5
OPINION
Thursday, June 8, 2017
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
T
here are approximately
7.5
billion
people
in
the world at this very
moment, and each of us are
distinctly different. That means
there are 7.5 billion different
fingerprints, or chromosomal
sets — billions of bodies with
unique
faces,
minds
and
movements.
That
reflects
billions of connections, ways to
communicate — billions of ways
to live, feel and love.
Billions of moments and
memories
that
make
up
identities
and
experiences.
That also means there are
billions of ways to hurt and
cause pain. Billions of ways
to divide, hate and fear. There
are billions of ways to detach
and
ultimately
billions
of
ways we can separate from
each other.
What do we see when we
look at one another? Is it just
physical? Like skin color, hair
texture and body type? Or
the clothing we wear? Maybe
it is more than that? Do we
ever look beyond the surface
and discover the languages
and dialects we use? Where
we come from? How we got
here? Do we see the beauty
of
the
individual?
Do
we
acknowledge
our
various
intellects? Experiences? Can
we embrace our differences?
Or
will
we
continue
to
weaponize them, ultimately
militarizing our very bodies,
violating and exploiting not
only our own character, but
our environment as well. In a
more general sense, what can
we possibly gain from tearing
each other apart?
I pondered these questions
a few days after I reflected
upon the tragic incidents which
occurred in Manchester last
week. My thought process was
the following: First, it was
accepting that the victims of
this merciless killing were 22
innocent young people, not
much younger nor older than
myself, some of which were
attending their first concert
by themselves. Next, it was
coming to the realization that
a current pop culture icon like
Ariana Grande, whom millions
have grown up watching on
Nickelodeon and idolize, would
be targeted and attacked.
Typically,
it
is
easy
to
become so far removed from
acts
of
terror.
Treacherous
occurrences happen thousands
of miles away, across oceans,
involving
people
we
have
never seen nor known. We
feel pity, sadness, uncertainty
— and then as quickly as we
were shaken by the tragedy,
we move on, distracted by the
normalcy of our own lives,
forgetting about the ruin those
affected now find themselves
in. Manchester cannot be one
of those instances. So I wonder,
what happens now? Fear?
Mayhem? Hate? I think we can
look to history to validate each
of these conclusions.
It is no secret that as acts
of terrorism rapidly infect the
globe, xenophobia follows in
its wake. Xenophobia is defined
as,
“intense
or
irrational
dislike or fear of people from
other countries or cultures.”
Following the rise of the jihadist
group Islamic State in Iraq and
Syria in 2014, xenophobia most
often appears in the form of, “a
dislike of, or prejudice against
Islam or Muslims, especially
as a political force,” otherwise
known as Islamophobia. We
see this in the spike of hate
crimes and anti-Muslim groups
following 9/11, and even in our
political
culture.
As
recent
as January, when President
Trump’s
executive
order
attempted to ban immigrants
and
refugees
from
several
Muslim-majority
countries
from entering the United States.
It is interesting to note that
even the President of the United
States ran a campaign centered
on rhetoric instilling the fear
of our differences and now has
taken executive action to keep
us divided and isolated from
others. The latest FBI’s annual
Hate Crime Statistics report,
shows that anti-Muslim hate
crimes have risen 67 percent,
totaling 257 reported instances
in 2015. According to the Pew
Research Center analysis, that
is the highest number since the
al-Queda attacks on New York
City and elsewhere in 2001. In
recent years, we have seen this
statistical trend demonstrated
at the University as various
Islamophobic incidents have
occurred. For example, the
anti-Muslim chalking on the
Diag, or even more recently,
the defiling of a prayer rug in
the
Shapiro
Undergraduate
Library — both of which gained
national
attention,
spurring
the involvement of the FBI.
Last
year,
The
Michigan
Daily even published a piece
entitled, “Muslim students say
Islamophobia is frequent and
underreported
on
campus.”
We act cruelly and violently
against each other, even on our
own campus.
Just a few days ago, in
Portland, Oregon, two men
were fatally stabbed by a
man who they confronted for
yelling racist comments at two
teenage girls on a commuter
train. One of the girls was
Black
and
the
other
was
Muslim and wearing a hijab.
