4 OPINION Page 4 Friday, February 21, 1986 The Michigan Daily I I Edie nd manbt sa ns tyf iig Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan Don't forget S. African pain b ' Il + - Icy Vol. XCVI, No. 101 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board Rights of Review R ECENT CASES have been reported of the Michigan Review's various opponents trashing issues of the paper. This trashing consists of taking thirty to one hundred copies of the Review at one time and throwing them away or scattering them on the ground. After being caught in the act and confronted by Review staf- fers, these trashers gave what they deem to be funny responses or make snide remarks. Trashers have also proclaimed that they feel a certain justice in trying to remove the conservative paper from cam- pus distribution. Judging from their actions and the careless attitudes displayed through their remarks, these trashers seem to regard destruc- tion as a game. But trying to ob- struct others' viewpoints is as serious as it is dangerous. Ironically, these trashers are some of the most vocal opponents of the proposed code of non-academic conduct because it could be used to stifle student opinion. Their actions demonstrate that they believe student opinion which leans to the right does not deserve protection, but should be snuffed out. Through their attempts to hide opposing viewpoints, the trashers are merely revealing their own in- security. If they believe in the strength of their own disbeliefs, they should respect the Review's right to challenge them. Their cen- sorship is insulting to other studen- ts. These trashers should halt their efforts to remove the Review from. the University. After all, if the Review is so distasteful that the trashers feel morally obligated to protect other students from ex- posure to it, that very exposure would ensure its downfall. The ef- forts of trashers to suppress op- posing opinion at least as frightening as any ideas the Review may espouse. By Barbara Ransby If a tree falls in a forest and there is no one there to hear it, is there sound? Of cour- se there is. Sound waves are emitted even though no human ears receive them. Despite a seven month news black out, the political violence in South Africa continues; the screams of children blinded by tear gas continues even though we don't hear them; the police shootings continue even though we don't seem them on the front pages of our daily newspapers. The crimes of apar- theid continues, as does the suffering of our brothers and sisters who are its victims. The most recent victims of apartheid are the residents of the Black township of Alexandra, near Johannesburg. Over the past week close to 80 protesters,most of them teenagers, have been killed by the South African police according to local clergy (government figures estimate only 19 deaths), and hundreds have been arrested or detained in what one reporter describes as an area resembling a "combat zone." More than 25,000 Alexandra residen- ts, one fourth of the townships' total population, poured into the streets on Mon- day to demand that police and soldiers leave the township and release thosejailed. Bishop Tutu expressed the fear that if the conflict continues children will "be killed like flies." The massacre in Alexandra is testimony to the brutality of Apartheid, its vicious suppression of any political dissent. Contrary to Prime Minsiter Botha's conten- tion that things are calmer since the news black out, Alexandra is probably only the tip of the iceburg. In fact, Sout Africa'a leaders are so afraid that their crimes will be revealed to the world that they recently arrested and charged several foreign jour- nalists because they attempted to publicize the situation. Even more frightening is the government's threat to escalate its violent attacks upon the Free South Africa movement in the future. According to Minister of Law and Order Louis LeGrange, "If necessary, (we) will not hesitate to Ransby, a graduate student in history, is an active leader of the Free South Africa Coordinating Committee. tackle any situation with even greater for- ces than have been used in the past." Perhaps by this statement LeGrange means that more children will be killed, such as the 2 year old girl who was "accidentally" murdered by the South African police last Fall. Clearly, South Africa is in a state of war and there will undoubtedly be more bloodshed before the situation is resolved. This is the grim political reality to which people concerned with justice must respond. While the situation in South Africa rages on and the suffering and killings continue, many Americans ask the question - what does this have to do with me? The fact is that Reagan's policy of constructive engagement, his friendly relationstwith the dictators in Pretoria, is being pursued in the name of the American people. And if Americans don't protest that policy as loudly and vigrously as they can, then tacitly and passively they endorse it and thereby become a part of the problem. This not only applies to individual citizens but to institutions such as the University of Michigan as well. In fact, the actions of prestigious academic institutions such as ours can have more of an impact than the single actions of individual citizens. It is for this reason that the Free South Africa movement on this campus has made a number of suggestions to the University administration and the Regents regarding how the University can more effectively use its influence to oppose Apartheid. They are: " 1) The University must divest the remaining $500,000 it has invested in com- panies doing business in South Africa. The ambigious concept of "University autonomy" is not more important than our taking a resolute moral stand against apartheid, and severing our economic links to it. - 2. In addition to adopting a moral in- vestment policy, the University should also adopt a moral buying policy which means 4 boycott of large companies such as IBM, which collaborate openly with the apartheid regime. " 3) Although the University must state