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Show "Government owes people a certain level of transparency" n our modern world, where technology improves each day and where it is virtually impossible to Google a question and not come up with some (albeit often inaccurate) SABIHA answer, it might come as a surprise that much is easily hidden from the general public. When it comes to politics and world affairs, it is expected that we won't know every detail of every decision that the national government makes. There is, however, a certain level of transparency necessary to sustain a functioning democratic society. And though I would like to think that such a progressive administration would be preserving and respecting the right of citizens to know what the government is doing, the notion simply is not upheld. The Obama administration is currently attempting to appeal and subsequently overturn the recent ruling that videos that show the torturous tube-feedings of hunger strikers at Guantanamo Bay should be disclosed and available to the public. They claim that even though force-feeding is "not abusive:' releasing videos of this nature could mean affecting security situations in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The government owes its people a certain level of transparency, especially when a modern-day concentration camp is being maintained under the administration. Appealing this decision is a cop-out and undoubtedly an attempt to avoid controversy and public outrage at the many injustices that are common occurrences at Guantanamo Bay. There is more than one glaring problem with this story. Firstly, the obvious moral and ethical dilemma posed when our government regards force-feeding, in which tubes are shoved up the nose and down the esophagus of an individual against his/her will, is considered completely necessary, not abusive, and best for the individual in question. The standard procedure for tube-feeding at the glorified camp involves the detainee being shackled to a chair as tubes are pushed down multiple orifices, restrained at the head if he resists and strapped MASUD back into the chair if he vomits afterwards, until the food is digested. This process is painful and humiliating. It strips a person of their innate dignity and self worth and is undoubtedly a form of torture. The act has conveniently been referred to by the Pentagon as a "medical response" to hunger strike, and President Obama even vouched his support for it, saying that he simply did not want to see anyone die. Because, as we all know, extreme torture and its debilitating effect is a much better way to live. The World Medical Association and the American Medical Association both rejected the use of force-feeding, saying it violated "core ethical values of the medical profession." Although the practice is abhorred in the medical world, it is still being used at Guantanamo Bay. Now that footage is ready to be shown to the public, the Obama administration might be having some second thoughts on their policies regarding its utilization. The only way to get any sort of change is to involve the public: Shock them, enrage them and make them question how our country treats its so-called prisoners. By overturning the release of these videos, the Obama administration is protecting no one but themselves. It undoubtedly brings up the question of why this level of secrecy is necessary if the government isn't doing anything wrong. The argument that this release could spark conflict elsewhere, a completely irrational one that relies on baseless assumptions, is not enough to overturn the ruling. Refusing to let citizens of this country know what exactly is happening at this U.S. facility is a huge injustice — it leaves us ignorant and will indubitably affect the way we vote, view certain controversial policies and speak out about maltreatment and oppression on a broader local and national sphere. We cannot speak out about something we have not seen, which the government knows very well. A successful appeal to this ruling will have far greater implications than the continuation of the already horrendous treatment of individuals at Guantanamo Bay — it will mean the acceptance of government willfully and wrongfully hiding their unacceptable actions from the public, leaving us with no voice, no knowledge and no power. letters@chronicle.utah.edu BASELESS ACCUSATIONS PERPETUATE PROTESTS IN FERGUSON M aybe it's the turkey talking, but what if I were to say that President Obama was elected simply because he was black? After all, he has a funny name and may or may not have even been born in this country — and even worse, he wasn't independently wealthy. As a one-term senator, the man had no business beating someone like John McCain or Mitt Romney with all their extensive political experience. Therefore, he must have won because he was black. I'm pretty sure that if I actually believed President Obama was elected because of his race, I would be accused of jumping to conclusions and race baiting; which is exactly what has occurred in Ferguson, Mo. in the wake of the Michael Brown shooting. Since Brown was shot and killed back in August by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, who happens to be white, the media and many people around the country immediately jumped to the conclusion that Brown was shot because he happened to be black. Almost immediately there were protests condemning Wilson's actions as racially motivated, even though there was not one shred of evidence to suggest this was the case. Yet instead of the focus being on whether or not Wilson acted legally, the majority of the focus was on race. Thankfully, just before we all settled down for a delicious Thanksgiving meal, a grand jury finally reached a decision on the Brown shooting and whether or not Wilson acted within his legal rights as a police officer. To the disappointment of protesters around the country, the grand jury found Wilson to have acted legally in his decision to shoot and kill Brown. The facts released by the grand jury showed that Wilson had reason to believe that Brown, who was walking down the middle of the street with a friend, matched the description of the suspect who had earlier stolen cigarillos from a convenience store. The grand jury reported that, upon confronting Brown and commanding him to get out of the street, Brown did not comply and instead acted aggressively towards Wilson, setting off a chain of events that led to Wilson using lethal force. While there are still a few circumstantial facts that 10 { THECHRONY I NEWS I OPINION I ARTS I SPORTS I THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014 } remain unknown, the grand jury found Wilson to be innocent, and, most importantly, there was no finding that his actions were racially motivated. This lines up with Wilson's record as a police officer, which shows no previous evidence of racism or other inappropriate behavior.The picture painted of Brown during the trial is of a man who bullied a convenience store clerk and stole cigars and later refused to comply when asked to get out of the street while acting aggressively. Yet, despite the evidence that shows Brown's actions that night were