4 - Tuesday, March 25, 2014
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
4 - Tuesday, March 25, 2014 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
f iiigan Batil
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MEGAN MCDONALD
PETER SHAHIN and DANIEL WANG KATIE BURKE
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.
A presumptuous policy
The state legislature should focus on employment rather than drug testing
Last Thursday, the Republican-controlled state Senate passed House
Bill 4118, which allows for suspicion-based drug testing of welfare
recipients as a pilot program in three counties. The Department
of Human Services is set to be in charge of the drug testing and will be
endowed with $500,000 to cover testing expenses. Welfare recipients
are slated to lose their benefits if they test positive or refuse to test. Gov.
Rick Snyder should reject the bill because welfare-based drug testing is
ineffective and discriminates against lower socioeconomic classes. Snyder
should focus on helping welfare recipients find reliable employment instead.
Programming education for our reality
O recent day t the library,
Iasked my friends to humor
me with a little bit of word
association about
different college
majors. This
proved to be an
enlightening
exercise in a
number of ways,
but among all r
the stereotypes
and jokes, JULIA
misperceptions ZARINA
about one
distinct major
stuck out: computer programming.
The responses I received ranged
from hilarious to inaccurate, but the
message was clear. To most people,
computer science is still inaccessible,
intimidating and the realm of
white, possibly un-showered male
hackers who haven't seen the sun or
interacted with another human in a
non-Dungeons and Dragons scenario
in months.
In the United States and many
other countries around the world,
there is a distinct mismatch between
our perceptions and attitudes
towards computer programming and
our society's need for it. The reality is
that nearly all of us interact with and
rely on computers, phones and other
machines that require software on
a daily basis, but very few of us con-
sider ourselves to be "programmer
material" at even the most basic
level. We tweet, make Excel charts
and shop online without even a fun-
damental understanding of how the
pictures on our screens came to be
or how the words we type are used as
inputs in any form we fill out, pass-
word we type or application we use
Beyond our personal lives,
computer programming is an even
more relevant and important field.
Projections show that 1.4 million
programming jobs will be necessary
in the upcoming decade, but current
estimates predict that there will only
be 400,000 graduates in the field
over that time.
These numbers reflect some
discouraging trends in both
primary and secondary education
in the United States. Despite our
shift toward an information-based
economy, computer science is the
only subject that has declined in
popularity in U.S. schools in the
last decade. In 2012 only 1.4 percent
of high school AP students took the
computer science exam, compared
with nearly 40 percent of the same
group that took exams in English.
It's time for us to change that.
We don't live in an analog world schools, and increasing participation
anymore. From social interactions, by women and underrepresented
to literature, to our economy, students of color." Today, a number of
a large portion of our lives are free online courses exist to promote
on the computer or online. Our the idea that anybody, from children
reality is virtual but our education to senior citizens of any gender and
systems have not adapted to help background, can and should code.
us understand it. In high school, While these online programs pro-
a favorite teacher of mine once vide an accessible and innovative
eloquently explained his take on why platform to learn programming for
we all study math when we won't all anyone who is interested, they are
become mathematicians, and history not enough. Research shows that
when very few of us will ever go on to the popularity of free online classes
become experts in Cold War policy. such as those at Code.org and other
"Language, literature and history massive open online classes offered
teach you that no problem is truly through colleges and universities,
unique. People have been fighting is rising, but fails to show that these
and compromising and breaking courses are as effective as traditional
each other's hearts since the dawn of education. Nearly 90 percent of all
civilization. We learn from the past people enrolled in MOOCs fail to
to help guide our future. In the same complete them and students report
way, we study math and physics to feeling unmotivated, confused or
help us form expectations about the uninterested at much higher rates
outcomes of everyday events. Every than students learning in traditional
subject you study in school provides classroom settings.
you with a new way to understand Around the world, other countries
the reality of the world around you." are bringing their education systems
Coding is no exception. Even the up to speed. This September, new
mostbasic C++ class teaches students curriculum requirements across
concepts more profound than just England will take affect that
the syntax needed to execute a line will make coding and computing
of code. The logic required to write classes mandatory in all primary
a program is - and secondary
unique, but its public schools.
