Page 4A -- Wednesday, November 19, 2014
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.cam
Page 4A - Wednesday, November19, 2014 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
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the University of Michigan since 1890.
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Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
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.
This column is not about ootball
ELIZA CADOUX I
Institutional trauma
nstead this article is about the voices
that have been silenced, because
football has taken the forefront of
concerns. Even though
this institution will first
listen to #firedavebrandon
before #expelrapists, I
will not. Even though{
the Board of Regents and
University President sit in
their cushioned lives so far
removed from reality, I will
not. Even though football
wins are the dearest things TOSIC
to privileged white boys',TOSI
hearts, I will not write to
please them more. I will not
create yet another space through which they
can dominate.
Now thatI have turned away the very white
men that will not be the subject of my article.
Now that they have turned the page and
closed the Internet tab. Now that they have
stopped listening because this article doesn't
glorify them, let's talk for real.
The reality is that so many of us are in pain.
The silencing of our pain adds even more pain.
It is assumed that we have an entered a col-
lege utopia where race, class, gender, sexual
orientation and other identities don't matter
because everyone is simply human. But we are
not all just human. We live in a realm where
our identities shape our existence. They may
warrant oppression, but they so also give
color to our lives. They teach how us to love
and bring us closer to one another. So don't
wash away our nuances by labeling us all as
just human - a classless homogeneity. Doing
so denies the many different ways people have
connection to humanity.
The reality is that the pain that class causes
is not discussed. We swim in the notion that
the American Dream is real. We enter our uni-
versity community believing it is an isolated
bubble, and within it we lbc me classless.
There's a belief stirring amongst us that as
University students, we all have joined a melt-
ing pot where class differences do not exist -
that being a University student is its own class
category.
The reality is that there is a belief that class
is invisible. A belief that class cannot be iden-
tified because it doesn't mark us. But who is
it actually invisible to? Working-class identity
scars working hands. It creates wrinkles of
worry. It causes rumbling stomachs. On the
other end, class privilege creates smoothness,
ease, comfort and fullness. Class is invisible
only to those who have never had to look into
their own reflection and see working-class
bruises.
The reality is that some are consumed with
worries while others will never have to expe-
rience them. A worry of how to pay tuition
each semester. A worry of which to pick -
paying rent or buying food. A worry of how
to stay warm as winter worsens. A worry of
how to stay on top of homework after working
each day. A worry that being cash-poor will
translate into laziness. A worry that "work-
ing class" will be soon be connected to lack-
ing wealth of knowledge. A worry of having
worry show in one's eyes.
The reality is that this is not my reality. I
do not have to worry about how to pay rent or
tuition. I can pay each in full the day it is due.
I do not work jobs alongside school to ensure
that I can survive. As my mother says, I work
part-time to save money for something nice.
I do not worry what others will think when
they correctly read my class identity. I do
not worry.
The reality is that one can become aware of
reality. Even though I do not have to worry,
I bear the responsibility to discontinue the
silencing of working-class individuals. The
first step is for privileged folks to examine
their own lives and the comfort they can
afford. One does not have to seek painful
narratives from others in order to understand
class divisions. Each class category shapes
individuals, so start by learning how you are
shaped by your own identity. Let your heart
expand with understanding and compassion.
Then move through this world with a
awareness and a ploy to listen instead of
perpetuating silence.
- Maja Tosic can be reached
at tosimaj@umich.edu.
Trigger warning: sexual
assault, mental health turmoil and
institutional betrayal.
Names have been changed to respect
the privacy and bravery of those who
spoke with me.
It takes an incredible amount of
strength to ask for help. It takes even
more strength to do so if you have
been defiled, disrespected or violated.
Survivors on this campus are pushed
to come out of the woodwork, only
to find themselves naked in front of a
spotlight, facing an indifferent audi-
ence and achorus of"I'm so sorry."
Amid the It's On Us policy advis-
ing roundtables, a potent display of
students demands on the Diag and
the Sexual Assault Prevention and
Awareness Center Survivor Speak
Out, I have to ask: what do we talk
about when we talk about reform
surrounding sexual assault? We talk
about accountability. We talk about
prevention and bystander awareness.
We talk about survivor support ser-
vices, in which survivors can find a
healing community, such as SAPAC.
We talk about statistics and studies.
