4A - Monday, April 5, 2010
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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JACOB SMILOVITZ RAC
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tothedaily@umich.edu
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HEL VAN GILDER
ORIAL PAGE EDITOR
MATT AARONSON
MANAGING EDITOR
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.
Census countdown
Students must complete census survey to help city
A pril Fool's Day is usually a day devoted to practical jokes,
but this year the date took on a new meaning. The U.S.
Census Bureau declared Apr. 1, 2010 to be National Cen-
sus Day to remind people to fill out and send in their census
survey. Response rates for students have been unimpressive in
the past. But students can change that by taking 10 minutes to
complete a census form. In the past few months, the University
has taken several measures in an effort to raise awareness and
increase this year's response rate. With forms now delivered to
both residential halls and off-campus houses, students need to
do their part.
(Agri)cultural cele
As the Daily reported earlier this semes-
ter, many communities in Ann Arbor had
an extremely low response rate to the 2000
census. To combat the low turnout, the
University held a video campaign that was
intended to improve understanding of the
census. Afterviewing13 submissions, awin-
ner was announced last week. The shorter
form of the census for students living in
residence halls was delivered last week as
well. Ifa student fails to send in their form
by thatdate, census officials will be visiting
their room to obtain the information.
Unless students have been living under
a rock for the last few months, they should
know that they need to fill out the census.
Months of hearing and reading about the
census should have informed student of
its important purpose. The census deter-
mines how much funding the federal gov-
ernment allocates to local governments.
This funding could be spent on projects
like improving roads and infrastructure.
And national ad campaigns in addition to
University reminders have left students
without the excuse that they simply didn't
know they were supposed to.
And filling out the census isn't only a
civil responsibility. It's a legal responsi-
bility, too. Every person in the country is
required by law to complete the census.
If an individual fails to complete the cen-
sus, they can be fined from $100 to $5,000.
And students don't get a free pass simply
because they aren't permanent Ann Arbor
residents. Everyone in the country must fill
out a census where they reside most of the
year - for students, that's Ann Arbor. It's a
legal obligation to respond to the census in
Ann Arbor. They shouldn't put it off.
The U.S. Census Bureau is also using a
shorter version of the form than it has in
years past. With only 10 questions on the
form - and even fewer for those living in
residence halls - there is no excuse for not
filling it out. The Census Bureau has made
the census quick and painless. Now stu-
dents need to do their part to make sure this
important and simple task is completed.
Filling out a census is an easy way to help
Ann Arbor - and it's students'responsibil-
ity to do it. So break out a blue or black pen
and take 10 short minutes to fill out the
census form.
A s a country girl, I'm a big fan
of fairs. I like the horse shows,
rides and concerts. I have a
special affection
for funnel cake. I
have fond memo-
ries of working at
the FFA's (formerly r
the Future Farmers
of America) Circle ,
of Life exhibit, '
which showcased
chicks, calves and
other baby ani- RACHEL
mals, at the Ing- VANGLDER
ham County Fair
in Mason, Michi-
gan. The Webber-
ville Chapter of the FFA even made
the trip to the Michigan State Fair in
Detroit once to man a small exhibit for
the Farm Bureau. The State Fair was
large, loud and it smelled of hotdogs
and cherry slushies.
But the Michigan State Fair, which
has existed for about 160 years, prob-
ably won't be back this summer. The
fair lost state support last year and
plans to lease the land to other orga-
nizations have stalled. With all the
delays, it seems as though the State
Fair won't take place this year. But
the state fair is a valuable cultural
exhibition, and the more time that
passes without progress, the less like-
ly it seems that the fair will ever take
place again. But if Michigan agricul-
tural organizations band together,
they could save the State Fair.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm cut state
funding to the fair last year in an
attempt to save the government
money. On one level, I can't fault her
for making cuts. Michigan's project-
ed deficit for the 2011 fiscal year is
an astonishing $1.8 billion. And I'm
not even that ticked that she chose
the State Fair to get the ax. That's
because I think that the State Fair
could get funding from other sources
with relatively little trouble.
