4A - Monday, January 12, 2009
4 n a 2The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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74c fittc4ig n + ily
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
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Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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GARY GRACA ROBERT SOAVE COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial boardAll other signedarticles
and illustrations represent solelytheviews oftheir authors
Room for research
Pfizer property a good investment for the University
While students were away on winter break, the Univer-
sity bought itself a holiday gift: the abandoned 174-
acre Pfizer Inc. facility near North Campus. Overall,
the $108 million acquisition is a welcome addition to the Univer-
sity - the Pfizer property will enhance the University's ability
to do cutting-edge research at a time when attracting innova-
tion and jobs to the state is more important than ever. But it also
comes at a cost. The deal has angered the city this university
relies on - a sentiment the University needs to smooth over.
a
That would be his first mistake in office.
I'd have to skunk him."
- Kevin Johnson, Sacramento's mayor'and former guard for the Phoenix Suns, on the prospect of President-
elect Barack Obama challenging him to a basketball game, as reported yesterday by the New York Times.
Asking the tough questions
Formerly the largest private sector
employer and largest taxpayer in Ann
Arbor, Pfizer hit the city and the Univer-
sity hard when it decided to close its doors
last January. For the city, the firm's cost-
cutting measure caused about 2,100 people
to lose their jobs locally and about 5 per-
cent of Ann Arbor's tax revenue to vanish.
For the University, students and research-
ers suddenly lost job opportunities.
During the past year, filling Pfizer's cam-
pus with someone has been a priority. But
when no other major player expressed seri-
ous interest, the University decided to step
in to purchase the abandoned Pfizer build-
ing. For that, everyone should be somewhat
thankful. The University plans to employ
about 2,000 workers at the facility, bring-
ing the type of highly skilled jobs to Ann
Arbor that Michigan needs to reinvent its
largely auto-dominated economy.
Michigan's universities have a natural
place at the forefront of Michigan's tran-
sition, especially now that they have a
relative economic advantage. Last month,
Michigan State University did its part
when it was awarded the Facility for Rare
Isotope Beams by the Department of Ener-
gy, improving its appeal to research scien-
tists. The University's investment in the
30-building campus demonstrates a simi-
lar commitment. Though the use of the
Pfizer labs has not yet been determined,
the research potential here is impressive
and will certainly aid Michigan's efforts to
recreate the economy based upon innova-
tive, technological development.
The loser in this deal, though, is the
city of Ann Arbor. Because the University
doesn't pay property taxes to the city like
Pfizer used to, the city just lost its largest
taxpayer with no hope of getting it back.
Though the University will bring in new
high-paying jobs, that's still a $5.1 million
hole the city has to fill. On top of that, the
city government is already suffering from
budget problems that have caused it to pro-
pose dramatic budget cuts. It's tough not
to see the University as somewhat of a vul-
ture, here, swooping in to buy up the Pfizer
facility during tough economic times.
But while the short-term picture for
the city is discouraging, a tax-exempt,
functional facility bringing in jobs to Ann
Arbor is preferable to an abandoned one.
In the long-run, the Pfizer purchase is
a necessary way to improve the Univer-
sity's capacity for research - important
research that will allow the University
and the state to compete for the top minds
in the country. The Pfizer resources will
attract skilled workers - and consequent-
ly, businesses - to Ann Arbor and enable
it to lead the research that is vital for the
state's economic recovery.
In such a trying time for Michigan's"
economy, state universities must do their
part by educating the future-work-force
and by attracting the best and the bright-
est to our state. The University is doing
its part by turning the abandoned Pfizer
facility into something that will be benefi-
cial for the economic outlook of the entire
state of Michigan.
ob Parker probably deserved to
get fired - but not like this.
The now-former Detroit
News sports col-
umnist was forced
to resign last week,
shortly after his
controversial ques-
lions directed at
now-fired Detroit
Lions head coach
Rod Marinelli.
Parker has been a IMRAN
mediocre colum-
nist and analyst SYED
of Detroit sports -
for years, and I'm
actually surprised the News kept him
around as long as it did. I'm astound-
ed, however, that - having survived
so many years with shoddy insights
and writing - Parker was forced to
resign because of a rare instance of
brave, responsive reporting.
The event in question took place
during the post game news confer-
ence with Marinelli following the
Lions's embarrassing 42-7 home loss
to the New Orleans Saints on Dec.
21. The loss made the Lions 0-15 for
the season, just one loss away from
"achieving" the first winless season
the NFL has seen since going to the
16-game format.
Parker - as he often does, and not
always wisely - decided to address
a topic others would consider too
dangerous. Whereas every other'
reporter in the room stood mesmer-
ized by Marinelli's poise and humil-
ity following another crushing defeat,
Parker chose to set aside compassion
and personal feelings and ask atough
question that he thought had to be
asked.
