Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Tuesday, October 1, 1991 &WIE5o1 3awaUJ TEEK 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigar 48109 Edited and Managed by Students at the University of Michigan ANDREW K. GOTTESMAN Editor in Chief STEPHEN HENDERSON Opinion Editor Kgym 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. .":lr... ,.r.. ,.J. . :."r ".": " ::" :""."::.::"." :"." :""X"."."r: "X".":.""."."."r:.. " 4"."rr.":": :^.".":.Y".":.":: X":.^::.".:":.:::.v' :"r ::":::::."." '??::{ } ' "}:ti !:rt, 1,4 rr."rl; ""}:":: :": ::"f t.'""rl :'r:".": ' : ,.Yr ":7:?}r:": :'r'r. .X. .r .r .X. r. .r:.Jl+. J.. .:.' :.{"}{"'X. .......... .r... . .X:: rrr.": r. }?:{4:"}:4"?:ti ::C{" r"}:vi{}i iti : ,. a.... r........"..;..:..;r~:. .Y}. .4 } r. }:" ,7"'X 'r{4'" ...Y.: ik' :rr. "J r, , ,1.,4vv ................................. r.............. vX"x::::::."::. F. r i{': %Y r .{.. :."r."."::::: vr.".4vJ:.......... r......... a... r...."....... :{{J: r$ Xr J Y.{ f.": .:tie : :'1:??:VJ?: :l.{"}:"??:"?:':{" .tiY}:":"::?%.' :"???':"}:':":rlr:4": ldr:lrlrJ:.Y':.4"." ": lr :r}?: SRC Cut me off? Am 1 hearing this? Dad, it's the third week of school! II ITISon, I appreciate your dilemma. Your timing is incredible. Trust me. It'll help in your transition from academia to the real world... - ---- i by Thomas Keenan What am 1 going to do? Get a job? I've got classes. I've got bills! What about my studies, for pity's sake? - - Besides, it was you or the condo, and, no offense, it wasn't that difficult of a decision... 7 - 7b k0 0' MSA Commission should mobilize campus I n the wake of increased police action against students this term, one might expect the Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) to take the lead in organizing some form of student opposition. More specifically, one would expect the assembly's Students Rights Commission (SR C) to assume that role. So far, though, MSA and SRC have reacted only with trepidation to the situation. And SRC Chair Michael Warren has demonstrated no less than political ineptitude in his response. As Chair of the SRC, Warren has been endowed with an important post and a responsibility to try to ensure students' rights. Unlike most MSA activi- ties, the SRC is not for show; it helps to organize and solidify coalitions of students to address con- cerns over rights violations. In the past, former SRC chair Corey Dolgon was often criticized for acting prematurely and using protest too often as a way to show student opposition. But at least Dolgon did something. It has been two weeks since the tear-gassing incident on South University took place, and Warren's only reaction has been to form an in- vestigative subcommittee which has yet to meet. As the chair of SRC, Warren should be the most outspoken proponent of students' rights on cam- pus. The SRC chair must be the investigatory arm of MSA. Warren's job is to gather information, foster discussion, and help coordinate a student response. As of now, Warren is 0 for 3. And the assembly has tacitly accepted Warren's lack of resolve. MSA President James Green and his cohorts have yet to even acknowledge Warren's inaction. Amidst the growing concerns over police violence, Green has concentrated his efforts on furthering the agenda of the Conservative Coalition and little else. It is becoming clear that the police are engaged in an overly aggressive crackdown on Michigan students. With increased patrols, attempts at en- trapment and unreasonably high fines, students' rights violations are becoming increasingly com- monplace. President James Green and SRC Chair Michael David Warren were both elected on a promise to make MSA a conduit for student concerns. But their failure to respond to police activities would indicate otherwise. The police crackdown encompasses students of all kinds - the very students who elected Green and his party. These students deserve more force- ful, potent leadership. 'U' women University must act on committee recommendations R ecently, the President's Advisory Commis- sion on Women's Issues (PAC) released its report assessing educational issues affecting the achievements of females at the University. The report said, "the University too often ignores women's preferences, perspectives, and needs, adversely affecting our ability to attract and keep talented students, faculty, and staff." The Univer- sity must take nc tice of this report, and begin to actively encourage the advancement of women throughout the University. On our campus, only 8 percent of department chairs and full professors are women. Of the 1,105 full professors, only 7 are women of color. While 28 percent of the assistant professors and 24 per- cent of the associate professors are women, very few are tenure track. Moreover, the number of assistantprofessors recently dropped from 30 to 28 percent. Viewed collectively, these statistics demonstrate an overall lack of commitment to expanding the roles and number of women in the faculty. Vice President for Student Services Mary Ann Swain is the sole woman administrator, and she serves on an interim basis. Yet, women are found in far greater numbers in lower-level jobs, where they comprise 75 percent of the University workforce. The disproportionate number of females in power positions