S 4 -Friday, January 18, 2008 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 74c fiiigan 4at*1V Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu KARL STAMPFL IMRAN SYED JEFFREY BLOOMER EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR Unsigned editorials reflectthe officialpositionofthe Daily's editorialboard.Allother signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views oftheir authors. The Daily's public editor, Paul H. Johnson, acts as the readers' representative and takes a critical look at coverage and content in every section of the paper. Readers are encouraged to contact the public editor with questions andcomments. He canbe reached at publiceditor@umich.edu. Accelerate into the future Big Three must realize that going green brings in the green W hen Henry Ford started using the assembly line for automotive production in the early 1900s, the goal was efficiency. Almost a century later, the talk of the industry is still efficiency, but a different type: fuel efficiency. If the new cars the Big Three - General Motors, Ford and Chrysler - are showcasing at the North American International Auto Show are any indication, these automakers still haven't got the hint. This isn't the 20th century anymore: For Michigan's automotive dinosaurs to stave off extinction, they must adapt to changing markets that value eco-friendly cars. He did the same thing to us that he did to Monica Lewinsky." - Rev. Jeremiah Wright, refuting the argument that former President Bill Clinton was a champion of black issues during a sermon last Sunday. Wright is the pastor of the church Barack Obama attends. a JASON MAHAKIAN R 1 at5 'Bb0R*..T efor+g ove cit AR-st 4 , j109.. NV. ARCfW So" O ODA . s aka Alit-, Om .7/ vm toIo" t1 0 u' O n Lk. MO..(-sus(-' t Mg/ ,tsuv0 Actually, I hate New York Although the auto show doesn't open to the public until this weekend, in the past few days the Big Three have strut- ted their steel stuff to the press and the industry insiders. And it's been a lesson in what not to do. In the most dramatic event of the week, Chrysler opened the show by parading 130 cattle down Washington Boulevard in downtown Detroit, hoping the Dodge Ram pickup in the middle of the herd would get some attention. But advertising trucks and SUVs isn't going to improve the Big Three's sales any more than cattle roundups will. The Big Three are still living in the age of the SUV and don't want it to end. Because larger vehicles make higher profit margins than mid-sized and small cars, Michigan's automakers are trying to shove trucks and SUVs down Americans' throats. Recent consumer studies have shown that the American people are demanding more fuel-efficient, safe and quality vehicles,, The only way the Big Three will improve sales is if they start producing them like consumers want. In the past year, Toyota, a more environ- mentally friendly car company, overcame An overlooked small town gets a little attention TO THE DAILY: I would like to thank the Daily for publish- ing the article from The New York Times on the small town of Sderot in southern Israel (In some Israeli towns, dodging danger the norm, 01/09/2008). Sderot has been a place overlooked by the international community and the Israeli government. Having volunteered there for a few days during my trip to Israel during winter break, I experienced the horror of Qassam rockets dropping on civilian towns. Once my group had to stop in the middle of lunch and take refuge in a small kitchen with 30 other people as an alarm warned us of incoming rockets. The plight of the people in Sderot needs to be heard on a larger scale and publishing this article was a large step toward accomplishing this goal. I am also proud to say that for the past year, University students have been raising money to help Sderot. By the end of this semester, the student organization American Move- ment for Israel will have raised over $1,500 to build bomb shelters for the civilians of Sderot. Joshua Goldstein LSA sophomore The letter writer is the treasurer of the American Movement for Israel. Early primary brought focus on Michigan's issues TO THE DAILY: Does no one recognize that Michigan's early primary was actually a good idea? For one, I am glad that the national media focused solely on the problems facing Michi- gan for at least a few days. I cannot remem- ber a time when so much attention was given to Michigan. To the naysayers claiming that our primary did not matter and was "coun- terproductive," - like columnist Gary Graca did on Wednesday (A primary not worth hold- ing, 01/16/2008) - I would like to point out that being snubbed by the Democratic and Republican National Committees and some of the Democratic candidates may actually be a small price to pay for a little spotlight. Instead of worrying about whether or not Michigan will have its place at the national conventions, we should note that viewers and readers worldwide learned of the dire economic issues in Michigan like unemploy- ment. Similarly, it is absurd to think that holding a primary could harm Michigan's role as a vital swing state. When each party's nominees begin campaigning, Michigan will still receive national attention as an impor- GM to claim the title of the world's top sell- ing automaker, the price of oil topped $100 per barrel and experts finally reached the closest thing possible to a consensus that humans are contributing to global warm- ing. These are related. Instead of mass- producing novel, eco-friendly vehicles with innovative technology, they continue to put out newer versions of existing mod- els of trucks and SUVs and absurd hybrid SUVs. The Big Three are ignoring the big picture. This resistance to fuel-efficient vehicles has led the Big Three to fight legislation that could ease them into regulatory stan- dards on par with the rest of the world. Last month, Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act, which mandates that