Page 4-The Michigan Daily- Thursday, April 1,1993
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420 Maynard
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed
by students at the
University of Michigan
JOSH DuBow
Editor in Chief
ElUN LIZA EINHORN
OpinionEditor
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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.
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GRADLOCK
University must concede to GEO demands
C OMPROMISE. lented their position and agreed to allow the
To most people it means working to- current package to remain.
gether for the collective good. To the On the surface, it seems as if the University
University, however, it means forcing the oppo- took a positive step. But, in reality, it managed to
sition to accept everything without question. brilliantly use GradCare as a political tool.
This disturbing trend flexed its disappointing GradCare forced TAs and RAs to mount forces
muscle last week as the Graduate Employees against thehealthcare proposal. Inthe meantime,
Organization (GEO) - the union of teaching this meant they would have to forget their origi-
assistants (TAs) and research assistants (RAs) nal demands. The issues still under contention
- attempted to settle its contract dispute with are the length of GEO's contract, salary in-
the University. While turning to mediation creases, and a controversial registration fee. But
seemed an acceptable alternative for both par- nothing comes easy when dealing with the Uni-
ties involved in the contract dispute, it is now versity. In the end, GEO launched a tremendous
clear that the University has become so en- fight, and .while it may have won the battle
trenched in its inflexibility that a resolution will against GradCare, the war must now begin anew.
take nothing short of a miracle. While it may seem petty that GEO is fighting
When negotiations began, GEO presented a over a $40 registration fee, the union has its hands
list of perfectly reasonable demands to the Uni- tied. Ifit gives in, it could set aterrible precedent
versity. Instead of dealing with the pertinent that the University would take advantage of year
issues, however, the University took the offen- after year.
sive and suggested replacing GEO's current While it may not be a good move for GEO to
health care package with a weak alternative - fight for shorter contracts - as with each new
GradCare. Not only was GradCare a poor pro- negotiation session the University attempts to
posal that ignored TAs' and RAs' basic health take away existing benefits - the union's de-
care needs, it was substantially less comprehen- mands should be granted. If the University cares
_sive than the current package. After a long at all about undergraduate and graduate educa-
battle, the University's negotiators finally re- tion, it will make concessions immediately.
A STDENT VOICE
lbertarian couldsrepresent sudens, 4th Ward
E EFFECTS OF, a Libertarian majority Ward) wno tinsnea ins masters degree at Me
on Ann Arbor's City Council would be University last spring, no students have repre-
scary. The Libertarian ideal of no taxes sented campus needs in city government since
and, essentially, no governmentsim- the seventies. When the Council writes
ply would not realistically work in housing codes that dictate how many
terms of maintaining some degree people can live in a house and where
of order in the city. But one Liber- they can live, students are rarely con-
tarian on council could do nothing ssulted. When it discusses noisy party
"hortofpresentinganotherperspec- ordinances, students -whothese laws
tive and creating open dialog. are designed to control-are not even
- LSA sophomore Kreg Nichols, notified. Much of this dueto thelack of
t Libertarian running for council in studentinterestin city government, but
the 4th Ward, is not only the best if Nichols were elected, he could not
:candidate to represent an indepen- - - only be a direct line from campus to
dent voice and offer a dissenting council, but he could also bring city
opinion to the oft stagnant council, Nichols issues to students.
but as a student he could also represent ignored While Hartwell, a former Ann Arbor school
student concerns. His opponents Republican board vice president, would be a strong advocate
; uie Creal andDemocratSteven Hartwell have for education, his experience and knowledge of
rofessedinterest inlistening to students, but as city government cannot compete with Nichols'
Nichols pointed out, "you don't have a vested enthusiasm and unique point of view. A 4th
interest in the University if you don't go there." Ward homeowner, Nichols is the perfect candi-
With the exception of Peter Nicholas (D-4th date to serve all the constituents of that ward.
3RD WARD, 5TH WARD
Pro-environment Dems. would focus council
Pay attention to rules of common courtesy.
It never ceases to amaze me how many
of the students at Michigan can come from
the finest families, have gone to the best
schools, score top rank in everything from
Psychology to Aerospace and yet have no
clue of what their peers consider rude, of-
fensive or inconsiderate. Well for those of
you who haven't the slightest idea, here is a
crash course on what most of your peers
consider rude.
1) Propping yourfeet on the back of the
person's chair in front of you: This is rude
and disrespectful. Nobody wants the dirt
Action
Natosha Morris
from your shoes falling on their clothes or
your feet two inches away from their head.
2) Crossing a person's path, shoving
into them (damn near knocking them over),
and not saying exuse me. What is your
problem?
