4 - Friday, November 9, 2012

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

4 - Friday, November 9, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom

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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 T HE DA LY
Bring students togrether
Encourage international/domestic integration
he University boasts one of the most diverse student bodies in
the country. We rank eighth nationally in the enrollment of
international students, with more than 5,000 enrolled. While
this is a remarkable achievement that our University takes pride in,
until now, we were among only a few universities in the nation that did
not have an international student society to represent its large inter-
national population. This year, the Central Student Government has
supported an initiative to address this issue driven by international
students themselves. Keshav Reddy, with support from CSG and the
International Center, has founded the Michigan International Stu-
dents Society. Even University administration has welcomed MISS and
extended support. Although this initiative is something to applaud, it
must not be limited in scope.

VANESSA RYCHLINSKI(VIWP
Philosopher and social critic Ber-
trand Russell once said the "whole
problem with the world is that fools
and fanatics are always so certain of
themselves, and wiser people are so
full of doubts." If I was wiser, or brav-
er, maybe I wouldn't have voted at all.
It was Election Day and I was star-
ing down at my ballot in horror. I
had to change who I would choose
for president. In a moment of utter
conflict, I debated what to do - to-
vote for Mitt Romney or for Presi-
dent Barack Obama. I seriously con-
sidered just finishing my ballot and
inserting it in the machine as-is. I
rationalized, I argued with myself -
either way I chose, I'd feel like an ass.
I wentback to the woman behind the
computer at the entrance.
"I accidentally filled in the wrong
bubble," I said, smilingsheepishly.
The woman nodded curtly, re-
swiped my driver's license and cor-
rected my registration card.
She instructed me to write the
word "spoiled" in large letters across
my ballot. Given my growing disgust
with the whole business, this was
indescribably fitting. I walk back to
the booths still feeling like an ass,but
at least armed with the knowledge
I'd finally picked my poison.
A 1940 Columbia University study
published in a book called "The
People's Choice" is often cited as the
sociologicalbranchofthe three main
studies of voting behavior. Most peo-
ple either align with the politics of
their parents or drift to the middle
instead. As the daughter of staunch,
starched white-collar Republicans
and the granddaughter of old-school,
blue-collar Democrats, I'm part of
the latter. But if my hesitation at the
polls can be attributed to a mere iden-
tity crisis, then many of our peers are
conscientious objectors rather than
politically bipolar.
Jessica Jary, a pre-med student at
Michigan State University, expressed
frustration with the process of voting
for president, citing dissatisfaction
with both candidates as the reason.

) clear choice

Her choice: no one.
"I don't know how people are so
sure what the right (choice) is," she
said. "I feel like I could have a Ph.D in
economics, foreign policy and health
care and still not know."
After becoming as informed as I
could, I still wrestled with my basic
political ideology. It's not the fed-
eral " government's responsibility to
force or impede social change. People
should be able to generally do what
they please, but only as long as oth-
ers aren't hurt in the process and
religious groups aren't forced to vio-
late their principles. I wasn't worried
about my reproductive rights - Roev.
Wade isn't going anywhere, people -
but I was worried about finding a job
as a humanities major and becoming
an heir to a cool trillion-and-then-
some national debt. But then again,
since I'm never gonna be a Vanderbilt,
I'm not going have to pay much in the
way of taxes, anyway, right?
Such emotional biases were preva-
lent among voters in this election.
Several articles, including one from
the Wall Street Journal, claim that
President Obama was re-elected by
Hispanics, African-Americans, young
people and women - which suggests
that each of these demographics felt
the President would do more for them.
So much for thatKennedy paraphrase
Obama invoked duringhis acceptance
speech. Ask not what your country
can do for you, indeed.
But what's wrong, exactly, with
choosing a president based on a real
or imagined personal connection?
What's wrong is that not everyone
chooses their political identity based
on their sex or race. Many people are
searching for other commonalities in
a presidential candidate, and aren't
finding them: non-voters make up
the largest voting bloc in the United
States at a whopping 40 percent.
Barry Belmont, an Engineering
graduate student, didn't vote for
president due to a disagreement with
democracy.
"It binds people to decisions they

