OPINION
...
Page 4
Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan
Thursday, November 9, 1989
Groups respond
to "T
Vol. C, No. 47
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.
Rally for choice
4.
TO SHOW support for every woman's
right to reproductive control, women
and men will rally in Washington this
Sunday, November 12. Decisions in
three crucial cases affecting a woman's
access to safe, legal abortion are cur-
rently pending in the Supreme Court.
Two of these cases (Ohio v. Akron
Reproductive Health and Hodgson v.
Minnesota) question whether women
under eighteen years old should be re-
quired to obtain both parents' consent
before having an abortion. The dangers
of a law like this are many. Parents
may force their daughters to carry a
pregnancy to term and keep the baby,
early second trimester abortions by
forcing abortion clinics and doctors'
offices (where 90 per cent of all abor-
tions are performed) to become mini-
hospitals equipped with expensive and
unnecessary medical equipment. Addi-
tionally, this case would require clinics
to adhere to all hospital codes, includ-
ing foolish regulations about hall size
- stipulating that halls in abortion
clinics be wide enough for two rolling
hospital beds to pass. Because patients
are able to walk easily after an abor-
tion, such hospital beds are neither
needed nor used. Rather than improv-
ing facilities, these regulations would
force many women's healthcare clinics,
where abortions are performed, to
close.
Abortion clinics, like all other medi-
cal clinics, are already tightly regulated
by state and federal laws. If this case is
upheld abortion clinics would be forced
to raise the cost of a single abortion.
This law, in conjunction with cuts in
Medicaid funding, would make abor-
tions inaccessible for most women.
Unwilling to risk the political heat of
making abortion illegal in this country,
the Supreme Court may instead deprive
the right to abortion of any real mean-
ing by slowly chipping away at
women's accessibility to a procedure
that becomes more costly and less
available with each passing week.
It is vital that women and men show
the Supreme Court, Congress, and the
President that they will not allow them
to take away women's right to control
their own bodies.
by Mitzvah Project, AZYF,
PZC, Hill St. Forum, IMPAC,
Conservative Minyan, JLSU,
Hill St. Cinema, USI, UJA,
SSSI, Reform Havura,
Prospect, Orthodox Minyan,
Hillel
The policy of the Opinion Page of the
Michigan Daily explicitly affirms a noble
aspiration - never to publish anything
racist. Unfortunately, the Daily has con-
sistently failed to live up to that aspiration
over the past year.
Racism is a broad ,term, subsuming
many different forms of antisocial behav-
ior. Its meaning does and ought to shift
over time in order to reflect more mature
understandings of social relations.
But one form of behavior lies at the core
of any meaningful conception of racism. It
is intolerable in any free society. All of
the undersigned groups join in condemn-
ing it:
To judge an entire people on the basis
of invidious stereotypes without regard for
individual differences is racist.
On Friday, October 13, 1989, the Opin-
ion Page editors of the Michigan Daily
chose to reprint, under the heading
"Theology: in the service of the state", an
essay written by someone who is not a
member of the University of Michigan
community. The essay's thesis, reflected
in its title, is that modern Jewish theol-
ogy, all of it, is "in the service of the
state" of Israel. The essay asserts:
-Like any theology which legitimates a
state, Jewish theology is called upon to
justify the exercise of power over which it
has no control.
-Jewish theologians ... are now quies-
cent in the service of Jewish state power.
-Not one major Jewish theologian has
said what is obvious to many Jews and
non-Jews alike: In the process of conquer-
ing and displacing the Palestinian people,
Jews have done what has been done to
them over two millennia [and] have be-
come everything they loathed about their
oppressors.
The essay thus asserts that all Jews sub-
scribe to a theology that mandates apolo-
getics for Israel's reaction to the intifadah.
The essay then brands that theology as
loathsome. The essay is not only false; it
is a racist group libel.
