I just sent this letter to the editor to the Ann Arbor news regarding their story today about the U.S. Patriot act forum:

“From: Rob Goodspeed
To: letters@annarbornews.com
Subject: Letter to the Editor – Re: Patriot Act Resolution Forum

To the editor:

I was surprised by the blatantly ideological nature of the Ann Arbor News article June 19 about a forum about the U.S. Patriot act. It seemed that the story had a clear message: the Ann Arbor city council should not pass the proposed Patriot Act resolution.

The fact that a representative of John Ashcroft’s Justice Department might not like the resolution is certainly newsworthy, but unsurprising. Also, I would have liked to hear what the president of the ACLU of Michigan, a well-respected attorney and author, had to say – but the article contained only one brief paraphrase of her comments.

The article doesn’t even approximate balance treatment of the event or a neutral pursuit of truth, instead pursuing an ideological agenda. I hope your newspaper’s coverage of this important resolution improves.

Robert Goodspeed
315 North State Street
rgoodspe@umich.edu”

REGENT MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
Here are some highlights from today’s Regents meeting:

President Mary Sue Coleman opened the meeting with an update about campus efforts to address sexual assault and harassment on campus. Coleman said among the proposals a committee was considering was expanding mandatory sexual harassment training from freshman orientation to during the year for all residence hall residents. I assume she was referring to the popular ResReps, and I think her idea is a good one. She also mentioned Regent White was not present due to her service in the U.S. Army Reserve.

According to Vice President for Student Affairs E. Royster Harper, the security measures implemented last summer have been successful. She reported the number of breaking and entering cases in residence halls dropped from 99 to 35 incidents last year; and the number of peeping tom incidents dropped from 14 to 1. Also, upon questioning by Regent Andrea Fisher Newman, DPS head Bill Bess said the security cameras have proven helpful in identifying suspects.

In a presentation on the long-range planning for the Athletic Campus, campus planner Sue Gott said that the South State commuter lot would be expanded by 200 spaces to total 680 this fall since it is currently at capacity. Gott’s presentation reviewing potential locations for future growth was interrupted by Regent Newman who commented “You’re forgetting improved parking,” to which Gott responded she was getting to that issue. In my mind, filling south campus with parking garages would only have the result of turning it into another medical campus – a Blade Runner type landscape of monumental parking structures and monumental buildings whose only pedestrian life exists within air-conditioned hallways. I believe a parking structure should be constructed on the site of the South State commuter lot, and then the University should invest in a rail-based trolley service running the length of State Street, and also perhaps utilizing the old bed of the Ann Arbor Railroad to take visitors to the Stadium and the Main street area. Also, while administrators have discussed a light rail (or monorail) line connecting North and Central campus behind closed doors, I believe it’s an idea worth discussing seriously.

Finally, MSA president Angela Galardi told the Regents the assembly had begun planning for this year’s September 11 vigil, and that they would be making a room available for students seeking information and support after the Supreme Court Decision in the admissions lawsuit is announced. She also reported that the Michigan Union Ticket office would sell MSA Airbus tickets this fall.

The Michigan Daily censored longtime Daily reporter and columnist David Enders last February when they withheld from publication the column he had written for that week. Read the censored column here.

Part of their ongoing campaign against the city council resolution about the U.S. Patriot act, the Ann Arbor news today ran a story where they seem shocked a member of John Ashcroft’s justice department might not like the resolution, at the same time not quoting any comments by the president of the ACLU of Michigan, also a panelist at the event, aside from one brief paraphrase: “Moss said it would be an embarrassment to the city if it couldn’t pass its resolution.”
See:“Attorney: Patriot Act resolution has errors”

Also in the News:
> “County land trust makes another deal”
> “Court watchers intensfy guessing”

Plans for a new building for the Ford School of Public Policy (to be located between the Law Quad and Hill Street) will be unveiled at today’s Regents’ meeting.

According to the Times of London, the FBI is concerned about the safety of Ford president Bill Ford, Jr. after he purchased a $600,000+ plot of land outside Ann Arbor to build a house. Ford’s future estate is near where five homes under construction were destroyed by the Earth Liberation Front.
> Times (UK): “Environmental terror group targets Ford boss”

It turns out former U.S. Representative Cynthia McKinney was ousted from office largely for something she didn’t say: see “The Screwing of Cynthia McKinney”. However, she recently announced she will be running again for the U.S. House.