Many former youth soccer players remember the embarrassing picture button pins that our moms wore to our soccer games to cheer us on in our recreational soccer days as a youngster. We all played it, we all loved it.  For a countless amount of us, it was our first sport. So why did only a handful of us stick with it?

Photo credit: Cayden Royce

            Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, but in America, few people can even name a professional American soccer team, let alone players. When it comes to football we all know who Payton Manning and Tim Tebow are. It’s easy for us to name off countless basketball and baseball players as well. Soccer just isn’t at that level in America.

International Perspective

            “Back home soccer is the number-one sport,” said Yerbol Zhakupov, a Michigan State University senior from Kazakhstan. He is a big fan of the game of soccer and has noticed many differences between the culture of the sport back home and here in America.

“I think one of the reasons it is so popular is the influence from big European tournaments such as the Champions League. Sometimes people back home have to stay up until three or four a.m. to watch the European games. Another reason it’s so popular is that soccer is a simple and affordable sport. All you need is ball. When I was a kid, there weren’t many soccer fields, so we would just play in an open field. Instead of the goal, we would use bricks, bottles or something else to designate the goals,” said Zhakupov.

            Zhakupov said he was not surprised that soccer is not the most popular sport here in America because there are so many other sports.  He believes that it’s easy for people to get bored during soccer because sports like basketball and football have a lot of commercials and activities in between their breaks to keep people entertained, when soccer has two 45-minute periods with a short 10 minute break in between.

            In Kazakhstan when there are big events such as the World Cup, or Champions League on television, people get together to watch the games. Zhakupov said that during the World Cup, games are shown everywhere. Bars, restaurants, and other public places designated for entertainment like bowling alleys, and billiards are usually filled with soccer loving people.

“There is no such thing as tailgating though. Maybe one day I will introduce this awesome pre-game tradition,” said Zhakupov.

MSU Student Perspective

Michigan State Freshman Sean Conerty, a midfielder for the Spartan men’s soccer team also notices the different views of soccer here in the U.S. Conerty has been playing since he was four years old and says that when he plays soccer, nothing else is on his mind.

MSU Soccer Fans in Fall, 2012. Photo credit: Julia Grippe

“I’m not bothered by the unpopularity of it here. It’s the sport I love and no one else has to, although they are missing out,” declared Conerty. “The only time I really notice it is when you compare it to other sports. The most we’ve had at our games is about a thousand, while home football games fill up the whole stadium that seats 75,000 or so and the Breslin fills up the whole venue during Men’s basketball games as well,” said Conerty.

Conerty admits that he watches European leagues more than American leagues. The reason for that being that there is far better competition and teams. Conerty recalls going to Europe this past summer to train and he could clearly see differences.

 “One of the clubs we trained at had a facility with housing. It was a school just for kids that played soccer. They would go to classes, then come out and train the rest of the day and they would even have fans at their training sessions,” Conerty said.

A History of Soccer

            Peter Alegi, an associate professor and soccer and global sports expert at MSU, has a contrasting view on the popularity of soccer in America. He believes instead of focusing on soccer as “unpopular”, we have to look at the history of the sport in order to fully understand the journey it has gone through.

                  Alegi pointed out that in the 1880s soccer was really the only organized American sport besides baseball, which started in the 1870s.  Soccer was huge when it first started. In the 1920s, the United States had one of the top professional teams in the world.

 “In fact, at the time when the American Soccer League was created, [the teams were] paying so well that many excellent players from Scotland and England came to play for them,” said Alegi.

            The Great Depression is what put a damper on soccer organizations in America.

            “The ASL was [at its] largest in the 20’s, but in 1929 the crash really undermined the fan base,” reported Alegi. Then of course, WWII did not help.

            Professor Alegi pointed out that when televised sports became big in the 1960s, unfortunately at that time soccer didn’t have a professional league. Therefore, TV was the tool that other professional sports teams used to become extremely popular.

            Alegi noted that by the time the World Cup came to the United States in the 1994, it was the best attended World Cup in the history of World Cups. “These are signs that rather than focusing on the unpopularity of the game in the United States, it’s really about the growth and decline. It has never been absent. In fact, right now I think we’re at a peak,” Alegi said proudly.

            When it comes to Americans watching European soccer, Alegi encourages it.

“I think that is one of the drivers. In other words, how can American soccer get better if we’re not engaging in the highest quality game overseas? That’s how kids learn their moves and that’s how their imagination grows and develops. You always want to follow the best,” said Alegi.

            Professor Alegi says that he doesn’t think soccer is going to become like baseball, football, or basketball, but it doesn’t mean that one should look at soccer in America as unpopular. It may never get to a super bowl level to where it can focus the attention of a nation, but Alegi truly believes we are moving in that direction.

During his second inaugural address Jan. 21, 2013, President Barack Obama made history. Never before has an American president argued for the legalization of same-sex marriage or called for gay rights during an inaugural address.

