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Eighty-three years of editorial freedom
Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan

I'm back in the carrel again

Friday, September 13, 1974

News Phone: 764-0552

420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Mi. 48104


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THE MIL'AL KEE JOURNAL

But at least Evel Knievel had a parachute!'
TV realism: Head i nsand?

By BETH NISSEN
A S OF TODAY most University students will have
attended each of their classes for the first time.
Regardless of how many hair-tearing hours were spent
advance-classifying the perfect anti-ulcer schedule, the
first week of classes defies organization, convenience
and relaxation.
If a student's course is still meeting at the same time
indicated in the advance classification time schedule,
chances are fair to good that the department has
moved the course from Angell Aud A and hidden it
in an un-numberdd closet in Lane Hall or in Room
310 of an ivy-beleaguered building on the Dearborn
campus. And if a student has been removed from
Ann Arbor for the summer, a map is needed to figure
which wing of the University Parthenon is Angell,
Haven or Mason Hall.
Once the student has found the black stencilled num-
ber on a glass door that corresponds to the computer
printout, the student must make their first entrance in-
to a roomful of strangers who all wear jeans and
earth shoes or clogs, and whose staring eyes makes
them wonder if their slip is showing, even if they are
wearing Levis. If a student is the first student in the
room, there is danger of a moment of heart-clutching;
the student is either the only person to elect the class
or the only person to come to the wrong classroom.
. ONCE THE LOCATION has been established, there
remains the need to refine the timing of entrance. The
vast majority of students seem to think there is some
advantage to being in the appointed place at exactly
10 o'clock for a 10 o'clock class for the first class
meeting, leaving students with ten minutes of fiddling
and shifting before the instructor finally enters and
by some mysterious means signifies The Beginning of
Class.
Pardon m
The Honorable Gerald R. Ford
President
United States of America
The White HouseY
Washington, D.C.t
September 9, 1974
Dear Mr. President:
I AM WRITING to request a
full pardon from the crime orx
which I am presently convicted. s:
Having learned of the full par-
don given to Richard M. Nixon
for crimes he has or could havews
committed, known and unknown
I believe that my case should be x
considered for full pardon by
you. I pray the following com-
parisons andtcontrasts of our
alleged crimes will permit me
equal consideration for a full
and absolute pardon as was
Richard M. Nixon.
I was convicted of the crime
'called "ASSAULT WITH IN-
TENT TO COMMIT ROBBERY
WHILE ARMED." There was
no violence in the alleged crime
nor was there a weapon involv-
ed. However, I was convicted
of assaulting a person who was
not assaulted with a weapon"
that did not exist. Ultimately I t
was sentenced to serve 10 to ,^
20 years at State Prison of Sou-
them Michigan.
RICHARD M. NIXON admit
ted that he made errors in vIK
judgment and that some of the
acts he performed were indeed
against the law. Further, t h e me that I would r
House Judiciary Committee lev- more than a three
elled allegations of "high crm- mum sentence. Rich
jes and misdemeanors" against on also pled guilty t
him. Since you have pardoned ican Public. (Probab
him of crimes not yet charged vice of counsel).
to him, I can only assume that
he would be found guilty of MY CRIME was
the many crimes to which he again one person by
admitted before the American ual who had lost hi
People. Certainly one does not his sense of values;
receive a pardon for not com- ado," attempting to
mitting crime, an on the spot, de.
I pled guilty upon dvice of tion. Richard M.I
counsel to the crime listed lost his sense of valu
above: I was naive enough to made exotic and int
believe counsel when he told to carry out his cr

THAT PERENNIAL QUESTION of
exactly how graphic and advo-
cative the American television net-
works should be came up again this
week when the National Broadcast-
ing Company aired Born Innocent, a
made-for-TV movie depicting life in
one of those so-called "state homes
for wayward girls."
The network and the program's
producers had taken great pains to
make certain that the events and sit-
uations described within were based
on actual cases and were not, like
with so much of television, exagger-
ated out of context.
In an unusual move for on-the-
tube flicks, for example, most of the
film was shot in an actual New Mex-.
ico girls' facility and not on a recon-
structed Hollywood set.
But realism in production, of
course, yields realism on screen-
and that meant that the final print
of Born Innocent was a far from pret-
ty picture. Star Linda Blair suffered
through the worst our American sys-
tem of justice has to offer - dank,
graffiti-laden cells with a little pail
propped in the corner; dehumanizing
inspections of her private parts by a
matron ostensibly looking for drugs
(you'd be surprised where they hide
them, dear").
"BUT WHAT SENT the Puritans of
American running for their tele-
phones was a powerful scene in which
a terrified and confused Miss Blair

