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OPINION
Page 4 Friday, March 4, 1988 The Michigan Daily
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Spring fever,
break,
Al
covers
it all
Rambling and disjointed, I can't hold a
thought. Goddangit, it's the time of year.
Everyone seems to have it. The lull before
spring fever- when you'll see the fatman
skipping through the diag with flowers in
my hair - has hi. Hmmm, I feel like I
F FAT,
got me a great big piece of gauze wrapped
around my mind. Not my usual sharp self.
Y'all hear me, right? It seems to be going
around. Lordy lord the computer screen is
blinking, coming in and out of focus,
bending up and down. I need a slap....
Just got back from the salt flats of
: Utah. Had me some rambling good times
but only one problem. They don't have no
Pabst Blue Ribbon in that there state and
the only brewski they do have ain't but
3.2 percent alcohol. It works on the blad-
der but don't do much for the head. Heh-
heh-heh. Not too many fellars with
slicked back doos in that state neither.
Nosireebob, they're about the cleanest
lookin' bunch of folks I ever did see. And
Salt lake City is the only city I ever been
in with a copper on every corner. It's
enough to bring sweat to the brow of your
favorite fatman. I ain't never been able to
get over my juvenile delinquent fear of
cops. Even when I'm being perfectly law
abiding and a right honest livin' fella, I
get nervous when I see a Johnny Law....
Speaking of break, I saw some folks
wearing shorts on Monday to show off
their nicely tanned gams. Gimme a break.
Knaves and fools, knaves and fools. a
warm "Michigan day in February is not
shorts weather. And now you didn't look
good, you looked stupid....
Tom Monaghan did it. That pig stepped
over my line. I never have cared for tree
town's own Mr. Pizza what with his
leaning tower of pizza, free delivery in
Keith Jackson and Frank Gifford yappin'
on and on and shoot they didn't know a
luge from a lude. And Gifford sittin' in
front of that fire; geezopete, was that
'sposed to make you feel homey or what?
The only good part of the whole shebangs
was that Italian skier fella, Alberto Tomba
saying "I'm so fast, I could stop on my
way down, make love to a woman, and
still win." The guys got grapefruits. But
the rest of it was just lameola. And now
the Olympic boys are bringing George
Steinbrenner in to investigate. Who's
next, Pepproni head?...
Sean Higgins cold cocked someone at
the CCRB. What's this guy's problem?
Someone better sit that fellar down and
have a little head bangin' session with
him....I caught some crap for putting Bill
Freider on my top ten sleazey list a few
weeks ago. Well, if you can't figger out
why that guy's a sleazeball, you probly
don't understand much of what I say.
Some things just can't be put into words
but put it this way; at Thano's Lamp-
lighter, the hoop team hangout and a right
fine food jernt, it says under grilled cheese
sandwich "Bill Frieder's favorite." Need I
say more. The guy's pure Wonder bread.
Haven't heard from some of my good
ol' pals out there in a while. Crop me a
line.
Honduras, and gaudy displays of wealth.
But I done been silent, probably for too
long. But now that ol' pepperoni head just
knocked me outta my seat. Firstly, he
says he's gonna get rid of Tiger Stadium.
Sack-ree-lidge! He probly wants to build
a stadium by some hotsy totsy ark-ee-
techt and turn it into a private club. Then
he went and ran off his anchovy smelling
mouth about that good ol' boy Kirk Gib-
son. Mushroom mouth said he was glad to
see Gibby go and never liked him anyhow
cuz of his "unkempt appearance." He said
Gibby was a shame to the Tigers on ac-
count of his long hair and grubby face. I
bet he'd love me. Heh-heh-heh. The fella
grew up on the streets of Ypsilanti and
now he's acting like he's some kind of
high society fellar or somethin.' Makes
me sick. Monaghan's so repulsive, he
could vomit a buzzard....
Anyone else see how Willie Hernandez
dumped a bucket of cold water on the head
of Mitch "Free Press" Albom. I loved it
cuz I was getting pretty sick of that little
wimp anyhow....
Pat Robertson. Heh-heh-heh. Have
y'all been following this whole lawsuit
thing. Seems righteous Pat got his high
fallutin' pa-a senator-to pull him off
his marine troopsship bound for Korean
combat. He headed back to the base where
he served as the officer's "liquor boy,"
making sure that the flasks never ran dry.
And, I read, he was "quite proficient at it."
