4A - Thursday, September 12, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
4A - Thursday, September12, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
C WIMiiian Bat'ly
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the University of Michigan since 1890.
Ifeel like...
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MELANIE KRUVELIS
and ADRIENNE ROBERTS MATT SLOVIN
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR
ANDREW WEINER
EDITOR IN CHIEF
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.
Dismiss stop-and-frisk
Racially divisive policy has no place in Detroit
controversial police tactic may be making its way to Detroit
- and Michigan's civil rights advocates are pushing back. Ear-
lier this summer, the Detroit Police Department brought in
the Manhattan Institute and Bratton Group to help with new training
methods. Based out of New York, the Manhattan Institute developed
New York City's controversial stop-and-frisk program, a law enforce-
ment protocol which allows officers to stop and question citizens with-
out a warrant, and search them for contraband. The consulting group
is now pushing for a similar program in Detroit, calling on the city's
police officers to become more aggressive with patrolling. Under the
contract with the Manhattan Institute, DPD Traffic Unit will "evolve
its mission from principally the issuance of tickets toward the preven-
tion of crime." While crime prevention is clearly needed in Detroit -
in 2012, Detroit had the highest rate of violent crime of any city with
a population over 200,000 - stop-and-frisk is the wrong answer for
Detroit. A police tactic riddled with racial profiling allegations has no
place in a city with an extensive history of racial tension.
've had one professor here at
the University that absolutely
intimidated
me. She was a
journalist and
author who had
interviewed
President Barack
Obama, lived in
Afghanistan for
some time and ADRIENNE
quoted Freud on ROBERTS
a regular basis.
When I went to
raise my hand -
which I only did because I had to let
her know that I did, in fact, come to
class - my face would turn red and
my hands would tremble beneath
my desk. I started my sentences with
shaky phrases that barely made it
seem like I had an opinion, "Umm,
well I think that ... " or "To go off
what she said ... " or "I feel that..
"I'm not even sure if those words
were intelligible, honestly.
Those phrases, called hedges,
were my way of softening my asser-
tions and basically letting my profes-
sor know, "I'm the idiot here. I get it.
Please don't hate me."
I recently came across a Jezebel
article in which the author, Katie
Baker, said, "Most young women I
know are self-conscious about how
often they qualify their emotions
with 'I feel like."' She goes on to
say that it sounds indulgent, Car-
rie Bradshaw-esque and sheepish.
They're all fair criticisms, butwhy
does the author of this article, a
writer at Jezebel of all places, take
it upon herself to criticize the way
women - specifically women, mind
you - speak?
From one standpoint, I can see
Baker's point. Hedging - adding
words or phrases that mitigate or
weaken the certainty of a statement
- can easily soften assertions and
help women avoid the inevitable
"bitch" label. According to English
Prof. Anne Curzan, "Wome
a potentially very complica
tion. When women makeb(
tions, it is often seen as not:
With men, this can be seen
and powerful. For women,i
seen as overly aggressive."
I highly doubt many wo
including myself, want to1
as an overly aggressive,
masculine bitch.
But I think there's more
than that. As I sat in classt
week and listened to my pc
men and women hedged th
tences. Now, take this with
of salt because my commu:
studies classes aren't exact
flowing with testosterone,
feeling is that students, in!
do this. Curzan also points
"When we're
talking, we're
negotiating
relationships.
We're trying pk
to figure out in
what situation
is it acceptable
to assert some-
thing and what
situation requires more ca
speech to let people knowi
statement is open for discu
That point is key to unde
why we hedge statements. I
room, students have little ai
ity, have the very real poten
hear those dreaded words,'
wrong," and are sitting amo
quite judgmental peers. It
that I found my professor,
intimidating - it's that I w
afraid of coming off as ign
30 other students.
While Baker claims that
notices women use "I feel
spaces beyond the classroc
most of life just like a class
People will always judge, t
often someone present wit
authority and no one want
n are in come off as uninformed.
ted situa- I think the point we should be
old asser- celebrating here, as women, is that
feminine. we may be pioneering language
as strong change - again, I should add.
it can be Curzan says, "A lot of studies show
that women are innovators in lan-
'men, guage. It's an area where women
be seen often come up for criticism, and I
think there are social and cultural
reasons for that. People are looking
to it at how women present themselves,
this past linguistically and otherwise."
eers, both At this point, women are being
heir sen- criticized for using "I feel like." But,
h a grain most likely, this phrase will eventu-
nications ally become quite normal. The same
tly over- goes for other vocal trends, such as
but my "like" and vocal frying - otherwise
general, known as "creaking." A study pub-
out that, lished in 2010 in the journal Ameri-
can Speech
found that
Women are creakyvoice
was perceived as
neering new beingeducated,
urban-oriented
language. and upwardly
mobile among
the Millennial
generation. Not
reful exactly the same feeling the dads
that this of the world have about it. Eventu-
assion." ally, vocal frying could very well
rstanding be seen as an authoritative form of
n a class- speaking.
uthor- It's okay to express doubt,
tial to and it's also okay to be assertive.