The subject he chose to question
was the Lions defensive coordinator,
Joe Barry. It was an entirely reason-
able line of questioning, given the
following: The Lions had the worst
defense in the league in terms of total
yards and points surrendered - it
wasn't even close - and yet the defen-
sive coordinator still had his job.
I think we can all agree that
it shouldn't matter that Barry is
Marinelli's son-in-law - if he's a bad
coordinator, then he's a bad coordi-
nator - but for some reason, it mat-
tered a lot. Parker tried to steer the
conversation to why Barry still had a
job, and Marinelli, like the good sol-
dier he was in Vietnam all those years
ago, continued to take the hits himself
and protect his charge, who also hap-
pened to be his son-in-law.
I admit that I'm amazed at how
much class and control Marinelli
showed throughout a miserable sea-
son of excruciatingpress conferences.
Not once did he ever lose his cool or
blame someone else. That's all good,
but it doesn't justify dodging a rele-
vant question, and that's exactly what
Marinelli was doing that day.
Parker's final question, the one that
allegedly crossed the line was this:
"On a lighter note, do you wish your
daughter married a better defensive
coordinator?" The question's very
premise indicates it wasn't a serious
jab. Parker even prefaced that ques-
tion with "on a lighter note," so for-
give me if I fail to see how that crosses
the line at all.
Parker was universally criticized
afterward for allegedly "making it
personal," but his self-righteous crit-
ics (most of them dim-witted, ex-
question-dodging meatheads like
Terry Bradshaw) missed one impor-
tant point: It was Marinelli who chose
to, make it personal the day he hired
his son-in-law as defensive coordina-
tor.
As one of the few Lions fans who
watched every game and absorbed
every bit of analysis throughout this
horrific season, I, of all people, should
have known that Barry was Marinel-
li's son-in-law. And yet, up until the
moment Parker asked that question,
I and likely thousands of others had
no idea that was the case. While I'm
sure that superbly relevant point was
reported somewhere sometime, the
majority of reporters and analysts
avoided it out of fear that it crossed a
line.
And that's what reporting has
become these days. Reporters are
still good at their jobs and know how
to dig, but suddenly there's a fear
about pursuing certain facets of the
truth. Whether it's something rela-
tively trivial on the grand scale like
Marinelli's son-in-law or something
with much higher stakes (wars and
weapons of mass destruction, for
instance), the media simply seems to
have lost its appetite for responsive-
ness and accountability. Instead, the
Journalists
shouldn't fear
"crossing the line."
media has developed love for what I
it covers (see: Barack Obama) - and
that's unacceptable.
Sure, the media is indeed sup-
posed to have a heart. It's supposed
to have a heart for rape victims and
whistleblowers who need anonym-
ity. It isn't supposed to have a heart
for public figures who screw up and
then are spared scrutiny because
personal issues might have somehow
been involved. That's simply a case
of the media failing in its fundamen-
tal, fourth estate purpose. No wonder
newspapers everywhere are failing.
Rob Parker did something right
that day. He may have been a prick,
but that's often the job of a reporter. It
would be great if more reporters got
to work once again.
Imran Syed was the Daily's
editorial page editor in 2007. He can
be reached at galad@umich.edu.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be less than 300 words and must
include the writer's full name and University affiliation. Letters are edited for style, length, clarity and
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Send letters to tothedaily@umich.edu.
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EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Nina Amilineni, Emad Ansari, Emily Barton, Elise Baun, Harun Buljina, Ben Caleca,
Satyajeet Deshmukh, Brian Flaherty, Matthew Green, Emma Jeszke, Shannon Kellman,
Edward McPhee, Matthew Shutler, Jennifer Sussex, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder
RACHEL VAN GILDER |
Conservatives shouldn't panic
4
As liberals party in the street, celebrat-
ing Barack Obama's upcoming inauguration,
Republicans are just trying to cope. Around
the country, conservatives are walking around
in various states of misery ranging from mild
dejection to full-blown depression. As a young
conservative - something of an elusive group
on this campus - I have tried to funnel my
sense of impending doom into optimism,
despite my serious concerns about the Demo-
cratic Party's ability to successfully manage
the national budget and Obama's lack of expe-
rience with foreign policy in an increasingly
globalized world.
But, despite our collective concerns, Repub-
licans can't just head toward the nearest, deep-
est, darkest cave and stay there until Obama's
time in office ends. Now, more than ever,
Republicans have a responsibility to inject a
sense of practicality into the often overly-ide-
alistic liberal mentality.
Liberals, in their euphoria, rush to compare
Obama with Franklin D. Roosevelt. However,
they tend to overlook some of the less heralded
similarities between the two. During FDR's
campaign, respected political commentator
Walter Lippmann said that FDR was "a pleas-
ant man, who, without any important qualifica-
tions for the office, would very much like to be
President." Lippmann meant his comment as an
attack on FDR, but I think that FDR's desire to
be president may have been one of his best qual-
ifications. Similarly, Obama's noble intentions
may be one of his greatest strengths. Despite
his troubling lack of experience, Obama seems
to be a man who wants to be president because
he truly believes that he can make a difference.
