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4A - Friday, September 18, 2009
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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ROBERT SOAVE COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR
GARY GRACA
EDITOR IN CHIEF
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Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles
and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
The right to breathe freely
Appellate decision counters police intimidation of teens
Many college-aged students across the country are famil-
iar with the routine of the late night police encounter,
which often ends in the student being forced to take a
breathalyzer test on the vaguest of suspicions. But a series of recent
judicial rulings has found a Troy city ordinance that permits police
to conduct preliminary breath tests for minors without a warrant
to be unconstitutional. These rulings were correct to uphold the
protections that the Fourth Amendment provides against unwar-
ranted searches and seizures regardless of age, and when the case
makes its way to higher courts, these courts should rule in favor of
protecting young people's rights.
According to a Sept. 11 article in the
Detroit Free Press, the court proceedings
were spawned by an incident in which
a group of young adults leaving a party
was stopped by Troy Police officers. Sus-
pected of underage drinking, the police
administered preliminary breathalyzer
tests. According to testimony, members of
the group were told that failure to comply
could lead to incarceration. But in court,
the attorney for Emran Chowdhury -
one of those who were tested - was able
to block admission of the test as evidence,
arguing it was taken in violation of Chow-
dhury's constitutional rights. The court
ruled in Chowdhury's favor, stating that a
preliminarybreath testconstitutes asearch
as laid out in the Fourth Amendment, that
consent under duress does not meet the
legal requirements and that in such cases a
search warrant must be obtained.
Any incident where constitutional rights
are impinged is atrocious. The Fourth
Amendment guarantees citizens the right
to be "secure in their persons ... against
unreasonable searches." The idea that an
ordinance could be in direct conflict with
this important constitutional right is pro-
foundly distressing. The courts right to
recognize this breach of rights, and the
local governments - even those beyond
Troy - shouldn't hesitate to reform their
laws respectively.
In addition to their unconstitutional
underpinnings, such ordinances make
teenagers easy prey for law enforcement.
Teenagers are often unaware of their legal
rights, and can fall victim to intimidation.
Police shouldn't be afforded the opportu-
nity to stop and search every person under
the age of 21 who happens to be out at night.
In the Troy case, the police even admitted
that they didn't ask for search warrants,
and the court rebuked the officers for not
investigating how arduous it would be to
simply obtain a search warrant. Such a
case provides a clear example of why local
ordinances should not empower police at
the expense of young people's rights.
It's also a shame that these rights are
being trampled in defense of a drinking age
that may not actually be appropriate. It's
not clear that raising the drinking age to 21
has done anything to curb binge drinking.
In fact, there are more deaths and accidents
each year due to underage binge drinking
since the National Minimum Drinking Age
Act made 21 the de facto drinking age in
1984.
With any hope, higher courts will con-
cur that young people's Fourth Amend-
ment rights are worth protecting.
E veryone on campus has taken less because of language comprehen-
or knows someone who has sion and more because 3D geometry
taken a course in which the makes my head hurt.
graduate student But the most noteworthy trend
instructor's English among the aspiring GSIs was that
was less than per- they wanted us to tell them when we
feet. The prevalence found their English difficult to under-
of GSIs struggling stand. The graduate students asked
with English - , - specifically for language feedback
and that struggle's and eagerly wrote down any problem
effect on students' words we suggested they work on.
ability to learn - is The perception that GSIs don't care
the subject of many to learn how to speak English well
complaints, rants, JAMIE is clearly a myth, and undergradu-
excuses and jokes BLOCK ate students shouldn't get be ab;le to
around campus. get away with operating under the
But while many assumption that GSIs are apathetic to
students feel justi- improvement.
fied complaining about their GSIs' Even between lessons or while
language skills, it's often the under- walking to and from the teaching
graduates who are to blame for not sessions, the GSIs engaged the other
understanding the material. pretend students and Iin casual con-
Over the summer, I worked for versation. Maybe practicing English
the English Language Institute as a was their primary motive or maybe
undergraduate student in practice I'm just a really fascinating guy, but
teaching courses taught by aspiring regardless of why the GSIs struck
GSIs. All graduate students hop- up the conversations, they made a
ing to teach-in the fall are required notable effort to improve their lan-
to take this course if their previous guage skills during our chats. If we
education wasn't taught primarily in used a word or phrase they didn't
English. At the end of this intensive understand, they would ask us what it
course, there is an exam to make sure meant, and if they pronounced aword
the graduate students are qualified to incorrectly, we could let them know
teach. This exam tests not only peda- without them feeling offended.
gogy and classroom management Many of these GSIs said they hope
skills, but also language ability. And to find jobs in the U.S. after graduating,
because nobody likes failing any- and several wanted to continue teach-
thing, especially with a job and a lot ing beyond their graduate studies. It's
of money on the line, aspiring GSIs clear that these students' desire to
work incredibly hard on improving learn English is rooted in a passion to
their English. teach and to grow that goes far beyond
In my experience, there were no just passing an aptitude test.
graduate students whose English, on So when an undergraduate doesn't
the whole, was particularly difficult to understand something a GSI says but
understand. For each graduate student, doesn't ask for clarification, it's dif-
there were some individual words that ficult for me to find anyone but the
I didn't initially understand, but by the undergraduate to blame. These GSIs
end ofeach lesson I didn't feel like Ihad have - in a span of only a few short
missed anything - or, if I had, it was weeks - gone through an insane
amount of training, including over
200 pages of worksheets and practice
lessons. And the graduate students
have done it all with remarkable drive
and enthusiasm, so it's hard to fault
them for not achieving perfection.
