YI 4A - Thursday, October 27, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com _ i idligan Batly Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandailycom MICHELLE DEWITT STEPHANIE STEINBERG and EMILY ORLEY NICK SPAR EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS 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. Imran Syed is the public editor. He can be reached at publiceditor@michigandaily.com. Redefine rape FBI must protect all people under the law lutWalk events have been occurring around the country and often grab attention by name alone. Last Saturday, in a show of support for the recent FBI panel vote to change the definition of rape; SlutWalk came to Ann Arbor. These events highlight important issues of sexual health and safety and point to the importance of rede- fining how rape is perceived in America. The Criminal Justice Infor- mation Services Division's Advisory Policy Board of the FBI should vote to pass the proposed new definition, which includes males and Questioning the congressman think that beinga good host is an important obligation. And I want to like Eric Can- tor. I really do. The House Majority Leader (R-Va.) looks like a nice guy in his offi- cial photo. We even have some things in com- mon - glasses and family who JOEL came from East- BATTERMAN ern Europe early last century. But Cantor is coming to speak at the Michigan League next Monday, and I have to confess I'm anxious to ask him some questions. Why, Cantor, did you vote against regulating the subprime mortgage industry after it helped plunge our economy into some pretty major trouble? Things like adjustable- rate mortgages just seem a little shady. I understand your family has been in the real estate business for a while and that you have a big stake in a mortgage brokerage firm. Then there's the $2 million that banks have put into your cam- paigns (nothing out of the ordinary these days, I'll admit). But really, is it worth bringing down the whole housing market again? Let me share a little more about my family. My dad's father designed radar systems for guid- ed missile destroyers. My mom's father worked in a coal mine. Both were union members. During their careers, the U.S. was more pros- perous than at any time in our his- tory. Since then, corporate attacks on unions have cut their ranks in half, and the country hasn't been faring well either. Cantor, you've got a zero percent rating from the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organiza- tions - meaning that you're basi- cally opposed to anything that helps working families. Shouldn't we be a little scared by that? And did you really mean it when you said folks to your leftwere push- ing "efforts to incite class warfare?" The private jet business has soared to record-breaking heights. Coach reports that sales of $400 handbags are taking off. Meanwhile, people on the ground are getting laid off, their houses are getting foreclosed and they're being thrown off pub- lic assistance. Sounds like "shock- and-awe" to me, and it's not coming from occupy Wall Street. That reminds me: You described those protesters as "growing mobs" who are "pitting Americans against Americans." Well, golly! What do you call voting against minimum wage increases while slashingtaxes on the rich? Speaking of "pitting Americans against Americans," can we talk about your record on gay rights? You've voted for allowing job dis- crimination based on sexual orien- tation and against enforcing hate crime laws when gays are singled out for persecution. Talking about social harmony when you don't believe in protections against prej- udice just seems a little, well, queer. Then there's the planet, which has been alittle under the weatherlately. You called the reaction to last year's Gulf of Mexico oil spill a "hyperbolic fuss." Seriously? This wasn't a drop in the bucket. It was 5 million bar- rels. It contaminated almost 500 miles of coastline. Eleven people died. You do realize that hyperbole means exaggeration, right? On the other hand, maybe non- chalance towards disasters is just how you roll. When a tornado ripped through Joplin, Mo. in May, you said you wouldn't support any relief unless Congress cut other programs. As you put it so gener- ously, "(I)f there is support for a supplemental, it would be accompa- nied by support for having pay-fors to that supplemental." Warms the cockles of the heart, doesn't it? There are limits to University hospitality. OK. There's a lot more I'd like to ask. But I'm hoping that other folks will bring similar questions to your talk on Monday. Just don't skip out on us, all right? You decided to cancel a talk at the University of Pennsylvania last week when you learned it was open to the public. In fact, it had been open to the public all along, but when the "mobs" got word about it, and turned out to protest, you reconsidered. Maybe you'll deign to address them this time. For reference, we're hosting Can- tor at 1 p.m. Monday at the Michi- gan League. With all due respect to his office, we might want to let him know that our hospitality has its limits. It may be Halloween, and these are pretty terrifying times, but there's a time to face our fears. Joel Batterman can be reached at jomba@umich.edu. I I transgender individuals. Participants of SlutWalk walked through downtown Ann Arbor to raise awareness about sexual violence. Co-organizers of the demonstration - LSA junior Megan Pfeiffer and LSA sophomore Nicole Corrigan - also hoped the event would encourage people to focus less on blaming a survivor and more on rape prevention. SlutWalk forces communities to reexamine rape. Women do not get raped because they