4A - Monday, March 21, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4A - Monday, March 21, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com. DANIEL GOLD E-MAIL DANIEL AT DW(GOLD@UMICH.EDU MARCH MADNESS " . "What God does is God's business, I have no idea. But I'll tell you this: whether you call it Gaia or whether you call it Jesus, there's a message being sent. And that is, 'Hey, you know that stuff we're doing? Not really working out real well. Maybe we should stop doing some of it.' " -Glenn Beck, March 14,2011 Ugly subtext of college sports STEPHANIE STEINBERG EDITOR IN CHIEF MICHELLE DEWITT and EMILY ORLEY EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS KYLE SWANSON MANAGING EDITOR Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solelythe views of their authors. Hitting the streets Detroit needs more officers patrolling the city obocop may not be the only new cop patrolling the streets of Detroit, as there are plans to add more police officers to patrol units in Detroit. Listed as one of the most dangerous cities in the country, crime is a major concern for Detroit. Gary Brown, Detroit City Council president pro tem, and Mayor Dave Bing agree - Detroit needs to get police officers out from behind the desk and onto the streets. Brown is proposing a plan for 600 new cops to be added to the streets while Bing's current plan calls for about 120 more cops. These plans to add more police officers to the streets of Detroit should be implemented in a cost effective and efficient manner. Of the 3,000 Detroit police officers current- ly employed, about a quarter of that number sit at a desk every day. These officers review com- plaints, guard buildings and courtrooms and fill out paperwork in addition to other stan- dard bureaucratic work. In a city with high crime rates like Detroit, this is not a proper allocation of trained officers. All these tasks can be performed without the use of a gun or police training. Instead of actively work- ing to make the city a safer place to live, these officers are doing administrative tasks that a civilian could reasonably manage. Both Brown and Bing have presented ideas about cutting costs and adding patrolling offi- cers. Both plans involve employing civilians for jobs that don't require a badge or gun. Not only would this decrease crime, but it would also help keep the Detroit Police Department's budget manageable because the civilian work- ers would have lower wages than the officers. The goal is to decrease response times around the city and increase the rate of criminal con- victions without putting a financial burden on taxpayers. One thing that could stand in the way of implementing these ideas is the labor union. Bing's office is currently in collective-bargain- ing talks with union leaders. While it's impor- tant to respect union rights and recognize the importance of collective bargaining, the union leaders need to work with the city to ensure that decisions are being made to ensure safety and also fiscal responsibility. According to Bing's office, he hasn't heard anything from Brown about working on this project. The two offices appear to have inde- pendently developed their ideas, but they should work together and implement a plan that will increase the number of cops on Detroit streets. Any plan that increases the number ofDetroit police officerswill be a valuable change, as long as it doesn't impact the budget of an already overburdened city. Hiring citizens to do tasks that don't require police training, instead of placing trained officers behind desks, is an excellent way to maintain the current budget and expand the police force. Detroit needs to work with the resources it has and allocate the budget in the most efficient way. On April 12, Bing will reveal his budget for 2011-2012. Those involved in formulating the plan need to implement a law enforcement system that increases patrolling officers and remains within a reasonable budget. A s a good friend described it to me the other day, you'd think that NBA Allstar Grant Hill was running to be the first black Republican sen- ator from Ari- zona. ESPN's recent documentary on the "Fab Five"y Michigan bas- NEILL ketball teams of MOHAMMAD the early 1990s was unchar- acteristically candid. The keenest example was former University bas- ketball player and NBA player Jalen Rose's admission that, as a 17-year- old prep standout from Detroit, he was jealous of players like Grant Hill, who came from conspicuously wealthier backgrounds than his own. In his mind, that disparity explained why Hill was recruited heavily by traditional power programs like the one led by Mike Krzyzewski at Duke. That would have passed without incident except Rose also admitted that at that age he thought that black players like Hill, who went to places like Duke, were "Uncle Toms." I'm less interested in Rose's use of that phrase than I am in the reaction it produced. Aside from the imme- diate chatter between the various talking heads of the extended ESPN media empire, Hill himself respond- ed with a1,000word online op-ed for The New York Times. It was paean to hard work, bands of brothers and - with a wholly unnecessary Latin proverb - the value of character, struggle and self-improvement. It read like the flimsy, would-be Hora- tio Alger political autobiographies that always wash up in bookstores during presidential election years. It was breathtakingly inane. But in his rush to claim what he must have seen as the moral high ground, Hill made anugly subtext ofbig-time col- lege sports explicit; in doing so, he inadvertently proved Rose's point. College sports - big-time sports like Big Ten and Atlantic Coast con- ference men's basketball - have always embraced hard work as the ultimate arbiter between success and failure. You can see it everywhere during this time of the year: March Madness's fundamental appeal is the idea that plucky upstarts can do anything they