Page 4-Wednesday, August 2, 1978-The Michigan Dai imichigan-DAILY Eighty-eight Years of Editorial Freedom 420 Maynard St., Ann Arbor, Mi. 48109 Vol. LXXXVIII, No. 56-S News Phone: 764-0552 Wednesday, August 2, 1978 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan y South Quad activism: Paper towel politics TV violence wron censorship worst ig9 e A YEAR AGO, 14-year-old Ronnie Zamora was tried for the murder of an elderly woman in Miami, Florida. His lawyer claimed that he didn't realize that what he had done was wrong since TV had conditioned him to believe that murder was acceptable. Zamora had seen a great deal of bloodshed on violent television shows but the jury found him guilty anyway. This week, the issue of the affects of television violence is on trial again. It may cost NBC $11' million, and the rest of us the right to view or read violent stories if we so choose. On September 10, 1974 nine-year-old Olivia Niemi was attacked by three young girls who raped her with a beer bottle while a young boy stood watch. Niemi's lawyers claim the at- tackers were imitating a similar assault which had been shown in the television movie "Born Innocent" on NBC just four days earlier. In that show, a young girl was raped by four other girls using a mop handle. The issue here is whether the First Amen- dment protects a television network's right to depict violence. While we cannot condone the portrayal of such brutal violence on television, we cannot support outlawing it. Even the Pshchology experts will disagree as to whether or not the viewing of "Born Innocent"could have directly caused the real-life attack on Olivia Niemi, and it will be equally im- possible to prove that the three attackers wouldn't have simply committed some other horrible act had it not been for the show. Our point is that if an attempt is made to protect society from the averse affects of any particular television show, radio program or news story, we will severely cripple our First Amendment freedoms. If the Niemis win this case, who is to say that authors and book publishers won't next be hauled into court for having portrayed violent scenes? And what of newspapers? Will they be prevented from covering the news that is deemed too violent? The case of Olivia Niemi is a tragic one, but we must remember that there are certain risks in a free society. In many nations government has complete control of the media, and while it may prevent violence from being depicted, it may also prevent controversial political topics from being aired or printed. The risk of such gover- nmental censorship is simply too great. Instead of censorship, TV stations ought to be encouraged to improve a system of notifying parents before potentially objectionable material is shown. Furthermore, the public should letktelevision producers,twriterseand sponsors know that such brutal, senseless violence is not the sort of vieawing we want, nor the entertainment that society needs. By Richard Berke It was election night 1976 in South Quad. Asa joke, a neighbor down the hall affixed a sign on his door establishing "Republican Headquarters." I then put up a sign announcing my eighth-floor room as Democratic Headquar- ters. To my surprise, most of my friends poured into the room down the hall to crowd around a television set and watch as the returns came in. My room was empty and remained that way throughout the night. I even wandered down and joined the Ford enthusiasts at times, fin- ding it hard to sit alone on election night. AS A FRESHMAN, that November evening hit me hard. I had left my home in a liberal Washington, D.C. suberb expec- ting my acquaintances at the University to at least be somewhat politically-minded. The expectation furthest from my mind was to meet individuals who couldn't care less about politics. That is, so long as Gerald Ford won the election. I came to the University partly because I liked the idea of a large school and a college town with enough activities to keep me busy ten times over. I thought the diversity of Ann Arbor's student population would allow me to escape the East Coast for a while without abandoning my proximity to politically active types. Not that I spent younger days picketing at the White House gate or marching down Pennsylvania Avenue. But something about being close to political involvement makes me feel as though I have a realistic picture of what's going on in the world. Before settling here I had a politically progressive image of the University. I was acutely aware that it had been the place where activists like Tom Hayden got their beginnings, a campus on which sit-ins and demonstrations were commonplace. I pictured this as a political campus with the advantages of a laid-back, peaceful setting. I perceived the ;University as sort of an oasis in the middle of a large cow pasture where the intelligensia and politically aware would gather to share their insights. No doubt I held a romantic picture, but that fact didn't soften the surprise that hit me on election night. FRIENDS sometimes call me a "bleeding heart Democrat whose only interest is to feed the poor; feed the poor." At first those comments were a little hard to take since I never considered myself an extremist in the first place. Granted, my conception of the political make-up of the typical University student might be distorted since much of it on South Quad-a lace not known for its political get-up-and- go. Still, one example of students showing their concern and get- ting involved demonstrates how only self-serving issues corral any student concern. Last fall, the University removed paper towel dispensers from dormitory bathrooms as a cost-cutting measure. Students formed a committee, met with Housing officials, and blasted the University for taking away their towels. It was refreshing to see sad: an academic town in which people can only be reached by textbooks. I don't mean to say the Univer- 'sity's realities have diminished my vision of it as a great refuge from the isolated Midwest. The atmosphere is an academic one, as I had anticipated. The Republicanism isn't as solid as, say Grand Rapids; and there is a certain degree of involvement here, albeit minimal. Some of the old standby activists of a decade -t NDQURATR - -- - _ AR E ''-- '" y i~~ students get outraged, but over an issue like paper towels? Surely there are a few more critical issues that extend beyond one's personal convenience. RELATED TO the lack 'of political interest among students I was also surprised to discover how uninformed many really are. A great number of my friends don't even read newspapers on a regular basis. It seems ironic that here, where people have come to learn, they have little conception of news events in Ann Arbor and even less of life outside the city. I-can understand what with studying, classes and more studying, why people don't find time to read the newspaper-it's easy to let it go. But the result is ago are pushing their causes. Yet they are just not the stars anymore; they are virtually un- noticed or when they are acknowledged they are cast off as oldies-rebelling in an unrebellious era. The University is a routine in- stitution. Students come to learn, get their degrees, and leave, hoping to find employment. This cycle is not uncommon at other colleges, but I suppose I would have liked the University of Michigan to return to a passive mood a lot less quickly. It could be I was born ten years too late. As a Daily Night Editor, Richard Berke shows no signs of political depression. 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