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4A - Friday, September 25, 2009
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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BELLA SHAH
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
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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 editorial board. All other signed articles
and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
Clean-up in aisle A2
City Council should stop delays and vote on plastic bag ban
proposedban on plastic bags inAnnArborhasbeenbagged
- atleasttemporarily. TheAnnArbor City Council decided
at a meeting on Tuesday to put the vote to ban plastic bags
on hold until later this year, arguing that enough details weren't
known. If it ever makes it to a vote, the ban would be the first of its
kind in Washtenaw County and could set a good example for the
rest of the state to follow. City Council has been dragging its feet
on this important issue long enough: It must implement this envi-
ronmentally friendly proposal. But even without a ban on plastic
bags, students can still promote greener alternatives by switching
T m cowns to an f!8. tv
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many 1or
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Majorly undecided
to cloth bags on their own.
The proposed ban on plastic bags isn't
new to City Council. It was first introduced
in June 2008, mirroring similar propos-
als and bans in cities across the country,
notably San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Tuesday's delay marks the third time the
proposal has been tabled. The proposal
would prohibit all retailers with yearly
sales of more than $1 million from provid-
ing plastic bags to shoppers. Because the
ban would only affect retailers inside city
limits, it would primarily impact Briar-
wood and Arborland Malls.
The ban's benefits are clear - plastic
bags aren't conducive to a healthy envi-
ronment. Plastic bags are made from pet-
rochemicals, which come from fossil fuels.
As more bags are manufactured and used,
nonrenewable resources are depleted. And
plastic bags take an extremely long time to
decompose, adding to Michigan's already-
overflowing landfills. As the bags do break
down, they leave harmful contaminants in
their wake.
Banning plastic bags has positively
impacted the communities that have done
so. San Francisco's 2007 ban reduced the
consumption of plastic bags by five million
per month. Similar measures have been
taken in Los Angeles and recently in San
Jose. Though Ann Arbor might not benefit
as heavily as these larger communities,
Ann Arbor's City Council should do what-
ever it can to encourage greener options.
Critics of the ban may say it will hurt
businesses, but this is unlikely. Because
the ban only applies to grocery stores with
a yearly gross of more than $1 million,
smaller establishments wouldn't be affect-
ed. And larger stores shouldn't have much
of a problem shouldering the monetary
burden associated with a ban.
In any case, there are plenty of more
environmentally friendly options to
replace plastic bags. Decomposable plastic
bags do exist, and though they are more
expensive, large retailers could afford to
offer them if they really want to stick with
plastics. But the best option is cheap, dura-
ble cloth bags, which can easily be reused.
And students don't need to wait for City
Council to opt for this choice - cloth bags
are already available with many larger
retailers.
The plastic bag ban would be an envi-
ronmentally responsible measure, and City
Council shouldn't have delayed its passage
again. But in the meantime, students can
avoid plastic bags on their own to create a
greener campus community.
At the age of five, I was con-
vinced I would make the
world's best kindergarten
teacher. By eight, I
saw myself becom-
ing a psychologist.
I was sure I was the
next Judy Blume
during my pre-teen
years. The past few l
years, I have had
my heart set on
becoming a nutri-
tionist. Just last LEAH
week, I convinced POTKIN
my friends I would
thrive as a wedding
planner. Now, I'm
awaiting my next grand idea. I can't
wait to see which quirky career I'll
pick for myself.
So, given my history, how should
I answer the most common question
that, as asophomore, I nowencounter:
What's my major? Honestly, I have no
idea what I want tobe or what I want
to major in. In fact, I assert my uncer-
tainty with pride, unlike many of my
contemporaries, who seem embar-
rassed to admit they're undecided.
Just because I knew what I wanted
when I was five does not mean my
19-year-old self can make any deci-
sions - at least not yet. College should
be the time when students explore all
their interests without the constant
pressure of deciding on their future
as defined by a major. I understand
that some people know what they
want to do with their lives and have
goals. Good for them. I still find that
the pressure to commit leaves stu-
dents quick to dive into a major they
may be unsatisfied with in 10 years -
or even six months.
Finding the right career involves
more than simply liking something or
being good at it. It's a balance of all
aspects of a person's life. The process
can only evolve from experience, and
unfortunately, I don't think my jobs
as a gym employee and camp coun-
selor can resolve my indecision.
Maybe that's because, to me, inde-
cision isn't a problem. I feel lucky to be
at a school with so many outstanding
programs. Idhbe cheating myself to not
explore as many as possible. Frankly,
the fact that Iwill - despite my reluc-
tance - still be required to eventually
declare a major pisses me off. If it were
up to me, Undecided would be a major.
People speak as if it is, and there's
nothing wrong with that.
