COMMENTARY

Flag freedom

It's just a flag, but Manhattanville College women's basketball player Toni Smith hangs on a political crucifix because she doesn't worship symbols. Smith, in subtle protest, turns away from the American flag during "The Star-Spangled Banner." This simple action went unnoticed for months in Manhattanville before it came to the nation's attention. People being the politically sensitive vultures they are, came down on Smith calling her a "disgrace" at games.

COMMENTARY

Drinking dilemma

As people worry minors make up one-fifth of the nation's drinkers, the real focus should fall on anyone drinking a fifth in a single sitting. An alcoholic is an alcoholic is an alcoholic, whether 12 years old or 44.

COMMENTARY

Cut short

A university campus is a vast garden fit for planting seeds of knowledge to bear fruit to make the world a better place.

COMMENTARY

Affirmative

America needs affirmative action. It is the inherent duty of our governmental institutions to level the playing field of life and root for the underdog so he or she can come to realize the American dream - the rags-to-riches story that helps constitute our national ideology. There are some Americans who seem afraid of what a level playing field could mean for their own quality of life; perhaps filling in the gaps between the have and have-nots might mean they will have less.

COMMENTARY

High priority

With 30 teachers laid off and the closing of Spartan Village Elementary School in East Lansing alone, it is obvious that Michigan is not headed in the right direction by cutting budgets for K-12 education.

COMMENTARY

It's about time

Policy makers for MSU's Academic Council have redefined the meaning of LBGT to mean Lacking Better Gender Treatment. MSU, a university under the flag of diversity, has been fumbling with a gender clause that needs to be added to its Anti-Discrimination Policy. By means of a footnote, the Academic Council could alter the policy to give protection to issues involving gender identity. The council is a policy-making group of administrators, faculty and students who make recommendations to MSU's Board of Trustees.

COMMENTARY

Use your head

To use the word "disturbing" to describe the real-life image of a burnt mannequin head with a knife through it would be making light of a stomach-wrenching sight. Although the three men, all minorities, who are responsible for burning the head along with other items outside the Village at Chandler Crossings apartment complex in Bath Township, might not have meant to ethnically intimidate anyone, their actions spoke louder than their intentions. The image of the burnt head, which was displayed prominently on the front page of The State News on Monday and by television news agencies throughout the community Sunday, was a haunting reminder of a country's marred past and struggling present. If the appearance of a burnt head with a knife through it in a tree doesn't offend everyone who views it, people are in serious need of having their emotions and attitudes examined. Whether the intentions of Saturday's pyromaniacs were racially ill does not mute the fact that the outcome of their actions was nauseating and abominable. Bath Township police say one of the three men who admitted to the mannequin burning had recently broken up with his girlfriend and the group set ablaze of her left-over possessions. Given that explanation, it is somewhat of a relief that the responsible party's intentions weren't racially motivated.

COMMENTARY

Bio benefits

While the days of flying saucer-shaped cars might still be far off, the state Legislature is making a small step toward securing Michigan's future with a tax break given to biofuel creators. We're talking about a greener, brighter future in which the fuel put into our vehicles is fashioned with renewable sources such as soy.

COMMENTARY

Fat free

It seems university and state officials would rather spend time whining and pointing fingers than actually working together to find the best way to allocate limited funding sources. Gov.

COMMENTARY

Safe students

Kudos to MSU's undergraduate student government and Residence Halls Association for joining the campus safety discussion that has risen since a Case Hall freshman was held at knife point last month. If there is an authority of campus safety issues, it is the student body who is affected by such measures.

COMMENTARY

Nothing to fear

Well, it's time to dust off your Y2K kit and Cold War safety diagrams. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and his new department are expanding their budget as they move up their grade school-esque warning systems from colors to shapes. Ridge is advising us to "Make a kit!" and "Have a plan!" He has millions of dollars in his budget and his department is giving us diagrams that tell us, when trapped, head to an exit with a nice arrow leading the way. Ridge also informs us about what to put in our emergency kits: Duct tape, plastic sheeting and water, among other items. Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

COMMENTARY

Left behind

Yes, it was a no-win scenario. Yes, trivial arguments over altering cuts by decimal points wouldn't really help much.

COMMENTARY

Northern lights

Let there be light, and it's about time. Three years into its existence, light is finally being shed on the pedestrian safety problems in the Northern Tier. While it's nice to see some work being done in the Northern Tier, it's quite overdue. The fact that the community is shared across two cities makes their slow efforts doubly disappointing. Much-needed street lights were turned on this past weekend in the community of condos and apartments just north of Lake Lansing Road. The Northern Tier community grew too fast for its own good and, as the flow of tenants increased, lighting remained stagnant. Currently, there are no sidewalks, crosswalks or pedestrian lights.

COMMENTARY

Speak out

MSU trustees should be ashamed of themselves for sitting on their hands while their Maize and Blue neighbors are being hauled into a court case that could alter university admissions policies across the country. Whether they find themselves in agreement with the University of Michigan's law school affirmative action policies is beside the point.

COMMENTARY

Best things are free

The best things in life are free, and sometimes so are the little annoying things. Buying notebooks every semester after paying an arm and a leg for books can be a serious burden, but students across campus might be able to take notes for free soon.

COMMENTARY

Flying high

Don't be surprised if football jerseys contain marriage proposals and invite you to strip clubs next season. OK, so maybe they won't, but a proposal banning advertising flights above stadiums nationwide that passed Friday will limit advertisers' gameday promotion. President Bush will now decide whether or not to make the bill official, which would ban all advertising flights for one year over stadiums beginning an hour preceding and an hour after an event. Unfortunately, the bill will pass, so we'll see MSU head football coach John L.

COMMENTARY

Authoritative ad

At a time when much of the nation is focused only on a potential war with Iraq, it's good to see other Americans keeping atop important domestic issues. Four MSU professors lent their names to a full-page New York Times advertisement last week questioning the long-term outlook of President Bush's proposed $1.3-trillion tax cuts. The ad was sponsored by the Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan Washington economic think tank.

COMMENTARY

Suspicious sign

Obviously, dance clubs like Sparty's Night Club have hired some pretty inept advertisers. Here's a suggestion to make the sign outside of Sparty's more concise and applicable to its customers' apparel: WHITES ONLY, AND WE DON'T MEAN T-SHIRTS. The sign outside of Sparty's announces that the dress code prohibits anyone wearing FUBU, Sean John and Phat Farm clothes, along with "work boots" and "thick gold or silver chains." All three clothing brands are owned by and worn mainly by minorities. So what is Sparty's trying to say?

COMMENTARY

Terror target

Be afraid. Be very afraid. No, wait. It's OK. MSU will protect you. You're safe here. MSU has a plan. What's that plan you say? Well, there aren't exactly any details.

COMMENTARY

Golfing goddess

While most women across the nation will enjoy being showered by gifts and pampered this weekend, Annika Sorenstam will be sweating. This is not a nervous sweat, yet pouring forth from intense training as Sorenstam prepares for her PGA debut three months away. No, that's not a typo, she's competing in the PGA, not the LPGA. Sorenstam, who accepted an invitation Wednesday to play in the Colonial in May, will be the first woman to compete on the PGA Tour in nearly 60 years.