We talk about the narratives of those
who spoke up, such as Emma Sulko-
wicz of Columbia University, heroine
of the Carry That Weight campaign.
And all of this is vital, pulsing and
critical to the daily life of the one
in four.
Yet I want to say, no, shout, that
we are missing something. We are
missing the conversations that take
place in quiet. Let's talk about the
individual mental struggle. Let's talk
about trauma.
When I expressed my anxiety
toward the end of last year, the most
common response I heard was: "Why
don't you try CAPS?" Counseling and
Psychological Services is free (once
you've paid the University's crippling
annual tuition) and accessible in the
Michigan Union.As manyofmy peers
know,the first thing one does at CAPS
is sit in front of a screen and take an
intake survey. I supplied information
about my relationship with my moth-
er and my father, my sisters, my sexual
history, my sleeping habits, my aca-
demic stress level. I provided an hon-
est account of being raped. I clicked a
small box, to indicate that I needed to
be seen, that I needed to be heard.
When I approached the desk to
make an appointment, a woman
looked up at me and said that the
next opening was in more than three
weeks. Three weeks. I spilled my guts
to a boxy computer screen. I asked for
help. Threeweeks.
I am not at all alone in this expe-
rience. The rehashing of trauma
only to be neglected in the lobby of
CAPS is, unfortunately, a seemingly
common experience.
Alexa, an LSA sophomore, told me
her story.
"When I was first seen, my initial
visit lasted about two minutes ... I
walked into awoman'soffice and after
askingme myname,the firstthingthe
woman said was something along the
lines oft'I read your form butI would
like for you to tell me in your own
words and in detail why you are here.'
This struck me because if she read my
form and knew I was there because I
had been raped, I didn't understand
why she needed me to tell her that
again." Alexa then had to describe her
trauma, which was clearly notated: "It
was very triggeringto write and then
even worse to weepily explain what
happened tome to astranger whowas
not even going to be the person work-
ing with me."
The counselor concluded after
two minutes that Alexa needed to see
a trauma counselor, to make a new
appointment and to wait another
three weeks.
To make matters worse, the coun-
selor shifted the fear and blame far-
ther ontoAlexa:"She also said,'People
like you tend to develop some para-
noia after their trauma such as con-
stantly looking behind you when you
walk and being afraid of being alone,
especially at night.' ... she made me
aware that maybe I should be scared
and now I find myself uncomfortable
when people are walking close behind
me and whenI am alone at night."
Jane, a senior, had to wait two
weeks, only to be given a list of private
therapists. Sarah, asophomoresuffer-
ing from anxiety, had to wait three.
I would like to be clear: I am glad
CAPS exists - but it is not enough.
Sexual assault doesn't end with a
rape kit, a court date or an assailant's
one-yearsuspension fromtheUniver-
sity. It doesn't end when you're in a
loving relationship, when you're safe
and looked after. It lives in people,
travels with them and becomes a part
of their human experience. By list-
ing CAPS as an institution prepared
to deal with the psychological pain
that comes from such experience, the
University is disrespecting the very
women it claims to foster. By refusing
to allocate adequate resources to the
mental health of its students, while
the furnishings of East Quad alone
cost $3.3 million dollars, the Uni-
versity states its priorities through
its actions.
CAPS announced a changeinpolicy
at the beginning of the semester, stat-
ing that wait times for an initial visit
will be one to three days. Yet Alexa's
and Sarah's waits both occurred with-
in this semester. If this policy does
indeed get enacted properly, when we
arrive, will we be treated like Alexa
was, with a cold, efficient demeanor,
or like damaged goods, which the
University must sulkingly deal with?
or rather, surprisingly, like humans
grappling with being dehumanized?
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
is real. Chronic pain is real. Anxiety
is real. Depression is real. Take our
minds seriously. Take us seriously.
Stop telling us you care and show us
youdo.
Eliza Cadoux is an LSA sophomore.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Edvinas Berzanskis, 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
MICAH NELSON|
Taking action on a two state solution
I
Unhealthy election habits
Idon't think I'm cut out to be a politician.
Not that anyone was asking, but I should
probably expound.
Over the past several
weeks, I had been working on
running for co-editorial page
editor of this newspaper. The
preparation for the election
included meeting with nearly
all the top-level editors of the
paper, potential editors for
next year and other members
involved at the paper in order
to formulate future ideas DEREK
and receive feedback. All of WOLFE
this culminated in a two-
hour question-and-answer
session, which occurred last
Friday evening.
