4A - Monday, April 16, 2007 OPINION The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 0 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 413 E. Huron St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 tothedaily@umich.edu NOTABLE QUOTABLE To the US War Leaders, Don Imus represented the most serious threat ... to expose the truths behind the events of September 11, 2001 and the Iraq/Afghanistan wars." - A news story in the Russian newspaper Pravda dated April 13, 2007, laying out the conspiracy the paper believes lies behind the firing of radio host Don Imus. JOHN OQUIST LIVE ON YOUR FEET I KARL STAMPFL EDITOR IN CHIEF IMRAN SYED EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR JEFFREY BLOOMER MANAGING EDITOR Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. FROM THE DAILY What are they smoking? State's marijuana laws counterproductive and dangerous ' %' ,' G I ,r SO HE SAYS, I CAN'T GO OUT TONIGHT, I HAVE HOMEWORK TO DO." WHAT A LOSERIII -1 If v- - z N1 __._ L L Q) Every April, the Diag is filled with students, activists and creepy old people who gather at Hash Bash to voice their opposition to the prohibition of pot. But for 33 years, the state of Michigan has refused to budge; adamant in its half-baked reasoning for strict enforcement of unnecessary laws. And with word of the absolutely unwieldy bong ban recently enacted, it's time for the state to stop and consider exactly how little sense its marijuana laws make. 6 ,1"~' ai t1s~PM/ Forecasting the future In 1966, a man named John Sinclair was arrested for sellingtwo marijuana cigarettes to an undercover police officer. The law was even stricter then, and Sinclair was sen- tenced to nine years in prison. In 1971, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Stevie Wonder and other artists performed a now infamous concert at Crisler Arena as a benefit to free Sinclair. Finally, the higher courts ruled that Michi- gan's marijuana laws were unconstitutional and Sinclair's conviction was overturned. Since then, Michigan has passed more lenient legislation and Ann Arbor has enact- ed even more lenient legislation on marijua- na in recent years. But that begs the question of why have this law at all? It's time to get past the politics on this issue and use logic. If marijuana were truly dangerous, then surely it is irresponsible of the city of Ann Arbor to levy a mere $25 fine? And why does the state jump all over marijuana while allowing the sale of tobacco, America's leading cause of preventable death? The state recently passed a law outlawing any props that could be used to smoke mar- ijuana; stores are only permitted to sell par- aphernalia that can only be use for tobacco products. The law is hypocritical in the senseless barrier it tries to create between cigarette and marijuana smoking. It leaves police so much room for interpretation that you could theoretically have seen the last of apples, Italian loafs, juice bottles and loose- leaf paper. The criminalization of marijuana has done more harm that its legalization ever could, even if the drug really is as bad as leg- islators want us to believe. Banning some- thing doesn't make it disappear. All the laws have done is create a lucrative and danger- ous black market. It's entirely conceivable that the number of marijuana-related deaths would actually go down after legalization because the underworld crime aspect of its current distribution would no longer exist. If marijuana is a dirty drug, people can choose not to use it. Most people, in fact, will choose that option and pot won't be a concern of theirs anymore. Considering the 600,000-plus arrests made in 2005 for vio- lent crimes linked to the marijuana black market, that will be a welcome change. Because this will be my last col- umn as an opinion columnist for The Michigan Daily, I want to use this space to predict what I see in store for America over our lifetimes if we continue to fail to unite to solve problems. Without further adieu, Nos- traStiggus predicts: Unless parents realize it is their obligation to rear their children to be upstanding healthy citizens and unless they check the growing authority school officials have JOHN over their children's STIGLICH diets, government will gladly step in and take over paren- tal duties. Public school cafeterias will transform into tofu bars where chil- dren who want a simple hamburger will be out of luck. Kids with sack lunches will have to hand them over to school health offi- cials for inspection so that the officials can ensure a healthy lifestyle. Selling candy to raise money for school athlet- ics? I hope fresh fruit sells well door- to-door because that will be the best case scenario for those looking to fill a sugar fix for a good cause. Unless we eliminate political cor- rectness as