Friday, December 12, 2025

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Commentary

COMMENTARY

Daily interactions leave lasting impression

Anyone who knows me will tell you I am not, and never have been, a morning person. This is a problem that has plagued me my entire life. As far back as I can remember, up until my last week of high school, mornings in the Olsen house followed a very similar pattern when it came to the issue of waking me up.

COMMENTARY

Simplifying issues ruins argument

The State News column “Blame unions for failed businesses” (12/4) is a particularly good example of this country’s increasingly deteriorating form of argumentative reasoning.

COMMENTARY

Semester’s hardships bond student body

With the last week of classes drawing to a close and finals week being the last remaining obstacle standing between students and a well-deserved break, Michigan State soon will be saying goodbye to a semester that presented its fair share of adversities and triumphs.

COMMENTARY

Life lessons I learned in college

Never think you know someone based on a first impression. Within five minutes of meeting my best friend, I decided she was judgmental and that we were going to constantly butt heads. Five years later, I don’t know anyone else on the planet more like myself.

COMMENTARY

‘Fiscal cliff’ deal necessary

After November’s election, many U.S. representatives and senators were unseated, and their terms will end in January. These congressmen and congresswomen now are serving their “lame duck” period as representatives, a time usually defined by inactivity and a lack of productivity among our government.

COMMENTARY

No such thing as ‘war on Christmas’

Christmas season is a wonderful time of the year for many people. When the leftovers from the Thanksgiving turkey finally have been finished, and students begin working hard to defeat the looming finals, one thing is on most people’s minds: Dec. 25.

COMMENTARY

Student discovers independence, home at MSU

Unlike many other Spartans who knew they wanted to go to MSU almost since birth, I had a different plan for my education. Like my two older sisters before me, I assumed I would go to the local community college and then later decide where I wanted to transfer.

COMMENTARY

Time for Michigan to support gay marriage

Although the presidential election seemed to overshadow any state election this November, three states — Maryland, Maine and Washington — all voted to recognize same-sex marriage. In another state, a ballot proposal that would have amended Minnesota’s state constitution to ban same-sex marriage was struck down by voters. This came just months after President Barack Obama affirmed his support of same-sex marriage.

COMMENTARY

Values key strength to Republican Party

Now that the 2012 election has come and gone, it is clear the Republican Party lost in many ways. With these defeats, both in Senate seats and, more importantly, the White House, it is easy to assume the Republican Party is reeling and that it must re-evaluate its core or suffer similar defeats in the future.

COMMENTARY

Importance of finding your roots

This past summer, I worked as a historic interpreter at Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island. Dressed up as a soldier who would have been stationed there in the 1880s, I spent the summer shooting rifles, muskets and cannons for visitors.