COMMENTARY

Carter deserving of newspaper's respect

In response to the editorial ("Power player" SN 4/20), I was shocked to read the negative regard that the author has for Sue Carter.

COMMENTARY

Mother love

The past year hasn't been a great one for Mother Earth - both on campus and abroad. President Bush again opted not to join the Kyoto Protocol, an agreement among many leading industrial nations to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions.

COMMENTARY

Impartial jury

A new door has opened in the ongoing dispute between police and students over the April 2-3 disturbances. Although not as powerful a reaction as could be hoped for, the East Lansing City Council's decision to create an independent review commission to hear testimony about the disturbances is, at least, one prospect to uncover the police's unnecessary action. The council's goal is to create a nine to 11 member group consisting of community members, students, university officials and law enforcement officials who were not in East Lansing during the disturbances.

COMMENTARY

CRC provides vital service for the area

Be assured, your local Community Relations Coalition cares deeply about the conflict in East Lansing/MSU surroundings, and is hardly sitting around hoping the issue might blow over.

COMMENTARY

East Lansing officials are using silence tactics to avoid repercussions

Closed-door meetings among police, craftily worded public statements from the university president and apprehensive silence from the East Lansing City Council - this is what our community leaders have given to us after nearly three weeks. The latest decision by law enforcement officials to keep their discussions about the April 2-3 disturbances quiet is the straw that broke the back of my belief in the civic process.

COMMENTARY

On your sleeve

GO BLOW YOURSELVES ELPD. These crass words, written in block print on the back of T-shirts made after the April 2-3 disturbances, might adequately convey the feelings of students who feel they were wronged that evening.

COMMENTARY

Writer needs to get facts straight on GEU

I'm writing in response to "GEU members are fairly compensated" (SN 4/20). I'm just wondering - if I make such good money, why can't I pay my bills?

COMMENTARY

Dirty dealings

The methods by which our nation's system of democracy functions have turned into a slick mud hole of deception. It seems like disputing the ballot process or - in the case of the latest issue with the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative - a signature-gathering technique is the best way to oust a rival who differs on an issue. History is repeating itself as the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, or MCRI, is being challenged by By Any Means Necessary, or BAMN, a political group dedicated to keeping affirmative action a part of the process in which university admissions and job hiring are decided.

COMMENTARY

GEU members are not paid enough

I am appalled at the way the MSU administration is handling the teaching assistants' contract, and this is the general sentiment throughout the MSU community.

COMMENTARY

E.L. officials should stop bad landlords

This letter is in response to the April 20 article, "Word on the street: What do you think about rental housing in East Lansing?" I lived in just about every kind of housing East Lansing had to offer: a house, fraternity house and an apartment.

COMMENTARY

Bush was correct to honor John Paul

This letter is in response to Ryan Gartland's letter concerning the president's attendance of Pope John Paul II's funeral ("Bush funeral visit for publicity only" SN 4/19). I am amazed, Ryan, at your apparent interest in the extremist views within the Christian faith.

COMMENTARY

GEU members are fairly compensated

As a former graduate student who was fortunate enough to have two appointments during my graduate studies, I feel compelled to share a secret with the university community.

COMMENTARY

Smoke screen

You know there has to be something amiss when Republicans are advocating more government control in the affairs of business. In a recent case, Rep.

COMMENTARY

Power player

When Sue Carter leaves her post this summer, there's a decent chance students won't take much notice.

COMMENTARY

Nation's health care system leaves much to be desired, needs change

Imagine a society where a specific group of people were denied a basic provision necessary for improved quality of life.

COMMENTARY

Students can't let officials off hook

It's been little more than two weeks since the "disturbances" after the MSU loss to North Carolina and already it seems that the students of MSU are allowing the East Lansing Police Department and city officials to get away with their own riotous behavior.

COMMENTARY

TAs at MSU deserve better recognition

I am a graduate student in the Department of English and I teach - boy, do I teach - for MSU. I am outraged at the university's unwillingness to bargain with the Graduate Employees Union to reach a contract guaranteeing decent pay, health care and working conditions for teaching assistants, who teach one-third of all classes at MSU and grade two-thirds of all assignments. In the five years I have been at MSU, I have taught 486 students.

COMMENTARY

RHA must begin to show quality films

I saw "A Very Long Engagement" at Wells Hall this past weekend, and although I greatly enjoyed the movie, I was quite angry when I saw that we were watching the movie in an altered aspect ratio (it was composed in widescreen), and it was of poor picture quality. If we are paying taxes to the Residence Halls Association that pay for these movies, I want to see my money on the screen.

COMMENTARY

Students displayed 'animal' behavior

During the riots after the April 2 men's basketball game, I was out on the streets. I passed many cops, and I got teargassed twice, but never did I see any actions that deserved the current whining that many students have brought down upon the police forces involved.

COMMENTARY

Money's tight

The MSU faculty asked the university for a 4.25 percent salary increase next year, leaving administrators with a big decision on their hands.