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OPINION
Page 4
be £rbigniflai g
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
420 Maynard St.
Vol. IC, No. 137 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.
Wednesday, April 19, 1989
Intifada's 561 martyrs:
Price of the
The Michigan Daily
'peace
Nalihalin
ANOTHER RAID on a Palestinian
village. Four young men dead, 50
wounded. Business as usual? Not ex-
actly. On April 13th, Israeli border po-
lice entered the village of Nahhalin for
a pre-dawn attack. When the dust
settled, Fouad Najharah, Subhi
Shakarneh, Mahmoud al-Sheikh, and
Riyadh Ghayathah would never again
greet their families. Scores of people
were seriously wounded from gun-
shots, beatings, and tear gas fired into
their homes. Troops sealed off the
village, preventing medical relief to the
wounded and postponing independent
investigations of the incident.
For a week prior to the attack, border
patrols and settlers had entered Nah-
halin and repeatedly harassed the vil-
lagers, particularly women. Sexual
harassment, indecent exposure, and
mocking of Islamic religious practices
were reported. The raid itself, coming
as people finished their morning meal
and left for Ramadan prayers at the
mosque, seemed timed to catch the
largest number of young men in the
village. Border police shot Najharah on
his way to pray. When the sound of
gunshots brought villagers out of the
mosque, border police opened fire in-
discriminately. Human rights field
workers in Jerusalem report that vil-
lagers were pulled from their homes
and beaten.
The Nahhalin pogrom caused the In-
ternational Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) to issue a rare public statement,
pogrom
protesting the increasing use of fire-
arms and acts of violence against
defenseless civilians and the interfer-
ence in the work of physicians. The
ICRC called on Israeli officials to end
"such practices as violate the funda-
mental principles of humanitarian law."
While the Nahhalin incident seems,
on surface, to be merely the latest act of
Israeli violence against Palestinian
civilians, it indicates a disturbing new
pattern. Nahhalin, an isolated village of
4,000 Palestinians, surrounded by
three Israeli settlements, was beset by
border police (i.e., professional sol-
diers, not reservists) in a premeditated
and extremely violent raid, following a
week of harassment by soldiers and
settlers. Border police, known for their
ferocity, aggression, and hatred of
Palestinians, are purposely used to in-
timidate. The Palestine Human Rights
Campaign predicts that isolated Pales-
tinian villages will increasingly be at-
tacked and sealed off in order to
intimidate the populace.
Both the ICRC and the PHRC note a
rise in brutality against Palestinians in
the last few months. Last week in the
United States, Israeli Prime Minister
Yitzhak Shamir said that Gaza and
West Bank will remain under Israeli
control. That statement can be parsed
down to Palestinian bodies, because
Palestinians will not stop struggling for
their rights and the only language the
current Israeli government speaks is the
language of force and terror.
Readers may wonder why the Opinion
page has consistently covered the Pales-
tinian uprising. The following martyrs'
list was compiled by the Database Project
on Palestinian Human Rights in
Jerusalem for December 9, 1988 through
April 14, 1989. The number of deaths by
gunfire is 381; deaths by other causes
(i.e., beatings, tear gas) is 180. The media
often neglect to give the names of the
victims. We believe that their names
should be known. Israel is the largest re-
cipient of U.S. foreign aid and the tear gas
the Israeli military uses is made in the
United States. So here is America's con-
tribution to the peace process.
Hatem Siss, 15; Ibrahim Ekeik, 18; Wahid Abu
Salem, 13; Suhaila Ka'bai, 53; Ali Abdallah, 13;
Sahar Jirmi, 19; Hassan Jarrghun, 22; Nafez Abu
Qteifan, 16; Talal Hweiwi, 17; Ibrahim Saakhlleh,
25; Khaled Taqiyeh, 22; Abdul Hussein, 23; Atwa
Samhadaneh, 20; Maisara Batniji, 26; Abdul Fteiha,
29; Mahmoud Qsisi, 19; Yusef Ararwi, 24; Bassem
Sawafta, 19; Nazek Sawafta, 17; Raed Shihadeh, 16;
Khaled Hameed, 20; Mustafa Beik, 19; Haniyeh Gha-
sawneh, 25; Ali Dahlan, 19; Mazen Musallam, 17;
Khaled Awadeh, 22; Khalil Abu Lul, 54; Bassam
Musalem, 27; Naji Kamil, 43; Touqan Misbeh, 32;
Rabeh Hamed, 17; Atta Khdeir, 26; Mohammad
Fayad, 20; Bassel Yasurei, 23; Mohammad Yazuri,
30; Ramadan Sobeih, 14; Hussein Ma'ali, 19; Ah-
mad Ta'amreh, 43; Moh'd Tubaza, 16; Ibrahim Na-
hel, 31; Musiyad Sha'ar, 21; Murad Hamdallah, 17;
Asmaa Subbubeh, 25; Ibrahim Mansour, 26; Thamer
Disuqi, 10; Tayseer Awad, 18; Moh'd Shweiha Adi,
18; Imad Sabameh, 26; Abdul Juma', 27; Nabil
Khalil, 14; Imad Hamalawi, 20; Ahmad Sabil, 37;
Basem Jitan, 14; Bashar Ma'di, 20; Isma'il Mashni,
22; Nassrallah Nassrallah, 12; Abdallah Ataya, 19;
Ragheb Ammara, 19; Kamal Darwish, 23; Mahmud
Hushiyeh, 23; Rawda Hassan, 13; Mohammad Zeid,
4; Sami Dayeh, 19; Issam Khalifeh; Iyad Ashqar, 13;
Hassan Kheiran, 22; Rashiqa Daraghmeh, 63; Ahmad
Bitawi, 30; Ahmad Barghuthi, 21; Raed Barghuthi,
17; Majed Atrash, 22; Abdallah Baker, 17; Nihad
Khmour, 20; Yasser Abdul Jabber, 17; Bakr Shibani,
17; Moh'd Salah, 18; Mohammad Sa'afin, 22; Mahel
Waridat, 30; Rasem Atlul, 28; Ayman Ajaq, 17;
Bassam Badarin, 18; Moh'd Hamed, 17; Najeh Hijaz,
18; Khader Hamideh, 41; Yusef Abu Eid, 22; Arafat
Hweih, 22; Alam Sadaqa, 16; Ashraf Ibrahim, 22;
Omar Hamarsheh, 27; Hisham aLushi, 31; Sabri
Sharar, 25; Hani Hammam, 23; Khaled Hussein, 23;
Nameq Milhem, 26; Adel Jaber, 18; Muhamed Abu
Zaru, 22; Majed Sawalmeh, 22; Hikmat Daraghmeh,
26; Khaled Muraqtan, 18; Walid Abdul Fatafta, 18;
Awad Ibrahim, 30; Majed Deeb, 19; Ayad Khalik,
21; Hussein Odeh, 19; Yasser As'ad, 15; Fahim Nu-
seirat, 27; Omar Rabai'ah, 22; Ghassan Mir'i, 17;
Hussein Hussein, 25; AbdulKarim Halaika, 24;
Khaled Salah, 23; Shaker Shaker, 26; Wajiha Rabi',
55; Moh'd Ziban, 29; Sleiman Jheidi, 18; Ishaq
Silmiyeh, 24; Jamal Tumeizi, 22; Ala' Kurdi, 21;
Ahmad Kurdi, 42; Jamil Kurdi, 55; Khamis Ahmed,
38; Jihad 'Assi, 18; Salim Sha'er, 23; Ali Abu Ali,
46; Hamzeh AbuShab, 20; Hamed Ze'dat, 18; Hatem
Jabber, 22; Musa Shamsa, 22; Issam Said, 16; Yusef
Rabi', 75; Fuad Ashqar, 21; Moh'd Yahia, 20; Jalal
Milhem, 21; Nasser Lidawi, 22; Wael Taha, 225;
Hala Amiri, 20; Mihyi Mawalha, 20; Hilmi Turuk-
man, 22; Saadah Sabah, 40; Bassam hariri, 23; Rikri
Daghmi, 22; Abdul Hanun, 19; Ayman Amer, 22;
Atwa Sha'er, 14; Taysin Bouji, 16; Jamal Shehadeh,
17; Munir Tatari, 24; Farid Darras, 25; Iman Kamar,
22; Nizar Jaloudi, 26; Ahmad Eiyeh, 20; Ayda Totah,
30; Moh'd Nassar, 22; Farraj Farrajallah, 23; Moh'd
Zeid, 16; Ahmad Salem, 27; Arij Dik, 13; Sari Rus-
tum, 35; Naim Farha, 22; Khaled Umayrah, 25;
Nidal Balo, 19; Omar Manasra, 18; Rizek Sabbah,
16; Jamal Madhun, 20; Judah Taiyem, 28; Ibrahim
Odeh, 35; Abdul Mu'ti, 21; Mahmud Zeid, 33;
Ala'addin Saleh, 15; Jihad Issi, 16; Majdi Hillah, 16;
Kawthar Mohammad, 23; Mod'd Lulu, 57; Amin
Radaha, 14; Iyad Shanaa', 16; In'am Hamdan, 25;
Moh'd Ghanem, 26; Mustafa Halaika, 19; Imad
Mawari, 16; Saed layek, 18; Bassem Sabbagh, 21;
Deib Hamad, 45; Nidal Hassan, 20; Taysir Blltat, 27;
Raed Yusef, 17; Taalat Zaqqout, 17; Ibrahim
Aranqui, 15; Arafat Hanani, 16; Fatmeh Sahwil, 26;
Na'el Khameiz, 17; Abdul Dababat, 17; Rayek
Hussein, 25; Zuhdi Zreiki, 17; Faris Anabtawi, 17;
Hassan 'Adis, 16; Amjad Khawaja, 17; Samir Sayah,
13; Jamal Qaddoumi, 29; Nidal Rabbadi, 16; Zaki
Halaika, 23; Hisham Zeid, 26; Fuad Urrabi, 16;
Muhamad Saif, 17; Maher Ghazzaleh, 24; Husam
Azia, 23; Jiryis Qunqar, 43; Yasser Sabaana, 25;
Suheir Afani, 13; Abdel Alayan, 17; Hani Turk, 37;
Aladdin Aghbar, 18; Nidal Bouzieh, 16; Hussein
Asway, 14; Ahmad Salah, 17; Riad Mandil, 26;
Yusef Damaj, 12; Moh'd Rizak, 52; Mahmud Rizq,
20; Jamal Odeh, 19; Ibrahim Samoudi, 27; Asad
Shawwa, 19; Rasha Arqawi, 9; Rajah Suwafneh, 17;
Na'el Hamad, 18; Ahmad Shaghnubi, 23; Khaled
Hashhash, 22; Moh'd Shqeir, 31; Ayman Yamin, 16;
Louai Barghouthi, 22; Minawi Araysha, 17; Abdel
Baruud, 18; Moh'd Salah, 39; Ahmad Dababseh, 26;
Rami Samra, 10; Imad Arqawi, 17; Munjed Sarhan,
26; Imad Thuriya, 17; Hanni Median, 15; Nahil
Tukhi, 12; Jihad Zaino, 20; Jamal Shqeirat, 23;
Naser Jundi, 22; Nabil Jamal, 21; Osama Breika, 18;
Hussam Gharbawi, 19; Ayman Sharar, 17; Kayed
