Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Reminder: Mayoral Debate Tonight

Posted by Brandon on 29. October 2004

In case you’d forgotten, tonight Mayor John Hieftje and challenger Jane Lumm will be discussing urban planning issues and responding to auidience questions. Moderated by Assistant History Professor Matt Lassiter. 6-8 PM in the Art & Architecture Building auditorium on North Campus.

New Website for Consider Magazine

Posted by MarkDilley on 28. October 2004

Democracy For Sale?
by Erica Miller, President of Democracy Matters
(Democracy Matters is a non-partisan campaign finance reform group)

I vote. I vote because I know that a mere 18% of my peers ages 18 to 24 voted in 2000, a number that has decreased with each election. Is it any wonder that social security and prescription drugs are campaign rhetoric staples when seniors faithfully turnout to the polls every election? Starting with this election, we have the chance to be taken seriously as a generation. This election is about more than George W. Bush or John Kerry. It is not about being a Republican or a Democrat. It’s about a call for change.

Why Local Elections Matter
by Rob Haug, UM Student Greens

When initially posed with the question “Why are you voting?” my mind first moved towards the impending presidential elections. The presidency may be where the most attention has been placed and it may be the election that most people think of first when the question of voting arises. However, it is certainly not the only political race that we will be voting in come November 2nd. Election Day will see people across the country casting their votes for senators and representatives, mayors and council members, sheriffs and other local officials. With the vast number of elections that hang in the balance this fall, why is it that the only thing people seem to care about is the presidency? Maybe it’s because people don’t realize the impact that local politics have on their own lives or because people don’t realize the kind of influence they can have on local government.

Bush Deserves Four More Years
by Allison Jacobs, Chair, College Republicans

The media repeats over and over again how important the election of 2004 will be. Groups from the far left to the far right and anywhere in between are registering more voters than any past elections. More people are turning out for events, more youth become actively involved everyday, and more citizens have tuned in to the presidential debates. What makes this election so important? Why are the stakes so high? I am turning out to vote, and I hope that you plan to as well.

The Right Qualities of Leadership
by Ryan Werder

A New York Times Op-Ed on October 23 rd discussed why this presidential race remains so close. With so many changes since the last election, why is the nation as split as it was four years ago? The columnist, David Brooks, suggested that the mind of the nation is divided between choosing between two types of leaders. One option is a leader who has an unfailing desire to “stay the course.” The other option is a leader who sees nuances, weighs individual decisions, and deliberates on the consequences of his actions.

Comment [1]

Political Event Bonanza

Posted by Scott Trudeau on 27. October 2004

The Ann Arbor Upcoming.org calendar is chock-full of political events tomorrow through Saturday. Here’s the rundown:

Update: Even more events!

Thursday


Friday

Saturday

Comment [6]

Site Library: Summary of Last Night's MSA-Sponsored Mayoral Debate

Posted by Brandon on 27. October 2004

We’ve posted in the Site Library a summary of last night’s MSA-sponsored debate between Mayor John Hieftje and challenger Jane Lumm. Among the supposed revelations, Hieftje wants police to back-off students, Lumm has been accused of intimidating student voters in the past, and Hieftje enjoys couches on porches.

Comment [4]

The Halloween Bang! Saturday

Posted by Brandon on 27. October 2004

As if you needed another option for Saturday night:


THE MASSIVE MONSTER #1 DANCE PARTY
FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE
THE BANG!
HAS THE FIRST EVER BANG! HALLOWEENIE COSTUME BASH!
THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! OCTOBER 30!
IT’S OUR THREE YEARS ANNIVERSARY PARTY!
CELEBRATE 3 AMAZING YEARS OF DANCE PARTY MADNESS!!!

TO CELEBRATE THE BEST BANG! WAY
THE BANG! WILL BE ROCKIN’ & SHOCKIN’
UNTIL 3 AM! THAT’S RIGHT, UNTIL 3 AM!!!
PIZZA WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM 2-3
AWESOME!

THIS SATURDAY NIGHT
OCTOBER 30!
YOU KNOW WHERE THE ACTION IS!
THE BANG! THIS SATURDAY! WITH THE BEST IN SOUL ROCK, ORGASMIC POP, MOTOWN, R&B, PUNK, HIP HOP, DISCO, 6tS GOLD, NEW WAVE, BRITPOP, BOYS, GIRLS & YOU….YES YOU!!!

SEE THE NEW FLYER!
&
REQUEST THE SONGS YOU WANT TO HEAR AT
www.thebang.net


IT GOES DOWN AT 10pm
AND DOES NOT STOP TILL 3 AM!
THIS SATURDAY NIGHT
AT THE BLIND PIG
www.blindpigmusic.com

ARRIVE EARLY!
WEAR A COSTUME!
DO SOMETHING WITCHY!
THE BANG! HALLOWEENIE COSTUME BASH/3 YEAR PARTY!
THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!
OCTOBER 30!
TILL 3 AM!
ACTION BEYOND IMAGINATION!

