Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Tuesday, December 8, 1992 ibe M4ibctgan iatl Editor in Chief 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 764-0552 MATTHEW D. RENNIE Opinion Editors YAEL CITRO GEOFFREY EARLE AMITAVA MAZUMDAR Edited and Managed by Students at the University of Michigan 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. :pe:.g the.G..s.........er Openn the Gates to, controversy THE 6COtY t5 PL L4JGIHlG- YCO DEPATHS NOT APPRFOACH-EDL SIN~CE THEI GREAT tQEPeESEONdt i1' - -N WHOOPS ! HA~D -17N E./ION4GS '10E UP, E~HEHEE. iOOKS tLIKEW= WON'T- NEB D -ro ,Jum'-577Ip7r 7HF -CoNOMY AFTER ALLor i- I '. Almost three weeks after Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates came to campus to partici- pate in a debate, another debate rages on: should student organizations have reached into student coffers to bring this controversial and reactionary speaker to campus? Already, students and Michi- gan Student Assembly delegates have snubbed MSA President Ede Fox for her public opposition to Gates' invitation; one student group has apolo- gized for the decision, and another has reaffirmed its stance. Those who mounted opposition to Gates' visit should reconsider. The University is an academic community, and should serve as a forum for de- bate. Spending student dollars to foster debate is an inherantly positive thing. And bringing Gates, despite his abhorrent views, is completely justifi- able. While it is fine if some students want to dis- agree, it is unfortunate that they would try to impose their views on others. One hundred and fifty students, including Fox, signed a petition disinviting Gates because of his controversial sta- tus. In an article for "Consider," Rackham Student Government President Mark Buchan claimed, "There is no point debating the validity of torture and beatings." That is a ridiculous characterization of the debate. The debate covered the nation's criminal justice system, as well as police brutality. These are vital topics that must be adressed, not non-issues unworthy of consideration. That is why it was discouraging when Univer- sity Activitees Center (UAC) president Jason Hackner, along with UAC/Viewpoint Lectures Co- chairs, who brought Gates to campus, apologized in a letter to the Daily. "The sponsors of this event would like to apologize to anyone who was of- fended by the decision to invite Gates" they wrote. They should not have caved so easily. If UAC is sparking controversy, it is serving its mission, and its leaders should know that. W KEFORE AFTER .-- .~ | | | | | || | . "fr 4 ~ "t" Freedom to bike is fundamental F ollowing a mandate from University President James Duderstadt, the Campus Safety Com- mittee (CSC) of the Michigan Student Assembly last week took on the issue of bicycle safety. While this may seem like a harmless action to protect student safety, it could have damaging repercus- sions. Joel Strimling, CSC chair, said at last week's MSA meeting, "We have proposed that bicycles not be banned from the entire campus, but only in certain areas around campus including the 'M' area, the Diag and by Angell Hall." Although Strimling later told the Daily in a letter to the editor that the committee was only in its initial stages, and downplayed the idea that fines would be imposed on bikers,the committee's work still represents a serious threat. Regretfully,;, MSA is reacting to a relatively minor problem by consid- ering a draconian solution. First of all, many students live off campus and need to ride bikes to class. For them, the Diag is the fastest route on campus. Most classes are held in buildings around the Diag, and bike-ban- ners should consider that the largest bike racks on campus are located on the Diag as well. It is true that bi- cycle safety is a problem on campus, and on the Diag in particular. But bike-banners should be careful where they place blame. Often, it is pedes- trians who are at fault, wandering aimlessly through the streets, completely oblivious to their surround- ings. The biker is put in a dilemma: the pedestrian swerves right, the bike swerves left, the pedestrian swerves back left, the bike swerves right, they collide. Who is at fault? Sometimes it is the biker, other times the pedestrian. The actions which MSA is currently considering, however, represent naked oppression of the bike-riding minority by the ma- jority of pedestrians. If bikers were to control the Assembly, they could just as easily ban pedestrians from the Diag. Additionally, free-speech advocates should not take the bike debate lightly. In recent years, the University has conducted a subtle, yet well-orches- trated campaign to clamp down on speech. First the administration banned shanties on the Diag, then it restricted rally times, passed an inter- im speech code, and even went after the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. This situation brings to mind a famous quote: "First they came for the shanties, but I wasn't a shanty, so I did nothing. Then they came for the pot smok- ers, but I wasn't a pot smoker. Then they came for the bikers, but