4A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, October 2, 2006 e gtt t 3 ttilg OPINION DONN M. FRESARD Editor in Chief EMILY BEAM JEFEBLO R CHRISTOPHER ZBROZEK JEFFREY BLOOMER Editorial Page Editors Managing Editor EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SINCE 1890 413 E. HURON iY ANN AREOR, MI 48104 Iothedoily@michigandoily.com Code-word campaign Politics, the English language and MCRI Sensationalism and the smooth lan- guage of deceit are nothing new in the world of politics. One need not explain the proliferation of language games in the month before election day - a politically charged time in which every- thing is a code word for something else, and truth seems hard to find. However, the wholesale co-opting and reversal of a canon of keywords and phrases common- ly associated with the Civil Rights Move- ment of the 1960s by the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative creates a problem greater than that of the proper use of the English language. In the case of MCRI, the mes- sages the initiative's backers convey to voters are so maligned with conflated ant- onyms that the group's actual arguments cannot be reasonably deduced. The MCRI campaign favors incendi- ary statements that spark the ire of unin- formed voters and deny them a reasoned presentation of fact. Brian Pannebecker, the co-chair of the Macomb County MCRI, declared in a letter to the Escanaba Daily Press that Michigan "still (has) a state policy that discriminates against more-qualified applicants in favor of less- qualified Blacks." His reductionist diatribe appears to incite racism to rally support for Proposal 2 - not exactly the color- blind worldview that the MCRI's homep- age conjures up. Pannebecker's letter veils and simplifies the facts, but other MCRI productions simply ignore them. Pro-MCRI advertisements prey upon popular ignorance of the history of civil rights legislation and misconstrue the nature of the University's current affirmative action system. A three-part radio ad series produced by MCRI adheres to a rough tri- umvirate of values that set the standard for all MCRI productions: "fairness, "equal- 1ty and the old plitical staple, lies. The second ad in the series speaks directly to claims that MCRI confuses voters with its deliberately imprecise use of Civil Rights- era language. It espouses that "Proposal Two bans government quotas and restores fairness" - a declaration that is incorrect and irrelevant to the proposal, since out- right quotas were banned by the Supreme Court in Bakke v. Regents of the University of California in 1978. The statement is not only intentionally deceptive, but it is iterat- ed strongly in every MCRI radio ad to lend the distortion an aura of legitimacy. The third radio ad, titled "I'm Proud," perverts the facts of the Jennifer Gratz case and appeals to human hearts by suffocating the demands of reason. Fea- turing Brad Gratz, the proud father of Jen- nifer Gratz, the ad espouses the story of how the hard-working Gratz was "denied admission because she had the wrong skin color." The ad ignores the fact that Gratz was offered a spot on the waiting list but never accepted it. Incidentally, all Michi- gan residents who accepted a spot on the waiting list in the year Gratz applied were admitted to the College of Literature, Sci- ence, and the Arts. These facts are minor trivialities if one isn't using a single per- son's experiences to spearhead a statewide effort. But when that is the case, the dis- tortion becomes nefarious. MCRI touts "I'm Proud" as the ad that is "so effective our opponents don't want you to hear it." The ad is effective - if deceiving listeners into believing a docu- mented lie can be called effectiveness. The facts of the political battle that MCRI is waging should be clear enough - arguments against any type of govern- ment-supported affirmative action policy have been around for decades. However, the initiative's use of factually incorrect statements and grossly misrepresentative polemics - using language commonly associated with pro-minority and pro- affirmative action groups - undermines the democratic process at large. The rheto- ric of MCRI leaves the burden of proof on the electorate, which makes the process of becoming an enlightened voter more pre- carious than ever before. Fortunately for voters, more truthful resources are available. In light of the semantic battles surrounding the MCRI campaign, the University's Center for the Study of Complex Systems has produced a "Decision-Making Guide to the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative." The guide seeks to provide an "objective and non-partisan, easy-to-use and personalized tool" allow- ing readers to make sense of the "compet- ing and conflicting claims" surrounding the proposal. Furthermore, the Universi- ty's Center for the Education of Women has produced studies predicting the effects of MCRI on employment, education and contracting. These considerations of the de facto consequences of the proposed amendment should be what domi- nate airwaves - not sentimental linguis- tic equations engineered by Papa Gratz that substitute the politically charged "had the wrong skin color" for the more mun- dane "forgot to mail in her waiting list reply card." It seems the MCRI campaign shies away from telling the truth because the truth - a hard-knock lesson about the consequences of one's action, or rather, inaction - doesn't necessitate a change as radical as amending the state constitution. Slick semantic substitutions by pro- ponents of MCRI build a crooked and self-sustaining argument that rests on a foundation of lies. The campaign's obfus- cation of its own already questionable tenets - dirtying its politics with sen- sationalist lies that confuse rather than explain - should be enough to make vot- ers