Local Vietnam veteran urges Mich. to create state holiday The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 16, 1989 - Page 3 UCAR forum focuses on LSA racism course BY GIL RENBERG 'WITH WIRE REPORTS At a press conference held in Lansing yesterday, Charles Tackett, a local Vietnam veteran, urged legislators to make Michigan the second state to commemorate Viet- nam Veterans Memorial Day on May 7. State Reps. Perry Bullard (D-Ann Arbor) and Bill Martin (R-Battle Creek) introduced a resolution to create the holiday on Feb. 2. It is expected to come up for a vote by the end of the month. Tackett has been lobbying state and federal governments for this holiday for seven years, staging let- ter-writing campaigns, marches, and hunger strikes. Tackett who served in Vietnam from 1967-1969, said it is important to commemorate the war because U.S. citizens need to realize that sending armed forces overseas is not always the answer to conflict. "I'm not here for money, pride, vanity, glory. I'm just here to try to do my civic duty as an American," Tackett said. His efforts have the endorsement of the Michigan Student Assembly, which passed a resolution supporting Tackett last year. It is important to have a holiday that "is set aside to remind us that we all have a democratic right and responsibility to have a voice in foreign policy and to object to un- just wars," said MSA Representative Corey Dolgon. Dolgon said he feels Memorial Day and Veterans Day are failing for this purpose, since they "tend to glorify war." "Peace and freedom: that's what this holiday is all about," Dolgon said. Last September, Maine became the first state to honor the day. and Tackett said he hopes Michigan will be next. BY ROLLIE HUDSON Last night, about 70 students and faculty attended a discussion on the, proposed LSA prerequisite class on racism. The discussion topics ranged from the history of the proposed class - now before the LSA Curriculum Committee - to the need for people to speak in support of the proposed class, "powerfully and from their hearts," as professor Buzz Alexander expressed it. Alexander, one of four panelists who led the talk, began with an ex- planation of how Concerned Faculty consider such a course. Roderick Linzie, a University teaching assistant, explained to the largely supportive crowd that the university is designed to prevent this type of student involvement from occurring very often. Mike Wilson, a first-year medical student and a panelist, said "the de- gree to which an institution changes is proportional to the degree to which people push for progress." He added that it is not only access to universities that is important, but "what is taught." Tackett ...lobbies in Lansing Oscar nominee selections announced BY MARK SHAIMAN Although the Oscars won't be handed out for another six weeks, the nominees are in. And there were a few unexpected twists among the largely predictable selections. Most notably, William Hurt did not receive his fourth consecutive nomination for Best Male Actor. In- stead, honors went to Dustin Hoff- man (Rain Man), Gene Hackman (Mississippi Burning), Tom Hanks (Big), Edward James Olmos (Stand And Deliver), and Max Von Sydow (Pelle The Conqueror). Olmos was a pleasant surprise, showing that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences does occasionally remember films that were released earlier than December. As for Best Female Actor, the nominations were pretty straightfor- ward: Glenn Close (Dangerous Li- aisons), Jodie Foster (The Accused), Melanie Griffith (Working Girl), Meryl Streep (A Cry In The Dark), and Sigourney Weaver (Gorillas In The Mist). Weaver also garnered a nomination for Best Supporting Female Actor for Working Girl, which is only the fifth time this has happened in the 61 years of the Academy Awards. Joining Weaver in this category are Joan Cusack (Working Girl), Geena Davis (The Accidental Tourist), Frances McDormand (Mississippi Burning), and Michelle Pfeiffer (Dangerous Liaisons). The most interesting recognitions came in the category of Best Sup- porting Male Actor, encompassing a wide range of talent. Relative youngster River Phoenix (Running On Empty) and Big Chill-er Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda) joined the ranks of more established actors Dean Stockwell (Married To The Mob), Martin Landau (Tucker), and Alec Guinness (Little Dorrit). In most years, the nominations for best directors and best films are usually the same, but this time there are a couple of exceptions. Barry Levinson and his film Rain Man both were nominated, as