The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, January 15,1992 - Page 3
1
Students
of color
tell travel
stories
by Robin Litwin
Daily Staff Reporter
LSA senior Glynn Washington
turned more than a few heads during
his year in Shiga, Japan. As an
African American, it was impossi-
ble not to attract attention in a soci-
ety that is almost entirely Japanese.
"We were causing street acci-
dents by walking down the road and
we were on television for the first
three weeks we were there," Wash-
ington said. "We went into the mall
and jaws dropped. It was an incredi-
ble time. Every day something
weird would happen."
This was only one of the stories
Washington and four other students
Of color related last night about
their experiences in foreign cul-
tures. Sponsored by the Interna-
tional Center, the panel discussion
informed minority students about
opportunities available abroad.
The students on the panel partic-
ipated in various programs includ-
ing AIESEC, The Henry Luce Foun-
dation Grant, the Peace Corps, and
the Institute for Central American
Development Studies (ICADS).
Students focused on experiences
that were unique to their cultural
backgrounds. Several found that
they were set apart because of their
Although Washington said he
found it difficult to fit completely
into Japanese culture, he saw his
cultural exchange as a chance to
break down prejudices between
Asians and Blacks.
However, Michelle Moran, a
student who participated in an in-
ternship in Costa Rica, had a very
different experience.
"Being an African American
Woman, no one ever thought I was
North American. People thought I
was from the Atlantic coast and I
never corrected them," said Moran.
"I felt like I was at home, and I was
treated like I was at home."
"An entire new world opened up
for me," said Keith Reeves, a politi-
cal science graduate student who
traveled to Malaysia. "I was very
nervous being a Black American
male, but we were treated like roy-
alty the entire time I was there."
The students who attended the
discussion were also shown re-
sources that the International Cen-
ter offers, and the majority found
the discussion to be very helpful.
Jay Hancock, an engineering ju-
nior, said, "I found it beneficial. At
the least it was interesting to hear
other students' experiences."
Pro secuters file
charges against
Soviet junta
Buried in books
Residential College junior Deb Zimmerman tries to locate unsold books at The Student Book Exchange in the
Michigan League yesterday afternoon.
MSA member resigns citing
assem b y's in efiectiveness
MOSCOW (AP) -
Prosecutors charged 12 former
high Soviet officials yesterday
with conspiring to seize power in
the failed coup that quickened the
demise of the Soviet Union.
The hard-line officials -
including the one-time prime
minister, defense minister and KGB
chief - could face 10 to 15 years in
prison or a firing squad for their
part in the August coup, officials
said.
No date has been set for the
trial that promises to be one of the
most spectacular court cases in
modern Russian history.
The suspects, six of whom
formed an emergency committee
that claimed to have taken power
from an ailing Mikhail Gorbachev,
have already challenged the
fairness of the proceedings.
Through their lawyers, they said
senior politicians and the media
have distorted the facts against
them.
Prosecutors earlier decided not
to charge the suspects with "high
treason." The prosecutors reasoned
that the state they allegedly tried
to betray - the Soviet Union -
has ceased to exist anyway.
The charges culminate a four-
month inquiry in which thousands
of people were interviewed and 125
volumes of evidence compiled, the
Tass news agency said. In the pro-
cess, prosecutors scrutinized the
KGB, the armed forces, and
Communist Party.
Among the former Soviet offi-
cials charged were KGB chief
Vladimir Kryuchkov; Prime
Minister Valentin Pavlov; Defense
Minister Dmitri Yazov; Vice
President Gennady Yanayev;
Security Council official Oleg
Baklanov; Alexander Tizyakov,
head of the state enterprise associa-
tion; and Vasily Starodubtsev,
Peasants Union leader. All helped
found the eight-member emergency
committee.
The eighth co-founder of the
committee, former Soviet Interior
Minister Boris Pugo, killed
himself when the coup fell
through.
Other suspects identified by
Tass were: Supreme Soviet
Chairman Anatoly Lukyanov; Oleg
Shenin, a Politburo member; army
commander Valentin Varennikov;
KGB guard chief Yuri Plekhanov;
and Vyacheslav Generalov, who
was Plekhanov's deputy.
Yevgeny Lisov, deputy prosecu-
tor general of the Russian Federa-
The charges
culminate a four-
month inquiry in
which thousands of
people were
interviewed and 125
volumes of evidence
compiled.
tion, headed the investigation. He
said Gorbachev could become a wit-
ness in the case, but there was no
evidence to accuse him of coup
involvement.
