Wednesday, October 4, 2006 - The Michigan Daily - 7A
GENTLEMAN
Continued from page 1A
olic priest, but the we met," Gran-
holm said Monday during a debate
with challenger Dick DeVos.
Mulhern's primary duty as first
gentleman is taking care of his
and Granholm's three children.
But his work isn't limited to chil-
drearing.
"My days vary tremendously,"
he said. Some days it's coaching
his son's basketball team. Others,
it's spending time with his wife
during her travels around the state.
Some days, it's writing.
Mulhern's book, "Everyday
Leadership: Getting Results in
Business, Politics and Life," will
be released in February. He also
publishes a weekly online column,
"Reading for Leading," where he
provides guidance for mentors
around the state.
One of Mulhern's other duties
is acting as a surrogate speaker in
WI KI PEDIA
Continued from page 1A
scrutiny because their facts and
figures are often distorted by bias.
Even in races as hotly con-
tested as Michigan's upcoming
gubernatorial election, Wikipedia
has implemented few precautions
against tampering in articles about
candidates.
While Wikepedia's articles
about gubernatorial candidates
Dick DeVos and Granholm, the
incumbent, contain few overt inac-
curacies, the articles may give
readers a skewed impression.
The Wikipedia entry on
DeVos says he is considered
the richest man to run for state-
wide office in Michigan history.
DeVos spokesman John Trus-
cott disputed that. Truscott said
George Romney, a former chair
of the American Motors Corpo-
ration, was the richest man to
run in Michigan. Romney won,
and took office in 1962 break-
ing a longtime Democratic hold
on the office.
The website also says that the
DeVos campaign has spent $21
million in 2006, $16.1 of which
was DeVos's own money. Truscott
said the campaign has only spent
about $15 million - $6 million of
which was raised by the campaign.
Though the website for the
DEARBORN
Continued from page 1A
serious moral or ethical questions
which are of concern to many mem-
bers of the University community,
an advisory committee consisting
of members of the University Sen-
ate, students, administration and
alumni will be appointed to gather
information and formulate recom-
mendations for the Regents' con-
sideration."
Divestment is rare. The Univer-
sity has only divested twice in its
history. First, in 1978, the board
voted to divest from apartheid
South Africa. In 2000, it divested
from the tobacco industry.
Baydoun said the student gov-
ernment hopes to increase the
influence of the divestment resolu-
tion with a University-wide petition
drive.
Dabaja said the goal of the peti-
tion is to collect "as many signa-
tuses as possible" to convince the
regents to take up the matter.
Granholm's place. He described
campaigning as one of the high-
lights of politics.
"Campaigning is always posi-
tive," he said. "It stands in stark
contrast to the 30-second spots on
TV"
Mulhern heralded speaking with
the public as an outlet for democ-
racy, an opportunity to further
explain policy and ideas. However,
he is not particularly thrilled with
ads.
"It's tiring and depressing to
watch the cynical ads," he said,
"And sometimes that includes our
own stuff"
He said he wishes ads could be
enlightening and informative in a
short 30 seconds, but that it's often
impossible.
Even with the ads and the dif-
ficulty of not being able to see his
wife as much as he'd like, Mul-
hern is proud to be part of the
American political machine. He
maintains that both he and Gra-
nholm "still feel idealistic" about
the entire process.
This idealism doesn't necessar-
ily translate into total agreement.
Although he and Granholm see
eye-to-eye on most things, there
are a few points with which the first
gentleman is wary.
Mulhern said he is more like-
ly to err on the side of mercy
in some policies, specifically
regarding the state prison sys-
tem. The stories sent by inmates'
relatives strike a particular chord
with Mulhern.
"I would tend to be more recep-
tive to (the stories), but that's very
easy for me because I don't hear all
of the viewpoints," he said.
Most of all, though, Mul-
hern just wants to see people
get involved. Whether it is with
the government or mentoring
programs, he wants to see more
people, especially students, take
an interest in the community.
