4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, February 2, 1994

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"He had been asked to leave Slovenia over the, weekend
after his party damaged a hotel room in a drinking bout
during which a member of his entourage reportedly ate his
glass," -The New York Times, concerning Vladimir Zhirinovsky,
Russian nationalist

420 Maynard
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed
by students at the
University of Michigan

JEssiE HAUADAY
Editor in Chief
SAM GOODSTEN
FuNT WAmESS
Editorial Page Editors

Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of a majority of the Daily's editorial board.
All other articles, letters, and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily.
Students get another chance to voice concerns tonight

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PROTeC T r, ;,
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Students, faculty and staff members have
the opportunity to amend the code Wednes-
day from 6-8 p.m. at the University Club in
the Michigan Union. The weather is no
excuse, the Superbowl was Sunday and there
is plenty of time before the Final Four. And
even though it's Wednesday, you'll be home
in time for 90210 and Melrose.
Whatever the results of the vote, the
administration must be made aware of stu-
dent interest. Student frustration is only seen
as apathy. The administration takes this per-
ceived apathy as a blank paper on which it
can write any changes. A solid representa-
tion would force the University administra-
tion to see that students are honestly con-
cerned with decisions that pertain to their
rights, safety and life-style, and are moti-
vated enough to actively express it.
A group of Greek-affiliated students has
proposed amendments that would extend
the power of the code over student groups as
well as individual students. Guilt by asso-
ciation has effects that will reach everyone
an campus. If a member of a given organiza-
tion is found guilty of an infraction under the
Code, sanctions enforced by the University
will be applied to the organization as a
whole, rather than the offending
individual(s). The ramifications are end-
less. Fraternity members caught engaging
in traditional hazing would be seen as repre-
sentative of the entire fraternity and there-
fore the source of charges brought against
the entire group. Would this stir up personal
tensions? What about underage students
caught drinking on the premises of an orga-
nization they belong to, or openly intoxi-
cated at a group meeting? This amendment
,ould be used by the University as a means
of controlling student groups. If it is strictly
enforced, many students would think twice

about organizations they were going to join.
Currently, if an individual University
student is brought up on charges, that stu-
dent is responsible for her/his own repre-
sentation during the hearing. Though coun-
sel from Student Legal Services and others
familiar with the law is permitted, you must
speak for yourself during a hearing. MSA
has proposed to allow students to be repre-
sented by an advisor at the hearing. This
would allow the individual to decide who
will speak on his/her behalf. Those not fond
of or comfortable with public speaking
would have an alternative.
These are all crucial changes in the Uni-
versity of Michigan code. Issues such as the
Code's application within a 30 mile radius
of the 'M' on the Diag, address and affect
the majority of students - who no longer
live in University housing. If changes are
made, such as limiting University involve-
ment to offenses that are "a clear threat" to
the University community, it may make
significant changes in how you decide to
conduct yourself at a party, concert or non-
University sporting event.
For years it has been stressed to exercise
our democratic liberties by voting in na-
tional and local elections. This is an oppor-
tunity to ensure the University administra-
tion considers their "electorate." It is atten-
dance that will demand our concerns to be
taken into consideration in the future and
disallow the administration's justification
for their changes . It is also to our benefit to
be aware of potential changes in University
policy - it affects us directly. So, instead of
stressing out while you contemplate Kelly
and Dylan's relationship or if Allison and
Billy will survive Billy's promotion, listen
to what you will be dealing with in reality,
everyday.

( ________________________r_____

MSA on TV?
Plan to televise meetings will improve access

Prison spending won't
hurt education
To the Daily:
Your January 25 editorial
entitled "Students vs.
inmates" further proved your
inability to reason. In a very
typical and narrow-minded
article, you pitted education
against the judicial system,
claiming that Gov. John
Engler's proposed abolition
of probation for violent
offenders would come "at
the expense of education."
Such a baseless claim
demonstrates nothing more
than simple ignorance. Since
Gov. Engler took office more
criminals have been taken
off the streets and put behind
bars than ever before in
Michigan history. Has this
hurt education? No. Under
Gov. Engler state support for
education has increased by
$500 million in the past two
years.
Furthermore, you claim
that it is "unnecessarily
militaristic" and a "fiscal
drain pipe" to place first-
time drug offenders behind
bars. Obviously you are not
aware that 60 percent of
murders in Michigan cities
are drug-related. You must
also be unaware that Gov.
Engler increased spending on
education as well as prisons
last year. But he still
managed to eliminate a $1.8
billion deficit and create a
surplus for the state.
Your faulty logic lies in
your liberal-minded premise
that one's loss is another's
gain. We do not live in a
zero-sum world. Under Gov.
Engler we can, and will,
create safer streets as well as
better classrooms.
SEAN KING
LSA junior
, Don't blame all men
for rape
To the Daily:
In response to the many
letters submitted by the
various women on campus
about rape, as a member of
the male gender, I can only
say that I am perturbed that
such literature could and
would be published by the
Daily. The first letter to the
editor was adequately
sufficient in getting the point
across about the rape behind
South Quad last month. As a
member of the media, the
Daily has a responsibility for
the articles it prints. I can
only say that I am
embarrassed that the editors
would print Ms.
Hollenbeck's piece ("Don't
blame the victim for the
rape" 12/7/93), where she
makes the statement,
"Maybe if the men of the
world would take

