NEWS
Monday, March 31, 2003
AP:"Kerry has staked out varying positions on affirmative action"Posted by Rob at 2:28 PM Although I appreciate the link to this site on IGoBlue.com, I'd like to make clear there is no connection between myself and that website. The list of services they are advertising sounds promising, but the sheer number of advertisements makes me suspect it's someone's idea of a money making venture.
Also, today is the Student of Color Day of Silence, which will end at 5:00 P.M. with a University-wide rally on the diag. See www.ssaa.us for more information about today and the busses to D.C. leaving tonight!
Posted by Rob at 9:13 AM
Sunday, March 30, 2003
The members of the Michigan Student Assembly and Students Supporting Affirmative Action who had been using MSA chambers to organize the busses to D.C. over the weekend were kicked out of the MSA offices this afternoon. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I find it odd - especially since MSA voted to supported affirmative action.Also, after an emergency meeting last Friday with the administration, conservative activists pressured MSA to open up more space on their buses because they felt the first mass email was "biased" towards affirmative action supporters. There's also been talk from the same uppity members of he assembly about trying to make the bus environment "viewpoint neutral" ...
So here's a challenge to all my Michigan Review / U-Party fans: what's going on?
Posted by Rob at 11:04 PM The California State Fullerton campus' student newspaper the Titan has sent a reporter to Iraq as an 'embedded' correspondent. His most recent article is about troops building prisons in the south of Iraq. Great work, Operation "Iraqi Freedom."
Posted by Rob at 4:21 PM This AP story notes a book by Sandra Day O'Connor set for release April 8 praises the diversity of the Supreme Court itself: "Justice O'Connor Extols Diversity in Book"
Posted by Rob at 2:43 PM This AP story about The Michigan Community Scholars Program help put a face to the much-touted "diversity" you'll be hearing so much about next Tuesday. Criticisms about "political correctness" aside, it's clear even conservatives put a little something into the mix; '"I have a hall full of conservative men," said Jamie Jameson, a white female residence hall adviser from Corunna, near Flint. "It's difficult at times because they make fun of [the program], but I learn from them, too.""
Also catching my eye is this Metrotimes article about a California group of white men who support affirmative action. I found Keith Owen's analysis of affirmative action refreshing, for he rightfully claims it's as "american as apple pie" after quoting writer Paul Rockwell:
"Minority programs are only a small part of the spectrum of preferential policies in the U.S. It is time to consider the extent to which white males are intertwined with policies of preference for themselves. Tax breaks for corporations, subsidies for middle-class homebuyers, mass transit subsidies for white suburbs, bank bailouts for profligate bank executives, selective allotments for refugees, price supports for corporate farms, are all shot through with considerations of need and preference."
This Detroit News story seeks to re-kindle the embers of a scandal about the U-M admissions cases last summer that included a scathing editorial in the Wall Street Journal titled "Sixth Circuitry." The scandal centered around an unusual airing of judicial dirty laundry by sixth circuit court Judge Boggs in his dissent. What the article doesn't include is claim made by some that the House's "investigation" of Bogg's claims was simply a Republican tactic to cast a negitive light on the Sixth Circuit, or in the words someone I talked to then, "create the worst political climate before the decision was released." Remember, this is the same newspaper that printed a headline about affirmative action refering to it as "quotas," effectively choosing sides in the case.
Posted by Rob at 1:04 PM
Saturday, March 29, 2003
After Michigan State's upset victory in the NCAA tournament Friday night, the AP reports 17 were arrested in the 1,500-person celebration, while the Michigan State News said it was more than 20. Also, a State News headline to another story reads "Spartans celebrate how they normally do". At least they're being honest.Posted by Rob at 9:00 PM IFC President Branden Muhl has written to me about my post below, insisting his quote was taken out of context and asking me to remove my post. I replied, telling him about the "comments" feature and offering to post a rebuttle on his behalf. He replied, declining the offer. I maintain: I believe his comments connecting people who "don't fit" with people who are "below the bar," is making an insensitive statement no matter the context. Branden, I simply said that your comments were "quasi-racist," something I will stand by. I don't know anything about you or your beliefs. If you would like to defend yourself, you are more than welcome to do it in the same manner as everyone else: through a full and public discussion. Here's the part of the article in question:
Branden Muhl, president of the Interfraternity Council, says points provided to minorities rewards "blatantly unqualified people."
About 2,500 predominantly white students are in Michigan's Greek system, and another 2,500 students belong to black fraternities or multicultural fraternities, which attract international students.
