Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Monday, January 11, 1993
. ...
Editor in Chief
MATTHEW D. RENNIE
No WARNW , DtONTT ?Af(E ThtE REPLACEMEN.T"
'E?S'aNALLY, IaLT I HAVE A DIF FEPEP47T Vi Sio".
FoR -rHE ~Fu1URE.OF THE-wPREIDNTiAL-
COUNCIJ- ON PHYSICAL F7W5S5.
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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
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.
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'U' fails moral test ...
The military's exclusion of gays represents
perhaps the last bastion of blatant, govern-
ment sponsored discrimination. University Presi-
dent James Duderstadt had an excellent opportu-
nity to stand up against this clear moral wrong ...
and he wavered. Although presidents of88 univer-
sities nationwide signed an advertisement in the
New York Times protesting the military's exclu-
sion of gays, Duderstadt's name was conspicu-
ously absent.
The administration offered two explanations
for the omission. Executive Director for Univer-
sity Relations Walter Harrison explained that the
University chooses to work "behind the scenes" to
change the policy, insisting that "public confron-
tation," as he labeled the advertisement, would be
counterproductive.,
Indeed, working within the system is often the
most effective way to bring about positive change.
But signing on to a newspaper advertisement is
hardly "public confrontation." If the military is so
irrational that it would cut off all relations simply
because the University supported a public criti-
cism of the military, then perhaps trying to per-
suade the military to change its policy by force of
reason is futile.
The University deserves commendation if it is
indeed quietly lobbying the military to include
gays. But whatever ties that may have developed
between the two institutions should not prevent
President Duderstadt from taking a moral stand. If
Duderstadt is indeed so fearful of rupturing ties that
he cannot state his position in public, then he is
engaged not in negotiation but appeasement.
Harrison's other rationale: Duderstadt may have
been unaware of the decision not to sign the adver-
tisement. "I don't even know if we discussed it with
him," he explained. If Duderstadt is running his
administration with such Reaganistic nescience
that his subordinates neglect to inform him of his
major policy decisions, then whoever it is that
actually makes these decisions must be held ac-
countable for their cowardice.
The University has no obligation to right every
social evil. But by failing to participate in such a'
simple step as a newspaper advertisement, the
administration sends the message that it supports
discrimination against gays.
I ''
LEII7ERS ' :... ... ... .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. .
A matter of talent, not ethnicity
... while mistreating LGIVLPO
To the Daily:
Recently, in a Daily article
("Campus disputes role of
minority faculty," 12/7/92), a
reporter wrote: "Students, faculty,
staff... say that, if the University
hires these people because they
are Native Americans, they have a
responsibility to help the Native
American community." I have
never been so enraged at a Daily
article in the years I have been
here. The assumption that Native
American faculty members were
hired because of their ethnicity is
beyond racist, it is insulting.
In my role as a mathematics
graduate student, I have had the
good fortune to work with two
Native American faculty mem-
bers. Professor Thomas Storer is
one of the most brilliant men I
know, and I am proud that he took
me on as his student. Professor
Robert Megginson is involved in
both running courses, and
transforming the math
department's tutoring facility into
a 21st century program. During
the creation of the new calculus
curriculum, his advice has been
invaluable.
Nobody has a right to tell
either of these men what they
should be doing with their spare
time. (In fact, both of them
happen to be active in the Native-
American community, but this is
their choice and theirs alone.)
It is hard to believe that this
Daily reporter interviewed at
least six people (students, faculty
and staff) who all made such an
asinine statement. But let's give
her the benefit of the doubt. The
person she did quote was Tara
Browner, who said, "Does Indian.
blood make a person Indian? I
say no." If Tara is one of the
people who believe that these
professors were hired because of
that blood, then she is flat out
wrong.
Doug Shaw
Rackham graduate student
Along with University President James
Duderstat's failure to sign his name on the
New York Times ad criticizing the military's ban
on homosexuals, the administration's behavior
regarding the Lesbian and Gay Male Programs
Office (LGMPO) illustrates itslack of resepect for
the University's homosexual community as a
whole. LGMPO - which offers counseling, per-
forms educational outreach, and serves as a re-
source for the entire campus - has been repeat-
edly mistreated and disregarded by the adminis-
tration.
In fact, Billie Edwards submitted her resigna-
tion late last week as co-coordinator of LGMPO,
and indoing so cited the administration's mistreat-
ment of the organization as her main reason. She
explained that past and proposed "changes make
it impossible for me to do those things that I was
hired to do."
