Eighty-Seven Years of Editorial Freedom 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109 I MSA NOTES Saturday, February 5, 1977 News Phone: 764-0552 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan GOVinda firings unfabir THIRTY-SIX Govinda's Restaurant employees were laid off Satur- day without any notice from man- agemen-t,. These people are asking all of us to consider their treatment befqre de- ciding whether or not to patronize Govinda's. "We were losing '$2,500 a week," claimed Govinda's manager Mike Lazarus, in justification of the dis- missals. Obviously, no business can be expected to continue paying peo- ple when it's losing large amounts of money.. The real question, however, is why restaurant workers weren't given any advance notice of the dismissals. They needed time to start looking for new jobs and planning for the future. What they got was the rude shock of instant job loss. RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT stat- ed that the decision to fire the workers and convert Govinda's to a cafeteria came only at the last min- ute and that it was impossible to tell employees of the change aliead of time. This does not ring true, how- ever. First, employees report that one manager jokingly suggested the res- taurant should be converted to a cafeteria two full weeks before the lay-offs. This suggests that restau- rant owners were considering the con- version well in advance of last Sat- urday's closing. New Manager Mike Lazarus confirmed this. Second, former restaurant work- ers argue that owner ,mismanage- ment has been responsible for the losses that Govinda's has been suf- fering, not the table service format or the conduct of, employees. They point out that two of the o4ners have been paying themselves $300 a week each during Govinda's finan- cial crisis. EMPLOYEES SAY that they were promised greater autonomy il run- ning the restaurant at a staff meet- ing less than a week before the mass firing. They say this was only one of a series of lies fed them by Go- vinda's owners over the last several months. This is one reason that many of them are saying "good riddance" to Govinda's, despite the economic hardship their unemployment poses. It is interesting that, the Hare Krishna movement, from which the Govinda's decor, philosophy and even the actual menus have been borrow- ed, disclaims any responsibility for the restaurant. They say that restau- rant operations are not up to the ethical standards of the Krishna movement. THE DAILY URGES its readers to heed the message of those Go- vinda's workers who have been walk- ing back/and forth with their signs and their leaflets this week in front of their former place of employment. We hope everyone will seriously ponder whether Govinda's has done anything to deserve their business. Plans, By MIKE TAYLOR JN PREVIOUS articles. we've described what the Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) is, and what it's been doing. The list of MSA's current and upcoming projects is extensive and varied. They can be grouped into two broad categories of work - 1) advocacy and representation on behalf of students, and 2) provision of direct services for students. Within the first grouping, advocacy, MSA's current fight to save Waterman/Barbour gyms and see them converted into a new student activities center has been well publicized. MSA President Scott Kellman and Vice-President Steve Carnevale spoke before the Regents last week. The Board responded by ordering the University to prepare a third report on the gyms, this time examining possible uses for student organizations. As Regent Ravid Laro put it, "There is nothing to be lost by taking a little more time to examine the Michigan Student Assembly's proposal." MSA is presently working on two fronts to increase the students' role in University decision-making. First, the Assembly is fight- ing to have a non-veting student placed on the Board of Regents. Secondly, MSA is working to coordinate the activities of student repre- sentatives on University committees. IN ADDITION to working witli Students As- sociated for Lower Tuition (SALT) to keep tuition at the present level, the Assembly is also fighting to keep housing costs down. MSA advocates construction of new student housing as soon as possible. A new facility to be con- str'tcted opposite East Quad is being con- sidered by the administration. MSA is also working to see that' financial aid is provided for all qualified students who could not other- wise afford to come to the University af Mich- igan. MSA is also working in an area that wi'l imnrove the Universitv's accountability to stu- dents - grievance procedures. Diane Fow- roposals ler, one of the Assembly's attorneys, is co- ordinating the implementation of effective grievance procedures throughout the Uni- versity. MSA is planning to expand the direct serv- ices it provides for students in several differ- ent ways. A computer-processed undergrad- uate course evaluation survey, using input from students and instructors, is in the works. A Tutoring service, to be staffed by students already profiicent in a subject (as volunteers, for pay, or for credit), is being considered also. The Union Station's contract -expires in a couple of years. MSA is working to see that it will be run in the future as a place geared towards students. One possibility would be to turn the facility over to 'the Union Board, which would bring back the Rathskeller, a student bar that was- in the cellar during the Sixties. MSA is also attempting to gain con- trol of concessions at the Stadium and' Crisler Arena, so 'that these services could be pro- vided ,with