4 - Tuesday, February 14, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.cam 4 - Tuesday, February 14, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com ASHLEY GRIESSHAMMER JOSEPH LICHTERMAN and ANDREW WEINER JOSH HEALY 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. Sure to be a classic NHL deal with the 'Uhas numerous benefits umors were confirmed last week when the National Hockey League officially announced it would host the 2013 Winter . . Classic at Michigan Stadium. Though it was public knowledge that the NHL had been negotiating with the Athletic Department since last November, the announcement still created a buzz through- out campus. Hosting the prestigious event is a great opportunity for both the University and the city of Ann Arbor, and the University should look for more opportunities like this in the future. No Child Left Behind never changed how I taught. I know what my kids need." - Colorado fourth-grade teacher Bridget Cole after the Obama administration rescinded many of the law's policies in 10 states across the country, according to Time.com It's not so bad It's no surprise that Congressio- nal approval ratings are at an all time low. The most recent Gallup poll puts Congress at 10-percent approval, while a Washing- ton Post-ABC News poll puts Congress at 13 percent. An Associated Press GFK-Poll con- ducted in August 2011 reports that HARSHA NAHATA Last Wednesday, the University's Board of Regents unanimously voted to grant the NHL a one-month lease to host the Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2013. The University will receive a $3 million fee, and the NHL made a $250,000 -donation to the University as part of the deal. University administrators have said the money will go toward student scholarships. Since the Big House would normally go unused in January, the financial, benefits of hosting the Winter Classic are a bonus for the University. The city of Ann Arbor is also expected to benefit from the event. Accord- ing to Athletic Director Dave Brandon, the Winter Classic is expected to generate approximately $14 million in economic activ- ity for the city. With most students at home for winter break, this abnormal financial boost will stimulate Ann Arbor's economy. The NHL's decision to lease the Big House also gives the University national media atten- tion. Just weeks after President Barack Obama chose to deliver a speech on the University's campus, the NHL's decision has brought more positive media attention to the University. The NHL also expects to break the world record for attendance to a hockey game, a record set by the Big Chill at the Big House - the out- door game between Michigan and Michigan State in December 2010 last year with 104,173 in attendance. The NHL plans to sell about 115,000 tickets. From hosting major politi- cians to record-breaking sporting events, the University has demonstrated its versatility of interests and has become a nationally recog- nized institution. Though the University is hosting the Winter Classic, the NHL has assumed full responsibility for the event and has already stated that no student tickets will be sold. Considering that the NHL has been court- ing both Athletic Director Dave Brandon and the regents for months, University officials should have demanded that some tickets be reserved for University students. Hope- fully, most students will be too busy watch- ing Michigan play in the Rose Bowl Game on New Year's Day next year, but some students would enjoy attending the Winter Classic with reserved student seating. As part of the $3 million contract, the Uni- versity has decided to use one of its 12 one- day liquor licenses for the Winter Classic. This license means that beer will be served throughout the stadium. Considering that many students dream of the day when they can openly drink a beer inside the Big House, this element of the contract is yet another plus for the University. Partnering with the NHL to host the Winter Classic allows our already nationally recog- nized university to gain even more media cov- erage. The event will also bring an economic boost to the Ann Arbor area. The University -should continue looking for opportunities like the Winter Classic in coming years. Congress currently holds an approv- al rating of a mere 12 percent. And a November 2011 Huffington Post article headline jokingly reads: "Con- gress Approval Rating Lower Than Porn, Polygamy, BP Oil Spill, 'U.S. Going Communist." Apparently more Americans support polygamy or an American turn to communism more than our elected representa- tives in Washington at the moment. Taking just one look at the politi- cal climate in Washington shows why people may be fed up. The politically-charged and hostile atmosphere that dictates stale- mates over everything isn't doing much to, boost Congress' image. The summer squabble over rais- ing the nation's debt ceiling was only the beginning, and it seems to have set the tone for how all policy. debates will go. Seeing this, it's not only understandable but also inevi- table that a majority of Americans will be 'frustrated. Normally, I would consider myself among those 88 or 90 percent - having a go at the inefficiencies of our lawmakers and continuously voicing my frus- tration with the direction Congress is heading. But last summer - in the midst of the heated debt ceiling standoff - I spent a month in India. The con- trast I saw between how government works there and.how it works here put things into perspective a bit. I'm not saying that I've suddenly gained a huge admiration for all the pointless politicking that occurs in Washing- ton, but there is something