Students wonder, he said,
"Should I think about politics?"
"The answer is hell yes!"
GROUP
Continued from page 1A
identities.
Sessions are offered each semes-
ter by the Office of Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender Affairs.
"Coming out is something that
all LGBT members have to face,"
Kevin Correa, the office's adminis-
trative coordinator said.
In this semester's coming-out
group meetings, Mike will likely
meet John*, an LSA senior who
just a few months ago began the
process of coming out.
For as long as he can remember,
John was trying to convince himself
that while he had strong feelings for
other men, he could only have a
romantic connection with women.
"It was a voice in the back of my
head that I intuitively knew I had
to deal with, either by coming out
to myself, or finding some way to
find out for sure, sooner or later,"
John said.
While he was growing up, John
said he always assumed he'd even-
tually have a "normal" life, marry-
ing a woman and starting a family.
He likened his sexual experimenta-
tion with friends to "playing video
games or watching TV, just some-
thing friends do to hang out."
He even had a girlfriend for a
few weeks during his first year at
the University.
"I like flirting with girls, but I
think it's more likely than not that
I won't be in a relationship with
a girl, and that doesn't bother me
anymore" he said. "It used to both-
er me a hell of a lot."
John said part of his apprehen-
sion to the difficulty of reconciling
his sexuality with came from his
Jewish identity.
"There it's looked at as an act of
immorality," he said. "It's just not
natural"
His greatest reservation was that
should he decide to come out, he
would lose his connection to the
Jewish community.
"I wouldn't be able to have a
place in that religious world if I
wanted one later, because I just
wouldn't be the same as everybody
else" John said.
In the end, his decision to pull
away from the community was vol-
untary.
"I was really torn up about it,
and I decided I just needed to cut
myself offatleast fora little while,"
he said. "Not read anything, not do
anything, not think about it, just
cut it away from my life, or at least
until I can sort it out"
But his attitudes about the rela-
tionship between his religion and
his sexuality quickly changed
with the help of a close friend who
showed him a video of Orthodox
Jews who were also gay.
"It's a possibility for some peo-
ple, so maybe I can just be a part
of some of it," John said. "I've tried
not to violate this religious law that
I haven't believed in all my life,
and I've tried to make myself try
to conform.... I'm just finally real-
izing how free and good and liber-
ating it feels not to (follow all the
rules), I'm not interested in that:"
An only child, John has yet to
share his sexuality with his family.
"They know I haven't had a rela-
tionship with anybody for more
than a couple weeks:" he said. "I've
been saying I've been too busy,
or I've been too into my personal
projects or extracurriculars to let
a relationship with a girl develop.
Whether they believe that or not, I
don't know."
John said he isn't afraid of what
his family will think or say when
he does share his sexuality with
them. He'll do it when he knows
he's ready, he said.
"I don't want to sit one of my
parents down and say, 'Hey, guess
what? I like guys: It's not worth
rushing, and I don't like making
decisions when I'm emotionally
charged," John said.
Knowing he has a support sys-
tem in the form of the coming out
group will be a comfort when he
does decide to come out to his fam-
ily, John said.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime
experience:" he said. "To have
people who are going through the
same thing who I can talk to, it'd
be nice."
The 12-member group meets
once per week for II weeks. The
Office of LGBT Affairs, which is
celebrating its 35th anniversary
this year, has been sponsoring the
coming-out group since the 1970s.
"The purpose of the group is to
help people who are looking for
resources and assistance in living
fully authentic lives," Correa said.
John said the accepting cam-
pus environment at the University
impacted his decision to come out
by "a billion percent."
"This school just says, 'We want
to help you figure out your identity
and what's best for yourself. Here's
the environment and any resource
you could need, so go to it. Find
out who you are, and live a happy
life,"' he said.
While Mike said he doesn't
think his decision to come out
was related to his leaving for
school, he gives credit to the
LGBT office and programs like
the coming-out support group for
making the transition to college
life smoother.
