Today is a day of bipolar emotions for Michigan progressives. The good news is of the variety that is evident all over CNN’s souped-up election ticker: Gov. Granholm won reelection after defeating her opponent who dropped $35 million of his own money on the race. Also, Senator Debbie Stabenow ran away with victory over her opponent early on in the night. These are two wonderful women who have done - and will continue to do - great things for this state.
In far more somber, and possibly even more impactful news, Prop 2 - the “michigan civil rights initiative” which would ban affirmative action - passed with 58% of the vote last night. As Madhu explains in her article posted last week, the effects of this proposition are absolutely devastating.
But today, I was reminded why it’s great to be a Michigan Wolverine…
This University, led by President Mary Sue Coleman and the unified front of every dean and our general counsel, is stepping up to this ignorant barrier to diversity and have vowed to do everything and anything to ensure that the University of Michigan remains a welcoming university to all.
Today on the Diag (Michigan’s large brick plaza in the center of campus) Mary Sue spoke to a crowd of thousands of students, faculty, and staff to highlight the University of Michigan’s completely united devotion to fighting the effects of prop 2.
Her speech was exactly what this campus needed (the text is here and is an absolute must-read). It was a rally call to everyone to hold up our heads and start fighting even harder. In four years at this school, I’ve never seen the Diag so packed. I’ve also never been prouder of this campus community. Though the rest of Michigan may have said yes on 2, the student body here voted 76% against it.
For the past decade this University has been America’s battle ground over affirmative action. Today, more so than ever before, that battle will continue.
~Ryan Werder
(Cross posted on www.campusprogress.org)
Although I thought the speech was necessary, I myself would have liked her to at least mention a word like justice, not only diversity.
How are you going to call Stabenow a wonderful woman? Are you trying to make me puke? She voted to give Bush the authority to “interpret” the Geneva conventions and disregard them as he sees fit, i.e. she voted for torture. Stabenow also voted to let Bush trample one of our most basic rights, habeas corpus. Wonderful.
What is wrong with the so-called progressives around here? Do you really support politicians that love torture and taking away our rights just because they have a D after their name? You better wake up fast and see how the “Big Two” parties are screwing us from both ends. Come on. Get real. When the two candidates for president are both members of a (powerful and weird) secret society that admits only 15 members per year, something is up and it isn’t good.