Lisov hinted that Gorbachev
might fall suspect in other ongoing
investigations concerning Commu-
nist Party finances and KGB
activities.
Now that the formal charges
are filed, the suspects and their
lawyers are allowed an unspecified
amount of time to examine tie
material and produce new evidence-
in their defense. If the defense
response fails to persuade the
prosecutor to lift the charges, the
cases go to court.
Defense lawyers reached by The
Associated Press protested that
they still have not seen the charges
and said it would take a long time
for the case to come to trial duelo
the sheer volume of evidence. '
by Jennifer Silverberg
Daily MSA Reporter
LSA Rep. Priti Marwah resigned
from the Michigan Student Assem-
bly last night, citing MSA's
ineffectiveness as the reason for her
decision.
"I feel this organization has no
value whatsoever," Marwah said.
"At least as Chair of the Michigan
Union Board of Representatives I
have the capacity to make things
happen and change things."
Members said they were sad to
see Marwah resign but were not sur-
prised due to her time commitments
with other campus groups.
"She was overworked," LSA
Rep. Todd Ochoa said. "I think Priti
attempts to achieve excellence in ev-
erything she is involved with and
the Union Board just became a
priority."
Library Science Rep. Christopher
Thiry was elected to replace
Marwah as the vice-chair of the
Campus Governance Committee.
Thiry was unopposed.
Assembly representatives also
discussed goals for the coming term
at last night's meeting, the first of
the semester. They expressed
concern for the lack of credibility
and respect that students have for
the organization.
"Another goal should be to treat
each other with respect," MSA Vice
President Julie Davies said. "It
really looks bad when constituents
come and and see us acting like a
bunch of children."
Other assembly members agreed
that the assembly was getting
caught up in petty arguments among
themselves.
"It's not just us. We're dealing
with a large university," Natural
Resources Rep. Nina Shaw said.
"We're going down the drain with a
lot of things we're doing which is
pretty much nothing."
The assembly appointed three
new members to the Central
Student Judiciary Selection
Committee by a roll call vote.
There are five vacancies on the
judiciary and three empty seats on
the Court of Common Pleas.
Rackham Rep. Jeff Hinte, Engi-
neering Rep. Brian Kight and LSA
Rep. Sejal Mistry were nominated
for the committee. Kight and
Mistry won the election.
In addition, first-year
engineering student Andrew Mutch
was appointed as a non-assembly
member of the committee.
Americans satisfied with
health care system, poll says
WASHINGTON (AP) - Two- Democratic and Republican poll- polling firm said.
thirds of Americans want at least sters for the insurance group, found The telephone survey of 800
some changes in the nation's health that 61 percent of those surveyed adults 18 and older has a statistical
care system, though most are al- said the current health care system margin of error of plus or minus
ready satisfied with their current was meeting their needs. 3.46 percent.
1
t
1
coverage, according to a poll re-
leased Monday by the Health
Insurance Association of America.
The poll, conducted jointly by
THE LIST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Meanwhile, 41 percent said the
current system needs significant
'This creates a real
dilemma for
policymakers.'
- Mark Mellman
Mellman and Lazarus
change, 24 percent said it needs some
change and 26 percent said it is
beyond repair.
"This creates a real dilemma for
policymakers," Mark Mellman of
the Democratic polling firm
Mellman and Lazarus Inc said.
Those most satisfied with the
current system tend to educated and
in the higher income brackets,
William McInturff of Public
Opinion Strategies, a Republican
The survey also found that peo-
ple generally prefer a mix of private
and public options rather than a
government-run system.
Asked about three different re-
form options, 87 percent favored
"tax subsidies to make private in-
surance more available and afford-
able." Sixty-seven percent favored a
"pay or play" that would require
employers to provide health insur-
ance to workers or pay into a fund to
cover the uninsured.
"The survey suggests that people
accept instinctively the notion that
we need to improve what works, and
not throw out the baby with the
bath water," said Carl Schramm,
president of the insurance
association.
Meetings
AIESEC, mass mtg 1276 Business
Administration Bldg. 6 p.m.
Hellenic Student Association, mass
mtg, Union Rm 1209, 7:30 p.m.
Latin American Solidarity
Committee, weekly mtg, Michigan
Union, Pond Rm A, 8 p.m.
Mens Lacrosse Club, mass mtg, 1250
CCRB, 7:30.