The Huron-Clinton Metropoli-
tan Authority has said that it would
be interested in acquiring 120 acres
of the fairgrounds, according to a
report on Saturday by The Detroit
Free Press. The Authority would
turn some of the grounds into a year-
round park and run the fair in the
summer. But, according to a report
by The Detroit News on Saturday,
the Authority must submit a proposal
for use of the land to the state by the
end of April to obtain the land. The
clock's ticking. And the Authority
has already said that it doesn't think
the State Fair will make it off the
ground this year. But the longer the
wait before the Authority submits its
plans, the more I worry that the Fair
will never happen again. And I don't
think that's okay.
Michigan residents often forget
that agriculture is the state's second
largest industry. Though Michigan
is home to several densely-populated
areas like Lansing and Detroit, much
of the state is actually rural. And it
makes millions of dollars each year
producing dairy products, cherries,
blueberries, asparagus and pickling
cucumbers. According to the U.S.
Department .of Agriculture's 2007
Census of Agriculture, Michigan
farms employ 86,000 people and pay
out $607 million to workers. And
even though students here at the Uni-
versity of Michigan love to mock it,
Michigan State University's College
of Agriculture actually makes a lot of
sense in a state that depends so heav-
ily on agriculture.
The State Fair is a venue to show-
case that part of Michigan's culture.
Of course, fairs are also the best place
to eat too much junk food and ride
the tilt-a-whirl until you get nau-
seous. But the State fair gives people
who aren't familiar with Michigan's
agriculture industry an opportunity
to see award-winning cows and pigs
and check out exhibits by Michigan
bration
growers. It's a learning opportunity
and a place for Michigan farmers
to show what they do for this state.
The Huron-Clinton Metropolitan
Authority should work with Michi-
gan agricultural organizations to
revive plans for a state fair.
The Michigan
State Fair isn't just
about funnel cake.
If a group of agricultural sponsors
worked together to fund the State
Fair this year, they could have a place
to show their wares and get some
advertising in, too. The Michigan
Department of Agriculture's website
lists a host of organizations ranging
from the Michigan Farm Bureau to
the Holstein Association to the Sod
Growers of Michigan. Any of these
groups could contribute to sponsor-
ship of the fair. The Huron-Clinton
Metropolitan Authority should look
into finding sponsors from organiza-
tions like this to make sure that the
fair happens next year.
Because most of Michigan's county
fairs don't appear to be in danger of
closing before they open, I'm prob-
ably still going to get my funnel cake
this summer. And my mother will
probably enter some cherry jam and
pickled asparagus in a fair some-
where. But the State Fair was a cel-
ebration of the industry that keeps
so many Michigan families fed. And
agricultural organizations should
work together to keep that celebra-
tion alive.
-Rachel Van Gilder isthe Daily's
editorial page editor. She can be
reached at rachelvg@umich.edu.1
LEEYA CORRELL I
Learning in and from Detroit
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"What can you learn in Detroit that you can't
learn in Ann Arbor?" asked a friend when I told
him that I would be spending this semester in the
city as part of the second year of the Semester in
Detroit program. I wasn't exactly sure, beyond
feeling there must be something to gain from liv-
ing outside of Ann Arbor, which I've called home
for 20 years. My academic and personal pursuits
have been largely centered on social justice, par-
ticularly environmental justice, and I wanted to
see hose the academic theories I'd studied trans-
late into work outside of an academic setting.
In Detroit, I've had the opportunity to work
with and hear from community members who
have spent their lives dealing with issues I have
only really known from within the confines of
the classroom. Even more valuable than any spe-
cific knowledge I've gained is what I've learned
about the complexity of the city. Through my
work at a non-profit in southwest Detroit, the
courses about Detroit history and events I've
attended and talking with Wayne State and Uni-
versity of Michigan students, I've been nearly
constantly surrounded by discussions of the city
- past, present and future.
one issue at the forefront of many Detroi-
ters' minds is the concept of "right-sizing" the
city, the focus of a recent Daily editorial (Stimu-
late blight control, 03/28/2010). The editorial
promoted Mayor Dave Bing's plan to demolish
abandoned homes and "rezone the city into
denser communities to distribute funds more
effectively." The importance of blight eradi-
cation is certainly not news to Detroiters, and
it's the most prevalent issue I've worked on
through my internship.
