OPINION
Page 4
Monday, November 2, 1987
The Michigan Daily
'a
0' MtidCigan 1:UaiI
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
Strive for 'ought,'
Vol. XCVIII, No. 38
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.
Trespassing against speech
LAST WEEK the State Senate voted
to deputize public safety officers at
universities in Michigan and give
the regents the power to arm public
safety officers with guns and the
authority to make arrests. Cur-
rently, public safety officers at the
University have no such authority,
and public safety enforcement of
trespassing and solicitation rules is
one reason that students have no
interest in giving them that author-
ity.
The University administration
claims the legal right to remove
people (including students) from
University property, especially
buildings. This is fine up to a
point, especially when the Univer-
sity wants to call Ann Arbor police
to arrest people suspected of steal-
ing or damaging University prop-
erty.
The problem with the Univer-
sity's zealous enforcement of tres-
passing rules starts when it creates
an atmosphere detrimental to free
expression. For example, Public
Safety's actions in the last two
years include following protesters
home from a rally against military
research, ejecting editors and
staffers from the building of the
F1tchigan Daily, calling in the Ann
Atbor police to removing protesters
#Om an area that was televising for
Today Show at the University,
aind obtaining Ann Arbor police to
seInove anti-CIA protesters in the
9tiident Activities Building. Ulti-
iately, the University justified all
these acts through its interpreta-
itn of trespassing laws.
or some of these acts, the Uni-
..
versity has apologized or modified
its policies; for other acts, the Uni-
versity has gone to court. The
University, however, should not
force its students and the public to
go to court to maintain their First
Amendment rights. The special
nature of a public university dictates
that it go beyond the stated laws in
expanding the rights of free expres-
sion. The University has failed
miserably in this respect through its
public safety officers and hired se-
curity guards.
This failure in regard to free ex-
pression also shows in Public
Safety's enforcement of solicitation
rules. Of course, it would not be
appropriate for Baskin Robbins to
claim its rights of free expression
by setting up a store on the Diag.
On the other hand, free expression
is clearly endangered when the
University prevents students and
non-students from selling whatever
literature or other means of expres-
sion of opinion.
Students should have the right tc
purchase literature on campus be-
cause no group can pass out free
literature indefinitely. Free expres-
sion becomes a mere phrase when
groups can't afford to distribute
their literature.
People attending classes, lectures:
political or artistic discussions, and
people seeking donations for artistic
performances or political literature
should not be subject to University
trespassing or soliciting regulations.
That they are should tell the legis-
lators in Lansing that University
administrators do not deserve the
faith placed in them last week.
By Michael Nelson
"I refuse to accept the idea that the
'isness' of man's present nature makes
him morally incapable of reaching up for
the 'oughtness' that forever confronts
him." . . . so quoted the Rev. Martin
Luther King, Jr. As the middle of this
school term passes, the campus of the
Univ. of Michigan again is seeing the
terrible, blatant expressions of racism --
the type that many years ago plagued
generations prior. Yet, like the fervor of
what racism is to the racist, we too -- non-
racists -- (and to a greater degree) have the
fervor and determination necessary to
defeat it. The "isness", as Dr. King speaks
of, of the present nature and posture of
racists leaves many questioning, "Where is
the pleasure that racists find in being
persons who do not care to integrate
society, to mix with others not of their
race(s), and to associate with all people?"
Moreover, are we not yet at the point in
our human history that we are not
anxious, eager and ardent to reach the
"oughtness" that is confronting us, that
we should be able to view as a necessary
ambition for obtaining a "well-lived" life?
One would imagine that members of an
educated society would be striving to
constantly reach the "oughtness"
mentioned above. But it appears that
racists are trapped; they are trapped and
caught in the "isness" of their limited
sight, pinned in the "isness" of their
sequestered scope . .. jailed in the de-
spondency of what they choose to be! I
rejoice in the fact that there are those who
are above this type of thinking.
The University of Michigan Chapter of
the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP), on who's behalf I submit this
Michael Nelson is President of the
University Chapter of the NAACP.
editorial as its president, is certainly
against racist actions and expressions. We
have been made abreast of the expression
of racism found in the Stockwell Hall and,
as we read in this publication, of the
expression found in the East Engineering
Bldg. We are in total opposition to this,
in a word, repugnant racist ideology. As
responsible NAACP members we will not
tolerate these inchoate incidents on our
campus. As the NAACP has always toiled
to eliminate racism, objurgating it in so
doing, this chapter will also continue in
the same tradition. We will again take
similar actions of meeting with gov-
ernment officials and this university's
administration to seek improvement in
minority affairs. And we will take more
action as is necessary to champion the
cause of civil rights.
Last week, the National Board of
Directors of the NAACP met in Little
Rock, Arkansas. It was quite an historic
meeting, as the association brought "The
Little Rock Nine" to the city for the
thirtieth anniversary of their experience in
the City of Little Rock. In 1957, those
nine persons (then high school students)
sought to enter the Central High School
for courses as students. Chosen by the
NAACP to be the students to break the
segregation of that school after the 1954
U.S. Supreme Court decision of Brown v.
The Topeka, Kansas Board of Education,
these nine were not allowed to simply
enter the school. They were'taunted, spit
upon, mobbed, 'struck and the like by
many who did not want the integration of
that school. After much conflict a militia
was mobilized by President Eisenhower to
protect the nine students.
I was blissful to find that last Friday,
the nine former students of the Central
High School ascended the stairs of the
school for a program with the NAACP.
They walked where they thirty years ago
had to move with much haste; they
not 'is'
without the threat of controversy entered
the portals of Central High where they
formerly were precariously cautious about
entering. The. product of what can be
achieved through diligence was ever
present in Friday's display.
It also ever reminds us that we must
always reach up for the "oughtness" of
what we can be and should be. We have to
work, as was done in 1957, to do what we
must to eradicate the injustices of this day
and this "isness" nature. As we celebrate
the 200th anniversary of the Constitution
of the United States, we are cognizant that
as citizens we must respect the right of
everyone to hold her/his opinion.
Thanking that document, we are fortunate
that we are not forced to respect opinions
contrary to ours.
I apologize to research students, staff
and faculty alike for these next statements.
They are founded in my belief and from
my own experience, which I hold are true.
Certainly racism is not dead, and as we
continue this school year with the fervor
necessary to combat racism, I am
confident that for every one negative
thinking person who opposes people on
the basis of race and the like, we (the civil
rights community) can find ten persons
who think the very opposite on this
campus. I am sure that for every one
woman or man who caters to segregation,
we know of at least ten persons who are
committed to civil rights. I trust for every
one that purports the repulsive ideals of an
unequal society, we have ten persons
preparing to make society equal. I remain
austere that for each one who grounds
her/his thinking in the. falsehood of
injustice there are tenrstudents on this
campus who are serious about the
aspirations of civil rights leaders. Point to
one who retains him/her self in the
"isness" of racism and we'll present ten
who are "reaching up for
'oughtness"'
LETTERS
Don' t stereotype all men as rapists
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To the Daily:
In the midst of all t h e
positive results of rape
awareness week, reverse sexism
is also present. I am
responding to the "Women Can
Fight Back!" editorial in
Tuesday's Daily Opinion
section (10/27/87). While most
of the points made by Sherman
and Haberman in the editorial
were positive, important
suggestions for rape preven-
tion, some of the methods they
recommended for men to utilize
in combating rape were simply
sexist.
They recommended that men
should walk on the other side
of the street when passing a
woman and should walk with
their hands out of their pock-
ets. I'm not saying that these
are, in themselves, outrageous
appeals but they seem to me to
be fundamentally flawed. In the
first place I don't see how the
placement of a man's hands as
he walks down the street has
anything to do with rape pre-
vention. If a man is carrying a
concealed weapon it only takes
a moment to leave the "safe
position," reach in one's
pocket and get the weapon. I
just see no practical purpose in
this restriction. However, if it
somehow makes women feel
more secure to do these things
I certainly do not mind going
out of my way.
MSA opposes
To the Daily:
MSA should be commended
for taking a positive step to-
wards combating racism. The
passage of .the resolution to
reprimand three engineering
societies, who organized the
road rally last term, is a con-
firmation of MSA's anti-racist
commitment. This road-rally
resulted in the vandalism of
one of the shanties on the diag
and the destruction of anti-
What bothers me more is th(
attitude with which this appeal
is made. It cultivates a feeling
of animosity between men and
women. It seems to tell
women that men just cannot be
trusted. This is a message that
is much too prevalent in our
society. It is understandable
how the fear has been culti-
vated. Rape is a terrible crime
that affects a disgustingly high
number of women in Ann Ar-
bor alone. One out of three
women is raped in one sense or
another during their lifetime.
However, it seems that the
general feeling is that therefore
one out of three men must be
rapists. This is just not true!
Most rapes are committed by
the same sick, weak individu-
als. These are those who are
trying to establish dominance
over someone in order to
achieve some feeling of
superiority. This is not the
majority of men.
Treating men like fugitives
is not the solution. Men must
be better educated. Sexist
jokes, as that editorial pointed
out, must be stifled. Also men
must be schooled more on the
differences between the sexes.
Many men, through ignorance,
are under the impression that
some women, particularly un-
attractive ones, want to be
raped or "don't really mind it."
Rape is still considered by far
too many people as a sexual
act whereas it is really just a
violent act of domination.
What bothers me is that men,
in general, are blamed for this
attitude while it is really only a
belief held by the ignorant.
There are more men who are
against rape and actively fight-
ing it than there are involved in
the crime, at least in Ann Ar-
bor. Why degrade and insult
one of rape's most powerful
enemies by blatantly showing
this lack of trust in men with
Uncle Joe m
To the Daily:
You need to break a few eggs
to make an omelet, but eggs
weren't the only things broken
Tuesday nightat Schorling
Auditorium. What was bro-
ken, indeed shattered, among
the flying eggs and obscene
shouts at the Contra speech,
was the myth that liberals hold
free speech as a right which
must never be intruded upon.
It came as no surprise that
the Daily failed to report the
egging or the vitriolic shouts
of "fuck you" 'hurled at the
"rebel" speakers and at the
woman who introduced them.
To be fair to the Daily, the
oyersight was in keeping with
its motto "ninety-eight years of
editorial freedom," freedom to
distort news events as it sees
fit in order to advance its ultra-
liberal agenda.
Yet to say that the protesters
present were of. the Daily's
ultra-liberalbent would be an
un fair attack on the Daily.
What was witnessed Tuesday
night was the ugly and fright-
ening tactics of hard-core
Marxist-Leninist agitators.
During one interruption, the
Costa Rican Contra represen-
tative, Mr. Pardo, jokingly said
"If the U.S. out of North
America delegation will kindly
quiet down..." only to be
u
suggestions such as those
mentioned earlier. Comments
like that only make men
defensive and create tension.
Even many of those who are
fundamentally against rape may
feel like they are being unfairly
stereotyped. Women must be
protected. Of this there is no
doubt. However, I don't want
to walk with the rapists on the
other side of the street.
-Daniel Milbrath
October 27
ist be smiling
"Ya, let's give it back to the
Indians!" If the individual who
shouted that and those who
cheered his remark are reading
this, I have only one thing to
say to you. Why don't youget
your subversive asses out of
tfiis country and set the exam-
ple for bourgeois exploiters
like myself?
The tactics employed by
those opposed to freedom in
Central America at the Schor-
ling Auditorium and at Wayne
State the previous night in-
fringed on the right of the
speakers to be heard and on the
right of myself and others to
hear them. What these little
thugs suffer from is not so
much a Marxist-Leninist out-
look, but rather from a malady
which can be best described as
sophomoric nihilism, a
pseudo-intellectual offshoot
from the "trust no one over
thirty" school of political in-
quiry. Everything they have
learned about foreign affairs
they have either read in Mother
Jones or seen on Miami Vice.
They are, in Stalin's words,
"useful idiots." Papa Joe was
surely smiling this past Tues-
day night.
--Glenn H. Kotcher
President, College
Republicans Activities
4
A
Engin.
group
went through the CSJ (the
student judiciary) but the engi-
neering students failed to show
up at the scheduled hearing.
They also failed to, at any
time, provide written apologies
to the organizations involved.
The decision by MSA sets a
precedent that racist acts will
no longer be tolerated. A s
Lannis Hall stated at the as-
sembly meeting, ignorance can
no innor,. he nwdaan e . n n.