are wearing revealing clothing. Regardless of what clothing a woman is wearing, it is never avalid argument to say she was "asking for it" or "had it coming." Rape is a serious criminal offense and is never the survivor's fault. Many people, including SlutWalk partici- pants, are hopeful that the event will garner support for changing the definition of rape. Pending the vote, rape will be redefined as "penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim." This definition adds important specificity that the current definition - "carnal knowledge of a female against her will" - is lacking and is worded in a way that also protects men and transgender individuals. All types of people can be victims of rape and should be protected under the law accord- ingly. The old definition, which has not been updated since 1929, is outdated and excludes large portions of the population. The proposed change reflects modern society and extends the definition in a way that holistically covers all types of rape. Also included in the proposal's new defini- tion of rape is information regarding people who are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. This is especially pertinent to college campuses where alcohol is often involved in sexual assaults. If a person is inebriated, he or she cannot legally give consent and should be entitled to lawful protection. Inebriation does not make a person any less of a citizen who is eligible for protection under the law, and the redefinition is an important step toward acknowledgingthat. The current definition complicates pros- ecution of rapes by not making specific refer- ence to acts that count as rape and individuals who can be victims of rape. The FBI's proposal to make the description more comprehensive is an important change to the legal system and will greatly impact the way these cases are prosecuted. SlutWalk in Ann Arbor was a positive example of public demonstration. It was an important show of support and solidarity for the rights of all people to be protected from sexual violence. The FBI, in a similar show of support, should approve the new definition of rape to give all people equal protection under the law. 6 FOLLOW DAILY OPINION ON TWITTER Keep up with columnists, read Daily editorials, view cartoons and join in the debate. Check out @michdailyoped to get updates on Daily opinion content throughout the day. Contemplate mind'fulness' 6 !ET._ SEND LETTERS TO: ToTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM Incorporate sustainability across all majors TO THE DAILY: What is sustainability? I can't tell you how many times I have been asked this question as a Program in the Environment student. I antici- pate answering it at the start of each semester in at least one ofmyPitE classes. Sustainability is an unavoidabletopic within my major, but this is not the case across other areas of study. Many of my friends have not encountered the term "sustainability" in their classes at the University, and it is doubtful that they will take a class with content related to sustainability before graduation. Sustainability has become a popular buzz- word on campus, especially after the comple- tion of the Campus Sustainability Integrated Assessment. But do students truly under- stand the meaning behind the "Sustain- ability" tab on the University's honyepage? While PitE is a rapidly growing major and the University currently offers more than 500 courses that incorporate content related to sustainability, many students remain envi- ronmentally illiterate. Shalit's return shows Israel's moral compass Though University President Mary Sue Coleman recently announced the creation of a sustainability minor, I was hoping to hear something along the lines of establish- ing an undergraduate environmental literacy requirement in the near future. The sustain- ability minor is a step in the right direction, but there must be a push for a University require- ment if we want to become an institution known for fostering leaders in sustainability. It is vital for students to graduate with at least some preliminary understanding of sustainability, which is a concept embedded within environmental education. Fulfilling an environmental literacy requirement should be just as important as completing distribution requirements. Sustainability is a very inter- disciplinary subject that is likely to arise in most career fields. Thus, studentswill be more prepared for the real world with this require- ment. Once equipped with a concrete com- prehension of sustainability, graduates will be able to sort through the "greenwashing" common in today's society and become more informed citizens. Beatrice Holdstein LSA junior How often do you stop and consciously think about what you're doing? This may be coming a bit late - consider- ing the stress of midterms has passed - but there is increas- ing evidence of health benefits of mindfulness. NORA Mindfulness is STEPHENS the act of being completely "in the moment" and being so in the moment that you don't realize you're "in"anything.Byconcentratingsole- ly on one's actions, whether reading "War andPeace"or eatingbreakfast, one can become more present. A recent University of California Los Angeles study found that mindful- ness reduces stress by encouraging concentration exclusively on what you are doing. Instead of contem- plating future plans or dwelling on the past, you can be more effective in the present. Try it. Take a moment to feel yourself sitting, feel your feet on the ground and concentrate on your breathing. Don't let your mind wan- der to thoughts of work, classes or stress. By concentrating exclusively on just "being," even