Saturday, January 31, 2026

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Commentary

COMMENTARY

Untitled

I woke up this morning In a world I did not know Where fantasy and reality collide Where ash falls down like snow Darkness fell upon the city A nation under siege Within the hearts of many The sadness floods like a sea The world reacts in horror Save some the rise up with glee At the destruction of human life It pains my heart to see Punishment must be rendered The guilty must account But let us not blame for blames sake Lest guilt be placed on us Fear surrounds us all today It seems like endless night We seek to find lost safety We search to find the light Fear not, there is light out there Burning red, white and blue As the phoenix rises from the ash So the eagle rises too We must in the soul remember And in the heart grieve And within the country move forward Living in the land of the free This poem is to all of us, as we are all touched by this tragedy.

COMMENTARY

Alumnus proud U open after attack

It is with great pride that I heard of MSU President M. Peter McPherson’s decision to remain open for business during and after the terrorist acts of war in New York and Washington, D.C.

COMMENTARY

Graduate happy many at services

The past days have been a rough for many people, some more than others. I watched on TV as a plane smashed into the World Trade Center and saw people jumping from hundreds of feet to escape death or to bring the inevitable more quickly.

COMMENTARY

Act of war means civil liberty talks

In the days since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., the American people have been bombarded with militaristic talk harshly contrasting the rhetoric we’re accustomed to hearing. Our nation has begun a dramatic investigation that leaves little doubt our troops will see action in the coming months.

COMMENTARY

Nation must unite to overcome attack

As with most people Tuesday, I awoke to a nightmare. Growing up outside of D.C. having a father who works for the government and having friends whose families are in the military gave me an understanding of how our nation operates. This morning, I turned on my television and thought of my cousins and friends who live in New York as well as my family and friends back in Maryland, D.C.

COMMENTARY

Future wont forget terrorist strikes

Fellow citizens, it is a day like Tuesday that puts our daily lives in perspective. While we spend a great deal of time and thought beating our chests about jobs, our petty problems or one sports team or another, we must not forget what is truly important in this world - the value of human life.

COMMENTARY

McPherson failed to honor attack

I found President M. Peter McPherson’s disregard for our nation and student body disrespectful and unforgivable. For those who did have family or felt the pain of Tuesday, I send out my deepest sympathy and support.

COMMENTARY

Open campus

Tuesday, when many students watched and wondered how we could go on, MSU President M. Peter McPherson decided we can and we must. While the University of Michigan, Central Michigan University and other state universities closed their doors, this campus stayed open and held classes. Some may have seen this decision as a threat to the safety of students and faculty or disgraceful to the memory of the countless victims of Tuesday’s blasts.

COMMENTARY

Unity conquers

Like the towers of the World Trade Center themselves, the entire nation shuddered from the impact of the two terrorist-guided jetliners as it watched the terrible footage replayed over and over again throughout the course of the day. The disaster in New York City sent out shock waves felt across the country - campus not excluded. Within hours there was a tremendous outpouring of support from the entire MSU community.

COMMENTARY

Increased security necessary response

Waking up to my roommate shaking me saying, “The World Trade Center and the Pentagon have been attacked!” The first thing into my mind was, “Am I sleeping still?” As I walked out into the living area, the news slapped me in the face confirming the worst.

COMMENTARY

Reader was worried classes not secure

I am writing in response to the bad decision President M. Peter McPherson made during the attack on our country. It was ridiculous and disrespectful to be expected to carry on this day as if it were any other.

COMMENTARY

Reader remembers day with silence

Tuesday’s horrible events will probably affect all of us for a long time to come. While I have sympathy for the people who were hurt, and their families, I think that I am even more worried about what lies ahead.

COMMENTARY

Day was needed for mourning, not class

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly condemn MSU President M. Peter McPherson. In what is arguably the worst terrorist attack ever on the United States’ soil, McPherson stood alone in his decision to keep MSU open. Numerous universities were closed during this abomination, if not for security purposes then out of respect for the dead and dying. Rather than taking the rest of the day to mourn the dead or be angry at the terrorists who committed this act or to visit with friends during this frightening time, students were told to go to class as if nothing had happened. During this atrocity I find it humiliating that MSU was one of the only institutions to remain open.