4 - Friday, March 16, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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KARL STAMPFL IMRAN SYED JEFFREY BLOOMER
EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflectthe officialpositionof the Daily's editorialboard. Allother signed articles
u ~and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
F ROM TI! E1A'Y
AATA gets greener
Purchase of hybrid buses good for environment, economy
The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority's announcement
this week that it will purchase at least 13 hybrid buses in
the next year should come as no shock. Initiatives from
the past couple of years - notably the purchase of biodiesel buses
and the promotion of a regional light rail system - show that Ann
Arbor is pushing for more efficient and eco-friendly public trans-
portation. Being environmentally conscious is becoming not only
more fashionable but also necessary to combat global warming. It's
good to see that Ann Arbor is keeping pace in the push to become
I want to wait and hear what John Edwards has
to say, he's kind of good-looking. "
- Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-IllI.) at a campaign stop in Iowa last weekend,
as reported yesterday by The Hill.
Beyond the tyranny ofgood causes
0
ape is rape. Anything that isn't
rape isn't rape.
As itturns out,thatargument
is more controversial than intuitive. In
a recent viewpoint, I used those words
and drew the ire of campus feminists
for violating the required sensitiv-
ity for discussions
of sexual violence.
What should have
been the baseline
for a productive
discussion instead3
revealed the deep
gulf between how
men and women
perceive rape. JAMES
In the feedback DICKSON
to my viewpoint and
in reader c-mails to myself and Daily
editors, it became apparent that some-
thing more than simple disagreement
was afoot. This was not one of those
"agree to disagree" debates. The stakes
were too high; the politicalhadbecome
personal.
Not only did critics find fault with
my criticisms of the F-Word's cam-
paign, many seemed to feel I didn't
even have a right to argue the point. In
a comment posted on the Daily's web-
site, one respondent wrote, "Any effort,
whether or notyou believe it's effective,
against rape is noble. Iam so sorry that
you are so against eradicating rape, as
it appears to be the only way you are
able to get off."
Harsh words. And telling. Sentiments
like those are why many who had the
most insightful responses to my critique
chose to remain anonymous. Whether
"ignorant," "insensitive" or "disap-
pointing," the words of dissenters were
mischaracterized and disregarded by
overzealous supporters the second they
chose to join the debate.
With sexual violence against both
men and women historically underre-
ported already, the classic argument
contends that aggressive attacks on
feminists and feminist tactics only fur-
ther discourage victims from coming
forward and seeking justice.
But many men are frustrated by this
latest round of feminist rhetoric, and
understandably so. Both my inbox and
the comments thread for my viewpoint
are full of anonymous quotes from men
who feel that they have been bullied by
feminists for years. They are happy to
hear someone speak out.
Responsible men reject the prem-
ise that men must all answer for the
actions or thoughts of rapists. We don't
believe that calling a friend a "player"
or "pimp" is even roughly comparable
to sexually violating another person.
And we certainly don't blame any
anonymous and debatable force - what
feminists call "rape culture" - when
people impose themselves sexually
upon other people.
But when substantive criticism of a
public relations campaign is equated to
being "against eradicating rape," and
when skeptics come under siege for
daring to disagree, we don't have very
fertile ground for a campus dialogue.
Feminists can discount their critics'
very real misgivings if they choose, but
writing them off as "ignorant" really
misses the point.
If men see the idea of rape culture
as a "shameless feminist scare tactic,"
then education, not moral suasion, is
necessary. If our community is truly
unaware as to the realities of rape on
campus, it means that outreach groups
have some work to do. If the F-Word's
goal is reallyto spread awareness, then
the "ill-informed"responses its spokes-
people assail reveal just how much out-
reach remains. Perhaps rather than
lampoon the uninformed, the F-Word
will study them to see what's missing:
why they view the issue so differently
and how their awareness campaign
can fill that gap.
There is hope. The F-Word's recent
viewpoint (Commit to ending sexual
violence, 03/12/2007) was the most
thoughtful explanation of the group's
motives that I have seen yet. Going
forward, it would be best if our dia-
logue was driven bythe very standards
the F-Word's spokespeople laid out:
"If our dialogue ... is not driven by the
understanding that every human being
deserves equal respect, individuals will
be unable to live as free human beings."
Feminists should
educate, not
criticize.
