Page 4 -The Michigan Daily- Tuesday, March 3, 1992
Wbe Edil4Jan lianIQ
Ed(Iior in Ciefc
(RI,
Esirs
' SS
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
764 - 0552
MAITHIEW D. RENNIE
Opinion Editors
YAEL CITRO
GEOFFREY EARLE
AMITAVA MAZUMDAR
( Hor
Edited and Managed
by Students at the
University of Michigan
Unsigned editorials represent a najority of the Daily's Editorial Board.
All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily.
TW~ £Th if riUiTi~ T~ A Yr '~J7
r frAE .cAN
-CHE EeoNOMY
~l
1
i
r
Party's busted, 'U' cops are here
" r'
--+ ,'
- T
fj ,
F
w.
(THROLIGH SK) %"
'a-J
.1 S
* A
RPA 1 rrCFECr
Tj'he reasons against deputizing University po-
lice through the regents are old news. Despite
the array of evidence against deputization, includ-
ing the testimonial anger expressed by scores of
concerned students, the regents decided to go
through with the process.
There are, however, important issues that re-
main. Now that the University has an armed police
force, students and the community must figure out
how to make the police accountable to them. This
is in addition to the already existing student struggle
of making the regents, who blindly deputized the
police, more accountable.
The regents' decision was disheartening, but
not surprising. The vote to deputize was seven to
one. Only one regent, Veronica Smith (R- Grosse
Ile), who opposed deputization when the whole
process began, voted against it.
The final vote-count was no shock. Thanks to
some clever administrative timing, it did not cause
a big stir on campus. Most students were already,
on their way out of town when the vote was taken.'
Now that students are back in town, deputization
may not be an issue.
But in many ways it shouldn't be. If students
can find a way to convince the regents to reverse
their decision, the entire campus would benefit.
But now that the decision has been made, students
must move on and work to assert community
control over the University police force. The best
way to do that is through the oversight board.
If Public Act 120, the legislation mandating the
oversight board, is followed only to the printed
letter, the oversight board will be a weak disciplin-
ary body.
But if the regents can be convinced to create a
strong oversight board with teeth, it could become
a vehicle for a community direction and control
over the police force.
During the "public" hearings held last month,
the regents repeatedly touted University police as
a kinder, gentler force that would be responsive to
the community. If the regents were sincere in this,
why not let the community forge police depart-
ment policy, oversee hirings, and firings of indi-
vidual officers, have full access to departmental
records, and discipline officers who are a threat to
the community?
Student Rights Commission Vice Chair Robert
Van Houweling has proposed forming two over-
sight boards -one to make policy and one to issue
discipline recommendations. Another alternative
is to simply have the regents grant greater authority
to the new oversight board.
Either way, it is important to make the board
both powerful and accountable. If the regents want
to end their reputation of being deaf to student ears,
then they will act to do so.
"THE ~GREEN
Human morality
IAM*
Who picks the candidates?
The race for the Democratic presidential nomi-
nee has been distorted by the media in a
distinctly undemocratic way. Instead of pushing
candidates to air their views, the media has unduly
influenced the Democratic primaries by deciding
which of the candidates are "credible" before the
public has been allowed to choose for itself.
The relationship between public exposure and
subsequent success at the polls is clear. The candi-
dates receiving the most coverage obviously have
a greater chance of winning the presidential nomi-
nation. However, in a field of candidates that
initially lacked an obvious front-runner, the media
has been too
quick to
choose sides
fromthe begin-
ning of this
campaign.
The most
shocking ex-
ample of this
was the com-
plete exclusion
of George.
McGovern
from main-
stream pressk
coverage on.
the grounds
that he was not
considered a serious candidate. What right do a
bunch of TV executives and newspaper publishers
have to decide such issues? The American public
thought McGovern was serious enough in 1972
when it elected him as the democratic presidential
nominee. Eugene McCarthy has suffered a similar
fate.
Similarly, Jerry Brown has received relatively
little coverage. The coverage which he has re-
ceived is often prefaced with terms like Governor
"moonbeam." This dismissive attitude can only
detract from his credibility in a manner that is
irrelevant to both his message, and the issues. As
former governor of California, the most populous
state in the union, Brown has enough experience to
make him a legitimate candidate. Fortunately for
the former governor, he performed impressively in
the Maine caucus despite the popular press.
