'I 4A - Thursday October 25, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com I0 C f idtigan 4aily Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com TIMOTHY RABB JOSEPH LICHTERMAN and ADRIENNE ROBERTS ANDREW WEINER 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. FROM 'THEDAILY Drowned in debt Government should extend college loan payback periods As college costs continue to increase - by 2.8 percent for in-state students and 3.5 percent for out-of-state students for the 2012- 2013 academic year at Michigan - and post-grad job prospects worsen, more college graduates are defaulting on their student loans. Facing an uncompromising job market, fewer college graduates are able to pay their loans back on time and are facing serious legal repercus- sions. In 2011, the default rate for the first three years after graduation was 13.4 percent - an alarming 14-year high. All levels of government should explore policy to extend the deadline for student loan payments so graduates have time to secure a job before being hit with their tuition bill. Fuck the non-voter? n 2008, P. Diddy gave the American people two choices: You can either vote in the presi- dential election, or, to quote the Geto Boys, you can "die, mother- fucker, die." In all fairness, these options did stand the test of time. Fast for- ward four years. MELANIE On Nov. 6, you KRUVELIS may choose to vote. You may also choose to die. But the list doesn't have to end there. You could vote or go to the grocery store.,Vote or watch "Full House" reruns. And here's an overlooked option: you could vote, or you could not vote at all. Now, be careful with the last option. Side effects of not vot- ing include a loss of respect from friends and family, exclusion from the right to political opinions and being pelted with vegetables each time you leave your house. All con- ventional wisdom holds that non- voters are the political stoners. They sit around, smoke drugs, plot the destruction of America through electoral non-participation and roll up another traitor doobie. Or at the very least, they're too damn lazy to care. But does that fairly summarize the non-voter? That the only thing stopping their ballot is the lure of a loveseat? While it's certainly true that some non-voters don't care, writing off all non-participants as being so Cheech and wrong misses the point. Our masturbatory attitude to the voting process and absolute disgust with those who don't show up on Election Day, masks flaws in a nonsensical electoral system. For every death threat handed out to the non-voters there's a high five for the guy who threw his ballot in the box. At the root of this is an ele- mentary understanding of elections: voting good, not voting bad. And at the root is a serious misunderstand- ing of reality. Going to the polls can be good, but it doesn't have to be. Elections are a fair-weather field day. Think of it this way: you go to the polls, fill in a bubble for president and then you get a sticker that tells the world - look, I did it! I voted! Then you go about your way. But, wait. Does non-participation in and ignorance toward sections of the ballot - school board elections or county sheriff - make you a less- valid voter? Popular opinion doesn't seem to think so. When you avoid the court of appeals candidates on the ballot because "they don't affect you" or you don't know enough to make an informed decision, no one accuses you of being a bad voter or a bad American. So why do we draw the same conclusions for the presi- dential vote? Pro-votingvoters willtellyou the distinction comes from the interna- tional implications of the presiden- cy. It's a globalized globe out there, or something. And foreign percep- tion of the United States won't come from whatever your district judge is doing. No, it comes from the face that we sell to the world - iPods. I mean iPresidents. Dammit, I mean presidents. Look, the president is the star of the show. So suck up your hemp seed and Chomsky smoothies, you radi- cal, and just go vote already. Okay, fine. Let's look at the can- didates then. We've got Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who wouldn't know a uterus from a kumquat, so that's no good. And then there's the Obama administra- tion, whose off-the-record drone attacks in Pakistan have not only killed civilians, but also further fostered anti-American sentiments worldwide. Then there are the third-party candidates - no wait, it's a trap! Because in a post-2000 election world, a vote for a third-party can- didate is written off as a "wasted" vote, the good-for-nothing, teenage angst vote. Never mind that you're just picking the candidate that you think best represents your vision for the country. This is an election, for Christ's sake, you two-party pooper. Quit trying to Nader the election. So what do we have left? An illu- sion of choice. We're told we have to vote. We're given a list of candi- dates. Now take off more than half of them, because they don't count. And circle your favorite out of the two left. See? Don't you feel like a good citizen now? 'Quit trying to Nader the election.' I don't mean to bastardize all voters. If you follow policy and think you know your candidate, then by all means, vote away. But this "fuck the non-voter" rhetoric works under the assumption that voting is the perfect form of politi- cal participation. And it's not. Hell, it's not even the most effective. The success of the civil rights movement is rarely attrib- uted to Malcolm X's vote for JFK. It worked because the leaders got creative with their politics.. There wasn't a reliance on the least-war- mongering, least-corrupt, least- shitty leader to get the work done. This D.I.Y. understanding of poli- tics illustrates an important point: Participation isn't only valid within the franchise. If only someone put that on a sticker. -Melanie Kruvelis can be reached at melkruv@umich.edu. Accordingto a Bloombergnews article, more than 10 percent of .federal student loan bor- rowers default on loan payments that amount to $1trillion