The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 1, 1992- Page 7 I U-M profs. speak out on minority power by Mona Qureshi Daily Minority Issues Reporter Four U-M professors shared his- torical, contemporary, personal, and educational perspectives on em- powerment for people of color last night at a panel held in the Michigan Union Pond Room. "Adversity forged community organization," said American Culture and Residential College Prof. Gail Nomura of the Asian American community during the panel, titled "The Historical Exclusion and Inclusion of People of Color." Like Nomura, Associate Professor in the School of Nursing Linda Daniel recalled unity as key for Native Americans. "In Oklahoma, everyone had to work together," Daniel said, recall- ing her Choctaw experience. American Culture Prof. Frances Aparicio expressed her discontent for the U.S. government for not in- cluding Puerto Rico as an indepen- dent Latin American entity. She said she attempted to attain a fellowship to study the U.S. provice, but the university she attended did not rec- ognize Puerto Rico as Latin. Nomura gave examples of histor- ical exclusion of Asian peoples, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which the U.S. government implemented to halt Chinese immigration. As a result of these acts, Nomura said, "Asian Americans took up le- gal challenges. They were agents of history." She explained that Asian Americans wished to become a part of history, not for history to domi- nate them, so they became involved within legal confines to make their voices known. "If it's not a collective memory of the United States for our memory, it's not our memory," Nomura concluded. "We have to realize we're more similar than different," Daniel said. Daniel spoke on the experience of the Choctaw and the four other civilized tribes from the Southeast U.S. which were forced to move to "Indian Territory," known now as Oklahoma. "It was a mix of whites and Native Americans as I grew up," Daniel said. As a result, she said she never felt any prejudice. But when Daniel moved to the University of Washington in Seattle, she said she experienced her first pangs of racial exclusion. "Everyone needed high-top gym shoes as a re- quirement for school. A lot of Native Americans could not afford them, and had to drop out," Daniel said. Aparicio added, however, "It's an exciting time for those of us who have been studying the Latino cul- ture for years now," referring to new recognition of cultural diversity. Sociology Prof. Donald Deskins focused on the issue of people of color in higher education, speaking from, a paper he recently finished on graduate school students of color. He cited statistical trends which indicate an increase in doctoral de- grees for people of color, particu- larly foreign students, but a decrease in such degrees being issued to whites from 1975 to 1990. The panel discussion was spon- sored by Minority Student Services as part of the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Detroit Summer '92 program spurs revitalization of city by Jen DiMascio Grace Boggs, organizer of the Detroit Summer '92 Program, wants to break the "North-South syndrome" - a chronic illness prevalent since the Civil War. Blacks, explained Boggs, "got caught on that white thing." She said that since Blacks consti- tute the majority of Detroit residents, they should start taking responsibility for revitalizing the city. "They need to get off their butts and do something," she said. Detroit Summer '92 aims to bring back the spirit of volunteerism and make people of all races responsible for improving Detroit, Boggs said. The Detroit Summer '92 Program, which ran from July 12- Aug. 2, drew ethnically and racially diverse volunteers from across the country. The volunteers conducted several social action projects, including: two anti-drug marches, house repairs, and community garden and park constructions. Program participants also enacted a life-sized puppet show, held poetry readings, and painted murals. Both volunteers and community members were apprehensive at the program's onset. Many of the volun- teers, specifically ex-gang members from Fresno, Calif., were afraid of Detroit. After being billeted by families in the area and working in the commu- nity, volunteers viewed the program as a learning experience - not a struggle for survival. Carter McLeod, a student at Eastern Michigan University, found inspiration from the program after viewing the results of his work. He witnessed the transformation of a vacant, weedy lot into Beniteau Park. The park now consists of a com- munity garden and playground. The volunteers sanctioned off portions of the park for basketball courts and soccer fields - projects to be continued by future volunteers. The park was dedicated to the volunteers Sept. 19. McLeod said nearly 80 people attended the cere- mony. He added he was particularly impressed by the presence of teens at the dedication because their in- volvement with the program was limited. "It gives me a sense of pride and sense of belief that if people will come together anything can work out," he said. Jeffrey House, a 1992 graduate of Haverford College and former Ann Arbor resident, said the program provided a solid base for the multicultural rejuvenation of Detroit. He credited the program's diverse volunteers and the cooperation of community members for its success, but said he was disappointed that his personal involvement had come to an end. "The solution is long term. It's not going to happen in three weeks," House said. Emily Melnick, a recent RC graduate, echoed this sentiment. She said the program's limited size pre vented it from curing