higher quality and for less money. TO HELP those moving out of dorms and into apartments and houses, MSA plans to ar- range, for packages of cheap kitchentare at competitive bidding. In response to the ever-present need for quiet study areas, MSA is also looking into the feasibility of keeping at least one campus library open on a 24-hour basis. There are only some of the service projects that MSA planning for the rest of the term. We would greatly appreciate any suggestions as to things we should be doing. Any students interested in working with us on any of the projects described above should come in for more information. We're located on Ole third floor of the Union and our phone P--I-er is 763-3242. Those involved in student organizations in need of office space should contact Scott Keilman or Steve Carnevale im- - iately about the Waterman/'Barbour situa- tion. MICHAEL BECKMAN "H EY MAN, HOW ya doin'?" So what's happenin'?" "Everything's pretty cool. So what's going on?" "Not much. Hey listen, I've gotta split. Catch ya later." "Yeah, fer sure." This is' a fairly stereotypical depiction of a-quickie conver- sation that could occur almost anywhere - on 'the Diag, in a cafeteria line, during a phone conversation or in a class- room. Everybody uses them: short catch-all phrases that in themselves don't have any real meaning, but have amazing success in getting their message across. These peer group colloquialisms are nearly universally understood by those who expend their breath constantly uttering them. And I'm as guilty of it as anyone. I can't begin to count all the times that I have greeted somebody with "what's happenin"" or "how ya doin' instead' of coming up with something unique to say. WHY DO PEOPLE communicate with each other in superficial jargon? The major reason is most likely that it's simply more expedient to rattle off a series of banalities than to attempt to formulate- a coherent thought and put it into words. Which I suppose is a'l right, once in a while. But when someone says "what's happening" and then just walks on by, it has a very cold, impersonal effect. Use of catch-al phrases can also stem out of awkward situations. Sometimes,._people feel a necessity to say some- thing - to fill in spaces in a conversation or just to hear themselves talk. It's far easier to respond to someone who's trying to get across a point with "yeah really" than to at- tempt to devise a response that might give the speaker the idea that you really give a damn about what he is saying. How about saying "I think that's a really good point that you just made" in lieu of a plethora of "really" 's and "for sire" 's. It may seem trivial, but something original can infuse an impression that the communication that is going on is important and individual, and rates more tlhan just a set of stock responses. THIS APPLIES to the wanton use of expletives as a nega- tive form of expression. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a good curse as an avenue for venting .hostility, but this locker-room lingo seems to have become ingrained into our language as a substitute form of expressing shock, sur price, disapproval, or disbelief. Think carefully now; how many times when someone has made a statement that caught you off guard or that you found hard to belief, have you retorted with such verbal gems as "no shit", "fuck in A", "ain't that a bitch" or just "bullshit"? Wow. that many times. eh? I know that I have exclaimed "bullshit" innumerable times as my catch-all commentary on an almost unlimited number of circumstances. And it sure makes one sound. like an idiot. What's the point? After all, it really isn't a catastrophic problem; something to be lumped in the same breath with in- flation and the Middle East. But it still is important - for what is a more necessary attribute than the ability to com- municate? This doesn't mean that everyone should talk in Shakespearean prose or with an Oxford accent. It would be nice, but impossible. But there is no reason that people can't inject their thoughts into conversation without having to fall back onto an arsenal of banal cliches and catch-alls. It is, at.the very least, a bad habit and a sign of laziness. So let's all cut the bullshit and get our acts together and quit jiving around, and speak clear, lucid and literates English. O.K? Right on! Misuse- of Publicity India's political schism: A step toward democracy? A SPLIT IN INDIA'S ruling party has clouded Prime Minister In- dira Gandhi's political future. Agri- culture Minister Jagjivan Ram, head of India's 80 million Untouchables, bolted the party Wednesday, accus- ing Gandhi of leading the country toward "despotic rule." And announ- ced plans for a new political party which will try to put an end to Gand- hi's 11-year reign. The surprise move comes less than two weeks' after Gandhi announced plans to restore democratic govern- ment in India. Gandhi lifted a ban on political activity, lifted the abso- lute censorship of the press, and scheduled a parliamentary election to be held in March. After that an- nouncement, Gandhi seemed certain to win handily in the March poll. Now, however, her political life seems in danger. THE DEFECTION of Ram, Gandhi's most senior cabinet member and Photography Staff PAULINE LUBENS ..,..... Chief Photographer ALAN BILINSKY . ............Picture Editor BRAD BENJAMIN ........... Staff Photographer ANDY FREEBERG .... Staff Photographer CHRISTINA SCHNEIDER .... Staff Photographer long-time supporter, climaxes a re- cent series of anti-goverhment dem- onstrations in India - the first per- mitted under the 19-month-old state of emergency. Whether or not Gandhi