4A - Monday, September 19, 2411
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
4A -MonaySepembe19,201 Th Miciga Daly micigadaiyco
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JEFF ZUSCHLAG
E-MAIL JEFF AT JEFFDZ@UMICH.EDU
STEPHANIE STEINBERG
EDITOR IN CHIEF
MICHELLE DEWITT
and EMILY ORLEY
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS
NICK SPAR
MANAGING EDITOR
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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.
FROM THE DAILY
A publicly-owned route
Second bridge to Canada should be state funded
ravel from Detroit to Canada will hopefully be getting
easier in the coming months. A second bridge that would
connect Detroit to Windsor is currently being discussed
between several parties. While many people are in favor of the
project, a large roadblock must be overcome: Who should have the
right to build the new bridge.
If funded by the state, the project, known
as the New International Trade Crossing,
will provide a means for efficient commer-
cial and passenger traffic flow under mutual
ownership by the Canadian and Michigan
governments. However, the Moroun family -
who privately owns the Ambassador Bridge
tharonnects Canada to the United States
- wants the right to build the second bridge
themselves. Lawmakers should not allow the
Moroun family to persuade them, and the
project should remain publicly owned.
Matthew Moroun, vice chair of the
Moroun. family's Detroit International
Bridge Company, is against Snyder's proposal
for a publicly owned, yet privately-operated
project, since the NITC bridge would create
competition with the Ambassador Bridge.
Moroun has stressed the importance of
maintaining complete private sector control
over the bridges. By emphasizing the success
that the Ambassador Bridge has had since
the 1970s as a structure free of government
control, Moroun hopes to persuade legisla-
tors to turn the NITC into a privately-owned
and operated project.
However, a publicly-operated bridge will
boost the state economy. The state will hire
a private company to construct the passage,
but all generated revenue will be granted to
the state treasury. Public construction is a
great way to help decrease Michigan's current
unemployment rate. Since a private company
would construct the bridge, the endeavor
would create much-needed jobs in Michigan.
Construction of a second bridge will give
the state and Canada many financial ben-
efits. Michigan's economy is in dire need of a
boost, and public projects like the NITC can
help. If the bridge is privatized, all the money
goes to the Moroun family, which has had a
monopoly on automobile travel to and from
Canada since it purchased the Ambassa-
dor Bridge. Making the bridge public would
allow the state to implement tollbooths
across the span of the bridge, which would
produce revenue that could further build up
the state's economy.
The project gained the attention of Repub-
lican Gov. Rick Snyder and was included in
his State of the State address last January.
Snyder stressed the importance of inter-
national trade for the Michigan economy,
particularly for the individual farmer and
manufacturer. Adding a second connector
bridge will make trade between the United
States and Canada easier. Engaging in a
strong international trade partnership with
Canada makes the NITC that much more
productive for the state.
Lawmakers should oppose Moroun's
efforts for a privately-owned and operated
NITC. Michigan can greatly benefit from
this second bridge that will become an inte-
gral part of the state. The economic benefits
from the construction of the bridge alone
will be worthwhile. And when one consid-
ers the benefits that will be accrued once the
bridge is up and running, it would be foolish
not to back the state-sponsored project.
arlier this summer, the Mis-
souri and Big Sioux rivers
crested their banks and flood-
ed a wide area
around Sioux
City, Iowa. That
in and of itself is
not news - many
of the major
rivers in the
Midwest flood '
regularly, and
the Missouri had NEILL
already caused MOHAMMAD
hundreds of mil-
lions of dollars in
damage to Bismarck, N.D. before the
floodwaters moved further down-
stream and reached Sioux City.
In election years, small, nonde-
script communities sometimes take
on larger meanings. Most of the
time, this happens because politi-
cal pundits need metaphors to make
their jobs easier. A good example
of this would be the victory of a
Republican, Bob Turner, in the
recent special election to replace
former Rep. Anthony Weiner in
New York's 9th Congressional Dis-
trict. He's only one representative
out of 435, and since New York is
about to lose a House seat in the
next Congress, Turner will likely be
out of a job ina few months anyway.
But, like Richard Dreyfuss's mashed
potatoes in "Close Encounters of
the Third Kind," the election has to
mean something.
One of the towns on the banks of
the Missouri that flooded this sum-
mer was Dakota Dunes in South
Dakota. Dakota Dunes is a planned
community, and is home to some
very wealthy South Dakotans as
well as an Arnold Palmer-designed
golf course to entertain them. But,
as a New York Times report gen-
tly pointed out, the name "Dakota
Dunes" was not an accident. The
dunes were created by river floods,
and so it stood to reason that at
some point the floodwaters would
come again.
Of course, just because something
"stands to reason" doesn't make it
a popular or widely-accepted idea.
