Opinion
4 — Friday, October 1, 2010
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
E. ROYSTER HARPER AND LAURA BLAKE JONES | VIEWPOINT
‘U’ supports Chris Armstrong
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu JACOB SMILOVITZ EDITOR IN CHIEF
RACHEL VAN GILDER EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
MATT AARONSON MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
FROM THE DAILY
Tracks to the future Midwest high-speed rail would benefit economy
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rain travel is by no means a bustling industry in Michigan. But plans for a new railway system promise more attractive transportation by track. The Public Research Interest Group in Michigan recently published a report that analyzed the specific benefits of creating a high-speed rail that runs through the Midwest. The present railway system in Michigan is built more appropriately for freight trains than for human travelers. But faster and more convenient passenger trains could greatly benefit the economies of many Midwestern cities and create a more environmentally friendly travel option. State leaders in the Midwest should continue to cooperate to build the high-speed railway. The addition of this railway would create 58,000 permanent jobs in operation and maintenance of the new railway and 15,200 temporary jobs for its construction and renovation of current railway systems, according to the report, which was published in mid-September. Unlike normal trains, high-speed railways cater to carrying passengers and operate at much higher speeds. Its implementation would create faster travel between eight states in the Midwest and would include new rail stations and track improvements throughout southern Michigan. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — more commonly referred to as the stimulus package — provides a $2.7 million grant toward railway projects in the Midwest. As a cheaper alternative to flying, highspeed railways promote financially viable mass transit. More mass transit advances environmentally sustainability. More people would choose travel by train if they had a reliable option because of its convenience and speed. This would greatly reduce the impact on the environment caused by travel by car. Advancements in public transportation are important in creating a more sustainable world. Building the planned accessible high-speed rail would promote that goal. The new system would also stimulate long-lasting economic benefits throughout the Midwest. Stronger connections between centers of commerce and across
the podium
state lines would promote increased tourism and business. There will be greater opportunities for business growth and networking. And increased travel is helpful to local businesses — restaurants, hotels and other local stores benefit from an larger customer base. The high-speed rail will give the Midwest the chance to show united trade and industry growth and will push the region into becoming a more powerful economic entity. The railway project can remedy the Midwest’s current lack of economic strength — which has been particularly damaging in Michigan — by replacing thousands of jobs that have been lost. Thousands of workers are necessary to build and renovate railways and a significantly larger number of employees are needed in its longterm operation and maintenance. This new industry will aid in Michigan’s effort to diversify its economy. And the benefits should come at a low cost since the federal government has already allocated funds for the high-speed rail system in the stimulus package. More efficient railways will improve the environment and economies throughout the Midwest, especially in Michigan. The railway will bring jobs to Michigan and comes at a reasonable cost backed by federal resources. Organizations and state leaders involved in planning the railway should take advantage of federal funding and make this railway a reality.
Erika Mayer warns that it’s probably not such a good idea to hook up with your foxy neighbor in the dorms. Go to michigandaily.com/blogs/The Podium.
MICHELLE DEWITT | VIEWPOINT
Mich. should prize creativity It’s not very often that I’m proud of my hometown. That may sound harsh, but announcing that I was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan isn’t the kind of thing that draws a lot of excitement. But this sleepy, conservative city in western Michigan has recently drawn excitement for something other than being sleepy and conservative. ArtPrize — a two and a half week art competition in Grand Rapids — has returned to downtown for its second year. For those who may be unfamiliar, Grand Rapids is about 150 miles west of Ann Arbor, has a population of just over 190,000 people and is where I grew up — not that you probably care about that last part. I’m specifically from a small, affluent suburb called Ada, but if you went to my high school you probably referred to it as “the bubble.” It’s the kind of place that’s out of touch with the rest of the world and society at large. It’s neither fashionable nor trendy, neither edgy nor exciting. But ArtPrize is seeking to change all that — at least as far as the art world is concerned. ArtPrize is a unique competition in the sense that it’s open to any artist in the world that can find a physical space. Anyone in downtown Grand Rapids can create a venue to display the art. And anyone who attends the event is able to vote for his or her favorite piece. This event is a model of what Michigan should strive to be. The inspiring thought behind ArtPrize is that “art is important,” as quoted by Art Showcase magazine in its September/October 2010 issue. This is the basic premise that drove Rick DeVos, a Grand Rapids social entrepreneur, to start ArtPrize in 2009. The goal is to create a dialogue about something important and relevant to society, and that is what is going on between September 22 and October 10 in downtown Grand Rapids.
