0 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Monday, November 1, 2010 - 5A
SThe Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Monday, November 1, 2010 - 5A
'U' honors veterans as part
of investing in abilities week
Events held last
week aimed to
raise awareness
of disabilities
By MICHELE NAROV
Daily StaffR eporter
Students and other members of
the University community came
together last week to celebrate
veterans and the armed forces as
they observed "Investing in Ability
Week," organized by the Council for
Disability Concerns.
The series of events - called
"HonorABLE: Celebrating all Vet-
erans, Those With and Without
Disabilities" - began last Monday.
Tlie events ranged from film screen-
ings to lectures by veterans that
addressed a wide range of topics,
like the role of service dogs in dis-
ability aid and the obstacles faced
by disabled persons in the classroom
setting.
After hearing about the numer-
ous issues faced by Army veterans,
Anna Ercoli-Schnitzer, disabilities
librarian and member of the CFDC,
said she was moved to propose the
military theme.
"I was inspired by someone in
the military who opened my eyes
to some of the problems," she said.
"And so I suggested that we honor
the military this week."
During the week, the dedication
of the James Edward Knox Adap-
tive Technology Computing Cen-
ter was held. Knox - who worked
at the University for more than 30
years developing computer tech-
nology helpful to disabled students
- passed away on July 4, 2010,
prompting officials to rename the
center in his honor.
The Council also hosted speak-
ers with disabilities and panels
of medical specialists to promote
awareness about conditions like
traumatic brain injury and cerebral
palsy.
Schnitzer said Investing in Abil-
ity week is an important tradition
because people often fail to recog-
nize the high rates of disability.
"People with disabilities are part
of the largest minority in the world,"
Schnitzer said. "They say one out of
five people in Ann Arbor has a dis-
ability."
She added that people with dis-
abilities are a huge part of the Uni-
versity community and, contrary to
what some may believe, they play
a major role in contributing to its
vibrancy.
"Disabilities - I prefer the word
differences but you have to say dis-
abilities so people know what you're
talking about - are a big part of
diversity," Schnitzer said.
The week culminated on Friday
in an intimate 10 a.m. breakfast
presentation of the James T. Neu-
bacher Award, which took place in
the fourth-floor assembly hall of the
Rackham building with an audience
of nearlyl100 people.
The ceremony also included the
presentation of the Wesley Smith
Scholarship and Saul and Shirley
Lederer Scholarship to LSA junior
Brooke Suskin.
In addition, 19 University com-
munity members were awarded
CFDCcertificatesofappreciationfor
activism in disability. Their activism
ranged from disabilities in sports to
making ATMs more accessible for
disabled people.
During the presentation, CDFC
Chair Jack Bernard - who's also an
assistant general counsel and a pro-
fessor at the University - said it was
important to present these awards
because people often lose sight of
what is moral and correct in terms
of disabled people.
"At times we succumb to the story
we see in movies and television that
might make it right," he said. "And
that's not necessarily a good story."
Bernard told the audience, which
included the parents and sister of
James Neubacher, that the award
is a good way to celebrate activism,
because it is named for a University
alum who fought for equal rights for
people with disabilities in his col-
umn in the Detroit Free Press.
The award is presented each year
to an individual who demonstrates
extreme effort to improve the lives
of disabled people.
"Each year we celebrate James
Neubacher because of his willing-
ness to speak," Bernard said.
Prof. Barbara Kornblau, dean of
the School of Health Professions
and Studies at the University's Flint
campus, received the Neubacher
Award this year for her work as a
consultant to Congress to include
and improve health benefits for dis-
abled people in the new government
health care overhaul.
in acceptingthe award, Kornblau
attributed her activism in the field
to the values she learned from her
parents.
"I'm here today because I was
raised by parents who instilled in
me a profound sense of ethics, mor-
als and social justice," she said.
She explained that she went
to an unusual elementary school
populated by some disabled people,
and when some parents protested
the presence of those students, her
mother led a protest against them.
Kornblau said when she trans-
ferred to junior high school, those
students, and the friends she had
made, were no longer present.
"The junior high school had steps
and the students in wheelchairs
couldn't get in to that school," she
said. "Those steps might as well
have been mountains."
Throughout her presentation,
she detailed her triumphant actions
against disability prejudice, such as
Rosa's Law, which took language
offensive to disabled people out of
Maryland's state statutes.
"I hope to go back to Washington
to focus on more advocacy,"she said.
The ceremony was followed by
a 7:30 p.m. wheelchair basketball
game held at Saline High School
and featuring a pre-game national
anthem performance by the 338th
Army Band and the Army Color
Guard. There was also a dance team
performance at halftime.
