Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Tuesday, January 12, 1993
lbE £whigau iailj
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
764-0552
Editor in Chief
MATTHEW D. RENNIE
Opinion Editors
YAEL CITRO
GEOFFREY EARLE
AMITAVA MAZiUMDAR
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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School board should support press
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The Ann Arbor Board of Education will decide
tomorrow how much control public school
officials should have over student publications.
Based on an unofficial vote taken at its last meet-
ing, the board is likely to support school censor-
ship of student newspapers, posters and other
written material. Such a move would demonstrate
the board's disregard for the First Amendment,
teaching Ann Arbor students an unfortunate les-
son about the free expression of ideas in America
and the responsibilities that accompany it.
Board attorney Tony Duerr argued last Wednes-
day that school officials should have editorial
control over student publications. Duerr also ar-
gued that school hallways are not "public forums"
in which students can distribute or post any infor-
mation that they choose.
But American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
uattorney Julie Field offered a more sensible pro-
posal. She argued that students should have the
freedom to print and distribute anyliterature under
the guidelines of existing libel and obscenity laws.
It is true that the board has final editorial control,
but that doesn't mean it should pass and enforce a
policy of censorship.
The board, however, seems ready to accept
Duerr's more oppressive proposal, and for un-
founded reasons. Board Trustee Laurence Kloss
typified the board's fears. He asked Field to "de-
scribe a worst-case example of a pamphlet that
could come home in (his) 12-year-old's backpack
that would be acceptable under (Field's) proposal."
Groundless fears such as these are behind the
board's oppressive proposal.
Field's proposal is far more rational. Under her
proposal, students would be subject to the laws of
the community, not separate laws established by
the school system.
More importantly, the board's proposal sends
students the wrong message about intellectual free-
dom. By limiting free speech, the proposal says that
the only "public forum" exists in the classroom,
where teachers can control the agenda and the
exchange of ideas.
It teaches students that certain ideas are subject
to the approval of a higher order.
But if school is to be a place for education, not
indoctrination, then students, with the guidance of
teachers and counselors, should be exposed to the
broadest possible spectrum of ideas. The formal
approval of a censorship policy will only hamper
that effort.
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Protect First Amendment ...
To the Daily:
Your editorial, "Chalk one up
for the First Amendment," (1/7/
93) was an informative summary
of the major events in UM
Printing Services' refusal to print
the latest issue of the Gargoyle,
why that decision was objection-
able and, fortunately, rescinded.
Gayl Ness, co-chair of the Board
for Student Publications, led the
good fight on this issue. All
students and others who cherish
First Amendment rights owe him
a debt of gratitude, including the
principles involved at UM
Printing Services.
Thanks to his persuasive
negotiating skills, a disaster was
averted.
One minor point: The editor
of the Gargoyle brought the
problem to the attention of
University administrators, not an
employees, as you stated.
David Friedo
Manager, Student
Publications
Diversity or quality? Both.
Dresident-elect Bill Clinton's cabinet nominees
Ppresent a welcome change from those of pre-
vious administrations. While the ethnic make-up
of the cabinet has been less important in the past,
Clinton has aggressively worked to make the
cabinet-designate better representative of the ra-
cial and ethnic mix in America.
Clinton has received criticism from both sides.
Some say he lowered his standards by enacting a
quota-like system in his appointments, while oth-
- ers accuse him of not nominating enough women
and minorities. In fact, Clinton chose highly quali-
fled men and women, and the argument that he
sacrificed qualifications for diversity is mistaken.
As 1992 was touted as "the year of the woman,"
it is not surprising that Clinton appointed four
women to high-level and cabinet positions. Laura
Tyson was chosen to head the Council of Eco-
nomic Advisers, the first woman in this position
since the council's creation after World War II.
Tyson is an economics professor at Berkeley and
an innovator, known for her dismissal of the idea
that tax rates directly effect the nation's economic
performance.
Carol Browner, Florida secretary of environ-
mental regulation, was nominated to head the
Environmental Protection Agency. She proved
her abilities in this area with her efforts to unite
federal and state agencies to restore the Ever-
glades.
Two other women - Secretary of Health and
Human Services-designate Donna Shalala and
Secretary of Energy-designate Hazel O'Leary -
will accompany Browner and Tyson to the Clinton
White House. Both are wise appointments, each
having served in previous administrations.