companies raise fuel economy standards to an average-of 35 miles per gallon by 2020 for their entire fleet. Experts from a number of groups, igqluding the University's Transpprtation Research Institute, have said that the law may end up helping the Big Three make money again. But if that's going to happen, the Big Three will need to change. VD LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU tant battleground state. Instead of complaining about the down- sides of Tuesday's primary, we should be proud that America was finally forced to examine the problems plaguing Michigan. These problems have been overlooked for far too long. John Sloan LSA senior Editorialfurthered stigma of mental illnesses TO THE DAILY: While I agree with the basic premise of the editorial "More to do on depression" (01/17/2008) that counseling services should be available to college students in a timely fashion and without fear of stigmatization, I think some of the things implied in the arti- cle were insensitive and frankly uneducated. Part of reducing the stigma of mental illness requires journalists to resist the temptation to sensationalize these health concerns. The editorial's reference to Virginia Tech was unnecessary considering the scope of the argument. Violence is not necessarily more prevalent among mentally ill people than it is among other groups. Those who are mentally ill are victims of violence as well. An article truly dedicated to reducing the stigma associated with mental illness would have made refer- ence to these concerns, rather than perpetu- atingthe myth that those who are mentally ill are dangerous and a threat to campus. Michelle Leach Rackham Ifyou want Pryor, go to basketball game .Saturday TO THE DAILY: I just wanted to let everyone know that this weekend is important to Michigan football. A guy named Terrelle Pryor is coming to cam- pus. Pryor is a 6-foot-6-inch quarterback who runs a 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. If he plays here, he will bring Michigan football to the promise land. It if he attends Ohio State, he will destroy it. For students who don't usually attend bas- ketball games, it should be a priority to go to the game Saturday against Iowa at 7 p.m. Pryor will be there. Remember the phrase "we want Pryor" so you can yell it at any moment during the game. The basketball team won't mind: They will be happy that you are actu- ally there. Marshall Sunshine Engineering senior Throughout my entire winter break, I was home flipping through television channels trying to find one - just one - net- work television show with a plot that was somewhat reflective of my life, with characters that looked just like me. I wanted to watch a show that wouldS inspire me to get SHAKIRA out of bed, change SMILER from my pajamas- - and challenge the world. As a young, black, college-edu- cated woman, I was searching for a show that showed me I could do any- thing I set my mind to. But I ended up watching "I Love New York 2." I remember growing up in the 1990s. I looked up to Laura Winslow from"FamilyMatters" and TiaLandry and Tamera Campbell from "Sister, Sister" because all three of these char- acters were smart, beautiful, popular, Christian and family-oriented. They each made dumb mistakes that teen- agers make, but they learned from those mistakes. There was something sophisticated, powerful and dynamic in their personalities. They looked like me,,nd I wanted tobe like them. Ten years later, I wish I could still say the same thing for the young, black women on television. If they aren't obnoxious divas, they are spoiled brats, video vixens or flat out hoes. A good example is VH1, home of the infamously obnoxious shows "Flavor of Love" and "I Love New York." I have never been more embar- rassed to be a black woman than when I watched these two shows. Yeah, I'm guilty of watching them because they are both hilarious, but that doesn't eliminate the fact that both of these shows are labeled "reality TV." This sends a message to the world that in "reality," black women are desperate, promiscuous, gold-digging hood-rats who don't have careers, morals or self-respect. It portrays these women competing against each other for the "love" of a 47-year-old man with seven kids and a bad dentist. To millions of viewers, black women are ignorant and immature. Even on "America's Next Top Model," where contestants are judged in part on class, it seems that every black contestant is the token "bitch" of the house. In Cycle 4, it was Tif- fany Richardson, an around-the-way girl from the streets of Miami, Fla., who was always arguing with one of the other contestants or talking back to the judges. After not being selected in her first audition, Richardson per- severed and won the hearts of viewers and the show's host, Tyra Banks, with her heartwarming struggle to get out of the ghetto. Although she was on her way to achievingan impossible dream, she got sent home for her attitude. She failed to recognize her opportunity, playing into the common stereotype of young, black women. Then there are my personal favor- ites: video vixens. I have completely -given up on watching Black Enter- tainment Television. If I see another black girl washing a '66 Chevy Impala SS in a thong I'm going to scream. Even female artists like Ciara parade themselves around in their videos as objects of sexual gratification. And to think that BET's own president, Debra Lee, is a black woman with two kids of her own. At least daddy's little girls Van- essa and Angela Simmons on MTV's "Run's House" have dreams and aspi- rations of having successful careers, whether it's in modeling and acting or fashion design and business. They seem to be two of the only young, black women that use more than their bodies to succeed. Unfortunately, EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: they are among the only black women who are raised filthy rich and have a powerful dad who can