Saturday, January 11, 2025

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Commentary

COMMENTARY

SN column should tackle more serious issues

I am sending this letter in response to Elizabeth Swanson's column, "Columnist 'smart shops' her way through college" (SN 9/11). In today's world of conflict and serious issues, I find it hard to believe that a column about the art of saving money and getting things for free (hardly an art, since we are all college students and avoiding spending money is everybody's second job) is a worthy piece for your newspaper. The column was incredibly dry.

COMMENTARY

SN editorial about Sept. 11 attacks offensive, selfish

On the fifth anniversary of one of the most devastating tragedies in American history, the State News editorial staff selfishly decided that only one opinion mattered on this sacred day — theirs. This decision was both thoughtless and unrepresentative of the entire student body at MSU.

COMMENTARY

CATA's monopoly on bus service frustrating

I'm writing to voice my dissatisfaction with the CATA bus service. It's not even a month into classes, and already the service students are receiving from the CATA bus system is causing problems for students and professors alike.

COMMENTARY

Facebook's invasion of privacy not as bad as government's

The other day, an interview by Charles Gibson of President Bush was published online. Between the questions Gibson asked and the off-course answers Bush gave, the interview seemed to be about the connection between the war on terror and the country of Iraq. In that interview Bush said, "You know, we're a democracy." But are we? Democracy, as defined by Webster's New World College Dictionary, is "government in which people hold the ruling power either directly or through elective representatives." For the people, by the people, right? So how can someone listening to conversations, reading personal e-mails and warrantlessly eavesdropping on private matters be "for the people?" What kind of democracy gives its leader such power, and what happened to the system of checks and balances? Does the U.S.

COMMENTARY

Rumsfeld speech offensive, inaccurate

On Aug. 29, Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld addressed the American Legion at the 88th Annual American Legion National Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. Throughout the speech, Rumsfeld compared the time leading up to the war on terror to the time between World War I and World War II, saying, "It was a time when a certain amount of cynicism and moral confusion set in among Western democracies.

COMMENTARY

Bush recycles same tired arguments

Five years have come and gone since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks shook the nation. On Monday night, President Bush addressed the country and — surprise, surprise — continued to recommend we stay the course. Bush's speech writers earned their check and at least used different wording — "we're adapting to stay ahead of the enemy, and we are carrying out a clear plan to ensure that a democratic Iraq succeeds." But the message is still as muddled as ever. In 17 minutes of patting himself and his cronies on the back for their progress in helping a country now "stepping forward to claim their freedom," Bush spends one measly paragraph — barely six sentences — focused on the tremendous loss felt by all Americans on the day the twin towers crumbled, the Pentagon was hit, a plane crashed in a Pennsylvania field.

COMMENTARY

Facebook features show same info as before

Since Facebook recently implemented its "news feed," I have heard uproar from many of my friends that it is "too invasive" and is "crossing the line." I have even been invited to join three different groups opposing the "news feed," "I miss the old, noncrappy Facebook," "Students against Facebook News Feed (Official Petition to Facebook)" and another with a more vulgar name which I will not mention. As I logged in for the first time, a window popped up explaining the new feature.

COMMENTARY

Bush's speech was poor, but had good intentions

I was thoroughly intrigued by Isaac DeVille's column "Prepare to be attacked if you try to corner a dangerous 'animal,'" (SN 9/5), but I also thoroughly disagree with it. I feel the "axis of evil" speech had a good intention, but was executed poorly. It informed the nation that we may, down the road, be involved militarily with the countries of Iraq, Iran and North Korea.

COMMENTARY

Stop using Facebook if you don't like changes

In regard to the article, "Facebook features flounder," (SN 9/7), I do not know why people have gotten in such a fluster about the new changes. I feel that there is one answer to their dissatisfaction, and probably the most powerful — leave.