Arguably, Michigan has been in a well-recognized slump for decades. Events and trends like ArtPrize are what will help to get us out of it. The state should pursue similar ideas to bring innovative and progressive minds to Michigan. This event has brought thousands of people into Grand Rapids. They’re talking to local people, eating at local restaurants and taking in a side of Michigan that hasn’t been seen lately. Instead of headlines about job losses and a failing automotive industry, the news is only positive because of the constructive impact ArtPrize is having on the area. The influx of people into the area is a huge boost for the economy. A USA Today article about the event highlights the ability of ArtPrize and similar events to revitalize urban economies. Grand Rapids, and the state as a whole, needs to capitalize on this positive contribution and allow other sectors of our economy to benefit. It must be noted that ArtPrize wouldn’t be possible without the generosity and philanthropy of Grand Rapids families and leaders. These are the types of things that Michigan philanthropic organizations need to be contributing to — events that will help to revitalize our state’s economy and the livelihood of our citizens. If nothing else, ArtPrize has brought so much of the city together in enormous support of the event, because aside from all of its societal benefits, ArtPrize is actually a lot of fun. I would encourage anyone looking to head out of Ann Arbor for a little bit (The football game is in Indiana this weekend. Just saying.) to venture over to Grand Rapids and support this local event. An emphasis on the strength of our communities is important now more than ever. Michelle DeWitt is a senior editorial page editor.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Aida Ali, Jordan Birnholtz, Adrianna Bojrab, Will Butler, Eaghan Davis, Michelle DeWitt, Ashley Griesshammer, Will Grundler, Jeremy Levy, Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Emily Orley, Harsha Panduranga, Tommaso Pavone, Leah Potkin, Asa Smith, Laura Veith
Activity over the last few months has brought into sharp focus the unwavering commitment of the University community to social justice and human rights for all. Students, staff and faculty have rallied to support the elected president of the University student body, who has been viciously targeted by an individual because of his sexual orientation. The reaction by the University community has been exactly what we would expect from the “leaders and best”: overwhelmingly supportive of Chris Armstrong, president of the Michigan Student Assembly. Likewise, Armstrong and his fellow MSA members have reacted to this unwanted attention by holding their heads high, ignoring the blogger’s taunts and carrying on with their ambitious MSA agenda for the coming year. We commend them for their responsible approach. An important value of this campus is the free flow of ideas and opinions. As a community of scholars we simultaneously preserve and create knowledge. We ask difficult questions, challenge each others’ best thinking, sometimes change our minds and other times agree to respectfully disagree. While living and working together we also strive to create a campus environment where civility, respect and inclusivity are of paramount importance. This is a place where individuals’ rights to have their personal identities respected and understood
is as sacred as other constitutionally protected ideals. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. noted in 1963, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality… Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” Freedom of speech and expression do not include behaviors that target, harass, threaten or defame others. As a campus community we must continue to “Stand Up, Step In and Speak Out” against the repeated vitriolic attacks on any one of us. Hateful speech can only be effectively countered by different speech. We applaud those individuals and student organizations – on our campus and elsewhere – that have taken the opportunity to counter hateful speech with different speech and express support for Chris. A unified show of support demonstrating that acts of bigotry cannot take root here is an important part of our community response. We stand united to support all members of the University community, in many different ways, seen and unseen. As the University’s elected Board of Regents said so clearly at its Sept. 16 meeting, “When one member of our community is targeted, we are all attacked.” E. Royster Harper is the Vice President for Student Affairs. Laura Blake Jones is the Associate Vice President and Dean of Students.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be fewer than 300 words and must include the writer’s full name and University affiliation. Letters are edited for clarity, length and factual accuracy. All submissions become property of the Daily. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@umich.edu.
