Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Thursday, March 19,1992 Gbr Mid4hiau ai ii 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 764 - 0552 MAUFHIEW D. RENNIE Opinion Editors YAEL CITRO GEOFFREY EARLE AMITAVA MAZUMDAR Edited and Managed by Students at the University of Michigan Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board. All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters d not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily. FROM T!E AILY........... Do you have Tsongas in a can? Yes. t 1 ...../ .._..' '/ C> FHH.. ZL lam gqs kqmt-l c H 6.4~ r / t Y i S ':1:. f - I : :":.:: ..................... f "" I II R.I :""::::::!!!: ::::"'":"i::::: '::":66 M £ }:b.:": tr:::"::: '9 2 - !!" :::! : '"!:! :1 :::'"" "r"'1i:":J ::!! :::.'t! : :.::t":i' ' ::i. .. : 0 Excuse me, pardon me...." A backpack slammed into some poor student's face. "Oops, sorry ..." - crushed toes, someone else's hair tickling your nose, heat rising off hundreds of tightly- packed bodies as even more people try to squeeze their way into the room, hanging off door frames and overflowing into adjacent halls. Yes, there's nothing quite like going to hear a visiting speaker at the University. As presidential campaigns gained momentum before Tuesday's primary, students increasingly found opportunities to listen to the words of promi- nent politicians - words that have the potential to affect the way students think and vote. Unfortu- nately, hundreds of them found it increasingly difficult to get in to the events, and were turned away at the door. The most recent politicians affected by this trend rank among the nation's most prominent political personalities. Hillary Clinton, wife of presidential hopeful Bill Clinton, was hidden away in Hutchins Hall, Jerry Brown in the Pendleton Room of the Union, and Tom Harkin in MLB Auditorium 3, all addressed crowds of only a few hundred - on a campus of 40,000. Union officials had to turn away some 500 people who came to see former Massachusetts Sen. Paul Tsongas in the Union Ballroom. Maybe it was better that they didn't get in. The Ballroom was packed like a sardine can, and Tsongas was one hour late. The Tstudents for Tsongas tried to placate the crowd by playing Top 40 radio. The atmosphere was nauseating. But who's to blame? Is it the fault of the people who sponsor the speakers or of the University Scheduling Department? The answer is both. The current system requires sponsors to request rooms for their speakers at least a month in advance if they wish to reserve an auditorium that could hold more than a few hun- dred people. Unfortunately, most presidential can- didates or other popular speakers, who can fill rooms the size of Rackham or Hill Auditorium, plan their schedulesonly a week or two in advance. All too often this results in politicians speaking in closet-sized rooms to crowds that are only a frac- tion of what they should be. If the University wants to continue to attract prominent social figures, some effort must be made to let them speak in places where they can be heard. That may mean the University Scheduling Office must make an effort to place them in audi- toriums like Hill and Rackham. Something must be done.. In addition to discouraging speakers from com- ing to the University, the cramped conditions typi- cal of these events make students think twice about trying to hear the ideas of key political figures. Sadly, this frustration may encourage many stu- dents to rely solely on the media, instead of hearing the words straight from the source. The best solution to this problem is to place the speakers in larger auditoriums, where the people who want and need to hear what is said can com- fortably stand, listen, and leave with new ideas and without broken toes. reedom of the mess Maybe you've seen it around campus, a small newspaper called MIM Notes. The Maoist International Movement publication pro- motes the teachings of Mao Tsetung and an inter- national communist revolution to end capitalist world oppression. Regardless of whether or not you think Mao has the answer, MIM Notes, like all other non-mainstream publications, are important for political discourse and intellectual exchange of ideas at the University. Recently, however, MIM has had difficulty distributing its publication atthe Graduate Library. When MIM asked permission to set up a newspa- per bin there, it was denied permission. MIM was told that since it could not have a bin because it was not a University publication, like the Daily or The University Record. But if the Graduate Library can make an exception for pub- lications like Consider magazine, it should allow other student publications, too. Instead, the Gradu- ate Library's distribution policy seems contingent on the contents of the newsletter. If the library thinks it's a fair publication, it allows it. If not, it doesn't. Report*overlooks The Safety and Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) released its report, last December, reviewing the Department of Public Safety's (DPS) investigationofthe Oct. 3,1991 Diag incident. The SSAC report concluded that the DPS investigation was complete. In reality, it was far from complete. Both the SSAC report and DPS failed to mention the harassment of innocent African-American women that took place. The incident involved a