"It's a whole lot easier to talk
about this stuff when no one's judg-
ing," he said.
*Names have been changed to
protect the students' privacy.
Michigan Department of State
says DeVos has contributed
$16,130,251.95 of his money to the
campaign, but does not say how
much has been spent. The Grand
Rapids Press reported Thursday
that the DeVos campaign has spent
$17.9 million on airtime alone, and
a large amount of that was DeVos's
own money.
Wikipedia also suggests that
DeVos dropped out of Harvard
and the Wharton School of busi-
ness at the University of Pennsyl-
vania, but Truscott said otherwise.
Truscott said DeVos did not attend
these universities in degree-based
programs but did complete cer-
tificate programs. He said these
programs are often offered to
executives for advanced training
and management.
According to Wikipedia, "In
1996, DeVos was appointed
by (then Gov.) John Engler to
the Grand Valley State Univer-
sity Board of Control. He also
resigned from this post before his
term was up."
Truscott said DeVos worked
five years of the six-year term but
resigned from this and other posi-
tions to run Amway after his father,
Rich DeVos, had a heart attack.
Wikipedia does not provide a
reason for these and other resig-
nations.
Granholm's entry is more accu-
rate. It is true that she appeared on
The Dating Game.
A campaign staff member said
Granholm chose between bachelors
on the show and won a trip with
one. However, when Granholm
found out that he had a girlfriend,
she urged him to take his girlfriend
on the trip instead.
The article goes on to say that
Granholm tried, but failed, to
launch a career as a Hollywood
actress. Granholm did have star
aspirations, though according to
the staff member, she abandoned
them when she realized her passion
was politics.
Wikipedia also quotes her as
saying, "I would love to run a mar-
athon before I'm 50."
Campaign officials confirmed
that Granholm would like to train
for the Detroit Marathon.
Wikipedia says that when
Granholm married husband
Daniel Mulhern, he took her
surname as his middle name,
but the entry provided no further
explanation.
The staffmembersaidGranholm
and Mulhern took each other's sur-
names as their middle names.
The Wikipedia entry includes
comments on Granholm possibly
running for president or for a seat
in the U.S. Senate, but the staff
member said she is focused on her
current job. Granholm was born in
Canada and by law cannot run for
president.
Supreme Court term begins
WASHINGTON (AP) - The second year of Roberts' Falls, S.D., was ordered deport-
Supreme Court justices wrestled tenure began with little drama, ed after he pleaded guilty to aid-
yesterday with the question of just a brief welcome to visiting ing and abetting possession of
whether convictions for minor jurists from India. cocaine. The crime is a felony
crimes should force immigrants' Eight justices, all but the under South Dakota state law,
deportation, the first case in a habitually quiet Clarence Thom- but only a misdemeanor under
term expected to make clearer as, took part in questioning the federal Controlled Substanc-
the court's direction under Chief lawyers from both sides as the es Act if it is a first offense for
Justice John Roberts. Bush administration asserted cocaine possession, as it was in
Thousands of immigrants who that immigrants convicted of Lopez' case.
have run afoul of the law, some state drug felonies are deport- "The problem here is that state
for possessing small amounts of able even if the same crimes are law and federal law are at odds
drugs, could be affected by the considered only misdemeanors in determining the gravity of the
outcome of yesterday's argu- under federal law. offense," Justice David Souter
ments. Jose Antonio Lopez, of Sioux said.
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Dabaja acknowledged that the
regents have historically not been
receptive to the idea but said the
resolution is necessary.
"We understand that in the past
the regents have not agreed with us,
but we will continue to bring this
issue to their attention" he said. "If
we cannot stop the tragedy, it is our
duty to speak out against the injus-
tice in our capacity as students."
Last March, University Regent
Larry Deitch (D-Bingham Farms)
told the Daily the regents would
not support divestment and that a
resolution from student govern-
ment would not change this.
In an e-mail yesterday, Deitch
reaffirmed his position.