were Alan Parker, Jr. with Mississippi Burning, and Mike Nichols with Working Girl. However, The Accidental Tourist is up for Best Film while director and University graduate Lawrence Kasdan is not, and the same thing happened to Stephen Frears, who directed Dangerous Liasons. In place of Kasdan and Frears, the Academy chose Charles Crichton (A Fish Called Wanda) and Martin Scorcese (The Last Temptation of Christ). The final choices of the Academy will be presented Mar. 29, broadcast around the world to an estimated one billion people. *Students discuss University safety problems BY LISA FROMM Lighting, the Ann Arbor police, and the Nite Owl service were criti- cized by students last night at a safety symposium sponsored by the Michigan Student Assembly. While only 32 people attended the event at the Union, "the quality of the turnout was good," said MSA Communications Chair Robert Bell, adding that the crowd "really opened up" during the discussions. Many students said there is a need to make off-campus areassafer - especially near the fraternity and sorority houses - by improving THE LIST What's happening in Ann Arbor today Speakers "Ethics: The Cornerstone of Public Trust" - Archibald Cox, Rack- ham Amphitheatre, 1 pm. 1989 Neil Staebler Conference. "The University and the Common Good: The Politics of English Lit- erature" - Prof. William Alexan- der, Canterbury House, 7:30 pm. Critical, ethical issues in teaching and English. "Arbitrage in the Financial Mar- kets" - The Michigan Economic Society, 140 Lorch hall Aud., 5-6 pm. Visiting Writers Series - Mary Gaitskill, Kuenzal Rm., Michigan Union, 5 pm. Free. "New Reproductive Technologies: Ethical Issues from a Feminist Perspective" - Dr. Sandra Tangri, Howard University, Center for Continuing Education of Women, Comerica Bank, 3-5 pm. "Evolutionary Jurisprudencee - Peter Strahlendorf, Ph.D., Univ er- sity of Toronto, East Lecture Rackham, 4 pm. "~From C-4 to Associate Dean in Twenty Years" - Carolyn A. Copeland, Assoc. Dean, LS&A, Rm. 2 Michigan League, 12 noon-1 pm. Open to 'U' support staff. "Dying as an Art: Suicide in Early Modern. England" - Michael MacDonald, History, Rackham, W. Conference Rm., 8 pm. "Reconstructing Deconstructed Rights" - Patricia Williams, 100 Hutchins Hall, 7:30 pm. "Thermochemical Kinetics: Ex- periment and Theory in Partner- ship" - Dr. David Golden, SRI, 1200 Chem., 7:30 pm. "Mossbauer Studies of Fe3S4 Cluster in Proteins" - Eckard Munck, University of Minnesota, 1200 Chem., 4 pm. Meetings InterVarsity Christian Fellowship - Henderson Rm., Michigan League, 7 pm. American-Arab Anti-Discrimina- tion Committee - Pond Rm. B, Michigan Union, 6 pm. U of M Student Chapter of Society of American Foresters Mass Meet- ing - 2520 Dana, 7 pm. All inter- ested invited to attend. PIRGIM Meeting - 4th Floor Michigan Union Lobby, 7 pm. Indian American Student Association - Michigan Rm., Michigan Union, 5:30 pm. Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry - Hillel, Rm. 3, 6:30 pm. Rainforest Action Movement - 1040 Dana, 7 pm. Palestine Solidarity Committee - 2212 MLB, 7 pm. Students Concerned About Ani- mal Rights - 124 E. Quad, 6-8 pm. Furthermore German Club-Student/Faculty Reception - MLB Conference Rm., 3rd floor, 4-6 pm. Islam: The Way of Life-Interna- tional Coffee Hour - Rm. C, Michigan League, 3rd floor, 12 noon-1 pm. Pre-Interviews - Pansophic Sys- tems, Inc., 1311 EECS, 6-8 pm; In- tel, 1303 EECS, 6-8 pm. Peer Writing Tutors - Church Street Computing Center, 7-li pm. ECB trained. "Banking on Disaster" - Film on debt and environmental disaster, 1040 Dana, 7 pm. LASC Film Series: "El Salavador: In the Name of the People" - An- gell Hall, Aud. D, 8 pm. Free. Northwalk - Sun.-Thur., 9 pm- 1 am. Call 763-WALK or stop by 3224 Bursley. Safewalk - Sun-Thur, 8 pm- 1:30 am; Fri-Sat, 8-11:30 pm. Call 936- 1000 or stop by 102 UGLi. Info*fest - North Campus: Burs- ley hall, 5-7 pm. Practice Interviewing on Video (Limit: 15 Students) - Career Planning and Placement Center, Rm. 1, 3:10-5 pm. Films by Stan Brakhage - Desist- film, Dog Star Man, The7Dante Quarteti, Lorch Hall Aud., 7:30 pm. Performances Frank Allison & Odd Sox/Pan the Sirens - At the Beat, doors open at 9:30 pm. Soundstage - Flashback Live, U- Club, 10 pm. Israeli Dancing - Hillel, 7:30-10 pm. Leah Sadras, one hour in- struction. University Players - "Trojan Women", 8 pm. "In the Traffic of a Targeted City" n -F «..... 