The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Friday, Septermber 5, 2008 - 7A

The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Friday, September 5, 2008 - 7A

COLEMAN
From Page 1A
the President of the University of
Iowa, she was a founding mem-
ber of the Presidents Leadership
Group, which promotes the role
that University presidents can
play in alcohol and drug preven-
tion efforts on campus.
In that position she co-authored
a guide to prevent student alco-
hol and drug abuse entitled, "Be
Vocal, Be Visible, Be Visionary:
Recommendations for College and
University Presidents on Alcohol
and Other Drug Prevention."
Recent research suggests that
KILPATRICK
From Page 1A
But while admitting wrongdo-
ing, he didn't apologize as he did
during a January speech after
the Detroit Free Press published
excerpts of romantic and racy text
messages with his then-Chief of
Staff Christine Beatty.
"I take full responsibility for
my own actions and for the poor
judgment they reflected," he said.
"I wish with all my heart that we
could turn back the hands of time
and tell that young man to make
better choices, but I can't."
"I know supporting me has not
always been easy. ... But you've
done so because of your immense
love of this city," Kilpatrick said.
He asked that Detroit residents
put the problems of recent months
behind them and move forward.
"I've often said that you have
to stand strong for the city of
Detroit," Kilpatrick continued. "I
RNC
. From Page 1A
better " we're the older ones in the
party."
In terms of racial and ethnic
diversity, the majority of those
on the convention floor did little
to change the GOP's overly white
image. Only 36 of the 2,380 con-
vention delegates were black.
Lenny McAllister, co-founder
of the. Hip-Hop Republicans, an
organization that advocates for
Republican-inspired solutions to
important urban issues, said he

lowering the drinking age to 18
would not curb such binge drink-
ing as some critics have claimed,
Coleman said.
Coleman mentioned the Nation-
al Highway Traffic Safety Admin-
istration's estimation that the
current drinking age has saved
1,000 lives a year since 1975 as evi-
dence of the higher drinking age's
effectiveness.
"I have seen no data to show me
that a lower drinking age allevi-
ates the problem of binge drink-
ing," she said. "In fact, I think it
makes it worse."
Coleman said the University
aims to provide alternative social
events to parties where binge
always said I would stand strong
for the city of Detroit. But some-
times standing strong means step-
ping down."
Kilpatrick has two weeks to
leave his post and urged people
to support City Council President
Ken Cockrel Jr., who will succeed
him in office.
"It's a big difference between
city council and the mayor's office.
He is going to need our support.
He is going to need our prayers,"
Kilpatrick said. "My resignation
should not stop the continuing
progress of the place we all love,
the city of Detroit."
Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to two
obstruction of justice charges. He
will serve four months in jail, pay
the city $1 million in restitution
and spend five years on probation.
Kilpatrick admitted in court
Thursday that he lied on the stand
about his romantic relationship
with Beatty. He also pleaded no
contest to one count of assault ina
separate case.

drinking takes place.
"Do I believe we should focus
on trying to find ways to approach
it and trying to help young people
make better decisions?" she asked
rhetorically. "Of course I do."
Programs include UMix Late
Night, alcohol-free activities and
events on Friday nights, and Stay
in the Blue, a University program
aimed at informing students how
to responsibly drink alcohol.
But though University officials
are concerned about binge drink-
ing on college campuses, Coleman
said there are no simple solutions.
"There's no silver bullet here,"
she said. "But we're not where we
need to be."
Last night, he thanked business
leaders for their support and help
in the transformation of Detroit's
downtown.
Attorney Sharon McPhail silent-
ly wept after Kilpatrick thanked
her and other members of his legal
team for their help throughout the
complex court proceedings lead-
ing up to yesterday morning's plea
'deal.
During January's televised
speech from their church, Carlita
Kilpatrick sat next to her husband,
holding his hand and suring the
city of her support of him.
He said yesterday night that
they are "closer than we've ever
been."
"So all of those that tried to tear
this up, I just want to tell you, you
only made us stronger," Kilpatrick
said.
As the mayor neared the end of
his speech, she approached him
and they shared a light kiss before
leaving.

BAR
From Page 1A
chairs, a fireplace and a handcraft-
ed bar - no longer in the center of
the room.
The menu includes American
stapleslike chicken fingers and Cae-
sar salads, but Meinke said comfort
food like Shepherd's Pie and Irish
Stew have been fan favorites.
"The American twists on Irish
cuisine have been very popular,"
he said.
Though Vedder said that Friday
night "was pretty crazy," the bar
has seemed relatively empty so far.
About five patrons were in the pub

at lunchtime one day last week.
From about 10 p.m. to midnight
one night last week, while other
area bars were practically full, the
Blue Leprechaun had two tables of
friends and several students sitting
at the bar watching the Yankees
game.
But of those there, most said
they thought the new bar would
fare well among the student set.
"I think it's much better than
Touchdown's was -- it's a nice
environment," second-year Ross
School of Business Graduate stu-
dent Jessica Goldberg said, who
was hanging out in the basement
for a Ross School of Business social
event.