applications Our reality is virtual in the United
are numerous: States however,
students learn but our education only nine states
how to solve currentlyrequire
problems by systems have not computer
breaking them adapted to help us science classes
down to their as a graduation
core components understand it. prerequisite, and
and analyzing many schools
which functions do not offer
are required to make each of them computer programming classes of
work. These problem-solving skills any kind.
are crucial to a basic understanding In both education and mainstream
of many of the processes that make society, a culture that accepts and
our digital world work, just as a basic promotes computer programming
understanding of physics concepts is necessary to adapt to and remain
is crucial to understanding how and competitive in our changing world.
why everyday events in our physical If we are to truly embrace such a
world occur. culture, we need more coding teach-
In the past few years, a number ers and programs in schools at every
of initiatives have been successful level of the education system. From
in helping to introduce coding to kindergarten to college, we need to
popular culture. In a viral video provide the resources necessary to
that circulated the web last spring, change the perception that computer
a somewhat unlikely alliance of programming is inaccessible. We
celebrities - among them, Bill Gates, all know that you don't need to be a
Mark Zuckerberg, will.i.am and Chris Nobel prize nomineeto win a science
Bosh discussed their experiences fair, nordoyou need tobe apublished
with computer programming and author to enjoy writing. It's time to
encouraged students of all ages to get throw out the computer program-
involved in the field. The short film ming stereotypes as well.
was an advertisement for Code.org, a So get out there. Get coding.
non-profit organization "dedicated to
expanding participation in computer - Julia Zarina can be reached
science by making itavailable in more at jumilton@umich.edu.
House Bill 4118 was passed by the
Michigan House in May 2013 but will return
for the approval of Senate amendments. The
bill is different from its legal precedents
due to a clause that only allows drug testing
with reasonable suspicion. Supporters of
the bill argue that the program is addressed
to protect the children of welfare recipients
whose parents potentially spend benefits
- $394 per month - on illegal drugs. If a
recipient tests positive, they will be referred
to a substance abuse agency for intervention
and ordered to pay for their drug tests.
Failure of a second drug test may result in the
suspension of benefits. Medical marijuana
and prescription drugs will not be considered
a violation of the law.
There are about 31,400 people who will be
affected by the bill. People who continually
test positive and are taken off welfare benefits
are expected to save the state $4,700 per year.
However, a similar program in Florida turned
out to be ineffective. The implementation of
the program ended up being more expensive
than cost-saving with only 2.6 percent of the
people testing positive. Similarly, Arizona
tested 87,000 people between 2009 and
2012 with only one person testing positive.
Programs such as these have proven costly
and difficult to execute.
In 1999 and 2003, similar Michigan bills
were deemed unconstitutional by a federal
judge and were struck down as unreasonable
forms of search. Legal precedent shows
that these laws aren't in accordance with
individual rights. While it's admirable that
legislators are ostensibly looking for ways to
protect children, a discriminatory procedure
that's been proven ineffective numerous times
isn't a logical solution. The legislature should
look for a better way to address the issue.
It's especially concerning that the drafting
of the law allows room for discrimination
due to the level of ambiguity. There aren't
sufficient regulations to prevent racist or
other biased suspicions. In addition, under
the law, if welfare recipients who test positive
for the drug test have children, there will be a
determined payee through whom the children
will continue to receive Family Independence
Program benefits. Such an implementation
will potentially put a lot of pressure on
children, as they will become the only ones
in the household to receive benefits. This may
further deteriorate familial relations and
only worsen the problem.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Barry Belmont, Edvinas Berzanskis, Nivedita Karki, Jacob Karafa,
Jordyn Kay, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble,
Michael Schramm, Matthew Seligman, Paul Sherman, Allison
Raeck, Linh Vu, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
GABI KIRK, JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE I
A reasonable demand
ELENA POTEKI
Taking a look at the bigger picture
To the Assembly of the University of
Michigan Central Student Government:
We write to endorse the divestment
resolution proposed by Students Allied for
Freedom and Equality, and supported at
last week's meeting by 300 students and
36 student organizations, including groups
representing a broad spectrum of students of
color, human rights and social interests.
