4' Friday, April 19, 2013

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.cam

4- Friday, April 19, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom

I L c Id t,6gan 4atily
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com

ANDREW WEINER
EDITOR IN CHIEF

MELANIE KRUVELIS
and ADRIENNE ROBERTS
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS

NOTABLE QUOTABLE
We have always lived in college towns and there's
really no place like Ann Arbor. We did not think
twice about where we wanted to call
home after the presidency."
- University President Mary Sue Coleman, announcing her intention to
stay in Ann Arbor after retiring in July 2014.
Howfarwill we ?90-

MATT SLOVIN
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.
Strike the drones
Michigan's legislature should put a ban on drone use
Last week, the Michigan State House of Representatives
began discussing legislation to limit the use of unmanned
aerial vehicles - better known as drones - by law enforce-
ment. The bill, proposed by Republican state Rep. Tom McMil-
lin, would limit the use of drones.in situations involving a search
warrant, stop police from using data inadvertently collected while
tracking a suspect and prohibit drones from being equipped with
weapons systems. Twenty-nine states are actively discussing drone
regulation, and three have already passed laws restricting use. Due
to drones' potential to violate privacy, Michigan's legislature should
establish a moratorium on their use.

" A nyone selling Addy? I
have a 10-page term
paper due tomorrow
and it's not

going to write
itself."
Similar con-
versations
run rampant
throughout
the libraries at
Michigan. Tak-
ing Adderall
to crank out a
paper or cram
for finals is

SARAH
SKALUBA

Drone technology enables operators at a
command center to collect a variety of data
without an individual ever knowing - let
alonegivingconsentto asearch.Alaw enforce-
ment agency with unfettered access to drones
could potentially use them to watch even law-
abiding citizens without probable cause. This
would be a huge overstep of the government
into people's private lives. virginia, Florida
and Idaho have both passed drone legislation
similar to what's being discussed in Michi-
gan, limiting drone use to warranted searches.
While these limitations may be something to
look into in the future, Michigan's legislature
must take stronger action at this point.
Drones' potential to violate people's pri-
vacy-and civil liberties is far too great to be
put into the hands of local and state law
enforcement. Even with the legislation pro-
posed by McMillin, the use of drones would
still be allowed in conjunction with a search
warrant, as well as in ambiguously defined
"emergency" situations. The possible impact
of drones on residents' daily lives, even under
regulation, is not yet known. Michigan law-

makers should enact a moratorium (n the use
of drones by law enforcement for any situa-
tion for at least the next two years, using that
time to extensively study and determine the
role of unmanned aircraft in domestic situa-
tions and privacy implications.
In a report released in 2011, Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory detailed the
extent to which drones can track people and
vehicles, stitchingtogether thousands of hours
of video recorded over periods of days on end.
While it's easyto see the potential of drones to
improve the criminal justice system, misuse
could cause them to become potent weapons
for surveillance.
Michigan must lead the way in support-
ing civil liberty and privacy. The concept of
24-hour surveillance could one day be a real-
ity, violating key principles that our country!
was founded upon. Society often sacrifices
some bit of liberty for security, but letting law
enforcement use drones in their activities
without a warrant goes too far. Michigan's leg-
islature should ban drones until their effects
on privacy are known.

commonplace,
especially at auniversity that neces-
sitates high academic achievement.
We strive to be academically com-
petitive, though it comes at a cost -
literally and figuratively.
Adderall, the popular drug to
address effects of Attention Defi-
cit Disorder and abused by count-
less students across the nation, is a
schedule II controlled substance,
just like cocaine. Therefore, it's
not only extremely addictive, but
boasts a long list of dangerous side
effects ranging from hallucinations
to paranoia. However, undergradu-
ate and graduate students alike con-
tinue to pop Adderall like it's the
best thing since coffee - though
let's keep in mind that coffee is com-
pletely legal and doesn't warrant a
prescription.
As college students, we have a
tendency to abuse our bodies. We
chug coffee and energy drinks dur-
ing the week, head to the bars on
the weekends and sleep when time
allows - which is more or less never.
And now adding to this destructive
mix of caffeine, alcohol, sleep depri-
vation and stress are study drugs
- Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, the
works. These prescription drugs
are being used by students without
prescriptions to gain a competitive
academic edge.

