The Michigan Daily- Friday, March 27,1992 - Page 3
Five non-affiliated
candidates to run
*for MSA positions
Redistricting
leaves state reps.
with seats to fill
'Y
by Robin Litwin
Daily Staff Reporter
While the Conservative
Coalition, the Progressive Party and
the Michigan Moose Party have
grabbed students' attention in this
year's Michigan Student Assembly
elections, some students have chosen
to distance themselves from the
parties and run as independents.
Many of the students running as
independents for MSA seats said
they felt they could best represent
students as non-affiliated candidates.
"I will not be expected to support
anyone else's position. If a member
submits a resolution, the party is ex-
pected to support it. I think I could
* better represent the interests of the
students this way," said LSA junior
James Griffin.
First-year LSA student Daniel
Cherrin agreed.
"I am an individual representing
students in LSA, not a party,"
Cherrin said. "I'm representing my
own issues, as well as students', and
not my party's."
School of Natural Resources se-
nior Fred Werner said he never had
any intention of joining a party be-
cause he wants to have his own
voice - not a party's.
"If I were to go to a party I feel I
would be selling myself short by
having a platform speak for me
rather than speaking for myself,"
Werner said.
Some of the candidates said party
politics interfere with important is-
sues that MSA should address and
contribute to MSA's negative
campus image.
"They think it's this grandiose
ideological battle, this war between
the left and right for the heart and
sole of Michigan and it's crap,"
Werner said. "It detracts from MSA
and contributes to their poor image,"
he added.
"One of the reasons MSA is often
seen as a joke is the party squabbling
within MSA," Griffin said.
Cherrin said party politics do not
belong in college-level student
government.
"I really don't agree with parties
and party politics at the college
level," Cherrin said. "We should fo-
cus on students' issues rather than
party politics," he added.
Werner said that there are certain
advantages that come with running
as an independent.
"People have no preconceived
notions. They have to ask what my
positions are," Werner said. "There
are no prejudices involved. They
have to hear my opinions before they
can make judgments about me."
by Barry Cohen
Daily Government Reporter
The redrawing of Michigan con-
gressional lines has raised many
questions as to who will fill seats of
the newly-designed districts.
Rep. Carl Pursell's (R-Plymouth)
refusal to run for reelection has posi-
tioned Bob Carr (D-East Lansing)
and Howard Wolpe (D-Delta
Township) to vie for the newly-
defined district.
A three-judge panel - Appeals
Court Judge James Ryan and U.S.
District Judges Stewart Newblatt and
Robert Bell - restructured and re-
named the voting districts after re-
jecting proposals by the Republican
and Democratic parties.
After each census, congressional
districts are redrawn to reflect popu-
lation changes. The panel's goal is to
have each Michigan district
represent 500,000 people.
Rep. Sander Levin (D-
Southfield), who has been moved
from the 17th to the 12th district, de-
cided to run for reelection. He will
face Dennis Hertel (D-Detroit) -
currently of the 14th district.
"I have lived in what is the new
12th district for more than 30 years,
and I have represented 11 of the 17
communities in the new 12th district.
I will miss the parts of my old dis-
trict that have been moved else-
where, but I look forward to repre-
senting this new and diverse dis-
trict," said Levin in a written
statement.
Although Hertel lost constituents
from Wayne County communities,
he will still represent people form
portions of Macomb and Oakland
counties,dand also gained part of
Southfield.
"It's the best possible thing of
what could have happened, despite
losing Wayne County," said
Cathleen Peralta, Hertel's assistant
press secretary.
However, not all the incumbents
were significantly affected by the
redistricting.
"We don't anticipate the kind of
problems other incumbents have,"
said Rick Blake, press secretary for
Barbara-Rose Collins (D-Detroit).
The Civil Rights Act of 1991
protects predominantly minority
districts from drastic redistricting.
As a result, the 1st and 13th districts
- both in Detroit - faced few
changes despite being 1st and 2nd in
population loss.
it
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Since the redistricting committee
made few changes in the districts'
represented by Collins and John-
Conyers (D-Detroit), no new compe-
tition will oppose the incumbents in
the next election, Blake said.
"It is possible that someone in the
expanded boundaries may run, but
now it's not the case," he added.
The redistricting will force Rep.
William Ford (D-Taylor) to move,"
from the district where he has lived
since 1933.
Block art
First-year LSA student Jeff Ross, who plans to transfer to the School of
Architecture, sketches a drawing for class of the Rackham Building from
the fountain between Hill Auditorium and the Michigan League.
.New candidates hope to change MSA
by Robin Litwin
Daily Staff Reporter
t Many candidates running for
Michigan Student Assembly seats
this year are throwing their hats into
the ring for the first time.
