Saturday, July 4, 2026

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Commentary

COMMENTARY

U should know drinking dangers

As the mother of Eric Blair, I feel that I need to make a statement regarding the recent developments that have occurred regarding the charges filed against the students regarding Eric’s death. I wholeheartedly agree with The State News’ editorial “Dangerous” (SN 3/27). While our lives, Eric’s friends’ lives and the lives of these five young people will be forever changed by Eric’s death, I too, do not think that this is going to deter students from drinking.

COMMENTARY

If Taylor leaves, dont come back

Marcus Taylor is a remarkable basketball player. He has helped bring MSU to many victories. But he is still very young and he still has a lot to learn about the business and game of basketball.

COMMENTARY

All races work hard to earn diploma

I’m not sure the Black Celebratory can be aptly characterized as racist, but it’s certainly exclusionary and unnecessary. I fail to see what can be accomplished by having a supplementary graduation ceremony for black students. I don’t think simply being part of a minority deserves any special recognition or praise.

COMMENTARY

Tarnished

When history looks back at the University of Michigan’s back-to-back “Fab Five”-led NCAA Final Four appearances, it will be saddened to see a talented team tainted by corruption. Although U-M athletics director Bill Martin said it is premature to believe the Wolverines will be required to return the money they earned in the 1992 and 1993 NCAA tournaments and take down the respective Final Four banners from Crisler Arena’s rafters, he said they were possible punishments. The measures were suggested by former U-M athletics director Don Canham on Thursday after the indictment of former U-M booster Ed Martin, who federal authorities allege violated NCAA rules by loaning “Fab Five” star Chris Webber and three other players $600,000 from 1988 to1999. Bill Martin and Ed Martin are not related. While it is easy for a Spartan to cheer on the possibility of U-M’s banners falling, we are pretty much indifferent on the subject. It doesn’t matter if the banners are allowed to hang because they are tainted either way.

COMMENTARY

Sparty deserves better protection

I’m writing in regard to the article “Sparty blue again after second attack,” (SN, 3/26). They can paint the outside of Sparty, but will never pierce the spirit inside.

COMMENTARY

Dangerous

When you commit a crime, penalties must be paid. The five students being charged in connection with Eric Blair’s death in October broke the law.

COMMENTARY

Black event shows double standards

I’m responding to the editorial “Taking pride” (SN 3/25). Last time I checked, minority status included a variety of ethnicities, and yet those working on the Black Celebratory claim this status while only promoting black pride due to their low retention rates.

COMMENTARY

Grades represent success and effort

I agree in part with the editorial “Inflated grades” (SN 3/18) in the sense that artificially raising grades does diminish the value of a good grade-point average. But professors should not assign grades based on the idea that “grades should reflect the amount of work students accomplish in their classes.” Results matter, and equal effort does not translate into equal results or success.

COMMENTARY

Consider adoption before abortion

In “Making the Choice” (SN 3/21), the woman featured said “I’m 19-years-old, I’m not going to be able to raise a baby.” What about the 2 million people in America who will be on a waiting list to adopt a child for two years? The 5-1/2-week fetus aborted had eyes, arms and legs, developing muscles and bones and a beating heart. Whether you want to think about it, having an abortion causes a life to end.

COMMENTARY

Horowitz speech gave generalizations

Reading of David Horowitz’s visit in The State News, I found it rather amusing he would toss generalizations as handily as he accuses the Black Student Alliance of doing the same (“Horowitz’s speech criticizes leftists, Black Student Alliance,” SN 3/22). Since I have been going to MSU, I have never been told what political views to hold or whether affirmative action is right or wrong.

COMMENTARY

Do the work

Almost everyone remembers having a substitute teacher at some point in their K-12 education. It’s a day when students usually pass notes, talk to their friends or sometimes don’t even bother showing up for class. If the state House passes a bill dropping substitute teacher requirements from 90 college credit hours to 60, such a scenario could happen more often all over the state.

COMMENTARY

Good parenting prevents police run-ins

If you don’t want your teenage children to get roughed up by police, then teach them not to steal cars. That’s what I would have told a group of about a dozen people who turned out at a meeting earlier this month to discuss an investigation into Lansing police officers’ use of force in arresting two teens. For those of you not familiar with this story, let me offer you a quick recap.

COMMENTARY

Cultural cues

Sometimes the best way to learn about a culture is not sitting at a desk in a classroom and listening to a professor lecture about it.

COMMENTARY

Off the field

American culture has an unhealthy way of looking to its athletic heroes as demigods who live outside the rules of normal society.