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Show 4 Wednesday February 27, 2013 OPINION www.dailyutahchronicle.corn Utahns need to shake preparedness apathy rTh Opinion Columnist U tah is currently facing an impending disaster. Everybody knows it is only a matter of time before a large earthquake strikes some part of the state, and the likelihood the area affected will be along the heavily populated Wasatch Range is high. In spite of this advanced warning, we have done little to prepare ourselves and our communities for such an event. At first glance this is puzzling, as it is hard to understand why millions of people would sit on their thumbs when they know it is not a question of "if" but "when" such a devastating event will occur. If we step back, however, this odd behavior makes a lot of sense. Humans are notoriously bad at planning for the long term, even when we have a pretty good idea of what we should be preparing for. Making matters worse, we are highly prone to resorting to denial when shortterm sacrifices made for long-term survival appear too inconvenient. Modern-day society abounds with examples, from smokers who trade years of their lives for a fleeting buzz to deniers of climate change who are unwilling to make minor changes today to ensure the planet will be a hospitable place tomorrow. With this in mind, Utahns' attitudes toward the geological reality that makes this state so wonderful, but simultaneously dangerous, seem congruous with normal human behavior. Unfortunately, as human behavior goes, being "normal" has never been synonymous with being healthy or even smart. Human history is littered with self-inflicted tragedies human nature made possible. In light of all of this, it would be grossly negligent for Utahns to continue down the path of denial SALLY YOO/The Daily Utah Chronicle we have chosen while hoping for the best. Fortunately, I am not alone in thinking it is high time Utah faced up to what is admittedly a daunting task of preparedness. The U Seismic Stations has stepped up and is doing its part to tackle the issue. Going beyond simply studying earthquakes, the lab has started to reach out in an effort to spread awareness and encourage people to prepare for the inevitable. Last year, the lab played a key role in the Great Utah ShakeOut, which was hailed as the largest earthquake drill in Utah history. Even the notoriously short-sighted Utah State Legislature has taken notice and is on the verge of passing HB 278, which addresses the issue of public schools' structural viability in the event of an earthquake. In spite of this progress, there are still some who are not on board when it comes to addressing earthquake safety. In the Utah House of Representatives, HB 278 Appearances alone should not represent the women in politics COURTNEY TANNER Opinion Columnist T he agenda of today's media coverage involving women in politics does not focus on "brains before beauty." Women are constantly under the microscope for fashion, clothes and hairstyles, while their accomplishments and intelligence are disregarded. First lady Michelle Obama personally endures the materialistically fueled media, as she is sometimes regarded more for physical appearance than for her intellect. The media's distortion of women is nothing new — it prolongs a stereotype that's virtually prehistoric. But to regard, say, an actress in this light is more acceptable than it is to regard the first lady in it. In a Google search for Michelle Obama, the top hits are Michelle Obama's style, arms and hair. This is a disgrace. Michelle Obama deserves better and the shallow scrutiny needs to stop. She is an intellectual and deserves to be viewed as one, rather than as a Sports Illustrated model. Michelle Obama graduated from Princeton University in 1985, cum laude. She then went on to graduate Harvard Law School. President Barack Obama also graduated from Harvard Law, yet his intelligence is never questioned, and the color of his tie is unimportant compared to the merits of his worldview. On the night of President Obama's second inauguration, there was seemingly more media coverage on the color of Michelle Obama's dress than President Obama's speech. On Feb. 12, the first lady had her official portrait taken. The corn- RORY PENMAN/The Daily Utah Chronicle mentary in Time Magazine centered not on her recent social initiatives, such as her healthy eating, exercisefocused Let's Move! campaign, but on her new haircut and the designer of her dress. The different standards for women, which the media portrays and perpetuates, are patronizing and only serve to marginalize women in politics. The values of good looks, even with female politicians, are not equally applied to the men of society. In an interview with Glamour Magazine in 2009, Michelle Obama said, "People are always going to have opinions, and people have a right to their opinions, particularly when you're the first lady; you're representing the nation. So I can't be surprised that people are interested. But I've tried to be at peace with the choices that I make first, and then be open to everyone else's reflection." During the course of its threeyear history, Michelle Obama's campaign Let's Move! has worked to reduce childhood obesity in America. Let's judge her by this measure first and foremost. Michelle Obama said about her Let's Move! program, "In my own life, in my own small way, I've tried to give back to