Feb. 6, 2012 by Central Michigan Life

VOICES Monday Feb. 6, 2012

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” – The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

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EDITORIAL | Series deserves permanent place

Speaker spending

of any campus schedule uncertain. While Program Board is a funded and highly-organized body designed to bring in entertainment, something they do well, there is no parallel body tasked with funding and scheduling of guests with a slightly more (mentally) stimulating body of work than LMFAO. The genuine and pervasive excitement surrounding Jane Goodall’s scheduled speech in March shows that our campus is capable of being interested in something other than pop music or paint parties. While it is not to say those events aren’t worthwhile — they’ve proven to be some of the most anticipated and attended — where’s the middle ground between at-

he Central Michigan University Speaker Series would appear to be back for good, but the lack of permanent planning and funding threatens to deprive our student body of important exposure to intellectuals and professionals. With its loss of regular funding in 2003, the Speaker Series continues to scramble for donations and one-time “gifts” from the President and Provost’s Offices. As a result of lack of funding and planning, the Speaker Series was unable to bring a speaker for the 2008-09 school year and constantly experiences brief hiatuses.

Without committed funding, targeting speakers for future events is impossible. As a reflection of its role in society — the beacon of progressing cognition — the university

should fund the Speaker Series. The absence of a selection committee or guaranteed money to bring in these A-list voices leaves what should be a key component

tending classes and whipping paint at one another while dancing? It seems the walls between education and enjoyment have been standing firmly in place, something that doesn’t give the students of CMU enough credit. We have many great minds attending this university, and not to bridge the gap between what we do in class time and what we do in our personal time fails to encourage real-life learning. Instead of putting energy toward seeking funding, the Speaker Series could focus on finding impactful, influential speakers for the student body. Or, we can just stick with throwing paint.

ANDREW DOOLEY [WORK BIRD]

Ben Harris Senior Reporter

The temptation to give up I will not argue. For me, in increasing my aptitude as a pianist or writer, money is no object. There is nothing more fulfilling than practicing and doing art. I will go on record and say it; for me, jazz and poetry are better than girls or money. And I know there are plenty of people who share my views; secretly maybe, but they agree nonetheless. It’s a great feeling. Creating something someone other than my mother (who, thankfully, remains my largest, and oftentimes only, consistent fan), will enjoy gives a person a wonderful feeling of accomplishment and belonging. That being said, man can write in the woods. Or on a mountain after milking a goat. When did being a hermit go out of style? This, too, is a sentiment I know to be widespread among many of my peers. Can a planet-sized hunk of student loan debt follow a person into seclusion? I wonder. It’s incredibly tempting, for me at least, to throw my hands in the air, drop everything and move up north to be a farmhand. At least when the day is over up there, there’s no homework. It seems to me a lot of people I know or have talked to have had the nearirresistible impulse to quit everything. And then there’s this to consider: No deer is going to criticize my politics. So what if I can’t write? So what if my verse stinks? There’s honor in hard work, too, and after my chores for the day, what I do in my leisure time is my own business. It’s primal, visceral and unfortunately, a bit silly. It takes every ounce of strength in me to admit to myself that my dreams of living on a farm are stupid. I don’t even know any farmers. I’ve never planted anything in my life. I can’t even cook macaroni and cheese without making a mess. At the grocery store, I have a hard time choosing between raw ground beef, which I have to cook, and frozen patties, which I have to warm up. I can’t win. Maybe I’m just an idiot. But I have the feeling that plenty of other people are having the exact same problem. Sick of paying for school? Join the club. Hate your job sometimes (or all the time)? Join the club. Broke? Join the club. Yes. I’m whining. I’m crying fat, voluminous tears. But I’m whining for all of us in the club. Call me a spokesman. And now I’m finished. I’m stuck here, just like everybody else. So make the most of it. Central Michigan Life, the independent voice of Central Michigan University, is edited and published by students of Central Michigan University every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters, and every Wednesday during CMU’s summer sessions. The newspaper’s online edition, cm-life.com, contains all of the material published in print, and is updated on an as-needed basis.

