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Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Wednesday, February 5, 1992
Editor in Chief
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420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48 109
764 - 0552
MA'THEW D. R ENNIE
Opinion Editors
YAEL CITRO
GEOFFREY EARLE 9
AMITAVA MAZUMDAR
Edited and Managed
by Students at the
University of Michigan
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Unsigned editorials represent a inajority of the Daily's Editorial Board.
All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily.
AbNORML and illegal Diag policy
0-mom"
one would think that the Diag, a place that has
served as a vehicle for protest and debate for
years, would be open to all student groups. Appar-
ently, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs
Mary Ann Swain disagrees. In a computer message
that Swain sent to the Student Organizations De-
velopment Center (SODC), which grants permits
for Diag use, Swain ordered the center to deny the
University
branch of the
National Orga-
nization to Re-
form Marijuana
. Laws (U of M
NORML) use of
the Diag during
this year's an-
nual Hash Bash.
Bydetermin-
ing when and i.
where this group
is allowed to KR!STOFFER GILLETTE/Daily
speak, the administration is denying U of M
NORML its First Amendment rights to freedom of
speech and assembly. This constitutes anew height
of administrative meddling and intolerance. Un-
fortunately, it is not without precedent.
In 1989, the administration tried to keep
NORMLoff the Diag during Hash Bash. This time,
because of a temporary SODC employee's error,
'NORML was granted a permit. When the Univer-
sity tried to revoke the permit, NORML took it to
court, and was allowed to assemble during Hash
Bash.
Swain cited "problems of personal safety" and
"problems with property distruction (sic)" as her
reasons for denying use of the Diag to the group.
More likely, however, is the embarrassment the
annual dope-smoking extravaganza poses to the
administration. However, to deny a student group
use of the Diag because of the content of its
program constitutes censorship.
Swain did not deny NORML Diag use on a
permanent basis. Her intention was merely to keep
such "undesirables" off the Diag "anywhere around
Hash Bash time." But to deny this group use of
central campus during Hash Bash, the day when
students are most aware of issues concerning mari-
juana, stifles NORML agenda. Moreover, if Swain
thinks keeping NORML off the Diag will put an
end to Hash Bash, she has obviously never been to
a Grateful Dead concert.
NORMLis a recognized student group, and has
followed the proper procedure for obtaining Diag
use in the past. That the administration thinks it is
justified in deciding what student groups get to use
the Diag and when they can use it is despicable.
The Diag is intended not just as a walkway
through campus, but as a forum for debate and
discussion of ideas. If the administration thinks it
can influence just what ideas are discussed, then
we know who's really smoking the dope.
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SAOp tr~yi increasing mixture of white men,
pstereotypingen, Asian men and Jewish
miren
To the Dail--
Your editorial concerninm the
purpose of fraternities ("Babes
and Beer," 1/29/92) seemed to
have a dtial purpose: to condemn
Theta Delta Chi's rush flyers and
to ridicule the entire reason for
the existence of fraternities. Well,
I can not possibly defend the
actions of "Theta ID)elta Chi, but
your description of general
fraternity life was unbehlievably
stereotypical.
Youare correct in that
fraternities are social orianiza-
tions, but there is much more to it
thanl that.
'i itrnities provide athletics.
leadership, scholarship (fraternity
men do have higher grade point
ilVCI-,I"C tha1M]101 1,l ait ) t
en), and mlost of all. bro her-
hom. Brotherhood involves not
only white men. but rather, an
19A . 3
I can speak from experience in
saying that brotherhood is the
strongest friendship that I have
ever experienced. I know that I
am not alone in making this
claim, not only within my house,
but also within other houses on
campus.
Fraternity men are also
making a more concerned effort
to live up to the ideals that were
esta blished by our respective
founders. This is increasingly
evident here at the University.
IFraternity men are often doing
community-service fund raising
on the Diag. Nobody forces us to
do so. It is somethiig that we
choose to do.
In addition, has anyone
lbrgotten about the BYOB policy
that was recently passed by the
Interfraternity Council (IF("C)'?
According to the policy, not'even
glass bottles are allowed into the
parties. It seems to me that actions
such as these bring us closer to
the high standards that were set
for our respective houses. It is
more than just "babble."
Fraternities on this campus are
far from being perfect, but they do
not. deserve the constant ridicule
received from unifonned parties,
such as some of those at the Daily
who wrote this particular edito-
rial.
