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PAST COLUMNS FROM FR. SCHALL

Fr. Schall has written over 40 columns for The Hoya. Below are a sample from recent years. Here is what he had to say about The Hoya: "Probably one of the most influential essays I ever wrote first appeared in The Hoya, some years ago, called, “What a Student Owes His Teacher.” This essay found its way into my book Another Sort of Learning and was, indeed, part of its inspiration. You would be surprised how many students have told me that the idea that they “owed” anything to teachers was new to them. Actually a number of my Hoya essays have made it into other Schall books. Over the years, Hoya editors would invite me to do a column. I always appreciated that courtesy." Full story

SCHALL HOYA COLUMNS

On Used Bookstores

First Published Aug. 31, 2010

I suppose the total number of books in the world has multiplied many times since then, but how many are "worth reading"? Ah, that is what universities are supposed to be about.
Sometimes, Wrong Can Be Right

First Published Jan. 26, 2012

We have all heard the expression: "Don't bother me with facts!" Indeed, with cell phones and computers, we are constantly bothered by facts.
On Being 'Completely Objective'

First Published Oct. 31, 2008

We think things should be balanced and straightforward. Even life itself should be "fair," we think to ourselves. But if it is, it sure does not seem so.
Understanding the Essence of Christmas

First Published Dec. 1, 2011

If we do not call things by a name that indicates what the thing really is, we not only misuse words, but also damage our souls.
On Not Being an 'Algebra Problem'

First Published Sept. 5, 2008

A university at its best is not the Light, but a path, perhaps many paths reflected in the Light.
What is ‘College Life’?

First Published Sept. 2, 2011

The education of the civilized young to some extent presupposes a starting point in education for gentleness. Roughly, this is what Aristotle meant by acquiring the virtues. We are not born with them but must ourselves acquire and practice them.
On Listening With Enjoyment

First Published Sept. 4, 2009

A basic tenet of my philosophy follows C. S. Lewis' remark that "You have not read a great book at all if you have only read it once."

Idealism Root of Political Problems

First Published Jan. 18, 2008

If there were a just city, it could only be "in speech," as Plato put it in the "Republic." And if it is not consciously there, no one is safe in his own soul. This putting it there is what education is about. We do not like to hear these things, I suppose, but they are in our tradition.
The Difficult, but Necessary Quest for Deeper Truths

First Published March 14, 2012

Most intellectual controversy takes place long before it reaches public discussion or action. In most polities, both wise and unwise propositions can reach practice.
Reflecting on College Friendship

First Published Oct. 14, 2011

The most agonizing experience for 20-some-year-olds in college is that of choosing their friends well. Aside from seeking truth, as both Plato and Aristotle noted, no practical issue brings us more joy or sorrow, more delight or more heartbreak.
Evil, Punishment, Forgiveness

First Published Dec. 4, 2009

The African tradition and Greek philosophy have common concerns. Human beings can do evil things. If they do, their souls are in disorder in themselves until they restore right order.
On Missing the Fall Semester

First Published Nov. 2, 2010

The essence of Christianity is that suffering is not the worst of the evils, while avoidance of it sometimes is.
Books a Gateway to Truth

First Published Oct. 26, 2012

What really counts to a teacher is not relative intelligence but what the student reads and knows, whether he wants to know and whether he is suddenly awake to ultimate things.

More in Opinion

MILLER: Tone of Future Elections in Our Hands

Today, I will vote, proud and excited that I can finally execute my right. Yet I do so also with fatigue and disenchantment from the campaigning I have witnessed for over a year now. I am not alone in feeling this way.
PIERRO: On Election Night, Disenchantment Awaits

We are buying into an electoral system that is nothing more than a farce. This kabuki theatre that has transformed our politics into a business that insulates the American people from legitimate policy solutions. This election is just a mere reiteration of that.
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DULIK: Clear Eyes on Conservative Cause

Four years ago, I was an Obamaphile who traipsed across America from swing states to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, ardently campaigning for Barack Obama. If you know me today or have read my past columns, you’ll appreciate how far I’ve come.
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STIRRETT: Foreign Policy in Focus

The reason why there was so little conflict in the foreign policy debate is because both candidates envision a world where American power is driven more by economics and relationships than boots on the ground.
PIERRO: Obama Shifts the Dialogue

Can someone please remind me when and how this election made the drastic switch to social issues, as though the economy is no longer the most pressing topic?
STIRRETT: To Understand US, Look to VA

One only has to cross the Key Bridge to be in one of the most competitive swing states in the country — not only for the presidential election but for the senate race as well. To better understand Virginia is to better understand the overall changing political dynamics in this country.
DULIK: Races for Governors' Mansions Heating Up

With the attention of the media and the public fixed on the presidential contest and the battle for control of Capitol Hill, the 11 gubernatorial races taking place on Nov. 6 have been largely overlooked.
MILLER: Bush Comparisons Worn Thin

One of the Obama campaign’s main methods of vilifying Gov. Romney has been to conflate the two. Furthermore, Bush has become Obama’s go-to excuse for all problems the United States faces today.
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PIERRO: Third Party Appeal the Real Deal

My political beliefs put me at a crossroads of our two-party system, where I want as little intervention in my private life as I do in my economic life. It seems to me that I am your average American college student in an ideological dilemma.
Stirrett vs. Miller

While Scott Stirrett (SFS '13) believes Obama's showing should be recognized as simply one rough night, Hannah Miller (COL '14) argues that Romney demonstrated a more meaningful contrast to the president. The two columnists go back and forth on whether Romney was liberal with the facts, and if Obama did enough to prevent it.
Dulik vs. Pierro

