Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Wednesday, October 7,1992 E tc tgttn+ atilu CLINTON REBUTTAL (c) THE ~CHARES of TE..." 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 764-0552 Editor in Chief MATTIIEW D. RENNIE Opinion Editors YAEL CITRO GEOFFREY EARLE AMITAVA MAZUMDAR Edited and Managed by Students at the University of Michigan . - .! .. .. ,, ' ' . . , " k k ,,, e 1 US H D R A FT 'OW K&Es ' S(300 Nv1A ',CAMPA I&N BoA R I t-oozyjSIEMA .ti .,S 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. FROMTHE A ILY LFANTAS 1-L IES((DSroR1DoJAG'LYEPjRJufZEjSt. .............. A PIS 1 --.3 'U' wisely gets Ride Home ".. .OF I II(N - . it tudents studying late into the night at Univer- sity libraries often have difficulty finding a safe way home. Safewalk has proven to be an effective and valuable part of the solution, but the program only operates until 11:30 p.m. at some locations, and 2:30 a.m. at others. This year, thanks to the new Ride Home Program, students can feel safe returning from the library and other Univer- sity buildings, even during the wee hours of the morning. This program, offered jointly by the University Department of Transportation and Ann Arbor Yel- low Cab, offers students, faculty and staff free cab service anywhere in the Ann Arbor area from 2- 5:00 a.m. The service runs out of the Undergradu- ate Library (UG Li) on central campus. It also runs out of the North Campus Commons from 2-7:00 a.m. People wishing to use the service need only fill out a log sheet at the circulation desk at the UGLi or the main desk of North Campus Com- -mons to get a ride. Last year, under intense pressure from the Michi- gan Student Assembly, the UGh i extended its hours until 5:00 a.m. But this was a pyrrhic victory for some students, who still had no safe way to get home. Since Safewalk at the UGLi stops at 11:30 p.m., and because Ann Arbor is becoming notori- ous for its poor lighting and high crime rate, these students need an alternative way to get home. The Ride Home Program serves that function, while at the same time representing a sound cost- management decision for the University's Trans- portation Department. Through the agreement,Ann Arbor Yellow Cab will charge the University $5.00 each time it offers the service. This is a bargain compared to the $40,000 it would cost to run the Night Owl buses during those hours for the year. If the cost of the Ride Home service surpasses this figure, the University will abandon it for extended Night Owl service. Otherwise, the Transportation Department will save the difference, while provid- ing what is arguably a more convenient service anyway. The danger of sexual assault rightfully contin- ues to influence the creation of University policy. Solutions like Safewalk, Night Owl and the new Ride Home Program are practical, effective and affordable. If the University truly wants to curb the threat of assault, it should focus its resources toward similar remedies, rather than trying to restrict stu- dent behavior through codes. P IIIE1 U >ERAN& UckS P FR IIrN EN t>L aiIT S S 1~[NtLEj it.SANEJ 'L~ UTT- r ! _. ......___. i --- -. SCH iZc -- .OPH EN c fjpNtA C'(,~ Lp MA&0GuE jf LD sag--Nun A t LPSYCH ce;rH z_ 0 L..TERS Bush panders to China ... again A complacent Senate proved Monday that while A it could muster the votes to oppose President Bush on a technical matter like the cable bill, it still lacks the courage to face him down on crucial moral issues. President Bush's veto of legislation that would curb China's Most Favored Nation (MFN) trading status still stands. Once again, Bush's steadfast insistence on looking out for his cronies in China has railroaded any chance for a fair and consistent human rights policy. Congress and the White House have been spar- ring over the issue for quite some time. Last summer, President Bush announced his intention to extend China's MFN status, which would allow China to export goods to American markets at the lowest tarif rates. Congress responded with a bill that would revoke that status unless certain re- quirements were met. Specifically, the bill called for the Chinese government to improve human rights, halt exports of products produced with prison labor, curb exports of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons and technology, and help locate information about American prisoners of war missing from the Korean and Vietnam wars. Like the three that proceeded it, this bill didn't mention anything that the United States hasn't demanded previously - it merely linked them to economic concessions. There are two basic schools of thought on how the United States can improve human rights in China. The first school advocates the carrot and stick approach, establishing trade relations with