The resolution calls on the University to
divest from four named U.S. corporations
and all others that directly "profit from and
facilitate the Israeli occupation and siege of
Palestinian land in violation of international
law and human rights." It is explicitly offered
that "it is the opinion of the authors that
ethical divestment fits with UM's deeply
held principles of justice and equality for
all people." In calling for divestment from
companies that profit from and enable the
commission of egregious human rights
violations, this resolution follows the model
of nonviolent economic resistance against
the Jim Crow laws of the American South
and South African apartheid. The resolution
honors the Palestinians' own call for global
nonviolent economic resistance.
The Israeli occupation destroys Palestinian
homes; depletes aquifers essential to family
farming in a fragile ecosystem; seizes sleeping
children from their beds in the middle of the
night for throwing stones at armor-plated
bulldozers that rip their centuries-old olive
trees from their family orchards before their
eyes; and has forced women in labor to give
birth on the ground at checkpoints, even
in winter, causing the deaths of women and
infants, in arbitrary exercises of total power
and control over a captive population. Victims
of South African apartheid, including former
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, after seeing it
with their own eyes, have called the Israeli
occupation "apartheid."
Growing numbers of Jews reject such
brutality and say instead: "Not in our names!"
We believe that the only path to peace and
security for Israeli Jews and Palestinians
alike follows justice, fairness and equality.
Israel, as all other nations, must adhere to
universally accepted standards of human
behavior and international law, and we join
with others in applying nonviolent economic
pressure to persuade Israel to do so. It is
not anti-Semitic for Palestinians to demand
equal rights, just as it was not anti-white
for African-Americans and South Africans
to demand equal rights, and just as it is not
bigotry against Chinese people to demand a
change in official policy and practices toward
Tibetans. The resolution that should be before
the Assembly seeks equality and fairness
and is neither racist nor discriminatory; it
is a demand for an end to oppression. The
target is not the "Jewish people," but official
misconduct by the State of Israel.
In all struggles for equality, those holding
advantaged positions will be reluctant to
relinquishthe personalbenefits ofinequality,
oppression, exploitation and slavery. When
Black South Africa turned to nonviolent
boycott and divestment campaigns to seek
equality, and when civil rights activists
in the United States tried nonviolently to
enforce the civil rights of Black Americans
in the 1960s and '70s, it was not their
nonviolent pressures that caused turmoil.
They were responding to oppression in ways
now universally recognized as appropriate.
The turmoil' was caused by the underlying
injustices and the repressive reactions to
peaceful efforts to end them. Fears of heated
debate on campus in response to peaceful
efforts to vindicate human rights provide no
justification for suppressing or abandoning
the struggle for justice.
The divestment resolution is strongly
protected free speech. The rights to petition for
and engage in boycotts and divestment in the
name of human rights and the rule of law are
afforded the highest degree of legal protection
under theFirst Amendment ofthe Constitution,
and such advocacy and related action do not
lose their protected character simply because
they may embarrass or vex others.
Please stand proudly in solidarity with the
courageous proponents of this resolution,
and make us proud of the student government
of this great University. It is the right and
just decision.
Gabi Kirk is the campus liaison for the
Jewish Voice for Peace National.
I'm tired. Tired of spewing facts
that fall into empty places, hearing
statistics from the "other side" that
can be easily contested with facts of
my own. It is not a game, this back
and forth, and it needs to end. I have
spenttoday, the day after the Boycott,
Divestment and Sanction bill went
before Central Student Government,
wondering what this movement
is all about. What are those in the
pro-Palestinian community at the
University trying to accomplish?
The recent pro-Palestinian
activities on campus, the mock
eviction as well as the divestment
campaign, have created an
environment that dehumanizes the
Israeli narrative and allows for no
middle ground.
