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John McCain

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Sen. Jon McCain (R-Ariz.) supports "the surge" of troops and believes it is working. He will continue to support the surge, even if the Iraqi government fails to meet its benchmark goals. McCain says the presence of troops in Iraq is not the problem; casualties are the problem, and he is extremely opposed to a timetable for withdrawal. His ... [Read More…]

Mike Huckabee

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Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is arguably the most conservative candidate running in the primaries. His stances on many issues echo those of our current president, especially his views on the Iraq War. He says he will continue the efforts in Iraq and does not plan on setting a timetable for withdrawal. He says on his Web site, "this country ... [Read More…]

Reach out, get help for troubled friends

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Think back to the last friend you talked to on campus. Chances are, the exchange involved a well-rehearsed dialogue: "How are you?" "Good. How are you?" "Good." And chances are, that was about as deep as the concern went. But most of us say we're "good" even when we're drowning in our classes, battling our personal demons or struggling in our ... [Read More…]

Sense of community disrupted by silence

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By Jared Fields, Editor in Chief In Jesus' name we pray- Amen. I sat in Chapel on Monday morning after the prayer, shocked at the news just announced to the ACU community gathered in Moody Coliseum. Dr. Jeff Arrington stood on stage and told the audience a student had died Sunday night. Later in the day, Dr. Jean-Noel Thompson sent an e-mail ... [Read More…]

Listening to elders might just teach a valuable, important lesson

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As many of us grew up, our parents bombarded us with countless adages, one namely being "respect your elders." However, as college students we sometimes forget that tidbit of wisdom and try to find fault with anything an aged person says. For example, in Friday's issue of The Optimist, a 1959 alum responded to a column concerning women's role in ... [Read More…]

Paper voting should replace electronic method

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The fiasco of the 2000 presidential vote recount in Florida encouraged 37 states to embrace the touch-screen technology over paper trails. Now, because of Florida again, the Congress is examining a bill that plans to bring the whole country back to the paper age. Last month, Florida Senator Bill Nelson and Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse ... [Read More…]

Celebrity gossip creates harmful effects

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By Colter Hettich, Features Editor Celebrity news nauseates me, yet I catch myself mindlessly reading up on Britney Spears' latest charade. Why can't I ignore it? I stumbled across a discussion board at washingtonpost.com dedicated to the late Heath Ledger. An anonymous post grabbed me and shed an entirely new light on the problem. The user ... [Read More…]

Paper attempts to cover ‘bad news’ with dignity

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The newspaper occasionally covers less-than-pleasant news dealing with people and issues surrounding the ACU community, a situation exemplified in Friday's issue of the Optimist. Last week, the Optimist published a story about a student who is now facing life in prison after allegedly attacking his pregnant girlfriend, causing her to miscarry a ... [Read More…]

Recent remarks reveal lack of understanding

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By Jared Fields, Editor in Chief I cannot relate to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day because I just don't understand it. I cannot relate to a history of abuse, oppression and hatred based on race. I cannot relate to the feelings that could come from such a history of racism because of my lack of that history. As a white, middle-class male, I have no ... [Read More…]

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