Two weeks ago, I attended the mayor's State
of the City address. The only aspect of the right-
sizing plan that Bing laid out explicitly was the
plan to demolish 3,000 abandoned buildings by
the end of the year. These demolitions are long
overdue. But the logistics of the plan at large
remain unknown. What will be done with vacant
lots after demolition is still a topic of great con-
cern for many Detroiters. The even more conten-
tious aspect of the right-sizing concept that I've
heard among some community members is the
question of how the city will go about making
communities "denser".
Eventually, right-sizing will likely involve
moving residents from their homes in sparsely
populated neighborhoods to denser residential
areas. The purported need to rezone the city
into "denser communities" seems easy enough
to understand in terms of the city's economy
and population loss.
But this will not be the first time in Detroit's
history that people have been moved for the sake
of "blight removal." The city's postwar urban
renewal program involved the destruction of
black and low-income neighborhoods by build-
ing freeways through them or leveling them all
together, which led to disastrous effects on the
city's housing. The social and economic climate
during the failed urban renewal efforts of the
post-war era was certainly different than today
in many ways and it's not my intention to equate
the two situations. But recognizing Detroit's
history in this policy area reveals why many
Detroiters are wary of the current right-sizing
discussion and why one lifelong Detroiter I met
recently told me he thinks that the plan is "evil".
The fact that the exact plan is still unknown
leaves even more room for speculation and criti-
cism. Still, studying Detroit's history and dis-
cussing it with city residents has allowed me to
understand why a plan that might seem fairly
uncontroversial at firstis actually complex. I have
heard many Detroiters ask fundamental ques-
tions that have remained largely unanswered
thus far. Do people want to leave their homes?
Should they be forced to if they don't, or just
incentivized? How and where does the city plan
to move some of its poorest residents? Detroiters
are engaging in these debates every day, and I'm
grateful to be part of some of these discussions.
Engaging with Detroiters advocating for social
justice has made me realize the need for a more
complete assessment of Detroit's issues than the
mainstream media tends to put forth.
The learning opportunity that I'm most
grateful for this semester is something I don't
believe I would have fully realized in Ann
Arbor: I'm learning how to integrate the study
of Detroit's complex history with its living
present and the tremendous hope that Detroi-
ters hold for the city's future.
If you would like to learn more about Semes-
ter in Detroit, there will be an informational
meeting on Tuesday, Apr. 6 at 6:00 p.m. in 1372
East Hall. Semester in Detroit is accepting
applications now for the winter 2011 semester.
To get more information, go to www.semester-
indetroit.com.
Leeya Correll is an LSA junior.
0
Universal cover-up
Yesterday's celebration of Eas-
ter followed Lent, which
Catholics use as a time for
self-reflection. We
try to recognize
our shortcomings,
seek forgiveness
and try to grow
spiritually. Humil-
ity is a big part of
the exercise.
Unfortunately,
some church lead-
ers didn't get the PATRICK
memo.
Cardinal Thom- O'MAHEN
as Dolan, the arch-_
bishop of New
York, provided a spirited Palm Sun-
day defense of Pope Benedict XVI's
reaction to the latest revelations of
clergy sexual abuse, comparing the
pontiff to Jesus enduring the taunts
of the Jewish high priests before his
crucifixion. In his Good Friday Mes-
sage, the Vatican's in-house preacher,
the Rev. Raniero Cantalamessa, com-
pared the church's experience during
the current scandal to anti-Semitism.
The arrogance of these state-
ments is only matched by their lack of
accountability. In return for the great
authority that the church's, hierar-
chy claims for itself, bishops need to
exhibit a strong sense of responsi-
bility. In the case of the abuse, that
includes public confessions and the
resignation of those who are respon-
sible, up to and including the pontiff,
if the evidence dictates it.