Muhl acknowledges the self-segregation in fraternities and sororities but says members are simply seeking "a comfort zone. It's just natural."
"My view on the whole diversity thing is, if you're coming to a place where you don't fit, or you're so far below the bar and you have to come to this place and compete, you have problems," said Muhl, who is white and a junior business major from Kansas City, Kan.
"I think the whole diversity thing Michigan (trumpets) is sort of a sham," he added. "The only place where it's diverse is the dorms."
Posted by Rob at 8:42 PM Here's some more info about the Supreme Court audio: "Supreme Court vows quick release of U-M a dmissions tape", and the Court's March 27 Press Release.
The Detroit News ran a story today about diversity on campus: "Self-segregation exists on campus at center of affirmative action case" My favorite part? The comments from IFC president Branden Muhl, who said affirmative action admits "blatantly unqualified people" and that self-segregation is "just natural," concluding: "My view on the whole diversity thing is, if you're coming to a place where you don't fit, or you're so far below the bar and you have to come to this place and compete, you have problems." Luckily the reporter was able to temper Muhl's quasi-racist comments with MSA vice-president Monique Perry, whose comments conclude the article: ""I believe this is the best policy we have right now," Perry added. "It's kind of a Band-Aid to a wound, but until you can solve racial injustice, make K-12 school systems more equal . . . it's the best.""
Posted by Rob at 5:13 PM
Friday, March 28, 2003
The Supreme Court has announced it will release audio tapes of Tuesday's U-M admissions cases oral arguments. The article notes the court has only done that once before - for Bush v. Gore.The Ann Arbor News had an important story today about something people I know have been talking about for some time - how Bollinger and the 'U' administration have chilled faculty discusion about affirmative action. The headline: "Faculty silent on admissions: Many at U-M are reluctant to discuss affirmative action" The story quotes philosophy professors Anderson and Velleman, who both have spoken about this before.
The Daily ran an article today about another schedule-creating website, MiSchedule.com. It mysteriously leaves out a website that was popular a few years back that might have been interesting to include - schedule monkey.
Also of note, a story about war-related graffitti. And David Horowitz's visit sounds like it was less a fiasco than last year.
Posted by Rob at 12:55 PM
Thursday, March 27, 2003
After suffering a massive denial-of-service attack, the Al Jazaarah English website has been mostly unavaliable since it's launch. There are two mirrors I heard about today: aljazeerah.us, and aljazeerah.info you can check out.Greek organizations are upset the city might expand a historic district to include many of their houses. The argue the preservation restrictions under the ordinance will cost them money, putting frats out of business. I'm sorry, but I have trouble buying that.
Also:"Detroit high school student accidentally shot, police say"
Posted by Rob at 4:21 PM If you can get through the first two lines of Daily Editor-in-chief Louie Meizlish's viewpoint today, there's not much more awaiting you. The viewpoint, titled "Republicans need to shift gears if they want more votes from blacks" begins thus:
"It used to be that if you were black, you were a Republican.
The Republican Party's first convention - in 1854 in nearby Jackson - adopted a platform that was unquestionably pro-black. Its main plank, after all, was the end of slavery.
Only one question Louie: why? I am baffled. Here's a particularly good section:
"As Lansing-based GOP strategist Matthew Davis explains, Republican leaders cannot and should not follow the Trent Lott example. That's when one opposes affirmative action for years, and then, when taking heat for racially-charged comments, switches his position on affirmative action. "The Democrats didn't kick Trent Lott out of the leadership. It was Republicans," said Davis, who is half black. "It wasn't because he was an embarrassment, (but) to go on Black Entertainment Television and prostitute the way he did and abandon the principles that are held by so many Republicans (by saying he supports affirmative action) - that was galling."
....
In Davis' view, Republicans should hold their ground on affirmative action, but stress other GOP policy positions that are beneficial to blacks. Among them: often-criticized crime laws that incarcerate a disproportionate number of black Americans - but which punish those who commit the most crimes against blacks.
But the problem, at least with tougher crime laws and affirmative action, is that Republicans have been talking about that stuff for years and their poll numbers have only gone down."
I wonder if it occured to Louie to talk to any black students about this article. Here's the rousing conclusion:
"But if the Republicans can ever get their act together, and sooner or later they will, Democrats are in trouble.
As Eastern Michigan University political science Prof. Jeffrey Bernstein told the Daily earlier this month: "If the Republicans could ever find a way to win 20 percent of the African-American vote, they couldn't lose."