hook them up with opportunities in the snap of a finger. So, their lives still don't reflect my life or the lives of most other teen- age black women. It would be a lie for me to say that young white women aren't misrepre- sented in the media as well. But at the same time, these women can flip the channel and see other positive images of themselves in the media to counter- act the negative ones. They can watch "Gilmore Girls" and see Rory graduate from college. Meanwhile, I have the privilege of seeing Saaphyri graduate from "Charm School." Black women on TV leave few role models. In the past, I had the characters of Laura Winslow, Tia Landry, Tamera Campbell and Rudy Huxtable to look up to. Even though they didn't truly reflect my life, they represented the life that I wanted and gave me hope that someone just like me could have a better quality of living. As an adult, I can turn to the real- life media moguls like Tyra Banks and Oprah Winfrey as inspiration for the type of woman I am striving to become in the next decade. However, who are my younger cousins looking up to on TV? Although I do all that I can to per- sonally be a role model for them, it's a harsh reality that New York just might be my 13-year-old cousin's hero. Shakira Smiler can be reached at stsmiler@umich.edu. 0 Emad Ansari, Anindya Bhadra, Kevin Bunkley, Ben Caleca, Milly Dick, Mike Eber, Gary Graca, Emmarie Huetteman, Theresa Kennelly, Emily Michels, Arikia Millikan, Kate Peabody, Kate Truesdell, Robert Soave, Neil Tambe, Matt Trecha, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Rachel Wagner, Patrick Zabawa. Drilling ourselves i. 1nto a hole have something to admit about what happened while I was in Germany last summer: I had a European love affair. Far from being tall, dark and handsome, my crush was a dainty 110 pounds with i razor-sharp teeth' and a body cov- ered in thick white fur. His name was KATE Knut. Knut is the TRUESDELL famous polar bear born in captivity at the Berlin Zoo. Unlike the lack of interest Americans have in environ- mental issues, I was struck by how much passion and concern the Ger- man people had for Knut's well-being and protecting biodiversity. This was put in sharp contrast for me when I learnedwhatwashappeningtoKnut's bear cub compadres. Polar bears have been having a bit of trouble lately. First of all, there's the whole global warming thing. Polar bear habitats have been severely cut back as Arctic ice melts, a result of global warming. The problem has become so concerning that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was consid- ering whether the species qualified to be protected by the Endangered Spe- cies Act. Originally, the organization was scheduled to hand down its deci- sion this month. Then, rather mysteriously, the organization announced it was post- poning its conclusions. In a surely unrelated act, the U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service announced at the beginning of the year that it would allow oil and gas exploration in Alaska to start at the beginning of next month. Drilling will take place in a 46,000 square- mile area off of the state's northeast- ern coast in the Chukchi Sea. This area just happens to be one of the two remaining polar bear habitats under U.S. jurisdiction. Maybe this is a coincidence, but allow me to speculate. Allowing drilling in this area at the expense of biodiversity is unacceptable. Prior to this month, not many people had even heard of the Chukchi Sea. And if you are like me and lack abstract spa- tial reasoning and estimation skills, 46,000 square miles doesn't mean all that much. Imagine my surprise to learn that this number represents an area roughly the size of the state of Mississippi. This represents a major piece of habitat. Chukchi doesn't have the notoriety that other wildlife habitats do. If this was drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, all sorts of alarm bells would go off and every Birken- stock-wearing college student - myself included - would surely take to the streets with pen and paper to petition. And this concern would be justified. Shifting drilling to an area with less name recognition doesn't solve the fundamental problem. Itjust encourages reliance on a fuel source that is becoming obsolete. But more importantly, this should be a warning to the American pub- lic. As the Bush administration's last months wind down and coverage of the Oval Office takes a backseat to election drama, now is a time of great danger. After suffering through seven years of poor decision making, we cannot leave the administration to its own devices in its final hour. This drilling is unacceptable. Hell, I'll make the jump and say it if the Department of the Interior won't: Endangering a threatened species's habitat for the sake of our own energy consumption isn't a solution to our long-term problems. A recent study by the U.S. Geologi- cal Survey predicted that more than 66 percent of the world's polar bear will be gone by mid-centrury. The polar bears in Alaska are expected to be extinct in the same time. Allowing this habitat destruction, which would directly contribute to lose of biodiver- sity, would set a scary precedent. We should also be asking if this drilling is really necessary. Continu- ing to search for oil instead of an How our thirst for oil is killing a cuddly friend. alternative is not only environmen- tally unfriendly - it also ignores this country's larger cultural problem. Like the Detroit auto show taking place right now, this is just another display of how behind - not to men- tion shortsighted - we are in energy policy. Findingnew sources of oil only helps us hobble along with our unsus- tainable consumption. And that's the problem that really needs to be addressed. Our outdated attitudes are embarrassing. More to the point, let's care about Knut's kin. Besides, polar bears are cute. Kate Truesdell can be reached at ketrue@umich.edu.