4 - Friday, April 10, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com * E-MAIL BELLA AT BELLZ@UMICH.EDU 74C e AtIC4*oan + BELLA SHAH Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu ROBERT SOAVE COURTNEY RATKOWIAK EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR GARY GRACA EDITOR IN CHIEF Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorialboard. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. A photographic memory Policy change shines light on the hidden cost of war More than 5,000 soldiers have lost their lives in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But for the last 18 years, the Pentagon has barred news outlets from photographing the return of war dead. As a consequence of this policy, the American people have been sheltered from the fact that American men and women are dying. Thank- fully, the Obama administration has decided to lift the ban and allow photographs of the returning caskets, provided that the family members of the deceased offer their consent. This promising new policy treads the fine line between pro- tecting military families and informing the public about the true costs of war. Now it's up to the media to responsibly report on the consequences of our foreign entanglements. S~ri pob0.11 yr.0. io w *-gh ries hve poten Ar eti Highrises have high potential 0 0 During the first Gulf War in 1991, Presi- dent George H.W. Bush banned news cov- erage of returning war dead. This rule remained until the Obama administration lifted the ban in February. The new policy permits journalists to photograph return- ing war dead, but only with the consent of the deceased soldiers' families. Last Sun- day, the coffin of Air Force Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers became the first to be photographed under the new rules. Although the old policy's stated purpose was to shield military families from an invasion of privacy during a time of grief, it also shielded the American people from the reality of our losses in foreign wars. Seeing firsthand the caskets coming home helps people to realize our presence in the Middle East has consequences, and will hopefully motivate voters to select the country's lead- ership with these realities in mind. This effect was certainly not lost on Bush when he gave the order to prohibit such photo- graphs in 1991. Since then, the lack of photos in the news has helped to rev up support for war and hide the very real cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The most important effect of the new policy is that it allows the media to more accurately inform the public. The media has a right and a responsibility to show the American people the reality of the govern- ment's actions. And a government policy that prevents the media from fulfilling this vital function is counter-intuitive in a democracy supposedly based on open and fair government. But despite the importance of keeping the public informed, it's understandable that the administration's rules strive to protect grieving families. These families have suf- fered a tremendous loss, and they shouldn't be forcibly subjected to additional hardship. At the same time, the new policy is only an improvement as long as requiring consent doesn't become a form of de facto censor- ship. If giving families a choice results in another media ban, the policy would need to be revisited. It's critical that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan be portrayed in a comprehensive and accurate fashion. Distorting reports to promote failed poli- cies was a hallmark of both Bush adminis- trations. But with a president in office who seems to recognize the folly of America's foreign policy and a populous motivated by the visible cost of war, there is hope for a quick end to these wars. With City Council members struggling to come to an agreement on building heights in down- town Ann Arbor, the split seems to be between those who feel that Ann Arbor is plagued by the threat of mono- lithic skyscrapers blotting out the sun and those who BEN feel that any oppo- sition to develop- CALECA ment projects is economically unvi- able. But city zoning projects such as the Ann Arbor Discovering Down- town (A2D2) proposal are more than just about mixingpastoral livingwith a vibrant downtown culture. The way we design our cities has a massive effect on cultural understanding and on the health of both residents and the environment. Making urban growth viable for smaller communities can be chal- lenging, but the issues are anything but new. In the 1916 New York build- ing code, skyscrapers could only usea certain percentage of their lot's space as they climbed higher, and buildings tapered inward to allow more light to filter down to street level. Conserva- tive solutions like that, along with making sure buildings are spaced far apart enough to allow light to filter to the street, improve the pedestrian quality of a downtown area. Beyond that, investors shouldn't set up a gar- gantuan tower in a small community - having a local Tower of Babel isn't going to win brownie points with the local population. Suburban sprawl in smaller com- munities also promotes greater socio- economic divide. Neighborhoods that are driving distance away from each other are prone to segregation along socioeconomic, racial or cul- tural lines. When inadequate hous- ing is available near city centers, the poorest people are often forced to live farther toward the outskirts of a community, facing longer and more expensive commutes. Building up in city centers creates more affordable housing, gives people the opportu- nity to be within sight of a variety of different backgrounds and promotes a culture of understanding and a unique local culture. Those who long for backyards and quiet can still have those things - at the cost of direct access to the downtown area. But it becomes a choice, not a necessity. Multi-story apartments