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OPINION _
Page 4 Wednesday, September 17, 1986 The Michigan Daiy
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
College Dems plan future
Vol. XCVII, No. 10
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board
All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily.
Drug busting
The Reagan administration
and Congress' sudden war on
drugs is actually a misguided
and attention hungry campaign
passing as a solution to a
serious problem. The House
passed legislation Thursday
and Reagan signed an executive
order Monday providing sweep-
ing and expensive drug control
measures. Unfortunately, the
money for these measures could
be used for better proven
methods to fight drug abuse.
Because drug abuse is such
a damaging problem which
encompasses the entire nation,
dissent is rare. In an effort to
mobilize for this "national
crusade against drugs,"
Reagan evoked memories of the
Civil War and the young
soldiers buried at Normandy in
his television address Sunday.
The first Lady emotionally read
a description of a baby born to a
cocaine user. Representative
Jim Wright (D-Texas) fears the
climate in Congress is
degenerating "into some petty
quarrel over who hates drugs
more than the other person
does."
The National Institute on
Drug Abuse (NIDA), a branch
of the National Institute of
Hei reorts regularly on the
national drug problem and now
says drug abuse has decreased.
Statistics have documented
seroius drug problems in low-
income areas for years yet this
administration has consistently
cut the narcotics control budget.
While the drug problem is
unfortunate, claiming there is a
new "epidemic" is a misrep-.
resentation. The November
elections are crucial to
Republican control of the Senate
and incumbents of both parties
need a "moral' and strong issue
to support. Arguing against
any drug legislation in this
atmosphere would be harmful
to a congressman's career.
This unquestioned drug hype
accomodated passage of some
dangerous measures which
violate civil rights and would be
opposed in a more responsible
atmosphere.
Both the House bill and the
executive order legalize un-
precedented search and seizure
without 'probable cause which
gallows presentation of illegally
collected evidence in court.
Reagan's executive order allows
administrators to test federal
employees for drugs if there is
"reasonable suspicion" they are
users. As many as one million
other federal employees in
"sensitive" positions will be
randomly tested. This testing is
proven unreliable; the more
expensive the test, the more
accurate the results. Not only
does this testing violate the
worker's rights, .it can be
manipulated in a work
situation. Both pieces of
legislation contain a harmful
provision, not for drug pushers
but for human rights advocates
-the death penalty for murder
convictions in some drug cases.
Finally, the House bill
requires massive military
personnel, equipment, and
arms to police U.S. borders for
drug smugglers. Secretary of
Defense Caspar Weinberger
said this is "absurd" and made
the point that it will weaken
national defense. Military
experts warned the House before
the vote that this is a highly
inefficient use of the military.
Reagan proclaimed in his
Sunday address that, "Drug
abuse is a repudiation of
everything America is." If this
was true, there would not be.
such a huge problem; the reality
which drives people to drugs-
poverty, unemployment, and
lack of education-must be
eradicated. Taking drugs away
from the users, catching
workers on drugs, and
imploring television audiences
not to use are simply treating
the symptoms, not the disease.
The money used for these
programs should be spent on the
homeless, to restore welfare
cuts; to replace recently
abolished job programs, and to
better care for the mentally ill
who are being released from
treatment early.
Disturbing media stereotypes
have dominated recent coverage
of drugs: the growers are Latin
Americans, the pushers are
black, and the victims and anti-
drug crusaders are, of course,
white. Many Latin Americans
and poor U.S. blacks do turn to
drugs to create an economy
where they have none. Only
when the president and
Congress stop denying that
these dimmer aspects of
America exist and institute
programs to address the poor in
both North and South America
will they significantly strike
down the origins of drug abuse.
Ironically, most of the money.
for this new crusade is already
being used for education and
other federal drug programs.
The major difference is that the
new legislation shifts money
away from these existing
programs and pours it into
more publicized methods such
as testing and military force.
Only two hundred million of
Reagan's nine hundred million
dollar plan goes to schools to
fight student drug abuse and to
states to upgrade treatment
facilities. - The House bill
requires two billion dollars more
than originally budgeted for
their antidrug plan. Because
most of these measures are not
addressing the problems in an
effective, lasting manner, U.S.
citizens are unwillingly con-
tributing an extra two billion
dollars to Congress' upcoming
election campaigns.
By Linda Cipriani, Matt
Green and David Rose
In response to the policies of the
Reagan Administration the 1980's
have seen a resurgence of political
awareness and activism on our
campus. Its policies toward South
Africa and Central America have
inspired student demonstrations on
college campuses nationally. More
recently, the University College
Democrats have formed to offer a
channel for students to express their
beliefs. In turning to the College
Democrats, students will find a
medium through which to communicate
their political ideas and work toward
furthering these beliefs within our
party framework.