even manifests itself in the class- room, where women are sometimes discriminated against by TAs and professors. As one female stu.dent said, "In one of my classes, the women were totally ignored. The TA taught only to the males in the class." Another student said, "When I speak in class I am constantly interrupted. I feel attacked and alone." The report also said sexual harassment is far from being eliminated. Many female students have reported sexual harassment and many instances of harassment go unreported. The report called on the University to do the following: integrate women 's goals into the University's strategic planning; hire significantly more women faculty; increase the representation of women in University leadership and adminis- tration; adopt the policy on sexual harassment; and declare 1992-93 the University of Michigan Year of The Woman. Rather than addressing women's problems in name only with a publicity oriented program like it's Year of the Woman, President Duderstadt and the regents must implement the recommendations outlined in the report and make specific progress towards improving the campus invoronment for women. Only by further involving women in the administrative and educational roles of the Uni- versity can progress be made. 'U' should open housing To the Daily: The bigotry demonstrated by certain supposedly educated and enlighted residents of married student housing and the University's Board of Regents in regards to gay people on this campus is appalling and embarassing to me as a graduate student. The reasoning used to support the idea that couples living in same-sex relationships should have no officially sanc- tioned place on our housing is so transparently fueled by ignorance and fear that it surprises and saddens me that this is happening at a place where we claim to be advancing humanity an its quality of life through knowledge and example. This issues must be kept alive until justice is served and gay relationships are seen as life- giving and life-affirming adn gay people themselves are accorded the human rights and dignity which is their due. If our society is ever to grow into a true appreciaionand celebration of its wonderful diversity, those who claim leadership and didactic roles in that society, including the University, must act and speak from a position of truth and knowledge, not ignorance, hatred, fear and compacency. Timothy Huth Rackham graduate student A higher level of thinking To the Daily: This letter, in a sense, is directed to all people, no matter what your ethnic, social, cultural or economic background may be and can be applied to several scenarios. As I was walking out of the Central Campus Recreation Building (CCRB) the other day with my girlfriend, I walked past a group of African-American women. I am an African Ameri- can. My girlfriend is white. One of the women looked at my girlfriend, then looked at me and mumbled, "sell out." I was surprised. Don't get me wrong. I'm not naive. I know society as a whole deems our relationship as unacceptable. I have heard all of the deragotory comments before either directed at me or other "unacceptable" couples. So, why was I surprised? What surprised me was her stark and matter-of-fact attitutde as she said, "sell out." Who is she to sit on her high and all-mighty throne and pass judgment on me like that? I'm sure others have felt the same way, but weren't bold enough to say it to my face. How did she know we were dating? Could she see my eyes twinkling and my heart flutter? For all she knew we could have just been friends or acquaintances. Thinking on her level, I should have replied: "By the looks of your light complexion, someone in your family could have 'sold out."' But that would have been dumb, stooping to her level. I am pissed off, fed up and frustrated with that kind of thinking embedded in brothers and sisters of all colors and creeds. Now that we are at an institution of higher learning, we should move to a higher level of thinking. People of color should not fall into the trap of "tunnel thinking," like many of our Caucasian counterparts have been known to do. Just because I choose to date a white woman - or for that matter a non-black - does not mean I'm not "down" with the black cause or that I'm doing this because I seek higher social status (like so many wannabe psychologists and sociologists have hypothesized). You don't know me! Therefore, don't ever so fashionably make a blind judg- ment about me. I'll continue to date women - Black, white, hispanic, Oriental - who exemplify the qualities I value. I respect others' rights to associate with and date whomever they want; I should be shown the same respect. Rudy Redmond Engineering senior Clean up the mess To the Daily: This letter is to once again address the campus groups putting fliers on the sidewalks (and University buildings and statues in certain fountains). I am not protesting the use of the fliers, just the method in which they are removed. As far as I can tell, the papers stay taped down until grounds maintenance crews can clean them up. With fraternity and sorority rush upon us again, should not the groups themselves clean up their messes? The names of the organizations are usually printed directly on the flier, so they can be held