The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 12, 1989 - Page 3 Sociologist explains roots of Intifada-Palestinian uprising BY MICAH SCHMIT Burning the Palestinian shanty on the Diag, criti- cizing the Daily's progressive stance on the Pales- tinian uprising, and spray painting racist remarks on the wall of the Student Publications Building are dis- couraging incidents because they stifle debate, said Steve Ghannam, member of the General Union of Palestinian Students (GUPS), before introducing Samih Farsoun. The answer to the Palestinian Question is very simple: end occupation of the West Bank and Gaza strip, and allow Palestinian self-determination, said Farsoun, Chair of the Sociology Department at Amer- ican University in Washington, D.C. The Palestinian uprising, also known as the In- tifada, is significant both locally - within the West Bank and Gaza strip - and regionally, said Farsoun who spoke last night in the Law School's Hutchins Hall on The Social Roots of the Palestinian Uprising. Regionally, Israel has exhibited division within its own political infrastructure similar to that seen in France during the Algerian civil war and in the United States during the Vietnam war, Farsoun said. Moreover, he continued, the large overseas Jewish community, particularly in the U.S. and Great Britain, no longer stands solidly behind each decision Israel makes. The roots of the Intifada lie in Israel's colonization of the occupied territories, Farsoun said. For the past 20 years Israel has attempted to prevent any Pales- tinian political assembly or activism in the West Bank and Gaza strip. In addition to collective punishments, such as de- molitions, current "Iron Fist" policies by Israel toward the Palestinians include acts of humiliation such as making people "crawl on all fours and bark like a dog" or "kiss the rump of an ass," he said. He estimates 400,000 Palestinians out of a total population of only 1.4 million have been incarcerated in Israeli jails during the past 20 years for political ac- tivism - "this would include almost everyone of pro- ductive age during their lifetime." Furthermore, Farsoun said, the Palestinians in the occupied territories are being economically and cultur- ally "squeezed." For example, water usage per capita in Israel is 20 times that in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Cultural repression, he said, even extends to control over the books taught in Palestinian schools. Artists may not use the four colors of the Palestinian flag - black, white, red and green - together. Even if the uprising were to end now, Farsoun said, the momentum of social injustice against the Pales- tinians would be irreversible. "It can never go back to the way it was before." Foes of ash bill Ise Capitala LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Crit- ics of a bill to ease regulation of: toxic ash produced by municipal trash-burners descended on the state Capital yesterday, arguing the mea- sure would produce a new pollution threat in Michigan. The opponents rallied with shouts and signs at the Capitol building, then packed a Senate committee hearing where many continued their criticism of the House-passed mea- The Natural Resources and Envi- ronmental Affairs Committee de- layed any action on the bill. The measure would permit incin- erator ash, which has been shown to contain toxic chemicals, to be buried in specially constructed units in solid waste landfills. Otherwise, the ash would have to be buried in more protective and more expensive hazardous waste I andfil Is. The problem of how to dispose of the ash has shut down at least two municipal incinerators, in Jackson and in Macomb County's Clinton Township. Meanwhile, Detroit's $438 mil- lion incinerator was scheduled to open this spring, and Grand Rapids also planned a trash-burner. "We in Jackson started out seven years ago to get away from landfill- ing," said state Rep. Michael Grif- fin, (D-Jackson), and sponsor of the bill. JESSICA GREENE/Daily Samih Farsoun, Chair of the Sociology department at American University, spoke on the social roots of the Palestinian uprising last night. He cited mass, unilateral oppression as its principle catalyst. Men's Glee Club to tour Far East this spring BY STEPHEN SCHWEIGER The University's oldest student organization, the Men's Glee Club, will be touring the Far East this spring. Their program will consist of music from various cultural back- grounds, ranging from opera to Asian folk music to the Michigan fight song. Glee Club president Hamilton Chang said "we are carrying on the Michigan tradition. This is the only chance that many of the students will have to see the culture of the Orient. This might also be the only chance for the people of the Orient to meet U of M students." The May 1989 "Orient Tour" will mark the Glee Club's first visit to the Far East since the organization's 1969 World tour. Every fourth year the club travels abroad for concerts. Four years ago the club toured Eu- rope. The club also takes smaller continental tours during the three year interim between major tours. Last year, the club toured the North- eastern United States, visiting Boston, Hartford, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh. The club's trip to Asia will in- clude joint concerts with Taipai Municipal Teachers College, Na- tional Sun Yat-sen University, the University of Kyoto, Kwansei Gakuin University and Ewha Women's University. They will also be performing for U-M Alumni Clubs in