a barrier to open dialogue about race relations, white Americans will continue to be scrutinized much more than black Americans. Take the recent situation involving shock jock Don Imus. Imus called the members of the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos" in a foolish attempt to compliment them for good team defense. Now, if Imus were a black rapper, is there any doubt that a lyric of his including that phrase would not only receive less scrutiny but probably have little impact on his sales? Don't get me wrong, Iam notdefendingImus's inap- propriate comments, but I am calling for an elimination of double standards. Black Americans must follow Oprah's example and demand more account- ability from the artists who claim to represent the views oftheir community before they criticize white Americans for comments that would be permis- sible in a more "artistic" setting. Furthermore,the mainstreammedia should get over its fear ofbeingtoo crit- ical of the leaders of the black commu- nity and start criticizing Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson when they play on racial fears to demonize white males without proper evidence (the Duke Lacrosse case, for example). As Imus rightly pointed out, we're still waiting to hear an apology from Sharpton and Jackson on that one. That's as likely to happen as Ralph Nader being elected president. Unless we demand the media play a lesser role in the nomination and election of our presidents and give the political parties more control over their presidential nominees, we will con- tinue to have a choice only between the two candidates who managed to look the least scuffed for TV cameras. If we demanded a presidential contest between -the most experienced, well- versed in policy candidates from both political parties, the 2008 election wouldcome down to Sen. Joe Biden (D- Del) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). But that match-up will never hap- pen because Biden called Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) "clean and articu- late" and John McCain looks old and splotchy on television. It is time for us to prepare for another president from outside Washington who will have no clue on how to handle the establish- ment orto run the office he seeks. Finally, unless we demand that the scientific community follow the stan- dards setforthbythe scientific method, we will continue to fall hook, line and sinker for the myth that is man-made global warming. We need to ask these scientists and the politicians that fund them to explain a few of their logical inconsistencies. For example, how do we know that the current temperature is too warm and inneed ofcooling?After all, athou- sand years ago Greenland used to be fertile farmland; now it's a sheet of ice. Why are we targeting carbon emissions when methane is proven to be far more The joys and pains of a campus conservative. damaging? Could targeting carbon have anything to do with liberal hate of the carbon producing oil and automo- bile industries and love of farmers who raise methane producing cattle? And what do they plan to do about volca- noes, which contribute more to global warming than man-made activities? Is it so illogical to target them first? In closing, I want to thank all the readers who have taken an interest in my writing over the past two years. We have not always agreed, but most of you have been able to disagree with me civilly, and I appreciate that. It is not easy being a conservative in Ann Arbor, but at times I've found that it can be enjoyable. John Stiglich can be reached at jcsgolf@umich.edu. 4 Editorial Board Members: Emily Beam, Kevin Bunkley, Amanda Burns, Sam Butler, Ben Caleca, Mike Eber, Brian Flaherty, Mara Gay, Jared Goldberg, Emmarie Huetteman, Toby Mitchell, David Russell, John Stiglich, Jennifer Sussex, Neil Tambe, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Wagner, Christopher Zbrozek EDITOR'S NOTE Preventing plagiarism 0 After the troubling discovery in February that an arts writer had plagiarized in several articles, Michigan Daily editors intensified our efforts to prevent plagiarism. First, we formed a committee to explore how to do so. The com- mittee presented twice at our weekly meeting of top editors, and together we agreed on sev- eral steps to make the act less likely. The first is putting the onus of making sure the staff is doing its best to prevent plagiarism on the paper's managing editor. -He will be responsible for ensuring that new staff mem- bers read the Daily's bylaws and understand how unacceptable plagiarism is. Potential writers, photographers, editors and design- ers will be required to sign an agreement that they have read the bylaws and will not plagia- rize before they are allowed to join the staff. The lists will be maintained