Salah, 42; Zein Karaki, 18; Nitham Hawaila, 24;
Adnan Khanfa, 31; Samir Bahlul, 26; Nidal Najjar,
18; Ahdae Mashharawi, 21; All Sa'eh, 20; Moh'd
Ahmed,a24; Ahmad Kilani, 28; Fadel Najjar, 24;
Kamal Saria, 23; Osama Dahi, 18; Nazim Judeh, 18;
mahmud Khader, 18; Ahmad Ajrab, 19; Omar Assi,
18; Osama Shalabi, 18; Khaled Tabeileh, 15; Diya
Moh'd, 5; Moh'd Shahin, 17; Mahal Samour, 14;
I
process'
mal Zakameh, 14; Riyad Shalabi, 23; Issam Bulbol,
25; Ammar Turk, 18; Ahmad Yazouri, 14; Moh'd
Rishaq, 55; Ahmad Muharam, 17; Atweh Harazal-
lah,25; Marwan Korraz, 24; Ahmad Azami, 19;
Ibrahim Jabbour, 24; Hakam Bakir, 18; Atef Jundiya,
16; Zuheir Hama, 24; Moh'd Shreim, 17; Abdul
Sharif, 20; Fawzi Bakhit,.20; Majdi Qurani, 19; Ta-
lal Araj, 26; Assad Hamudeh, 17; Samer Aruri, 12;
Nu'man Jaradat, 15; Ahmad Hadid, 11; Maher
'Adeili, 14; Marwan Tamam, 17; Adli Rabia, 20;
Ashraf Jazar, 17; Amjed Nasrallah, 4; Abdul Abdul-
lah, 20; Akram Khweiled, 19; Moh'd Rabo, 23; Nasr
Nasr, 24; Awad 'Amr, 30; Akram Yasini, 17; Moh'd
Baba, 17; Salem Salah, 26; Mahmud Nabhan, 12;
Ahmad Sneineh, 60; Khaled Shawish, 26; Jamil Nat-
she, 22; Khadera Awwad, 21; Musa Omar, 45;
Ma'azuz Yamin, 25; Moh'd Kitaneh, 25; Ribi Kaid,;
61; Jalal Khadijeh, 24; Miryam Khouri, 65; Salah
Kasab, 22; Inad Shalabi, 43; Nasser Thabet, 22;
Ibrahim Shamali, 45; Riad Madah, 18; Rami Madah,
18; Salem Amr, 45; Rajeb Ismail, 47; Jawad Amr,
44; Nimnr Najjar, 17; Omar Saker; Nawal Thuriya,
52; Fatmeh Qidri, 1 day; Najwa Masri, 18; Khalil
Mahsiri, 76; Khaled Qidri, 14 days; Amal Qseisa, 5
days; Raed Obeid, 3 mos.; Mariam Zahir, 81; Wijdan
Faress, 38 + 9 month fetus; Amira Askar, 35; Fay-
rouz Shobaki, 11; Moh'd Tubbaza, 17; Moh'd
Shahin, 75 days; Imad Asi, 15 days; Samer Badaha, 5
mos.; Sa'd Shaban, 25; Ali Isamil, 31; Taleb Zeid,
46; Issam Hamoudi, 27; Abdallah Nabi, 70; Um
Hamed; Asmaa Sharif, 18; Nabil Orti, 25; Atef
Fayad, 30; Salah Ataar, 22; Nu'am Abed, 26; Abdul
Shamaleh, 25; Nawaf Shamaleh, 24; Abdul
Shamaleh, 22; Salah Damuni, 60; Ma'mun Jarad, 16;
Badriyah Shahin, 55; Nidal Shomar, 17; Hassan
Buhi, 80; Shamseh Qaadan, 65; Moh'd Qaadan, 35;
Majdi Safaka, 12; Rahi Lahaliyeh, 41; Ahmed
Sh'alan, 12; Attallah Misleh, 55; Hussein Frush, 16;
Salah Marai, 16; Bassam Allah, 11; Nidal Allah, 10;
