Sunday, September 22, 2024

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Commentary

COMMENTARY

Golden Rule doesn't just apply to kindergarteners

First things first - I must confess. In my column last week ("Word-bumbling president a genius; turns out we are fools" SN 4/16), I attributed a quote concerning the ability of war propaganda to both boil the passions of patriotism and narrow the mind to Julius Caesar; however, those words cannot be traced back to the great Roman general. I wish to thank the number of people who responded to that column and directed me to www.snopes.com/quotes/caesar.htm, a Web site that explains the quote's urban legend status and traces the saying to unknown Internet origins in 2001.

COMMENTARY

Higher ed funding editorial on target

Right on the money, State News. Your explanation of the higher-education funding gap ("Mind the gap" SN 4/22) details the truly unfair system MSU has been dealing with in both good and bad economic times.

COMMENTARY

Earth to 'U'

Earth Day has come and gone and perhaps the only people to even remember it were elementary school students and citizens of foreign countries who have proven they care more about the environment than the United States. With all of our technological advances, it's unacceptable how we've missed the boat as far as recycling is concerned.

COMMENTARY

Private society is allowed to its rules

Darrell Lambert can and should be kicked out of the Boy Scouts ("Irreligious minority needs to be respected in society" SN 4/17). The Boy Scouts belong to a private organization with rules and regulations.

COMMENTARY

E-reliance

We as a society and as students don't realize it, but our lives revolve around technology. When it is taken from us we panic - we don't know what to do or how to cope.

COMMENTARY

Mind the gap

When it comes to the debate about cuts to next year's deflated higher education budget, lawmakers should be sure to mind the gap while making their decisions.

COMMENTARY

SN questions insult McPherson issue

"Should McPherson leave to help rebuild Iraq?" What kind of pointless question is that? Does it matter what a few hundred students think about that question ("'U' reacts to McPherson's move" SN 4/18)? Why don't you ask a question more like "Should McPherson receive his MSU salary while in Iraq?" or "Will McPherson's absence hurt MSU's fund-raising schedule?" I understand The State News is supposed to be a learning experience for its student employees, thus, it, as any newspaper, is allowed to make certain mistakes.

COMMENTARY

Scouts is intolerant to kick out Lambert

This letter is in response to Dave Jackson's letter to the editor "Scouts is openly Christian society," (SN 4/17). Jackson pointed out to us, "A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent." It seems to me, just to avoid any more controversy, the scouts should also add "straight" and "Christian" to that long list of attributes.

COMMENTARY

Alumni, students can't see eye to eye

Gary Herbert the sophomore and Fred Tilton the graduate: relax ("Graduates do not represent 'voice'" SN 4/16 and "Graduates are actual voice of 'U'" SN 4/17). Herbert is right - Tilton is not at MSU right now - he's working his job at who-knows-where, reacting to events he only experiences through the media.

COMMENTARY

Public issue

At least he's consistent. That is about all that can be said for Dearborn Mayor Michael Guido, who convinced the Arabic satellite TV news channel al-Jazeera to relocate a town hall-style meeting about Iraq's future. The news channel had hoped to secure a public venue within the city with the largest U.S.

COMMENTARY

Foolish fans

Demonstrating that alcohol and a team loss can be a dangerous combination, some baseball fans have once again proven their irresponsibility when it comes to alcohol consumption. On April 15 and 19, fans endangered the lives of players, umpires and other fans when they rushed onto U.S.

COMMENTARY

Nothing comes from war except death, destruction

As the heavier fighting and conflict in Iraq seem to be winding down, one message that I keep hearing over and over again from this country's administration to Middle Eastern countries and effectively the rest of the world is to learn from this war.

COMMENTARY

Groups might not be ready for decisions

There is much truth in the timeless epigram: "The squeaky wheel gets the oil." The campus groups mentioned in Monday's editorial had every right in the world (or at least America) to flex their democratic muscle and demand to be heard by the MSU Board of Trustees ("Listen up" 4/14). When and if the board chooses to act upon the tabled issues, however, it will be interesting to see if the groups then accept the flip side of that democratic club they've been swinging.

COMMENTARY

Parking issues are worth the money

I am writing to voice my opinion on the ever-apparent parking problems students have on campus. Every day, I leave a half hour early for class and circle around campus for what seems like 40 times.

COMMENTARY

Courts should not be made priority

As the university faces the challenge of a multi-million dollar budget cut, I was shocked to see the tennis courts next to the Duffy Daugherty Football Building were being resurfaced.

COMMENTARY

See 'U' later

Although he surely was not the most desperate Spartan hoping to land a résumé booster this summer, MSU President M.