had no part in making, and with
which they may disagree with," he
said.
Paul Jackson, a senior studying
political science at Northwestern
University, called Obama's re-elec-
tion "America ducking a bullet for a
beating instead."
"I had people hitting me up saying
'If you don't vote, you're voting for
Romney' and a number of other mor-
alistic and less pragmatic reasons for
why Ihad to vote," he said.
"Even though it didn't matter
because Obama was going Democrat
allornothingfromthestart.Thevery
fact that no one even thought about
that ... shows how much they were
actually thinking about the mechan-
ics and circumstances of electoral
politics in our feeble 'democracy."'
"It is that our democracy is ulti-
mately coercive that I have a problem
with it," Belmont pointed out.
"(There's) no way to say, 'No,' to
it. Where freedom and liberty truly
begin is at a person's ability to say no.
In being able to say, I have gone this
farbutIwillgo no furtherone actual-
lyhas the freedom to controltheirlife,
(which is) the right of every person."
Saying "no" isn't a viable form
of democratic participation, and it
points to a larger problem: The dual-
ity of our party system means that
one man is always out. "Majority
rule" is monopolistic - about half
get their way at the expense of the
rest. Like a true-or-false question on
an elementary school test, when it
comes to politics you're either com-
pletely right, or completely wrong
- the loser is automatically invalid,
the winner beholden to no one but
the side who elected him, and usually
not even that. I look forward to the
next election,. in which hopefully I
can choose compassionately, but also
logically, for those of us in the middle
that refuse to be hoodwinked - and
sometimes refuse to choose at all.
Vanessa Rychlinski is a
senior editorial page editor.

While it's commendable that such steps
are being taken toward making Ann Arbor a
welcome refuge for its thousands of interna-
tionals, MISS needs to make sure the entire
student body can benefit from cross-cultural
integration. CSG has created an ambassa-
dors board consisting of representatives from
various 'national and ethnic organizations
on campus to discuss problems facing inter-
national students. It intends to help increase
funding for study abroad and plans to stream-
line funding for minority student organiza-
tions, among other functions.
MISS is the necessary focal point by which
international students are brought together.
With it, they can solve the unique issues they
face and can more easily increase their prom-
inence on campus by pooling resources and
organizing joint cultural events.
University rhetoric tells us that everyone
can find a club or organization that suits him
or her. While this does emphasize the fact
that we're a diverse student body, it doesn't
do enough to encourage students to leave
their comfort zones. The value of our diver-
sity is compromised when minority students

from different countries and backgrounds
don't interact with the rest of the student
body.
One example of this is the University's
decision to have a different orientation day
for international students. Separation doesn't
allow for interaction between students of all
backgrounds. The University and societies
like MISS need to recognize this and bring
the entire student body closer together.
The University's adminiastration hasn't
shown commitment to this cause. Our lack of
an international society in the past and the
fact that international students themselves
had to undertake the founding of such a soci-
ety proves this. While it may be easier for
administrative and organizational purposes
to have a separate international student ori-
entation, such measures by our University do
very little to encourage interaction between
international and domestic students. Future
policies need to ensure that our diversity does
not just look good on paper, but also that our
students should actually be able to reap the
benefits of being among people from more
than 120 countries around the world.

ADRIANNA BOJRAB PVIEPGINT,
A2s

I E E TO H E E DITOR SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM
Promote permaculture science advocating for "permanent agricul-
ture" by growing food the way nature would.
TO THE DAILY: It favors small and slow solutions over drastic
The University of Michigan Sustainable changes. And it's all about scale.
Food Program is a new organization born out The goal at a large university like Michigan
of student interest and various class projects shouldn't be to provide all of the food for the
in the winter of 2011. UMSFP seeks to unite dining halls through these satellite gardens. A
many sustainable food efforts on campus, such more realistic and effective goal would be to
as Cultivating Community Workdays, Friends provide students, faculty and staff with educa-
of the Campus Farm and the Michigan Sus- tional experiences while producing a limited
tainable Foods Initiative, among others. This number of ingredients that chefs could choose
is an important first step in making sustain- from. This has been done at the University of
able food relevant to our enormous student Massachusetts, Amherst with great success.
population. But we can do more. The University's goal of purchasing 20 ptr-
Ideally, sustainable food at Michigan would cent of itsfood from sustainable sources by2025
be visible to all students. They'd practically could be more easily achieved with satellite gar-
trip over the good work going on, what with dens. As permaculture advocate Geoff Lawton
all the distractions and stresses that college says, "You can fix all the world's problems in a
life brings. The solution? Satellite gardens on garden." Let's start with permaculture.
Central Campus that incorporate permacul-
ture principles. Lexi Targan
What is permaculture, you ask? It's a design LSA senior

