4A - Wednesday, January 20, 2010
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ELAINE MORTON I
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JACOB SMILOVITZ
EDITOR IN CHIEF
RACHEL VAN GILDER
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
MATT AARONSON
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.
Halt Asian carp invasion
Federal government must intervene to stop invasive fish
Unexplainably, the U.S. Supreme Court denied discussion
of a motion regarding a pertinent, multi-state environ-
mental issue yesterday, without any justification for the
ruling. The appeal, filed by Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox,
petitioned for an injunction against the state of Illinois, request-
ing that it be ordered to close the locks that separate the Chicago
Sanitary and Ship Canal from Lake Michigan. Cox's argument
stems from a long battle over stopping Asian carp - currently
located in Illinois waterways - from invading the Great Lakes.
The Supreme Court needs to address this time-sensitive issue
and ensure that the state of Illinois is protecting the environment
Common ground with Haiti
instead of its own interests.
Asian carp is an invasive species that
eats well beyond its fair share of food and,
as a result, disrupts local ecosystems. Carp
are currently located in parts of the Mis-
sissippi and Illinois rivers, which connect
to the Great Lakes. On Jan. 12, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers reported that it
had discovered carp DNA past the electric
barriers intended to keep the fish out of the
Lakes. The state of Michigan called for an
injunction along with Ohio, Indiana, Min-
nesota, Wisconsin, New York and Penn-
sylvania, arguing that the carp's entrance
would endanger fishing industries. The
Supreme Court dismissed the injunction,
and didn't state when it would rule again
on the issue.
For Michigan, specifically, the invasion
would be detrimental to the tourism indus-
try. And the Great Lakes thrive off of a $7
billion fishing industry, which the carp
would decimate as they consume resources
other species, like trout and salmon, need
to survive. The states that depend upon the
Great Lakes are in danger of losing their
greatest resource. If the federal govern-
ment doesn't intervene and force Illinois to
close its waterways, the damage will range
beyond just one state.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) hosted Illinois
officials on Thursday to discuss the issue,
and assured the Huffington Post that the
state is "not in denial" of the threat. But it
o me, blacks across the world
who were displaced by the
African Slave Trade, along
with Africans
of West African
descent, have a
responsibility to
our Haitian breth-
ren. We have a
duty to not only -.
care, but also to be
directly involved
in helping"the
Haitian people to BRITTANY
repair what was
broken by the mag- SMITH
nitude 7 earth-_
quake that left
Haiti in ruins on
Jan. 12. Black Americans must unite
under a common cause during Haiti's
time of desperate need.
As a black person who is a descen-
dant of the West African slave trade, I
feel that there is a common black cul-
tural experience ofenslavement among
those displaced by the slave trade. This
has resulted in the random separa-
tion of our ancestral families across all
seven continents and various islands in
the Caribbean, where more slaveswere
recorded to have been sent than to
the American South. Therefore, many
black Americans and Africans who
descend from western Africa may have
familial ties in the Haitian region but
are left unaware.
As was true with Hurricane
Katrina, the destruction Haiti expe-
rienced resonated with me in a par-
ticular way. The connection I feel for
the Caribbean is driven by a shared
experience of enslavement, coloni-
zation and forced separation from
a past of our own that was brought
about by the slave trade that removed
our ancestors from western Africa.
Consequently, blacks who have been
displaced from Africa are connected
by a spirit so strong that it would be a
disgrace to Haitians if ignored.
"The only thing that is killing me
right now is that under the rubble...
you can still hear voices of people
like... 'Save me, save me, save me."'
When I heard Wyclef Jean, a hip
hop record producer and artist with
Haitian roots, make this remark on a
recent YouTube video, I instantly felt
a pull on my heartstrings and a sud-
den yearning to have a greater invest-
ment in the rehabilitation of Haiti. I
experienced a human connection to
the devastation of Haiti.