Clinton was correct to call those who com-
plained about the lack of women in his cabinet bean
counters.
As if to further prove his commitment to diver-
sity, Clinton topped off his list of appointees with
Attorney General-designate Zoe Baird.
The cabinet will also include many racial and
ethnic minorities. Clinton's nominees include ex-
perienced African-Americans such as Ron Brown,
Hazel O'Leary and Jesse Brown.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development-
designate Henry Cisneros and Secretary of Trans-
portation-designate Frederico Pena are well-quali-
fied Hispanic politicians who will draw on their
experience as mayors of large cities to help Clinton
address the needs of the inner-city.
Diversity is an admirable goal and every presi-
dent should strive to achieve it. But Clinton cannot
be expected to nominate a cabinet that exactly
reflects American society. The number of posts is
relatively small, and it is statistically almost impos-
sible to avoid some groups being over-represented
and others under-represented.
In Clinton's cabinet, for example, Blacks are
over-represented and women under-represented in
relation to their percentage in American society.
The only way to ensure a perfectly diverse cabinet,
by gender and race, would be to use a complex
quota system - which would not be an acceptable
alternative.
So while Clinton's cabinet has not reached the
virtually unattainable goal of absolute diversity, it
makes greater strides than have ever been previ-
ously accomplished. Without resorting to lowering
the standards, as many critics fear would be a result
of attempts to diversify, Clinton has fashioned a
cabinet of professionals to help achieve his cam-
paign pledges.
... valuable lesson learned
To the Daily:
I think your editorial on First
Amendment rights ("Chalk one
up for the First Amendment," 1/
7/93) was useful and welcome,
but I must correct one statement
and add another comment.
The editorial was important,
because it deals with one of the
most basic rights. It is one that
we on the Board are highly
committed to protect.
We feel that student publica-
tions offer an especially impor-
tant opportunity for students to
learn first hand the importance
and the vulnerability of these
fundamental rights, but also that
they learn to exercise the right
effectively.
Experiences such as the
Gargoyle faced are important and
useful learning experiences for all
of us.
It is incorrect to report,
however, that the Board has
charged one of its members to
draft a statement condemning
editorial manipulation. What I did
do, at the suggestion of Board
member Professor Joan
Lowenstein, was to ask her to
draft a statement on editorial
freedom.
The Board will consider such
a statement at its next meeting,
and will undoubtedly include
such a statement in the proce-
dures that are now being codified
and written.
On a matter of interpretation,
I would not say that Mr. Hubbard
"backed down" on the printing.
I think Mr. Hubbard acted
responsibly in being concerned
about an employee's sense of
sexual harassment. I believe he
also acted responsibly when he
sought legal clarification on the
meaning of sexual harassment
and its balance against First
Amendment rights, and when he
decided to publish after receiving
clarification.
This was, I think, a win-win
situation, in which we all learned
more about how to keep open
lines of communication, espe-
cially in protection of those rights
that all of us in this situation
recognize as fundamental to our
democratic society.
Gayl Ness
Co-chair, Board for Student
Publications
Amazing grace
To the Daily:
Kudos to the Daily sports staff
for the Sports Wednesday edition
(1/6/93). The sports writers wrote
excellent articles on the holiday
events. The sports staff is un-
doubtedly the saving grace for
The Michigan Daily. Once again,
great articles and insight.
Reed Bingaman *
LSA senior
Reinstate Metres ...
To the Daily:
Please reinstate Katherine
Metres' column. Although I may
not have agreed with all that she
discussed, I believe the column
was good and had high interest. It
sparked many conversations and
further letters. I will be upset to
see it go. Please reconsider.
Karen Habra
LSA senior
...Daily pro-Zionist...
To the Daily:
I am outraged by the fact that
you have decided to cancel
Katherine Metres' column this
semester.
It is obvious that this action
was taken because she wrote her
infamous article criticizing
Clinton's bias towards the fascist,
Nazi-like state of Israel. This
action might go on in an Israeli
University, where it is quite
alright to suppress the voices of
the indigenous population of
Palestine - people who are going
to criticize fascism and Zionist
fundamentalism. However, I
cannot believe that you can get
away with such a thing in a U.S.
university.
