Tuesday, April 7, 2026

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COMMENTARY

Secrecy, please

Congress needs to exercise a little more restraint. Certainly many members have heard the cliché “loose lips sink ships.”Yet, that’s just exactly what could happen if certain members of Congress continue their methods of handling classified information.It was discovered last week that congressional leaders had leaked sensitive information regarding troop deployments and military security to the press.A furious President Bush sent out a memo in response, ordering key department heads limit their briefings to the four major leaders - Senate majority and minority leaders, and House majority and minority leaders - and the chairpersons and ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees.The president is willing to compromise with Congress and expand the circle of lawmakers who are allowed to receive the most confidential briefings.

COMMENTARY

Commission choice followed state law

The Michigan Public Service Commission would like to provide clarification to your Oct. 2 editorial “Power play.” Your editorial questioned whether the selection of three public relations consultants in connection with the energy competition customer education campaign required by Public Act 141 of 2000 was done in a manner that advantages the major electric utilities.

COMMENTARY

Ending the evil

Traumatized by their attackers, sexual assault survivors are made to feel ruined and humiliated. But they’re not only victimized by the rapist who attacked them, but by the society that treats them.Survivors have long received the short end of the stick when it comes to reporting the crime and getting medical treatment.One of the best ways to find and convict a rapist is through the use of a rape kit, a small box containing various tools to collect forensic evidence.But these kits, along with the personnel costs, examination fees and hospital stays involved add up - sometimes with a bill of more than $800 that the survivor pays.And even then, examinations can often be cold and inattentive, completely lacking in the care the situation demands.

COMMENTARY

Worthy cause

In the weeks following Sept. 11, America has rallied around its charities as they’ve sought to heal the wounds left from the attacks on New York and Washington.It’s in the spirit of helping those that have helped us that the state Senate gave final approval Tuesday to a measure creating a state license plate to benefit the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

COMMENTARY

Irish wronged by U athletic program

State News columnist Eric Lacy congratulates MSU head coach Bobby Williams for taking the football team onto the field for the nationally televised pregame memorial for the victims of Sept.

COMMENTARY

Oh, my gas!

The Cadillac Escalade, the Ford Expedition, the Lincoln Navigator. Top-of-the-line sport utility vehicles are the newest, most popular vehicles on the market, meeting consumer demands of size, safety and quality. These SUVs are eye-catching and you may look good driving them, but those who own these vehicles fail to realize how they affect carbon dioxide emissions or how much money they waste on gas. King-size SUVs such as the Escalade and Navigator are among the worst gas mileage models of the new 2002 passenger vehicles, as rated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

COMMENTARY

Volleyball shows grace, excitement

I came to MSU as an assistant professor in fall 1966 and have been fortunate since that time to attend many exciting sporting events, including being in the stands for the 1966 game against Notre Dame, and in Indianapolis for the Final Four tournament two years ago. At the urging of our daughter, I attended my first women’s volleyball game in Jenison Field House recently.

COMMENTARY

Secret war

As the United States adds another armed conflict to its list of battles through the years, the American public and the media begin clamoring for all the information that can be found. In an intense campaign where information is paramount to success, how much can we really expect to know? President Bush has told us many times in various addresses that this will not be a war like what we’re used to.

COMMENTARY

Diverse downtown

May’s closing of Bagel-Fragel Deli, and the gradual disappearance of other locally owned stores in East Lansing, brings about a sense of loss to many students and longtime community members.

COMMENTARY

Religious fanatics misguide too many

I’m surprised someone finally spoke out about an issue I find somewhat prominent: misguided religious fanaticism. Craig Gunn’s assessment of atrocities carried out in the name of religion is accurate (“Time for the dissolution of organized religion,” SN 10/4). While I’m not a religious person, I do think religion can be a good institution when it isn’t being moderated by fundamentalist demagogues.

COMMENTARY

SNs music taste misses truly local

I was delighted to see your article on local music in Friday’s State News (“Broken melody”10/5). But I wasn’t at all surprised by what I found in the content. Any exposure for local bands is great, but it seems as though every time there is an article on local music, the same bands are mentioned.

COMMENTARY

Retaliation

For the last three weeks, the Bush administration has been warning Taliban officials they had better accede to our country’s demands, “or else.” Sunday, the first wave of our “or else” struck targets in Afghanistan, including the capital city of Kabul. B-2 stealth bombers and cruise missiles were used in attacks throughout the Texas-sized nation beginning about 12:30 p.m.