4A - Wednesday, September 15, 2010 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com paId igan4:atIl Edited and managed by students at 4,the University of Michigan since 1890. Jj !4 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@umich.edu 9 We want to make Google the third half of your brain." - Google co-founder Sergey Brin, after the introduction of Google instant, as reported by Time Magazine last week. 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. Bank on recycling CHRISTINA SUH E-MAIL CHRISTINA AT CHSUH@UMICH.EDU Students should capitalize on incentives to go green ING! First they came for the president I * Everyone knows that recycling is good for the earth - but did you know it could also be good for your wallets? That's the incentive used by the program that will be Ann Arbor's partner in recycling for the next 10 years. The program, called RecycleBank, focuses on promoting environmental friendliness by offering incentive points that are redeemable at participating businesses. Since the program is newly established, there are some issues that the city and RecycleBank need to figure out - like dis- tributing points to shared residences. But nevertheless, students and residents should take advantage of the points-based program to benefit the environment. In July, Ann Arbor shifted to a sin- gle-stream recycling system. The shift attracted RecycleBank, a New-York based initiative that operates internationally, to increase recycling. RecycleBank aims to make participation in its recycling pro- gram simple. Households that choose to participate will receive a 64-gallon Recy- cleBank cart. As reported by the Daily last week, Recyclebank carts will contain a sensor. When households participate, they will be credited with points on online accounts. These points are redeemable at restaurants like Zingerman's Deli and Ann Arbor Brewing Company, grocers and both local and national retailers. The program was enacted on Sept. 1. The RecycleBank program was made possible by Ann Arbor's switch to a sin- gle-stream recycling system. This system allowed residents to recycle everything in one easy trip to the curb without having to sort plastics from paper. Many college students live on a tight bud- get. This new program will help students save the world and put a few bucks in their pockets in the process. If students haven't already been recycling, there's absolutely no reason now not to throw their card- board pizza boxes in the recycle bin rather than the trash. According to a spokeswom- an for RecycleBank, program participants can earn between $130 to $200 in points per year. Points are redeemable at some of the many popular businesses frequented by students like The village Apothecary, Cottage Inn and Stucchi's, according to the Ann Arbor city government's website. However, there is a minor glitch in this seemingly beneficial program: the problem of dealing with group housing, which is common in Ann Arbor. It's not very prac- tical for everyone in a residence to have their own 64-gallon RecycleBank cart - that would take up quite a bit of space. One possible way to manage the problem is for RecycleBank to distribute the points equal- ly among the number of residents. Or the program could award points in a lump sum to each house and let the residents work it out. Students should voice their opinion and offer suggestions to fix the only problem in an otherwise great plan. Students enrolled in the program can comment on service at www.recyclebank.com. RecycleBank has made it more personal- ly profitable than ever to recycle. There is no reason to not take advantage of this new program to continue to clean up and pre- serve our planet - and get another pizza. Sometimes it's difficult for me to accept that things like rac- ism and homophobia still exist in the world today. But living in Ann Arbor has shown me that instances = of bias and preju- dice can happen anywhere, even in the most liberal of places. If you don't believe me, sim- ply Google "Chris NOEL Armstrong Watch" and you'll find doz- ens of examples of hate speech that personally attack our newest Michi- gan Student Assembly president, Chris Armstrong. Unfortunately for the "concerned Michigan alumnus" operating this blog, I also know how to spot a bigot when I see one. According to the Attorney Gen- eral's office, 2002 University gradu- ate Andrew Shirvell is an Michigan assistant attorney general, as reported by the Daily yesterday. He has a long history of launching personal attacks against members of LGBTQ commu- nity, abortion rights supporters and congressional Democrats. And even though you'd think Shirvell would have learned his lesson by now given his various run-ins with people who have decried his outra- geous behavior in the past, he's back to his old tricks again with "Chris Arm- strong Watch." The site, he claims in his opening post, is "for concerned University of Michigan alumni, stu- dents, and others who oppose the recent election of Chris Armstrong - a radical homosexual activist, racist, elitist, and liar - as the new head of student government." But, per usual, Shirvell has willfully mischaracter- ized his victim in a feeble attempt to gain legitimacy and credibility. In the same Apr. 29 entry, Shirvell insists that our new MSA president plans to "promote (a) radical homo- sexual agenda, including gay 'mar- riage' and adoption 'rights."' But that doesn't seem right. When asked about this issue in an interview with the Daily, Armstrong unequivocally said that he planned to advocate for all students regardless of their sexual orientation. Just a few paragraphs later, Shirvell suggests that Armstrong's support of gender-neutral housing will "endan- ger female students, as it will also force heterosexuals of different gen- ders to share the same room and will undoubtedly lead