Page 4 -The Michigan Daily- Wednesday, March 17,1993 ..," . c e tin tt 1 420 Maynard Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan JOSH DUBow Editor in Chief ERIN LIZA EINHORN OpinionEditor Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily editorial board. All other cartoons, signed articles and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily. 7,1~ { J J~'1 ยง1"4 t- 2I JQ =H So v r-Hi4 / *1 GO VOTE! It's the only way to make MSA represent you HILE MOST OBSERVERS view the Michigan Student Assembly as an organization out of touch with student concerns, it is pivotal that all informed students vote today or tomorrow. This election - in which voters will choose a new president, vice president and multiple representatives - may be the turning point for the future of student rights. Students are burdened with an adminis- tration fond of chipping away at our rights through measures like an overly restrictive Diag policy, a misguided Statement of Student, "Rights" and Responsibilities (the Code), and a Union access policy that blocks admission to anyone deemed "unsuitable." We need an effective representative voice and MSA -as pathetic as it is -may be our only hope. Students must stand up and take interest. Because members of the University admin- istration know very few students cast ballots in assembly elections, MSA members' views are seen as the pathetic grumblings from the campus vocals. They are not seen to represent student concerns becuase they only represent students who vote (less than 10 percent of registered students). IfMSA weresupportedby an attentive campus, its concerns might mean someting to administrators, but presently we have no voice. Students who want to maintain basic human rights have a responsibility to choose the candi- dates most equipped to represent their needs and to vote. We should not necessarily forgive MSA for its ineffectiveness, but we should take the initia- tive to vote for a new assembly. While it may take divine intervention for MSA to adequately repre- sent student interests, it takes no more than a walk to one of the many poll sites for the student body to do its share. . Editors' note: Unfortunately, sexual assault has become an issue of statistics. We often see so many numbers, we forget human beings are involved. It is for this reason that the Daily dedicates this space every Wednesday to sexual assault survivors. Some pieces will be signed. Others will not. All of them present real situations from survivors who respond in their own way to assault. 'You robbed me of this person I could be' i DEADLY WEAPONS Waco incident shows need for Brady Bill WHEN THE STATE of Virginia recently passed reasonable legislation prohib- iting the purchase of more than one handgun per month by the same person, the National Rifle Association (NRA) decried this infringement on ---the "rights" ofhunters and law- abiding citizens who wish to protect themselves. Like the proverbial fool who built his house on sand rather than rock, gun con- trol opponents have built their argument on the premise that U.S. citizens have the right to own any number of whatever types of weaponthey want, with- out interference from goy- ernment. Despite this inane' anilgcadteam flobbyists paid to defend it, immediate passage of the Brady Bill, which would mandate a national seven- day waiting period for the purchase of handguns, should be a priority for President Clinton and for Congress. The nation needs more stringent gun control quite urgently. But even as the stand-off be- tween federal agents and cult leader David Koresh drags on, the nation can depend on the NRA to provide more misleading propaganda about guns. No matter how sensible the legisla- tion, the NRA members oppose all forms of gun control. Their position continues to prevent this nation from developing a sane gun control policy. It continues to hail the Second Amend- ment and pretend waiting periods and prohibi- tions on more than one gun per month are dangerous infringements on legal rights. But the Second Amendment does not advo- .-- Ii .r , , , . guns. The amendment guarantees states the right to bear arms so eachstatecanhaveits own militia. The amendment was put in the Bill of Rights to give states a certain autonomy in the new federal system. There was a fear at the time that a strong federal government with a standing army wouldbe able T[V FOR NUl to take away states' rights. To counter this, the states TOO GOT A PROBLEM were (and are) permitted to have their own militias. The amendment does not guar- antee individuals the right to own assault weapons. It does not say or imply that restrictions like a waiting period are illegal. Nor does it hold that people should havetherighttobuyasmany guns as they please. As guns continue to kill increasing numbers of people, claim- - ing that the Second Amend- ment allows unrestricted xIIj gun ownership is legally foolish and, indeed, danger- ous. "No ordinary woman" was written by Pamela Elizabeth LaMoreaux after she was sexually assaultedatthe age of 16. When she was 21 years old, Pam was raped and murdered by an ac- quaintance. Today, March 17,1993 is theseventh anniversary ofPam's mur- der. No ordinary woman I can open this door for you And you will come in Through the blinking light. And you will turn to me and say those things you most wanted to say - without conscience you will say things to disturb me, underground and no one will notice but I which makes this your delight. You will ride me like the wind And claw at me this entire while WhileIthinktomyselfwhether to laugh or cry - it is easier to laugh I'm protected when I laugh And not when I cry, as you may pre- sume I am no ordinary woman This is not the case with me Nor is this the place for me I could run forever but the sight of you won't leave my mind... I remember everyone I remember everything And this form which I can't escape will drive me insane... I will not be your victim anymore, so shut your mouth. I will not hold your vain or be your meat to stab... so sweet, you think you are Am I acting that bizarre? Catch you out, and twist you up I will talk over your head till you are dead. Because you took me, yes, you robbed me of this person I could be who could once love but cannot now So she will react quickwand fast Yes she will react soon to blast Where can she go? To hide the face that you have made her wear now? Perhaps She will never leave you Perhaps She will haunt your dreams so you won't run to her, ever again. SEXUAL ASSAULTS REPORTED TO SAPAC IN 1993:29* Involving penetration: 16 No penetration: 5 Acquaintance: 21 Stranger: 0 0 I On Campus: 1 Reported to police: 8 *No additional information available for some reports SAPAC works to prevent rape Even as the government places regulations on free speech and freedom of assembly by diluting the First Amendment, gun control opponents contend that their beloved Second Amendment is beyond reasonable regu- lation. The front of the NRA's national headquarters building in Washington bears only the second half of the Second Amendment: "... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." But by reducing the all-important qualification contained in the first part of the amendment to three dots, the NRA demonstrates its irresponsibility. President Clinton and Con- gress should rise above this deception and pass the Brady Bill as a first step to reasonable and 'c the Daily: I have never been raped - I'm lucky. In a society where one of every three women will experience sexual assault in her lifetime, I've learned to count my blessings. However, it's not easy to count the number of my friends who have experienced rape or some other form of forced sexual contact. Their descrip- tions bear little resemblance to the "dark ally sudden attack" -myth that prescribes the rapist as a masked stranger. Instead, the rapes occurred indoors and my friends knew the assailants; in one case, it was my friend's boyfriend. This is acquaintance rape: sexual assault by friends, neighbors, dates, co-workers, family members or other people the survivor may know. Over 90 percent of college rapes are acquaintance rapes - clearly rape is a big issue. I think about these facts when I walk around campus late at night. Some people argue that women shouldn't walk alone at night; it's just not common sense. Not that women are asking for it when they walk alone, the debate continues, but there are places where even men shouldn't walk alone if they don't want to run into trouble. But I think about my safety when I'm leaving a party and I can't decide whether to bear the cold by myself or to accept an escort from a male friend. Am I safer by myself or in the company of someone to whom I might give the wrong signal? In either case I would be blamed for my assault. Some people might even say I asked for it. Many people don't believe rape is a serious issue because they feel the survivor could have stopped it. Thus, rape is often shrugged off as a woman's problem. Both sexes are involved, however, directly and indirectly. Think of three women and ten men you know: at least one from each group will be sexually assaulted in her or his lifetime. It's time to act. The Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC) is working to prevent acquaintance rapes on the U-M campus. I have been volunteering as a SAPAC peer educator since September 1992. Co-ed teams of two peer educators facilitate discussions on the social aspects of sexual assault in residence halls, classrooms, fraternities and sororities and, new this year to the program, for athletic teams. The purpose of SAPAC's Peer Educations Program is not to lecture audiences, but to stimulate discussion about the myths, facts, preventions and precautions of sexual assault. We provide information on what we see as a societal problem that harms both men and women. Cecilia Chin RC Junior cate unlimited individual access to all kinds of effective gun control. RACIST EMBLEM New group takes law into its own hands To the Daily: Your readers may like to know of a new development regarding the obnoxious street sign in a second floor window of West Quad on the corner of Thompson and Madison. We have recently spray-painted a completely different message on the window in question. Come by and see it sometime. Contrary to popular opinion, people like us do have a sense of humor. One good joke deserves another. On the other hand, if that sign wasn't a joke, if it was an insult to women, an attempt to downplay the viciousness of rape culture, or a gauntlet thrown to people who work to end sexual harassment and discrimination ... well, then the boys who put it up can interpret this as an expression of extreme disapproval from fellow members of the university community. We agree that for the administration to censor speech or writing would be unconstitutional. For us to take action, however, is merely illegal. It is beyond the scope of this letter to expound and defend our definition of what's ethical. Let it suffice to say that sometimes legality and ethics conflict. Whenever we feel that they do, we will act. Law enforcement authorities can go ahead and try to stop us if thvan Miller should not give PLAINING THAT EXTREMISTS have com- ~plicated the issue and detracted from other legislative goals, Georgia Governor Zell Miller announced last week he that will end his fight to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag. The emblem offends many citizens, especially African Americans, who make up one-third of the state's population. Yet others, who oppose the proposed change to the flag, have made Miller's attempts to accomplish anything else in the government nearly impos- sible. Just as President Clinton felt the need to direct his energies away from lifting the ban on homosexuals in the military, this worthy cause has been abandoned for the sake of politics. Miller and his advisors have foundit pointlessto continue the struggle under such circumstances, but the issue is still important and deserves national attentionn- up trying to lower flag 'Safe sex' may be possible today GEORGIA STATE FLAG Miller joined the fight to remove the emblem, making himself the first white Southern politi- cianto do so, after Atlanta was chosento host the 1996 Olympic Summer Games. While Georgia should change its flag under any condition, the upcoming Olympics make the issue far more n orga's flag will he hin diacent to To the Daily: I feel compelled to respond to the letter "Safe sex cannot exist today, not enough research has been done" (3/8/ 93), mostly because of the uneducated and misleading information this student believes. The statement was signed by a "first-year student," which means that he/ she is probably coming from a high school that did not teach about AIDS in a "thoronh" wvv This is also of the disease and the research until they were pressured to respond and heavy damage had been done. I suggest some self research ... there are books of facts on the Reagan/ Bush neglect. Firstly, those of us who have been living with the realities of AIDS informa- tion realize that condoms are not "the" answer, but an alternative. There are many alternatives ... again, do your research. Who cares what size an HIV cell is, aren't there someone they love even if they are HIV-infected. In fact, I would love my wife if she had any other cancer, or if she was in a wheelchair for the rest of her life, or had any physical problem that we understood enough (were about educated enough) to allow us to love and not hurt each other. "Safe sex" does exist, maybe not for you (or for you to define yet) but for others who need help and support against a horrible M ,'