The most recent example of the administration's
inexusable treatment of LGMPO was the original
omission of its name from the sign on the third
floor of the Michigan Union, where the office had
been located for twelve years. Richard Carter,
associate dean of student affairs, said in December
that LGMPO's abscence on the wall was not a
mistake, but that the office was going through
transitions and reorganization and its future loca-
tion was unsure. However, this came as a complete
surprise to LGMPO.
Whenitinquired, the organization was told that
its focus was too narrow to be included on the wall
directory, which was intended for the entire stu-
dent population. Fortunately, a barrage of com-
plaints led to the addition of LGMPO's name over
break. Yet only the acronym appears on the direc-
tory, which may be confusing for people seeking
counseling, but are unfamiliar with the organiza-
tion.
LGMPO should not have been forced to endure
this intentional attempt to diminish its importance
and validity.
The organization has suffered other injustices as
well. Along with the budget cut that affected all
Student Affairs, it endured a hiring freeze on two
recently vacated half-time positions. The adminis-
tration informed LGMPO that its counseling/thera-
peutic aspect will be dropped, and that the admin-
istration would impose a new name and possibly a
new location on the organization. Most distress-
ingly, the administration is deciding on the direc-
tion of this twenty-one year old organization with-
out consulting its staff, volunteers or the commu-
nity.
In her letter of resignation, Edwards urged that
a search commitee which includes members of the
homosexual community be assembled to find her
successor. She stated that the administration is
destroying the LGMPO and that she could no
longer allow her name to be connected with recent
developments. Along with Edwards, other LGMPO
staff and volunteers are concerned with the future
of the organization.
The administration's behavior and treatment of
the office in general illiustrates its lack of regard for
the community that LGMPO serves. If the admin-
istration wants to hold true to its continual pledge
for an open and multicultural campus, it needs to
take steps towards reversing these past injustices
and must work with LGMPO instead of against it.
Correction needed
over UAC apology
To the Daily:
We would like to applaud the
Daily for printing its editorial
("Opening the Gates to Contro-
versy," 12/19/92) supporting the
University Activities Center/
Viewpoint Lectures' decision to
produce the debate on the future
of the criminal justice system with
former Los Angeles Police
Department Chief Daryl Gates and
the American Civil Liberties
Union (ACLU) President Nadine
Strossen.
However, it was conveyed in
the article that we were apologiz-
ing for the event. That contention
is not accurate. We do not
apologize for the event, for the
speakers we brought to discuss the
issues, or for the money we spent
in producing the debate. When we
extended our apology, through the
letter published in the Daily, it
was meant for those students, staff
and faculty who misinterpreted the
intentions of the event.
We are sorry for those who did
not take advantage of such a
unique event on a college campus
to voice their concerns and
opinions to the speakers them-
selves and receive a direct and
thorough reply. We are sorry for
those who, in resorting to violent
protest, missed the intellectual and
critical exchange of ideas being
articulated inside the auditorium.
It is our belief that this type of
vigorous debate or intellectual
analysis is necessary for a healthy
learning environment and an
informed campus community.
Further, UAC/Viewpoint Lectures
will continue to encourage these
types of debates, lectures and
analyses. The presence of this
vigorous exchange of ideas and
questioning the status quo builds
the pillars of this and other
important institutions.
Bhavin Shah
Lisa Tafuri
Co-Producers, UAC/Viewpoint
Lectures
Where was campus security?
To the Daily:
Campus security's slow
response to the gas main leak
which took place in Family
Housing's Northwood IV
complex could have cost many
lives if the circumstances had
been a little different.
Witnesses report that it took
more than 10 minutes for the first
security officers to arrive on the
scene. By that time residents
hundreds of yards away could
smell the gas in the air. It is
reported that personnel from the
nearby fire station arrived on .
location only after a Family
Housing resident ran over there to
tell them what was happening.
They had not yet been called by
security. Evacuation of nearby
housing was started by an alert
Family Housing community aid
when the immanent danger of the
situation became apparent.
Where was security? Fortu-
nately, no one was injured in the
incident. It was a wet and windy
night. Everyone was indoors
when the pressurized gas came
screaming out of the broken pipe.
Why did it take so long for
security personnel to arrive on the
scene? Why didn't the dispatcher
notify the fire department
immediately? Why wasn't there
an evacuation plan which could
be quickly implemented in the
face of this kind of danger? What
can be done to prevent future
lapses of this sort in potentially
life threatening situations? Will
there be an official investigation
of the slow response, with full
public disclosure? We were very
lucky this time.
