4A - Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 9
l e Mc4t*pan +
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@umich.edu
GARY GRACA ROBERT SOAVE COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position oftthe Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles
and illustrations represent solely the views ofttheir authors.
Looking back
A review of this summer's most important moments
While you might not have noticed thanks to this week's
beautiful weather, summer is wrapping up. It's time to
say goodbye to that internship with your local mem-
ber of Congress, that low-paying job at an ice cream shop, that
humanitarian mission to Africa or whatever you did to pass the
time while school was out. For all students returning to Ann Arbor
- or at least those who are somehow still able to afford the Uni-
versity's ridiculous tuition - it's another semester of staying up
all night writing research papers, furiously joining student groups,
rushing, cramming and looking for work.
I will not pay a penny."
- Lubna Hussein, a journalist and United Nations worker, on refusing to pay a fine after being
arrested in Sudan for wearing pants, as reported yesterday by the New York Times.
ELAINE MORTON |
E-MAIL ELAINE AT EMORT@UMICH.EDU
Du~de, Svmore Coins -titL g et A Ire
Wfet%, you A srAe%I veed on~e.,
Why the mobs still gather
0
But whether this is your first semester
in Ann Arbor or your last, we thought you
could use a catch-up on what happened
while you were away.
While you probably didn't miss the foot-
ball team's huge win on Saturday, you might
not know that the win was Rich Rodri-
guez's first piece of good news all month.
The Detroit Free Press accused Rodriguez
and his staff of violating NCAA regulations
by requiring his players to practice too long
and too often. In response, the University
did what it's best at: launched an inves-
tigation. And if that weren't enough bad
news, Nexity Bank is suing Rodriguez for
defaulting on a $3.6 million loan. But for
now, Rodriguez can rest a little easier hav-
ing delivered Wolverine fans the win they
were craving.
And on the subject of cravings, Univer-
sity smokers beware: You have approxi-
mately 10 months to quit. As of July 2010,
campus will become a smoke-free environ-
ment, both indoors and outdoors. No, you
won't get a ticket or a trip to jail if you do
it - you'll just be guilted into feeling really,
really bad about it. The University claims
the ban will cut down health care costs by
making students and employees healthier.
By this logic, maybe shutting down the
residence hall cafeterias would be more
appropriate.
But one bad habit that the University
can't seem to quit is raising tuition year
after year. This year was no different, with
the Board of Regents passing yet another
tuition hike of 5.6 percent for in-state stu-
dents. What was a surprise, though, was
the fact that two regents voted against the
hike - the first such dissent in years. At
this rate, we might see an end to the tuition
hikes in only a few more (gulp) years.
But the Board of Regents wasn't the only
governing body experiencing some dissent.
Across the country, "real" Americans are
turning out en masse to public forums on
health care to express their opposition to
Congress and President Barack Obama's
health care plans. Common methods of
expression have included shouting at legis-
lators until they give up and hijacking the
discussion to focus on the pressing issue of
Obama's citizenship. These birth certifi-
cate fanatics, despite having been shown
irrefutable evidence to the contrary, hope
to remove Obama from office by proving
that he was never born in the United States
(as if Joe Biden becoming president would
actually end their complaining).
The economy still sucks. The war in
Afghanistan is going worse than ever.
Swine flu may or may not kill us all. But
whatever happens, the Daily will be here to
cover it (unless the swine flu thing comes
to fruition). We would like you to be here
with us.
So write letters to the editor and submit
viewpoints. Let us know what stories you
care about and what you think of them.
The Daily is your student newspaper, but
we can only fulfill this role with your help
and attention.
'm not concerned with your liking
or disliking me ... All I ask is that
you respect meas a human being."
- Jackie Robinson
To say that Pres-
ident George W.
Bush did a lot of
dumb things and
was criticized for
them would be an
understatement of
magnificent pro-
portions. Bush- IMAAN
bashing becameS
quite a sport over 5YED
the past few years,
and not just among
the prissy liberals of New York, San
Francisco or the average college
town. President Bush's actions dis-
appointed, angered and embarrassed
nearly every segment of this country
at some point and to some extent.
So how is it that just six months into
his first term - with no new wars and
hismostcontroversialpolicyinitiative
the Good Samaritan-esque notion of
health care for all - President Barack
Obama has managed to become hated
enough to actually warrant compari-
son to Bush at his lowest?
True, Obama's approval rating
remains above 50 percent, but you
wouldn't know that from the out-
bursts at town hall meetings across
the country during the August
recess - including at a forum featur-
ing Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) in
West Bloomfield last week. In pub-
lic appearances by politicians of all
levels, protesters have raised hell
about everything from the president's
healthcare plan to his citizenship.
Sure, other presidents have had to
put up with such outbursts before - as
I said, President Bush certainly faced
his fair share of critics. But therein
lies the issue: Bush was hated for his
two costly, failing wars, his handling
of the economy and the failure of his
main policy initiatives like No Child
Left Behind. Bush was hated, fairly or
not, for a reason - and he was hated
only after he had failed.
It's very different with Obama. His
term has just started. Far from hav-
ing failed, his policies have not yet
even been implemented. And even
the severe economic recession that
Obama inherited is dwindling.
And yet all we hear are mad jeers
about the socialist takeover of Amer-
ica instigated by a secret Muslim,
totally Kenyan, not-really American-
born Chicago sleaze-bag who conned
everybody into making him presi-
dent.
Such nonsense from extremist nut-
jobs is common, but they're usually
drowned out by voices of reason. But
this time around, when the yelling
starts at those town halls, Obama can
find no such defenders.
Instead of booing and silencing the
woman who interrupted a political
event by Rep. Mike Castle (R7-Del.)
by demanding Obama produce a
legitimate birth certificate, the crowd
actually cheered, as if hearing for the
first time an articulation of their most
closely held beliefs. It's been the same
story at forums on healthcare across
the nation - one person screams out
baseless accusations about death pan-
els and socialism and dozens more
roar in support.
It's easy to dismiss this phenom-
enon as a set-up, as liberals have done.
They say these anti-Obama maniacs
are planted by the healthcare lobby in
hopes of changing the public percep-
tion of the debate. No doubt that's a
part of it, but I find it hard to believe
that the crowd that roars in support
of the agitators has also been planted.
The problem is not that simple at all.
In November, Obama did what
seemed utterly impossible evena cou-
ple of years ago: win the presidency as
a black man. He did so because of his
immense personal talents and orga-
nizing prowess. He won over groups
into his coalition that even the most
optimistic Democrat would not have
thought possible.
Health care is
just their excuse
to organize.
But too easily we forget that nearly
60 million voters rejected him. For
all Obama's grace, poise and charm,
nearly half the electorate thought a
washed-up John McCain was still the
better choice. Obama became presi-
dent by getting a close majority of the
country to accept him, despite all his
outsider traits.
But some people will never accept
him. To them, he'll always be a secret
Muslim, a Kenyan-born usurper or a
socialist determined to drive white
America into the ground. No mat-
ter what he accomplishes, this presi-
dent will always be Barack. Hussein.
Obama. A large segment of the popu-
lation will never vote for him as one of
them - let alone as their leader.
That is, of course, the tragedy of
being a trailblazer. And that is why
the mobs still roar in support when a
racist madly waves a birth certificate
while calling our president a liar.
Imran Syed was the Daily's
editorial page editor in 2007. He can
be reached at galad@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Nina Amilineni, Emad Ansari, Emily Barton, Harun Buljina, Ben Caleca, Brian Flaherty,
Emma Jeszke, Raghu Kainkaryam, Sutha Kanagasingam, Erika Mayer, Edward McPhee, Asa Smith,
Brittany Smith, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Laura Veith
MIKE KENN |
All in for Michigan football
0
nave had the pleasure and good fortune
of having played football for a very long time.
Those long years of hard-won experience have
given me the knowledge and the right to com-
ment about football and its requirements at
every level, from grade school to high school to
college and all the way up to professional.
It must be understood that football is an
extremely difficult game. While most readily
observe the physical component of this diffi-
culty, it is the mental toughness required by
the sport that often goes overlooked. Many do
not have the mental toughness, sincere com-
mitment or love for the sport needed to excel at
the highest level. Spending extra time outside
of team-sanctioned routines is the responsibil-
ity of any player who wants to gain a spot on
a team or win a position or championship. The
player must make the conscious decision to put
in the extra time, and it is this extreme dedica-
tion that separates the mediocre from the truly
great.
No coach, teammate or parent can make
that happen, but it is the responsibility of the
University, the athletic department and the
coaching staff to provide opportunities for per-
sonal improvement to every player. Michigan
does this, as does every other well-organized
program within college football. It is always
offered but never required.
For anonymous former or current players to
make allegations that a coaching staff would
knowingly violate NCAA rules is ludicrous. If
one looks at the situation from a contextual
standpoint as opposed to simply reacting with
emotional outrage, it's obvious the scenario is
nonsensical. What would be the incentive for
the coaching staff when weighed against the
inevitable consequences? Many have said that
such an act would be committed in order to
gain an edge over the competition, but the odds
of any coaches consciously deciding to disobey
such a powerful organization as the NCAA for
such a slight edge is laughable. Instead, these
claims expose a lack of character in the young
men who made them and reveal their weakness
- they do not understand the level of commit-
ment needed to rise to the highest level of the
game.
