Page 4- The Michigan Daily- Friday, February 23, 1990 (M le £irbtgatwnatig EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN U 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 . 4 ARTS NEWS OPINION 763 0379 7640552 747 2814 PHOTO SPORTS WEEKEND 764 0552 747 3336 747 4630 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. Shanties University should not limit forms of expression / // // /, ~ 141 ' _ . -- - , _r. / LAST WEEK, MEMBERS OF THE University's Board of Regents ex- pressed their unhappiness with the continued presence of shanties on the Diag. The regents and President James Duderstadt appear to be poised to use the construction of a new sidewalk connecting the Diag to Ingalls Mall as an,~excuse to "clean up" the long- standing signs of political activism and awareness. Shanties have been erected in the last few years to remind students of the oppressive living conditions and liber- ation struggles of Black South Af- ricans. The first were built as part of a campaign to persuade the regents to divest University money from compa- nies doing business in South Africa. Recently, more. shanties have been added by pro-Palestinian and pro-Is- raeli activists. While some regents claim to object to the shanties on the basis of their un- tidy appearance, clearly the political causes behind the structures have been a thorn in the side of the University. Efforts to eliminate these outlets of po- litical expression - especially given the history of politically-motivated vandalism against them in the past - must be seen not only as suppression :of free speech, but as a challenge to :student activism on these issues. If Regent Thomas Roach (D-Saline) really believes the shanties should be removed because they are an "unsightly mess," as has been reported, then why does he not turn his attention to the massive invasion of banners during fraternity and sorority rush which regu- 3arly fill the Diag, leaving behind an "unsightly" residue of dangling ropes? Even more revealing are Roach's comments about protecting visiting alumni from the inconvenience of viewing these structures. Is it the "untidy mess" the potential donors might object to? Or is it rather the reminder of political activism, often directed against the University? As Duderstadt and the regents know quite well, the University administra- tion has been lucky. At Dartmouth and Cornell, for example, divestment protestors built and lived in shanties on campus in their efforts to bring pres- sure to bear on their universities. These demonstrations were protected by the courts as legitimate expressions of free speech. The Ann Arbor News noted in an editorial that Duderstadt "should con- sider developing a policy about what items are acceptable on the central cam- pus." But the basis of free speech is allowing a wide range of views and ac- tions, and the University would be doing a disservice to students by limit- ing methods of political expression. In addition to being illegal, such an action by Duderstadt would be counter to his numerous messages of "diversity." Duderstadt and the regents may want to live in a world where neither they nor their cronies need be reminded of the oppression and suffering which this country contributes to, but students have no obligation to help them in their self-serving cover up. Not only should students resist efforts by the University to limit free speech, they should not let the University dictate the kind of ex- pression which is acceptable. r r f ! l6 n'tfe EEiNNl %REnsinuJal Don't forget kllings in Guatemala By Ingrid Fey With all eyes trained on recent events in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Panama, the U.S. media has given scant notice to the tremendous escalation of human rights abuses in Guatemala, the largest and most populous country in Central America. Since last August, eight students from the University of San Carlos (USAC) in Guatemala City have been found dead, some with signs of torture, while another six remain "disappeared." Human rights organizations have also come under attack. The offices of both the Group of Mutual Support and Peace Brigades International (PBI) have been bombed, and members of all organizations have had to face increased intimidation, violent attacks, torture, and a growing fear of being "disappeared." While it remains unclear who is re- sponsible for this violence, diplomats and human rights groups assert that the killers appear to be operating with current mili- tary intelligence, a finding which would implicate army officials. Guatemalan gov- ernment officials, on the other hand, blame the violence on rightest business people and former military officers. These groups, the government claims, hope to muster support for a military coup by plunging the country into state of political chaos. Fey is an LSA senior. The L.A. Times has called this escala- tion in human rights violations "the worst wave of political violence to strike Guatemala since civilian President Vinicio Cerezo Arevalo [a Christian Democrat] took office nearly four years ago" (9/26/89). While it is true that few Guatemalans seriously expected Cerezo to shirk this responsibility. Since the C.I.A.