Military sexual assault
prevelence cause for concern

esty. We have a st
pus. Future memb
find evidence of tI
it. Students whom
ernment and publ

TO THE DAILY: this illegal activi
According to recent statistics, one in every choose to servec
three women in the U.S. military have been sex- defend our hard-e
,ually assaulted by fellow soldiers during their our allies. Howevi
service. Even worse, in 2007, there were 2,212 a stand for Ameri
'reports of military sexual assault, yet only 181 The battle for
went to trial. That's astounding, without even to be waged on ti
taking into account that 80 percent of rapes go effective in ourr
unreported. Ofthese few trials, the most common participate in thi
-punishment for a guilty sentence was a reduction low human being
in rank or pay. Our military is letting convicted do. When someo
rapists walk free with punishments suitable for sexual assault, be
a misdemeanor, and honoring them as American for her. Reconsid
heroes when they return home. Furthermore, in if they seem fun:
2006, Congresshad to mandate that the Pentagon entrenched in ou:
keep track of these incidents, as they were previ- is meant to serve
ouslybeingsweptunder therug. justice. It's time
Why am I choosing to bring this particular promise for some
issue to the attention of The Michigan Daily?
Students of the University have the ability and, Eileen Enright
I believe, the responsibility to amend this trav- LSA freshman

rong ROTC presence on cam-
ers ofour military: Whenyou
his injustice, stand up against
wish to pursue careers in gov-
ic policy also shouldn't ignore
ty. Most of the soldiers who
our country truly intend to
earned freedoms and those of
er, it's time for all of us to take
can women's freedom.
true gender equality needs
he homy front in order to be
military overseas. We can all
s fight. Stop objectifying fel-
s and stand up to those who
ne claims to be a victim of
lieve her story and stand up
der those sexist slurs, even
ny. Eventually, they become
r society. We're a nation that
as a beacon of equality and
we came through with this
of our bravest citizens.

Nestled in the heart of a cultur-
ally rich and active. local community,
the University of Michigan's goals
seem to mirror the objectives of local
Ann Arbor. The city is a buzzing hub
of innovation start-up entrepre-
neurial enterprises, cutting edge
technology and research firms seem
to make up the nucleus of Ann Arbor
economy. Because such endeavors
prove costly, efficiency seems to be a
priority amongst local civilians, a pri-'
macy that's reflected in their business
approaches. Efficiency can be achieved
on a variety levels: capital allocation,
minimal time or energy expenditure
and strategic business structures that
minimize costs and boost profits. Such
efficiency standards can be met with
numerous approaches. However, Ann
Arbor companies seem to equate effi-
ciency with "green" sustainability and
consider local options and careful envi-
ronmental practices to reach the bar.
While residing in Ann Arbor for four
years, I noticed incentives for reducing
waste around the city. Many food busi-
nesses receive base ingredients from
local farmers and donate leftovers to
the homelesspopulation. Local farmers
markets are highly publicized and well
frequentedby students and locals alike.
Clothing and product drives reallocate
excess, and a noticeable shift toward
biodegradable materials for dispos-
able products has become widespread
in University and local businesses. A
new wave of businesses promoting
increased accessibility to public trans-
portation has also emerged. By means
of more expansive bus routes and ini-
tiatives to provide larger-capacity cabs,
Ann Arbor. moves more people and
burns less fuel. Within the commu-
nity, there's a consistent biking popu-
lation and, more recently, an emerging
skateboard culture. Governmental
regulations have rejected proposals for
increasing parking accessibility, and
this has been proven to deter individu-
als from driving, which is a positive for
fuel conservation.
Additionally, the physical layout of
Ann Arbor makes walking or alterna-
tive transportation an easy, viable and
reasonable option, along with the con-
struction of new residence halls, co-ops
and apartment buildings on Central
Campus - bringing people closer in
proximity to their destinations. The
"dual" suburban life in Ann Arbor
provides the perfect marketplace for
local and student businesses to test
new ideas and receive rapid feedback
from the student community, which
strives for "efficiency" in all sectors of
life, as academia proves rather grueling