In addition to the award pre-
sented to Kornblau, LSA junior
Samantha Hamroff received a
CFDC certificate of appreciation
for her work to raise awareness
about celiac disease by hosting glu-
ten-free benefit dinners at various
restaurants to raise money for the
Celiac Disease Center at Columbia
University.
Hamroff said the most important
factor in addressing her disease is
making people more aware of it.
"The more people know about it,
the more they understand it and the
more respectful they are of it," she
said.
She added that a similar message
can be conveyed by other people
with anytype of disability.
"If people know more about dis-
abilities they can accommodate
(disabled persons) and make sure
they're comfortable," she said.
Schnitzer agreed, addingthat she
hoped the week would offer a mes-
sage to students about increased
awareness of disability and the
necessityof social action.
"Raising consciousness about dis-
abilities is important," she said.
ARMSTRONG
From Page 1A
the complaints allege violations of
rules 8.3 and 8.4 of the Michigan
Rules of Professional Conduct.
"We've filed formal com-
plaints," Gordon said in the inter-
view. "I feel very strongly that
Shirvell has violated these rules
and if you do you can lose your
license to practice law."
Armstrong's complaint centers
around rule 8.4, which defines "mis-
conduct" under the Michigan Rules
of Professional Conduct, according
to a press release issued by Gordon.
"The Rule states, in part, that
'it is professional misconduct for
a lawyer to ... engage in conduct
involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit,
misrepresentation, or violation of
the criminal law, where such con-
duct reflects adversely on the law-
yer's honesty, trustworthiness or
fitness as a lawyer,'"Gordon wrote
in the release.
In addition to rule 8.4, the com-
plaint filed by Gordon also focuses
on rule 8.3, which requires that a
SCHAUER
From Page 1A
nent and former Republican Con-
gressman Tim Walberg.
"I do not want my grandchil-
dren to grow up in Tim Walberg's
world," Schauer said.
Schauer also emphasized the
importance of focusing on clean
and alternative forms of energy in
the future.
"We need to break our depen-
dence on foreign oil," he said. "It is
a national security issue."
Schauer, a first-term congress-
man, has had a strong emphasis on
clean energy during his congres-
sional career, something many
members of the Sierra Club say
they admire about him.
Mann said the Sierra Club
strongly supports Schauer as their
candidate of choice in Michigan's
7th Congressional District. Mann
said Schauer's emphasis on clean
ISLAMAPHOBIA
From Page 1A
attends Muslim Students' Associa-
tion events put on for non-Muslims
with his wife, said a friend gave
him the idea for the I Love Mus-
lims Day, prompting Vanderput to
contact the association's president,
Nader Hakim.
"I said, 'I'd love to do it on 9/11
because in fact, this crazy guy in
Florida wants to burn a Quran that
day, and we just want to show you
guys that the Jesus we love and
worship is not like that,"' Vander-
put said.
The date was later changed to
Oct. 25 due to schedule conflict
with the end of Ramadan.
Hakim said he enjoyed the
event and thought it encouraged
dialogue between the students
who attended.
"It was really amazing. Over-
all it was a really sincere effort
on (Campus Ministry's) part, and
that's what I think made it really
great," Hakim said.
Joiningthe fight againstIslama-
phobia is the University's chapter
of JStreetU, a nationwide student
organization that aims to promote
peace in the Middle East.
According to a Sept. 14 view-
point in The Michigan Daily, the
University's chapter of JStreetU
is petitioning students to voice
opposition toward anti-Muslim
sentiments. The organization's
members want to present the
petition to the Michigan Student
Assembly in an effort to pass a
resolution about fostering a safe
campus environment for Muslim
students.
So far, JStreetU has gained
nearly 700 signatures. The orga-
nization has reached out to oth-
ers for support as well, including'
the University's chapter of Col-
lawyer must report another attor-
ney to the Attorney Grievance
Commission if they have knowl-
edge of a "significant violation of
the Rules of Professional Conduct
that raises a substantial question
as to that lawyer's honesty, trust-
worthiness or fitness as a lawyer."
on top of the complaints, Gor-
don told the Daily she is also send-
ing a letter to Shirvell's attorney.
"(We're) asking for retractions
of all the lies'and defamation, ask-
ing him to ensure that he does
not tamper with evidence, that he
maintain his hard drive, computer
and so on."
Gordon, who was an assistant
attorney general in Michigan early
in her career, said there's been no
decision on whether to pursue
further legal action at this time,
but made it clear that litigation
hasn't been ruled out.
