0 0 8B - The Michigan Daily - Weekend Maoniie - Thursday, February 6, 2003 ARI PAUL - I FOUGHT THE LAW You can't be neutral in the of tra ic The Michigan Daily - Weekend Magazine--1 Stars come out at SAAN conference Daily Arts Writer Sravya Chirumamilla caught up with Kal Penn and Dr. Sanjay Gupta at the South Asian Awareness Network confer- ence held last weekend. While Penn was made famous by his role as Taj Mahal Badalandabad, the oral-sex crazed exchange student in "National Lampoon's Van Wilder," Gupta, a Michigan alum, is the chief medical correspondent for CNN and a White House fellow. ast week, in another public dis- play of Beavis vs. Butthead, a bunch of Palestinian support- ers held a vigil on one side of State Street, while a pro-Israel counter- protest took place on the steps of the Michigan Union. - While I could have been doing homework, housecleaning or gener- al mischief that night, I instead decided to take a peek. My presence that night completed the "Israelestine Love Triangle" as each of the respective groups was organized by my secret admirers, Fadi Kiblawi and Rick Dorfman. It started off with a simple singing of the Israeli national anthem from the blue and whites, and silence from the other side. A guy I knew from freshman year approached me and asked, "Ari, why don't you come to these pro-Israel things?" "Because you're all a bunch of idiots," was my reply. "When will you and them realize that all killing is wrong?" Man, what a controversial state- ment. It provoked an Aryan looking kid with an Israeli flag and a Young Americans for Freedom button to inquire how I could justify suicide bombings. Sigh. He went on to enlighten me that the real reason why there are suicide bomb- ings is because Palestinians hate Jews. I ventured over to my associates on the other side of the street. One of them informed me that the reason why there are so many suicide bombings is because Palestinians are oppressed, and the thing about hating Jews is a big lie. Right as I began to contemplate this, the fireworks started. "Divest from hate!" To which the Jews responded, "Death to bin Laden," accompa- nied by a performance of the "Star Spangled Banner." This was too good to be true. I got in the middle of State Street and conducted the orchestra, and - wishing that I had both an Israeli and Palestinian flag - came up with my own chant, "You are all lame and stupid." After several honking horns, near misses and people yelling "you're being ridiculous," I came to the conclu- sion that discretion was the better side of valor and returned to the sidewalk. I walked away with dirty looks from protesters on both sides. Alone in the middle of State Street I was the one most at risk, and people to either side of me could probably agree on something: They didn't like me one bit. It's getting harder and harder to make an unbiased analysis of the situation these days. People don't want to hear that they may be at fault, but I got the answer right here: Suicide bombings happen because Palestinians are oppressed and they hate Jews. Let me explain. Pro-Israeli activists contend that Palestinian children are taught to hate Jews. This is true. Pro-Palestinian activists contend that they kill because they are oppressed. This is also true. If it were one and not the other, there would be no suicide bomb- ings; there are suicide bombings r I because both phenomena exist. If Palestinians lived a pleasurable existence, it would be pretty hard for Hamas to recruit suicide bombers. But if you live without running water and the fear of having your mea- ger home demolished while Jews live luxury, the ideology of such villains isn't going to sound so crazy. And nobody wants to hear this. I brought up the notion to Anti-War Action! that Palestinians are partial- ly to blame for the conflict and there could be no way that the group could be exclusively on their side. Some of them claimed that I hate Arabs because of my position. I did the same thing with the Israel kids, and now I'm a self-hating Jew. And it was me who was "being ridiculous" that night on State Street. It's sad when rational-thinking observers are marginalized so that one can advance an agenda, rather than seek peace for all. Just a few weeks ago there was "debate" in the Union, in which Morton Klein of the Zionist Organization of America actually said, "there is no occu- pation," and went on to explain why it is perfectly just for a Jew from Russia to live on the land that was taken out beneath the feet of an Arab. That is no way to win friends and influence people,.Mort. It is perhaps symbolic that I was alone in the middle of street, allow- ing myself almost to be killed and honking horns and screeching tires drowned out my radical cries of "all killing is wrong." Maybe now I can get my message across, or are the honking and screeching of hackneyed, hateful phrases drowning out my words again'? - Ari Paul can be reached at aspaul@umich.edu. The Michigan Daily: What kinds of stereotypes have you faced in your field? Kal Penn: Stereotypes? What stereotypes? (laughs) Everything from going to an audition and having people expect that you do not speak English or being surprised when you do speak English and telling you that you speak good English. I have been to auditions where a cast- ing director asked me 'Where is your turban? We thought you would show up wearing a turban. Can you go home and put on a bed sheet?' Within the community the stereo- types are equally prevalent. There are many assumptions that