Tuesday, July 7, 2026

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Commentary

COMMENTARY

How did ancestors live, work without David Bowie, other essentials?

It occurred to me a few nights ago that music, like some sort of clever parasite, has taken over my life. As usual, I was fixated in front of my computer with a lot of work to do and not enough time to do it all, which, in my case, makes starting almost impossible. I told myself I'd begin as soon as Charlie Parker put down his saxophone. That recording ended and I was just about ready, but naturally I needed a new album to play while working.

COMMENTARY

Countdown

East Lansing officials plan on making some significant changes to the way the city handles celebrations and disturbances, such as last April 2-3. And many of the changes sound good.

COMMENTARY

Sticking to the plan

The East Village master plan is still in limbo. The East Lansing Planning Commission hopes to finally bring the plan to a vote at its Feb.

COMMENTARY

MSU students have fine grasp on history

In a recent column entitled "What MSU students don't know is appalling; Lincoln is basic history" (SN 1/25), the State News opinion writer Rebecca McNulty asserted that "basic knowledge," such as understanding that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves and was the 16th president is a prerequisite to higher education. She goes on to describe the incompetence of some fellow MSU students in having any sort of knowledge of our cultural roots.

COMMENTARY

Candid about killer cola

Beverages are under attack at MSU these days. East Lansing police don't want us consuming alcoholic beverages in the midst of beer pong, and Students for Economic Justice, or SEJ, don't want us to drink Coca-Cola products. SEJ had a "taste test" of sorts in front of the rock on Farm Lane on Monday, promoting alternative pop choices that are Michigan made, such as Faygo and Vernors. It was a creative approach to bringing to light an issue that some MSU students, faculty and staff might not have heard about yet. The possible Coca-Cola scandal is worth looking into. The soda giant is facing worker and environmental abuse allegations in Colombia and India made by the University of Michigan, New York University and at least 10 other U.S.

COMMENTARY

States should have rights to decide issue

I couldn't agree more with the State News editorial "Stating their rights" (SN 1/24) on the Oregon assisted-suicide case. The decision should go to the states because the federal government lacks the proper legislation on assisted suicide. Two things should follow. If the federal government wants to outlaw assisted suicide, it should pass explicit legislation doing so.

COMMENTARY

Playing games

First, they went after partying on and off campus, imposing party noise ordinances that can slap students with hefty fines. Now, they want the outdoor beer pong tables.

COMMENTARY

Accept Halo craze, it could be worse

So after reading the article "The competition" (SN 1/10) on girls against Halo, I came to a conclusion. Could we be a little more selfish? As much as I feel bad that all of his attention is not solely spent on you 100 percent of the time, I came to another realization.

COMMENTARY

What MSU students don't know is appalling; Lincoln is basic history

Maybe it's just the way I was raised. American history was always big in my family. A typical family summer vacation was trekking to some Civil War battle field in sweltering heat so my father could point out the different battles and monuments. We've toured Gettysburg at least twice and climbed to the peak of Little Round Top.

COMMENTARY

Another update from ineffectual governor

It is that time of the year when Gov. Granholm tells us what she wants to accomplish while finishing out her term. There is just one problem. Since 2002, we have been told what she plans to do, but have seen very little in return.

COMMENTARY

MCRI returns

In only 10 months, people in Michigan will vote on what has become one of the biggest social issues in the state.

COMMENTARY

Other flawed leaders have holidays, too

I disagree with David Garlock's letter, "Historical man not worth vast attention" (SN 1/19). Although the points he made have been brought up before (such as Ralph Abernathy's "And the Walls Came Tumbling Down"), one man's sins are not cause to rid this country of a day in his honor that stands for service to one's neighbor and standing up for justice.

COMMENTARY

Message important despite King's errors

Perhaps I can enlighten Mr. David Garlock, "Historical man not worth vast attention" (SN 1/19), a little as to why some of us celebrate an individual like Martin Luther King Jr. First, we must remember that individuals in history, regardless of how mammoth they have become as a legend were all imperfect human beings.

COMMENTARY

Rightest Canada, eh?

Tim Hortons, a rightist prime minister and bears! Oh my! Social conservative Stephen Harper won the Canadian national election Monday, but is this something that should send shivers down liberal Americans' spines? Probably not. The Conservative Party took the most seats but did not win the outright majority in the House of Commons, so the checks and balances in Canada's political system will still be in place to prevent any drastic change. But more importantly, it's Canada. Although Harper does promise to increase military spending, Canada has never been viewed as a global aggressor.

COMMENTARY

Stating their rights

Most of us entered life with help from the nimble and licensed hands of medical professionals. Oregon voters believe that medical assistance for patients who desire suicide should be available as well, despite attempts by the federal government to outlaw the practice. And it should be the voters' choice, not the federal government's. The state approved the Death with Dignity Act in 1994 and affirmed it in 1997.

COMMENTARY

Capitol idea

For a long time, the State News editorial board has said that ASMSU needs to find a good way to get students' opinions on issues and get them involved. In fact, in "Unresolved issues," (SN 1/9), we said getting students involved with college funding and getting them to show up when their presence is needed was going to be a tough goal.

COMMENTARY

Man's work revered, not sins in his past

I read David Garlock's letter, "Historical man not worth vast attention" (SN 1/19), with a distinct sense of déjà vu. Nothing he had to say was anything I hadn't heard before, usually from some "conservative" pundit with nothing else to write about when Martin Luther King Jr.