Opinion

JENNIFER CALFAS

EDITOR IN CHIEF

AARICA MARSH

and DEREK WOLFE

EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS

LEV FACHER

MANAGING EDITOR

420 Maynard St.

Ann Arbor, MI 48109

tothedaily@michigandaily.com

Edited and managed by students at

the University of Michigan since 1890.

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.

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4A — Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Finding our way there

Claire Bryan, Regan Detwiler, Ben Keller, Payton Luokkala,

Aarica Marsh, Victoria Noble, Michael Paul, Anna Polumbo-Levy,

Allison Raeck, Melissa Scholke, Michael Schramm, Matthew

Seligman, Linh Vu, Mary Kate Winn, Jenny Wang, Derek Wolfe

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

I

magine, for a moment, the University
suddenly devoid of women. All female
students,
professors,
staff
members

and administrators vanish
from campus. A multitude
of seats in lecture halls
and classrooms would be
vacant. A number of classes
would lack instruction from
professors.
Administra-

tive issues would remain
unresolved. The progress of
research projects and initia-
tives would slacken. Dining
halls would operate under-
staffed. Portions of on-cam-
pus residences — without
the contributions of staff members — would
remain unkempt. Student organizations and
committees across campus would struggle to
function without a vast portion of their mem-
bers and their leadership. Without its female
writers, copy editors, videographers, design-
ers, photographers and editors, the publi-
cation you’re currently reading would lack
content to provide to the student population.
In short, the University, as it currently stands,
would struggle to function during this hypo-
thetical scenario.

Although the scenario I describe above is

merely my own personal musing, March 8,
on International Women’s Day, women van-
ished from advertisements, posters, publica-
tions and billboards throughout New York
City in an effort to raise awareness of the
gender inequality continuing to permeate our
society. Sponsored by the Clinton Founda-
tion, the disappearance of female bodies, in
combination with displaying the web address
Not-There.org, was meant to call attention to
data compiled by the foundation’s No Ceil-
ings initiative to measure and gauge the
worldwide condition of all women. By enter-
ing the web address into a
browser, members of the
public were able to view
a female celebrity-filled
YouTube video explain-
ing the disappearances,
and they were presented
with the opportunity to
discover alarming facts
and figures regarding the
contemporary magnitude
of gender inequality.

Aptly titled, the cam-

paign illustrates that gender equality remains
out of reach for women throughout the globe.
Of the numerous facts given to describe the
current state of inequality, the website notes
that the United States stands as “one of nine
countries worldwide that doesn’t provide for
paid maternity leave.” Highlighting the danger-
ous prevalence of violence against women, the
No Ceilings initiative provides the statistic that
“one in three women suffers physical or sexual
violence” within society. The site also address-
es issues surrounding the gender pay gap, inac-
cessibility to education, Internet service and
child marriage. According to an estimate from
the Clinton Foundation, “the Not There website
had been viewed at least 104, 680 times” as of
the evening of March 8.

Gathering data and promoting a forum of

discussion is crucial to making progress for
women’s rights. Succeeding in its attempt to
capture attention and garner support for equal-
ity among genders, the Not There campaign is
certainly a poignant and powerful one. Katie
Dowd, the director of digital strategy at the
Clinton Foundation, noted in an interview that
one of the goals of the campaign was “to cre-
ate a moment that feels meaningful.” However,
no matter how revolutionary the campaign was

in its commencement last week, the commit-
ment to dismantling gender inequality must not
remain limited to a single day. The effect of this
campaign shouldn’t just be a noteworthy news
event with a notoriety that fizzles out over time.

In addition to the mysterious departure of

women from newsstands and advertisements,
another component of the campaign featured
erasing the voices of females from contempo-
rary music featured across roughly 186 radio
stations owned by iHeartMedia across the
nation. As a heavy critic of the usually over-
sexualized and over-photoshopped manner in
which women are often portrayed in ads and
magazines anyway, I found this removal of
voices to be more significant. In my opinion,
demonstrating the lack of voices is more impor-
tant than a lack of today’s societal depictions.