wary. NOTABLE QUOTABLE You do not create terrorism by fighting terrorism." -President Bush, responding to criticism that the war in Iraq has made the United States more susceptible to terrorism, as reported yesterday by CNN.com. The happy end to capitalism SAM BUTLER Comrades, the end of or shopping online. There is a torrent of books on the capitalism is at hand, subject, where we are called "Generation Me," "Gen- and Expedia.com eration Debt" and just simply "Strapped." If you want will be the vanguard of the to know more, these books are available on Amazon. revolution. cm. Be sure to use your frequent buyer's discount. If I may condense one of Karl Marx told us that modern people only truly the most important sociologi- live in those brief hours between work shifts. It seems cal works in history to just a we listened to him and are now determined to not few sentences, Max Weber's let work dictate how we live our lives. However, our "The Protestant Ethic and the retreat from capitalism has not been supplanted by an 'Spirit' of Capitalism" explains increased dedication to social activism. The corporate how modern capitalism emerged from the combination self-advancing businessman is considered selfish, yet of the Protestant commitment to personal labor and dis- we take no action to ameliorate concentrated poverty. couragement of lavish spending. Unable to spend money One has to wonder: Where do we invest those enlight- on themselves and, unlike Catholics, their churches, ened ideas obtained through all our book reading and Protestants had no choice but to reinvest their earnings globetrotting? Do we do these things only to spur our into their businesses. Money was not made for spending, conversations at the bar? but for the sake of making more money. If there is a virtue in the capitalist spirit, it is that it Availed of the puritanical guilt of leisure spending, necessitates empowerment and a local civic discourse. our generation has turned fun seeking into the driving A market economy forces the capitalist to interact with force of our country's economy. This can be seen in the his neighbors and therefore acquire a societal aware- way young people look for a job after college. Observ- ness. You have to know what people want if you're ing the urban migration habits of college graduates, going to sell them anything. It is in a capitalist's self- sociologists like Richard Florida contend that young interest to be an active member of the community and adults choose a residential location first and then search although the capitalist doesn't necessarily feel a social for nearby jobs. A city's bar scene, concert venues and responsibility, he is at least a social participant. mountain bike trails take priority over its career oppor- Socialism, capitalism's historical alternative, also tunities. If the spirit of capitalism was that one only fosters civic awareness. Communal living, by defini- lived to work, today we have shifted to a cultural con- tion, requires social consciousness. In an egalitarian text where we only work to live. society where one's livelihood depends on others, Therefore, have we put an end the spirit of capital- guiding the course of the community's future is not ism? only a right, but an obligation. The archetypical If the 1980s were dominated by a yuppie Gordon young socialistbhas a faith in his ability to better his Gekko style of greed, today we exhibit a granola-hippy surroundings. His resources are spent toward both style of greed. We lust not for material, but cultural learning about and ameliorating the problems within capital. We measure success not by our annual income, his community. but by how many European countries we have visited, However, neither of these terms applies to our gen- how many concerts we've heard and how many bars eration. If we are neither capitalists nor socialists, then we frequent. We no longer seek streets that are paved what are we? with milk and honey but instead those that flow with The only ideology we subscribe to is ourselves. Con- caffeine and cocktails. We want the bourgeois life- sequently, we isolate and disenfranchise ourselves from style, but consider anyone actively seeking that status the decisions affecting our communities. We spend so shallow. much time and money enlightening ourselves in order In the face of mountainous student loans caused by to be more aware of society's ills, yet do nothing about skyrocketing tuition costs, the only way young people them. Of course, as long as there is pleasure to be had, can maintain the desired lifestyle is the credit card. We we don't care about being politically apathetic. If this is expect more than instant gratification - we expect per- a depressing thought, don't worry - buying that new petual gratification. According to the Federal Reserve, album online will cheer you right up. Man, it certainly the average credit card debt for 25- to 34-year-olds has is a brave new world. tripled in the last 20 years. Yet our Atlas-like burden__ of debt still doesn't stop us from buying cruise tickets Butler can be reached at butlers@umich.edu. VIEWPOINT Self-defense is not a crime By AMANDA HooPER and self-defense seems clear. A is abysmal: Two women affili- woman kills an abusive husband ated with the Clemency Project University students and facul- or boyfriend who threatens to have died within the past month, ty, along with community mem- kill her if she leaves - and who in part due to neglect of impor- bers from across the state, will nearly kills her while she stays tant medical concerns. Many rally this Friday on the steps of - and the criminal-legal system mentally ill prisoners, along with the Capitol in Lansing. Unlike fails to identify this as valid self- others, are chained down in seg- most demonstrators during this defense. The woman is convicted. regation