I know that declaring a major isn't
the death sentence I'm making it out
to be, and I know declared majors are
subject to change. But if I end up tak-
ing classes solely to fill requirements
in a major I ultimately change, I have
wasted my time and tuition money.
And even the innocuous-sounding
General Studies major has its own
list of course requirements that limit
exploration.
To assist stubborn students, the
University implores us to seek guid-
ance from advisors. These advisors
are touted as seers with the ability to
assign the correct career path based
solely on a meeting or two in which
years of experiences and goals are
condensed and analyzed. Not to be
rude, but how can middle-aged col-
lege advisors with their own pre-
dispositions guide me when I don't
even know - or care to know - what
I want? Thank you, advisors, but I'll
gladly stay lost and un-analyzed for
as long as possible.
A word of advice for anyone inter-
ested in weighing different options -
I'm taking a class this semester that
I find especially valuable. It's a sec-
tion of Psych 211 called "Exploring
Careers." To be honest, I signed up
for it last minute when a friend also
in the class told me it was an easy
pass-fail class. But by the end of the
first lecture, I knew I would get more
out of this class than any other course
I'm taking this semester. The teacher
emphasizedthat today, it's far more
acceptable to be out of college and
not have a "real" job, or to have a
job unrelated to one's major. It's not
uncommon for people in their later
twenties to go back to school after
discovering an unexpected passion.
Students shouldn't
feel rushed to pick
the perfect major.
And that's okay, because I'm sure that
I'll probably change my mind about a
career even after I finish college.
This might seem like nothing more
than a rant about my indecisiveness.
But I've felt this way since my grand-
mother told me that she took her first
anthropology class during her senior
year of college and then wished she
could have majored in it. Naturally,
I took an introductory anthropology
course last year - sorry, Grammy,
it bored me to tears. But I now have
an overwhelming fear that if I get
stuck fulfillingthe requirements for a
declared major, I might miss out on a
class that could direct me to my true
calling. And that would be a major
loss.
- Leah Potkin can be reached
at Ipotkin@umich.edu.
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EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Nina Amilineni, Emad Ansari, Emily Barton, Ben Caleca, Brian Flaherty,
Emma Jeszke, Raghu Kainkaryam, Sutha K Kanagasingam, Erika Mayer,
Edward McPhee, Harsha Panduranga, Asa Smith, Brittany Smith,
Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Laura Veith
SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU
A different kind ofprivilege
a
Daily article on Halfway's
recent removal is one-sided
TO THE DAILY:
I am writing in regards to the September 15th
article about the relocation of the Halfway Inn in
East Quadrangle (East Quad's Halfway Inn con-
verted into student lounge, 9/15/09). As a former
East Quad resident I have many fond memories
of the Halfway Inn and am very sad to see it
change. While I understand many of the reasons
that they would move the cafe, I felt that the arti-
cle portrayed a very one-sided view of situation.
Where was the feedback from the students who
didn't want to see it go? What about those who
think it's a terrible idea to move the food? Based
on my own experiences, I don't think that this
article covered the true feelings of many of the
East Quad residents.
Andaiye Spencer
Alum
Good Samaritan policy will
not change MIP status
TO THE DAILY:
In regards to a recent Daily editorial about
the Good Samaritan Policy, it is pertinent
to mention that some information relating
to MSA has changed (Making the right call,
09/21/2009).
I would like to clarify what has been hap-
pening within MSA to make sure that interest-
ed students have the latest information. MSA's
Student Rights Commission originally sought
out the staff at the Office of Student Conflict
Resolutions to implement a Good Samaritan
Policy in the Statement of Student Rights and
Responsibilities. After meeting with various
staff at University Health Service, OSCR and
Department of Public Safety, we've realized
that the issue is much more complicated than
simply writing an amendment.
Changes in the SSRR affect only students
and have no governing power over DPS's abil-
ity to issue MIPs. Changing MIP laws is a legal
issue that falls under state law rather than
University policies. DPS officers are bound to
Michigan law, which states that if an officer
encounters an intoxicated minor, the officer
must issue an MIP or else the officer will face
consequences. With this information, we are
taking two routes.
The SSRR's Student Rights Commission is
writing an amendment to incorporate infor-
mation about adaptive conflict resolutions,
including one that OSCR has called "Alterna-
tive Conflict Resolution for Alcohol and/or
other Drugs" (ACR-for-AOD). We would like to
bring attention to this program because many
students are unaware that if they are issued an
MIP, they can clear their disciplinary record
with the University by completing an edu-
cational ACR-for-AOD program with OSCR.
A clear disciplinary record can be advanta-
geous when applying to graduate schools and
jobs. This program, however, doesn't expunge
an MIP. The Student Rights Commission and
other interested students are arranging meet-
ings with people to get as much information as
possible before we move forward to lobby the
state legislature. We encourage any interested
students to get involved by emailing MSAstu-
dentrights@umich.edu.
