OPINION Page 4 Tuesday, November 25, 1986 The Michigan Doily Edie fdmngdtents hiohig an tly Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan Bering I Vol. XCVII, No. 59 420 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. Strike protects jobs IWHIi TTA E IiwfA~ELI 2oVERIEIfT!v Jfl1TSl? THiS WEST SANK PALYATIVAN? mAo ITBCA SE': AD HE SAN~G / A PL8FSlnJINTINLSG 8LIPE Ov\ED A pfOK ?ALESTiN/AO pT\i _ C j H EWORE t- Co2-O i i o f F T /HE P A L E S T / IA NHy) WF 1) I 1-1 WF2Jf OT ~J-J- M~ x 4" WHEN WORKERS at a General Motors subsidiary in Kokomo, Indiana went on strike last Monday, they began a chain of events that would cripple GM operations nationwide. Though the strike ended five days later, its impact remains. Since production at nearly all GM plants involves electronic components made in Kokomo, the giant auto manufacturer was forced to its knees and a grinding halt within days. Faced with plants that could not operate for lack of necessary parts, GM conceded to United Auto Worker demands. Those demands focused on the transfering of United States jobs to Mexico. GM announced plans to shift its radio production from Kokomo to Mexico, where workers are paid about $2 per hour. GM's announcement came soon after the UAW condemned U.S. Commerce Department aid in moving production to Mexico. The government agency has invited 28,000 United States companies to a conference it is sponsoring on establishing operations in Mexico. UAW President Owen Bieber blasted U.S. agencies and firms for putting "still more workers onto unemployment lines while taking advantage of exploited Mexican labor." In keeping with their stand, the UAW resisted, and successfully prevented, GM's exportation of jobs to Mexico from the Kokomo plant. Union success resulted from the extensive interdependence and, hence, corporate vulnerability created by division of production between numerous specialized plants. Both labor and business can learn valuable lessons from the Kokomo strike. While many sing a song of lament for dying unions, the Kokomo victory provides an encouraging note. L.AG ?LvT VE~ R E/ N oYE} R R2 ,,TNF mE NThoA9A L DAY OF SOLIPAPTY VWITH TiE PEOPLE MicyOAitY @6 OF ALEST/AE Letters: 4 Reagan's lies defame Ul .S. Politicize the code ANN ARBOR'S DEMOCRATIC Party deserves some credit for taking the initiative to oppose the University's idea of a code of non-academic conduct, which would establish extra rules in addition to existing laws to govern all behavior of students. Democratic Party activist Dave DeVarti showed that he is in touch with students by approaching the MSA Student Rights Com - mittee on the issue. Despite pro-code arguments by University Council co-chair Donald Rucknagel, local Democrat Thais Peterson said, "I can't see that this code would bring any additional protection to either myself or the University." The Democrats also stressed that the University should devote its energies elsewhere to provide security, namely where real problems exist as in the area of sexual assault. The Democrats even seem to realize that students should have the full rights to dissent that other citizens enjoy. The stance of the Ann Arbor Democrats proves that students, have a solid position from which to gain outside allies in their struggle against the administration and its proposed code. The anti-code movement should have confidence in the ultimate justness of its position and push for similar statements from the City Council, Ann Arbor Republican Party and the Michigan branches of both parties. Then the final step is to arrange for the state legislature to pass a law against the University's punishing students academically for alleged non-academic infract - ions. MSA and students generally should let politicians know that they are accountable for their action or inaction on the issue of the code. Right now, both parties demonstrate mostly inaction; although, the Ann Arbor Demo - cratic Party's condemnation of the code is an important step. To the Daily: President Reagan's cynical foreign policy in the Middle East has seriously undermined America's national interests. By making deals with terrorists, selling weapons to Iran, and lying to the American people, the president has done incalculable damage. Although Reagan denies having made a deal with the terrorists, it seems incredible that the kidnappers released three American hostages at times that coincided with arms deliveries. Furthermore, if the shipment of arms to Iran was not a ransom payment, what was its purpose? Why would the United States arm a nation that caused its greatest humiliation since Vietnam? Reagan claims that he merely wanted to gain influence with "moderate elements" in Iran. Who are these "moderate ele- ments," and how will they get the arms? Is this an example of "constructive engagement" applied to Iran? If so, then what stops Reagan from selling arms to Libya's Colonel Khadafy, or the Soviet Union for that matter? Selling weapons to the enemy to gain influence is like handing a burgler a pistol and asking him to go away. It is so obviously detramental that even Reagan would not pursue such a policy. Finally, in a press conference, the president claimed that, had the press not reported the arms deal, the two hostages still held in Lebanon would probably have been released. If the arms deal had nothing to do with the release of hostages, as Reagan claims, then why would reporting the event-as opposed to, say, reporting on an arms deal with Honduras or Greece-endanger the other hostages? Why would