4A - Thursday, October 6, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4A - Thursday, October 6, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom fi ichigan al Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com STEPHANIE STEINBERG EDITOR IN CHIEF MICHELLE DEWITT and EMILY ORLEY EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS The world is immeasurably better because of Steve." - Apple's board of directors in a statement regarding the death of Apple CEO Steve Jobs. NICK SPAR MANAGING EDITOR Unsigned editorials reflectthe official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. Restricting democracy Laws shouldn't keep voters from the polls Big changes could be coming to the polls for the 2012 elections, worrying both voters and politicians alike. In what is being touted as an effort to prevent voting fraud, many states have recently passed laws that require voters to present government-issued photo identification at polls. Some states have also enacted laws that shorten early voting periods and restrict timing of voter registration drives. There is little evidence these policies would have an effect on curbing voter fraud in the United States, and these laws are likely to only stop eligible people from voting. A tale of two students The Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law released a study this week that analyzed 19 laws and two executive orders pertaining to voter identification in 14 states. The study suggests that voting could become more difficult for more than 5 million eligible voters in 2012 under the new laws, and the number of states adopting new voting policies is rising. According to the study, five states passed laws seeking to decrease the number of opportunities voters have to cast their ballot before Election Day. This disregards the fact that some churches organize voting drives on Sundays prior to the standard Tuesday Elec- tion Day to encourage members of their con- gregations to cast their ballots. Maine and Ohio no longer permit voters to register on Election Day, even though about 60,000 new voters registered in Maine on Election Day in 2008. In response, residents in Maine and Ohio are lookingto overturn these laws. The biggest concern is that these laws could potentially prevent minorities, young people and the poor from voting. While some politicians have claimed the new laws are necessary to prevent voter fraud, they cite little evidence to prove incidents of fraud would decrease. Americans struggle to get to the polls with the current regulations in place. The 2008 election broke voting records with a 64 percent voter turnout and 130 million votes cast. If one of the most polarizing elections in recent history can't even get two-thirds of eligible voters to the polls, then making the process even more challenging could serious- ly reduce the number of ballots cast in 2012. While states have ensured they will pro- vide free identification cards if the laws are passed, the likelihood that all voters who need them will seek them out is slim. Instead, these people - an estimated 3.2 mil- lion eligible voters - will most likely decide not to vote. If the U.S. is to function as a true democracy, where all eligible voters are rea- sonably able to vote, then these laws should not be passed. The investigation into fraudulent voting should continue and states should take rea- sonable measures to address any problems they may discover. However, if these laws are simply an effort to deter certain voters from heading to the polls, then they should be repealed immediately and prevented from taking effect in the future. There are two types of suc- cessful college students: One excels within the tradi- tional path; the other succeeds by drawing his Let's illustrate these two types through the , stories of hypo- thetical students - Ryan and Josh. ERIK Ryan came to TORENBERG college with a simple plan: To be the best. And he does exactly that by achieving a 3.9 GPA while study- ing economics and leading a major organization on campus. These activities take up most of Ryan's time. Old hobbies fall by the wayside. He can't do everything, but he does have an active social life. His accomplishments and easygoing personality earn him many friends. They relish when his name comes up in conversation: "Oh, you know Ryan too? Yeah, he's great! How do you know him?" Ryan works hard. He often gets little sleep. But once in a while, he makes time to let go: He watches bad sitcoms. He fights with his ex-girl- friend. He goes out to black out. Still, Ryan leaves his mark on cam- pus. He mentors many students in matters personal and professional. He develops close relationships with influential professors and alumni. Their approval encourages him to work harder, be better. Ryan doesn't choose this path because he is passionate about it. He doesn't always enjoy those problem sets, those sleepless nights. Ryan chooses this path because it fits his personality. His identity has roots in academic excellence and future professional success, so he achieves what he believes to be absolutely necessary - one hell of a resum. And the pieces fit. He has a natural aptitude for economics. He found his organization early on, but he could have had a different major, joined a different organization and achieved just as much. In hindsight, Ryan was very proud of his college experience, and deserv- edly so. After