Hoekstra, who is running to be the Republican nominee against second-term Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, should end his campaign for producing an ad which is unacceptable in modern society. The ad featured a young Asian woman speaking about the threat of Chinese economic growth and Stabenow’s fiscal policy.

“Thank you, Michigan Sen. Debbie ‘Spend-It-Now,’” the woman says at the beginning of the ad. “Debbie spends so much American money. You borrow more and more from us. Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good. We take your jobs.”

Tellingly, she never stumbles over the ‘Spend-It-Now’ or ‘Spend-It-Not” titles for Stabenow or Hoekstra, respectively. She’s Asian, perhaps Chinese, and apparently threatening, but she certainly stays on message.

What’s worse, the scene honestly opens with a gong. The absurd music, intermittent grammar issues and pointed straw hat that follow are all designed to remind us that this is a foreign culture, a people apart — something different from our wounded, reeling America. This sort of race-baiting is simply unacceptable for a person running to represent Michigan at a federal level, but of course it does not belong in any campaign or conversation.

There is no acceptable move Hoekstra can make other than to withdraw from running for the nomination. His appearance at the end of the commercial reiterating the points in front of a fireplace, ending with “I’m Pete ‘Spend-It-Not” Hoekstra, and I approve this message,” tells us he cannot legitimately distance himself from the controversy.

Hoekstra may actually believe both the content and strategy of the ad are acceptable and see no problem with them, in which case he has no business running or holding any elected office. The only other alternative is that he was unaware of the extent of the ad’s racial bias and stereotyping, that he gave into the pressure of a cut-throat campaign team, which demonstrates he lacks the spine and foresight a U.S. senator should reflexively display.

Resorting to the depths he did with this ad sets back the tone of political discourse decades, if not a century. It is an offense to Asian-Americans and other minorities, but it stings basic human dignity. Hoekstra worked hard to portray himself as the moderate candidate in this race, earning endorsements from national figures including Mitt Romney, but that hard work was undone instantly with this embarrassment.

Instead of trotting out evasive half-apologies or jingoistic defenses, it’s time for Hoekstra to step aside and allow the process to continue without him. He has done more than enough already.

Michigan has long battled a poor reputation nationally and internationally. We have suffered as a punchline for industrial decline and social backwardness.

If we are to move forward, tactics such as the campaign commercial must be shelved permanently.

To help us move forward, Pete ‘End-It-Now’ Hoekstra must stop his campaign.

Ben Harris/Senior Reporter

To my venerable ancestors and forefathers, I have this to say; your life must have stunk.

To my children, children’s children and so on; I am jealous beyond words.

The reason, of course, is Facebook and Twitter.

Even the generation before mine is disadvantaged. Myspace is an old farmer who plows his fields with oxen and chews on wheat to help his concentration during the annual barn repainting.

But now, with most of the Internet world on Facebook, things that were never before even thinkable are a reality. It’s like the world’s yearbook.

Now, I can keep track of all the people I went to high school with and see the minute details of the everyday lives of acquaintances. I can know who’s working from 4 to 8 p.m., who ate peanut butter and jelly for lunch and who’s just so sick and tired of being sick and tired. It’s like I never left my hometown at all.

It will only get better. With Facebook to soon go public, the company will reach new heights, achieve things greater than any other company before it. What new ways will the company create to be even more connected? I can only dream.

All I know is, the updates to my smartphone don’t come fast enough. What if I were to miss a notification?

In fact, there has to be a way to integrate Facebook and our lives even more. Why not register for classes through Facebook or Twitter? That way, it is easier to compare schedules with friends. Because who wants to be in a class without any friends? But then, why risk not having classes with friends at all?

Why can’t professors record their lectures and post them to Facebook, having the class discuss it in a free-for-all web forum? There’s no way to be more connected than that. It’s efficient, too; everyone with their laptops in class tends to just sits on Facebook anyway, so why not cut out the middleman? The middleman being reality.

And then there’s Twitter. It’s like having all my friends talk to me at once. The ones who have an account, that is. Those who don’t have an account can’t even be considered friends anymore.

What I’m pressing for is Facebook, Twitter and all the other social networks to combine like Power Rangers to form a super social network. If that were to happen, it would be unstoppable and immune to grumpy old people who don’t get the Internet and lame people who think they’re too cool to poke me back on Facebook.

When that happens, and it will, the world as we all know it will change for the better. It will be the utopia our fathers and grandfathers dreamed up for us; the great social machine, a mechanism for us all to see who’s tan, who’s dating who and who from our graduating class just got pregnant.

All the gossip we wanted for so many years, laid out right in front of us.

Nathan Inks/Columnist

Rarely does a politician commit political suicide in a commercial aired during the most watched event on television.