As close my eyes and envision this
image of Haitian people stuck under
concrete buildings, I am reminded
of how African slaves were packed
under grated hatchways en route to
an unknown fate. As I listen to Jean
tell of how Port-au-Prince "is starting
to smell like death," I recall slaves'
accounts of the smell during the ships
on the journey to the New World that
was unbearable because of bodies left
to expire on the ship - ifthey weren't
tossed into the ocean by the ship's
crew first.
Though I acknowledge that there
is a distinct difference between the
human cruelty of the slave trade and
a natural disaster, I feel a common
cultural thread between them. When
I hear that cries for help heard under
the Haitian rubble often go unad-
dressed because of the lack of neces-
sary rescue equipment, I have mixed
emotions of despair, sorrow and fury.
As opposed to the colonial era, where
my position to potentially help my
fellow African brethren would have-
been limited; I am now in a position
to help to resolve the Haitian crisis.
But because the devastation to Haiti
is so expansive, I hardly know where
to begin.
The number of relief programs that
offer aid to Haiti can be a bit over-
whelming. Because of the concern
displayed by students, faculty, staff
and various departments within the
Division of Student Affairs, the Office
of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs
introduced a groundbreaking initia-
tive. MESA created an all-inclusive
organization comprised of various
initiatives, student groups and Uni-
versity officials and affiliates work-
ing together to formulate efficient aid
solutions to the Haitian crisis. It has *
been appropriately named the Michi-
gan Haiti Earthquake Action Relief
Team, or M-HEART.
Blacks have the
responsibility to
help Haitians.
I joined M-HEART because of my
previous affiliation with MESA, and
am pleased by MESA's investment
to make community building funda-
mental in the Haitian relief effort.
MESA's interest in repairing commu-
nities in Haiti directly involves Afri-
can American, black Caribbean and
African students to bridge the cultur-
al gap between blacks who have been
separated by a past that has stripped
African Americans and Caribbean
people of their African roots. This
lost African heritage that connects
members of the Black race can only
be understood when acknowledging
that families were separated across
the American South, the Caribbean
and Africa. When I see the pictures of
Haitians striving to survive, I think of
how there is a strong possibility that
I may be ancestrally related to them.
Years from now when I look back on
this crisis, I wouldn't feel right with
knowing that the potential for kin-
dred existed and I acted selfishly and
was silent when the Haitian cry for
help was so resoundingly clear.
M-HEART offered me a chance to
connect with the Haitians I feel for.
And other blacks should find similar
ways to reach out to the Haitians that
share our cultural heritage.
- Brittany Smith can be reached
at smitbrit@umich.edu.
seems unlikely that Illinois will take proper
action to prevent the carp's migration into
the Great Lakes. Illinois has argued that
closingthe waterways willbe costly for Chi-
cago's commercial shipping industry, even
though this would help protect the largest
chain of freshwater lakes in the country.
Illinois is ignoring the pressing and realis-
tic concerns of other Great Lakes' states in
favor of its own.
In order to resolve competing state
interests, the federal government needs to
defend the Great Lakes states - but it hasn't
been impartial. U.S. Solicitor General Elena
Kagan asked the Supreme Court to reject
the lawsuit, in defense of Illinois, argu-
ing that the DNA found was the product of
experimental testing. This makes it seem
that President Barack Obama's administra-
tion is simply siding with his home state in
the battle, rather than giving the issue the
serious consideration it demands. This is
exactly the circumstance that calls for fed-
eral intervention. And it is the responsibil-
ity of the Supreme Court to hear the case
fairly. A ruling by the Supreme Court is the
best way to certify that the waterways will
be closed. The Court needs to address the
issue immediately.
The treat of the carp is real, and Illinois
is in no place to make decisions that will
ultimately be detrimental to the other Great
Lakes states.
WANT TO BE AN OPINION CARTOONIST?