"you're What's not okay - and what we
)ng their should be talking about - is why
s not just women, like Baker, feel the need
crazily to discuss the reasoning behind
vas also what they say. Despite the fact that
orant to she agrees that women should say
whatever they feel like, it's odd to
t she me that it took a whole article to
like" in figure that out. I feel like, we're
Dm, isn't innovating here, give us some
room? space.
here's
h more - Adrienne Roberts can be
s to reached at adrirobe@umich.edu.
4
Ignoring the impact of crime in Detroit
is next to impossible. In a 2012 survey from
The Detroit News, 49 percent of the city's
residents reported feeling unsafe in their
neighborhoods. While the Detroit Police
Department reported a 6.09-percent drop in
the city's homicide rate for 2013, 197 homi-
cides still have been reported since Aug. 5 of
this year. That being said, aggressive harass-
ing of Detroit's pedestrians won't solve the
crime problem - especially in city where
racial issues have drawn significant divides.
In New York City, where stop-and-frisk has
been in practice in some form for two decades,
claims of racial profiling at the hands of police
officers has run rampant. Between 2002 and
2012, nearly 90 percent of those stopped by
the NYPD for a stop-and-frisk were black or
Latino. Compare that number to this statistic
from New York's ACLU: "About 88 percent of
stops - more than 3.8 million - were of inno-
cent New Yorkers." Such practices haven't
built up citizens' trust in law enforcement; in
fact, some suggest it's done the very opposite.
"As a victim of racial profiling, I under-
stand the anger (stop and frisk) breeds," said
Paul Butler, a Georgetown University law
professor, in The New York Times. "Stop and
frisk breeds disrespect for the law." That dis-
respect for the program is noteworthy in the
black community: According to a 2012 poll
from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut,
25 percent of black voters supported stop-
and-frisk, while 69 percent opposed it. Given
Detroit's predominately black population -
82.7 percent of the city's residents are black
- a racially charged policy is likely to be at
least controversial, if not outright opposed in
the city.
Besides its questionable effectiveness, stop-
and-frisk may be unconstitutional, making an
implementation of the policy an illogical move.
In August, U.S. District Court Judge Shira
Scheindlin struck down the tactic in New
York, saying that it lends itself to racial profil-
ing. "Both statistical and anecdotal evidence
showed that minorities are indeed treated dif-
ferently than whites," she explained. Because
of this recent ruling and long-documented
history of racial tension within the city, bring-
ing the program to Detroit would likely create
a complicated judicial process before results
could even be seen on the streets, ultimately
doing more harm than good.
I
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, Eli Cahan, Eric Ferguson,
Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Patrick Maillet,
Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Jasmine McNenny,
Harsha Nahata, Adrienne Roberts, Paul Sherman,
Sarah Skaluba, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
ALEXA CINQUE I
General frustration
On Sept. 7, I may have had one of the best
- and worst - experiences at Michigan Stadi-
um. I don't know if I've ever felt the energy in
Ann Arbor as much as I did on Saturday lead-
ing up to the night game against the Universi-
ty of Notre Dame. I expected the school spirit,
excitement and pride from students and fans
that contributed to the amazing atmosphere
that permeated the entire game.
I definitely did not expect the complete apa-
thy, rudeness and general poor customer ser-
vice that I experienced from the event staff.
Because of the new general-admission
policy, my friends and I decided it'd be a good
idea to get to the game early, as the policy is
intended to promote. Arriving around 5:30
p.m., there were still some wristbands left
that allow admission to the lower sections,
but not many. Before going into the "O" queue,
one of the workers told my group to split up to
go into two different gates so we could all sit
in the lower bowl.
But for whatever reason, the wristbands
were miscounted. My friend and I were then
separated from our group. At first we were
told to sit behind them in the same section.
While this wasn't ideal, we were willing to
do it. But as we were walking toward the sec-
tion, we realized that they were in section 31
and we were in 29. Feeling very frustrated, I
headed back to the ticket area and talked to an
event staff member and explained my plight,
saying that I understand that this mix up was
nobody's fault, but that I was hopingto be able
to exchange my section for 31. I was met with
a rude, uncaring attitude and was told that
this new policy is just something "I need to
adjust to."
After exchanging my own story with other
friends, I found out that I wasn't the only stu-
dent to have a subpar experience. One of my
best friends camped out the night before and
was first inline. Yet, waiting 22 hours only led
to him beingin the third row, as he was essen-
tially trampled as everyone ran to the front.
Another friend witnessed the row in front of
her be overbooked - only to be met with the
event staff having no idea how to fix the issue
and doing nothing about it.
If this general-admission policy is going
to hold up, employees of Michigan Stadium
need to be trained in how to deal with poten-
tial ticketing and seating issues. They should
also be more empathetic to the students. Just
because we're students doesn't mean that we
don't a right to fair treatment at these events.