Mahmud Hamudeh, 66; Kayed Tmeizi, 10; Moh'd
Siam, 41; Zakaria Katash, 26; Abdul Ghannam, 63;
Mustafa Shamasneh, 23; Akram Rashid, 21; Ibrahim
Habal, 26; Omar Hajajlah, 37; Moh'd Nassar, 23;
Abdul Nadi, 34; Abdul Fleifel, 70; Khaled Antarzi,
27; Ahmed Ahmed, 61; Islam Daifa, 25 days; Imad
Assi, 1; Haj Taha, 49; Ahmad Khawaja, 70; Tawfiq
Zakameh, 55; Qassem Natshe, 60; Yusef Zidan, 52;
Badr Karadi, 12; Naim Naim, 12; Talal Basharat, 8;
Amin Rub, 15; Iktamel Wahdan, 5; Moh'd Hamiyeh,
18; Mahmud Masri, 37; Omar Salman, 19; Subhiyeh
Hashash, 55; Moh'd Ibeid, 28; Moh'd Badran, 34;
Rami Aklouk, 15; Ayad Agel, 17; Khader Tarazi, 19;
Moh'd Shweideh, 68; Anwar Amireh, 27; Yusuf Ki-
lani, 1; Khaled Ardha, 21; Kamleh Sharaf, 60; Moh'd
Skafi, 4; Moh'd Khaled, 19; Moh'd Hamed, 24;
Omar Marahil, 27; Khalil Khamzawi, 18; Ibrahim
Zeid, 28; Suad Yusef, 90; Atiyeh Risq, 19; Ibrahim
Aishe, 71; Husni Mahsiri, 41; Ayad Nadi, 25; Hus-
sein Jalaleh, 20; Saber Nimnim, 23; Simone Ghan-
nam, 17; Khalil Abadl, 41; Said Abed, 20; Maher
Maqqab, 28; Atta Ayad, 21; Hisham Maqdad, 23;
Nasim Abed, 26; Nabil Bedah, 20; Maysara Mattar,
25; Hanni Shamni, 49; Ayman Najar, 28; Ibrahim
Matur, 32; Marwan Qaneiri, 27; Abdul Miskawi, 2
mos.; Haitham Shqeiro, 4 mos.; Amneh Darwish,
72; Fatima Salman, 57; Arafat Rous, 6 mos.; Rana
Adwan, 3 mos.; Ahmad Sahiyeh, 65; Ranin Sfair, 3
mos.; Ruad Sha'rawi, 48; Salman Daher, 63; Khitam
Aram, 8; Salim Amer, 10 mos.; Salahaddin Naqib,
33; Shirin Elayan, 4 mos.; Khaled Hawajreh, 3 mos.;
Yusef Hassuna, 3 mos.; Sanaar Ebeid, 40 days;
Yahia Maghrabi, 2 mos.; Juma Tukhi, 66; Salim
Yahia, 60; Mustafa Froukh, 68; Ali Hajjar, 70; Ola
Sharifa, 4 mos.; Hussein Iqmail, 70; Nabila Yajizi,
30; Shirin Maniarawi, 1 mos.; Hamid Asmadi, 20
days; Rajab Slaibi, 75; Subhiyeh Mankush, 60;
Hassan Qaud, 22; Wadfa Allah, 70; Farid Amarneh,
11; Jamal Alqam, 3 days; Ismail Sheikh, 50; Moh'd
Hamad, 30; Moh'd Samhan, 52; Naima Adi, 55;
Khaled Najar, 55; Dina Sawafri, 3; Maisa Jaffal, 40
days; Abdallah Khalaf, 28; Tawfiq Malamha, 55;
Moh'd Shaabilo, 35; Thaer Badr, 25 days; Ansar
Heju, 65; Ghalia Abdul Nabi, 31; Khalil Baalushi,
52; Ala Ful, 12; Moh'd Aza, 2; Qawqar Arrar, 17;
Nasreen Nawajhah, 3; Ibrahim Hamdiyeh, 80; Fouad
Najharah, 16; Subhi Shakarneh, 20; Mahmoud
Sheikh, 22; Riyadh Ghayathah, 27.