Hawaii, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. "The alumni support is extremely strong around the world. We will be housed and fed by alumni on our trip to the Orient," said Chang. The club's alumni strength was exemplified on their visit to Traverse City Michigan earlier this year. The money that alumni raised from the concert was donated to a scholarship fund to help financially needy stu- dents attend the University. The travel costs of the trip have been covered by the money raised at two Hill Auditorium performances this year, in addition to fees paid by the members of the Glee Club. The club has been acclaimed as one of the best male choruses in the world. Michigan auto thefts on the downswing BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Michigan has tumbled from first to sixth, and that's good news for state police fighting car theft. Tougher laws, more money and new technol- ogy have contributed to lowering the number of car thefts in the state to 68,415 in 1987, the lat- est year available for the national figures. In 1984, Michigan topped the national list with 78,006 cars reported stolen. In each year since then, the number of cars stolen has decreased, dropping to 67,211 last year. "Auto theft was always considered a non-vio- lent crime, an insurance problem," said Val Vi- tols, executive director of the Automobile Theft Prevention Authority, a branch of the state po- lice. It didn't take long for that insurance problem to become a financial problem for policy holders as companies increased premiums to cover their losses. The problem increased in the early 1980s be- cause of the value of spare parts and lack of po- lice attention cause partly by skinny budgets. Five years ago, the state Legislature began pass- ing laws to deal with the problem. In 1986, a law went on the books cling on every policyholder to contribute $1 a year to a fund to help local policies agencies deal with au- tomobile thefts. Study: Americans fear defense spending Do Supren nely On Your Finals!! SUPREME COURSE TRANSCRIPTS KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) - The spread of nuclear weapons, the environment and the federal deficit are the most serious threats to the national security, according to a 12- region study of national attitudes re- leased Tuesday. The Roosevelt Center for Ameri- can Policy Studies in Washington, D.C., surveyed 907 people nation- wide, including about 80 in the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek area, and found that sentiment toward defense spending and national security has shifted dramatically from attitudes of the 1950s and '60s. Results of the study, which will both local and national respondents, choice, Third World poverty and op- be forwarded to the Bush administra- as was the second perceived threat, pression. On a national scale, do- tion, showed that the attitudes of environmental issues such as global mestic social concerns were listed as Michigan residents closely matches warming and toxic wastes. the nation's third most serious threat those of the rest of the nation. to security. "Communist The Reagan and Bush administra- Local residents differed form na- aggression" was listed as the least tion's increase in defense spending. tional respondents in their third most serious threat. was rejected by a large majority of respondents, with 93 percent of local residents preferring plans either to CLASSIFIED ADS! Call 764-0557 adjust military spending only for in- flation or putting the Defense Department on a three-year diet. The proliferation of nuclear and:.. . chemical weapons was listed as the s:::.::.:::.:::.;.... biggest threat to national security by E E0-Eu a / 4 I . .. . . . I LS&A Lecture Notes For the Entire Semester Call for Available Classes I AVAILABLE AT: *lpIliiphiu,! 715 N. University " 663-6816 Upstairs from Jacques and Mrs. Peabody's Between Moe's and Comerica CORRECTION: Chris Jones will be president of the Black Student Union through April 19. The Daily misstated this in an article yesterday. IHealth & Fitness- 4JI JOSTENS GOLD RING SALE IS COMING! THE LIST What's happening in Ann Arbor today Speakers "Mayan Indians, Religion, and Ritual" - Prof. Watanabe, 2412 Mason Hall, 7 pm. Discussion fol- lows. "The US and Israel: New Administrations and New Negotia- tions" - Israel Consul General Uri Bar-Ner, Hillel, 7:30 pm. "Z/Z Borges' 'Emma Zunz', Midrash and Ecriture Feminine" - Bernard McGuirk, W. Confer- ence, Rackham, 7 pm. Meetings International Student Affairs Committee - MSA Office, Michi- gan Union, 7:30 pm. Indian & Pakistani-American Students' Council - Michigan Rm., Michigan.Union, 6:30 pm. Ann Arbor Coalition Against Rape - Community Access, 7-8:30 pm. U of M Archery Club - Coliseum, 8-10 pm. U of M Shorin-Ryu Karate - 2275 Furthermore English Peer Counseling - 4000A Michigan Union, 7-9 pm. Help with papers and other English related questions. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance - Mon-Fri, 11 am-5 pm. Fourth floor lobby, Michigan Union. Free tax help. Peer Writing Tutors -611 Church St. Computing Center, 7-11 pm. ECB trained. 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. Performances Big Box of Nines/Ragnar Kvaran - At the Beat, doors open at 9:30 pm. Residence Hall Repetory Theatre's "On Your Mark, Get Set, Go...But Where?".- Alice Llovd . 1ue Car- Order your college ring NOW. Stop by and see a Jostens representative, Monday, April 10-thru Friday, April 14, 11- nn m- #n n- % ! IN V v VlA MAi!IL r1' 1r.Ji~ I