OPINION
Page 4
Saturday, April 6, 1985
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
Hand
By Phillis Eng
guns must be
Vol. XCV, No. 148
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
7elbert
Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board
I
U
Josephson I
OF THE THREE candidates running
for the MSA presidency, two are
qualified for the position, and of those
two, Paul Josephson of the VOICE par-
ty has the better platform.
Kevin Michaels of the MUM
(Moderates ata-the University of
Michigan) part is well-informed, but
his proposals would not fully utilize
MSA's capacities.
Alex Diana of the MOVE (Make Our
Votes Effective) seems hard working
and sincere, but lacks experience in
MSA and is not familiar enough with
campus issues to produce effective
leadership.
The campaign has thus far centered
around four issues: the problem of
rape on campus, the problem in
minority enrollment, the priorities in
funding for campus organizations, and
the tactics for dealing with the
proposed code of non-academic con-
duct.
On the grape issue, Josephson is in
favor of pressuring the administration
to implement a series of rape preven-
tion programs including an extended
version of the night owl and trained
professionals for counseling.
Michaels believes that the rape issue
can be primarily addressed through
MSA. He views it as the most impor-
tant issue and in the election and has
stated that, if worst came to worst, in
order to obtain resolution to this im-
portant problem that he would be
willing to operate a campus-wide
escort service with radio equipment
purchased by MSA. Despite his well-
conceived plan the problem of rape on
campus is more ably and ap-
propriately handled by the administra-
tion.
Minority enrollment has been
another central issue of the campaign.
Michaels has stated that, in order to
approach this problem, it is important
to increase recruitment from the
public school systems in metropolitan
areas. To do this, he believes MSA
should send representatives to
"college night" functions and various
other high school meetings in a face to
face recruiting campaign. He has also
suggested coordinating high school
and University student governments in
an effort to bring the two components
of the educational hierarchy together.
Although Michaels has done exten-
sive work-on minority recruitment and
seems eager to work on it, Josephson
addresses the problem in a more
realistic manner. He believes that the
o "
High priced
ACTING LIKE an ugly bride from a
wealthy family, the State of
Michigan has put up a recklessly large
dowry to win the Mazda Corporation.
The state's unprecedented decision
to loan Mazda $21 million dollars to
locate in the state is consistent with the
overall economic development policy
the state should have as its goal.
Nevertheless, it raises serious
questions about the methods the state
should utilize to pursue that goal.
Mazda's high-technology plant is the
type of business Michigan should work
to attract. Michigan has always been a
center for the production of machine
goods, and with the latest equipment it
could continue to be so.
Nevertheless, Blanchard may have
payed too much to win the company.
Mazda had long made it'clear that it
intended to locate somewhere in the
United States. Therefore, the gross
national product would have been
unaffected had it located in another st-
ate. In making such a lucrative offer,
' -....,, .s .rti wfn.s i c
[or president1
g
essence of the problem lies in renten-
tion and that, once minority students
have enrolled, MSA should work to
make a better environment for them.
Josephson has not yet formulated a
specific proposal for retention, but he
has pledged to follow the recommen-
dations of MSA's minority student
researcher, Roderick Linzie.
Funding for campus organizations
has sparked the largest division bet-
ween the candidates. Here, Michaels
wants to give priority to groups which
affect student life on campus over
groups which deal with national issues.
He believes national politics divide the
assembly and that unity is better
achieved-MSA more effective-when
students local needs are met before
their minds are better versed on
national affairs.
Josephson disagrees and claims that
national issues affect student life and
that part of an education at the Univer-
sity is one in which students are versed
on worldly matters which are not
discussed in the classroom. He feels
that forums and lectures on various
national topics are vital to campus life
and that MSA should support groups
which sponsor such activities without
any lessdpriority than itsupports
groups devoted to campus issues
alone.
Where Michaels has indicated he
might limit the types of organizations
funded by MSA, Josephson has pledged
to 'continue funding eligible groups of
all natures.
The proposed code of non-academic
conduct has also evoked its share of at-
tention in the MSA election spotlight
but is has been more a source of
rhetoric than a substantial issue.
Because the code is currently being
reworked in University Council,
neither candidate has formulated a
response to it. However, both were op-
posed to the code as it stood before it
entered the Council and both are in
favor of a code which protects studen-
'ts' civil liberties.
Alex Diana has attempted to make
suicide prevention ~ an issue
throughout the campaign, but has so
far been vague in his proposals and has
failed to stimulate debate on the issue.
Despite his preparation and fine
leadership potential, Kevin Michaels
has not addressed the issues as
pragmatically as Paul Josephson, who
deserves to be elected MSA president
on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Handguns (pistols and revolvers) have had
an astounding effect on our society in recent
years. Handguns kill approximately 22,000
Americans each year. Between the years 1966
to 1972, the peak of the Vietnam War, 44,000
Americans were killed in battle whereas
52,000 civilians were murdered in America by
the use of handguns.