These men, now identified as
Ricky John Best and Taliesin
Myrddin
Namkai-Meche,
have been labeled as heroes
for their courageous actions.
Given
current
undertones
of today’s society, some may
be lead to believe that it is
acceptable to victimize people
for their differences; however,
these two men obviously did
not share the same sentiment.
They
acted
powerfully
by
countering this, thus standing
up
for
their
convictions
and ultimately showing the
world how things should be.
Unfortunately, these men had
to sacrifice their lives in order
to do it.
There are approximately 7.5
billion people in the world at
this very moment, and each
of us are distinctly different.
However, our differences lie
in how we view them. With
all of this being said, I’ll ask
again.
What do we see when we look
at one another?
What do you see?
—Stephanie Mullings can be
reached at srmulli@umich.edu.
Our eyes
Promoting racial equity through sustainability
W
hile
there
are
improvements to be
made with race-based
issues on campus, there is no
question that the University is
committed to making strides
toward racial equity. This is
evident through the Diversity,
Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
initiative implemented in 2015.
The DEI is at the forefront of
the University’s agenda — and
personally I think for good
reason. This being said, the DEI
should not be the only way we
address racial inequality at the
University.
While it may not be obvious,
the importance of addressing
racial inequality is especially
true
when
evaluating
the
sustainability
initiatives
put
forth by the University. Clearly,
environmentalism
is
critical
to the health of the planet —
which is already important.
However,
environmentalism’s
pertinence to racial inequality
makes it even more significant.
And,
considering
the
federal government’s lack of
commitment to green efforts,
sustainability should not be
placed on the back-burner.
The Trump administration
began
by
expunging
all
references to climate change
from the official White House
website. Then, the President’s
budget
proposed
that
the
Environmental
Protection
Agency’s
(EPA)
funding
be
reduced
31
percent.
Trump
also ordered a review on the
auto-industry’s fuel emission
standards set by the Obama
administration,
essentially
striking a deal already set in
place. This week, the President
determined that the United
States will withdraw from the
Paris Climate Accord, in which
the United States pledged to
lower its annual greenhouse
emissions 26 to 28 percent below
2005 levels by 2025.
It is ample clear from these
examples
that
the
Trump
administration does not have an
agenda that contributes to the
nation’s sustainability efforts. In
fact, budget cuts to the Region
5 EPA office (which serves
Michigan and several other
Midwest states) and persistent
rumors of its closing suggest that
Michigan will not have federal
help fighting the battle against
climate change. Therefore, it’s
more important than ever that
the University and its students
put sustainability efforts at a
priority.
Furthermore, as an institution
committed to remedying racial
disparities, it is essential that
the University — and the state
— care about climate change.
Climate change, pollution and
other
environmental
issues
disproportionately
affect
minorities and the poor in the
United States. Those who live
in poorer areas are more likely
to breathe dirtier air, and less
likely to have health insurance
to fight against the damaging
effects it produces. According to
a 2009 University of California
study in Los Angeles, African
Americans were twice as likely
as others to die in a heatwave.
Additionally, climate change has
disastrous effects on the labor
and supervisor sector, which is
largely comprised of Hispanic
employees. In a case study I did
on Long Beach, Calif., examining
the I-710 freeway corridor and
the Port of Long Beach, the
negative environmental effects
of these two issues were largely
taken
by
disproportionately
impacted poor minorities.
Even
the
environmental
catastrophe
amplified
by
government negligence in Flint
clearly targeted minorities. If
there had been more resources
committed to environmental
justice, Flint may have had safer
environmental conditions.
If we as a University care
about racial progress, we also
need to care about sustainability
and
climate
change.
The
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Initiative is critical, but it is
important more than ever that
sustainability initiatives work
in tandem to it. Not only does it
address an issue our government
fails to prioritize, it improves
some racial inequalities DEI
looks to address.
If you care about the planet
and its future, you should
support increased sustainability
efforts at the University. And
while it may be less obvious,
if you care racial equity, it
is important you care about
sustainability.
— Brennan Pope can be reached
at popeb@umich.edu.
BRENNAN POPE| COLUMN
STEPHANIE MULLINGS| COLUMN
We act cruelly
and violently
against each other,
even on our own
campus