"The request for the retraction
is the first step in the process. We
have not made a final decision on
(litigation)," Gordon said. "I've
been retained now. I'm a lawyer
that brings litigation typically."
Gordon continued: "It's unfor-
energy made the choice easy for
the Sierra Club.
"Mark Schauer has been a very
strong supporter of clean energy,
clean energy jobs, and our envi-
ronmental objectives in general,"
Mann said. "He justis very princi-
pled and in favor of the issues that
we care about."
Mannsaid she thinks an empha-
sis on clean energy is important in
strengthening the economy and
she believes Schauer is the best
candidate to get that done.
In an interview after the event,
Schauer said the student vote is
essential in Tuesday's election.
"Part ofour get outthe vote effort
has been to identify those student
voters throughtheir home, tryingto
contact them directly, urging their
parents to contact them, help them
make arrangements to vote," he
said. "It'svery important"
Schauer added, "College stu-
dents were instrumental in Presi-
dent Obama's election two years
lege Democrats and University of
Michigan Hillel, in order to pro-
mote the petition and resolution.
LSA sophomore Yonah Lieber-
man, the outreach chair of the
University's chapter of JtreetU,
explained the importance of col-
laborating with outside organi-
zations on campus to promote
awareness of Islamaphobia.
"It's really important to show
that students from all backgrounds
and all walks of life are against
Islamaphobia," he said. "Thank-
fully, it hasn't really hit Ann Arbor
so much."
Like Campus Ministry, JStree-
tU also collaborated with the
Muslim Students' Association last
month to discuss what could be
done about anti-Islamic sentiment.
Because there is a strong pres-
ence of Muslims and Arabs in the
state, JStreetU and the Muslim
Students' Association hosted an
event on Oct. 6 to hold a conversa-
tion about Islamaphobia in Michi-
gan. About 35 students gathered
in a Mason Hall classroom for the
talk.
Though the recent events are
helping to increase dialogue, Mus-
lim Students' Association officials
say they want to do more to con-
nect with other students on cam-
pus. In the past, Hakim said, the
association has kept to itself and
has not done "enough reaching
out."
In an effort to promote a good
cause and expand their reach on
campus, the group hosted the sec-
ond annual Pink Hijab Day last
Wednesday. The group's male and
female members were asked to don
either a pink hijab - a head cover-
ing worn by some Muslim women
- or another article of pink cloth-
ing to raise awareness for breast
cancer.
Association members also set
up a table by the Mason Hall post-
tunate that is has to come to this,
and maybe it won't, but at this
point something has to be done to
stop this person."
A call to Armstrong was not
immediately returned.
An official at the Michigan
Attorney Grievance Commission
said she could not confirm whether
or not the complaints had been filed
because all filings are confidential.
Shirvell was banned from the
University's Ann Arbor campus on
Sept.14 by the Department of Pub-
lic Safety. Shirvell and his attorney
requested a hearing to appeal the
trespass order, which was heard
today, according to DPS spokes-
woman Diane Brown.
Brown said a decision on the
appeal is expected in the next
several days. She said possible
outcomes could include denying
the appeal, revoking the trespass
order all together or modifyingthe
scope of the order to allow Shirvell
on certain parts of campus.
- Daily News Editors Stephanie
Steinberg and Devon Thorsby
contributed to this report.
ago, and they will be a deciding
factor in the elections around the
country this year."
Schauer said his record on edu-
cation has been clear and that he
remains committed to focusing on
the affordability of higher educa-
tion.
"I think this is when we need
to double-down on education and
it should be number one as part
of our economic strategy in this
country," he said. "The smartest
countries are going to win, the
smartest states, the smartest com-
munities are goingto win, and you
don't win by cutting education.
Schauer said he wakes up every
day "fighting for jobs and fighting
for economic opportunity," and
that he doesn't plan to stop if re-
elected.
"I'm very practical and prag-
matic, and very hard working
about that," he said. "That will be
my passion again in my second
term."
ing wall to sell cupcakes and rib-
bons and ask for donations to the
cause.
LSA senior Romeissa Selmane,
Islamic Relations Chair for the
Muslim Students'Association, said
the event proved how "important
the issue is to Muslim women."
The Muslim Students' Associa-
tion is also reaching out to Univer-
sity residence halls to create an
event called Fast-a-Thon, which
would take place during the month
of Ramadan next year. The event
would consist ofa day offastingfor
Muslims and non-Muslims alike
and commence in a celebratory
dinner in residence halls.
Hakim said the association
has already partnered with local
Muslim-owned businesses, which
would donate money on behalf of
each participant in the event.
