COMMENTARY

All words fragile, important to society

The omnipresence of clichés is not only a harsh reality but a troubling communicative issue. Reliance on long-standing phrases — as engrained as the Rock of Gibraltar — saps the precision and inherent novelty from any event or idea. We should keep a watchful eye on our word choice, lest we move toward an Orwellian world of simple-minded Newspeak that flattens our thoughts, damaging the quality of thought.

COMMENTARY

New York Post cartoon offensive, inexcusable

There are protesters. There are talks of a boycott. There’s blatant racism.

COMMENTARY

Distinct differences in housing market needed from U.S. House

The U.S. House has inadvertently created two types of first-time home buyers: Bush-buyers and Obama-buyers.

COMMENTARY

Living life to the fullest worthwhile choice

Some people live for the moment, and some people live to get ahead. I try to do both simultaneously, but sometimes you have to choose.

COMMENTARY

Column about atheism ignores basic facts about beliefs

Alex Freitag’s column Nonbelievers have their reasons, too (SN 2/12) stating that atheism requires just as much faith as religion demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding.

COMMENTARY

Smoking ban in restaurants beneficial for everyone

Your position on anti-smoking legislation in the editorial Smoking ban should be decided by restaurants (SN 2/16) rests solely on granting individuals an absolute right to smoke where and when they please.

COMMENTARY

Cutting programs big loss, may be only option

It was only a matter of time before cuts would be made at MSU. The $9 million cut is pouring our thousands of majors through a filter. It’s going to hurt, but what programs will feel it the most?

COMMENTARY

Athiests have to fight societal stereotypes, stigmas daily

The recent column by Alex Freitag, Nonbelievers have their reasons, too (SN 2/12), was one step forward and two steps back in trying to frame the culture war fought between atheists and theists.

COMMENTARY

Don't limit taste buds to chain restaurants

With BTB Burrito nestled in its tin foil-covered coffin, I was disheartened to see yet another independent East Lansing restaurant die and expected a chain eatery to inhabit its former home.

COMMENTARY

Safe roads needed in areas around campus

For newcomers, MSU has a large and confusing campus. It takes time on foot and behind the wheel to become comfortable navigating the terrain and learning what to expect from drivers and pedestrians. After experiencing a few close-call clashes, most become comfortable with the area.

COMMENTARY

Student expulsion harsh, teaches lesson

The Internet has become a useful and necessary tool in almost every profession. It has connected all corners, edges and points across the globe. It has opened up the avenues to accessing information, news and entertainment.

COMMENTARY

Check facts before making decision about foreign autos

In response to Ed Morrison’s letter Assess quality of foreign cars before making buying decision (2/11), Morrison attempts to rationalize his purchase of foreign products by denouncing the American automotive industry without any facts or evidence to prove his claims of technology and efficiency lagging within the American automotive industry.

COMMENTARY

Denying existence of deity requires reason, not faith

In response to Alex Freitag’s column Nonbelievers have their reasons, too (SN 2/12), I’m sure I’m not the only one thinking of the obvious argument to the basis of his stance on atheism including faith.

COMMENTARY

Affordable tuition necessary to future 

They tell us we are the future. They talk about the unlimited potential of our generation. They remind us that if we work hard, the boundaries of what we can accomplish are almost limitless.    Then, they cut our funding. ?For years, state governments have placed a dagger in the dreams of many young people by continually making higher education a low priority, forcing universities to raise tuition.

COMMENTARY

Those who served time deserve chance

With last week’s news that Compuware CEO Peter Karmanos, Jr. hired former Detroit mayor and recently released prisoner Kwame Kilpatrick as a salesman for his Texas-based health care software subsidiary Covisint, perhaps now is an appropriate time to look at what faces those leaving prison who don’t have billionaire friends.

COMMENTARY

College of Osteopathic Medicine deserves recognition, too

Although I greatly appreciated the Page One coverage given to the College of Human Medicine expansion in Construction of Secchia Center may finish under $90M budget (SN 2/12), I wanted to gently remind you that MSU also educates physicians in the College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM).

COMMENTARY

Smoking ban should be decided by restaurants

If the state of Michigan were a business, the people running it would have sold the place by now. The state would proudly display signs reading “Under New Ownership” across its borders. Recently foreclosed homes would present big savings to bargain-hunting buyers.

COMMENTARY

Editorial should have cited sources, statistics, quotes

The editorial Be specific when giving sex activity statistics (SN 2/12) appears to be completely unsubstantiated. I can only imagine the marks it would receive if this were turned in as a paper for class.

COMMENTARY

Good samaritans, helpful citizens still out there

On Saturday I was walking from my house north of campus to eat at Shaw Hall. It snowed the previous night and as a result was very slippery outside. I embarrassingly slipped and fell, and unknown to me, both my iPod and my house/car keys fell out of my pocket of my jacket.

COMMENTARY

Applying for Teach for America great opportunity, worthwhile

I don’t quite know how I ended up in the Mississippi Delta as part of Teach for America. Perhaps it was because I hadn’t been to the South and it sounded just about as far away from the Midwest as one could get.