I am writing in response to the letter Mr. Brett Staron wrote, "Tragedy highlights gun control issues in U.S." (SN 4/18). He is among the first to call for a restriction of the Constitution.
On April 13, I presented my undergraduate research project at the MSU Board of Trustees meeting. The presentation was entitled "Memoirs of Genocide: Polish Jewish boys and Southern Sudanese 'Lost Boys,' (Exploring the experiences and narratives of child survivors of mass violence)." In an infobox about the meeting, from "Trustees vote to lift housing prices" (SN 4/16), my presentation was said to have "compared the Holocaust to the Sudanese 'Lost Boys.'" This is simply incorrect. I'm not sure if this misrepresentation of my project was due to the reporter's misunderstanding, or a desire to simplify the description.
In light of the horrific and tragic mass killings that occurred at Virginia Tech University on Monday, I am appalled by the lack of coverage not from the television media, not from The State News, but from our professors and faculty who serve as leaders and role models to me and my beloved fellow students. I felt betrayed as many professors did not adequately address something of such importance in the history of our nation. Today, I urge professors to take a few minutes to discuss the occurrences, share a moment of silence or speak words of comfort to us.
After four years of conflict, Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir has finally dropped his objections to international assistance in Darfur. Darfur has been in contest since 2003 after rebels began attacking government targets.
They were scared of me. In my fake pearl necklace and high heels, I was suddenly a threat. After I let it slip at a recent job interview that I was a (gasp!) feminist, my prospective male bosses were shaking in their loafers.
I'm writing this hoping that it brings new questions to the table: I watched, along with all the other students in the nation, as the news broke of a fatal shooting taking place at Virginia Tech University.
It may not have surprised some of you when we learned that MSU's Young Americans for Freedom was about to be listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, or SPLC, a civil rights organization dedicated to tracking the activity of such groups across the nation. We have all seen the hateful and bigoted rhetoric MSU's YAF spews forth on a daily basis.
The incident that occurred at Virginia Tech University is definitely not as far away from us as students, faculty and administration would like to believe.
While the nation reels from the Virginia Tech University massacre on Monday, we cannot overlook the glaring failure of gun control in this nation.
In light of the Virginia Tech University tragedy, the hearts of our campus and nation go out to those affected by Monday's events in Blacksburg, Va.
The issue of whether to ban homeless people from East Lansing parking structures has been simmering on the City Council's plate for the past six months. During this time, the council has been gathering information and public opinion regarding the topic.
It's hard to say which is scarier — apocalyptic global warming scenarios or the economic impact of some of the proposals designed to prevent them. A recent European Environment Agency, or EEA, study reported that greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles continue to rise due to increased driving, despite heavy fuel taxes that boost prices there above $6 per gallon.
Don Imus was fired for making a stupid comment. Was it right? No, it was not. In no way am I defending what Imus said, but it was not worth firing him over because it sets a terrible precedent for all of us. Imus is a 66-year-old man making a poor attempt at humor.
The movement is underway. The gay community is coming out and demanding what we deserve — equal rights and treatment in society.
I covered the MSU hockey team for campus radio back in the mid-1970s, did some play-by-play and was in the stands when I wasn't working, so it did my heart good to watch this team of champions put on such a gutsy performance.
A letter recently submitted by Chad Ellis to The State News, "Speed limit ill-suited to West Grand River Avenue" (SN 4/10), complains that the speed limit should be higher than 25 mph on that stretch of road.
On behalf of the Student Apparel Design Association, I would like to thank The State News for its increased coverage of our organization throughout this year.
If there are two words that will serve as the epitaph for not just the Iraq war that has ruined the reputation and economy of the nation, but also for the administration that set those events into motion, those words are "war czar." Yes, that's right, everyone's favorite "decider" has evidently decided he's done making decisions when it comes to Iraq and Afghanistan. In President Bush's place, he has created a new post that would oversee all major decisions dealing with the war.
In response to "Counteractive steps" (SN 4/13), I feel as though Jacob Carpenter blatantly ignored the direct effects of the establishment of democracy in Iraq to the United States. Every day, the United States pumps more and more money into a nation that has lived a certain lifestyle and followed a certain form of government for years.
I don't know what planet Ms. Angela Brown, director of Housing and Food Services, lives on. But charging students $6,676 to live in the dorm for nine months is not "reasonable." That's nearly $750 a month for the pleasure of living in a 12-by-12 cubicle, usually with another roommate.