COMMENTARY
In current climate, spouting off opinions seems trivial, pointless
It was Sunday night when I sat down to write this opinion piece for the Tuesday edition of The State News.
COMMENTARY
Reputation marred by Sunday's fracas
Sunday's so-called "riots" were a slap in the face of the MSU and East Lansing communities.
COMMENTARY
Melee further stains reputation for 'U'
As a proud alumnus, I watched the Spartans have another wonderful basketball season and was proud to call myself a Spartan.
COMMENTARY
Let them play
University officials should quickly curb any impulses they might have to punish the 15 MSU students arrested during the celebration festivities that erupted after the Spartans earned their way to the NCAA's Elite Eight on Friday night. Although university spokesman Terry Denbow originally went on record saying he doubted the university would pursue its off-campus code of conduct policy in regard to Friday night's events, he later said that assessment could change after speaking with MSU President M.
COMMENTARY
America no longer free from living in rest of world's terror
When I was in second grade my best friend was Jewish. She was the only other girl in my class who had dark features and understood concepts like war, Saddam Hussein, nuclear weapons and death.
COMMENTARY
Columnist's take on protests was off
The opinion column by TJ Jourian was simply infuriating ("Inconveniences caused by protesters minor in context" SN 3/24). First, The State News allowed Jourian to call some of its readers "imbeciles." She then continued to cast aspersions, accusations and assumptions on how the rest of us feel. Saying ROTC students are "trained" to support our troops was ridiculous.
COMMENTARY
Graffiti helped to change life, views
Yes, it's a fact. Yesterday, we were nothing more than war-mongering right-wing oil grubbers. But what a difference a day makes.
COMMENTARY
Laws should treat all citizens equally
Regarding Andrew Goetz's column about MSU's policies toward same-sex couples ("Recognizing same-sex marriages would solve 'U' problems" SN 3/27), I would have to agree that the standards for faculty and graduate students need to be on par. Whether one views a homosexual's private life as "yucky," "abnormal" or sinful (which in some cases undoubtedly affects their reasoning) is irrelevant in this matter.
COMMENTARY
Patriots need to speak for freedom
In his vitriolic rant in response to John Bice's excellent column, alumnus William Perod falls into the usual trap of the fascist right ("Columnist's choice of discussion awful" SN 3/26). He tells us what a great country the United States is and that all should support the president and military as they fight for our freedoms.
COMMENTARY
Battle time
With U.S. troops closing in on Baghdad and the timetable of military leaders growing ever more vague, Americans only can expect the U.S.-led war on Iraq to get bloodier. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said Sunday he is unsure about the timetable of this war - especially its ending.
COMMENTARY
Bodies on Page One were uncalled for
Who actually likes war? No one. Isn't war hard enough (whether you support it or not) without plastering pictures of dead people on the front page of Tuesday's State News?
COMMENTARY
Column criticizing Bush was excellent
John Bice's column pointing out the reality of Bush's presidency was great ("First impression of Bush apparently off target" SN 3/25). William Perod's letter, on the other hand, made me sick ("Columnist's choice of discussion awful" SN 3/26). Calling the article "whiny" and "unpatriotic" was way off base.
COMMENTARY
Showing live combat on TV only can have negative impact
And I thought reality TV couldn't go any further. People are being married by the audience, kicked off islands, rushing fraternities and sororities and now this. Live war. Late Saturday night, CNN and many other news networks around the world aired a battle near Umm Qasr in Iraq, live for our viewing pleasure. Sure, I'll admit I was frozen to the TV watching the events unfold, which is the goal of any TV network. And sure, it was a great show of journalism, especially after the tragic events that some journalists have already encountered in the war. But come on, you can't just go broadcasting live battle scenes.
COMMENTARY
Disgraceful 'U'
When hearing Professor Fayyaz Hussain describe his experiences of being sneered at to "Go back home," a reasonable person might think he was reminiscing about being teased in elementary school. Sadly, that is not the case.
COMMENTARY
Expressing opinion isn't 'ultraliberal'
This letter is in response to a letter to the editor ("Columnist's choice of discussion awful" SN 3/26). The person who wrote the letter complained about a columnist not "supporting his country, his troops and his president in times as important as they are right now." The columnist is later called "ultraliberal" and "unpatriotic." The kicker here is when the writer of the letter says, "I hate people who use their First Amendment right to spout off about our nation in a time when there is no room for it." What?
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Troops are misled into fighting for U.S.
This letter is in response to Patricia V. Griffith's letter "Protests disrespect government, troops," (SN 3/27). Of course they do.
COMMENTARY
Smoking feature encouraged habit
I never thought I'd open up the paper that I so faithfully read every day at lunchtime to see step-by-step instructions for rolling my own cigarettes
COMMENTARY
Election idiocy
ASMSU has taken themselves too seriously once again with its disqualification of 45 students from its recent election.
COMMENTARY
Flag needs respect during time of war
I have witnessed with some alarm a growing number of incidents that demonstrate either a woeful lack of knowledge or a callous disregard for our national flag.