Theta Delta Chi was wrong.
But, it should not be used to
generalize everybody else. It is
stereotypes such as these that Ann
Arbor City Council members used
to try and keep Delta Zeta
Sorority and Pi Kappa Phi
Fraternity out of the homes that
they purchased. We are trying to
improve our system, and the least
that people can do is to recognize
this.
LSA sophomore
Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity
Just following orders?
T his February marks the third anniversary of
T Chris Gueffroy's failed attempt to escape
Communist bondage. In 1989, Gueffroy was a
young, idealistic East Berliner. Like many before
him, Gueffroy sought his freedom by making a
mad dash towards West Berlin across the "death
strip" which divided the city.
In 1989, Ingo Heinrich was an East German
border guard at the Berlin Wall. Heinrich fired the
fatal shots which halted Chris Gueffroy's escape
attempt, and ended Gueffroy's life at the tender age
of 20.
Recently, a German court convicted Heinrich
of manslaughter and sentenced him to three and a
half years in prison.
Heinrich's defense was the classic "good sol-
dier" appeal. He told the court, "at the time I was
following the laws and commands of the German
Democratic Republic."
Nevertheless, the court asserted emphatically
and correctly that everything which is legal is not
necessarily right. Despite the shoot-to-kill orders
which East German border guards had received
from their superiors, there is no justification for
killing a person whose only crime is his attempt to
emigrate.
The precedent for this landmark ruling comes
from the Nuremberg trials. During these trials of
Nazi war criminals, West German courts estab-
lished the doctrine in international law that there
are moral principles which can never be violated,
regardless of orders from higher-ups. This doctrine
applies to the merciless slaughter of people whose
only crime is their race, and has now been extended
to include people whose only crime is their desire
to leave their country.
This doctrine of individual responsibility is
tremendously important to world peace. In a sense,
it decreases the likelihood that crimes of the nature
committed during the Holocaust will recur. An
entire nation responsible for genocide can never
blame a single despot for its collective guilt.
Theodor Seidel, the judge in the Heinrich mur-
der trial, should be praised for his decision. Hope-
fully, the prosecution of the criminals responsible
for the deaths of the estimated 200 East Germans
killed trying to cross the border to West Germany
will not end with the conviction of the men who
pulled the triggers.
Many former East German officials share in
this responsibility. Perhaps the most guilty is de-
posed East German leader Erick Honecker, who
now enjoys diplomatic sanctuary in the Chilean
embassy in Moscow. Honecker, and everyone else
who ordered the death of East German emigres,
must be brought to justice.
Loretta and Louise meet Adam and Ernie
ro the Daily:
In re ferince to Bennett
Seacrist's letter (0/28/92), aside
f'rom his questionable moral
argument, we would like to
clarify a factual misconception
about homosexualit y in the
animal kingdom. Contrary to Mr.
Seacrist's assertion that humans
are "the only animal on eal-th that
has homosexual acts within its
own species," one does not have
to look far amoing the birds and
bees to find many examaples of'
hom11osexual Ibeh~lior..I For'
instace, let us look at both of 'ur
closest living relat iveS, chimpan-
zees and bolobos (pygmy
chimpanzees). Aio li C'hllpan-
cees, males frequent l stroke the
genitals of other nm nk's and excite
them to orgasm. Si ilarly.
bonobos, which are considered to
be the most sexualy, active
primate (humnins included).
frequently engage in both male/
male and l'emale/female sexual
relationships. Almost daily,
Females are observed to vis.,or-
ously rub their'genitals with other
l'emaies until they reach an
orgasmic state.
Before making such sweeping
generalizations about the unique-
ness of human behavior, perhaps
one should better understand the
wide diversity of behaviors
exhibited by other animals
nel uding our primate relatives.
Michael Bangert
Richard Sosis
Susan McDonald Black
Charles Keckler
Biological Anthropology
No business with China
eoMMNviTi Y INSIGHT
Homeless get shut out by new University policies
P resident Bush met with Chinese Premier Li
Peng last Friday. This marks the first time
these two leaders have gathered since Li imposed
martial law after the massacre of pro-democracy
demonstrators in 1989.
Much time has passed since the June 1989
massacre of hundreds of pro-democracy student
demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, but China's
lack of commitment to human rights has yet to
improve.
Only one hour before Bush met with Premier
Li the State Department released its annual human
rights report, which was highly critical of China.
