4 - Tuesday, November 27, 2007 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 45109 tothedaily@umich.edu KARL STAMPFL EDITOR IN CHIEF IMRAN SYED EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR JEFFREY BLOOMER MANAGING EDITOR Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solelythe views of their authors. The Daily's public editor, PaultH. Johnson, acts as the readers' representative and takes a criticallook at coverage and content in every section of the paper. Readers are encouraged to contact the public editor with questions and comments. He can be reached at publiceditor@umich.edu. A moral 1mperative Opponents of embryonic stem cells are running out of reasons Money isn't everything, but for a state in an economic mess like Michigan's, it has to be an eminent consider- ation. Add that to the list of reasons why the state's dra- conian laws against embryonic stem cell research are outdated and must be repealed. With more and more states putting their funds into the stem cell research industry, Michigan is falling behind. Choosing morals over money is usually justifiable, but not in this case, where the purported system of morals opposing embryonic stem cell research makes no sense. I know that this president does not harbor any resentments. Never has." - White House Press Secretary Dana Perino on President Bush's attitude regarding his meeting yesterday with former vice president Al Gore at a White House event honoring this year's Nobel Prize winners. BrilRgi ngmen to women'sstudies W omen's Issues: Driving have programs that are geared in name There are some reasonable argu- Michigan men to Monday solely toward women. Michigan is one ments for having a program whose Night Football and Bud- of those schools, and it hasn't hinted at name alludes only to women. It allows weiser since 1973. changing its status anytime soon. an open arena for feminist ideologies Suffice it to say, Some of the other 20 - among and narrows in on topics generally when female con- them all of the Ivy League institutions covered in psychology and sociology. corns or feminist a - have required classes or program Also, many could argue that the Uni- ideologies come up structures similar to the University's. versity's program shouldn't be forced in a conversation, But all have renamed their programs to change its name only to get more most men are apt - such as the Feminist, Gender, and men to take its classes or concentrate to skip out and run Sexuality Studies Program at Cornell in the program. Besides, the program the other direction, - " University - or added to their existing already offers minors in Lesbian/Gay/ fast. When sinilar THERESA women's programs - such as the Les- Bisexual/Transgender/Queer Studies issues or perspec- bian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender as well as Gender, Race and Ethnic- tives are framed in KENNELLY Studies Program at UCLA. They have ity; what's changing the department's a less genderized crawled out of the "women's stud- name going to do? and polarizing ways, however, the ies" shell and created programs with possibility for real conversation and broader bases. progress may open up. The renaming of existing programs M en mustjoin Take "gender issues," for instance: and the branching-off of related pro-.m s Now that sounds like a more inviting grams comes at a time when American the conversation conversation to men. "Gender and universities are looking to become sexuality"? They're all ears. more accepting toward different about As a Daily article earlier this month sexual orientations and reach out to a" X outlined, the University has made a wider population with sexuality- great strides in offering female-orien- based education. What's encouraging tated education since the women's lib- is the move hasn't occurred simply for For starters, renaming it would be erationmovementofthe1970s. In 1972, politically correct reasons, but instead a symbolic gesture toward opening up student rebellion led the University to for the expansion of education and to the program for men and recogniz- create its first women's studies course. draw further attention toward gender ing that gender studies should not be When the experimental course fizzled norms and ideologies and spark fur- limited to women. Without male per- the following semester, the Commit- ther exploration. spectives, how can we get anywhere tee on Women's Issues stepped in and When the University of Colorado at in terms of breaking down gender convinced LSA administrators of the Boulder changed its program's name roles and expectations? There are alse legitimacy and necessity of women's from "Women's Studies" to "Women structural problems in the Universi- studies at the University. In 1973, the and Gender Studies" in 2006, an asso- ty's program that extend beyond its University welcomed Women's Stud- ciate professor in the department said, title, such as the fact that of the more ies to LSA as an interdisciplinary pro- "The name change enlarges the defini- than 80 faculty members in the wom- gram, bringing the University in tune tion of women because it acknowledges en's studies department, only three with the women's social rights move- how each gender shapes the identity of are men. This - along with its name ment and calming students' cries for a the other ... The understanding of gen- - creates