4 4A - Monday, October 10, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom ie 1idigan 0aU 1 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com FROM THE PUBLIC EDITOR I Unsigned editorials STEPHANIE STEINBERG EDITOR IN CHIEF MICHELLE DEWITT and EMILY ORLEY EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS NICK SPAR MANAGING EDITOR Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views ofttheir authors. FROM T HE DA sIY Transform train travel Federal grant would connect the Midwest Wbile a high-speed rail is still a distant fantasy for Mich- igan, a higher-speed rail is in the foreseeable future. The Michigan Department of Transportation recently received a $196.5 million federal grant to be used for the construc- tion of a high-speed train line. The grant will improve public transit in the state and has the potential to build commerce and generate revenue throughout the Midwest. Two editorials (known at The Michigan Daily as "leftsides") that appeared on the Daily's opinion page in recent days caught my attention, and I think provide a good oppor- tunity for a larger discussion about this paper's unsigned leftsides and the editorial voice behind them. Before I even dive into the substance of this discussion, it's important to clear up a couple of preliminary issues that I think are often misunderstood. Unsigned editorials represent the stance of the Daily as an institution upon a given issue. They are voted on and drafted by members of the Daily's editorial board, which any Univer- sity student can join, upon meeting certain staff requirements. The ultimate authority to deter- mine the content of leftsides rests with the editorial page editor(s), who are elected in a staff-wide election specifically because that position involves speaking for the paper as an institution. The Daily is unusual in that it does allow the editor in chief to have some edito- rial oversight over the opinion page. However, should there ever be a conflict between the two compet- ing authorities, the editor in chief should defer to the editorial page editor as to the content of leftsides. In the first of the two lefts- ides that inspired this discussion (From the Daily: The right to choose, 09/26/2011), the Daily took a largely predictable, liberal stance on an individual's right to late-term abor- tions. Curiously, however, the left- side used the phrase "partial-birth abortion" to describe the proce- dure. In fact, that phrase - which is an inflammatory concoction of opponents of late-term abortion and is generally avoided by those who support the procedure - was used 10 times in the leftside. In the second leftside, (From the Daily: Problematic panhandling, 09/27/2011), the Daily expressed frustration at the presence and prevalence of "aggressive" panhan- dlers. Alarmed, the Daily's editorial board advised that "police should be patrolling downtown Ann Arbor and enforcing panhandling policies in order to protect businesses and encourage commerce." Reading both leftsides initially made me uncomfortable, and feed- back received from other readers confirmed a lot of my own feel- ings. Importantly, however, my own reaction was tempered by an understanding of the exceptionally difficult task it is to write a leftside, and I hope to impart some of that understanding. I served as the Daily's editorial page editor nearly five years ago, so maybe that makes me a biased commentator, but nevertheless, I have always believed that leftsides are harder to write than anything else in the Daily. Synthesizing the opinions of the editorial board, reconciling that synthesis with the precedent that embodies the Daily institutional voice and ultimately crafting a competent defense of that position is a challenge faced by the editorial page editors each day - and largely unappreciated by read- ers or even other Daily staffers. Recalling my own experience, I used to spend easily two or three hours each night rewriting leftsides that had already been drafted by a writer and edited by an associate editor. I considered it important to present a strong, principled and nuanced editorial, and regardless of what others may have written, it was ultimately my job to ensure that the final product was as near perfect as possible. The Daily's institutional voice - an unbridled advocate of students' rights and a progressive world view - often demands a viewpoint that is easyto sell to the largely progres- sive University community. But nuance and responsiveness to real- ity are important to maintain, and they are easily ignored on a campus like this one. Very few readers are skeptical to the leftist viewpoint this page generally takes, and that can invite complacency. It's clear to me that both leftsides discussed above could have used more refinement. Using the term "partial-birth abortion" doesn't help propel the Daily's position on late-term abortion. Indeed, the left- side should have pointed out the politically charged nature of that term and avoided it in favor of the more accurate and less inflamma- tory"late-term abortion."As for the panhandling leftside, the Daily's institutional