During this process, I met more fellow
colleagues - trying to sound professional, here
- than I had in the past two years. And by all
means, it was highly productive and fun. I also
got to know some of the younger members of
the opinion section who are working to join the
editorial board and possibly become editors.
That is particularly exciting. My counterpart,
Aarica Marsh, and I were able to develop our
vision for the opinion section by incorporating
aspects of what makes the other sections
successful and work on talking points for the
election. And for those wondering at home, we
won - yes, the election was uncontested, but
still, a victory is a victory. I couldn't be more
enthused to lead this section.
There is nothing inherently wrong with
what I described. We took all the right and
necessary steps to prepare for a successfulyear.
However, while it's hard to precisely define it,
there is something slightly disingenuous about
the election process.
What I mean by this is that whenever I would
introduce myself to someone new on staff I
worried about it coming off to the person like,
"I'mintroducing myselfto you only because I'm
running and want your support." The reality
is I enjoy meeting new people, but there was
always the concern that the looming election
blurred my intentions - that I was being fake.
There is no denying that this process
accelerated, even encouraged, a social
process, which in the long term is beneficial
for when we hire an edit staff and familiarity
with one another has been established.
But, I guess what I'm saying is that I'm
uncomfortable engaging in a relationship
where only I have something to gain in the
short term - in this case, winning an election.
I can't even imagine how it would be if Aarica
and I ran against someone else.
While elections are necessary for our great
democracy, the dynamics that accompany
them are incredibly complicated and overall
unhealthy. Through my anecdotal evidence
alone, it's clear that it's difficult to gauge
one's true motivations. And this isn't just a
Daily problem. It's a societal problem. And it
affects everything and everyone from high
school youth groups - something I also have
experience with - to the presidential election.
Who can you trust? Which candidate cared
more about me? Both questions, in a society
where 99.9 percent of people aren't trained in
psychoanalysis, are tough to answer.
Take the 2014 midterm elections as another
example where the answers of those questions
are risked. We gambled on who "meant
it" more. Across the country, hundreds of
candidates, most notably for the U.S. House
of Representatives and gubernatorial races,
were enthusiastically making bold claims and
promises on how they could improve my life
as an American citizen.
Nov. 1, I attended a Democratic rally at
Wayne State University where President
Barack Obama spoke to endorse then-
candidates Gary Peters and Mark Schauer.
During his speech, Obama said, "You have
the chance to choose leaders that don't put
political ideology first, that don't put just
winning an election first - they put you first."
That is classic election rhetoric. Of course,
I want to believe that Gary Peters does put
me first. But, especially with national and
statewide elections, he was also fighting for
his career. He's trying to get paid. That's his
number one goal.
The Daily is a bit different. If you saw how
much a writer gets paid per article you'd
know money isn't a motivator. I'm sure this
is also the case for other student groups
across campus.
But for me, especiallywhen I don't know the
candidate very well, elections automatically
generate a sense of skepticism because it's all
talk and no walk - sorry for the cliche.
I'm excited that election season is over.
It's time to get to work. I want to prove I'm
a man of my word.
Hopefully our representatives will do
the same.
- Derek Wolfe can be reached
at dwolfe@umich.edu.
Recently, University of Michi-
gan Hillel - the largest pluralistic
Jewish communal organization on
this campus - denied sponsorship
for a Palestinian Solidarity Shab-
bat. The stated reason, according
to the students who tried to orga-
nize it, was that Hillel felt that the
term "Palestinian solidarity" was
exclusive. The suggested event,
organized by individuals associated
with Jewish Voice for Peace, but not
sponsored by JVP explicitly, was
suggested as a moment in which to
bring a conversation about Pales-
tinian lives into Hillel as part of the
ShabUM program.
However, Hillel International,
the umbrella organization for all
Hillelsglobally,hasguidelinesabout
what kinds of Israel programming
they will host or sponsor. According
to the guidelines, Hillel-affiliated
institutions will not partner with
or host anyone that, among other
things, supports the movement to
boycott, divest from or sanction
Israel, companies that operate in
Israel or companies that operate
in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories. JVP supports the
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
movement, and so the organization
falls outside those guidelines. Yet,
regardlessofhowwe feelaboutBDS,
JVP or Hillel and its guidelines,
the conversation here has been
about the title of the program,
Palestinian Solidarity Shabbat.