criminal and the complete lack of proof that Wilson had a racial bias, people continue to protest these findings. After the verdict in Ferguson, protesters stormed the city, burning cars and looting businesses. The media and the public continue to make this about race even though their claim is as thin as my claim that President Obama was elected just because he is black. I don't need a grand jury to refute my ridiculous claim because there are simply no facts to suggest that Obama was elected solely because of his race — if anything, it was in spite of his race. It's probably best if I drop my baseless accusations, and those who continue to inject race into the Brown shooting should too — but then again, maybe that's just the turkey talking. letters@chronicle.utah.edu CLIQUES ON THE SLO PES W ith ski season in full swing and winter break right around the corner, many students are faced with a dilemma: from which ski resort they should purchase a season pass. This can be a difficult choice, as locations vary in price, quality, size, amenities and passholder benefits. In the greater Salt Lake area, students have about seven choices. As such, it seems the decision should depend solely on the pros and cons of different resorts. However, this is usually not the case. As someone who has belonged to the winter sport enthusiast community since early childhood, it is evident that skiing and snowboarding is less about recreation and more of a socially functional activity. So, more often than not, this imperative life choice is consequentially based on social benefits and proximity rather than concrete, tangible characteristics of different resorts. For those of you who are still indecisive, it may help to understand the choice in the context of group pertinence. Three essential resort cliques emerge and are quite similar to traditional ideas pertaining to lunchroom politics. These cliques include the pariah, the elitist and the popular/majority. First there are the pariahs. The unpopular, infrequently visited, antisocial ski resorts. This means the resident majority (especially the younger demographic) don't tend to frequent these locations in large numbers.These resorts are The Canyons and Solitude. Once again, the "unpopularity" of these resorts among young and resident skiers is entirely consequential. In fact, both of these locations seem very desirable on paper.The Canyons is one of the more expansive resorts, offering 21 different lifts servicing up to 182 different runs. It has received a total of 31 inches of snow this season and belongs to the "Epic Pass" group of ski resorts across the country, meaning that a particular Canyons pass is also valid in other resorts like Vail, Beaver Creek and Park City Mountain Resort. For college students, pass options at the Canyons range from $400 to $800. Furthermore, the commute from the U is about 30 minutes. Solitude is less impressive, with only eight total lifts, but is fairly affordable and has fair pass rates. Both of these resorts offer great skiing amenities and benefits but little social appeal for the local pass holder. Next are the elitist resorts. These resorts only allow skiers and are the optimal location if you are looking to be surrounded by old, rich, white people. Along with being more expensive, the atmosphere is somewhat anal-retentive and composed. You've guessed it! These resorts are Deer Valley and Alta. However, if you are a skier, Deer Valley and Alta both offer some of the nicest runs and terrain. While these resorts are often perceived as stuck-up and are not the best investments for a frequent social skier, it wouldn't be a bad idea to snag the day pass Groupons when they come around. Last, but not least, there are the majority, or the popular resorts. These resorts — Park City Mountain Resort, Brighton and Snowbird — are the cornerstone attractions for the younger skiing and snowboarding communities. The difference in popularity between these three can be attributed to geographic proximity (e.g. If you live in Park City, you go to PCMR; if you live in Salt lake, Brighton or Snowbird are your best bets). This year, something interesting has happened within the Park City social structure. PCMR became a Vail-associated resort, meaning it is now a package deal with its weird cousin, The Canyons. However, since most of the U cohort resides in the greater Salt Lake area, Brighton or Snowbird are the primary choices, the differences between these being that Brighton is in Big Cottonwood Canyon, and Snowbird is located slightly farther south in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Brighton houses six lifts, servicing 66 official runs, and has an extensive "side country" area, along with having a long-standing reputation for a somewhat wild social scene. Snowbird has the most appealing terrain, with five lifts and nearly 170 trails, and has received 69 inches of snow so far this year. Essentially, the decision comes down to these two resorts and can be made individually, based on proximity and general clique association. letters@chronicle.utah.edu PiTa UTE INVITE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO AN ADVANCE SCREENING OF ONE FINAL NIGHT TO SAVE THE DAY SECRETNETOMB IVIINIUN fOX 4?1 UPS/11O2 POE urn 4 HAWN iu OfNOILIOUNI 1111110M SEC Of 1111111'Innilli HOWIE BANXIBINmENKINGSP mum PERRI TABOO TAM SIVENfil INO11111111MANTAIMIRI n11 Anaapio filiNIA0u4LXIMITILIANH JONIAlcAN [HE ONVIO111011 MIER MOM "InSCIOn NICE"1111111ASNION I MU OEN GOOANT InIGUMNilinft MOAN NICATAITNEMUSEIN inff [=1111 wifINORION IMICONE1 IINNEWITONININ LPN IIIII 611 F72" Nic,„,-A,TH(muswmmovitcom CHRISTMAS ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13 STOP BY UNION 321 FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A SCREENING PASS! ONE PASS PER PERSON. EACH PASS ADMITS FOUR. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB HAS BEEN RATED PG BY THE MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA FOR MILD ACTION, SOME RUDE HUMOR AND BRIEF LANGUAGE. Please note: Passes received through this promotion do not guarantee you a seat at the theatre. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, except for members of the reviewing press. Theatre is overbooked to ensure a full house. No admittance once screening has begun. All federal, state and local regulations apply. A recipient of tickets assumes any and all risks related to use of ticket, and accepts any restrictions required by ticket provider. 20th Century Fox, Daily Utah Chronicle and their affiliates accept no responsibility or liability in connection with any loss or accident incurred in connection with use of a prize. Tickets cannot be exchanged, transferred or redeemed for cash, in whole or in part. We are not responsible if, for any reason, recipient is unable to use his/her ticket in whole or in part. All federal and local taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Void where prohibited by law. Participating sponsors, their employees and family members and their agencies are not eligible. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. NO PHONE CALLS. IN THEATERS DECEMBER 19 NIGHTATTHEMUSEUMMOVIE.COM f /NIGHTATTHEMUSEUMMOVIES 1./MUSEUMMOVIES #NIGHTATTHEMUSEUM 11 |