Maybe it's just me, but the article seemed to operate from the premise voting republican is a good thing. I, on the other hand, struggle to find any good reason to vote for people whose vision of America is so downright wrong.
Posted by Rob at 3:38 PM
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
The headline says it all: "Mayor Young gave Saddam key to Detroit"Also, Michigan launched their own "Homeland Security" website. I feel safer already. (In case you missed it: ready.gov)
For an articulate rebuttal of Jon Schwartz's column about anti-war protesters, I suggest Jess Piskor's response today.
Posted by Rob at 10:41 PM So folks, what do you think?
Posted by Rob at 3:49 PM I have heard that the U-Party Law School candidate has been selected by MSA over the DAAP representative in a tie-breaking vote last night. As Paul Scott is quick to remind me, that brings the totals to Students First 12, U-Party 11, DAAP 1. Moral: you really can run a campaign on an empty platform insulting to Mexicans and hostile to students of color, LGBT students, and activists in general.
Here's a 'Detroit Project' actually worth your time.
U-M Professor Anthony Collings on the censorship of the U.S. media.
You know it's bad when the administration spinsters admit to the Daily tha "Class sizes may increase as budget shrinks", and Mary Sue Coleman sets up a special budget website.
Also, something many have feared was coming: a group is writing letters to various institutions asking them to open minority-only scholarships and programs to all students. Fortunately, unlike MIT, I think U-M has enough spine to tell these right-wing activists to stuff it.
Finally, Rick Dorfman is upset the Daily has stop printing the 'campus truth' advertisements, while another letter thanks the Daily.
Posted by Rob at 9:48 AM
Tuesday, March 25, 2003
I dusted off my 'David Horowitz information page' from his visit last year since he'll be speaking this Thursday in the Michigan League Ballroom at 7:30 PM. In case you haven't heard him, check out his websites: Front Page Magazine and The War Room. He was a less-than-intelligent liberal who has become a radical conservative.See Tyler Boersen's Daily article about Horowitz's appearance last year. (Unrelated sidenote: Boersen has since quit the Daily)
ONSITE: David Horowitz Information Page
Posted by Rob at 11:52 PM See U-M History Professor Juan Cole's weblog for an interesting post about the war. He is author of many books about the region.
Posted by Rob at 12:47 PM Who is Andrew Shrivell and what does he want with my website? James Justin Wilson explains all.
Posted by Rob at 12:12 PM The Ann Arbor News reports the judge has increased the legal fees the University must pay to Revolutionary Worker's League lawyers George Washington and Miranda Massie - to $200,000. Both will be paid over $200 per hour for work on the case. It's no suprise, but the Daily doesn't have a story about this in their paper today.
The Ann Arbor News also has this piece about a bunch of anti-war signs being stolen from west side lawns. AAPD Lt. Michael Logghe told the News he hadn't heard about the thefts, but told the newspaper "This is personal property, and no one can come along and take it if they want to." Thanks Lt. Logghe. Thanks.
One of the Daily's editorials today complains about the "State Street Lofts" project now under construction where Olga's restaurant has stood abandoned for years. While I agree that rents are too high in Ann Arbor, I fail to see how dense, mixed-use development necissarily leads to 'gentrification.' If anything, new buildings will increase the housing stock in Ann Arbor and help decrease rents. The editorial staff should have discussed Spoon Equities' Collegian, a project planned for Maynard street that had to be scaled back because the million-dollar condos didn't sell. Construction in general doesn't cause gentrification, developers like Spoon Equities do. If the Daily is serious about cutting rents, they should be agitating about the Ann Arbor Tenant's Union, which may not exist next year, thanks to the good work done by the current MSA executives, especially Joe Bernstein.
Iraq Update:
The Al Jazeera news channel has rushed an english version of their website online (they had been planning one for sometime this spring). Although the headlines look promising, it appears none of the stories are posted yet.
Clear Channel, a massive media company with links to Bush that not only owns 1,200 radio stations but also plans most major artist's tours around the U.S. has been organizing pro-war rallies. New York Times Columnist Paul Krugman wrote about it in his column today.W4 Country, a local country station owned by Clear Channel has a photo of the Dixie Chicks with a line through it, and a prominant link to this webpage, an "Iraq News" page hosted on clearchannel.com. (Click on the poll - 66% of voters thiink the 'battle for Baghdad' will take "will involve weeks of bloodshed")
Here's what war really looks like , you let me know the minute they put anything realistic on FOXNEWS.