The main beneficiary of these distortions, how-
ever, has been Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton,
who has been consistently pushed by the media as
the only Democrat capable of challenging George
Bush. Early in the campaign, lead stories consis-
tently focused on Clinton. These stories covered
everything from his economic plan to his sex life,
but they always covered him.
Now that former Senator Paul Tsongas (D-
Mass.) has taken a leading place in the polls, he,
too, has become a beneficiary of the media spot-
light.
But, the
press similarly
dismissed
Tsongas ear-
lier in the cam-
paign process.
The fact
that Gov.
Brown and
Sen. Tsongas
have managed
to gain support
while being
continually
dismissed is a
credit to their
campaign or-
ganizations. Now that they have pushed them-
selves into the spotlight, the press happily printed
their messages.
This type of selective coverage is dangerous. If
the public is persistently told who is winning, not
why they're winning, this may become a self
fulfilling prophecy.
The perpetual focus on the polls and "horse
race" coverage is another problem. When the me-
dia focuses on margins of victory and percentage
points, the issues are frequently swept under the
carpet.
Instead the media should concentrate on the
issues and leave the public to decide who is elect-
able, without imposing its own views of which
candidates have credibility.
To the Daily:
Several people have reacted to To the D
Bennett Seacrist's letter regarding "Alm
homosexual activity by pointing chimpan
out that members of various vigorous
species of the animal kingdom other fer
also engage in homosexual acts. orgasmi
These writers fail to realize the Bangerte
critical difference between "To
ourselves and the so-called lower the (whi
animals. lesbian s
The fact is that these animals 92)
are amoral species, while humans Alth
possess morality. The fact that to be ter
many people deny these morals or winnersf
twist them to serve their own starters,l
desires does not refute their relevanc
existence or nature. sexual b
Incidentally, this is a primary Cont
point that refutes any claim to an human b
evolutionary relationship with the lizards o
lower animals. Humans possess a Therefon
unique morality, given to us by a ridiculou
unique Creator, which could not use thes
have arisen as a result of evolu- a founda
tion or happenstance. our sexu
So when gay-rights activists humans,
accuse Christians of pushing their lizards, n
morals on the general populace, before G
remember that the activists, too, our bodi
advocate their own ideas of The L
morality, have anu
As human beings, it is mankind
impossible to divorce our moral- boundar
ity from our socio-political gender."
agendas. God's w
Howard Scully accepted
Business School junior any way
d e for it, he
W tetheD y before y'
The
The Daily encourages responses from Th
from its readers. Due to a backlog "So God
of letters, the Daily cannot accept every so
letters longer than 150 words. whatever
Send all letters to: The Michigan vile ands
Daily, 420 Maynard, Ann Arbor, other's bl
MI148109. Or via MTS: The "That
Michigan Daily, Letters to the them an
Editor, things so
!'4/ mA N'T MTe T1 TIrWIW 7 rnTh ATVF_ mY IM
mals don't prove morality
Daily: turned against God's natural plan
nost daily, female (pygmy for them and indulged in sex sin
zees) are observed to with each other (Romans 1:27).
sly rub their genitals with "And the men instead of
males until they reach an having normal sexual relationship
c state..." (Michael with women, burned with lust for
et. al. 2/5/92) each other, men doing shameful
stimulate egg production, things with other men and, as a
ptail lizards) engage in result, getting paid within their
ex." (Sarah Hauck, 2/4/ own souls with the penalty they
so richly deserved (Romans
ough I found these tidbits 1:28).
ribly fascinating and sure "So it was when they gave
for casual conversation God up and would not even
I failed to see their acknowledge Him, God gave
e in regard to human them up to doing everything their
ehavior. evil minds could think of
rary to popular belief, (Romans 1:29).
eings are not whiptail "Being filled with all
r pygmy chimpanzees. unrighteousness, fornication,
re, it is absolutely wickedness, covetousness,
us and rather insulting to maliciousness; full of envy,
e animals as a standard, or murder, debate, deceit, malignity;
tion upon which to base whisperers (Romans 1:30).
al activity. We, as "Backbiters, hater of God,
unlike the whiptail despiteful, proud, boasters,
must give an account inventors of evil things, disobedi-
3od for the deeds done in ent to parents (Romans 1:31).