I couldn't agree more. If men can't
ask the tough questions without fear of
being labeled chauvinists, those of us
who aren't scared into wearing white
ribbons will instead be driven to apathy.
And no one wins when no one cares.
Communal safety is in all of our best
interest. But if the elimination of sexu-
alviolence is as worthy a cause as femi-
nists claim, surely it's one that can take
the constructive criticism that would
bolster its educational efforts.
It's not whatyou say; it's how you say
it. Feminists must learn to say it better
if they want to get the help from men
that they saythey desperately need.
James Dickson can be reached
at davidjam@umich.edu.
a
0
0
0
a truly green city.
The AATA refers to itself as a "pioneer
among transit operators nationwide in pur-
suing cleaner air." Looking at the bus line's
history of incorporating cleaner fuels and
becoming one of the first transit systems
to have all of its buses use ultra-low-sulfur
fuel in 2002, the AATA probably does have
some bragging rights. But the costs associ-
ated with becoming more energy efficient
and ecologically sound have prevented it
from fully adopting contemporary alterna-
tive energy in recent years.
Only seven of AATA's 75 buses use biodie-
sel. Biodegradable and non-toxic, biodiesel
reduces carbon emissionsby 50 percent and,
because it is produced domestically, is con-
sidered the solution to ending the country's
addiction to foreign oil. The AATA has not
fully adopted this alternative fuel because it
costs about 10 percent more per gallon than
regular diesel.
This added cost to becoming greener is
perhaps what led the AATA to explore the
possibility of hybrid buses. The Ann Arbor
News reported that while initially more
expensive than diesel or biodiesel-fueled
buses, hybrids could save the city more than
$9,000 each every year. If more buses are
purchased in upcoming years and are main-
tained, the city could save more than $2 mil-
lion in fuel costs over the next decade.
What makes these buses even more attrac-
tive to the city is the fact that the added ini-
tial cost of the buses willbe offset by funding
from the federal Congestion Mitigation and
Air Quality Improvement Program. Eco-
nomically speaking, these buses will be a
great addition to the city's public transpor-
tation system, which is rarely considered an
asset to the city's finances.
The use of hybrid buses - which consume
about 40 percent less fuel than diesel buses
- is a great way for Ann Arbor to revive its
identity of being a pioneer in environmen-
tally sensible activism. If more hybrid buses
are purchased in the next year, as AATA
Executive Director Greg Cook promises, it
will show that Ann Arbor is looking ahead
to the future of the environment and taking
care of its city.
A strong and innovative public transpor-
tation system is also necessary for any city
looking to expand and encourage more busi-
nesses to move in. Ann Arbor's transporta-
tion revitalization could be the first step
toward promoting more growth in a city
that desperately needs to make up for its
recent loses.
JOHN STIGLICH IE .- .f
Extra innings with the FCC
A few weeks ago Major League Baseball
announced it had reached a seven-year, $700
million agreement with the satellite television
provider DirecTV for the rights to exclusively
carry baseball telecasts to out-of-market con-
sumers. When the deal is officially consum-
mated, 230,000 baseball fans who previously
subscribed to the MLB Extra Innings pack-
age through their cable provider will have to
switch to DirecTV to get their baseball fix. For
those pissed-off cable customers who think
that there is no place on their roof for a satel-
lite dish, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is leading
your counterattack.
On the surface, exclusively selling television
rights to DirecTV seems anti-competitive.
Zerry, on behalf of cable subscribers and pro-
viders, is pleading forthe Federal Communica-
tions Commission to strike down the deal and
revertback to the status quo.
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has always
been behind his counterparts in National Foot-
ball League and National Basketball Associa-
bion when it comes to opening up new revenue
sreams for his league. One source of revenue
toe MLB was particularly late to open was
tellingtelecasts to out-of-market consumers.
In 2002, DirecTV and the NFL entered into
afour-year agreement for the satellite provider
to exclusively carry games that weren't nation-
ally televised to out-of-market consumers. The
deal received the blessing of the FCC because
the regulatory body's standard for anti-com-
petitive behavior in this particular market is
only enforced when media companies exclu-
sively sellitheir services to their television sub-
tidiaries.