In his speech, Obama said that same-sex marriage must be legalized in order to move the country forward.

“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well,” he said.

Obama’s historic stance represents a larger trend of Democratic politicians now favoring and pushing for the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Matt Grossman, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Michigan State University, said a dramatic positive shift in public opinion caused this shift which forced politicians to change their stance on same-sex marriage.

Students made fake proposals to same-sex peers in support of gay marriage in Case Hall. Photo credit: Maleah Egelston

He said the issue of legalizing same-sex marriage wasn’t controversial at first because the majority of Americans were completely opposed to the idea.

Since then, there has been a slow trend towards more support in both the public and politicians for the legalization of same-sex marriage, said Grossmann.

“Today, people are now overwhelmingly for gay marriage,” Grossmann said. “Most of the activism comes from those who are for gay marriage, not the other side.”

One way students show their support for gay rights at MSU is through joining the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) caucuses in their residence halls.

Members of the LGBT caucuses work towards educating the student body on issues faced by the LGBT community.

James Madison freshman Kaitlyn Beyer, Case Hall representative for the South Neighborhood LGBT caucus PRISM, said she sees MSU becoming more accepting and inclusive towards the LGBT community.

PRISM does not take official political stances so as not to exclude any member of the community, but Beyer said she is excited about the Democratic Party’s push towards the legalization of gay marriage.

“The Democratic Party is supposed to be the party that stands up for minorities,” she said. “Supporting same-sex marriage is just another step towards representing everybody’s opinions- not just straight white men.”

Beyer said that even though she is excited about Democrats’ newfound activism, she is skeptical about how much Obama will be able to accomplish.

Along with her doubts, Beyer said she thinks the issue of legalizing gay-marriage could further divide American voters by forcing them to choose sides, making any progress impossible.

An Elvis impersonator “officiated” the fake marriages in Case Hall. Photo credit: Maleah Egelston

“I think the President’s stance could make people more divided between the parties. People who are moderate may be drawn to one political party over another because of their thoughts on gay marriage,” she said.

In general, Grossmann said Americans don’t base their political decisions on the candidate or party’s stance on same-sex marriage.

Though she strongly supports the legalization of same-sex marriage, social relations and policy sophomore Kylie Cumback said a candidate’s stance on the issue doesn’t really influence her vote.

“How a candidate feels about same-sex marriage is important to me, but there are other issues that are more important to me that determine who I vote for,” Cumback said.

Grossmann said gay voters are more likely to vote for a liberal candidate who supports gay rights even if they see themselves as conservative or moderate because of the personal connection they feel with this issue.

Even though Republicans have been reluctant, he said the party is now slowly moving towards accepting same-sex marriage and other gay rights in order to gain the support of moderate or conservative gay Americans.

This summer, the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on two pieces of legislation dealing with same sex marriage.

One piece of legislation in question is the Defense of Marriage Act, which if overturned will require the federal government to recognize state-recognized same-sex marriages.

The other piece of legislation in question is California’s Proposition 8, which will determine whether states’ same-sex couples must be recognized in states where same-sex marriage is not legal.

Though these cases are important, Grossmann said he is skeptical about how much influence they will actually have.

“A majority of the justices on the current Supreme Court are conservative, so I don’t see these rulings as the time when gay marriage will be legalized,” he said.

Grossmann said even though he is skeptical about the influence of the court cases, he still sees public opinion moving towards universal acceptance of same-sex marriage.

He said he believes this shift will lead to the legalization of same-sex marriage.

“The passion used to be against gay marriage,” Grossman said.  “Now the passion is overwhelmingly in favor of it.”

Elijah Dikong is a visiting assistant professor in Michigan State University’s Department of Statistics and Probability. Dikong hails from the West African country of Cameroon, but has spent a considerable amount of time in the United States. The Big Green talked to Dikong about his education background and cultural differences he has observed in American both within and outside of the college environment.

The Big Green: What made you want to teach in America?

Professor Elijah Dikong: Everybody wants to come here. America is the number one country in the world… probably in everything. I say probably because I think there are some things that other parts of the world put America maybe second or third.  First of all, I did my Ph.D. and I wanted to gain more experience teaching here. When I had my PhD, I went back home [to Cameroon], worked for two and a half years; but I really wanted to come back to benefit from the scientific group in my area, and expanding my knowledge, and not to forget the American Dream.

TBG: Where did you get your Ph.D.?

Prof. ED: Florida Institute of Technology.

TBG: And how did you end up here [at Michigan State]?

