Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4 — Thursday, January 9, 2020
Alanna Berger
Brittany Bowman
Zack Blumberg
Emily Considine
Cheryn Hong
Krystal Hur
Ethan Kessler
Mary Rolfes
Michael Russo
Timothy Spurlin
Miles Stephenson
Joel Weiner
Erin White
Lola Yang
ERIN WHITE
Managing Editor
Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building
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Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@michigandaily.com
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ELIZABETH LAWRENCE
Editor in Chief
EMILY CONSIDINE AND
MILES STEPHENSON
Editorial Page Editors
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.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
ALICE LIN | COLUMN
Call out China: Uyghurs repression
C
hina has always seen
Islam as an extremist
threat
and
sought
to
tighten control over those who
practiced the faith — namely the
Uyghur Muslims. Though China
has long denied any maltreatment
of the ethnic minority living in
its Xinjiang province, a recent
document leaked by a Chinese
official confirmed the existence
of Uyghur detention camps. The
documents included a manual
on how to operate and maintain
these centers, which exploit
the Uyghurs through forced
labor
and
brainwash
them
into
accepting
government-
approved propaganda. Not only
is this practice a violation of
human rights, but the response
to China’s oppression of this
minority
group
has
been
underwhelming.
Human rights have always
been a touchy subject in China,
but the problem is that some of the
individuals who are detained are
not Chinese citizens. Now that
there is finally concrete evidence
of human rights violations in
China, other countries need
to step in and call on China to
dissolve the internment camps
and protect the rights of the
Uyghurs, especially if China
has no jurisdiction over some of
the detainees. Though China is
part of the United Nations, other
member countries should stand
up and do the right thing; the
values of freedom and tolerance
that the U.N. stands for should be
upheld by all of its constituents. A
lot of the problems surrounding
China’s take on human rights
and
its
actions
toward
the
minority group stem from the
way its government is run — the
Communist Party works as a
cohesive unit, dictating policy
and maintaining control through
censorship and propaganda. In
this case, the government has
labeled the Uyghurs a threat on
the basis of terrorism — without
much basis — and is taking control
of the situation by concealing
the truth about what it is really
doing. While foreign nations
and organizations like the U.N.
cannot do anything to change the
fundamental structure of China’s
governance and society, they can
put pressure on China to change
its approach toward the Uyghurs.
Though China has already
threatened the progress of trade
talks with the United States,
other countries should try to step
in. An economic conflict should
not deter countries from doing
what is right and standing up for
human lives. The U.S. cannot let
China continue to torture and
punish the ethnic minority over
an ideology and belief system the
Uyghurs practice; there is also no
evidence of any supposed acts of
“terrorism” China is vehemently
taking
action
to
contain.
Regardless of the situation, there
is no excuse to lock anyone up
for re-education and exploit
them for labor. One conflict of
interest is that the U.S. has been
accused of mistreating prisoners
in Guantanamo Bay, which may
make any action it takes come
off as hypocritical. While it is
true Americans need to address
our own faults, we should not let
them deter us from taking a firm
stance on the issue.
Furthermore, there is a lack of
attention devoted to this issue.
While articles have been written
about it, they have largely flown
under the radar. Lives were risked
to bring the truth to light, yet there
has been little official response.
Chinese citizens are finding ways
to access the article published in
The New York Times, which has
paved the way for transparency
on the government’s actions. The
response of these citizens vary,
but the fact they are going as
far as breaking censorship laws
to get the truth should prompt
us to give more attention to the
problem. The role technology
and media have been playing in
this is disappointing — TikTok
temporarily silenced talk about
Uyghurs when it deleted a post
made to bring awareness to what
China has been doing. While it
has been said TikTok is trying to
distance itself from its Chinese
roots, it could do better to assert
that
separation
by
allowing
the post to stay up as a way of
standing up to the Communist
Party.
There
are
so
many
organizations and individuals
who
now
have
access
to
indisputable evidence of China’s
human
rights
violations,
yet nothing has been said to
acknowledge the issue on a
national or global scale. If the
news and media can consistently
report on Hong Kong and their
fight for rights and democratic
freedom, there should be no
reason why they cannot do the
same to give voice to an oppressed
minority.
Maybe
the
difference
to
these large news outlets is Hong
Kong’s attempt to separate itself
from Communist Party control
and espouse more “American”
democratic
values,
but
the
Uyghurs have done nothing to be
locked up in internment camps.