Vickie Hwang
LSA senior
Neil Marcus, a prominent poet,
artist and activist for dis-
ability culture, told the New
River Free Press in
2006, "Accessibil-
ity means you feel
okay about being in
a place." Fighting
against segrega-
tion has been one
of Marcus' greatest
challenges. Every
day, he must ques- MATTHEW
tion whether he isH
welcome in public HUNTER
despite incidents
that keep him from
simply feeling okay at school, work,
restaurants - even, until the recent
renovations, in the Big House. Since he
was eight, Marcus has been disabled
with general dystonia, a neurologi-
cal movement disorder that causes,
among other things, twisting body
movements and abnormal postures.
I met Marcus on Tuesday at a dis-
ability culture workshop. Shamefully,
I admit that I initially questioned his
intelligence and ability to commu-
nicate because he was so "severely"
abnormal. Naturally, I equated dis-
ability with a lesser intelligence than
my own. But Neil quickly taught me
otherwise. His unique movement
patterns are not bizarre - they are
elegant. His words are always accom-
panied by awarm smile. And he does
not, for asecond, wantyour pity. After
a few hours with Marcus, I realized
that I was in the presence of someone
who could be a great civil rights icon
like Dr. King or Rosa Parks, only Mar-
cus' struggle focuses on something
different.
On April 5, 1977, disabled people
led a protest at the San Francisco
offices of the Health, Education and
Welfare Department after Secretary
Joseph Califano refused to sign regu-
lations for Section 504, a civil rights
law that prohibits discrimination
against individuals with disabilities
by providing equal access to educa-
tion. It was one of the longest sit-ins
in U.S. history, lasting 25 days. One
group that made this courageous act
possible was the Black Panthers, who
protested and helped provide food for
others in the protest.
The Black Panthers are better
known for their unforgiving black
civil rights activism. But here, they
fought for equality for another
oppressed group - the disabled. They
were fighting together for access and
to feel okay in social space. This is the
struggle of minorities, women and
gays. This is what I, as a black man,
must consider daily: whether or not I
have equal access in social space.
I never realized it was a function
of my privilege to be physically able
to walk up the steps of Angel Hall,
just as whites often do not realize
that it is a function of their privilege
to rarely have to consider their race's
effect on social legitimacy or to be a
part of a student population propor-
tional to that of the nation. As white
civil rights activist Tim Wise put it,
"White privilege is being able to be a
gun enthusiast and not make people
immediately scared of you. ... White
privilege is being able to claim your
experience as a POW has anything at
all to do with your fitness for presi-
dent, while being black and experi-
encing racism is, as Sarah Palin puts
it, a 'light' burden. ... White privilege
is, in short, the problem."
What lessons can be learned from
Marcus and the disability movement?
First, we should all recognize our
own privilege and how it oppresses
others. My own privilege enabled me
to associate disabilities with incom-
petence, as white privilege enables
some to associate blacks with lesser
intelligence and violence. The looks
on some students' faces when I open
my mouth and I speak "standard Eng-
lish" never fail to amuse me.
Second, coalitionsarevitaltoestab-
lishing civil equality. This means that
blacks should be on the front lines
combating homophobia, men should
be self-identified feminists and Palin
should befriend minorities from
Detroit. Whites should learn to bet-
ter identify racial injustices and find
ways to openly discuss and combat
these issues.
Third, movements are more effec-
tive when a variety of people are
involved. You don't have to be Tim
Wise at a podium or Huey Newton
toting a machine gun to fight for civil
rights. Attending race forums, having
civil rights conversations and calling
your representative to tell them that
a six percent African-American stu-
dent population is just not enough are
all instrumental steps for change.
Disabled people
continue to fight
for civil rights.
Only 30 minutes after meeting
Neil, I helped him eat a turkey sand-
wich from Panera Bread, as he is
unable to feed himself. It was not an
act of kindness on my part - it was
one of sharing. While his hunger
was temporarily satisfied, I learned
lifelong lessons from him about my
own shortcomings and blindness
because of my privilege. Whereas
many describe Marcus' disability as
debilitating, Marucs will smile and
tell you that he enjoys the fluidity and
unpredictability of his movements.
Our common ground is in our mutual
struggle. We both want access, to feel
comfortable in social space, tobe bet-
ter understood, to have more equal
opportunity and to feel okay to be in
a place.
- 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 Uni-
versity 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 tothedoily@umich.edu.
The Daily is looking for a diverse group of strong, informed, passionate writers to
join the Editorial Board. Editorial Board members are responsible for discussing and
writing the editorials that appear on the left side of the opinion page.
E-MAIL ROBERT SOAVE AT RSOAVE@UMICH.EDU FOR MORE INFORMATION.
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