[LETTERS TO THE EDITOR]

Obama’s unifying image is gone In 2008, America elected an unaccomplished orator who disingenuously campaigned on platitudes of “Hope & Change” and “Yes We Can.” Today we see the once dubbed “great unifier” has predictably discarded that manufactured image. Obama has reverted to the manipulative and divisive politics of class warfare, blameshifting and shameless distortions. Sal Lewinsky would be proud. During the first half of his reign, Obama’s Democrat party owned a super majority in both houses of Congress. With the GOP on the sidelines, the keys to the kingdom were his. Subsequently the president now finds he cannot run on his rancid record of crony capitalism, deceptive Obamacare or squandered stimulus packages. Keep in mind, it’s not Gingrich, Santorum or Romney responsible for $5 trillion in new debt these last three years, or the

worst housing market in United States history, coupled with “unofficial” unemployment soaring to 17 percent (CBO estimates). Neither is the rejection of the Canadian Keystone pipeline with its’ ensuing 20,000 new jobs. It is Barack Obama. His entire presidency centers around the distorted ideology that only continued governmental intrusion into the private sector coupled with a citizenry largely dependent upon entitlement programs can create “balance“ and thus a fair, utopian society. In short, we too can stupidly become Greece and Spain. Ironically, our wealthy president persistently rails against the alleged unfairness of a prosperous American Capitalist system. However GE (which paid zero taxes last year) was his biggest campaign contributor. So much for “Republicans for the Rich.” Obama has brazenly

proclaimed that “we all gotta have skin in the game.” So exactly where is Mr. Obama’s sacrifice? Perhaps it lies within his frequent multimillion dollar, taxpayer funded vacations? Maybe “sacrifice” equates to throwing 171 lavish White House parties (complete with $100 a pound steak) or going on 90 golf outings in 2011? Let them eat cake indeed! Someone once wrote: “You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.” Wise words lost on Obama. Bob Golm, Durand resident, CMU alumnus

[YOUR VOICE] Comments in response to “EDITORIAL: A darker shade of pink”

this radical right wing agenda be confronted and stopped in its ugly tracks.

VirginiaBlue, Friday These “people” are not “ProLife”. If they were, they would not advocate the cutting of funds for breast cancer screening and exams for millions of low income women who otherwise have nowhere else to turn. These self described “ProLifers” are extremely Anti-Life when it comes to women’s healthcare. The fact that there are women involved in their abhorrent cause reveals that they are nothing more than traitors to other women in that they they favor public policies that destroy women’s health and even kill women. Its time that

Stephanie, Friday First, the Komen Foundation is a private company and should be allowed to put its money wherever they darn well please. Their primary mission is to prevent cancer and help women who suffer from this disease. There are some good things that Planned Parenthood provides, yes. However, the problem here is that the things that PP does provide, has been shown to have a connection to cancer. So, by Komen giving money to PP, even if the money is specifically for mammograms

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(which PP doesn’t provide), Komen would indirectly be encouraging the use of contraceptives which causes the VERY THING it’s trying to prevent. That’s like a firefighter talking about preventing fires and saving people, only to turn around and find out that he’s an arsonist. Defunding PP does not mean Komen doesn’t care about women. It means that preventing cancer is its utmost concern and nothing will get in the way of it. Annasalinas1978, Friday Are people donating money for abortions? If so why advertise that it’s for cancer? That’s disgusting.

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Sean Bradley Staff Reporter

Not so super Sunday

The Super Bowl came and went again this year and I couldn’t care less. Sure, I followed the Detroit Lions as they entered the playoffs for the first time in years. After the Lions were eliminated in the wildcard round, I totally stopped caring (as I’m sure many did). I guess I should clarify something; I didn’t totally stop caring. It’s just that my enthusiasm for this year’s big game plummeted once I knew the New England Patriots and the New York Giants would be playing in it. I was really hoping to see the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl as they were a team that I hadn’t even expected to make the playoffs (apparently their team has a great defense ... I don’t keep up on this all that much). It would be nice to see some teams that hadn’t played the big game only a couple years before, but there’s not much I, nor anyone else, can do about it. With that being the case, I guess I can dream about how great the halftime show would be if some of my favorite bands like The Cure or Opeth (a death metal band from Sweden) played it. How cool would it be to have a stadium full of people singing along to Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers’ “Ego Loss on Grand River Avenue?” But I digress. Since my favorite bands are more than likely not the favorite bands of others, we can probably agree on the fact that the last few years of Super Bowl halftime shows have been lackluster, if not downright terrible. Since the Janet Jackson incident in 2004, the performances have been extremely safe, usually featuring the currently hot pop artists like The Black Eyed Peas and collaborative efforts with former Guns ‘N Roses guitarist Slash and pop kingpin Usher. This year’s performance, a medley featuring Madonna with LMFAO, Nicki Manaj and M.I.A., was not something I want my eyes (or ears) to be glued to intently. Madonna has been at least 15 years past her prime and these current artists don’t really need the addition of performing with her on their respective resumes. I would rather have seen Madonna perform with up-and-coming bands if nothing else. Where’s the adventure? Where’s the intrigue? I guess by playing it safe, NBC knows they’ll make the most money, and for that, I don’t blame them. Heck, even The Who graced the Super Bowl halftime show in 2010 and seemed safe and tame. I guess I don’t really have that much interest in the Super Bowl, but maybe if they went out on a limb once in a while they might get me to watch.

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