Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Monday, November 23,1992 G ,e icbiiau J ij Editor in Chief MATTHEW D. RENNIE 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 764-0552 Opinion Editors YAEL CITRO GEOFFREY EARLE AMITAVA MAZUMDAR Edited and Managed by Students at the University of Michigan MIY CHIN PIEPCED- 606oB'JUST &COT WHATrDo You -fHWPHIN NsS c o-rM PI~(?CE1b Or /ArRD " . ". "'. rte..our /4flM...50 vy4pir- 9C IN (GNo L-O0"&E79 SH4OCKS ANt> (A1pR.E.SFES AMY rpf--jNPS, V\/H{/#T WILL IJl -rA KF 7-o EAR N ".:. M c~lr* ..s.Y '9 Unsigned editorials represent a nmjority of the Daily's Editorial Board. All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily. Duderstadt imposes conduct code "We have no comprehensive code now, and the University has none planned. This is not a priority for m? or members of my administration." - University President James Duderstadt, Nov. 27, 1990, in letter to students published in the Daily. "The president's purpose appears to be expan- sion of the University's control over the students' lives and control their conduct, change their be- haviorand make them politically correct. Make no mistake, this is the president's code. " S- Regent Dean Baker (R-Ann Arbor) in speech given at Nov. 19, 1992 regents' meeting. University President James Duderstadt accom- plished one of the primary goals of his ad- ministration on Thursday when the regents passed the "Statement of Student Riights and Responsibili- ties" by a vote of 6-2. Un- fortunately, University stu- dents did not set this goal -it was imposed on them.' Ever since the U.S. Su-s preme Court struck down a St. Paul, Minn. ordinance' banning hate-related crimes, the University has been scrambling to draft a new code that would stand up in court. To do so, it manipulated suggestions by former Student Rights Commission Chair Michael David Warren, jr., and drafted a code that pertained only to student conduct, not speech. While this is a welcome (and perhaps Constitu- tional) change, the code's passage and implemen- tation still represents a major defeat for students, who have fought codes of all types for almost 20 years. But that opposition proved no match for Duderstadt's implacable drive to instate a code - any code - during his tenure. Since Duderstadt's arrival, the administration has fought for speech and conduct codes. Last year, the University hired Dr. Maureen Hartford, who helped draft codes at her last two university jobs, and put her to work on a third. Since that time, the University has spent count- less resources drafting the code. Hartford and her staff, as well as Associate Vice President for Stu- dent Affairs Royster Harper, Director of Presiden- tial Communications Shirley Clarkson and the Of- fice of General Counsel have worked diligently to produce the 13 or more drafts of the current code. Money has been no object. The administration has purchased full and half-page ads in the Daily, conducted countless focus groups and meetings, paid for a nation-wide mailing to students, and distributed thousands of fliers promoting the code. That cost might be worth the sum if students were clamoring for action. Butif anything, students have been begging for mercy. During the public hearings held by Hartford, not a single student spoke in favor of the code. In a Michigan Student Assembly referendum conducted last week, 93 percent of students op- posed the current draft of the code. But that was not enough to stop the administration or the regents, who approved the code with only Regents Baker and Veronica Latta Smith (R-Grosse Ile) voting against. Even their Republican allies Neal Nielsen (R-Brighton) and Shirley McFee (R-Battle Creek) sold out students and voted to instate Duderstadt's code. The code is here for at least one year, at which time the regents will review it again. At this point, there is little that students can do, other than keep a watchful eye on the code's implementation and hope the administration is merciful when it tries to punish them academically for their behavior out- side the classroom. COOL, MA' HN, AW14o DOES ouR~s A mvKA'P NS) V.-D 4ViN& -MY tc FP1 6- TA K "EN OFF, . d l F t r-- , , yi jYfYYr,,-r r o .. . ;'s i - t! x " , ' '.;1 _- "ym.' \\.z :. I i'i ; -- - ~- - WHJIAT STLWEINTS ARE SA)MN& 1iiI& A STUDENT CODE IN THIS (iAT U(IWRSiIS15A TERIBLE IDLA. TO I~N'LEHNT IT WILL BE A V!OLA7( 01=w O STIID T 5TRIGHTS W ~A7 4NISIMII'JN EARS FLAN f gjAy rj 009IB I3LM @WW OILAM, 8LAH, 8LAN, WW LAW 8L14MAY. 85&&N $gH, F jULT7 S- r No Bullwinkle today? To the Daily: We would like to take time out from our busy schedules to express our disappointment in the Michigan Athletic Department's decision not to send the band to the game against Northwestern. My friends and I areseniors and we've been faithful fans for years. This year, being our last season as students, we decided it was necessary to make the four and one-half hour drive to Evanston, Ill. in order to see our Wolverines clinch their fifth straight Big Ten championship. After watching Elvis Grbac and Derrick Alexander hookup for