E-MAIL RACHEL VAN GILDER AT RACHELVG@UMICH.EDU
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Nina Amilineni, William Butler, Nicholas Clift,
Michelle DeWitt, Brian Flaherty, Jeremy Levy, Erika Mayer, Edward McPhee,
Emily Orley, Harsha Panduranga, Alex Schiff, Asa Smith,
Brittany Smith, Radhika Upadhyaya, Laura Veith
Decriminalize freedom
EMILY ORLEY
Bleeding love
As a self-diagnosed trypanophobiac (a person
who fears needles), needles are something that
I try to avoid. But in an economy where people
have enough problems with health care and in
a world where earthquakes can shake one third
of a country to the ground, I think I am going to
have to start facing my fear. Yesterday, the Amer-
ican Red Cross Big Ten Blood Challenge began.
The competition, which lasts one month, is inclu-
sive to every person affiliated with the Univer-
sity. And on a campus comprised of over 41,000
students and more than 6,000 faculty members,
there is no reason that everyone shouldn't be
walking around with at least an "I tried" sticker.
Every two seconds, a person somewhere in the
world needs blood. But blood is something that
can only come from a viable, willing donor. There
is no alternative or substitute. Every time a donor
gives blood, one simple pint, he or she potentially
saves three lives. That means that if every person
on campus gave one pint of blood, our campus
alone could help approximately 141,000 people.
For college students, it is often difficult to find
ways to be involved or do something substan-
tial for global problems. Giving money is often
an option that many of us don't have due to the
financial burdens of housing and tuition. Provid-
ing aid, in terms of manual labor, is something
that isn't realistic because of our location and the
time demanded by school commitments. This
opportunity is a way for students to contribute
somethingthat is beneficial to any cause.
Giving blood is a form of aid that can be valu-
able to any race, demographic or country. The
donation can help someone in a hospital down
the street who is having surgery or someone
who is being treated with chemotherapy. Or the
blood can be stored and used in the event of a
catastrophic situation, like Hurricane Katrina.
Blood shortages also occur frequently across the
country, especially in blood types O negative and
AB positive, the rarer blood types. The American
Red Cross is unable to foresee an emergency or a
shortage, so having as many people donate blood
whenever they can provides the organization
with a comfortable cushion.
Unfortunately,there are people who are unable
to donate blood. Certain people are not allowed
to give because of personal medical problems or
personal choices. Donors also must be 17 years
old and weigh at least 110 lbs. But if everyone at
least went down to a blood bank and attempted to
donate, the community would have a better over-
all performance. The blood drive relies on a rip-
ple effect. If someone is sitting with two friends
and decides he or she is goingto go give blood and
is able to encourage his or her friends to tag along,
the blood drive has been further advertised and
hopefully has gained a few more pints.
This year, more than ever, people on campus
should take advantage of the blood battle. There
are stations set up around campus almost every
day from Jan. 19 to Feb. 19, providing ample
opportunities to fit an hour into your day over
the next four weeks. This chance is very rarely
so convenient. You can make an appointment in
advance atwww.givelife.org.
There are many things on this campus that
divide our society. Religious beliefs, political
views and opinions about lifestyle all factor into
how the melting pot of this University remains
segregated. But, this is one topic that no one can
argue over. Giving blood is solely a beneficial act.
There is no other side tothe argument. And if you
too suffer from trypanophobia, just remember
that afterward you get a free cookie and perhaps
a feeling of accomplishment that you did some-
thing selfless and rewarding.
Emily Orley is a senior editorial page editor.
n my time atthe University, many
of my friends and classmates and
I have expressed support for
legalizing marijua-
na - the use, sale
and possession of
which is currently
prohibited under 4
federal law. We're
not alone. Last w
year marked the
first time that the
majority of Ameri-
cans favored end- ALEX
ing prohibition of
pot when a May BILES
2009 Zogby poll
discovered that 52
percent of respon-
dents advocated its legalization.
Legalization advocates often base
their case in a call for personal free-
dom. They (and I) argue that it isn't
justifiable for governments to tell
individuals what they can and cannot
put into their own bodies - especial-
ly since marijuana use is generally
considered a victimless crime. The
marijuana ban is also preposterous
because extensive research has dem-
onstrated that pot is less harmful
than legal substances like alcohol and
cigarettes. In many states, patients
suffering from terminal illnesses
can't obtain medical marijuana, a
proven pain reliever. These patients
often forsake acquisition of cannabis
in fear of retribution by the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration.
