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MEGAN MCDONALD
PETER SIIAHIN 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.
KEVIN CHUNG| MICHIGAN IN COLOR
That's not me

When Peter Griffin got in a feud with Mr.
Washee Washee, the owner of Super Cowboy
USA Hot Dog Rocket Ship American Cleaners
Number One in an episode of Family Guy,
I couldn't help but sigh. Once again, the
stereotypical accent was there. Once again,
the absurd names were there. Once again, the
hostile foreigner typecast was there.
Once again.
Watching this made me reflect on a
dialogue session last semester about the poor
media representation of minority groups.
From this session, I became frustrated about
how I do not see myself on TV, in movies, in
magazines, or in most media forms.
I first want to say that I acknowledge the
harmful and dangerous media portrayal of
other minority groups, and I do not mean
to deduct any attention or significance from
their perspective. My goal is not to claim who
has it worse, or that other representations
are no longer relevant. This isn't to discount
the skewed media representation of Asian-
American women and other women of color,
or how heteronormative our media.represen-
tation can be. This is my frustration, identi-
fying as a Chinese American man, with the
media industry.
We exist - I exist, but not in the typecasted
manner found on TV or in movies. I am not
a token socially awkward nerd. I am not the
austere owner of a Chinese restaurant, nail
salon, or dry cleaners. I'm not a wise kung-
fu master who will teach you how to channel
your inner xi. I'm not a fetishized exotic
flamboyant Asian. That's not who I am. I am
more than that; we are more than that.
I'm tired of being the quiet side character.
I want to see that I can be the lead character,
and not just a neighbor or side story. I want
to see that I can model the latest fall fashions
alongside my white peers. I wantto see a show
that isn't solely centered around my ethnic
identity. I want to see a show that doesn't

cast a Korean person as a Chinese character,
or pretend to speak Japanese when it's really
Vietnamese. I want to see a show that doesn't
cast the Chinese character as the know-it-all
brainiac who makes others feel incompetent.
And I'm tired of being desexualized and
emasculated by the media. I want to be more
than narrow lines for eyes and a bucktooth
for a smile. I want people to see my sexy
features unskewed; my taste in fashion, the
curves of my lips, the crescent of my eyes, and
my killer smile. I want to see that I'm capable
of developing a relationship without mockery
that my partner could do better. I want to see
that I'm desirable, and not in a fetishized way.
I want to see that my beauty is not limited to
the only other Asian character on the cast.
I do want to acknowledge that there are
some better Asian-American representations
in the media. For example, ABC is airing
a new series called "Fresh Off The Boat"
based on Eddie Huang's experiences of
being an ethnic minority in a predominantly
white setting.
But let's not stop there. I refuse to passively
accept the harmful ways I'm portrayed. I
refuse to idly let these racist media typecasts
represent me; to propagate a false image of the
Chinese-American identity. This destructive
narrative needs to change.
No more typecasting. No more
exotification. No more desexualization. I
have a voice. I am plural. I am a stunning, sexy
Chinese-American man finding my way in a
white patriarchal society who is significant
enoughto have my ownnarrative and cantake
the spotlight.
Let's see that on TV.
Michigan in Color is the Daily's opinion
section designated as a space for and by
students of color at the University of Michigan.
To contribute your voice or find out more about
MiC, e-mail michiganincolor@umich.edu.