Sunday, senatorial candidate Pete Hoekstra was that exception.

In his ad, a girl of Asian descent riding her bicycle stops to tell the camera in what is clearly fake broken-English, “Thank you Michigan Senator Debbie Spend-it-Now. Debbie spend so much American money, you borrow more and more from us. Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good. We take your jobs. Thank you, Debbie Spend-it-Now.”

Hoekstra comes on to contrast Debbie Spend-it-Now with Pete Spend-it-Not as he approves the campaign message. The Debbie Spend-it-Now part of that ad was the only good part, but the “Spend-it-Not” just seemed corny and weird.

In the 21st century, I would have assumed Hoekstra would know how wrong such an offensive stereotype would be. What makes the ad ironic is the percentage of Chinese who can speak fluent English is higher than the percentage of Americans who can speak fluent Chinese.

The campaign’s response to the ad was almost as bad as the ad itself. The Hoekstra campaign disabled ratings and comments for the ad on YouTube. John Yob, CEO of Strategic National, a major political consulting firm in Michigan, who has served as an advisor for the campaign began deleting all negative comments left on his Facebook link to the ad and deleted those posters from his page. He then left comments implying that people critical of the ad are just liberals and other candidates’ supporters just want to attack Hoekstra.

Not only is that incredibly petty and a terrible public relations move, but it is just not true. I had endorsed Hoekstra and was fully backing him, but after seeing that ad and the response of his advisors, I can no longer support him.

This also goes beyond simply airing an offensive ad; it shows Hoekstra and his campaign have a severe lack of judgment by running the ad and thinking it would have a positive effect. Why would you run a controversial ad during an event more Americans watch than any other event? If he can make such a terrible move in a primary race, what will he do in the general election?

Hoekstra is not only someone who should not represent the Republican Party; he should not represent this great country by serving in our government. What image does this send to the Chinese people if we elect someone like him?

Hoekstra should apologize, and he may gain back the respect of some people. But this severe lack of judgment should result in voters never trusting him with an elected office again.

Nathan Inks is the president of the College Republicans. This column does not necessarily reflect the official views of the organization.

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’s Series.

The absence of a selection committee or guaranteed money to bring in these A-list voices leaves what should be a key component 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 attending 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 influential speakers for the student body.

Or, we can just stick with throwing paint.

Sean Bradley/Staff Reporter

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.

Ben Harris/Senior Reporter

Question: How much is an English degree worth?

Paying $10,000 a year in tuition is an indicator of what it costs — but what is it worth?

People who are true artists will argue that the pursuit of art is priceless, that their life is so enriched by what they do that nothing else matters.

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 near-irresistible 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.

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, blame-shifting 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

Senior Reporter/Catey Traylor

People always talk about a defining moment in their life when they learned a lot about themselves and the people around them.

A moment where everything fell apart, eventually fell back together, and the important things in life became crystal clear.

I had never been that person. I had never had a moment like that, and I was beginning to think it wouldn’t ever happen — until Aug. 26, 2011 rolled around.

It started as a typical early-semester weekend, with nothing better to do in this town than wreak havoc on Main Street and try our best to avoid the cops. My best friend came up for the weekend and we party-hopped with friends for a while, until we decided to embrace what Main Street does best, and headed to a frat party. My friend’s mom had called earlier in the night, but neither of us was in any state to talk to our parents, so he ignored the call, put his phone in his pocket and didn’t look at it again. That was at 11 p.m.

At 1 a.m., he checked his phone and had missed calls like nobody’s business. He dialed his voicemail and heard a message that would change our lives forever. His little brother, Ryan, had been hit by a car, and it was bad. Really bad.

To make a long story short, we were rushed to Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, where we learned that Ryan was in a coma, had numerous broken bones and had needed brain surgery already. Little did we know, eight more surgeries would be in Ryan’s future.

As we sat in the waiting room, I watched a mother fight to be strong during the hardest time of her life, an uncle and grandmother stare into space searching for answers, and a brother — my closest friend on this planet — try so hard to believe that things were going to be alright when there was a very real possibility they wouldn’t be. And as much as I wanted to help, to say or do something to fix everything, there was nothing I could do. Except be there.

In that moment, I understood what people were always talking about. Throughout the next four months of Ryan’s hospitalization, my small town came together like a family. I relied on people more than I ever had in the past and I learned to take each and every moment of life for what it’s worth.

Now that I’m the person sharing the story of a defining life moment, I want to leave people with one message. Appreciate the people in your life. Tell your mom you love her, spend time with your dad, and even if they piss you off, tell your siblings how much they mean to you, because in an instant, everything can change and you’d give anything in this world to rewind time.

I think Lee Brice got it right when he said “Never let your prayin’ knees get lazy, and love like crazy.”