Saturday, January 31, 2026

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Commentary

COMMENTARY

Politicians have much to learn from McCains campaign examples

When Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., campaigned to become our nation’s chief executive in 2000, he communicated a message of patriotism, hope and an unabashedly fervent belief in the American dream. Hard-core Republican reactionaries feared McCain because he was not conservative enough for their liking.

COMMENTARY

Identity crisis

When officials from around the United States meet with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators to discuss the possibility of government-issued national ID cards, it is imperative that they consider citizens’ privacy. Debates about ID cards and their distribution have been steadily brewing since the Sept.

COMMENTARY

Stereotype contains factual information

Regarding your article “Group protests depiction on flier” (SN 2/7), the complaints about the advertisement for “Kung Pow: Enter the Fist” seem to be the ad is discriminatory against Asian Americans because it 1) refers to consumption of dog meat, and 2) contains exaggerated physical features.

COMMENTARY

SN biased against Republican board

Last week, I read an editorial that said Gov. John Engler is sabotaging the Board of Trustees by removing a Democratic member through an appointment to the bench (“Engler games,” SN 2/1). For some reason, the blame was on Engler for making a nonpartisan decision to give someone a chance to realize a dream that very few have a chance to do.

COMMENTARY

Winning spirit

If the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were testimony to the violence and hate that can grow inside the darkest corners of the human heart, Friday’s opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City illustrated the human ability to illuminate the globe with ideals of peace and love that ripen within our passions. During that ceremony, a 12-year-old boy, referred to as the Child of Light, was introduced to the world to represent the ability of the human spirit to overcome life’s adversities.

COMMENTARY

Engler decisions not good for U

Thank you for the editorial on Gov. John Engler’s crude, self-serving attempt to become president of our university (“Musical chairs,” SN 2/7). It is amazing when one considers how stupid he must think his fellow Spartans are to believe him when he says he wouldn’t let political considerations influence his decisions on who should serve our university.

COMMENTARY

Stop imagining the Jesus of reality

Which Jesus? Which differences? Those were my two questions as I read Matt Treadwell’s column “When it comes to faith, big picture more important than minor details” (SN 2/6). Some differences like ice cream preferences don’t matter.

COMMENTARY

Legal abortion only safe alternative

I am writing in response to the letter “Abortion fueled by casual sex culture” (SN 2/5). The letter writer writes, “Until we get past our view of sex as recreational sometimes and reproductive other times, we will continue to rely on abortion,” and, “In order to maintain our current lifestyle, abortion is necessary to clean up the mistakes.” First of all, sex is recreational at times, and this is not specific to our own culture.

COMMENTARY

SN report didnt consider all voices

I was “unimpressed,” as The State News would say, with the article “Students upset over RHA trip” (SN 2/5). First of all, it needs to get its facts straight, especially concerning the apology.

COMMENTARY

Offensive

The flyers that appeared on campus promoting the movie “Kung Pow: Enter the Fist,” a kung-fu movie parody, were grossly inappropriate for a campus with such a diverse background. The flier, which was spotted at the Wonders Hall front desk Jan.

COMMENTARY

Soda pop stop

If some state health officials and lawmakers have their way, students in Michigan’s elementary, middle and high schools won’t be able to purchase soda pop from hallway vending machines. This possibility could rank among the most ridiculous legislation considered at the state Capitol this decade. Health officials rallied Wednesday to support a bill that would prohibit the sale of soda pop in Michigan elementary and middle schools and would limit its sale in high schools.

COMMENTARY

Musical chairs

Gov. John Engler’s latest appointment to the MSU Board of Trustees has brought with it speculation about the lame-duck chief executive’s future political aspirations. Within two years, Engler has bypassed the electoral process and changed the partisan powers on the MSU board from a 5-3 Democrat majority to a 5-3 GOP majority - a tilt that benefits his own party affiliation. Engler has said he tries to keep politics out of decisions which will affect the universities. “I’d look for the best person,” he told The State News prior to Tuesday’s appointment of Republican Randall Pittman to a trustee seat.

COMMENTARY

Understanding Enron is easy when you compare energy to apples

The Enron Corp. scandal is dominating print and broadcast news, and every day, developments in the matter are announced with ever more shocked voices, in ever more ominous tones. But the Enron scandal, like most ongoing news, is a little bit like “Rex Morgan, M.D.” or “Judge Parker” or any of the serious comics nobody reads.

COMMENTARY

Abortion provides safe health options

In response to Mike Sanregret’s statement, “an ideal culture would reject abortion both in popular sentiment and in law,” we could follow that an ideal culture would not have instances of violence against women either (“Abortion fueled by casual sex culture,” SN 2/5). Our reality may not be ideal, but the practice of safe abortions is as essential as the freedom of speech.

COMMENTARY

Proper parents

The recent policy released by the American Academy of Pediatrics concerning the parental abilities of same-sex couples only affirms common sense knowledge - it requires two supportive and loving parents to raise a child. The policy, released Monday by the Illinois-based organization, focuses on legally protecting the parental rights of gay parents whose partners have children and for couples who wish to adopt a child.

COMMENTARY

Service more than being American

That Shaun Reed disagrees with U.S. Rep. Nick Smith’s bill to make military service mandatory comes as little surprise (“Duty to country is served every day,” SN 2/6). I don’t agree with it either, but for quite different reasons than Reed put forth.

COMMENTARY

U.S. actions needed to protect country

“When does it become OK to ignore our Constitution?” (“Detainees deserve basic human rights,” SN 2/5) It always becomes OK to ignore the Constitution when the Constitution has no rules set forth for the treatment of prisoners of war.