of mod- est size located close to most conve- niences can significantly reduce the car culture because they promote biking and walking as primary means of transportation. These might seem like simple energy reduction argu- ments, but they also affect the health of residents. Encouraging walking and biking around town improves air quality and gives residents more exercise than communities that require car or bus travel. Physical health improves with more exercise and better air quality, which subse- quently lowers healthcare and insur- ance costs. More pedestrians also reduce safety risks for those going out alone at night. In an urban community, green design can enhance the well-being of citizens by making indoor spaces more livable. Better lighting and use ofspace in residential andcommercial buildings promotes greater produc- tivity and mental health. Apartment living with well-designed buildings also cuts down on water, electrical consumption, lighting and cooling costs. Besides lower water consump- tion from lawns, apartments with more efficient climate control and insulation save considerable energy. 0 By ensuring that there is ample green space within walking distance of urban areas, there is a quality of life and sense of community. The benefits of building up are limitless. Ann Arbor and cities around the country have struggled to strike a balance between established commu- nities and future downtown growth. With concerns over quality of life and environmental impact growing, cities should be more accepting of urban development. While ostenta- tious skyscrapers are probably not the answer for smaller cities, 18- and 20-story buildings are a modest addi- tion to urban communities and pro- mote closer communities. A developer looking to build up in the heart of cities like Ann Arbor should work with the City Council to determine what fits the population's. demands the best. But limitations on maximum height are a disservice to the city as a whole. No one should expect a downtown area to turn into Manhattan overnight. Changes generally take a lot of time - even more so under economic conditions like the ones we face right now. Ann Arbor will only become a metropolis if its population fights to create that reality. - Ben Caleca can be reached at calecab@umich.edu. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Nina Amilineni, Emad Ansari, Emily Barton, Elise Baun, Harun Buljina, Ben Caleca, Satyajeet Deshmukh, Brian Flaherty, Emmarie Huetteman, Emma Jeszke, Sutha K Kanagasingam, Shannon Kellman, Jeremy Levy, Erika Mayer, Edward McPhee, Matthew Shutler, Neil Tambe, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Laura Veith SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU . Patsy misrepresents issues Research on cannabis could regarding radio and TV offer new cancer treatments The Daily is looking for a diverse group of strong, informed writers to be columnists during the spring and summer semesters. Columnists write 750 words on a topic of their choice every other week. E-MAIL RACHEL VAN GILDER AT RACHELVG@UMICH.EDU FOR MORE INFORMATION. conversation about race 0 TO THE DAILY: Vincent Patsy's latest column is another in an increasingly long line of - frankly - garbage (Switching thefrequency, 04/07/2009). Of course I understand the importance of free press and the practice thereof. In fact, I applaud Patsy for using the tools available to him to share his opinions. I simply wish he or someone else would read those opinions before troubling the general public with them. The beauty of this particular column is that it practically defeats itself. Patsy explicitly defines the difference between land and capital, and then proceeds to compare radio and television waves to a copper mine. Even in the loosest terms, broadcast waves are no more property as part of land than an airplane is flying overhead. As Patsy put it, "capital is the stuff put on to that space." Radio and television waves are gener- ated. They do not exist like natural resources. The "strict" economic arguments fall through by definition. As for the argument that parents would make better mediators than the federal government - look around. Parents already can't moni- tor everything their children are exposed to in today's digital age - how many "To Catch a Predator" specials do we need to see? How many kids need to disappear after agreeing to meet someone they met online? This is not the fault of radio or television. But it certainly is not per- fectly defended by parental supervision, either. The idea of freeing the airwaves from gov- ernment control is as old as the airwaves them- selves. The arguments expressed by Patsy are interesting, to say the least. ButI had hoped that the right to free thought would have been exer- cised as liberally as the right to free speech. Michael Howley LSA sophomore TOTHE DAILY: Jason Mahakian's latest comic is the height of irony and exemplifies the smug but ignorant mentality of many in the University community (Thegreatergood, 04/06/2009). In it, a "bright" young woman addresses an archetypal stoner. "We're raising money for cancer! What are you guys doing?" "Ummm... smokin' weed, man," the Hash Bash-attending burnout sheepishly answers. A question to the reader is posed: "One day, one campus. Two great causes?" The implication is that legalizingcanna- bis is frivolous in comparison to fund-raising for cancer. Nothingcould be further from the truth. It has been known to science since at least the early '70s that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is an extraordinarily powerful anti-tumor agent. Recent research has confirmed this by finding that THC injected directly into rat brains shrinks brain tumors. Anecdotal evidence suggests that ingesting cannabis oil can reverse even advanced cancer, as seen in the documentary "Run From the Cure: The Rick Simpson Story." Clearly, cannabis is among the