Only 172 homes in Dakota Dunes
actually had flood insurance when
the disaster struck. Of the home-
owners who were insured, most
of them were forced into carrying
insurance by their mortgage provid-
ers. Anyone who wasn't fortunate
enough to be forced into making
the sensible decision to carry flood
insurance while living in a flood
plain was lost. Except they weren't
entirely lost because the residents
of .Dakota Dunes promptly started
asking for government assistance.
They got $15 million in no-interest
loans from South Dakota, and they
now want the federal government
to cover 75 percent of the remaining
cleanup costs.
Congressman Ron Paul got in
some trouble last week for saying
something honest during Monday's
Republican presidential debate.
Moderator Wolf Blitzer gave him
the sort of pandering, heart-rending
hypothetical question that always
comes up during presidential
debates: Given that you are against
any health care reform that forces
individuals to purchase coverage,
would you be willing to let someone
die who had developed a fatal dis-
ease after opting not to be insured?
In a pique of intellectual honesty,
Paul said "yes," he would. I don't
agree with Paul on a lot of things:
not on health insurance and not even
on what the word "money" means. I
do give him credit though for being
willing to admit the implications of
his politics. He doesn't have a lot of
company in that regard. Republican
front-runner and Texan Gov. Rick
Perry spent most of his week claim-
ing that he doesn't actually believe
Social Security is a bad idea even
though he just wrote a book in which
he called it a "Ponzi scheme."
Sometimes
the truth is
inconvenient.
Admitting those implications is
exactly why Paul isn't going to be
president. No one enjoys being con-
fronted with the long-term impli-
cations of their decisions. Primary
voters, in particular, want to hear
crazy ideas - things that those "fat
cats in Washington don't want you
to hear!" - and they have no inter-
est in dealing with consequences.
Slash taxes, but only stop spending
on those things that benefit "other
people" - spending on projects in
your neck of the woods is always a
good idea. Privatize Social Security,
but pretend that privatization will
never run the risk of more seniors
finding themselves in poverty dur-
ing retirement.
Or, if we start thinking about
South Dakota once again - build
your house in a flood plain, refuse
to purchase flood insurance and
then ask your fellow taxpayers to
foot the bill when your house gets
flooded. It's disingenuous and self-
serving, but it's also where the
smart money is.
-Neill Mohammad can be
reached at neilla@umich.edu.
EMILY DABISH IVIEWPOINT
Migrate to Detroit
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Aida Ali, Michelle DeWitt, Ashley Griesshammer, Patrick Maillet,
Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Emily Orley,
Teddy Papes, Timothy Rabb, Seth Soderborg, Andrew Weiner
Itwas the firstweek ofasummer, andIhad no
idea what was in store for me as I moved into
my Midtown apartment. I signed up to spend
two months living in the heart of Detroit, tak-
ing classes and interning, as a part of the Uni-
versity's Semester in Detroit program. Having
always been a suburbanite, my migration to
the city may have seemed unusual. I thought
I had already enjoyed most of the city's assets
from the outside by going to sporting events,
concerts and museums. Still, something I
couldn't quite put my finger on compelled me
to join the program.
At first, I didn't realize what an incredible
impact living in an environment removed from
a suburban landscape would have. I can't deny
that I started the program with reservations. I
wasn't quite sure what I would be doing day in
and day out, but the more I explored the sur-
rounding area, the more I realized how stimu-
lating life in Detroit was. The overall character
of the city - which included art-deco skyscrap-
ers, grit and a post-industrial edge - was total-
ly captivating. I was intrigued by the history
and countless opportunities for young creative
types in a place that appeared a sleeping giant.
Aside from classes that better acquainted
me with Detroit's past, what I found most
engaging was my internship with Detroit City
Council member Saunteel Jenkins. Jenkins
serves as chair for the Planning and Economic
Development Committee. Having studied
social work during her undergraduate and
graduate education, she offered a perspective
that was not only business-minded but, more
importantly, took into account what would
most benefit the people in the communities
she represents - exemplifying a kind of com-
passion and understanding that one rarely
comes across.
During the course of my internship, I helped
facilitate the committee's weekly hearings,
and my awareness of trending development
heightened. As I listened, I became further
convinced that Detroit, particularly the down-
town area, was ready to expand dramatically.
New restaurants, bars and swanky loft devel-
opments often graced the weekly agenda con-
cerning the few core blocks that hadn't already
been a part of recent building projects.
My inner real estate junkie thrived as I
grew determined to have a stake in the city's
future. Both the 20-something entrepreneurs
and weathered businessmen actively growing
the economy left me feelingthat anyone could
find his or her niche, especially as the city was
seeking to redefine and heighten its unique
character. That's one of the most refreshing
things about Detroit. There's no exclusive
group that holds the key to its future. The city
has opened its doors to anyone with ambition,
and the results are apparent in examining the
array of new businesses, including a hostel,
boutiques, salons, creperies and cafes.