Prof. ED: See, when I went back home… there [were] two full ride scholars, from [the United States] who came to teach where I was teaching in Cameroon. They were just fascinated with my work-the devotedness, the seriousness- I’m using the words that they themselves used. So, when they were leaving. I chatted with them and asked them if they could invite me over to their institution. Well, they promised when the got back they would talk to the chair of the [statistics] department, so when they got back they put me in contact with the chair of the department. I was invited for two semesters, but I had the possibility to stay for three years. But they started to have budget problems; because of that I moved over to Southern Illinois University. They too started to have budgetary problems, so they couldn’t support my scientific work, and I then moved on to Michigan State University. I applied with the Department of Statistics and Probability, I came for the interview, everything went smoothly, and here I am.

TBG: From what you’ve observed, can you describe about how collegiate students in America are different than collegiate students back home?

Prof. ED: It was very evident to me. One of the first things I [noticed] when I started teaching here. Now, don’t get me wrong, there’s a good chunk of American students who are very serious. But, if I take the whole group, I’m really disappointed. If I take students in my [home] country, they’re very serious, very concentrated, very devoted. Now, you find some American students who are like that, again, don’t get me wrong. But, if I take the whole group of students [in Cameroon] in terms of seriousness, devotedness, they are the top and with limited resources. Here, there is almost everything and most of the students don’t want to take advantage of [it]. Now one other thing I noticed between American students and the students in my home country is that, you know, the students in my country are very respectful to their professors. [In Cameroon] you don’t call your professor by his first name; I know that is a culture here. Or…what I’ve noticed sometimes: a student gets into my office, doesn’t even greet me. Can’t say ‘Hi’ or ‘Good morning’. Just bumps into the office: ‘I’ve come to take that quiz that I didn’t take.’ To us, it’s like an insult. But, I’ve learned that that’s the society, and it doesn’t bother me, but initially that troubled me a lot. [In my country], you come into your professor’s office, it’s ‘Good morning sir’ or ‘Good afternoon’, you ask what  you’ve come for. You don’t just get in and you start telling the professor why you’re there without greeting, or at least acknowledging him, his position, and so on.

TBG: Are there any other cultural differences you’ve noticed outside of the collegiate environment? Like food or strange little things?

Prof. ED:  Food is very evident. In my country it’s totally different. Here, you eat a lot of fast food, you know, burgers. I think about five years now I still have problems eating burgers.

TBG: You’ve been in America for five years now?

Prof. ED: Yes, close to six even. I still have problems with food, typical American food. You know, I go to the Trowbridge, the nearest city [that] will have some African food stores and get some African food and come home and cook. I eat American food, but it’s not my priority. I have American friends, they visit me, you know, and I enjoy barbequing. But in terms of food, if you were to ask me if it were possible for me to bring all my traditional food from Cameroon over here, I would do it.

 TBG: Slang is probably a big difference as well.

Prof. ED: You mean like slang used by Americans? Yeah, I’m getting used to that. Initially it was tough, ‘cause a student would talk to me and I would not even understand. Now, they are not conscious that they are talking to a professor, they want to maybe be a little more formal. They use more of the ‘street slang’ of language. The one difficulty I had when I came back [to America], our society [in Cameroon] is slow-paced, so we don’t speak fast. Americans speak fast, they like shortcuts. Like I always say ‘I’m going to’, you say ‘I’m gonna,’ -something like that.  Now I understand that.

TBG: Now, overall how would you describe your time in America? An enjoyable experience?

Prof ED: Oh yes, yes overall. I don’t regret coming back here, I love it. If I have the opportunity to still teach here as long as possible until I start having grey hair, then I will go back home.

Meet Yushen Xiang, a political science freshman. Although born in Beijing, Xiang, who goes by the American name of Christina, has lived in America since 2009, when she enrolled at a boarding school in Maine. 

The Big Green: What drew you to America?
Yushen Xiang: “I came here for high school first, and I think the culture and education make me really wanna come here.”

TBG: What drew you to Michigan State?
YX: “I heard there’s an ice rink, ‘cause I do figure skating. I didn’t do figure skating during high school because we only have snow but we don’t have an ice rink. I was like, ‘Well, I’ll join the team,’ and so I just came here.

TBG: Are you on the team?
YX: “I was before but not right now. I just quit cause I had work to do.”

TBG : Did you go to a boarding school [for high school]?
YX: “Yeah….I lived on campus and we only had like 250 students. It [was] a small school. [We would] go snowboarding during winter trimester like every single day, and people there are really nice. I enjoyed my life there.”

TBG: What do you like about living on campus at Michigan State?
YX: “Its near the dining hall. I know Brody Square [near Rather hall, where Xiang lives] is the best dining hall on campus…I can go have dinner or lunch whenever I want, it’s just near my residential hall. I feel like its pretty convienent to live on campus, I can take buses to wherever I’m going to class…and I don’t need to worry about eating.”

TBG: Have you made any new friends on campus?
YX: “I have a couple friends.”

