4 4A - Wednesday, November 28, 2007 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com L 4 MICdiian BaI*I Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu KARL STAMPFL IMRAN SYED JEFFREY BLOOMER EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR 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. The Daily's public editor, Paul H. Johnson, acts as the readers' representative and takes a critical look at coverage and content in every section oftthe paper. Readers are encouragedto contact the pubhliceditor with questions and comments. He canbe reached at publiceditor@umich.edu. Locked-up logic Prisons should be for rehabilitation, not retribution n the latest of his many considerable flip-flops, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney called on Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Kathe Tuttman - whom he appointed to the bench when he was Massachusetts governor - to resign. Tuttman is at the center of a major controversy over her decision to allow a murderer to be released near the end of his sentence, despite a pending charge of assaulting a corrections officer. The prisoner, Daniel Tavares Jr., went on to kill a newlywed couple. As horrible a situation as this is, it's hardly a time for the scapegoating and politicking that Romney has taken up. I'll get all the (working girls) together, and we can raise him some money." - Dennis Hof, owner of a Nevada brothel called The Moonlite BunnyRanch, endorsing Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul and pledging to raise money for his campaign, as reported Monday by ABC News. An MSA wish list I f this fall's candidates for election to the Michigan Student Assem- bly and other campus governing bodies are doing a halfway decent job, you probably already know that student govern- ment elections start Thursday of this week. In case you don't already know,4 to vote in MSA NEIL elections and other elections, go to vote. TAMBE www.umich.edu or do so through the web portal of a cam- pus political party. In the spirit of the election, I have prepared a wish list for the election and for the next semester. Fellow students, the first two requests go out to you. Most impor- tant, you must vote. Unfortunately for us, from a utility-maximizingperspec- tive, MSA elections are the most sen- sible election to vote in because costs are next to nil. Assuming you are a current University student, there is no registration required and you can vote from any Internet-enabled computer. Voting in the election literally requires about a 15-click diversion from normal Facebooking activities. Because the number of voters is so low, there is a relatively high probabil- ity that your vote will affect the out- come of the election. On top of that, it's plausible that you'll be able to make an educated vote because one of the candi- dates might be your buddy from fresh- man year or the girl who you sat next to in Spanish class. We have an obligation to vote in these elections, not because MSA elections are particularly com- pelling, but because it's so damn easy. Our next responsibility is to put candidates on the hot seat. Many if not all of the candidates for student gov- ernment will be around campus cam- paigning, and they'll probably hand you a flyer with a three-bullet-point summary of their "platform." Please, grill them with questions. They're practically begging to be interrogat- ed, and it's so hilarious to hear their party-polished responses. If candidates' platforms include lowering textbook prices, drill them with questions about how, when and exactly why. They'll probably give you a canned speech. After they finish, ask them harder questions. Just in case election time is the only time a mem- ber of student government ever takes your opinion seriously, make it count. Don't let them dupe you: Make candi- dates earn your vote. Candidates, the next two requests go to you. First of all, for Pete's sake, recycle.Yourflyers are everywhere and it's a disgusting waste. During the elec- tion, you litter lecture halls, the library and even my house. As a cohort, you must use thousands of sheets of paper during the election. Not only will you go overboard on flyers, but you'll spam my inbox and overload my Facebook feed. You might even engage in semi- sketchy campaign techniques by can- vassing at Greek houses or sending a friend to do the task. The least you can do is keep our campus green and free of litter while you do it. Next, all you candidates must hold yourself accountable for results. Text- book prices have been a student issue at least since Charles Woodson was a Heisman Trophy winner. Finish the job and keep us in the loop about what your accomplishments and objectives are. At the beginning of every semester I would like to see a results report from Rather than recognize the ineptitude of a prison system that simply holds prisoners for 16 years without any meaningful effort at reforming them, Romney is busy point- ing the finger of blame. Such shortsighted, irresponsible attitudes are common among lawmakers, and they create an atmosphere that debilitates progress in prison reform and ignores the fact that our country's trend of mass arrests and mass incarcera- tion does little to make our society safer. America's incarceration rate is the high- est among developed countries. The num- ber of people in our prisons has quadrupled since 1980 - not because there are so many more violent offenders, but simply because we have criminalized even trivial offenses in the "War on Drugs." Because of stricter drug laws, police began arresting more people for drug-related crimes, leading to more inmates in our prisons, more instanc- es of overcrowding and more tax dollars funneled into incarceration. By 2003, drug arrests accounted for 68 percent of prison population growth and 20 percent of the total prison population nationwide. And we aren't safer for it. With prisons overcrowded by nonvio- lent offenders, it's no wonder that vio- lent inmates leave prison without having received the type of rehabilitation they need. Rather than incarcerating every per- son who breaks the law, the government should use alternatives for