graduation, he chose between high-paying positions at highly respected companies. Most importantly, Ryan never let success get to his head. He remained jovial, caring and honest. Josh, the second case, finishes col- lege with a GPA of 3.3 in the same major as Ryan. The class work does not inspire him to strive for perfec- tion. He is too curious and too stub- born. He is determined to prioritize his education over his grades. Josh stumbles with his extra- curricular activities too. He joins a group, immerses himself in it and then leaves when he feels he has maximized the ratio of personal benefits to time put in. He becomes an extracurricular nomad. To oth- ers, it seems like he is all over the place. But Josh keeps exploring opportu- nities. He begins to notice patterns, certain aspects he enjoys about his experiences and ones that he does not, and applies such recognition to his future endeavors. Josh dedicates most of his time to his passions: He reads voraciously. He experiments with filmmaking. He pursues these side projects with peers who share similar interests, many of whom become his close friends. He creates his own social scene. Certain things that once seemed integral to his college experience - football games, party culture, social status - suddenly become less sig- nificant. The vicissitudes of college life allow him to detach just enough to realize what exactly has lasting importance: losing yourself in a pas- sion, a project, a person. In hindsight, this path, albeit circuitous, also fits Josh's person- ality. When others inquired about his ostensibly random decisions, he would say that he simply followed his intuition. Josh knew he had a unique skill set that could not and should not be boxed; he just needed to find a way to put it all together. Josh would also choose between quality options after college - ones that matched his interests, values and desired career path. Strive to be the best version of yourself. Ryan and Josh are intriguing case studies because they challenge our perception of success. We typically differentiate between outer success - money, lifestyle and reputation - and inner success - mastering our- selves, pursuing wisdom and having meaningful relationships with oth- ers. Ryan equates success with achievement: He receives a high mark in anything assigned to him. The grade is more important than what he does or how he does it. Although he knows that outer suc- cess doesn't necessarily equal inner success, he believes attaining the for- mer will make attaining the latter a bit easier. Josh equates success with per- sonal excellence: He pursues his pas- sions and lets his conscience judge his performance. This satisfied con- science is more important than any external measure of achievement. Although he is aware that attaining inner success doesn'tnecessarilylead to attaining outer success, he doubts the converse is true - that aiming for the latter will facilitate the former. Regardless, he would not do so even if he could. It all leads to this: Whereas Ryan strives to be the best in everyone's eyes, Josh strives to be the best in his own: the best version of himself. - Erik Torenberg can be reached at erikto@umich.edu. 0 LET TERS T H I IOR SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM 0 Where to draw the line with the First Amendment TO THE DAILY: Monday's article in The Michigan Daily (Pro-Life group displays controversial images on Diag, 10/4/2011) showed that many students reacted to the enormous and graphic images of aborted fetuses with outrage and disgust, ques- tioning why the University even allowed such a display by the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform and Students for Life. The First Amendment empowers and encourages a critical and con- structive response to the shocking protests on our campus. The First Amendment necessarily and intentionally protects even the most abhorrent speech in order to protect the free expression of all individuals in our society. If government laws or University rules are used to silence the speech of one group, they can be used - and have been used throughout our nation's history - to silence any speech found objectionable. Still, as important as it is to maintain our commitment to free speech, it is imperative to The 'U' should not have allowed the Diag exhibit realize that such blatant attacks on women's rights are aimed primarily to instill fear and guilt in those confronted with reproductive decisions. We must stand by our commitment to free speech while continuing our dedication to the protection and advancement of repro- ductive freedom. It is undeniable that this week's incen- diary pro-life demonstration facilitated a vibrant community discourse; our campus is freshly abuzz with discussion of both free speech and abortion rights. In order for our University to remain a dynamic community that promotes a free exchange of ideas, the Diag and its other public spaces must remain open forums. If the Diag is to be a place for any dialogue, it must be place for all dialogue, no matter how unpopular or disturbing. Our response to the hateful speech ever-frequent on our campus must be a re-dedication to these constitutional rights that are threatened. Bennett Stein, Molly Niedbala and Jen Bizzotto Members of the undergraduate chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union at the University of Michigan GAP to