,was raped in a communal shower by
a group of girls wielding the handle,
of a plumber's friend.
The adverse reaction -- and there
was a great deal of it - led the gen-
eral manager of Detroit's WWJ-TV,
an NBC affiliate, to fire off an angry
letter to the network. "We are ap-
palled by its (NBC's) action in pre-
senting such a needlessly provocative
portrayal," wrote Don F. DeGroot.
We must, however, disagree with
Mr. DeGroot's rather careless charac-
terization of an honest attempt at
presenting what is legitimately a
hell-on-earth. Born Innocent was not
exactly the best drama presented on
television in recent years, but it cer-
tainly was one of the few to genuine-
ly try and be frank with its audience.
Admittedly, NBC was not com-
pletely without guilt. The network
should have known better than to
present the film at 8:00, when chil-
dren might have been watching, and
without an appropriate warning at
the beginning.
STILL, THE "BURY our heads in the
k_ sand" reaction of Mr. DeGroot
just doesn't strike us as realistic.
Problems like state homes aren't go-
ing to go away by themselves - they
will only disappear if enough citi-
zens, made aware of the situation by
the media (and that includes tele-
vision), decide to act.
--DAVID BLOMQUIST

During that time of waiting, all clocks in the class-
room are stricken with arthritis in their hands; time
passes as slowly as chilled molasses. If there are two
students in the class who have known one another
from some previous time or place, they will begin con-
fering in low tones while the rest of the class blankly
scans each other and the new arrivals or distantly
stares at the floor tiles while pretending not to listen.
"Students busily scribble the dates
of their midterm and final and are
told they will have to buy a $13.95
textbook for the course that they will
be able to resell for $2.75 in De-
cember, even if they never open the
front cover.
There is contagious reluctance to strike up a con-
versation or introduce oneself. Everyone seems to
prefer appearing detached and removed rather than
desperate for companionship. They chew on new-
bought ball point pens or make the year's first doodles
in virgin notebooks until the class authority walks in.
IN A MOMENT, students will straighten themselves
into their carved wooden desks and wait with pen pois-
ed for the professor to list exactly what is expected
from them in return for an A next to their ID number
on the grade report.
Students busily scribble the dates of their midterm
and final and are told that they will hive to buy a
' O5 taxtbook for the covirse that they will be able
to resell for $2.75 in December, even if they never
e: On crimi

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d~'

ment of C
gan andc
were follow
ability. I a
ed collegef
employmen
and to rega
style I had
way in m
to my incat
PRISON
ready fora
along witht
State offic
commende
ed for and
MichiganI
Parole Boa
because o
tempting t
how their
uponcorre
are treated
attempting
conditions1
ther than
have learne
the answer
problems,
ings to the
tions are t
dentlv, for
Board bec
completed;
grams ava
THEREF
am ready
Mainstream
coming r
the accent
tern has fa'
me that ch
Iahilitation
society!
Richard1
ucated by
President,
a Dart of t
his crimes
ignorant,
desperate
rich, powe
The crime
nremeditat
pose to gai
er.

