W-
4 - Friday, March 30, 2012
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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ASHLEY GRIESSHAMMER
JOSEPH LICHTERMAN and ANDREW WEINER JOSH HEALY
EDITORIN CHEF 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.
Itmran Syed is the public editor. He can be reached at publiceditor@michigandaily.com.
" "
Hoodiesand hijab s
Bigotry based on apperance cannot persist
deas can be a form of violence like any other, and recent events
have shown how easily an idea can turn into actual violence.
Social battles rooted in racial dynamics have been prevalent in
our nation's history since its founding. But at this point in the infor-
mation age, such discrimination is absurd. With the abundance of
resources available to learn understanding and appreciation, not to
mention the expectation of simple moral acceptance, hate crimes
should not exist in 2012. However, the recent killings of Trayvon
Martin, and Shaima Alawadi, which by many accounts were solely as
a result of judgment of appearance accompanied by bigoted ideology,
reflect a horrifying trend toward radical racism. Discrimination on
any basis, whether violent or not, is obscene and unacceptable.
The family has had death threats - the father and
mother, George has had death threats. Anything
related to George is a target."
- Migeul Meza said about the family of his cousin George Zimmerman, who is
suspected of shooting Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.
Emoting politics
The ancient Greeks used the
word paschein as their word
for "emotion." More literally,
paschein trans-
lates to "suffer-
log."
When my
professor stated,
this, sadly, my
first thought
was, "maybe I
have more in
common with ADRIENNE
the Greeks than ROBERTS
I thought." As
of late, I've sub-
consciously allowed myself to be
removed emotionally from what I
hear on television or read in news-
papers.
I know I'm not the only one who
has learned that getting emotional
these days - especially in the world
of politics - can backfire. Many
women, especially young women,
have become hardened to end-
less and degrading statements and
decisions made against them. Even
worse, many women are purposely
ignorant to save themselves the pain
in advance. Ask many of my friends
in college about what's currently
happening in the world of women
and politics -btheyshake their heads
and say something to the effect of,
"Is it even worth it to pay attention?"
From the birth control battle and
insensitive name-calling, to dis-
covering that women pay on aver-
age approximately 30 percent more
than men for health insurance, it
seems like a lost cause. It makes
sense why more young women
aren't publicly speaking out against
these numerous discriminations.
As a woman, when you get up and
passionately take a stand against
inequality in society, you're called
a "slut" or an "ugly feminist," and
consequently, you are either ridi-
culed or made a martyr.
It's a rough world out there for
women. Entering the realm of poli-
tics right now, whether to voice your
opinion or to simply stay informed
aboutcurrent events, is equivalentto
going into battle and realizing that
notonlyyour enemies,butyour com-
rades as well, are taking aim at you.
For example, Rick Santorum
called contraception dangerous and
"not okay," before going on to say
that birth control is "a license to
do things in a sexual realm that is
counter to how things are supposed
to be." When Rick Santorum's
wife, Karen, a neo-natal nurse and
former law student, was inter-
viewed on CNN's Piers Morgan
Tonight this Saturday, and she said,
"Women have nothing to fear when
it comes to contraceptives," claim-
ing that her husband would not
bring his personal religious beliefs
"to play" as president.
As an issue that affects many col-
lege-aged women, it's comforting to
hear that she believes that Santorum
wouldn't bring religion into the poli-
tics of this issue. However, when the
difference between Rick Santorum's
views of contraception and what
Karen Santorum claims he will do
in office is vast, and it makes women
who worried about the issue seem
irrational and just plain wrong. How
could so many women have mis-
interpreted his comments; if what
Karen Santorum says true?
Watching Karen Santorum speak
made me wonder if I had misjudged
nearly everything I had heard and
read up until that point. Claiming
that her husband never made such
comments only further pitted them
against the majority of women. A
complete disregard for his self-righ-
teous and judgmental comments
further trivialized the issue.
Political
involvement is
worth the pain.
While it's beneficial that these
concerns, which are usually avoid-
ed by the media, are being dis-
cussed the way in which they are
talked about makes women seem
less than human. Those in power
are trying to make women obtain
consent from doctors and have a
waiting period before an abortion
and forcibly receive an ultrasound.
They also disregard that women are
paying more for health insurance,
but why? Apparently, it's because
women are just not intelligent
enough to make decisions about
their own personal health.
I understand wanting to hide
under the covers and weather out
this demeaning and seemingly
insane- public movement against
women; it's so much easier to remove
oneselfemotionally fromthe realities
that surround this situation. Unfor-
tunately, it truly is happening. If
young women don't do something to
stop it, the women's social security in
the future may be even further com-
promised, and that prospect alone is
.something worth a little emotion.
