Page 4-The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, September 11, 1991 e brgan &ti1C ~4M~O ~A1 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 Edited and Managed by Students at the University of Michigan ANDREW K. GOTTESMAN Editor in Chief STEPHEN HENDERSON Opinion Editor C OW t e i 6 / 100 No fIL ToAUG 7 1ue Mema Servces M\USS Bf 50M ING COUA ICALL,. IS CALLE.D,. =COUG 4 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. .. tirrJ " r. }}: Vr rr ir. .r v. tirti "."r "r .. }J r.. r'.": " Iran-Contra American people should sustain F ive years after the Reagan administration's arms-for-hostages deals were uncovered, many may be wondering why the celebrated Iran-Contra controversyisn't dead and buried. But because of the recent indictment of CIA deputy director Claire George, the scandal has once again been brought to the forefront. George's indictment not only helps satisfy the demands of justice, but reminds the American people that the wall of deceit surround- ing President Reagan's policies must still be torn down. Any blame for the lack of real investigative breakthroughs should not be directed toward the independent special prosecutor, Lawrence Walsh. Walsh has been struggling under the most frustrat- ing working conditions: President Reagan doesn't remember, the CIA continues to ignore requests for documentation, the Justice Department ignores the prosecution's need for resources, and, worst of all, the American people have demonstrated a total lack of interest in Walsh's investigation. Just as in 1986, the general consensus today seems to be that the Iran-Contra fiasco was actu- ally about a few well-meaning patriots trying to do what they could for the stars and stripes. But it should be clear by now that Ollie North, John Poindexter, and the rest of the gang were criminals first and patriots only occasionally. Had Walsh's independentprosecution originally been offered the support necessary to unearth the criminal activities of the CIA and the administra- calls for full investigation tion, this would have been apparent long ago. Instead --with new revelations coming out almost daily implicating everyone from Bush's CIA-chief nominee Robert Gates to Bush himself -the Iran- Contra scandal grows increasingly complex . Revelations concerning the October Surprise - the possibility that George Bush cut a deal with Iran to delay the release of the hostages - involve much of the same cast currently playing lead roles in Iran-Contra. But as Rep. Bob Michaels (R-Il ) stated sadly, yet correctly, the people back home don't give two hoots about the Reagan Adminis- trations activities - even when they involve po- tential treason. Nonetheless, the sheer magnitude of the cor ruption involving the CIA, and the Reagan and Bush administrations is potentially enough to overwhelm the strongest apathy. Though President Bush - basking in his 70 percent approval ratings - keeps wishing Iran-Contra out of existence, it will keep coming back to haunt him until the truth finally emerges. The American people can help that truth to come forth - and help the independent prosecu- tion gain ground - by waking up now to the dangers that a secret team of underground diplo mats and intelligence officers pose to any true democracy. It won't matter what Walsh exposes if the citi zens he is pledged to protect are unwilling to act on his evidence. I COUP FLU I li A ,l // e r t6_i lf ; It iW dll u Idi dil 1nIllldl{ I I itti l{iil hf{null{uG aill ..II ,I o.... TuE N4 4--NATIOW!) ___ FIW ! FIDW- I - _ -_ p -r 'T mIwNK IMQUE5T 10~ 41 ZAL, 6 %1JxWC (AN I'ARE Wr 'w4ick4 R31gfIkL n IikIkt'v Vit enroIlment Academic decisions should not be made in Lansing ;.ti :ti " ' : ti ... "x. rti:- T hreatened with state funding cuts, the Univer- sity agreed in 1987 to comply with a state proposal limiting the number of out of state stu- dents at Michigan to 30 percent. Now, four years later, the Senate and House higher education sub- committee will again discuss whether to keep these percentages in place. Such meddling in the University's academic affairs constitutes an un- warranted - and uninformed-extension of state authority over University affairs. At issue in the debate over enrollment caps is the University's commitment to serve in-state stu- dents while maintaining its international reputa- tion as a first-rate University. As a state school, Michigan must continue to serve the in-state stu- dents who pay taxes here. But the University must adso make efforts to enroll a diverse student body that includes students from around the nation and tihe world. How Michigan chooses to pursue these goals is up to the University - and specifically to its Office of Admissions and to the Board of Regents. The University community as a whole must en- gage the complicated issues surrounding diversity - such as curricular reform, affirmative action, acid the proportion of in-state students - every single day. On the other hand, no matter how well- intentioned the bureaucrats in Lansing may be, they spend little time on University affairs - and usually know even less. While it is their respon- sibility to provide quality education forMichigan's residents by properly funding its universities, it is not and cannot be their job to legislate how these universities are run. Moreover, it is especially outrageous for the state to consider increasing its influence over University affairs while simultaneously cutting its funds. Gov. John Engler, Speaker of the House of Representatives Louis Dodak, and the rest of the Lansing gang ought to be rectifying their own mismanaged budget and petty squabbles rathei than micro-managing the Fleming Building. This is especially true when it comes to an issue as complicated as enrollment percentages. When balanced effectively, all students benefit from the current 70-30 system. But there are numerous complicating factors. Some educators, for example, feel that increasing in-state enrollment in Ann Arbor could siphon the best students out of other state schools. Others wonder how the state's changing demographics - which clearly demon- strate a marked decline in the number of college- age Michiganders - will affect the 70-30 policy. These issues - and others involving minority enrollment and the respective monies brought in by in-staters and out-of-staters - complicate matters further. With so much involved, Lansing should leave the University alone and mind its own mess - which should be more than enough to keep the politicians there busy. Students beware To the Daily: Students should be advised that robotically-eager young men keep phoning me trying to pitch a credit