Strange ramblings in East Lansing … I find myself wanting to impart a few random observations and comments as the semester draws to a close: • Damn, it's muggy out.
It looks like the MSU's athletics department is screwing things up again. Mark Hollis, thanks for giving returning students a "welcome back gift." Also, "brilliant" job not telling students. A lot of students do sell their tickets for profit and for those people who buy them and are denied entry because they do not have an MSU student ID, it will be a black eye for the department and the university. Mr. Hollis, thanks for dropping the ball. Martin Schaupner 2001 graduate
The ongoing war between the city of East Lansing and student housing has reached yet another childish obstruction.
On Tuesday, President Bush signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement bill, or CAFTA. The bill had passed Congress by a narrow margin. This agreement between Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic will create a free trade zone similar to the one created by the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA.
As John Bice wrote in "Homosexuality as a sin one more example of Bible's primitiveness" (SN 8/1), religious conflicts do often arise based upon one's exegesis of Biblical texts (the task of drawing, but not reading in, and applying the author's intended meaning). Unfortunately, Bice fails miserably by demonstrating his own lack of Biblical knowledge and exegetical methodology.
The new ticket system for this fall is great. As a previous season ticket holder, I can say there is nothing more frustrating then seeing those little specks of maize interrupting our sea of green on a big game day because some MSU "fan" bought season tickets just to sell them all.
I am registering my displeasure with the new sports ticket policy ("New ticket system in place," SN 7/28). The release of the information falls just one week after tickets went on sale - too late for patrons to make a fully informed decision whether or not to purchase tickets.
The letters into The State News are humorous. Why don't we address more important issues than infringing on others' freedom?
A seemingly universal media phenomenon is the farther away from home a story hits, the bigger it has to be to receive coverage.
Robert Frost penned a few lines that have struck me in the last few weeks as important. "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." What struck me as important in such lines is in regard to the state of American society.
I think it's interesting to read the reaction that people have to their actions being called a sin.
Michigan's representatives in the Legislature are bringing home the bacon to MSU with a $286 billion highway and mass transit spending bill, of which $16.8 million will go toward a railroad underpass on Farm Lane. MSU President Lou Anna K.
During any other summer, getting MSU football student vouchers in the mail is one of the reminders that fall - and the beginning of the next school year - is coming.
An interesting religious conversation took place recently in the letters section of The State News. The discussion, on sin and homosexuality, reminded me of a quote from the brilliant British philosopher Bertrand Russell, "When two men of science disagree, they do not invoke the secular arm; they wait for further evidence to decide the issue.
I fail to understand why The State News continues to print the hateful rhetoric of Benjamin Greathouse when it is clear he is the sole voice of his self-proclaimed "majority opinion." Perhaps he failed to notice that his third letter in just as many weeks was literally surrounded by dissenting opinions. I suppose I should be thanking him, though.
The idea that someone would equate lying to his parents about a bad grade or sneaking a friend into the cafeteria for free food to the many controversial and complex issues of homosexuality is both insulting and laughable ("Bible says all sin is equal in God's eyes" SN 7/28). It is insulting not only because it trivializes the basic American rights we gays are denied each day - such as marriage, hospital visitations for our dying partners, tax advantages which come with marriage, adoption rights and my right to defend this country I love so much, etc.
I am writing in response to the article regarding how lawmakers are trying to ban "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" from store shelves ("State asks for recall of explicit game" SN 7/28). Granted, the makers of the game were irresponsible for putting hidden, sexually explicit scenes in the game, but why does the game need to be pulled from the shelves if it is properly re-rated with the "adults only" rating?
I think Ryan McCormick's recent column mistakes prudence for pride ("British gov't should try to understand deeper issues behind attacks" SN 7/28). Tony Blair's policies, and Bush's all along, have not been simply stubborn, hardheaded reactions to situations.
The State News has been discussing the April 2-3 disturbances for quite some time now, and often the topic has been whether police officers acted improperly.
Regarding the Bible, homosexuality and sin: If the Bible is to be followed to the letter, all male students at MSU must leave.