A balance of ideas and diversity of opinion is important for a prestigious school. Iron is made stronger when forged into steel and combined with carbon.
As a letter of suggestion, and for the interests of those at and beyond the borders of MSU, I feel that a full page titled "War?" be dedicated to the opinions of those in this multiethnic little city.
I was quite disappointed to read Geoffrey Woliner's insinuation that Spartan basketball fans should be calling for Tom Izzo's head after early-season troubles ("Izzo needs to bring back elite program," SN 1/10). I hope there aren't too many people out there like Woliner, who, in his complaint about Izzo's recruiting strategies, seems to have forgotten the last four winners of Michigan's Mr. Basketball award have decided to wear the green and white. When fans complain about Spartan turnovers, they need to be reminded our backcourt is comprised entirely of sophomores and freshmen.
The rules were meant to be broken - even the unwritten ones. A line needs to be drawn when breaking these rules could hurt someone, or leave one with an unsafe feeling.
The recent review of Bright Eyes' album, "Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground" was, in my opinion, the most false review of any one album I have seen in all my life ("'Lifted' leaves listeners feeling everything but," SN 1/7). Not only did the reviewer fail to understand his amazing metaphors, but she childishly denied his amazing lyrical talents by calling his lyrics "cheesy" and referring to one song as "lyrically challenged." Any real music critic knows that even if she doesn't dig the Bright Eyes sound or find his voice annoying, they can't deny his creativity and talent as a songwriter. Though singer Conor Oberst may not read them, Bright Eyes has scored magnificent reviews by real music editors in numerous publications including Spin Magazine and the influential British magazine NME - whom both put the album on their top of 2002 lists.
I definitely agree with The State News' Editorial Board's comments about the lack of activism on this campus compared to some other schools down the road ("Proactive apathy," SN 1/8). However, I also know it's easy to sit and chide the student body from your position as a media outlet, too.
As an individual who attended MSU during the basketball glory years (three Final Fours and an NCAA Championship), I have recently become concerned the mission we have set out on, to become an elite program, is falling by the wayside There has not been enough pressure on our legendary coach Tom Izzo to maintain that standard of excellence which many of us have been spoiled with since 1998.
In response to the editorial about the political apathy at MSU, I have to say you are almost entirely wrong ("Proactive apathy," SN 1/8). While I do agree with the fact that far too many students are unaware of or are inactive in politics, there are ample opportunities to be politically active on this campus.
By the numbers, it looks as though Spartans are celebrating more responsibly on football Saturdays. Despite the Green and White hosting more home games in 2002 - a total of eight - MSU police reported a significant drop in gameday arrests for the fall season. MSU police arrested 291 people on football Saturdays in 2002.
In an effort to track terrorists, the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System is requiring foreign citizens who are 16 years or older from 13 countries to register with the federal government when visiting the United States.
I'm glad to see Chris Alvarado had enough guts to write in a letter about President Bush' s inadequacies and to inform us about them ("Bush pays too much attention to disease," SN 1/8). However, I would suggest that next time he do this, that he get his stories straight before formulating opinions.
Would it be enough to ask to get some semblance of objectivity in the album reviews section? In the Jan.
How sad it is that you missed the point in your article on textbook prices ("Textbook prices withstand slumping economic times," SN 1/8). While the news story is of great value, in reporting on my class, PLS 170, as requiring "16 textbooks and articles totaling more than $225 for new copies," you neglected the important fact that no one has to pay that sum.
It's better than a credit card and better than a friend's wallet - they're ASMSU's $100 interest-free loans available to MSU students. But students are abusing the privilege of their loans by not paying them back on time to ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government. Many Spartans don't know ASMSU's $100 loan is available to any person with a student ID.
I gave television news a chance - and it failed. I was looking for informational insight about the threat of war in Iraq and what I saw motivated me to do nothing but turn it off. It's quite cliché to think of the average college student's views on worldly issues as apathetic, but in my case, it's true.
Jeremy W. Steele couldn't leave The State News without one final shot at the Residence Halls Association, could he?
Every semester Spartans, along with millions of other university students across the country, watch their minuscule bank accounts drain as textbook costs are tallied by bookstore cash registers.
Fall bills have been mailed out for the new semester, and students are once again forced to take on the burden of loans as they seek higher education.
I would like to thank Salim Bhabhrawala for his brave and honest opinion of Mason's decision on MSU's new football coach ("Mason should have waited for big name," SN 1/6). Isn't freedom of speech just wonderful.
Small pox was declared eradicated from the planet in 1980. Why then has it come into question if Americans should be vaccinated against the disease? There is a potential danger of contracting small pox and dying, but this is less than one in 100.