Racism reared its ugly head in Ann Arbor
recently, when the Hillel Center was the victim of
vandalism. The community must come together
to end this hatred.
"Speed of lightning. Roar of thunder. Fighting all
who rob and plunder." Who can it be? Who else?
It's that prototypical American hero - Underdog!
S.P "
The Road to the Final Four begins tonight. Well,
sort of. The Michigan men's basketball team
opens its season with an exhibition game against
the Russian nationals team.
Today
Cloudy, possible rain late;
High 42, Low 34
Tomorrow
Cloudy, rain; High 48, Low 36
..
,
i
Jr
t U1tT
ti
One hundred two years of editorial freedom
Local police doubtful brutality could happen in A2
by Erin Einhorn
aily Crime Reporter
Incidents like last year's Rodney King
beating in Los Angeles and the fatal beating
of Malice Green by Detroit police officers
Nov. 5 are not aberrations, but the norm in
many police departments, said Nadine
Strossen, president of the American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU).
Unequal treatment of minorities by police
departments is one of the most common
complaints received by ACLU offices, she
aid.
But Angella Abrams, an African Ameri-
can Ann Arbor police officer, said "it
couldn't happen here."
"You could talk to every officer in this
department, and you'll find that we represent
this community," she said. "It's our commu-
nity. We stand for it."
But several community members
disagreed.
Raymond Mullins, president of the Ypsi-
lanti-Willow Run chapter of the National
Association for the Advancement of Colored
People, said although Ann Arbor has made
efforts to incorporate minorities, some police
officers "are not as gentle as we would like."
"Look at a city like Detroit, with a strong
Black mayor and a strong Black presence on
the City Council ... if it can happen there, it
can happen anywhere," he said.
Larry Fox, a member of the U-M Baker
Mandela Center board, said he expects the
level of brutality against African Americans
seen in Los Angeles and in Detroit to occur
in Ann Arbor as well.
"It's not as likely to happen here because
its a much smaller city," he said. "But I'm
48 years old and I've lived in enough parts
of this country to know it will happen here if
given enough time.
"The Ann Arbor Police Department
(AAPD) will deny it and the university po-
lice department will deny it too, but there is
racism everywhere."
Fox said he sees discrimination from lo-
cal police forces in the form of harassment.
He said he has been stopped by police offi-
cers on three occasions while entering the
Michigan Union where he works for Student
Legal Services.
"I did not complain because they were
going to tell me they were doing their job,"
he said.
"It is doing what they consider to be their
job, but it's racist. The only reason they
stopped me is I am Black and I was wearing
an old raggedy coat. I looked like a street
person but that's no reason to stop me."
Fox said most African American men he
knows have been randomly stopped and
questioned by police on campus and in the
city.
In addition, 30 of the 63 African Ameri-
can male U-M students questioned said they
had been detained by U-M Department of
Public Safety (DPS) or AAPD officers at
least once.
But DPS Lt. Vernon Baisden said "there
is always a logical reason for that check. I
can tell you that there is no random stopping
of anyone within our jurisdiction."
AAPD Chief Douglas Smith said he re-
quires his officers to state their reasons for
asking people to identify themselves.
"People are often stopped on the street
but that doesn't mean the officer didn't have
a reason to stop them," he said. "I have
nothing specific in my department that tells
me I have a problem with my officers in the
city ... We're not going to be stopping
Black males if the suspects are white."
Smith concedes that individual officers
See POLICE, Page 2
Hillel
vandal
suspect
arraigned
by Jonathan Berndt
faiy Staff Reporter
William Robert Miller was ar-
raigned in 15th District Court yes-
terday on charges stemming from
vandalism incidents against the Hil-
lel Foundation and the Beth Israel
Congregation.
Miller, 33 of Ann Arbor, was
charged with two counts of mali-
cious destruction of property and
wo counts of ethnic intimidation
ter two incidents - one on July 23
at Hillel and another Tuesday night
near the Beth Israel Congregation,
Miller was arrested Tuesday
around 8:30 p.m. after two plain-
clothes officers allegedly saw him
throw a large rock through a plate
glass window of Beth Israel, located
at 2000 Washtenaw, said Ann Arbor
Police Detective Sgt. Philip Scheel.
r Miller had to be brought into the
urtroom twice and failed to coop-
erate on both occasions. He was
dragged in limp on a chair, and his
mouth was taped after he yelled pro-
fanities at the judge.
Judge Pieter Thomassen set bond
at $20,000 and ordered a preliminary
hearing to be held Wednesday, Nov.
25th at 9 a.m.
Assistant County Prosecutor
obert Cooper said during the first
attempt at arraignment that after
numerous reports of broken win-
dows and doors at the two locations,
the Ann Arbor Police Department
put both buildings under surveil-
lance.
