Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Thursday, April 16, 1992
Editor in Chief
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
764-0550
MATTHEW D. RENNIE
Opinion Editors
YAEL CITRO
GEOFFREY EARLE
AMITAVA MAZUMDAR
Edited and Managed
by Students at the
University of Michigan
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Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board.
- All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily.
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For the past few months, the
Daily has recived an overflow of
letters causing a backup in our
files. Consequently, we are
devoting pages four and five to
community debate. Editorials
will return tomorrow.
Negative stereotyping
To the Daily:
I am writing to express my
disappointment in the attitudes
conveyed by Paul Tranchida's
letter (4/2/92). Tranchida doesn't
understand the importance of
voicing concerns about ideas and
actions which may contain
inaccurate or unfair portrayals of
minorities. It is evident that while
he read the letter about Greg
Stump's cartoon, he didn't stop to
think about the valid issues that
were raised. Perhaps then he
.wouldn't have thought them to be
so "erroneous or misguided."
One of the greatest fears in the
Asian-American community right
now is that Japan-bashing will
translate into anti-Asian-Ameri-
can feelings. Those tSpe of
feelings sometimes lead to tragic
results, like the killing of Vincent
Chin.
What Tranchida fails to
recognize is that racism, no matter
how subtle, still has an impact.
Poking fun at a particular sex or
ethnic group is not a joke, but
rather is a way of perpetuating a
hurtful stereotype. The Asian
Americans upset by the cartoon
weren't responding out of a sense
of superiority or inability to take a
joke; they were reacting to being
characterized by a negative
stereotype that denies their
identities as individuals.
Al Pan
Engineering senior
Thanks for the press
To the Daily:
Thank you for the article in
the Daily (4/14/92) on the
International Center's workshop
about travel in Latin America and
Africa. Just a few corrections:
Our advising isnot only for
the "Third World" countries,but
covers all geographic areas. We
advise not only for travel, but
also for study and work options
overseas.
I am misquoted as saying that
1,000 University students travel
abroad annually (this is the
number that study or work
abroad). An additional 2,000 go
abroad primarily for travel.
Participation in international
activities is virtually a mass
movement for the University.
Too often, students tell us
they were unaware of our office
or wished they had discovered it
earlier, despite our extensive
publicity. The Daily can provide
a real service in covering campus
and community issues, rather
than taking up limited space with
reprints of AP national news
reports available in any commer-
cial newspaper.
William Nolting
International Opportunities
coordinator
A Thief among us
To the Daily:
This is an open letter to the
person who took the pearls that
were left at the CCRB acciden-
tally. I am a friend of the person
who lost them and I cannot
* believe that you would not have
turned them in to the office in the
first place, but to accept a reward
for them is even more unbeliev-
able. You virtually received
money for something you stole
from another person. What a heck
of a person you are and boy do I
hope you sleep good at night.
You are one of a kind.
Sandra S Miller
LSA first-year student
A formal apology from MSA
Dear Mrs. Khalid:
Please accept this letter as a
partial apology for the verbal
attack which you suffered on
March 24, 1992, in the chambers
of the Michigan Student Assem-
bly.
This apology was directed by a
vote of the assembly as a whole.
Although only one MSA member
lashed out against you, the entire
body expresses sincere regret for
the events of that evening.
There are certain unwritten
standards of respect and civility to
which all elected legislators
should hold themselves.
When Bill Lowry called you
"bitch," these norms were
obviously violated. Because the
attack took place during the
constituents' speaking time at a
public meeting, Lowry's action
was inexcusable, not only on
personal and moral levels, but on
a broader level.
No speaker who addresses the
assembly should ever be threat-
ened or intimidated by a represen-
tative. Consequently, the entire
assembly can be held complicit in
the actions of one of its members.
We apologize to you in the
hope that you, and all other
constituents, are not deterred from
addressing the assembly in the
future.
Jennifier Collins
School of Social Work
representative
Maria Yen
Rackham representative
The Michigan Student
Assembly
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Haphazard Daily opinions
To the Daily:
Since my first days at the
University, the Daily Opinion
page has appeared no more than a
literary abscess, from which
oozes a fetid puss on a broad
range of topics.
Occasionally your putrid
commentary rises to the level of
offensiveness, but even your most
calculated attacks are often mired
in a marsh of over simplistic
inaccuracy.
Such is the case with your
characterization of the smaller
caseload for the upcoming
Supreme Court term ("Right
Wing Court takes R&R," 3/12/
92).
I believe that your perception
of the new schedule as "lax" and
"lazy" stems from the ill-gotten
assumption that the justices of the
Supreme Court spend as little
time evaluating the moral and
substantive content of their issued
opinions as the editorial board of
the Daily does of theirs.
Recent formulaic and haphaz-
ard opinions, generated in large
part by industrious and bright
(but not Constitutionally-
nominated) law clerks, have been
the direct result of the ridicu-
lously large caseloads of the
1980s.