3) Talking during lecture: I do not mean
whispering. I'm referring to carrying on a
conversation in a normal dialogue tone
simultaneously while the professor is speak-
ing. Why can't you write a note to say what
you want? You are quite arrogant to think
that because you don't find what the profes-
sor is saying as interesting you can distract
the majority of the people around you.
I would like to add here that rambling
and shufling your books before the profes-
sor has ended lecture is also rude. The
professorknows what time theclass is over.
She or he is not going to stop any faster
because a few inconsiderate people want to
makeitknown the houriscoming to aclose.
This is college not high school. You are not
going to get detention if you arrive to your
next class a little late.
4) Smoking directly outside the entrance
of a smoke free building: The purpose of a
smoke-free university building is to respect
a person's right to clean air specifically in
an environment conducive to learning.
What a feeling one must get when he or she
is forced to inhale a thick cloud of awful
smelling smoke because an inconsiderate
smoker would be too inconvenienced to
walk away from the entrance of the build-
ing. Smoking inside a sheltered university
bus stop is equally offensive for the same
reason.
5) Staring: This is one of the most
obvious forms of rudeness. Staring makes
most people feel singled out, strange and
uncomfortable.
6) Hitting a sitting passenger in the head
with your bookbag while standing on the
bus: Whatissodifficultaboutremoving the
bag from your shoulder when you're stand-
ing in front of a seated passenger? You
certainly cannot think the comfort of your
dirty, synthetic orleather bookbag deserves
precedence over the comfort and personal
space of a human being?
7) Talking loud and acting obnoxiousin
the library: The last time I checked, the
general consensus was that people usually
kept quiet in this building so that others can
read and complete other silent activities. If
you want to talk with your friends do it
outside the building, in the lobby, or at
home. Those who did not come to the the
library to socialize, party and find a date
should not beforcedtopartakeinthe festivi-
ties. When there's a bar, music and a dance
floor added into the UGLI, we'll let you
know.
8) A spin-off of #7, Talking loud on the
university bus: Everyone does not care to
hear your conversation,especially when the
subject matter is offensive or controversial.
A fifteen minute bus ride in my opinion is
not the proper time and place to force your
views about religion, race abortion and
politics on other people.
9) Last, but certainly not least, making
loud stereotypical andprejudice comments
aboutotherracesinpublic universityplaces.
I am specifically addressing the Black and
white communities at University.
First, to the Black people: It is rude,
ignorant and totally unnecessary to make
derogatory statements aboutthe entire white
race and make references to slavery and
voice your anger each time you are in the
close proximity of a white person.
All white people are not racists. It is not
fair for innocent people to be stereotyped
and constantly subjected to verbal badger-
ing for something which they personally
had nothing to do with.
To the white people: Likewise, it is
rude, ignorant and unnecessary to make
derogatory comments and references to
Black people not being qualified to attend
theUniversity academically and financially.
First, your tuition is not paying for every
Black student here receiving financial aid
because not every Black person needs it.
Second, if every African-American student
werenotMichigan material, there wouldn't
be any ofus here because we'd allflunk out
after our first semester.
To both groups: It is no wonder the
racial tension between us on campus is so
thick. We constantly have ignorant people
from both races reinforcing our prejudices.
From my point of view, it's not about
political correctness,butrespecting theper-
son and ensuring the safety of all individu-
als.
This is why manners is a must.
Morris' column appears on the Opinion
page every other Thursday.
Communities should unite, not fight
[RD WARD DEMOCRATIC candidate
Ulrich Stoll, a retired civil engineer, is a
people's liberal, who truly understands"
that the city council must remain vigorously
committed to providing for the long-terminter-
ests of Ann Arbor. Stoll's weak opposition,
Republican candidate Lee
Pace, a static conservative;
and new-comer Libertarian
candidate Samuel Copi, a
first-yearUniversityunder-
graduate; cannot nearly
match up against Stoll's
thoughtful consideration of
the issues and his experi-
enced, detailed knowledge
of housing, community co-
operation, environmental Stoll
protections, and downtown
vitality. Stoll, a well-rounded, thoughtful candi-
date, is the Daily's clear choice to represent the
people of the 3rd Ward.
