Friday, January 9, 2026

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Opinion | 1000

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COMMENTARY

Inform the public

While the Residence Halls Association deserves some credit for making changes to become more accountable for how it spends its money, it still has not come clean to students about the mismanagement of their tax dollars that necessitated the change in the first place. The association’s general assembly approved a bill last week to create an events board responsible for RHA Movies and RHA Special Events.

COMMENTARY

Observing religion hard to do in cafs

Thank you Amy Bartner. Your column about the cafeteria’s meals being subpar is right on the money (“Cafe Passover meals not on par with mom’s kosher home cooking,” SN 4/3). While I am not Jewish, I suffered through 40 days of Lent as a Catholic attempting to choke down the meals the cafeteria served.

COMMENTARY

Caf Passover meals not on par with moms kosher home cooking

My mother makes a mean matzah lasagna. Even with the limited selection of delectable (yes, that’s sarcasm) kosher-for-Passover foods available in grocery stores, I take comfort in knowing there will be homemade matzah-ball soup and matzah lasagna at home waiting for me.

COMMENTARY

Take action

If one wants to change the world, it cannot be done by talk alone. Talking about it is just one step, but action is where the answer lies in making ideas reality. Minority students and other university leaders met Monday evening in the Union Ballroom for an annual town hall meeting to discuss important issues concerning MSU’s minority community.

COMMENTARY

SN stance on union talks one-sided

Throughout the five-month negotiation process between the Graduate Employees Union and the administration, I have been consistently disappointed by The State News’ editorial stance.

COMMENTARY

Day off needed to honor Jesus life

Each spring semester at MSU, I am bothered by the university’s choice of vacation days. MSU is closed only for six days throughout the spring semester and five of them are given for spring break.

COMMENTARY

Book review lacked informed opinion

I am writing concerning Dan Julian’s book review of “How to Quit Church without Quitting God” (“‘How to Quit Church’ thoughtful, provocative,” SN 4/2). I understand The State News is trying to gain some cultural capital by reviewing books, but perhaps it should just stick to what it knows.

COMMENTARY

Taylor ought to keep commitment to U

Marcus Taylor’s announcement to enter the NBA Draft was yet another in a disturbing trend of athletes exiting school early because of the almighty dollar. I remember Taylor as he donned an MSU hat as a high-school senior.

COMMENTARY

Alcohol attitudes are in need of changing

First, I would like to question the intentions of The State News when it published the mug shots of the four students charged with providing alcohol to Eric Blair (“Case could change ‘U’ parties,” SN 3/28). If this is a new policy, I expect the mug shots of every local person arrested to be printed in the police briefs.

COMMENTARY

File-sharing hurts all in music industry

I read with interest Kristen VanDusen’s attempt to justify using music-sharing services like Napster, Gnutella and Music City (“File-sharing is wave of the future, music industry can’t stop it,” SN 3/25). It’s odd an advertising senior would begrudge people making a profit from their products. VanDusen seems to have a common misconception.

COMMENTARY

Helping out

Greater Lansing offers community service programs for everyone from teenagers to retirees. Individuals who are taking an active part in their community should be commended. If change starts with the young, members of the Youth Action Team are paving the way to the future.

COMMENTARY

Candidates should be profiled in SN

I must say I found The State News’ coverage of ASMSU elections most disappointing. The State News should have interviewed and listed the candidates before the election with information such as their political backgrounds so we could get some sort of idea who to support.

COMMENTARY

Dad provides ideal career role model

On the wall of my dad’s office there hangs a folded up piece of paper with the words “Your an great princebul Mr. Ronko” scrawled on it in black crayon. My dad, an elementary school principal since 1993, always has been great. He was the coolest guy ever when I was a kid.

COMMENTARY

Free speech

It took 105 years and a ridiculous accusation, but a state appeals court panel did the right thing Monday and ruled Michigan’s archaic law banning vulgar language in front of women and children unconstitutional. The statute, enacted in 1897 and revised in 1931, states that anyone using “indecent, immoral, obscene, vulgar or insulting language in the presence or hearing of any woman or children shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.” The law became the center of controversy after the 1999 conviction of Timothy Joseph Boomer for violating it. After tumbling out of his canoe into Michigan’s Rifle River, near West Branch, Boomer was heard uttering a string of swear words by a woman and her children. Boomer was ticketed by law enforcement officers upon the conclusion of his trip and found guilty of violating the 1897 statute by an Arenac County jury. The swearer contested the decision on the grounds that it violated his First Amendment right to free speech, but that argument was rejected by two local judges.

COMMENTARY

Collaborate

Members of the Council of Graduate Students and the Graduate Employees Union should work together, or else face the risk of hurting the constituencies they represent. COGS, established in 1969, represents MSU’s entire graduate student body, or 8,000 students.

COMMENTARY

Students shouldnt be guilty for death

I was appalled to learn the university may seek consequences against the students who charged Eric Blair to enter their party this fall (“‘U’ could review student charges,” SN 3/27). As if it is not enough the Ingham County prosecutor has decided to bring charges against these students.