Opinion
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 — 13
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Spooky spooky Halloween

Midterms Matter

O

n Sept. 22, the Young 
Americans 
for 
Freedom 
chapter 
at 
the University of Michigan 
announced they were inviting 
Ben 
Shapiro 
to 
speak 
at 
the University of Michigan 
Rackham Graduate School on 
Nov. 15th. Shapiro, a divisive 
political 
commentator, 
has 
based his entire career on 
promoting 
extremely 
anti-
abortion, 
transphobic, 
Islamophobic, 
homophobic, 
racist and misogynistic views, 
which are commonly surface-
level understandings of race 
and sociology. His opinions, 
which include blaming critical 
race theory and the Black Lives 
Matter movement for America’s 
demise, have furthered division 
and hate across the nation. 
We, the Ethical Investment 
Front, 
are 
a 
coalition 
of 
student leaders, organizers and 
community members brought 
together as an offshoot of the 
Students of Color Liberation 
Front, and we are concerned 
about Shapiro’s presence on 
campus. We urge the University’s 
Board of Regents and President 
Santa Ono to recognize the threat 
to safety that Shapiro’s presence 
holds and stop him from speaking 
at the University. His presence 
will only cause harm to our 
campus and communities in Ann 
Arbor and poses particular risk to 
students of Color, members of the 
LGBTQIA+ community, as well 
as those of other marginalized 
backgrounds. 

This situation is regrettably 
reminiscent 
of 
when 
white 
supremacist 
and 
neo-Nazi 
Richard Spencer planned to 
speak 
at 
the 
University 
of 
Michigan and Michigan State 
University in 2018. Thanks to 
community organizing and the 
pressure the U-M Stop Spencer 
Campaign put on administrators, 
the University prevented Spencer 
from speaking. Similarly, the 
MSU Stop Spencer Campaign 
was able to get Spencer to speak 
off campus and to a smaller 
audience, 
but 
violence 
and 
arrests still persisted. However, 
with a new administration comes 
inexperience, and any gaps in our 
commitment to justice and equity 
will allow bigoted speakers to 
come to campus.
While 
some 
argue 
that 
universities cannot deny free 
speech, 
the 
University 
of 
Michigan, 
along 
with 
other 
institutions, 
has 
historically 
exercised its right to turn away 
speakers due to high costs and 
an inability to ensure public 
safety. The costs associated with 
protecting 
speakers, 
students 
and 
community 
members 
at these types of events can 
approach six figures: When Milo 
Yiannopolous, another alt-right 
pundit, was invited to speak at 
the University of Washington in 
2017, the cost of security totaled 
about $73,000. 
It is incredibly fiscally and 
socially irresponsible to support 
a single speaker that has such a 
high capacity to cause harm to 
the campus community. 
In the case of Richard Spencer’s 
planned visit to the University of 
Michigan in 2018, the University 
rejected his request to speak 

because the Division of Public 
Safety and Security was unable 
to “assure a reasonably safe 
setting for such an event.” Other 
universities like the University 
of Minnesota have successfully 
defended their venue changes 
or cancellations for speakers 
like Shapiro in court because of 
legitimate safety concerns. The 
same can be said for Ben Shapiro 
in 2022. Hosting a speaker like 
Shapiro 
calls 
into 
question 
the values of this university: 
Why 
does 
the 
University 
prioritize giving a platform to 
costly, hateful speakers over 
opportunities to directly support 
the students, staff, faculty and 
everyone impacted by bigots like 
Shapiro by ensuring our campus 
is a safe space?
To University President Santa 
Ono, this is an opportunity 
for you to demonstrate your 
commitment 
to 
listening 
to 
students, especially those on the 
margins. As you said earlier this 
year, “(m)y most important first 
job is to listen to the community. 
They understand what’s special 
about Michigan, and that has to 
inform what I’m going to do, even 
in the first year.” If you care about 
and are listening to the campus 
community, you will prevent Ben 
Shapiro from coming to campus. 
To the regents, some of whom 
were vocal about preventing 
Spencer at the University of 
Michigan in 2018, we ask that 
you advocate for the safety of all 
students and speak up against 
bigotry at our university. And 
to students, do not be silent on 
this issue. Make sure your peers, 
especially those targeted by 
Shapiro’s rhetoric, are safe and 
heard throughout this situation.

