Opinions - The Eastern Echo

Rich-poor difference is ominous reality

By Clement Daly · Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010

Census data released last month gives a glimpse of the extreme social polarization that exists in the United States. According to the Associated Press, the income gap between the rich and the poor “grew last year to its widest amount on record.” Moreover, the U.S was found to have the greatest income disparity of the world’s advanced capitalist nations.

Recession could soon become recovery

By Neil Weinberg · Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010

You can’t turn around today without someone reminding you how bad the economy is and how devastating the most recent recession has been. Agencies pile on poor recovery statistics and experts talk about horrific long-term effects, suggesting the people born in the 2000s will be worse off than their parents.

Third parties have new chances

Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010

According to the Associated Press, the GOP is making a grab at the Northeast. Whether or not they have a chance, the article briefly mentions the GOP’s problem of being associated with the Tea Party.

Fincher film draws attention to social issues

Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010

Since its release, “The Social Network,” a David Fincher directed film about the founding of Facebook, has enjoyed positive critical reception, garnering a 97 percent rating from Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie review website, and earning encouraging reviews from established critics such as Roger Ebert and Michael Phillips.

GOP and Big oil destroying USA

By Donald Stuckey II · Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010

How many people talk about finding a perfect partner, the people they’re going to spend the rest of their life with?

Thought Police reminder: Weed corrupts clean life, beloved by Communists

By Kody Klein · Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010

My beloved EMU students, I write to you out of desperation to beckon you to action. We as a nation have yet again become afflicted with “reefer madness.” I speak, of course, of the widespread use and gradual legalization of cannabis.

Homophobic nation stifles gay rights

By Neil Weinberg · Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010

On Nov. 2, the primary issue on the minds of voters will be the economy. Most people will be thinking about jobs, taxes and trillion dollar deficits.

Fixing deficit may require new strategy

By Chris Hoitash · Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010

President Obama has been busy lately. In a relatively recent Reuters article he spoke about the national deficit, which the article stated is at $1.47 trillion.

Obama backs debatable candidate for Congress

By Michael Cassar · Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010

At first glance, it should not be particularly noteworthy that President Obama should choose to make an appearance in a political ad on behalf of Cedric Richmond, the Democratic challenger to Republican Joseph Cao’s seat.

Policy failed to be repealed by Senate

By Andrew Best · Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010

On Sept. 21st the bid to repeal the controversial “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy failed in the Senate. The policy prohibits openly gay Americans from serving in the military while at the same time prohibiting the military from inquiring about the sexual orientation of a candidate for military service.

Gay marriage is well over due to be legal

By Kody Klein · Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010

It is time gay marriage be made legally possible and socially acceptable. The members of the gay community are American citizens. More importantly, they are human beings, and they deserve the same rights and opportunities as the heterosexual majority.

Opinion: Westboro Baptist Church protesting soldiers' funerals

By Neil Weinberg · Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010

On March 3, 2006, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder was killed in action in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. A similar line could describe most of the other soldiers who have died in the last 7 1/2 years of combat. But, the similarities end there.

Letter to the editor: Echo cartoon creates local controversy

Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010

The recent publication of Jason Promo’s Sept. 27 comic illustrating several characters dressed in hoods, a tree with a noose, and one character saying to the other, “Honey, this is the tree where we met” horrified me.

Supreme Court approves human rights violations

By Clement Daly · Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010

The last two weeks have marked a turning point in the erosion of democratic rights in the United States.

Representative Grayson launches verbal attack

By Michael Cassar · Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010

Firebrand Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson is now facing a strong backlash after an attack ad launched against his opponent, Daniel Webster, took Webster’s words out of context while comparing him to the Taliban.

Michigan will recover, despite leadership

By Neil Weinberg · Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010

For the third time in four years, the Michigan budget came down to the wire. It appears a shutdown will be avoided.

Patriotism should be re-evaluated

By Kody Klein · Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010

There is a centuries-old cancer debilitating all of humanity, stunting its growth and threatening the peaceful coexistence of its members.

Although parking is competitive at Eastern, students don’t have to walk very far to get to their classes, like many University of Michigan students do.

Is Eastern's parking really that bad?

By Jesse Peck · Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010

Parking: Putting your car in a designated spot for an allotted amount of time so as not to get a ticket.

Obama's initiative causes competition

By Clement Daly · Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010

Over the summer, Michigan was passed over in the second round of the Obama administration’s “Race to the Top” initiative. Through RTT, Obama had the states compete with each other over a paltry $4 billion in federal funding for public education. The winners were those who went furthest in carrying out the administration’s education reform principles.

Take time to discover Constitution

By Chris Hoitash · Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010

Americans love the Constitution. We might argue what it means or try to change parts of it, but as a general rule we like it. Despite this adoration, it seems people aren’t as familiar with the document as you might expect.