Like Lance Armstrong and his
steroids, we now have college stu-
dents and their study drugs. Wheth-
er pulling an all-nighter, cranking
out a 15-pager or cramming for
finals, Adderall is viewed by many
as a quick fix - a necessary supple-
ment to being a successful student
in such a competitive environment.
Allison, a University student who
regularly takes Adderall before
heading to the library, gave me her
own perspective on the study drug
situation on campus. She explains,
"It puts me in the zone ... I can pull
out a 10-page paper in one night."
The immediate
effects are worth
it she says: "At the
moment, you feel At times
great, like every-,
thing is falling to recons
into place, that how fa
you are being so
productive." Willing
But she's also
quick to admit
the destructive
and very real consequences of using
such a powerful drug.
"Finals last year, I was taking 70
milligrams of Vyvanse every day ...
I became so anxious, had so much
anxiety, and basically had a break-
down by the end. You don't sleep;
you don't eat."
But even with the anxiety and
insomnia associated with such
drugs, students continue to use
them. They're easy enough to get a
hold of on campus, though not all
students are willing to drop the $3.
to $6 per pop, which is the price
range of a pill.
The concept of study drugs does
raise an ethical question. Doesusing
these stimulants to achieve aca-
demic success give some students
an unfair advantage over others? Or
do the harsh side effects counteract
any positive consequences associ-
ated with their use?

For example, is it fair that while
I'm silently chugging my fourth
cup of coffee at the library ready
to claw my eyes out, my peers are
popping Adderall next to me? I
don't believe I have the answer
to this question, but I can tell you
this: Americans as a whole are
quick to turn to prescription drugs.
As a society we seek the quick fix,
regardless of how dangerous the
side effects may be.
Rather than explorin& other
means of treatment such as therapy
or rehabilitation, Americans turn
to medication. We're living in a pill
nation, as NBC's
Today Show has
so cleverly coined
we need the United States.
. And the statistics
Sider jUSt are staggering -
as a nation, we're
r we re taking more pre-
to rgo. scription drugs
than ever before
- painkillers,
anti-depressants,
sleep aids, you name it.
Maybe it's just part of the
achievement- and success-driven
culture we live in. At every level of
society, this competitive tendency is
evident, whether as a student at the
University or a &rofessional on Wall
Street. We aim not only to achieve
what's expected of us, but to excel
and push ourselves to our breaking
points.
The millennial generation prides
itself on working and playing hard.
And though this can definitely be a
positive attribute, at times we need
to reconsider just how far we're
willing to go to achieve the super-
human goals we set for ourselves.
Academic success is important;yes,
but in the end, our health and well-
being is even more valuable.
-Sarah Skaluba can be reached
at sskaluba@umich.edu

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Kaan Avdart, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, Eli Cahan, Eric Ferguson, Jesse Klein,
Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Patrick Maillet, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald,
Jasmine McNenny, Harsha Nahata, Adrienne Roberts, Paul Sherman, Sarah Skaluba,
Michael Spaeth, Daniel Wang, Luchen Wang, Derek Wolfe
CARLY MANES
Contraceptive convenience

4

Diminishing faith

4

When most people run for student gov-
ernment, they run on platforms like "greater
transparency" or "increased communication
between government and students." Now, I'm
not saying that those things aren't important,
but I wanted to do something different.
In my eyes, Central Student Government
representatives are student advocates, and as
student advocates, we must work with Uni-
versity administration to ensure that students
are getting what they need within the param-
eters we're given by the institution. When I
was a freshman livingin the residential halls
and a Peers Utilizing Leadership Skills for
Education sexual educator, I saw a need for
an increase in sexual health services on cam-
pus. Each night in East Quad Residence Hall
- back in the good old days - I would tape
condoms to my door, and when I woke up the
each morning, onlythe dry pieces of tape and
a lowly sign advertising condoms remained.
It became apparent that PULSE representa-
tives alone weren't meeting students' contra-
ceptive needs.
There are condoms free of charge all over
campus. There are a handful of student
groups, such as Sexpertise, Students for
Choice and PULSE that hand out condoms
throughout the semester. Any weekday, you
can walk up to the second floor of the Uni-
versity Health Service building and pick up
as many lubricated, un-lubricated, ribbed
or female condoms as you like. Although I
believe that these are excellent resources
on campus for students, they're simply not
accessible. Students need condoms on Satur-
day at 2 a.m., later that morning while waiting
for a hangover to pass or on Sunday after-
noon post-Angelo's. Students' sexual activ-
ity doesn't revolve around the hours UHS is
open, or when student groups are handing
out condoms in Mason Hall. Students need to
have condoms accessible to them 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, because that's when