units. In a recent catas- fall midterm election season, All her appeals are denied. Only trophe, a young man died in a they will be showing support not clemency is left. pool of his own sweat and urine for a political candidate or party, The Battered Women's Clem- while chained down in a segrega- but instead for a group whose ency Project currently represents tion unit that reached 106 degrees issues are significantly less vis- 20 women with petitions for at Southern Michigan Prison in ible in the public arena: battered clemency and hundreds of oth- Jackson. women convicted of murder for ers in various ways, by support- Our legal system has failed killing their abusers. ing parole, appeals and adherence women; our prisons violate their The Battered Women's Clem- to human rights. The petitions basic human rights. Along with ency Project was founded by will be submitted to Gov. Jen- Clemency Project supporters, Susan Fair and is directed by a nifer Granholm, who will make students in Jacobsen's Women's professor at the University, Carol decisions about whether to grant Studies/Art and Design 344 Jacobsen. The Clemency Project clemency - which could mean "Human Rights and Bodies in the works on behalf of women sur- release or shortened sentences World" class will attend the rally, vivors of domestic violence who - for each case. This summer, demonstrating solidarity and call- killed abusive partners in self- Granholm denied all clemency ing for change through posters, defense, but did not receive a fair petitions on her desk; this fall, performance and other projects. trial and were convicted of murder the Clemency Project will submit The October 6 rally will send a and sentenced accordingly, often them again, accompanied with message to the Governor, and for life. Injustice in these cases new materials and evidence. It is bring visibility to these issues. came from the failure of the legal important that supporters make a Self-defense is not a crime. Sen- system - prosecutors, judges, strong showing for these women tencing a survivor of violence to jury instructions and even defense who have been abused by their life is not justice, nor is subject- attorneys - to recognize these partners, wronged by the legal ing prisoners to inhumane con- women's acts as self-defense. system and have served numerous ditions. These issues have fallen During the past few decades, years toward sentences they did under the public radar for far too domestic violence has shifted in not deserve. long. We must break the silence, the public discourse from a strict- Once in prison, abuse contin- and the time is now. ly private issue to one of public ues. Prisons in the state of Michi- concern. Legal understandings gan are among the worst in the Hooper is an LSA junior, of domestic violence lag behind nation, according to reports by a member of Prof. Carol in this transition, leaving bat- Amnesty International, Human Jacobsen's class and a tered women vulnerable. A man Rights Watch and other organiza- participant in the Battered kills an assailant in a bar fight, tions. Medical care for prisoners Women's Clemency Project. KATIE GARLINGHOUSE Cs >ARRE-T t* -C I LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send all letters to the editor to tothedaily@michigandaily.com. Democracy in Iraq might not be worth the cost to America TO THE DAILY: I am responding to Reggie Brown's viewpoint, Progress in Iraq (09/29/2006). The article misses the point of political criticism of the war in Iraq because it focuses on ambiguous projections, rather than on the process and its repercus- sions. Efforts in Iraq were illegitimate because they reflected a disregard for the significance of international organizations such as the Unit- ed Nations - unlike the war in Afghanistan, which garnered support from the international community. Operation Freedom's greatest allies are two countries that currently are in as much political turmoil as the Bush Administration: Israel and Great Britain. The consequences are a shift from international respect and sympathy for our wounded nation to a bashing of our iden- tity as overzealous cowboys. Let's face it - with the resurgence of Europe JOHN OQUIST LJV ,N 'CU: FVI and Russia, along with China's economic growth, the United States cannot approach international affairs as it did in the 1950s. It must make deci- sions based on substantiated evidence and inter- national legitimacy. If there is a lesson that the Bush Adminis- tration has learned in its second term, it is that commendable ideologies (i.e. democracy) are inconsequential if the processes set up to garner international cooperation are neglected. The war has put fiscal strains on our recov- ery effort in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Our focus on Iraq has led to an intensification of opium production and resurgence of the Taliban in southern Afghanistan. Finally, the dislodging of two regimes in the region and overextension of the United States has also exposed us to an even greater threat, Iranian nuclear prolifera- tion. Yes, Brown may be right - Iraq could be a democracy within five years. But I ask, at what expense? Phillip Azachi LSA senior A CONGRESSMAN MARK FOLEY'S LEWD ONLINE HEY WHAT ABOUT PASSAGE THIS WEEK OF WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? EXCHANGE WITH A TEENAGE MALE PAGE A BILL THAT WILL BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF I DON'T KNOW.ANYWAY, I'LL NOW READ IS THE MOST IMPORTANT GODDAMNED THING BOTH BARRIERS BETWEEN THE US AND EXCERPTS FROM FOLEY'S INSTANT MESSAGES TO HAPPEN INTHE LAST EE YEARSI LET'S MEXICO AND DETENTION CENTERS FOR WHEN TALKING TO A TEEN ABOUT HIS STOP THE WHOLE WORLD OVER THISI ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS? CLOTHES, HE SAYS, "LOVE To SLIP THEM OFF OF YOU.' DEAR LORD IN HEAVENI a