Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Tuesday, October 20, 1992 iie tLwtgatn ?&UIQ 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 764-0552 Editor in Chief MATMIEW D. RENNIE Opinion Editors YAEL'CITRO GEOFFREY EARLE AMITAVA MAZUMDAR Edited and Managed by Students at the University of Michigan STUDENT RIGHTS 9KESPDN&iUEIL IT(ES &Y7THE UJofIVVRE&E NTS °(F 'kb)THINK -THAT THE Co7)E NFR/N6-FS ONJ STUtfFNTSIRIGH7$'TS "S NNECESSARY, CrOToEPA N E L #2 °lF YOU THiNlKTiE CObESh'ovLD/4-r &ASTr F'ROTECiT THE DEFENNI)T LAKEK'1HE . . LE~GAL SYSTEtI G-o To PANEL w3 *IFYO >'ot) r,1K r~THAT.51NCE-THE CoDE 1S FOR THE ST'tENT!', THIE grUDENT2 9/Hi,) tDCIDE ON I7-,&oTo P/ANEL + *iF Y'ou)THINKi(THAT, IN ANY EVENT; ALL OF TN F DEL 16E RATIONg S'/-O ULiD BE HFLDb IN ANN ARB'OR, CoTo PANEL #,5 1F YOU THINK THE CODE SP/OULD RtE /HPLEi'1ENTEb AS 1T 1S', ci&o? 'oANEL ( THIS Is NOT AN OP-rO -o -T o PAN1 L *. THs is NOT AN OPTI ON. G-& ~ o PANE- 4*6. 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. Perry Bullard for district judge "1JS I S N O-FAN C o To PzA N EL '(, THNIS is. NOT At N Pi 0 ' ( A nn Arbor residents will have the opportunity to elect a new district judge on November 3. When students vote, they should consider which candidate would best protect their rights in the courtroom. Considering Bullard's long and distin- guished record as an advocate for student rights, the Daily endorses State Rep. PERRY BULLARD for Ann Arbor district judge. Bullard's opponent, Assistant Prosecuting At- torney Elizabeth Pollard, has compiled an impres- sive resume and has served theAnnArbor commu- nity well. But Bullard's consistent and sincere commitment to student rights, despite anti-student community sentiment, is impressive and impos- sible to overlook. When the University administration first began the process of deputizing its own police force, Bullard proved to be the only reliable advocate for student opposition in Lansing. He recognized that a new, armed University police force would fur- ther threaten student safety, waste scarce Univer- sity dollars, and cause jurisdictional conflicts be- tween the Ann Arbor and University police depart- ments. Unable to prevent passage of the deputization bill, Bullard successfully tacked on an amendment that required the University Board of Regents to hold two public hearings before they made a final decision regarding deputization. Another example of Bullard's commitment to student rights is-his 1976 Michigan Open Meet- ings Act, which he later amended to specifically* include the University. As a result, students now have the opportunity to be party to information regarding the hiring of administrators - that is, when the regents follow the law. Recognizing Ann Arbor landlords' mistreat- ment of student tenants, Bullard guided the state's most liberal tenants' rights bill through the legis- lature. The Landlord Tenant's Act allows tenants to-withhold rent from their landlord if thelandlord fails to meet their responsibilities. On issues outside of students' rights, Bullard's progressive voice has often been a lone sane voice in Lansing. The Michigan Freedom of Information Act, as well as countless acts protecting consumers and the environment bear Bullard's name. Moreover, Bullard has always made himself available to students. He appears frequently on the Diag and residence.halls, handing out literature concerning legislation that affects. students. Few representatives are so approachable. Pollard has addressed many women's issues in her campaign.. She held a seat on the board of Safehouse, and serves on the board of directors of the Domestic Violence Project. But it is important to note that Bullard has been a strong'and powerful voice for Michigan women. His consistent pro- choice stance has earned him the endorsement of many women's groups. Bullard sponsored legisla- tion calling for mandatory arrest laws for domestic disputes, and-has actively worked to inform rape and assault victims of their rights. As a district judge, Bullard would face a wide variety of cases, ranging from noise and open beverage violations, to trespassing and tenant- landlord disputes, to sexual assault and harass- ment. When considering which candidate better represents student interests in these and other ar- eas, there is one clear choice: Perry Bullard. - I-- * - -J /., /,; y :1 /".A M f 'e, , ' EVERyONE S-oPS NHINI& A gOUT THE CODE& WE ALL LIV H APL YEVERAFTER. ...1 1: : ...RS..... . .......:.V1::1 ll;..V............................ ... Columbus Day Pro-choicers fight Suhy's letter program, enlightening Dear first-year male student I happen to feel, therefore, that To the Daily: Michael Suhy: I have legitimate grounds to I would like to take this I assume you have written believe that I am more pro-woman opportunity to thank my fellow your scathing letter about than you are. Your claim that pro- victims of western culture for abortion ("Abortion is murder," choice supporters do not inform setting the record straight on 10/13/92) based upon the vast women of alternatives and they do Columbus Day. . experience that you have had not tell them to seek a second Columbus didn't really with this issue in all of your 18 or opinion is absolutely ridiculous. discover America, as I had always 19 years. You have missed a The utter absurdity of your believed. He never even set foot fundamental concept that commentary - which seemed to in the state of Michigan, let alone underlies the pro-choice move- be largely founded on baseless Ann Arbor. ment - choice. No one likes