to a massive increase in rapes." But that argument doesn't make a whole lot of sense, because a gender-neutral housing option - which hasn't even become official University policy yet - will undoubtedly beone that is opt-in only. And while it's certainly possible that there might be an increase of rapes at the University with the implementa- tion of such a policy, it isn't "undoubt- edly" going to happen. As far as I know, there is no causal link between simply living with a member of the opposite sex and getting raped. I suppose the one thing that I can't criticize Shirvell for is his condemna- tion of Armstrong's decision to join the Order of Angell. But disagreeing with the president's decision to join Angell doesn't justify vilifying him, his family or his friends. Shirvell doesn't want to "ensure that (Chris Armstrong) does not discriminate against pro-life, pro-family, Chris- tian, and minority student organiza- tions at U of M" as he suggests in his May 11blog post. He wants to promote his own radical, hate-filled agenda by whatever means necessary. I am a firm believer in the First Amendment. But this isn't a First Amendment issue. This is unsub- stantiated character assassination. You can't publicly speculate about a person's sexual history, stalk his Facebook page for material you think supports your absurd position or harass students who make clearly sar- castic remarks at your expense. These are the actions of a coward - nothing more, nothing less. People who make baseless accusations from behind a computer screen don't deserve a plat- form. That, to me, seems to suggest that Shrivell has something to hide, whether that is alack of evidence or a lack of character. Students should unite against alum's hate speech. It is our job as a community of proud Wolverines to ensure that Shirvell does not make a mockery of what it means to have once worn the maize and blue. We must stand up against his attempts to victimize Armstrong. Failing to do so would allow Shirvell to continue moving from victim to victim without pause. We must stand up and fight against all forms of intolerance lest we forget the somber fate of those who regret- fully conceded that, "First they came for the Communists, but I did not speak up because I was not a Com- munist." - Noel Gordon can be reached at noelaug@umich.edu. W HAT'S YOUR " OPINION? THE podium The Daily opinion blog wants you to tell us what you think. Asa Smith ponders the usefulness of a gubernatorial debate between Rick Snyder and Virg Bernero. YONAH LIEBERMAN AND ALEX LEVY Stand up for tolerance Your choice of spiritual utensil Last Saturday was the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept, 11, 2001. That day unified us as Americans. But at the very same time, it divided us across religious lines and amplified negative Muslim stereotypes. Over the past few months, this anti-Muslim sentiment has reared its ugly head across the nation. In May, a man brought a pipe bomb into a Florida mosque during daily prayers and set it off. In late August, a cab driver in New York City was stabbed by his passenger after the driver told the passenger he was Muslim. Most prominent in the news is the contro- versial Islamic community center in New York City not far from ground zero. Created for the purpose of social and cultural activities, it has been inaccurately portrayed by some news media and many renowned pundits as a radical Islamic headquarters in one of America's most iconic cities. Though the acts on Sept. 11 were commit- ted in the name of Islam, Islam is a large and diverse religion. It is a gross misrepresentation to associate a small number of fanatics with all of Islam. The writers of this viewpoint think it's vital that Americans understand that the ter- rorist acts of Sept. 11, 2001 were carried out by radical extremists motivated by fear and hate - a description that doesn't include most of the wide array of Muslims across the world. We have been appalled by all of these events as well as the support that these anti-Muslim extrem- ists have received from the American public. Signs of anti-Muslim sentiments are taking root on university campuses in this area. At Michigan State University, a Quran was burned and left on the steps of a local mosque. Pages from the book were spread throughout the campus. Even here in Ann Arbor, some Mus- lim students have been the victims of hateful actions. Our campus community should act now before the hate gets worse. As members of JStreetU, we are dedicated to finding a peaceful and just solution to the Israe- li-Palestinian conflict. To achieve this, there must be mutual respect on both sides. Because many locations in the Middle East are consid- ered holy by all three Abrahamic religions, peace in this region can't come without mutual religious respect. Pervasive anti-Muslim senti- ments are a major issue prohibiting a peaceful agreementbetween Israelis and Palestinians. If America - which is leading the peace talks at the moment - can't bring its citizens to appre- ciate Muslim citizens, then our nation has no place at the bargaining table. As Americans, we want to be present in creating a solution. This requires an end to negative Muslim stereotypes and violence against Muslims at home to make peace abroad. Starting right now, the University's chapter of JStreetU is joining over 50 campuses across the country in a massive campaign to fight anti- Muslim hate acts and speech across America. We have started a petition that aims at raising awareness on campus and becoming a presence in this important national conversation. This fight is important to us as students, to the cam- pus community and to our nation. Most impor- tantly, the fight against anti-Islam sentiments is important to the peace process. JStreetU calls upon the University campus to join this effort for unity in this time of divi- sion. Campus leaders - Muslim and non-Mus- lim, religious and non-religious - should join together as a unified force to fight unfair ste- reotypes and actions. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their community. Joining our campaign will bring us one step closer to developing a safe and supportive community for all students. The University community prides itself on its inclusiveness. JStreetU aims to make that ideal a reality. People will notice a unified movement to stop hateful stereotypes. Ameri- cans will take a moment and reconsider their abusive stance towards Muslims and recognize the need for respect for all. ' Sign our petition and join us. Please contact either of us at yonahl@umich.edu or aglevy@ umich.edu if you are interested in joining the coalition or find us at our booth in Mason Hall, starting one week from today. Yonah Lieberman is the outreach chair of the University's chapter of JStreetU and Alex Levy is a co-chair of JStreetU. There is no spoon. Okay, there is a spoon, but it's in the drawer. I think it would be weird if a person only had spoons, but some people just think that they are the best of the uten- sils. So whether , they keep forks and knives or not is their prerogative. People should be ERIC able to use which-S ever of the three SZKARLAT utensils that they like. And what is it to me where you keep your spoons, or when you buy them? Now replace the word "spoon" with the word "mosque". Replace "drawer" with "community center." Replace "forks" and "knives" with "churches" and "synagogues." Adjust the scenar- ios accordingly, and you have a situa- tion similar to the one regarding the so-called "ground zero mosque." Eating utensils aren't as odd a choice of a metaphor as you may think. Frank- ly, whichever of the Abrahamic reli- gions youpracticeyou share aspiritual history with the other two, particular- ly the prophets. The figure Abraham is the root of all three. The Quran, the Old Testament and the Bible all share common laws and stories, includ- ing what are often known as the "Ten Commandments." All three consider Jerusalem a holy city. Yes, there are numerous differences, just like between eating utensils. Usu- ally, if you buy a particular set of silver- ware, they will share similar handle designs, be made of the same material, have the same shine, and be roughly similar sizes to one another. Their functions can even overlay. Certainly you could either use a fork or a spoon to eat your macaroni and cheese. In the Western World food is... heavenly, for lack of a better word. So if we consider an arbitrary divine creator and its related paradise to be food and the utensil used to be which- ever Abrahamic religion you practice - if any - then what does it matter whether you worship in a mosque, synagogue or church? Abrahamic religions are more similar to each other than you might gather at first glance. Granted, you will get some- thing different from each particular religion, and they are absolutely not the same. But the similarities - if you study these religions extensively - are striking. So why is a mosque so contro- versial? Certainly a form of violent radicalism arose from Islam. But al-Qaeda is not demanding to build a monument on ground zero. If the planned structure was a church or a synagogue and someone protested, millions of people would likely stand defiant in support of American values and condemn the protesters. And the First Amendment states explicitly they have the right to protest. But the First Amendment clearly establishes something else: We are a country of free religion. If you practice reasonably, you may prac- tice Christianity, Judaism, Islam or anything else - or you may practice nothing at all. Some might argue that practicing insensitively, as some believe is the case with the proposed community center, is practicing unreasonably. Others might argue that freedom of location isn't part of freedom of religion. But reason- able practice requires more than the threat of insensitivity. And while freedom isn't always absolute, it's actually beneficial to our cause to permit peaceful Muslims to practice in such a location. It shows that we were not destroyed on that day. The terrorists who hate West- ern ways of life didn't win on Sept. 11, 2001, and we must show them that by not compromising those ways even when it's insensitive or inconvenient. First Amendment protects ground zero mosque. 0 The Muslims of this project have every right to exercise their religion wherever they want. If we deny them this right - whether as a society or as a republic - we're closing one gap between American values and radi- cal values. We are admitting that we think it is wrong to practice one reli- gion freely, but not others. We move one step closer to a theocracy and one step away from freedom. The reason the United States is a great nation is because it allows citi- zens to use whichever spiritual tool they like to reach whatever god you like. It's a utensil store. Like every- thing else in our society, it is plu- ralistic and offers multiple choices. Just because you prefer the fork does not mean the spoon cannot function just as well in the same place. We all live in the United States and we all draw from the same drawer of spiri- tual utensils based upon what we're exposed to. If you're like me, you still haven't decided where you stand on issues of religion. I don't know about you, but if there were no spoon I would feel as if the world were just a little emptier. - Eric Szkarlat can be reached ateszkarla@umich.edu EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Aida Ali, Jordan Birnholtz, Adrianna Bojrab, Will Butler, Michelle DeWitt, Will Grundler, Jeremy Levy, Erika Mayer, Emily Orley, Harsha Panduranga, Tommaso Pavone, Leah Potkin, Asa Smith, Brittany Smith, Laura Veith f