Now that someone dragged up his sordid
and wimpy past, Robbie's hollerin' like
Lucifer himself's got hold of 'em and
throwin' around a 35 million dollar law-
suit. 'Ceptin now he's tryin' to drop the
whole kitten kaboodle cuz the court date's
on Super Tuesday. Follow that? Robert-
son would be right funny if he tweren't so
frightenin'. I think one of them fancy
French movie dy-rectors made him up. He
ain't nothin' but what they call a "black
comedy."...
I ain't much of a TV fellar. Ever since
they cancelled the Beverly Hillbillies and
Gomer Pyle, I ain't had much reason to
watch no boob tube. Over break though I
had a chance to pop me a couple of cold
ones, recline my La-Z-Boy, and watch
some idiot box. Saw Hooperman and
Slap Maxwell. Didn't laugh once....
Speaking of idiotic, I caught me some
of the Olympics. What a bunch of crapola.
Just pathetic. ABC had them football boys
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01be 3fEi1g4an atrI
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
Vol. XCVIII, No. 103 420 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.
LETTERS
Daily letter uninformed, offensive
I
FLEMING
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conduct la
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Code not credible
'S NEW version of the memorandum, that his proposal is
code of non-academic not meant to imply that students are
cks credibility because it sole source of the problem.
explicitly say it would In fact, presumably under Flem-
dministrators. Fleming's ing's code Regent Deane Baker (R-
classic case of victim Ann Arbor) would be exempt. Yet,
it punishes students for among individuals, Baker is
ech and action while certainly a top contender for re-
the University bureau- inforcing the University's public
its staff, such as campus image of bigotry. He has upset
many students with his remarks in
Fleming considers his the Detroit Free Press, saying it
an "anti-harassment" would be "impossible" to achieve a
learly meets the definition 10 percent Black enrollment be-
A code has a system of cause that many Blacks would
complaints or evidence, a lower the standards of the Univer-
n to judge the guilt or in- sity.
the complaints or people Also undermining Fleming's
uilty of them, and, most credibility are the racist remarks
tly, a set of sanctions to made by LSA Dean Peter Steiner.
-m. Fleming's code has a Certainly his remarks have upset
g for complaints, a and distracted the energies of many
system, and a set of students from their studies.
it Fleming's code will not enhance the
ument clearly does not University environment.
ose obvious cases of vi- The actions of extreme individuals
angerous crime such as are sometimes more outrageous
arson with which the than those of Steiner and Baker.
1 routinely. But these ex- But they are also more easily
nd the "public forum" do dismissed than those of powerful
that the code does not University officials who make
ent conduct. Administra- policy. The case for an anti-bigotry
l over what students can code for administrators qua
nost fundamental form of administrators is much stronger
than the one for individual students,
e many ways in which who after all do not determine
new code has responded admissions, promotions and
a of his last one. For ex- financial aid, and who generally do
eming's new proposal not get media coverage for their
ave implementation in the every statement.
deans. Instead, it Student leaders should establish
a hearing panel with two as a precondition for discussing the
nd a faculty member to issue of civil liberties and racism
s. Final review is left to that the administration clean house
President of Student first. Firing or otherwise disciplin-
who happens, at least ing Dean Steiner by the administra-
ry Johnson leaves his tion would do more to improve the
Black. atmosphere on campus than any
es the majority of the written code for students. Beneath
a specific administrator. Fleming's clever discussion of civil
that the person might liberties and bigotry, the fact
ainority concerns at some remains that Fleming's code would
Id not be perceived as an be a one-sided assertion of
distribution of power administrative power over students.
g student interest. There . Institutional racism is bound to
antee that a progressive influence the implementation of any
will hold the office next. student conduct code. The
Nordby, director of the administration has already proven
A frma..x. A onn that it is unwillin nto deign nolicv
To the Daily:
Eddie Pont's letter, "Stein-
er's comments not a racist act"
(Daily 2/8), is typical of some
who feel called upon to dispar-
age those fighting for equality
on campus, while seeking to
justify, excuse and explain
away Dean Peter Steiner's
racially offensive beliefs.
Mr. Pont's letter is filled
with lamentations over the
outcry against Steiner. He
"find(s) it sad" that those out-
raged by Steiner's comments
have focused on those com-
ments themselves. He "is dis-
mayed" that UCAR sought
Steiner to clarify comments he
made four months ago (even
though UCAR only learned of
them recently). He "is dis-
turbed" that Steiner's call for a
Black attitudinal revolution
towards edu-cation carries
racist overtones when heard by
members of the Black commu-
nity.
