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COMMENTARY

Assault victims bear no responsibility for attacks

I don’t like the way Abby Lubbers adds insult to injury in the police blurb Police: Woman attacked near Hubbard Hall (SN 11/24) by indirectly placing the blame on the survivor of the attack. Reminding readers to plan where to run in case of an attack or to look around the bushes seems to insinuate that this woman obviously failed to form an escape plan ahead of time or to look for villains who might be lurking in bushes.

COMMENTARY

Same-sex couples ask for equality

When I came to college about three years ago, I was extremely different than I am now. Anyone will tell you college is a time when you’re supposed to find yourself, slowly transforming into the individual you want to be and having the courage to stand up for the things you hold close to your heart.

COMMENTARY

Race-based groups deserve student tax funds

The concept of race is one that has haunted this nation from its very birth. The U.S. has taken tentative step after step forward, trying to reach that mythical future Martin Luther King Jr. once spoke about — a world in which everyone was color-blind, and race no longer mattered.

COMMENTARY

Prop. 8 supporters' claim of 'intolerance' false

I find it rather irritating that the social conservatives, despite their victory in the battle for the rights of homosexuals to marry, are writing letters to The State News in which they pose as victims of “intolerance” on the part of those of us in opposition to Proposition 8 and its likenesses. How they can expect tolerance is beyond me.

COMMENTARY

MSU hiring practices demonstrate fairness

The passage of Proposition 2 in 2006 outlawing affirmative action in Michigan resulted last month in a publication on faculty hiring practices that puts the educational needs of students first by emphasizing competency more than diversity.

COMMENTARY

Obama's economic plans reveal priorities

That didn’t take long. President-elect Barack Obama is still two months away from taking office, yet he’s already begun announcing his plans for how to fix the U.S.‘s moribund economy. Observers shouldn’t be fooled into thinking he’s found the magic bullet for all that ails the nation, however. Often overlooked in his various economic plans is the fact that his promise to create 2.5 million new jobs over his first two years is a gross estimate, and not a net projection.

COMMENTARY

Love drives same-sex marriage fight

As my mother, my third-grade teacher and the Plain White T’s all used to say, “Hate is a strong word.” And I agree. But I would propose that love is an even stronger word, abused and misunderstood even more by our society. In the past several weeks, a lot of ink has been spilled over California’s Proposition 8, a proposed constitutional amendment that will define marriage as strictly between a man and a woman.

COMMENTARY

Student groups overstress race

There are several student groups focused on ethnicity that are eligible to receive student tax dollars. Anybody can join these groups. They include such organizations as the Black Student Alliance, or BSA, and the Asian Pacific American Student Organization. Some of these groups wield incredible power with these tax dollars.

COMMENTARY

Financial problems to impact generations to come

What’s the proper reaction to watching your future get mortgaged away by other people? That’s a question likely troubling the vast majority of MSU students as we watch billion after billion be sent off to failing companies — with more than a trillion dollars already spent and no clear sign that things are improving.

COMMENTARY

Online addresses might reach broader audience

In his campaign for president, President-elect Barack Obama broke many barriers in terms of utilizing modern technology for politicians. Thus, it’s fitting that he’s begun breaking barriers for presidents — even before he takes office.

COMMENTARY

Headlight safety needs discussion

When was the last time you flipped a switch to turn the headlights on in your car? Chances are, if you drive a car made in the 21st century, you might not remember the last time. That’s because newer cars have automatic sensors that detect the amount of light outside and turn the headlights on when the sensors deem it appropriate.

COMMENTARY

Weapons on campus would threaten student safety

I’d like to respond to Brian Wlosinski’s letter to the editor Carrying guns on campus could work if regulated (SN 11/19). This solution has flaws that need to be considered. By allowing weapons on campus, the chance of someone who should not have a weapon getting ahold of one will increase dramatically. While this could be solved with locks and safes, the problem still exists. No one is perfect, and slipups will happen.

COMMENTARY

MSU president's salary reasonable by comparison

It’s easy to jump to conclusions when you hear the higher-ups of any institution are getting raises in these times of economic turmoil. Visions of the “golden parachutes” and $100,000 spa retreats for CEOs of failing companies might come to mind because the news has been plagued with such stories in the wake of the Wall Street bailout.

COMMENTARY

Big Three collapse hurts entire state

For the past week or so as I’ve walked to class or work, one question has dominated my thoughts: What will Michigan look like if the Big Three’s bailout doesn’t happen — an event that increasingly seems more and more likely.