Sunday, December 28, 2025

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Opinion | 1000

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COMMENTARY

Columnist doesn't know a good state when he sees it

To be completely honest, being an MSU alumnus, I really don't read The State News as often as I should, and by reading Carl Lindquist's column ("Michiganians' attitudes toward home state denote quality of life" SN 6/29) I think I proved to myself why.

COMMENTARY

Why here?

Ronald Reagan was born and raised in Illinois before making a name for himself in Hollywood and leaving an indelible impression on Washington, D.C.

COMMENTARY

The name game

Discussion of a name change to Lansing's Oldsmobile Park has us wondering what product the stadium will advertise next. Soon enough, Lansing residents may be referring to the 8-year-old stadium - home of the Lansing Lugnuts baseball team - as something else.

COMMENTARY

Absent threat

On Monday, opponents of same-sex marriage submitted petitions containing in excess of 475,000 signatures that support defining marriage as a union between only a man and a woman.

COMMENTARY

Edwards as easy target could become GOP's worst enemy in election

John Edwards is not suited to be the next vice president of the United States. He's not old, he doesn't seem crusty, he didn't vote to keep Nelson Mandela in prison, he dresses well and it's very tough to favorably compare his appearance to a felt puppet from "The Muppet Show." He isn't the former chairman of a corporation slightly less evil than Philip Morris and when he smiles, it doesn't look like he's calculating the cold-blooded assassination of a puppy dog. Based on what America seems to look for in a second-in-command, Edwards just isn't cut out for it.

COMMENTARY

Running mates

John Kerry's selection of John Edwards as his vice presidential candidate makes perfect sense. Edwards fills the gaps in the ticket that Kerry leaves open, and brings more balance to the overall campaign.

COMMENTARY

Take action

Getting involved in politics is a positive move. Sitting and complaining about the presidential candidates and election issues has never been productive, but given the months left before the elections no one has an excuse for either failing to eventually vote, or shying away from getting involved with their favorite candidate's election campaign. If you love what President Bush is doing as the country's leader, like the way he's done his job and his foreign policy on terrorism, then by all means get out there and say so - support him, do whatever it takes.

COMMENTARY

More of 'U'

The formula for success is hardly infallible. There's no one correct path toward becoming a pillar of the community, nor are there rigid criteria for who or what is a highly educated person.

COMMENTARY

Due process

The situation surrounding Saddam Hussein's trial in Iraq is tenuous and the United States has to be extremely delicate in balancing the insurance that the citizens of Iraq are happy with the results of the trial, and enforcement of the democratic value of a fair trial over popular justice. The body of evidence against Hussein is so overwhelming and well-documented that the trial against the remnants of the Ba'ath Party might seem to be over before it starts. Regardless of the clamoring of the people, Iraq's newly formed judicial system must play by the rules - or risk losing sight of overall justice forever. The trial could have been held in the World Court, similar to former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic's trial.

COMMENTARY

Fighting hate

Two men walk into a bar. They order drinks and turn around, scanning the crowd for an empty table. They eye a couple preparing to leave and hustle in their direction to lay claim to the table before anyone else has the opportunity.

COMMENTARY

Animal animosity

Ideally, every dog or cat would have a home and live healthy, happy and free. The reality is that animals are abandoned by irresponsible people every day, and rather than roaming the streets in hordes they are captured and removed from society. While it's true some animals in the pound are lucky enough to find a more hospitable home, some will always be left unwanted - no matter how hard animal control centers search for new families. Two options exist for the fraction of misplaced pets that will always be with us - death in vain or benefit to human and animal-kind through research. While to some the conflict over whether to use animals for research at all might rank up there in importance with the conflict on stem cell research, to most, the problem is more benign. The difference with conflict over "Class B" animal dealers buying from the Ingham County Animal Control Shelter is when concerned citizens brought the issue up to their local government, the government listened, taking them seriously. The government response is admirable, since other local governments might not have given the issue the time of day - local animal rights activists did make some difference. The victory and strategy, however, were incomplete, since "Class B" and "Class A" dealers are still present in Michigan and are unlikely to ever fully be removed. As long as animals are treated ethically, properly cared for and respected during research, then their sacrifice in the name of science will not be in vain.