claims - shows that you know Slavery and human suffering abortion, Mr. Suhy. Pro-choice virtually nothing about the did not exist until Columbus and does not mean pro-abortion. reasoning that lies behind the pro- his fellow conspirators exported it I am pro-choice, and what that choice movement. That reasoning to the New World, marking the means is that abortion is a viable happens to be based on the "beginning of the world's gravest alternative for dealing with an concept of being free to choose an sin, to take a man born free, bring unwanted pregnancy - it does alternative. him down and sell him." (Please not, however, mean that abortion I would request that you stop forgive the non-gender-neutral is the sole choice or the correct espousing your claims as to what language; I am quoting Nation of choice for everyone. I would pro-choice supporters do, think, Islam leader Rasul Muhammed, . really like to see you substantiate feel and say until you have and I want to be sure to maintain your claim that "pro-life support- actually learned a little bit about the integrity of his words.) The ers are more pro-women than what it really means to be pro- character of Western Civilization pro-choice supporters." choice. in the last 500 years, especially in You, Mr. Suhy, are not a Carrie Fletcher America, can be summed up in woman, and I am. LSA senior one word: oppression. Columbus was Jewish, and his To the Daily: "1,500,000 babies slaughtered mission was financed by wealthy I am writing to thank Michael each year." The idea of fetus Jews. As an agent of the Interna- Suhy for his enlightening letter viability has been strongly tional Jewish Conspiracy, he ("Abortion is murder," 10/13/92). associated with the idea that sought to bring the world under I can't believe that I have spent women should have control over the control of the Zionists. I . four years on this campus thinking their own bodies, and Suhy's letter would personally like to attribute that abortion is a personal matter has shown me the dangers of this bit of wisdom to the percep- and that women should have the thinking this way. tive mind of Rasul Muhammed, uncontested right to choose. It was nice to read that the whose scholarly insight was on Apparently, the great number "pro-life" movement will supply display in Angell Hall last of pro-choice activists to whom I support to pregnant women who Sunday. I, for one, was not aware have spoken have lied. The pro- find their access to abortion that the Jews were planting their choicers I know have always tried restricted. I'm sure that the "cribs" shifty seeds of world domination to get across the fact that they are Suhy speaks of will be very at this early stage in world not pro-abortion, but that they are helpful to women facing the history. Thanks, also, to all other interested in defending a woman's economic and emotional hardships organizations who helped to both right to keep all of her options of raising a child. shed light on the sinister legacy of open. But Mr. Suhy's letter tells Had I not read Suhy's letter, I Christopher Columbus and to give me that "pro-choice supporters do would have continued to sport my me a personal sense of empower- not inform women of alterna- pro-choice buttons around campus ment. To quote Rasul tives"-and although he-never and voted such in the upcoming Muhammed, "If we don't deal offers any evidence to support this elections. Thank you, Mr. Suhy. I with the facts, we will be subject "fact," how can I help but to guess it took a man to set me to propaganda." believe him? straight. Joshua A. Darsky dis m aso glad that MrfSuhy Amy Kushner LSA senior viability when he spoke of the LSA senior Cinton 'S pro-Israel bias hurts peace U U cc I Bush is more Nixon less Truman Thankfully, most of the comparisons to Harry Truman in the presidential campaign have subsided. Unfortunately, the comparisons between the Bush administration and the lawless Nixon adninistr.ation accumulate daily. Last week, The Washington Post reported that senior State De- partment officials ordered U.S. embassies to con- duct an "extremely thorough" investigation of Gov. Bill Clinton's college days. These searches -which violate State Department rules - smack of the dirty tricks that typified the Nixon White House. "It is obvious that Clinton's anti-war activities are of no great importance to U.S. .national secu- rity, and that the.State Department was only fish- ing for evidence that might hamper Clinton's re- election bid. Unfortunately for the Bush adminis- tration, the State Department has rules that explic- itly prohibit it from bumping such politically sen- sitive materials to the top of its roster because of an election. The details of the search indicate that the em- bassies investigated Clinton with unusual vigor and speed. The search of embassy files would usually take months to execute. But Clinton's files were investigated within a matter of days after the State Department's request. According to one embassy official who checked Clinton's files, the search yielded nothing. A House Foreign Affairs subcommittee and a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee are look- ing into a similar matter. At issue here is whether the State Department deviated from normal proce- dure when it tried to retrieve Clinton's passport files from the National Records Center. Here, as in the previous incident, the State Department cites media Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) re- quests as justification for the -search. But FOIA requests usually