TBG: Can you talk a little bit about your culture at home in China?
YX: “There’s so many people in China, so it’s hard to findI have friends back in China, but it’s different, actually with American people. When I went to high school I felt like Americans are really friendly…you can talk to them, you don’t have to think about it too much. When I talk to Chinese [people] , I have [to be careful].”

TBG: Like manners-wise?
YX: “Yeah. And the education is definitely [different]. Like in China, we have large classes and many students, teachers wont care about you…you just do your work by yourself. But like in America…has a good enviorment for me to study.”

TBG: What are some other difference between life home and life here?
YX: “Well..I became more independent since I came here, since my parents are not here. Like, when I was at home, my mom[did] everything for me…she washed the clothes, and [cooked] breakfast, dinner, for me. I just need to care about my studies, I don’t need to care about anything else. But since I’ve been here… I’ve had to take care of myself. But, I think I’ve learned a lot. I have to do that, because when I get into society I have to do everything by myself.”

TBG: What’s your favorite part about being in America, or what has been over the past few years?
YX: “Culture and making a lot of friends. The openess [of the culture]…and I can make choices by myself. I can do whatever I want… in China, most Chinese students are doing what their parents want them to do. I was like, what I want to do is that thing that I can do very well.”

TBG: What about American culture has surprised you the most?
YX: “Teachers are more friendly…. Not right now, but when I first came to the United States. I had an advisor in high school and [she] was like my mom. [She was] just like family, [she] cared not only about my school and academic work but also my life, like helped me get involved into American culture.

TBG: How has your experience at Michigan State been so far?
YX: “Pretty good. My major [is] political science, so I was planning to transfer to another college…but I’m still working on it right now. I want to go to to George Washington because they have a good major. If I successfully transfer to that school, I’m going to go there, but if I fail again, then I think I’m going to stay here.”

TBG: What do you miss the most about home?
YX: “Food! Athough I love the food here, but it’s kind of different. The Chinese rice they have here… it’s good, but [it’s] not real Chinese food.”

TBG: What are your future plans?
YX: “I want to get a job that can connect both America and China… like international relations. I know that I’m gonna miss my mom, I might stay in America, but I want to be able to travel between the United States and China.”

Elections yield more results than just the next presidential candidate. The decision to elect comes down to deciding on economics, foreign policy – even the rights of women.

With women feeling the strain of having their rights impacted being one of the largest faces of the election this year, many are likely wondering what the recent results of the election will do for them.

Democratic nominee President Barack Obama and GOP nominee Mitt Romney both faced the challenge of what they would each do for women and whether or not they would be the candidate to take federal funding away from family planning services.

Marie Rose, a sophomore at Michigan State University, feels that the outcome of the election held two very different possibilities for the future of rights for women.

“I think that since Obama won, it’s a huge relief for women, especially for women’s issues,” said Rose. “There’s no more threat against Planned Parenthood. For many women, this means they get to keep their health care.”

Under President Obama, the family planning service Planned Parenthood, which received much attention this election, will see a budget of $104,790,000 for teen pregnancy prevention, according to Planned Parenthood’s website. This hot topic issue was the source of seeing a potential cut by Romney. 

Jordan Shawver, a sophomore at Western Michigan University, believes that whether or not Planned Parenthood would be affected played too large of a portion in which way women voters would swing.

“I feel as though some of the issues were blown way out of proportion,” said Shawver. “In my opinion, I believe in less government. I believe the fewer funded programs the better.”

Shawver, a sales and marketing major, felt that although women’s rights were a large part of the debates that occurred throughout the fall, monetary and fiscal policy would have remained at the highest concern.

Paul Abramson, political science professor at MSU, values the difference between each candidate and the different places they each held within the realm of women obtaining their rights.

“I think the type of nominee Obama will make will be substantially different than Romney would have made,” said Abramson.

Abramson said that Obama held the power to impact women’s rights with his Supreme Court nominations over the last four years, though it is too early to see if Obama’s next term will impact women’s rights.

“What you’ve had are pro-choice nominations that will fly under the radar as to their position on ‘Roe versus Wade’,” said Abramson

Roe v. Wade, brought to the Supreme Court in 1971 according to appeal records, solidified current laws allowing abortions to take place.

“We know women were substantially more likely to vote Obama,” said Abramson.

Rose, a social work major with a minor in women and gender studies, feels passionately for the Democratic Party’s stance on the rights of women.

“If Mitt Romney were to shut Planned Parenthood down like he said, that would force a lot of women to even lose access to cancer screenings,” said Rose. “I think we would lose a lot of access to women’s reproductive rights.”

Rose, said she believes that women need to have control over their reproductive rights, the face of the women’s rights issue, and that it should be federally funded to an extent.

With Republican Party members crafting comments on pro-choice versus pro-life, most notably Congressman Todd Akin’s (R-MO) comment about legitimate rape against illegitimate rape, the issue of abortion could not escape media attention.