Bush has no business lending credence to Li's
regime by meeting with him.
Last week, American intelligence reports dis-
covered that China has been violating a 1987
international agreement which restricts the export
of missiles and missile technology to developing
countries. By proliferating nuclear weapons to
Third World countries, China has demonstrated its
disregard for global safety. Last spring, after China
secretly delivered missile launchers to Pakistan,
the United States imposed trade sanctions.
Despite this information, Bush favors lifting
the sanctions on the sale ofAmerican satellite parts
and high-speed computers to China.
In supporting the removal of trade barriers
between the United States and China, Bush is
displaying his lack of sympathy for those op-
pressed by the Chinese regime. Perhaps he has
forgotten the events of 1989.
Apparently, a month after the Tiananmen Square
massacre, Premier Li told a Chinese-American
visitor that the army had opened fire on civilians
because there was not enough tear gas or rubber
bullets to disperse the crowd. Meanwhile, many of
the student leaders of the pro-democracy move-
ment have been tried and jailed.
After the massacre, Bush refused to extend
student visas to Chinese students remaining in the
United States. He supports unqualified most-fa-
vored-nation trade status for China, which obvi-
ously ignores China's human rights violations.
While the world celebrates the end of the cold
war and the "fall" of communism, one-fifth of the
world's population lives under a repressive com-
munist dictatorship. With the further evidence of
China's arms proliferation, the United States should
not even consider lifting the sanctions.
by Corey Dolgon and
Michael Kline
Newspapers first used the term
"homelessness" in 1992. as
journalists tried to descmiebe an
economic situation where m nor)e
and more people were livimg in
cars, cardboard boxes and su bwy iv
stations. With terms like the
"feminization of poverty," he
"working poor," and the "c'hron i-
cally unemployed," they sought
to explain why homelessness was
on the rise. Yet, they never
mentioned that povert y, ahhough
increasing, was as Amncricat as
apple pie.
Two characteristics of poverty
have not changed: 1) it is an
inherent result of alflieice: amid
2) beig poor means no access to
basic resources like food, shelter
and health care. In the past, poor
people found cheap spaces to live,
like single-room occupancy
(SRO) apartments, shalit y towns,
railroad yards and "skid-row
hotels.
New Deal era social spending
provided some lhousin kfor low-
income people, but since 98( the
dismantling of" the social safety
net and urban gentrification along
with changes in the labor market
have created the current crisis.
Whereas Lyndon .lohns()n waged
auitomobiles, and working women
and men seeking shelter. The
public responded with compas-
sion and moral outrage. What the
media omitted was an explanation
of the real roots of poverty and
homelessness. Not surprisingly,
outrage was channeled into soup
kitchens, shelters and other social
service "hand-aids." Many
people 'elt that by pulling
together, communities could get
through temporary hard times.
But, 12 years of cutting basic
services (sold to the public
through the 'T'rojan horse of'
trickle-down economics) have
iamde the situation worse. As hard
times have begun trickling up and
knocking on the door of "middle
America," the public outcry to
help homeless people has quieted.
The cost of compassion became
too high.
Recent stiudies show that
people, especially those strug-
gling to maintain middle-income
status, are now less sympathetic
toward homeless people. And the
upper-middle class, who benefited
most from gentrification and
displacement, has grown tired of
reininders that their affluence
caine on the backs of the poor,
who sleep in their lobbies.
Engler's cuts only culminated the
assault?
Emnler claims that social
services threaten our economy
more than deindustrialization and
the unilateral power of General
Motors. When the economy fails,
politicians need scapegoats; in
hard times, the politics of com-
passion easily becomes the
politics of aggression. We give
money to business: we take it
away from the poor.
In addition to the violence of-
"Eng ler I lood" (steals from the
poor and gives to the rich)
homeless people also face
violence from the reorganization
of public space which accompa-
iiies increased economic aggres-
sion.
Here in Ann Arbor, the
U Jniversity has taken drastic steps
to seal o'f' the campus from the
presence of the poor. New
security forces, architectural
designs and admission policies
have limited access t o the
resources and buildings of a
public university.
Even more disturbing is that
the ignorance, fear and violence
behind such measures are echoed
in student leaders who call for
stricter policies and more security.
Few voices are heard arguing for
the need to address the roots of
1
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Nuts and Bolts
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by Judd Winick
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