Not to worry, though. You
will never silence us. We shall
shout and yell until we get our
message across and fascist
Zionists like you will never
intimidate us. Long live Palestine.
Victory to the PLO.
All Bydon
LSA senior
... column interesting
To the Daily:
Since I've often commented,
fondly, on the "Shades of Red"
column that Katherine Metres has
been writing for the Daily, she
mentioned to me that the column
might be dropped. I don't know
how many others, student or
faculty, find her column interest-
ing, provocative and nicely
written, but I did. I would hope to
see it continued
J. David Singer
Professor of Political Science
Want to spend 0
this Thursday
night in an
crowded room?
The Michigan Daily, lo-
cated at 420 Maynard (be-
hind Betsey Barbour) is
, . ,.
U.S. is right to meet Iraqi threat
America has its own problems
ne can't help but have a certain degree of
OJrespect for a man who surrenders to an
international coalition of forces and still pretends
like he won a war. Indeed, Iraqi dictator Saddam
Hussein is proving to be a perpetual thorn in the
side of the international community. Iraq's contin-
ued violations of the cease fire cannot be tolerated,
and President Bush is correct in enforcing the
cease-fire and the no-fly zone.
While Iraq's lack of cooperation has been con-
sistent from the beginning of the cease-fire, the
violation of the
no-fly zone inHY!
southern Iraq THINK
signaled a new
round of mis- A Ft.
chievous activ- tF
ity. Coalition AWAY
jets shot down
the single Iraqi
aircraft that ven-
tured into to the --
southern zone. - . \-
Despite the fact
thatthecoalition
invasion of Ku-
wait and Iraq
was ill-timed
and unwise, S
Hussein has
shown that only
military threats
will leen him well-hehaved.
France and Russia set a 48-hour deadline for Iraq to
move the missiles out of the no-fly zone. Unfortu-
nately, the only language Hussein seems to under-
stand is threats.
Characteristically, Hussein removed the mis-
siles, but denied having done so because of Western
pressure. He then dutifully warned the Iraqi people
to prepare for another holy war.
Hussein's testing of Coalition resolve doesn't
end there. Two days ago, Iraqi raiders crossed the
disputed Kuwaiti border to capture Chinese-made
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missiles.
Pentagon of-
ficials have
offered no
comment
other than
that the
UnitedStates
is observing
the situation.
The day
after the Nov.
3 elections
here in the
United
States, Iraqi
citizens
dancedinthe
streets cel-
ebrating
To the Daily:
Israel, Somalia, Yugoslavia,
India, Iraq, the Balkans, Tripoli,
Honduras and Nicaragua. These
are just a few hot spots which are
creatures of famine, hunger,
disease, bigotry and death.
The United Nations Food and
Agriculture Program just released
a world report on its citizens
below the poverty level and it was
a staggering one billion strong.
The United Nations Development
program stays busy restructuring
nations around the world.
Then there is also the United
Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) that we have to call on
to aid those who cannot fend for
themselves - our innocent
children. Most of these children
just simply fall in the pathways of
wars, police actions and conflicts.
These problems are all
international and very serious.
But, in the United States we have
our own problems. Enough is
enough.
Under the Reagan and Bush
administrations our national
deficit has gone through the roof
without any solutions. Our
leadership is, unfortunately, a
bunch of burned-out relics who
cannot find the imagination to
save us from the brink of a
depression.
It is with much disrnnrave-
America is not for sale to anyone
that holds others under imperial-
istic oppression.
Leadership has the obligation
to quit hand-picking friends to fill
positions of trust. When are our
government officials going to
quit paying off favors to each
other and run an equal, serious
democracy for the people?
God may bless America, but
we must work to make it work.
Instead of the fashionable
American hand-out attitude, how
about the old fashioned work-for-
it attitude, and regaining pride in
one's self.
It does not matter how
technocratic we become, our
basic needs still have priority if
we are to keep ourselves alive. I
fully agree that issues like racist,
sexist and homophobic attitudes
need to be addressed, but our
basic health and our own survival
should take priority.
When our own nation's
people do not have access to
proper medical care, food and
shelter there must be something
wrong in the country. We must
come to the realization there are
others around us, because the
strength of any nation is all her
people and not a chosen few.
I am not professing that the
United States should isolate itself
from the world, but we should
RICH CHOIA/;
President Bush's loss. To Renuhlican Party mem-