0 ...1r -- lighting and installing emergency phones. Several students said the Nite Owl service would be more helpful if it ran 24 hours and expanded.its routes to more than two. The Ann Arbor police were an- other target of criticism. "Ann Arbor police should spend less time ticket- ing and more time patrolling," said Paul Seltman, a communications committee member. Others com- plained that police are not taking students seriously enough. "The University pays $600,000 a year to the Ann Arbor police to pa- trol more. Do we get $600,000 worth of protection?" communica- tions committee member Jon Polish said to participants. Students said they feel unsafe near the corner of Maynard and Liberty, the walkway between the Chemistry and Natural Resource buildings, the North University Building, and around the Hill dorms. "It's (safety) a very big problem," said Laurie Solow, a participant rep- resenting Alpha Epsilon Pi sorority. "I don't feel like the University or students are doing enough. It's defi- nitely a problem that needs to be in- vestigated," she said. "I'm scared to walk alone at night, and I never do," said Eva Saha who represented Delta Delta Delta sorority. Most of the forum's participants were from a fraternity or sorority, "which says something very positive about the Greek system and some- thing very negative about the other groups," Gretchen Walter, vice chair of MSA's communication commit- tee. More than 100 studentgroups were invited to attend. The second meeting, to be held on Monday at 8 p.m. in the Union's Anderson room, will deal with pos- sible solutions. Walter and Bell plan send their suggestions for improve- ments to University regents, admin- istrative officials, and the epart- ment of Public Safety, as 'ell as Ann Arbor city councilmembers and police. 2 41) iir/ .1.i :% "/i {'h-r "% ' 's 4 { . /j % 4 ,,Y""; - /y fHE'n! ... / i / ~ '/"Ap' 'The degree to which an institution changes is propor- tional to the degree to which people push for progress. - Michael Wilson, UCAR member has worked with the United Coali- It is important that people study tion Against Racism - which the history of racism from perspec- sponsored last night's forum - to tives not exclusively white male in develop a prerequisite class to order to "teach ourselves how to address the issue of racism and other avoid the mistakes of the past," said similarly related oppression in the Thomas Fujita, a panelist and U.S. representative of the University of He outlined the process a pro- Michigan Asian Student Coalition. posed class must go through from its Additionally, Ransby said, "it is inception, to a vote by the college's incumbent on us to desegregate the Curriculum Committee, to a final syllabi" and that, there is a "reservoir decision by that college's faculty. of literature to draw on to diversify The racism class proposal will go the curriculum." before a faculty-wide vote Mar. 6. When asked about the Alexander said this type of initiative "objectivity" of such a course, sev- is not unprecedented, as Stanford, eral panelists said that students Berkeley, and Wisconson are under- would not be graded on their politi- going similar changes. cal views, and that the class would Barbara Ransby, a doctoral be taught by experienced candidate in History and Afro- professionals who have made it their American Studies, said there is an lives' work to study particular forms important difference between of oppression. Concerned Faculty's proposal and Tracye Matthews, director of the LSA's revised version: the LSA Ella Baker-Nelson Mandela Center, version excludes students from the added that this would present stu- committee to oversee the course. dents an opportunity to stud~y Ironically, she said, students are marginalized disciplines ofteh fundamentally responsible for denied central positions in acadei: encouraging the University to study. JESUS. Who is he? Why do 1 care? Find out who, why, and what It all means to you. You may be surprised. TONIGHT Bible Study 7:30 pm, Welker Room Michigan Union Sponsored by the Students of the Ann Arbor Church of Christ Reach 40,000 readers after class, advertise in . JIut ~ldqt9uu agi - -_________ Weekend MAGAZINE MICHIGRAS/SOUNDSTAGE PRESENTS 1989 BATTLE OF THE BANDS NEW BANDS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY - During Michigras March 16, 17, 18 CAR PAGE ATTENTION APRIL GRADS! GMAC Offers College Grad Financing! $400 Cash Back. Guaranteed Financing. Call Ron Graham Rampy Chevrolet, 663-3321 U-M '61 DA Rent a Car from Econo-Car OPEN 7 - LYS A WEEK * Choose from small economical cars f~ . @N I£.Na-I A. - Prizes - Applications Available In UAC Offices - Deadline February 22, 1989 at 5:00 PM The Original University of Michigan Awarded