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Michelle Horrigan
leads spikers'
resurgence.
See SPORTS
Page 10.
One hundred and one years of editorial freedom
Vol. CII, No. 28 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Wednesday, November 6,1991 heMcgaal
Sharpton forum underscores Jewish-Black tension
w by Rob Patton
Daily Minority Issues Reporter
As tempers flared during last
Tuesday night's- Viewpoint forum
with the Rev. Al Sharpton, tension
was especially evident between
Black and Jewish members of the
audience.
Several audience members who
took the microphone accused Sharp-
e ton of anti-Semitism, and the heated
exchanges following these accusa-
tions were frequently accompanied
by shouting and booing from sec-
tions of the crowd.
Many left the forum feeling that
what happened could not be dis-
missed as an isolated incident, that
Sharpton had in fact exposed already
existing animosities.
"I think it was unfortunate that
the Black and Jewish communities
were so opposed to each other at the
meeting," said Mark Randon, chair
of the Black Law Students Alliance
(BLSA). "But all I think Al Sharp-
ton did was highlight some issues
that might not have gotten atten-
tion otherwise."
UAC Viewpoint Lectures Chair
Mark Bernstein, who organized the
forum, agreed. "No one walked out
of that forum believing in this
holistic, beautiful, completely uni-
fied University. They realized we
have problems," he said.
Joseph Kohane, director of the
Hillel Foundation, agreed that the
tensions displayed at the forum are
part of a larger pattern. However, he
said the problems between Blacks
whites. My impression is that
Blacks look at Jews as part of the
white population, and the problem
is between Blacks and whites rather
than any one segment of the white
'I see* a lack of will to sit down and learn
about someone and why they're different. I
see people's emotions getting in the way of
them listening'
- Ouimet Smith
LSA senior
"I think that the tension is over-
played; because I think that deep
down Blacks and Jews are on the
same side of the political outlook
on the world," he said. "So more
than anything, I think that Sharp-
ton's appearance created the appear-
ance of divisiveness."
"It's not a tension between
Blacks and Jews, it's a reaction to
Al Sharpton as an individual."
However, many Black and Jewish
students do see tension on campus,
which some say reflects society in
general.
But even these students disagree
as to the problem's root. Some see it
as a lack of cultural understanding
or a simple lack of communication.
"I see a lack of understanding be-
tween students. I see a lack of will
to sit down and learn about someone
and why they're different. I see peo-
pie's emotions getting in the way of
them listening to what other people
have to say," LSA senior Ouimet
Smith, a minority peer advisor in
Mary Markley Residence Hall, said.
Others say the problem goes
deeper than that, lying in economic
inequality and deeply rooted stered-
types. Kohane cited an example
where one student told him of a
Black friend who was upset by
fliers passed out by groups opposing
See TENSIONS, Page 2
and Jews were simply part of a more community,"
general problem between Blacks and Jewish L
whites. ident David (
"I think that the fundamental problem betw
problem is between Blacks and exaggerated.
he said.
aw Student Union Pres-
Glaser said he thinks the
ween Blacks and Jews is
.Iowa students.
speculate on
what caused
shooting spree
by Gwen Shaffer
Daily Higher Education Reporter
IOWA CITY - Crazy. Stressed out. Psycho. Men-
tally Imbalanced.
These are the words University of Iowa students
use to describe Gang Lu, the former student who killed
four people and himself on Friday. Lu was seeking re-
venge for not receiving an academic honor nomination.
Five days after tragedy struck this campus, students.
continue to be visibly disturbed. Some students said so-
ciety is at least partially to blame for Lu's violent ac-
tions, while others said they believe Lu's problems
stemmed from internal conflict.
Iowa senior Brenda Gaudet said she thinks societal
pressures contributed to Lu's losing control on Friday.
"I think he was really frustrated and probably had
been working for that award for a long time. It seems
the shootings were caused by everything in his back-
ground and he was a very driven person," Gaudet said.
Iowa senior Alison Constant agreed that the pres-
sures faced by Lu were very intense and probably to
blame. "He was feeling pressured in terms of finding a
job and working on his dissertation," Constance said,
"But I think it was pressure he put on himself."
Others said external pressures placed on college
students cause great stress.
"A lot of competition in classes and for awards is
getting out of hand," said sophomore Jason Marsh.
Iowa junior Chris Corona said he believes Lu was
overly preoccupied with academic achievement. "He
was obsessive. Getting the award was his life," he said.
Dr. Stanley Sue, the director of the National Re-
search Center on Asian-American Mental Health at
UCLA, would not comment on the specific incident,
but did speculate on what kinds of pressures could have
affected Lu.
"In general, these students are under a great deal of
pressure. They are far away from home, in mainland
China there is uncertainty over what is going to happen
in the future, and there is extreme pressure to succeed
at home. This can produce a situation where an individ-
ual could do drastic things," he said.
Students in the Physics Department seem to be af-
fected most by the shooting, as the victims included the
Physics and Astronomy Department head and two
physics professors. Most students said they were at a
See IOWA, Page 2
-I
State, national
elections favor
Democrats
Associated Press
Democratic Lt. Gov. Brereton
Jones was elected governor of
Kentucky last night in off-year bal-
loting. Appointed Democratic Sen.