There are also economic disadvan-
tages brought about through the crim-
inalization of marijuana. Economic
regulations or favoritism typically
discriminate in favor of one group at
the expense of another, and cannabis
prohibition is no exception. For exam-
ple, African Americans are 10 times
more likely to become convicted of a
drug-related offense than whites, as
found by a 2007 Justice Policy Insti-
tute study. Since 1980, the number of
Americans in prison has increased by
a factor of five, and many have been
imprisoned for non-violent offenses,
according to U.S. Department of Jus-
tice statistics dating back to 1910..
Since the implementation of the
war on drugs, which includes the
marijuana crackdown, nearly one
trillion dollars of taxpayer money
have been wasted. The money could
have instead been invested in edu-
cation and health programs. In fact,
legalizing marijuana and imposing
modest taxation could earn signifi-
cant revenue for governments facing
budget shortfalls.
And prohibition on consumption
breeds crime because it results in the
creation of a black market in which
consumers and suppliers can't settle
conflicts with conventional, legal
methods, like lawsuits or advertising,
so they often resort to violence. This
is evident in data detailing the spike
in crime during the Prohibition Era.
With this knowledge available, how
do Americans find it permissible to
allow our elected officials to prohibit
individuals from trading or consum-
ing the cannabis crop?
On top of concerns about personal
choice and the dangers of black mar-
ket trade, cannabis is also a valuable
resource because it yields hemp. But
the U.S. government prohibits the
cultivation of the hemp fiber, even
though it is extremely useful in the
production of fuel, paper, textiles,
and biodegradable plastic.
In fact, the cultivation of hemp was
the catalyst for criminalizing canna-
bis in the country. Marijuana became
illegal as a result of government inter-
vention in the 1930s that did not allow
the free market to work. Newspaper
tycoon William Randolph Hearst -
heavily invested in the timber indus-
try - colluded with members of the
federal government to destroy com-
petition from the rapidly expanding
hemp paper industry. What perplexes
me most is that many advocates of
marijuana legalization who rightfully
put forward many of the free-market
arguments I have championed here are
among the first to decry laissez-faire
capitalism and call for stringent regu-
lations on other industries.
It's wrong to restrict the use of
cannabis, they argue, but okay to
regulate the automotive industry
with strict emissions standards and 4
encouragement of subsidized hybrid
vehicles. The fundamentals remain
the same, whether the issue at hand is
the prohibition of marijuana or ludi-
crous taxes and emission restrictions
placed on the gas-guzzling monstros-
ity known as the Hummer.
The crackdown
on the cannabis
trade is ridiculous.
Even if some people can't swallow
the proverbial pill that economic reg-
ulation is morally unjustifiable and
economically destructive, they must
acknowledge the lack of consistency
in interventionist policies that sel-
dom achieve the goals of their well-
intentioned sponsors and instead
exacerbate problems.
The systematic destruction of
the free-market principles that this
country was founded on, as well as
the erosion of our civil liberties, can
be directly attributed to the ever-
increasing growth and power of the
federal government. Besides being
antithetical to the notion of a free
society, we must understand that
governments are ultimately as self-
interested as the businessmen who
we love to hate.
It's time for individuals to embrace
the idea of personal responsibility
and ultimately decide what's best for
them - not big businesses or a mono-
lithic government. It's time I should
be able to decide whether to purchase
an efficient and environmentally
friendly Toyota Prius over a Hummer,
without a federal subsidy involved.
It's time I should decide whether
to damage my lungs via marijuana
smoke or cigarettes - or if I want to
abstain from consumption of either.
It's time to legalize freedom.
- Alex Biles can be reached
at jabiles@umich.edu.
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E-MAIL RACHEL VAN GILDER AT RACHELVG@UMICH.EDU FOR MORE INFORMATION.