rickstersays

Mon, Oct 18, 2010 : 8:20 p.m.

Mr. Cox, How is it possible for Andrew Shirvell to be on paid leave after all this time? Nobody gets this length of leave without a note from a doctor and as Shirvell is playing games with the court system in regards to a PRIVATE LEGAL MATTER while on this leave he should already have been terminated. After the stunning rebuke from the Michigan Civil Rights Commission you should be owning up to the shenanigans your office has undertaken at the behest of your religious right buddies. I am quite certain Mr. Shirvell has had a hand in everything your office has done to take rights away from gay people and that the papers the Michigan Civil Rights Commission requested will prove it. It is obvious that Andrew Shirvell is in his position for the sole purpose of undermining rights granted under the law and legislation for gay people. It is obvious he is trying to set up a test case for for the Michigan Family Association and other right wing groups to test hate crime law protections of gays. Andrew Shirvell is nothing but a political hire embeded in the Attorney General's office who is obviously not qualified for his job. His campaign against Chris Armnstrong is political even though he is attacking a person who is not by any stretch of the imagination a political figure but a private citizen. Just because Andrew Shirvell contends this is political does not make it so. He alone frames the argument in these terms. It is time for Shirvell to go. No gay person can have any confidence in the office of the Attorney General for the State of Michigan and their tax dollars are being used to pay for both his leave and his campaign against their rights and interests. The jig is up and it is time for you to admit what you have been doing and what Shirvell has been doing. Quite frankly I think he was hired so that the Michigan Family Association didn't hang you from the yard arm over your own tawdry affairs. The fact Mr. Shirvell is a bald faced liar was proven with his interview with Anderson Cooper. Andrew Shirvell must go and he must go now.

Richard Nye

Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 8:49 p.m.

We at Veritas Christi High School support Chris Armstrong

Terry Calhoun

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 3:40 p.m.

Let's put the Anderson hat on Shirvell, and the Shirvell hat on Anderson; If, instead, Anderson had learned last spring of Shirvell's support of, say, torture and decided to speak his mind and object on moral and religious grounds, by doing to Shirvell what Shirvell has been doing to Anderson, there is no doubt in my mind that Anderson would have spent time in jail by now. I actually feel sorry for Shirvell, because he has painted himself into an unhealthy corner and I do not see a positive path out of this for him. Well, maybe Tim Wallberg (R) will hire him as an aide in DC if he wins election. Shirvell seems like a Wallberg kind of guy.

djm12652

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 2:52 p.m.

As a proud and out heterosexual person, I can only wonder why anyone gives a hoot about who is sleeping with whom?

Tom

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 2:35 p.m.

"U-M has barred Shirvell from its campus.....Looking ahead, we will remain ever vigilant to unacceptable displays of intolerance." Who is the intolerant one here???? What a way to demostrate tolerance, freedom of speech, encourage diverse opinions. The University of Michigan should be totally ashamed of themselves. When it comes to the homosexual agenda, none may dissent.

TripleVSix

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 2:24 p.m.

"As a UM graduate myself, I find it embarrassing that Andrew Shirvell is an alumni also." I feel the same way about Bill Ayers.

katie

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 1:55 p.m.

What a fine young man Chris Armstrong is! Both my kids went to UM and if anything like this had happened to them, I'd be distraught. If they had handled it as well as he has, I'd be very, very proud. Bullying is no small matter. I see Shervill as purely a stalker and a bullier. One reason bullies get away with it is that some people protect them. Don't protect him, prosecute him and fire him. I cannot imagine voting for anyone who would protect this man's actions. In fact, I have decided that I need to see the stance of each person I vote for when it comes to gay rights and hate speech and similar matters. I've been focused on other issues like the environment, but this story has made me think I need to dig deeper and see if the politician is also willing to stand up and be counted as Chris has. I won't accept a "no comment" or "don't ask, don't tell" stance either. I hope that people interviewing politicians and moderating debates will ask where each candidate stands.

Scott Beal

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 9:29 a.m.

Davidian -- this article is a brief report on discussion of the Armstrong/Shirvell controversy that took place at the Board of Regents meeting. As such, it does it's job adequately. The little blue words indicate links to prior articles which provide the details and context that you have found lacking here. For example, if you click the words "under attack" you will find your way to the Michigan Daily's article which describes the behavior that Shirvell has been criticized for as well as the points he has cited as constituting Armstrong's "radical agenda." By using such links, the author allows the reader access to all the relevant details, without bogging down the story for those who are already familiar with said details. I certainly have criticisms of AnnArbor.com, but this complaint seems wholly unreasonable.

Davidian

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 8:49 a.m.

Mr. Murrow's Ghost: 1. Most criminals, politicians, etc. in trouble refuse interviews. It's a journalist's job to fill in the blanks. 2. I have been following this since it first broke. I don't read minds, and I don't go to youtube to catch up on my local news stories. 3. This story--this ACTUAL story--is devoid of facts and perspective from the other side. When I go to a local news source, I expect those two critical elements at the bare minimum. 4. I support gay rights--through action, not comments on a message board. I don't support opinion columns masquerading as journalism. Good night and good luck.