Many new candidates said they
have decided to run to help solve a
perceived problem of political in-
fighting.
"I'm tired of seeing MSA being
kicked around like a political foot-
ball between the left and the right,"
said Rackham graduate student
David Willson, who is running on
the Michigan Moose Party ticket.
"It's very ineffective. They spend
more time squabbling and fighting
than doing anything constructive,"
he added.
LSA sophomore Thomas
Shelton, running with the
Progressive Party, agreed.
"I think a lot of unnecessary
bickering happens between the
Progressive Party and the
Conservative Coalition," Shelton
said. "If I could stop that, I think that
would make the assembly more
effective."
LSA junior James Griffin, who's
running as an independent, said,
"It's not just disagreements within
parties, but animosity. We disagree
but there's no reason for fist fights."
Other candidates said they de-
cided to run because they wanted
MSA to represent students more.
"MSA should be a more student-
oriented organization," said Natural
Resources senior Douglas Keinath,
running with Conservative Coalition.
"I think that MSA has gotten
away from the students and it needs.
to be returned," first-year LSA stu-
dent Wendy Hollopeter of the
Michigan Moose Party said.
Many of the candidates said they
are running because they want to
improve MSA's reputation and make
students more aware of the
assembly.
"The only time we really hear
about MSA is around election time,"
said LSA junior Nancy Eisenstein,
running with Conservative Coalition.
"Students don't have the resources
to find out what's going on and they
should because it's their
government," she added.
"I think the problem is MSA has-
n't really done much of anything.
I've had people say 'what's that'
when I told them I was running,"
said Natural Resources sophomore
Fred Werner, running as an
independent.
Other candidates said they are
running because they want more
representation for a particular group
on campus.
"There's a problem with repre-
sentation of younger people as well
as minorities on MSA," said first-
year LSA student Leah McRae, run-
ning with the Progressive Party. "I
don't think problems like the fight
will happen with proper
representation."
"It is always an unhappy event to
have to leave people who have been
so much a part of your life," said
Mike Russell, Ford's press secretary.
"But you have to place your faith in
the judicial process and live by their
decision," Russell added.
If Ford is reelected, he will
represent Ann Arbor.
Richard Kennedy, University
vice president for Government
Relations, said the University will
miss Pursell because he was instru-
mental in aiding nursing research
programs, and helped the University
receive National Institute of Health
funding.
.11
Visiting Oicers speak
to ROTC students on
race, gender issues
* Correction
Judge Alex Kozinsky's name was incorrectly spelled in yesterday's Daily.
THE LIST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Student groups prepare
for U.N. Earth Summit'
Meetings
Friday
International Foods party, 114 N
Ingalls. Apt #38:00 p.m.
U of M Chess Club, weekly mtg,
Michigan League, 1 p.m.
AIESEC Dominick's 8:00 p.m.
Sunday
Alpha Phi Omega, Chapter Meeting,
Michigan Union Kunzel Room, 7:00
Speakers
Friday
"Hume and Subjectivism,,": Kunzel
Room, Michigan Union, Kunzel room.
4:00p.m.
"In Search of the Hidden Christ,"
(Muslim Students) Michigan Union-
Anderson Rm, 7:30 p.m.
"Apartheid is Dying; Zionism
persists," Palestine Solidarity
Committee, Dr. Ali Mazrui, Rackham
Amp 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
"In Search of the Hidden Christ,"
(Hindu Students) Michigan Union-
Anderson Rm, 7:30 p.m.
"Detroit Summer '92 Speaker
Series," Grace Lee Boggs, 1209 Union
1 p.m.
"Hume and Subjectivism," Michigan
Union, Kunzel Room, 9:00 a.m., 11:00
a.m.
Furthermore
Friday
Cantebury Music Night, Cantebury
House, 8-11 p.m.
"Oneg Shabbat with Lev Raphael,"
Hillel, 9:15 pi.
Crees Spring Party, Lane Hall
Commons Rm, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Safewalk, night-time safety walking
service. Sun-Thurs 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m.,
Fri-Sat, 8 p.m.-1 1:30 p.m. Stop by 102
763-4246.
Northwalk, North Campus nighttime
team walking service. Sun-Thur 8
p.m.-11:30 p.m. Stop by 2333 Bursley
or call 763-WALK.
Adam's Brother Classical Rock
Band, Intervarsity Christian
Fellowship, 12-8 p.m. Diag
Free Video: Thelma and Louise, In-
ternational Center, 8 p.m.
ECB Peer Writing Tutors, An-
gell/Mason Hall Computing Center, 7-
11 p.m.
U of M Bridge Club, weekly duplicate
bridge game, Michigan Union, Tap
Rm, 7:15 p.m.
