I am concerned as to why The State News would publish the opinion letter, “Why I am no longer a Spartan,” featured in Tuesday’s paper.
The author of the letter compared the riots in Ferguson, Missouri, following the death of Michael Brown and the celebrations in Cedar Village this weekend and tried to claim the response by the media and the celebrators as racist.
I understand The State News does not necessarily share the viewpoints of the author, but I am frustrated that The State News would offer a voice to an opinion that is so far off base.
Firstly, I find it insulting that anyone would compare what happened in Ferguson to the rowdy congregation that occurred in East Lansing this past weekend. Legitimate damage was done in Ferguson. Businesses were destroyed. People’s lives were put in danger.
Anyone who was actually at the celebrations over the weekend (the author even admitted he or she had not attended) will understand that labeling it as a riot and comparing it to Ferguson unrest would be hyperbolic and inaccurate. The celebrations, while loud, were for the most part peaceful and featured very little danger to anyone.
Other than a few small fires and bagels being thrown in the air, the celebrations were no more than rowdy. The motives were entirely different. People in Ferguson were angry and wanted social reform. While most protests were peaceful, some people could not control their emotions and rioted instead.
What happened in East Lansing was students coming together for their school. It was people of many races and nationalities celebrating the love of their school’s basketball program. It is insulting to compare anyone who fought for social reform in Ferguson to a group of rowdy college students following a basketball win.
Secondly, I do not know how the author can label the group of students celebrating as “racists.” I understand that many people did not support the riots in Ferguson, like the author points out, but I also understand that many people did not believe rioting was the best way to bring about social reform.
I understand that many people could not hold back their anger with the police in Ferguson, but I also believe there are better ways to bring about change than violence. I also know that holding this opinion has nothing to do with skin color.
The author claims that, “I know almost all of these students do not see the double standard,” when referring to people denouncing what happened in Ferguson while participating in this weekend’s events. They claim, “They choose to be blind.” While having no way to support whether these claims are even close to the truth, these claims are generalizations and cause more harm than good.
If even 1 percent of the amount of damage that was caused in Ferguson, Missouri, was caused in East Lansing, then maybe they would have a point. But it was not even close.
Michigan State athletics bring people together. People of different backgrounds can come together and find a common interest. The author only wishes to tear people apart.
The author says the school’s chant should not be “Go Green, Go White” but just “Go White.” Well I say we change the chant to “Go everybody that cares to be a Spartan.”
If the author wishes to no longer be a Spartan, then so be it, because it seems they do not know the true meaning of what it means. They only seem to stir up controversy with an opinion that has no base to stand on.
I understand controversial opinions can be good for exposing problems and offering a different viewpoint, but why would The State News sacrifice their integrity to give a voice to someone who wants nothing more than to make unsupported generalizations?
I enjoy The State News and will continue to read it, but I do not believe letters like “Why I am no longer a Spartan” belong in any publication.
Stephen Nisbet is an English sophomore at MSU.