We're paying customers who, incidentally,
have the highest ticket cost of all of the Big
10 universities. We should receive the excel-
lent customer service I know the University
strives to provide, even if we are "just" stu-
dents. Instead of being treated with dignity,
we were herded like cattle into the stadium
- packing us in so tightly to make the student
section look great on television.
The game itself was amazing. It was prob-
ably the best crowd I've ever been a part of,
and I'll never forget the chills I had as we sang
"The Victors" after the win. However, I'll also
never forget the terrible treatment I experi-
enced prior to the game.
I understand that there are more than
100,000 fans in the stadium at a time and that
some of these problems are no one's fault and
will have to be worked out with time. There
were many event staff employees that were
very understanding and kind, and I appreci-
ate their attitudes. But as Head football coach
Brady Hoke said, "This is Michigan for God's
sakes." Is it possible that other Big 10 schools,
including Ohio State University, have much
more functional and logical general-admis-
sions policies?
For now, I, along with many other Wolver-
ines, am not impressed withgeneral admission
thus far. Hopefully, the Athletic Department
will learn from its mistakes and restructure
the policy for upcoming games and seasons.
Alexa Cinque is an LSA sophomore.
hile all
into the
classes
homework, a signif
of our college
peers nation-
wide are set-
tling into their
school-year jobs.
As reported by
the U.S. Cen-
sus in January,
approximately
71 percent of
full-time college
students worked
at least part-
time year-round in
students may decid
college employmen
of reasons, finding
flexible job can bec
While many stud
work ina research I
sonal assistant to a
scarcity and compe
those positions forc
to find employment
Some of the largest1
employers include t
recreational sports,
League, the Michig
University Housing
more than 2,000 teI
workers a year.
After my own un
search for one of th
sive" college jobs, I
to accept employm
sity dining hall. Wo
fun and extremelyt
steady income and
convinced me to sta
Now after fours'
working in dining h
thing but glamorou
discovered there's'
ence and skills to b
ing in that environi
ousServing up skills
of us get back I only began to realize this as me hands-on
e routine of I started hunting for internships in an authorit
,lectures and during my junior year. During an opportunityt
ficant number interview with a potential employer, skills in a wor
I was asked to talk about a specific opportunitya
incident or problem that I had expe- Beyond th
rienced at a previous job and howI and opportu
reacted to it. It was a fairly standard working at tb
interview question, but I struggled also introdut
to remember any grand problem working wor
solvingskills I had used while While the
alphabetizing legal documents the aware and ac
TIMOTHY summer before. many challen
BURROUGHS Instead, I found myself talking they still dem
about an incident while working professionali
in the dish room at South Quad employees. S
Residence Hall's dining hall. We how to comm
2011. Though were significantly understaffed, but ors and respo
le to seek out through some
it for a variety teamwork and1
a well-paying, effective com- Less glamorou
challenging. munication,
lents hope to we managed jobs are as
lab or as a per- to still close on
professor, the time - much to valuable as any
titive nature of the surprise of
e many students our superiors.
elsewhere. After describing
University a scene similar to the dwarves from graduation c
he libraries, "The Hobbit" washing dishes, I not selves in tens
the Michigan only had my interviewer laughing simple intera
an Union and her head off, but also ended up get- While the
, which employs ting the job. to many stud
mporary student This summer, the dining hall filled with op
provided me with an opportunity on workplace
successful to take on a new leadership role. learned in ac
ose "impres- After an application and a long- looking to ea
resigned myself distance Skype interview, I became between clas
ent at a Univer- a Coordinator II - responsible for realize the jo
irk was rarely the other student employees and of it.
tedious, but the running a smooth meal service. Though pu
flexible shifts Having responsibility over subor- assistant may
ay on. dinates is a critical trait that poten- dishwasher o
emesters of tial new employers look for in a are still valua
salls doing any- perspective employee's resume as it career benefi
s work, I have shows leadership skills and account- if they aren't
valuable experi- ability. Like many of my fellow
e gained work- students, all the internships I've had - T
ment. were bottom-rung positions, giving reache
experience, but rarely
tative roll. Having the
to demonstrate these
rkplace setting is a rare
among student jobs.
ese unsuspected skills
nities gained from
he dining halls, they
ce students to the
ld.
permanent staff is very
commodating of the
ges of student life,
iand a high level of
sm from their student
tudents must learn
unicate with superi-
nsibly handle work-
place issues,
while still main-
S taining a com-
fortable work
environment.
This acts
as important
training for
when students
start their post-
areers and find them-
se meetings or even
ctions with superiors.
re's very little allure
ent jobs, they're
portunities to build
e skills that can't be
classroom. When
rn a little money in-
ses, students must
b is what they make
itting research
y sound better than
on your resume, there
able experiences and
ts in both jobs - even
initially obvious.
imothy Burroughs can be
d at timburr@umich.edu.
I
6
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