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Columns

COMMENTARY

Follow Ann Arbor's lead, decriminalize marijuana in East Lansing

Alex Dardas
April 9, 2014

Far be it for me to praise our enemies over in Wolverine country, but I must applaud officials in Ann Arbor for their common sense marijuana policy.Instead of jail time, misdemeanors and probation, Ann Arbor police issue $25 tickets to individuals found in possession of up to an ounce of pot. Like a traffic ticket, violators are responsible for paying the ticket but do not have any criminal charges to worry about.

COMMENTARY

Graduation should be priority

Cayden Royce
April 3, 2014

On May 2, my sister will make her way across the commencement graduation stage at the Breslin Center.I hope she doesn’t pee her pants from excitement.She is well-prepared and eager to enter the world as a professional communication arts and sciences graduate.Since her time here is almost up, it got me thinking about the process of graduation and what it takes to earn a four-year degree. Four years goes by quickly, and sooner rather than later, we will all hopefully be part of Spartan alumni groups.But not everyone decides to be a Spartan for life. For some students, MSU is merely a temporary stage of life or worse, a mistake.

COMMENTARY

Promoting art should be bigger concern

Sam Corden
April 2, 2014

This past Thursday marked the end of graduate student Betsy Ferrer’s art presentation in the RCAH Art Studio above the The Gallery at Snyder-Phillips Hall, which featured works from different artists hailing from the greater Kisumu area, located in western Kenya.The gallery displayed beautiful pieces ranging from still lifes to animals scenes to daily Kenyan life, which were being sold in hope of raising money for a new Kisumu art gallery for local artists to showcase their works.

COMMENTARY

Be successful by being yourself

Emily Jenks
April 1, 2014

I’m going through a lot of changes in my life right now — newly single, new job, new friends. I’m beginning to figure out that life is about what you love, not what anyone else expects of you. As long as no one else is negatively affected by your actions, go ahead and throw yourself into whatever it is you’re passionate about, whether it’s working out or binge-watching My Little Pony. In the end, knowing you didn’t stray from your true values will help you handle the outcome, whether it’s good or bad.

COMMENTARY

Diversity requirement would benefit all

Colin Wiebrecht
March 27, 2014

“I have gay friends.”“I have black friends.”“No homo.”“That’s so gay.”These are phrases most of us probably hear all the time, either just off-hand in conversation or in defense of comments that people make about the LGBT community or different racial communities.Although people might use these phrases unknowingly, the truth is that they have the potential to single out members of our diverse MSU community.

COMMENTARY

COLUMN: Opposing views undeserving of close-minded responses

Matt Sheehan
March 25, 2014

People’s reactions to opposing opinions can be ridiculous — beyond laughable to say the least. You don’t have to look further than Derek Kim’s column on the cons of same-sex marriage to know what I’m talking about. And if you think I’m calling Derek out, you’re horribly mistaken. I’m pointing out some of the comments calling him an “idiot,” saying it’s a shame he will get an MSU degree and saying religion is “for suckers.”