this country that has given me so much. That's why I left a job at a law firm for a career in public service, working to empower young people to volunteer in their communities." Hillary Clinton is also judged by her appearance instead of her intelligence. New York Daily News published an article in 2011 titled, "Hillary Clinton's Style Throughout the Years." The Huffington Post also published one in 2012 titled, "Hillary Clinton's Fashion: 65 Looks for 65 Years." I have yet to see one titled, "Bill Clinton Styled in Armani," or "Bill Clinton Struts Fashion in the White House." Sexism flourishes in politics and the media. It doesn't allow room for female aptitude. The extent of the media's focus on appearance is so strong that in her 2000 run for U.S. Senate in New York, Clinton wore an identical outfit each day of the campaign — for almost a year, that is — so the media would be forced to focus elsewhere. It is disrespectful to view anyone — especially serious intellectual and political women like Michelle Obama or Hillary Clinton — by solely physical and materialistic measures. letters@chronicle.utah.edu only passed by a margin of 39 to 34. This opposition to the measure is not, however, shared by experts in the field. Tex Kubacki, a graduate research assistant at the U, explained the importance of bills like HB 278 saying, "If we are going to have a public school system, we ought to make sure the schools are safe." Such a comment from a man like Kubacki carries a great deal of weight, as he is a Libertarian who does not believe in government regulations, as well as an expert in the field of seismology who understands the consequences we would face if we continue to ignore the reality that confronts us. Fortunately for us, history is also filled with examples of humanity finally getting up and facing its challenges, even when doing so means making short-term sacrifices. Thus, there seems to be reason for hope when we consider whether we will be prepared when the time comes. letters@chronicle.utah.edu Anti muslim sentiment still persists in America W ith each passing day, students across campus eagerly await the best seven days of the semester: spring break. Plans will be made, homework assignments will be ignored and for many, this blissful week will involve a trip somewhere almost too hot to bear. These trips will probably involve flights out of state, and for some this is no problem. But for thousands of Muslims living in America, the possibility of invasive searches and unnecessary complications in airports is almost a certainty. These instances highlight the appalling misuse of power of airport officials and the terrifying reality Muslims endure across America. Al Jazeera reports the plight of Stanford Ph.D. student, Rahinah Ibrahim, who was refused re-admittance into the United States after a brief trip to Malaysia to represent Stanford's engineering program at a conference in 2005. Eight years later, Ibrahim is still waiting to be allowed back into the United States and has yet to view the evidence that prompted her exile. Imagine losing everything you've worked years for in a single moment and having no possible way to defend yourself. The American Civil Liberties Union has compiled hundreds of cases in which Americans of South Asian and Arab descent have been unlawfully targeted, such as that of Palestinian film-maker Emad Burnat as recounted in Al Jazeera. Burnat was flying into Los Angeles International Airport to attend the Academy Awards for his nominated film "Five Broken Cameras" and was briefly detained with his wife and young son after immigration officials demanded proof that he was a nominee. The profiling and targeting of American Muslims is a direct violation of the Fourth Amendment and our rights against unreasonable searches. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) found a way to circumvent this right NAFISA MASUD Opinion Columnist with the passing of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act in November of 2001. This act was based on the 1973 case United States V. Davis, which ruled in favor of a balance between the individual's rights against intrusive searches and guaranteeing safe flights for the public, according to the Cornell Law database. This balance is one the TSA clearly hasn't yet struck as it continues to profile everyday Americans based on racial and religious identity, and the TSA isn't the only organization doing so. Muslims accounted for one quarter of the 3,386 religious discrimination claims filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last year, despite the fact that they make up less than 2percent of the American population, according to the New York Times. As an American Muslim, it's difficult for me to read of such instances. Regardless of my faith, America is my home and always will be. These stories of Anti-Muslim sentiment demonstrate a disturbing intolerance for religious diversity and an inability to judge others based on their individual actions. Religious belief is only one aspect of our character as multi-faceted beings. It is a thread that connects groups of people worldwide regardless of age, language and social class, and as such it deserves to be respected. America was founded upon a belief in an inherent right to freedom of expression, and it's deplorable to think that less than 300 years later this right can still be called into question. letters@chronicle.utah.edu |