Harris Wofford held an early edge
over former Attorney General
Richard Thornburgh in a recession-
shaped campaign that could carry a
message to President Bush.
Mississippi's Democratic Gov.
Ray Mabus was in a close race with
Republican Kirk Fordice in the
other governor's race of the night.
Washington state voted on im-
posing term limits designed to cur-
tail the careers ofHouse Speaker
Tom Foley, other members of
Congress and' state:officials. It
voted, as well, on a first-in-the-na-
tion plan to legalize doctor-assisted
suicide for the terminally ill.
With 7 percent of the
Pennsylvania's 9,428 precincts re-
porting, Wofford had 109,505 votes
or 67 percent, to 52,894 votes or 33
percent for Thornburgh.
In Kentucky, Jones was gaining
65 percent of the vote, to 35 percent
for his Republican rival, Rep. Larry
Hopkins, with 97 percent of the
precincts tallied. The victory by
Jones, a former West Virginia
Republican, extended a 24-year
Democratic hold on the governor's
office.
In Mississippi, it was Mabus
with 69,805 votes or 49 percent to
67,397 votes or 49 percent for
Fordice with 25 percent of the
precincts counted. incumbent Ray,
Mabus against Republican Kirk
Fordice.
Democrats have elected gover-
nors in the state for more than 100
years without interruption, but
Mabus was the first to take advan-
tage of a constitutional change per-
mitting him to seek a second consec-
See ELECTIONS, Page 2
Fire
Jeff Gibbs and Bob Grable, the owners of Coney Island Dogs, clean out their belongings
after a Monday night fire destroyed everything in the restaurant.
Council passes domestic couples ordinance
by David Rheingold
Daily City Reporter
After more than five hours of public
debate, an exhausted City Council ap-
proved an ordinance early yesterday
morning allowing homosexual couples
to register their partnership with City
Hall, becoming the first city in the state
to adopt such legislation.
The unanimous vote followed the
council's longest public hearing this
year.
The council then voted to instruct the
city finance director to study the costs
of extending to domestic couples simi-
lar employee benefits given to married
couples.
Between 7:30 p.m. Monday night and
12:34 a.m. Tuesday morning, 103 speak-
ers addressed the council about its ordi-
nance allowing unmarried couples -
both heterosexual and homosexual - to
register their relationships in City Hall.
Of the 103 speakers, 84 supported it
while 19 asked the council to reject the
ordinance's second and final reading.
Many members of the audience, who
remained in the council chamber for the
final vote, exploded in thunderous ap-
plause after the council adopted the or-
dinance at 1:00 a.m.
"This is an appropriate and progres-
sive step, and I hope it will be a model
for other public bodies in this state, in-
cluding university boards of regents,"
Mayor Liz Brater told the council.
During the hearing, many speakers
hailed the ordinance as a step toward
recognition of same-sex couples, while
its opponents argued that homosexual-
ity is unnatural.
University graduate Tom Nash, who
addressed the council, said he believes
homosexuality fosters "self-destructive
behavior."
"Sodomy, with all due respect to the
people, is basically the transmission of
life-giving elements into the human
equivalent of a wastebasket," he said.
And Ann Arbor attorney Charles
Graham warned the council that the or-
dinance violates state anti-sodomy laws.
But Councilmember Kurt Zimmer
(D-4th Ward) said the ordinance only
deals with registration of a partnership,
not sexual activity.
"If (people) want to do things that
are 'illegal' by state law, then that's
their business, but the ordinance does not
address anything such things," he said.
Steve Culver, publisher of the local
newspaper Ten Percent, added that many
people falsely perceive gay men and les-
bians as sexually promiscuous.
"Obviously, a long-standing monog-
amous relationship is based on a lot
more than sex," he said.
Domestic partners will be able to
register their relationships with the city
clerk beginning Nov. 20.
I
V.P. Johnson's office
* closes in 'U' cutbacks
by Henry Goldblatt
Daily Administration Reporter
As part of a reorganization of
the University's executive level of-
fices, Henry Johnson was demoted
yesterday from vice president for
community relations to senior con-
sultant for the University Alumni
Association.
The office
which Johnson
headed - the
University's
community re-
lations office-
will be closed.
Johnson could
not be reached to
comment on hisJo n n
reassignment. Jo no
Johnson. the University's only
better job with more cost effi-
ciency," said Walter Harrison, ex-
ecutive director of University rela-
tions. He added that the University
thought that the responsibilities of
the government relations office,
community relations office, and the
University's external relations of-
fice could be combined into two
offices.
Harrison said that the
University's government relations
office will pick up the responsibili-
ties of the community relations
office, which focused on University
ties with the Ann Arbor and
Detroit communities - including
organizations such as the United
Way and the Ann Arbor Chamber of
Commerce.
Vice President for Government
MSA rejects
referendum
on student
fee approval
by Purvi Shah
Daily MSA Reporter
The Michigan Student Assembly
rejected proposals last night for
two referenda that would have
appeared on future election ballots.
The first proposal, which failed
on a 12-10 vote, would have man-
dated student approval of MSA fee
increases or cuts.
The second resolution, which
was to have students decide whether
the assembly should consolidate
five of its commissions into one,
failed to get the two-thirds major-
ity needed for a constitutional
amendment when it only garnered a
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