COMMENTARY
Coverage of racism discriminates too
I have been exceedingly disappointed in the coverage of racism and race relations in The State News as of late.
COMMENTARY
Fieger time
He may be best known for his bombastic style and famous clients, but attorney Geoffrey Fieger proved he has a caring side, too.Tuesday, the MSU-Detroit College of Law announced Fieger, a 1979 DCL graduate, is donating $4 million to give the school the nation’s first trial practice institute for law students.Participants in the Geoffrey Fieger Trial Practice Institute will have the opportunity to gain experiences through high-tech trial courtrooms, clinics and simulations.The institute is a two-year program designed in collaboration with practicing trial lawyers and judges, giving law students special real-world experience and other lessons to help them be more successful in the courtroom.Fieger’s donation will also help support an annual lecture series that showcases nationally known trial lawyers.
COMMENTARY
DeWeese blew it with missed vote
Gretchen Whitmer is one of the hardest working legislators in the House of Representatives. While she and I do not agree on everything, in the Legislature or on the football field, we were a part of a concerted effort by university administrators, student advocacy groups and legislators throughout the state to repeal the tuition tax credit. Contrary to allegations of partisanship on Whitmer’s part, this was a bipartisan effort to do away with an underutilized program and put dollars back in the pockets of students - a bipartisan effort that failed by one vote. Not only is it not partisanship to point out the measure failed by one vote - it is important for the community to know it failed by the vote of a tardy local representative, Paul DeWeese, who is now running to represent much of the impacted constituency in the state Senate. Rep.
COMMENTARY
How can SN support affirmative action?
I found the editorial “Colorless” (SN 11/27) very ironic, bringing light to the fact that the ethnicity of the Council of Racial Ethnic Students and the Council of Progressive Students liaison is irrelevant.
COMMENTARY
Mall case coverage out of proportion
Am I the only one who thinks there was a huge overreaction by The State News regarding the African American students who were kicked out of the Meridian Mall? I certainly hope not.
COMMENTARY
Safe border, eh
Kudos to MSU President M. Peter McPherson for his involvement in the call for border security talks between the United States and Canada. A letter signed by 21 U.S.
COMMENTARY
Americans need to focus on problems at home before going abroad
It was a little scary on Tuesday morning as I prepared to come to campus. I usually watch “Today” on NBC - one eye on the TV and the other trying to see how badly I have put myself together. In the middle of this fashion disaster, I watched two interesting events unfold.
COMMENTARY
Students power hurt with trustees
On Nov. 13, ASMSU’s Academic Assembly held a forum on how to improve the student body’s ties with the MSU Board of Trustees.
COMMENTARY
MIP or RIP
The fear of getting in trouble for a minor in possession of alcohol infraction is outweighing too many students’ concern for their safety - a dangerous trend that current enforcement policies encourage. Cracking down on underage drinking does not teach responsibility, it only causes students to fear for their legal well-being.
COMMENTARY
Sept. 11 discussions leave out black voices
Within a couple of days following the attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center, I brought a copy of John Stuart Mill’s “On Liberty” to my class on African American political thought, a class with a good mix of white and black students.
COMMENTARY
Colorless
ASMSU’s director of racial, ethnic and progressive student affairs is not a minority - but that shouldn’t be a hindrance to the job. Melanie Olmsted, who is white, was approved by both assemblies of ASMSU to be the official liaison between the undergraduate student government and the Council of Racial Ethnic Students and the Council of Progressive Students. But even though Olmsted is only affiliated with Women’s Council - she’s the group’s former leader - she can be an effective communicator with other groups.
COMMENTARY
Show character, turn down money
It seems as though the Meridian Mall-American Civil Liberties Union debate has come to a close, and a disappointing one at that. Although the truth will be known only to Deb employees and its 10 offended shoppers, the case was an interesting one because both sides refused to accept responsibility and firmly defended themselves. Clearly, Deb and Meridian Mall security did not want a court case, so they agreed to do what was necessary to end the whole affair: Apologize, encourage a diverse workforce and most shockingly, pay the students $1,000 each. I do not view this as a victory for the 10 shoppers claiming discrimination.
COMMENTARY
Charity thanks U for efforts success
On behalf of the American Cancer Society and breast cancer patients and their families throughout mid-Michigan, I would like to thank the students and faculty of MSU for their incredible support of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
COMMENTARY
Federal drilling ban takes states power
The recent signing of a bill banning oil drilling under the Great Lakes is an insult to the people of Michigan and an assault on our ability to manage our resources as we see fit.
COMMENTARY
Cloned
The debate over stem cell research and human cloning has left many camps divided, but new developments threaten to force lawmakers’ hands to a potentially foolish and careless decision. On Sunday, Advanced Cell Technology Inc. of Worchester, Mass., announced that its scientists have created the first cloned human embryo.
COMMENTARY
Language is barrier to learning math
I am writing this letter in response to the article “Math problems left unsolved,” (SN, 11/16). I agree with the Department of Mathematics Chairperson Peter Lappan that foreign teaching assistants’ accents are not the real problem.
COMMENTARY
No excuse
It’s an incident that should upset everyone on a university campus, a place reserved for open-minded study of the world. A black MSU student opened her Case Hall door recently to find a threatening racial slur written across a Case Hall Back Caucus poster.
COMMENTARY
Wrong message sent in settlement
The Meridian Mall and Deb Shops, Inc., are settling to pay 10 opportunists $1,000. Does anyone see what caving to this sort of saber rattling and grandstanding does? I work in another retail store in the Meridian Mall and have worked in other malls.
COMMENTARY
Fad of patriotism bad as Friends
I agree with the letter concerning patriotism as a marketing tool (“‘Sick of hearing’ about recent news,” SN 11/16) and would like to elaborate. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, did wristbands get sold with names of victims on them with the explanation that they were for a scholarship fund?
COMMENTARY
Boondocks satire of race needed
This letter is in defense of “The Boondocks,” a nationally syndicated comic by Aaron McGruder (“Comic not funny, just bashes race,” SN 11/19). McGruder is an African American comic artist who created “The Boondocks” to be both a racial and political satire.