voice wouldn't sup- port more police patrols to enforce panhandlinglaws. Instead, it would argue that the University commu- nity shouldn't allow recent crimes in the community to become an excuse to single out and target a socially and politically vulnerable group like panhandlers. That said, I recognize that it's easy to sit back and second-guess any number of points made in lefts- ides. It is incredibly difficult to write a good leftside, and the editorial page should always expect criticism - much of it unfair. The only thing that the editorial page editorscan do is to scrutinize every little detail of the opinions expressed in a leftside, and ensure that enough efforts are made to thinkthings through. The voice of the Daily is a vital asset to this paper's credibility, and it deserves every lastbit of attention on every production night. -The public editor is on independent critic of the Daily, and neither the editorial board nor the editor in chief exercise control over the contents of his columns. The opinions expressed do not necessarily constitute the opinion of the Daily. Imran Syed can be reached at publiceditor@michigandaily.com 1 4 The grant will fund the engineering, design and construction of the train that will travel at 110 miles per hour. Michigan is using $140 million to build 135 miles of train tracks. The goal is to ease traffic congestion, decrease delays and improve reliability in an effort to attract more passengers. The money will also be put toward improving safety and signals for the existing train that runs between Detroit and Kalamazoo. The improvements will be made to the existing train lines connecting Detroit and Chicago. The two cities are vital hubs in the Midwest, and making transportation between them easier and faster is essential to growing the economy and encouraging com- merce between the two cities. Advancements on American train travel have lagged behind travel throughout Asia and Europe, which have functioning high- speed rail lines. In March, Chicago made substantial advancements on a high-speed line that connects to St. Louis, and build- ing a route to Detroit is the next logical step. Prompt and efficient train travel is essential for encouraging people to use trains as an alternative to other forms of transportation. Improvements to existing tracks and building more tracks are an important investment in Michigan's infrastructure. The development will also make Detroit and the state more attractive for businesses as well as prospective residents because Detroit will be connected to other major cities. With growing concerns about the nation's environmental impact, the use of mass transit is more important than ever. Public transportation such as trains and buses are more eco-friendly options than automobiles. Making train travel more appealing than driving is necessary to help citizens make eco-friendly choices that are also friendly to their wallets and schedules. The construction of the project is also goingto have economic benefits. The Depart- ment of Transportation estimated that 800 workers will be hired to work on the develop- ment, which will help put Michigan residents back to work. While many Americans are concerned about government spending, this is the type of investment that will make the country and state stronger. Investments in infrastructure and projects that create jobs are crucial for rebuilding the economy in both the short- term and the long-term. Improvements to public transportation systems throughout the state should be encouraged. The government at the state and federal level should continue to support similar ventures that help rebuild Michigan, economically and structurally. ii i 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 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM NT ABL E Q UOTABL E It was more focused on not letting him run, because when he runs, who knows what's going to happen?" - Northwestern defensive lineman Tyler Scott told The Michigan Daily about his team's game plan for facing Denard Robinson during Saturday's game. JAKE STEINERMAN Live by the words of Steve Jobs 'Boy Meets World' writers thank The Michigan Daily TO THE DAILY: I wanted to thank Proma Khosla for the fun Boy Meets World piece (From the vault: The teen love and bromance of 'Boy Meets World,' 9/28/2011). I received my M.A. degree in telecommu- nication arts from the University in the mid- 80s. A few years later, I found myself writing for "Boy Meets World." All told, I wrote about 20 episodes and served as one of the show's producers. Every word in your piece was wonderful and true. Even your subtle criticisms were accurate. Believe me, no one laughed harder Don't select Tina Fey as 'U' commencement speaker TO THE DAILY: Though Tina Fey would make for an "entertaining" commencement speaker, no doubt, I don't believe she would have some- thing inspiring to share with the graduating class, nor do I believe that she has contrib- uted anything truly meaningful to society or impacted our lives in any significant way. Yes, Fey has become very successful, and is an amazing comedian, butI