had actual intentions of ,restoring permanent democracy when she lifted the au- thoritarian measures is highly specu- lative. Whether or not she felt free elections would be a risk to her pow- er base is equally uncertain. But this schism in her party has to come as a big shock to Gandhi, and is hopefully a portent that the Indian people will really be given the chance to decide who will be ruling their country. By SUSAN JOHNSON TT IS INTERESTING to note that Mr. Cadv. Abeng Ara- demi" Ad-isor, once aeain tried to meddle ansimple vet imnort- ant issuie inder a barrage of nersonal insults, misrenresenta- tions, and erroneous fqcts. It an- nears that Cadv's nublic anolo- gv for his "personal vendetta" against Sue Johnson, namely me, was something less than sincere, for he has renewed his attack with the same rationale, if with slightly less force, as the previous time. To enlighten those of you who are slightly confused, if not downright be- wildered, as to what I am talk- ing about, here is a -brief ex- planation. , This is a rebuttal to Kent Cadv's rebuttal referring to Michael Beckman's, (a Daily columnist) article which was in reference to the East Quad Representative Assembly Meet- ing concerning the recent Abeng Black Arts and Cultural Fes- tival. Or in more simple terms, another episode in the continu- ing saga of the "Black Renais- sance." A BRIEF HISTORY is in or- der. At the beginning of this school year there was some question as to the legitimacy of funding an organization which had exclusive member- ship using dorm dues. After a presentation by Abeng of its use, function, and reasons for excluding non-minorities, the Representative Assembly of East Quad voted to waive the open membership requirement. The main reason for this vote was the promise of Abeng that all functions paid for by the R.A. would be open to t lie pub- lic. To reinforce this promise a motion was passed which stat- ed, "Any group which uses R.A. funds for any activity must have that activity open to the East Quad/Residential College com- munity and fully publicized prior to the event." The R.A. subse- quently voted $1,200 towards Abeng's Black Arts and Cul- tural Festival. I was at this time both a member of the committee which allocated the monies and' a member of the R.A. which approved them. Now, I shall bring us up to January 20, the day before the festival began. I had just found out that this was THE week- end upon seeing a poster in the Chemistry Building. I thought that perhaps the reason for my ienorance was a result of the oft-mentioned crltches. That by sneAkin through the kitchen and in the elevator. I had kent myself unaware of the p hlicitv that was surely posted all over the main walking areas of the dormitory. Subsecuent investiga- tions nroved ths belief to be erroneous. There were no pos- ters. There was literally no sign of the festival. EARLY THAT EVENING, I attempted to rectify the situa- tion. I spoke to Mr. Cady, "Aca- demic Counselor" and active member of Abene, and Marina Shoemaker, director of the fes- tival. My attempts to get pos- ters ap were met with some- thing less than cooperation. The evidence for this is that nearly twenty-four hours later the only additional advertisement, that I could find, outside of the Abeng bulletin board, was a small fly- er across from the library. I thereby decided to give up ad- vertisement for this year's ac- tivities as lost, go enjoy as much of the festival as I could my- self, and set out' to insure that the same thing would not hap- nen in the future. Since Abeng had not unheld its promise to advertise fully in the dorm, and since the motion passed by the R.A. had been ignored, the only insurance would be a constitu- tional amendment explicitly de- fining such ambiguities as "ful- ly," and providing for a penal- ty in case the amendment was ignored. I went to the R.A. meeting with the firm convic- tion that its members would see the need for such an emend- ment. PARTLY DUE TO my own lack of eloquence and clarity as a speaker, partly due to Abeng's promise that this would never happen again, and mostly due to Kent Cady's monologue in which he told crude jokes, per- sonally attacked me, cried rac- ist, and generally confused whatever was left of the truth,, my simple'. and honest inten- tions were missaid, misled, and misread. It was at this point that I withdrew the motion. Ma- ny of the complications which hampered Abeng in its lame at- tempts at publicity have since been brought to my attention. They are, however, as Mr. Beckman so clearly pointed out, not insurmountable. They could have been easily overcome, but only if the motivation was there.. The motivation was not there. As explained to me by the di- rector of the festival, Abeng felt that it was more important to reach the rest of the university tian these whlo vaid for the fes- tival. Within the confines of lim- ited time. monev, and organiza- tion, a choice had to be made. Somebodv, somewhere, made the wrong decision. Abeng is not in good standing with the maiority of dorm residents. Ru- mors are still floating, and I make no judgment of their val- idity, about private cocktail par- ties, of hostility to non-black mi- norities, and of hostilities to- wards whites. What I am try- ing to say is that I can not understand what would prompt an organization, on such shaky ground as this, to once again' prove negligent in notifying the East Quad/RC community of its events. MANY HAVE ACCUSED Mr. Michael Beckman of blowing an insignificant event out of pro- portion, of creating racial ten- sion where none existed before. But if news of this happening had leaked out slowly, instead