COMMENTARY

The price of torture: Who wouldn't confess after being beaten, kicked, shocked?

The Bush administration needed four years and a Supreme Court ruling to forcefully accept that, yes, captives in the war on terror are covered by the Geneva Conventions, which call for humane treatment. Despite disturbing reports that the United States has used extreme interrogation techniques — pouring phosphoric liquid on detainees, beating them unconscious and simulating drowning with "waterboarding" — President Bush has steadfastly maintained that torture has never been used on prisoners to extract information.

COMMENTARY

Israel can't find peace by destroying Lebanon

I was shocked to open up The State News and find Daniel Piedra's startlingly narrow-minded and offensive letter, "United States supports Israel with good reason," (SN 7/17). I can understand why he may find Hezbollah's actions in kidnapping two soldiers wrong — I agree, that wasn't right — but to stereotype the entire Muslim population and call them "hate-mongering" is absurd.

COMMENTARY

Tuition increased, are you surprised?

As fall comes around, college students can expect to pay more in tuition. The MSU Board of Trustees announced on Monday that tuition will increase by 5.9 percent for in-state undergraduate students and by 6.9 percent for out-of-state undergraduate students.

COMMENTARY

Meadows isn't interested in protecting environment

I was shocked to hear Mark Meadows' claim that he will work to protect our environment. I have lived adjacent to the wetlands at the corner of Abbott and Lake Lansing roads for 25 years.

COMMENTARY

Piedra misinformed, Middle East is peaceful, ethical

As one of the wise few who read Daniel Piedra's letter, "United States supports Israel with good reason," (SN 7/17), I felt I needed to share his wisdom with my peers over here in Cairo. We spend much of our day following the developments in Israel and Lebanon.

COMMENTARY

Boating restrictions promote safety

Boating is a way of life in Michigan. From Labor Day to Memorial Day lakes throughout the state are peppered with boats.

COMMENTARY

Chapman's 'World Tax Fund' won't help poor

This letter is in response to Jason Michael Chapman's column, "Globalism, 'World Tax Fund,' can help to eliminate dire poverty," (SN 7/18). First of all, I agree with Chapman that Americans are living the good life and are, for the most part, extremely unappreciative.

COMMENTARY

Able beings should be allowed to refuse medical treatment

In 1973, 25-year-old Donald Dax Cowart was severely burned when his car erupted in flames. Cowart was inspecting a piece of land in Texas with his father on a summer morning when he realized their car wouldn't start.

COMMENTARY

If you want employment, DeVos should get your vote

David Wishinsky seems to think that Gov. Jennifer Granholm's economic plan for Michigan is working, based on his letter, "DeVos may have political tool, but it doesn't work," (SN 7/17). If this is the case, why do we have 6 percent unemployment while the nationwide average is 4.6 percent?

COMMENTARY

Don't judge majority by small portion of extremists

Daniel Piedra's letter "United States supports Israel with good reason," (SN 7/17), is a reasonable defense of Israel's actions against Hezbollah except for his opinion of Islam as a whole.

COMMENTARY

Globalism, 'World Tax Fund,' can help to eliminate dire poverty

Let's recognize that we have it good here in the land of the free. We wear fancy, expensive clothes made in factories by people working for almost nothing a day.

COMMENTARY

Stem cell research good idea

Imagine a cure for spinal cord injuries. In 1995, Christopher Reeve, the man who popularized "Superman," fell from a horse and broke his neck.

COMMENTARY

Wanted: Lavish lifestyle, sailboat included, by way of hard work

When "The O.C." airs, no one is surprised to see the entire cast gallivant across the screen donned in polos and khakis, ready to board their sailboats or sunbathe by their swimming pools. But when this happens in real life — with real wealth — it seems surreal. On a lovely weekend getaway for the Fourth of July, I spent a few days camping and continued on to a beautiful sailing town for America's birthday — I'll call it Beamerton. As my boyfriend and I perused the art fair and strolled the streets, I couldn't help but notice the air of the people and town.

COMMENTARY

Healthy foods make healthy kids

Pick any building on campus, and you can be sure to find a vending machine stocked with multiple soda and candy bar choices.

COMMENTARY

Larrowe's column reminds us how little has changed

Legislation prohibiting pregnant women from traveling out of the country? Hailing Jerry Falwell as someone "eloquent" who should be taken seriously?

COMMENTARY

DeVos may have political tool, but it doesn't work

We have an election coming up, and one of the candidates has a magical object. This candidate is Dick DeVos. He has a political Magic 8 Ball — it provides answers to all of Michigan's problems.

COMMENTARY

United States supports Israel with good reason

The Israeli offensive against the Hezbollah regime is a surprisingly swift course of action for the sake of the two Israeli soldiers captured by the Iran-backed Islamic radicals.

COMMENTARY

Buffett's donation will make world better place

In response to Bonnie Shaw's letter "Population control not good use of Buffett's cash," (SN 7/13), it would be nice if people could look at the positive side of one man's donating of more than $30 billion to charity. Warren Buffett is a man who has stated he would donate all of his money upon death to charity and found the one charity that he felt confronts the major global issues that concern him.

COMMENTARY

Google good for Michigan

Do you Google? Chances are you're familiar with the popular search engine. With offices spanning the globe from Australia to Brazil to Denmark, Google has become a powerhouse when it comes to searching on the Internet.

COMMENTARY

The best of Lash Larrowe: Fetuses is folks, too

Reprinted from the June 26, 1981 edition of The State News I'm waiting for my bags down at Detroit Metro on my way back from an exhilarating demo in Washington, I see this intense young woman bearing down on me.