The paradox of Adderall
y family is big on medi- stimulants became a means for an a lack of work ethic only aided by the
cation. Ever since I was addiction. few remaining capsules of Adderall
little, if I had the slight- What accompanied my brain buried in my drawers. During my
est headache, my during those quiet nights and early second appointment with my bald-
mom shoved two mornings, though, were heart headed therapist with a flashy smile,
capsules of Advil palpitations, headaches and aggres- he told me to pick up the plant in his
into my hands and sive pangs of agitation. When I'd office, hold it in between my arms
told me to go and arrive at school the following, with and walk around for three minutes.
lie down. In Ms. the medication still pulsing through I did so, skeptically, and once I put
Sweigart's fifth my veins, someone's foot tapping on the plant down he asked, "Do you
grade class, after my chair could have caused me to know what that was for? That was to
I I'd gotten a C+ chew my own hand off - or theirs. show you the weight of your parents'
on a science test I ABBY An addiction brought on by the need expectations." Are you fucking
hadn't studied for, TASKIER for academic success became socially, serious? I was, for once, looking for
I sat down with emotionally and physically debilitat- constructive advice on how to utilize
both Ms. Sweigart ing. And frighteningly, I'd never real- an education I had so miserably
and my mom in the science class- ly considered it an addiction, until taken for granted, and in turn, I'd had
room, posters of the periodic table now, when I recall my legitimate to carry around a pot of lavender.
and Einstein cloaking the walls, inability to produce work without I guess what has helped me get
and spoke about the ways in which my elixir. Furthermore, I preferred over the habit of self-medicating is
I could improve my study habits. to look into my teachers' eyes, aware finding classes that have actually
With tears streaming down my face, they'd read through my landscape of mattered to me. Perspective is the
because, after all, getting a C+ in fifth lies, rather than to simply trust my only remedy for apathy, and my
grade meant a lifetime of failure, we own intelligence. But what if this appreciation for my education has
spoke about the possibility of intro- said more about unfair academic been founded upon a perspective
ducing Adderall into my daily diet. expectations than it did about me? I've gained from classes and
This aim for my academic success During my senior year of high extracurriculars alike. But the
didn't take shape until ninth grade, school, a mixed forum was held inability to make deadlines still
when homework required more for students, teachers and parents hauntsme, and procrastination is the
than the filling out of worksheets. I alike to discuss what we'd gained bane of any college kid's existence.
went to a psychiatrist, a kind woman from watching the 2010 documen- Recently, a friend's mom spoke to
who prescribed me a low dosage of tary, "Waiting for Superman." The me about how the creator of "The
Adderall - "boosters" - she called film provides a commentary on the West Wing," Aaron Sorkin, would
them, for those times in the middle American public school system's snort multiple lines of coke and
of the day when I just couldn't seem failures, and splay hundreds
to focus. For those instances requir- the ways in of pieces of
ing long-term concentration, she which kids have paper at his feet
prescribed me a bottle of high dosage adopted ridicu- W e need to learn to in order conjure
Adderall. "Only to be taken on rare lously high-up his critically
occasions," she had said, smiling, expectations trust our intelligence acclaimed
Well, upon reflection, throwing bot- for themselves, and trust that our dialogue. "Hey!"
ties of stimulants at a lazy 14-year- causing them to I said, "That
old doesn't seem to yield what my be overworked. I motivation will sounds like how
parents had hoped would be out- myself was lucky I write papers!"
standing results. And contrary to our enough to attend follow passion. No laughs were
belief systems at the time, medication a well-resourced exchanged
cannot be substituted for motivation. private school in because
I began to take the pills, but not Washington D.C., and the forum con- dependency isn't funny, it's scary.
during the day, when class material sisted of myself and other privileged I was medicated early on with the
became so daunting that I'd instead students and parents discussing a assumption that my unidentified
revert to teenage fantasies in myhead school system which we knew vir- aversiontoputtingfortheffortwould
rather than attempt engagement. tually nothing about. Still, I sheep- be cured. But what professionals
Instead it was during the nighttime, ishly walked up to the podium and should have encouraged was the
when the only living things awake proposed this: what if some people pursuit to identify my aversion.
were me and the birds cooing outside just aren't motivated by school? The If it became apparent that a rigid
of my window. This practice was responses varied. A couple of teach- academic environment wasn't right
maintainedthroughout my fouryears ers afterwards commended my hon- for me, then that should have been
of high school. I left all of my work esty, a parent took me aside to say, "I OK, because our modern definition
until the last minute, and many times, don't think that's true," and surpris- of education is so boxed in that it
until after the deadline, because my ingly, many of my peers nodded in doesn't allow for us to exhibit our
enabler - Adderall - ensured that agreement. So maybe I wasn't the intelligence accordingly. I still
I'd produce something eventually. only one who couldn'tget pumped up sometimes use stimulantsain a pinch,
On Adderall, I didn't just feel about school, justthe only one secret- as do many of my friends, as do so
efficient, I felt like a motherfucking ly killing myselfwith stimulants. many college students sometimes
genius. My eyes scurried over pages I came to college with the hope for recreational use. But we, as
upon pages of texts in a matter of that university courses would finally students, as people, should learn to
hours - texts assigned for weeks' ensure my genuine interest inschool, trust our intelligence and trust that
worth of consumption. I wrote what but alas, introductory level social our motivation will follow passion.
I believed to be papers with highly sciences didn't seem to change a now And passion, I believe, will very
sophisticated argumentation clouded fiercely maintained commitment rarely be found within the confines
by hundreds of typos and heaps of against formal education. Within of a classroom. Also, I wrote this in
incoherency. But my brain became a the first two months of my freshman two hours, just on coffee.
flawless generator of insight, and its year, I registered with Counseling
consistent ability to counteract my and Psychological Services in the - Abby Taskier can be reached
academic apathy in the presence of attempt to hash out my real problem: at ataskier@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Devin Eggert, David Harris, Rachel John, Jordyn Kay, Aarica
Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Michael Paul,
Allison Raeck, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Matthew
Seligman, Mary Kate Winn, Jenny Wang, Daniel Wang,
Derek Wolfe
MICHAEL PAULIVI WPON
Not a 'Michigan Man,' but the right man

