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OPINION
Friday, February 10, 1984
The Michigan Daily
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seeking the Republican Party 's
nomination for the U.S. Senate seat
Meld by Democrat Carl Levin.
Lousma must defeat Jim Dunn in
he August primary, however,
before he can take on the incum-
bent. Lousma, who entered the
Marine Corps after graduating from
the University in 1959, resigned
from the service last November. His
name has become well-known as an
astronaut in connection with Skylab
flights and the Space Shuttle
Columbia. He spoke to Daily staff
reporter Neil Chase during a recent
;visit to his alma mater about
ducation, draft registration, and
Military research.
Dialogue
Daily: Do you support the
requirement that students register for
the draft before receiving financial aid
from the government?
Lousma: I think that if the gover-
nment is willing to make a commitment
to students to allow them to get finan-
cial support for going to school why it's
only fair that the student reciprocate in
some way and register for the draft.
It's certainly not all that onerous these
Gays. It's unlikely that a draft will be
implemented in the students' lifetimes,
so I don't think it's too much to ask.
Daily: Do you favor the government
withholding aid from a student who
refuses to register? Would you oppose
repeal of the Solomon Amendment?
Lousma: I would oppose repealing
that amendment. I think it's the
responsibility of every American to in
some way be involved in governmental
affairs, and I think that this is a perfect
way to do it. I don't think it's really too
much to ask. I'm all for students get-
fing an education. There are a number
of student loan programs to make, that
happen, and I certainly support them. I
also think that we as Americans have a
responsibility to our country. I think
that it's important that students
recognize that fact. You know, the way
I look at it our country really doesn't
owe us anything until we've taken the
opportunity to invest something in it. I
think we're fortunate to be able to live
here. If you travel around the world
very much you are ever more aware of
that privilege. So I think it's important
that it be recognized, and I think one
way of recognizing it is to register for
the draft. I don't think that's too much
to ask, particularly in these days when
it's unlikely that anybody who registers
is ever going to get called up anyway. I
think serving our country is a privilege,
and I wish that everyone would have
the opportunity to do it in some way.
Clearly they're not going to, but the
least that can be done is that they might
register for the draft. I think that the
Solomon Amendment is a good one.
Daily: How do you respond to the
students who object to having research
projects on this campus which may
possibly result in the destruction of
human life?
Lousma: Well, on the other hand
they've probably flown in an airplane
that also has the possibility of
destroying human life. They've
probably been on ships at sea that also
have the possibility of destroying
human life. They've probably ridden in
automobiles, which are usually not
used for warlike purposes but can be
involved in the destruction of life.
There are many things that students
probably do that could be involved in
the destruction of life. I think it's im-
portant for universities to be involved
in research in the physical sciences and
in the social sciences, and I would sup-
port continuation of that research. If I
could be involved in having some of that
research come to the University of
Michigan I would look forward to being
involved in that. I'm not sympathetic to
the idea that if research contracts come
to the University of Michigan and
ultimately might be involved in the
destruction of life that I would be op-
posed to that at all. I would submit that
it might be better for the students to in-
vestigate that possibility before they
come here, and if they wish not to be in-
volved with a university that does those
sorts of things then they probably could
find other alternatives. There' are a
number of universities and colleges in
this state that are not involved thusly. I
think you're talking about a very small
percentage of students.
Daily: In public education nation-
..
S' +:Q
privilge
tly informed on the issues or do you
have to catch up now that you're back
in the state? r ;
Lousma: A lot of the issues are iiot
specifically Michigan issues. You have
to realize that a senator has to dealh-ith
international issues. He has to dead
with domestic issues which are com-,
mon to all of the states. I've been well
exposed to all of those despite the fact
that I wasn't living here. Spedfic
Michigan issues are frankly a dorh-
paratively small volume of issues-a
fairly small percentage. I've been
working on those, I have positions on 4
number of them, and I will contintiI
43 the next couple of months to talk toof6
A of people so that I can make intelli t
decisions on the issues as oppos ,,0
shooting from the hip. I'm workinir
those, and I can discuss some of the if
you want to. On the other hand, I t,, k
people will hear more than they wao
hear from me on the issues as time
on.
Daily: You have said that you armot
a professional politician. Why w
the people of Michigan be better nfg
having a senator who is not a
professional politician?
Lousia: Sometimes I think -the
professional politicians tend to get
caught up in the mechanics of the
process such that they perhaps don't
vote as much for their principles as
ZOLTON they do for the mechanies of 2he
process. As a non-professional
politician I'm in with the point of view
that many people have expressed over
se, and I the years in which they say if we could
e solved only get the politicians out, of
k there's Washington... This is an opportunity o
with our vote for someone who's not a
ality and professional .politician.. I simply ap-
iers, ad- proach the possibility of being a senator
Is before with bringing the value system that' I
lems. I ha.ve-the one that's been of such gteat
nerit pay importance in structuring my life and
ough I'd making me successful in a pretty fast
m comes track-and bringing the qualities of
in Ten- leadership that I have learned over
uestion is years in the service, and bring a proven
having a record of success in an area in which I
er school worked pretty hard. None of those
d more require a professional politician or
t of the require professional politics, but they
do require a lot of things that a good
uggested statesman, a good senator, can bring to
e from bear very successfully in the Senate in'
Marines representing the people.
you un-
is camp- Dialogueis an occasional feature of
sufficien- the Opinion Page.