by each section's managing editor. The paper's managing edi- tor will also ensure that each section car- ries out spot checks for plagiarism. This will serve as a deterrent and help foster a culture in which the act is constantly discouraged. Lastly, we are amping up our training programs so new staff members will feel a reduced need to keep up by plagiarizing. Although plagiarism is not completely preventable, the Daily has a responsibility to make it as unlikely to happen as possible. We're committed to that ideal. - Karl Stampfl Editor in chief PERRY TEICHER I VIEWPOINT Work to end genocide now 0 RACHEL WAGNER I VIEWPOINT Plastic problems I like to consider myself at least marginally environmentally conscious. I try not to leave my laptop and phone plugged in indefinitely, and I have plans to pick up the new energy effi- cient compact fluorescent light bulbs. The more I become aware of switching off lights when leaving a room or remembering to turn off my printer, the more aware and guiltier I feel about the useless, environmentally unfriendly cabinet full of plastic grocery bags my room- mates and I have stashed in our kitchen. The Bush Administration's delay in accept- ing the facts about global warming has put America behind the pack on environmental problems and progress. While waiting for significant change on issues like carbon emis- sions and alternative energy, regular citizens can start adopting greener ways of life. This doesn't mean never driving a car or becoming a vegan - I'm not quite ready to let go of cars or meat just yet either. Instead, it means being conscious of the often overlooked aspects of daily living that have a large impact on nature. This is where plastic bags enter the scene. Everyyear, 500billion to 1 trillion petroleum- based plastic bags are consumed globally. Amer- ica uses 100 billion plastic bags annually and Meijer alone goes through 30 million bags per month. Aside from using up increasingly valu- able natural resources like petroleum, plastic bags create large amounts of litter, harm wild- life and contribute to waste from landfills. Specifically, plastic bags kill about 100,000 marine animals worldwide while ranking as the fifth most common item of beach debris. Plastic bags don't biodegrade either and instead break down into smaller toxic pieces, which contami- nate soil and waterways. It's just not possible to justify these harmful environmental effects for a bag most people will only use once. Studying in Ireland last summer showed me how life would be without plastic bags. In 2002, the Irish government introduced a con- sumption tax (the PlasTax) of 20 cents on plas- tic bags. Revealing my obviously American side, I was at first shocked and annoyed that my beloved and previously free plastic bags now came at a price. How was I possibly going to carry my food back home? My options were to pay for the bags, pay for a reusable cloth bag sold at the register or use my backpack. As a student trying to stick to a budget, I shoved my groceries in my backpack and walked home. Surprisingly enough, it wasn't that bad. In fact, I liked walking instead of driving and not being saddled down with 14 overloaded plastic bags. I gradually became a convert to the cloth bag lifestyle. So have the Irish. Since 2002, their plastic bag use has fall- en more than 90 percent, and the government has raised millions of dollars to put toward recycling programs. Now America is tryingto tackle its ownplas- tic problems. San Francisco recently banned petroleum-based plastic bags atgrocery stores and pharmacies, and Ann Arbor looks to be gearing up to be next. While some cities aren't ready to ban plastic bags, other options like credit on reused bags, bagtaxes and plastic bag recycling programs are also being discussed. In fact, Meijer will offer a "99-cent reusable nonwoven plastic bag made of recyclable polypropylene" by June. A mouthful, yes, but worth the price. As expected, the taxes and bans have raised considerable opposition, and some people may have a hard time letting go of the time-honored tradition of leaving the grocery store with two fistfulsofplastic bags. For me thoughthe appeal of the plastic bag is long gone. I think I'll start putting myIrish canvas grocery bag to use. How appropriate that I learned to go green on the Emerald Isle. Rachel Wagner is an LSA junior and a member of the Daily's editorial board. Why should you care about geno- cide in faraway lands? You've seen and ignored the viewpoints and the articles. You've watched "Hotel Rwanda," and think you probably would have done something if you could have. You may even have been overwhelmed by staring hopelessly at picture after picture of dead chil- dren and distraught mothers. Even though popular culture has picked up the fad to save