to be said for the system we have set up and for all its accomplishments. While the development that India has undergone in the last decade is truly admirable, a quick trip down its streets reveals much more work to be done. I was greeted by on and off electricity, unclean drinking water in smaller, rural areas and half- paved roads - if there were roads. Big cities weren't much better: trash littering the streets, backed-up rain- water blocking roads and millions of people living in poverty, without any form of'government aid whatsoever. What's surprising is that this wasn't a war-torn nation or one stifled by ruthless dictators, or even a nation struggling to grow. This was India: the world's largest democracy and one of the fastest-growing econo- mies in today's world. A large portion of the blame for these inconveniences and subpar public services can be attributed to shortcomings in the government. Government officials are tangled in large webs of lies and corruption. Bribes are not only expected, but are often required to get anything done, starting from the lowest level of law enforcement and ending at the very top. People have long since given up on government, accepting it as a dis- tant entity that is there but hardly ever accomplishes anything. That is why the entire nation was in an upswing over Anna Hazare. Hazare is a 72-year-old Indian activ- ist who led a 12-day hunger strike lobbying against corruption. From ordinary individuals on the streets to big names in the Indian film industry, everywhere I looked someone was talking about Hazare. Every night there were rallies and marches in his support. 24/7 news cable networks were tracking his every move. Indi- an flags, hats and even wristbands were being sold on every street cor- ner "for Anna." Millions even fasted alongside him to further the cause. I've been going to India for the past 15 years, and never have I seen the people of that nation so politically involved and so invested in a cause. What waseven more telling was their desire to finally see the government held accountable. Appreciate what our government has achieved. So yes, at the moment, Congress has a historically low approval rating of 10 to 12 percent. It's obvious that we as Americans expect much more from our lawmakers. And we should. The rhetoric heard in Washington these days is frustrating at least and inconceivably petty at worst. And after such a politically charged sum- mer, many are fed up. As Americans, we're not ones to rest. We're always looking for the next problem to solve, the next issue to fight over and the next debate to win. That's how it should be. Still, there isn't any harm in taking a moment every now and then to appreciate what we have achieved. Our government is by no means per- fect - in fact nowadays, it's increas- ingly easy to find faults. But the government and political system that we have is quite an accomplishment in itself. Our government gets a lot of things wrong, but the system we have in place has also gotten a whole lot right. - Harsha Nahata can be reached at hnahata@umich.edu. Follow her on twitter at @harshanahata. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Aida Ali, Laura Argintar, Kaan Avdan, Ashley Griesshammer, Nirbhay Jain, Jesse Klein, Patrick Maillet, Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Harsha Panduranga, Timothy Rabb, Adrienne Roberts, Vanessa Rychlinski, Sarah Skaluba, Seth Soderborg, Caroline Syms, Andrew Weiner @NickiMinaj We all might need to be exorcised after watching that freak show. #toomuChClergy -@michdailyoped MOZHGAN SAVABIEASFAHANI I 'No' to an attack on Iran CONTRIBUTE TO THE COVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words. Both must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. Send submissions to tothedaily@michigandaily.com BRITTANY SMITH I Everyone is at risk One million first graders start public school in Iran a week ahead of the rest of the students. The first week of their educational careers is spent playing, singing, dancing and remember- ing those who gave their lives so that they may live in peace and safety. Like any other people, Iranians crave self- rule, self-expression and a secure life in their country. For more than a hundred years, Iranians have been struggling to establish a system of governance to protect their human rights and secure their control over their nat- ural resources. It has been a bumpy ride. The first democratically elected Iranian government was overthrown by a CIA coup in 1953. What would the Middle East look like today had it not been for U.S. interference? Need I remind anyone of the destruction that the U.S. and Israel have caused throughout the Middle East? After the CIA coup against Iran, the U.S.- friendly Shah was installed and ruled with an iron fist over the nation. The Israeli gov- ernment oversaw the Shah's secret police - SAVAK. Many Iranian students and free- thinkers were arrested, imprisoned, tortured and assassinated by SAVAK. This nightmare continued for a quarter of a century, during which the most valued thinkers of the nation were systematically removed from civil soci- ety. Many disappeared into the Shah's jails and were never seen again. This U.S./Israeli-backed dictatorship was only overturned when a popular uprising in 1979 removed the Shah. However, the young revolution was then militarily attacked by Sad- dam Hussein, an Iraqi dictator who was sup- ported by the United States and its allies. Eight years of deadly war between Iran and Iraq fol- lowed. This war left more than 1 million dead and nearly destroyed Iran and Iraq, and shat- tered the development of the two countries