card, allegedly on behalf of the University of Michigan Alumni Association. Including today's two calls, I have been solicited at least five times by mail and phone by paid agents extolling the benefits of some new Visa credit card with a nostalgic campus scene embedded in its plastic face. Thank god they have not yet discovered MTS! Although some day I hope to be a rich, loyal and sentimental alum, at the moment I am none of the above. If names can get on lists, surely technology also allows them to be removed. And I want mine taken off! Marsha Ackermann G EO is willing to talk To the Daily: I was surprised to read in the Daily article about the GEO contract negotiations ("GEO members brace for possible fall strike," Sept. 5, 1991) that "neither side says it will change its position." That implies that both sides have said they will NOT change their positions, which would make further negotiations pointless. But as a member of the GEO bargain- ing team, I can tell you that in meditation we have offered to move quite a long distance from our official tablepositions inothe hope of reaching a compromise. If it is true that Mr. Owsley has said the administration's current bargaining position will not change, I sincerely hope he is wrong, because that would mean our upcoming mediation session would be a waste of time, and the administration would be bargain- ing in bad faith. As for the GEO bargainers, we are quite willing to change our current positions if there is some kind of reciprocation from the other side. Alan Zundel member, GEO bargaining team The Daily encour- ages responses from its readers. Letters should be 150 words or less and include the author's name, year in school and phone number. They can be mailed to: The- Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard, Ann Arbor 48109. Or they can be sent via MTS to: The Michi- gan Daily Letters to the Editor. The Daily does not alter the content of letters, but reserves the right to edit for style and space consider- ations. If you have questions or com- ments, you should call Stephen Henderson at 764- 0552. . 4 Cracker Barrel Chain discriminates against gays and lesbians :J. Y:. 1': :... . . ". '. ' {:"; : . .......................>a ............,......................................--..--.............................. :{{ } ti Administration stonewalling GEO he ,construction of a Cracker Barrel restaurant in nearby Belleville, Michigan is no cause for cheers - even if you're a fan of their Southern- style cooking: The chain's national management issued a directive late last year which read: "Cracker Barrel is founded upon a concept of traditional American values ... it is inconsistent with our concept and values, and is perceived to be incon- sistent with those of our customerbase, to continue to employ individuals in our operating units whose sexual preferences fail to demonstrate normal het- erosexual values which have been the foundation of families in our society." Twelve gay employees who were fired as a direct result of this memo have already stepped forward in protest. Opponents of discrimination from across the country have held demonstrations to protest this anti-lesbian and gay purge. The campaign against the restaurant - which is now heating up here in Michigan - deserves support. If such a flagrantly bigoted employer is not vigorously opposed, other companies will have a green light to carry out similar discriminatory policies. This affects not only the rights of lesbians and gay men, but could also threaten the rights of women and minorities. Federal laws to combat discrimination against lesbians and gay men would be one way of provid- ing at least minmal protection against polices like those at Cracker Barrel. But until such laws exist and are strong enough to fulfill their purpose, companies like Cracker Barrell must be fought through publcity campaigns and boycotts. So, however much you might enjoy fried okra and grits, satisfy your craving elsewhere. Better yet, write Cracker Barrel yourself and let them know that you will not tolerate the existence of such an outmoded policy on the threshold of the 21st century. by Tom Oko For the 1,600 Graduate Student Teaching Assistants and Staff Assistants represented by the Graduate Employees Organi- zation (GEO), this autumn may prove to be anything but usual. TAs have been working without a contract for 154 days and, before they can put their energy into teaching classes or fulfilling the requirements for their own degrees, they must confront a University administration that has shown little willingness to offer anything substantial at the bargaining table. While it is true that GEO and the administration have failed to reach an agreement over salary increases, TAs are more con- cerned with the administration's refusal to discuss issues which will have a direct impact on the quality of a Michigan education. President Duderstadt and company have attempted to run the University like a business, but they have failed to recognize that the educational mission of the years, while maintaining smaller departmental limits. Over the past several years the administration has attempted to balance the University budget by increasing class sizes and cutting the number of TAs. TAs and their students are compensated. The administration is also demanding changes to the current contract language regarding arbitration. Instead of having TAs complete a semester and then filing for compensation for services rendered, the administra- Two of the GEO's most important proposals - class size limits and payment for services rendered - directly respond to the crisis created by the Administration's short-sighted fiscal policies. well aware that smaller class sizes mean a TA can provide more individual attention to each student, whether during class and office hours or in grading papers and exams. However, the admin- istration argued that the GEO proposal interfered with their "management prerogative" and their counterproposal was to have a committee study the impact of large class sizes on the quality of education at the University. tion wants TAs to notify their department chairs upon realiza- tion that they are working beyond their appointed fractions. The aninw. aLration's dealings with C(;. :tthe beginning of w. ,y fldi e planned for all sluliZ ins at the University. As another sign of the administration's disregard for quality education, the Rackham School of Graduate Studies recently made it more difficult for 9 0, I Nuts and Bolts HA0 B4EEjWILN TL'r LUJMUS Pon-riEN. CH LUE)! HtYA aKILs, H-~b) AQAAAAAAHH! by Judd Winick CT MER E! IOF H ER E!!! i -- -_l