“I don’t know why it has been blown up so much lately,” said Rose. “No woman wants to have an abortion. People who are pro-life don’t understand that. I don’t know how people can call themselves pro-life when it can potentially kill the mother.”

Although the issue of abortion is not the only issue in the realm of women’s rights, it seemed to be the face of the debate.

“I do not believe that this position of life versus choice will change anytime in the near future,” said Shawver. “Nor do I see congress taking steps in changing it at all.”

While it is well known that social issues typically align more with the Democratic Party platform rather than the Republican Party’s, the issue holds importance for all involved.

“I feel as though many more women voted for Obama to protect their rights, especially on the reproductive side,” said Shawver. “With some of the Republican pressures on women, it seems as though they felt like they were being attacked and, rightfully so, they voted oppositely.”

Meet Andrew Cox, a mathematics junior who comes from a land down under, hailing straight from Melbourne, Australia.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Cox

The Big Green: What drew you to America, and more specifically, Michigan State?

Andrew Cox: “I came to America because I was interested in seeing what it would be like to study in a different English speaking culture. I was born in Ohio, so I was very keen to study somewhere in the mid-west and I wanted to go to a big university with an active sports program as well. In the end I chose MSU because it had the academic program I was after, as well as hundreds of school groups to be a part of.”

TBG: How has your family supported your choice to study abroad?

AC:  “I’ve been away from home for about six months now, which has been the longest time in my life. My parents and family have all been very supportive of me going away, but I miss them and am looking forward to seeing them again next year. I miss my brother, who will have graduated school and be at university by the next time I see him.”

TBG: Where do you live at MSU? How has that experience been for you?

AC: “I live in Wilson Hall in the South Neighborhood. It’s been a really good way to get to know people and I’ve really enjoyed the experience for the most part. It is slightly strange though, because in Australia by the time you graduated high school, you wouldn’t share a room with anyone ever.”

TBG: What activities are you involved in on campus?

AC: “I play underwater hockey at MSU, which is a lot of fun. We train twice a week, and I went to London, Canada for a tournament with my team, which was a really memorable weekend.”

TBG: Can you talk a little bit about your culture at home?

AC: “Australia is quite similar to America in many ways, but there are some differences. While we still love our sport we play Australian Football, Rugby and Cricket at home. Because there aren’t as many big cities in Australia, there will generally be a fairly even mix of fans at a game, and the stadiums aren’t like fortresses for the home team chants. It’s also much warmer at home, which is something I miss a lot!”

TBG: What are some other differences between life at home and life in America?

 “While we speak the same language in Australia, I often get caught out saying things that have absolutely no meaning to American people. I think attitudes towards things like politics are very different in Australia, as the intensity of the attack ads in the recent election was a real shock [to me]. At home I am also really used to eating food from all over Asia and across the world such as Indian, Thai and Ethiopian but I’m finding that most people here don’t really like food like that.”

TBG: What is your favorite part about being in America?

AC: “I love getting to discover something new every day. There are hundreds of little differences, which I am slowly finding out about. Halloween was a particular highlight for me, and a huge change from Halloween at Australia where it falls in the middle of our exam period and is not really celebrated.”

TBG: What has surprised you the most about America?

AC: “How nice and welcoming the people are. Before I came to Michigan I was traveling around the U.S. and people would invite me to stay with them or help me find where I was going. It’s the same at MSU, people will go out of their way to make you feel welcome and are very friendly and more than happy to start up a conversation with you.”

TBG: So you’ve been treated pretty well here then?

AC: “People have always been really nice to me and really interested in what I’m up to. Everyone seems to enjoy my accent so I think I’ve been asked to ‘just talk’ by people I’ve just met about 500 times since I got here

TBG: How would you describe your experience as a study abroad student at Michigan State so far?

AC: “Studying abroad at MSU has been a lot of fun. All the study abroad students went through orientation together, so I have lots of friends also studying abroad here. It has been a bit of a shock compared to university at home, where most people live off campus in the main part of the city, go to their classes at university each day and then go home again. Attendance has never been marked in lectures for my degree, and your lecturers don’t know you at all and don’t really worry whether everyone passes or fails, so you have to be much more proactive in getting help. There is also a lot more continuous assessment in the form of homework and projects here, at home I am used to exams worth about 70% of the final grade for a subject.”

TBG: What do you miss most about home?

AC: “I miss my dogs the most! Every time I talk to my family, I Skype the dogs in the backyard and get them to do tricks through Skype. I also miss my friends, and just hanging out with them. I also miss the food from home, and being able to go to the beach whenever I want to.”

TBG: What are your plans for the future?

AC: “Unfortunately I need to go home after this semester to continue my studies in Australia, but I’m hoping I can come back soon and see all the people I’ve met here, because I’m going to miss them!”

The darkest of nights seem to happen farther from home, approximately 20,465 miles in the town of Benghazi, Libya.