an image that the depart- female-specific department. der relations is an important factor in ment is OK with excluding men. At the time, the University was at the effort to achieve women's equality As one of only two female opinior the forefront of offering such educa- with men." Schools are realizing the columnists at the Daily, I understand tion. Today, however, 34 years after need to incorporate men into conversa- the need for more sexuality based con- the induction of the women's studies tions aboutsexuality, rather than alien- versation. There is pressure - wheth- department, the University has fallen atingthem from women's programs. er its spoken or just implied - put or behind. Women's studies has become These philosophical reasons for the women at the University to discuss the outdated older sister of more pro- name change at programs at universi- female-specific topics. Perhaps if mer gressive programs, which are run ties around the country is what makes weren't so stigmatized from sexual- at top-rated universities around the Michigan's stagnation so confusing. ity studies at the University, maybe country. What's taking its place? Gen- The University's women's studies we could create better conversatior der and sexuality departments. program was once groundbreaking, around women's issues, and met Of the top 26 undergraduate col- and the University's administration is would be more willing to discuss or leges in the country, as rated by U.S. known for its progressive ideology and write about gender-related issues. News and World Report (Michigan is acceptance of all people. The Univer- tied for 25 with the University of Cali- sity is certainly not one to lag behind Theresa Kennelly is an associate fornia at Los Angeles), 24 have gender- in making a sociologically conscious editorial page editor. She can be related studies. Of those 24, -only four reformation by changing the name. reached at thenelly@umich.edu rJ ,S T r 1 S S Embryonic stem cell research has plenty of potential. All but the wackiest scien- tists agree that the undifferentiated state of embryonic stem cells makes them espe- cially promising in the search for new treatments and comprehensive cures for diseases like Parkinson's, diabetes and can- cer. True, other research avenues - like adult stem cells drawn from the spinal cord and the recent discovery by researchers in Japan and at the University of Wisconsin at Madison of a process that could deem skin cells just as malleable as embryonic stem cells - also have potential, but embryonic stem cells are the most readily available, flexible and understood choice. Restricting research on embryonic stem cells and pushing researchers toward more restrictive adult stem cells or nascent tech- niques not yet fully understood only serves to delay the considerable medical benefits that could lead to cures to some of the most debilitating diseases of our time. With can- cer alone killing half a million Americans every year and recently becoming the lead- ing cause of death in some states, we don't have time to drag our feet. Opponents of embryonic stem cell research cling to morality as their basis for condemning what they see as the destruc- tion of human life. However, the blasto- cysts from which embryonic stem cells are drawn are from fertility clinics and would be discarded anyway. There is no chance that the blastocysts that are destroyed to extract embryonic stem cells would oth- erwise be allowed to mature into actual human beings: There are too many embry- os being harvested, and the vast majority will inevitably be thrown out. What exact- ly is immoral about using blastocysts to research ways to save the lives of half a mil- lion or rore people in this country alone? It's no surprise that the strongest opposi- tion to erbryonic stem cell research comes from states that are traditional religious conservative strongholds, like Louisiana and Arkansas. Michigan cannot risk ignor- ing true morality and economic pragma- tism by remaining on the list of states with laws most hostile toward embryonic stem cell research. The tide on this issue is turning: There is a push in many states to loosen laws restrict- ing embryonic stem cell research and des- ignate more funding for such research. If Michigan remains among the few states that ignore all modes of reason to stand by outdated laws, it risks losing top research- ers to states with more permissive laws and tax revenue from high-tech companies. What a crippling hit that would be to top research institutions like the University - and to a state economy that has already suffered so much at the hands of outdated policies and irrational politicking. e P e e r 0 s e e e n d - - n s n - e n n .r :e e a. SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Emad Ansari, Anindya Bhadra, Kevin Bunkley, Ben Caleca, Jon Cohen, Milly Dick, Mike Eber, Gary Graca, Emmarie Huetteman, Theresa Kennelly, Emily Michels, Kate Peabody, Robert Soave, Jennifer Sussex, Neil Tambe, Matt Trecha, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Rachel Wagner, Patrick Zabawa JOSH BERMAN Carr went beyond winning There was Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr, smiling at the microphone during the press con- ference. Michigan had just lost to Oregon, 39-7. A season that had national championship expecta- tions was already marred by