LINDSAY HURWITZ W
A misleading representation

Oct. 8, 2014, was a beautiful, sunny day
in Michigan, one of those rare days where
even the weather seems to be telling you
that nothing can go wrong. After my last
class I walked from the MLB to the UGLi to
finish up some work. However, upon walking
through the Diag I was faced by a mock
checkpoint supposed to be representing the
walls between the Israeli and Gaza borders.
Ipeacefully approached the makeshift desk
and simply asked someone to explain what
was being demonstrated. I soon found myself
surrounded by pro-Palestinian students, each
quickly throwing out arguments one after
another to explain why the wall is unfair and
a disgrace to human rights. They concluded
by claiming that Israel is an "apartheid state,"
which was my cue to step in.
The alls stationed in the Diag created
the illusion that there is a humongous, thick,
impenetrable wall between Israel and Gaza.
But, this barrier is actually mostly fence.
In fact, less than 5 percent of the barrier is
actually concrete wall - the rest being a
fence. The less than S percent that is concrete
was instituted in order to protect civilians
from sniper fire, leaving the rest of the barrier
to be composed of chain link or barbed wire.
Simply claiming that this security fence is
unjust is a blatant disregard of the correlation
between the end of suicide bombings and this
barrier. As I iterated to the pro-Palestinian
students that day, I am not making a blanket
statement that all Gazans are dangers to
the Israeli society. However, observing the
connection between the decrease in suicide
bombings and the creation of the barrier is
critical. Since the barrier was constructed,
suicide bombings in Israel have become
incredibly infrequent.
Still, this demonstration in the Diag
alludes to the idea that only Israel is so harsh
as to implement a barrier on its border. Yet,
many borders have barriers, including the
very country we live in. The border fence
between the United States and Mexico is
not nearly as closely scrutinized by the
international community, as maintaining
a checkpoint where people cross from one
country to another is considered a standard
practice. The Ceuta border fence between
Spain and Morocco exists in order to stop
illegal immigration and smuggling. In fact,
this fence is composed of barbed wire and
watchmen as well. So too, the security fences
between Israel and Gaza have helped limit
terrorism, drug smuggling and other crimes
within Israel. The implementation of the