Daily Photo by SCOTT Z
Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, Jack Lousma, lauds the Solomon Amendment.
wide, the quality of education is in
question. The State Board of Education
has recommended lengthening the
school year and establishing tougher
curriculum requirements. What do you
feel are the major problems in public
education, and what could you do as a
senator to remedy them?,
Lousma: I think we all need to be
concerned by the quality of our public
education, and I think that the recom-
mendations that were made by the
(recent federal study of education)
are valid. If you look at the amount of
money that's been spent over the past
ten years on public education it's
tripled, and yet the quality of our
education has decreased. I think that's
quite an indictment of the standards
and the quality that we've been setting
for ourselves. I think we ought to all be
concerned about making education in
the public schools better, and as a
senator I would support efforts to do so.
On the other hand, you have to
recognize that federal input to
education is actually relatively small
except for higher education, making
money available for student loans,
research grants, and so forth. In the
lower grade the federal government
only supplies about one dollar out of
ten, and much of that is for aid to the
handicapped and so forth. As a senator,
I would support programs which are
aimed at improving the standards and
the quality of education. As a father of
several children myself who have been
through the public schools, I can under-
stand the results of the study. I can
corroborate them, and my concern is
not only as a senator but asa father as
well.
Daily: Do you have specific ideas
which you would like to see implemren-
ted in public education?
Lousma: Well I think about all a
senator can do is make recommen-
dations to improve it, of cours
don't think the problem will b
by throwing money at it. I thin
a great deal that we can do
curriculums, including the qua
standards required for teach
ministrators, and school board
we throw money at the prob
think the president's idea for n
for teachers has promise, alth
like to see how the pilot progra
out that's being conducted
nessee. The answer to your qu
that I support the idea of h
longer school year and a long(
day, more homework, an
requirements for every face
system.
Daily: Your opponent has s
that your 25-year absenc
Michigan while serving in the
and the space program left
familiar with the issues in th
aign. Do you feel that you ares
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
420 Maynard St.
Vol. XCIV-No. 109 Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board
Necessary briefs
Stewart___
UNIVERSITY administrators and
the Board of Regents should stop
stalling and decide whether they will
sign court briefs as a sign of opposition
to the Solomon amendment, a law
linking federal financial aid to Selec-
tive Service registration.
Last year, a Minnesota federal judge
ruled the law unconstitutional, but the.
U.S. Justice Department is appealing
the ruling before the Supreme Court.
Time is running out since the deadline
for filing the court briefs is Feb. 16.
Billy Frye, University vice president
for academic affairs and provost, and
University President Harold Shapiro
have both criticized the amendment
for the burden it places on the Univer-
sity to police a federal law.
While administrators and regents
have said it would be wrong for the
University to publicly counter a
federal act, several have publicly ex-
pressed- their distaste for the amen-
dment. The court briefs would be a
particularly effective method of ex-
pressing dislike for aspects of the law
at little expense to the University.
The law should be opposed by the
University because it discriminates on
the basis of sex, age, and income level.
Under the law, college age men who,
for reasons of conscience, fail to
President Shapiro has already ex-
pressed his discontent regarding the
burden placed on the financial aid of-
fice. Last may, the Civil Liberties
Board, a subcommittee of the faculty
senate assembly, sent a letter to top
University officials urging them to
back a repeal of the law. The board said
it objected to the law for the same
reasons the Minnesota judge declared
it unconstitutional. Judge Donald
Alsop said in his ruling that the law
discriminates against men who depend
on federal aid to attend college; it
requires a person to incriminate them-
selves, and denies due process of law
because a student who refuses to sign a
statement certifying registration is
automatically denied aid. Students
who violate Selective Service laws
already face a 5-year jail sentence and
a $10,000 fine, although draft resisters
are not frequency prosecuted.
The regents and administration
should be extremely familiar with the
negative effects of this law on students
and the University. There is no need to
hold off on a decision any longer. By
signing the court briefs the concerns of
University faculty, students, ad-
ministrators, and even some regents
would be made known to the Supreme
Court. Regent Paul Brown's (D-
LETTERS TO THE DAILY:
'U' needs more women
fac
ulty
schools have demonstrated a
more productive attitude towards-~
equal representation.
-Tracy King,
February 6-
by Berke Breathed
To the Daily:
Cheryl Baacke's article " 'U'
women still fighting uphill bat-
tle" (Weekend Magazine,
February 3) reflectsthe com-
pletely unacceptable position of
the University's administration
they find women in social work?
When I considerdwhere to in-
vest my money and research ef-
forts as I plan a Ph.D. whatever
the area,I will automatically rule
out the University of Michigan
unless it has moved to put women
in the administration. There are
well-respected programs
here-and elsewhere. Other
BLOOM COUNTY
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