Clayton Hubner
Rackham graduate student
0j
OECD offers constructive advise
T he Organization for Economic Cooperation isn't entirely true. The health care crisis is a perfect
and Development (OECD), a Paris-based or- example. Any attempt to implement universal cov-
ganization of industrialized nations, recently pub- erage will require significanttax-hikes. But consid-
lished a report criticizing the United States gov- ering how much individuals and industries are
ernment for refusing to tax Americans adequately. shelling out for health care (Ford Motor Co. spends
The government's refusal, according to the OECD, more on health insurance than on steel), a tax-hike
was forcing Washington, D.C. to borrow billions would be a profitable trade-off.
of dollars in investment capital from other wealthy While higher taxes will not end all economic
nations - dollars which could go to.third world woes, it is becoming increasingly obvious that it is
and former Soviet bloc countries. Moreover, the a necessary step. With new reports that the deficit
size of the budget deficit and the national debt is even larger than suspected, Clinton is faced with
indicate that the OECD is .., even morepressureto curb
clearly on to something."-'its growth.
AsPresident-elect Clinton r.- Income taxes remain a
takes over and the new Con- A'- primary way to generate
gress convenes, the Demo- = money quickly, but tax-
crats should stand by their .5c = hikes won't be the only
campaign promise to raise :necessary sacrifices. Lim-
taxes on the highest bracket. ,?Iiting entitlements, espe-
The United States remains,' cially to the wealthy, will
by far, the least taxed of all - also be necessary and un-
i ied nations. The popular. Other painful
highest percentage of income -. j steps, like cutting agricul-
Americans pay is approxi- ural subsidies and cls-
l 31 errtnt white the _ _ __ _ing defense plants will be
The Daily encourages its readers to voice their opinions. All letters should be 300 words or less. All op-ed
pieces should not exceed 3,000 characters. Please include your name and year in school. The editors reserve the
right to edit all submissions for style and space. Send all submissions to: The Michigan Daily, 420 Maynard Ann
Arbor, Mich. 48109. s
Israel disriegards humnrgt
by Stephen Sheehi
Today, 400 Palestinians are sit-
ting in an ironic "no-man's land"
inside The Republic of Lebanon.
Putting aside the irony that 10 miles
inside Lebanon does not mean that
one is actually in Lebanon - a sign
of Israel's power in the region -
these 400 meh are caught between
exile and domestic oppression.
Only a few weeks ago, on the
eve of the United States Presiden-
tial election, students, on the pages
of the Daily, were debating whether
the State of Israel is a democratic
Although I am not.
accusing Israel of the
genocide of
Palestinians, I am
accusing Israel of
continuing humdn
.:Arch" h.z:-
monuments for which Italy is so
famous. Many of these monuments,
however, are in memory of Italian
partisans executed as reparation for
If Israel contends that it is a legitimate state, let
alone a democracy, it cannot deport
indigenous population from their homeland,
even if these deportees did have a fair trial and
were convicted of a serious event.
cial state boarders, in addition to
continued abuses against the Leba-
nese people of Southern Lebanon.
Israel, though ithas theprivilege
the resistance attacks against the
occupying Nazi Army.
InRome and Bologna, the policy
of the German Army was that for
every one German soldier who died
as a result of a partisan guerrilla
attack, youth would be rounded up
and imprisoned. Then the com-
mander of the local forces would
check off 10 names for every one
German and execute the individu-
als. If the attacks persisted, which
they did, the ratio would be in-
of being able to distinguish between
an inside and an outside - some-
thing that the Lebanese, and cer-
tainly the Palestinians, are not so
privileged in having. Apart from the
ethical and moral dilemma that these
deportations raise, especially rec-
ognizable to peoples with histories
of being victimized, the action is a
blatant disregard for international
law and the Geneva Convention to
which Israel is bound.
If Israel contends that it is a
matey p11r1c , YiAAIW tA& Mr
cap for citizens of Italy, France, Germany and
other nations is upwards of 50 percent. While an
immediate cap increase from 31 to 50 percent
would be dangerous and risky, the current levels
are emhrrnasinvly low and fail to collect the
necessary. Progress won't come easily.
Of course income is not the only taxable item.
The United States continues to tax goods and ser-
vices at a much lower clip than other nations. In
1989, the most recent year statistics are available,