Posted by Rob at 11:16 AM
Monday, March 24, 2003
To clarify, I don't think the leaders of the local Young Americans for Freedom have any connections with Students For War (see comment below) although I think anybody who holds a "support our troops" rally at a teach-in for peace may as well tell people they are "pro-war."Looks like we all missed Afghanistan Day, too bad many members of the Taliban and future "terrorists" were Reagan's "freedom fighters" back in the day.
Also: a blog from Baghdad called "Where is Raed," and a Guardian article about who its author may be.
Posted by Rob at 6:59 PM Although Daily columnist and former editor-in-chief Jon Schwartz's friend in ROTC doesn't have a problem with anti-war protestors, the LSA senior who wouldn't know "organizing" if it hit him on the head, still thinks last week's anti-war protests were inappropriate:
"The anti-war protesters on this campus, though, are too caught up in organizing their rallies and making their signs to examine the way that issues change. Being "anti-war" is not an excuse for opposing every single thing about every single war. When America wins this war and Saddam is deposed, these people will hopefully never know the dangers that they have been saved from. They'll never know what would have happened if Bush had listened when they told him to make love, not war. It's disappointing that people get too caught up hating Bush, hating war or hating the idea of fighting at all to realize the justifications that do exist for this conflict."
He concludes:
So I say protest all you want. Show the people who make up our government what you think about them. But I can't accept doing it on the first day of a war. I can't accept doing it less than 24 hours after kids like us stationed across the world got the order that would forever change their lives.
Also students in the school of social work have planned a "peace forum" for tonight from 5 to 7 at the SSW. Campus pro-war activists with the Young Americans for Freedom chapter plan an pro-war protest outside at 4:45. "Pro-war?" you ask? Yes: see the national Students for War website.
Posted by Rob at 1:40 PM Iraq news ...
The Times of London: Iraq Section
"How a walkover turned into a three-day battle"
"... If the display of firepower had not been so devastating, the whole operation might have been comical.
"If the Americans are like this when they have one building to deal with, what are they going to be like when they get to Baghdad?" a British officer asked."
"Dawning of war's harshs reality"
... The images were not shown on American television, but word of the Iraqi broadcast brought home to the American public the fact that the conflict would be neither quick nor bloodless. President Bush braced the nation for worse to come, saying the coalition forces were "at the beginning of a tough fight". Answering questions for the first time since hostilities began, he said: "It's important to realise that this war has just begun."
...
US officials played down the significance of such resistance, saying it was to be expected, but it was sharply different from the widespread surrenders in the early stages of the 1991 Gulf War.
The pattern pointed to an Iraqi battle plan that was prepared to cede large swaths of desert to advancing coalition columns while reserving resistance for urban areas. "We let them go for a walk in the desert, but all our towns will resist," the Iraqi Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan said. ..."
Posted by Rob at 12:51 AM
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Neglected news from over the weekend ...Jennifer Granholm will address U-M graduates during the spring commencement April 26.
"Protesters like you encourage the enemy."
The Ann Arbor News reports that 250 people attended a pro-war rally on the Diag Saturday. What the article almost left out: the rally was attended by counter-protestors from both campus and city organizations.
Also, the Ann Arbor News is drumming up fear about an alleged super-charged form of ecstasy, and suggested Saturday several new-home fires may be the work of the shadowy environmental organization Earth Liberation Front (ELF).
And, what I know you were waiting for, engineering class officer election results!
Posted by Rob at 11:49 PM Enough of MSA for a while, there's a war on:
Toronto Star: "Language always one of war's first casualties"
Financial Times: "Ideologues reshape world over breakfast"
"With a few words of caution - that the war to oust Saddam Hussein was not yet over - the panel of speakers, part of the Bush administration's ideological vanguard, set out their bold vision of the postwar agenda: radical reform of the UN, regime change in Iran and Syria, and "containment" of France and Germany."
How much money does the Pentagon get?: The War Resisters League
Here's a friend of mine in DC: DC Indymedia
See BuzzFlash for latest.
Posted by Rob at 3:29 PM There's something that's been bugging me that I need to get off my chest. It is summed up in this comment posted anonymously on my website below:
"It is clear that Affirmative action is not favored by students. As a result, MSA should stop spending so much money on Affirmative Action and, instead, channeling that money to student groups."
If you accept that the Michigan Student Assembly is a specialized form of representative government, then their actions should not be controlled by student opinion in any way. Clearly, MSA is a type f government, although a weak one at that. It's unique governmental characteristics and powers include being directly elected by the students, administering a budget of over $200,000 they receive through mandatory taxation, appoint power to many important University committees and access to administrators, unlimited speaking time at each Regent's meeting, and finally MSA supports subsidized student health insurance. In addition to all these powers, the Michigan Student Assembly has a judicial branch, the Student Central Judiciary, that can theoretically (and occasionally does) resolve conflicts between and within student organizations.