non-violent offenders like drug courts, mental health courts and community service. Drug courts are judicial systems that identify, monitor and treat drug offenders through proba- tion, social services and clinical treatment. In 2005, the Governmental Accountability Office reported that the drug court program helped to substantially lower re-arrest and conviction rates among the program's graduates. If the government employed methods like the drug courts, mass incar- ceration and overcrowding in prisons could be significantly curtailed. However, our prison's problems reach far beyond overcapacity. Romney claims that Tavares should not have been released from prison early because he is a violent man incapable of living in society. But as for- mer Massachusetts attorney general Scott Harshbarger has said, Romney is "making a political calculation, and (Tuttman is) an easy target." The real problem lies in our prison systems' continuing emphasis on punishment instead of rehabilitation. Incarcerating criminals for extended periods of time does not automatically mean that they will change for the bet- ter - and no, this doesn't mean we should simply kill them. Statistically, the current system of incarceration does very little to deter repeat offenders. Some legislatures are calling for harsher prisons and longer sentences, but how will crueler prisons cre- ate kinder prisoners? Rather than institute a more barbaric prison system, the government should direct more resources to providing the help and support services all inmates need if they are to have a chance at rehabilitation. Today, about 60 percent of criminals com- mit another crime within three years of their release: It's obvious that our lock-em- up-and-throw-away-the-key strategy is not working to reform inmates or protect our society. Providing mental health services as well as substance abuse treatment and helping to build up job skills are the only ways to ensure inmates are prepared to live productive, crime-free lives upon release. And that is the goal, after all. AMERICAN MOVEMENT FOR ISRAEL AND ISRAEL IDEA each committee and executive officer posted on your respective websites. This document should include a list of current projects and accomplishments from the last semester and also a list of objectives for the next semester. I sympathize with you all when you say that nobody knows what student gov- ernment does. Take one hour and pre- pare such a document once a semester, because it will help you lay out your goals and it will keep external stake- holders a little more involved in what you're doing. It's a win-win. Five things that will revive student gov't Because I have about 75 words left, I will try to use the space to advocate for an unofficial proposal. Maize-outs at the Big House are super fun. Since football season is now over, let's make Fridays unofficial maize-and-blue days. It would be cheery during the winter months to see those two love- ly colors, and it'll show campus day visitors - who often tour on Fridays - that being a Wolverine is something to be proud of. We all already have the hoodies - it's just a matter of wearing them at the same time. MSA elections in the past may have been anything from unproductive to complete disasters, but if we all do our part, we can change that this time around. Neil Tambe can be reached at nambe@umich.edu. dialogue statehood, to participate in the inter- national political world. It exists to solidify a future for a nation that has overcome countless threats to its exis- tence for the past 4,000 years. In no way is Zionism a racist ideolo- gy. In Israel, Israeli-Arabs exercise full democratic privileges and have repre- sentatives in parliament. The country is rich with active civil society and a cantankerous press, constantly critical of the government. Admittedly, Israel is far from per- fect. Its various governments have made grave mistakes, just like any other country, and Israel should be held accountable for its actions. How- ever, criticizing Israel's government is far different from denying Israel's fun- damental right to exist. Yesterday, President Bush met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and with Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, in hopes of restarting a peace process that has been dormant for the past decade. International leaders are calling for a two-state solution with two inde- pendent nations living side by.side in peaceful coexistence. Kovel rejects thisvision.Atatime whenpeaceseems within our grasp, it is regrettable that such a monumental moment has been undermined by SAFE's decision to bring Kovel to speak at our University. Today, Israel seeks a partner for peace. Today, we seek a partner in dia- logue. Is there one? Eitan Ingall is an LSA sophomore and the vice president of the Israel IDEA. Sasha Gribov is a Business sophomore and the vice chair of the American Movement for Israel. 9 i I Wanted: We, the American Movement for Israel and the Israel IDEA, want con- structive and positive discourse on one of the most convoluted issues of mod- ern times. We are eager to learn about our faults, understand opposing beliefs and analyze the Israeli/Palestinian conflict from varying perspectives. We look to promote education by conveying an honest portrayal of the situation while recognizing that there may be a sharp dichotomy between our respective perceptions of honesty. Regardless of this disagreement, it is our obligation to constantly strive for sophisticated and intellectual con- versation committed to understand- ing the past, present and future of the Israeli and Palestinian people. By inviting Bard College Prof. Joel Kovel to speak at the University on Monday, the Students Allied for Free- dom and Equality shattered the prin- cipal safeguard of academic freedom: intellectual responsibility. Kovel is the author of "Overcom- ing Zionism," a book advocating the destruction of the state of Israel that is being distributed by the University of Michigan Press. He spoke Monday evening with deceitful rhetoric vir- tually absent of factual or historical information. Calling Israel a "histori- cal mistake" and urging the