Tuesday, August 25, 2026

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Commentary

COMMENTARY

Humane help

The United States and its coalition cannot afford to come up short or late when it comes to getting humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people they are claiming to liberate. The first sizable relief convoy rolled into Iraq during Wednesday's sandstorm, three days after President Bush promised "massive amounts" of humanitarian aid would be delivered. Missing such important self-imposed deadlines is unacceptable for the nation that paved its way for war with Iraq.

COMMENTARY

Recognizing same-sex marriages would solve 'U' problems

Amidst the fighting in Iraq, prayers for our brave troops and the protesting in the streets, another less publicized controversy emerged last week when graduate student Carolyn O'Laughlin resigned as the Mason Hall assistant hall director after fighting against a policy that prohibits same-sex domestic partners from living together in university housing.

COMMENTARY

Paying the cost

As if the price of American lives wasn't already too much to pay for the Bush administration's war with Iraq, now the president is asking Congress for billions of dollars the country doesn't have to finance the endeavor. President Bush is seeking $74.7 billion as a down payment for the war with Iraq.

COMMENTARY

Iraq war isn't over oil, despite belief

This letter is a response to all the anti-war demonstrations and letters pinpointing oil as President Bush's reason for declaring war on Iraq. Using oil as Bush's purpose for declaring war is a very cheap way to find a reason to be against the war. Iraq supplies about 5 percent of the world's oil.

COMMENTARY

Agri-vating

With many worries of terrorism flooding Americans' minds every day, the people of MSU do not need to dwell on the phenomenon known as agri-terrorism.

COMMENTARY

Not all soldiers enlist for tuition

In response to TJ Jourian's column "Inconveniences caused by protesters minor in context" (SN 3/24), I would like to voice my opinion on the paragraph in regard to Demonstration Hall and the ROTC cadets who train there.

COMMENTARY

Army service isn't always for money

TJ Jourian wrote Monday we live in a "system that forces college students to resort to joining the army just so they can pay their tuition," after a protest stop took her by Demonstration Hall, home of the Army ROTC program ("Inconveniences caused by protesters minor in context" SN 3/24). As a senior and a fourth-year cadet in MSU's Army ROTC program, I am forced to disagree with Jourian. First of all, I would like Jourian to know not all of the cadets enrolled in our battalion are on scholarship.

COMMENTARY

Protesters blocked people from work

This response is in reference to TJ Jourian's column on Monday ("Inconveniences caused by protesters minor in context," SN 3/24). This is an "open" letter to you and your contradictory column.

COMMENTARY

First impression of Bush was apparently off target

As it turns out, I was wrong in my original assessment of President Bush. Initially, I thought him to be a spoiled rich kid with surprisingly limited intellectual capacity and a penchant for malapropisms, whose achievements in life can be traced predominantly to lucky parentage.

COMMENTARY

March magic

During the past few years, MSU's March Madness performances have been up and down. And after this weekend's games, the tournament is looking up. On Sunday, the Spartans once again demonstrated they should be more feared than The Crocodile Hunter by downing Florida 68-46 and reminding the Gators why it was MSU who was the NCAA National Champion in 2000. It is indeed sweet to be among the top 16 men's basketball teams in the country, especially when so many had been counting it out. The success of the men's basketball team speaks volumes about the leadership abilities of head coach Tom Izzo, who for the first time in his MSU career began to find himself under serious scrutiny from his fans and supporters. But his team's performance and success in the first two rounds of the NCAA tourney plainly illustrate why he is a head coach and his critics are not. There is a reason that Izzo's name tops the winning-percentage list of active coaches in the 2003 NCAA tourney right above Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. The Spartans had their share of ups and downs this season as strong players fell off the radar screen and late-comers began to develop.

COMMENTARY

Assumed support

The U.S. troops fighting in Iraq have publicly gained the attention and support of the state Legislature, but Americans should be thinking of the soldiers who are protecting our nation without the push of lawmakers. A senator and representative introduced resolutions in their respective houses which supported Michigan troops in the war and operations in Iraq.

COMMENTARY

Classroom issues minor in context

I am writing in response to Brenda Sternquist's comments regarding classroom seating ("Quiet, comfy classrooms aid education" SN 3/14). I completely understand and am trying to sympathize with her about the closeness of the seating in lecture halls, unpadded chairs, fixated seats, etc.

COMMENTARY

Class in context

With the events taking place around the world in the wake of war, classes at MSU should integrate discussions of world issues into the regular curricula to increase awareness on the topic.