Page 4-Thursday, June 29, 1978-The Michigan Daily Gmichigan DAILY Eighty-eight Years of Editorial Freedom 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Ml 48109 Vol. LXXXVIII, No. 35- News Phone: 764-0552 Thursday, June 29, 1978 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan Court should allow lesbian motherhood A T THE WEEK'S end, the Michigan Supreme Court will be asked to hear the case of Margareth Miller, a mother who has been in and out of courts for the past two years fighting to retain custody of her 12-year-old daughter because Miller is a lesbian. The case began when Miller's ex-husband went to local courts to force 12-year-old Jillian to move out of her mother's home in Ann Arbor and into his in Sterling Heights. In the latest court action last week, the Michigan Court of Appeals, by refusing to grant a re-hearing, upheld a lower court decision to send Jillian to live with her father. Now lawyers for Margareth Miller are plan- ning to ask the state Supreme Court to hear the case in hopes of keeping Jillian with her mother. The lawyers will also ask for an emergency stay so that Jillian could remain with her mother until the appeals process is completed. The probleh is not that Miller is a lesbian, but rather that the courts are using that fact as grounds to take her child away. Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Frank Ziem, the first judge to rule in the case, citer Miller's "sexual am- bivalence" as one of he major reasons he awar- ded custody to the father. Jillian has stated that she wants to live with her mother, and be with her friends in Ann Ar- bor. So why should she be transplanted into a strange community and a family she doesn't want because of her mother's sexual preferen- ce? Moving is tramatic for any child. Jillian is the issue, but her welfare is being overlooked. In fact, forcing Jillian to move could easile be more detrimental to her than attitudes she may face in living with a lesbian mother. If the Michigan Supreme Court refuses to hear this case, it is in effect saying that a lesbian can- not love and care for her child. This is an absurd idea; heterosexuality is not a requirement to love and care for a child, and yet the lower courts seem convinced that it is. Custody cases involving homosexuality are few, or at least as Miller's lawyer Thomas O'Brien explained, not publicized because of their sensitive nature. This case, if the state Supreme Court decides to accept it, could set a precedent for lower courts and courts in other states. Should the Court accept the case, and decide in favor of Ms. Miller, the waves of that ruling could be felt across the nation. It seems only fair that Miller should get her day in the Supreme Court. Since her right to be a mther has been challenged, and she has been fored to fight for it, she should now be allowed to brir her case to thehighestcourt in the state. Cutting away muscle By PETER BLAISDELL The White House several mon- ths from now. The nation has just imitated California and staged a tax revolt, voting to reduce the federal income by half for all in- come levels. Of course, this means a drastic reduction of the federal budget. In the oval office the President, Vice President, various cabinet members, and top government officials are anyway. Wheneven I try to deal with them I look indecisive. Besides, they're always getting into wars or raising the price of our oil." "I mush say, we're doing pretty well," comments the Vice President. "We've cut a lot of useless expenditures. Education and foreign aid never did anyone any good." "Let's get rid of the National C A SS discussing which programs to cut Endowment for the Arts, while to make up for the lost billions in we're at it," proposes the tax revenue. Secretary of Defense. The President: "Listen, I want "Another great idea!" the some ideas about which federal President responds. "I never un- programs to emilinate." derstood abstract expressionism. Rockefeller Sr." "WHAT ABOUT making some dramatic cuts in defense ap- propriations," an official from the State Department cuts in. "That would save billions." "No!" the President yells angrily. "I need a big defense ar- senal so I can show leadership, decjsiveness and moral integrity when I face hostile powers like Russia, Cuba and New York City. Instead, we can sell some of the old minutemen missiles to raise some extra cash." "Good thinking," the Vice President agrees: "First we sell some to Egypt. Then to show that we're being even handed, we sell some to Israel. Just like we did with the F-15s. Then everybody's happy." Everyone sighs in ad- miration at deft handling of a dif- ficult problem. "I have another idea," says a State Department official cheer- fully. "Let's eliminate all federal support for solar energy resear- ch." AN ENERGY department of- ficial answers sadly: "That would be a good idea, except solar energy isn't getting any federal support for us to cut off." "Then let's slash all farm sub- sidies," proposes the Secretary of the Treasury. "Except to peanut farmers, of course," he adds hastily, glancing nervously at the President. "Well," concludes the President, "I think we can all be proud of ourselves today. "We've dropped billions of dollars worth of useless programs. I can safely say we've cut out the muscle and left the fat." "Don't you mean we've cut out the fat and left the muscle?" corrected the Vice President. "Yes, of course, that's what I meant," corrects the President hurriedly. - Peter Blaisdell graduated from the University in April. e e e "HOW ABOUT cutting all aid to higher education," the Vice President suggests. "But then tuition costs will skyrocket," objects the President. "So what? Students are already conditioned to expect yearly tuition increases. It's their birthright." "Let's stop all foreign aid," in- terjects a State Department of- ficial gleefully. "We'd save billions." "HALLELUJAH!" shouts the President. "I always hated all those obnoxious little countries, Down in Plains, we prefer Nor- man Rockwell. "BUT NOW our wives won't be able to tour exhibits of new art," worries the Vice President aloud. "True," the President muses. "But we should all be prepared to make tough sacrifices in these times of tax-payer revolt. "Hear, hear," the rest of the of- ficials agree. The President flashes a famous smile. "Keep up the good work. How about eliminating all federal consumer protection agencies. I'm sure we can depend on business to protect the con- sumers in the spirit of John D. LETTER TO THE DAILY: ei Public transportation To The Daily: Good public transportation is a Some politicians in Ann Arbor basic and necessary public ser- apparently expect public tran- vice. The Transportation Em- sportation to be self-supporting; ployee's Union (TEU) has con- but attempts to operate sistently worked for improved privately-owned transportation transportation services in Ann companies in Ann Arbor have Arbor and Ypsilanti. Once gain already failed. These failures we find that the future of public were the reason for the founding transportation in our area is in of AATA. The Citizens of Ann Ar- jeopardy. The Ann Arbor Tran- bor have shown their support for sportation Authority Board public transportation at the polls, (AATA) is considering several and ever-increasing ridership service cuts. The cuts under con- proves the need for mass public sideration are: (1) evening ser- transit. vice, (2) Saturday service, (3) Now the AATA Board may Sunday service, (4) peak time fif- refuse to use federal money that teen minute Dial-a-Ride service, is available and needed now. This (5) peak time fifteen minute Line could be a very dangerous Bus service, and (6) all daytime precedent. This refusal will hurt Dial-a-Ride service.- They are the young, the old, the black and also considerng a fare increase. other minorities, the female, and The TEU considers these cuts IfTe poor segments of our com- A $y decesda-.a i .an ugity mebecause they are the table, principal users of public tran- troubled sportation. However, many benefits of public transportation affect us all equally. The streets and parking structures of Ann Arbor are overburdened already, and rush hour traffic severely pollutes our environment. Public transportation is the inevitable solution to transportation problems in Ann Arbor. The TEU urges all citizens of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti to at- tend the AATA Board meeting on the fourth floor of City Hall, at 7:30 p.m., on Wednesday, July 5th, 1978. We can do something to control the way our tax dollars are being spent. Let the Board know tha we don't want our money to be thrown away. We all have to fight for our transportation system!' -Executive Committe T.E.U. : -, ;.+ , ; *g '4' -'4 ' ' !' :t';: '4. -' ':'." y'y .l. + =; ' ' . 'ii ", t 4'0 ' ^, T' "' > w' ' r'S " - ' 'i li'r' " " '-' 'A'i +r'" ' ,,;,: