COMMENTARY

Candidates can't take voters for granted now

Eric Chiu

February 11, 2008

If this presidential primary season has taught aspiring political pundits anything so far, it’s that conventional wisdom rarely counts for much these days. In a race that’s shot down the front-runners and brought boosted the second-place candidates on a regular basis, things rarely have been consistent. But with voter enthusiasm at its peak, this primary has been a definite change of pace.

COMMENTARY

Situation in Darfur intensifies; students should take action

The terror in Darfur shows no signs of ending. Yesterday, countless years of efforts to quell the violence were thrown out the window, when the Sudanese government recklessly attacked three Darfurian towns, displacing thousands more and killing hundreds.

COMMENTARY

Intelligent design advocates can consider evolution, too

The debate about evolution only proves that Darwin may have been wrong about humans — some of us are still apes. The arguments against evolution have never been about science, but are derived from the unnecessary fears of those who choose to remain ignorant about the natural world.

COMMENTARY

Circus discards animal rights

It’s an event that’s banned in six countries and more than 50 cities nationwide. Use of the implements it employs — poles with sharpened hooks and electric prods — are banned in localities of six states. And it’s coming to Breslin Center this April.

COMMENTARY

Arguments about evolution, global warming do nothing

This letter is written in response to John Bice’s column Evolution exists, should be taught (SN 1/7). The state of the evolution and creation debate reminds me so much of the global warming debate.

COMMENTARY

Intelligent design has basis, Darwinism still unproven

Evolution continues to be taught in most schools as the sole explanation of creation and the diversity of species. However, many of its claims fall far shorter than those of intelligent design. Darwinism states that a common ancestor connects all phyla because of natural selection caused by variable environments.

COMMENTARY

Farm bill helps wealthy, hurts poor farmers here, abroad

The archaic 2007 Farm Bill provides money to wealthy corporate farms while neglecting family farms in the United States, making it impossible for developing countries with agriculturally based economies to compete.

COMMENTARY

Budgets address different needs, policies

Seems like just yesterday the Michigan Legislature finally settled a balanced budget for this fiscal year. But ‘tis the season for more government budgets, and both the federal and state budgets were introduced just last week.

COMMENTARY

TAs need classroom training, skills to keep them competitive

Every week I walk into a classroom armed with attendance rosters, a lesson plan and, fortunately, pedagogical training I gained while earning my master’s degree from another university.

COMMENTARY

Segregation exists in many ways on campus

The way students choose to dine seems like an insignificant detail. But what is being seen in the cafeteria might signify a bigger problem.

COMMENTARY

Society strives for easy options

Jenna Ulicki

February 7, 2008

America hooked on the Easy Button? I was watching TV when a popular Staples commercial came on. It showcased a man who couldn’t find his Easy Button, and asked a coworker for help. Instead of looking for the man’s missing necessity, she reached for her own button, pressed it and viola — his appeared.

COMMENTARY

Current generation can make large climatic impact

Jessica Byrom’s labeling of the environmental upsurge in recent years as a “bandwagon” marginalizes the unique state the human race finds itself in today. We are seeing a cultural shift toward environmental stewardship that is more on par with the Copernican Revolution than the South Beach Diet.

COMMENTARY

Evolution exists, should be taught

John Bice

February 6, 2008

In 2005, advocates for introducing intelligent design into high school science classes had a fair hearing in a Pennsylvania federal court, presided over by a churchgoing, lifelong Republican appointed by President George W. Bush.

COMMENTARY

Detroit's Mayor's mishaps not fair to city, state

When Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick took office in 2002, his appeal to voters was obvious. As the city’s youngest elected mayor, voters put him in office with the expectation that he would improve Detroit. After six years, that has yet to happen.

COMMENTARY

International students affected by TA deals too

MSU is a great place to be an international student. It is the national leader in study abroad among American public universities, has an ever-increasing international presence with about 4,000 students enrolled from 131 countries and is augmenting its international profile with the opening of MSU in Dubai this August.

COMMENTARY

Additional tuition dollars belong to students

If MSU decided not to refund its students an unnecessary extra per-credit fee, there would be hell to pay. Wayne State University students were required to pay a $13-per-hour credit fee to compensate for possible financial shortcomings for the fall semester.

COMMENTARY

Names say a lot, so say them right

Yeah. It means “fish.” Congratulations on discovering the secret by using the most basic French. You and all the French-speaking 3-year-olds should be very proud.

COMMENTARY

Learn more about climate change at campus event

Americans love jumping on bandwagons. Whether it is the temperance movement or the latest diet craze, we simply love throwing ourselves into a cause — at least for a while.

COMMENTARY

Primaries offer good selection

It’s a given that presidential primary seasons are rarely interesting. They’re like an ignored younger sibling compared to the November presidential elections.

COMMENTARY

Costs for conflicts make U.S. vulnerable

Despite what his critics said, President George W. Bush always defended his military policy by saying it would be used to keep the fight away from “our own shores.” After hearing about the recent report from the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves, an independent group, on the capabilities of the military to respond to another homeland attack, however, it might be time to better prepare ourselves.