Op-Ed: Stop Ben Shapiro from 
Speaking at the University of 
Michigan

THE ETHICAL 
INVESTMENT FRONT
M

any 
voters 
only 
focus on presiden-
tial elections when, 
in reality, it is state and local 
elections that have a larger 
impact on our daily lives. The 
importance 
of 
down-ballot 
elections is evident this year 
in Michigan, where voters will 
vote on everything from the 
governor to two of the Univer-
sity of Michigan Regents and a 
proposal to legalize abortion 
in Michigan. These elections 
are even more crucial given the 
dangerous 
anti-choice 
elec-
tion deniers on the ballot for 
some of Michigan’s key elected 
positions. They are too impor-
tant for young people to sit 
out, especially with important 
issues around abortion rights 
and preserving the integrity 
of our democratic institutions. 
That is why students need to 
use their voices and vote to 
play an active role in shaping 
the future that we want to see. 
The top three elected offi-
cials in Michigan — the gov-
ernor, attorney general and 
secretary of state — are all up 
for re-election this Novem-
ber. Despite the importance of 
these roles in governing our 
state, the Republican Party 
nominated extreme candidates 
with no political experience 
and dangerous histories of try-
ing to usurp the will of Michi-
gan voters in the 2020 election. 
Matthew DePerno, the Repub-
lican candidate for attorney 
general, rose to fame within 
the Republican Party for his 
work to “audit” the 2020 elec-
tion, motivated by unfounded 
claims of voter fraud. DePerno 
is currently under investiga-
tion for allegedly accessing 
and tampering with a voting 
machine. Kristina Karamo, the 
Republican nominee for sec-
retary of state, the office that 
runs elections in Michigan, is 
also an avowed election denier 
who gained prominence by 
claiming widespread fraud in 
the 2020 election. 
The fact that both of these 
candidates are running for 
offices that deal directly with 
the rule of law and the admin-
istration of state elections is 
unbelievable. Their election 
would be detrimental to the 
fundamental bedrock of our 
democracy. 
In 
office, 
they 
would threaten the integrity of 
Michigan elections going into 
the 2024 election and elections 
after that. 
Many of the top Republican 
candidates in Michigan this 
year have shown themselves 
to be radical and out of touch 
on the issue of reproductive 
rights, a topic that is of great 
concern for many students 
on campus. DePerno has sup-
ported restricting Plan B and 
incorrectly claimed that Plan B 
is being used after conception. 
Tudor Dixon, the Republican 

candidate for governor, has 
also embraced a severely anti-
choice stance, stating that she 
only supports abortion to save 
the life of the mother. For so 
many young people, reproduc-
tive rights are a defining politi-
cal issue.
The 
topic 
inspired 
LSA 
sophomore Olivia O’Connell to 
vote in this election. “I plan on 
voting because so many impor-
tant and crucial human rights 
are at stake in this election,” 
O’Connell said. “As someone 
who’s passionate about social 
justice issues, I want to ensure 
that every single person can 
fully embrace their identity 
and exercise their personal lib-
erties.” 
The issue of reproductive 
justice is at the forefront of the 
midterms this November. Fol-
lowing the overturning of Roe 
v. Wade this summer, states 
now determine the legality of 
abortion within their borders. 
On the Michigan ballot this 
November is Proposal 3, which 
would codify abortion in the 
Michigan Constitution. For so 
many young people, reproduc-
tive rights are a defining politi-
cal issue. As we face a future 
in which we have fewer rights 
than our parents did at our 
age, young voters in Michigan 
have the ability in this election 
to vote yes on Proposal 3 and 
ensure that reproductive rights 
are codified in the Michigan 
Constitution.
The passage of this propos-
al is not inevitable, as many 
religious 
organizations 
and 
outside groups have poured 
money into defeating Proposal 
3. Many of their ads have been 
criticized for pushing alleged 
misinformation, such as claim-
ing that the bill will allow 
young children to get puber-
ty-blocking 
drugs 
without 
parental consent, a claim that 
has been disputed by Washt-
enaw County Prosecutor Eli 
Savit. This incorrect claim is 
an example of how anti-Prop 
3 groups are trying to under-
mine this proposal through the 
propagation of false informa-
tion. 
One of the most important 
elections for students in par-
ticular is the election of the 
University’s Board of Regents. 
Regents play a critical role in 