the first score of the game, we had a feeling of familiarity rush over us. It was as if we were back at the 'Big House' in Ann Arbor. We thought the only thing missing was the other 100,000 screaming, cheering Michigan fans. But we were wrong. There was no "Victors;" there was no "Let's Go Blue;" there was no music at all. The Michigan fans in attendance were shocked when they realized there would be no "Bullwinkle" today. Now we understand that there are certain financial hardships with sending the whole band on the road, but how about the pep band (A dozen players and a bus) or at least something (a cow-bell player and a train ticket), anything that would help us help our team on the road. We made the effort. We'd like to see the Athletic Department do the same. Kurt Albertson Engineering senior Mark Gedman LSA senior Kudos to the Daily To the Daily: Thank you for your wonderful article on examining the role of religion in the lives of University students ("Balancing the books," 11/13/92). Considering that most media outlets portray people with deep religious convictions as fools or lunatics, it's nice to see the Daily describe those of us who actively participate in a faith in a positive light, and acknowl- edge that we have something to contribute to the University community. Jim Huggins Rackham graduate student Innocent until proven guilt To the Daily: Could someone please tell me if the news writers at the Daily have ever heard of the phrase, "innocent until proven guilty?" I was shocked to see an article on the front page entitled, "Stu- dent to stand trial for date rape," (10122/92). I was shocked because I knew the person that was being accused. I stress the word accused. The student has not been proven guilty. Why then was his name given in the article? The use of his name before he is actually convicted is a violation of his privacy and his rights. The accused has the same rights as the accuser. Why wasn't the survivor's' name mentioned? Did you ask the accused student if you could print his name? Why was this case chosen (out of the 14 rapes reported this semester) to be put on the front page? I think it's because the accused is an African-American male. This is not the first time the Daily news writers have jumped at the chance to print a front-page story about an African-American male student "accused" of a crime. Last year the Daily printed a Get the facts on Israel To the Daily: My only response after reading Jodi Jacobson's article, "Cling to hope for peace in Middle East," (11/11/92), was - "what?" I can not believe that the Daily is so hard up for letters that it chooses to continue the Middle East argument by publishing a completely irrelevant article and still dare to head it as "Commu- nity Insight." Her anti-Arab argument all begins when a Jordanian radio station plays (in her opinion) an inappropriate song. She then assumes that this song represents the entire Arab population and their lack of democracy and their unwillingness to talk. Then she recounts her excellent knowledge of history and declares that, "in the Middle East there is no history of democracy," and furthermore she uses her insight to tell us that, "hypocrisy and mistrust abounds in the Middle East." These statements are offensive, stereotypical and wrong. front-page story about an African- American male student from the University that was "accused" of being involved in the shooting of an Eastern Michigan University student. The Daily was quick to report the name of the "accused," the details of his incarceration and the dorm he lived in. It turned out that he was innocent of all accusations. Did the Daily report the fact that he was found innocent? No. If the story was so important why wasn't it followed up until its conclusion? I'm not saying that the accused in this rape case is innocent. I'm not saying that African-American males are always innocent of accusations against them or that the crimes of African-American males should go unreported. What I am trying to say is that the Daily should stop trying to portray the African-American males of the University as rowdy, uncivilized criminals. I ask the Daily to act accord- ingly and respect everyone's rights. Emerson Moore LSA senior Her attack of the entire culture seems to be the background she uses to insinuate that the Arabs are holding up the peace process. And the world wonders why the peace process is taking so long? Attitudes need to change, and Jacobson is going to have to be the first to start. Something for the Daily to think about: a Jewish student, who lived in Israel and is obviously pro-Israel - is no kind of "insight." Shehnaz Khan LSA junior Morris nails the issue To the Daily: I would like to congratulate Natosha Morris on her excellent letter to the Daily ("Street harassment is serious," 11/10/92). I also am not a feminist but I have severe distaste for men who make anyone feel uncomfortable and self-conscious and for women who take those comments as compliments. Karen Habra LSA senior S 0 6 9 Daryl Gates' skewed view of justice L ast week's debate