I wasn't a biker. Finally they came af- ter me, and there was no one left to defend me." We cannot recall who uttered these im- mortal words, but they are certainly relevant today. One solution to the "biker problem" that _- has been bandied about the Assembly is more bike paths. This may work on main streets, but the Diag is already filled with paths. Installation of bike paths, in addition to foot paths, would entail paving over nearly every last shred of grass remaining. Bike safety on campus could certainly use im- provement. But the solutions being proposed to alleviate this problem are worse than the problem itself. Appreciate the Daily To the Daily: Although I don't agree with your views on certain issues, it is nice to have a student newspaper with intelligent reporting and informed opinions. In light of the upcoming Michigan-Michigan State hockey game, let me share an experience with you. Two weeks ago, I visited my friends at MSU for the weekend. Being a first-year student, this trip was only my second to East Lansing. While I was waiting to go to one of State's illustrious parties, I saw a copy of the State News and I began to read it. I started with an article about a student - which was all I could make out. This article was, by far, the worst article ever written in the history of journalism. I thought this was an isolated incident, but every single article was like the first. Bad grammar, unclear statements and misspelled words were in every single article. This is probably why MSU's president quit and went to some no-name school. The real fun began when I read the editorial section. I actually laughed out- loud at the letters. I appreciate the Daily's intelligent writing. Martin Wilk Engineering first-year student Stop male bashing To the Daily: I found Carol Genyea Kaplan's article, "Brutality of inflatable doll is symbolic," (11/ 23/92) to be extremely offensive and written in a domineering, male-bashing manner. I don't see how tossing an inflatable doll "encourages the rape and brutality of real women." Genyea Kaplan missed one major point in her letter: female students also participated in the "symbolic brutality" of this doll. Her ultra-feminist position makes her blind to the fact that women also enjoy this harmless form of entertainment. I attended the Michigan-Illinois game and witnessed a substantial number of women punching and throwing the doll. As for the "passing" of women during football games - more often than not the person being passed is male. Why doesn't she speak out on the brutality of men? I have participated in "person passing" and there is no time to "grope," only time to hold the person long enough until they are passed on. Items passed among students in previous games include an inflatable beach ball, a dinosaur and a Hulk Hogan Does this mean men also want to rape and abuse beach balls, dinosaurs and Hulk Hogan? The men and women I was sitting with were thoroughly amused with the spectacle and took no offense from this supposed "acting out [of men's] hatred and contempt on a life-sized naked inflatable doll." In addition, her mention of the Thomas-Hill hearings was an opportune moment for her to express her malice towards men, but had nothing to do with her argument. Although many agree that Anita Hill was served an injustice, what does this have to do with passing inanimate objects Abusing religion hurts gays 0 To the Daily: We were outraged to come across Mattie Mierzejewski's letter in the Daily ("Homosexual- ity is a sin," 12/2/92), in which Mierzejewski claimed that "Homosexuality is a rebellion against God - a sin." Obviously, Mierzejewski must have a "very shady grasp of Jesus Christ and what Christianity is all about," as well as a very limited knowledge of the Bible. The Bible does not condemn homosexuality. This is not an interpretation. Only once in the Old Testa- ment are homosexual acts condemned (Leviticus 18:19-23 and Leviticus 20:10-16) in part of what scholars call the Holiness. Code. This code also forbids planting two different kinds of seed in the same field, wearing a garment made from two different types of yarn, having a tattoo, eating raw meat and having sex during a woman's menstrual cycle. Even if Mierzejewski chooses to disregard Romans 7:6 ("But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code [the Old Testament], but in the new life of the spirit."), she cannot condemn homosexual acts if she herself wears any clothing of a cotton-polyester blend, lest she be judged a hypocrite (Matthew 7:1-5 "Judge not lest you be judged...") Of the nine biblical citations commonly referred to by homophobes as justification for their condemnation of gays, four simply ban prostitution, by both men and women (Deuteronomy 23:17, I Kings 14:24, I Kings 22:46, and II Kings 23:7). Two more are part of the previously mentioned Holiness Code. Three are references from St. Paul (Romans 1:26-2:1,1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and I Timothy 1:10), which speak only against carnal plea- sures and temptation, both for heterosexuals and homosexuals. St. Paul mentions