4 OPINION Page 4 Friday, October 4, 1985 The Michigan Daily Resolutions abound over Bush visit The last week has seen a three ring circus of resolutions around Vice-President George Bush's visit scheduled for next Monday. Three different student governments passed three different resolutions on three different days. Rackham Student Government got the ball rolling on Monday, when it passed a resolution stating, "its firmest opposition to the appearance of any representative of the Reagan Administration on this campus un- til such time as the aforementioned policies The Week i n Review (in Central America, South Africa, and in regard to international relation) are changed to conform to the standards of in- ternational law and moral conduct, unless such appearance by a Reagan Ad- ministration official is to debate in a public forum a representative of opposing viewpoints." The resolution also endorses demon- strations of Bush's speech by members of the student body. On Tuesday, the Michigan Student Assembly, the all-campus student gover- nment, debated on an almost identical resolution, but instead passed an amended form that opposed Bush's visit specifically. The debate over the resolution was heated, and in the end the resolution passed by a slim 11-10 margin with one abstention. Following the resolution's passage, two representatives, Mary Ann Nemer from LSA and Mike Sovel from Engineering, an- nounced they were considering resigning from the Assembly. On Wednesday night, Engineering Coun- cil, the student government for the school of engineering, passed a resolution asking MSA to concentrate on issues more relevant to student concerns. Bush will be speaking on Monday to honor the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Peace Corps. MLB fire The Modern Languages Building suffered a total power outage early Wednesday mor- ning forcing all classes to either cancel or relocate. Most students were happy about the news and some were pleasantly sur- prised with more time to study for the test they had been cramming for Tuesday night. According to Ann Arbor Fire Department Battalion Chief Bob Murphy, the lights went out when a transformer caught fire due to a short circuit. The fire was extinguished with in an hour and did minimal damage, he said. Workers from the electrical shop replaced the transformer on Wednesday. Apparently, this type of occurence is nothing new in the MLB. Said Slavic languages professor, Ladislav Matejka, "I'm not surprised, it's such a lemon - the whole building." Movin' up On the gridiron, Michigan made major leaps and bounds in the eyes of all the bechler said Monday at his weekly press luncheon. "I think it's important in that standpoint. "We would be a lot better football team if people would not be so nice to us," he joked. "That's really the kiss of death because you start to think you're good and the next thing you know you get knocked on your can. So we would appreciate it if everyone would continue to say that this team is not very good, or say that even in spite of the three wins, we're overrated." Hopefully we won't have to find out just how soft Bo's can is. What's the rush? After a frenzied month of dressing up and acting nice for the women, and an exhausting week of acting cool, calm, and collected for the guys, rush officially ends today. As the final bids come out, both the rushees and those already in the Greek system will get a better idea of who will be involved in the coming year. If you've wondered at all about the well- dressed women who've been walking up and down Hill Street virtually every Friday night for the last month, they were only a fraction of the almost 1400 girls who began the sorority rush process four weeks ago. As the women went from house to house, the field narrowed to the approximately 600 who will receive bids today. In contrast, the process for rushing a fraternity is traditionally much less formal. Rather than following a set program, would-be fraternity brothers visit only the houses they think they might be interested in. That process can be tougher than the sorority's, though, because it means going back to the houses each night this week. It all might sound Greek to outsiders, but it's clearer now to the hundreds involved in the process than it has been in somhe time. Thumbs up The Research Policies Committee (RPC) approved a proposal submitted by an engineering college professor who requested University support for a classified conference that will plan resear- ch for the Department of Defense. The committee endorsed metallurgical' engineering Prof. M.J. Sinnot's Materials Research Council Project" by a 7-2 vote. Citing University guidelines which prohibit research "the probable result of which...is to destroy human life," LSA junior David Isaacson voted against the proposal. Since the conference is classified, Isaacson worried about "giving a carte blanche to a series of workshops to develop military projects." Sinnot's supporters on the RPC em- 4 phasized that