China which can be strengthened or weakened contingent on China's behavior. According to this theory, the United States can use this leverage to "export democracy to China." The second school states that China should be diplomatically isolated until it institutes reform, and any trade concessions will only encourage China to continue its present course. President Bush belongs to neither school. His administration has curried favor with Beijing and established strong trade relations which are in no way tied to China's human rights record. The United States has not exporteddemocracy to China, nor much else for that matter. Trying to make China change its human rights policies with warnings and "friendly" disapproval has obviously failed. This summer, Asia Watch, a division of Human Watch, reported numerous vio- lations of human rights, including extensive use of solitary confinement, and physical and mental tor- ture in Chinese prisons. Documented abuse to political dissenters is particularly prevalent. For inst ance, Amnesty International disclosed infor- mation about government abuse of two alleged leaders of the Tienamen Square uprising and three men arrested for defacing a public portrait of Mao Tse-tung. Meanwhile, with the help of American trade, China has a booming economy with record break- ing industrial production. If the Chinese govern- ment isn't going to listen U.S. demands for change, appealing to its pocket-book may yield better re- suIts. Bush's appeasement has disgraced America's commitment to democracy. In absence ofpresiden- tial leadership, Congress must stand up for what's right. Quayle has a point To the Daily: Regarding "Campus,,Quayle react to 'Murphy Brown' episode" (9/22/92), there exists a complete misunderstanding on the media's part as far as Vice- President Dan Quayle' s comn- ments about 'Murphy.' Quayle was merely bringing to our attention the fact that today many families are single- parent families, and by choice or not, it shouldn't be that way. He did not label those who are in such posistions as being "demoralized" or "lacking values," as all the students interviewed proclaimed. Was there no one to be found on campus who disagreed? Look at the divorce rate and all of the unwanted pregnancies we have in this country every year. Things like these can destroy children. I love Murphy, but in the long run, Dan is right. Anne Arnold LSA first-year student First-year students are people too To the Daily: Gwen Shaffer's critical view of first-year students ("Why do new students ask so many stupid questions?" 9/24/92) gives the impression that maybe she is still haunted by her own ineptitude during her first year. Why else would someone dwell on the petty little learning experiences that everyone endures when confronted with something new? We were anticipating a humorous or satirical article. Maybe this was too much to expect from a Daily feature writer. Mark Utter Engineering senior Jim Hoppe LSA senior i i I i I I i i i 3 1 Keep sexual-assault debate alive To the Daily: encourages rape and, at best, I am writing to thank you for ignores sexist behavior. What the focus your editorial section woman has not felt at least a little gave to the issue of sexual assault uneasy walking alone at night on a ("Help fight rape: Whose job is it poorly lit street? anyway?" 9/25/92). But it is the men, I feel, that My personal concern over this would be most affected by a issue was moderate at best until I victim's painful confession or the was raped by a stranger outside details of her rape. If they could of a bar last summer. Since then, hear it coming from a woman they I have spent much time talking to cared about, if they could read friends about what happened, personal accounts of it in the trying to figure out why it paper day in and day out. happened to me. The irony is that I heard a story about a man more than half the people I've whose fraternity brothers came to spoken with personally know a him in the middle of their party victim of sexual assault or are and told him about a girl who they victims themselves. I am not had gotten drunk and were "taking alone. The statistics are finally turns with" up in someone's room. beginning to mean something. Though he felt a little uneasy The only way to stop rape about taking advantage of a girl from happening is to make people who was intoxicated, he felt he aware of the prevalence of this was justified by the girls "slutty" crime. More victims like myself behavior. He followed his must come forward with their fraternity brothers upstairs. He stories, must find the courage to took his clothes off, and pro- express how the experience has ceeded to have sex with her. made them feel. The world needs When he was finished, he turned to understand that anyone can the light on to get a good look at become a victim. the girl's face. It was his sister. 