- backed military coup in 1954, and with the exception of a few years during the Carter administration, the U.S. has con- tinuously supplied the Guatemalan army with money, arms, and advisors, regardless of its human rights record. Despite Con- gressional hopes that continued U.S. secu- This present escalation in political violence is but one episode in Guatemala's long history of systematized repression against its people. investigate past crimes committed by the military, most had hoped that human rights violations would end under civilian rule. Three coup attempts in the past three years and uncontrollable death squad activ- ity testify to the Cerezo government's failure to affect a successful transition to- ward a democracy conducive to improve- ments in the human rights situation. The coups have also underscored the transparency of the democratic face con- cealing the true political and economic force in Guatemala - the military elite. It is this power, deeply divided itself over the course which Guatemalan politics is to take, which must accept responsibility for the fear and violence which characterize Guatemalan life. It is our own government, however, that enables the Guatemalan military to rity assistance to Guatemala might em- power the "democratic" civilian govern- ment vis-h-vis the military, such aid has actually weakened the civilian government by demonstrating once again that eco- nomic assistance does not hinge upon re- spect for human rights. This present escalation in political vio- lence is but one episode in Guatemala's long history of systematized repression against its people. Since 1954, over 110,000 people have been assassinated and 40,000 disappeared for political reasons in a country the size of Tennessee. Today at 7:30 pm in the Rackham Amphitheater, Jean-Marie Simon, a consultant with Americas Watch and Amnesty Interna- tional and author of Guatemala: Eternal Spring, Eternal Tyranny, will discuss both the history and present state of hu- man rights in Guatemala. It is time that we stopped ignoring Guatemala. Prisons System discriminates against people of color IT TOOK AN 11-MONTH HUNGER addition, a disproportionate number of strike to get his case heard, but Rene people of color are locked up - this is Acuna has at last been freed from particularly clarified by their numbers prison. Acuna was arrested and con- on death row, where Blacks constitute Victed in Macomb County for allegedly a majority. standing guard at the end of an alley The problem with the prison sys- while a drug deal was taking place. tem, made worse by the drug war, is :After a trial that lasted less than an that sentences handed down correlate to hour, and in which Acuna's court-ap- race, class and prison vacancies, not to pointed lawyer did not offer an argu- the crime. The end result is that the ment, he received a sentence of two life prisons are filled with many like Acuna terms. - poor, non-white men and women It seems that Acuna, who was born subjected to excessive terms which do in Cuba, could not communicate that he not fit their crimes. While the drug war had been arrested for the crime of loi- hype has resulted in the increase of lering and had no knowledge of the sentence time handed down to those crime with which he was charged. convicted, it is only following the U.S. Acuna's case is an exceptional one tradition of targeting the disempowered in that his conviction was overturned; for the ills that plague the whole of so- not all people who have been wrongly ciety. convicted have had similar luck. The Michigan Gov. James Blanchard fact that he was a Latino in a white plans to triple prison capacity in the neighborhood made him a prime target state -- but that is precisely the prob- for police; the occurrence of a crime by lem. The erection of new prisons here a group of Latinos nearby made him and throughout the United States implicitly guilty to both the police and promises a continuation of the trend the courts. which Acuna exemplifies. The prisons As a result of the "war on drugs," that get built will be filled predomi- prisons are fuller than ever. Since nantly by poor people and people of 1980, the number of prisoners in state color. and federal prison has risen from If people like Acuna are to be pro- 300,000 to 675,000. The average fed- tected from wrongful imprisonment, eral prison is filled 60 percent over ca- steps toward a a more fair and less dis- pacity; California penitentiaries are op- criminatory justice system must be werating at 175 percent of capacity. In taken. 