Taking a stance on Hong Kong
may seem less problematic
because it technically does
not count as overstepping on
Chinese authority, but that
does not excuse inaction. If
anything, we should champion
their
freedom
of
religion
regardless of whether or not the
concept exists under Chinese
sovereignty. If the U.S. wants
to be a leader, it should act
accordingly; we cannot simply
turn a blind eye when it is more
convenient to do so.
Alice Lin can be reached at
alicelin@umich.edu
NOAH ENTE | COLUMN
Michael Bloomberg’s dangerous rhetoric on China
R
ecent
Democratic
entrant into the 2020
U.S.
presidential
race
Michael
Bloomberg
has faced criticism for
a series of comments
he made about the
Chinese government.
In an interview he
gave in September of
2019, the billionaire
founder of Bloomberg
and former Mayor of
New York City made
the claim that Chinese President
Xi Jinping is “not a dictator,”
and that his leadership exists
as a result of enduring public
support in China. Sen. Ben
Sasse, R-Neb., notably spoke out
against Bloomberg’s statement
defending Xi Jinping, calling
it “nonsense.” Sasse has been a
frequent critic of the Chinese
regime,
its
well-documented
human rights abuses and its
overall authoritarian behavior.
He is but one of the many
Americans
that
understand
the true nature of the Chinese
regime.
Bloomberg’s comments are
deeply problematic. For a man
seeking to be the leader of the
free world, he seems unaware
of the extent of China’s efforts
to clamp down on freedom for
their own citizens and even,
at times, those of Americans.
Under
Xi
Jinping,
Beijing
has
created
mass
detention
and indoctrination camps for
millions of Uyghur Muslims
in China’s Xinjiang province.
Footage from overhead drones
has shown prisoners handcuffed
to each other and blindfolded,
while reports on the camps have
indicated that the prisoners
are, among other requirements,
forced to pledge loyalty to the
Communist Party of China and
Jinping himself.
Even outside of China, Xi
Jinping and the CPC are exerting
their influences to stifle dissent
and gain further control. The
pro-democracy protests in Hong
Kong have seen Chinese-backed
authorities perpetrate brutality
against the students
who
are
simply
demonstrating
their
support of autonomy
from Beijing. People
have
been
beaten,
shot and arrested in
connection with the
protests, which have
been taking place since
June 2019. China has
also tried to use its economic
influence and large population to
prevent criticism of its policies,
as seen with its conduct towards
the NBA in October.
These are just a few examples
of Beijing’s actions that are
emblematic
of
totalitarian
dictatorships. Xi Jinping has
proved his hostility to free
speech, a willingness to oppress
minorities and utter opposition
to giving real autonomy to
citizens.
Bloomberg,
in
his
interview, said that Xi Jinping
is in power because of the desire
of the Chinese people. What
would the Uyghurs say about
that claim? Would the students
of Hong Kong share Bloomberg’s
view that Xi Jinping listens to
“the will of the majority?”
Bloomberg’s sentiments appear
more delusional when one considers
the
makeup
of
the
Chinese
government and the changes that
have taken place under Xi Jinping.
He has consolidated his own power
by abolishing his term limits and
giving himself the final say on
issues across all realms of political,
economic and social life. This is
not the behavior of a democratic
leader who seeks to operate
according to the will of his people.
These are the actions of a despot
who was never directly elected by
the Chinese population, enjoys a
parliament that is completely loyal
to him and seeks only to preserve
his own grip on power. If that
conduct isn’t emblematic of a
dictator, what is?
As a candidate for president,
it is concerning that Bloomberg
does not recognize the true
nature
of
China’s
political
leadership. While his company
has documented ties to China
and a history of controversy in
that regard, it should still be
expected that Bloomberg, as
a political figure, be informed
about the country that many
of his Democratic competitors
have called the biggest threat
to the U.S. If Bloomberg wasn’t
a presidential candidate, his
company’s connection to China
would just be the concern
of
Bloomberg’s
investors,
consumers,
employees
and
himself. Yet at this point, his
political
views
toward
the
country, combined with his
company’s record in China, can
and should be scrutinized by the
American public — particularly
voters.
Whether in the realm of
trade or international politics,
China
serves
as
perhaps
the chief competitor of the
U.S. This fact should not
prevent
peaceful
relations
between the two countries.