PALES TINE
Ziad Thabet, 15; Basel Dweikat, 17; Iyad Saada, 19;
Jalal Fayoumi, 21; Mujahid Karim, 18; Ismat Mah-
mud, 21; Ahmad Besharat, 21; Osama Ghanima, 3;
Alam Hantuli, 27; Sabri Arnous, 25; Tareq
Samhadaneh, 25; Yusef Shibbli, 22; Muhib Ha-
layem, 12; Farid M'ghari, 14; Hani Hersha, 16;
Hamid Haj, 14; Asmaa Abadi, 15; Ysef Sbeih, 17;
Husni Siddu, 14; Abdallah Mahruq, 20; Hamdan Na-
jjar, 26; Ashraf Daoud, 15; Yasin Shakhshir, 20;
Fayez Shaqo, 21; Nidal Haq, 20; Moh'd Kawni, 22;
Zuheir Fayyad, 23; Moh'd Farhat, 40; Ibrahim
M'baser, 23; Abdul Qaddura, 26; Moh'd Hawash, 21;
Moh'd Othma, 19; Samir Shehadeh, 18; Jibril Qir,
19; Sami Rahim, 23; Musbah Dallul, 19; Abdul
Bakhit, 22; Zaki Steiti, 20; Ismail Barghouthi, 23;
Anwar Tayeh, 13; Nasr Nassar, 16; Marwan Madani
18; Abdul Habaibe, 11; Moh'd Sahlug, 18; Nabil
Laban, 15; Rana Masri, 17; Hanadi Sultan, 12;
Moh'd Aboushi, 18; Ziad Radwan, 17; Ahmad
Mustafa, 17; Radwan Sbeih, 17; Issa Manasra, 16;
Ibrahim Siam, 17; Samer Kasem, 17; Moh'd
Dawawsi, 17; Talal Basharat, 8; Amin Rub, 15; Ik-
tamel Wahdan, 5; Moh'd Hamiyeh, 18; Mahmud
Masri, 35; Ali Sharifeh, 13; Issam Mara'beh, 20;
Mustafa Mara'beh, 40; Majid Farrah, 23; Salameh
Sbeih, 14; Ala Arandas, 15; Majid Haq, 16; Moh'd
Matar, 17; Akram Nahleh, 19; Nidal Dheib, 23; Ka-
Bollinger sells out to alumni
Associated Press
Israeli border police harrass Palestinians at the entrance to Jerusalem's Temple
Mount. Prolonged searches prevent Palestinians from worshipping at the Al Aqsa
Mosque during Ramadan. Note M-16 assault rifle and teargas grenade launcher.
Kurds
rights
denied
ON APRIL 19th and 20th, the Ann
Arbor chapter of Amnesty International
will hold a conference in the Michigan
Union on "Human Rights in Turkey
and the Kurdish Issue."
Amnesty International, the world-
wide human rights group that won a
Nobel Prize in 1977, has noted that the
Turkish government is currently em-
barking on a publicity campaign to im-
prove its global image for the purposes
of gaining membership in the European
Economic Community. Turkey has not
taken steps, however, to improve its
human rights record. Torture of politi-
cal detainees in Turkey is virtually
guaranteed; one quarter of a million
persons have been arrested on political
charges since 1980.
A large number of those arrested are
Kurds, members of a minority that
comprises as much as 18 percent of the
population of Turkey. Kurds through-
out Asia (they are also found in Iran,
Alternative
A GROUP OF students who don't
r
Iraq, Syria, and the USSR) suffer from
political repression, particularly in the
course of their struggle for their own
state which has been ongoing through-
out the century. But it is universally
agreed that Kurds have the fewest
rights in Turkey. Kurds in Turkey are
not allowed to have Kurdish names,
speak the Kurdish language, own a
book in Kurdish, receive radio or TV
broadcasts in Kurdish, or even wear
the national costume of the Kurds.