What we learn in football is how to overcome
a team, a single opponent, and most important-
ly our own shortcomings. As players, we are
given the tools to succeed, but only with our
own initiative can we utilize them. Coaches
cannot force players to fight for success, and
these young men who have made unsupported
accusations do not have the drive to search for
success by themselves.
I did not want the uncommitted as team-
mates, and I do not want the uncommitted
representing the Michigan football team. I
want dedicated warriors who understand the
demands, both physical and mental, of this
most difficult game. I do not support the viola-
tion of NCAA regulations - I am insisting that
there has been no such violation. This episode
is simply the most pronounced example of a
series of undercuts made against Rich Rodri-
guez. For a coach to gain success, he must have
the support of his administration, the loyalty
of his players, and the respect of his peers. I
believe Rodriguez may have all but the first of
this trifecta, but it is this important missing
item that obstructs our program's rise.
Rodriguez is attempting to advance Michi-
gan football into the modern era - an era of
football that is played with great team speed
on both sides of the ball. I have met the man.
I have met his coaches. They are committed.
They have won and know what it takes to win.
They are advancing the Michigan program and
taking it to the level we have failed to reach in
previous seasons.
Those who attempts to undercut Rodriguez
and the Michigan football program with base-
less accusations are self-serving. They are
placing their own agenda above the good of the
program, and that will doom a team to failure in
every challenge. It's time for the University and
athletic administration to finally honor the slo-
gan they came up with and go "all in for Michi-
gan." Until that occurs, we as a Michigan nation
must come together and write letters and send
emails to all who may have an effect, whether
that be the press, President Mary Sue Coleman,
Rodriguez or Bill Martin himself. Don't let
the jealous, self-serving few tarnish and erode
the legacy and future of Michigan football.
Mike Kenn is a University alum and former
Michigan football player. He played football for
the NFL's Atlanta Falcons from 1978 to 1994.
The Daily is looking for a diverse group of strong, informed writers to be
columnists during the fall 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.
GARY GRACA
6
An introduction to the Daily
Welcome back - or for those of you
who are new to the University, just
welcome.
The media often takes hits for
being more guarded than the organi-
zations they cover. We strive not to be
like that. We are a newspaper run by
students for students, and we try to
be as transparent as possible during
that mission.
As the new school year kicks off,
I wanted to take the opportunity to
explain what The Michigan Daily is
and how we are here to serve you.
Who we are:
Since 1890, the Daily has been the
largest newspaper on campus. For all
119 of those years, it has been man-
aged and edited exclusively by stu-
dents. The University doesn't have
any say about what we print or who
works for us, and we don't receive
financial help from the University,
student fees or partisan foundations.
In essence, we are your newspaper.
What our mission is:
We are here to make sure you get
the most out of your campus experi-
ence.
In the most basic sense, that means
letting you know what is going on at
the University and in Ann Arbor and
telling the stories that matter. But
it also means digging deeper - to
make sure your tuition is not wast-
ed, to ensure that University and
city administrators pay attention to
your interests, to protect the qual-
ity of your education and to expose
how the decisions that affect you are
made. We want to be your forum to
express your problems, concerns and
opinions.
We strive to do all of that in the
most fair, accurate and objective way
possible.
When we stray from that mis-
sion:
Call us out for it.
For the same reasons we hold other
campus institutions accountable for
their actions, we want you to hold us
accountable.
To do that, we need your help.
When we make a mistake, send us a
correction at corrections@michi-
gandaily.com. When you think
there is more to be said, send us a
letter at tothedaily@umich.edu or
arrange for a longer viewpoint by
e-mailing opinion@michigandaily.
com. When you just want to give me
an earful, write me at graca@michi-
gandaily.com or call me at 734-647-
3336.
We know we make mistakes. We
try to minimize those mistakes, cor-
rect them when they happen and
make sure we tell you about them
when we do. You can find a list of cor-
rections every day on Page 2. You can
also read more about the Daily's suc-
cesses and failures on our blog The
Editor's Page.
How you can help us:
Remember that this is your news-
paper. If you think we are running
it into the ground, you can single-
handedly change it. Any student -
journalism experience or not - is
welcome to join our staff. You can get
more information by visiting michi-
gandaily.com/join-us, stopping by our
offices at 420 Maynard St or attending
one of our informational meetings at
the following times:
" Today, Sept. 8 at 8 p.m.
" Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 8 p.m.
" Sunday, Sept.13 at 6 p.m.
" Monday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m.
You can also suggest a story to us
anytime by e-mailing news@michi-
gandaily.com or calling the news-
room at 734-763-2459. We can't be
everywhere at once, so we need your
help to tell us where you think we
should be.
Please take me up on these things.
The Michigan Daily is here for all of
us. Itcan't be a quality resource unless
readers, writers and editors all take
on their share of the responsibility.
Gary Graca
Editor in Chief
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