I find no fault with this and I respect him for
his sincerity.
Obama won the presidency because he prom-
ised Americans the unity we have so desperate-
ly craved since becoming divided over the war
in Iraq. He promised hope, something we have
been in short supply of in recent years. More
importantly, he promised America a resurrec-
tion of the sense of pride that we seem to have
lost in such a controversial war.
But these are just ideas, vague abstractions
that have heart but not mind behind them. Con-
trary to the popular cliche, ideas don't change
the world - actions do. That's where the
Republican Party comes in. It's the job of the
Republican Party to temper Obama's idealism
with practicality. Everyone wants our planet
to remain beautiful, our citizens to be healthy
and happy, and our credit on the world stage to
be restored to the glory it has preserved for so
long. It's the place of the Republican Party to
make these things happen for everyone but also
to remind Democrats in government that the
extreme legislation they favor isn't always real-
istic, that personal responsibility must be treat-
ed more seriously and that this country must be
ready to defend itself against people whose hate
runs deeper than diplomacy can reach.
That means, however, that Republicans are
going to have to work with the Obama Admin-
istration. That's right - I said it. Republicans
in the legislature do not have the right to spend
the next four years doing everything in their
power to force Democrat-sponsored legisla-
tion to die. Republicans have a responsibility to
their constituents to work with the administra-
tion and actually get legislation passed that can
benefit everyone. Negotiation, as distasteful as
that might sound, mustbe the Republican's tool
of choice.
So, my fellow conservatives, put that spe-
lunking gear away and stay out of that cave. The
next four years might be rough, but they will be
vital for the GOP. It's time for the Republican
Party to pull itself together and show America
that it's not made up of stuffy, bitter, old white
men. And, hey, look on the bright side: it's only
four years - hopefully.
Rachel Van Gilder is an associate
editorial page editor.
KATE STENVIG| IW ON
Continuing Obama's fight for unity
This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls one day answered, "We will not be satisfied until justice rolls
before the inauguration of Barack Obama as the first black down like waters and righteousness likea mighty stream."
American president. Every one of us will likely spend In this same vein, our movement cannot be satisfied as
some part of the day reflecting on how we helped bring long as the ban on affirmative action continues to drive
about this historic change in American politics. down the number of black, Latino, Native American
The key to the Obama victory was the collective move- and other minority students on our campuses; as long
ment, led by young people with real demands -demands as undocumented immigrant students cannot receive
for real integration, an end to war, anunjust foreign pol- financial aid for college simply because they were
icy,second-class treatment for immigrants, the cynical y', born on the other side of the border; as long as
policies of Bush and the Republicans, and the Clin- immigrant communities live under the threat
ton Democrat policies of moderation and accommo- , of raids, deportations, and harassment from
dation to racism. It is the historical obligation of to Immigration and Customs Enforcement;
the young people who led the Obama movement as long as our government continues to
to march forward toward real equality now. r { conduct a war in Iraq and support Israel's
This year's Martin Luther King Jr. Day pro- - campaign of terror against the Palestin-
vides all cff us with the opportunity to recommit ~ ian people; and as long as gay marriage is
to political activism. It is a day to march, rally not legally recognized and there is state-
and reflect on what we can learn from impor- sanctioned discrimination against LGBT
tant social leaders like King, whose legacy people.
will forever be remembered as how to When we poured out into
transformthe socialrelations ,the streets on November
policies and identity of a 4 to celebrate Obama's
nation. King's words about -election, we had a sense
the "fierce urgency of now" r;that our campus and our
from his famous "I Have a ,.- x fN II society could be united,
Dream" speech could not whether black, Latina/o,
be more pertinent: "This Arab, Asian, Native Amer-
is no time to engage in the ican, white, woman, mat,
luxury of cooling off or to gay or straight.
take the tranquilizing drug Now, those feelings
of gradualism. It would be 0 ( f/ ( of pride, solidarity and
fatal for the nation to over- renewed hope must be
look the urgency of the / / « turned into collective
moment." action. The real hope lies
Over the next four years, our Illustration by Rose Jaffe in the power of our inde-
biggest danger will be holding our breath and leaving it pendent, youth-led civil
up to Obama to realize our hopes for true social equality. rights movement, and it is our job to build that movement
It would be a dishonor to Obama's historic achievement and make those hopes real.
if we retreated now in the face of victory and returned to
our daily lives as if our job was done. Kate Stenvig is a Michigan Student Assembly
To the question, "When will you be satisfied?" King representative and an organizer for By Any Means Necessary.
The Daily is looking for a diverse group of strong, informed writers with an interest in
campus issues to become editorial board members.
E-MAIL ROBERT SOAVE AT RSOAVE@UMICH.EDU
FOR MORE INFORMATION
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