So MSA is a representative government, similar to the Ann Arbor City Council, the state legislature, and the U.S. Senate. In that case, any political science major knows that individual representatives can and do vote for many reasons - certainly some vote according to the wishes of the majority of their constituents, but many on the right and left often vote through personal conviction alone.
Many frustrated conservatives on campus claim MSA should not act unless they are sure a majority of students agree. Disregard them - for this is the specious logic of an outnumbered and morally bankrupt minority.The next time you hear a conservative advancing this argument simply ask them: if MSA can’t take a stand, shouldn’t they also be neutral about student rights, LGBT rights, and the environment? Should we eliminate these commissions and ban MSA from working in those areas? This is the logical conclusion to the ideology advanced by the Blue/University party - MSA as high school student council. I think I have shown above that while student opinion certainly matters, it does not - and should not - limit what MSA votes on or how they spend their money. When the U.S. Senate votes for a multi-trillion dollar tax cut for the rich, do they sit around debating whether or not a majority of Americans support it? Certainly not.
In conclusion, MSA can and should be as "biased" as they want to be - passing resolutions about anything they like, including affirmative action, Iraq, and fair trade coffee. They have NO OBLIGATION to be "neutral," "unbiased," or "objective," unless they choose to.
Posted by Rob at 1:22 PM I just added the point totals for the non-elected candidates in the LSA-SG Election to that results page. If anybody has other election results they'd like to see here (UMEC, Engin senior class officers) feel free to email them to me at rob at goodspeedupdate.com and I'll post them.
MSA History enthusiasts: I just posted the Winter 1999 MSA election results, when Blue ran, and cheated, for the first time.
Posted by Rob at 1:05 PM
Saturday, March 22, 2003
Check out the "Unseen Gulf War" by photojournalist Peter Turnley.Also, after scooping the Daily on the MSA elections for four straight semesters, they decided to run with the election results on their website today. See, that wasn't so hard, was it? However, they still did not print a breakdown of the entire results - perhaps that's planned for Monday. Also, missing from the story: the race for representative from the law school is still up in the air - there was a tie.
Posted by Rob at 12:09 AM
Friday, March 21, 2003
NEW:LSA-SG Election ResultsMATZ/BROWN WIN LSA-SG PRESIDENT; S1 TAKES 6 SEATS, U-PARTY 3
MSA Election Results:
GALARDI/PERRY DEFEAT U-PARTY CHALLENGE; S1 TAKES 12 MSA SEATS, U-PARTY 10
>>Winter 2003 MSA Election Results
MSA VOTERS SAY THEY OPPOSE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION BY NARROW MARGIN WITH MANY UNDECIDED
New visitors: to recieve email updates about additions to this webpage, sign up by clicking "Subscribe to the Goodspeed Update mailing list" above.
Posted by Rob at 4:14 PM
Thursday, March 20, 2003
5:00 p.m. - Rally for Peace, Diag6:00 p.m. - Demonstration for Peace at Federal Building on Liberty
"After drumming at the Federal Building, we'll march down Fourth Avenue to Washington and up Main Street to Liberty, returning to the Federal Building. There we'll trade in drums for candles.
The candlelight vigil will begin with a song by George Shirley—former Metropolitan Opera star and U-M Joseph Edgar Maddy Distinguished Professor of Music. Prayers of sadness and hope will then be read aloud by members of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths. We'll hear from an Iraqi American and the mother of a U.S. Marine. The vigil will conclude with a poetry reading, a singing of “Peace Will Prevail,” and participants’ re-commitment to working for peace."
6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Focus on the Issues (My radio show on 88.3 WCBN) - Call in at 734-763-3500
8:00 p.m. - Iraq War Debate - Room 120 Hutchins Hall, Law School, Panelists: Justin Shubow, Philosophy Graduate Student AND Amer G. Zahr, U-M Law Student
Posted by Rob at 4:19 PM PRO-WAR ACTIVISM UPDATE: Student activists plan to hold a pro-war event on the Diag today, beginning just before the 5 p.m. peace vigil today. Also, a local organizer is calling for a "Support Our Troops Rally," for 2 p.m. this Saturday. In a mass email distributed to Republican party members statewide, the organizers wrote, "If you are within a few hours driving time of Ann Arbor, it should certainly be worth while." The complete email will be posted on this website later today.
