Sometimes it appears that America is losing its capacity for respect. Among our own citizens, the lack of it is, at times, simply appalling.

How many times have you heard the following statement in reference to attending athletic events at Baylor?

Teachers in Tacoma, Wash., have gone on strike over pay, class sizes and the handling of job transfers, causing 28,700 students to be unable to attend school since Sept. 12.

Some students didn’t feel “Oso Safe” when the university sent out a text message Thursday referring to a “Shots Fired Presentation” and “Live Burn” scheduled to happen that afternoon.

At last Wednesday’s GOP presidential debate, Republican candidate Michelle Bachmann criticized Gov. Rick Perry’s 2007 executive order to require the HPV vaccination for girls. It wasn’t Bachmann’s criticism of “Perrycare” during the CNN tea party debate Sept. 14, but the story behind her argument that raised eyebrows

In a world filled with technology, it seems as though the practice of pen and paper has begun to disappear. Homework is turned in online, notes are taken on laptops, research is done online and quizzes, tests and participation points are taken with clicker devices.

Would you want to take a drug test just to go to classes? That’s the newest policy at Linn State Technical College in Missouri, which has mandated that all incoming freshmen, as well as returning students who have taken off a semester or more, submit urine samples for drug testing.

Sometimes being a Christian isn’t the easy thing to do, especially when it means talking about things that make us uncomfortable or embracing those whose lifestyles run counter to our own.

We all remember the World Trade Center attacks. We remember the disbelief, fear, anger, shock and other uncontrollable emotions evoked by what we saw. There is no denying the scale of the attacks in American history. Yet at the same time, every demographic of readers were affected differently.

A graduate student says he was dropped from the family counseling program at Webster University after the school determined he was lacking empathy.

President Ken Starr called it “epic.” Coach Art Briles said it was “classic,” and junior Mike Hicks, whose interception sealed Baylor’s 50-48 win over TCU Friday night, couldn’t find the words to describe it.

If a mixed message has ever been sent, the Baptist General Convention of Texas is certainly sending one to Baylor.

If you read Daniel C. Houston’s story Wed. on tensions between The UBS Bookstore and the Baylor Bookstore, you were probably left with some unanswered questions. We on the editorial board were.

Every morning across the United States, children say “one nation under God” as they recite the Pledge of Allegiance aloud in public school classes. Every day, students buy items from the vending machines using U.S. $1 bills, which say, “In God we trust.” On Aug. 9, Rick Perry declared a day of prayer in Texas.

In an effort to lower the obesity rate in South Carolina, this year’s freshman class at Coker College will be required to complete fitness assessment tests and partake in physical activities, such as intramurals, aerobics classes and wellness programs.

If students visit Baylor’s website and take a look at the attendance policy page, they’ll know something is missing.

Every member of the editorial board has spent a different amount of time on staff. Regardless, we have noticed one thing: an increasingly involved student body. We’d like to take this final editorial to say thank you.

State Rep. Wayne Christian is afraid to say that he thinks universities should not fund programs for gay and transsexual promotion.

Several clarifications are needed to clear up much confusion surrounding Tuesday’s editorial “Community should be provided Strategic Planning information.”

Baylor’s strategic planning effort, responsible for gathering information from the Baylor community and drafting a plan for the future, will end its period of community input.

A new law passed by the Texas Senate last week makes sex laws concerning minors fairer.

At Baylor specifically, students that are accepted are awarded a scholarship based on their ranking and test scores. There are also numerous other scholarship opportunities afforded to Baylor students.

The Arizona Legislature is waiting on its governor’s signature for an approved “birther” bill that would require presidential candidates to prove their citizenship before placing their names on the state’s ballot.

Last week, ESPN.com reported Iowa Hawkeyes football player Willie Lowe requested a release from the team. After unintentionally losing 20 pounds since January and suffering from headaches in that time, finding a new school could be the least of Lowe’s concerns.

Every year the Lariat editorial board interviews student body officer candidates in order to understand platforms, gauge abilities and represent the student body’s voice. This year’s editorial board has chosen to continue the endorsements. We are endorsing Falls City junior Michael Lyssy for internal vice president and Corpus Christi junior Angela Gray for external vice president.

A bill introduced to the New York City Council last week, with a possibility of making it into state legislation, would require restaurants to offer toys to accompany kids’ meals only if the meal meets standardized health requirements.

Recent budget cuts on the state and national level, though tough, have proved necessary. The recent cutting of funds for the GI Bill, however, is nothing if not a breach of trust and represents misplaced values in American society.

On March 30 President Barack Obama stood before Georgetown University and described his plan regarding America’s energy consumption.

Female employees are suing Walmart for gender discrimination. They call it a companywide problem. The massive corporation wants them to sue individually. We see cause for a class-action lawsuit.

News hit Monday that America was taking steps back and sinking into a support role in the ongoing Libyan conflict. Many will balk at the idea of America not jumping directly into the problem and not using its influence and affluence to quickly further democracy.