1 Engler is not a sexist To the Daily: In Wednesday's editorial, "The Wrong Man" (2/21/90), the Daily misinterpreted Senator John Engler's campaign slogan, "Just think what the right man could do." His statement is meant to reflect on his character rather than the gender of those capable of handling the job. Senator Engler is the "right man for the job," as he is definitely not the "right woman for the job." Perhaps it would have been wiser for him to use the phrase, "the right person for the job," but as it stands, his slogan should not be construed as an insult to the women of the State of Michigan. David Snearline First-year Engineering student Racism and sexism are hurled too easily To the Daily: As I skimmed through Friday's Daily (2/16/90), I could not help but notice once again accusations of racism and sexism that are so easily hurled around. First, I read that democrats call Senator John En- gler sexist for his slogan, "Just think what the right man can do." I don't know or care much about En- gler, but I pity the guy. The phrase "right man" has nothing to do with sexism. After all, Mr. Engler is - horror of hor- rors -- a man. He could have said "Just think what the right homo sapiens can do," but it definitely lacks some zip. On the next page, I read Spike Lee's sister's comments on the movie "Do the Right Thing." Why wasn't he nominated for an Academy Award? The white mem- bers of the academy discriminated against it, of course. Perish the thought that it may not have been one of the five best movies of the year! proven guilty. However, when it comes to issues of sexism and racism, many of us assume guilt unless one can prove his/her innocence. Real progress in these areas will not come until this "witch-hunt" at- mosphere disappears.. Rick Ostrander LSA Senior Nicaragua distorted To the Daily: The Feb. 19 editorial about Nicaragua ("U.S. policy threatens integrity of elec- toral process") is so distorted it is not worth considering as a serious opinion. For starters there is the statement that says that "the main risk is not the risk that the ruling Sandinista party might abuse the powers of incumbency... the real threat... comes from United States interference." Anyone remotely familiar with the Nicaraguan situation considers the Sandin- istas as more than an "incumbent party." You must visualize a country where there are no distinctions between the State and the ruling party. The army, immigra- tion, and most media including both TV stations are controlled by the Sandinista Front. It would be the equivalent of the Republican Party having its own army and totally controlling all federal bureaucra- cies. Electing a Democrat in those circum- stances would be pretty hard. Then there is the question of the San- dinistas "remarkable successes." That the Nicaraguan economy showed high growth rates is attributable to the cycle that had started in the '70s at the height of the Somoza regime's power. Most Sandinista economic policies were a total disaster, not hard to imagine due to the prominent role Cuban and East Block advisors played in the early years of the revolution. The much-praised Land Reform pro- gram was heading on a destructive collec- tivist course. This trend was stopped largely by the efforts of individual peas- Sandinistas were actively providing train- ing and weapons for the Salvadorans. That has been documented in the 1981 State Department White Paper, its 1982 revi- sion, and further corroborated by Senator Boland in 1985. What the Sandinista's have gained from this is a good question. If they were as flexible as their supporters claimed, they would have tried less to alienate the United States, the major power in the hemi- sphere. The only reason they are having elections is that the United States pres- sured them militarily and economically. Manuel Olave LSA sophomore Review local bands To the Daily: I read the Daily every day, and I am displeased with the Arts Section's lack of attention paid to the local band scene. Most of the reviews and profiles are of unknown bands (at least to the masses) that come to town for one night gigs at semi-local clubs. I rarely see any coverage of the bands that rock Ann Arbor every single week A la mission: impossible, The Difference, The Iodine Raincoats, Frank Allison and the Odd Sox, Anne B. Davis, etc. The Daily is for students. Many of these bands contain present or ex-Univer- sity students. These bands are the bands that students at the University follow. I know this because I play in mission: impossible. It would be great to see a Daily sec- tion concerning Ann Arbor campus bands, profiles of them, and a list of when they're playing that week. I think that it would be a very positive addition to the Daily, a student newspaper. Dave Gould LSA sophomore Get rid of ugliness MSU Trustees dumped THE MSU BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS proven to the nation that nothing - from integrity to affirmative action -- is more important to the University than sports. By asking George Perles to become MSU's new athletic director, the Board told everyone who works and studies at this University that honesty and fairness are not part of the process. Getting the big everything for sports we supported his stance - no one should be his or her own boss in a University ca- pacity. The battle - an ugly one, waged re- lentlessly in the state's media - was not personal, but philosophical. DiBiaggio was simply an obstacle in the road, and the Trustees ran him over. In the process, they have undermined his authority at this ;niversit.