Kurds are incarcerated for such infrac-
tions as stating publicly that they are
Kurds.
Amnesty International is calling for
the Turkish government to eliminate
torture in prisons, unfair trials, and to
make changes in the Turkish penal
code which prohibit freedom of
expression and freedom of association.
The global community should support
AI's campaign to pressure Turkey to
improve its human rights record.
graduation
alienated by the mainstream campus
By David A. Cerda and
Rogelio M. Ruiz
The University of Michigan Law
School's anti-discrimination policy has
been bought off by law school alumni.
Three months ago, the law school revoked
the FBI's recruiting privileges after the
FBI was found guilty by a federal district
court of systematically discriminating
against Latino agents. Subsequently, to
appease alumni upset with the law
school's decision, the dean of the law
school, Lee C. Bollinger, decided unilater-
ally and secretly to honor the FBI's direc-
tor, William Sessions, by inviting him to
speak at this year's law school com-
mencement. If the Law School follows
tradition, Sessions will also receive an
honorary degree.
The dean's decision is a nullification of
the law school's anti-discrimination pol-
icy. More importantly, the decision is a
shocking demonstration of the little
weight civil rights merit to the larger law
school community and to the University
administration as a whole. As Latinos, we
feel that if this decision remains unan-
swered the ominous implication is that
when push comes to shove, Latinos are a
minority group easily written off because
of our slight numbers in the student body
and faculty. We hope we are wrong. We
trust a detailed account of events, includ-
ing our efforts toward reaching a compro-
mise solution, will awaken those unaware
had found the FBI guilty of systematically
discriminating against Hispanics, and the
FBI's defense counsel was also found
guilty of using improper litigation tactics.
Since the court's original decision, the
court has twice found the FBI guilty of
recriminating against the agents who
brought the law suit. Other recrimination
suits are pending. Thus, the FBI's
discrimination continues under William
Sessions' leadership.
Michigan was the first law school in the
country to ban the FBI for its proven dis-
criminatory actions. The decision received
national coverage in the New York Times
and was followed by at least three other
major law schools. The minority commu-
nity at the law school, and the Latino
community in particular, applauded the
dean's decision. At a time of increasing
racial intolerance on this campus, the de-
cision signaled the University's willing-
ness to work toward building a more re-
spectful environment for people of color.
But the decision to enforce the law
school's anti-discrimination policy was to
be short-lived.
After banning the FBI, Dean Bollinger
travelled around the country speaking to
alumni groups to raise money for the Law
School - one of the dean's most impor-
tant functions. During an April 6 meeting
with the Hispanic Law Students Associa-
tion (HLSA), the dean explained candidly
that alumni were very upset with his deci-
sion to ban the FBI. He said these alumni
-.... -A L._ .r 6.r... . ..- .r-- ...:
law school's involvement in respecting
civil rights.
Sessions' invitation serves as another
glaring example of this University's in-
sensitivity to the concerns of minority
students. When first responding to student
outcry, Dean Bollinger claimed that it
never crossed his mind the minority stu-
dents would be angered by Sessions'
commencement appearance and honorary
degree. We disagree. We believe that the
dean carefully weighed the interests at
stake and sacrificed minority - and espe-
cially Latino - interests.
As HLSA members, we have been en-
gaged in a continuing dialogue with Dean
Bollinger during the past month. He said
that Sessions had been invited to speak on
eradicating discrimination in government.
The dean has since reported that Sessions
intends to speak on "public interest work
in government."
We realize the political difficulty of
withdrawing an invitation. Thus, we asked
the dean to invite a second commencement
speaker - the Latino attorney who won
the original suit against the FBI - to
balance the political symbolism and ad-
vance social discourse. Unfortunately, the
dean rejected this too. And although
Bollinger finally accepted the idea of a
second speaker, he later reported that Ses-
sions would not accept another speaker,
nor would he withdraw his acceptance. It
now appears the FBI is directing the law
school's commencement.
4
I