads of all kinds were no longer permitted in our paper.

Until…

Now. The Merciad received an ad, a 12 page pamphlet to be more precise, that will be part of the publication on Wednesday, Oct. 22.

The pamphlet is a pro-life ad from hunamnlife.org. The ad uses a full 12 pages to relay their pro-life message to students and faculty reading the paper.

This political ad was given the OK by administration.

All political views and opinions aside, this ad goes against the rules that the administration set out for the Merciad to follow. This ad is conveniently aligned with the college’s Catholic ideals.

What does not make sense is WHY it will be in the paper. It breaks the rule that the administration created. The newspaper is not a puppet or a PR function for the school or the administration. The newspaper is for the students and by the students and is to inform and educate.

No one wants to be forced to play by contradicting rules. The college laid out the rules which the Merciad followed. Of course, we will also follow this change in rules as well. Maybe this is a good thing. Maybe it means that the policy will change and political ads will be allowed in the paper from here on out.

Most likely this will be the only political ad the Merciad will see. The problem I have with this is that both sides are not being fairly shown. Even if a pro-choice organization took out an ad it probably wouldn’t be the 12 pager that this pro-life one is, making it still unfair and biased.

The Merciad and its content is a direct reflection of the people writing in it and editing it. I do not want to be associated with the message or the bias that this ad portrays. A disclaimer from the editors or even an editorial is not enough. Students reading the Merciad will think that this was our choice and it in fact was not.

The entire point of journalism is to report truth and discoveries to educate people on what’s going on in their world. I would love to write on this in the paper. But I cannot. Bad feelings between the paper and the administration are something neither group can afford. We need each other for information and I will not be the one to sour that relationship.

The point is, it’s not right and the school is manipulating their power over the Merciad to relay their messages.

What do you think?

What's in a nickname?

The blogging concept to me has always felt like a public diary. Never having a consistent one myself, I never really found a great interest in starting one.

Now being forced to I will take the opportunity to talk about things that I am passionate about.

Lacking a nickname that sticks is a thought floating around in my head right now.

I have never had a nickname.

The only one I guess you could consider a nickname is Mandy, but that's the Amanda default name. Only my brothers and grandmothers call me Mandy.

Danger Bear is a name that my older brothers drunk friend called me on a night out in New York City. I'm not sure why, but I kinda liked it.

Danger and bear are not two words that go together unless its a kids show, like "Welcome to the Adventures of Danger Bear!!!!" He would be a bear that lives on the edge and fights crime... or not.


I also like to think I am a little dangerous and spontaneous though I know I am predictable in my attempts at danger.

So maybe, Danger Bear is actually the perfect nickname for me.

Bears are predictable but are dangerous to people... too much of a connection stretch?