12 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 31, 2006 President under fire i 'Articles' By Bobby Gruenberg For the Daily FINE EARTS REVIEW Mark Twain once said "patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it." We are in an age in which our lead- ers have all but declared martial law and seem to be abus- ing their power like Superman in The an arm-wrestling Articles of match. In the film Impeachment "glow to Impeach Against a President," one George Bush lawyer exclaims, "the principal At Shaman Drum enemy of democ- racy has been in the White House" The video was part of an awareness presentation at Shaman Drum that accompanied the release of "The Arti- cles of Impeachment Against George Bush" written by the Center for Consti- tutional Rights. The CCR are constitutional crime fighters, a 40-year-old non-profit group of high-ranking lawyers that's gained notoriety for its landmark cases against the government. Speaking on their behalf at Sha- man Drum last Wednesday was deco- rated Michigan defense lawyer Doug Mulkoff, who illustrated four articles of impeachment presented objectively in the small 100 page book - warrantless wiretapping, misleading Congress on the reasons for the war in Iraq, violating Geneva Convention laws against torture and subverting the Constitution's sepa- ration of powers. The CCR has sent a copy of the book to each member of the House. It avoids the more sentimental issues like the blundering of the Katrina response because they don't carry the same sound legal base as the rest of the arguments. The strongest arguments come from the recent reports that since Sept. 11 the government has conducted illegal wiretaps. But the outcry for impeach- ment is almost mute. "It just depends on how many seats are on which side of the aisle," Mulkoff said. The fifth and final step of "How To Impeach a President" is take action. And these "teach-ins" taking place across the country are a self-proclaimed "grass- roots movement" focused on invoking discussion and action. You can find plenty of people com- plaining about the government on any corner or coffee shop in Ann Arbor, but here it was spurring action. The spirited locals took control of the meeting, plan- ning a rallying cry. There were people volunteering to go talk to city council members, set up protests and plan for future meetings. These are the old activists, people who have Impeach Bush signs in their yards and protest on weekday after- noons at the federal building. On the way out of the bookstore, two older women were talking about a recent sit down at a high school in which the principal told the students to dis- perse: "These kids don't know how to do things right,"they complained. Those ladies might be right. But according to Mulkoff, we can accomplish something just by creating more "educated and sophisticated vot- ers" in the upcoming election. "Keep the editorial pages full. Keep the debate going," he said. a I 'Tucker' has pretty faces, lacks everything else By Mary Kate Varnau Daily Arts Writer The premise of "John Tucker Must Die" involves several teenage girls plotting to ruin the social life of the most John Tucker popular guy in Must Die school. When the At the Showcase credits roll, the and Quality 16 audience with 20th Century Fox a maturity level at or above a 15 year old will reflect back on the last 90 minutes and think, "Why? Why did I come here?" "John Tucker Must Die" joins the ranks of the high-school, battle of the sexes genre. It's the story of a girl named Kate (Brittany Snow, TV's "Nip/Tuck") whose mother has made a lifestyle of fleeing unsuc- cessful relationships, resulting in the repeated uprooting of Kate's social and love life. In her newest alma mater, Kate finds her niche among a group of girls drawn together by an unusual uniting factor: They've all been screwed over by John Tucker. Tucker is the school's basketball captain, admired by guys and fawned over by girls from every clique. He's the classic playboy. From locker room Sbop Donate offering reusable items at affordable prices. donations accepted until 4 PM. / THE volunteer opportunities available U s w C E N T E R 2420 S. Industrial Hwy, Ann Arbor, Ml 48104 (734) 662-6288 www.recycleannarbor.org HOURS: Mon-Sat 9-5 Shoreview Apartment Complex First and Last Month Free With 12 Month Lease Free Heat! Quiet North Campus Location on Huron River Currently Renting For Fall Stop By Today, Housing is Limited 734-663-8463 boasting to well-rehearsed "you're the only one for me" speeches, Tuck is as smooth and deceitful as they come. Kate's new circle has come together for one purpose: to destroy John Tucker's image, his popularity and his appeal to women. Let's not even broach the subject of the film's depiction of women. The scheming trio of wronged ex-girl- friends take on Kate as their prote- gee. They know Tuck's weaknesses, dress her up and instruct her accord- ingly, acting as puppet-masters for her social debut. Kate wins over Tuck's affections by becoming him. She creates a callous, flaky persona and works her way into Tuck's heart strategically, blowing him off repeat- edly, then appearing indifferent. If taken seriously, "John Tucker Must Die" is an abomination. It's socially irresponsible, perpetuat- ing male/female hang-ups and ... no more. You'll have heart palpitations just thinking about what high school girls will glean from the film's exam- ple. Anyone who feels strongly about feminist issues runs the very real risk of keeling more than 20 minutes into the movie. But you know what? If you can let go of the social baggage (and your ethical beliefs) for 90 minutes, the film is actually kind of fun. It's bouncy and entertaining, well-paced and full of eye candy. The genre to which this film belongs - the "Down to You," "Ten Things I Hate About You," "She's All That" (any Freddie Prinze Jr. film) variety - is generally abysmal, but in a secret, Tuesday-night indulgence sort of way. "John Tucker" falls just above mediocre in the spectrum of bad teen movies.