Don’t submit to sexism
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ast week, well-known megachurch leader Bishop Eddie Long was accused of sexually abusing four young male congregants. The muscle-bound, gold chain-wearing Long is marked by his homophobia, opulence and maybe his less well-known ideas regarding mod- VANESSA ern relationships between men and RYCHLINSKI women. I was recently trolling through a gossip rag site which pointed out that the pastor has written an insightful book on this last topic, called “What Men Want, What Women Need.” To share several gems from the first few pages, what the “animalistic” man actually wants is “sex and control” in addition to a woman who is “the world’s best lover” and “the best cook in town.” This mythical creature ought to be subservient and bent on “[caring] for the little boy lingering in the hulking shell” of her man and supplement his life by allowing him to continue on his “destiny.” I really hope I don’t have to spell out all the things that are wrong with this. Unfortunately, views like this one seem to be getting increasing facetime in American popular culture and society. In our world, women pursue higher education and have prospects of forming careers in any field they choose. They have access to birth control and the morning-after pill and abortion is legal. Due to these areas of economic and sexual freedom, there is a definite backlash and a cry for more “traditional” roles for women. TLC has two reality television shows that depict extreme versions of
JEFF ZUSCHLAG
such roles. One is “19 Kids and Counting,” the other is “Sister Wives,” which just aired on Sunday. It’s difficult to decide which is more abhorrent. The first follows Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, who have nineteen children because they believe in leaving their fertility in “God’s hands.” However earnest these beliefs may be, the facts are damning for Jim Bob — every single child has a name that starts with J and almost every pregnancy is spaced by only a year or so. It’s pretty gross that this man has achieved notoriety and is making a living off the fact that he can’t leave his wife alone. If at all possible, “Sister Wives,” starring polygamist Kody Brown and his three wives, is worse. The show asks America to “Rethink Marriage” and follows Brown, the wives and their thirteen children as they deal with everyday life and Kody’s decision to “marry” a fourth (younger and slimmer) woman. After watching an interview on the Today show as well as clips of the first episode, it’s not hard to imagine that Brown, with his shoulder-length blonde hair and quasi-good looks, probably manipulated these wide-eyed women by promising a community, family and, let’s not forget the biggest prize of all, one quarter of himself. It’s also clear that Brown is enjoying his proverbial cake just because he can — and that these women sacrifice for him to do so. The fact that either of these situations is portrayed by a major network at all is disgusting and its completely degrading that they are thought of as entertainment. There’s a lot of trash TV these days, but anyone who supports the continuation of female equality should take particular offense to these two patriarchal caveman dramas. TLC markets its reality programs by exploiting the obvious differences of a group before saying, “Look at their lives, they’re just like you.” This
pseudo-heartwarming approach may work for “Little People, Big World,” but frankly for “19 Kids” and especially for “Sister Wives,” it’s an unacceptable, tacky lie and the network knows it. Depicting an American man and his modern-day harem as a nice, happy family is vomit-inducing. These people are not normal, this is not okay and most of us will hopefully never be able to relate. There is nothing wrong with big
Women shouldn’t be put down in the name of tradition. families or even traditional marriage roles. Many young women today elect to become housewives and homemakers rather than having a career. However, it’s toxic when these roles are expected — or even demanded — and couched in terms of duty to or inferiority. In a country in which women have the opportunities to have just as fast-paced careers as men and in which they can and do bring home the main paycheck, it’s sickening that there is still this attempt to keep women deferential and obedient in the name of tradition or ethics. Women’s proper place is wherever we discover it and our aspirations aren’t limited to talent in the kitchen or in the bedroom. Long, Duggar, Brown and men like them cannot handle these facts and so twist the lives of others to satisfy a pathetic need to feel superior. Guess what, boys: Real women don’t bow down to your ego. —Vanessa Rychlinski can be reached at vanrych@umich.edu.
E-mail jeff at jeffdz@umich.edu