Are these statements oxymorons? I am Christian, yet I am not against same-sex marriage. I am liberal, yet I am anti-abortion.
Maybe it's just the way I was raised. American history was always big in my family. A typical family summer vacation was trekking to some Civil War battle field in sweltering heat so my father could point out the different battles and monuments. We've toured Gettysburg at least twice and climbed to the peak of Little Round Top.
Big debates are often inspired by simple and fundamental questions. What is the purpose of government?
East Lansing Parking and Code Enforcement and I like to play this game. See, first I park in the most normal way I can think of or assure my friends that parking in such a fashion is OK.
The history of thought on free will and the human mind has tended toward supernatural explanations. It's been suggested, for example, that humans are mystically endowed with an intangible and incorporeal soul, immune to physical laws. Compared with animals, some believe that humans are a fundamentally different type of being.
The MSU Board of Trustees makes a lot of huge decisions. And it seems to make a lot of these important decisions behind closed doors. The board, of course, always announces its decisions in public, sitting down to a lengthy meeting in which it praises and thanks each member and President Lou Anna K.
It's funny how moods and overall levels of life enjoyment can change in a matter of mere hours.
Sometimes, good ol' President George W. Bush really cracks me up. When he makes up a new word on live television or tries to walk out through a closed door while at a press conference in a foreign nation, it's a hoot.
I never could quite understand what the big deal was with Stanley "Tookie" Williams. However, he had many big name stars behind him fighting for his life — literally. Jamie Foxx and Snoop Dog were only a couple of big names behind him, and many of the other celebrities fighting for him were also black.
Hunting. Sex. Animal. Women. It's a crazy analogy, I know, but stay with me here. Three MSU sociology professors used this ridiculous comparison in regard to a fictionalized video called "Hunting for Bambi" released in 2003.
The battle over affirmative action in Michigan and MSU has been controversial from the very beginning. In the past couple of years, speeches from affirmative action opponents and supporters at MSU have led to arguments, heated discussions and calls to the police. Much of this drama has been centered around the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, a ballot proposal that would "ban public institutions from using affirmative action programs that give preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes." The supporters of the initiative gathered enough signatures and submitted them to the Secretary of State, which is the way ballot proposals make it to the voters. But the proposal has been stymied by accusations that the wording is misleading and causes people to think it would do something other than what it does. The Board of State Canvassers has repeatedly refused to certify the signatures, despite an order from the Michigan Court of Appeals that the initiative get placed on the ballot. The board is composed of two Republicans, who, at their last meeting on the issue, voted to certify the petition, while one Democrat voted against it and the other abstained. The meeting became heated and a table was almost overturned in the debate. Affirmative action debates have become a circus in Michigan — betraying the fact that it is such a serious issue that could have long-lasting implications. Accusations that voters were misled is something people should think about when voting in November.
I enjoy Christmas. For me, it always elicits thoughts about the true "reason for the season," not just the corporate-sponsored shopping orgy it has become. Christmas also reminds me of the value we place on teaching our children critical thinking. The Santa Claus story offers a cute example.
This is a column. I thought I'd clear that up, in case there was any confusion. When I introduce myself as the State News opinion editor, I get a few generic responses: "I like your articles." "Your political cartoon was completely uncalled for." "I can't believe your letter." Occasionally, I will find a disgruntled reader who informs me the Opinion Page's content is too biased. Duh. It's obvious there is confusion on how the Opinion Page works.
I was looking for a little holiday spirit — something a lot of students forget about when exams come around. When we all worry about our tests, lab assessments, presentations and final papers, we forget it's almost mid-December.
It's the most wonderful, er, stressful time of the year for college students. Finals week is always a time of revelation for us — we realize how much easier life would be if we hadn't been using our textbooks as coasters all year. But don't let the rigors of it all turn you into a Scrooge.
What am I doing here? I don't know if it's the lack of sleep, pressure of exams or coffee.
One of the toughest transitions I've had to make is from the life of a high school student to that of a college student.
I think we need to talk a bit about language. It's important, you see, to examine the language we use in our daily lives.
Al Franken nailed the difference between liberal and conservative concepts of patriotism. Conservatives, noted Franken, "love America the way a 4-year-old loves their mommy.
Students can't help but be skeptical of the East Lansing independent commission on what would accurately be called the "police riot" of April 2-3.