When asked if there were any
circumstances under which the
University should divest or if last
week's resolution changed his posi-
tion, Deitch replied only, "NO."
Josh Berman, chair of the Amer-
ican Movement for Israel, said
divestment would be counterpro-
ductive.
"Divestment is a divisive tac-
tic focused on one-sided finger
pointing towards Israel in a way
that kills dialogue," Breman said.
"Those who care about initiating
positive change should insist in
dialogue as well as a solution that
benefits Palestinians, Israelis and
Lebanese alike"
In 2005, the Michigan Student
Assembly, the student government
at the Ann Arbor campus, voted
down a resolution calling for the
creation of a committee to inves-
tigate University investments in
Israel.
Although the vote was expected
to be close, the measure failed 25-
11.
MSA President Nicole Stall-
ings said she would not rule out
the possibility of taking up a vote
for divestment if "there was a huge
outcry from students" but said
"there are more effective ways of
exploring the issue."
Instead, Stallings said the focus
should be on "taking that dialogue
and turning it into something posi-
tive."
At least 52 killed in Iraqi violence
amid Sunni worry over new plan
BAGHDAD - A suicide creating neighborhood Shiite- Bloc, cautioned "we have to be
bomber unleashed a blast in a Sunni committees to monitor realistic."
Baghdad fish market yesterday efforts against sectarian vio- "Those who signed this
and two Shiite families were lence. The aim is to overcome blessed agreement have to con-
found slain north of the capital the deep mistrust between Sun- fess, at least to themselves, they
as violence across Iraq claimed nis and Shiites. are the basis of the problem and
at least 52 lives. Many Sunnis remain skepti- they are part of it," he said.
The U.S. military, meanwhile, cal that Shiite leaders will allow Al-Maliki's government has
announced the deaths of nine sol- security forces to crack down been under intense pressure to
diers and two Marines in what has more strongly on Shiite militias put an end to Shiite-Sunni vio-
been a deadly period for Ameri- blamed for killing Sunnis - lence that has killed thousands
can forces in Iraq. The announce- including some linked to parties of people this year and raised
ment brought to at least 15 the in the government. fears of civil war. This week,
number of servicemembers killed "I haven't seen any real desire gunmen carried out two mass
in fighting since Saturday. in the other side. There are mili- kidnappings in as many days,
Four of the soldiers were tias supported by the govern- abducting 38 people from work-
killed in Baghdad on Monday in ment," said Sunni lawmaker places in Baghdad _ attacks that
separate small-arms fire attacks, Khalaf al-Alayan. Sunnis said were carried out by
the military said. Another four U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Shiite militias.
were killed the same day in a Khalilzad said that under the Some 400 Sunnis marched
roadside bomb attack on their plan, parties that have militias yesterday at the site of one of the
patrol northwest of Baghdad. have agreed to take "responsi- kidnappings - a frozen meat
The ninth died Sunday when his bility for what their groups or factory in Baghdad's Amil dis-
vehicle was struck by a roadside people under them are doing, ... trict - demanding the govern-
bomb west of the capital. committing themselves to end- ment put a stop to the violence.
Sunni politicians expressed ing the sectarian violence." Some carried banners reading
worries over a new government Still, "there are forces that are "get police troops out of our
plan to stop sectarian violence. not under their control," Khalil- area" - reflecting the wide-
The plan, announced a day ear- zad said in an interview with spread suspicion that Shiite-led
lier by Prime Minister Nouri National Public Radio. "But if security forces have been infil-
al-Maliki, won some praise in they implement what they've trated by militias.
parliament Tuesday, but Shiite agreed to, there should be a sig- Gunmen took 24 workers from
and Sunni leaders delayed poten- nificant decrease in the level of the factory on Sunday and the
tially contentious talks to work violence in Baghdad." bodies of seven were later found
out its details. Another lawmaker, Izzat Sha- dumped in the capital. The fate
The four-point plan calls for bandar, from the secular Iraqi of the others is not known.
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