4
OPINION
Page 4
Wednesday, April 1, 1987
The Michigan Daily
im midgan an1u
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
Vol. XCVII, No. 124
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.
Dump the Daily
THE MICHIGAN DAILY SHOULD
be abolished as the student-run
newspaper at the University.
The paper is not living up to our
expectations. Because the Daily is
supposedly the bastion of socialist-
workers' thought on campus, it
was shocking to see the editor in
chief admit in the New York Times
that he didn't know what a
"wobbly" was. It is equally galling
to see the paper becoming more
pro-Greek. Not only are half the
staff writers also members of
Sigma Nu, the summer editor is (of
all things) a Kappa Alpha Theta
member.
The Daily's crimes reach beyond
betrayal of its communist ideals,
however. What about those
headlines? "Blue creams Seamen"?
Shame, shame. And what about
"Shuttle remains found"? Well, we
were certainly happy to read that,
once the shuttle was found, it
wasn't lost again! Maybe it has
something to do with the fact that,
according to the Daily's photo, the
shuttle was flying sideways when
it exploded.
Furthermore, the Daily doesn't
always get its facts straight. Thank
goodness for MSA Campus Report
and the Michigan Review, both of
which point out the real truth
behind the Daily's frequent blun-
ders. These slumbering proto-
journalists could ruin this
University's good name, if it
weren't for the unbiased,
straightforward information avail-
able in the University Record and
Ann Arbor News. (OK, so the
News confused a Vietnam veterans
advocate with a pizza poisoner. At
least they never said the Secretary
of State's name was Charles
Shultz. Good grief!)
Then there's those awful puns in
the sports column names ("Tip of
the Kap"?), those strange intro-
ductory paragraphs on the arts page
(like the one that used the word
"balls" 12 times), and the photo-
graphy staff, which is always
getting arrested for something or
other.
The worst aspect of the Daily,
though, is the Opinion page. We
must put a stop to these inane
editorials ("Winter is a communist
plot"?).
No, the Daily must be stopped.
It's not like those other college
papers, with important information
about who pinned who (or is it
"whom"? Grammar be another
Daily problem), the latest exciting
tales about faculty appointments,
and firm editorial control by the
university. Let's abolish the Daily.
Students can read about the code
AFTER the regents pass it.
Baker
Regent Deane Baker's remarks (3/19/87)
to the University of Michigan Board of
Regents concerning his opposition to the
granting an honorary degree to Mr.
Nelson Mandela:
First, let me say I disagree in the
strongest possible terms with Dr. Shapiro
and the members of his administration
when they recommend to the Regents that
Mr. Mandela be granted an honorary
degree. The recommendation should never
have come to this table. In the long term,
it can only be hurtful and injure the
University. I have counselled the
President not to bring this matter forward
at this time.
But it is here and must be addressed.
What then is the issue and what are the
public and political ramifications of
granting the recommended degree?
It is important for the people of
Michigan to know that the Apartheid is
not the issue in this matter. For a dozen
years this Board has consistently
condemned Apartheid. It is an odious and
unacceptable form of government.
Honoring Nelson Mandela is secondary
to the principal issue. The issue is about
political power, who will gain it, who
will lose it and how it will be used. It is
also about the two largest political
factions in South Africa, one of which
favors non-violence and one which favors
killing people, in their struggle to
overturn the present South African
government.
The issue is about who will govern
South Africa in the post Apartheid period.
The Administration asks the Board of
Regents, in speaking for the University
of Michigan and all the people of
Michigan, to endorse one faction over
another in a political struggle.
Historically, the University of
Michigan has not taken sides in foreign
revolutionary politics.
One principal Black leader is Mr.
Nelson Mandela who has spent many
years in prison because of his actions in
Deane Baker is an University regent.
opposes
opposing Apartheid and the South African
government.
Mr. Nelson Mandela is also a member
of the African National Congress (ANC).
Many of the ANC's leaders publicly
admit the ANC receives financial,
material and weapons as part of the
ANC's support from the Soviet Union.
One principal Black leader in South
Africa, who also opposes the system of
Apartheid and the South African
government, is Mr. Gatsha Buthelezi,
Chief of the 6,000,000 member Zulu
group. Mr. Buthelezi and the ANC do not
agree on the methods to be used in
overturning the South African
Government.
Chief Buthelezi followers believe in
and use non violent tactics in their
struggle with the South African
government as did Dr. Martin Luther
King in the America's civil rights
struggle.