between former Los Ange- les Police Chief Daryl Gates and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) President Nadine Strossen proved to be a confrontation between gall and reason. Despite Gates' poor performance, he enjoyed great support from the crowd. Moreover, Gates can boast a successful book, a popular radio talk show, and a busy lecture schedule. The former L.A. police chief's local chapter of groupies and his rising respect across the nation X are entirely un-a deserved. -'Considering that Gates pre- sided over per- haps the most racist and brutal police force in the nation, mis- MMOLLY STEVENS/Daly handled the L.A. riots, and resigned under pressure from the mayor and governor, his shameful perfor- mance during his 14-year tenure as police chief has been too easily forgotten. Daryl Gates remains a symbol of what is wrong with police protection and race relations in this country. Moreover, his racism and disrespect for the rights of the accused were unabashedly clear in his speech. Strossen properly articulated the primary prob- lem with Gates' administration of the L.A. police department: its racist behavior toward African- American and Latino men. umrh t1nnAWn h-a tin a : v . ah--r,4atin officers involved in the killing of Malice Green in Detroit should not have been suspended "without the facts." However, he stood up for the officers who beat and brutalized King before he was even charged. What Strossen referred to as Gates' "selective fidelity to due process," was also apparent in a remark Gates made last year. "Casual drug users should be taken out and shot," he said. With state- ments like that, perhaps Gates' resignation came 14 years too late. Gates continued to categorically deny all charges against him, denouncing the results of an indepen- dent investigatory commission, which concluded this month that much ofthe damage of the L.A. riots was due to lack of police leadership. Despite Gates' evasions, the commission's charges are valid. Though riots had been predicted if the officers who beat Rodney King were acquit- ted, Gates failed to respond quickly. During the riots, a time when immediate police mobilization was necessary, Gates continued with business as usual, attending a police fund-raiser. Local video clips show L.A. police officers actually retreating from dangerous areas. In his own defense, Gates said the harsh treat- ment of the officers involved in the King beating deterred his officers from doing their jobs. "Police back away if they realize how they'll be treated for doing their jobs aggressively," he said. During a crisis, fear is no excuse for inaction. Though the need for drastic changes in the justice system is clear, Gates discouraged the popu- lar idea of having civilian review boards to check the police. "Civilian review boards are easier than thra nnirn .. -.-nnt n nlioia" hi c..i . -it -n-l COMMUNITY INSIGHT Brutality of inflatable doll is symbolic a by Carol Genyea Kaplan The public rape and battering of a female effigy in the form of a blonde life-sizeinflatable "sex doll" by sections 30 and 31 at the Nov.14 Michigan-Illinois football game is an illustrative example of the per- vasive misogyny in our culture. I understand that until recently - when stadium officials "cracked down" on it - a similar practice of "passing" a live woman and grop- ing her has been part of some of the men's entertainment at football games. A faculty member of an- other university told me that this practice has gone on for years and that he used to participate. "It was fun," he said, "but if the girl screamed too loud we'd let her go. Contempt for women is indeed "crack down" on the "passing around" of live women at football games. Well, that hasn't spoiled their fun. Now they act out their hatred and contempt on a life-sized naked inflatable doll complete with rub- ber genitals. They punched it and humped itand made other witnesses - obviously because they thought there was nothing wrong with this symbolic brutality. And that is ex- actly the point. These men were oblivious to the implications of their actions. I am sure there are some among the many who participated who will say they feel not contempt towards women. And there are those who will excuse this behavior with a "boys will be boys" dismissal. "Come on." thev might sv. "we and end result is the same: a society that ultimately, albeit tacitly, en- courages the rape and brutality of real women - the mothers, sisters, daughters, friends and wives of the very men who would join in the "fun." At one point in this spectacle on Saturday, the doll was punched onto the playing field. We thought surely that this would be the end of it, that stadium security at the very least would confiscate the doll. But, that is not what happened. An official in a yellow jacket bounced the doll back into the crowd and by doing so became a participant. He also didn't "get it." It was against the civil rights of every woman that witnessed and endured this symbolic violence which, in the end, was condoned by official. t is time that e make sure 6 I