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Volume 53, Issue 7 | tuesday, august 28, 2018 | ndsmcobserver.com
Federal judge speaks on legal theories Amy Coney Barrett discusses interpretations of Constitution in lecture hosted by the Federalist Society By Mary steurer News Writer
Judge Amy Coney Barrett defended the legal theories of originalism and textualism during a lecture Monday in the McCartan Courtroom in Eck Hall of Law. The talk was hosted by the Notre Dame student chapter of the Federalist Society, a nationwide libertarian and conservative organization that believes maintaining the separation of governmental powers is an important element of safeguarding American freedoms. Barrett, who is a professor of law at Notre Dame and also concurrently serves as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the
Seventh Circuit, introduced her lecture by clarifying the definition of originalism. She said the ideology first surfaced in the 1980s out of opposition to living constitutionalism, or the belief the Constitution should evolve over time to suit the needs of a modernizing society. This brand of originalism focused particularly on a traditionalist view of the Constitution, she added. “The idea was, ‘We’re going to interpret the Constitution as the Framers intended it to be,’” she said. Barrett said current originalist thinking is more concerned with viewing the law through the eyes of the
MARY STEURER I The Observer
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Students at the Eck Hall of Law listen to Judge Amy Coney Barrett lecture about originalist legal doctrines. Barrett is a law professor at Notre Dame and a judge on the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.
Garth Brooks sets date for stadium performance Observer Staff Report
Country musician Garth Brooks announced Monday he will perform at Notre Dame Stadium on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. in a press release sent to local media. The concert falls on the second Saturday of the mid-term break, according to the Office of the Registrar’s calendar.
Brooks is a six-time CMA Entertainer of the Year and currently holds the title, the release said. The RIAA-certified musician is “the #1-selling solo artist in U.S. history”. He announced his plan to perform at Notre Dame in a July press conference, marking the first-ever concert at Notre Dame Stadium. Ticket sales will open Sept. 14 at
10 a.m. and seats will cost $98.95. Each person can purchase up to eight tickets for “in-the-round staging,” according to the release, and the concert will be sponsored by Amazon Music. Tickets will be available by visiting www.ticketmaster.com/garthbrooks or by calling Ticketmaster Express at 1-866-448-7849 or 1-800-745-3000.
Group prepares students for life after college By IMAN OMAR News Writer
To equip Saint Mary’s women with resources and tools to guide them in planning for their lives after graduation, the Career Crossings Office (CCO) is hosting a variety of events this week to help students to start thinking about their future. Sarah Enck, assistant director of CCO, said the goal of this week is focused on
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what students in each respective class year need the most to set them up for career success. “Many students will come into our office for individual meetings with similar questions, and those questions revolve around feeling prepared for the next steps in their career journey,” Enck said. “We think these events are important for students, especially at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters, because we can
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talk to a group who may be struggling with the same things and have similar questions and they can find support from us and in one another.” This is the tenth consecutive year CCO has hosted the Junior and Senior Startup events. Enck said two years ago CCO introduced Sophomore Springboard to help guide sophomores in see CAREER PAGE 4
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GRC teaches through comedy By ALEXANDRA PARK News Writer
Washington Hall rang with laughter Monday evening from first-year Moreau First Year Experience students who had gathered to watch and participate in Sex Signals, an annual improvisational comedy show sponsored by the Gender Relations Center (GRC) that aims to educate and inspire student discussion about sex, relationships and consent. The show was introduced to Notre Dame five years ago, but it is the first year the GRC is partnering with the Moreau program to allow students to receive ten extra credit points for their attendance, GRC director Christine Gebhardt said in an email. “This year we revised the design of the first two weeks to be more conversation based and included the opportunity for Sex Signals, which uses humor, case studies and audience participation,” Gebhardt said. “It is our hope that the extra credit will give students an incentive to make the event a priority, as it is our institution’s way of acknowledging how the
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conversation should not merely happen in class but throughout our campus.” Vincent Banks and Jessamyn Fitzpatrick of Catharsis Productions — the Chicagobased performance group running Sex Signals, launched into a discussion about sexual relationships in a campus setting — “How many of you had sex ed classes in high school?” Banks asked the audience. An majority of students raised their hands. “What did you learn in those classes,” he asked. Students shouted out their answers. “Did anyone learn how to have sex. — other than from porn” Banks said half-jokingly in response. Throughout their hour and 15 minute performance, Banks and Fitzpatrick interacted with their audience as they acted out three hypothetical scenarios representative of real-life situations — flirting at a party, sexual harassment at a gym and dealing with people see GRC PAGE 3
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