University police offi- cer who drew his gun on a suspect. Because the suspect was seenwith an African-American woman, the police randomly stopped Black women in the Diag area in an attempt to locate him. The officers even began arresting one of the women. But, the officers backed off when she objected. The DPS investigation discussed officer's con- duct. The report supported DPS's conclusion that the officer involved should seek counseling, and warned that "he be advised that he must wait for backup before confronting a possible armed sus- pect." However, the committee ignored all racial as- pects of the incident. It should have recommended sanctions against the officer responsible for the arbitrary questioning. To assume that Black women, simply because of their race, were party to or The Grad is abridging the right of MIM to distribute its publication and goes against the spirit of the First Amendment. Is the Graduate Library keeping out these "fringe" publications because it disagrees with their content? Or as library officials have argued, are they just worried that the newspa- pers will make a mess? All students should be able to distribute their publications around campus. The Graduate Li- brary, and other campus libraries, should adopt the "Open Literature Policy at Universities " endorsed by Rackham Student Government and the Michi- gan Student Assembly. This resolution explains that libraries are places that contain literature in all forms, and therefore should allow the distribution of "non-profit free dropped literature" including MIM Notes. If libraries are to remain true to their purpose of being centers for literature and ideas of all types, they should adopt a policy that represents such a commitment. Individual students should decide what is and is not valid literature. No one else, including library administers should make that decision. DPSInsensitity knowledgeable about the crime smacks of racism. Moreover, this assumption goes against the prin- ciples of due process that must be followed during police investigations. This aspect of the officer's insensitive conduct should have been an equal focus in the SSAC and DPS investigations. Last month, the University's Board of Regents voted 7-1 to deputize the campus police force through the regents. Its overwhelming support of the measure was based on the assumption that the force was well trained and sensitive to the needs of the campus community. The regents justified this position by citing the more than eight hours of sensitivity training that would be given to each officer. Clearly, the behav- ior of the officer in question reveals this training was inadequate. In fact, University officers have displayedpoor judgment and insensitivity throughout the year. The Diag incident, in conjunction with the incident at Angell Hall, which SSAC alluded to in its report, indicate that University police may be trigger- happy. With the evidence of their racial insensitiv- ity, minority students have every right to be con- cerned. The DPS and SSAC reports, through their negligence, will do nothing to keep similar inci- dents from occurring. Daily was out of line To the Daily: It appears to me that the Daily editorial board members who voted to print the very poorly executed critique of the MSA- sponsored "Alcohol Awareness Week" are the ones who are dangerously unaware of alcohol realities. That last fall's "Alcohol Awareness Week" was a flop is a matter of record. However, poor attendance at this event by members of the University community does not indicate that alcohol abuse (or substance abuse in general) is not a serious problem in our society. Making people aware of this does not constitute a naive attempt to "dictate ... puritanical morality on (sic) the rest of this campus." It is a well-motivated, socially responsible undertaking, if pursued in the proper fashion. Put simply, you're way out of line! W. Clayton Hubner, Jr. Rackham graduate student Cultural ignorance To the Daily: On Feb. 6,1992, the Daily published a political cartoon depicting an Asian-American boy mimicking recent derogatory comments made by Japanese politicians against American workers. If this cartoon was meant to criticize the verbal blunders of Japanese statesmen, then why use what is usually thought to be a Chinese name 'Li'? This seems to me to be a particularly obnoxious eliding of cultural images, on the order of suggesting that Koreans tradition- ally wear kimonos, that the harp is the national symbol of England, and that Vincent Chin was a Japanese man. Min Song LSA senior Same-speak To the Daily: It seems that everyone talks, the same around here. I'm a sophomore, but I've lived here most of my life and I have just realized that all the males use the same catchy phrases, greetings and farewells. The females speak strikingly similar to one another, also. I mean what's the deal with the phrase: "No, I mean seriously..." and "...Oh my gosh..." and everyone - I mean everyone - says: "What's up?" What is an appropriate answer for this extremely ambiguous question? I hypothesize that if I were to blindfold someone from another geographical area and bring them into an area restau- rant, they would not be able to differentiate between one female and the next. Christi Foster NCFD sophomore A multi-purpose Daily To the Daily: I greatly enjoyed reading "Daily as toilet paper?" (2/11/92) in the Daily. I feel that this paper is too liberal, and only represents a small minority on the Univer- sity. Mandarano's theory could be proven, and if it is proven to be true, what a savings the University could enjoy. Just think of the benefits: 1) Less waste; 2) Entertainment in the john; 3) Savings of school funds; and finally,. 