One gains perspective on the effect of
America's weak handgun controls by com-
paring the crime rate of America with those
of other countries. The total number of deaths
by handguns in the United States is greater
than the combined number in all other free
nations. In 1979 handguns were used in the
murders of over 10,000 people in America, 55
in England, 48 in Japan, and 52 in Canada.
There were more Americans killed every two
days than citizens anually in these other coun-
Engelbert is a senior in the Residential
College.
tries. Each of these other countries have ef-
fective handgun prohibitions.
Over 66 percent of Americans keep a gun in
their home for defense. However, 75 percent
of the murders in 1975 were among family or
friends where there was a loaded gun
available. Each year approximately 3,000 ac-
cidental deaths are caused by firearms and
one fourth of the victims are below the age of
14. Crime grows proportionally to the number
of handguns available. The highest regions of
misuse are the areas of highest gun owner-
ship and the weakest gun control laws.
It is shown that where handgun control laws
are adopted and enforced, crime rates are
significantly lower. For instance, in 1982 in
Chicago the sale of handguns was banned to
all except police and security officers. This
has led to a decrease by one third in murders
by handguns. The per capita gun murder
rate is one half of that in Detroit, where there
are virtually no handgun controls.
Public opinion polls show that the majority
of Americans do support the control of han-
dguns. People are realizing that much of the
violence in America is not due so much to a
sickness of society as the stupidity and
inadequacy of the laws. According to Leonard
The Michigan Daily
con trolled
Berkowitz in a June, 1981 Psychology Today
article, the easy accessibility of guns con-
tributes to the "weapons effect" which is that
the weapon is a conditioned stimulus, causing
aggressions and stimulating violence,
especially in already angry people.
Berkowitz claims, "We sometimes react
mindlessly and impulsively to the presence of
guns. Since. that is so, the more control the
law exercises over the availability of guns,
the better."
Handguns are the fifth leading cause of
death in children, are used to kill three times
more friends, relatives and acquaintances
than intruders in homes, and account for
many accidental deaths and suicides.
I became active in the fight for handgun
control last October after a friend of mine was
able to purchdse a gun one day and kill herself
with it the next. Most suicides are unsuc-
cessful except when a gun is used.
It's time to put an end to this madness. The
facts are being uncovered and the facts show
that there is an obvious need for greater han-
dgun control. Handguns have become a crip-
pling disease in America-a disease in
desperate need of control, if not a cure.
Wasserman
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Le ters
Abortion issue obscures sex e
development
shouldering the eventual burden and
the business reaping the benefits.
Additionally, it is not clear that the
loan was necessary to convince Mazda
to locate in Michigan. According to
various members of the University's
Institute for Public Policy Studies, the
loan may have been only a small con-
sideration for the company. More im-
portant to a company than large finan-
cial packages, according to IPPS, are
the conditions of the infrastructure,
public education systems, and general
quality of life.
On the other hand, there can be no
question that Blanchard has won at
least a short-term political victory.
The Mazda plant will employ over 3500
and, according to Blanchard, will
create up to 16,000 jobs through spin-off.
industries. In addition, he demon-
strated he has the political savvy to
compete with governors across the
nation and succeed.
Michigan's best hope of restoring it-
self to manufacturing prominence is
by concentrating on high-technology
nroduction of machine goods. Never-
To the Daily:
Among all of the controversy
going on about abortion, the
possibility of preventing unwan-
ted pregnancies more effectively
has been pushed aside and forgot-
ten. Instead of working on
reducing the need for abortions,
pro-abortion and Right to Life
supporters would rather en-
dlessly argue about whether the
government should spend money
Unfair claim
mars Week
To the Daily:
The article "Greeks Raise over
$20,000" in the April 2 Daily
misconstrues the true reasons
why Sigma Alpha Epsilon did not
participate in Greek Week 1985
and the position of the Greek
Week Steering Committee in this
particular matter.
Following the selection of
pairings. and the "optional",
pairings party, SAE informed the
steering committee that they
were displeased with their
pairing and "unless the pairings
were redone, they would not par-
ticipate." Subsequently, SAE
made no attempts to contact their
pairing members andehad no in-
volvement in the team's
preparation for Greek Week 1985.
On Sunday, March 24, the official
start of Greek Week 1985, after
failing to participate in the day's
events, the $75 registration fee
was returned to SAE. This of-
ficially confirmed what SAE had
told the steering committee and
had made clear through their ac-
tions, that they would not be par-
ticipating this year.
This course of action is nothing
new for SAE, last year I sat on
the steering committee and wat-
ched them place last in Greek
Week due to their lack of par-
ticipation because of a- "poor
pairing." It is a shame that
SAE would rather play the mar-
tyr than to participate in a week
of activities that raise donations
for needy charitable
organizations. Apathy would be
alleviated during Greek Week if
houses remembered the true
purpose of this event, raising
money for charity.