for a moment, we return from this moment more refreshed. You may be asking yourself: "Why is this crazy woman asking me to breath deeply and concentrate on nothing?" It helped me and has the potential to help you. The aver- age University student is wrapped up in exams, jobs, projects, paying rent, issues with friends, organiza- tions - we forget to give ourselves a break. To be unaware of details and only aware of purely being is a way to literally take a breather. After you have relaxed, try to be mindful of yourself. Think about your social identities, which include your race, gender, ability status, religion, socioeconomic sta- tus and sexual orientation. Now take a second to go deeper, and think about how your social identities shape the course of your everyday life. Do you spend most of your time with people who have similar identities as you? Do tend to question people who are differ- ent from you? Do you tend to notice people who are different from you? It's important to think about these identities because they shape the way we see the world. A Har- vard study found those in minority groups often have greater aware- ness of their social identities than those in the majority. This may be obvious, but why is it that those who do not have the same identity as the majority group have more intense awareness? And what sort of privilege does this grant the peo- ple of the majority group? It may be uncomfortable for you, but talk to someone of a minority social identity, and you may be sur- prised. The advantage of not having to be aware of one's identities is a privilege. I am a white upper middle-class heterosexual person who spends the majority of her time with other white upper middle-class heterosexual people. Do I think this shapes my day-to-day life? Absolutely. In fact, the only way I have friends that are not upper middle-class white people is by my involvement with the Program on Intergroup Relations. This organization creates a space for people to talk about the self- segregation that permeates our campus and build meaningful rela- tionships beyond this self-segrega- tion. If I had not become involved with this group my freshman year, I would not have nearly as much awareness about my social identi- ties, nor would I have many friends who are different from me. Be aware of all your actions and their effects. My privilege of being a member of the majority race on this cam- pus may present itself this Hal- loween weekend. A recent Ohio University poster campaign illus- trated that when people dress up as a "Mexican" they are attacking a culture, not wearing a costume. Many costumes, whether it is a ter- rorist, gangster or geisha, attack a specific culture and make assump- tions about people within respec- tive cultures. By wearing a costume that represents a race that is not your own, you are participating in a form of black face. As a white per- son I will be aware of my race when choosing my costume and when talking with friends about theirs. If our campus community as a whole became mindful of their social identities and the privilege or oppression within them, more con- versations about injustices in our community and our world might begin. The combination of mindful- ness for our health and mindfulness of our social identities could lead to a happier and healthier University. -Nora Stephens can be reached at norals@umich.edu. 6 States doesn't see namo Bay prison soldier Bowe Berg This bold decis mination to prote TO THE DAILY: Yes, some Israelis After more than five years in captivity, Sgt. estinians will put Gilad Shalit has finally returned to Israel. One lit was a boy inn( would think that the return of a soldier, a son, not deserve to ro a friend, would be fully supported. However, inhumane conditi debates have raged for five years over wheth- Prime Minister er bringing Shalit home in exchange for the that, due to the cu release of Palestinian prisoners is an ethical world, the oppor decision. Is his return worth 500 Palestin- have disappearedi ians? 5,000? The value of Shalit's life should ter terms. He woul not be determinedby a mathematical equation. papers if the actic Speaking quantitatively, it's true that one man, grave danger. Gilad Shalit, is not equal to 1,027 Palestinian The return of S prisoners. For Shalit's case, the numbers mean el's love of life. Is nothing. Israel should not be scorned for mak- pragmatic, but be ing its choice to bring Shalit home. of Israel should b What other countries would make suchhuge moral negotiation concessions in order to bring one person out of captivity andintosafety? Whatother countries Sarah Diamond negotiate with terrorist groups? The United LSA freshman m eager to release Guanta- ers for captured American dahl. sion points to Israel's deter- ect the lives of its citizens. s fear that the released Pal- lives in jeopardy. Still, Sha- ocent of any crime and did t in a Hamas prison under ons. !r Benjamin Netanyahu said rrent instability in the Arab tunity to free Shalit might if Israel had held out for bet- [d not have signed the release on put the state of Israel in halit is a testament to Isra- rael rescued Gilad not to be ecause it is right. The state be applauded for its deeply n. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be fewer than 300 words and must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@michigandaily.com EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Aida Ali, Michelle DeWitt, Ashley Griesshammer, Nirbhay Jain, Patrick Maillet, Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Emily Orley, Teddy Papes, Timothy Rabb, Vanessa Rychlinski, Caroline Sims, Seth Soderborg, Andrew Weiner 6 0