-Adrienne Roberts can be reached
at adrirobe@amich.edu. Follow her on
Twitter at @AdrRoberts.
In Florida, Trayvon Martin was shot twice
and killed by George Zimmerman, a self-pro-
fessed neighborhood watchdog. When asked
to explain his motive for pulling the trigger,
Zimmerman told police that Martin "looked
like he was up to no good," as evidenced by the
hoodie the teen wore. In California, Shaima
Alawadi was severely beaten, and eventually
died from her wounds. Two notes were found
by her body, the first read "This is my coun-
try, go back to yours terrorist," and the setond
demanded "Go back to your country, you ter,
rorist."'While there are no current suspects,
the tension appears to have been based on
appearance - she wore a head scarf as part of
Islamic tradition.
The insanity of killing a presumably inno-
cent teenager is only amplified by the logic
behind Zimmnerman's suspicion. Following
and subsequently assaulting a teenager based
on nothing but physical appearance is barbar-
ic. A hoodie denotes little more than stylistic
preference or a desire for warmth. Suspicion
based on such petty grounds is thinly dis-
guised racism, which is inexcusable whether
it is explicit or subconscious.
The similarities between Martin's and
Alawadi's killings are clear. Whatever one's
personal views may be, a head scarf alone
says nothing about a person beyond express-
ing religious belief - it is simply a demonstra-
tion of faith, which is protected by the First
Amendment. Religion and political opinion
are often two distinct aspects of any given per-
son's belief system. Faith does not necessarily
align an individual's interests with those of a
faction of religious radicals.
National political uncertainty and eco-
nomic strife in America should not create
frustration toward specific ethnic or religious
groups. The internal social problems we now
face cannot be solved by making strangers into
scapegoats. The first step toward eradicating
discrimination is recognizing it, and the activ-
ism surrounding these killings has reflected
that recognition. It's encouraging that youbth
are utilizing social media to respond to these
issues. It's the upcoming generations' respon-
sibility to be more tolerant than the last, and
bring about an end to bigotry.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS:
.Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Eli Cahan, 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
ELI CAHAN I
Shades of yellow
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Some like it hot
Of course you knw who Trayvon Martin is.
The recent bevy of hate crimes, spearheaded
by the Feb. 26 murder of the African-American
teenager in Florida, is extremely disturbing,
and begs the question of why any of this is hap-
pening - and nota inisolated cases, but simul-
taneously. tRcsptotses to these questions have
been few and far between, but certainly, the
reactions to the events have been interesting.
The Daily Texan, the University of Texas
at Austin's newspaper, released a cartoon-
criticizing "yellow media" in the wake of the
Martin killing. The cartoon depicts a par-
ent sitting on a rocking chair labeled "the
media," reading out loud from a book titled
"Treyvon (sic) Martin and the Case of Yellow
Journalism." The woman is quoting, ,"And
then ... the bigbad white man killed the hand-
some, sweet, innocent colored boy." Though
the paper has since apologized, the cartoon
represents an important point in the wake of
the Facebook status updates, tweets, texts,
remarks and general hubbub.
The distinction between legitimate jour-
nalism and yellow press has been blurred by
the rise of social media. The constant updates
wherever you go, essentially in the form of a
headline, represent a resurgence of yellow
journalism. Except in this case, the media is
the social network itself and the journalists
are the individuals utilizing that network to
communicate.
Every person with a Facebook account
or a Twitter profile is capable of some form
of social journalism. Here the question of
accountability rises: should people be held
responsible for the "news" they publish on
their "news feeds?" Certainly, the vast major-
ity of social media users know little about the
neighborhood relationships Trayvon himself
unwittingly stepped into; the intricacies of
race dynamics in El Cajon, C alif. where an
Iraqi immigrant was Ibutsi;,1ly Icaten Mar. 25;
the psychosis of Sgt. Robert Bales before his
shooting spree in Afghanistan or the child-
adult complex in Africa insinuated by Invis-
ible Children's Kony 2012 video.
So why do people feel obliged, even with
evident lack of information and background
research, to "update" their "statuses" with
such news? Perhaps one implication of the
information age is not only the abundant quan-
tity of information, but also a profound lack of
quality. This is not to say that political activism
is bad. In fact, it's the opposite - it's completely
necessary and appropriate. Social network-
ing is an extremely positive force that creates
momentum for political movements. But the
issue perhaps is people's quick readiness to get
involved before knowing what it is they're get-
ting involved with, and what that involvement
will ask of them.