Davidian

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 7:21 a.m.

I'm glad that so many people are defending Mr. Armstrong, but the point is that the article should've covered all that. The huge gaps in the story should'nt have to be filled in with his supporters, which is probably accurate, but inherently biased.

Davidian

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 7:19 a.m.

I am a passionate defender of all people in this society that are hated for things out of their control, especially gay folk. But this article is totally one sided. What if Armstrong's agenda really is "radical" and possibly inapporpriate? We'll never know. We'll also never know what Shirvell's side of the story is, and what he has done exactly. I don't doubt that Shirvell is a homophobe and maybe a stalker, but how I can I really form an opinion without any real facts? It's classic one sided "journalism"--all emotions, few facts, other side of the story never presented. We don't need op-eds disguised as journalism. It's really hurting our society.

bobr

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 7:16 a.m.

If Shirvell had a family, maybe he wouldn't be standing outside someonee else's home at 1:30 in the morning. If he has a family, they need to get him some help.

michigan48103

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 5:46 a.m.

Another way to look at this situation is when there is a football game, the streets are full of people and nothing is wrote in the News paper or talked about when a few hundred straight men go to the ER for being so drunk that they pass out and they are also in fights, but when a Gay person has a problem to make them look bad, it made the news and the TV. and Chris did nothing wrong, and you never read any thing from the board of regents or Mary Lou the President. If it is about a football game everyone is ready to talk about the wonderful players and staff even if they are in the ER drunk later in the Day. Shrivell's degree is something you can not take away, but he could have his home taken away if he did not hAVE A job to pay for it and his bills, it is strange that Cox would not fire him.

michigan48103

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 5:30 a.m.

Because the story about Chris has made the TV news and many newspapers, the University of Michigan has been a help to the young student. When something like this happens to a Employee of the University of Michigan The employee will be fired, Chris Anderson is lucky that he has the TV new and the news papers on his side because if he did not he would not be at the university any more. For many years when I went to the Administration and HR about problems when they found out that I was Gay, nothing was done and soon later, I was fired, like many others that worked at the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan is such a anti-Gay place to work and the Medical Center is a real difficult place to work when they find out that you are Gay. Good luck to Chris and I hope he does well with this situation, after almost 18 years of harrisment and rude treatment because of being gay and then fired, I know it is a difficult time for you, it sure was for me and I still have many health problems from all the stress and problems.

Jerome

Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 3:04 a.m.

Joe Hood wrote: what exactly has Shirvell done wrong? he made false statements that the student engaged in underage drinking at a particular party when the student was actually out of town. Shirvell showed up at the student's home as late as 1:30am videotaping the youngster, shouting vile names. He made up false charges, calling the student a Nazi, Satan's rep, racist, elitist, etc. without evidence. Shirvell said this lying and creating things out of thin air is allowed by the first amendment, frightening coming from the state's asst. AG. Also, Shirvell sees it as okay to call someone radical simply because they did not lie and pretend to be straight, as many of us think Shirvell himself may be doing. Shrivell's actions may be more obsession than protest

johnnya2

Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 11:32 p.m.

"Has Shirvell "stalked" with a group of people that are also demonstrating?" Shirvell was the only one at Armstrong's HOME at 1:30 AM. That is NOT a protest, that is stalking. Let's flip the narrative and put a stranger at YOUR house at 1:30 AM filming you and your friends or family. If that is acceptable to you why not post your address, and we will see how long you eel "safe" As for your phrase "I believe Armstrong lives in a group/party house" is absolutely disgusting. Most college students live in a group environment. If Shirvell has such an issue with Armstrong's POLITICS, he should take them up in a political venue, not during his personal life. I disagree with Shirvell and Cox's politics, and yet, I do not go to his house and film at 1:30 am. I do not show up at his church service, his family birthday party. I do not say disgusting things about his parents, and friends. I do not make a link that is so thin between every person he has ever talked to on Facebook and then try to show how it makes Armstong into something he is not. If we want to make that leap, here goes,. Shirvell works for Mikee Cox, a member of the republican party. Mr Iott in Toledo is a member of the republican party and does Nazis recreations. Therefore, Shirvell is a Nazi. I disagree with Nazism, so I think I have the right to go to his home at 1:30 am. I could make the leap I do not agree with Mike Cox, and since Shirvell was a campaign manager, I could go to his home at 1:30 am. I wonder if I decide to go do that at Mike Cox's home how long I would be allowed to video at his home without being arrested. Just because yo cloak your leading questions as a question, does not make them any more bigotted and stupid.

JimFuester

Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 10:26 p.m.

