4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 25, 2002 OP/ED ate lficbiu aailg 420. MAYNARD STREET ANN ARBOR, MI 48109 letters@michigandaily.com EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN . SINCE 1890 JON SCHWARTZ Editor in Chief JOHANNA HANINK Editorial Page Editor 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 " His evidence is a hotchpotch of half truths, lies, short-sighted and naive allegations which will not hold after a brief investigation. - Iraq's General and adviser to Saddam Hussein Amir Sadi, on Tony Blair's announcement yesterday that the threat of nuclear weapons in Iraq was growing. S r1 Tngy 1at- V h.s r -" ''f Yvi doSSi~- e .4\&QX t~d¢.( US +-o -+-V~e. Yvedio-y j5; Y"~.mvE. is b'oe.A Str. y L SAM BUTLER Tfw SoAm.tox re lea~sed Ce a~t+. eNe~w .L)S 5oVnnn Coc irany. \7r *\exa~ ~ecii 0 9 Me? A hypocrite? I protest JESS PISKOR T Is SPACE NOT FOR SALE It is with barely station. I shake Morton Salt and squeeze Heinz know they are being left by the wayside. They restrained glee that ketchup. The fact of modem life is that to func- live with the faulty policies of the World Bank P.J. O'Rourke, writ- tion within our society, branded goods are and see false promises of improved lifestyles ing in the July/August unavoidable. There are no local watchmakers trap them in bad jobs that drag them deeper issue of the Atlantic and few cobblers, let alone auto manufacturers, into debt. They might not be as visible a part of Monthly, attacks last making affordable alternatives. Certainly with the movement, since their class and status don't April's protests in some effort Icould live a self-sustaining often afford them the luxury of media coverage Washington. Reported lifestyle that would separate me entirely from or political attention, but those being screwed as the largest pro-Pales- brands, but to do so would be a full time job, by the current form of economic globalization tinian demonstration in requiring monkish devotion. far outnumber any other demographic. the history on the Unites States, the protests I was not protesting brands; the flag I These two groups know as well as any were really an amalgamation of numerous waved represented the blatant pro-corporate about the current shape of the world and to causes: Various Mid-East issues; our eroding ideology of our government. Despite campaign assume, as O'Rourke does, that they are fools civil rights; economic policies of the World finance reform legislation and post-Enron cau- reveals a deep misunderstanding of the depth of Bank and International Monetary Fund. These tion, large corporations still have the ear of these issues. While my message was not hypo- different (often conflicting) opinions provide U.S. leadership - Democrat and Republican critical in my mind, perhaps I bear some fertile ground for O'Rourke's attack. He plays alike. The corporate flag, with logos for stars, is responsibility for my message being seen as up divisions amongst the marchers and accuses a statement concerning the direction of our hypocrisy. Surely in this age where image is protesters of being confused, uninformed hyp- country and makes a valid point - in our everything demonstrators need to be doubly ocrites. He attempts to discredit the protests as country it seems the 50 largest companies are careful that their message is not lost because of a meaningless mishmash of impotent action more important than the states the stars are sup- conflicting appearances. I can wear logos and and empty rhetoric. posed to represent. We watch the rise and fall still protest brands influence. That it seems His column began with the following teaser of the stock market closer than we do our fail- hypocritical is nonsense. quote: "A kid waved an American flag that had ing schools and inner cities. I don't want a world without brands, I want corporate logos instead of stars on the blue field. The anti-globalization (probably better corporations that are good global citizens and He was wearing Adidas shoes, a Swiss Army called "the alternative-globalization") move- don't exploit their labor. I'm not against inter- watch and a Mountainsmith backpack." I wore ment is misunderstood by a majority of its crit- national trade bodies; I just want ones that also that outfit. Yes, that "hypocrite" was me. I even ics, many of whom seem to think protesters are factor in environmental and labor concerns. I'm remember a man asking me what brand of idiots. The movement is composed primarily of not opposed to the World Bank; I just wish it backpack I was wearing since my flag covered two groups. One part is a well-educated body always had the best intentions of developing up the logo. O'Rourke points out what appears of students, activists and academics who have nations at heart. to be hypocrisy, plain and simple. Well, it's not. read the books and studied the economics and I'll be in Washington again this weekend I was not protesting the existence of brands. have the privilege of class and the economic to protest a joint meeting of the World Bank To do so in any seriousness in our con- wherewithal that allows them to attend marches and IMF. I'll wave my flag. It's the right sumer driven world is an effort in futility. and face mass-arrest. thing to do. Brands are practically inescapable. I could just Of greater importance are the working poor as easily been targeted for driving down in a of the world who don't need to read the books Jess Piskor can be reached Chrysler Minivan or filling up at a Shell gas or understand the intricacies of trade law to atjpiskor@umich.edu. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 0 Men's club soccer team apologizes to 'U' for possible misrepresentation TO THE DAILY: As members of the 2002 University's Men's Club Soccer Team, we would like to respond to the article published featuring our club on Sept. 23 (Soccer club thrives in spite of varsity success). The article incorrectly high- lighted various aspects of our team. We are a serious and competitive club sport and we strive to represent the University well in all of our endeavors. We would like to apologize to the Recre- ational Sports Department, the Michigan Ath- letic Department, and the Varsity Soccer Team for any misrepresentation that may have occurred as a result. We would also like to invite all members of the University communi- ty to attend one of our games or practices to see what our team is really about. THE UNIVERSITY MEN'S CLUB SOCCER TEAM Savbeiasfahani's viewpoint misleading; Palestinian state would threaten security TO THE DAILY: I am writing in response to Mozhgan Savbeiasfahani's deceptive and confused view- point entitled Carpaign for Divestment is not anti-Semitic (9124/02). The whole viewpoint is ridiculous as it is based on the assumption that divestment, by weakening Israel's military power, will actually improve the lives of Israelis. Israelis have been living in a state of war from the inception of the state in 1948. Throughout the last 50-plus years, the only thing that has prevented the neighboring Arab nations and the Palestinians from massacring the inhabitants of the Jewish State and toppling its democratic institutions has been Israel's mil- itary superiority. Savbeiasfahani manipulatively emphasizes the harsh conditions imposed on Palestinians without explaining the context in which these policies were enacted. Israel is now again engaged in a war for its survival - this time against the orchestrated campaign of terror led by the Palestinian Authority and its terrorist leader, Yasir Arafat. In the years after the Oslo Peace Accords, Palestinians were given limited self-rule and West Bank and Gaza. When Palestinians realize that the only way to achieve a state of there own is to convince the Israeli population that they support democ- racy and peaceful coexistence, a resolution to the conflict will become a possibility. Until this realization occurs, the reality will be bloodshed and tears in the Middle East for Israelis and Palestinians alike. DAVID POST LSA senior Anti-Semitic or not, calls for U' divestment from Israel baseless, uninformed TO THE DAILY: I was greatly disturbed by Mozhgan Sav- abieasfahani's viewpoint, Campaign for divest- ment is not anti-Semitic in the yesterday's Daily. As usual, the people on campus advocating for divestment don't have a clear understanding of the issues. While Savabieasfahani's viewpoint fails to address a number of the issues sur- rounding the current conflict, there are three important points that she misses. First, the Israeli troops currently in the West Bank and the conditions of Palestinian life there because of Israeli presence are the conse- quence of something - not the instigating event. Before the current intifada the majority of the West Bank and Gaza were under Pales- tinian control and it is only now because of the huge amount of terrorist attacks that the Israeli army is once again in the "occupied territories." This leads me to my second point: Divest- ment will not help in this situation whatsoever. All it will do is give Palestinian terrorists the freedom to kill more Israeli civilians, because Israel will no longer have the means to defend itself. The most disturbing part of this article is that at no point does Savabieasfahani ever take a stand against the Palestinian suicide bombers or even advocate a way to hold them responsi- ble for the suffering and pain that they cause daily. Savabieasfahani tries to say that divest- ment is not anti-Semitism but this is irrelevant, anti-Semitic or not there is absolutely no basis for the University's divestment from Israel. AVITAL BLANCHARD LSA junior Political debates not worth voters' time; Daily editorial illogical, self-defeating First, I seem to have missed the logic in how yesterday's editorial can in one sentence make the claim that "those who tune in have already made up their minds as to which candi- date they will vote for" and then jump to the conclusion in the next sentence that somehow more debates would lessen this phenomenon. Furthermore, thanks to modern technology, when a program taped from one location can be broadcast live around the world, let alone around the state of Michigan, taking candidates into every media market to do eight or more debates is completely nonsensical. Second, anyone who has watched a tele- vised debate of candidates running for any political office knows that every answer is rehearsed, every gesture contemplated and every emotion manufactured. Sure, they pro- vide some sort of condensed set of information about candidates positions on the narrow set of issues chosen by the moderator or panel, but rarely amount to more than a slugfest. More attention is paid in the press to the candidates speaking style, clothes and hair than the actual articulation of their platforms. Finally, while I agree that public officials should be accountable to the voting public, why are debates the only or best way doing just that - especially enough to be required? Candi- dates and campaigns should be allowed to make strategic decisions on which debates to and not to do, how many, and in what format. If gubernatorial candidates make unpopular deci- sions about how to connect with voters, then voters, not state legislatures, should hold them accountable when they cast their ballots at the voting booth. Don't,get me wrong - I think that a neu- tral, third party organization in Michigan simi- lar to the Commission on Presidential Debates for the Presidential races would serve us well. I am skeptical, however, that legislatively man- dated plan forced upon the candidates would work. MICHAEL SIMON LSA senior The letter writer is the political director of the University's branch of College Democrats: LETTERS POLICY The Michigan Daily welcomes letters from all of its readers. Letters from University students, faculty, staff and administrators will be given priority over others. Letters should include the writer's name, college and school year or other University affiliation. The Daily will not print any letter containing statements that cannot be verified. Letters should be kept to approximately 300 0 T7 TT D!'%flATT-%rr+TrL, a