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.”

“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.”

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.”"

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: “c47b”> 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, 6bed”>David Horowitz’s visit sounds like it was less a fiasco than last year.

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”

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.

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.

So folks, what do you think?