Our diversity does not limit our
ability to take a strong stand on issues
we believe in. Despite surveys which
have shown that the majority of U.S.
citizens disagree with specific policies
of the president, Congress has been
intimidated into taking pro-
Rose is Vice President of the
College Democrats, Green is
Secretary and Cipriani is Editorial
Chairperson.
administration stances. We stand
firm in our opposition to U.S.
involvement in Central America and,
specifically, to our the funding of the
Contras in Nicaragua. We oppose the
president's weak stand against the
racist regime in South Africa, and his
refusal to support a policy of
divestment. On a state level, we are
concerned with the environmental
crisis that faces Michigan. While not a
primary goal on the political agenda
for many, the fact that Michigan is
second only to New Jersey in the
number of toxic waste dump sites
needing clean up, points out that action
is needed quickly.
On campus, we support such
programs as SAFEWALK, which
enhances safety at night. We oppose
the Student Code for Non-academic
Conduct. We oppose classified
military research and Star Wars
research on our campus. We
enthusiastically support economics
graduate student Dean Baker who is
challenging Congressman Carl
Pursell (R-Plymouth).
The College Democrats have already
had a particularly promising and
encouraging start. With an
endorsement from Senator Riegle and
national officers we were able to attain
certification with the National College
Democrat Organization. National
affiliation compliments the role we
have taken on a local level and puts us-
in contact with other College Dems
across the country. Our initiation of the
Student Regent Proposal with the
support of the County Party took us to the
Democrat's State Convention in
August. This start has fueled us with
many ideas for what looks to be a very
active fall.
On Thursday, September 18th we
welcome all interested student to our
general membership meeting at 7 p.m.
in the Michigan Ballroom of the Union:
On Saturday, September 20th we will be
having a tailgate fundraiser for Gov.
Blanchard and the College Dems in
the Crisler Arena parking lot--all are
welcome! Future speakers include
Senator Carl Levin on October 14 and
Senator Don Riegle on November 17th.
The philosophy of the College
Democrats is one which accepts our
Democratic Party roots but also seeks to
provide students with a greater role
within the Party. For too long the
Democratic Party has taken its youth
for granted, and now it is finally
coming to realize the importance and
necessity of the group for its future.
Wasserman
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LETTERS:
Propaganda drains kitchen creativity
To the Daily:
The dorm cafeterias are
swimming in sewage, and
typical University students
(those "lucky" enough to have
cars) are stocking up on beer,
California Coolers and
stacks of bologna at the local
Kroger, or "eating all their
meals out." This is the rather
disconcerting picture we get
of the Ann Arbor student
body's nutrition scene from
the two articles , "Students
stake (steak?) out markets"
and "Stockwell serves food
during sewage leak."( Daily,
9/15/86)
The driving force behind
this unwillingness to spend
time, effort, or creativity in
the kitchen? "Most students
don't have the time to prepare
a sit-down meal." So those
living off-campus and
graced with their own
kitchens usually don't even
use them. No, making a
"I don't have time to cook-I'm
too busy studying or working
or god-knows-what" has been
brainwashed into you by the
myriad of consumer prop-
aganda. The countless fast
food outlets and pre-
packaged, pre-prepared food
companies would like you to
believe that cooking is some
mystical process only to be
attemped for special
occasions like during a flood
or earthquake when you can't
get out to Taco Hell. Why put
yourself through it? In
Monday's Daily, Kleine
brings up the concept of "The
Problem Of Eating." Eating
is only-a problem if you allow
the propaganda to brainwash
you into making it one.
In fact, you don't need a
car, you don't need
specialized equipment, and
you don't have to make any
compromises. Someplace
like the People's Food Co-op
-em r _.+ - - ;- .& 1, -11 +1
etarian section (many
Indian cookbooks are
exclusively vegetarian) The
days of malnourished
vegetarians are over. These
new-wave foods (which are
actually thousands of years
old) supply more and better
protien, vitamins, and
complex carbohydrates than
any meat, vitamin tablet, or
cereal box, and with a
fraction of the toxins (
assumingthatdyou don't live
too close to Midland or Kiev).
The lowly potato becomes a
source of great
entertainment. Boring milk
becomes transformed into
fresh soft white cheese or
digestion-aiding yoghurt.
Dark green; ugly lentils
become vivid flourescent
yellow and orange when you
check out the Indian lentils
called "Dal" available at a
place like Manna (These
lentils, along with milk
nrodiidts and cick-nea flour
foreign students. Many of
them haven't been-
programmed by Consumer
Propaganda, and will tell you
that they love to cook their
ethnic cuisine at least every
day. It's simply a part of life,
like brushing your teeth. So
obtain a decent cookbook (riot
some faddy propaganda fror
the expensive "health" food
industry), clean the molding
dishes from the sink,
organize some spices, flours,
rice, and dal in a cabire
near the stove, visit your
parents and when they're ndt
looking grab Mom's dusty
wok from the back of the
kitchen closet (if you cap
procure a pressure cooketi
you can save substantial time
and energy preparing Dal=
but make sureit's a safe onef
the early pressure cookers
had the reputation b?
sometimes causing unplea'
antries in the kitchen), and
start- ni avii n yaround- ,1 no Ji~
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