4A - Friday, October 23, 2009 l e Iicl igan wily The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com E-MAIL BELLA AT BELLZ@UMICH.EDU 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 , jai y.E" p,4 b k j Wet 71 I Unsigned editorials reflect the official position ofthe Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views ofttheir authors. Carpe diem Obama must protect Great Lakes from invasive species A nyone who has seen a license plate from the Great Lakes State knows that the lakes are an integral part of Michi- gan's identity. But the Great Lakes' ecosystem is often in danger due to sewage and invasive species. Currently, the latter problem is most concerning - the lakes face a potential attack from the Asian carp, a violent, invasive species of fish. The carp are only one scaly bound away from harming the Great Lakes and Michigan industries. To protect Michigan's lakes and economy, President Barack Obama and the Army Corps of Engineers must If t 'i 4l 6 I of e r , r R *w iU C'9 What racism means today a act quickly to stop the carp. Thirty years ago, Asian carp were imported by southern fish farms to con- trol algae. But several species escaped into southern waterways and migrated north. According to the Alliance for the Great Lakes, the carp, which are vora- cious eaters, now represent 98 percent of the biomass in parts of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Rainfall could cause the Des Plaines River to flood into a neighbor- ing canal connected to Lake Michigan, giving the carp a path around the Army Corps of Engineers's electric fences that were created to stop the migration of the carp. A bill headed to Obama's desk would allocate funds to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to study existing barriers and build new ones between the waterways to stop the carp's progress. Invasive species have far-reaching ecological consequences. The lakes have already seen the negative effects of the presence of other invasive species like zebra mussels, which upset the balance of the ecosystem by interrupting the food chain and interfering in breeding practic- es. Asian carp, which consume dispropor- tionate amounts of food, would displace native species on a massive scale. The ripples from such a change would impact aquatic plants, fish and water-dependent birds and mammals, dramatically dis- rupting the ecosystem around the Great Lakes. Damage to the ecosystem would also have effects on the economy. Michigan's second-largest industry is tourism, and it's based upon the appeal of the Great Lakes. Recreational fishing and boating entices tourists to the state every year. The carp, which can grow to four feet in length and weigh more than 85 pounds, pose a safety risk to water-bound tourists. Though it may sound like an urban myth, the fish have a history of leaping out of the water and harming boaters and skiers. Michigan's commercial fishing indus- try is also at risk. The fishing industry is already struggling to survive under the economic recession, and the decrease in native fish will damage the industry even further. As the ecosystem of the lakes fal- ters and fish die, these industries won't be able to function. But disaster can be averted with the help of the federal government. The bill currently on its way to Obama's desk will expand the effort to stop the carp's prog- ress. This bill is vital to the safety of the lakes, which is in turn vital to not only the Michigan economy, but the entire Great Lakes region. This is something that Obama, a native of Illinois, should be well aware of. So far, the most prominent racial debates of 2009 have thrown around the term racism as if 400 years of our nation's cruel racial history has' not defined the concept. Today, ' everyone is con- sidered racist. But there is a sharp dif- ference between Obama's supposed MATTHEW "racism" and Rush Limbaugh's liken- HUNTER ing of NFL games to a battle between the Bloods and the Crips, only with- out weapons. Although the term is abused, identifying racism is important to identifying racial injustice. But an accusation of racism has two effects, both of which impede progressive racial dialogue. First, it angers folks who are the victim of an accusation, because racism is equated with moral bankruptcy. And second, those who are suspicious of racism and those who are accused of it misuse the word to apply to any potentially racial issue, which effectively reduces the word's meaning. The meaning of racism is hotly debated. Does racism still exist? Can minorities be racist? Does racism refer to an oppressive system rather than individuals? Is all racial dis- crimination racism? Whatever your answers, there are some key points that can help us distinguish between the who's who of racist dialogue. Over time, the bar to escape rac- ism has risen. If, for example, Keith Bardwell doesn't marry interracial couples even though he says he has black friends, as reported by the New York Times on Oct. 17, he is still a rac- ist. Because civil rights progress has been made, that which is blatantly racist is no longer the main concern. Instead, we need to reassess racism that has been clouded, to some, by larger issues of the past. . According to an Oct. 14 New York Times article, Limbaugh was dropped from his bid to be co-owner of the St. Louis Rams after NFL Commis- sioner Roger Goodell denounced his bid because it sparked racial contro- versy. Afew black Rams players said they would not play for ateam associ- ated with the controversial talk show host. In addition