4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, February 16, 2005 OPINION ix1je ibtw ailF JASON Z. PESICK Editor in Chief SUHAEL MOMIN SAM SINGER Editorial Page Editors ALISON GO Managing Editor EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SINCE 1890 420 MAYNARD STREET ANN ARBOR, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com NOTABLE QUOTABLE In England, we revere him as one step above God and one step below Shakespeare." -Nicholas Hytner, head of the National Theatre of Great Britain, on Arthur Miller, as reported Friday by The Star-Ledger (New Jersey). SAM BUTLER E : A PBX ~e s O OC TOR Gaud Erie, A do Y MI 0 O .... Witches, commies and terrorists CHRISTOPHER ZBROZEK BORN IN THE U.S.A. V alentine's Day sion and firing of tenured professors at the moral standing, fromsuch confessions. Yet we found me without University for refusal to testify before mem- are now an allegedly civilized country having any spectacular bers of the House Committee on Un-Ameri- a national debate over exactly what constitutes plans, and I meant to go to can Activities - is no longer with us. Replace torture. Think about that. sleep early, rise Tuesday "communist" with "terrorist," however, and I'm perfectly aware that many people are morning, and write my the same problems reappear. unimpressed by any of this. There wasn't 4 co column on an entirely dif- Due process? "In an ordinary crime, how much outrage in Salem at first either; as Rev- ferent topic. For a little does one defend the accused? One calls up wit- erend Parris notes near the end of the play, reading before bed, how- nesses to prove his innocence. But witchcraft "it were another sort that hanged until now." ever, I started on "The is, ipso facto, on its face and by its nature, an A strong reaction in times of fear is entirely Crucible." Though I'd invisible crime, is it not?" The easiest way to natural and, indeed, often appropriate. The cut out of work last Friday to help with the prosecute a terror suspect without divulging sort who are affected by the excesses of our Daily's coverage of Arthur Miller's passing, any critical information during the trial is to reaction are usually distant enough as to not I'd somehow never read anything but "Death simply not prosecute him at all - even if, as seem relevant. of a Salesman." in the case of Jose Padilla, he's an American Problems arise, though, when interpreta- The play proved impossible to put down, citizen arrested unarmed on American soil. tions are rigid and good and evil seem crystal however, and four acts later, I was physically Just trust the authorities; they can tell who's clear. Miller sums up the motives of his Puri- shaking. "But you must understand, sir," Dep- a terrorist without any silly presumption of tan characters: "They believed, in short, that uty Governor Danforth tells Francis Nurse innocence. they held in their steady hands the candle that when Nurse presents a petition of 91 names Freedom of thought? John Proctor didn't would light the world. We have inherited this defending the character of some of those attend church often enough, and his wife didn't belief, and it has helped and hurt us." accused as witches, including his wife, "that believe in witches. Such suspect behavior aids Bush's second inaugural address carried on a person is either with this court or he must be the enemy, though, and both were sentenced to this tradition. "America, in this young century, counted against it, there be no road between." hang. A professor in Colorado writes an essay proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and "But over time, it's going to be important for that, in calmer times, would be dismissed for to all the inhabitants thereof. Renewed in our nations to know they will be held accountable the inflammatory, radical nonsense it is, and strength - tested, but not weary - we are for inactivity," our president said two months instead Bill O'Reilly starts steaming and the ready for the greatest achievements in the his- after the attacks of Sept. 11. during a joint press governor of the state calls for the man's head. tory of freedom," our infallible president said. conference with, of all people, French President Torture? This one isn't even allegorical. It would have been honestly inspiring if only I Jacques Chirac. "You are either with us or you When Giles Corey stood mute at his indict- could make myself believe he'd learned from are against us in the fight against terror." ment, they piled boulders on his chest until he some of his mistakes over the past four years. The power of Miller's allegory lies in its finally spoke - "More weight," he said, and As I type this, the sun has risen, and I would universality, its relevance to any political died. After finishing "The Crucible," I thumbed like to feel optimistic. Though "The Crucible" atmosphere heated by fear and smoky with through Seymour Hersh's book "Chain of is undeniably a tragedy, the last sentence of repression. Chinese audiences were surprised Command," which details abuses at Abu the note at the end of the play provides some to learn the play was not about life under com- Ghraib and Guantanamo grotesque enough I hope: "To all intents and purposes, the power of munism. Miller intended his works to address don't want to dwell on them. Because I've let theocracy in Massachusetts was broken." With more general topics: "If my plays were about the book gather dust since October because the Shiite plurality in the Iraqi elections and faith- the social problems of their day," he once told it's so depressing, however, it's now woefully based government at home, though, theocracy the playwright and journalist Tony Vellela, out of date, as more "interrogation" prac- seems to be on the upswing right now. "nobody would keep doing them. The prob- tices continue to come to light. The accused lems would have changed." witches admitted their "guilt" to spare their Zbrozek can be reached Surely, the McCarthyite paranoia that lives, and terror suspects do the same. I'm notzbrok uerched inspired Miller's allegory - and