The U.S. consulate in Benghazi became alight with antiaircraft weapons and rocket propelled grenades the night of September 11, 2012, leading to the death of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, along with three other Americans.

Stevens was found dead in a Benghazi hospital the morning after the attack. Radical militant group Ansar al-Shariah is being held responsible for the four deaths, along with 15 members of Libyan security.

Yussef Magariak, president of the Libyan National Congress, apologized for the attack by his fellow countrymen. Magariak stressed that Libya wants to work with the United States to resolve the issue of radical militias.

Photo credit: Julia Grippe

East Lansing is a far way from the tragedy held in Benghazi on September 11, yet that does not mean the MSU community remains immune from being affected.

Myles Baker, 20, a political science junior at MSU, felt empathy for the townspeople of Benghazi, along with the nation of Libya.

“This is a worldwide topic that hits home,” said Baker. “These are the circumstances that start wars.”

Baker is feeling the strain of the recent attack on Libya, even from East Lansing.

“My major has the potential to be impacted by this attack and by what the United States decides to do,” Baker said. “I do feel like this was more of a political attack than an attack on America.”

Students across campus have reacted to the U.S. response to the Libyan attack in a variety of ways.

Courtney Poli, an international relations sophomore, tried to justify the attack and the response that followed.

“[Libyans] have a lot of built up resentment towards the States. I don’t necessarily disagree with the response to the attack – the U.S. has made mistakes in the past, but rarely takes responsibility. It’s time someone did,” Poli said.

Poli, originally from Singapore, looks at this attack as a possible detriment to her future career.

“What worries me is that I want to take the diplomacy route after graduation,” she said. “It could affect my future, which is what frightens me the most.”

With the November 6 election soon approaching and the criticism by both Republican and Democrats on how the attack was handled, many may wonder how it will affect the election’s outcome.

“[Criticism of the Libyan attack] could potentially help Obama,” said Baker. “His stance on less involvement could be keeping not only himself safer, but the whole of the United States, and us here in East Lansing.”

Although the attack on Libya is present in the minds of those in and running office, it might not be as prevalent to students around Michigan State in regards to the election.

Photo credit: Julia Grippe

“Students can skew it any way they want to for it to fit into this election,” said Poli. “As an international relations major, I want to vote for whoever knows not to step on every countries’ toes. To do this, you need to read multiple sources to gain all the facts; many of my peers do not do this.”

According to The New York Times, President Obama sent out tighter security for all American diplomats, in addition to sending 50 marines to the Libyan capital, Tripoli, to assist the American embassy located there.

Republican nominee Mitt Romney disagreed with Obama’s reaction to the attacks, accusing Obama of treating the attack with minimal response.

“I personally don’t believe Obama’s response was wrong. In retrospect, these four lives aren’t enough to start a war over,” said Poli. “The consequences of a rebuttal attack will affect all of us career wise, and make our finances more of a struggle once we graduate. America can’t monitor the whole world.”

The direct cause of the attack has not been identified, yet the Libyan newspaper Albawaba has reported from the front lines of the attack. Albawaba reported that Stevens had been preparing for American troops to enter Libya, which could have been a possible trigger.

Also reported to be a cause of the September 11 attack in Libya came from an American made video entitled, “The Innocence of Muslims,” depicting the Islam prophet Muhammad as a homosexual child molester, furthermore insulting the Islam religion.

“The video was horrible. I would say this could have stemmed the attack due to blatant disrespect,” said Baker. “But they [Ansar al-Shariah] chose the wrong outlet to describe their dislike.

With the attack being on the date of September 11, the issue has arisen that the attack was a glory kill to remind Americans that al-Qaeda is still alive.

“It was twice the insult to attack an American embassy on the date of the worst attack on American soil,” said Baker. “Almost a reminder that it could happen again.”

The impact of 9/11 is still upon many students at Michigan State, and the most recent attack on the American embassy is drawing many students back to the memorable day.

With the response to the attack still in the works and the Ansar al-Shariah militia now disbanded, Michigan State students can assist in working to create a progressive future where America might not have to be subdued with foreign attacks.

“This could really affect the future of International Relations,” said Baker. “This will be falling back on our generation – we have to be ready to pick it up.”

Typically a YouTube video’s success is measured in likes, views, and positive comments. But there are some statistics that can be more telling: injuries and deaths.

In July, a Youtube user who goes by the name of “Sam Bacile” uploaded a 14- minute video entitled Muhammad Movie Trailer, which sparked an outcry resulting in almost 700 injuries and 75 deaths across the Middle East.

The trailer for Innocence of Muslims on YouTube has sparked political and religious controversy worldwide.

The video, a trailer for an independent film entitled Innocence of Muslims, portrayed the Islamic prophet Mohammed fairly negatively, which is frowned upon and heavily discouraged within Islam.

