4 - Friday, November 22, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com ( 4e Michinan l (Past) time to end the Cuban embargo Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com MELANIE KRUVELIS and ADRIENNE ROBERTS MATT SLOVIN EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR ANDREW WEINER EDITOR IN CHIEF 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. Re-evaluating R&E requirement The University should require a freshman class on identity issues n Tuesday, the Black Student Union organized a "Being Black at the University of Michigan" campaign both on social media and Uni- versity spaces; where Black students were encouraged to tweet and share their experiences of being Black at the University. The #BBUM cam- paign is just one of many student movements to point to declining minority enrollment and a lack of support from University administration as instru- mental in creating a hostile racial climate. Since Michigan is devoted to promoting and nurturing a diverse institution, the administration should demonstrate this commitment by requiring all freshmen to take a course concerning contemporary identity issues. Earlier this semester, We Are Michigan orga- responsible student body, and will serve as an nized a "Freeze Out" protest, where minor- unprecedented demonstration to students that ity students and allies banded together to form a University administration is committed to pro- circle surrounding the Diag, carrying signs that moting and institutionalizing diversity educa- read "We want real diversity," and "I am that tion. This required course should replace the one Black girl in your class" along with other current race and ethnicity requirement and signs outlining the low minority representa- should become a part of every incoming fresh- tion on campus. Following an offensive "Hood man's schedule. The course should discuss social Ratchet Thursday" party planned by the Univer- identity in its multiple forms - spanning issues of sity's chapter of Theta Xi, student leaders have racism, sexism, LGBTQ discrimination, classism responded by organizing forums to raise aware- and discussing the ways in which power and priv- ness and urging campus leadership to hold stu- ilege play an unignorable role in sustaining these dents accountable for irresponsible behavior and, issues. Learning and reading material, assign- more importantly, to stop treating these aggres- ments and discussions should challenge students sions as isolated instances. to consider their own identities and the role they As part of their general LSA requirements, play in society. To nurture meaningful discus- every student must take at least three credits sions and a safe space, the course should be dia- from a list of approved courses that fulfill a race logue-based, with facilitators who are trained by and ethnicity requirement. To be approved, the University'sProgramon IntergroupRelations classes must discuss the meaning of race, ethnic- and the Office of Student Conflict Resolution. ity and racism, inequality resulting from racial We recognize that students in this course and ethnic intolerance, and comparisons of dis- will interact and respond to the material very crimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, differently, and some may feel uncomfortable. social class or gender. The goal of this require- However, if the University is serious about cre- ment is to prepare students for working in mul- ating a climate that is safe for all identities, it tiethnic, multiracial environments in school and must urge students to confront the serious and beyond. However, many of these classes are his- often uncomfortable questions that our campus tory courses that are highly theoretical in materi- community cannot afford to overlook. Since the al. This is misleading because they imply history University has already instituted the race and alone is more relevant than discussing the very ethnicity requirement, it only makes sense that tangible lastingeffects and contemporarylegacy it be refined and modernized to fulfill the of that history. Students should be required to goal for which it was created and adjust to the take specific courses that openly discuss issues needs of our shifting campus climate. Only related to racism, classism and sexism as they upon having these serious conversations, exist and inform their interactions - in society both with themselves and with others, will generally and particularly on this campus. students be prepared to enter a diverse world Instead, a required course about identity without threatening the safety of others in will help us nurture a more socially aware and that space. Even one c adds legitimacy When The Michigan Daily hired me to write a biweekly column, I promised myself I'd never become one of those self-important student writ- ers, adopting an unqualified opinion on issues I had little expe- rience with or JAKE treat recently OFFENHARTZ acquired esoteric knowledge as something that our student body should know and care about. The thing is, in researchingthe U.S. embargo on Cuba for a term paper, I've become convinced that the outdated policy is not only irratio- nal but also a clear example of the inherent dangers in both electoral politics and our lingering Cold War mentality. I've grown increasingly aware that while the embargo may have little impact on the average American - aside from depriving us of the world's finest cigars - its continued implementation has had major repercussions for the health and well-being of the Cuban people. For the past five decades, the Unit- ed States has imposed an economic, commercial and financial embargo on the nation of Cuba. The embar- go comprises thousands of laws, including strict travel restrictions and U.S. Treasury-enforced penal- ties on international banks' doing business with Cuba - all intended to topple Castro's longstandingcommu- nist regime. As 50 years have passed and Castro's government remains in power, it's clear that the embargo has been unsuccessful in itsstated intent. And yet the policy persists. The nature and aim of the embar- go have changed considerably since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Once a Soviet-allied nation only 90 miles off the coast of Florida, Cuba can no longer be seen as the major threat it once was. The embargo, then, is not upheld today for pur- poses of Cold War containment. The economic quarantine ca seen as having any legiti tial to end the communi nearly 200 other nation with Cuba, bringing us currency into a nation attempting to starve.I embargo is maintained, moral stance against th ernment's repressive, u