homosexuality because during the Greco-Roman culture in which he was writing, homosexuality represented secular sensuality. We suggest that Mattie Mierzejewski re-read the Bible, and that anyone who believed her statement that homosexuality is a sin read Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing.." Kara Bucci LSA sophomore Amy Worden LSA first-year student 0 Women will not be silent To the Daily: Recently, a friend set me up for a MBA school formal. I was informed that my date would contact me and give me all of the details of the function. So, when I received a phone call from a man named Tom, I assumed he was to be my date. Tom knew my name and general information about my life. He knew my last name, where I lived and my year in school. There was no indication that I should question the fact that this man was indeed who I was to be set up with. However, as the conversation progressed, Tom asked me a rather startling question. He asked, "Do you do dome on the first date?" I explained to Tom that I was unfamiliar with the term "dome," so one of his friends graciously enlightened me by screaming in the background, "It means do you give head?" I was so taken aback by this question-that I remained speech- less as Tom assaulted me with a barrage of questions including the all important, "Do you have big tits?" He then told me he was sexually deviant and asked me if I wanted to play his deviant games with him. When I hung up the phone, I felt incredibly stupid for not realizing right away that this slime was clearly not my date and I was angry at myself for not taking more assertive control of the conversation. Maybe it was some guy I know who thought he was being funny. Maybe it was some sick pig who I don't know. The point is, regardless of the source, that phone call was simply inexcusable and in my eyes, extremely symptomatic of the problems women face in society today. While some immature, sexist scumball got his kicks making this derogatory prank on me, I was afraid. I had to question whether this guy was crazy and whether I should feel any threat from him. And you better be sure that I do feel threatened. Women are always the ones who have to deal with the after- math of sexism. I have to be afraid, while this guy has probably not given the incident a second thought. I hope Tom, whoever he may be, will get a chance to read this and maybe he and others who partake in this and other types of blatant sexual violence will get my message loud and clear: Women will be silent no longer. Katherine Rosman LSA junior Safe-sex message isn't getting out According to a telephone survey published in the November issue of "Science," of 10,000 heterosexuals surveyed only 17 percent of the respondents with multiple, sex partners used condoms. And according to a separate study pub- lished in the Wall Street Journal, condom sales have increased only 5 percent during the past year. Despite increased awareness about AIDS, many Americans continue to ignore the importance of safe sex. This should not be the case. Discussion of safe sex should come out into the open, particularly regarding the discussion of condoms. American society must overcome the taboos surrounding sexual activity to curb the spread of AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases. While abstinence and monogamy are the most effective means of preventing disease transmis- sion, they are not the only ones. Unfortunately, the debate about safe sex is often defined by moralis- facturers because some of their most popular condoms include spermicide. Even the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has found it difficult to get past the network censors. In 1987, the agency tried to air 38 public-service television announcements containing blunt lan- guage. The networks only approved one. In fact, because of its inability to use the word "condom," the CDC was forced to produce a commercial where a voice-over asks a young man, "If I were to tell you that putting on a sock would save your life, would you do it?" Apparently, when it comes to talking about condoms, the "liberal media" are very conservative. The networks must abolish these restrictive poli- cies. Networks have a unique role to play in in- creasing awareness about AIDS and STDs. Televi- sion, unlike any other medium, reaches many people of many different backgrounds at all hours of the day. Save whales, boycott Norway To the Daily: I would like to draw my fellow students' attention to an outrage against morality, common sense and international law. Norway has recently announced plans to resume whaling, that is, to continue the slaughter of some of the planet's most highly intelli- gent creatures. This killing is done by particularly cruel means. international cooperation on environmental issues, this atrocity was banned by the International Whaling Commission in 1982, with the moratorium taking effect in 1986. Now, Norway has turned its back not only on preservation of species threatened with extinction, but on the global cooperation which is the only way our own species can save itself from the 0 I