4 - Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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ANDREW GROSSMAN
EDITOR IN CHIEF
GARY GRACA
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
GABE NELSON
MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles
and illustrations represent solely the views ofttheir authors.
A degree of reconciliation
Honorary degree for Radulovich recognizes past failings
university's mission is to be a force for reason in society.
They are supposed to cultivate an open exchange of ideas,
even when some of those ideas aren't convenient for soci-
ety. And they are supposed to stand up for their students and fac-
ulty when these people come under attack for ideas or associations
that this country was founded to protect. As hysterical fear of com-
munism swept across America during the 1950s, the University of
Michigan repeatedly failed to meet these obligations. One of the vic-
tims of this neglect was Milo Radulovich, a student at the University
who received little support from his college as the Red Scare dis-
rupted his life and forced him to drop out. Now, the University has
rightly reconciled its past by awarding Radulovich a long-overdue
and posthumous honorary degree.
I and others were mistaken early on in saying
that the subprime crisis would be contained:'
- Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, acknowledging the Bush administration's failure to accurately
predict the fallout from the mortgage crisis, in an upcoming issue of The New Yorker.
ELAINE MORTON . T CALLS E-MAIL ELAINE AT EMORT@UMICH.EDU
( ro e an
Building a sturdy cabinet
Y ou know those action films back to the "old days" of the Clinton Obama's pick for treasury secretary.
where the hero has to assemble administration - odd for a politician A kind of Wall Street wunderkind,
a rag-taggroup of mercenaries who supposedly embodies the new Geithner generally isn't viewed in a
to bring down the political order. partisan light. And his knowledge
bad guy? Watching In fact, Obama has been angering of the ins and outs of the American
the gradual devel- z certain Democrats quite frequently in finacial system is essential at a time
opment of Presi- } k recent weeks. Not only with some of when that system is going through a
dent-elect Barack his staff picks, but also with his call to prolonged crisis.
Obama's cabinet ' let moderate Sen. Joe Lieberman, an And, of course, there's Hillary. If
has been kind of w. independent who caucuses with the anything, choosing her to be secretary
like watching one e Democrats, remain as the chairman of state is symbolic of Obama's appar-
of those. Grante d, of the Homeland Security Committee. ent refusal to kowtow to the expecta-
these aren't hard- BRANDON Democrats wanted to oust Lieberman tions of the far left. It's also a decision
ened mercenaries as revenge for backing McCain during that illustrates a boldness I like. No
we're dealing with CONRADIS the presidential race.
- these are Wash- ------ But Obama's choices are pragmatic
ington power play- and reasonable, whether the liberals
ers, after all - but the process has the want to admit it or not. Our economy Some may not like
same kind of cinemiatic thrill. sucks. We are at war. There are radi-
Certainly, this process wouldn't cals out there who talk of destroying them , but Obam a's
have been as exciting had John us and our allies. The solutions to
McCain won. It has to do with Obama these problems do not lie in the hands choices are smart
himself - with the assembly of his of the far left - and Obama knows*
cabinet, any doubts or fears about this. Decisions like selecting Rahm
him can be assuaged or confirmed. Emmanuel for chief of staff and pos-
For a president with as little experi- sibly bringing Robert Gates back to longer is Obama the golden child of the
ence as Obama, his success hinges continue as defense secretary show left; he's making decisions that have
upon the people working with him. an unexpected shift to the center. repercussions even among his own
And, sure enough, every new addi- Take Emmanuel. An avid sup- party members, but decisions that he
tion to this motley crew raises more porter of Israel, the former senior feels confident about regardless.
questions, more controversies. Per- adviser in the Clinton administration More significantly, though, many
haps none have been more divisive is known to be tough and idealistic - of Obama's choices are centrists. The
than that of Hillary Clinton as secre- in the early '90s he did a brief stint as conservatives' fear that an Obama
tary of state, a choice that has already a volunteer mechanic in Israel during administration would move this
led many writers, like The Washing- the Gulf War. He's exactly the kind of country far to the left seems superflu-
ton Post's David Ignatius, to bemoan man anti-Israel leftists don't want in ous now. There's no question Obama
the future of Obama's administration. the White House - and that makes has made many good choices in the
So what is Obama doing? Many of me feel good Besides, when members past few weeks. Because of this,
his choices seem to contradict the of Al-Qaeda are publicly endorsing Americans - conservatives, moder-
no drama/new politics attitude his Obama, it's clear we need a public ates and liberals alike - have a lot to
campaign leaders used to get him official who knows the Middle East be optimistic about.
elected. Choices like Hillary not only and is able to take a frm stance on the
seem like purposeful jabs at far-left- issues related to that region. Brandon Conradis can be
wingers, but also ways of harkening Then there's Timothy Geithner, reached at brconrad@umich.edu.