to criminalizing black NFL players, Limbaugh is clear on what he thinks of blacks. Fair.org noted in a June 7, 2000 article titled "A Color Man Who has a Problem with Color," that Lim- baugh has made such statements as, "Have you ever noticed how all com- posite pictures of wanted criminals resemble Jesse Jackson?" and, "The NAACP should have riot rehearsal. They should get a liquor store and practice robberies." Limbaugh is a part of a growing trend of people whodeny their own racism. They are offended by claims of oppression or excuses to justify incompetence, laziness and crimi- nality. But Limbaugh and his ilk would think differently if they could experience what it feels like to be a part of an oppressed minority. They would know how it feels to have police slam you against a wall and call you a nigger, like they did to me, or be shot in the back for no reason, which is what happened to Oscar Grant, a black California man, on January 1, 2009. They would know how it feels to go to school where only six percent, or less, of the stu- dents were their race. If Limbaugh knew what it was like to sit in the back of the bus, he would reconsider his continued racial slander. Higher standards for defining discrimination. U Everyone has the potential to be racist. But there is a difference between white racism and minority racism. The reason the black com- munity - and the Latino community - is in a disproportionate social state is because of racial oppression. White racism functions to further oppress minorities, whereas black racism just annoys people. Black racism does not cause an entire population to suffer the way that white racism does. I have sympathy for those who deny racism. They don't want to be racist, and there was a time when they would not have been labeled as such. But now that the bar has risen; the big difference is empathy. Our racial views should not be limited to the experience of our privilege. Rath- er, they should be principles based on empathetic understandings of other racial groups. -Matthew Hunter can be reached at majjam@umich.edu. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Nina Amilineni, Emad Ansari, Emily Barton, Jamie Block, Ben Caleca, Michelle DeWitt, Brian Flaherty, Emma Jeszke, Raghu Kainkaryam, Sutha K Kanagasingam, Erika Mayer, Edward McPhee, Harsha Panduranga, Alex Schiff, Asa Smith, Brittany Smith, Radhika Upadhyaya, Rachel Van Gilder, Laura Veith JAMES ALTMAN AND AARON BUCKINGHAM I Pride and pregaming 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. The glory days of tailgating before a Michi- gan football game seem to be in danger. Many students remember exiting South Quad as freshmen and seeing an army of students proudly wearing their maize football shirts. The atmosphere was reminiscent of dreams of what college would be like. There were parties so full people poured out the front door and onto the lawns. And on the 900 block of State Street, rival fraternities who dislike each other on every other day found common ground - the State Street block party. It's a simple fact that the pregame parties on State Street on Football Saturdays are funda- mental in the student culture. Every Football Saturday, students across campus wake up at 8:00 a.m. or earlier to support their school and their team. Supporters of opposing teams have to work their way through the flood of maize. and blue, listen to music blasting and under- stand that they are in Wolverine Country. But the way that police have recently been handling State Street pregame parties has hushed this culture. The authorities need to understand that pre- game parties aren't about getting drunk, acting inappropriately or engaging in other potentially dangerous behaviors. It's about enjoying foot- ball. It's about school pride. It's about knowing that it's great to be a Michigan Wolverine. Having spent years in the fraternity system, we understand how to run a party. The Inter- fraternity Council has an understanding with the Ann Arbor police that fraternity parties will be safe and regulated. This extends to State Street parties. Our house has always complied with police officers. We put up fences to ensure that our parties are contained and don't spill onto the sidewalks or streets. We try to create a safe environment in which to tailgate so that we can have as much fun as possible with little worry. There's no reason this should be unsat- isfactory, because safety is ultimately the big- gest concern. Since the Ann Arbor police shut us down, our house alone has received over $1,000 in fines and bond payments. The city attorney has referred to us as a "nuisance." In a letter sent to us, the city cited "rooftop activities and crowds spilling onto the public sidewalk" as reasons for concern. As we have made clear, this behavior doesn't take place. The city's sudden concern is strange. The city suddenly feels it is necessary to threaten our neighbors and us with lawsuits, and it's unclear why. Beneath all the bureau- cratic political blather from city officials, the answers are hard to find. We will concede that in years past, there have been problems. We are sure that there will be concerns in the future as well. In order to deal with those issues, the houses on the 900 block of State Street have and will continue to be compliant-and respectful of the Ann Arbor police. Ultimately, everyone wants the same thing: safety, and to be able to proudly cheer on the Michigan football team. We don't think that the intentions of Kris- ten Larcom, the Ann Arbor senior assistant city