U OPINION Page 4 Thursday, November 19, 1987 The Michigan Daily Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan Racism: By Tim Huet Vol. XCVIII, No. 51 420 Maynard St: Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board. All other. cortoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily. A R? Mic cons mat rise cour Pare D( $89 Rea the Inte expi will divi beer orga cou cont serv 197 Di has AID Inte over Plan clau mor forb fund dev won wou whe dem den tighi rT Par org Plar stop whi, -Third World abortions 2ECENT STUDY BY University of takes any advocacy stand on abortion. higan's School of Public Health The Reagan Administration failed to ;luded that self-induced abortions, prevent domestic family. planning ernal deaths, and birth rates will groups from taking an advocacy stand dramatically in Third World in the United States because doing so ntries if aid is cut off to Planned would infringe on free speech. nthood's international division.. Women in developing countries do espite this ominous prediction, an not have our Constitution to protect million dollar grant by the their rights nor our Supreme Court to gan Administration, given over uphold a woman's legal right to an past five years to Family Planning abortion. rnational Assistance, is set to Planned Parenthood does not fund re December 31 and most likely abortions abroad, directly or not be renewed. The international indirectly. Any local organization sion of Planned Parenthood has which provides abortions must do n providing funds to local them in a different location and keep inizations in 36 Third World separate accounts. If Planned ntries which in turn g i v e Parenthood were to sign these new traception and family planning agreements, however, they would be ices to 1.4 million women since acquiescing to a violation of their civil 1. rights and ethical guidelines. .toTragically, the victims of the ispute over the terms of the aid *R eag an A dminis tration' s caused this anticipated cut off. fundamentalism will be women in the , the Federal Agency for Third World who will lose birth rnational Development, which control famil lannin counseling sees foreign aid abroad, wants and l h g li T , Lned Parenthood to sign two newh possiby their life. These ses which are ethically and underdeveloped countries will be ally wrong. The first clause faced with combatting disease, famine ids Planned Parenthood from and soon, another population ling any local organizations in explosion. eloping countries which counsel Reagan's stance illustrates a strong nen that abortion is an option;this lack of regard and concern for human ld be enforced even in countries life and for the choices of women, re abortion is legal. AID i s poor people, and members of landing that Planned Parenthood developing nations. Health is not a y women the knowledge of their commodity that can be bought; y wom the kngaowledgeiofmoreover, Reagan's disregard for the t to a legal abortion. well-being of these societies is he second clause requires Planned another example his insensitivity to enthood to act as a policing the interests of people of color. In anization against free speech. depriving people of color of their, nned Parenthood is being asked to rights and their health, he is trying to ? funding any local organization regulate morality for people who can't. ich advocates abortion reform or afford it. In recent months, you probably have heard assurances from the administration about its commitment to "cultural diversity" or "multi-culturalism." Or per- haps you have heard one of the speakers the University has brought in to speak on the virtues of "cultural diversity." If these speeches and proclamations have left you unsatisfied or uneasy, tonight will provide you an opportunity to have your suspi- cions articulated. The United Coalition Against Racism (UCAR) has brought to town A . Sivanandan, a speaker radically different from those which the administration has been parading before us. Indeed, Sivanan- dan has written a trenchant essay, "RAT and the Degradation of the Black Strug- gle," that analyzes how authorities attempt to turn institutionally-based racial conflict into a question of attitudinally-based just an "cultural diversity." RAT refers to "racial awareness training," a kind of group therapy that attempts to increase sensitivity to racial prejudice which has been used extensively in Britain and re- cently introduced to the University of Michigan. Sivanandan's scholarship on race rela- tions in Britain has had an effect on that country's policy as well as intellectual de- bate. The evidence amassed by Sivanandan on the causes of the British "race riots" of the early '80s placed what have come to be known as the "uprisings" in the context of growing nationwide racial violence. Yet, this man does restrict himself to the role of intellectual. He played a catalytic role in the founding of the Anti-Nazi League, an organization formed to combat that ris- ing wave of racism which the author had documented. The vehicle through which Sivanandan exercises such influence is the Institute of Race Relations (IRR). The IRR was at one time dominated by white liberals and businessmen before Sivanandan and a coalition of radicals took over the Institute in a '60s "staff revolution." After the attitude? takeover, the research grants from indus- tries, government, and charities which had supported the IRR dried up. But the Insti- tute has survived on a shoestring budget and subsistence salaries. Meanwhile the influence of the IRR has grown along with the circulation of its magazine, Race and Class. The quarterly has come to be read by several thousands. But its impact is much greater than num- bers alone would reveal. The publishers of Race and Class can count among its read- ership policy-makers and African presi- dents. The articles in Race and Class set the tone and terms of debate on issues of social conflict. Some of the most seminal pieces in the magazine are written by its leading light, A. Sivanandan. Tonight affords a rare opportunity to hear this remarkable man speak on the connections not only between race and class, but those between the anti-racist struggle in Britain and that in our own country. It is a chance to discover a mind from which great minds take instruction. A. Sivananadan will be speaking tonight at 8:30 p.m. in the Kuenzel room of the Michigan Union. Tim Huet is an Arts staff writer. 0 LETTERS Anti-racist movement needs support To the Daily: The anti-racist struggle at the University is at a critical point. The University made some promises last term that the student body has largely ac- cepted as an adequate response to the anti-racist movement; promises like these, usually unkept, are historically used to quell student movements. This campus is undoubtedly show- ing signs of falling into this trap. Letters are appearing in the Daily claiming that the United Coalition Against Racism has gotten "too powerful" and that the problem we should be focusing on is the discomfort that white stu- dents experience from students of color (both in the 11/16/87 issue). Many white students say that they are tired of hear- ing about racism here. They are not "into it" anymore. We need to look b a ck, though, at struggles before this one. The Black Action Movement (I) closed this cam- pus 17 years ago to get a promise from the administra- tion of 10 percent Black en- rollment. It has had more than enough time to attain that. Today, only five percent of the student population is Black American. Those students back in 1970 and in 1976 (BAM II) should have never let up when the administration started making promises. Now, in 1987, students who are opposed to the racist in- equalities at this university need to reaffirm their commit- ment to working against them. Involvement during this critical time is desperately needed. Also, students should do more to support and attend anti-racist events and actions. Today at 4:00 in the Fleming Adminis- tration Building, the United Coalition Against Racism is going before the Regents dur- ing the public comments sec- tion of their monthly meeting to reassert its anti-racist de- mands and to show them there are still concerned students on this campus who are watching to insure they keep their promises. We need every- body's support. Then at 8:00 in the Kuenzel Room of the Union, A. Sivanandan, editor of Race and Class and director. of the. Institute for Race Rela- tions in London, will be speaking on the approaches of anti-racist struggles in England and what we can learn from them. Please come out and show your support. -Dave Fletcher U.C.A.R. November 18 U I 'White boys' is racism against whites Contingent maliCe , PRESENTLY, THE United States "world communism." Al] -has amassed enough warships in Arab activists, and evil a' the Persian Gulf to raise the sea INS wanted their Arab-sy level a few inches in the words of views shut up. Unfortui one Reagan official. In this political the INS (but not for the a ,environment of imminent conflict tivists), it was unable t with Iran, a contingency plan enti- any evidence to substa fled, "Alien Terrorists and Undesir- charges, much less get ti : ables" sits on a shelf in Washington the country. Under the R "D.C., which exemplifies racist atti- ministration, it is therefc " Lides and poses a threat to the civil fetched for the INS toI liberties of Arab-Americans. deporting Arabs from thi Last year in May, the Reagan ad- called for by the continge ministration drew up the contin- The U.S. presence in 1 gency plan outlining increased Gulf demands that the cc surveillance and the roundup of plan be quickly dealt w aArabs residing in the United States emotions against Irania Into detention camps. This plan can high. U.S. warships then be activated by an executive order in likely to provoke more Ir ease a crisis erupts in the Middle itary responses, heighten "east. anger in the United Sta This plan was made by a com- Iran, as in 1979 when mission set up to find ways to fight Khomeini's supporters terrorism directed against the United the American embassy in States, and its legitimacy has been If another similar incid acknowledged by the Reagan ad- Iranians, and conseque ministration. Specifically, the plan will be held in low estee calls for special surveillance of ple in the United States,r Arab-Americans by the Immigration time ripe for activatingt and Naturalization Services (INS) gency plan. Not many pe and the FBI. It also outlines a sys- plained about the Japane tematic roundup and internment of can roundup during Wo Arabs into detention camps in because of the public Louisiana, where land, tents, and against Japan, and pr fences have already been prepared. many people would com From here, the Arabs are to be- using the contingency p eventually deported. The deporta- Arab-Americans if the Ira tion part of the plan applies only to to mount a significant & non-U.S. citizens, which means U.S. warships in the Gu permanent resident visa holders can The racist attitudes tha also be deported. the Reagan -adminis The contingency plan only men- stereotype Arabs - esp tions Arabs and Iranians, but it is nian Arabs - as terror ambiguous enough to be applied to surgents has compoun almost any ethnic or racial minority policy of suspicion andf To the Daily: I am writing in regard to a remark made by Charles Wynder, Residence Director- Gomberg House, South Quad, and a spokesperson for the Black Action Movement III. During a panel discussion on the Michigan S t u d e n t Movement in a Sociology 102 class, Mr. Wynder referred to some white adult males as "white boys." This is a highly derogatory and racist way of describing a white male. I'm shocked that someone s o supposedly adamant about eradicatingracism would make. such a comment. I spoke to the T.A., Roderick Linzie, who is a spokesperson for UCAR and the Minority Organization of Rackham, about the incident. He claimed it couldn't be considered racist because there was no institutionalized racism concerning whites. So, if a white man was lynched by a group of black men it wouldn't be racist? I feel that racism toward whites is just a s mor ily wrong as racism toward Blacks. The only difference is the former is acceptable in our society. -Kellie R.K. Goodman November 12 l nine were dently, the ympathetic nately for arrested ac- to produce antiate the :hem out of Reagan ad- re not far- proceed in s country if :ncy plan. the Persian ontingency ith before ns run too re are very ranian mil- ning public tes against Ayatollah took over Tehran. ent occurs, itly Arabs,. em by peo- making the the contin- eople com- ese-Ameri- rld War II consensus obably not plain about lan against anians were attack upon lf. at prompted tration to. pecially Ira- ists and in- ded into a fear against. Victim's backpack eulogy To the Daily: Approaching two weeks ago, I became a victim. I know this because a public safety officer gave me a telephone number. for the victim assistance board in Lansing, the officer then as- sured me that indeed 75% of the time students' stolen or lost property is indeed recov- ered. Thus far, they did recover my wallet, minus the bucks of course, so far as the world is concerned I have at least been reunited with my identity. However, my backpack and its contents are still at large. Many feelings and questions are raised. I feel so violated that anyone would take it. What use will my 32" x 35" Bivouac jeans be to someone else, tai- lored to fit my behind? My Spanish notes, child pyschopathology notes and ac- companying textbooks are also gone. A very special black di- ary-like book in which I wrote thoughts, poems, and would someday be included in my memoirs. Whatever could be the purpose of someone violating me in such a way? At the same time I feel all of this I have a struggle with myself because I work each week with kids in prison, domestic vio- lence situations, and know that my dilemma in no way com- pares, I am nonetheless pissed off. The public safety office re- minded me whenI told them of my Pee Wee Hefman-like vigil she will still blame my igno- rance and contemplate some appropriate punitive action like withholding Christmas, my birthday, or perhaps in the fu- ture, my wedding. She will cite as just cause - irresponsibility. The backpack itself is not the core of my problem.: I have guilt feelings whenever I spend money on clothes. Inside were my new jeans. A developmen- tal milesto s go, this has set me back. My hardcover note- book in which I wrote, I had a lot of thoughts and feelings written in there, now it's gone as well. If I ever do run for a public office, I can only hope it's not found. If you have any information or are now feeling guilty, please end my Pee Wee vigil by calling public safety or. do- ing something. -Patric S. McFarlane November 11 Protest at Fleming today To the Daily: Are you concerned about the recent racist incidents on campus? Are .you fed up with letters to the Daily that insist "t ;re is no overt racism at the University" and "funky Black bitch is not a racist comment?" Do you want to help end institutional racism? Today at 4 p.m. in t h e Fleming building, the United Coalition Against Racism (UCAR) will re-present eleven demands to the University Administration at this months Regent's meeting. If you care about the rights of minorities on campus, come out to the Regent's meeting and show your support for UCAR. Help the admin- istration realize that it must do all it can to combat racism at the University. Half-hearted efforts are just not enough. -Angie Jakary UCAR member November 18 The Daily welcomes letters from its readers. Bringing in letters on personal computer disk is the fastest way to publish. a letter in the Daily. GOLDIiOCKS AND THE THREE B[AR MAPKEtS TO CON 5AY HECK \A WE E-- -TH E 'ILL o Lipp FIL.