4A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 31, 2002 OP/ED Thje atjchtoan 143atwig 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 Canadians who were born in the above countries or who may be citizens of these countries (should) consider carefully whether they should attempt to enter the United States for any reason." - Canadian travel advisory, expressing concern over a US. policy that singles out travelers from Iraq, Syria, Libya and Sudan for special investigation as reported yesterday in The Washington Post. E-ALLOWTI (cCft c nid eA1vS ... N~cc rTennifcGene T y JENNIFER GREENE JE NNS CORNER Do as we say, not as we do BRENDA ABDELALL TIE TOKEN GEM 0 thnic cleansing may seem like an archaic term, but its traces are still evi- dent in the 21st century. All across the world we ;. find various groups of people that have been oppressed and targeted with the sole aim of annihilating their existence. We have come to the point in our society where particular groups of people can be obliterated and not a word of criticism is mentioned. Yulia Demovsky wrote a viewpoint yester- day as a Russian Jew, speaking of terrorism in Russia and Israel (Moscow hostage crisis: a shock that isn't shocking, 10/30/02). Let me write, not from the perspective of an Arab Muslim, but rather as an individual human being. Chechnya is a region in which the civilian population has been dominated by the brutal force of the occu- pying Russian troops. Out of fear of the ruling Kremlin, the Russian press rarely reports on the savagery of the Russian troops. Few bold jour- nalists, risking imprisonment, have reported on the plight of the Chechen civilians. These jour- nalists have written of the decade-long oppres- sion of the innocent regarding the summary executions, rape and looting that take place under the auspices of the Kremlin force. In the Western press, we rarely hear these harrowing tales and instead hear of the "Islamic fundamentalist terrorists." Any human rights organization will tell the plague that the Chechens have suffered. The human rights situation is deteriorating as more and more abuses are committed by the Kremlin forces. Hundreds of Chechens are detained without charges and many of them suspiciously disappear. President Vladimir Putin has not held the Russian forces accountable for their delinquency. We can also parallel this to the brutal occupation of the Israeli army in Palestine. Rarely does the media report on the daily lives of Palestinians and the effects of living under occupation. We rarely hear in the West about the Palestinian child shot, the family's home that was bulldozed or of the lack of basic sustenance. For over 35 years, the occu- pation has continued in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Millions of people, women and children included, have suffered the repercus- sions of this. The statistics regarding the dis- ease and famine that are a direct result of the occupation are sadly mounting. Since 1987, Israeli authorities have demol- ished and bulldozed over 3,250 homes, with over an estimated 16,000 Palestinians left homeless as a result. Since the current upris- ing in 2000, the checkpoints have severely restricted access for Palestinians to move from village to village, not only severely destabiliz- ing any sense of economic infrastructure, but also leading to the death and humiliation of many. The Palestinians are forced to stop at checkpoints, arbitrarily pushed around and then denied access to the roads. The excessive use of force upon the Palestinians goes unrep- rimanded by the Israeli government. I implore you all to read the harrowing testimonials from B'tselem, an Israeli Human Rights Orga- nization. The daily inhumane treatment of Palestinians is the reality of occupation. Neither Yulia nor myself can ever under- stand the realities of living under the occupa- tion of an army. The Palestinians are treated the way that are simply because they are Arab; whether or not they are.-Christian or Muslim makes no difference. The Chechens are treated the way that they are solely because they are Chechen or Muslim. The Palestinians are denied access to roads because they are Palestinian, while their Israeli neighbors boastfully drive on their own roads. The Chechens are raped and their cases are never brought to justice because they are Chechen. Last week, I came across an ad from the Michigan Committee for a Safe Israel. The heading stated, "What Palestinians? What Rights?" What kind of society do we live in which human beings can be humiliated in such a degrading manner? How can this sort of malevolence print freely? The com- plete denial of the existence of an entire population of people with a heritage, soci- ety and history is ludicrous. We cannot let the entire population of Palestinians suffer any longer, nor can we let the entire population of Chechens suffer either. Let us not turn our backs on the inno- cent people of the world. The Palestinians and Chechens are terrorized on a daily basis by the occupying forces and have been for decades. Terrorism from both sides must stop, as it has left many innocent dead and a stalemate towards any positive solutions. What hap- pened in Russia shouldn't have happened; the loss of innocent life anywhere is tragic. It is clear that the occupation of these lands has resulted in the deaths of thou- sands. Ethnic cleansing was attempted in Bosnia by the Serbians and is occurring in a different form in Chechnya and Palestine. It is not OK for our society to continue their apathy and to diminish the horrors of their suffering. People of conscious must contin- ue to speak up for the innocent civilians killed on both sides of these conflicts and hopefully the occupations will end, result- ing in just and viable solutions. 