Page 4-Saturday, May 12, 1979-The Michigan Daily
~Mchigan Daily
Eighty-nine Years of Editorial Freedom
420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, M. 48109
Vol. LXXXIX No. 9-S News Phone: 764-0552
Edited and managed by students
at the University of Michigan
Contracts do not
rid responsibility
T HE LATEST SNAFU over dumping of Ann
Arbor sludge in Sharon Township by a com-
pany which was contracted to haul it to Ohio
raises a broader question of city and state of-
ficials' accountability. This controversy conjures
up memories of dismayed city officials shrugging
their shoulders when it was discovered that
PBB-laced wastes were dumped in the city an-
dfill. A year before that, the local bureaucracy
was in an uproar over city investments which
were illegally used in an investment scheme.
Each time the crisis scenario is recreated, the
facts change, but the lack of accountability does
not. Blame is tossed around to several parties,
then squabbling over authorization and propriety
perpetuates until everyone tires of the subject and
it is somewhat forgotten.
This situation is admittedly different, since the
company had a binding contract to uphold.
Therefore, the city was not directly responsible
for the dumping.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
claims the city is liable for any damages done by'
NyTREX's Michigan dumping. City officials
claim NyTREX is ultimately responsible. Regar-
dless of what the final outcome of that controver-
sy is however, the city's Solid Waste Department
should have kept tabs on where the sludge was
going.
It's easy to see why no one wanted to let their
superiors know what was going on, even if
NyTREX's activities were discovered earlier.
The city spent years trying to find a place to
deposit the sludge to make way for sewage plant
expansion. A broken contract with NyTREX could
mean greater costs to the city. But high costs and
the difficulty of finding alternative dumping sites
must not stand in the way of responsible of-
ficiating and protection of the public's health and
safety.
Whether or not the DNR gave NyTREX per-
mission to dump the sludge in Sharon Township is
yet unclear. But, even if it did not grant formal
permission to the firm, the DNR's failure tc
report any knowledge to city officials concerning
the issue is reprehensible. It is curious that DNR
officials are the ones claiming municipality
liability for the dumping, while simultaneously
admitting that they did not inform city officials of
the Michigan dumping.
Without improved communication and a clear
line of authority and accountability, Michigan
residents can doubtless expect health hazards to
increase with our technology instead of the rever-
se. This case teaches a lesson to all involved
government officials that they must not only
monitor the fulfillment of contracts by private
firms, but also maintain close contact with other
city officials in the jurisdiction. This lesson has
been repeated too often already, maybe this time
they will learn.
Health Service Handbook
By Gail Ryan
Q: I would like to know more of the effects of should see a physician who can order, if ap.
male homosexual contacts, medically speaking: propriate, the administration of Gamma Globulin to
What are the recognizable symptoms of gonorrhea help prevent the infection.
contracted anally? Finally, a dependence on enemas to achieve a
A: Gonorrhea contracted in the anal and rectal bowel movement can develop if enemas are
areas may produce itching, pain, bloody or pus- frequently used prior to anal intercourse. This is
covered stools, discharge of mucous, and rectal done for the subjective feeling of cleanliness,
spasms. However, rectal gonorrhea may be asym- although a normal bowel movement can achieve the
ptomatic (no noticeable symptoms) and should be same result. (Also, if this is done to decrease the
diagnosed by a culture taken at a clinic or chance of V.D., there is no substantial evidence that
physician's office. this works.)
Q: Is regularanal intercourse known to have Q: Are V.D. clinics open-minded in dealing with
any negative effects (e.g., hemorrhoids)? the gay patient in the Ann Arbor area?
A: Regular anal intercourse may promote or The Health Service treats not only students but
aggravate hemorrhoids, venereal warts, and small any Washtenaw County resident in its V.D. Clinic,
tears of the lining of the rectum. These may cause The Clinic strives to provide high quality medical
bleeding, which should be brought to the attention of care to all persons, with questions about and con-
a physician to rule out other more dangerous causes sideration of sex, sexual orientation, or lifestyle
of rectal bleeding, such as cancer. only as they relate to medical treatment.