The focus of the article on
apathy and SAE is a great in-
justice dealt to Greek Week and
the Greek system. Many people
put much time and effort into the
preparation and running of Greek
Week, yet these efforts are over-
on abortions. The idea of sexual
education in schools, once a con-
troversial issue, has died out-at
the risk that today's youth may
not be sufficiently educated to
prevent these unwanted
pregnancies.
While I was growing up I was
never misinformed about sexual
reproduction. Even as a child my
parents never mislead me into
believing that the "stork brings
babies", and to them I am thank-
ful. When I entered junior high
school, sexual education was in-
troduced in a much more formal
way-teaching me the true
biological concepts of reproduc-
tion-and these same concepts
were reinforced for the next three
years of my education.
Starting from the pressures of
dating, to physical relationships,
to the emotions involved,
anything you ever had a question
about was always answered
openly. I think that everyone
gained a strong sense of the
responsibility that arises from a
physical relationship and the
distress that accompanies an
unwanted pregnancy. Strong
emphasis was also placed on con-
traceptive devices; no sexual
education class was taught
without dedicating a special sec-
tion to this topic.
Students were made aware that
if they definitely decided to take
on a physical relationship, the
very necessary contraceptives
were always available. I believe
that this strong sexual
awareness, instilled in us since a
young age, really lessened the
amount of unwanted pregnancies
and abortions at our high schocl.
Too much time and attention is
being place on whether abortion
is a necessary option or a moral
issue in today's society. If the
question could be put aside long
enough to put a little more time
and money into creating a strong
educational foundation for
today's youth, the controversy
could become irrelevant. I doubt
that all students have received
such a strong sexual awareness
education, beginning at a young
age. However, if strong sexual
awareness could -be used as a
preventive measure to unwanted
pregnancies, abortions would
most likely decrease. Then,
perhaps the option of abortion
would not threaten Right to Life
supporters, and no one would be
BLOOM COUNTY
concerned as to
government was
much money
Revolution a)
To the Daily:
The Americanpeople are in the
midst of a blatant sexual
revolution. Like all revolutions,
the sexual revolution has a
specific goal to attain. Perhaps if
we stopped for a moment to
acknowledge the public pressure'
to be attractively thin and-
current sexually slanted
television and conversational
topics, we would see that the
reality of this goal has nearly
been attained: complete sexual
freedom.
America is directly experien-
cing an erotization of the en-
vironment which is spreading
like an uncontrollable disease; it
is daily encompassing more min-
ds and bodies. Sadly, many of the
affected bodies are mute of any
objection. You see, America has
become a nation united under sex
and life-threatening under abor-
tion. Of course with the growing
edge of the equal rights
movement, many might argue
that abortion is a womzan's in-
dividual option, rationalizing that
all women should have the un-
deniable right to control what
happens to their body.
Puerto Rica
whether the
spending too
(through
%INT A...
JucatiUon
Medicaid) on abortion.
-Rita Farin
April 3
nd abortion
As a result, unborn, soul-
possessing human lives are being
destroyed_ by the _decision of
another equally human, bu
sexually revolutionized mind.
Modern-minded women' today
can decide to have an abortion at
any time, for any reason, a con-
cept labeled critically ominous in
the 1960s.
If this principle of terminating
innocent life is to be accepted,
what is to prevent similar
arguments being used to justify
the killing of mental patients, the
terminally ill, or elderly, at the
convenience of society? I
response, society must resharpen
its moralistic rank and sweep
away the shavingsnof personal
convenience and self-
centeredness.
Life is an irreplaceable gift, the
most vital gift another human
being is ever capable of giving. A
gift as sacred as the gift of life,
should not be toyfully created and
then withdrawn, especially sinc
the repossession of life stands to
rob the wealth of the nation: the
American race.
-Rebecca A. Bonner
April 3
n solidarity
were submitted with the piece
you printed, but for some reaso
did not appear with the article.
Anyone interested in working
with us or receiving additional in-
formation, should write to the
Puerto Rican Solidarity
Organization (PRSO), Michigan
Union, Room 4318; or call 995-
1494 (evenings).
Thank you, in advance, for
your cooperation; and once again
for printing our article.
Sincerely,
-Hector L. Delgado
March 31
Delgado is a member of the
Puerto Rican Solidarity
Organization.
by Berke Breathed
I r, , ,
-I mE -
To the Daily:
We want to thank you for prin-
ting the article we submitted on
Puerto Rico. Articles is one way
in which we hope to inform the
University community about
Puerto Rico, its relationship 'to
the United States, and the ex-
perience of Puerto Ricans in this
country. During "Central
America Week" we made a
presentation on militarism and
the introduction of nuclear
weapons in Puerto Rico and the
region.
Because we plan to have other
activities in the future and need
to know if some of your readers
want to work with us, we would
appreciate our address and
telephone number printed. They
I
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