Opinions - The Eastern Echo

Obama needs to use clout now

By Neil Weinberg · Monday, June 7, 2010

Over the last couple weeks, numerous reports have surfaced that the White House offered a number of political contenders jobs within the executive branch if they would step aside in favor of an administration-backed candidate in several Democratic primaries.

Politicians should stick to beliefs

By Michael Cassar · Monday, May 31, 2010

Following his Republican primary victory in Kentucky, Dr. Rand Paul’s more Libertarian views have come under increased scrutiny.

Opinion: Stop wasting time blaming BP

By Neil Weinberg · Monday, May 31, 2010

Earlier this week, Comedy Central showed a rerun of the South Park episode mocking the global warming hysteria and the Katrina response. In the face of a terrible flood, Stan Marsh asked his father if someone was going to help the people stuck on their roofs after seeing the damage on the nightly news. Randy Marsh, always the stereotype, responded by telling Stan, “[helping the people] doesn’t really matter, son. What matters is whose fault this is.”

Republican savior yet to step forward

By Neil Weinberg · Monday, May 24, 2010

There’s a wonderful line in Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road” that seems relevant amid the speculation of who is readying to take the reins of the Republican Party. Springsteen sings, “You can …waste your summer praying in vain for a savior to rise from these streets.” It seems ever since 11:00 p.m. Nov. 4, 2008, the party has been looking for its next standard bearer. First it was Sarah Palin. Then it was Bobby Jindal. After that it was Scott Brown.

Shift focus from race to Miss USA

By Mike Cassar · Monday, May 24, 2010

With the Red Wings and the Pistons no longer playing and the Tigers’ starting pitching looking a little shaky, we in Michigan may be more inclined to take note that our own Miss Michigan, Rima Fakih, was crowned Miss America. After her win, her ethnicity quickly became the focus of many articles and columns. It took the Associated Press no more than seven words to mention that Ms. Fakih is an Arab-American. Freep.com even ran an article titled “Arab-Americans across country praise Miss USA.” It would seem to me that now would be a good time to pause and look at the relationship between one’s nation and ethnicity in America.

Obama's pick adds mystery to Court bench

By Chris Hoitash · Monday, May 17, 2010

The new choice for the Supreme Court has been named, and that name is Elena Kagan. Unlike some other choices for the current vacant Court position, I’ve never heard of her, and I’m not alone.

People can handle information excess

By Neil Weinberg · Monday, May 17, 2010

When President Obama spoke at Hampton University on May 9, he took some heavy shots at the modern media environment.

Marriage should not be test-driven

By Michael Cassar · Monday, May 17, 2010

In an April 7 opinion piece published in The Echo, Ms. Hannah Schwab suggested adding an expiration date to marriage would be an improvement over its current state.

Opinion: Harwell holds special place

By Neil Weinberg · Monday, May 10, 2010

Long before I could tune into every Major League game on my Blackberry for $14.99 a year, I had a boxy gray radio that looked like a small suitcase with two round dials. It was perched next to my bed on most of the summer nights of my youth and was tuned to the smooth voice of Ernie Harwell.

Oil spill reveals GOP hypocrisy

By Sammy DeMarco · Monday, May 3, 2010

“Drill baby, drill” became the Republicans’ 2008 presidential campaign motto. Now one has to wonder if it will be “drill baby drill ‘til it spills baby spills.” The drill advocates are as silent as a swamp cricket laced in raw crude.

Letter: Animals that reach PETA 'often beyond hope'

Sunday, April 18, 2010

I would like to clarify statements made in “Pet Stores, Puppy Mills Cause Bad Behavior” (7 April). The animals who come through PETA’s doors — not counting the thousands we sterilize at our low-cost clinics and return to their guardians — are only a tiny fraction of the estimated 6 to 8 million homeless dogs and cats who enter shelters every year.

Colleges less liberal than you'd think

By Tim Barker · Wednesday, April 14, 2010

ST. LOUIS – It’s tempting to think of college campuses as islands of enlightenment, places where students embrace new ideas, people and cultures without the specter of hate hanging overhead.

Big 3's decline could restore public transit

By Chris Hoitash · Wednesday, April 14, 2010

So the idea for a rail between Ann Arbor and Detroit is being delayed. It’s technically for Michigan as a whole, which has had a long history of not having decent public transportation.

Children have no 'return to sender'

By Hannah Schwab · Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Torry Ann Hansen made international headlines last week when she returned her adopted son, Justin, to Russia.

A little taste of everything

By Chris Hoitash · Sunday, April 11, 2010

Spring has arrived, in all it’s depressing, beautiful glory. With the semester coming to a close I find myself working to prepare for final exams, and yet at the same time so many obscure things are happening that I have an opinion on. So I have compiled several of them to get them out to the world efficiently while I prepare for finals.

Why does everybody in Washington fight?

By Hannah Schwab · Sunday, April 11, 2010

For the past few weeks, rumors have been circulating in Washington, D.C., that Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens was making his way toward the door and into the land of retirement.

New nuclear plan changes nothing

By Neil Weinberg · Sunday, April 11, 2010

A lot of speculation has been made about the president’s recent announcement regarding the American nuclear strategy

Letter: Polite's impact felt across EMU

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Eastern Michigan University’s Dean of the College of Education, Vernon Polite (1949-2010), will be remembered as a scholar, mentor and activist – particularly for his groundbreaking work on the education of African American males. While Polite had many accomplishments before and during his time at EMU, the ones that had the most powerful impact on me, and I believe on many others, were the summits he organized: the first was on “The State of the African-American Male in Michigan,” the second was on African-American women.

Letter: Teachers' skill needs probing

By Zachary Zeid · Wednesday, April 7, 2010

To Whom It May Concern, I have a question for you. Why are there never any articles about the quality of teachers at Eastern?

Congress should be pursuing civility

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

The GOP should be ashamed of itself. You would think the Republican Party would get a clue, but unfortunately that is not the case. When the House passed healthcare reform just a few short weeks ago, members of the tax Tea Party were outside the chamber hurling racial slurs at members of Congress.