the conference's results will be published. The RPC's Prof. Thomas Schriber said, "It's my belief that the con- ference involves the basic science of metallurgy and does not have immediate and direct military application." Week in Review was compiled by Daily editors Joseph Kraus, associate editor Joe Ewing and staff writers Henry Park, Kysa Connett and Rebecca Blumenstein. Schembecler warns of "...the kiss of death..." national pollsters and prognosticators this week after going 3-0 to open the season. The Wolverines made it all the way up to number four in the CNN USA Today poll, jumped from ninth to fifth in the United Press International rankings, and climbed from 12th to seventh in a poll conducted by the Associated Press. Then to top things off, CBS and Brent Musberger named Michigan the top team in the land. While fans loved the ascension of the Wolverines in the rankings, Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler had different feelings about the polls. "The primary purpose of the polls is to create interest in college football," Schem- i ie mdyets tgant oa ng Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan Fans' reaction is un-American Vol. XCVI, No. 22 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board If you care T HE REGENTS' preemptive endorsement of President Reagan's controversial "Star Wars" defense program is all the more reason to welcome the national conference on the issue to be held today and Saturday at Rackham Auditorium. The conference, sponsored by the Michigan Student Assembly of- fice of Student Services and Cam- puses Against Weapons in Space will feature a panel of six experts in the fields of science, economics, weapons research and develop- ment and political science - evenly balanced between those who oppose the defense initiative and those who support the program It is just this sort of vital discussion that the Regents denied in passing their September 20 "Star Wars resolution" without in- put from the University com- munity. Over the past several weeks, petitions circulating among University faculty and staff have garnered over 600 signatures in opposition to the initiation of Star Wars" research here. As the University becomes in- creasingly polarized over the issue of SDI research in the academic arena, the opportunity to hear the experts clarify the project and its ramifications becomes invaluable. Particularly compelling is the issue of research classification. In recent years the Pentagon has managed to circumvent the restrictions on classified research at academic institutions by par- celling out defense contracts in- such specified projects that the ultimate weapons .applicability is unclear. Many who oppose the Univer- sity's acceptance of Star Wars money claim that the research may be initially acceptable as un- classified, but become progressively more sensitive, and ultimately classifiable. Such cir- cumstances would clearly result in a violation of the University's research guidelines. While the civilian applications of SDI relate research have been called "insignificant" by Dr. E. Joseph Wampler, a professor of Astronomy at the University of California, and opposition to the weapons systems applicability grows, this weekend's conference is most fortuitous. All memebers of the University community are being presented with an opportunity to become educated on the Star Wars issue with the benefit of expert insight; be there if you care. By Henryk Skolimo wsky I was amused and per- plexed by the Daily's inter- pretation ("Fans don't recognize founding doctrine," Sept. 30) of what actually happened before a football game on Saturday, Sept. 28. Four students of mine came up with a bright idea of asking people, ordinary people who go to Saturday games and enjoy them, to sign a document. This document (typed on a typewriter) was in fact the Declaration of In- dependence. But people presen- ted with it did not know that. The results were devastating. About 90% of those asked refused to sign it. They have (in their mind and hearts) rejected those articles on which these United St- ates are founded. One of the per- sons said in indignation to one of the young men who was soliciting the signatures: "You should be ashamed of yourself for doing this in America." The situation calls for com- ment. If this small survey is right, then we are in deep trouble as a society, and as sup- posedly enlightened people. We are ready to abandon the grounds from which sprang what is most valuable in this nation. It would seem that we have become illiterate as a nation, that we have become) gnorant, that we have become intolerant; at best that we have becom hypocritical. Let me explain. We read so much and yet do not seem to read what is truely im- portant to us. We think we are so knowledgeable and yet we don't seem to know the basic articles on which this nation is founded. We think that we are free and tolerant whereas when caught off guard we show ourselves in- tolerant to views of