Should the court, which has
been complaining of its oversized
docket for years (ever since the
time when it was populated
primarily by non-fascist judges),
feel that constitutional interpreta-
tion would be better served by
infrequent, well-reasoned opinions
than by a proliferation of random
drivel, I am loathe to second-guess
their proposition.
Particularly in light of the
Pennsylvania abortion law's
review this term, I would welcome
the court's undivided attention and
reasoning.
I suggest that, prior to leveling
criticism at the justices for the
modesty of their current schedule,
one attempt the detailed research
and precise writing required in the
decision of just one such case. Or,
at least read the text of one
opinion, beginning to end.
Perhaps then one could
understand that curtailment of an
out-of-control court docket does
not amount to an extended
vacation.
Certainly such and exercise
would be an eye-opener for the
op-ed staff, which limits its
product to ludicrous inferences
based upon fragmentary evidence
with a healthy dose of libel thrown
in to enliven the broth.
Jeffery Techentin
second-year law student
Sperm-donor
ad discriminatory
To the Daily:
I noticed a highly discrimina-
tory ad in your classified section
on Feb. 18, 1992 and wished to
make comment on it. The ad was
for sperm donors blessed with
certain age qualifications. The
donor must be between 21-41
years of age, the ad stated. While
this is discrimination based on
age, I can take it. So maybe my
sperm isn't what it used to be!
Oh, well.
Then the infertility clinic
wants to make sure that the donor
is of high intelligence, so requires
that he must be a graduate student
or a professional. While this is a
little elitist for my taste and may
well rest on false assumptions, I
qualify, so I will not object too
strenuously. I would be quick to
remind the male staff at the Daily
that, being of questionable
intelligence, they do not qualify
under this criterion. So, the ad at
least makes me feel superior to
some.
Finally, the clinic requires the
donor to be 5Sft. 10 or taller. Now,
this is too much! I know that we
short people cannot play basket-
ball or become world leaders, but
why must we have to suffer the
indignity of not even qualifying as
a procreative resource? What are
we, chopped liver. Of course, I do
have good company, as many of
the male Daily staffers also do not
qualify under this discriminatory
criterion reading: short people
need not apply! Is there a song in.
here somewhere?
Tom Croxton
professorof social work
Meteorologist was
out to lunch every day
To the Daily:
I just wanted to compliment
the Daily on the incredible
consistency it has shown in
predicting the weather this year.
Not one of your forecasts has
been correct.
Mike Ebner
LSA first-year student
We mean you no harm
To the Daily:
As my first year at the
University is winding down, I've
found myself reflecting upon my
impressions of student life at the
University. Before I came here,
many people had advised me that
the single biggest problem here at
this university was the red-tape-
laden bureaucracy and the
"hands-off" approach of the
regents and administrators. While
this is obviously true in the
academic forum, much to my
dismay, I have also found that this
is true in daily life.
Besides the usual gripes that
all freshmen have, I have realized
the high level of apathy among
the students toward the University
as a whole is almost appalling.
However, upon further consider-
ation, it appears as if this apathy
is more a result of frustration than
indifference or ignorance amongst
the students.
It seems to me that the relative
lack of effectiveness of most
student government groups is not
their own fault but that it is the
result of the paranoia of the
regents. It is unbelievable how
unwilling the administration is to
listen to the student government,
much less deal with students on a
personal basis. The regents are
simply afraid that granting the
student body any more than a
token amount of power will
somehow undermine the efforts of
the regents to "further" the
University in their own minds.
Although I know that you will
probably pay no attention to a
meager LSA freshman, I ask you,
Jim Duderstadt, what is the
problem and why are you so afraid
of the student? We mean no harm.
The apathy of the students is not
as bad a reflection upon them as it
is upon you, the president of the
University. All I ask is that you
open your eyes and ears and try to
improve the University for the
regents and the students.
Michael C. Lirtzman
LSA first-year student
Middle ground in Middle East
Palestinians suffer from racism
To the Daily:
When people discuss the
conflict over Israel/Palestine, they
often lapse into sweeping and
overly broad generalizations.
On March 30, the Daily
featured a photo which proclaimed
"Zionism is Racism, Down with
Zionism." In an attempt to point to
the many truly racist policies of
the state of Israel, this epithet goes
too far. Zionism is not racism. The
dream of a Jewish homeland could
have been accomplished without
racism.
Unfortunately, the letter
writers who responded to the
photograph ("Daily Belittles
Jewish Concern," 4/3/92) went too
far in the other direction. Anti-
Zionism, contrary to their claims,
is not necessarily anti-Jewish. The
letter's writers neglect the fact that
while Zionism in theory is not
racist, those who have applied it
over the last 45 years have often
acted in a racist manner. If you
and your family are Muscovites
who have never seen Tel Aviv,
and if you happen to be Jewish,
the Israeli government will
welcome you with open arms. If,
To the Daily:
I am once again writing to
clarify the circumstances sur-
rounding to the recent death of
Mustafa Akawi and to describe
Israel's treatment of Palestinians
in the occupied territories.