Posted by Rob at 10:17 AM
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
President Bush has announced that U.S. military strikes on Iraq have begun. I will be discussing the current developments with my friend Christian Knudson from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday) on our radio show "Focus on the Issues" on 88.3 WCBN (listen online), and we will be accepting callers, as usual. Campus activists have organized an anti-war event to be held on the Diag at 5 p.m., and the Ann Arbor Committee for Peace is planning an event at 6 p.m. at the Federal Building on Liberty St.For war news, I suggest BBC News, or the London Times since U.S. media outlets have been known to censor stories about war in the past.
Posted by Rob at 11:42 PM The U-M College Republicans have endorsed the UNIVERSITY PARTY for the MSA elections. See my election email page for the rest of College Republican's endorsements.
Posted by Rob at 3:37 PM
Tuesday, March 18, 2003
LATE BREAKING: The Michigan Daily endorses Students First:"Galardi and Perry have the impressive resumes that almost of the candidates have ... Even more importantly, these intelligent, charismatic candidates seem to be open to differing perspectives, having personal relationships with people from all walks of campus life. They are student representatives in the truest sense.
...
Listening to Jon Clifton and Paul Scott, the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, respectively, it is hard to see any clear direction in their political mission. The items on their platform seem largely aimed at scoring political points with University students, citing numerous, ambitious campaign promises to make the student feel happy and make campus life easier."
Here's a few election-eve emails floating around in the aether. Including Rick Dorfman's "Jewish Voter Guide" endorsing Paul Scott, and an Anti-War Action email that says the following:
"The second campaign item is a lot more relevant to the mission of Anti-War Action! The U Party was formed on the ideal that student government should avoid national issues, essentially, avoid dealing with things like the war. This myopic view extends to the rest of the Assembly, including the elimination of commisions such as Women's Issues, Peace and Justice Commission, Minority Affairs Commision, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Comission.
This is a scary prospect. Not only would our group not have access to the funds, resources, and assistace that MSA has provided us with in the past, but the minority community, the women's community, and the queer community on campus will be stripped of their voices and their access to the assembly."
Also, as of yesterday, 247 people have visited my Adam Haba page. Daily Columnist Peter Cunniffe quotes from the email in his column:
"That would indicate this year's primarily conservative party is the new University Party; which is merely a hypothesis, though they are running a candidate, Adam Haba, who wrote a bizarre e-mail forwarded widely around campus in which he responded to an invitation to an African American cultural show, by writing, among other things, "I refuse to sit through an hour of 'I hate whitey' racial slurs, in your 'nazi-esque' attempt to convince me that I am the cause of your oppression, for the sole reason that I am white. "
Posted by Rob at 11:37 PM Voting in the MSA elections begins at midnight! Who to vote for?
ACLU-UM Picks:
MSA President and VP:
Monique Perry and Angela Galardi (S1)
Kate Stenvig (DAAP)
MSA-LSA Rep.
Janet Hong (S1)
Lena Masri (S1)
Daniel Edelman (S1)
Rachel Fisher (S1)
Rosie Goldensohn (S1)
Jacob Strumwasser (S1)
Adam de Angeli (write-in / DAAP)
Plinio Degoes (DAAP)
Dana Powers (DAAP)
Joe Hawley (4 out of 5) (U-Party)
GRADUATE SCHOOLS:
School of Law Casius Pealer (DAAP)
School of Education Agnes Aleobua (DAAP)
College Democrats Endorsements:
For MSA President and Vice President:
ANGELA GALARDI and MONIQUE PERRY (Students First)
MSA-LSA Reps:
Rachel Fisher (Students First)
Jacob Strumwasser (Students First)
Mary Pryor (Students First)
Lena Masri (Students First)
Rosie Goldensohn (Students First)
Janet Hong (Students First)
Engin Rep:
Michael Miller (Students First)
SNRE Rep:
Tim Reynolds (Students First)
Art and Design Rep:
Anita Park (Students First)
For LSA-Student Government:
President/Vice President
DAVE MATZ and TANIA BROWN (Students First)
Reps:
Deika Abdi (Students First)
Mergim Tafilaj (Students First)
Cristal Phillips (Students First)
Alexis Dauber (Students First)
Rishi Mukhi (Students First)
Lauren O'Bryan (Students First)
Posted by Rob at 10:57 PM
Monday, March 17, 2003
Johanna Hanink wraps up the Royal Shakespeare Company residence in her column today - complaining that the multitude of educational events and classes aside, UMS kept Rushdie and the cast carefully sequestered away from the meddling public. What she doesn't note: the cast participated in a number of peace protests, which was a nice surprise for many. I think the real lesson here is simply that UMS has an image problem - and I think they know it - they don't like using their full name because it sounds elitist.Dance Marathon raised nearly $200,000 for Mott children's hospital ... the #5 children's hospital in the nation. Although the effort is heartwarming, I wonder if they didn't consider another charity more appropriate to the times - helping children outside the U.S., perhaps?