In September, the video was dubbed in Arabic and received international exposure, accumulating in demonstrations and riots on September 11,which resulted in the death of U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and 18 others.

To fully understand the reaction to the video, it’s important to consider the significance of Muhammad amongst Muslims.

“The Prophet Muhammad’s way of life, actions, mannerisms serve as a practical guide for Muslims to follow. Thus Muslims try to emulate him in every little aspect be it growing a beard, dealing with patience, respect, honor, etcetera,” said Thashin Sadar, President of the Islamic Society of Greater Lansing.

“When Muslims saw their role model being abused with a deliberate intention of insulting him, our God and religion, people took it very hard upon themselves. When what you believe in so dearly and try to implement his teachings in every facet of your life is insulted, people react angrily to it.”

Despite this, unflattering depictions of Muhammad are not uncommon. In fact, there have been a number of similar incidents in the past. There was even a heavily promoted Everybody Draw Muhammad Day in 2010, which generated considerable controversy.

“Some Americans continue to represent him to make an anti-Islamic statement and/or to make a statement concerning Freedom of Speech,” said Mohammad Khalil, professor of religious studies, specifically Modern Muslim Thought, at Michigan State University.

“What is more, for those living under authoritarian regimes that regularly censor the media, it may have been difficult to comprehend why the United States government could allow this film to be produced.”

This miscommunication between cultures is something many other commentators and spectators have noted, including Sadar.

 “There needs to be a dialogue on what free-speech is and media content that is deemed hateful against people or religion or cultures should be denounced swiftly by people of all faiths and standing,” Sadar said. “Hate propaganda should be countered with one of education, love and understanding.”

However, Sadar is not optimistic in this regard.

“Unfortunately, nothing much will change,” said Sadar. “Free speech is here to stay and will continue to be abused by the ungentlemanly kind. It has, and it will lead to more hate between people of different religions, cultures. Instead of building bridges of understanding, it will divide and pit people against one another. More lives will be lost and property will be damaged.”

Sadar said it is a misconception that these protests are only motivated by the video and the disparity between freedoms of speech.

He also said that he believes America’s tenuous relationship with the Middle East undoubtedly played a role.

“There were pent up feelings in the predominantly Muslim majority countries in what they perceive as American aggression on their countries under the guise of war on terror, and continued occupation of their lands and undue influence in their governance,” he said.

An Arab-American student at MSU, who wishes to remain anonymous, also believes international relations played a large role. The student acted as a translator for the U.S. army in Cairo in 2008, and witnessed Anti-Americanism firsthand.

“U.S. foreign policy, such as military actions and support of Israel, further divides the West and the Middle East,” he said. “Many people would have dismissed the provocative intentions of the video clip, had they not have been convinced that it reflected the sentiments of the US government.”

Khalil said that another largely accepted fallacy is that the majority of the Muslim world is supporting and encouraging violent protesting. However, this is countered by evidence that those participating in such protests make up 0.1 percent of the 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide.

“The protests may be widespread, but the number of protestors constitutes a relatively small proportion of the Muslim population,” he said. “Like the protestors, the majority of Muslims were probably offended by the film. But many of those who did not protest stressed the Qur’anic command: Be patient with whatever they may say.”

Each month, global view will feature in international student at Michigan State, and share their insights on life at home and abroad.

Barbara Kotei took a path that includes not only highways and streets, but also oceans when she first arrived at Michigan State University.

Kotei, a molecular biology freshman, is an international student from Ghana, located in West Africa.

Barbara Kotei is an international student from Ghana.

Kotei said she was already familiar with MSU before she became a student.

“I met with the admissions office [before choosing to attend MSU],” said Kotei. “I had a couple of friends here, and I even came here with another boy from high school.”

In addition to the friends that Kotei knew before she came here, she said she appreciates the friends she has made on her floor.

Kotei said she made friends on the floor through intramural soccer and has made more friends at MSU from going to salsa dancing classes.

However, she also said that although her American friends are generally receptive, a lot of them don’t fully understand where she is from.

“People don’t know much about Africa,” said Kotei. “I have to explain that [Ghana] is a country, and that Africa has countries.”

Kotei said that Ghana is a unique country with many different cultures and languages, with many of those languages being a tribal dialect representative of Ghana’s diverse culture.

“I can speak three languages: Gha and Twi, which are tribal languages, and English,” said Kotei. “Many people are unaware that English is actually the official language of Ghana.”

Kotei said that she also tried to study French in school, but found her experience to be difficult and uninteresting.

Kotei lived South Africa for two years, and she said the culture of both countries was similar.

She also said that her hobbies at home are not much different than those of average young Americans.

“I like to hang out with my family and friends a lot,” said Kotei. “I really was able to bond with my friends there, as well as my family at home.”

The major difference she noticed in American culture upon arriving at MSU was the freedom of expression.