clearly what it is against in South Africa, it must also state clearly what it is for. An op- portunity for the University to make a statement of solidarity with the majority of the South African people would be to grant an honorary degree to South African leader, and political prisoner for 25 years, Nelson Mandela. Mandela has been internationally recognized as a symbol of the anti-apar- theid movement and of the resolve of the South African people to be free. University faculty members have already submitted the Mandela nomination which has been en- dorsed by letters from distinguished U.S. Congressmen, former ambassadors to Africa, President of the Detroit City Coun- cil and South African author Nadine Gor- dimir, whom the University hosted as an esteemed lecturer last year. Also, more than 2,000 students have signed a petition supporting the nomination. Individual students can support all of these proposals by participating in cam- puswide anti-apartheid activities. In par- ticular, a series of educational and protest activities being planned by a coalition of student groups, to take place during the national weeks of action against racism and apartheid, March 21st to April 6th. The highlights of these events include a talk by Randall Robinson on March 21st in Hale Auditorium in the Business School at 7 p.m., and a Freedom March Against Racism and Apartheir on April 4th, the anniversary of the assassination bf Martin Luther King. These events will coincide with similar ac- tions on campuses across the country. These same weeks of action were the kickoff for a series of dramatic anti-apar- theid activities last year, most notably the 3 week blockade of a building at Columbia University and a similar action at Berkeley. This year, while we want all University ac- tivites to be peaceful, we also want them to be mass and visible. Thousands of young people in South Africa are making the ultimate human sacrifice in defense of their principles, at least we can make some small sacrifices of time and energy to take an unequivocal stand against apartheid in South Africa and racism at home and in solidarity with South African liberation for- ces. I strongly urge the Ann Arbor com- munity to build for a support the Spring event.- I I .,I I Register soon .JEANETTE MIDDLETON'S victory in Monday's third ward City Council primary was suppor- ted by an estimated 200 students who voted for her in the election. Students in the third ward, par- ticularly those in the Greek system, felt pressure to register from Panhellenic who believed Middleton's opponent, Donna Richter, was opposed to frater- nities and sororities in the neigh- borhood because of a dispute over Collegiate Sorosis. Though it is debatable whether Middleton ac- tually cares more about the Greeks since Richter has shown an obvious support for standing fraternities and sororities in the neighborhood, the election illustrated how studen- ts should partake in city politics if they want to be taken seriously. Though Middleton would have won without student support, student concerns were recognized in this election. who live off-campus. The city at times has been lax in enforcing tenants' rights, particularly when those tenants are non-voting students. The only way tenants can make their concerns felt in city hall is by voting. Other issues which directly af- fect students who live off-campus are problems with adequate lighting and police protection in student dominated areas. Such questions will only be addessed when students care enough to take action. In the early seventies, student support resulted in the election of two Human Rights party members to City Council. Student influence was particularly responsible for passing the five dollar marijuana law at that time. Candidates will only begin to consider student concerns when students exercise their political clout. In order to regain the power they once held, students should register by March 10 to vote in the April 7 general city election. Berim! THE 8 oUTT fAJ71~ciWT FoIjCJ OUT OF f2jb')PI GNU/ . r ( w. i ".t jn r, c ?, E # l / :. 6_ 5 ' 4 0 0 City student government influences life, especially students c) s t it +{K L 0 Y 3E~i "-a-. .-,' - ' ry iii r .'f .r 1!( ' V i15 E J M NSK ; , Y 1,1 ;' . To the Daily: Your Feb. 12 article on West Quadrangle's Food Service was largely a reasonable piece of reporting, although the reporter could not resist including several quotable potshots. Although I am the director of the West Quadrangle, I have only liaison, not direct supervisory, respon- sibilities with Food Service. Nevertheless, I would like to add some additional information to your article. The West Quad dining rooms LETTERS: W. Quad food service defended wherever they want in the Housing system, something the Housing Division has been most reluctant to do. With all this business, West Quad's Food Ser- vice professional staff is plagued by less-than-adequate produc- tion, refrigeration, storage, and service capabilities. The Housing Division has spent tens of thousands of dollars in the last several years and these expen- ditures have helped to mitigate some of these difficulties, but there is certainly much more that importance to them. The survey done by SCARF was noted in the article but the statistical results were somewhat misreported. 37% of the 400 respondents thought the main entree was fair, which included in the reported 92% of respondents citing the main entrees as poor to disgusting. That is more than a semantic difference. Secondly, the article only cited the most negative statistic. Side dishes, the salad bar, and desserts received more fair to good this world. Still, most of the SCARF participants are making a genuine effort to learn more about and understand the con- 4 straints and limitations of in- stitutional food service, what things can be changed in the short-run, and what needs to be planned in the long run. In so doing, they are making an impor- tant contribution to improving the quality of life for West Quad residents. Complaints about residence hall food have been around for a