the "NorthP South syndrome." For Melnick, the best part of the program was meeting other students. "We've probably learned as much from each other as from the experience itself," she said. Through the looking glass LSA junior Wen Min Chao braves nippy weather to do his homework near the North Campus Commons. Vandals shower Planned Parenthood clinic with gunfire GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - A Planned Parenthood office was sprayed by gunfire early yes- terday, one week after vandals hit the health clinic with vile-smelling chemicals. No one was in the building at the time of the 5 a.m. shooting. The clinic provides gynecologi- cal services, cancer screening for both men and women, as well as family planning services. It does not perform abortions. "This isn't just about stopping abortion. We don't even do abor- tions," said Deb Spicer, a spokes- person for the Grand Rapids Plan- ned Parenthood clinic. "This is anti- family planning and it's anti-Plan- ned Parenthood terroristic activity." About 15 shots from a high-cal- iber handgun were fired through windows and a glass door off the center's parking lot in a residential area just southeast of downtown. The center was open yesterday. Police estimated damage at about $20,000, though Spicer said additional damage to duct work from bullets that passed through ceiling tiles had not been totaled. The Planned Parenthood office and another Grand Rapids women's clinic, which does perform abor- tions, were targets of vandals in the early morning of Sept. 22. The clinics were saturated with butyric acid, a long-lasting chemical that smells like vomit. Barbara Listing of Right to Life Michigan said her group does not condone violence, but added that "you have violence inside the clinic with the killing of unborn babies. Violence begets violence." When told that the clinic does not perform abortions, Listing said Planned Parenthood still is closely tied to "promoting abortion." David Andrews, acting president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc., based in New York, said the shooting "is still fur- ther proof of the violent tendencies of the anti-abortion fanatics." Police responded to a neighbor's complaint of gunfire in the neigh- borhood at about 5 a.m., but the damage was not discovered until about two hours later, when a clinic employee arrived, said Lt. Dale Winters of the Grand Rapids Police Department. AP PHOTO Jane Lukens, a medical secretary at the Grand Rapids office of Planned Parenthood, vacuums the clinic's board room after it was damaged by machine-gun fire early yesterday morning. No one was in the building at the time of the shooting, which was the second incident in eight days. Last week, the clinic was bombed with a chemical that smells like vomit. Police suspect that anti-abortion activists are responsible for the vandalism, but no suspects have been identified. Abortions are not performed at the clinic, but Planned Parenthood does offer family planning counseling. Michigan Senate will consider several a e backed by Republicans LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A bill to legalize wiretapping in Michigan cleared the Senate yesterday as lawmakers continued to work on tough anti-crime bills backed by Gov. John Engler and the chamber's Republican majority. The bill was criticized by several Democrats as a threat to privacy in Michigan. It passed 23-11 and now goes to an uncertain future in the House. The passage of such bills is de- signed, at least in part, to force House Democrats to choose between staying in session or adjourning with the package pending, and explain the inaction to voters in an election year. All 110 House seats are up for grabs this year and that chamber planned to adjourn yesterday eve- ning until after the Nov. 3 election. In the House, the wiretapping bill will join other Senate-passed crime bills, including one to allow police use "no-knock" warrants if suspects 'We can no longer tolerate the human toll taken by criminals who bring fear and hurt to our schools and our communities. We intend to take back our schools and our neighborhoods.' - Dick Posthumus (R-Alto) or evidence were likely to be lost. Several other bills still are awaiting final passage in the Senate. Altogether, the Senate approved 11 crime bills yesterday. The Dem- ocrat-run House has stalled or killed many such bills in the past, and the chamber was expected to delay action at least until after the election. "We can no longer tolerate the human toll taken by criminals who bring fear and hurt to our schools and our communities," Senate Majority Leader Dick Posthumus (R-Alto) said. "Those who claim that this pack- age threatens 'civil liberties' need to wake up and realize the lives of our children are at stake. We intend to- take back our schools and our neigh- borhoods." He said that "protecting Michigan citizens is not a 'political' issue,"- but then said House Democrats "will have a lot of ex- plaining to do if they leave town without passing this package." While wiretapping is permitted under federal law, Michigan doesn't allow it for its police. Under the bill passed yesterday, a judge could al- low wiretapping or eavesdropping in drug investigations or in the investi- gation of alleged bribery of public officials. a I , Wri~ tow fo Ad Ivertieiit LONDON * PARIS * WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL PROG e BOSTON A UNIVERSITY M LEARN HOW THE WORLD WORKS o Global Internships and Language/Liberal Arts Programs B J too Z *BEIJING " SYDNEY * MOSCOW" Name: DEPARTMENT OF RECREATIONAL SPORTS INTRAMURAL SPORTS PROGRAM CROSS COUNTRY RUN (Team and Individual Entry Deadline: Wednesday 10/7