nationwide. Meanwhile, graduate student unemployment has reached a record high, with an 8.8 percent unemployment rate in 2011 with a successful job search timeframe of about six months. And student debt con- tinues to increase with the average hovering around $27,000. This means that only one year after graduation, the interest accrued is almost $2,000. With these obstacles, many students have had no choice but to default on their loans, as they simply do not have the money to settle debts so soon after graduation. Luckily, the 2012-2013 academic year student loans has seen leveled interest rates at 3.4 percent for subsidized and 6.8 percent for unsubsidized and graduate loans. Still, studies have shown the seriousness of graduate student unemployment and its effect on loan defaults. In a 2011 college graduate survey, only 287 of 503 college graduates sur- veyed reported full-time employment imme- diately after graduation. One-third of students moved back home with their parents and approximately one-fifth of these graduates are now financially dependent on their parents. The combination of a poor job market and high student loan costs make it increasingly diffi- cult for graduates to live on their own. Many are drowned in debt before they can even earn their first post-grad paycheck. Diversity of college majors is also shrink- ing as a result of the struggling job market. The same study showed that nearly one-half of employed graduates work at jobs that do not require a four-year college degree. A college education should have more leverage in the job market, but at the same time should be flexible enough to allow students to pursue their inter- ests. With the threat of student debt looming overhead, many students are pressured into majors that traditionally garner high paying jobs. Without a five or six-figure debt looming after graduation, we wouldn't want to lose less profitable but nonetheless important concen- trations. Government needs to extend the student loan payback timeframe. A longer student loan grace period will give graduates more time to organize their finances and maintain their credit scores. This will decrease default rates and create more stability for graduates and lenders alike. In today's floundering econ-a omy, finding a job is a time consuming rar- ity. Extending student loan deadlines allows graduates to look forward to their careers, not backward in regret at their student debt. 10 EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Eli Cahan, Nirbhay Jain, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Patrick Maillet, Harsha Nahata, Timothy Rabb, Adrienne Roberts, Vanessa Rychlinski, Sarah Skaluba, Michael Spaeth, Gus Turner Respect differentperspectives LETTER T THE EDITOR SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM Proposal 6 gives the people the power to decide TO THE DAILY: Katie Burke's article on Proposal 6 and the New International Trade Crossings (NITC) ("Backed by a billionaire, Proposal 6 fights second bridge to Windsor," 10/23/12), contains several misleading assertions. In the article, Ms. Burke says, "The measure [Proposal 6] is aimed at stopping a proposed second bridge that will be entirely financed by the Canadian government." Neither of these claims is correct. Proposal 6 is not designed to stop the NITC, but rather, to offer citizens a say before their governor entangles them in a shaky financing scheme with a foreign power without legisla- tive approval. Were the proposal to pass, and were Michigan taxpayers to then deem the NITC a worthy use of state resources, the proj- ect would proceed. Second, Michigan taxpayers will pay, and have already paid, for the project. To date, the state has spent $41 million studying the NITC, a new customs plaza will cost U.S. taxpayers (including Michiganders) $263 million, and the state will lose millions in lost tax and toll revenue at existing crossings from which the NITC will cannibalize traf- fic. In addition, there's nothing in the Cross- ing Agreement that specifies Canada will cover any cost overruns, which average 61 percent for this type of project, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The article also quotes Prof. Thomas Lyon, who asserts the project would bring Michi- gan an additional $2.2 billion in federal high- way matching funds. However, such funds are subject to a state-by-state cap. Michi- gan has never failed to maximize its state contribution to receive the highest possible amount, so the $2.2 billion doesn't represent any "new" money the state wouldn't oth- erwise receive from the Federal Highway Administration. Proposal 6 is an opportunity for Michigan taxpayers to assert fiscal self-determination that thus far, the governor has been working to deny. Mickey Blashfield Director, The People Should Decide Ballot Initiative Consider implications of Halloween costumes puts on black should think t a "dirty thug." a suede bra ans think about th TO THE DAILY: out "I'm a Nativ I'm writing to produce a dialogue pertain- Last year, a st ing to Halloween costumes. Yes, I know the Ohio University topic of Halloween costumes doesn't seem ate dialogue at like a debatable topic or a topic that should stereotypical c be problematic to the students at the Univer- paign, which sity of Michigan. However, like many stu- up pictures ofc dents, as I thought about possible costumes culture or rac for the upcoming festivities, I realized that for and against there should be some discussion about what's Costume" camr appropriate and not offensive. When I began many comment pondering the possibilities, I noticed a bul- group expresse letin board that added a new dimension of had been produ interest to this celebrated holiday. I'm proposin The board read: "My Identity is Not a Cos- the implication tume." I read "how to have FUN on Hallow- ognize that the een and not be RACIST" and saw a list of ter, feathers an some popular costumes, which included an. continue to exp "Indian," "Arab," a "Mexican" and "Ghetto." a costume and f I could definitely see the offensiveness of many studentsr