Providing spaces for women’s voices to be

heard is instrumental to achieving true equal-
ity. In regards to remedying the ridiculous pay
gap between men and women, I have often
heard cultivating a larger number of women
in STEM fields proposed as a solution. More
women in STEM careers, as suggested by an
article on the No Ceilings initiative’s website,
would propel women into “some of the fastest
growing, best paying, and highest-need fields
in today’s economy.” Increasing the number of
women in these careers would most likely aid
in alleviating the pay gap as women with STEM
careers earn 33 percent more than their female
counterparts in other sections of the workforce.

However, the pay gap is merely one issue,

and equality isn’t obtained from the shifting of
a comma on a paycheck. Women, in numerous
fields, are absent from positions of leadership.
According to the Center for American Progress,
they possess 52 percent of all professional-level
jobs, yet only 14.6 percent of American women
hold executive officer positions. Women, in a
profitable sector of the economy such as the
legal field, consist of 45.4 percent of associ-

ates. Yet just 25 percent of
women maintain the sta-
tus of non-equity partners,
while a mere 15 percent of
women are equity partners
at a firm. Returning once
again to the influential mar-
ket of advertising, women
constitute three percent of
creative directors. In other
fields where shaping mes-
sages and opinion is at the
forefront, men continue to

dominate. Women in the film industry com-
prise only 16 percent of the directors, executive
producers, producers, writers, cinematogra-
phers and actors responsible for creating the
most profitable films in 2013. If this percentage
were increased, more complex, intriguing and
independent female characters would appear
in our narratives.

To move women toward our desired desti-

nation in society, we absolutely need to under-
stand the data, raise awareness of the issues to
both men and women and recognize the role
women play in our world. However, rather than
take away images of women, the next step needs
to involve re-imagining the role women play in
our society. We need women in the advertis-
ing, marketing and communication realms to
continue redefining societal notions of woman-
hood. We need female representation in gov-
ernment and public policy to enact legislation
necessary to improve overall living conditions
for women. We need women with vast techno-
logical knowledge to continue advancing soci-
ety. To achieve equality, society, overall, needs
women in sectors and roles that are diverse.


— Melissa Scholke can be reached

at melikaye@umich.edu.

MELISSA
SCHOLKE

O

n Saturday, March 7, a video
was leaked of students
from the University of

Oklahoma’s
Sigma
Alpha

Epsilon fraternity
chapter
singing

a
racist
chant

in
unison.
The

chant
included

claims that Black
students
could

never be a part
of the fraternity,
using the n-word
and
making
a

reference to lynching: “You can
hang him from a tree, but he’ll never
sign with me. There will never be a
***** in SAE.”

Since the incident, the University

of Oklahoma’s SAE chapter has been
suspended by the university and its
national chapter. Two students who
were identified as leading this chant
have been expelled.

The video is blatantly racist.

Students
lightheartedly
chanted

about lynching, an act that is a
reminder of America’s grim white-
supremacist past, making it clear
that the sentiments are in no way
eradicated from our present-day
society. Lynching was a way to strike
fear into the hearts of the Black
community both during and after
the post-Civil War, to make them
feel weak and like they would never
be equal. To bring such a gruesome
image back into the minds of Black
Americans is unsettling, especially
in this day and age.

This incident was extremely

shocking and eye-opening for many
people
throughout
the
nation,

although in the eyes of many within
the Black community, the only thing
unique about this incident is that it
was recorded. Megan Johnson, a
Black student from the University of

Oklahoma stated, “Personally I was
outraged, I was upset, but shocked
was not an emotion that I had …
These
racist
situations
happen

every day and we encounter them.
It took this group of students to be
on camera and caught for it to get
national attention.”