Society of Automotive Engineers,
general informational mtg, free food,
1200 EECS, 6 p.m.
U of M Engineering Council, first
mtg , All chairs open for election. All
engineering students encouraged to
attend. 1500 EECS, 7 p.m.
U of M Sorin-Ryu Karate-Do Club,
weekly meeting, CCRB Martial Arts
rm, 8-9 p.m.
U of M Outing Club, mass mtg,
Michigan Union, Anderson Rm, 7:30.
Undergraduate Sociology Club, mass
mtg, LSA 3rd floor lounge, 5 p.m.
University Students Against Cancer,
group mtg, Michigan Union, Pond Rm,
7:30 p.m.
Speakers
"Environmental and Health
Problems in Central Europe"
Rhonda Ryznar. Brown bag lecture,
Lane Hall Commons Rm, noon.
"The Rationality and Morality of
Q.iIA 1nA rhn r- c- T rti-
service. Temporary service. Sun-Thur,
8 p.m.-.11:30 a.m. Stop by 102 UGLi or
call 936-1000. Full service begins
Sunday, Jan. 26.
Northwalk, North Campus safety
walking service. Temporary service
Sun-Thur 8 p.m.-l1:30 a.m. Stop by
2333 Bursley or call 763-WALK. Full
service begins Sunday, Jan. 26.
Housing Division Resident Staff
Positions, Pre-Information Meeting
Workshops for Students of Color,
RA/MPAA Candidates, Mosher
Jordan, Nikki Giovanni Lounge, 7-8
p.m.
Prospect Place, Volunteers needed for
child and family support, family aides,
and skills and services. Training 9
a.m.- 12 p.m. or 6-9 p.m. For more
information call 484-4300.
U-M Taekwondo Club, Monday
workout. CCRB Martial Arts Rm
2275, 6:30-8 p.m. Beginners welcome.
Russian Song Fest, informal group
singing for all levels, no experience or
musical knowledge required, 185
Frieze Building, 7-9 p.m.
Discussion on "Objectivism: The
Philosophy of Ayn Rand", Michigan
Union, Wolverine Rm, 8 p.m.
Dept. of Recreational Sports' Cross-
Country Ski Getaway Weekend, pre-
trip mtg. North Campus Recreational
Bldg, Conference Rm, 7-8 p.m.
Career Planning and Placement.,
m.-^.. -- on.. ( t) P..l I L.DWDT
AP PHO:p
Russian President Boris Yeltsin stops in Bryansk yesterday on a
domestic tour to promote his economic policies. q
Jersey plan to cut aid for welfare children.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - A
welfare reform plan awaiting the
governor's signature would deny
additional benefits to women who
have more children, angering
women's groups who say it in-
fringes on the right to procreate.
Critics say it would unfairly pe-
nalize children, but the plan's spon-
sor says it would allow welfare re-
cipients to take control of their
lives, and could cut welfare costs.
The restriction would be the
only one of its kind in the nation,
experts said yesterday.
The package would also require
all welfare recipients to take part in
education or job training, and al-
lows mothers to marry without
losing all assistance.
Gov. Jim Florio has until Jan. 21
to sign the bills. He has not said for
certain that he will, but aides say he
supports efforts to break the cycle
of welfare dependency.
Women with two children cur-
rently receive $424 a month in wel-
fare. The bill would deny the $64-a-
month increase per child to mothers
who have additional children while
on welfare. The bill would allow
recipients to work and earn up to 25
percent of their total grant without
losing benefits.
The National Organization for
Women and other groups attacked
the plan as discriminating. NOW
attorney Martha Davis said the
group will challenge the plan.
No other state refuses' benefits
for additional children born to a
welfare recipient. California is
among states considering such
measures, but "New Jersey's is the
furthest along," said Henry
Freedman, executive director of the
Center on Social Welfare Policy and
Law in New York.
_ , ,
Vatican r
ZAGREB, Yugoslavia (AP) -
The Vatican recognized the seces-
sionist republics of Slovenia and
Crnati inr--av - - ral ffi rmi
ecognizes
could jeopardize peace. Without go-
ing into specifics, he warned that
Belgrade would take the "necessary
stens" against the Vaticn.
Slovenia, Croatia
"There is no force which could
disarm people in Krajina," Babic told
a radio station in Belgrade, Serbia's
canital.
Pakrac, 70 miles southeast of Za-
greb. Croatian officials said a suburb:
of the eastern city of Vinkovci was.
shelled by the Serh-dnminated federal
i