Edited and managed by students at the
University of Michigan
Editorials printed in The Michigan Daily express the individual
opinions of the author. This must be noted in all reprints.
THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1972 News Phone: 764-0552

N. Y. abortion bill facing
an upowardsurvivalfighi

Challenging the Regents
FOLLOWING the Regents' rejection of a proposal to
establish black housing units, eight black students
have filed a complaint with the Michigan Civil Rights
Commission (MCRC). The students call the regental ac-
tion a racist denial of black education and housing rights.
The proposed living units were to consist of separate
halls in two dormitories, to house students interested in
Afro-American and African culture.
In cases such as this, MCRC usually investigates the
complaint and then recommends legal action where
appropriate.
But in deciding, the Regents arrogantly chose to over-
look opinions supporting the legality of the plan from
many groups including MCRC and the local branch of
the American Civil Liberties Union. They also did not take
into account that 30 per cent of the persons tentatively
accepted for the unit are white.
INSTEAD OF THE proposed plan, the Regents approved
the formation of a committee to investigate the prob-
lems of minority groups on campus, even though a simi-
lar committee recently fell apart after almost every mem-
ber quit. Members of the dissolved committee, originally
formed to examine difficulties encountered by minority
students in the Opportunity Program, said that they did
not get enough cooperation and support from the admin-
istration.
Hopefully, the new committee, which has already
begun their investigation, will not settle for the role of
another token group.
THE REGENTS' denial of the Afro-American and Afri-
can American Culture housing units certainly de-
serves a thorough investigation by an impartial, non-
University group such as MCRC to explore possible fur-
ther legal action.
-JAN BENEDETTI
NIGHT EDITOR: ARTHUR LERNER
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR: ROSE SUE BERSTEIN
ASSISTANT NIGHT EDITOR: JIM O'BRIEN
PHOTO TECHNICIAN: DAVID MARGOLICK
Sutmmttter Staff
BOBAN AEW.......Associate Sport sEitor
ROBERT HARKIN .. .. . . Night Editor
JAN BENEDETTI .. . . .. Night Editor
ROSE SUE BERSTEIN E......... Co-Etor
ROBET rcoaow... ............RBooks Ediltor
LINDA DREEBEN..Night Editor
DENNY GAINER ...... . ... Photography Editor
ANDY GOLDING...... Business Manager
MERYL GORDON.. . . ... Assistant Night Editor
HARRY HIRSCH ....... .. Display Manager
TAMMY JACOBS .... .... Night Editor
SHERRY KASTLE... . . Circulation Manager
KAREN LAAKO ..... .Classified Manager
ELLIOT LEGOW ...... . .... Sports Editor
DANIEL BORUS... ...... Sports Night Editor
ARTHUR LERNER.......... .Co-Edito
DIANE LEVICK ..............Asistanst ight Editor
DAVID MARGOLICK......... Photographer
SHEILA MARTIN.General Business Assistant
JtM O'BRIEN... ... ..5nae Editor
RANGY ROSENBAUMA...... Asistant ight Edito
PAUL TRAVIS ... .... Night Editor
JIM WALLACE ............ . . .. photographer
ROBERT HAROC...tPhotographer
DEBORAH WHITING .......... iculation Assistant
CAROL WIECK. .. . ..General Business Assistant
MARCIA ZOSLAW . ......... ...... . Assistant Night Editor

By MERYL GORDON
A LIBERALIZED abortion law
went into effect July 1, 1970
in New York, allowing women to
receive abortions on demand up
to their 24th week of pregnancy.
That law, a result of a very
strong organizing petition drive
and campaign throughout the
state for several years. was
widely touted as a step towards
women's rights.
Thel liberalized abortion law
made it possible for women to
have abortions legally, thus sav-
ing many lives as well as sparing
them the horrors of back street
abortions. Women were no long-
er forced to fly to England, Japan,
or Mexico for expensive abortions,
or to see psychiatrists for letters
saying they would be unfit moth-
ers. Much of the stigma was re-
moved from the medical operation
of an abortion.