responsible. It is not the job of University employees to take care of such things. Andrea Berez School of Art sophomore The Daily encourages re- sponses from its readers. Letters should be 150 words or less and include the author's name, year in school and phone number. They should be mailed to: The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard, Ann Arbor 48109. Or they can be sent via MTS to: The Michigan Daily Letters to the Editor. The Daily does not alter the content of letters, but reserves the right to edit for style and space considerations. Questions or comments should be directed to Stephen Henderson at 764-0552. Mules ahead Jazz trumpeter was ahead of his time T he death of Jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis last Saturday marks the end of one of the most influential and dynamic careers in 20th cen- tury music. Davis is recognized worldwide for his role in shaping the ever-changing landscape of jazz. .zMiles made early contributions to music as a player in the Charlie Parker quintet in the mid 1940s. His collaborations with John Lewis and Gerry Muligan in 1948 spawned a new strain of music called "cool jazz." This music conatained flowing solos of the early Bop era set to a laid back swing beat and richer harmonies than those of early jazz. But during the mid 1950s, Davis began to feel ihat cool jazz, with it's growingly complicated orchestrations, was losing its soul. So he changed it. He formed the Miles Davis quintet, which fea- tured such great talents as John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and "Philly" Joe Jones. This quintet took jazz to a new level. Roundabout Midnight (1955) contained - pieces, like its title track written by Thelonious Monk, filled with feeling and melancholy, and others, like Ah-leu- cha with the driving beat of "hard Bop." Davis collaborated with arranger Gil Evans in 1958 to record George Gershwin's Porgy andBess with a symphony of jazz musicians. This ground- breaking album lead many critics to anticipate a future for so called "third stream" music, whereby jazz and classical elements would be combined. One yearlater, Davis changed gears once again. He began experimenting with modal scales and re- corded "Kind of Blue," the first album of this new genre. Miles branched out into new fields of music with the release of Bitches'Brew, where he is credited with starting the movement towards fussion - where elements of rock were added to jazz. Not content to remain in one field for long, Davis kept switching the harmonies, orchestra- tion, and feeling of his music - often offending his fans, and leaving his colleagues no choice but to play catch-up. But his non-stop innovations in music, in addi- tion to his unique sound as a trumpeter and the hands-on role he took as a band leader were the key to the great music he created. .}tYl::. : N: A"iAV."S."JAYt.1 Y.V.W."A1"iA}"A}11 l1 C$::}titi:.....1...:::$?r,:?2:::':.". ,:;::Sw}i:::.r!'{rti$:%?:.ti?.C: r, PC isn't just a sign of the 90s by Joan Lowenstein Although "PC" is relatively new terminology, political correctness has been around for a long time. If you were an abolitionist in the 19th cen- tury South, MICHIGAN DAILY it was po- ELEBRATES litically 00_ correct to a get out of town. If you were an an- archist dur- ing WWI,it was politi- cally cor- pressed by the majority of the people, or by those in power, has simply been a way of life. Luckily, we have a constitution that protects dissent. The First Amendment isn't re- ally necessary for those in the po- litically correct majority. Someone who says, "Let's nail Saddam Hussein" or "Just say no to drugs" doesn't have to worry about being punished for expressing controver- sial views. But people who choose to burn the American flag, or belong to the Communist Party, or to protest a popular war do need to be protected from the "majority rule" mentality that would silence their expression. In the 1940s when Jehovah Witness children in West Virginia chose to follow their religion and not salute the American flag, po- litically correct West Virginians~ In the 1960s when college pro- fessors in New York refused to take loyalty oaths to affirm that they did not belong to "subversive" organi- zations, state university adminis- trations wanted to fire them. But Justice William Brennan said that teachers especially should be al- lowed a "free play of the spirit" and the Court held the oaths unconsti- tutional. That atmosphere of free spirit is what has allowed women, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and others the ability to invade the traditionally homogeneous universities, and to suggest a change in attitudes and even (gasp) curriculum that have been politically correct for centuries. So it is particularly ironic that President Bush, an advocate of censorship for war protesters and family planning clinics, would come to this uiniversitv and talk about 0 by Joan U ~um- Nuts and Bolts HS- OE4 SlRE T u A~L STwgrS VT ~LM BumI& tNNmi I A? lOVIES!T4EN I'M~i T HEN YOU TDUM.P f'E,'1 Y'VAHA-1pRAND KEEPI MY UFF! I WT CARE by Judd Winick WELms IACLEVER rect to keep quiet. If you were in Hollywood in the 1950s, it was po- litically correct to turn in your left- wing colleagues to the Committee on Unamerican Activities. And if I I