Its description of Jews and Jewish the-
ology is a blatant distortion ignoring, as
all such stereotypes do, a range of individ-
ual opinions among Jews. Nothing in
Jewish theology compels Jews to defend
Israeli government policy. Many Jewish
theologians have publicly criticized that
policy as inimical to Judaism.
We cannot accept the recent efforts of
the Daily to deny accountability for their
decision to publish Ellis's hate-filled writ-
ings. The Daily has insisted that the "right
side" of the Opinion Page does not reflect
the views of the paper, "only those of the
author." That sort of disingenuous evasion
has a decidedly hollow ring when the au-
thor is not a member of the university
community. The Daily chose to inflict an
outsider's diatribe upon us; we are pro-
foundly disturbed by their efforts to dis-
claim responsibility for their efforts to
disclaim responsibility for their choice.
If the publication of Ellis's essay were
an isolated incident, we would not have
written this letter. It was not an isolated
incident. Sadly, we cannot even say it
came as a surprise to those who have ob-
served the pattern of the Opinion Page
over the past year.
The Daily has taken an editorial posi-
tion in support of the intifadah and of con-
demnation for Israel's response. We
wholeheartedly endorse the Daily's free-
dom to take such an editorial position.
The issue is a matter of appropriate public
concern.
The Daily is not, however, free to cou-
ple its views about the intifadah with anti-
Semitism. To argue that current Israeli
The Michigan Daily'
heology"
government policy is inseparable from th
existence of a Jewish state, or even worse
to argue that it is inseparable from JewishW
theology, is to conflate politics with1
racism. It denies American Jews and Israeli,
Jewish dissenters the right to define thet*-i
selves. It is intolerable in a university
community.
Moreover, observations that might'
plausibly be non-racist in isolation can be
woven together into a racist pattern. UI-
balanced, selective presentations of facts-
can create a false picture, stimulating and
reinforcing invidious stereotypes. Thus, if
would be unquestionably racist for a
newspaper to report crimes only whel
they were perpetrated by members of one'
race. It would be equally racist for a news
paper to present a daily account of an eth-0
nic group's successes in only one partici-
lar field of human endeavor. And even
though it might not necessarily be racist
for a newspaper to editorialize about al'
execution in Iran (although it would al'-
ways be racist to describe the execution as
"Muslim Theology"), daily assaults dn
Iran's right to exist would cross the line.
In the case of the Michigan Daily, what
began as a legitimate, strongly felt edito8-
rial position regarding the intifadah has fi
the past year taken on the line of antis
Semitic obsession.
It takes hard work to produce a newspa-
per. The reward for that work is an oppora
tunity to influence public opinion. A well
run university newspaper can give voice to
the noblest aspirations of the community:
It can be a force for good in the world. It
can be a source of pride for the university's
The University of Michigan deserves bet:'
ter than it has, been getting from the
Daily. Enough is enough. Editorial anti
Semitism must end now.
Mitzvah Project, AZYF, PZC, Hill St:
Forum, IMPAC, Conservative Minyan
JLSU, Hill St. Cinema, USI, UJA, SSA."
Reform Havura, Prospect, Orthodox'
Minyan, and Hillel are Jewish student or""
ganizations.
effectively denying young women's
right to determine the course of their
own lives.
Many young women in unsupportive
or abusive households may find them-
selves with few options; some may at-
tempt self-abortion or they may be
forced to leave home.
The remaining case (Ragsdale v.
Tumnock) challenges first trimester and
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March for abortion rimts
On Sunday, November 12 there will be a national pro-Choice rally
in Washingon D.C.. Participants will asemble at 11:00 am at the
Lincoln Memorial; speeches will begin at 12 noon. With three cru-
cial Supreme Court decision concerning abortion pending, it is
important that everyone make an effort to attend this rally.
For more information about the rally and about rides to Washing-
ton call the Ann Arbor Committee to Defend Aborition Rights at
665-2709.