U of M Ninjitsu Club, practice, I-M
Bldg, wrestling rm, 6:30-8 p.m.
Michigan Ultima Team, practice,
9:30 p.m.
U-M Taekwondo Club. workout.
1200 CCRB, 6-8 p.m. Beginners wel-
come.
U-M Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Club,
practice. CCRB Martial Arts Rm, 6-7
p.m.
Undergraduate Psychology Depart-
ment, Undergraduate psychology ad-
vising, walk-in or appointment, K-108
West Quad, 9 am-4 p.m.
Yost Ice Arena, public skating, 12:00
p.m.-12:50 p.m.
ECB Peer Writing Tutors. 219 UGLi,
1-5 p.m.
"Vocal Blowout," Rackham Aud,
UM's Acapella and Oberlin, 8 p.m.
admission charge
Saturday
Charity Benefit for "Food
Gatherers," Performance Network,
Washington St. Ann Arbor, MI 9:30
p.m.
Guild House Campus Ministry,
playing percussion and learning
rhythms. 8-10 p.m.
Leadership workshop, Taiwanese
American Student for Awareness,
1209 Michigan Union, 1-3 p.m.
Sundav
by Shelley Morrison
Daily Staff Reporter
University students are striving to
facilitate communication among stu-
dent environmental groups as a
United Nations environmental forum
approaches this summer.
The United Nations Conference
on Environmental Development
(UNCED) will be held in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, and will focus on
four areas of environmental distress
- climate change, biological tech-
nology, biological diversity, and the
fate of the forest.
More than 170 United Nations
delegates and world leaders are ex-
pected to attend the conference that
has been dubbed the "Earth
Summit."
School of Natural Resources ju-
nior Michael Dorsey, who was cho-
sen to attend one of the four prepara-
tory meetings of UNCED as a non-
governmental organization observer,
spoke about his experience at a
symposium held Saturday.
Dorsey called the controversy
over environmental issues a result of
the "North and South argument."
"One of problems with the reso-
lution of environmental issues is the
distribution of world wealth,"
Dorsey said. "The United States has
the wealth and power and the Third
World countries absorb the damage."
"Until the United States accepts
its responsibility in resolving these
problems by supporting proposals
like Agenda 21, nothing can be
achieved."
Agenda 21 is the 1,000-page
book of proposed solutions to the
economic and developmental side of
environmental turmoil, and its pro-
gression into the 21st century, which
will be presented at UNCED.
University students are also cam-
paigning for .structural changes
which would correct environmental
damage.
Elizabeth Shaw, chair of MSA's
Environmental Issues Commission,
is working with all environmental
groups on campus to create a
network of discussion and education.
"The most important thing envi-
ronmentalists can do is to make peo-
ple aware," Shaw said. "We have to
try to get people to make the con-
nection between our lives at home
and environmental concerns."
by Tovah Calderon
Five visiting officers from
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
spoke to ROTC students and staff
about their personal experiences
with race- and gender-related con-
flicts in the military last night at
Angell Hall, providing advice and
encouraging words to cadets who
may have to deal with similar situa-
tions.
"One of the comfortable things
about the military is that there are
standards," said Major Aurelia
Blake. She and other officers ex-
plained military policies concerning
discrimination. "The military is an
equal opportunity employer. This is
mandatory, and the military has the
best statistics for addressing those
ills."
Major Will Jacobs also expressed
confidence in military policies.
"Quite often you run into people
who don't like to see minority peo-
ple in positions of authority," Jacobs
said. "Those are individuals, not the
system. The system don't play that.
The military don't play that."
Capt. Terence Spann shared his
experience with military administra-
tion taking action against his racist
sergeant. "The man was a bigot, and
I knew this. One day he finally
slipped, as these type of people usu-
ally do. He used the 'n' word."
Spann's response was to remain
calm and let his commanding officer
deal with the incident. Spann said
racial slurs are not tolerated in the
military and as a result, his sergeant
was soon fired. "It just so happens
that I was the only Black officer on
his staff. When I went back to work,
I acted as if nothing had ever
happened."
The officers agreed that the first
priority for minority cadets and offi-
cers should be to earn respect and
prove credibility. Capt. Pamela
Singleton shared her personal con-
frontations with sexist behavior.
"I had a boss who didn't know
how to deal with women and I'm
sure he didn't have any idea how to
deal with me, a single, Black fe-
male," Singleton explained. "I fig-
ured I could show him better than
tell him what I was about and how to
treat me."
Singleton worked to earn respect
from her boss by dealing with him
on a professional level. "If you're an
officer, you have to be a profes-
sional, whether you're Black or fe-
male or whatever."
Jacobs pointed out, however, that
despite regulations the system
doesn't rule out all racism.
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