As the omnipotent headmaster
in the "Harry Potter" series, Dumb-
ledore - who I would argue is even
more difficult to understand than
any GSI - so wisely said, "Soon, we
must all make a choice between what
is right and what is easy." And while
it may be easier to sit back, relax and
complain to your friends after class,
the right thing to do is to help your
GSIs, and, in the process, help your-
self. They wantto better their English
as much, if not more, than you want
to learn - or at least pass - organic
chemistry.
GSIs actually do
want to improve
their English.
I realize this is asking a lot of
undergraduate students. Often, ask-
ing a question or making a comment
in class is nerve-wracking and awk-
ward enough without the added fear
of either offending your instructor or
appearing insensitive to your class-
mates. But trust me when I say that
your GSI will appreciate you step-
ping up. And if your classmates don't,
maybe they'll change their minds
when they realize they understand
the material a whole lot better.
- Jamie Block is a senior
arts editor. Hean be reached
at jamblock@umich.edu.
I
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The Daily is looking for a diverse group of strong, informed, passionate writers to
join the Editorial Board. Editorial Board members are responsible for discussing and
writing the editorials that appear on the left side of the opinion page.
E-MAIL ROBERT SOAVE AT RSOAVE@UMICH.EDU FOR MORE INFORMATION.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Nina Amilineni, Emad Ansari, Emily Barton, Ben Caleca, Brian Flaherty, Emma Jeszke,
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Asa Smith, Brittany Smith, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Laura Veith
SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
MSA meeting with SACUA Daily story wrong, students
addressed important issues preferred the Halfass
4
Asking the right question
TO THE DAILY:
As a senior, I have had plenty of experience
dealing with both Department of Public Safety
and the Ann Arbor Police Department. I must
admit, they both have relatively exceptional
crews and I have little to complain about indi-
vidual officers. What I will complain about, how-
ever, are the unnecessary exploitations that the
AAPD subjects students to - mandatory MIP's
for "Good Samaritans", trash tickets and noise
violations (Students, faculty promise cooperation
to solve campusproblems, 09/15/2009).
As students we have all probably been in situ-
ations when we were faced with an ultimatum:
slap our unconscious, vomit-choked friend awake
and off of Markley's community bathroom floor
or calling DPS and suffering the consequences of
saving a friend's life. It's a terribly scary situation
for an 18-year old kid. I think the "Good Samari-
tan" clause should be passed unanimously in
order to keep that18-year-old, scared-shitless kid
from making a life-or-death decision.
Then there are trash tickets. I have been a vic-
tim of the ridiculous $530 fine for my first trash
offense. Thishowever, hadbeenmyhouse'sthird
offense due to the tenants before me. Rather than
ticket students, the AAPD tickets the residence,
or landlord. The AAPD needs to figure out a sys-
tem where the tenants are ticketed, not the land-
lord or the residence. That will put an end to the
triple trash ticket.
A noise violation in Ann Arbor is a misdemean-
or. Playingyour music too loud after 10 p.m. lands
you in the same courtroom as those who have
committed crimes like theft, prostitution, minor
assault, disorderly conduct, trespassing, vandal-
ism, drug possession and MIP/DUI offense,s to
name a few. I have been exploited by the AAPD
because of bogus legislature that's in place to
reduce officers' workloads. Don't expect a pre-
liminary warningeither, unless you are a known
campus character or athlete. If you don't want a
misdemeanor clinging to your background check
for the rest of your life, you better end the party
at 10 p.m.
I'm glad that the Michigan Student Assembly
and faculty are pairing up to knock out some of
these injustices. There is nothing more frustrat-
ing than sitting in the 15thJudicial District Court
to face humiliation because you got a little loud at
a party, missed a few cups in your yard or called
DPS to save your friend's life.
Matthew Ashley
LSA senior
TO THE DAILY:
As a Residential College student, a former
employee of the Halfass and current employee
of the place that the Residential Dining Ser-
vices so tenderly calls "Retail," I felt enraged
to read the Daily's recent article aboutthe relo-
cation (East Quad's Halfway Inn converted into
student lounge, 09/16/2009). First of all, I find
it troubling that the article speaks on behalf of
employees of the establishment as well as Resi-
dential College students without ever actu-
ally interviewing any. I can attest not only to
my own anger over the end of the Halfass, but
also to tap the anger of many other Residen-
tial College students who have expressed their
discontentment the moment they step into the
converted south side cafeteria.