The incidence that was caught on

tape goes beyond just the actions and
beliefs of a few fraternity brothers
on a bus. Rather, this was a small
reflection of much of the racism
that is still prevalent within the
United States today. Although many
Americans still deny that racism is
a prevalent issue in America, racial
inequality
exists
in
education,

the criminal justice system and
finances, among others according to
a Pew report.

Racism
infringes
upon
the

rights of Black
Americans, even
at a young age.
Black
children

are more likely
to be suspended
for
the
same

infringement
as their white
counterparts,
—
even
in

preschool — and
are more likely
to be placed in juvenile detention
throughout their schooling. This
severely limits their ability to reach
higher education, which is already
impeded by the history of racism
in America, which includes slavery
and Jim Crow laws.

The hope that many rely on is the

idea that the upcoming generations
are more racially accepting and
open-minded than people of the
previous
generations.
Although

this generation is statistically the
most diverse thus far, the reality,
as highlighted by this incident,

is that whites within upcoming
generations may not be as racially
accepting
as
many
may
have

previously thought.

An evaluation of racial stereotype

battery in the 2012 American
National
Election
Study
shows

that 61 percent of white Americans
under 30 view whites as more
intelligent and hardworking than
Black Americans, almost as much as
their older counterparts; 64 percent
of those 31 and older believe white
Americans are more intelligent.

As a community, it’s important

to realize that racism still is very
much alive today, and that the Civil
Rights Movement didn’t end with a
happily ever after just because we
have a Black president. It includes
every instance of racism that occurs
in society today and it begins and

ends with our
actions.
Many

people
have

ignored
the

institutional
racism
and

police brutality
prevalent
in

our time. We
should
learn

from the stories
of our past and
present, and ask

ourselves what we want to tell our
grandchildren about.

I hope to be standing on the side

of history that speaks for truth
and justice. Malcolm X, a once-
misunderstood man, said, “I’m for
truth, no matter who tells it. I’m
for justice, no matter who it is for
or against. I’m a human being, first
and foremost, and as such I’m for
whoever and whatever benefits
humanity as a whole.”


— Rabab Jafri can be reached

at rfjafri@umich.edu.

The ongoing civil rights movement

RABAB
JAFRI

It’s important to
realize that racism
is still very much

alive today.

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN MAKING LIFELONG FRIENDS

AND BONDING AT FLEETWOOD?

DO YOU LIKE GIANT TEDDY BEARS AND BEVERAGES

THAT COST A MERE 50 CENTS?

Check out The Michigan Daily’s editorial board meeting. Every

Monday and Wednesday at 6 p.m., the Daily’s opinion staff meets to

discuss both University, state and national affairs.

E-mail opinioneditors@michigandaily.com to join in the debate.

The dangers of plastic

T

he
week
before
Spring

Break,
my
environmen-

tal psych class turned my

whole
world

upside down. I’m
sure
any
read-

ers out there who
are familiar with
environment
or

psychology class-
es know that a
little information
goes a long way to
sending students
down
doomsday

spirals. Now just
picture these two
topics combined into one and then
drop in a passionate guest speaker
and you have a clear image of what
caused me to question everything.

Or, at least, everything I knew

about plastic. And honestly, once
the guest speaker opened my eyes,
I realized I really didn’t know shit
about plastic. Because who even
thinks about it, really? It makes up
my adorable reusable (and therefore
eco-friendly, or so I thought) water
bottle, my pitcher I use for water, my
shampoo and conditioner containers,
the knife-fork-spoon hybrid I eat all
my meals with and god only knows
what else. Plastic is everywhere and
it’s wreaking havoc on our world and
our bodies. No one even knows what
it’s made of, because the people who
make plastic do not have to disclose
the ingredients that make it up.

For example, in the early 2000s,

when numerous studies came out
explaining that the chemicals in the
BPA plastic that make up most water
bottles and baby bottles disrupt hor-

mones and cause cancer, most people
were quick to leap onto the BPA-free
bandwagon. I know my family was.
Basically, during my entire child-
hood, I instinctively knew that BPA-
free water bottles were safe.