security barrier has directly impacted the
decrease in suicide bombings, smuggling and
terrorism, which cannot be ignored.
The aspect of my conversation with these
students that sticks out the most in my
mind is the lie that Israel is an apartheid
state. All Israeli citizens are granted equal
rights under Israeli law. Actually, there are
numerous Palestinians residing in Israel
who work there and are properly paid. Israel
causes no harm to these Palestinians, and to
the contrary, helps them sustain proper lives
in Israel. Palestinians are denied many rights
in places like Lebanon, and women are denied
basic human rights in countries like Saudi
Arabia. In fact, 24 percent of Israeli citizens
are considered to be Arab, and many of these
Arabs serve in the country's legislature.
Arabs are cared for by Israeli hospitals and
learn in Arab-Israeli schools because Arabic
is considered an official Israeli language.
Israeli citizens include whites, Blacks,
Arabs, Jews, Muslims, Christians, atheists
and more. Each of these people maintain
the right to vote and is equally permitted in
all public places. To the contrary, since 1997
the Palestinian Authority has declared that
selling any amount of Gazan property to an
Israeli is considered treason - punishable
by death. But, these facts are blatantly
ignored in the pro-Palestinian checkpoint
demonstration, making Israel seem an
unlawful and shameful country.
Additionally, Operations Solomon, Moses
and Joshua airlifted approximately 35,000
Ethiopian Jews who were impoverished in
other lands to start anew in Israel. The state
of Israel maintains a law granting Muslim
power Waqf control over Arab holy sites -
along with the Jewish Temple Mount, the
holiest site for the Jews. Israel is a progressive
and liberal democracy, one that allows free
press, complete religious freedoms, full
rights for women and minorities, recognizes
gay marriage and holds free elections.
While I fully support the right of the
pro-Palestinian students on this campus to
present their side of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, I felt that these students blurred the
lines between Palestine awareness and anti-
Israel sentiments. I recognize that this debate
is heated and incredibly complex, yet I find it
an injustice to a country that I love to enable
these falsehoods to be spread effortlessly on
my campus.
Lindsay Hurwitz is an LSA
sophomore and a CAMERA fellow.

Michiganfootballisatacrossroads.
Whether University President Mark
Schlissel likes it or not, his choice for
Athletic Director could very well be
a decision that defines his tenure. I
know that there are more important
things to life than football, but as
one who genuinely bleeds maize
and blue, I'm hard pressed to find an
activity I enjoy more than scaring
the green people in East Lansing.
It's something that we Wolverines
take so much pride in. By leaving
the post of Athletic Director, Dave
Brandon has shifted the spotlight
from himself to Schlissel and now
it's shining brighter than ever. The
former Brown provost, not even
five months on the job, has his work
cut out for him. His pick can both
restore order and help us contend
for national championship, or drop
us deeper into the doldrums of
college football purgatory. He must
tread carefully.
When Dave Brandon hired Brady
Hoke in 2011, much fanfare was
made regarding Hoke's previous
ties to Michigan. Hoke served as
part of Lloyd Carr's staff from
1995 to 2002, carrying various

titles like defensive line coach and
assistant head coach. Students and
alumni were cheering for Hoke.
Former players like Tom Brady and
Charles Woodson endorsed the
pick. Everyone loved the Hoke hire.
Especially the fact that he was a
Michigan Man.
Let's stop right there.
What exactly is a Michigan Man?
Is it someone who has attended the
University in a certain capacity or
is it someone who shares the same
beliefs and values as the University?
Whatever it is, those that asked for
Hoke's hire are currently asking
for his head. And those that asked
for Rich Rodriguez, the previous
head coach, to step downi because
of the lack of ties to the University,
now wish he never left. By the way,
Rich Rod is now 7-2 at Arizona with
notable victories over California and
Oregon. It burns doesn't it?
Mediocre seasons like the current
one and the past several give rise to
a group of fickle fans and it is with
this bandwagonnery (yes I made
this word up) that I back President
Schlissel in his decision to select the
best person for the job of Athletic

Director, regardless of previous
ties to the University. Let's face it.
If Michigan football was 9-0 right
now and in some parallel universe,
Brady Hoke happened to have ties
to OSU (my fingers won't allow me
to type out the full name), we would
all be ecstatic. Also, just because
you don't have ties to the University
doesn't mean you can't acquire them.
President Schlissel at a recent press
conference said,"Despite the fact that
I've been here for only 110 days, I feel
like a 'Michigan Man' already." The
wolverine nature can be learned. The
belief in integrity and working for
each other are some values one can
learn by attending this University
and embracing its culture.
Don't get me wrong. I amin no way
saying that if another football player
was chosen to lead this athletic pro-
gram, nepotismhas occurred and the
end ofthe world is near. I am just ask-@
ing that the person being chosen for
the job be picked based on merit and
experience and that he/she believes
that Michigan football deserves to be
in amuchbetter place thanitistoday.
Michael Paul is an LSA junior*

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Letters should be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words.
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