BUT IN A reactionary move
Monday, the New York State As-
sembly passed a bill to repeal the
liberalized abortion law and re-
turn to the former statute which
allowed a woman to have an abor-
tion only when her life was im-
periled.
The bill was passed amidst
much controversy, after several
weeks of intense lobbying by so-
called "right to life" groups. And
even President Nixon intervened
last week with a letter to Arch-
bishop Terrence Cardinal Cooke
stating that he supported the re-
peal of the abortion bill.
Nixon's move was a show of
political influence, and a poor
use of presidential power. The
letter invoked the anger of many
Republicans, specifically Gov. Nel-
son Rockefeller who felt that Nix-
on should not have interfered in

a state issue.
The bill is now scheduled for
debate in the State Senate. Rocke-
feller has stated firmly that he
will veto any bill repealing the
liberalized law.
AT A TIME when women are
demanding equal rights and con-1
trol of their bodies throughout the
nation, the action in New York
comes as a slap in the face. The
New York law is the most lib-
eral in the country, and it serves
as a model for other states now
pushing for more liberalized bills.
Over 300,000 women have had
abortions in New York since it
was passed. Repeal of the New
York law would be a drastic set-
back for women all over the coun-
try.
Governments have been legislat-
ing morality for many years. The
liberalized New York abortion law
opened the wayfor women to de-
termine the fate of their bodies.
Prices in New York clinics have
reduced the cost of abortions from
over $800 to $125, and many ci-
ties have developed abortion funds
to help poor women who need
abortions. The law has helped e-
duce births at a time when popu-
lation growth is a real concern,
and has also cut down births 'of
deformed and retarded children.
THANKS TO Rockefeller, the
New York abortion law will not
be repealed at present. However,
anti-aborion sentiment is grow-
inig steadily and becoming increas-
ingly effective in lobbying ac-
tion. We must work for local abor-
tion reform and let our legislators
and the New York legislators
know that we will not be content
with antiquated laws- allowing
government control of womeris
lives.

Daily-Sara Krulwich

Letters to The Daily

To The Daily:
RECENTLY. members of the
University community witnessed
a portion of a strange and dis-
turbing ritual on the Diag. Sev-
eral young men were doused with
red paint while war whoops re-
sounded off the walls of the Grad
Library.
When the aforementioned mem-
bers of the University community
asked what this was all about,
they were informed that this be-
havior was part of the initiation
ceremonies of Michigamua, an
honorary society which recognizes
outstanding achievement by male
students at the 'U'.
To quote the Encyclopedia of
the University of Michigan, which

documents these things, "With the
passing of time and the e ve r-
changing collegiate customs and
ethics, in certain artificial ways
the "Tribe" as it is called on the
Michigan campus has also chang-
ed - although it has fundament-
ally remained the same."
I think that it is time for the
"Tribe" (as it is called) to change
in a very major way, that is, by
eliminating its mock-Indian cere-
monies.
The American Indians who at-
tend the University are as of-
fended by the Diag display as
members of Michigamua themsel-
ves would be if a group of Uni-
versity unknowns disguised as Rob-
ben Fleming ran the length of

South U. carrying footballs and
singing "Hail to the Victors VSI-
iant."
IT IS TIME that the notabli
members of Michigamua extender
"recognition" to a minority grou
which has suffered enough s i n c e
white men arrived on this contin.
ent. The Indians do not need tc
have insult added to injury.
-Rona Solvith, '73
May 6
The Editorial Page of The
Michigan Daily is open to any
one who wishes to submit
articles. Generally speaking, all
articles should be less than
1,000 words.


S tuAN)'
G~i

j -r ARC lFXTRSN
' 6svTA : '--
A
-r z = --5

06C-C A
)HfAU
t'

Li
%W YOU HcV
C16.:TL-C t6 M
/