believe at this point in the University's history, the focus has shifted toward technology and entre- preneurship. Just look at President Mary Sue Coleman's address to the campus this past Tuesday where she announced that the University will be investing $25 million in its at the show's inconsistencies than us. And the comedic moments you mentioned were Writers' Room favorites, too. We are proud of the show - it had a good heart. I spoke to the other writers, including Michael Jacobs, the creator and executive producer. Here are Michael's words: "I am grateful for Proma's appreciation of what we tried to do, which was mostly to offer indelible moments about important values, and what separated us is that the dia- logue was on a level that spoke up to our audi- ence and never pandered. The audience had to think sometimes, and that was the best thing we did for them." Thank you, thank you. Matthew Nelson University alum own start-ups. I believe that Michigan needs to highlight this, and in a big way by bringing one of the premiere entrepreneurs to cam- pus. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg not only exemplifies this aspect of the University, but he has created a tool we all use every sin- gle day and has fundamentally changed the way we communicate. The other argument being made is that we have not had a woman be the commencement speaker at the University for a couple of years. While that is true (though, is five years really that much?), is it really a worthy argument? In today's world, where women are becoming more and more successful, some even say more so than men, dowe really need to discriminate anymore? Gender shouldn't be a factor when it comes to choosing a commencement speaker. Jake Steinerman LSA senior "Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything." That's a quote from Steve Jobs when he announced the iPhone back in early 2007. It was the third time he had revolutionized a piece of technology and most certainly would not be his last. People call him the "Edison of our time," a "genius," a "true visionary," some are even calling him "God." To me, he was an inspiration, someone who, until last Wednesday, would not even let death stop him from doing what he loved - making technology that not only changed the way we do things, but also changed the way we view the world. Here was a man who, back in 2004, was told by doctors that he had just three -to six months to live. Imagine if they were right. Phones would still have clunky keyboards and tiny screens, and "apps" would be an unknown word. Tablets would still be those awkward laptops with the screens that twisted and folded down (gasp!), and "pinching to zoom" would be a foreign concept. Now, you could argue that others had invented some of these technologies, or that Jobs had these products in the pipeline way before his death. Truth is, no could sell them like El Jobso. Apple is, and always has been, the only company whose product announcements I fol- low with absolute scrutiny and excitement. Every key- note, every "one more thing," is like unwrapping that last gift during the holidays. Each time he unearths the next great iDevice from underneath the sleek black clothes onstage, my heart jumps a beat. Each time Jobs showed the world his next creation, a wide grin appeared across his face like a proud father holding his newborn son. What I truly admire about Steve Jobs is his persever- ance. In 1985, he was kicked out of his own company, one that he built just 10 years earlier in his parent's garage. Instead of throwing in the towel and calling it quits, he immediately went on to start another com- puter company, "NeXT," and bought Pixar Animation Studios, which would later go on to make some amazing movies which I think we all know and love. Skip ahead a decade - Apple stock is worth a mere $6 a share when Apple buys NeXT, bringing Jobs back "home." Today, Apple stock goes for roughly $380 a share. His perseverance was more than just green arrows on the NASDAQ. It was showing the world that if you have a passion and a vision, and you really believe in yourself, absolutely no one can stop you from "making a dent in the universe," as Jobs once said. As a senior, I take that to heart. As each day brings me one step clos- er to graduation, I aim to leave my mark at this great University, my own "universe," in whatever wayI can. Thank you Steve Jobs, for instillingthat "live each day as if it is your last" mentality in me. There are so many great quotes from Jobs that I could have included here, but they are too numerous to fit on one page. If you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and watch his 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University.I promise you won't be disappointed. I will leave you with the Jobs quote that always seems to stick with me: "Stay hungry. Stay foolish." Jake Steinerman is an LSA senior. 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@umich.edu. podium Upgrade/Downgrade: Laura Argintar discusses the controversial Pro-Life exhibit on the Diag last week. Go to michigandaily.com/blogs/ThePodium 01