A Blog on McConnell Center Life

By Meghan Waters (Class of 2014) Secession. The mere mention of the word is bound to ruffle some feathers. Most would argue that the debate over secession died long ago along with 750,000 men and a swing of the gavel.   But the question of secession still persists. Most notably, Texas and Vermont have explored the idea of disunion. Texas even submitted a petition for secession to the White House in November 2012: “Given that the state of Texas maintains a balanced budget and is the 15th largest economy in the world, it is practically feasible for Texas to withdraw from the union, and to do so would protect it's ( sic ) citizens' standard of living and re-secure their rights and liberties in accordance with the original ideas and beliefs of our founding fathers which are no longer being reflected by the federal government.” The petition has since garnered over 125,000 signatures, prompting responses in the media and from the White House. Although most condemn this petitio...

By Paige Brewer (Class of 2015) Last week the Center for Asian Democracy hosted a political cartoonist named Zunar, whose drawings have been banned by the Malaysian government due to their controversial and critical nature. Though the freedom of speech is constitutionally legal, the government is extremely sensitive to any published work that speaks out against its practices. Zunar was arrested for sedition because his cartoons addressed topics such as government corruption, suppression of speech and the Prime Minister’s wife, an allegedly extravagant spender of taxpayer money. Zunar had many interesting things to say that not only helped the audience learn more about Malaysian politics and way of life but also offered an interesting insight into our own government systems. The following are some of the gems. “Talent is not a gift. It’s an obligation—a responsibility. I don’t use it for my own benefit—I do it for my people. I will use this as a weapon. There is a very th...

By Connor Tracy (Class of 2016) Heroes play a vital role in the lives of those that look up to them, especially young people. They live the lives that we aspire to have. Their actions, words, possessions, and choices have the power to influence the world around them. When evaluating today’s heroes, one cannot help but feel that most are either actors, singers, professional athletes, or come from some division of the entertainment industry. I believe that although these people may set great examples at times, they are not looked up to for that reason. Wealth and fame seem to be the assets that today’s world values the most. Here lies a major problem.  A yearning for wealth and fame leads people towards a life of selfishness and greed. They strive to build up material possessions, while simultaneously weakening their internal possessions. When a person sacrifices pursuing building their character for the pursuit of money and fame, they are feeding into their appetites, and i...

By Alicia Humphrey (Class of 2017) “On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” I can hear the lyrics of my favorite Southern Baptist hymn reverberating off the walls of the traditional church I have attended all my life in my hometown of Paducah, Kentucky even now. In fact, I have repeated these words so many times that I could recite the lyrics with the haughty ease that an elementary school child can list off the letters of the alphabet. Similarly, my daily reality in Paducah was as predictable as this five-chord song I sang in Sunday school, and its rhythm constantly hummed in my head, lulling me to sleep each night with its soothing dependability. I came to the University of Louisville insistent on maintaining my static existence, promising myself that I would do anything in my power to never change neither my personality nor my beliefs. Little did I know that my first semester at the University of Louisville w...

By Aaron Holder (Class of 2017) “It’s not books you need, it’s some of the things that once were in books.” There once was a time I considered myself a well-read individual.  I prided myself in having read the classics, from Bronte and Conrad, to Salinger and Hawthorne.  The bug that was my pride, however, was promptly squashed under college’s heel.  Things I thought I knew about myself--my politics, my theology, what makes me tick--fell away, like sand through the fingers.   The McConnell Center--for better or worse--is to blame for my metamorphosis into a moral amoeba.  Last semester, we took an in-depth look at The Republic of Plato , The Conservative Mind by Russell Kirk, and We by Yevgeny Zamyatin.  These works came together to create a perfect storm of sorts, which forced me to ask big questions, like:  What is just?  Is liberty better than equality, or vice versa?  And what part of the soul should govern a man?  Aft...

By Janna Imel, Class of 2014 I have never been one to write sappy reflection pieces, but since my senior year is already half over, I believe it is time. Before beginning this blog, I tried to think of significant events throughout my entire college career that I could share. Unfortunately, since the past four years have gone by so quickly, it is almost impossible for me to pin down each event, unless of course I were to go through my endless stack of journals. Instead, I have decided to write about the past six to seven months in particular. The end of my junior year brought forth many opportunities that have propelled me further down a track toward my dream career.  In May, I journeyed to Northern Ireland and worked with various cross-community organizations to bring together adolescents on opposite sides of the conflict.  For more information on my participation in this great opportunity, please see my other blog . I am privileged to go back this coming summer an...