Sam Dulik (SFS '13) and Daniel Pierro (COL '15) share the view that Obama's performance was lackluster, but the two disagree over what has motivated Obama's tone and what he must do to fix it. Dulik questions whether Obama's poor debating reflects a larger policy shortcoming, while Pierro asserts that this messaging is part of a strategy geared toward securing reelection.
Dionne Weighs in on Campaigns

We still don’t know yet, and we’ll only find out in the final weeks of the campaign if last-minute money from super PACs dropped into a variety of House races and some Senate races actually shifts the direction of the race. That’s where I’m most worried about the impact of Citizens United.
Latino Vote a Sleeping Giant

Contrary to what some have suggested, the Latino community does not vote as a unified group. Although the majority of Latinos are Mexican American, other nationalities do not share the same interests. Not everyone in the Latino community has immigration reform as his top priority.
STIRRETT: Independent of Party, Not Purpose

I’m going to try to not play this blame game, and I'm instead going to look at some of the broader contributors to the problem. The root cause of gridlock is not individual parties, but the state of the American electoral system as a whole.
DULIK: Tar Heel State a Partisan Enigma

North Carolina might be America’s unlikeliest swing state. The Tar Heel State emerged as a serious political tossup in 2008, and will only grow in this role in the coming years.
MILLER: Supreme Court Could Jolt Campaigns

In its upcoming term, the Supreme Court will hear several cases on topics ranging from social issues to election law. The timing of these hearings will likely have a dramatic effect on the rhetoric of the candidates in the debates and the messages coming from the campaigns in the homestretch of this election.
PIERRO: Debates Could Be a Game Changer

The debates provide an especially important opportunity for Romney, who must find a way to revitalize a campaign weakened by gaffes and show why he and his party think Obama is out of touch and has hindered economic recovery.
Some Conservatives Losing Touch with Social Values

Many of our best and brightest College Republicans have mistakenly come to deny the relationship between fiscal and social conservatism, viewing the latter as a receding cause.
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My Vote is No Vote at All

My decision to cast a ballot will almost certainly have no effect on the outcome. Mathematically speaking, the chances are infinitesimally small that I will be the deciding vote. If you do think it will matter, I’ve got lottery tickets I’d like to sell you.
Gov. Romney Has Strong Legacy in Massachusetts

Romney made his way to Massachusetts as the state’s first “CEO governor.” He came in amid a severe recession as the state was shedding jobs (sound familiar?).
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In China, Obama a U.S. President or Celebrity?

To Chinese people, President Obama epitomizes a certain coolness, an energetic, fresh face and a rock star who continues to fight for freedom — a commodity that seems fleeting nowadays.
DULIK: Last Legs of Campaign Can Decide Race

The remaining month and a half of the campaign offers opportunity aplenty for unplanned events to shape this race. Further erosion of the jobs market, instability in the Middle East or a late-breaking piece of muckraking journalism could potentially recalibrate the nature of this campaign as it enters its final stretch.
MILLER: Foreign Policy Still a Question Mark

The events of this past week in Egypt and Libya have drawn a spotlight on a theme that has been noticeably missing in the 2012 presidential campaigns: foreign policy.
PIERRO: U.S. on Road to Divided Government

The widening disparity makes ideological and political compromise between the two parties unlikely. Divided government will risk creating a government in gridlock and will offer few solutions to today’s most important problems.
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Beauty Pageant RNC Needs Makeover

Ronald Reagan was the “Great Communicator,” with polished speaking skills and comfort in front of the camera, even if it came from starring in B-list movies. Romney, on the other hand, has all the charisma of a management consultant.
DULIK: 'Juntos Con Romney'? Sí, Se Puede

The Democratic Party has increasingly dominated the Hispanic vote in the United States. In doing so, it has propagated a false and destructive narrative that this is because of the Democrats’ unique protection of “Hispanic interests” against threats emanating from the bigoted Republican Party. Such a mindset is not only offensive; it’s dead wrong.
STIRRETT: Eastwood Gives Meaning to 'Grand Old Party'

Clint Eastwood is an 82-year-old white male who is fabulously wealthy and grew up in an America that was radically different than what it is today or what it will most likely become. And, while his speech at the Republican National Convention was rambling and, at some points, bizarre, he stated what was arguably the most important subtext of the convention: “We own this country.”
GOP Platform a Vision, or Mirage?

The truth of the matter is that the Republican ideal of individualism is just that — an ideal. It has very little to do with the reality of everyday life. We rely on others to make our clothes, to cook our food and to build our homes. Americans today are part of a global community; we don’t live on an island of one.
PIERRO: RNC Debuts Appeal for Diversity

The Republican National Convention showcased a host of diverse yet conservative speakers. Their testimonials — bound together by stories of individualism and American exceptionalism — indicate a new approach from the Republican Party to garner moderate and minority support.
Stirrett: 'Forward' Slogan for Obama a Tricky Sell

That is the main challenge for Democrats: How do you present yourself as the party of the future when it is the future and the accompanying changes that scare so many voters?
Dulik: Paper Trail Leads to White House

Romney has demonstrated that, at the very least, his business acumen is a boon to his campaign. Republicans are flush with cash, and their fundraising numbers have grown quarter by quarter. More importantly, they are being smart with their money.
Pierro: Candidates Battle for Key Demographics

The American political process is back to its old antics as the Obama and Romney campaigns release ad hominem campaign ads in lieu of legitimate discussion.
Miller: Ads Versus Ground Game in Fight for 270

While Obama has been building up his campaign infrastructure, Romney has been focusing on advertising, spending almost $30 million more than his opponent. This alternate focus could be a dangerous concession of ground to the Democratic candidate.