disappointment, as the team opened with two of the most embarrass- ing losses in the history of the school. The nation- al championship was a distant dream, and most fans were just praying for a bowl game. At the epicenter of a university crushed by the on-field onslaught and amid a barrage of questions suggesting that the game had passed him by, Carr displayed a most curious expres- sion. He was grinning, a twinkle in his eye. It was the face of a man hiding something, revel- ing in the cluelessness of those around. I was confused and perplexed, furious at this man who had let me down. How could he smile at a time like this? I wanted to berate him, yet I was intrigued. This wasn't the first time that Carr's smile left me captivated and confused. It had happened before, after losses to Ohio State, Texas and to other weaker and less talented teams. Carr's comments built an impenetrable wall that kept journalists in the shadows. Buthe often had the slightesthint of a smirk across his aging face. Why was he smil- ing? Did he silently agree with his critics' asser- tions that it was time to move on? As I watched the usually stoic coach nearly cry as he announced his retirement, what Carr had known all along dawned on me as an epiph- any, a true light in the imaginary darkness of a disappointing season. Football is a tool. It is the means, not the ends. Over the past decades, somewhere between the silos of money and the scrutinizing media, the integrity of college football has been dealt a blow reminiscent of linebacker Shawn Crable's devastating hit that left then-Notre Dame quar- terback Brady Quinn eating dirt last year. Ath- letic departments have win-at-all-cost attitudes - secretly paying players, lobbying and whining to the media to up their position in the polls and makinga mockery of the education at the institu- tion that these student-athletes represent. It wasn't the evolution of the mobile quar- terback that made Carr feel as if the game had passed him by so much as the degradationofval- ues necessaryto win at the highest level - a com- promise that he was simply not willing to make. To Carr, football builds men. It builds character. It unites the community. These are the ends for which football is atool. These are the values for which Carr coached. No doubt Carr passionately wanted to win every game. Yet lie knew that life exists out- side of football. He knew that one day his play- ers would hang up their pads and cleats. As the Xs and Os became meaningless, the values that he taught would be essential. In the harshest of worlds, Carr taught his players how to deal with adversity, how to hold their heads high when things don't go accordingto plan. In a society where most blame others while hogging the glory, Carr taught players to not make excuses when things go wrong and to be humble when things go right. He knew that everyone makes mistakes, so he taught his players to not give up and to earn a second chance (ask Adrian Arrington). He stressed the importance of edu- cation above all else. He showed his team that it wasn't about winning; it was about winning the right way, "winning with integrity." When wide receiver Antonio Bass suffered a career-ending injury, Carr did not revoke his scholarship in order to bring in another player. He kept Bass on scholarship so he could earn his degree. When reworking his contract last year, Carr ensured that all of his assistants would be paid through February2009. He knew that a new coach would most likely not keep his assistants, and he wanted to make sure that they would be able to care for their families. This year, when Chad Henne was struggling against Ohio State because of a serious shoulder injury, Carr kept him in. This is what Henne had sacrificed and suffered for, and Carr could not take that away, even if it meant a loss. He felt that to win the wrong way wasn't really to win. In teaching his team, Carr taught us. The ignorant may scorn Carr, but ask the players and there is no doubt that Carr has been one of the most successful coaches in the country. No coach in the country can compare to Carr when it comes to the love he has from his players and from his community. Carr knew that the lessons and values he taught his players would allow them to be champions. Long after the whistles stop blowing, the band stops playing and the hel- met is forever retired to the mantel, he ensured that his players will still be leaders and best. Coach Carr, I finally know your secret. Now that Iknow, I'm smiling too. Josh Berman graduated from LSA in 2006. A thankyoufor a touching, realistic take TO THE DAILY: I'm the mother of a 12-year-old with autism, writing to thank Jessica Vos- gerchian for her recent article about this topic (My Family's Syndrome, 11/21/0707). In sharing this very pri- vate and no doubt emotional part of her family life, Jessica provided the most clear, concise, honest and real- istic picture of Asperger's Syndrome I've read in the 10 years since my son was diagnosed. This is a phenomenal piece of writing, and I have no doubt that it will make a difference in the lives of many families whose children haven't been diagnosed, but do in fact have Asperger's Syndrome. This arti- cle will be the lightbulb moment for many, resulting in children and adults getting the support they so desperate- ly need to excel. Thank you Jessica for the