most promising cancer therapies in the world. Unless the Ameri- can Cancer Society is workingto legalize medical cannabis and educating people about the power of THC to reduce tumors, they are probably pre- venting patients from getting a highly effective, non-toxic therapy. Does the young lady in the comic become an unwitting dupe of those who would suppress natural cancer treatments? Does our stoner friend unknowingly represent the vanguard of the search for a cure? Wipe that smirk off your face and stop rolling your eyes long enough to research the science of cannabis as medicine and find out for yourself. Kyle Stupple Staff J 's not easy to write a col- umn about race relations, as they directly concern blacks and whites, even though the Uni- versity audience consists of mostly white students. Any ongoing, for- ward-thinking conversation about racial taboos in - society will uncov- MATTHEW er squeamish responses. HUNTER How comfort- able are we with talking about race? How comfortable are we with the word "reparations" - let alone any real conversation about reparation policy - and with the word "slavery"? Would we honestly account for our personal opinions about race relations in a public space? The answers to these questions pro- vide insight into the role race plays on the surface. But instead, racial dialogue is often watered-down or held in spaces where anonymity can be guaranteed (i.e., online comment forums). I am certainlynotalways complete- ly forward. I have strategically edited out certain emotional responses or "radical" suggestions for change. Some might think, for example, that a proposal for a $4 trillion stimu- lus package for black community rebuilding is a bit much, but often it takes dramatic efforts to account for dramatic disparities, like consistently lower-quality education at predomi- nately black schools. But rather than trying to satisfy both sides - either those who ignore race-talk or those who, like me, bask in racial liberation glory - it's more important that these conversations thrive. An active attempt must be made to confront the challenges of speak- ing about racial issues in public. For the most part, it seems whites have a harder time talking about race. Whites are comparatively silent on racial issues. Though many blacks seem more vocal about race, there are blacks that are quiet about race or have deemed that racial barriers have been overcome. If we compare these groups in the context of life experi- ence and privilege, some truths are made apparent. Many blacks live with oppressive forces every day. Blacks sometimes face concern when driving in seclud- ed white rural areas of America or fear racially motivated police brutal- ity. And some blacks have to worry if a noose will be hung for them in a high school courtyard. It was fear that motivated the group of black teenagers called the Jena Six who were charged with beating Justin Baker. The Jena Six were angry after Baker and his friends hung a noose for black students after previous vio- lent conflicts. In contrast to blacks, many whites can go a longtime with- out considering what it's like to be oppressed. It's as if silence is a result of privilege. Perhaps this can be applied to silent blacks as well. It seems there are two "types" of blacks that pre- dominate the silent scene. However rare the population of ultra-conser- vative blacks is, it remains a dominant influence in politics and the media. Clarence Thomas and Ward Conner- ly appropriately represent a white- endorsed force against progressive racial dialogue in their consistent opposition to affirmative action. But the fact that they are black provides them little support from blacks - rather, they are used as leverage for racial conservatives to cite "excep- tional blacks". There are also blacks that choose to be silent in professional spaces. These are spaces where the consequences of speaking out on racial issues leads to being made an outcast by white co- workers who are less concerned with one's racial struggles. When delving only briefly into the history of blacks that were or are racially outspoken, it becomes apparent that they were either killed off (like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X) or they were utterly discredited as racial radicals (like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson). Even President Barack Obama can't actively speak out on these issues. He was given space for one "race speech" in response to growing racial con- cerns and criticisms. While the above arguments are simple observations for me, I admit that they may not be objective. But one thing we can all see is that racial barriers, still exist. And instead of Forward-thinking dialogue is needed in a post-racial era. confronting these issues, we often turn the other cheek. This is not to say that white people should suddenly spew racial opinions loosely to a pre- dominately black audience. There are more practical solutions, but I under- stand they may not be easy. If black people do complain in pub- lic space, begin by trying to under- stand their frustration rather than by discrediting them. Go to an edu- cational forum on people of color and domesticviolence or crime disparities in the black community. Go talk to an elderly black woman whose home has been Detroit for 60 years. Learn about a different racial perspective than your own. Let us not be a part of a post-racial era that has become comfortable with racial silence but rather an era that is fueled with con- versations of greater racial under- standing. - Matthew Hunter can be reached at majjam@umich.edu. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be less than 300 words and must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. Letters are edited for style, length, clarity and accuracy. All submissions become property of the Daily. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@umich.edu.