put their mind to so long as they work hard, pull them- selves up by their own bootstraps and confirm their dedication to the pursuit of excellence. Fans love this sort of thing, which is why people like Krzyzewski and the late John Wooden - whose "Pyramid of Suc- cess" can be found ironed to the jerseys of this year's University of California, Los Angeles Bruins - can transcend the relatively pedestrian job title of "coach" in favor of some- thing like "leader of men." The dif- ference between success and failure reduces to whether 'Field Marshal' Wooden can instill enough "self-con- trol," "industriousness" and "loyalty" in you before tip-off. Krzyzewski is a latter-day George S. Patton; Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium is his Nor- mandy. He'll even tell you as much in his American Express commercial. Embracing and extending this attitude are the alumni who watch the games, buy the merchandise and, for a select few, write the lucra- tive checks that support the larg- est and most successful programs. Many of:them feel very passionate about the importance of;:"playing the right way" and believe strongly in the Krzyzewski party line that moral rightness is the secret to suc- cess. This allows people to start say- ing some very strange things about certain kinds of athletes under the premise that they're just defending the integrity of the game. Cue the Rose-produced "Fab 5," which found footage of no less an ambassador of the game than basketball broad- caster Dick Vitale grimly wringing his hands about the kind of message that the Fab Five were sending vul- nerable American youth by wearing baggy shorts and listening to N.W.A. Allegedly serious and responsible people use their concern for the game as a cudgel to label certain players - players with family histo- ries that look much more like Jalen Rose's than Grant Hill's - as mal- contents, unsuitable for the leading lights of the sport-like Duke. That, essentially, is the polished, up-mar- ket version of the Fab Five hate mail that was arriving in Ann Arbor by the wheelbarrow load in 1992. 'Fab Five' took * a candid look at NCAA basketball. That was Rose's argument, as he went on to explain to sports writ- er Skip Bayless (a man who once argued with a straight face that interracial marriages are a plus for black football coaches who want jobs with programs in the Deep South) in a separate television appearance. Coaches and programs have to cater to their benefactors, and some fan bases have little interest in recruits like Rose for reasons that have little to do with basketball. It's great that Hill views himself and his family as decent, hard-work- ing people. What would be better is if he entertained the idea that Rose worked hard too, but only one of them was ever going to get a visit from Coach K. -Neill Mohammad can be reached at neilla@umich.edu. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Aida Ali, Will Butler, Ellie Chessen, Michelle DeWitt, Ashley Griesshammer, Melanie Kruvelis, Patrick Maillet, Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Emily Orley, Harsha Panduranga, Teddy Papes, Asa Smith, Seth Soderborg, Andrew Weiner PATRICK MAILLET I Don't rule out nuclear energy LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be fewer than 300 words and must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@michigandaily.com BRENDAN CAMPBELL Rock the MSA) vote 01 As the world watched the mass destruc- tion caused by the tragic earthquake in Japan, manythoughtthatnit couldn'tget anyworse for the Japanese people. Unfortunately, the earth- quake had damaged multiple nuclear power plants, and apparently the authorities couldn't control the leaks of radiation. While we all watched the news looking for any glimmer of hope for the thousands of displaced victims, oil executives were overcome with joy: They had won again. America has 104 nuclear power plants that supply approximately 19.6 percent of the nation's energy, according to the U.S. Energy' Information Administration. While this num- ber may seem large, understand that no new nuclear power plant has been built in America since 1974. Since the catastrophes of Cher- nobyl and Three Mile Island, Americans have been convinced that nuclear power is unsafe and inevitably leads to disaster. As gas prices have soared and technology has improved, nuclear energy has once again grown popular in recent years. In fact, both Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and President Barack Obama were strong advocates for new nuclear energy plants during their respective campaigns in 2008. It appeared that nuclear energy was finally making a comeback when Obama made it clear that the construction of new nuclear power plants was one of his main goals during his first term as president. In 2009, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Com- mission had received applications for per- mission to construct 26 new nuclear power reactors. ThiswasfollowedbyObama's approv- al for loans guaranteeing as many as 20 new nuclear reactors. Long overdue, it appeared that America could finally make some steps toward reducingour dependence on oil. However, as the old adage goes, all good things must come to an end. Americans have begun to see the terrifying footage of uncon- trollable nuclear reactors in the wake of the Japanese disaster. In recent days, many politicians, who had finally agreed upon a bipartisan energy bill, have begun to retract their support for nuclear power. This piece of legislation, considered a major milestone in America's dealing with the problems of oil dependency and climate change, appears that it may be halted indefinitely due to the obser- vations made in light of Japan's current chal- lenges. The inevitable death of this bill is an absurd overreaction that will have far-reach- ing effects on the future of America's energy capabilities. We as Americans cannot look at Japan as an example of nuclear