take months to process, and these searches were conducted immediately. The State Department has since apologized for its conduct in the Clinton search. But the Bush administration has yet to apologize for the low-ball sleaze-riddencampaignitisrunning. Bush's shoddy economic record continues to plague his cam- paign, and his promises of change and recovery ring false coming from the mouth of an incumbent dedicated to preserving the status quo. Without a successful past record or an articulate vision for the future, Bush has resorted to a negative campaign against his opponent. The campaign theme Bush forwards is "who can you trust?" This theme might be an effective strategy for victory in November, but it does not even attempt to forge a broad national agenda. To raise the question of trust, the president has labeled his opponent a draft dodger, and questioned his -patriotism by raising the communist specter he claims to have defeated. Now, his administration is digging through Clinton's past. Such cynical campaigning should not come as a surprise from the man who brought us Willie Horton, the pledge of allegiance, and other such lemagogic tactics. . This year, however, the tactics represent not a devastatingly effective sneak attack on a hapless opponent, but the desperate flailings of a doomed, visionless incumbent.- I used to be excited about the candidacy of Gov. Bill Clinton. Clinton has promised an adminis- tration which includes Americans of all ethnic backgrounds and view- points. He claims his foreign policy will focus on the promotion of de- mocracy and human rights. In his efforts to woo the big bucks and votes offered by the pro- Israel lobby, however, he has closed his mind on the issue of justice and peace in the Middle East. With the more moderate Yitzhak Rabin RED Katherine Metres not to mention thepeace and justice proponents in Israel and the Arab communities. Let's not kid ourselves. A ma- jor factor in the success of Rabin's Labor party was frustration with the increasing isolation of Israel in theinternationalcommunity. Presi- dent Bush's insistence on delaying the $10 billion loan guarantees un- til Israel modified its policy of set- tling the Occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip sent a potent message to Likud's Yitzhak Shamir. The Israeli public, tired of be- ing economically and morally bank- rupted by Shamir's hard-line mili- tarism, elected Rabin on a platform of compromise - with the Arabs and with the Americans. Bush and Rabin came to an agreement on building in the Occupied Territo- ries, and then the loan guarantees were granted. Bush's rationale was that the peace negotiations could not suc- ceed without indications of good faith from Israel. For reasons of both security and trade, the United States has a compelling interest in a more stable Middle East. With Is- rael moving to make the annex- ation of Palestinian territory irre- oppressed and persecuted." ForJew- ish immigrants to Israel, these de- scriptions hold true. But consider- ing the plight of the Palestinians - treated as aliens in their own lands - this praise rings hollow. Clinton wants the public to be- lieve that his pro-Israel bias stems from personal conviction. But the fact is he has actively sought the massive funds promised by the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and his cam- paign is top-heavy with AIPAC- related managers. He and Hillary wear buttons openly proclaiming them "Pro-Israel." Such one-sided posturing by the United States, which is supposed to be an honest broker between the parties, may cost the region its best chance for peace. Furthermore, Clinton promised us ethnic pluralism. Yet he actively excluded Arab Americans at the Democratic National Convention from speaking and sitting on the platform committee. I hope these incidents represent only ill-considered campaign strat- egy. I hope if Clinton is elected, he lives up to his human rights, democ- racy and minority inclusion rheto- ric. Mavbe he'll turn out to be an Campaign spreads political bug his past winter, the popular opinion through- out the country was that the 1992 election would be a repeat of 198 8: the campaigns would be negative and sleazy and the candidates wouldn't provide a satisfactory choice.-Many complained that our two-party system had evolved into a one- party, Washington-insider political oligarchy. Due to a refreshing turn of events, like the emergence of several viable female dandidates, popular sen- timent may have changed. The New York Times reported on Monday that voters were registering in and education, rather than the non-issues promoted in 1988. The debates were unusually substantive, allow- ing the American people to recognize that there were differences between the candidates. President Bush supports public and private school choice, while Gov. Bill Clinton supports only public school choice; the president claims to support a constitutional amendment banning. all abortions, while Clinton is pro-choice; the presi- dent promises tax-cuts, while Clinton promotes now leading Israel,Clinton is sound- ing more Zionist than the Israelis. Although he.says he will con- tinue the peace process if elected, Clinton indicates his unwillingness to push for substantive change in the Middle East. On whether Israel should be able to continue settling the lands it has occupied in defiance of international law since 1967, Clinton has said, "The settlement issue should be addressed in nego- tiations between the parties.and not as American policy ... The Arabs