others. At best we are hypocritical for even if we know (somehow deep down in our minds and hearts) what are the premises on which this nation rests, in our daily actions we are prepared to act against them. What is the explanation of this dilemma which is more a plight than a dilemma? The explanation is not far to seek. It would seem that we have been brainwashed by the propaganda and ideology of the Radical Right. The reac- tion of the people who did not sign the document was a stereotype reaction of the people who adhere to the philosophy of the right: how dare you ask me to sign such a document which is in sympathy with altruism, spirituality, big ideas, while my sympathies are with selfishness, competition, in- tolerance-which I disguise as "the right views of mainstream America." The reaction of the woman who said: "Yousbould be ashamed of yourself doing this in America," is not so much highly ironic but highly tragic. What has become of us as people? What has become of us as a great nation which has always inspired other nations with its idealism and tolerance? Actually we are a bit lucky that we have those great documents and ideals as a part of the foun- dation of this nation. Without them in the background the selfishness and thoughtlessness would have been more rampant. Selfishness is an aspect of thoughtlessness. Thoughtless- ness, on the other hand, is a sure way leading to selfishness and in- tolerance. People and nations are as great as their aspirations are. Judging by the reaction of most people to the Declaration of Independence we have become small people. It is time to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, return to the drawing board, do some thinking, re-read those great documents on which this - nation has been founded. When we read those great documents with undertstanding, we shall find the philosophy of the Radical Right to be profounly un- American. Skolimowsky is a professor of humanities in the School of Engineering. LETTERS Solicit diversity. Only better is better.' To the Daily: I do not see the reason for thet Daily to publish such ridiculoust nonsense as the letter by Seth t Klukoff, editor of the Michigan Review, on the imaginary merits of Star Wars. It is nonsense, even on its face, and to publish it is to give it a bit of undeserved credibility. Anyone who has read Robert Scheer's brilliant investigative book With Enough Shovels:I Reagan, Bush, and Nuclear War, knows that Reagan does not even want to "Make nuclear war ob- solete" (which is a misnomer1 because it is not currently being practiced, "weapons", notI ""war") rather, Reagan would - like to be able to fight and win a nuclear war. Klukoff himself is the fascist dog here. His idea has been t examined and unanimously rejected by those who have beent objective. To those fascist dogs, like Klukoff, however, who are; more sensitive to dreams and ideology than reality, systems like Star Wars still appear. The Dail wnuld do less tn onn- at least the Daily should insist that the contrary opinions it prin- ts share the appearance of being founded on facts rather than on desires. At best, the SDI argument is a bald, unproven assertion that "It can be done." Well, if the best the SDI folks can say is a care "we can," why even listen to them? Why even give their argument a touch of credibility by printing it? If you want diversity of opinion, solicit it. But don't just take whatever comes, because it carries the label of "different". Different is not better. Only bet- ter is better. -Mark Graham September 24 Students repress beliefs 4 ,.} YV o> - ~'( -, / To the Daily; We can guess that Michael Penskar ("Strategic Defense? Just Ask Bo," Daily, Sept. 25) only read, or at least only retained, the last paragraph of our letter on SDI, ("SDI might make nuclear weapons obsolete," Daily, Sept. 23). having focused in on the words, "fascist" and "closed-mindedness." However, in the second paragraph we wrote, "At present SDI is only in the research stage and as such, we do not know what may be done." We are not approaching SDI with "blind faith," as Pen- skar wrote. Rather, we are ap- proaching it as a possible solution to a tough problem. In any case , our use of the word, "fascist" does, perhaps, deserve an explanation. There are many good reasons for not studying SDI, such as other projects, and even the belief that it will not work. However, having a belief does not mean that it can be imposed on others. When this is attempted, as Ingrid Kock and company have attempted to im- pose their anti-SDI beliefs on the faculty and students of the University, they are acting As fascists. As history has shown, such repression of others' beliefs can often lead to dictatorships. -Seth B. Klukoff Charles D. Lipsig September2 sp No Letters to the Daily should by typed, triple- aced, and signed by the individual authors. ames will be withheld only in unusual circum- stances. Letters may be mar, and spelling. edited for clarity, gram-, by Berke Breathed BLOOM COUNTY _-I