But our Hillel says they support
a two-state solution, and that
must mean standing in solidarity
with Palestinians.
We at J Street UMich want to
see our institutions better grapple
with what it means to care for and
about Palestinians. Supporting
Palestinian sovereignty is not anti-
Israel. Because the University
of Michigan Hillel has publicly
declared support for a two-state
solution, supporting Palestinian
sovereignty is well within our
Hillel's values. We have seen Hillel
demonstrate its commitment to two
states in the past - including when
they hosted Americans for Peace
Now last year. We value our Hillel
for this, and for its willingness to
take a stand on one of the most vital
issues facing the Jewish people and
the State of Israel. Yet, if we believe
in a two-state solution, we cannot
care only for the Jewish state and
disregard our future Palestinian
neighbor. A two-state solution
means what it says: a Jewish and
democratic Israel alongside a viable
Palestine. We cannot support one'
without supporting the other. To
do so only pays lip service to our
common cause.
As pro-Israel students, we are
deeply concerned about the security
of Israel and the risks the occupation
poses to it. We too think deeply
about our values of Zionism and
the safety of the Jewish homeland,
and we applaud Michigan Hillel for
its public support for a two-state
solution. But we have also grown up
in communities that claim support
for a two-state solution and then
devalue or disregard the people who
will live in that second state. This is
a challenge facing the entire Jewish
community - and one that inhibits
public support for two states into
action. To ensure that this public
support leads to a sustainable
future for Israelis and Palestinians,
we must have more conversations
about what it means to support
Palestinian futures.
We understand that having a
deep conversation about Palestin-
ians and Palestinian sovereignty
will be a challenge for the Jewish
community, and for this campus at
large, because many of us have been
taught that to be active in this con-
versation, you must pick one side or
the other. But we at J Street UMich
think there is a better path. As a
dedicated pro-Israel student group,
J Street UMich is a proud member
of Hillel's Israel Cohort - a body of
self-identifying pro-Israel student
organizations on campus. Our sup-
port for Palestinian statehood does
not preclude our membership. On
the contrary, it makes us the best
pro-Israel advocates we can be -
ones who are willing to wrestle
with what it means to support two
states, and what it means to care
for the long-term sustainability
of both peoples. Michigan Hillel
will fully act on its values when it
opens spaces that include deep dis-
cussion about Palestinian sover-
eignty - and they can, and should,
create space for this conversation.
In fact, they must, because being
pro-Israel and pro-Palestine are
mutually interdependent.
Michigan Hillel can lead the
charge for a two-state solution - in
many ways, it has already taken deci-
sive steps by supporting the two-
state solution publicly. This is why
we are excited that today, J Street
UMich is hosting Rabbi Arik Ascher-
man, an outspoken Jewish advocate
for human rights in the occupied
Palestinian territories, and the presi-
dent and senior rabbi of Rabbis for
Human Rights, at Hillel. By welcom-
ing Rabbi Ascherman into its build-
ing, Hillel has taken this moment
to demonstrate its values. But he
is not Palestinian, and we must
have Palestinian voices within Hil-
lel. Given the events of the last few
weeks and months, it is even more
important for us to understand each
other's narratives.
We at J Street UMich are proud to
be part of a Hillel that has afforded
us the ability to have such program-
ming in the face of a Jewish com-
munity that often does not, and even
more proud to be part of a Hillel
that understands the necessity of a
two-state solution to ensure Israel's
future. And, we want our visible sup-
port for Palestinian sovereignty to be
as unequivocal as we say it is. "Pales-
tinian self-determination" is not an
exclusive term that shuts out Israeli
self-determination, and breaking
down such stereotypes is necessary
for promoting two states. We know
our Hillel is dedicated to the two-
state solution, so we would like to see
our Hillel invite Palestinian speak-
ers in the future. If we support the
autonomy of both Israelis and Pal-
estinians, advocating for Palestinian
self-determination is essential. It can
start here at the University. We are
eager for Hillel to join us.
J Street UMich will be hosting
Rabbi Arik Ascherman of Rabbis for
Human Rights today Nov.19 at 8 p.m.
at Hillel.
Micah Nelson is an Public Policy
junior and an executive board
member at J Street UMich.
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