Darfur, progress is slow and hope is dying. While the conflict itself is unde- niably complicated, the results are perfectly clear: Innocent people are being murdered. Instead of simply weeping inside, we can save lives. As you may have read and seen by now, Will Work For Food is a twofold stu- dent activist movement. How can you get involved? Visit our tables in the residence halls this week. Fill out a postcard to your con- gressman about the genocide. Buy a shirt. Pledge to work one hour. Tell your friends to do the same. If, you have already sent a post card, make a phone call. Visit www.willworkfor- food.org for more information. Growing up Jewish in America, the lessons of the Holocaust were continuously drilled into me and our responsibility as a united soci- ety to prevent another genocide is engrained in my mind. Until I stood where this slaughter occurred, how- ever, the words did not reverberate the same way. Standing on the edge of the valley of Babi Yar and on the site of Dachau, phrases could do no justice to my emotions. The scale of tragedy and the immensity of lives lost and destroyed dreams can never be fully under- stood. What may be worse is that the world stood idly by while the atrocities in the Nazi death camps happened. I hope that 50 years from now Darfur is not remembered inthe same way. Genocide isoccurringinDarfur and we each have a responsibility to stand up and take action. We must provide tangible reliefto the suffering. By rais- ing money to help provide food, water, shelter and infrastructure to those living in refugee camps, we can each be responsible for saving lives.Yet rec- ognizing that raising funds alone will not stop the ongoing genocide, politi- cal and public advocacy is also a vital component of the fight. As the leaders and the best, we must set the example for the nation. While the distance between Darfur and Michigan is great, our commit- ment to change and our responsibil- ity to social justice necessitates our response to this tragedy. Jewish traditionteaches that sav- ing the life of one person is like saving the world. This message, especially in regard to Darfur, has never been isolated to the Jewish community. On an internationalscale, individuals and organizations of many religious, ethnic and national backgrounds have joined together to save that one life. On campus, we now have an opportunity to work as a community to save those who are suffering and fight the hatred that is at the root of this evil. After the Holocaust, the world adopted the phrase "never again." Never again would we stand idly by while innocent people suffered. The phrase resurfaced after the Rwan- dan genocide. Those outraged at inaction over Srebrenica again yelled it out. Do we want to have to mutter it under our breath and feel embar- rassed that we did nothing after these current events again retreat from the public view? Rather than standing over an even larger mass grave amid the sandy expanse and vowing never again, let us live up to our commitment to help those victims of genocide rightnow. Perry Teicher is an [SA senior and the former chair of the University's Hillel Governing Board. I LETTER TO THE EDITOR Engineering students must get over themselves TO THE DAILY: I was in full support of Friday's letter to the editor about the Daily's coverage of cheating in the engi- neering school (LSA Kids at Daily jealous of engineers 04/13/2007), until I got to this sentence: "The College of Engineering is founded on the premise that our students are smarter than the students in LSA." I'm not sure where the author is get- ting this idea. I would love to seethis reflected somewhere else besides the minds of him and some "more experienced engineers." SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU I am not denying that some LSA students look incompetent. But to classes are extremely easy, or that link this to a lack of intelligence in engineering is a difficult field. But LSA students is insulting. I would does the letter writer really believe rather take my "easy" linguistics that LSA students are in this college classes than be a "smart," patroniz- because we aren't smart enough to ing engineer any day. be engineers? Does "smart" really only apply to knowledge about math Sarah Mullins and science? Could he ace an upper- LSA sophomore level history class? This kind of attitude does nothing Wrte fOr Daily 3p neon to help the stereotypical ideas sur- rounding the two colleges, and does this SUMmer, a disservice to other engineers who Columnist spots aalable. know there is not only one criteria for intelligence. The Daily's news story and edito- to beym AnAbdr.) rial about cheating in the engineer- E-mil editp6ge. ing school were problematic at best, and unfairly made the "cheating" edrorsumfi~du, 4 a I