In the wake of the recent horrifying trag-
edies with causes rooted in discrimination,
word of mouth has been important in spread-
ing the word and protecting rational moral-
ity. However, people on social networks
ought to understand what they are fighting.
for before they raise their arms. Social media
has become a powerful source of yellow
journalism, employing catchy headlines and
quick buzzwords rather than truth or fact. It
is the job of the news to report, and it is the
job of the masses to appreciate and spread
that knowledge, but they must do so in man-
ner that maintains facts and integrity.
Social mediacannot become areliable tool of
political activism if it remains a massive game
of telephone. That activism ought to be genuine
and heartfelt, not peer pressured. Thus, social
media has a great opportunity and a great
responsibility. We, the network, must uphold
journalistic integrity even if the report is only
goingon our 791friends' news feeds.
Eli Cahan is an LSA freshman.
ast week, sunbathers in
shorts and sandals aban-
doned the library and invad-
ed the Diag.
Celebrating a
heat wave and
high tempera-
tures, students
across campus
shed their win-
ter coats.
Just as anx-K
ious to feel the KRISTEN
sun, magno- KILUK
lias unfurled
their petals,
white cherry blossoms broke free
from budding stems and forsythia
blooms stepped out in a confident
shade of yellow.
Yes, it was beautiful weather - a
delight to the senses after a cold,
bland winter.
This week, however, typical Mich-
igan March was back, with modest
daytime highs and icy overnight
lows. The National Weather Ser-
vice issued freeze warnings across
Michigan early Tuesday morning,
and the Ann Arbor Municipal Air-
port recorded a low temperature of
27 degrees on Tuesday.
While we can retreat to the
warmth of our wool coats, many pre-
mature blossoms have no defense
for the cold - once they're exposed,
their only choie is to blacken and
die. For Michigan fruit farmers -
who depend on those blossoms to
bear their livelihood - the early
spring warm-up was a nightmare.
Though definitive conclusions can-
not be drawn from single weather
events, the 7,000-plus broken high
temperature records across the U.S.
in mid-March, coupled with pro-
jected fluctuations in warm and
cold extremes, suggest that climate
change will make farming, which
is already unpredictable, even more
difficult to manage.
Like other farmers, Jan Upston
of Wasem Fruit Farms in Milan,
Mich. is scratching her head this
season as she watches unseason-
able temperatures fool her plants.
Upston says on her farm everything
is about a month ahead in devel-
opment. "This is way too early,"
Upston said, "We have never had
peach blossoms in March."
As of Tuesday afternoon, Upston
hadn't been out to check her peach-
es due to her busy schedule. She
worries that the farm will lose
much of its fruit crop. "There's
nothing we can do. We can't afford
to bring in helicopters to keep our
plants warm."
Yes, helicopters.
Large farm operations with
enough resources often rent helicop-
ters in times of frost to pull warmer
air from above down to the ground
to keep crops warm. But this method
is cost-prohibitive to many farmers.
Jan also said federal disaster aid
for fruit farmers is hard to come
by. The United States Department
of Agriculture Economic Research
Service reports that commercial
farms - with annual sales over
$250,000 - make up 12.4 percent
of all U.S. farms, but received 62.2
percent of government payments in
2009. The report also states that this
statistic is a "direct result of com-
modity programs targeting certain
types of commodities, which are
often grown on large farms and in
large volumes." With funds chan-
neled primarily to already wealthy
grain producers, it's no wonder that
resources are limited for struggling
fruit farmers.
As evident from the drooping
magnolias around campus, many
ornamental species are also suffer-
ing from the March weather fluctua-
tions. In Holland, Mich., Tulip Time
Festival planners are worried that
they'll have no flowers to celebrate
at their annual festival in early May.
Tulips, like Upston's fruit plants, are
developing a month early, breaking
free from the ground now rather
than their usual third week of April.
In hopes of delaying their develop-
ment, planners are refrigerating
tulips in pots so that they'll have
something to celebrate.
But not
Michigan fruit
farmers.
For Michigan, the early asparagus
crop is also a large concern. Farm-
ers are struggling to harvest what
they can of the already developed
vegetable before spring frosts wipe
them out.
And according to the National
Weather Service, water tempera-
tures in south Lake Michigan are
similar to what is normally seen in
late May and early June.
This isn't the first time Michi-
gan has seen a balmy March - the
record temperature for Detroit in
March clocks in at 82 degrees on
March 28, 1945, according to the
National Weather Service. Weath-
er fluctuates over tine, and this
year could just be an outlier. The
situation this time around, though,
represents a sobering window into
our potential future - one that is
matching climate change projec-
tions and involves increased crop
vulnerability and uncertain season-
al boundaries.
If these trends are indeed a result
of climate change, and we let the
process continue unchecked, Michi-
gan's farming future isn't bound to
be too peachy.
-Kristen Kiluk can be reached at
kkiluk@umich.edu.
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