The African National Congress
believes in violence to achieve its goals.
Chief Buthelezi and his followers
believe in non violence to achieve their
goals.
Mr. Oliver Tambo, Chairman of the
African National Congress, in answering
questions from the media in Washington,
D.C., a few weeks ago, stated he would
not disavow use of violence in the ANC's
effort to overthrow the South African
government. He also refused to condemn
use of the "necklace" to kill the ANC's
enemies.
The University, if it endorse this
degree, sides with killing and violence. It
is an endorsement of Blacks and whites
killing each other. It is an endorsement of
Blacks killing Blacks in the most ruthless
and terrible way.
The weapons of the ANC are bombs
in business places and at bus stops, used
by both whites and Blacks. The ANC
mines roads and blows up vehicles killing
both Blacks and whites.
The people of Michigan should know
about the "necklace." When ANC
followers suspect a Black person of
Mandela
working with the South African
government or other crimes against the
ANC that individual is dragged from his
or her home then quickly and publicy-
tried and convicted by the mob.
The victims clothes are pulled off. His
hands are tied with barbed wire. An
automobile tire is placed over his head
and around his neck then wired in place
with barbed wire. The tire is filled with.
gasoline and set afire. The victims family
is frequently forced to watch the
execution.
The death is not fast. It takes about
twenty minutes. The victim is conscious
nearly the entire time. The melted rubber
burns in to the victims flesh. The
suffering is intense.
I do not see how, nor will I
understand, if the Regents of the
University of Michigan and the
Administration chose sides between the
Black people as they struggle to
overcome Apartheid. Nor will I
understand how the Administration and
the Regents chose to honor the African
National Congress through granting a 4
degree to Nelson Mandela.
Nor will I understand why the
Regent's and the Administration choose
to side with violence over non-violence ir'
this tragic struggle.
Yesterday, I saw on the University
campus a young man carrying a two sided
placard showing a Black man with a gun.
The poster displayed the slogan, "The
only way!" The inference is obvious,
killing is the only way. Such posters
have no place on this campus.
An official endorsement of violence;
has no place at this University.
Editor's note:
Deane Baker's factual errors were
previously addressed in the Daily
editorial, "Regent Deane Baker spreads;.
ignorance: Buthelezi and Mandela"
(Daily, 3/27/87).
Wasserman
. . d'. r .- f°
God is dead
ALL NUCLEAR2 'NEMMSBY THE 'EAR to
/1.
-TtVkT SOUNPS Like A .WILD,
U"04FNTASY
SECND, STOP PILL HVLLEP4V2
TTjm& 21H~T NOW
NAouT TH~E EAR 20003
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4
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.,
A S I' M SURE YOU ARE ALL
AWARE by now, God - a.k.a.,
Buddha, Allah, etc. - has passed
away. God's death came at 3:13
this morning, about 100 years after
Nietzsche boldly declared "God is
dead." Nietzsche could not be
reached for comment on his
premature announcement as he died
in 1900, which God found quite
amusing.
The cause of death is yet to be
determined. A former theologian
has speculated that God was bored
to death "She knew the ending and
decided not to stick around." The
American Council of ex-Bishops
has issued a statement claiming that
God died of embarrasment over the
Jim Bakker affair. One erstwhile
rabbi suggests the possibility of
suicide. The onetime rabbi cites
God's guilt over natural disasters.
This theory is supported by a note
found by The Body which simply
reads "Pee-wee Herman?!"
Asked about the cryptic note,
Bruce Springsteen, a close
personal friend of God, said, "I
don't know what the Big G meant
by that. She was always pretty
mysterious. It's just like her
though; She was never given to
long speeches or sermons."
Springsteen is rumored to be one
of the people being considered for
God's vacated job. The Boss has
indicated that the would reject any
such offer, saying "I would rather
not have God's groupies."
Among those who have applied
for the job are Sylvester Stallone,
Prince, Shirley Maclaine, Phil
Donahue, Hulk Hogan, and Jerry
quipped "The hours are hell but the
rewards are heavenly." In an
apparently related event, Time
magazine has received a letter from
Woody Allen which reads "Reports
of my death are highly
exaggerated."
The effects of God's death have
been earthshattering. Peace broke
out in Ireland and the Middle East.
Oppressed people all over the globe
have risen up in violent revolution.
Nuns have gone on crash diets.
And Hell has frozen over.
For many, God's sudden
passing has come as a personal
shock. Italian reporters discovered
the Pope drinking wine heavily
with a naked woman on his lap.
The woman, who identified herself
as Mary Magdeline, kept shouting
"I've kicked the habit" and
laughing hysterically. In response
to reporter's questions, the Pope
only managed to say "When in
Rome..." before passing out. The
Pope's agent has explained that the
elderly gentleman has "a lot of
catching up to do." His agent told
reporters that the unemployed Pope
plans to embark on a licentious
binge, become addicted to drugs,
recover at the Betty Ford Clinic,
and then write a best-selling book
about the experience. There is also
talk of workout video, "Exorcising
with John Paul."
The Pope, along with all other
religious figures, has declined to
preside over God's memorial
service. However, an agnostic
Philosophy professor, Will C.
Aboudid, has agreed to give the
eulogy. Professor Aboudid plans
to hold the funeral "four days from
LETTERS
Don't accept pregnancy cin
To the Daily:
Periodically since Sept-
ember 1985, the Daily has run
a classified ad which says
"Considering abortion? Free
pregnancy test - completely
confidential." An unsuspecting
reader would infer that the
advertiser, the Pregnancy
Counseling Center of
Ypsilanti, provides abortion
information or referrals - or at
least an accurate pregnancy
test. Attracted by the offer of a
free test, a young woman who
thinks she might be pregnant
(and many of the sexually
active women in our society
have entertained this worry at
least once in their lives) might
visit this facility for help.
Instead of help, however,
she will encounter a so-called
"right to life" organization,
whose goal is to prevent
women from exercising their
legal right to choose
termination. Employing emo-
tional manipulation and
pseudo-religious propaganda,
the P.C.C. tries to dissuade
women from having abortions,
relying on a variety of
unsavory tactics to achieve
their objective. A few of these
stratagems include forcing
clients to watch a film similar
to the infamous and inaccurate
"Silent Scream;" informing
women of the results of their
tests by saying "This is the
date your baby will be born
on" (an assertion as medically
dubious as it is offensive); and
even giving women false
negative results, in the hopes
of preventing them from
verifying their pregnancies in
time to have an abortion
safely.
To a woman in an already
vulnerable situation, this sort
of harassment is needlessly
traumatic. The Daily, by
continuing to run a misleading
advertisement for this facility,
ic's Ads
y
abets in deception and does a
disservice to the University°
community. While I recognize
the Daily's need to support:
itself financially, I deplore its
decision to make a profit at the;
expense of the emotional well-
being of women who are taken:
in by the P.C.C.'s ad. I hope
that in the near future this ad
will be removed or modified
appropriately.
-Peg Willingham
Ann Arbor Coalition
for Women's Rights
March 16
Student solicitors ignorant"
Memorial service moving
To the Daily:
This is an open letter of
appreciation to the family,
friends and colleagues of Sarah
Goddard Power:
Thank you for allowing the
memorial service for Sarah
Goddard Power to be open to
we of the University
community who knew her, and
to those of us who did not. I
did not have the privilege of
knowing her, but after
attending the service at Hill
Auditorium today, I feel as if I
have.
words were able to reach out
into each of our hearts and
touch us with warm affection
in Sarah's memory.
Thank you for the healing
sounds of music, especially the
Trio in B Flat, op. 99 by
Schubert played so lovingly by
Stacey Phelps-Wetzel, Jerome
Jelinek and Eckart Sellheim.
On a personal note: As a
University of Michigan
employee, it was a moving
experience for me to hear who
the woman Regent Sarah
rlsfia An.. Pn~ ,or u n toe o thp
To the Daily:
The need for a required
course and/or workshop on the
problem of racism - local as
well as in its world-wide
repercussions - is painfully
illustrated by the recent
experience of a friend who
graduated from the University
in the 60s.
She has been an enthusiastic
alumna who made regular
contributions to the Uni -
versity. During the past year,
however, an event - or rather
a non-event - disappointed her
deeply so that when she
received a call from a current
stuent asking for a renewald nf
that, as part of her University
experience during the 60s, she
had been imbued with the
importance of justice and
freedom, and the Univerisity
now had a unique opportunity
to uphold those values by 4
recognizing the work and
martyrdom of the South
African anti-apartheid leader.
The student was perplexed,
asked how to spell Mandela's
name, and said the matter
would be taken up with a
supervisor.
It is regrettable that a
student selected to represent the
University to its alumni should4