attorney, are to ruin tailgating. But on the 900 block of State Street, that is effectively what has happened. We like being able to wake up with our neighbors at 6:30 a.m. to go out- side and set up our fences while anticipating the day to come. At the last pregame party, we looked out from our porch at 9:45 a.m. to see empty lawns and a quiet State Street. We want to be able to come back 40 years from now and see State Street carry on the traditions that we are fighting to continue now. Saturday is about facilitating a culture that transcends previous- ly isolated social networks, and our tailgates are something fundamental to the Saturday football experience in Ann Arbor. Saturdays are about Michigan pride. Have some. James Altman and Aaron Buckingham are LSA seniors. Don't sweat the swine flu As H1Nlvaccines become avail- able this month, the attention - or lack thereof - to flu pre- vention has again become relevant. The spectrum of reactions to the flu ranges from peo- ple wearing masks on the way to class to students joking about the swine flu at the sound of a single cough. HARSHA People have vary- ing opinions on PANDMNGA the dangers of_ HIN - some say it's all media hype, while others take extra precautions in order to avoid contracting the bug. It's important to take a well-ground- ed approach to swine flu, since nei- ther extreme response is suitable. The University and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are taking major initiatives to combat swine flu's proliferation. The Uni- versity has implemented an effec- tive policy, but the CDC may have to be more careful about the amount of information it dispenses. The effort to combat the virus before it actually becomes a major public health risk makes sense, but it's important to toe the line between creating awareness and inducing panic., The CDC is combating H1N1 nationally. Its website includes pub- lic health warnings and suggestions, among other information. But even given that this virus is more conta- gious than the regular flu and its full effect is unknown, there may be too much information. For example, a person visiting the CDC website will find it full of swine flu death statistics and pages and pages describing how to protect oneself from the virus (even though the precautions are not much different than any other airborne ill- ness), which could provoke unneces- sary paranoia. The right balance of information and action is important. Though the University and CDC serve different roles, the University has done an excellent job of run- ning a campaign that provides the right amount of awareness about the virus on campus. We have all seen the precautionary posters and hand sanitizer dispensers. These are by no means excessive and drastic mea- sures, but rather serve the purpose of encouraging healthy behavior among students - especially since areas like the residence halls are a paradise for the virus. Another element of the swine flu controversy has to do with the vac- cinations. This topic is hotly debated, and rightfully so, because it exposes the conflict between public and per- sonal health. One of the questions that arose has to do with whether the vaccine should be mandated in high-risk situations. The arguments in favor of a mandate are strong - mass vaccination would be likely to lower the spread of the virus, which would both improve public health and protect those who are not vac- cinated through what is called herd immunity. In the event that the out- break becomes worse, especially in an area such as a college campus, a large amount of immunized people on campus wouldn't be a bad thing at all. But there are concerns about mandating vaccinations. First and foremost, the legality of a mandate would surely be challenged as a civil rights issue - as it has been in New York, which mandated vaccination among all health care workers in the state. Reasons given for avoiding the vaccine include a 1976 precedent in which people who were vaccinated for swine flu displayed an unusu- ally high rate of Guillain-Barra Syn- drome, a disorder of the nervous system that leads to paralysis. But this isn't believed to be linked to the current vaccine. The issue of per- sonal choice also arises: Who can tell you what to put in your body? 6 Moderation is the best response to H1N1 fears. A smart vaccination strategy would be a moderate one. Instead of a mandate, a strong recommendation to get vaccinated would not only be a less abrasive policy but also a more effective one. And the CDC has done this right by recommending that individuals in high-risk groups get vaccinated. People would feel less- contemptuous and may be even more likely to comply. Additionally, a vac- tine isn't absolutely required since the majority of H1N1 cases are not fatal. The University is also handling the vaccine situation well by giving free swine flu vaccinations to all stu- dents under the age of 24. By no means should swine flu be ignored - it is more deadly than the average flu and has resulted in a greater number of fatalities in chil- dren. But amoderate approach, which incjudes giving the public the appro- priate amount of information so as not to spur an inefficient and unnec- essary overreaction, is important. The University has done an excellent job creating awareness of HIN and providing vaccinations in a high-risk campus environment. A moderate policy like the one it has adopted is the way to go. -Harsha Panduranga can be reached at harshap@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 tothedoily@umich.edu.