The entrepreneurial spirit exemplifies a
major component of what will help carry
urban centers in this post-industrial period.
The small business owners who fulfill specific
markets enable differentiation and make an
area more resistant to the rising and falling
tides of Wall Street. It also creates an environ-
ment that is convenient and enjoyable, which
is incredibly important in an age when people
can shop for a city to live in.
Not only by gaining knowledge of what was
happening on the city's development side, but
by taking into account the integrity and enthu-
siasmofmypeersinthe program, diditbecome
undeniable that talented young people want to
be in a place where they can see the tangible
results of their work. As students, we recog-
nized the incredible character of Detroit and
had the ability to see through some of the dif-
ficult circumstances thathave long plagued her
in order to re-imagine the future.
Those two monthsnot only changed my per-
spective on vocation, but by immersing myself
in a program and city that was entirely differ-
ent from anythingI'd ever known, Iwas able to
become more cognizant of my own beliefs and
passions - leaving me forever changed and for-
ever grateful for my experience.
Emily Dabish is an LSA senior.
Today fromS p.m. to 6:30 p.m. there is a
lecture entitled "Economic Development in
Post-Industrial Detroit"featuring Detroit City
Council member SaunteeliJenkins. It will take
place in the Ford School of Public Policy
Afraid of the dark
What the hell is going on
around campus? It's a
question most Univer-
sity students have been extremely
confused and
frightened over.
Five sexual
assaults have
occurred near
campus since
July - one as
recently as last
week. A hand-
ful of robber- EMILY
ies - armed and ORLEY
unarmed - have
occurred in the
last two months - two being within
campus boundaries. Since July 16, I
have received 10 U-M Department of
Public Safety crime alerts.
At the beginning of the school
year, Ann Arbor Police Chief Bar-
nett Jones met with The Michigan
Daily and told staff members that
students need to take every pre-
caution to ensure they don't find
themselves in a dangerous situa-
tion. But, as shown by the incidents
that have occurred, sometimes you
can take precautions and still get
attacked while waiting for the bus.
And where is the line supposed to be
drawn between being cautious and
being constantly fearful?
I returned to Ann Arbor this year
for my fourth and final year. When
I moved into my freshman dorm
room in the fall of 2008, my mom
put a whistle on my desk and told me
to carry it with me. Never once in
three years did I do so. But last week
- after waking up to yet another
DPS crime alert e-mail - I decided
to pull it out and actually put it on
my key ring.
I believed the person or people
behind the attacks felt confident in
the summer with campus somewhat
empty and thought when campus
filled up again in the fall they would
disappear. But that doesn't appear
to be the case. In fact, some might
argue that copycat crimes are begin-
ning to occur. Though I know my
way around this campus very well, I
find myself extremely nervous walk-
ing around after dark, even with
other people.
The University has created a
website with information about the
attacks and details on how to get
around campus safely or get help.
But the "risk reduction techniques"
are missing one very important skill:
How to protect yourself if you are
attacked. Right before I came back to
school, I read about aclassthat teach-
es self-defense - Psych 401.004.
However, when I went to enroll in
the class, I was unable to because the
class is a 400 level psychology class,
and there is a psych prerequisite. I'm
not sure why it is necessary to have
a prerequisite for a class that teaches
students how to protect themselves.
Am I less fit to take the class because
I am an English major?I would argue
no, and I think many others would
say the same.
The attacks occurring around
campus are not isolated. Something
is going on in Ann Arbor, and the
perpetrator(s) seem to always be
multiple steps ahead of the police.
With more than 600 tips to follow
up on, it is hard to blame the police,
but it is frightening all the same that
this person(s) has continued to be
successful in attacking students and
remaining at large.
Thankfully, none of the survivors
were kidnapped, but the story of
Lauren Spierer is constantly in the
back of my mind. Spierer, a 20-year-
old student, disappeared in June on
a popular street - one similar to
Church Street - at Indiana Univer-
sity. Spierer is still missing. No one
knows what happened to Spierer,
but her disappearance from a big col-
lege town and the continuing attacks
around our big college town are eerie
to me.
Crimes near the
'U' have students
feeling uneasy.
Going to school in Ann Arbor
has made many students feel they
are immune to the dangers of the
"real world." Our bubble was not hit
nearly as hard during the economic
crash, our bubble has not been the
center of any major political issues
and, until recently, our bubble has
been considered very safe. But recent
events have forced me to change my
opinion of Ann Arbor. I can't help
but wonder, what the hell is going
on around campus? And when is it
going to stop?
Emily Orley is the co-editorial
page editor. She can be reached
at ehorley@umich.edu.
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