and time-consuming. Essentially, Ann
Arbor makes it easy to be environmen-
tally conscious by providing the means
to promote desired actions.
The "green" movement swept
through Ann Arbor like a storm, and
the Ross School of Business proved
to be Ann Arbor's jewel. An entirely
"green" building, constructed by
using preexisting recycled materials,
it boasted goals of modernity while
achieving energy and water efficiency
through design innovation. Through
carefully crafted and creative design
practices, the functioning building has
increased profitability, saved funds and
resources and reduced the negative
environmental impacts of development
on the surrounding community. Mod-
ern and energy-efficient: It's possible.
Additionally, Ann Arbor has
employed solar-powered parking
meters throughout the city and recep-
tacles for recycling next to virtually
every waste repository. Participatingin
this movement becomes inevitable and,
as a result, students and locals develop
sustainable habits.
My fascination with urban living
and sustainability was redefined when
I moved north of downtown Chicago.
Generally speaking, subways and buses
are the predominate mode of trans-
portation for many city dwellers. As a
graduate student, it's an option to pur-
chase an unlimited public transporta-
tion card for six months of accessibility.
Purchasing a pass was a necessity for
me because my proximity from school
wasn't conducive for walking. My com-
mute on the subway has opened my eyes
to the amount of fuel, finances, energy
and time allotment that is being saved
per person. Calculate $2.50 per one-way
ticket, the price of a car, gas, parkingand
time in the context of the city and your
result is astounding. Chicago utilizes.
public transportation in a way unlike
most other big cities, by utilizing both
above ground and underground subway
transport. By doubling the expansive
public transportation network, Chicago
transports more people and employs
more individuals to service and main-
tain the tracks and trains. Read: Public
transportation is quick,efficient, expan-
sive, and arguably entertaining.
Illinois also provides a number of
incentives for renewable efforts. These
opportunities are available for com-
mercial, industrial, residential, educa-
tional and institutional interests,, and
help to further the employment and
adoption of new technology and envi-
ronmentally beneficial practices. Some
of these practices involve: "green"
building designs, geothermal heat

pumps, solar space and water heaters,
photovoltaics, hydroelectricity, LED
lighting, renewable fuels and biomass.
The implementation and employment
of new technology through state and
federal incentives encourages a health-
ier environment and provides a finan-
cially feasible way to sustain efficiency
by reducing the costs of operation and
conserving resources. Such informa-
tion for your own city is available
through the Database of State Incen-
tives for Renewables & Efficiency, an
online database funded by the U.S.
Department of Energy's Office of Ener-
gy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
On a smaller scale, I've noticed a
number of changes within my two
short months of residence in Illinois.
Public restrooms remove paper towel
dispensers and replace them with
strong air current dryers. Inner-city
farmers markets extend their hours
of operation to weekdays, specifically
lunch hours, providing an alternative
for the working world's lunch break
and grocery run. Recycling containers
are found on every corner and clothing
dispensaries for the needy are numer-
ous. Water bottle fillers providing a
"number of bottles saved" to users are
engineered into many of the public
water fountains, becoming a city norm.
A number of restaurants provide cloth
napkins, regardless of their level of for-
mality. Chicago provides easy ways for
people to minimize waste and reuse or
reallocate resources. Small incentives
and practices add up, and the collective
result could be major.
We're the generation thtat will turn
the tables. We'll change and revital-
ize the American culture by using
innovative ways to introduce and
implement sustainable and efficient
business regimes into our communi-
ties. Through education, network-
ing and imagination, it's possible to
take advantage of this "green" sec-
tor of the business economy, tweak
it to your needs and maximize its
results for both your benefit and that
of the environment. To an extent, our
health, safety and happiness derive
from our atmosphere. If we focus on
sustainability and intentionally chat-
lenge ourselves to reuse materials in
innovative ways, we will revive our
communities and provide for multi-
dimensional, positive remunerations.
Look at your lifestyle, identify the
source of waste, start small-scale and
take an active role within your com-
munity to further new practices and
become a catalyst for reform.
Adrianna Bojrab is a University alum.

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, Eli Cahan, Nirbhay Jain,
Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Patrick Maillet, Jasmine McNenny,
Harsha Nahata, Timothy Rabb, Adrienne Roberts, Vanessa Rychlinski,
Sarah Skaluba, Michael Spaeth, Gus Turner, Derek Wolfe

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