Also, the backlash over new security measures continues, a Daily letter writer complains about the new locks currently being installed in East Quad.
Posted by Rob at 12:23 PM Lest I delude anyone, although the University Party is dominated by a small group of conservatives, Students First is not without a conservative trying to pass for populist.
Law students beware: the Law candidate for S1 is former Michigan Review editor Dustin C. Lee. Am I the only one who thinks it ironic Dustin called MSA candidates "shameless," and "resume builders" in this Review column.? Here's a taste of D.C.:
"Hey, didn't that guy who came to my dorm room last week from the Michigan Party, or was it the Blue Party, tell me he wanted to ětake the politics out of MSA? Surely. He probably told you a bunch of other bunk about a Fall Break or a student Regent too. But once he gets elected, MSA will be no different - it will probably pass some meaningless resolution condemning the way bi-sexual, gimp, East Asian music majors are being treated in Kabul."
Posted by Rob at 12:45 AM I recieved the following email from University Party member Laura Lightbody. For the sake of fairness, I will post it here:
"I am absolutely livid at the blatantly false e-mail message I received regarding the new University Party. E-mails are being sent out in mass quantities to various student organizations making absurd accusations on the party that it secretly proposes to eliminate commissions such as The Women's Issues Commission and the Minority Affairs Commission. The e-mails could only be sent out by Students First as a ploy to bring down the rapidly growing and very successful U party in an attempt to glorify their own platform. However, all the controversy only makes Students First a party practicing dirty politics based on accusations that in fact are absolutely not true. No where on The U Party platform does it say or even imply an elimination of commissions. I am greatly disgusted by our student government and the immature campaigning strategy in which Students First is practicing. Not only does it present a false platform of The U party and look poorly on Students First, most importantly it misinforms the student body about the student government issues that are important. If Students First is a party that claims "We want to give power and a voice to students to improve their experiences and the university environment," how exactly do they plan on giving the students a voice and power when Students First is sending out false messages to the student body that primarily takes the power out of the students hands and into their own. Who wants a party, such as Students First, to represent the student body, when it's main campaign is to claim false accusation about the opposition? I sure don't. This semester I am voting for the U party, that's for sure."
For the record, I think her logic is specious at best. When a party runs people as right-wing as Adam Haba, I think it's realistic to expect MSA to change for the worst. What's the use of having a student government if they only think of themselves as a student council?
Posted by Rob at 12:05 AM
Sunday, March 16, 2003
The FBI has a fleet of over 80 aircraft following around U.S. citizens ...Also, I updated the MSA page.
Posted by Rob at 12:03 AM
Friday, March 14, 2003
Let me get this straight: the "U Party" wants a Taco Bell on campus, but students at Grand Valley State University want to get rid of it?I remember the day when resume-stuffing, wealthy, conservative white men actually took the time to create snappy campaign slogans (Wolverine Party: A 24 hour campaign for a 24 hour campus, Michigan Party's 10-point plan) instead of believing that one could campaign on something as idiotic and superficial as a Taco Bell. How about pressuring University Housing to finally switch to 'Fair Trade' coffee? Maybe that's not enough of a 'campus' issue for them.
Posted by Rob at 12:32 AM Last year's U-M School of Art and Design was arrested in Washington, D.C. Apparently, Duct Tape makes capital police suspicious.
Also, Conyers has held a meeting to discuss impeaching Bush.
Posted by Rob at 12:15 AM
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Generating buzz on campus: an insensitive email written by now-College Republicans Chair and U-Party MSA candidate Adam Haba.Also, an analysis of MSA voting by my friend Michael Simon conducted one year ago indicates three variable significantly impact who is likely to vote in student government elections: students who live in the dorms, are involved in the greek system, or are members of political student groups.
However, he notes that his analysis leaves much unresolved:
"I believe that one of the most important, but perhaps derivative, implications of the results of this research is that the relatively few factors that nearly all those making strategic targeting decisions in MSA campaigns rely on only explain just over half of the variance in voting. This begs the question - what about the other half? Candidates, parties and other interested students and groups will have to evaluate their previous methods and assumptions to seek out other contributing factors that may lead to voting, for while this model is certainly a step in the right direction, it doesn't explain everything."