Those are strong statements,
so let's justify them by rewinding
the tape to examine the actions of
Church leaders during the whole
sorry episode of clergy sex abuse.
The story broke in the United
States in 1983, when Louisiana jour-
nalist Jason Berry reported on civil
litigation against Gilbert Gauthe, a
priest in the Diocese of Lafayette
accused of molesting dozens of boys.
When allegations against Gauther
surfaced, Bishop Gerard Frey qui-
etly transferred him to another par-
ish, refused to address the subject
with abuse victims and never called
the police. When Gauther was finally centrally involved in connection to
arrested, the lawsuits began. In testi- their despicable handling of the abuse
mony, Frey also admitted that he was cases - which involved nearly 200
sheltering another pedophile priest. priests and thousands of children.
By 1986, Berry's reporting uncovered
seven more priests accused of sexual
abuse.
In 1987, Cannon began pursu- Catholic leaders
ing a similar story for the San Jose
Mercury-News. His editor told him need to take
he needed to find serious allegations
from at least six dioceses in order for responsibility
him to claim that a pattern of abuse
was occurring. With some help from
an early version of Lexis-Nexis and
several phone calls, he found 35 cases The overall numbers were appall-
of abuse in two dozen dioceses the ing. According to a report by the Dal-
first afternoon he worked on the story. las Morning News in 2003, roughly
The pattern was the same: priests two-thirds of U.S. dioceses had
would sexually abuse children and become entangled in the net. Accord-
be quietly transferred by their bish- ing to a study by the John Jay College
ops to a new assignment. Officials of Criminal Justice, 4,392 clergymen
never informed parishioners of their , who served between 1960 and 2002
crimes. When victims came forward, had credible allegations of abuse filed
they were ignored or pressured to against them - roughly four percent
keep silent. When they sued, the of the clergy in the country at the
church used aggressive legal tactics time.
to silence them. Bishops didn't notify That means 96 percent of clergy
police and church lawyers often per- aren't pedophiles, but "Raise your
suaded courts to seal records when kids Catholic, we're 96-percent pedo-
civil litigation did arise. When the philia-free" isn't really a catchy slo-
story did leak out to the press, prel- gan, is it?
ates like Boston's Cardinal Bernard Most recently, what had been a
Law played the victim and accused U.S. scandal and has spread to Ire-
the media of anti-Catholic bigotry. land, Switzerland, Italy, Mexico
After two decades of slow leaking, and Germany - most notably, to the
the dam finally burst in Boston in pope's former diocese in Munich,
2002. Lawyers from the Boston Globe which he served at as an archbishop.
persuaded a judge to open the files The same pattern is repeating itself:
surrounding a lawsuit that 25 abuse revelation of cover-ups, stonewall-
victims of the priest John J. Geoghan ing, and the maddening inability of
had filed against the Archdiocese of church leaders to take responsibility
Boston. Reporters found the house without insisting that someone else
of God harbored a house of horrors share the blame.
- not only had Geohagan abused 130 The mystery surrounding Jesus'
children, but parishioners had lodged resurrection from the dead is the cen-
complaints against 80 other priests tral tenet of Catholic faith. But given
as well. the latest disgraceful performance
A similar story happened in Phila- from the hierarchy this Easter sea-
delphia, where Archbishop Anthony son, one mystery that looms large in
Bevilacqua stonewalled official inves- my mind is why I'm still Catholic. At
tigations into the diocese for years. times like these, that choice requires
According to the District Attorney's quite a leap of faith.
2005 report, only a legal technicality
prevented investigators from crimi- - Patrick O'Mahen can be
nally charging the bishop and others reached at pomahen@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Nina Amilineni, Jordan Birnholtz, William Butler, Nicholas Clift,
Michelle DeWitt, Brian Flaherty, Jeremy Levy, Erika Mayer, Edward McPhee,
Emily Orley, Harsha Panduranga, Alex Schiff, Asa Smith, Brittany Smith,
Robert Soave, Radhika Upadhyaya, Laura Veith