Changing IM scoring rules a waste of time for LSA-SG

The Daily's story Tuesday about a student government effort to change intramural sports scoring (Students: IM scoring policy is sexist, 09/23/2008) is a prime example of why the majority of this campus takes our student government to be an absolute joke. Every year I am bombarded with candidates’ flyers promising me reduced textbook costs and increased campus safety. Instead of solving these problems, I read that some LSA Student Government representatives are labeling a "B” level intramural soccer scoring system as an “urgent” issue concerning our student body.

If the LSA-SG represntatives behind this, Steven Benson and Kim Buddin, have such an issue with the scoring, they should play in the “A” league and quit wasting our time. Is this what our student government really debates behind closed doors? With the recent rash of burglaries across campus and continually increasing tuition costs, shouldn’t they be focusing their efforts elsewhere?

Perhaps I should run during the next election. My platform would consist of free unicorn rides to North Campus and orange soda in every drinking fountain on campus. In the end, I would fulfill just as many promises as the current student government does.

Alex Whang
LSA senior

Students should double-check voter registration

During the primary election, I served as an election inspector at Mary Markley Hall, checking in voters at the polls. Many students voted, but some were turned away — more than you would think. This is an issue that disproportionately affects students, because this is a population that moves every year. To avoid getting turned away this election, each student should check their voting location. Otherwise, despite being involved, excited and registered, students' voices won't be heard this election.

Here is the issue that came up regularly last election — enough that it troubled me. Many students came to vote, absolutely positive that they were registered at their residence hall address. Maybe it was after dinner when they strolled in, ready to vote. Maybe they had voted at the residence hall before. Many times, when we checked the rolls, though, students were registered at their parent's address. So without time to drive all the way to their hometown in say, Traverse City, these students couldn't vote.

We started to figure out that students' voter registrations are automatically changed to their permanent address when they renew their driver's licenses. The students who had previously voted at their residence halls were really upset to find that the location of their registration had changed without their knowledge.

This seems like a logical process, but it can disenfranchise a voter. All students should go to www.publius.org to check their voter registration status and location. It is easy and confidential. And, of course, you can always register to vote at Ann Arbor City Hall, located at Fifth Avenue and Huron Street, just a few blocks from campus.

I hope this helps a few more students vote this election. If we all vote, then our representatives and our new president will reflect our opinions and values, not a small minority's opinions and values.

Susan Bryan
School of Natural Resources and the Environment lecturer

Russia's recent behavior is none of our business

In response to Alex Prasad's column Tuesday about how to handle Russia's recent aggression, I don't understand why Prasad believes that the United States needs to be the world's policeman (More than a cold shoulder, 09/23/2008). I challenge him to look at parallel actions from the United States before accusing Russia of "throwing its weight around in Asia and Europe" with "newfound bravado."

Who are we to judge what another sovereign country should do, with whom it should mingle and what type of government it should have? Perhaps our interference with other countries' sovereignty is a major reason for anti-American sentiments around the world. Just a thought.

Although Russia has resumed bomber flights and naval fleet movements (surely, the United States has not done either of these since the Berlin Wall came down), I think that sentiments like Prasad's are more defining of a Cold War era than military exercises alone.

Eric Sauck
Engineering senior