the terrorist react to the publicizing of an event that has nothing to do with them? It is obvious, then, that the purpose of the deal was to pay a ransom to a terrorist regime in return for the release of hostages. The timing of the shipments leaves little doubt as to the president's intentions, no other motive for arming the enemy is plausible, and by linking reports of the deal ...t the . a tes . - n t ha,. diplomatic courtesy. By negotiating a quid pro quo with terrorists, Reagan has put the taking of hostages on the same qualitative level as raising tariffs or initiating embargoes. By legitimizing terrorism, he has encouraged it. Furhtermore, by arming Iran the United States has humiliated itself before the world. Reagan has provided weapons for a government whose war-cry is "Death to America!" and in doing so has severely compromised national honor. Iran humiliated the United States by taking American hostages from the summer of 1978 to the winter of 1980, and the same government that endorsed the kidnapping is still inpower. Reagan has proved to the world that principles-even the principle of national self- respect-are absent from.. American foreign policy. Finally, by lying to the American public about his actions-indeed by mounting as policy a campaign of disinformation-Reagan has destroyed the credibility of the presidency. The American. public depends on the president to educate it on national issues. When he fails to do so, and even goes so far as to lie as a matter of policy, not only does democracy suffer from the inflated power of a dishonest president. The institution itself becomes.debauched, and the leader of the American people, far from being a symbol of strength and respectablity, becomes a symbol of lies and degradation. -Ron Schechter November 21 4 4 Acquaintance rape most common form ' I - , r I i/I _ f" To the Daily: In the next seven minutes at least one woman in the United States will be raped or sexually abused. It is the common belief that she will be raped according to this scenerio: - A woman is walking down a city street alone, late at night. As she passes a dark alley a strange, burly man grabs her, pulls her into the alleyhand rapes her. Although this is the common image of rape, according to stastics, it is far from the truth. 88 percent of all rapes are acquaintance or date rapes. Most women are familiar with the men who rape them. This 88 prcent breaks down into several categories. 17 percent of the rapes are acquaintences, 5 percent are boyfriends, and 8 percent are dates. The remaining percentage is comprisedof husbands, relatives, and authoritative male figures. Priests, doctors and teachers, whom women confide and admire, are seen as powerful and stable and use this power to sexually take advantage of women. It is evident from statistics that the typical rapist is not a social or moral outcast, but could be any average, American man. Another myth about the typical rape situation is that most rapes occur outside on the streets. Statistics say that only one-fifth of all rapes occur outside while the remaining 80 percent occur in residences, vehicles and public out on a date. They go back to the woman's home and start to fool around. The question of sex arises, and the woman says "no." The man is persistent and proceeds to rape the woman. This instance could involve both physical and/or verbal coercion. Physical coercion is using strength to force unwilling women to have sex. Verbal coercion is using psychological reasoning to induce guilt, feelings of obligation, or feelings of helplessness which manipulate women to have sex when they really don't want to. Examples of verbal coercion include threats, bribes, telling the woman that she really wants to have sex, telling her that she is a prude if she doesn't want to have sex, telling the woman that she owes him sex, and telling her that she aroused him to the point where he has to have sex. These psychological manipulations that lead women to have sex against their will are, in fact, acts of rape. When a woman says "no," regardless of the point in sexual activity, it means "no." Once a woman has said "no," men do not have any right to force women to have sex, no matter what. It is important to be aware of date rape and its implications , especially considering that this is a college campus, which presents men and women with many problematic situations. In fact, according to a survey by MS. magazine, 25 percent of all college women will survive a rape or rape attempt before they finish school. Of those 25 percent, almost all will have known their assailant prior to the attack. If you are a woman and should experience date rape, it is imperative to do several things. First, report the rape to the police, even if the rapist is related to you or he is your boyfriend. This is vital to remember because statistics show that the better a woman knows her rapist, the less likely she is to report it, andi'f it is not reported , the rapist cannot be prosecuted or given counseling. The second necessity upon being raped is to seek physical and emotional counseling. One should Iot feel embarassed or blame themselves for a rape, but should seek help in order to cope with the trauma. For further information. regarding rape, date rape, sexual assault, and counseling, contact the Women's Crisis center. The number is 994-9100. The above statistics are provided by the Ann Arbor Coalition Against Rape. -Anthony Lehv -Andrea Pravda November 21 Animal abuse hotline Onr rnmmittre mPm= TA the iln:I.:"