It
should,
however,
cause
a future administration to
operate with skepticism and
be unafraid to publicly call
China out on what it currently
is and has been for quite some
time:
a
dictatorship.
Any
politician who remains timid
about acknowledging that fact
may be too timid to put the
U.S. in a strong position to
counter China’s rise to global
prominence.
Americans
should
be
wary
of
any
candidate who shows they are
unwilling to stand up to Xi
Jinping and show the world
that America still provides a
superior system of leadership
and that civil liberties are
worth protecting.
Noah Ente can be reached at
noahente@umich.edu.
We cannot simply
turn a blind eye
when it is more
convenient to do
so
Give us the time needed to vote
ISABELLE SCHINDLER | COLUMN
T
he University of Michigan
prides itself on being
a
civically
engaged
institution.
From
hosting
a
presidential debate to engaging in
voter turnout competitions, the
school has touted its commitment
to voting and political engagement.
However, this is not enough: if the
University truly wants to empower
students to be active and informed
participants in our government,
it should work to give us the time
needed to make it to the polls.
The voter turnout rates of
Michigan students in the past few
elections have been shockingly low.
In 2014, only 14 percent of eligible
University students voted. This
number was so low that it inspired
Professor Edie Goldenberg to found
the organization Turn Up Turnout,
which engages students and faculty
and helped nearly triple voter
turnout in 2018 to 41 percent.
While this is a powerful increase,
it still means that 59 percent of
eligible students did not vote that
year.
Even in 2016, when Michigan
was a key swing state in the
presidential race, only 44.7 percent
of University of Michigan students
voted.
One likely cause for these
numbers is that students lack
the necessary time to get to the
polls. A Pew research study from
2014 found that among registered
voters who chose not to vote, 67
percent said they did not have the
time to vote, and of that group, 35
percent had specific work or school
conflicts.
This is something that I think all
college students can understand.
Between classes, studying, activities
and jobs, it can be hard to find a
free moment in the day, much less a
few free hours to go and vote. This
is especially true for low-income
students, who are often working
multiple jobs.
Getting to the polls from campus
can be a struggle in itself. The
city of Ann Arbor has divided the
area around the campus into five
electoral districts, meaning that
many students live far away from
where their polling place is. Given
that many students do not have
access to a car, they have to walk
long distances or wait for public
transportation in order to vote, both
of which take time.
Once students get to the polls
they can sometimes face two hour
waits, as was seen in Ann Arbor in
2016.
As we head into the 2020
election, there will likely be many
“get out to vote” efforts on campus,
including registration drives, voting
themed events and the buzz around
hosting a presidential debate. All
of these factors will likely lead to
higher levels of voter turnout in
2020. While this is a great thing, it
also means that there will be even
longer lines at the polls.
The most effective way to solve
this problem would be for the
University to cancel classes on
Election Day. This would allow
students the time needed to make it
to the polls and perform their civic
duty. As a pragmatist, I recognize
that the chances of the University
closing on election day are quite
small.
However,
individual
professors have a great deal of
leeway over whether they hold
classes that day. One of the best ways
for students to ensure they and their
fellow classmates have the time to
vote is by addressing the issue with
their professors. Even if professors
choose not to cancel class they can
decide not to take attendance or not
hold any assessments on that day.
Even these small actions can make
a big difference in encouraging
students to go vote.
Some may argue that students
would view this simply as a free
day and not use the time to go to
the polls. However, I have faith
in my fellow students. So many of
us are passionate about different
issues. We chose this university
because of its reputation as a place
of engagement. We want to vote and
we want the University to give us
all the time and resources needed
to make that a reality. That is why
we must push to cancel classes on
Election Day and help us become
a community where all students
have the opportunity to make their
voices heard.
Isabelle Schindler can be reached
at ischind@umich.edu.
VARNA KODOTH | COLUMN
The dichotomy of the self
I
am happy to have noticed
that recently there have
been more and more women
straying away from
the
stereotypical
definition of what it
means to be a “girl”
or “woman.” They do
this by setting fitness
goals, working three
campus
jobs
on
top of being a full-
time University of
Michigan
student
to achieve financial stability
or a level of independence and
by founding conferences and
summits that empower their
fellow female executives. It’s
interesting to witness how by
not conforming, we are in a
way actually embracing and
harnessing
all
the
power
that a woman or young girl
encompasses
to
redefine
preconceived
notions
set
by
societal
standards.