I am pro-Israel, meaning I believe
Israel as a country has a right to
exist. But still I have many deeply
felt problems with its government
and its laws. These movements have
made it hard for me to come forward
and admit that, without fearing I
will look like I am demonizing the
country I love. Why is that?
Because these movements, very
intentionally, create no space for
those on both sides to come together
in conversation, ask questions and
try to understand the issues more
deeply. Some people in the pro-
Palestine community on campus
have said they will not talk to us,
those in the pro-Israel community,
because we are oppressors. I want
justice and peace for Palestinians
and Israelis. I don't believe that those
are values an oppressor possesses. I
cannot take away the title that I am
given by others, that is in their power
alone. ButI do ask that those in the
pro-Palestinian community who
say or believe these things, to think
about what you are making me into
when you deny me the right to tell my
story and when I ask to hear yours.
I am sad that it has come to this.
I do not want to have to play this
game, to share my story of hurt in
such an impersonal way, in order to
try and balance the sides. Comparing
battle wounds for the eternity of
our lives, showing our pain and the
blood of our brothers and sisters to
one another doesn't do any justice
to them, this dire situation or us.
But the conversation on campus has
been so terribly biased and one-sided
that I feel I have no place to share a
story, the narrative of a close friend
who was on the Israeli side. This is a
small attempt at showing that there
are two sides, both of which deserve
to be listened to and heard.
Growing up my family had very
little connection to Israel. We
were good friends with only one
family that lived in the land. In
2001 the husband and father of that
family was shot and murdered by
a Palestinian sniper while driving
his car down the highway. Let me
add, it was a highway within what is
agreed upon as Israel, not theWest
Bank or Gaza Strip. He kissed his
wife that morning, maybe he even
forgot, and just like that he was gone.
This man was pro-peace, pro-two-
state solution and was against the
settlements in the West Bank and
Gaza Strip. It may seem like a sad
coincidence that the only family we
knew in Israel was affected by this
war, but unfortunately that is not the
case for either side.
I'm not trying to get even. The
stories we tell, the experiences
we've all had, are just snippets of
the immense pain that this warfare
has brought to both sides. Justice
is not about getting even. If we are
killing and continuing this war in the
hope that there will be a time when
both sides feel that they have found
justice through bloodshed, that time
will never come. But if this is about
peace then let us hear those stories,
to humanize one another, feel pain
together and begin to understand.
Those shared experiences will help
us make change together.
If both sides are really searching
for peace, then there is no need for
two sides, no need for those who are
"pro" and "anti" to make their claim
before CSG. Peace is something
that can bring us all together - it is
not polarizing.
For many, joining the BDS
movement or mock eviction
campaign was done not because of
a personal connection to the land or
its people but through a dedication to
social justice and human rights. But,
social justice can only come about
through hearing both sides and by
believing in and valuing peace. The
recent pro-Palestinian movements
on campus do not share those same
values. The BDS campaign is not
trying to see the humanity in all
other human beings but rather to
erase the humanity of one very
specific group of people, those on the
pro-Israel side.
If there were a pro-peace
movement on campus that brought
together people from both sides to
join in conversation, to really talk,
to honestly admit wrongs as well as
hopes for the future, then that is a
movement I would support.
I would like to believe, I need to
believe, that I, along with Zionists
and Palestinians alike, do not
want to walk the land of Israel, or
Palestine, and wonder how many
flowers growing here are thriving
because the blood of both peoples
have nourished its roots. I don't
want to see trees and ask them
what horrors they have witnessed,
look up at the sun and see it shining
down on a place that is hopeless and
filled with hate.
If we want peace, truly want
peace, let us show it in our actions by
coming together, not apart, making
space for one another, understanding
that it takes sacrificing a bit of
ourselves and our land to allow both
peoples to live in their space. For me,
it is about loving Israel and believing
I can accept anyone that loves that
same land too. It won't be easy for
either side, but it is the only hope I
have. This is why I will never support
a movement that pretends to be about
human rights when really all it does
is continue to show that it is okay
to hate rather than to try to come
together and understand.
Elena Potek is an SA sophomore.
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