in some secret society, where
we all get together and plan
ways toterrorize women. I
am surprised that Ms.
Hollenbeck would make
such a stereotype. The last
thing I need is to hear yet
another diatribe about how
men are pigs. Her piece only
demonstrates her closed-
mindedness. Despite what
Ms. Hollenbeck thinks,
people are individuals, and
cannot be held for others'
actions. Ms. Hollenbeck's
piece serves as an outlet for
her anger at men, and not the
offender. She has fallen into
the same problem that Chief
Heatley had; she is not
addressing the issue. Of
course, this is not all bad,
some good may come out of
her release, maybe it will
make her feel a little better
that she is now attacking
approximately 50 percent of
the world's population with
her personal vendetta against
men.
Everyone has certain
intrinsic rights. This could
and should be the case in
today's society. However,
we must be realistic, and
understand that this is not the
case. There are people who
are willing and able to
violate these rights. Just as
we take precautions to avoid
muggings, precautions are
available to avoid rape. We
must accept, and live in, the
society which is available to
us. The utopia we all dream
of is far ahead in the future,
and acts as an objective for
us to achieve. Until then, be
safe; if you can't be safe, be
smart.
DAVID SETO
LSA first-year student
Faith can't combat
AIDS
To the Daily:
I am writing in response
to the letter that was printed
in the Daily on December 2
by Michael Martz
concerning AIDS. This letter
was printed less than 24
hours after National AIDS
Awareness Day had ended.
The purpose of this national
event was to educate and
inform people on how to
prevent AIDS. You are still
at risk of contracting the HIV
virus regardless if whether or
not you believe in Jesus.
Religious preferences and
preaching that Americans
must "beware of Satan and
Hell" has nothing to do with
whether or not you will
contract AIDS.
It seems that along with
the religious views that are
being imposed here, there
also comes a lack of
understanding as to the
significance and reality of
AIDS. Ignorance in this
sense can be very dangerous.

methods (regarding sexual
practices, intravenous needle
usage, etc.) to prevent AIDS.
Theseameans of prevention
that have been stated over
and over by doctors are the
only ways to prevent AIDS.
AIDS cannot be combated by
belief in God, Jesus Christ or
the Bible. So, you can "pray
daily for those... who are
caught up in this web of sin,"
but I would like to say that
ignorance must be overcome
before AIDS can realistically
be dealt with by society.
ALLISON D. NEWMAN
LSA first-year student
Killing fetus same as
illing infant
To the Daily:
Well, it seems like the
abortion issue is making it's
bi-monthly tour through the
Daily. Joshua Kline argues in
his letter ("Moralism not
factor in abortions" 1/24/94)
that "Most women who have
abortions simply can't raise
their babies; perhaps because
they're too young or perhaps
because they're too poor.
They are showing their
responsibility... by not
having a child they don't
want or can't provide for."
This statement misses the
fundamental issue. This
argument, taken to its logical
conclusion, applies just as
well to born as pre-born
children. But few would
argue for the right of an 18
year old welfare mother to
dispose of her two-year old
child that she "doesn't want
or can'thprovide for." So the
primary issue is not one of
the mother's means, but of
the child's humanity. Life is
to be protected regardless of
economic consequences or
some arbitrary standards of
"ability to parent."
Don't misunderstand us.
We're not advocating
ignoring the needs of the
mother. But if the fetus is a
human life, and worthy of
protection, then ending that
fetus' life is no more an
option then ending the life of
a two-year old. If the fetus is
a human life then we must
find other ways to show
compassion.
So the personhood of the
human fetus is the primary
issue. If the fetus is not a
viable human life, then Mr.
Kline's arguments are
unnecessary. If it is a viable
human life then his
arguments are irrelevant. It
would seem that when such
weighty issues are involved,
we should use the highest
standards of caution. The
burden of proof should be on
those who deny the humanity
of the fetus. And if such
proof can be presented, we
will quickly become fervent
abortion rights advocates.