Hakim said the Muslim Stu-
dents' Association also wishes
to organize an event that would
facilitate discussion between stu-
dents of the three Abrahamic reli-
gions: Christianity, Judaism and
Islam. Vanderput agreed an event
is needed to increase "interfaith
dialogue."
"Maybe we talk about who is
God? How do we as Muslims or
how do we as Christians view the
character of God?" Vanderput
said.
He added that he and Campus
Ministry are not trying to "blur the
distinction" between the religions
but rather promote understand-
ing of the "very common ground"
between them.
Hakim expressed a similar sen-
timent, saying that the religions
need to do more than tolerate each
other.
"I think tolerance isn't a strong
enough word because we don't
want to just tolerate each other, we
want to understand and respect
everyone," Hakim said.
AATA
From Page 1A
coveragetoheavily-traffickedareas.
Stasiak added that the plan would
also address more ambitious, long-
term projects like extending AATA
service to other areas countywide.
"There will be short-term, imme-
diate things we can do ... and then
we'll be looking at things we can
accomplish within 30 years," Sta-
siak said.
Stasiak said the AATA is using
this initial phase to gather as much
feedback as possible so it can pro-
pose a plan that will be widely sup-
ported by the community at large.
"Now is the time that we're really
trying to get people's input," Stasiak
said.
To do that, the AATA has been
holding a series of public meetings
to gather feedback that it can use in
developing the plan.
At one such meeting on Oct. 6,
AATA officials echoed Stasiak's
comment and said the main goal of
the plan is to accommodate public
transportation concerns.
"At the center of all of this is the
people who are benefiting from
the system," AATA Strategic Plan-
ner Michael Benem told the crowd
gathered at the meeting at the
Ann Arbor District Library's main
branch.
Though no concrete plans cur-
rently exist, Benem said he hopes
city officials will have plans to
implement in the near future.
"We don't want plans that just
sit on the shelf We want plans
that ... have a life," Benem said at
the meeting.
But Stasiak said the public meet-
ings haven't been well-attended by
the AATA's most important demo-
graphic - people who actually
ride the buses.
According to Stasiak, only 40
percent of the feedback the AATA
has received so far has come from
riders.
in order to reach the riders, offi-
cials decided to take AATA pub-
lic meetings straight to the buses
- and that's how Rabhi ended up
crammed in a bus headed to Ypsi-
* lanti several days before the elec-
tion that will decide his political
future.
Far from being distracted by
pre-election anxiety, Rabhi said
he felt immediately engaged in his
conversations with passengers.
"People really want to ... share
what's important to them," Rabhi
said in an interview after the bus
ride Friday. "It's areallygreat expe-
rience."
During his AATA "office hours"
Rabhi spoke with a number of riders
who voiced concerns about bus ser-
vice as well as proposed transporta-
tion changes.
Max Bonilla, a sophomore at
Ann Arbor's Community High
School, told Rabhi that though she
enjoys talking to fellow passen-
gers on her daily ride home from
school, she wishes the bus was less
crowded.
As Bonilla spoke, the bus was
almost completely packed, with
Rabbi estimating upwards of So rid-
ers.
According to Bonilla, the high
number of passengers "makes it
harder to get to school on time"
because of the amount of times the
bus stops for passengers.
Charles Morey, an Ypsilanti resi-
dent who works at Pizza House on
Church Street, told Rabhi that he
wishes the AATA would extend its
weekend hours so he doesn't have to
catch a bus four hours before his job
begins at 10 p.m.
Despite their criticisms, though,
both Bonilla and Morey said they
enjoy AATA's service.
After the ride, Rabhi said he
appreciated the opportunity to talk
to passengers far more than he'd
expected.
"My first impression was that it
might be kind of awkward," Rabhi
said of the event. "But today I expe-
rienced that people really want to
talk."
Thinking about the future, Rabhi
added that, if elected, he plans to
help the AATA in its long-term
vision for county-wide transporta-
tion.
"My role (is) asking people ... if
they want the AATA bus to go a
little further," Rabhi said, adding,
"Transportation is a regional issue.
It's about how the city connects ... to
the rest of Michigan."
Among the events' other par-
ticipants was Newcombe Clark, a
29-year-old graduate student in the
Ross School of Business who's run-
ning as a Democrat for Ann Arbor
City Council in the fifth ward.
Clark - who rode an AATA bus
on Thursday - also said he left the
event feeling inspired about the
future of busing in Ann Arbor.
Clark added that he has a bold
vision for the AATA's future.
"In five years there will be a
new Blake Transit Center, WiFi on
all the buses and we'll have most
of the fleet converted to hybrids,"
Clark said.
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