COMMENTARY

Simon says

President Lou Anna K. Simon smiled nervously and her voice quivered for a moment as she began to speak about Welcome Week. "I worry about the drinking," she said.

COMMENTARY

Students thanks crash rescuers for care

I cannot put into words my thankfulness to the people that showed their care and thoughtfulness in what was the most traumatizing event of my life. On June 27, on U.S.

COMMENTARY

Former ASMSU rep mad about tailgating

I'm quite disappointed with the new tailgating policy. I also continue to be disgusted with ASMSU's apparent lack of awareness of student concerns. ASMSU never ceases to amaze me with their uncontrollable desire to complicate and regulate simple MSU traditions; proceeding only to water down student involvement while wasting student tax dollars. It seems things have not changed, which prompted me to leave ASMSU a few years ago.

COMMENTARY

Pay back

Where did Gary Shivers think he was going without paying his debt to society? Virgnia? Oh no, Gary.

COMMENTARY

Heavy losses

Readers are often lulled into believing that all events occurring in America are the only ones in existence.

COMMENTARY

New tailgate spots disservice alumni

Are you kidding me? This is absurd that the school would limit parking at the tennis courts during tailgate to only 350 students. Where do they expect the alumni to park and support our school during football games?

COMMENTARY

East Lansing police Chief shares startling Welcome Week stories

On the surface, Welcome Week 2005 looked much like those from years past. There were dozens of parties, and thousands of partyers.

COMMENTARY

MSU athletes fail as sportsmen, leaders

When I read the "Summer daze" (SN 8/29) article, I was completely offended and appalled at the number of MSU "athletes" who have been in trouble with the justice system.

COMMENTARY

Local events show flaws of Patriot Act

It's a scary day in America when a group comes under FBI scrutiny because of peaceful protests ("Local terrorist activity suspected," SN 8/30). I agree with Direct Action's Tommy Simon: The USA Patriot Act is being used to squelch freedom of speech.

COMMENTARY

Sheehan's stand bold, impractical

Cindy Sheehan's heart is in the right place. I'm just not sure where her head is. Seriously though, the well-intentioned but inarticulate founder of Gold Star Families for Peace is demanding immediate withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan.

COMMENTARY

Terror tantrum

Are terrorists' plots secretly hatching in the shell of well-known local activist groups? Or, is Big Brother FBI peeling away the thin layer of privacy that holds together our civil rights? What might really be radical is the ease at which both authorities and activists can jump to these assumptions. On Monday the American Civil Liberties Union released a document they received from the FBI stating several local activist groups had been discussed by police at a meeting about terrorist activities.

COMMENTARY

Columnist doesn't understand citizens

The many positive, hopeful thoughts expressed by Joseph Montes in his Monday (SN 8/29) column are, sadly, lost by the same problematic mindset that so often stands in the way of community progress.

COMMENTARY

Students, city need better relationship

So much is being said regarding the relationship between a permanent resident and a temporary student living in East Lansing.

COMMENTARY

Both testaments preach discrimination, promote inequality

A recent letter to the editor, "Bice column lacks biblical knowledge," (SN 8/4) took issue with my last column, "Homosexuality as a sin one more example of Bible's primitiveness" (SN 8/1). In that column, I offered several examples of savagely intolerant and archaic Old Testament moral laws that share the same willful ignorance and small-minded bigotry as modern religious-based homophobia. My favorite aspect of the critical letter was the certitude with which the author proclaimed the Old Testament laws I referenced were "done away with" by the arrival of Jesus, as though it were an objective fact.

COMMENTARY

State News ignores MSU's drop in rank

I'm stunned that The State News ignored the fact that MSU dropped three slots from its already low ranking (from 71st to 74th) in the U.S.

COMMENTARY

Nice try

It's nice to see ASMSU thinking about the students and doing their best to ensure a peaceful tailgate for this season's football games.

COMMENTARY

Fans need option to print season tickets

The athletic ticket office claims that the new digital student ticket requirements are being put in place to reduce printing costs, not to prevent students from bringing friends to games.

COMMENTARY

Iraq constitution process similar to U.S.

In no country in the world do all citizens agree on everything. Iraq should hardly be expected to be the exception. As the troubled nation sends a signed draft constitution to parliament this week over the heads of the objecting Sunnis, it makes sense to take a look at the issues being argued, and a look at another document that also endured a long fight and a lot of compromise - the U.S.

COMMENTARY

Backup plan

Say, for whatever reason, a contraceptive failed. Then what? Time for Plan B. The Plan B pill, also known as the morning-after pill, is an increased dosage of birth control, which will reduce the chance of pregnancy by as much as 89 percent if taken within 72 hours of intercourse. In 1999 The Food and Drug Administration approved prescription use of the drug.

COMMENTARY

Society places too much emphasis on weddings; enjoy being in love

A friend of mine painted a wedding proposal on the side of his barn in big letters facing the highway. I'm guessing anyone driving past his farm either sighed with romantic appreciation or gagged at the cheesiness of it. But it's not just him.