Opinions - The Eastern Echo

Time to move past racial bias

By Jumanah Saadeh · Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010

Of all the major events that have occurred in the past decade, including Y2K, Hurricane Katrina, and the recession, the single most notable event is undoubtedly 9/11. People of all ages remember where they were and what they were doing when they first heard about the catastrophic crash. Understandably, it became the number one news item, and much political and media havoc ensued.

The year of the superlatives ends

By Neil Weinberg · Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010

Over the next few weeks most of you will read and hear countless thoughts on the past year. It’s likely that the majority of those opinions will contain phrases like “most important,” “unprecedented,” “historic” and “monumental.”

Past decade brings change to U.S., but individuals have to decide extent

By Chris Hoitash · Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010

As the decade comes to a close, the end of a year and a semester can get a person thinking. These thoughts can be philosophical, like why am I going to graduate school when Alaska has free gold?

Christmas creates double standard: Festivities haved shaped Western society

By Michael Cassar · Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010

At the shallowest margins of cultural discussion, serious implementations of tolerance are ignored in favor of power exhibitions on the future of retail slogans.

Christmas creates double standard: People who perpetuate holidays different ways are misrepresented

By Kody Klein · Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010

I was driving back to campus from Grand Haven and saw along I-96 a sign that said, “Merry CHRISTmas.” It seemed comical to me, and I chuckled.

Democrats must compromise less

By James Tatum · Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010

Now that most of the punditry has silenced over what Pres. Obama called a “shellacking,” there is still something missing from the questions asked of the midterm election results. The question isn’t whether or not the election results were a referendum on the Obama administration and the Democratic Party. It’s not how can the Democrats possibly do anything now that they have lost their supermajority in Congress. The question is – what will the Democrats learn?

Letter to the Editor: More to Baby Boomers than supposed slacking

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010

I read Neil Weinberg’s column “Baby Boomers created mess” that was in the 11/29 Echo. I am a baby boomer, born in 1957. I have no problem with the core of Weinberg’s article, and I actually enjoyed most of it.

Immigration reform still requires review for success

By Michael Cassar · Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010

While illegal immigration has temporarily been out of public interest, in favor of more pressing economic issues and more salacious airport security stories, there is no more an agreed-upon solution now than there was at the height of the debate surrounding Arizona’s recent, but increasingly forgotten, immigration law

Eventful last decade summed up

By Jesse Peck · Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010

Oh, the last decade – a time of tribulations, political bouts and semantic arguments. It has been a time where uncertainty springs from the violent nature of the world. Terrorist attacks from extreme militant groups have targeted not only our country, but also many different countries abroad.

Baby Boomers created mess

By Neil Weinberg · Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010

Their parents carry one of the most admired titles of the last century. Their children will carry an enormous burden. They came of age during Vietnam and Woodstock and they put down roots after the Cold War. The Baby Boomers found an America with no ceiling, and left it with no floor.

Bipartisanship still unlikely; system flaws open chances

By Chris Hoitash · Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010

According to The Washington Post, the Young Democrats want change. One of their articles mentions how “a new class of junior lawmakers is exerting its influence by challenging the chamber’s sacred traditions and the partisan, top-down governing style that has marked the past two years.” “The young Democrats, many of whom will be on the ballot in 2012, reject the view that the Senate must move at a glacial pace that only its most senior members get to determine the policy agenda, and that bipartisanship has become the purview of the naive and nostalgic.” It’s nice there are some politicians who think there’s hope for partisanship and change in our government.

False pretenses create a holiday

By Kody Klein · Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010

I love the unabashed gluttony of Thanksgiving as much as anyone else, but I take issue with the symbols we associate with it.

Thanksgiving is culinary NyQuil

By Michael Cassar · Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010

As much as I’d like to take Thanksgiving and use it as a backdrop to craft an ode to nationalism, my enthusiasm for jingoism is dampened by just how dull this holiday actually is.

Wearing a hijab sign of strength

By Jumanah Saadeh · Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010

“What’s that on your head?” “Why do you wear it?” “Does your dad make you?” These are questions hijabis encounter frequently. “Hijabi” is a term used by American Muslims for women who wear headscarfs and modest, loose clothing.

Underage drinking OK for combat vets

By Jesse Peck · Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010

The issue at hand today, my dear reader, considers our military. I’m not going to go on a diatribe that bashes the Iraq-Afghanistan engagements that envelop our country. I would instead like to discuss the availability of alcoholic beverages to underage soldiers. Is it right? Is it wrong?

Meaning of holidays lost to Americans

By Neil Weinberg · Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010

This country has a funny tendency to only remember important days once a year. Last week, you couldn’t turn around without bumping into someone talking about Veterans Day. The populace was ablaze with patriotism, and everything seemed in order.

Blame goes around in girl's suicide

By Sammy DeMarco · Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010

What word comes to mind when thinking about what happened in New Boston last week, when a 14-year-old high school freshman hanged herself the day before testifying in court about her alleged rape? Tragic.

Capitalism fails to promote access to culture

By Clement Daly · Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010

An essential component to any healthy society is the level of culture enjoyed by its population. In a modern, complex society such as ours, access to culture becomes a basic requirement for a comfortable, productive and meaningful existence. By this virtue, the access to culture is a social right of the population which is inalienable – it cannot be taken away, nor can it be ceded by those who possess it.

New congress to deal with earmark issues

By Chris Hoitash · Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010

The Tea Partiers who made it into office are trying to do something sane for a change and ban earmarks.

Black charges challenged by hindsight and courts

Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010

The hardest part of writing about the innocence of Conrad Black, the Canadian-born member of the House of Lords and former newspaper mogul, is trying to figure out what he is supposed to be guilty of. As a would-be defender of Black, I feel this gap in knowledge would hurt my case if not for the fortunate surprise, It appears, the prosecution has no advantage over me in this regard.