in every sphere of life. On top of that destruction was an additional 30 years of economic sanc- tions against Iran. , Despite all of that, the Iranian civil societ- ies - women's organizations, student orga- nizations, unions and workers and teachers' organizations - resumed their struggle after the war to build the country according to their visions for what Iran should look like. To this day - against all odds - Iranians continue to organize for their human rights, women's rights and a better life for their children and the elderly. Any attack on Iran will destroy the delicate fabric of a society that has tried again and again to reach a representative governance to benefit a nation of mostly children - 18 million Irani- ans are under 14 years of age. If you value humanity and human rights, say no to any attack on Iran. Mozhgan Savabieasfahani is a Ph.D. visiting scholar in the School of Public Health. It's often said that the University is a microcosm of the world. In many ways - with national attention given to our local debates, like the racialization of affirmative action or the University's roles in impacting the future of Detroit - that couldn't be more true. But when attending to these issues, our world gets more sound bites than the realities that confront our community, particularly as it relates to the status of identity. Locally, students are bombarded with billboards, campus signs, digital posters and campus dialogues that address the range of identities of our student community, or at least the need to evaluate them. A lot of the public- ity given to increased awareness around matters that highlight identity deal with questions that involve the ideas and leadership that would make the University a safe space for students. Having such an environment is thought by many school administrators, especially the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs, to be required. MESA explores the appreciation for identity and status with as much intellectual vitality as the commitment of students who are willing to dedicate their engagement. ,Though the constant images that students receive around campus are indeed supportive, they are no lessconfusing. Take, for example, sexual health. Bulletin boards in residential halls scream "diversity matters" or hand-held pledges given across campus that honor sexual health awareness often provoke students to get more involved in knowing their sexual health sta- tus. These campaigns are often very ambitious. They ask students to survey their health with quick and easy tests or seek counseling for preventable measures that can be taken as a precaution against incurable diseases, like HIV/AIDS. Yet, current societal conditions make it dif- ficult for students to act responsibly. The media uses advertisements to convince young adults - especially college-aged students - to know their status for sexually transmitted diseases but has not yet resolved the circumstances that objectify people who actually know their status, or who feel comfortable advocating for people to do the same. The name-calling, gossiping or isolation felt in churches, families or places of employment is an unfortunate reality for some people who test positive for a sexually transmitted disease. Cir- cumstances such as these challenge the idea of college students all over this country, and in our own commu- nity, to have their status revealed through a blood test. So, what are our choices? Noticeably, our choices aren't as varied as the names of sexually transmitted diseases. However, there are options. The one that I favor most is the option to live. I mentioned earlier that the University lives in the image of this world; just like our world, it is highly * responsive to the choices that people make - beit pollu- tion with the threat of global warming, or the responsibil- ity that students take in their sexual health. But different than our world are the University's support and limit- less resources that students can find and engage in when understanding what it means to have sex responsibly, or how to offset potentially more disastrous situations if, perhaps, your status is positive. MESA helps students consider these issues and poten- tially re-frame them. On campus, our reality includes knowing or hearing about certain students' names get- ting slandered for their presumed promiscuity, but still expecting them to get tested. Given the rumors, it may seem safer for that student to not know the truth. Indeed, it is very hard to figure out which message is right: the message that you hear from MESA - that knowing your status can save a life - the one in our communities - where the experience of living in iso- lation might be real for someone whose test came out positive - or living a life in fear - not knowing when and with whom it's OK to talk about your status. The stigma, the shame and silence are all facts of life that do exist. But MESA's advocacy to share in that journey with students in identifying support groups on cam- pus, or spreading the message about the importance of getting tested be understood through terms that may resonate with students lifestyles, indicates that MESA's weekly testing is more than a campaign for social causes. Each Tuesday between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., MESA's testing service is administered in room 2202 of the Mich- igan Union with a sense of follow-up that makes it a viable option for students. Not only is MESA raising awareness by providing a weekly testing service in their office, but they are also helping students find their voice once they know what to say. Brittany Smith is an LSA senior. n