4 4A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, October 1, 2001 OP/ED 420 MAYNARD STREET ANN ARBOR, MI 48109 daily. letters@umich.edu EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SINCE 1890 GEOFFREY GAGNON Editor in Chief MICHAEL GRASS NICHOLAS WOOMER Editorial Page Editors Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of the Daily's editorial board. All other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily. NOTABLE QUOTABLE ( ( That hostility predates the formation of the Jewish State, and has its roots in the West's growing cultural, political, economic, and military dominance over the lands of Islam, a dominance that has been building for centuries but was by no means inevitable, and which many Muslims find baffling and infuriating." - Harvard professor emeritus David S. Landes and Boston University professor Richard A. Landes on the hostility in the Muslim world toward the U.S. in the Oct. 8 issue of The New Republic. u O fli .al Dada~ PlASfrk - s ";'J. i if . . .i ,"? " 1 t%.is. w: y: ti LP:a .. ! L . :ice. ': < o i r ' ' i ' 1O' , /1. p . .1 , The proIblem wv aroo~n these dayxs. .;." .; ,L. ;.;,.,,; ..". .; " . i . " ,r. ;i 5 y , c f i ' F" n reed{ some -resh kiea~s gel' rsec wat S in t nlews t C4 . i IN f n'i. Maybe ;f 2 cross k,'rckk ha14 ' 0- 0 ,, P, ; .:, a ; r ; . + .1 il. ', i ; " '. : : l o 3 ,. . :; : 1 ;,i ,,, ";,. ' a ,'' t ± >'i 1,> " t^' r ; I [: ! L;' j' , . r,; j . k" c ;, !i -:: C-" ..+ ' 4 b i I 99l R22m- f Ia f is f < . a f 1 ^ f. i v . - ..O ... r " . . ., f You are either with us or with the terrorists? AMER G. ZAHR THE PROGRESSIVE PEN 4 e must open our eyes. Reconsid- eration here is essential. What are the exact issues? Is it as simple as our president has put it? Is it "us or them?" Is one of us necessarily morally hon- orable and the other not? Is it simply that fringe groups practicing violent tactics against civilian targets hate America? No. It is. in fact, much deeper than that. What we have been refusing to see, and what will probably become apparent in the weeks and months to come, is that Amer- ican actions are despised by the average Arab/Muslim citizen of the world, the average man or woman who abhors Osama bin Laden and his actions, and would never consider join- ing his group or any others like it. First of all, we must do away with the idea that Arabs and Muslims throughout the world somehow harbor a sort of hatred for democracy, free speech, and individual rights. The connec- tion between specific U.S. policies on the one hand and resulting opinions toward America on the other has very little to do with these "Ameri- can values." As Edward Said has recently noted, "On the contrary, every Arab or Muslim that I have ever spoken to expressed mystification as to why so extraordinarily rich and admirable a place as America (and so likeable a group of individuals as Americans) has behaved interna- tionally with such callous obliviousness of less- er peoples." Many Arabs and Muslims are also sorely conscious of the influence of the pro- Israeli lobby and pro-Israeli publications like The New Republic or Commentary. I of course do not want to leave out bellicose war-loving columnists like Charles Krauthammer (who advocated Israeli assassination policies in a recent issue of Time magazine), George Will, William Safire, and the like, who all happen to publish in mainstream media. The roots of disgust for America's policies reside in three major topics. First, most Arabs and Muslims are outraged by America's unwa- vering support for Israel's brutal military occu- pation, now entering its almost unprecedented 35th year. Washington has been in constant political, military and economic support of the killing of civilians, harsh curfews on entire vil- lages and areas, uprootings of countless acres of olive groves, daily humiliation at the hands of Israeli soldiers and settlers, settlement strate- gies meant to cut up the West Bank and Gaza into Bantustans in order to control the resources, gross violations of the Geneva Con- ventions, and the list goes on. Second, many citizens of the Arab and Muslim world look to the decade-long U.S.- British onsalught upon the citizenry of Iraq, resulting in the deaths of over one million Iraqis, including half a million children who are dying from simple sicknesses like diarrhea, all the while watching Saddam Hussein strengthen his hold on the weak nation. We should not forget, as Arabs have not forgotten, that Ameri- ca supported Saddam during his worst atroci- ties, among them the gassing and killing of countless thousands of Kurds. Third, and this is the most important factor by far, America has been picking and choosing which dictators it is deciding to support in the Arab and Muslim worlds. From supporting Indonesia's Suharto in his killing of hundreds of thousands of civilians in East Timor in the mid-'70s to present-day support of repressive dictatorships in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the Gulf States, the U.S. has been exercising moral- ly bankrupt policies throughout the region. These are the facts. There is no avoiding it. Those who agree with these policies can attempt to justify or excuse them, but there is simply no avoiding their existence. Professors and intellectuals