open the front cover.
At some point, actual Class begins. Discussion us-
ually begins slowly, directly following the professor's
introduction of the course. The professor asks a ques-
tion; it is answered in sweaty silence. Someone drops
the top of their Bic Banana and everyone turns to
look. The room is full of people who do not want to be
indelibly inked into the professors mental gradebook
or their peers' memories as an academic incompetent.
The front row of students begin memorizing every turn
of the knots in their shoelaces, and ency those safely
entrenched in the last row of chairs, close to the door
of escape.
SOMEHOW THE silence is broken and theclass be-
gins to divide. There are some bold students who are
fearless and practiced in saying anything with great
authority. These select few took Speech 101 with De-
mosthenes; 90 per cent of them are from New York
and they offer their opinions in a Bronx-plated accent.
Scattered around the room are those students who
will never miss a class or say a word, those who
will take notes on everything that is said or done in
the classroom, and those who will never again be
seen- until they ask to borrow someone's pen two
minutes before the midterm.
At the end of class, there is some indication as to
whether it will be a clas worth recommending to a
best friend or one that will draft a student into four
evenings a week as a strain-eyed academic soldier in
the UGL'Y reserves.
At week's end the halls and classrooms are filled
with youth whose tans and interest are fast fading and
who are wearily heading toward their 15th drop-add.
AT LEAST students still have the right to elect their
classes, which is more than they were allowed to do
for their current President.
ial justice
rrections when I be- THEREFORE, in light of the
during incarceration fact that you have the power
Ned to the best of my of pardon, and did grant Rich-
ttended and complet- ard M. Nixon full pardon for
for reasons of gainful heinous crimes of malace com-
t upon my reluase, mitted against so many people
ain a constructive life (an entire nation); and in light
misplaced along the of the crime of which I was
past life, which led convicted (a crimeagainst one
irceration. person for survival), a crime
not one/hundredth the magni-
officials felt I was tude of Richard M. Nixon's
a 'special parole and, crimes, I now apply to you for
many other respected equal treatment as our Con-
ials and citizens, re- stitution guarantees citizens of
d that I be consider- America by granting.me a full
d be paroled by the pardon for the crime of which
ParoleBoard. The I am convicted. I am convinced
rd denied my parole you will weight the facts, com-
f my actions in at- pare our cases, and afford me
o relay to the public the equal treatment afforded
tax 'dollar is spent Richard M Nixon by means of
fctions, how prisoners a pardon because of your sincer-
d inhumanely and by ity and dedication to America's
to improve prison Constitution, your oath of office
by legal means. Ra- and your sense of responsibility
act clandestinely, I and fairness to the American
ed that secrecy is not People.
to solve institutional
and brought my find- IF YOU DO not hav!e ivlwer
apublic: my legal ac- to grant pardon to a State nri
he only reasons evi, soner, then I request that vu
denial by the Pirole attemnt to persuade the Gover-
aiise I successfully nor of the State of Micnigan,
all rehabilitative pro- William G. Milliken, to grant
ilable to me. same.
If you do not have persuasive
relations with Governor Milli-
FORE, even though I ken, then I request that you
for return to the write to the Michigan Parole
m of Society by be- Board recommending that I be
ehabilitated throngh considered for immediate pa-
ed technioie, the svs- role.
iled itself by denying Thanking you in advance for
ance to apply its re- yor interest and consideration
programs in a free in this matter of equal treat-
mnt; looking forward to your
M. Nixon became ed- acting in my behalf as you so
our system also, Mr. readily acted in Mr. Nixon's,
and he imlemented I am,
he system to commit -Yours in proress,
s; rather than being Clude R. Williams
without emlovment, Prison No. 12979
for survival, he w s Legislative Agent
erful and intelligent. Prisoners' Progress
s he committed were Assn.
ed and with a nar. 4000 Cooner Street
n more personal pow- Jackson, Michigan
49201

eceive no
year mini-
ard M. Nix-
o the Amer-
ly upon ad-
committed
an individ-
s direction,
a "desper-
survive by
sperate ac-
Nixon also
e, however,
ricate plans
iminal acts

by using sham agencies of his
creation under the auspices of
government functions. His crim-
es were committee against cne
nation, not one person: over
two hundred million people were
his direct victims.
I have been incarcerated for
over three years and have sin-
cerely applied myself to many
rehabilitative programs such as
Alcoholics Anonymous, group
counseling, and have received
my Associate's Degree f r o m
Jackson Community College
with honors. The advice from
officials of the Michigan Depart-

'4

Ozone-eating freon blues

Letters to The Daily

E DON'T EVEN think twice about
it. After the shower, it's time for
some deodorant. If the air begins
to smell, spritz on some Lysol. Furni-
ture dulls, sock it with some Pledge.
Aerosol cans are as much a part of
1974 American life that our use of
them has become unconscious. It may
also have become deadly.
TODAY'S STAFF:
News: Gordon Atcheson, Dan Biddle,
Cindy Hill, Rob Meachum, Becky
Warner
Editorial Page: Marnie Heyn
Arts Page: David Blomquist
Photo Technician: Pauline Lubens
Editorial Staff
DNIEL BIDDL

