What is the point of private insurance? This seems like a simple question, but after you think about it for a minute, you aren’t really sure anymore. The basic answer most people will give you is to pay for medical bills when you’re sick. But, why do insurance companies have to pay our medical bills for us? The goal of an insurance company is the … Continue reading What’s so Great About Private Insurance?

I am collecting beautiful things. Mix CDs, photographs. Catalpa pods and campfire smoke. Spontaneous sing-alongs and potentially embarrassing dance-scapades. Late nights with deep mugs of coffee, sunsets on Physical Plant Mountain and dirt under my fingernails. And wind. It’s about time I pack ‘em all up. I know a good number of students who made the decision to come to Gustavus simply because of a … Continue reading This I believe

During an interview last week with television personality Charles Grodin, Fox News’ Sean Hannity agreed to be water-boarded for charity. A bold pledge no one is sure to hold him to, but it is an interesting one to think about. Perhaps after he is water-boarded, Hannity will learn the golden rule the rest of us learned as four-year-olds back in preschool: treat others as you … Continue reading Closing thoughts

All great things must come to an end. (Sorry for the cheesy cliché.) For the past two years, I have written columns about a wide range of issues, from abortion to Jesus running for President. Now in my final column, I want to express to those of you who actually read my column what I have learned from writing for The Gustavian Weekly. Continue reading Parting shots

What follows is sure to be controversial. I’ve spent my entire tenure as a commentary writer attempting to talk about controversial things. I think, however, I have finally found out how to do this: talk about things about which people hold a wide variety of opinions, and about which they care immensely. My previous articles on religion, gender, gun control, hate, diversity and what it means to be a Gustie have missed the mark in this regard. I assume by the lack of letters to the editor in response to these articles that most everyone here is in agreement on those topics. So, I’m turning to an even more controversial subject: how to be awesome. Continue reading How to be awesome

Whilst I was recently perusing the latest LOL Cats pictures, a benevolent and omniscient voice came into my head. “Maggie,” the voice simply said, “this is God.” Needless to say, I crapped my pants. I quickly changed into a clean pair (because who wants to speak with their Creator in soiled skivvies?) and responded, “I’m here, God. Would you, um, like something to drink? I … Continue reading The time I gave God a headache

Hello, my name is Galen Mitchell, and I’m a music addict and snob. I’ve been living with this condition for over 12 years now. I still remember the first CD I ever owned, the one that started it all. … It was The Beatles—Past Masters: Volume One—and I “stole” it from my father when I was seven years old. Sure, it was a compilation disc, … Continue reading Confessions of music snob

I am writing to you today not only as a Gustavus student, but as a concerned member of the broader Gustavus community for which we all care deeply. Wednesday, March 18, 2009, I attended a faculty meeting at which Chairman of the Board of Trustees James H. Gale spoke to the changing Provost position and the role of the President and the Board in that … Continue reading An Open Letter to the Board of Trustees of Gustavus Adolphus College, James H. Gale, Chair

President Obama recently released a proposal to reduce tax deductions for charitable giving. You might be thinking, “Why should I care? The tax code is boring, and President Obama is a liberal Democrat who really cares about poor people.” There are a couple of errors I see in this logic, but the biggest concern I have with the proposal is that Democrats and other leftward … Continue reading Obama’s anti-charity proposal

What is “social media?” Put simply, it is a new wave of organic, influential and rapidly developing communication tools that connect us to people, brands and other niches of our lives that are important to us. They allow us to share photos, videos, random thoughts, interests and just about anything else. (Someone on Twitter asked during last month’s South By Southwest Interactive Festival if anyone … Continue reading Wonders of Social Media