M
y dog, Moose, passed away
last Saturday night.
He spontaneously suf-
fered from a punc-
tured
lung,
and
there was nothing
the
veterinarian
could reasonably do
to save him. If he
had
tried,
Moose
would
have
been
subjected to a long,
painful recovery — if
he made it through
surgery. So, my dad
and stepmom made
the
gut-wrenching,
soul-aching decision to put him down.
Since I was in Ann Arbor, I didn’t have a
chance to say goodbye.
Despite being nearly 10-and-a-
half, Moose was a seemingly healthy
dog. He ate well, chased passing cars
across the yard and didn’t have a hard
time walking up stairs.
But now, he’s gone. What gives me
solace, though, is that Moose did not
suffer. He didn’t have arthritis or hip
dysplasia that would have caused a
painful, debilitating decline. He went
without much pain. He left us on top.
I suppose that’s all I can really ask for.
Yet as I drive, recline on my couch
filling out medical school applica-
tions, or sit at my desk at work, his
memories infiltrate my thoughts.
I think about the time he barked at
the squirrel in the tree. And the other
time. And the other time. And the
other time.
I think about the time he pretend-
ed to be deaf, only for us to realize
an hour later he was just trolling the
whole family. I crack up every time
that gets brought up.
I think about the all the times I pet
him, stopped, and then was immedi-
ately scratched because he wanted me
to continue. I relented, every time.
I think about the times taking his
130-pound frame into the pet store and
calling him “Tiny” as other customers
walked by. It was always hilarious.
I think about the (semi-gross?)
times he licked my face.
I think about the times I laid with
him on the floor, when we would look
at each other eye to eye.
I think about the sound of his bark.
And I think about discovering what
a Shepadoodle was nearly 11 years ago,
telling my family this was a dog we
had to have. He would be big, but not
shed (though that claim turned out
to be very, very wrong). He would be
perfect for us.
***
It’s just so hard to believe that the
next time I drive home, he won’t be
outside trying to block me as I pull
into the driveway.
The impact of a pet, especially one
like Moose, is impossible to describe.
It sounds a little weird to say, but
Moose was like a brother to me. He
was larger than life. Despite his
imposing size, anyone who met him
loved him, or at the very least, toler-
ated him. (My friend once texted me
saying, “You know I hate dogs, but I
didn’t mind Moose. That’s the best
praise I can give a dog.” I’ll take it.)
When I came home on Sunday, our
home felt noticeably emptier. Yes, we
have two other dogs (shoutout to Gra-
cie and Penny), but it is clear Moose’s
death left a glaring hole in our family.
Throughout his whole life, he brought
us together. He taught us what uncon-
ditional love was all about. He could
turn any bad day into a good one. But
because of this, I know his spirit will
live on in me.
***
Mortality had been on my mind
before Saturday.
Nearly two weeks ago, my grand-
father was admitted into the hospital
after experiencing chest pains, and
faced the prospect of needing stents or
bypass surgery. Luckily, after under-
going a heart catheterization, neither
was necessary. Still, I couldn’t help
but contemplate the possibility of my
grandfather’s life being significantly
altered. I was afraid.
And on Friday, I finished listening
to the audiobook of “Being Mortal,”
the book of Dr. Atul Gawande’s mus-
ings on how death in the United States
should be handled to reduce pain and
suffering of the elderly at the end of
life. Gawande discusses the need to
have difficult conversations about
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board.
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EMMA KERR
EDITOR IN CHIEF
AARICA MARSH
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
DEREK WOLFE
MANAGING EDITOR
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@umich.edu
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
4
Thursday, July 23, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
OPINION
As a separate entity under
the state constitution, the Uni-
versity of Michigan, Michigan
State University and Wayne
State University have the power
to make and enforce ordinanc-
es about weapons on campus
that are not aligned with state
law. However, AAPS and other
school districts that have passed
gun control policies, such as
Clio Area Schools, might not
have that right. Both districts
are currently being sued for
allegedly violating the Michi-
gan constitution, which allows
for citizens with a Concealed
Pistol License to enter gun-free
zones as long as their concealed
weapon is carried openly on the
premises. The group Michigan
Gun Owners and Ann Arbor
resident
and
AAPS
parent
Ulysses Wong have filed a law-
suit against AAPS while Clio
schools parent Kenneth Her-
man has filed suit against Clio.
It seems the schools are violat-
ing the CPL and open carry laws
surrounding in the state.
However, this is not the case
at the University. Weapons are
not allowed on campus unless
specifically stated in the Stan-
dard Practice Guide. Because of
this, there are many procedurs
and regulations in place to make
it easier to detect a threat on
campus, similar to other schools
across the state. For example, in
September 2014, the Univer-
sity issued an Emergency Alert
warning of a possibly armed
suspect in the Chemistry Build-
ing. Though this turned out to
be a false alarm, it demonstrates
the safety benefits of gun bans
on campus. The mere presence
of what appeared to be a gun on
campus set off a chain of securi-
ty procedures. Because the Uni-
versity doesn’t allow any guns
on campus, there is no need to
determine if a particular gun is
a threat, and safety procedures
can be implemented far more
effectively. The presence of
guns on campus can muddy the
waters and cause uncertainty
for students and law enforce-
ment officers alike.
Similarly,
proponents
of
lifting gun bans from college
campuses often claim that
guns could help prevent sexual
assaults, which would be par-
ticularly powerful considering
recent University survey results
show approximately 22.5 per-
cent
of
University
females
have been victims of sexual
misconduct.
However,
this
argument fails to consider the
reality of sexual assault on col-
lege campuses; according to
2008 research by the Nation-
al Institute of Justice, 85 to
90 percent of sexual assaults
against females are perpetrated
by someone known to the vic-
tim. This invalidates the ste-
For Moose
FROM THE DAILY
Take the finger off the trigger
Michigan legislature should enact more strict gun policy
O
n March 5, Ann Arbor resident Joshua Wade openly carried his
firearm to his younger sister’s choir concert at Pioneer High School,
creating a disruption among audience members. In response to
the incident, the Ann Arbor Public School Board passed three policies on
April 15 effectively banning all weapons on school grounds unless they
are carried by law enforcement officials. Months later, Wade, though
unaffiliated with the University, has once again decided to take a stance on
the right to carry his weapon and filed a lawsuit against the University for
banning guns on campus, claiming the ban is unconstitutional. While the
University’s ban is seemingly legal, bans enacted by other public entities,
such as elementary and secondary schools, may not be. With the number
of incidents involving guns on the rise, Michigan legislators must act now
to unequivocally keep guns out of schools.
DEREK
WOLFE
reotypical idea of “a predator lurking
behind the bushes” that dominates
the conversation about sexual assault
and suggests that guns are not the
best antidote; when the victim trusts
the assailant, guns are difficult to
anticipate and implement for protec-
tion. Simply, there is no logical reason
for guns to be on campus.
Just as college campuses should
be gun-free zones for the safety and
security of students, so should other
public schools. Gov. Rick Snyder and
the state legislature must take action
in order to close the loopholes that
currently allow those with a CPL to
open carry in schools. These weapons
are neither needed, nor wanted.