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COMMENTARY

Nation should allow same-sex marriage

As a nation, are we bored? I am beginning to doubt that the national pastime is actually baseball. I think we should finally admit that picking on every nonwhite, non-heterosexual, non-Christian, non-middle- or upper-class, non-able-bodied person we can find is really what we crave. As a nation, we are willing to bomb, destroy and terrorize other countries in the name of freedom, but at home we are unwilling to grant the freedom of love to anyone who is not heterosexual.

MSU

RHA passes bill to add $10 karaoke fee

Joseph Clark
February 23, 2004

At Wednesday's Residence Halls Association meeting, a bill was passed by a 26-1 vote to amend the organization's bylaws regarding rental equipment. The item most affected by the changes is RHA's karaoke machine.

COMMENTARY

Four years of Bush leaves world divided

Think back to the last presidential campaign. What a difference four years make, don't they? Remember how, back then, it seemed more like a competition to be the most boring, inoffensive candidate possible?

MSU

ASMSU allots extra funding

Three weeks into the spring semester, ASMSU's Programming Board ran out of money. With several more groups still looking for event funding, ASMSU's Student Assembly passed a bill at its Thursday's meeting that adds $10,000 to the programming budget. Several representatives from minority and progressive student groups attended the meeting to support the bill.

NEWS

Provost's report challenged

Amy Bartner
February 23, 2004

Just less than a week after Provost Lou Anna Simon revealed her vision for the future of MSU's liberal arts programs, some community members said the final report doesn't represent its entire target body. In November, Simon appointed Marcellette Williams to head the process that involved meetings with administrators, faculty and students.

NEWS

MIDDAY UPDATE: Increasing Mich. cigarette tax might lead smokers to purchase from internet

Gov. Jennifer Granholm's proposal to raise Michigan's cigarette tax by 75 cents per pack could spur smokers to buy their smokes from other states or countries in increasing amounts.Web sites like www.yesmoke.ch, a Swiss company, offer cartons of "premium brand" cigarettes for as little as $15, a large discount on the price tag of about $35 that Michigan smokers pay for the same brands.Purchasing several packs of cigarettes at Campbell's Smoke Shop, 207 Mac Ave., on Monday, recent Lansing Community College graduate Rose Schepis said the idea of getting cigarettes at about $1.50 per pack doesn't sound bad when faced with a $2 tax per pack in Michigan."Why do they have to pick on us?" Schepis said of the proposed increase.

BASKETBALL

Anderson leads team to victory over Wildcats

Chris Mackinder
February 23, 2004

The Spartans were glad to have a productive Alan Anderson back. "I was really happy for Alan Anderson, coming back off his worst game as a Spartan to maybe one of his best, if you look at his total line," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. Coming off a zero-point, four-foul, two-turnover, one-assist performance in 10 minutes against Purdue, the junior swingman scored 12 points, dished out six assists and had two steals, leading the Spartans to a 66-56 victory over Northwestern on Saturday. The win keeps MSU (15-9 overall, 10-3 Big Ten) in sole possession of first place in the conference, a half-game ahead of Illinois (18-5, 9-3). After shooting 40.9 percent against Purdue, the Spartans regained their stroke, shooting 54 percent (27 for 50) against Northwestern.

BASKETBALL

Spartans control Big Ten destiny

Like an aging boxer short on money, the MSU basketball team refused to give up. And as the Big Ten season winds down to its final rounds, the Spartans are proving the beatings they took only made them stronger. After MSU's first Big Ten game, a loss to Wisconsin, the team was two games under 500 - its worst start since the 1987-88 season - and had lost each of its marquee nonconference matchups.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers find rhythm in shutouts

Esther Gim
February 23, 2004

With a satisfied look on his face, head coach Rick Comley stood on the ice, clapping as his players acknowledged the crowd following their 5-0 shutout over Nebraska-Omaha on Saturday night. After struggling since the beginning of the season to string together back-to-back wins, the MSU hockey team finally completed its first home sweep of the season.

SPORTS

Seniors help 'U' to 1st Big Ten win

Scott Bartosiewicz
February 23, 2004

In its final regular season meet, the MSU wrestling team captured a win Sunday afternoon, defeating Indiana, 19-14, at Jenison Field House. With just its second win of the season and first in the Big Ten, the Spartans (2-12, 1-7), took six individual matches, with three coming from seniors in their final home meet as Spartans. "It means a lot, actually," senior Arsen Alexsanyan said.

COMMENTARY

Restructuring hurts liberal arts classes

Here is a short summary of "Realizing the Vision: Liberal Arts in the 21st Century Land-Grant University." Though there will no longer be classes in which questions about citizenship, policy or the self can be asked, the university resolves to help each student understand better what it means to be human; to develop the intellectual, creative and productive capacities to be an educated and engaged citizen; and, therefore, to be able to contribute more fully to professional, civic, cultural and community life. Though the university plans to eliminate the college in which the humanities exist, it anticipates the strengthening of graduate programs through synergy. Though undergraduate classes now will be larger and thus unable to contain a writing component, the university thinks a student could reach an understanding about "what it means to be human" through a multiple-choice test and a class taught by more temporary faculty.

FEATURES

Student show impresses, dazzles

As the strings of red and pink hearts were pulled down from the chandeliers and the rose petals were swept away, there was not a sense of sorrow in the air.

COMMENTARY

Some things are meant to offend, get reaction from society

Ed Ronco
February 23, 2004

When you discuss controversial issues in the newspaper, you get a wide range of emotions in return. Today's editorial cartoon is a good example of that. People will write letters or e-mail or call our newsroom wondering how I, as an editor, could print something like today's cartoon and how we could casually use a word as vulgar and offensive as "fags." I assure you, its use on today's Opinion page is anything but casual.

NEWS

Celebración

Elizabeth Piet
February 23, 2004

Wearing a gold loincloth and sparkle body paint, Ricardo Leon blew his whistle to kick off the Latin Xplosion talent show Saturday night at Fairchild Theatre.