campus - show hate toward racial, ethnic and religious groups, they demon- strated hate toward women. Essentially, to compare the mass murders of people to abor- tion indicated that they view all women who are pro-choice as murderers. I am appalled that the University, one of the most open- minded places I could ever imagine, allowed the act of hate crimes to appear on campus for not just one, but two days. I can't even understand why one of the University's stu- dent organizations would think to invite such a thing to the campus. Aside from this, a member of the center at one point actually insulted the demographic it targeted - a.k.a. students themselves - by refuting an individual student's argument with the statement, "You're a college student. You can't understand." No one, pro-life or pro-choice, should ever condone this "project." Ever. Especially one of the most diverse universities in the world. Sincerely, Cristina Ley LSA sophomore TO THE DAILY: To the University of Michigan: To be quite frank, I am disappointed in my college for the first time since visitingthe University about seven years ago. I, and every student at this great school, understand the importance of freedom of speech and the right to peacefully assemble - specifically on the Diag here at the Univer- sity. This exercise of the First Amendment on the center of the University is what makes Michigan special. However, while members of the Genocide Awareness Project cloaked themselves in their right of exercising free speech, their display was an act of hate crime - a hate crime against the families and friends of victims of the Holocaust, slavery, refugees from the genocides in Cambodia, Darfur and Rwanda. Not only did members of the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform - which brought the During the past few weeks, campus has been saturated with images of bloody fetus- es, the voices of radical preachers and hate-mon- gering protest- ers. Like many of you, during my daily walk to and ' from classes I've come across peo- ple broadcasting EAGHAN their message to DAVIS the thousands of students who cross the Diag each day. The University is an easy target for these people. Historically, Michi- gan has served as a breeding ground for liberal social and economic ide- als. From activist John Sinclair to former President John F. Kennedy, some of the most important fig- ures of the 20th century have used the University as a launching point for their ideas. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's establishment of the Peace Corps on the steps of the Michigan Union. In 1965, more than 200 faculty mem- bers canceled their classes and host- ed "teach-ins" to protest the United States's occupation of Vietnam. In 1969, America's first student renters union was founded at the University with the support of the United Auto Workers. But why are any of these events relevant today? Over the course of our lifetimes, we've seen the collapse of the Amer- ican economic system, American involvement in two wars - propa- gated by an administration that seemed more concerned with the military-industrial complex than American lives - and an emergence of shall I say "scary" right-wing radi- cals who call for a country governed by religious ideals rather than civil liberties. Today our country and campus stand at the crossroads of an identity crisis. Outside groups like the Cali- fornia-based Center for Bio-Ethical Reform - who on Monday and Tues- day attempted to equate the slaugh- ter of 12 million people by Nazis to a woman's right to choose - are omnipresent on campus. Last year, the University garnered nation- al media attention when former Michigan assistant attorney general Andrew Shirvell publicly harassed and defamed Chris Armstrong, the Michigan Student Assembly's first openly gay president. Many students on campus have denounced these events, but out- right counter-protest has been minimal. I can assure you many people with thoughts contrary to mine are hoping for me to denounce their right to express their ide- als. I won't. Our country has been built upon citizens' right to express their opinions freely. I'm personally impressed by the ability of right- wing groups to organize and dem- onstrate on campus - no matter how ludicrous I think their ideals may be. But without dissent, these 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 Activate activism groups will become ever-present on campus and eventually nationwide. As history shows, groups who make the University their focal point of attack tend to influence the country as a whole. Don't ignore the issues, take a stand. So, Michigan students, it's time to react. Political tension in the United States fosters democratic ingenuity. It may not be 1960, but I think our grandparents would contend that Washington is as troubling today as it was 50 years ago. When you see something that troubles you, you're probably not the only one. Rather than passing protesters and ignoring them, take a stand. Many of my professors have said that student activism is dead, but I tend to disagree. The time, if ever, is now for a rebirth of student activism. If we continue to stand by and passively allow fundamental religious, social and economic free- doms to be defiled, our prosperity and our lives are bound to change. 0 It's up to us to determine how so. - Eaghan Davis can be reached at daviseasRaumich.edu.