'those women who have not Marta Zelitsky been raped are victimized by a LSA juzior social structure that, at worst, unior Chapman's letter unfounded 0 To the Daily: I un writing in reference to Jim Chapman's letter, ("Greek brats noisy, obnoxious," 9/28/92). lie begins his letter with a question, "Why is it that ...[Greeks]...enjoy themselves only when they are irritating the rest of us?" Does he really think, that Greeks only have fun at the expense of others? Ile begins his next paragraph by complaining about the one day the sororities offer bids to perspective pledges. Jim, relax, it's only one day. He complains about their loud honking horns. I Ie states that this one event disrupts the normal. course of life on campus. Normal course of life? Has he ever been outside on a football Saturday? IIHe also makes allegations that the women in sororities make fake friendships. Did he research the subject and really find that the friendships made within a Greek sorority are fake and those made outside are real'? I can understand that he may have been a little cranky but what gives him the right to slander women in Kappa Kappa Gamma? He has been both unfair with his free speech and unfair to a large number of women on this campus who do not deserve his libelous remarks. Scott Adams Scholarship Chair, Theta Xi Fraternity TILEB OM I Preacher Mike for Before we endorse presidential candidates, it's time to endorse a candidate for a position of greater eternal importance: Diag Preacher. The choice of Diag Preacher is not merely an evalua- tion of the hellfire damnation that we have had; it is a decision that can change the hellfire damnation that we will receive come springtime. A recent newcomer, Preacher Brad, has entered into what used to be a one-man race. His gelled looks and lubricated speeches, mentioning forni- cation, Satan (pronounced "Say Tan") and sin- ners, have won over converts. However, Brad's clashing shirt and tie, tiny stature, and pre-ape man reasoning prevent him from dealing with the hos- tile Diag crowd. His assertion that Ronald Reagan, "a God-fearing man and world-class actor (who) led this country better than any knee-jerk liberal ever has," is not likely to win over votes from aspiring theater majors, either. Honeycomb Man, the dark horse candidate, calls himself the outsider in this race. His grass- roots, grass-smoked platform cynically comments on organization, structure and society. At his best, he jokes about Jello, "I don't juggle, but I jiggle." Clearly, these ideas are best left for the black beret- wearing cappuccino sippers in Espresso Royal, who apparently regard wearing bright colors as a morally reprehensible act, second only to the sin of not wearing totalitarian army boots. Perhaps the Diag needs a non-religious preacher, but Honey- comb is a populist, and not viable or even a Diag boss ity in general to specifically lambasting men who "perforate parts of their body, without reason." Of course, Mike insults without reason the obnoxious jock faction who wear handkerchiefs on their heads without reason, and who pierced their left ear last year. But making people aware of their deficiencies is part of every preacher's job. Listeners are both repelled and attracted by Preacher Mike. Oddly enough, similar faces show up every day only to be disgusted by his comments and ask questions, like "What if I lived in India and i b o ~- RL U - I worshipped a cow, and I died, and was then flown; across the international time-line and was offi- ri:. 1 vrionrptr i ,a n i vm fnr n nnh- mre.r hnnr-e_ Calvin & Bolts? Guest appearance Dear Gang: Well, a friend of mine gave me a copy of the Daily recently and to my dismay, no Calvin & Hobbes. There was a letter concerning this oversight from Marc Ramirez ("Bring back Calvin & Hobbes," 9/24/92), who happened to mention yours truly. Thanks Marc, I appreciate the compliments. But, Marc has raised the issue of Calvin & Hobbes. Bring them back, what's the deal? Budgeting? C'mon. On to another point, I noticed a certain void, when it comes to student cartoonists. With the exception of Greg Stump's daily work, we ain't seeing much. Josh Worth and Dave Skelly are doing a great job weekly, but Greg's the only one who is cutting the, mustard for the Daily chores. This one you can't pin on the paper, it's you guys out there. C'mon people, there's got to be a couple of you who want to do Daily strips. The paper needs them. People like picking up a paper every day and getting a chuckle (or even a snort as it were). Which brings me back to my original point; Calvin, bring him back. i- i i i ."-- =wAwmwmmmmm" rl RDoIED YcK)'CAUSE PDOUC;f4. PLEASeA 0 I