the suspen- sure what we gain, in terms of information or at zbro@umich.edu. Israel and the Democrats DAN SHUSTER TIIE VAST RIoG-WING CONSPIRACY ecently, with the Today, we have leftist groups such as Act Unfortunately, this anti-Israeli venom has death of Yas- Now to Stop War and End Racism, whose spilled over into the mainstream. Former ser Arafat and the ultimate goal is to see the dismantling of a President Jimmy Carter, for over 30 years, election of a new Palestin- Jewish state. During its Washington anti-war has made it his personal agenda to demonize ian leader, there has been rally, and amidst the waving flag of the ter- Israel, praising Palestinian terrorism: "The a renewed focus on the rorist organization Hezbollah, signs reading intifada exposed the injustice Palestinians Middle East. As a Jew, "I Love NYC even more without the World suffered." In 1990, Carter assured the career Israel's security forms Trade Center," and chants such as "Long terrorist Arafat saying, "I am much more the basis of my political Live the Intifada" were overwhelmingly harsh with the Israelis." In Oslo, after receiv- beliefs, and I truly believe evident. Speaker after speaker expressed ing a Nobel Peace Prize, Carter stated, "One that only the Republicans support for the continued violence against of the key factors that ... arouses intense support its safety. Why have the Democrats Israel, while recently, ANSWER has host- feelings of animosity in the world is the fes- seemingly abandoned Israel? Equally alarm- ed rallies in support of fallen Hamas lead- tering problem in the Holy Land, the Israeli ing, why did 75 percent of Jewish voters sup- ers such as Abdel Aziz Rantisi and Sheikh occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and port the Democrats during the last election? Ahmed Yassin. the inability of Israel to live in peace with its Most Jews, myself included, tend to be liber- Regarded as the left wing's most influen- neighbors." al on social issues, and Jewish loyalty to the tial critic of U.S. policy, Noam Chomsky has When speaking at the Arab American Insti- Democratic Party has been unwavering since become the most celebrated leftist over his four tute in Michigan, former Democratic Presiden- former President Franklin Roosevelt's social decades of political commentary. He has stated tial candidate Sen. John Kerry referred to the reform package of the New Deal. But, is this that Israel is the "number-two -terror power," Israeli security fence as a "barrief to peace." enough to motivate American Jewry to con- right behind the United States, of course. Fre- Kerry's top foreign policy advisor, Richard Hol- tinue to support the Democrats? quently, Chomsky's writings have likened brooke, assured voters that Kerry "would put Certainly, there is an anti-Israeli movement Israel's policies to those of the Nazis, accus- more pressure on Israel." Kerry also suggested emanating from paleoconservatives on the ing it of "destroying all around it, if it cannot sending the "unbiased" Carter as an envoy to Right, bordering on anti-Semitism. Pat Buchan- attain its expansionist objectives." This absurd oversee the "peace process." an has claimed that one of the major causes of view is shared by Michael Moore, an unofficial President Bush will only begin peace negotia- Sept. 11 was American support for Israel and spokesman for the Left, who dedicated his book tions with the Palestinians when their terrorism that the Jews have corrupted the conservative "Dude, Where's My Country" to Rachel Cor- stops. He has demonstrated his support for a movement. Furthermore, he concocts a conspir- rie, a Palestinian Solidarity Movement member, Palestinian state, but only with the assurance of acy theory that depicts Israel as the sole benefi- who died while trying to defend a tunnel used Israeli security. He has the distinction, amongst ciary of the War on Terror. In 1977, Buchanan by terrorists to smuggle weapons into Gaza. world leaders, of never having met with Arafat. even referred to Hitler as "a man of great cour- In 1990, Moore refused to attend a screening Shouldn't more American Jews have supported age" and a "genius." of "Roger and Me" in Jerusalem, until Israel Bush during our last election? But even more disturbing to me than this ceased its "occupation." Currently, "Fahrenheit bigoted attitude of the far Right, Liberals 9/11" is being used to recruit terrorists to kill Shuster can be reached have abandoned the issue of Israeli security. Jews and Americans. at dshuster@umich.edu. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Animal law should not be a high priority TO THE DAILY: Jaime Olin's viewpoint (Animal rights in perspective, 02/15/2005) filled me with a feeling somewhere in between nausea and despair. There may be a "conclusive link" between animal and human abuse, but how does this relate to animal law? Do we want our 911 lines clogged with calls along the lines of: "And then he threatened to kick out there. There are people without places to stay or anyone to rely on. Sorry to get all serious, but there are issues in the world more pressing and important than animal law. If a building were burning and I had the choice to save either a dog or a person, I would save the person at least nine times out of 10. However, I do agree with Jamie that there does indeed need to be a "cohesive body of law" about animals. In fact, I would like to advocate the death penalty for anyone who sends his pet to a pretentious "pet can do (A welcome addition, 02/14/2005). PIRGIM has a reputation for advocacy in the public interest and Students for PIR- GIM are focused on perhaps the most wide- ly encountered and problematic experience in student life - off-campus housing. The student body could benefit now and in years to come from a strong Students for PIRGIM, and I hope that the University community will rally behind its ideas and organization. Why is it that landlords approached stu- dents in the fall of 2004, just after mov- I .. 1 :+ c m r+A I'ari xh# #a+rihCat++ l.rY Yf i^ rv 'rr: .s rsT tfi ti .rsnt rits t-c5 r i i