destruc- tion of Israel by saying, "many states have been replaced, there is nothing sacred about a state" will never give way to anything productive. In his book, Kovel writes, "What is wrong with the Jewish State is the fact of being a Jewish State." Think about this comment for a second. What if the statement read: "What is wrong with the Muslim State is the fact of being a JOHN OQUIST A partner for Muslim State." Is that acceptable? Is that conducive to productive dialogue on this campus? Would it be consid- ered hate speech? This is the exact double standard that embodies the essence of anti- Semitism. In another part of the book, Kovel writes, "Zionism is Jew- ish power - worldly and state power: military, economic, and ideological, too." This statement is eerily similar to anti-Semitic propaganda expressed over hundreds of years - including from "Protocols of the Elders of Zion," Stalinist Russia and Adolph Hitler - through claims of Jewish world dominance. You, the students of the University, are the ultimate jury. Can you condone such remarks? Can the University be directly responsible for disseminating these claims, as it is right now? Kovel has expressed his views in a published book, and no one has pre- vented that from happening. The Uni- versity Press distributing this book is not a matter of academic freedom but rather one of intellectual respon- sibility - an obligation to uphold a premier level of academic integrity. The University has proclaimed a com- mitment to sustaining its reputation as an institution for higher learning. Distributing "Overcoming Zionism" jeopardizes this reputation. Zionism, an ideology founded by Theodore Herzl, is a political move- ment that upholds the belief that the Jewish people have the right to a national homeland. Israel functions as a home for Jews from all over the world, free of persecution and anti- Semitism. Israel was created as a plat- form for the Jewish people, vis-a-vis 6 EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Emad Ansari, Anindya Bhadra, Kevin Bunkley, Ben Caleca, Jon Cohen, Milly Dick, Mike Eber, Gary Graca, Emmarie Huetteman, Theresa Kennelly, Emily Michels, Kate Peabody, Robert Soave, Jennifer Sussex, Neil Tambe, Matt Trecha, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Rachel Wagner, Patrick Zabawa ALBERT CHOW A voice against HJV AIDS The numbers are simply daunting. World- wide, 40.3 million people live with HIV. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preven- tion estimates that roughly 1.2 million people in America were living with either HIV or AIDS as of 2005. Of this number, roughly a quarter were undiagnosed and unaware of their posi- tive status. According to the Michigan Department of Community Health, an estimated 17,000 peo- ple are living with HIV/AIDS in the state of Michigan as of October 2007. Of these, about 600 live in Washtenaw County, with 30 new cases of HIV and 15 cases of AIDS diagnosed just last year. Do I need to continue? For a disease this devastating and an epidem- ic this widespread, surely one would expect some student groups to campaign against this disease. And there are such groups. This week is World AIDS Week, and around the Diag as well as in Angell Hall and the Chemistry Build- ing, there are many fliers posted by groups hoping to raise awareness about the disease and promote activism both on and off campus. But these fliers can't do much if students aren't actually paying close attention. Before this week is over, students should make sure to take some time to contribute in the battle against HIV/AIDS and make sure they understand the nature of the disease. There are a lot of existing resources to help. One of the most prominent groups on cam- pts is Face AIDS, whose University chapter was founded last year. Face AIDS has planned all sorts of events, including a breakfast sale at the posting wall in Angell Hall on Monday and Thursday, a movie screening and bar night at The Necto on Tuesday and finally a dinner with a guest speaker on Saturday in East Hall. Perhaps most important of all, the group is selling beaded pins that were handmade by an AIDS patient in the Partners in Health clinic in Rwanda. While these pins only cost $5 to you, when this money is put together with a cor- responding donation of $15 from various com- panies, this inexpensive pin buys about two months' worth of medicine for the patient who made it. Last year, the University's chapter of Face AIDS raised about $13,000 and was one of the top contributors nationally. For those more motivated to help out locally in Washtenaw County, a class is being offered next semester that provides a great opportuni- ty to become involved. The class is section 203 of Sociology 389, a part of Project Community, in which students volunteer at the HIV/AIDS Resource Center in Ypsilanti. There are a host of students who have vol- unteered at HARC through Project Commu- nity and had very rewarding experiences. Erin Schlemmer, who took this section of the course last year, said "(Working at the center) is very eye-opening about how uninformed people are, and how they can protect themselves, and even what HIV is." Eden Brand, who has vol- unteered at the center for all four of her under- graduate years at the University, said: "HARC is a great way for students wanting to get more involved outside the campus. HARC is here for Washtenaw County." These groups and opportunities barely scratch the surface of what is available. There are HIV/AIDS projects in various other groups around campus and in the community. During this week, you will find information on HIV/ AIDS wherever you go, and you should seek it. Don't think you can't contribute or that HIV/ AIDS is just a distant problem that affects peo- ple somewhere else. The University is a large place with a huge student body. If everyone contributes in some way and is knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS, our voices will be heard loud and clear. Togeth- er we can all do something in the battle against HIV/AIDS. Whether it's here in Ann Arbor or abroad in Rwanda, we can make that happen. Albert Chow is an LSA senior. 0 Tuic is AvAircAmn i Or Err I I I