Thursday, April 3, 2025

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Commentary

COMMENTARY

Confessions of a former war supporter

I was a vocal supporter of the Iraq war during its initial stages and into 2005 and believed with conviction in the stated goal of bringing democracy to the Middle East. I agreed that Saddam Hussein was a dictator against whom force was justified. I cheered when we took Baghdad and dismissed the skeptics’ claim that we were merely in it for the oil. With this admission, I join a significant portion of policy makers, government leaders and the American intelligentsia who were duped.

COMMENTARY

Facebook advertising unnecessary, annoying

Fifty million users, one CEO, two objectives. Since Facebook.com’s launch in 2004, the social network has undergone a series of face-lifts. Once upon a time the site was simply a convenient way to communicate with friends. Now gifts and applications have helped to turn Facebook into a highly profitable business.

COMMENTARY

Obesity problem rampant in U.S.

Thanksgiving is approaching and most people in the U.S. are gearing up for one of the laziest days of the year — complete with copious amounts of food, making this the perfect time to address our nation’s out of control eating habits.

COMMENTARY

Additional parking needed in downtown E.L.

Finding parking downtown could become a little bit easier very soon — if the City Council approves a proposal to add 45 spaces to the 76-space parking lot on the southwest corner of Albert Avenue and Bailey Street, that is.

COMMENTARY

U.S. immigration process needs improvement

While writing about Latin American-aimed racism last week, I began exploring the issue of illegal immigration — a very hot topic. Racism and discrimination of any kind is wrong and usually based on ignorance, no questions asked, and should be socially unacceptable in any form.

COMMENTARY

Principles of the middle ground

We, both as Americans and Michiganians, are constantly assailed by extremist partisan rhetoric. This holds true for city council elections just as much as it holds true for national ones. Political polarization seems to be a fact of life.