the everyday life of U-M stu-
dents, 
deciding 
everything 
from tuition prices to choosing 
University presidents and how 
the endowment is invested. 
Voting for the regents is one of 
the only ways that we as stu-
dents can have a direct say in 
the actions of the larger school 
administration. 
The regents’ election is an 
example of why it is so impor-
tant that young people vote. 
Historically, the people who 
vote in midterm elections are 
older and less representative 
of the views of young people. 
Youth civic engagement has 
historically lagged compared 
to older Americans. However, 
in 2020, inspired youth vot-
ers came to the polls in record 
numbers. It is estimated that 
50% of young people between 
the ages of 18 and 29 voted in 
the 2020 presidential election, 
which was an 11-point increase 
from 2016. While these num-
bers are a vast improvement, 
there is still significant room 
for further increases in turn-
out among young people. 
We are so fortunate to be at 
a school that prioritizes civic 
engagement and makes it easy 
for students to vote. There are 
two satellite clerk’s offices on 
campus, one at the University 
of Michigan Museum of Art 
and one at the Duderstadt Cen-
ter on North Campus, where 
students can go to register, 
update their addresses, get a 
ballot and vote. Both of these 
spaces have been designed 
with the intention of creating 
a calming and welcoming vot-
ing environment. The spaces 
even feature celebration sta-
tions that allow students to 
take pictures with their ballots 
and make celebratory voting 
buttons embracing the fun and 
excitement of voting. 
There are friendly staff and 
student 
volunteers 
on-site 
who are able to assist with any 
voting-related questions. The 
general election is on Nov. 8, 
but voters can already vote via 
an absentee ballot or in per-
son at their clerk’s office. All 
it takes is a few minutes, but it 
is so critically important that 
you vote. If young people go to 
the polls and make their voices 
heard, we can build a better 
and more just Michigan.

ISABELLE SCHINDLER
Opinion Columnist

Design by Sara Fang

Design by Julian Kane

Pardon? Fine. Legalize it? Now!

O

n Oct. 6, President Joe 
Biden pardoned thou-
sands of people in federal 
prison on charges of possession 
of marijuana and announced that 
his administration would review 
whether marijuana should still 
be considered a Schedule I sub-
stance. There is no doubt that 
this action by the president will 
benefit the lives of thousands of 
Americans. However, there are 
still thousands of people in state 
prison for possession of marijua-
na and in federal prison for the 
distribution and sale of marijua-
na. Until marijuana is legalized 
or decriminalized in the United 
States, people will continue to be 
sent to jail for use of a substance 
that is legal for recreational use 
in 19 states.
One important reason that 
marijuana should be decrimi-
nalized is that, by some metrics, 
marijuana is safer than alcohol, a 
drug commonly used by Ameri-
cans. It is considered impos-
sible to overdose on marijuana. 
It is also extremely difficult to 
develop an addiction, although it 
is possible to have a dependence 