of with the force needed to get all the facts and deal with the situation, much hore damage would have been done. For what Mr. Cady considers "interfer- ence" and "hassling" from an oopsynthe clown character and an invalid who hops from the bathroom to the open bar, would surely be considered sonething much more serious from the many people who funded this event and heard nothing about it. There is no doubt they would wonder just where that eleven hundred and fifty dollars went to, and if funding were not cut significantly next year, more hostilities' would surely be add.. ed to the pile. I hope that this situation can be worked out. That the lies and personal slurs will stoR. That members of Abeng and the rest of the community can talk together without preconcep- tions of predjudice and hostili- ty. I hope that Abeng can, change its priorities, and con- sider the East Quad/RC com- munity as important a part of Abeng as Abeng is of the rest of the community. But my ideal- ism isrunning short. Right now, I would be satisfied if Abeng holds to its new promise of guaranteed publicity more strictly than they did to their last, and more sincerely than Mr. Cady's apology for a "per- sonal vendetta." I Editoria consensus 0 i positions represent a f The Daily Editorial staff. _..I TODAY'S STAFF: News: Brian Blanchard, David Good- man,Joy Levin, Jenny Miller, Mike Norton, Sue Warner, Margaret Yao Edit Page: Michael Beckman, Pauline Toole, Barbara Zahs, Lisa Zisook Arts Page: Lois Josimovich Photo Technician: Alan Bilinsky By W. L. SCHELLER. THE DISTURBING PURGES .and repression in eastern Europe have a number of roots that differ from country to country. Still one idea binds them all together, the concept of freedom. Freedom to eastern Europeans ranges from a removal of the many supressive measures currently in effect; to the return of some semblance of democracy. East Germans and Poles have probably been chomping at the bit 'en masse' more than others. Since August 1, 1975, the number of East Germans, seeking to l'eave the country has shot up into the tons of thousands. East German young people aware of the Helsinki agreement and it's provisions are some of the most anxious to travel. What is more is that West German television can be seen by about 75' per cent of the East German population, -and they know quite well that they would be better off economically in the west. One East German writer, Thomas Breach, was "alowed to leave" - make that expelled-for his insistence on pub- lishing a book called "The Sons Die Before Their Fathers". It included a story about a young man who died trying ,to climb the Berlin wall. All of this desire has East Berlin worried and is providing the incentive for the current repression. THE SITUATION in Poland, though different, is still very wor- risome for the communists. The populous has been extremely rest- less and broke out in strikes and riots last summer. Poland tried in 1970 and last year to raise prices of important staples. The people rebelled. Since Helsinki the government has become more rigid and tried to attack the problems as purely economic. Poland's late poet Antoni Slonimski termed such policies as, "stuffing their mouths with sausage so they'll shut up." The real problem seems to lie in the fact that Poland has become industrialized and the people want more, economically and poli- tically. Poland is the last country in eastern Europe where some democracy has remained. The Catholic Church is allotted a few seats in the parliament. Czechoslovakia and Russia retain the most oppressive methods and probably the greatest problems facing any communist coun- tries Czechoslovakta was the last eastern European country to ex- periment with human rights. Moscow brutally crushed that ex- periment in 1968 when it's tanks rol'ed into Prague. Now eight and a half years later Czech intellectuals are again beginning to speak out about what they feel are their rights. THE COMMUNISTS' answer has so far been to arrest many, threaten others, try to connect these ,people with a "western spy group" and now the possibility exists that they will expell the dissidents from the country. Did they ever intend to keep the provisions of the document they signed? Soviet dissidents are no better off than their fellows. The cries of dissent against the Kremlin have been steadily getting louder since Helsinki. The Russian people also are aware of the agree- ment and though not really rushing to leave the country, except Jews, they do feel that there should be some benefit from it. So far the government's answer has. been to throw 90 dissidents into their 'Gulag Archapeligo' and to send 15 others to mental hospitals, this according to Amnesty International. The credibility and sincerity of these nations in dealing with Letters to The Daily Afrikaans To The Daily: I WOULD LIKE to take a few minutes to corrqct some mis- leading and somewhat preju- diced statements made by Ms. Sikose Mji, the high school stu- dent from South Africa as re- ported in The Daily of Jan. 21. is "a regional variety of a spok- en language". Afrikaans has its own spelling, its own grammar, its own literary history. It is a dialect only in the same refer- ence that English, Dutch, Ger- man, etc., are "dialects" of Germanic. Yes, it does have a little French and German; but' so does Efglish'! hiclei for communism Or those like my aunt who, when she learned that I knew German, was aghast. "That's the lan- guage of the enemy". She had lived through the Zeppelin at- tacks on the British Isles during WWI. Credibility of Ms. Mji's state- ments concerning the Zulu riots ara in ixannnrdtv uin th'no. (~j4~~V