Good for Applause
the economy for Guys
onrI Inlkc
Graduate
together
Ta thv Dilu
can gain everything they need
from friends within their own
school, both academically and s-
cially; why do they need oth'
schools?
Dollars for bases
PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT Corazon
Aquino will meet with U.S. officials in
December -to discuss extending the
U.S. leases on six military installa-
tions. The leases, which end in
September 1991, are controversial in
the Philippines.
Many people, including thousands of
demonstrators who protested the U.S.
presence when Vice-President Quayle
visited the Philippines at the end of
September, believe the bases give the
United States too much influence
within the country.(WSJ 9/28).
Faced with this kind of domestic
pressure, the Philippines' government
is looking for a better bribe before they
agree to allow U.S. bases there.
The justification for U.S. aid is
always the "potential bright future" of
the Aquino government that came to
power in the Philippines three years
ago, calling itself the People Power
movement. Recently the European
Community tripled its aid to. the
Philippines to $350 million a year;
Japan also promises to give more
(NYT 7/5).
Despite the increase in aid from the
West, the Aquino government has
failed to make substantial changes since
taking office.
Economic growth has averaged a
dismal 5 percent a year, while the
population growth rate is 2.7 percent.
The Filipino economic growth rate is
the lowest in Southeast Asia.
Land reform has failed .--. not
surprising since Aquino herself is a
large land-holder. The death toll
continues to mount in the countryside.
Aquino may have succeeded in
weakening the New People's Army -
still attempting to overthrow the
government - but her coun-
terinsurgency campaign has added
significantly to the problem of human
rights abuse in the Philippines.
Finally, with the death on September
28 of Ferdinand Marcos, the Philippine
dictator before Aquino came to power,
Aquino's failure to retrieve the $3.5 to
$10 stolen by the Marcos family from
the poor and often starving people of
the Philippines is painfully felt.
The United States has corroborated
in this crime by allowing Marcos to
pocket U.S. aid in the first place, and
further for not returning the money to
the people of the Philippines since
Marcos first found refuge in the United
States.
The State Department ignores these
facts when it asks Congress for $1
billion in additional aid to the
Philippines for the next five years.
The issue Congress should be
debating is the Marcos' corruption, and
the irresponsibility of U.S. foreign
policy which results in the continued
suffering of the Filipino people - not
a billion dollar check in order to
maintain an armed presence in the
Philippines.
To the Daily:
The wave of mergers and acqui-
sitions in the 1980s has greatly'
helped the stock market and our
economy because they lead to;
economic efficiency. During the
1970s the U.S. economy was a
shambles because of the lack of
mergers and acquisitions.
Takeovers lead to a restructur-
ing of the economy being taken
over. This process often gets rid
of poor managers who made bad
decisions about how to run the
corporations properly. With new,
and better, managers the company
can use its resources more effi-
ciently. This causes the corpora-
tion to produce more than before
with less resorces than before.
This then leads to more produc-
tivity by the economy as a
whole, as more and more compa-
nies get taken over and restruc-
tured. With companies producing
more efficiently, our scarce resor-
ces will be used better and not
wasted.
And with corporations produc-
ing more for less, it raises its
profits. With higher profits the
corporation can offer higher divi-
dends to its shareholders, which
benefits the economy.
The takeovers benefit the con-
sumer as well. As the corpora-
tions become more efficient it
can put a greater quantity of
goods on the market, lowering
the prices the consumers pay.
So overall, mergers and acqui-
sitions benefit the economy and
the consumer. If this present con-
dition remains for a long period
of time a more efficient and better
economy will result.
- Michael Allen Wilson
An illiterate
bigot
To the Daily:
I'm glad Nuts and Bolts car-
toonist Judd Winick is able to
:ictf. h:rr iet et. n. of C rtn ..
To the Daily:
The UAC/MUSKET produc-
tion of Guys and Dolls qualified
as one of the best shows I have
seen in my four years here at the
University of Michigan. Guys
and Dolls made three hours of my
time pass as if it were one. I
laughed, I enjoyed myself, I was
genuinely touched.