if you are not going to be a doctor, engineer or going into business, you are doing something wrong. These jobs that filled the post 65 labor need are often equated as being South Asian. Actors then have no support network from within and out- side of the community and are therefore left in limbo. TMD: How have you surpassed South Asian stereotypes? KP: I do not think that there is a start and finish. It is a continuing struggle and there are varying degrees to dealing with it. The best way to change these stereotypes is by getting into the profession and changing from inside. As an actor, I have had to accept roles that I have opposed per- sonally, however I need them profes- sionally in order to build my resume. Other actors not of color have access to larger and ethnic neutral roles. I took these roles in order to open others doors. I do not think we will ever get LSA STUDENTS & MAY 2003 GRADS Seeking a REWARDING SUMMER JOB? Be a Summer Academic Peer Advisor! Info at LSA Advising Center, 1255 Angell or attend an information session at 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 12, 1215 Angell Hall Beggar's Opera: Bawdy, hiting and beautiful Bound for the gallows, an unrepentent Captain MacHeath declares: "If laws were made for ev'ry degree...1 wonder I hadn't better company upon Tyburn Tree!" A strong sentiment in 1728, but no less true today, as opponents of capital punishment will agree. The show is laden with social commentary such as this, often attached to a gor- geous melody. This is a unique musical satire, for it is actually a play with songs crafted from folk tunes of the day. John Gay, an English writer, had been snubbed for political office, and decided to bring down his critics with a play. Not a musi- cian, he borrowed popular melodies for his lyrics. The result was an immediate smash, for all his tunes were already favorites. His characters- thieves, rogues and prostitutes such as MacHeath, Polly Peachum and Jenny Diver- also became world famous. Ann Arbor's Comic Opera Guild brings the show to life with a cast that blends top-notch singing with earthy portrayals. The show will tour to other Michigan cities following its run here. Courtesy of KalPennonline.com Yoga mats? "What the hell is that?" past all the stereotypes in our genera- tion, but the only way to get past some is to actively change things from the inside. TMD: What do you think about the new breed of South Asian influences in American media? KP: I would hope that it is not a fad and a more of a merging of the two cul- tures, especially with rap music sam- pling Hindi songs. Things like yoga, when not fully understood, are exoti- cised. Indian things have been overly commercialized, like chai tea from Starbucks and yoga mats. What is a yoga mat? Nobody in India uses a yoga mat. What the hell is that? TMD: How should students actively combat these stereotypes? KP: The easiest way for people to be heard is if they write a letter or pick up the phone. If you are offended or even if you see a South Asian depicted in a positive role, let the advertisers or net- works know how you feel. The Michigan Daily: Why did you choose to become a White House fellow? Sanjay Gupta: What really struck me was when I was able> to really affect things in policy, in areas such as Sub- Saharan Africa, India and other areas of the world. Speech writing, radio and Gupta television can influence a lot of change. While doctors impact peo- ple one at a time, people in the media affect millions of people. But then again, maybe it is not a good idea for others to do exactly what I have done. Everyone I have met has had a passion that they do not always have an outlet for. Everyone just needs to spend time to figure out his or her passions. I do not think everyone needs to influence change, but I do think people need to be passionate about things. TMD: What is one of your most memorable experiences? SG: I was at CNN on September 11 and I saw a newsroom that works like clockwork turn into utter pan- demonium. Since all the jets had been grounded, they snuck me onto the AOL Time Warner [CNN's parent company] plane and got me to New York City to be on the air the next day. I was so used to seeing those two buildings, the two front teeth of the nation. It was as if they had been knocked out. I was in a unique position as one of the only people of my ethnicity that was on the air. I had to be the best journalist at this time. I thought it was important for the nation to see someone of my skin color and ethnicity on the air. People had to see that while I-am Indian, I am also credible. They had to see that there were people of my ethnicity standing behind the coun- try and condemning these events. TMD: How would you cure the apathy that most students face? SG: That is a double-edged sword. There are so many choices that it almost becomes overwhelm- ing and then schoolwork suffer. Find something that you are passionate about and get good at it. Be good at something and make it a part of your life. Do not get too bogged down by becoming a joiner. Challenge the hierarchy. II Thurs.-Sat., Feb. 13-15, 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb 16, 2 p.m. Lydia Mendelssohn Theater Tickets: 734-764-2538 Adults $17.00 Students: $7.00 Major credit cards accepted Tickets available at the League ticket office and at the door made possible with the support of the Michigan Counil for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, a partnert agency of the National Endowment for the Arts f d