view from your shoes. Lisa Vaillancourt Aroostook County. Maine Guns make for a more dangerous society TO THE DAILY: This letter is in response to Mike Eber's column in Monday'sDaily (Guns are for liberals, too, 11/26/2007). While the massacre at Virginia Tech is fresh in our minds, we should also consider that it took place just nine days shy of the 10-year anniversary of another infamous shooting massacre. On April 25, 1997, a lone gunman killed 35 peo- ple and injured 37 others in Tasmania, Australia. Ten years ago, the Austra- lian government imposed strict gun control, despite warnings and aggres- sive protests by pro-gun groups. Today, Australia is a safer country. The wrong people can still get guns on the blackmarket, but people feel safer today than 10 years ago in terms of gun crimes. I could walk around the streets of Australia without a care about guns, which is pretty difficult in America. People argue that we need the guns to protect ourselves. That argument is foolish. As eye for an eye never solves the problem: Like Martin Luther King Jr. said, it just leads to a lot of blind people. When people with guns decide to shoot others they usually don't care about their ownlives, but their ultimate aim is to kill as many people as possible. Even if they see the other party draw- ing the gun, they will simply shoot and run away. Regardless of who fires more quickly, there will be someone injured or shot dead because of guns. Can we reduce the number of peo- ple being shot dead by arming people? It's easy to think so because gun con- trol in America has failed miserably for the last 30 years. But this failure is because gun control has been wrongly implemented and is not strict enough. What is so wrong in trying out strict gun control for the next five to 10 years, and truly gauging what happens to people's attitudes and gun crime rates in America? I'm willing to give up my gun ownership rights for the next 10 years in order to create a safe place for my child to grow up. America will never be a safe place to live in as long as people freely possess guns. Clement Lee Alum interprets the Second Amendment to the Constitution with the view of 200 years ago. Remember, this was a time before automatic weapons, and also long before the government had F-18 jets, M-21 tanks, sophisticated GPS- guided missiles and other technolo- gies that the public has no access to. If he thinks that a mass of individuals with concealed weapons would some- how stand a chance against the U.S Army, he's living in the same overly simplistic world of those who think concealed weapons mean less violence in the first place. Maybe his guns would have pro- tected Eber 200 years ago, or in 'a third-world country where the govern- ment is armed with the same outdated weapons - but not here, not today. Not only does he completely fail in his goal to potentially protect against agovern- ment gone tyrannical, but Eber is also partly responsible for the increased violence against his fellow citizens. Ben Franklin would have been more proud of those who carefully examine the purpose of the Second Amendment critically instead of blindly following it like it's still the 18th century. 0 a Gun advocates make Jeffrey Harding e .o LSA senior mistakien interpretations TO THE DAILY: A1two-std There has been a flurry of debate is the onh about gun ownership of late in The Michigan Daily. Most writers have made the obvious mistake of using TO THE DAILY generalized arguments as evidence I thought th instead of statistics. It's overlysimplis- point of advoc tic and misleadingto make a claim like: solution to t "An individual will be able to defend conflict (The fi himself with a gun, and therefore will dom, 11/26/200 be safer against an attacker." Joel Kovel wrc Regardless of whether this state- Tutu says, the ment is actually true, it considers only informed world a tiny fraction of the gun debate. What state solution i about all the crimes that happened those included because of the presence of a gun? That estinian leader is why statistics are vital. They tell governments of us the outcome of all of these factors, and Egypt, as w because it is impossible to propose a world leaders. I model that takes allconsiderations into state solution i account with gun violence. Increased simply ignoring gun presence means more violent acts, thinks borders even if the occasional student is able to which policies defend himself against a perpetrator. two-state solut While Mike Eber concedes this in the Israeli/P point in his column (Guns are for lib- erals, too, 11/26/2007), he makes his Aaron Willis own crucial mistake. That is, he still LSA junior ate solution y possibility Y: at we were beyond the ating for a one-state he Israeli/Palestinian ight for academic free- 7). Regardless of what ote or what Desmond vast majority of the d has accepted a two- in some form. Among in this group are Pal- Mahmoud Abbas, the [ Jordan, Saudi Arabia cell as numerous other To suggest that a two- s radical and crazy is reality. Wherever one should be drawn or are right or wrong, a ion is the only solution alestinian conflict. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be under 300 words and must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. All submis- sions become property of the Daily. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@umichedu. 0