tendencies. This justification, ho not hold up within th overall U.S. foreign po numerous accounts of h violations, the United S with Venezuela, Vietnar Additionally, American permitted to travel an in the world, including and North Korea. Th Cuba is singled out amoi tantly more threatening sive nations is clear proof that No' the embargo O and travel N restrictions are not based ol on logic but Cold War inr ideologies. A 1998 report from the U.S. Defense Intelli cy echoed this assert that, "Cuba does not pt cant military threat to t other countries in thei international communi even more vocal in its condemning the embar for 22 straight years, w recent UN General As coming in at a lopsided only Israel joining the U in support. Unfortunately, bu expectedly, electoral pc major role in our continu on maintaining a largel policy. Though the inter opposition has waned Castro handed control t Ratl Castro, the elderl of Cuban exiles - ma n also not be lost enormous wealth and land dur- imate poten- ing the communist revolution - has st regime, as been staunchly averseeto normalizing s allow trade any relations with a Castro-led gov- eful foreign ernment. As these Cuban-Americans that we are make up a sizable community in the Instead, the historically critical swing-state of as an alleged Florida, many politicians have side- e Cuban gov- stepped the issue for fear of alienat- ndemocratic ing an important voting bloc. Ignoring the ineffectual policy wever, does has had major implications for e context of the social and economic rights of licy. Despite the Cuban people. Though certain uman rights restrictions on American exports States trades have been eased in the past decade, m and China. access to medical technology and citizens are other necessities remains extremely ywhere else limited within Cuba. In 1997, the Iran, Burma American Association for World le fact that Health released a comprehensive ng these bla- report on the subject, finding that and repres- the embargo "contributed par- ticularly to mal- nutrition affecting apology should especially women and children, poor e issued for a water quality, lack of access to medi- icy that harms cines and medical supplies, and lim- iocent people. ited the exchange of medical and sci- entific information due to travel restric- gence Agen- tions and currency regulations." ion, finding While the arcane policy has had ose a signifi- little success in bringing an end to :he U.S. or to the Castro regime, it has been widely region." The effective in crippling basic human ity has been rights for much of the Cuban popula- opposition, tion. Some may excuse the embargo 'go annually as amatter of Cold War inertia, sure ith the most to end once the aging exiles lose their sembly vote political pull or the memory of the 1188-2, with Cuban Missile Crisis fades from our Jnited States nation's collective consciousness. But there is no justification for this t perhaps calamitous destruction, and no apol- olitics play a ogy should be issued for a policy that ed insistence harms innocent people. The endur- ly unpopular ing existence of the Cuban embargo nsity of their is unacceptable, and its abolition is since Fidel long overdue. 0I o his brother y generation ny of whom -Jake Offenhartz can be reached at jakeoff@umich.edu. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan, Rima Fadlallah, Eric Ferguson, Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Adrienne Roberts, Matthew Seligman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe SEND LETTERS TO: TOTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM Surely by now everyone has heard of the blog Return of Kings and their recent post, "5 Reasons to Date a Girl with an Eating Disorder." This dis- gusting, demoralizing and disturbing article has right- fully caused an uproar from allies and opponents alike, all while gaining massive traffic on their website. The thesis of the article is exactly what it purports MAURA to be - no sarcasm includ- LEVINE ed. These men genuinely want, "to usher the return of the masculine man in a world where masculinity is being increasingly punished and shamed in favor of creating an androgynous and politically-correct society that allows women to assert superiority and control over men." As laughable as this sounds, these misogynists aren't kidding. In fact, due to their previously low website traffic, they engineered the article about the positivity behind female eating disorders in order to generate a wild controversy and thusget their name out in the press. Websites and blogs such as Return of Kings and Total Frat Move are notorious forthiskindofbehavior. People should combat their attention-seeking actions by ignor- ing their taunting and lurid posts. When being teased as a child, we were always told that people would keep teasing you if they could get a rise out of you. That is basically what these websites are doing. While they do prob- ably believe the heinous words they publish, they also write to further their cause. By replying to them, in agreement or vehement protest, you are promoting them. According to the International Business Times, the eating disorder article is an offensive attempt at "trolling the Web" to raise the profile of Return of Kings and to profit off of the ensuing controversy. As more and more peo- ple flood the website after their friends post the link to Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets, the website is gaining popularity from all the hits. It has gone viral - doing exactly what the nastycreatorswanted. Along the same lines, as Dean Obeidallah beautifully opined for CNN last weekend, by doing outrageous and attention-seeking actions, the highly publicized Miley Cyrus has achieved exactly what she always wanted: fame. By writing more articles about her and her bizarre actions (and even by mentioning her here) we are only encouraging and perpetuat- ing her extreme behavior and fame. The more weird stuff she does on TV, the more her name is spoken, the more fame she has and the more money she rakes in. This same principle applies to Return ofKings and itsbrother website, TFM. The obnoxious and infuriating articles, which often promote treat- ing college women as nothing more than mere sex objects,have made TFM one of the most pop- ular websites for college men. By giving specific examples of TFM articles here, I would only be perpetuating the sick culture these misogynistic men have easily created through use of the quick and accessible Internet. While others maysaythatthese websites are "all in good fun" or are untouchable because of freedom of speech, it does not change the