Letters to the Editor

Students shouldn't fear Naked Mile

To the Daily:

I wanted to express my dismay that the Michigan Daily was a forerunner in the negative media hype surrounding the Naked Mile this year. The Daily chose to run a full headline, "This is a dangerous event," citing such dangers as getting your picture taken, getting arrested and getting raped.

Indeed, running the Naked Mile is not for everyone. I understand people don't like the idea of having their naked pictures posted on the internet. However, this is not dangerous. I checked out some of those internet sites, and they're huge collections of naked pictures. Once again - anonymity in numbers. In a day when the public barely winces at the knowledge that the President has smoked pot, no one's reputation is going to be ruined by a Naked Mile picture.

As I expected, average Naked Mile runners were not arrested. Only four people were arrested and they were unique instances involving more than just running the Naked Mile. It's a shame people didn't run for fear of being arrested. Hopefully people will be assured that they can run next year without this fear.

Finally, it is absurd that warnings were given that the police would not be able to stop a possible rape. Women risk the chance of being raped daily. But give me a break - the streets of Ann Arbor have never been safer than the night of the naked mile with people and police everywhere.

After this successful Naked Mile, I hope students can get over their fears and run next year. Long live the Naked Mile!

Cassandra Hoye

LSA senior

Not enough students are running naked

To the Daily:

Well, its now Saturday and I am fully clothed. But recently I ran in my first Naked Mile. I know that it is intended for seniors, but I couldn't pass up on this opportunity because I didn't know if it would be cancelled in years to come. Though I am only a freshman here and I have never seen the Naked Mile run before, I thought it was great.

So there were a few fat old pervs out there with their video cameras but there were no major problems from what I saw. What I did notice was an entire student body gathering together for a traditional University event, just like a football game.

It was awesome to see everyone out in the streets having a good, safe time. We weren't burning couches and throwing them at runners which may happen in Green and White country.

Instead, everyone watched friends, team members, brothers and sisters, and the occasional fat guy run around Ann Arbor naked. I only have one problem with the Naked Mile and that is the fact that so few people actually run in it. I think University officials should quit threatening us and just increase security to protect runners as they journey across campus in the buff.

Let's keep this tradition alive. It is one of the few great things that many of us will love to tell our children when we are older.

Steve Frigo

LSA first-year student

AAPD wrongly scared away students

To the Daily:

As an Alumni of the University of Michigan, and a four time participant in the Naked Mile, I find it unfortunate that the AAPD decided that it was necessary to arrest people who were associated with what was a traditional and harmless campus event. The jubilation and freedom, combined with the end of the semester (and campus existence for many seniors) was an event unique to Ann Arbor and the culture that is the campus.

The "excuse" given by the AAPD relating to the crowds behavior is laughable. If people are getting groped or bullwhipped, as the AAPD claimed, set up a barricaded course or provide police protection to the runners.

Don't destroy an event that for myself, and many of my collegian counterparts, was a jubilant and unique event for Michigan students. Shame on the AAPD.

Brian Clune

Alumnus