The article claims that the Halfass "was lim-
ited in its ability to provide customers with a
variety of options," and that "the move upstairs
has allowed for an expanded grill menu and
healthier menu options." This makes me ques-
tion the research put into the article since, had
the reporter visited either place, it would have
been apparent that neither of these statements
are true.
I'm disappointed because this front-page
article has neglected to dig, as a piece of excel-
lent journalism should. There is a frontpage
story here, but it is not "Let's Pat Dining Ser-
vices, Etc., on the Back for Their Progress!"
Though one LSA resident advisor in East Quad
may welcome the change, this is a story about
the death of yet another Ann Arbor favorite.
The Halfass, the article fails to report, has
existed since the beginning of the Residential
College, which was founded in 1967 and has
been called "The Halfass" since that time. The
story here is about why the kitchen of this long-
loved restaurant is now plastic-wrapped and
collecting dust while RDS lies to themselves
and everyone else that the move upstairs is an
improvement.
I'm deeply saddened by the rapid degrada-
tion of Ann Arbor in general. The city used
to swell with independent businesses. Now,
I watch its personality increasingly stifled by
lofts and chain stores. It's disturbing to me that
East Quad, once a beacon of free thought, is not
exempt from the fall, and even worse, that an
article at my school newspaper would so slop-
pily report on this coup d'etat.
Molly Roth
LSA skior
After watching herds of fresh-
men roam around campus with
those incredibly fashionable
lanyards attached
to their MCards,
it occurred to me
that I might try my
hand at an advice
column filled
with wisdom I've 3
gleaned in my three u
years at the Uni-
versity. But I didn't BRIAN
want to scrawl the FLAHERTY
same old- truisms:
Take classes you're
interested in. Try
new things. Figure out what you're
passionate about and do that thang.
Don't step on the 'M' before your
first finals or worms will devour your
brain! As wise as those statements
are, I'm instead going to urge stu-
dents to ask one of my favorite first
date questions, which also happens
to be a weird sort of analogy for what
I've learned at the University: "What
are you thinking?"
As obvious a question as that seems
to be, I can probably count on one
hand the number of times those sylla-
bles have been tossed at me. It's sur-
prising, because there are few, if any,
things that are more relevant about
a person than their thoughts. At the
University we're regularly accosted
by requests that don't tell the asker
much of anything about us: What's
your name? (Most people forget it
and ask again at a later date.) How are
you? (If you don't answer with some
form of "good," you had better brace
for an awkward silence.)
But the thoughts people are hav-
ing are often more worth talking
about than the forgettable, surface
details. Facing this looming question
has been one of the hardest and most
rewarding challenges I've faced in genuinely try to see what the world
college. looks like through others' eyes.
A truthful answer is easy to dodge. Universities can encourage people
What are you thinking? I dunno. End to attempt just that. In classrooms,
of thought. But life gets a lot more students can learn about topics like
complicated and exciting when you the Myer-Briggs typology - a theory
start posing critical questions about of personality based on the idea that
people's thoughts - about beliefs and people's brains function very differ-
values. ently on multiple dimensions, result-
During my third semester at the ing in a great deal of diversity in what
University, my philosophy professor what people think about and how
assigned a reading that argued the they think about it. Outside of the
suffering of animals should, based on classroom, students have plenty of
logic, receive the same consideration opportunities to meet many sorts of
we give to human suffering. I was people, choose from about hundreds
shocked to find I agreed. Just like that, of organizations, experiment and
my beliefs about eating meat were engage in various social activities of
torn to shreds, and I went through a questionable legality. All in all, there
brief bout of learning what it's like to are plenty of opportunities on cam-
be a vegetarian. Students who don't pus to learn about others if you have a
have professors and experiences on genuine interest in who other people
campus that change their beliefs and are and what they're thinking.
force them to see the world in a more
complex and enriching way aren't
getting their money's worth. But for The 'U' can offer
that to happen, you have to be willing
to ask what you're thinking withoutnew perspectives if
presupposing that your initial answer n Wp Yp~ i~ Si
is the right one. youo ask.
When applied to other people, o nly
"what are you thinking?" takes on
additional significance. It's very easy
for us to live in isolated worlds and When I entered the University as
relate to others only on our ownterms a freshman, I had never been asked
without trying to understand other to take a hard look at myself and my
peoples' worlds. Millions of years of main mode of thinking. But on cam-
evolution have made people's brains pus, I've gotten in the habit of asking
very good at recognizing patterns "what are you thinking?" every day.
and categorizing things, including It makes life much more meaningful
people. So, it's typical human behav- and fun, and I encourage other stu-
ior to arrive at an understanding of dents to do the same (or at least give
people by labeling them as this-or- it a try). The University isn't a perfect
that rather than as unique and com- place, but it is a great place to think
plex individuals. I suspect that one about thinking.
of the reasons I've rarely been asked
what I'm thinking by others is that - Brian Flaherty is an associate
it's not altogether common or easy for editorial page editor. He can be
people to look beyond themselves and reached at bfla@umich.edu.
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