at our university and elsewhere who cling to the rhetoric of our being detested on the basis of our values rather than our actions are committing a serious intel- lectual injustice. Our university needs to be a place to examine these roots and discuss them, as many of us may very well one day be in posi- tions where we can affect our country's actions in other parts of the world. Let us engage those members of our and other communities who come from Arab and Muslim roots in an intel- lectual debate, instead of simply ingesting the polemical and adversarial material we are fed in our media and, unfortunately, in many classes and texts right here on our campus. The idea that residents of Arab and Muslim countries, who work, come home, watch the news, hug their children, and celebrate their values, somehow despise values of democracy, individual rights, and free speech, is not only absurd, but also unveils a stark ignorance of others, along with a deep-seated ethnocentric view of our world. Amer G. Zahr can be reached via e-mail at zahrag@umich.edu. VIEWPOINT Wording in sexual assault article a disservice to women Y LETTERS TO THE EDITOR BY PATRICIA KRAMER The FBI states that false reporting of rape is the same as false reporting of other violent crimes. 1-2 percent. Why then should the press present reports of such serious sexual crimes any differently than we might see a murder por- trayed? Knowing just how influential the media can be on public opinion, it is critical that unbi- ased, and accurate information is reported on these issues. In response to the article ("M' soc- cer player to stand trial," 9/11/01) it is just as important to avoid double standards when the crime of rape involves a Michigan athlete. When a violent crime such as murder or theft is covered prior to conviction, only the per- petrator is described as "alleged." The actual crime on the other hand, is reported as just that, murder or theft. It is offensive and all to com- mon to see sexual crimes devoted the status of "alleged," as was the case in the article. In a society where the burden of proof becomes a huge cross to bear for the survivor of sexual assault and where the victims quickly become the accused, we only add to their isolation by treating her crime differently - with initial dis- belief. As if coming forward wasn't difficult enough we continue to support a system which creates a hostile environment for survivors who seek justice. It is no wonder that of one in three women in our society who are survivors of sexual assault, only one in ten will report the crime, according to the FBI. We are all a part of a culture which con- dones and trivializes violence against women. Rape does not exist as a solitary expression of aggression toward women, but is supported by both institutional and attitudinal violence, harassment and degradation. A 1992 study ("Virgin or Vamp - How the press covers sex crimes") found that the American press displays a number of double standards in reporting sex crimes. Survivors and perpetrators were both por- trayed differently depending on class status, and looks for example. Where good looks may be used to describe the perpetrator in a positive light, good looks were often used to suggest that the survivor brought the rape on herself. One of the first and only facts we learn about the survivor in the article is that she had "visited many bars before attending the party" where the "alleged rape occurred." Immediately the sur- switching gears, goes on to exalt the perpetra- tor's character. Wetlearn that as a member of the Michigan soccer team he has played in four games this season, a forward! We read state- ments on the perpetrator's behalf from the ath- letic director and his attorney. We also learn how cooperative he has been throughout the investigation and with the police. We live in a culture where the accused is innocent until proven guilty. It is not wrong for this reason to present Kevin Robinson's side of the story and report statements of supporters. But then shouldn't we also lend equal credence to the sur- vivor's story? Shouldn't she also be allotted the right to be treated innocent until proven guilty? The amount of effort which was devoted to pro- moting his character while attacking her credi- bility and altogether skipping her side of things, was not shocking, simply common and insult- ing. I am certain that changing the way rape is portrayed is not possible without changing the stereotypes and myths which surround it. No one, regardless of race, ethnicity, lifestyle or atti- tude deserves to be raped. To assume certain women provoke rape or to hold an opinion because of stereotypes sur- rounding them hinders many from seeking the support and legal action they deserve. If we could eliminate these stereotypes concerning what victims are good victims, and what rape entails, then maybe more women would come forward and men would think twice about the consequences of their actions. It is clear from sexual stereotypes that women's bodies, whether Latino, African- American, white, poor, well dressed or undressed, have the power to attract and seduce men. In a world where someone is always to blame, it is much easier to accuse the woman of wrongdoing than upset the male balance which