I am writing to applaud, and express my strong support of, Chris Armstrong, president of the Michigan Student Assembly (MSA). As an out and proud, openly gay individual, that was elected to his position with MSA by his fellow students, it is all the more important that he realize he stands at the forefront of today's youth. As an out and proud, openly gay individual myself, I am heartened by Chris and his resolve to not flinch, and not back down in the face of hateful behavior on the part of Mr. Shirvell. Monday October 11th, was National Coming Out Day. It is a day set aside to recognize, honor, and encourage those who make the brave and difficult choice to stand up and be known for just who they are in total, and part of that total with ALL of us is our human sexuality. Yes, ALL of us... we arrived on this earth via human sexuality, and we all live breath and conduct ourselves in every action informed by our personal human sexuality. Being gay, or lesbian, or straight, or transsexual, or bi-sexual, or questioning is merely a fact of life. Mr. Armstrong has been the targeted recipient of abusive and threatening attacks by Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell, under the ludicrous banner of opposing some vague and unsubstantiated "radical homosexual agenda" or some such PR BS. Further, Mr. Shirvell has engaged in stalker behavior and forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying, not only directed at Mr. Armstrong, but if reports in the press are true, also friends and family of Chris Armstrong. Our state Attorney General Mike Cox has even stated publicly that his employee's behavior has amounted to bullying! Shirvell's actions are immature, inappropriate, and at this writing are borderline illegal. It is sad when an individual lives with fear, such that out of concern for personal safety they should feel compelled to seek a restraining order by the courts as Mr. Armstrong has. Mr. Shirvell, in his defense, trumpets that his actions are carried out in his personal off-hours time, and is a "political campaign" what ever that means! He none the less carries the weight and gravity of his job as Assistant Attorney General. His conduct has been contrary to his professional responsibilities to serve and protect all residents of the State of Michigan and it is truly unfortunate that employment legalities have kept him from being summarily dismissed for actions inappropriate to, and conduct unbecoming of, his office. To his credit Mr. Armstrong has dealt with being attacked, stalked, and harassed with the composure and professionalism befitting a person of elected office. Again I applaud his commitment to his office as president of MSA, and his resolve: "I will not back down. I will not flinch. I will not falter. I will not succumb to any unwarranted attacks. What I will do is I will carry on with the utmost pride and vindication," Armstrong has stated. Chris Armstrong is a credit to all of us, and in the shadow of National Coming Out Day, it is no small event that he is open and proud of himself and that he looks to have a positive impact on the campus community, his being gay simply being a fact of life, as it should be. He is a role model anyone of the Lesbian-Gay-Bi-Trans-Questioning (LGBTQ) community can look towards in admiration... When we can look to those not of the mainstream, those who are oppressed, those who are different by nature, those in the minority -and hold them in high regard as human beings, and fully contributing members of our larger community, when we can recognize and support their efforts to make lives better, then we are all lifted up towards a better level of existence.

Chris 8 - YPSI PRIDE

Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 10:23 p.m.

Based on what's being reported, Mr. Shirvell sounds as if he could be dangerous. "Shirvell has blogged about Armstrong and shown at up public and private events to protest him." It clearly states this guy has shown up at "PRIVATE" events. Public events he sure can speak his piece. However showing up at private events shows an element of stalking. I sure hope the courts grant some kind of protective order for Mr. Armstrong. If anyone saw the movie "MILK" the end result could be the same without some sort of protective order. "MILK" was a true story.

Joe Hood

Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 9:50 p.m.

@Macabre Sunset: That's my question, saying he has stalked. Has he stalked Armstrong one on one or has he appeared at public places where Armstrong is (I believe Armstrong lives in a group/party house). Has Shirvell "stalked" with a group of people that are also demonstrating?

Macabre Sunset

Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 9:41 p.m.

What has Shirvell done wrong? He has stalked someone because he disagrees with him politically. I can respect his viewpoints even though I disagree with him. But I cannot respect his actions.

Pat

Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 9:05 p.m.

As a UM graduate myself, I find it embarrassing that Andrew Shirvell is an alumni also. I think it would be awesome if the University could take away his awarded degree or designate him as in poor standing. I wonder what the precedence or the criteria would be to do that anybody know?

Joe Hood

Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 8:53 p.m.

In this whole one sided story, it has been Shirvell who has plainly spoken his mind. He clearly states his position and where he is coming from. Shirvell does not belong to any secret groups, he does not hide behind any type of veneer. His stance takes amazing tenacity. Beyond damning him for his ideology, what exactly has Shirvell done wrong? If someone sees a wrong and attempts to bring attention to that perceived wrong, how has he gone about the process, wrongly? I'm curious, in this air of tolerance.

uomphat

Thu, Oct 14, 2010 : 6:26 p.m.

Why not take away Shirvell's awarded degree? Or make him an alumni in poor standing so he can't benefit from the University. One of his speaking platforms is having been a student here (now alum) thus he feels he should get a voice....take that away and see what happens.