According to a Mother Jones arti-

cle, BPA substitutes are unregulated
chemicals made into plastic in pri-
vately owned businesses which do
not have to release this information.
Similarly, according to Journalist’s
Resource, new studies have shown
that the same endocrine-disrupting
chemicals found in BPA can be found
in its widely favored replacement.

This information is frighteningly

hidden. Until plastic is more close-
ly regulated by the government, it
will be impos-
sible to know the
breadth of dan-
ger that comes
from these mix-
tures of chemi-
cals. And plastic,
the material that
makes up throw-
away packaging
and
non-reus-

able
grocery

bags, will never
decompose into nature because,
“due to the nature of plastic (it)
often can only be ‘downcycled’ rath-
er than recycled.”

Some plastic is sent to be recycled

in developing countries, which often
involves open-air burning. But most
plastic doesn’t even enter the shoddy
recycling system. Thirty-four mil-
lion tons of plastic were disposed in
the United States in 2008, 86 per-
cent of which ended up in landfills.

Landfills are deeply unsustainable
and diminish land resources. Other
options, such as incineration, dan-
gerously release carbon dioxide and
other air pollutants.

It seems to me that the entire

recycling and waste removal system
needs to be revitalized. But until
that day, try to creatively reuse plas-
tics, maybe for flower pots or pencil
cases. However, do not eat out or off
of them. As well as increasing our
risk for cancer and disrupting our
hormones when plastic leeches from
our water bottles and plastic dining
ware into our food and water, it’s also
destroying the only home we have.

Change starts with a small step in

the right direction, so switch from

plastic to metal
or glass today.
I did, and my
metal water bot-
tle holds water
in basically the
same way! I’m
sure some people
will
read
this

and think I am
crazy for putting
so much empha-
sis on avoiding

plastic. It’s easy to write off these
findings as pieces of propaganda and
insanity, but that’s just being will-
fully blind. Scientists aren’t lying.
It’s better to take preventative steps
now by cutting as much plastic out of
our lives as possible. It’s the only real
chance we have at saving this glori-
ous planet. And ourselves, too.


— Eliana Herman can be reached

at erherman@umich.edu.

ELIANA
HERMAN

Decreasing
asthma
and

environmental pollution

TO THE DAILY:

Did you know that Michigan has an asth-

ma contraction rate 10 percent higher than
the national average, and that southwest
Detroit has the third-most polluted zip code,
48127, in the nation? Environmentalists have
established a link between environmental
pollutants and adult-onset asthma. In addi-
tion, pollution frequently induces asthma
attacks in those who already have the disor-
der. We all directly or indirectly have people
we know who have asthma; obviously this
issue is immediate.

The Clean, Renewable and Efficient Energy

Act, which requires that electric companies
in the state of Michigan, such as DTE Energy,
have 10 percent of their energy come from

renewable resources, expires at the end of this
year. The issue is that once 2015 ends, the act
expires, and electric companies lack incentive
to continue using renewable energy.

In order to protect those close to us, we

should all advocate for sustainable energy pol-
icies that keep us all healthy and worry-free.
Gov. Rick Snyder recently announced that
he hopes to expand energy policy so that we
get 30 to 40 percent of our power from clean
renewables by 2025. In order to persuade the
Michigan Legislature to vote in the affirma-
tive, he needs our help. It’s imperative that we
all contact our legislators in order to aid Sny-
der in the passing of a renewable energy act,
which would reduce air pollutants and thus
asthmatic prevalence in Michigan for those
around us and our posterity.



Lotan Helfman
LSA Senior

Send letterS to: tothedaily@michigandaily.com
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The entire recycling

and waste removal

system needs to be

revitalized.

Without women,

the University

would struggle to

function.