life happens.
That's where I come in.
I started the "condom project" several
months ago when I realized this urgent need.
One in four college students has a sexu-
ally transmitted infection. We need to rec-
ognize that we're not immune to herpes or
gonorrhea. Having condoms in the residen-
tial hall vending machines gives students
access to contraception if or when they need
it. I began talking to administrators and
residential hall councils in November and
December. Although I was receiving positive
affirmations from residential hall leaders and
students, I had a hard time getting the admin-
istration and the Residential Hall Association
on board. After months of meetings and pre-
sentations, I had made little ground on turn-
ing this project into a reality.
When I ran with forUM for a CSG repre-
sentative seat, my peers and running mates
helped to re-affirm my faith in this project. I
became more dedicated and steadfast in my
request, unwilling to take no for an answer.
So when I ran, I told you I would get it
done. And I did.
While those small little white boxes that
are marked $1 in your residential hall vending
machine wasn't what I imagined for the imple-
mentation of this initiative, it's a start. I will
continue to work with administration to lower
the cost of vending machine condoms, advocate
for their placement in all vending machines on
campus and negotiate to ensure quality contra-
ceptives are available at your convenience.
So, next time you're stumbling into South
Quad Residence Hall at 3 a.m. or just happen
to be looking for a midnight snack in Bursley
Residence Hall, hit up the vending machines.
Be sure to grab some condoms, a Pop-Tart
and renewed faith in your student govern-
ment, because we get the job done - safely.
Carly Manes is an LSA sophomore.

People often call me an ide-
alist. My friends, family
and teachers have grown
accustomed to
my sometimes
overly optimistic
views on what
American poli-
tics represent.
Although these
views may seem
romantic at
times, anyone PATRICK
who knows me MAILLET
understands my
passion for poli-
tics and aspiration to play a role in
U.S. policy. And yet, the older I get
and the more I see our republic at
work, the more disgusted I become
with what our once-great political
system has become.
Wednesday, our Senate decided
to overlook 90 percent of the Amer-
ican, electorate. Our Senate decided
that the campaign contributions of
a select few were more important
than what the people who elected
them wanted. And most impor-
tantly, our Senate decided that the
lives of 20 innocent children and
six teachers from Newtown, Conn.,
12 moviegoers from Aurora, Col.,
32 college students from Virginia
Tech University and the thousands
of other gun victims slain every
year throughout the United States
were less important than gaining
the support of the National Rifle
Association.
Amid shouts of "Shame on you!"
in the Senate Chamber by parents
of gun victims, the Senate failed to
pass a bill on Wednesday that would
enhance background checks for gun
buyers. Falling short of the neces-
sary 60 votes that would overcome a
filibuster, the Senate voted 54 to 46
and failed to pass a bill supported
by nearly 90 percent of Americans
including 50 percent of gun owners,
according to a recent Washington
Post-ABC News poll.

On Feb. 14, I wrote a column
about gun control and the regula-
tions needed to help prevent simi-
lar atrocities in the future. Written
roughly one month after the New-
town shooting, my column spoke
of how disappointed I was that
only two of the four core elements
of President Barack Obama's gun-
control agenda would likely be
passed by our divided legislature.
I realized that seemingly logical
regulations, such as banning high-
capacity ammunition magazines
and restrict-

for any wrongdoing in Washington
D.C., this colossal disappointment
was created with bipartisan sup-
port. Six Democrats, including Sen-
ate Majority Leader Harry Reid,
voted against the background check
bill cosponsored by Senators Joe
Manchin (D-W. Va.) and Pat Toom-
ey (R-Pa.). Worth mentioning are
the four Republicans who bravely
broke party line and joined the 50
Democrats who supported the bill.
Their efforts to "cross the aisle" in
order to pass a much-needed bill,
although laud-

4

ing the sale of able, were even-
assault rifles, sim- tually futile.
ply wouldn't be Obama
passed in an era This is beyond summed up my
where the NRA h feelings appro-
and other donors t e scope of a priately with his
make or - break sinole word reaction, to the
politicians. But si* Senate vote. With
within my previ- Gabby Giffords,
ous column, I sim- the former Arizo-
ply assumed that na congresswom-
the other two elements of Obama's an who survived a shooting attempt
gun-control agenda - universal in 2011, standing behind him along
background checks and investigat- with parents of slain victims from
ing the link between mental disor- Newtown, Aurora and Virginia
ders and gun violence - could pass Tech, Obama bluntly uttered, "All in
with bipartisan support. all, this is a pretty shameful day for
There I was, a few months young- Washington."
er and apparently brimming with Shameful is an understatement.
naivet, writing that article with The deaths of more than 30,000
confidence that our political system Americans caused by guns each
would pass much needed and wide- year and our government's ability to
ly supported legislation to mandate time and again ignore any opportu-
background checks. How foolish nity toward reversing this number
of me to think that our politicians is beyond the scope of a single word.
would actually do their jobs and Maybe I'm just growing up and
not only listen to the overwhelming realizing that the world doesn't
voice of their constituents, but also necessarily work how it should.
pass some form of legislation that Perhaps my optimistic views will
would ensure that the Sandy Hook continue to dwindle in the com-
Elementary victims wouldn't die in ing years. All I know is that while I
vain. watch our political system at work
But here I am, a few months older and witness its inability to govern,
and bitterer, coming to grips with it's becoming increasingly difficult
the fact that our political system tobe a starry-eyed idealist.
has once again failed the American
people. Although I'm normally the -Patrick Maillet can be
first to blame the Republican Party reached at maillet@umich.edu

14

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