-'For example, if News Corp. - which owns
a large share of DirecTV - exclusively sold
broadcast rights for Fox News to DirecTV,
it would be deemed uncompetitive. Without
such circumstances, exclusivity offers to tele-
vision service providers are acceptable. How-
ever, as a matter of good faith, there was an
option in the NFL/DirecTV contract to allow
cable companies the right to broadcast to out-
of-market consumers after completion of the
second year of the contract.
In November of 2004, after opening tele-
cast rights to competitive bidding, the NFL
and DirecTV agreed to a five-year, $3.5 million
extension that left the cable companies on the
outside looking in. Meanwhile, Selig watched
the NFL get rich and waited for the MLB's
opportunity to renegotiate its television con-
tracts.
Over the winter, Selig told television ser-
vice providers - both cable and satellite - to
submit their best offers for an exclusivity deal.
He maintained one condition: whichever com-
pany won the bidding had to make the MLB
Network (scheduled for a 2009 premiere) part
of its basic service package. DirecTV was the
only service provider willing to meet such a
demand.
Once again, InDemand (owned by the larg-
est cable providers) and EchoStar Communica-
tions (owned by Dish Network) are angry with
DirecTV. They are begging the FCC to inter-
vene. If the FCC was to decide in favor of the
cable companies, though, it would be engaging
in rank hypocrisy.
The NFL provides no alternative for out-
of-market consumers to watch their beloved
teams on Sunday, and the FCC has already
ruled that contract permissible - twice. In
contrast, the MLB provides an online alterna-
tive by streaming baseball games live through
its MLBTV service. For roughly half the annu-
al cost of the DirecTV package, consumers can
watch any out-of-market game online. The
MLB even includes radio broadcasts with the
subscription for free. Therefore, as a displaced
Chicagoan, I don't have to switch to DirecTV
to watch my Cubs.
In search of a truce, Selig has offered the
losing bidders the chance to keep broadcasting
MLB Extra Innings if they match DirecTV's
winning offer. So far, none of the companies
that claim to value the package have accepted.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement of customer
needs.
Until recently, satellite television providers
had been losing out because their cable coun-
terparts can offer television, Internet and tele-
phone in the same wiring at discounted costs.
DirecTV, with the largest share of satellite
customers, has targeted high-end consum-
ers by providing the most high definition and
exclusive sports programming. Without these
features, there is little incentive to purchase
satellite television. Competition would suffer
and cable rates would skyrocket.
John Stiglich is anS LSA senior and a
member oftthe Daily's editorial board.
Privatizing hospitals would
give veterans another option
TO THE DAILY:
An editorial last week (Blood, sweat and now tears,
03/08/2007) cited the privatization of the Walter Reed
Medical Center's staff asa cause for the hospital's "inef-
ficiency and incompetence." While that's true, the edi-
torial board overlooked the sad situation as an example
of the dangers of government-run ventures - especially
when it comes to health care.
Government-run ventures are perfect places for
tragedies because their occupants are trapped there.
The only things patients at Walter Reed Hospital could
do to improve their situation was write their represen-
tatives or wait for the public exposure of their horrific
situation. What if this took place in a private hospital?
The patients would leave!
If this tragedy can happen at Walter Reed, the "crown
jewel of America's veteran facilities," just think of what
would happen in a universal health care system.
Patrick Zabawa
Engineering sophomore
University shouldn't bow to
demands ofgreedy RIAA
TO THE DAILY:
Paul Howell, the Univeristy's chief information tech-
nology security officer, recently sent an e-mail to stu-
dents regarding the Recording Industry Association of
America and file sharing. While I am no longer a stu-
dent and no longer use the University network, I was
disappointed to see the University bending to the will
of a powerful special interest group. Instead, the Uni-
versity should be protecting the privacy of its students.
By aiding the RIAA in matching IP addresses to
users, the University is surrendering students to a
battle they cannot win and fines they cannot afford. I
understand that illegal file sharing is against the net-
work guidelines, but if this is the case, Howell should be
approaching the perpetrators himself. Simply handing
students over to a greedy, opportunistic, monopolistic
third party only helps to bolster these corporations'
bottom lines.