Poll Shows 60% Support For Proposal 2

Posted by Murph on 27. October 2004

The Detroit News surveyed 600 likely voters statewide last week, and is showing 60% support for Proposal 2, which would add a restriction on “marriage or similar union for any purpose” to the Michigan Constitution. 34% said they’d vote against the proposal.

The article also discusses the News’ polls on Proposal 1 (43% in favor, 41% against) and on the Presidential race (45% Kerry, 44% Bush).

Devil's Night Open Air Multimedia Show

Posted by Scott Trudeau on 26. October 2004

Yet another event this Saturday night: Potter-Belmar are performing “Live Cinema” at the open air screening location behind the Michigan Theater (behind Lane Hall on the southwest corner of Washington and State) at 8pm. The show will include a live DJ and live VJ concurrently mixing audio and video: “live cinema.” The show is free. Come in costume.

A2 Mayoral candidates to debate at MSA

Posted by Matt Hollerbach on 26. October 2004

Sorry for the late notice…

Tonight at 8:00 PM, the Ann Arbor mayoral candidates (Jane Lumm – R, and John Hieftje – D Incumbent) will take part in a debate hosted by the Michigan Student Assembly.

MSA is located on the 3rd floor of the Michigan Union and is open to the general public.

Comment [1]

"Triplets of Belleville" Assault on Trial

Posted by Murph on 26. October 2004

Some may remember that, back in March, “Triplets of Belleville” was demonstrated to incite violence in the populace when one theatregoer sent another to the hospital after being “shushed”. That case is now on trial at the Washtenaw County Circuit Court.

From the Ann Arbor News, Trial opens in theatre fight:

Eisenbach told jurors he went to see “The Triplets of Belleville” on March 20, and Elrod arrived after the movie began.

That’s when the “shush” occurred.

Eisenbach testified that Elrod kicked the back of his chair off and on during the movie, he also heard coughing behind him and felt air blowing onto his hair.

Toward the end of the movie, Eisenbach said he felt something hit the back of his neck. Assuming it was the man behind him, Eisenbach testified that he stood up, and asked the person behind him, “Excuse me, what’s your problem?”

Eisenbach said the man grabbed “the front of my shirt at my collar and he jammed his fist in my throat and hit me.”

Eisenbach suffered multiple broken ribs and a punctured lung after Elrod allgedly knocked him down a flight of stairs in the theatre. Elrod’s lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Laura Graham, says the incident was a “misunderstanding and two individuals not being able to communicate.” She maintains that Elrod did not intend great bodily harm.

Who says art films don’t have enough action?

UPDATE, 27 Oct: Today’s News presents the defendant’s story, Accused ‘shusher’ says he defended himself. The incorrect headline (The “shusher” presented yesterday; this is the “shushee”) is a good indication of the muddling of the issues:

Both the defense and prosecuting attorneys noted that Elrod’s testimony was contrary to that of other trial witnesses. When Elrod’s defense attorney, Washtenaw County Assistant Public Defender Laura Graham asked him whether he realized that his testimony was inconsistent with others, Elrod answered: “All I know is, I’m telling the truth.”

In her cross-examination of Elrod, Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Dianna Collins asked: “Are you sure you were in the same theater as the other 10 witnesses we heard?”

The defendant, Eisenbach, claims he feared Elrod was going to stab him, and that Elrod’s injurys were the accidental result of self-defense.

SAPAC Responds to Banner Controversy

Posted by Brandon on 26. October 2004

A letter in today’s Michigan Daily responds to the recent controversy surrounding a SAPAC banner advertising tonight’s Speak Out event (7-9 pm, Union Ballroom):

On behalf of the Networking, Publicity, and Activism student group working with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center at this university, I would like to extend our apologies to all who were offended by our banner, located previously in the Diag, advertising our upcoming event “Speak Out.” It is important to both myself and the volunteers who are committed to the NPA program that the University at large understands that the depiction of the silhouette on the banner was not intended to be viewed as a caricature of the African and black community. Speak Out is a safe forum for survivors of sexual violence to talk about their experiences either openly or anonymously. The black silhouette on the banner was to represent a person of an unknown background as well as to represent a survivor in the shadows of silence. The red lips were to symbolize the power a survivor has when speaking out against sexual violence. In addition, the colors of black and red are also synonymous with the Silent Witness Exhibit, which uses silhouettes of domestic violence victims to show both the fact that domestic violence can happen to anybody and that we often are unaware of who experiences these crimes. The concerns raised by the community will be remembered next year.

Jessica Carver

Lindsay Jolley

The letter writers are LSA seniors and co-coordinators for the Networking, Publicity and Activism program at SAPAC

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