In addition, parasitic infections of both the rec- The Office of the Gay Advocates, staffed by Jim
tum and the intestines occur more frequently in gay Toy, Jean Hopkins, and volunteers, has as one of its
men. The most frequently occurring symptom with goals the fair and appropriate treatment of gay
these infections is diarrhea. Again, a physician students in all services of the University and com
should be consulted, and the appropriate stool munity. This office, which is part of the Student
specimens and rectal smears obtained. Development unit of Student Services, would be a
The other infection that can be transmitted good place to go to talk with other gay people about
venerally, and is occurring more frequently among their experiences with the various V.D. clinics and
male homosexuals, is viral Hepatitis B (inflam- services in the area. The office is located at 3404-
mation of the liver). Hepatitis B has traditionally 3407 Michigan Union, phone number: 763-4186.
been associated with transmission through con- Send all health-related questions to:
taminated blood products or needles, but is now} The Health Educator
found to be transmissable by other means, in- University Health Service
cluding sexual contact. 207 Fletcher Ave.
A person who has come into sexual contact with Ann Arbor, MI 48109
someone who has a diagnosed Hepatitis B infection
LETTERS:
S. Africa
To the Daily:
Coverage of the South African
crisis has been excellent so far in
your. paper and I wish to
congratulate your staff for their
factual and aggressive reporting.
I would like to comment,
however, on the front page story
(from AP and Reuter) that ap-
peared Wednesday, May 2, "S.
African panel calls for reform."
Specifically, the statement
which reads "The government's
racial laws also keep blacks from
voting and relegate them to cer-
tain neighborhoods and
restaurants" is a gross under-
statement of the facts. Native
South Africans have been robbed
of their national identity by the
white minority government.
South Africans are forced to
move onto one of several
"homelands," divided according
to ancestral heritage, and are not
allowed outside the borders of
these noncontiguous, desolate
tracts of land unless they have
proof that they are employed out-
side these areas by white
businesses, households, etc. This
proof is proper stamping of this
information in passbooks which
they must have on them at all
times. It is the policy of the white
minority government that these
barren tracts of land will become
"independent nations;" in other
words, the native South African
population will no longer be con-
sidered South Africans. In fact,
a convenient pool ofworkers who
can never become the neighbors
of the white minority will have
been formed in a way that the
minority government hopes will
be considered to be legitimate by
the outside world.
. - 'li elaids" 'policy is in
active operatio
ultimate goals
ce" and "legit
yet been realiz
the situation
children, the
disabled are fo
the "homeland
the young and'
are compelled t
provided by bus
white areas.E
"allowed" to i
shanty towns
cities. The nati%
cent of the popu
call 13 per cen
own. These lan
estimated to ha
provide subista
ce for 2,008,001
people are forc
The white mini
the most devel
fertile land fo
The infant m
"homelands"i
disagrace. On
born die befor
of five. There
every 44,000
Africa and av
tancy for bla
men, 32 for w(
five city labo
malnutrition
laborers are c
off than their
terparts.
The white g
which advise
Africans be a
spitting in the
faces of the m
of South AfricK
the world
progressive be
allow blacks to
real situation i
are not and ca
coverage
n now though the South Africans under the present
of "independen- system; they are considered
imacy" have not foreigners in their own land.
ed. The reality of They may reside in South Africa
is that women, only temporarily while they are
elderly and the working for the white minority.
rced to move onto How effective can any union be
ss" while many of when it is organized under such
able-bodied" men conditions?
to live in barracks Unfortunately, the advice of
sinesses within the this panel will probably be used
Some people are by foreign investors and gover-
lve in segregated nments such as the U.S. to excuse
outside the main their diplomatic and economic
ve majority, 87 per relationships with the racist
ilation, is forced to South African government.
t of the land their We must not allow this to hap-
d areas have been pen. We must not allow any
eve the capacity to whitewashing of star-
ince level existen- vation/murder and nation theft
0 people. 8,000,000 by any group, anywhere in the
ed to live on them. world. If we as , fellow human
ority has reserved beings fail to stand up and speak
ped and the most the truthton this matter, we con
ir itself. tribute to the lies being per-
ortality rate in the petrated. There is always the
is an international danger that we will be referredito
ie in two infants as some "silent majority" who by
e reaching the age virtue of our silence are assumed
is one doctor for to agree with "official" policy.
blacks in South Let your voice be heard in
verage life expec- speaking out against abominable
cks is age 31 for actions of the white South African
omen. Four out of government-write to the Regen-
rers suffer from ts of the University of Michigan,
and those city write to city administrators, to
onsiderably better state and federal representatives
"homeland" coun- and let them know there is no ac-
ceptable excuse for economic and
government panel diplomatic support of any mur-
s that all South derously racist government
bNe to unionize is anywhere in the world. This
ocean and in the nation will not stand up for the
ajority population human rights of the people of the
a. The message to world unless its citizens do so. We
is:- "We are will have to speak very loudly in
cause we may now order to compete with the power-
join unions." The ful voices of American cor-
s that black people porations but we must not fail to
nnot be considered do so. -Margaret Duncan