Intellectuals
and the
Cold War
ideology
In 1966 Noam Chomsky
published an influential essay
entitled "The Responsibility of
Intellectuals," in which he cited a
series of articles written some 20
years earlier by Dwight MacDonald
on the same subject. Both essays
focus on a U.S. foreign policy issues,
World War II in the case of
MacDonald and Vietnam in the case
of Chomsky. Both ask similar
questions, whether the people of
countries who commit international
crimes are responsible forthe actions
of their governments. More
specifically, both essays sought to
awaken the moral fibre of the
intellectual community in asking to
what extent do intellectuals bear a
special responsibility. Were the
German biologists and doctors and
the students they were training partly
culpable for the experiments their
colleagues performed on Jews?
Should American mathematicians
and chemists have been concerned
that their sciences were key to the
production of the napalm that made
its horrific mark on the children of
Vietnam? Should the philosophers,
writers, and historians of both
countries be made to stand before
the moral judges of history for their
silence as Poland was invaded, as
Cambodia was bombed? Chomsky
answers these questions, as did
MacDonald before him, in the
affirmative.
MacDonald and World War II
and Chomsky and Vietnam - two
brilliant thinkers separated by a war
but in the same political atmosphere.
And what of today? Do the
intellectuals of today need to reflect
on such issues? It seems to me that
now is an especially important time
for these questions, what with the
end of the Cold War and the fallout
thereof.
The first task in considering these
questions is getting recent history
straight. The recent truth commission
report on the conduct of the war in El
Salvador makes it clear that U.S.
military trainers were deeply
involved in some of the worst human
rights violations ever seem in this
hemisphere. The Walsh report
documents complicity at highest
levels of the government in the
pursuit of the illegalnwar in
Nicaragua. In both of those cases the
political work done by intellectuals
provided important background for
the actions of people both here and
in Central America in resisting efforts
of the Reagan administration to
become directly involved in those
wars.
That recent history now merges
with the post Cold War world. The
world has changed. Have we? The
legitimacy of our politics in the Third
World has been based on an
anticommunism ideology that,
questionable as it was at the time,
has certainly lost all credibility since
1989. Yet the residue of the Cold

War remains. What can be the
purpose of the blockade against
Cuba? Even the dissident movement
within Cuba maintains thatthe
blockade is actually making
democratic change there more
difficult. Why are there Puerto Rican
political prisoners and POWs still
locked up in U.S. jails? Can their
actions on behalf of Puerto Rican
independence be taken as the
communist threat it was claimed to
have been in the 50s? And why does
Bill Clinton try so hard to be George
Bush when it comes to Haiti? Father
Aristide is the most popular president
in this hemisphere, yet a few military
thugs can dictate that he remain in
exile with President Clinton's full
complicity.
We are in an important transition
phase in world politics. It is precisely
at times like this when the
responsibilities of intellectuals are
most critical. What the intellectual
class does is never the whole story,
probably never even the most
important part of the story. But it is
nevertheless a part of the fabric of

0D

The Michigan Student Assembly
announced last week that it will televise
its sessions several nights per week on the
cable television channels now available in
campus residence halls. While this move is
more symbolic than substantive, it is a first
step toward increasing student access to
MSA and should be commended.
On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
nights at 7:00 and 11:00 P.M., MSA meet-
ings will be telecast on the University Hous-
ing channel. The program will consist of a
taped recording of the MSA meeting held on
Tuesday of that week. Students, who rarely
attend these weekly meetings, will be able
to see for the first time what MSA is really
about.
MSA is also working to develop a weekly
debate program to be broadcast along with
its televised sessions. The debate will be a
forum in which campus leaders, students
and administrators will discuss relevant cam-
pus issues such as the Code and tuition
waivers for student leaders. This will give
students another outlet to learn about issues
that affect them at the University, and help
them to sort out the differing opinions that
are constantly being thrown back and forth.
In addition, it will allow more students to
participate in valuable discussion on these
issues.
The reasoning behind the telecasts of
MSA meetings is simple, yet important.
MSA President Craig Greenberg has said
the organization "wanted to heighten the
awareness among the student body about
what MSA does." MSA clearly needs to
make students more aware of their purpose
and activity - to put it mildly. The best
ctuient tirnnt in recent MSA elections was

representative government does for them?
The unfortunate fact is that there are a
significant number of students who not only
have no idea what MSA does, they are
unaware that the assembly even exists. With
such vast ignorance among its constituents,
the idea of "student government" becomes
little more than a joke. Hopefully, the tele-
casts will get the word out that MSA really
does exist and can serve a significant pur-
pose for students.
Furthermore, the student government
here at the University needs not only to be
known to the entire student body, but also to
be accessible. As it stands now, MSA is an
unfamiliar entity - even if students are
interested in what goes on, very few know
when meetings are held or how they can get
involved. By watching a broadcast in their
residence hall, students can familiarize them-
selves with MSA and realize that MSA
invites, and desperately needs, student par-
ticipation.
It is questionable how much this plan
will really do for MSA, or for students. For
one thing, the University Housing channel
reaches only those students who live in
residence halls and have cable television,
leaving out a substantial part of the student
population. For another, it is doubtful
whether students will really be interested
enough to tune in and watch what goes on.
This action is more a symbol than anything
else, a way for MSA representatives to open
themselves to students and to stave off criti-
cism regarding lack of participation.
Symbolic or not, it is a refreshing change
to see that MSA leaders are now actively
concerned with accessibility. MSA should
he cnmmended for a move that is aimed at

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