------- ------ --- --- -~--------, THE The Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary's OLUME 43: ISSUE 129 FRIDAY, APRIL24, 2009 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM McGurn: Abortion not a political issue Explosion Center for Ethics and Culture sponsors lecture by former Bush speechwriter in spirit of discussion onca111pus abortion as a divisive issue, By JOHN TIERNEY McGurn argued that it is an Assistant News Editor issue on which people injures grad should be able to agree. Abortion is an "intrinsic "This is where people can evil" and not a "political dif­ come together, without com­ student ference," said William promising their other differ­ McGurn, the former chief ences," McGurn said. Observer Staff Report speechwriter for President He said he proposed that George W. Bush in a lecture Notre Dame hold a "summit An explosion in entitled "Notre Dame: A of pro-life Democrats ... to Fitzpatrick Hall of Witness for Life" Thursday. come here to make the Engineering left a student "Abortion as a legal right Notre Dame statement for injured Thursday after­ is less a single issue than an life." noon, according to a entire ethic that serves as "There are a lot of University spokesperson. the foundation stone for the Democrats I disagree with, Associate director of culture of death," McGurn, a but our country's richer News and Information Julie 1980 graduate of the when we're standing togeth­ Flory told The Observer a University and former staff er on life," McGurn said. female graduate student writer for The Observer, Abortion is not, according PAT COVENEY!The Observer suffered "moderately seri­ said. William McGurn, former speechwriter for George W. Bush ous burns" after an experi­ While many people view see ABORTION/page 6 discusses the right to life movement at Notre Dame Thursday. ment she was conducting in the basement of the build­ ing resulted in a small explosion. "I would say the injuries were serious, but certainly Students seek spoon train world record not life-threatening," Flory said. "She had burns, but 145 participants lie on South Quad, break Guinness record of 93 spooners to benefit charity not something they're con­ cerned about in the long­ term." spoon train will be entered The student was taken to By LIZ O'DONNELL into the Guinness Book of a local hospital in an ambu­ News Writer World Records after shatter­ lance after the Notre Dame ing the old record of 93. Fire Department respond­ Lying side by side along While the record was tech­ ed. South Quad, 145 students nically broken last year with Flory said the student had gathered Thursday afternoon a train of 127 spooners, the been mixing a non-toxic to attempt to break the world organizers of the event did chemical combination record for the longest human not fill out the required before the explosion spoon train. paperwork to submit the occurred. "We did this last year just attempt to the Guinness Book The explosion, which for fun," junior Charlie of World Records. occured around 1 p.m., Mahoney, a co-captain of the Co-captain Deirdre Murdy caused a small fire, but event, said. "This year we said members of the ski team Fitzpatrick Hall did not wanted to break the world came up with the idea last sustain any damages. record." year to encourage other Flory said students were VANESSA GEMPIS!The Observer The 145 spooners partici­ members on campus to par- evacuated, but the building Students attempt to create the world's longest spoon pating in this year's returned to normal opera­ train on South Quad Thursday. "Spooning for Solutions" see SPOONERS/page 8 tion shortly after. Ebadi examines human rights VPI to hold final Nobel Peace Prize recipient says Islam is compatible with democracy event of the year in the Islamic world for the said. By MADELINE BUCKLEY 15th annual "Rev. Theodore Legally, if a Muslim commits News Editor M. Hesburgh, C.S.C. Lecture a crime, they can be punished p.m. in Ethics and Public Policy" with 100 lashes, but if a non­ By SARAH MERVOSH The festival will be VPI's In Iran, 65 percent of stu­ Thursday. Muslim commits a crime, they News Writer final event of the semester, dents attending universities A Ion g can be punished with execu­ Rakoczy Russell said. are women, but the law states with gen­ tion. The Gender Relations Center She said VPI - a program a man's life is worth twice d e r Some Western theorists and (GRC) will host its first annual launched earlier this year - that of a woman's, said Shirin inequality, radical Islamic governments "Now is the Time: Festival on has accomplished some of its