on it. Additionally, over 60% of 
Americans support the legal-
ization of marijuana for recre-
ational use and 90% support its 
legalization for medical use. 
Besides the attitudes of the 
vast majority of Americans as 
well as the safety of marijuana, 
there are economic reasons why 
the U.S. should legalize the drug 
federally. If marijuana were 
legalized at the federal level, 
people who currently purchase 
weed from unregulated sources 
would purchase it from licensed 
cannabis dispensaries. Shifting 
demand away from unlicensed 
sellers would allow the gov-
ernment to benefit from taxa-
tion of marijuana. Currently, 
recreational marijuana is legal 
in 19 states and the District of 
Columbia. In 2021, those states 
reported a combined $3.7 billion 
in revenue.
Regulation would allow for 
consumption of safer marijuana 
and knowledge about what is in 
the product. Purchasing mari-
juana illegally increases the 
possibility of potency inconsis-
tencies, mold and pesticides. 
Legalization would allow cus-
tomers to know what is in their 
marijuana, including tetrahy-
drocannabinol (THC) and can-

nabidiol 
(CBD) 
percentages, 
allowing users to be aware of 
the potency of their marijuana. 
Regulation will help keep people 
safe from the dangers of using 
too much marijuana in a short 
period of time. Though mari-
juana overdoses haven’t been 
observed to be lethal, they can 
still cause serious adverse men-
tal and physical effects.
Legalization of marijuana also 
leads to greater participation in 
the labor market and higher rates 
of employment, as more people 
are employed to work in this new 
industry. Legalization of mari-
juana federally would allow all 
states in the country to reap the 
benefits that many states have 
already seen. Additionally, legal-
izing marijuana would reduce 
law enforcement and incarcera-
tion costs, freeing up those dol-
lars for other priorities. 
Finally, the U.S. should legal-
ize marijuana because of the 
complexity of laws that exist 
in this country about the sub-
stance. While marijuana is legal 
in 19 states for recreational and 
medicinal use, it is fully ille-
gal and criminalized in four 
states. In addition to the states 
where marijuana is legalized for 
medicinal use, there are a vari-

ety of reasons why marijuana 
is legal in other capacities in 
the U.S. On top of that, federal 
law prohibits the use and sale 
of marijuana, further confusing 
the legality of marijuana in the 
U.S. While marijuana is legal in 
many states, possession or use of 
marijuana on federal property 
can lead to federal charges, even 
if marijuana is legal in that state. 
Marijuana’s 
continued 
place-
ment as a Schedule I drug along 
with heroin and LSD, and above 
fentanyl, leads to uncertainty 
about the consequences of using 
marijuana.
Efforts to legalize or decrimi-
nalize recreational and medical 
marijuana have been attempted 
on both sides of the aisle. While 
many of the states that have 
fully legalized marijuana are 
controlled by Democrats, states 
under Republican control such 
as Mississippi and Alabama have 
legalized marijuana in some 
capacity. This demonstrates that 
efforts to decriminalize mari-
juana have support from both 
parties, making it easier to pass 
at the federal level. 
Additionally, Congress has 
attempted 
to 
decriminalize 
marijuana and remove it from 
the federal list of controlled sub-

stances, with some Republican 
support. There are currently two 
bills in Congress regarding the 
legalization or decriminalization 
of marijuana, one introduced by 
a Democrat and one introduced 
by a Republican. The Democrats’ 
bill would remove marijuana 
from the Controlled Substances 
Act and impose a tax on mari-
juana. Three Republicans signed 
onto this bill. The bill introduced 
by Republicans would impose 
a lower tax on the sale of mari-
juana and treat marijuana like 
alcohol under the Controlled 
Substances Act. While the 50-50 
Senate may make it difficult 

to pass measures legalizing or 
decriminalizing marijuana, par-
ticipation by Republicans in such 
efforts are possible.
Biden’s decision to pardon 
people in prison for marijuana 
possession and to review wheth-
er marijuana should remain a 
Schedule I drug is absolutely a 
step in the right direction. How-
ever, it does not go far enough. 
Marijuana is a commonly used 
drug that does not have signifi-
cant negative impacts on health. 
People do not deserve to be 
imprisoned for marijuana charg-
es. It’s crucial that the U.S. legal-
izes marijuana now.

LYDIA STORELLA
Opinion Columnist

Design by Allison Payne