4) Puts litter in its place, instead of on the floor of some auditorium, which is where you usually find them. I just wanted to voice-my opinion and support for this fine and semi-conservative individual, Larf Mandarano, my hero! Erik Bertrand Engineering junior To the Daily: I would like to bring to attention the enormous amount of disgusting graffiti I find all over this University. One would think that by the time a person has made it into college, he or she would have learned that paper is for writing on and not desks, tables walls or bathrooms. I see writing all over everything and it makes me sick. There is a ton of scrap paper in places like the I see absolutely no need to write on the tables there. It make the entire place look trashy. Jessica Ulbrich RC sophomore Get off the sidewalk To the Daily: I know this whole conversation has become old hat, but there has recently come about a new twist which begs consideration. What I am referring to, of course, is non- pedestrian use of the sidewalks around campus. Now bikes I can understand, and even the occa- sional University maintenance car. But as of this year, there seems to be a new form of transportation which has made its home on the sidewalk: mopeds, or motor- scooters. The riders of said machines are using the sidewalk as their primary path of travel in far too many instances. Is it going to take a serious injury before the University cracks down on this? Where are all of these campus police officers everyone is so worried about? I wish they would look into this. Michael P. Lazarski LSA junior The Daily encourages its readers to respond. All letters should be 150 words or less. Send all letters to: The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. Or via MTS to: The Michigan Daily, Letters to the Editor. 01 Disgusting graffiti 0 Ay N. , usios o te os-sexual revoltion by Irit Kleiman and Emma Rosi East Quadrangle's "Women's Weekend" featured movies, discus- sions, a coffeehouse, dance and music performances, and an art show. These events were attended by women and men from all parts of the University, yet a bulletin board put together b y Women's Weekend staff - work- ers inspired the most FERSNECT heated con- troversy. The board features a large central "graffiti" area surrounded by advertisements featuring vari- ous media images of women and poems by women about their feel- ings and experiences. Many of the advertisements feature well-known sex symbols such as Madonna. Two Obsession cologne ads showing naked people in various embraces were displayed next to a cartooned woman wearing a plated steel and leather-bikini bustier and boots riding a savage bear and brandish- ing a sword promoting peppermint schnapps. One Esprit ad proclaims, "keep a woman's right to choose ... unless George Bush is free to main hallway, anybody walking through East Quad can stop, stare and comment. Many people have reacted passionately to this display. Comments range from "Dumb Broads" to long accounts of the stereotyping and exploitation ex- pressed in these photos. The board explores societal repression and objectification of women as re- meant to be: sturdy, capable of car- rying thirty-five pound packs up- hill, and designed to bear healthy childrennaturally. Women are beau- tiful in all shapes, sizes and colors. In many ways men, for all their occasional incomprehension over what all the fuss is about, are more accepting of this fact than are women themselves. Ideals of feminine 0s w How have we liberated, post-sexual-revolution women allowed ourselves to be brainwashed by these ridiculous male fantasies? flected through public portrayals of women as status symbols, pos- sessions or objects of beauty. One conspicuously written com- ment reads "The human body is beautiful," with two biological women's signs drawn interlocking beneath it. Nobody is denying that these women are beautiful, but where do these ideals come from? Only five percent of the female population is as tall or as thin as the women shown in these advertise- ments. Too many women diet them- selves into literal starvation in or- der to resemble Cindy Crawford. If Barbie (yes, the doll) were a life- size human being, her measure- ments would be 52-18-45. How beauty have changed radically through history. No one would deny the loveliness of Renoir or.Ruben's paintings of women; but if these same women were around today they would most likely be referred to weight loss clinics. Often times women know these truths intellectually but find them hard to assimilate emotionally when they are continually bombarded by advertisements, magazine articles and movies dead set against their floundering self-esteem. Perhaps if women insisted on their right to be recognized as beautiful the way that they really are, the media would be forced to respond with more realis- tic and diverse portrayals of them. Nuts and Bolts O [a A FIRE? A CAR~ WRECK? 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