As
we continue to shed light
on
gender
inequities
that
exist, like the gender pay gap
(particularly the widening pay
gap between women of color
and their male counterparts),
the TIME’S UP campaign has
been on a positive mission
to
highlight
successful
women. This is exactly the
type
of
advancement
we
need
to
support.
However,
this
campaign
and
similar
initiatives
are
just
some
examples of representing one
demographic and deepening
the divide between who we
are and how we see ourselves.
Another term for this sentiment
rampant
amid
all
college
students with high-achieving
goals is imposter syndrome.
It’s easy to compare ourselves
to
trailblazers
and
other
professionals in our future
career
fields
and
wonder:
Where do I fit in?
A Harvard Business Review
article
titled
“Overcoming
Imposter Syndrome” defines
imposter syndrome best as
a term used to describe a
collection of feelings of anxiety
despite evident success. I’d
recommend
expanding
the
definition
to
apply
to
all
individuals in all stages of life,
not only working women or
minorities making large-scale
strides within their fields. The
syndrome can affect anyone
whose
social
identities result in
feelings of being an
outsider. However,
imposter syndrome
is typically talked
about
within
the
context
of
the
working
environment
post-
graduation.
Yet
when I look around me, I
recognize imposter syndrome
to be rampant throughout the
University’s
undergraduate
community. Whether or not
you want to label it imposter
syndrome is entirely a personal
choice, but I’m sure feeling like
you don’t belong in a certain
space is not a foreign concept
to most.
A
study
titled
“An
Examination of the Impact
of Minority Status Stress and
Imposter Feelings” conducted
by Dr. Kevin Cokley, an ethnic
minority professor in his field
of educational psychology and
African diaspora studies at the
University of Texas at Austin,
addresses the additional stress
that discrimination adds to the
minority student experience.
The results indicate that while
feelings of impostorism further
complicate
the
minority
experience, the mechanisms
by which we receive and
respond to imposter syndrome
is specific to the individual.
Dena Simmons’ Ted Talk
on How Students of Color
Confront Impostor Syndrome
expands on this concept of
imposter
syndrome
being
heterogeneous.
Her
talk
is
essentially
an
in-depth
analysis of feeling like a fraud
or that you don’t belong in
a field or space. Simmons
emphasizes
that
“there
is
emotional
damage
done
when young people can’t be
themselves. When they are
forced to edit who they are
to be accepted. It’s a kind of
violence.”
Simmons and Dr. Cokley
touch base on what we can
do to reduce the trauma we
induce upon ourselves from
imposter
syndrome.
The
strategies proposed by The
New York Times in “Dealing
With
Imposter
Syndrome
When You’re Treated as an
Imposter” are easily applicable
at the University. One strategy
is to find a “you” in your
chosen field. For example, if
you’re a woman of color, find a
professor who represents your
identities in the classroom. By
understanding the challenges
that exist in the field, you’ll
be better equipped to handle
impostorism. While this may
be the route less taken, when
you experience a situation
where you do not feel welcomed
in a classroom space, reach
out to the GSI or a faculty
member and let them know.
By far the most important
technique is to find a platform
to encourage yourself to keep
moving
forward.
Whether
this is through journaling or
writing a Post-It note with a
list of your accomplishments,
find a method that allows you
to be comfortable with your
achievements.
At the end of the day, the
pervasiveness
of
imposter
syndrome is a sign we are
conditioned to feel that there
is always more to achieve.
So let’s make an effort to
be kinder to ourselves. In
the classroom setting, let’s
do our best to create an
environment where it’s a safe
space, you’re allowed to be
wrong, you’re allowed to ask
“basic” questions and you’re
allowed to explore. Despite
social media trends and what
we might tell ourselves, self-
care isn’t just about taking
time out of your day to put on
a face mask and watch Netflix
or take a break from academia
to play Overwatch. It’s about
not letting our success pass
without
celebration
and
finding
areas
for
growth
within the failures. As Dena
Simmons
asserts,
“Every
child deserves an education
that guarantees the safety to
learn in the comfort of one’s
own skin.”
Varna Kodoth can be reached at
vkodoth@umich.edu.
NOAH
ENTE
VARNA
KODOTH