Jessie Tanner
Alum
Ry to understandfeminist
arguments before refuting them
TO THE DAILY:
As a women's studies major, feminist and LGBT advo-
cate, I was intrigued to learn that there was an view-
point about feminism in a recent edition of the Daily
(Don't be afraid to challenge feminism, 03/06/07). As I
quickly flipped through the pages, I was anxious and
already slightly angry, expecting a thoughtless, frivo-
lous commentary on feminism in general.
Instead, I found something else. I was not shocked
or angry or even all that bothered by James Dickson's
viewpoint. The response that he offered to the F-Word's
suggestions about sexual assault are common respons-
es by those who do not have first-hand experience with
sexual assault and even by some of those who do.
I can understand Dickson's desire to find a con-
crete solution to the problem of sexual assault. How-
ever, what the community needs to realize is that lights
around campus and an escort service aren't going to
do the trick, as he suggests. According to the Sexual
Assault Prevention and Awareness Center, 80 per-
cent of those who came to its office to receive services
because of sexual assault in 2002-2003 were assaulted
SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
by an acquaintance.
Not only that; the 1997 statistics from the Depart-
ment of Justice show that three-fourths of those who
experienced sexual assault . knew the perpetrator
beforehand. This indicates that although preventa-
tive measures such as lighting and escort services are
important, they will not fix the larger problem of sex-
ual assault.
If I invite a boyfriend/friend/classmate/neighbor/
co-worker into my home or meet him at a party and
am sexually assaulted, all of the outside precautions
aren't going to do me much good. Like I said, stranger
rape does occur and should be fought, but it's the more
abstract issue of acquaintance rape that the F-Word is
trying to battle with their cries against a "rape culture,"
a culture in which some men sometimes (not all the
men, all the time) think that it's OK to use coercion and
force in a sexual encounter with a woman.
Although I do understand why people want to see
something actually being done, maybe they should all
find out a little more about the issues at hand and what
exactly groups like the F-Word are doing.
Maybe it's not as silly or extreme as you think.
Alexia Moreland
LSA junior
Sulfide mine a bad deal for state
economy and the environment
TO THE DAILY:
In light of the Michigan Student Assembly Envi-
ronmental Issues Commission's Earth Week, I would
like to draw attention to the proposed sulfide mine in
Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Mining naturally evokes
a negative response in any environmentalist, but these
industrial operations are necessary. Without the nickel
derived from such mines, we would not have the bat-
teries that run our laptops and cell phones. However,
as with any economic deal, the risks must be carefully
weighed with the rewards.
First, the risks: When sulfide rock is exposed to air
and water, sulfuric acid is produced. This gas is fatal
to local wildlife, especially that of aqueous environ-
ments like the head-waters of the Salmon Trout River,
which are located directly above the proposed mine.
These waters are the only viable breeding ground for
the coaster brook trout in the Upper Peninsula. This
trout and the pristine waters that are its home fuel the
tourism industry of the region - an industry Michigan
depends on while the auto industry struggles.
Even though the Department of Environmental
Quality purports that the permit for this mine has been
held to exemplary standards, never before has a sulfide
mine been built without subsequent acid drainage.
Still, what should really alarm the public is the true
economic assessment. The 120 jobs that the Kennecott
Minerals Corporation claims it will create are tempo-
rary; the mine will be exhausted within 10 years. Such
boom-and-bust job creation can only hurt Michigan's
economy in the long run. Moreover, approval of the
Kennecott mine will set an important developmental
precedent in the mineral-rich region.
People should ask themselves: Are the environmen-
tal, aesthetic and cultural risks really worth a few years
of drilling to profit a London-based company and a
score of future mines?
Last week, the Department of Environmental Quali-
ty withdrew its approval of the project, citing transpar-
ency concerns in the permit process. This delay allows
environmentalists a valuable opportunity to protest
state approval, especially with public hearings being
rescheduled. A loud environmental response is abso-
lutely necessary.
Kalen Pruss
LSA Freshman
The letter writer is a member of the environmental committee for
the University chapter of the College Democrats.
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Editorial Board Members: Emily Beam, Kevin Bunkley, Amanda Burns, Sam Butler, Ben Caleca,
Brian Flaherty, Mara Gay, Jared Goldberg, Emmarie Huetteman, Toby Mitchell,
Rajiv Prabhakar, David Russell, Gavin Stern, John Stiglich, Jennifer Sussex,
Neil Tambe, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Wagner, Christopher Zbrozek