When asked if she knows other
students who go to the Blue Lepre-
chaun, she said, "Not yet. But they
will."
Still, a few yearn for the old bar's
raucous dance floor.
"I liked Touchdown's much
better," said LSA junior Michael
Dufek. "It was just more fun."
Meinke said the bar's name was
an effortby the owners to combine
the Irish pub theme with their love
for Michigan sports.
"It just seemed kind of like a
catchy way to bring it into the
business," he said.
-Daily News Editor Lisa Haidos-
tian contributed to this report.

't

ARREST
From Page 1A
provided similar descriptions of his
van and physical appearance.
Logghe said Ann Arbor Police
Officer Eric Ronewitz recognized
the suspect, whom he had arrested
over the summer for driving with a
suspended license, from the "very
accurate description" the victims
provided.

"There's no question in our
minds that it's him," Logghe said.
University Police issued a
campuswide crime alert with a
description of the suspect after the
incident.
"We felt it was appropriate to
inform our community about the
incident," said University Police
spokeswoman Diane Brown. "We
know a number of students (live)
in that area, and that frequent that
area, as well as staff and faculty

that live in that area."
While Brown said the suspect's
arrest is "a welcome event," she
added that students should remain
cautious.
"It appears that someone who
was intending to harm our com-
munity was taken off the streets,"
she said. "But people should not
become complacent. Students
should walk in groups, particu-
larly after dark, and stay in well-lit
areas."

Two st'udents shot at Thai rally


wasn't surprised by the makeup
of those occupying the convention
floor this week.
"Everybody knows that the
Republican Party has to do a bet-
ter job of diversity, and bringing in
more African Americans, minori-
ties," McAllister said.
However, McAllister added that
he didn't necessarily consider the
front-and-center Republicans on
the floor an entirely accurate rep-
resentation of the party's mem-
bership, citing economic hardship
and the cost of attending the con-
vention as possible reasons why
perhaps the crowd wasn't more

diverse.
"The people here are going to
really wealthy people and retirees,
people who've been planning this
trip for a year or maybe two years,"
he said.
Thatsaid, McAllisterpraisedhis
fellow Republicans for the great
reception he and fellow members
of the Hip-Hop Republicans have
received this week.
"People have embraced us; they
really wantto be involved," he said.
"I've spoken to everybody, senators
walking down the hall, and they
want to increase the percentage of
people in color."

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -
Thai police warned students today
to avoid street protests after a gun-
man shot and wounded two stu-
dents demonstrating against the
embattled prime minister, raising
new fears of violence in the coun-
try's tense political crisis.
The attack came after Samak
proposed a national referendum
yesterdayto decide his political fate,
an unconventional compromise that
was dismissed by critics as a stalling
tactic that will prolong the unrest.
About 100 students were
marching to demonstrate outside
of Samak's home in the capital,
Bangkok, late Thursday when an
unidentified gunman on the back
of a motorcycle opened fire on the
crowd, said police chief Col. Som-
sak Bunsaeng of the Ladprao sta-
tion in northeast Bangkok.
One of the students was shot in
his leftleg,the other in his leftarm.
Police said they were hospi'talized
but were not seriously hurt.
Anti-government protesters
have occupied Samak's official

headquarters, Government House,
for 11 days, vowing not to leave
until he resigns.
The protests are led by a loosely
knit group of royalists, wealthy and
middle-class urban residents, and
union activists. The alliance wants
Parliament to be revamped so most
lawmakers are appointed rather
than elected, arguing that Thai-
land's impoverished rural majority
is too susceptible to vote buying.
Samak imposed a state of emer-
gency Tuesday after his opponents
and supporters clashed near Govern-
ment House in rioting that left one
person dead and dozens wounded.
Police said they told students
late Thursday evening that after
the shooting that under the state
of emergency their protest was not
allowed, said police spokesman
Surapol Tuantong.
"The situation is very politically
charged. Right now, it's not a good
idea to gather," he said. "There are
many parties involved and when
something like this happens, it's
hard to find the perpetrators."

Shooting incidents are rare in
Bangkok, which was calm Friday
with, business going on as usual in
most of the city. Anti-government
protests have mostly been isolatedSo
the areaaround Government House.
Samak hopes his proposed ref-
erendum will allow him to keep
hisjob while placatingthe People's
Alliance for Democracy, which has
vowed to continue its anti-govern-
ment campaign.
The referendum will ask the
public to choose between the alli-
ance and the government, but
many analysts say a simple yes-no
vote is insufficient in the face of a
complicated political crisis.
The protest alliance ridiculed
the plan, sayingSamakwill manip-
ulate the vote, just as they allege
he did during general elections his
party won in December 2007.
"The referendum is an attempt
by Mr. Samak to buy himself some
more time in the office," Sondhi
Limthongkul, a media tycoon and
one of the protest leaders, told The
Associated Press.

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