COMMENTARY

Cursing in every football game chant reflects poorly on MSU

The conduct at the football games this year is abysmal. I don’t see how threading a curse word into every chant gives our team leverage, or anything, for that matter, besides a bad reputation. Tom Izzo and Mark Dantonio, two of the most esteemed figures at this university, have asked us to show respect and class, yet our chants grow more vulgar and disrepectful every year. Even the band, who prelude our first down chant, is changing up the music just to keep our mouths shut.

COMMENTARY

Columnist needs to approach immigration issue respectfully

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said that illegal immigrants killed 12 Americans daily, not 25. This of course doesn’t make either statistic any better. We should definitely address the issue of illegal immigration in America, but I don’t think building a wall to keep immigrants out or denying some amnesty will do it. If someone wants to get over that wall, they’ll find a way.

COMMENTARY

Pleading for actual news

The other day I turned on the TV to find it on CNN. Before I turned the channel to check on the score of the latest Tigers meltdown, I saw something that disgusted me just as much as the Tigers game.

COMMENTARY

Columnist proves racism still exists in modern U.S. society

Racism, while still classified as behavior based on the belief that the differences between individual people is governed by the color of their skin, manifests itself today very differently than it did 40 years ago.

COMMENTARY

Business school rank important to employers

MSU’s MBA program dropped in ranking for regional schools, from fifth last year to 18th this year, in the Wall Street Journal/Harris Interactive Business School Survey. But does the drop mean anything significant for the Eli Broad College of Business?

COMMENTARY

Solving budget crisis not easy

The editorial Increasing taxes will not solve budget crisis (SN 9/17) suggests an overly simplistic analysis and response to Michigan’s current financial catastrophe. Any self-respecting college student would like to see the state make up for revenue shortfalls by allowing bars to stay open later. This cannot be taken as a serious suggestion.

COMMENTARY

Fla. taser incident brings FOIA request topic to light

The recent use of a Taser on a University of Florida student should put local police on notice.

COMMENTARY

Alienating immigrants will not win Republicans the election

Eric Thieleman’s recent column on illegal immigration, Undocumented people a problem (SN 9/20) contained multiple inaccurate statements.

COMMENTARY

Friday classes will not target binge drinkers

In an effort to battle the scourge that is alcohol consumption on college campuses, some universities have considered scheduling more classes early Friday mornings. University of Missouri-Columbia professor Phillip K. Wood co-authored a study concluding college students enrolled in early morning Friday classes consumed about half as much alcohol on Thursdays as those without Friday classes.

COMMENTARY

Concealed weapons permits allow for safe environment

Do gun grabbers just live in some fantasy world where nobody is out to commit rape, steal your property or even murder you and others? Gun-free zones and gun bans have done nothing but empower criminals who will possess firearms anywhere, regardless of the law. Why would a criminal with intent to murder be discouraged to terrorize a place that is deemed a gun-free zone when all that means is that law-abiding citizens will be unarmed?

COMMENTARY

It's time for more mutual respect

Liz Kersjes

September 23, 2007

Democracy is one of the most progressive, modern government systems. In a world of monarchies and oppressive theocracies, the democratic system gave equal voice to everybody, regardless of social class, gender or race. Granted, it took quite a while for many people to legally gain that equality in the U.S., but nonetheless, our country was designed to give the power to the people.

COMMENTARY

Illegal immigration will not feed terrorism, hurt economy

Thank you, Eric Thieleman, for bringing the topic of illegal immigration to the attention of the public with your article Undocumented people a problem (SN 9/19). I applaud your fearmongering tactics, such as tying this issue to terrorism, our economy and even the survival of our culture. Can I suggest communism for your next article?

COMMENTARY

Armed teachers could benefit schools, help deter violence

After reading Gun legislation illogical, flawed (SN 9/20) I’m left unable to reach Mr. Stevenson’s conclusions. First of all, “schoolhouse violence?” Getting your knuckles rapped by a stern-faced nun or wearing a dunce cap in the corner is hardly violence – at the time, it would have been called proper measures, and even now it’s still called discipline.

COMMENTARY

Gun legislation illogical, flawed

Michael Stevenson

September 20, 2007

We’ve all heard the stories from our grandparents about how tough school was in the good ol’ days, whether it was Sister Mary Ellen smacking kids with a ruler or Father Paul forcing someone to wear the dunce cap. If you think those stories were unbelievable, fast forward to 2007 where, if Michigan House Republicans have their way, chalk in the hands of teachers may soon be replaced with handguns of their choice.

COMMENTARY

Fla. police wrong in using taser on student

Zap! Regardless of how bullheaded and rude the offender might be, there is absolutely no excuse for police officers to use a Taser on an unarmed man after they already have him pinned on the ground.

COMMENTARY

Nation must be inclusive, diversity important to history

In his column Western culture worth the fight (SN 9/13), Nate Sherman readily invokes the Founding Fathers, arguing that our society has strayed to a dangerous degree from “the dream that the Founding Fathers had when they risked everything to sever our ties with Britain over 200 years ago” and calls for Americans to “return to Christendom.”

COMMENTARY

Writer blurs line between illegals and immigrants

As an immigrant to Michigan by way of California, and as a Mexican, I was a little worried that Eric Thieleman was serious when I read his column Undocumented people a problem (SN 9/20). Was his beef with illegals or immigrants or both? More importantly, does he even see a difference?

COMMENTARY

Renaming Beaner's good move for business

Beaner’s Gourmet Coffee will change its name to Biggby Coffee by Jan. 31, 2008, because the name could be interpreted as a racial slur. Bob Fish, Beaner’s chief executive and a 1989 MSU graduate, based the store’s name on the coffee bean, and said he didn’t realize the word “beaner” was also used as a racial slur.

COMMENTARY

College should fill dean seat with controversial candidate

Very recently, the University of California, Irvine rescinded an offer to distinguished Duke University School of Law professor Erwin Chemerinsky to serve as its dean. This rescission has caused much controversy and the overriding opinion is that Chemerinsky is too politically controversial for the position because he is very liberal.

COMMENTARY

Undocumented people a problem

Our country is experiencing a major problem and the elected officials that are supposed to be representing us are sitting by while our country is being invaded. The problem of illegal immigration encompasses more than the simple fact that 10 million to 20 million people are here unlawfully; it has tremendous effects on our economy, our security and our culture.