Read the entire paper here for his survey analysis.
Posted by Rob at 3:43 PM It appears the student interveners won't be addressing the Supreme Court. They claim the University's lawyers went back on their word. It's no surprise - the corporate law firm hired by the University also does work for the company that runs the S.A.T.. (A cornerstone of the intervener's argument is that the SAT is racially biased - something the U will be loath to mention in their diversity-happy defense.)
As usual, the Daily fails to note that Miranda Massie and the rest of BAMN only respresents the law school student interveners - and that the undergraduate interveners are seperate students and lawyers - something the Free Press article makes clear. You'd think they'd have it straight by now.
Also, tonight the Michigan Student Assembly voted on whether to spend $12,000 to pay for buses for U-M students to travel to Washington, D.C., on April 1st - the day of the admissions lawsuits. It passed, with only one dissenting vote: T.J. Wharry.
Posted by Rob at 2:01 AM
Monday, March 10, 2003
Tim Wise will be holding a workshop from 12:00-2:00PM in MSA chambers, and speaking in 220 Hutchins Hall at 8:30 PM tonight.The 'U' is preparing tight security for Salman Rushdie, according to this Ann Arbor News article. Or is this just empty small-town hype? You decide.
Here's a little something to send your friends and relatives who are seduced by the propeganda that is "regime change." I still maintain: no one who believes in Democracy would use the phrase. Saying "regime change" implies it is the U.S.'s approprate position to dictate who should lead another nation. Shouldn't we be supporting basic human rights worldwide, which includes democratic values like elections?
If you attended College Democrats' "Women in Politics" event yesterday, you heard Debbie Dingell speak. In addition to being a GM executive and DNC member, she also apparently moonlights as a lobbyist. She even made it into this column by Arianna Huffington. No wonder she squirmed when asked if she considered herself a feminist.
After discovering 2/3 of their 8th grade girls were having sex, some Muskegon school districts have decided there's some things just not worth asking. My question: what were the stats on the boys?
Posted by Rob at 2:28 AM
Thursday, March 06, 2003
Local news I've been neglecting: 4 break-ins over break, and this neat story about Ann Arbor's towing industry.The Student Strike Against the War recieved national press: CNN: "Students Pencil In Iraq protest", BBC: "U.S. Students Protest Against War", among others.
Also, members of the Royal Shakespeare Company participated at the Anti-war rally at noon today, and read from Lysistrata yesterday as part of an impromptu peace protest. I'm glad they're taking full advantage of their stay in Ann Arbor, and I bet a few UMS and U-M administration big whigs were a bit suprised.
Posted by Rob at 1:09 AM
Wednesday, March 05, 2003
Students First and the University Party have updated their websites. Note the lack of any significant ideology from either party. (How's this for an idea: Taco Bell on campus.) At least Students First seems to represent something more than the interests of wealthy whites fed up with too many parking tickets from driving to class in their SUVs.Students First seems to have the most relevant ideas - buses to the airport and tenant services top the list ... too bad members of both parties were responsible for de-funding the Ann Arbor tenant's union two weeks ago.
Posted by Rob at 4:20 PM
Monday, March 03, 2003
While it may have been spring break here, for the rest of the world it was Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, as usual. Here on campus, Anti-War Action! is gearing up for their big student strike Wednesday, and the Ann Arbor Committee for Peace has a billboard on I-94.
The Observer (London) reported yesterday on a leaked memo from the National Security Agency urging their employees to intercept and decode messages from the UN security council members. Read the article here: "Revealed: US dirty tricks to win vote on Iraq war". Mother Jones has an interesting article this month explaining the neoconservative thirst for oil in the middle east.
More locally, former Daily editor Tom Hayden was in town, although there's no mention of it in the newspaper. I've also heard that he met with editor-in-chief Louie Meizlish for over an hour. Hopefully he listened - Louie refused to meet with the boycotters, and silenced internal criticism about the newspaper.
Finally, the Review's bakesale was just what Adam de Angeli needed to discover that it was a right-wing newspaper, not "just another campus publication I didn't read."
Posted by Rob at 7:44 PM I recently posted a page on the Planada Apartment building, which the University has purchased and plans to tear down.
Also, I will be in Nogales, Arizona and Mexico until Sunday, March 2 on Ian Robinson's class on Mexico's maquiladoras with the Borderlinks program. Have a great spring break!
Posted by Rob at 7:32 PM