es. Without understanding, covenant-
Lord Jesus Christ does breakers, without natural affec-
unconditional love for tion, implacable, unmerciful;
J which "transcends all Who knowing the judgment of
ies of race, class and God, that they which commit
However, nowhere in such things are worthy of death,
ord is homosexuality not only do the same, but have
3, condoned or tolerated in pleasure in them that do them
. But, don't take my word (Romans 1:32) ."
re it is frankly stated God is a God of love and
ou: mercy, but he's also a God of
following quotes are taken wrath. The truth lies plainly
e Living New Testament. before us, and the choices are
Ilet them go ahead into ours to make. We have a free
rt of sex sin, and do will; God will not make us love
r they wanted to - yes, Him or obey His word, but know
sinful things with each this ... Jesus will be your savior
bodies (Romans 1:26). and Lord, or your judge, the
t is why God let go of decision is yours to make.
d let them do all these evil Charis Hunt
ithat even their women RCsenior
Nature fascists take on logging trucks
Nuts and Bolts
please stand
by for
this special
announcement.
Due to situations beyond
our control NUTS and BOLTS
will not be appearing today,
We are unable to contact
our principal players.
We apologize for this
interuption and will
continue
the comic as soon as
possible.
by Judd Winick
COIF TL
T THOUGHT WE
"JBNNTINW tFOR A
tWxK?
by Tom Bergemann
On March 16, the United
States will reach a major turning
point in the history of wildlife
protection. Less than a month
from now, the seven members of
the Endangered Species Commit-
tee will decide the fate of the
northern spotted owl and its
ancient forest home.
Even more importantly, the
aptly named "God Squad" will be
setting a precedent that may be
used to dictate the protection of
endangered species well into the
future.
Specifically, the decisionon
March 16 involves 44 proposed
timber sales comprising 4,570
acres of federally-owned timber-
land, a large portion of the last
remnants of ancient forest in
Oregon.
Instead of adjusting these
logging plans to protect the owl's
home, as dictated by law in the
Endangered Species Act of 1973,
George Bush's Secretary of the
Interior Manuel Lujan has called a
rare meeting of the "God Squad"
to consider exempting these sales.
The Committee will determine
whether the cutting of these 4,570
acres is more important than
ipnrvdina the ,rentinninn
resources to be exploited for
profit and the large environmen-
tal movement which is fed up
with the increased logging, oil
drilling, and grazing on our
public lands. The spotted owl's
existence is intricately linked to
the health of the ancient forest
ecosystem. If a creature at the top
of the food chain is in decline, it
is a warning that the whole forest
ecosystem is threatened.
Fifty years of excessive
logging in the Pacific Northwest
has permanently changed these
forests and, as a result, the
region's timber industry. Tens of
thousands of timber jobs have
disappeared in the last 15 years
and will continue to decline due
to drastic clear cutting, automa-
tion, and the export of raw,
unprocessed logs. These factors
have cost more jobs than any
conservation efforts, though there
is a new anti-environmentalist
movement that would have you
believe otherwise.
In the past year or so, the
"Wise Use" movement, made up
of ranchers, loggers, miners,
hunters, oil workers, off-road
vehicle owners, and funded by
large corporations (notably the
Japanese ORV manufacturers)
goals is to allow mining and oil-
exploration in all national parks,
forests, refuges and wilderness
areas; the systematic logging and
replanting of all ancient forests;
and gutting the Endangered
Species Act to exclude the
protection of "non-adaptive
species; and endemic species
lacking the vigor to spread in
range." This well-funded and
well-organized group is dedicated
to the survival of industries and
ways of life which threaten the
health and existence of endan-
gered species, ecosystems, and
humans.
So what should we do? If the
Wise Use movement has its way,
we should keep our mouths shut
and leave the major decisions on
the use of public lands in ques-
tionable hands (Secretary Lujan
has already called the Endangered
Species Act "too tough").
On the other hand, we can
speak out to our elected officials,
and demand that they follow
established laws as written. Write
to the Endangered Species
Committee: ESC, 1849 C Street
NW, Washington, DC, 20240, and
tell it to deny the exemptions in
Oregon.
Let them know that you want
01
--..i
AMt4l\L fYCMES )YUO-
I