Such touching sympathy!
Mr. Pont speaks from obvi-
ous personal experience with
discrimination when he argues
that Steiner's comments "do
not seem compelling enough
to me" to warrant protest. He
goes to great lengths in defense
of Steiner's sniping at Wayne
State and Howard Universities,
and "see(s) no racism in his
com-ment." Mr. Pont even at-
tempts to use Malcolm X to
support Steiner's contention
that Blacks need a "revolution"
in their attitudes toward ed-
ucation.
No doubt Mr. Pont comes
from a group historically dis-
criminated against via overt,
covert, legal, social, personal
and institutional mechanisms,
since he speaks with such ex-
pertise. He must be alarmed
that his many Black friends
were so thin-skinned as to be
offended by Steiner's well-rea-
soned, completely nonracial
comments.
My question Mr. Pont is
this. With such obvious en-
lightenment and experience,
with such compassion demon-
strated for the victims of racial
harassment, may we correctly
assume that you have been in
the forefront of the battle for
equality? That you have dili-
gently sought to expunge the
subtleties of racism in your-
self, your friends and your en-
vironment? May we assume
you have invested your time
and energy in helping to make
UCAR the type of efficient
anti-racist organization you
envision?
Surely you must have used
your writing talents to decry
the racial attacks and harass-
ment on campus last Spring.
No doubt you participated in
and helped organize the many
teach-ins and alternative edu-
cational programs held during
Martin Luther King Day. If
such is the case, you are to be
lauded. If not, by what right do
you criticize?
If your record of Daily col-
umns is a true indication, you
have not once raised your voice
and pen to denounce the overt
racist acts of the past.
Swastikas painted on Jewish
Greek houses, fliers declaring
"open season" on Blacks,
threats of violence against
Asian-american students, KKK
uniforms displayed from dorm
windows, vicious racist jokes
aired on the radio - none of
these incidents moved you to
the point- of action. How
strange you have suddenly
found your voice. Stranger still
is your choice of targets.
When one is not the object
of discrimination or insin-
uations (based solely on color)
regarding intellectual capa-
cities, when one is raised and
nurtured in a society of in-
equality, when one benefits
from the status quo but sud-
denly is forced to face un-
pleasant realities, it is easy to
pompously hold oneself up as
a discerner of errors committed
by those who threaten priv-
ileged positions.
Mr. Pont's views exemplify
this phenomenon. He criticizes
those who would combat in-
equality but offers no positive
solutions of his own. Pity the
minority students at West Quad
who must look to him as an
RA capable of understanding
the complexities of racism.
-Alexia Ridley
February 16
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Death threat demands action
By Eric Holt
Tuesday night I received a
phone call from a close friend
of mine. The tone of her voice
was confident and proud as
always, but her voice also
contained a hint of reserve.
After our usual greetings,
she explained the message she
had just listened off her
answering machine. My friend
has been involved in UCAR
for quite some time and after
she played the message back to
me, it became painfully clear
that she had indeed received a
death threat because her
involvement in the struggle for
racial equality.
All to often the students of
this campus shrug off the pleas
from UCAR and others
organization and people, call-
ing for end to racism. The
usual response to UCAR is
something like, "there they go
again making the problem
worse." The feeling seems to
be that if the racist incidents
and tendencies of this Univer-
sity are ignored, they will go
away. I do not see this
happening.
Racism is in no way a prob-
lem that is exclusive to the
University of Michigan.
Racism is everywhere. The is-
graduates of this University can
permeate the rest of the
American society and indeed
the p r o cess of true
desegregation can begin.
I will continue to fight for
racial equality on this campus.
When I graduate in the spring
and move away from Ann Ar-.
bor, I will continue to fight for
racial equality. When my chil-
dren go to grade school, I will
be there fighting for racial
equality in their class rooms as
hard as have for equality in the
classrooms of this institution.
Racism can be defeated with
a united effort. Hopefully, ev-
eryone will realize their moral
obligation to begin or continue
fighting racism.
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all the letters and columns it receives, although an
effort is made to print the majority of material on a
wide range of views. The Daily cuts letters and
columns for space in both the editorial process and in
production.
The Daily does not print blatantly sexist, racist or
homophobic letters or columns. The Daily also does
not print material which is factually incorrect. The
Daily also modifies letters to fit its grammar and type
styles.
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the policy please contact the Opinion page editors or
staff at 747-2814.
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