The Daily is looking for a diverse group of strong, informed writers to be columnists next
semester. Columnists write 750 words on a topic of their choice every other week.
E-MAIL ROBERT SOAVE AT RSOAVE@UMICH.EDU FOR MORE INFORMATION.
A lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force reserves
and a student at the University study-
ing meteorology, Radulovich was, by all
accounts, a typical student when he was
here in the early 1950s. That is, until 1953.
That year, Radulovich became the target of
McCarthyist paranoia thanks to a great leap
of logic: Because Radulovich's sister was
politically active and his father subscribed
to a newspaper from Serbia, where he emi-
grated from, Radulovich was deemed a com-
munist threat. The Air Force discharged
him based on these flimsy connections.
But Radulovich didn't go down without
a fight. Radulovich took his case to the
media. He was featured in The Detroit
News and then on legendary news anchor
Edward Murrow's CBS show "See it Now."
And especially thanks to Murrow, his case
became the poster child for the gross civil
rights violations and unnecessary fear that
dominated this country in the early 1950s.
Less than a month after the "See it Now"
segment aired, the Air Force reversed its
decision, reinstating Radulovich.
Radulovich's seldom-told story, though,
happened at the University of Michigan.
During his public fight, the University
never came to Radulovich's defense nor did
it facilitate an environment where he felt
welcome. At one point, Radulovich even
went to one of his professors asking for help
managing his case and course load, only to
be reportedly asked, "Why don't you find a
new major?" This unsupportive climate led
Radulovich to drop out in 1954, only a few
credits away from graduation.
In a very basic way, the University failed
as an institution when it didn't help Radu-
lovich. It would go on to make the same
mistake in 1954, when it suspended three
professors, Chandler Davis, Mark Nick-
erson and Clement Markert, because they
wouldn't testify before the government-
sponsored witch-hunt known as the House
Un-American Activities Committee. In
both cases, the University forgot that its
first obligation is to its students, faculty and
academic freedom - even when defending
these things is unpopular, even when tax-
payers rise up its a moral panic'and even
when legislators come knocking.
That is hopefully the lesson the Universi-
ty will take away from the honorary degree
it awarded to Radulovich on Thursday.
Unfortunately, it was not one that Radu-
lovich could be there to share, because he
died just over a year ago on Nov. 18, 2007.
But awarding him this degree will help his
lesson live on when these situations come
again to test the University. It's certain
they will.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Nina Amilineni, Emad Ansari, Elise Baun, Harun Buljina, Ben Caleca, Satyajeet Deshmukh,
Brian Flaherty, Matthew Green, Emmarie Huetteman, Emma Jeszke, Shannon Kellman,
Edward McPhee, Emily Michels, Kate Peabody, Matthew Shutler, Robert Soave, Eileen Stahl,
Jennifer Sussex, Imran Syed, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Margaret Young
SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
Daily shouldplay part in
informing student voters
TO THE DAILY:
It's hard, though not impossible, to
increase voter turnout, get things done
that matter to the student body and be
transparent about our governance with-
out the Daily's coverage, be it critical or
supportive. That's why it is unfortunate
that LSA Student Government's election
was completely ignored by the Daily.
Student governments can't get any-
thing done without student support
behind them. We won't get that if students
don't care. Students can't care unless they
know what's going on. And they can't tell
us what's important to them if they don't
know what LSA-SG is.
In my ideal world, students would know
about the elections before the polls open.
They would know their representatives
and how to contact them. They would be
able to read about the efforts of their stu-
dent governments in their student news-
paper. They would be informed enough to
make critical observations regarding the
relevancyand efficacyoftheirelected rep-
resentatives and vote accordingly. I can't
do it alone. Student governments can't do
it alone. The Michigan Action Party can't
do it alone.
No student is at fault for that person's
misinformation and frustration with regard
to student politics. We on student govern-
ment share that burden with the Daily. So
let's step up - together.
Megan Madison
LSA senior
The letter writer is LSA-SG's academic rela-
tions officer and a member of the Michigan
Action Party.
Ransgender Day passes
without Daily's attention
TO THE DAILY:
I am a 2006 graduate of the Law School.