“People express themselves a lot more freely here,” she said. “The dress is different, there [are] transgender individuals, too.”

Kotei also said that this freedom of expression applies to language as well.

“The way [Americans] speak in general [...]at home, it’s rare to see people cuss so much,” she said.

However, Kotei said that her experience in America and at MSU has been a good one so far.

“People have been very receptive; it’s been a good time so far,” she said.

Hello. I don’t remember what round of Global View Goes Out to Eat this is, and I don’t care. Let me tell you why: Senioritis.

I can’t make myself go to class. I haven’t done a reading in I don’t remember how long. This is the longest sentence I’ve written in a month. My friend just texted me telling me we’re going to Rick’s tomorrow night. Today is Monday.

El Oasis, on Michigan Avenue in Lansing.

So, in the true spirit of my disease (I think senioritis has been certified as such by the CDC at this point), for this month’s column I declined to actually go to a restaurant where I have to sit down, wait for food, and in general behave like a normal, civilized human being, and instead went to a food truck. But it’s a food truck that doesn’t really move, so is it even really a food truck? That is too existential of a question for my level of brain function right now.

You have probably realized that I am speaking of El Oasis, the Mexican food truck (?) located on Michigan Avenue as you head west towards the Capitol, kind of across the street from Theio’s (the place that I don’t understand why everybody loves; its takes forever to get in at breakfast which is the only time you want to go, service is super slow, and the food kind of sucks). It is in a parking lot and there is nowhere to sit down and eat there. For where I’m at in my life right now, this is ideal. For you, it may not be. Adjust your expectations accordingly.

The menu is pretty standard Mexican fare – tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas and so on. However, don’t expect Taco

Part of the (very well-priced) menu; pretty standard Mexican fare except for the beef tongue and tripe tacos.

Bell. This stuff is legit (or at least it seems legit to me, but I am not exactly a connoisseur). The food is all homemade (truckmade?) and there was a woman wearing a pink polo shirt that said “La Jefa” (The Boss) on it giving orders in the background, so all in all, the scene is pretty awesome. There was also a token hipster in line, a given with any food truck experience.

So my friend and I grabbed our food and ran back to the safety of our apartment to take pictures of it without the hipster judging us for being so lame. I had “Gregorio’s Special” (who is Gregorio?), which consisted of a beef taco and rice and beans, and I got some pico de gallo on the side because I had chips at home and I am obsessed with pico.

The taco consisted of a soft tortilla (the good kind, not the kind from the $1.50 pack you get from Meijer), ground beef, lettuce, tomato and cheese. It was definitely really great – flavorful and clearly fresh – but I had severely underestimated the size. I’m used to Americanized Mexican places where the servings are for, like, that kid in Matilda who ate the whole chocolate cake. This was for a normal person, even a not-super-hungry normal person. All of my illusions about Mexican portion size have been shattered. The rice and beans saved the meal, being kind of spicy and delicious, and most importantly, filling. I got the hot sauce on the side, but it wasn’t that great. It was a strangely electric orange color and weirdly bitter, although, it was indeed, very hot.

The pico de gallo, on the other hand, was really good – it was pretty standard tomato, white onion, cilantro (all uncooked) mixed together with some lime juice. The ingredients were definitely very fresh, probably the only really important thing about pico de gallo, but in my opinion the amount of lime juice was excessive. But what do I know? I’m just a white girl from the suburbs.

Beef taco, rice and beans. Tasted a million time better than it looks, I swear.

My friend got a small burrito (like me, she was expecting Chipotle-like sizes and so opted for a more human-like portion) and also ended up wishing she had ordered more. That being said, it was a good option for a vegetarian – it contained beans, rice, sour cream, avocado, lettuce, pico de gallo and cheese. She also got the mild sauce, which was definitely the better choice of the two sauces. It was kind of a green chili sauce with a bunch of cilantro, which is personally one of my favorite herbs.

What? You don’t have a list of favorite herbs?

Also in the plus column was price. The burrito was $3.50 and my taco plus rice and beans plus pico de gallo came out to $4.25. However, you might spend a little more if you are actually getting enough to create a whole meal – we had to supplement with the little food we have left in our cupboards (we have too much senioritis to go the grocery store).

All in all, it was a successful outing. We ate good Mexican food. We didn’t have to hide the fact that we ate it all in five minutes, since we were in the privacy of our own apartment. And most importantly, we avoided the dreaded scorn of the hipster.

Here are my conclusions:

-       Order more than you would at a more Americanized Mexican place; portions aren’t huge

-       If you own a fixie, you should ride it to El Oasis. You would fit in there.

-       Go for the mild, not the hot sauce

-       You should try either the beef tongue or tripe tacos, because they’re on the menu and I wanted to but was too scared/hungry

-       It is hard to accomplish things in April of your senior year

THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT!