WEv 4F Ninety-eight years of editorial freedom Vol. XCVIII, No. 75 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Tuesday, January 19, 1988 Copyright 198'8, The Michigan Doily Boycott, Unit march draws 1,500 By JIM PONIEWOZIK More than 1,500 people marched through the streets of Ann Arbor yesterday and gathered on the Diag as part of a Unity March in honor of Martin Luther King's birthday. The marchers locked arms in imitation of the civil rights marchers of King's time and sang "We Shall Overcome" as they walked down South University Avenue and State Street, and through the Diag. D U R IN G the rally, several speakers called for students and administrators to combat racism. Some assailed the University for not doing enough to alleviate racism on campus. Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Stevens, who was as student at the University during the Black Action Movement protests of 1970, said "one thing I never imagined was that it would be neccessary (to protest racism on campus) in 1988." "The time for passivity is past," said LSA junior Lillien Waller, speaking on behalf of the United Coalition Against Racism. In front of a crowd which included Interim University President' Robben Fleming, Waller said the University Scottlin Rucker, See SPEAKERS, Page 3, ticipated in the n rally mark MLI Day Blockade meets student resistance By JIM PONIEWOZIK About 75 students led by mem- bers of the United Coalition Against Racism (UCAR) blocked entrances to Angell, Mason, and Haven halls yesterday to enforce a UCAR-spon- sored boycott of classes in honor of Martin Luther King's birthday. The blockade met with some ver- bal and physical resistance from many students who walked around or attempted to push through protesters who joined arms in front of four en- trances to the complex. Most students, however, quietly bypassed the blockade by entering through side doors that were left un- obstructed by the protesters. Classes held in Angell Hall were not significantly smaller as a result of the boycott, professors reported. ALMOST 1,000 students, though, had pledged not to attend classes, said UCAR steering com- mittee member Pam Nadasen. UCAR called for the boycott of classes earlier this month after In- terim University President Robben Fleming announced that he would not ask the University's Board of Regents to cancel classes for King's birthday. Students on their way to class were confronted by demonstrators who sang protest songs and played a tape recording of King's "I Have a Dream" speech outside the blocked doors. Some accused students enter- ing the building of taking a stand in favor of racism. "RACISTS use the back door," protesters stationed outside the doors to the Fishbowl chanted at students entering the building. "The picket line is symbolic," LSA junior and UCAR member Eric Williams said. "It forces you to make a decision If you're support- ing institutional racism here, you're going to have to either go through us or go around us. You're going to be acutely aware of what you're do- ing. See STUDENTS, Page 3 Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON School of Art junior (right), protests racism at a rally in honor of Rev. Martin Luther King. Some 1,500 people par- march and rally, where speakers addressed the problem of racism at the University. M visior civil also said Studi seven heldy K in a preset Agair #tten yeste Workshops foc V KRISTINE LALONDE The group sponsored lectures and artin Luther King was a "world discussions which addressed mist" who fought not only for problems of Asian Americans, rights in the United States but Puerto Ricans, Palestinians, Black for human rights worldwide, South Africans, and women in the Afro-American and African civil rights movement. es.Prof. Ernie Wilson in one of SPEAKERS called for listeners al commemorative workshops to mobilize and fight for all human yesterday. rights. Several of the speakers ing's world vision was reflected referred to the '60s civil rights diversity of symposiums movement as a mass political nted by the United Coalition movement, and not only the product nst Racism as an alternative to of King's leadership. The basis of ding University classes during King's work was a unified struggle rday's boycott. for human rights - as summarized us on King's message in his statement, "one struggle, many fronts." In a workshop addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a West Bank university professor and University alumna gave her personal account of "human rights violations in the Israeli-occupied territory." She said recent uprisings in the territory are the result of continued oppression of the Palestinians by the Israeli government. The professor, who asked not to be identified, cited examples of Palestinian civil rights issues and then stated, "I wonder how (U.S. citizens) would react under these situations." THE PROFESSOR, a native of the West Bank, said the best solution to the conflict in the West Bank would be to establish a separate Palestinian homeland with a democratically elected government. In a speech about struggles in Southern Africa, Afro-American and African Studies Prof. Omari Kokole said peaceful tactics jhave not ended apartheid. Non-violent protest will not bring about change in the region, he said. Kokole said Pretoria has reacted violently to peaceful demonstration, and so Ghandiism, or peaceful protest, is irrelevant because of the "nature of the oppressor." UCAR member and history graduate student Barbara Ransby addressed the role of women in the civil rights movement. She said the feminist movement and the minority rights movement are inseparable. Human rights cannot be achieved if any group is oppressed, she said. U.S. of ficial dismisses Sandinista promises Faculty hears approaches to combat racism WASHINGTON - A top State Department official dismissed yester- day peace concessions by Nicaragua's leftist government as a ploy to defeat an upcoming congressional vote on additional aid to the Contra rebels. But Nicaragua's vice president, said any renewal of U.S. aid to the Contras could "kill the peace pro- cess" in Central America. Even though yesterday was a fed- eral holiday in honor of the birth of Martin Luther King, high-level meetings were being held as officials sought to assess the latest develop- ments and to determine how much additional assistance for the Contras should be sought. Assistant Secretary of State El- liott Abrams said Nicaraguan offi- cials cannot be trusted to implement the promises they made during the weekend summit meeting of Central American leaders in Costa Rica. "They could have done this any- time over the last eight years. .. Two weeks before the vote on Capi- tol Hill, they make more promises. What is the purpose of it? It seems very clear the purpose is to win that vote," Abrams said on "CBS This Morning." Nicaragua has shown a limited interest in a negotiated settlement as a result of military pressure applied by the Contras, Abrams said, sug- gesting that ending Contra aid would give the Sandinistas no incentive to continue the peace process. The administration will make a formal request to the Congress for more aid on Jan. 26. Both the amount and the time frame for the aid are still undecided, according to ad- ministration officials. A House vote is set for Feb. 3 and the Senate will follow on Feb.4. By MICHAEL LUSTIG Two approaches, one political and one philosophical, can be taken to combat institutional racism in society and at the University, two professors told the faculty's Senate Assembly yesterday. "I don't think a week goes by that I don't have minority students in my office in tears over some comment," School of Social Work Dean Harold Johnson told the assembly. He said students receive comments from peers and faculty members such as, "That's really good work - for you," or "You've exceeded my expectations." Dean Johnson urged the more political approach, and cited gains made by Blacks in politics as one measure of progress since the '60s. Blacks have progressed in politics by being aggressive but not angry. But, he said, while there are Black mayors in major U.S. cities, the only, presidential candidate to have a Black we define as what history is, what biology is, chemistry, sociology, physics," Prof. Johnson said. Both agreed that finding solutions to racism is as difficult as defining the causes. Dean Johnson also said that while the University has a Black vIc4 president and two Black deans, there are no Blacks in senior positions in the athletic department. The number of Black students and faculty is not good, he added, but he supported the University's recruitment and retention efforts. "The hurling of allegations is counterproductive," Dean Johnson said. "If we make the understanding of racism one of our priorities, we can succeed." Until thought patterns are changed, Prof. Johnson said, minority students will be subjected to "intellectual terrorism"' because literature that helps define first principles of thought, such as the ' .....