simplifying an entire ethnicity into a slutty costumes perso costume, and then drunkenly joking about the silly outfit with friends, amid a diversely Sarah Blume populated environment. Maybe the guy who LSA Freshman face, baggy pants and bling wice before calling himself Or possibly the girl wearing d feathers in her hair should e implications of screaming ve American!" udent human rights group at 'launched a campaign to cre- bout the issue about racially ostumes. Their poster cam- displayed students holding costumes that offended their e, sparked national debate the "We're a Culture; Not a paign. Though they received s bashing their motives, the d satisfaction that a dialogue ced. g that students think about s of their costumes and rec- re's meaning beyond the glit- d face paint. Students should ress their freedom to choose launt it, and keep in mind that may take the meaningof some nally. Happy Halloween! There was a time when our institutions- of higher edu- cation were founded on a religious basis - both Harvard University and Yale University began as Protes- tant seminaries. A century and a half later, the religious land- SARAH scapes of such ROHAN schools have disappeared. In adopting a progressive approach to education, most promi- nent universities abandoned their prescribed religious view in favor of a liberal acceptance of all faiths. And with the years of religious quotas in college admissions behind us, it seems we now live in an era of gen- eral religious tolerance within the world of higher education. To date, the University has 24 recognized religious student clubs ranging from the Muslim Students' Association to the Hindu Students Council to Hillel. The University cer- tainly provides a space for religious growth and identity and a vast array of courses on religious studies. And yet, it seems that the privi- lege of religious respect on this campus and in many other liberal universities is afforded to a very narrow category of religious per- sons. It's specifically reserved for the practitioner of secular obser- vance; the."religiously liberal." By "religiously liberal," I don't mean to describe someone who iden- tifies with a religious culture - be it Christianity, Hinduism or other - but rather someone whose religious adherence to the rules of his or her religion is, well, liberal. Progressive, reformed, modern or however one sees it, a "religiously liberal" observ- er often values historical identity and tradition over strict compliance with religious law. Through a mostly implied disap- proval, it seems that the world of pro- gressive attitude regards religious orthodoxy as unintelligent, outdated, exclusionary and judgmental. Take, for example, the reaction to a letter an orthodox Rabbi issued to Sarah Silverman two weeks ago, which has since gone viral. In the letter - which comes as a response to Silverman's "Let My People Vote" YouTube video - Rabbi Yaa- kov Rosenblatt performs a laugh- ably flawed psychoanalysis of the comedian. He tells Silverman that the reason she has "trouble forging a permanent relationship" with a male partner, something which he dubs as "the most basic desire of the feminine soul," is a result of her crude treatment of sex. As much as we may entirely dis- agree with Rosenblatt's arguments, the commenters on the site ridicule him - and implicitly, anyone else who adheres to traditional religious teachings - as "archaic" and "igno- rant." This replaces the appropri- ate task of tackling the argument's actual points. It's this attitude that provides the basis of the issue of academic "intolerance" of the reli- giously observant to arise. That said, however, there's a very apparent basis here for a resistance to traditional religious thought. Rosenblatt's argument resists an emerging discourse as an integral player in the academy: feminism. A frequently cited criticism of observant religious tradition is the apparent lack of equality between the roles of women and men. Reli- gious authorities will sometimes respond to these criticisms by explaining that the roles of men and women in their respective reli- gions are not unequal, but different. However, many, certainly those concerned in protecting women's rights, see no distinction between "different roles" and inequality. Another point of contention between liberal academia and cer- tain traditional religious doctrine is their differing attitudes to expres- sions of sexuality. The University offers a number of courses dedicat- ed to gender and sexuality studies. The ideas promoted in these classes are often at odds with many strict religious dogmas. The fundamental disagreement between those who participate in women's and gender studies and those who adhere to a dogmatic faith - which rejects those very discours- es - undoubtedly creates tension. And, an understandable basis for the opposition of liberal academics to stringent religious doctrine exists; it's ultimately unjustified - maybe even hypocritical. Religion doesn't have to be at odds with progressive movements. A defining aspect of progressive academics is acceptance - of dif- ferent races, backgrounds, sexual j orientations and faiths. Extending that same acceptance to a commu- nity of people whose beliefs differ from their own, but whose behavior is respectful and understanding, would seem only logical. Furthermore, Rabbi Rosenblatt is not representative of the whole. In fact, many who lead a religiously orthodox lifestyle are also commit- ted to the ideas of progressive aca- demia, even if the two aren't 100 percent compatible. There are plenty of religiously observant people who believe in progressive politics, such as same- sex marriage and a woman's right to choose. Being religious doesn't necessarily equate with being dis- criminatory. The resolution of this issue is not difficult to achieve. It lies in one of the University's own mottos: expect respect. If we abide by the progres- sive practice of respecting different perspectives, we can relieve this feeling of discord on campus. -Sarah Rohan can be reached at shrohan@umich.edu.