This Monday, however, I
opened the Daily to find a review
by Jay Pekala that was terribly
off base. It was as if Pekala had a
personal vendetta with the entire
cast, especially each of the four
leads, and wouldn't allow himself
to enjoy a performance which
brought the audience to their feet
cheering. Instead he delivered a
string of nothing but cheap jabs,
entirely unfounded.
I question whether or not
Pekala and I even viewed the
same production. There wasn't a
single negative remark to be
heard as I left the performance,
only raves, and many of the pa-
trons were Michigan alumni,
thrilled to see the arts alive and
well on campus.
These students devote them-
selves for months to bring such a
pleasing show to campus. They
are not paid to perform, nor do
they receive credit. I would like
to see them appreciated for the
evening of entertainment they
brought to many of us this past
weekend instead of cut down by a
review that offered only whiny
remarks and no constructive criti-
cism whatsoever.
Shows like this are an asset to
the University community and to
Ann Arbor; nothing less. Bravo
to MUSKET, and bravo to Guys
and Dolls! There are many stu-
dents here who applaud you.
-Amy Sabin
4llu "Villa
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! Ute Va!y y "
Following a weekend filled Why does the school suddenly,"
with tradition, the University an- feel that the students are inca*1
nounces that it may move Com- pable of handling being a part of
mencement to separate buildings the University of Michigan?
throughout the campus. After dozens of CRISP lines;
After many seniors have left after hundreds of sporting events,
the building for the last time after hours of classes, does the-
(thanks to scheduling of the last University really feel that it canl
football game over Thanksgiving convince the students that are not
break), they are told that they coming from a school with.
may not come back. 35,000 other students? If they be-
Following the news that the lieve that special attention to
University of Michigan has just each student is necessary, maybe=
won its 700th game, one of the they should consider some sort of
highest totals in the nation, the recognition ceremony before the,
students are told that they may actual graduation. This is already
not graduate with some of their being done in some of the
best friends from the past four schools in the University, but it
years. is not eliminating a large gradua1
Just after the realization that tion from the University as a
next week's game against Illinois whole. Maybe individual schools
may mean the key to the Rose should hold a ceremony the Fri-
Bowl and the potential national day before graduation to corm ;A
champs, students are told that mend each student and bring the.
they're graduating from their in- schools together as a whole on
dividual schools, not from the Saturday.
University of Michigan.
What does the school have in The University of Michigan is
store for the students in the up- filled with tradition. One of thes4
coming years? Maybe student traditions is being one of the
sections at sporting events should largest schools in the nation. All
be divided by school, not by year. of the students knew that when
After all, wouldn't the crowd be they applied. Why shouldn't they
less rowdy when the students know that when they graduate IG
from the Business School are Did the school ever consider that
separated from those in Natural students may have come to the
Resources? Rather than marsh- school because it is so largg
mallow fights between friends
there will be competition be- But the University feels tha
tween each school. In fact, there doesn't matter because we show4
is no need for a football team - graduate as individuals, not as4
we could have competitions school. Then maybe Universit,
within the University. officials can explain why, whent I
How about student housing? look back at my memories of
Wouldn't it be smarter to isolate Michigan they're not going to b4
each school within its own dor- only of my individual efforts but
mitory? Why shouldn't the more of the times I've had an
school put LS&A students only the frends I've made.
in West Quad, or Engineering
students on North Campus? After Hopefully one of these memo
all, these people are going to be ries can be the joy of graduating
graduating together; do they re- with friends rather than wonder
ally need to make other friends? ing why some of my best friends
As a result of this new housing spent graduation on the other side
system we would have, as Dean of campus. 4
Bovlan nut it. "individual reco- -Kevin Wonodnn-
The Opinion page is actively recruiting women,
people of color, lesbians and gay men. Staff
- - n .1 1 1 . I