My partner is also a graduate of the Law
School. We work in the Ann Arbor area
I
and are on campus regularly. I am a mem-
ber of the Spectrum Center's Speaker's
Bureau and regularly speak to University
classes about LGBT issues, specifically
related to transgender status since I am a
transgender woman.
Yesterday was the 10th Annual Trans-
gender Day of Remembrance. The Uni-
versity, through the Spectrum Center,
has done its best to advertise the week's
Transgender Awareness activities on
campus, including Friday's annual memo-
rial service held at Rackham. Despite this
and despite a history of rallies on campus
- all designed to raise awareness of the
horrific violence and ingrained discrimi-
nation that transgender people face - the
Daily has not written a word about the
activities.
I think you need to better educate your-
selves about what's happening on campus
and doa better job of reporting.
Denise E. Brogan-Kator
Alum
In Mideast debate, there
is little common ground
TO THE DAILY:
In response to the Daily's recent edito-
rial about the forum co-sponsored by the
American Movement for Israel and Stu-
dents Allied for Freedom and Equality
(Extending the olive branch, 11/20/2008), I'd
like to commend the two student groups for
workingtogether in order to foster dialogue
and growth. I take issue, however, with the
Daily's contention that University students
"should be able to set aside whatever differ-
ences they have, regardless of how sensitive
the topic at hand, and appreciate the diver-
sity on campus."
The main distinction that must be
drawn between these two student groups
can be found on their Maize Pages. If
AMI's mission statement is carried out,
there is room for an autonomous Pales-
tinian state living peacefully and in coop-
eration with her neighbors in the Middle
East. Alternately, if SAFE's mission state-
ment is carried out, there would be no
more Israel. A return to 1967 borders,
accompanied by the "right of return" of Responding to roc
Palestinian refugees (from 1948) would entire villages ant
immediately destroy the Jewish character casualties is not h(
of the state, and thus the state itself, since nates terrorism.
it was created as a Jewish state. The people of
It is very difficult to "set aside differenc- eventually, Ham
es and appreciate diversity on campus," as effectively and e
the Daily suggests, when the group you're the organization':
meant to dialogue with is calling for poli- right to defend i
cies that will lead to your nation's destruc- should not take
tion. I encourage both groups to continue that lead to civil
talking, but only with the understanding because civilians
that Israel need not justify its existence. conflict by boths
Until this understanding is granted, no undermines Israe
true dialogue can take place, and such community's lon,
"diversity" is not to be appreciated or such and destroying H
"differences" set aside. Only once Israel's
right to exist as a Jewish state is recog-
nized can true dialogue be possible as it
relates to policies and future actions and BELLA SHAH
the Daily's vision of fruitful debate can be
fulfilled.
ket attacks by destroying Israelis and P
d inflicting severe civilian never-endingpr
ow a rational power elimi- wants to make:
each side's limit
Gaza hate Hamas. And, are in fact ratio
as's inability to govern come of those ch
nforce laws will lead to What we need
sdemise. Israelhas every tive one-sided a
tself, but in doing so, it cussion of policy
such extreme measures missing from th
ian casualties. Not only ists hold the met
should be left out of this the moderates
sides, but also because it price.
el's and the international
g-term goal of isolating Fahad Faruqi
amas. LSA senior
alestinians are trapped in a
isoner's dilemma. Each side
rational choices. And from
ed perspective, the choices
nal. But the combined out-
hoices, however, seldom is.
d in that region is not reduc-
rgument, but nuanced dis-
and history. That is what is
e discourse. We let extrem-
gaphones on both sides, and
are the ones who pay the
I
I
E-MAIL BELLA AT BELLZ@UMICH.EDU
Daniel Horowitz
Law School
Hamas unrepresentative
of PlsiinPalestinian opinions
TO THE DAILY:
Ari Parritz's column Friday - although
well argued and well reasoned - failed
to provide any justifiable reason why
the Israeli Defense Force is blockading
humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip (One Qas-
sam too many, 11/20/2008).
Hamas is a terrorist organization. It is
in no way a legitimate partner in the pur-
suit of peace, and its leadership needs to be
marginalized by all sides in the months and
years to come.
However, the Israeli government's block-
ade of essential food and medical shipments
to Gaza makes absolutely no sense. Medica-
tion and food cannot be used as weapons,
so this policy doesn't even make sense from
the perspective of defending Israel's secu-
rity.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is more
nuanced than Parritz would seemingly like
to admit. Israel's policy in the West Bank
and Gaza has been far from ideal when it
comes to promoting peace and prosperity.
i
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I don't eat fat people.
So, why do you
want to eat me?
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