fact that their backwardness is harmingsociety. By constantly gaining popularity for talking about women negatively, some part of their mentality seeps into society's consciousness. It promotes not only gender inequality but also rape cul- ture through its constant treatment of women as mere objects. Whether or not these articles should be taken as a joke, they have gained popularity and are encouraging a sick, compla- cent group of college-aged men who think that just because someone on TFM posted about it, it is OK to act that way. While these websites are going viral and spi- raling out of control, with positive or negative comments, you can stop their prominence by not posting links to them. Truly ignoring these websites would stop them in their tracks. This is not a request to stop caring about the issues they bringup, because open dialogue is important, but this is a request to stop funding their ignorance. By replying to them and showing all your friends their links, all you are doing is adding to their growing popularity. There are other, more posi- tive and helpful arenas where issues of misogyny and inequality can be discussed without spon- soring the instigators at their core. Join me in silently protesting the Internet-monster-men who are instigatinguproar for money. -Maura Levine can be reached at mtoval@umich.edu Being white means hold- ingmyselfaccountable TO THE DAILY: After reading through some of the thousands of #BBUM tweets, I've been challenged to think about what being white at the University of Michigan means to me. This is in no way a parody of #BBUM, but rather a reflection of my own expe- riences and what I've seen of oth- ers' experiences in comparison. Being white at the University guarantees that I can walk into just about any setting here and feel welcomed and comfortable in my skin. I have never had the experi- ence where a peer in my classroom has questioned my acceptance to this university. I have never felt alienated based on my race and I can rest assured that I will not stand out from the seas of white The University can help Detroit by divesting TO THE DAILY: Dear President Coleman, On Dec. 7, members of The Divest and Invest Campaign will be taking a Toxic Tour of Detroit, and we request that you join us. The University of Michigan has long touted a strong relationship with the city of Detroit, and over the past decade in particular, Detroit-relat- ed programs at the University have increased in number and popular- ity. From the Semester in Detroit program to the new Detroit Center connector bus, it's clear that the University has many ties to the city of Detroit. However, the Divest and Invest Campaign feels obligated to call attention to the fact that the University has engaged in practices that are entirely antithetical to its pledge of belief in Detroit. Our University has over $1 bil- lion invested in the fossil-fuel that fill my classrooms and that my counterparts rather than trying to responses to classroom questions speak on their behalf. Being white at will never be attributed to my race. the University of Michigan is holding The largest problem I have found myself accountable. with understanding my white iden- Being white has given me a tity is that it's become something choice. Do I react to what I saw on I've only ever had to think about in my Twitter feed? Do I think twice these privilege comparisons. I've about the many messages that were often times found myself wonder- displayed on the posting wall? I can ing, is being white even an identity? walk around knowing that no mat- After much thought, I've real- ter how many of my friends have ized what my whiteness means to experienced these sentiments, I me. Being white, for me, is forcing could just as easily ignore them. I'm myself to unlearn what society has making the choice to listen and I'm engrained in me through the institu- hopeful that my white peers will tionalracism I've seen before my own join me. eyes. It's about putting in the work I stand in solidarity with the to understand the ways in which I #BBUM movement that the Black perpetuate this racism and making Student Union has begun. The Uni- a conscious effort to stop myself. It's versity has said that they are listen- heightening my awareness to the ing, and I can promise you that I experience of the underrepresented am, too. minorities. It's about opening my eyes. Being white is learning totake a Blair Sucher step back, read and listen to my Black LSA sophomore 0 6 industry, an industry that is creat- ing a detrimental legacy in the city to which we claim allegiance. The fossil-fuel industry has a long his- tory of polluting low income and minority communities. Our invest- ments allow the fossil-fuel industry to continue harming communities like Detroit without consequence. These investments include sig- nificant holdings in the Marathon Petroleum Corporation. Their expansive oil refinery in the city is responsible for making Detroit's 48217 zip code the third most toxic in the nation, with a toxic burden score over 50 times larger than the state average, according to a 2006 University of Michigan study. The Toxic Tour, led by Detroiters Work- ing for Environmental Justice, will take us to this refinery and many other sites of pollution in the city of Detroit to see first-hand the human impacts of the fossil fuel industry. President Coleman, you state on "A Partnership for Progress," that "the university's bonds with the city and metropolitan area are LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: deep and strong... We are pleased to work alongside Detroit residents to strengthen the community and its citizens... Strong ties with Detroit make for a strong University of Michigan." It's unethical to strive toward a strong connection to Detroit and its people, while simul- taneously supporting an indus- try that is directly responsible for harming the health of its citizens. In order to appreciate the dam- aging impact the University's investments are having in Detroit, it's necessary to see the results first hand and to speak with those affected. We ask that you, President Coleman, join us on this tour, on Dec. 7, 2013 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., while we learn more about our role in the struggle for environmental justice, and how the University can play a key role in striving toward equality and environmental sus- tainability. Marion Berger and Marissa Solomon The Divest and Invest Campaign a S Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be fewer than 300 words and must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@michigandaily.com. I t