Dr. Ralph Cicerone is an associate
research scientist at the University
who has, with the help of others, de-
termined that freon, the stuff that
makes up most of what is in aerosol
cans is slowly collecting in the earth's
atmosphere.
Dr. Cicerone says that the freon,
which is known to scientists as chlor-
ofluoromethane, w 1 1 1 eventually
reach the thin "ozone belt," where,
in about ten years time, it will react
with, and destroy, the ozone.
Ozone helps block out deadly ultra-
violet rays from the sun. Serious
loss of this atmospheric component
would -mean, according to Dr. Cicer-
one, higher incidence of skin can-
cer, changes in our weather patterns,
and possible harm to the food chain
in the earth's oceans.
What makes Dr. Cicerone's predic-
tion more frightening, is that he be-
lieves the effects of the ozone deple-
tion may last some thirty to forty
years, until a new equilibrium is

clericals
To The Daily:
UNIVERSITY of Michigan
clerical workers wishing union
representation must soon select
either the UAW or AFSCME as
their bargaining agent. T h a t
decison is one with which they
will live for a long time.
Since 96 percent of the cler-
icals are female, the contest at
U-M is as much a feminist as
it is a labor movement. When
one- observes that Walter Reu-
ther brought the affirmtive ac-
tion concept to the auto n1ants
41 years ago, it can hardly be
said that the present awaken-
ing at U-M is premature. Your
sisters on the assembly 1 in e
earn an average of $240 a week.
The UAW contends that cleanup
labor justifies $4.98 an hour; the
University pays its most highly
skilled C-5 secretary far less.
Now, should U-M clericals Po
UAW or AFSCME? My choice
is the UAW, on the basis that
the CCFA-UAW has promoted no
concept that is offensive to good
union bargaining proced'rre. I
can't fault them on strategy.

chy. Ten feminists with 3,000 fol-
lowers sitting down to negotiate
with 10 elite male managers
sitting on $300 million.
Very interesting.
-Walter Brauninger
September 10
Gregory
To The Daily:
IN TODAY'S Daily, D i c k
Gregory has sagely informed ns
that "the need to learn haw to
live is more important than the
need to learn how to make a
living." Although th . aidience is
reported to have "roared .with
appreciation," I woa ler whe-
ther Mr. Gregory's cliche is a
bit outdated. Two columns to
the right are the headlines:
JOBLESS TOTAL EDGES UP-
WARD. If mere skills are "all
the educational system provid-

es," as Mr. Gregory intones,
how can unemployment continue
to rise? How about donating a
Daily subscription to Mr. Gre-
gory to that he may update hbs
conventional wisdam
-George H. Browni, Jr.
September 7
Letters to Thu fl".iJ= 4
be mailed to the Editorial
D i r e c t o r"or delivered to
Mary Rafferty in the Student
Publications business office
in the Michigan Daily build-
ing. Letters should be typed,
double-spaced and normally
should not exceed 250 words.
The Editorial Directors re-
serve the right to edit all
letters submitted.

- sideswipes
A shaky precedent
for the head office
By BOB SEIDIENSTEIN"-

STOW THAT FORD has par-
doned Nixon the question re-
mains whether God will pardon
Ford.
God has steadfastly maintain-
ed that 'He is above partisan
politics but if The Almighty lets
old helmet-head off the hook
many of us will be wondering
about the existence of some sort
of deal.
It is true that Ford has suf-
fered enough. He wasn't born
with too many brains and play-
ing center for the Michigan Wol-
verines knocked the rest out of
him. And true, he did have to
grow up in Grand Rapids, but
many of us suffer similar fates
without having The Lord take
a personal interest in our case.
And certainly none of us
would question the fact that
Glod has the authority to let the
former fontba11er off without

out of nercy but the cynics just
won't believe Him.
God would be setting a dan-
gerous precedent if He pardons
the Michigan moron. The laws
of the universe were not made
to be broken.
We mere mortals will sure-
ly be held accountable when we
meet our maker. Our souls will
be held in the balance and we
will be forced to see His terrible
swift sword. If Ford is pardon-
ed, do we deserve less just be-
cause we don't have friends in
high places?
BUT IT 1S not only for God
himself that we must fear the
reaction some might have if
He pardons Ford. We must be
concerned about the passible
damage to the office of God.
The office of God is looked to
for salvation and direction from
all the non-Godless nations. It

Contact your reps-
Sen. Phillip Hart (Dem), Rm 253, Old Senate Bldg., Capitol
Hill, W-hipgton, D.C. 20515.
Ca n n.... .. .. ,. 1 .'.. mf AlA e.sR, A n uSn Rld..Caito