power crisis, but instead learn from the tragedy and develop ways to prohibit such a catastrophe here in America. Oil companies will do everything in their powerto ensure that fear concerning anything to do with nuclear power is inflicted into the public. In 2009 alone, oil and gas companies spent approximately $180 million on political lobbyists and millions more on political con- tributions to various politicians, according to OpenSecrets.org. We cannot let these greedy and self-driven companies simply buyout our government and prohibit us from creating sensible energy reform that could better pro- tect our environment, reduce carbon emis- sions and finally allow America to reduce its dependence on oil. As we have learned due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last summer and the recent turmoil in the Middle East, oil is no longer a stable commodity that our economy can rely on. By continuing our dependence on oil, we're empowering undem- ocratic foreign leaders, inevitably funding terrorist organizations and destroying our environment. We must seek alternative ener- gies to eventually replace our need for oil: Nuclear energy is undoubtedlythe best option. The tragedy of Japan's recent earthquake is one that will remain in our hearts for years to come. We must help rebuild Japan and learn how we can better protect ourselves from such a disaster. Overreacting and ending any plans for nuclear expansion in America would be a terrible response and one that we as citizens must ensure doesn't happen. Patrick Maillet is an LSA freshman. On the first day of Welcome Week freshman year, the world is full of possibilities. For many students, coming to college symbolizes the end of one stage of life and the beginning of another - one based on new experiences that inspire both excitement and fear. Yet what we may not have realized at first is that the moment our feet hit campus, a clock begins to tick. In truth, we have only a few short years to make our impact on the University of Michigan before we must pass along our legacy to the next generation of Wolverines. In some ways, college can feel simply like a transi- tion. It's the period of time that connects us from a past, shaped by the households and high schools from which we came, to a future shaped by our own goals and ambi- tion. Although it can sometimes be difficult, within this dichotomy of past and future, it's crucial that we remain conscious of and actively engage in the present, espe- cially in issues whose consequences reach beyond any one individual. As students at the University, we have a wealth of resources at our fingertips. These resources come in many forms and can be furnished as tools to help further any cause. MForward is a Michigan Student Assembly party formed on the principle of fostering a diverse and active student body, one whose needs and interests vary greatly and add to the energy of the campus community. The current candidates, including myself, hope to preserve this above all else as advo- cates and facilitators of student activism. From MFor- ward's perspective, our most important resources are each other. Advocacy, however, especially as defined in the con- text of student government, depends upon a foundation of engagement from those who participate in and benefit from it. Engagement in this democratic process, in turn, depends upon the simplest, easiest and most important form of involvement. Yes, I'm referring to voting. As the former chair of the University's chapter of College Democrats, I'm sure many of you have seen me chasing students across the Diag in order to make sure that they are registered to vote. Perhaps you yourself have suffered through the 30-second tutorial of how to fill out the form or were asked repeatedly if you knew the exact location of your polling place. Needless to say, I've always had a strong commitment to making sure that students have a voice in choosing everyone who repre- sents them, and when I say everyone, I mean it. Everyone includes your representatives on MSA. The online polling site makes voting for your peers even eas- ier than voting in government elections. With two days to fill out your ballot, there is really no excuse not to click onto the voting page and check the names of the people who you believe will be best for the job. With little to no cost to yourself, you can make your voice heard in a deliberation that absolutely will affect your campus experience. MSA works more closely with students than any other governing body, and it offers a direct connection between students and the Univer- sity administration. It not only can create policies that reflect your needs but can also serve as a forum for your own causes. If you feel that it fails to accomplish this, then your first step in improving MSA is voting for the members who compose it. Thus, casting your vote isn't merely a means to show confidence toward those you choose on the ballot. More importantly, it's a means of holding them accountable. It's the basis on which any of their actions (or inactions) may be exposed and challenged. Not voting means that you've opted out of this process altogether. Information about all those running for a position is also online, and within minutes you can learn enough about each of the candidates of your school to make an educated decision. Platforms for all those running with the MForward Party can be easily accessed at www. MForward.org. While I do hope that you vote for MForward and the values that we represent, most importantly, I want you to vote. Period. Electionsbegin on Wednesday, March 23 and run until March 24, so please spare the 10 seconds it takes to add your voice to the campus community in a very real way. Whether or not you realize it, these are the types of precious seconds that will shape the collec- tive legacy of this student body. Campbell is the MForward vice presidential candidate. He is an LSA junior.