Ebadi, recipient of the Nobel she said contend that the Islamic reli­ the Quad" today to celebrate goals, but still has "room to Peace Prize in 2003. religious gion is incompatible with the commitment to overcoming grow." "Gender discrimination discrimi­ human rights and democracy, sexual violence on campus, "Where we have succeeded exists," Ebadi said through a nation is a but Ebadi said she rejects that GRC director Heather Rakoczy this year so far is raising translator. "The testimony of pressing idea. Russell said. awareness about violence in two women in court equals issue in Ebadi Many moderate Islamic The festival, which is a part the local community and heal­ the testimony of one man." Islamic intellectuals believe human of the GRC's Violence ing of survivors," Rakoczy Ebadi, a lawyer and human countries. rights are compatible with Prevention Initiative (VPI), is Russell said. "And the fact that rights activist known for "A number of Baha'is live in Islam, she said. They main- the program's biggest event of we are doing some charity defending women's rights in Iran, but are deprived of the year, will take place on Iran, discussed human rights social and civil rights," Ebadi see EBAD II page 6 South Quad today from 3 to 8 see VPI/page 8 INSIDE TODAY'S PAPER Fisher regatta to set sail Saturday page 3 +Men's Lacrosse to play OSU this weekend page 28 • Viewpoint page 11 page 2 The Observer+ PAGE 2 Friday, April 24, 2009 INSIDE QUESTION OF THE DAY: BIG SPOON OR LITTLE SPOON? You didn't know? In all of my time at Notre Dame, I have never been champion of any­ thing. Until now. Erin Bryne Katie Doellman Mike Quigley Natalie Badasare Alex Hath Sam Shanley Last night, my bookstore team, the Miner Street Shooters, challenged the freshman freshman freshman freshman freshman freshman recently coronat- Jay Fitzpatrick Welsh Family Welsh Family Sorin Welsh Family Sorin Sorin ed Bookstore Basketball cham- "Middle pions and we pre­ "Either. I don't "Both because "All spoons "Little spoon "Big spoon Senior Staff discriminate spoon. I like to then I can are created because Sam vailed. We ran an ,, because Alex effective fast Writer based on size. be in the spoon with equal.,, is a big is a little break, had great middle.,, both ofmy ,, dribble penetra- spoon. spoon. tion, and (if I may indulge my own friends' ego) had a block party in the defen­ girlfriends.,, sive paint. That's right. We took down Four Girls and a Guy 21-3, making me and my friends the new Women's Have an idea for Question of the Day? E-mail [email protected] Bookstore Basketball Champions. My team and I had to draw up a gameplan for the matchup, and it was pretty simple. Step one: Find their shooter. Girls IN BRIEF teams are generally role players with one great girl (equivalent to your A panel discussion entitled average male player). We quickly "The History and Future and learned that person was junior Sierra Gender Studies" will be held at Smith, the recently named Women's 10:00 a.m. in the Hesburgh MVP. Center Auditorium on Friday. A Step two: Defend outside shots. The reception will be held before the first thing I learned from covering event at 9:00 a.m. in the Great Notre Dame women's basketball for Hall in the Hesburgh Center. three years was that most girls can easily shoot from distance. Throw in a The "BFA/MFA Candidates' heavy dose of height and that was Theses" will be held in the their only option. Fortunately for us, O'Shaughnessy Galleries in the the girl who we thought would be Suite Museum of Art on Friday. able to make it rain (I'm looking at The exhibit will be held at 10:00 you point guard Molly McCarthy) built a.m. Admission is free. a house with all her bricks Step three: Be dudes. That's right, I A Chicken Dinner Fundraiser said it. Between incredible speed out will be held for Relay for life in of guards Tony, Tommy and Stephen the Stephan Center. A half of a and a double-double in blocks and chicken is $6. The dinner will be boards from yours truly, our natural held on Friday. masculinity helped us cruise to the title. Notre Dame Bike Fest will be Once we put that plan in place, it held on South Quad. Students was all uphill from there. will have the opportunity to regis­ To be fair, the game was pretty Kelly Fallon (right) smiles as a South Quad carnival worker shows off her newly ter bikes, get a free tune up, competitive for a while. They made painted Frisbee while Breanna Sammons (center) continues to work on her own. The learn safety skills, participate in a some shots; we made a lot more. But event was part of this year's week-long AnTostal.