Stoll, an Ann Arbor Ecology Center
boardmember, strongly supports the natural fea-
tures ordinance; expanding affordable housing
in the downtown area; implementing recycling
reforms to reduce solid waste; and expanding
public housing units. Stoll's most impressive
characteristic is his genuine desire to empower
residents, to bring them into the political process
and to hear all sides of the debate. Stoll would
play a central role in helping make the council
rimn,,AffcP rennnc' iP ati arn rnt!1h1 p
F IFTH WARD DEMOCRATIC candidate
David Stead, a life-long environmental
defender, faces credible opposition in Re-
publican candidate Larry Murphy, Libertarian
Kent Hyne, and Tisch Party Independent
Raymond Pierce. The field of candidates in this
ward is strong and extremely
diverse, and both Stead and
Murphy would be effective
councilmembers, but the
Daily endorses David Stead
duetohisuniqueenvironmen-
tal professionalism.
Stead, a private environ-
mental consultant, is Al Gore
incarnate. HeleadstheMichi-
gan Environmental Council,
Stead a state lobbying group, and
has served on the board of the
Ecology Center for two years. He also volun-
teered to mediate the Gelman Sciences pollution
cleanup discussions. A talented problem-solver,
and open-minded thinker, Stead is a dependable
ecological spokesperson with considerable tech-
nical background in waste management, pollu-
tion control, as well as in woods and wetlands
preservation. Stead will instantly become Mr.
Environment on council - the perfect type of
specialized expert the city needs to help dissemi-
nate complicated natural features issues.
Larry Murphy, an articulate, compromising
moderate, and a product planner at Ford Motor,
is anol tcal centrist who differs little from Stead
To the Daily:
Regarding Natosha
Morris' column, "Homosexu-
ality is not a nationality" (3/
18/93), I wish to respond to
her offensive and ignorant
::omments pertaining to
'homosexuality" and the
Black race."
First of all, I did not
appreciate Morris' complete
patronization of lesbian and
gay male history. While it is
true that Blacks "have
struggled in America for basic
humans rights for hundreds of
years," I am comfortable in
arguing that homosexuals
have existed and struggled in
this country for as long as
African Americans, if not
longer. Morris attempts to
limit the lesbian and gay male
effort to a couple of measly
:cades and a few trivial
potests. This is utterly
'diculous and unfounded.
Just as Morris states,
'Black people are born
lack," homosexuals are born
mosexuals. There is no
'ding this fact. Homosexuals
an active and visible
minority; it is society who
"chooses" to sustain a web of
invisibility over lesbian and
gay male culture.
Morris fails to recognize
the extent to which psychopa-
thology (i.e., torture, degrada-
tion, dehumanization) affects
homosexuals. In our very own
country, the beating of
Rodney King spawned a
national uproar and rightly so.
But the unwarranted murder
of Allen Richard Schindler, a
petty officer in the U.S.
military, sparked little
response.
Where was the uproar for
Schindler? The riots? The
rage? As a gay African-
American male, I contend that
this society is more tolerant of
outright violence against
homosexuals than they are for
violence against Blacks, and
not the other way around, as
Morris suggests.
Lastly, Morris is offended
that other oppressed minority
groups, specifically homo-
sexuals, align their cause with
the "struggle of the Black
race."
Morris acknowledges the
differences within the Black
community itself, yet she
proceeds to reduce the
African-American experience
into one of shared "features,
language, and culture." She
insists that other minority
groups should not align
themselves with the Black
cause because of the multi-
faceted nature of being Black.
I find such logic to be entirely
inconsistent.
The point is not to align
specific interest groups based
on race, gender, or class. The
point should be to allow for
the existence of a unified
front against discrimination in
any way, shape or form.
Like Morris, I too can not
hide my blackness, nor can or
should I hide my sexual
orientation. Having a
"choice" is not the luxury
Morris conceives it to be. I
was born Black. I was born
gay. And I will die all the
same.
Travis Langenkamp
LSA senior
deserves to stay
To the Daily:
To anyone who has had
the pleasure of taking a math
course from Professor Rollie
Trapp over the past three
years or has heard about what
an outstanding teacher he is,
you should know that this is
the last semester at the
University. As a post-doctoral
teacher, he cannot receive
tenure and thus must seek
employment elsewhere. His
leaving will be a tragedy for
the Univeristy community; he
is a math teacher who actually
knows how to teach, is
accessible to students both in
and out of class, uses coopera-
tive learning to promote real
understanding, and actually
cares whether students
comprehend the material.
It is my understanding that
the mathematics department
wanted to create a position for
which Professor Trapp would
have been an excellent
candidate, but the funding for
the position was not forthcom-
ing from LSA Dean
Goldenberg (no relation)
claims that the decision is up
to the math department. The
department says it's up to the
dean. Meanwhile, we stand to
lose one of the highest-rated
teachers (by students) that the
University has to offer. I urge
0
Sublet section became waste of money
To the Daily:
Whoever had the idea to
Most importantly, upon
offer becomes the least
. I