0 Brenda Abdelall can be reached at babdelal@umich.edu. It's OK, but just this once DAVID ENDERS VEIRD SCIENCE t's Halloween and subjected to state-sanctioned raping. Use ment." Where has the dissent gone? Why because I waited to your imagination to deduce the likely all the reverence for this sense of mili- start my midterm penalties for a number of other crimes.) taristic justice and state-sanctioned mur- papers until two days So it can only follow that if you support der? There is no lack of irreverence in our after they were due, the death penalty, you support the sniper. country. (Could it be that the same culture thinking about a cos- One life is not worth more than another. that makes "Jackass" a No. 1 movie is tume wasn't my first But if that is even remotely true, why is it unwilling to apply that same attitude priority this week. So I so many states have the death penalty? It's toward politics? We know we shouldn't need a costume, quick- because people are often unwilling to com- light fireworks in our parents' bedroom, ly. Is it too soon to go as a sniper? mit absolutely to an ideal. I find many but isn't dissent an essential part of I can only assume at least a few party- death penalty "opponents" fall into the democracy?) goers (probably students from the D.C. camp of being against the death penalty "in I am taking a class this semester that area) would be offended. But doesn't general" yet acceptant of it "in extreme cir- focuses on the U.S. prison industry. For everyone's Halloween need a little contro- cumstances." They cite things like victim's nearly the first two months of class, no one versy? (Last year the debate was whether rights or the unbelievably horrific nature of addressed the subject of race in discussions it was too soon to go as Osama bin Laden, a particular crime. Those middling feelings on incarceration. Poverty had been but the idea was scrapped as a threat to my are as responsible for the carnage that goes addressed at length, sans race. Was the safety.) Of course, I would ask anyone on as National Rifle Association lobbyists class (comprised largely of white students) taking issue with my costume to justify and people who openly support the death afraid of bringing up the subject? Were we their sense of aesthetics. I expect anyone penalty. Every time the execution of a so naive as to think it is not an issue sur- offended would also be in favor of stricter Timothy McVeigh is justified, the justice rounding the justice system in our country? gun control. Murders are going to happen system that allows unjust punishment to be Or were we afraid of being forced to admit when your country is full of easy-to- unevenly applied is legitimized. something we don't want to believe is obtain, hard-to-trace guns. But, as the It should be noted that such waffling true? (A classmate finally brought it up argument against stricter gun laws goes, it prevents progress in other arenas. A num- near the end of the hour Tuesday. I'm is your constitutional right to be shot in ber of people have let themselves fall into waiting to find out the answer.) the back while loading groceries into your the trap of "normally I'm against going to There is hope. Last weekend's anti-war car in a suburban parking lot. (On a posi- war, but Saddam Hussein is such a bad demonstrations in Washington D.C. were tive note, I understand the friends and man that it's justifiable," in remaining the largest since the Vietnam War. The family of Charlton Heston are all a little quiet in the face of a U.S. invasion of Iraq. march drew a cross section of demonstra- safer now that he can no longer remember In a war that could result in the same tors united by a single goal, unlike in where he left his gun.) number of reservists being called up as in April, when a number of different demon- If you're offended by the notion of the Gulf War, there would be a number of strations were lumped casually into one senseless killing, then you should be U.S.-caused, civilian casualties. What is ball under the guise of being pro-Palestin- offended by the early push to try sniping the difference between an Iraqi citizen ian. But again, those that did not march suspect Lee Malvo in Virginia because killed by a U.S. missile and an Iraqi killed speak louder than those who did. capital punishment laws there allow the by Hussein's regime for political reasons? I wonder if I'd be getting too far ahead of execution of 17-year-olds. (Capital punish- Once again, the voices too afraid to things if I dressed up as Saddam Hussein. ment is a pointless, vengeful solution to an dissent are just as complicit as those hasti- irreparable crime. If one follows the logic ly making plans for war or those who tow David Enders can be reached at that supports it, convicted rapists should be the line "we have to trust our govern- denders@umich.edu. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Boston Globe covers Men's Crew Team; Daily doesn't even mention them TO THE DAILY: I have a grudge. In Monday's Daily, there is an article on the second page of Men's Lacrosse, were supposedly granted "Club Varsity" status about a year ago - which, as I understood it, entitles them to increased press coverage among other things. Isn't the title across the top of page 2B "Club Sports Weekly?" On the previous weekend, the Men's Crew Team (along with the women's) com- peted in the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston - an event drawing an estimated On top of it all, last year the men's team finished higher at the national champi- onships than did the women's team - a fully funded, University Varsity program. The Men's Crew Team is not asking for much - only recognition. They're proud to be the team that they are - they've come out of nowhere to be one of the most com- petitive rowing teams in the country. Each athlete pays upwards of $1200 just to be on THE BOONDOCKS AARON NACC' RTJT.) -R Ami