Tuesday night, someone was ob-
served at Hillel, without incident,
See HILLEL, Page 2
Clinton, Bush meet
at White House to
discuss transition
WASHINGTON (AP) - President-elect
Clinton swept triumphantly into the capital
yesterday for a "terrific" meeting with
President Bush that ran 45 minutes over
schedule and touched on more than a dozen
potential trouble spots the Democrat could in-
herit.
Clinton said he and Bush discussed such
global tinderboxes as Russia, Bosnia and
Somalia:"He was very candid," the president-,
elect said. "He gave me a lot of insights. The
American people should be pleased."
"It was a terrific meeting."
The White House visit was the first stop on
a two-day whirlwind of high-powered meet-
ings and social engagements with the lions of
the Washington establishment. Clinton's visit
was intended to pave the way for a smooth
transition and signal the new president's readi-
ness to deal with Washington insiders.
Clinton went directly from the White House
to Northwest Washington for a walking tour of
one of the city's black business districts.
Thousands of well-wishers strained against
police lines for a glimpse as Clinton ducked
into stores near the Georgia Avenue intersec-
tion.
There have been eight homicides in the last
year within a mile of the neighborhood that
Clinton visited.
Clinton said he talked with Bush about
Russia, Bosnia and the Middle East.
"It was helpful insight," Clinton said. "It
was a great meeting."
To one shop owner, Clinton talked about
the need for banks to make more credit avail-
able. "It's the quickest way to generate more
jobs in America," he said.
"We've got some plans and we're going to
put them in and I think Congress will go
along," Clinton said.
Clinton will go to Capitol Hill today for
meetings with-Senate and House leaders.
Washington lawyer and transition chief
Vernon Jordan was the host for a dinner party
last night. Clinton also was attending a fund-
raising reception for the Children's Defense
See TRANSITION, Page 2
AP PHOTO
Lining up for Malcolm X
Theater goers line up well before the first showing of the new Spike Lee film "Malcolm X"
at a center city Philadelphia theater yesterday afternoon. Nine Philadelphia area theaters
are carrying the film on its first day of general release at 1,200 theaters nationwide.
Regents to discuss implementing conduct code
by Jennifer Silverberg
Daily Administration Reporter
The proposed Statement of Stu-
dent Rights and Responsiblities is on
the agenda for today's U-M Board
of Regents meeting, and President
James Duderstadt said he expects
the board to approve the implemen-
tation of the policy on an interim
basis.
"I think generally there has been
strong support," Duderstadt said.
"We'll try it. There's nothing par-
ticularly unusual about it. There's
not a college campus in this country
without one."
But last month the regents asked
that discussion of the policy be post-
poned until this month's meeting to
provide time to assess public opinion
about the document.
"I've talked to a fair number of
people about this, including stu-
dents, by wandering around and ask-
ing people what they think. I imag-
ine there will be some discussion
tomorrow and we'll take some ac-
tion," said Regent Philip Power (D-
Ann Arbor).
Power said he has spoken to
about 25 students, the majority of
whom did not know or care much
about the policy. However, upon ex-
planation, Power said most agreed it
was a good idea.
Power said he talked to seven
students who were familiar with the
policy, four of whom approved of
the code.
"I know it was a totally unscien-
tific sample," Power said. Neverthe-
less he added that he favors adopting
the proposed code on an interim
basis.
Duderstadt said he does not think
it is possible to wait for 100 percent
approval of the policy before im-
plementing it.
"We'll never do that with a
community as large as this," Duder-
stadt said. "We've got to put it into
place and improve it over time."
Duderstadt added he feels the
policy should be implemented as
soon as possible.
"The concern I have right now is
I am forced to serve as judge, jury
and executioner (in the absence of a
policy)," Duderstadt said. "It doesn't
provide adequate due process to
students."
In other business, the state of
Michigan has indicated that it will
provide funds for tworenovation
projects at the U-M through the
Capital Outlay Bill, which allocates
money based on university-stated
priorities.
The U-M is proposing to the
See REGENTS, Page 2
Gates, Strossen to
debate tonight at Hill
f
Students, BMC to
ost alternative
discussion outside
by Erin Einhorn
Daily Crime Reporter
American Civil Liberties Union
President Nadine Strossen said she
looks forward to debating former
Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl
Gates and demonstrating to the ex-
pected 4,000-person crowd that po-
ice brutality and police racism are
art of a "systemic problem" in this
country.
National
Sleep-Out
draws few
by Jennifer Tianen
Daily Staff Reporter
A low turnout could not si-
lence the heartfelt pleas and
startling statistics presented to
concerned students and citizens
on the Diag last night during the
National Sleep-Out for
. Homelessness.
"I don't believe in no color,"
nrramrlMra arle
with Preacher Mike, but I'm against
student funds going to a man who
pretty much openly advocates vio-
lence against African Americans,"