Mr. Edidin, Mr. Freiwald and
Mr. Landau (4/14/92) seem to
think that Mustafa Akawi's fatal
heart failure was purely fortuitous.
However, their description of Mr.
Akawi's autopsy is wholly
inaccurate. Mr. Akawi did have a
heart problem, "but the patholo-
gist said the freezing cold in Mr.
Akawi's cell and physical and
emotional pressure triggered his
death." (The New York Times,
February 12, 1992, p. A13).
As I stated, Mr. Akawi's death
is another tragic example of
Israel's mistreatment of Palestin-
ians. I also referred to Amnesty
International's condemnation of
Israel's continued (i.e. non-
isolated) mistreatment of Palestin-
ians.
As for Mr. Akawi's alleged
killers, Edidin, Freiwald and
Landau promise that Israel
"Prosecutes and justly punishes
such criminals." The authors refer
to a nebulous "history" as evi-
dence of such even-handed
justice. An "incident" from 1988
puts the authors' claim to task. In
that year, Israeli Rabbi Moshe
Levinger was prosecuted and
convicted for the random shooting
and killing of a Palestinian
merchant. Levinger had been
shooting at Palestinian stone-
throwers before indiscriminately
opening fire on a row of Palestin-
ian shops. The punishment for
Levinger's killing: five months in
prison - a shorter sentence than
Palestinian stone-throwers
receive. Edidin, Freiwald and
Landau have either a warped view
of history or a perverted sense of
justice.
In regards to the Palestinian
rights of suffrage, the authors once
again present a skewed "perspec-
tive." Although the Palestinians
living in Israel do have the right to
vote, the million-plus Palestinians
in the Occupied territories are
denied rights to both suffrage and
self-government - Israeli law
even prohibits the public display
of the Palestinian flag. This
limited right to vote is about as
even-handed as Israel's prosecu-
tion of Israelis for crimes commit-
ted against Palestinians.
Palestinians in the occupied
territories in contrast to Jewish
"settlers" are denied the rights of
due process of law, equal protec-
tion, suffrage, free expression and
protection from cruel and unusual
punishment.
If this is not racism, or at least
religionism, I apologize for not
knowing what is.
Jason Forge
First-year law student
by Judd Winick
however, you and your family, as
Arab natives Tel Aviv, fled Tel
Aviv but now wish to return, the
Israeli authorities would turn you
away. If you were forced into
permanent exile, simply because
you are of the wrong ethnicity,
would you not call it racist? If
you, as an Arab-Israeli, wanted to
buy a certain piece of land within
Israel, but could not because the
government has forbidden the
purchase of that land to all but
Jews, would you not call that
racist? The list could go on.
In attacking the modern
Zionist, critics must be careful to
condemn the practice, not the
theory or the religion. Just as
Islam is not to blame for Iranian
extremism Judaism and Zionism
are not to blame for the racism of
the Israeli government. If both the
proponents and opponents of
Israel refrained from overly broad
generalizations, they would make
a powerful contribution to the
effort to bring peace to one of the
world's most troubled regions.
Stephen P. Hardwick
first-year law student
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Feminist downfall, self- prescribed
by Sarah McCarthy
In the 1970s, Gloria Steinem
told America, "The first problem
for all of us, men and women, is not
to learn, but
to unlearn."
Although all
of us lis-
tened, only
some of us
actually ,
heard. Here
we sit, a decade-and-a-half after the
height of the feminist movement to
find the problem of sexism not only
remains, but is being fueled by a
backlash of feminism that has
caused women to go beyond sub-
jecting themselves to sexism and
propelled them to actually contrib-
ute to the problem.
Although sexism has reigned
since the beginning of time, today
because, after all, women do it, too.
They are women who embrace so-
cietal pressures that tell her it is a
woman's duty to find a "good"
man, settle down, have a family,
regardless of her own needs.
Women self-prescribe sexism
by joining sororities and attending
parties where they will be subject
to ridicule, disrespectand even vio-
lence, while at the same time ac-
knowledging the fact that sexism is
an integral part of the fraternity
system. They are women who give
half of their attention to a woman
and then perk up like a child being
spoken to by her father, when a
man starts to talk.
These are the same women who
believe a man is entitled to at least
something if he takes her out to
dinner. Women who prescribe sex-
ism believe that when the most
tion is thatthereareonly two women
in a 100-member U.S. Senate, three
women in control of governorships,
and 29 representatives serving in
the 435-member U.S. House. Ac-
cording to the Center for the Ameri-
can Woman and Politics at Rutgers,
if women continue at this rate, it will
take 410 years before the percent-
age of women in Congress reflects
the general population.
As restrictions change and op-
portunities grow, women must real-
ize that day to day decisions can
distinguish between self-prescribed
sexism and self-respect. Lastmonth,
thousands of women voted against
Sen. Alan Dixon (D-IL) in the Illi-
nois primary because they were out-
raged at the fact that Dixon voted for
Clarence Thomas (Dixon was one
of only two Northern Democrats to
do so) and didn't answer his phone
Nuts and Bolts
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