keeps everything running smoothly. We are part of a culture whose history has been written predominantly by men. Although rape today has become more talked about by women, and consciousness concerning issues such as the ones I have spoken of, has been raised through literature, songs, rallies and human rights groups, much more still needs to be done. Change is rarely abrupt, but I feel that by continuing to revise the 'male story' of rape with a woman's voice, we will succeed in writ- ing our own history. Blackballed employee deserves apology from administration, VP Harper TO THE DAILY: Last Monday, Shannon Martin, former Native American Programs Coordinator for the University of Michigan's Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, was acquitted of charges of embezzlement from the University, brought by the coun- ty prosecutor under direction of the Uni- versity administration. The faulty charges were an attempt to retaliate against Shan- non Martin, a dedicated servant and advocate for students, who refused to compromise pride and belief in her cul- ture for the protection of the administra- tion's faults. While on staff at the University for six years, Martin coordinated the suc- cessful Ann Arbor Pow-Wow, Native American Heritage Month and countless other events that helped foster a real understanding of diversity on campus. Martin worked with a love and dedica- tion that supported and encouraged Native and non-Native students alike. Her suspension and subsequent termina- tion from the University came only months after her involvement and sup- port of the Students of Color Coalition's occupation of the Michigamua "wig- wam" in the Michigan Union (Feb. 6- March 13, 2000). It is obvious that administrators within the University, together with powerful Michigamua alumni, targeted Shannon Martin for her outspoken dissent toward Michigamua and attempted to damage her integrity and reputation as a professional Native woman, and as a human being. The truth made itself apparent prior to and during the trial, as dozens of support- ers testified and gathered to show solidar- ity in supporting the innocence and integrity of our trusted friend and col- league. The jury agreed, finding Martin not guilty on all counts, directing the question back to the University as to the real motivation behind the charges. It is unacceptable for any public insti- tution to target and prosecute people for defending their culture and ethnicity. Shannon Martin, a servant to students and diversity for six years at the University, has been victimized by this evil force, but continues to stand tall and proud and has now been proven not guilty in a court of law. She deserves an apology in the high- est accord from all involved administra- tors, particularly Vice President for Student Affairs E. Royster Harper, in addition to compensation for the year- long assault on her humanity carried out by her former employer. JOE REILLY Alumnus The letter writer was a member of the Students of Color Coalition when the organization occupied the Michigan Union tower for 37 days in winter 2000. Call for uprising, 'revolution' unsettling To THE DAILY: Before Sept. 20,I was originally considering joining BAMN in their anti-war rally. I am not entirely against the idea of constructive retalia- tion regarding the terrible acts of the Sept. 11, but I thought I would march for the sake of showing that I hoped that there could somehow be a way of solving this situation peacefully. Incidentally, I had some other commitment at this time and wasn't able to join the rally, but as I was walking to my class at the Modern Languages Building I did happen to catch a glimpse of what I believe to be the tail end of it, and this is what I saw: this older guy, obviously not a University student, standing on a plat- form, hawking the "benefits" of communism or socialism and calling for a revolution against our own government. There were various peo- ple with red shirts dispersed in the crowd, hand- ing out literature about "revolution." As I continued on my trek to class, I couldn't help but to feel disgusted by what I saw. Politics aside, this group was clearly using the terrible act committed against us to gain vis- ibility and further their cause. In the face of all the acts of charity I had seen on the part of the survivors (that includes all of us still living) of the Sept. 11 terrorist acts, this display of selfish- ness really bothered me. I guess this letter might be a little late, con- sidering that I made this observation over a week ago. Well, the real reason I'm writing you is to thank you for Friday's article about BAMN ("Who exactly is BAMN?"). Now I basically know where they are coming from and that there are others who are equally disturbed about their recent actions as I am. J.J. WALLBILLICH LSA sophomore I Trotskyism leaves nothing but 'death' 'suffering' in its wake; campus should beware TO THE DAILY: restraints. The Daily's editorial "Sectarian Sojourn: He was a mo BAMN must work well with others or take relativist to the ei Trotskyite philosophy elsewhere" (9/28/01) "Problems of revo claimed that "BAMN's exclusionary and tionary morality," 4 ;1i v Y* 1C4"tc V (v I ral ;nd: lu- he Kramer is a volunteer with the SexualAssault Prevention