4 - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 3, 1994
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'W INVWAWW
420 Maynard
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed
by students at the
University of Michigan
JESSIE HALLADAY
Editor in Chief
SAMGOODSTEm
FuNTr 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.
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Installing emergency phones in the Arb is necessary
'Cloquet hated reality but realized It was still the only place
to get a good steak.'
-Woody Allen
Writer and producer
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Tuition hikes in Regents' court
The University's Department of Public.
Safety (DPS) recently announced plans
to install emergency phone services to users
of the Nichols Arboretum-- affectionately
known to most of us as the Arb - and the
University's Matthei Botanical Gardens.
Although the installation of these call boxes,
which act as "the equivalent of 911," has
been temporarily delayed due to technical
difficulties, the University is to be com-
mended for finally responding to ancient
pleas to address some of the remaining safety
problems on campus.
Already implemented everywhere from
the Detroit Metropolitan Airport to New
York's arterial highways, the University is
slowly catching up with technological evo-
lution. Installing the emergency phones on a
"test basis," the University plans to install
just two of these call boxes in the Arb and
one in the Botanical Gardens. Reliable, in-
expensive and user-friendly, the phones
provide an economically feasible solution
-at least in the short term - for the
University to respond to sexual assault on
campus, while simultaneously benefiting
the campus community. In addition, DPS
also benefits from the heightened accessi-
bility and increased communication to these
remote areas of campus. Providing emer-
gency phones is a simple step that provides
only positives. Fortunately the University is
acting - albeit modestly - on this rare
opportunity, which will hopefully precede a
broader implementation of the phones, and
more importantly, a more extensive response
to the prevalent feelings of insecurity and
vulnerability pervading the campus.
According to University officials and
campus organizations such as the Sexual
Assault Prevention and Awareness Center
(SAPAC), the outlook is positive. SAPAC
Director Debi Cain believes that "there is in
fact progress being made toward campus
safety via Campus Safety Committee and
an ad hoc advisory group convened by
Maureen Hartford." Over a year ago, in the
fall of 1992, a female jogger was raped in
the Arboretum during broad daylight. Quite
possibly due to insufficient safety mea-
sures, her cries for help went unheard and
unanswered. Had she been able to contact
DPS, or anyone for that matter, the assault
might have been prevented, or at least help
might have arrived sooner. Finally, her
screams for help are being heard.
Although progress has been slow, the
University has begun to follow through on
a pledge to improve campus safety - made
following several incidents that occurred
earlier this year. In addition to the call
boxes, outdoor lights have been installed,
specifically in the Law Quad, to improve
visibility and security. Granted, a perfectly
safe campus is unrealistic in this imperfect
world. But any attempts to achieve this ideal
are to be loudly and heartily applauded. It
must be remembered however, that this is
merely a stepping stone to the greater goal
of universal security.
By STATE REPS. LYNN
RIVERS AND MARY
SCHROER
While we agree with
the sentiment embodied in
the Daily's Jan. 7 editorial
calling upon the
Legislature to impose a
"salary diet" for
University administrators,
we must point out that
legislation could not
produce the Daily's
desired result. The
Michigan Constitution of
1963 (and prior
constitutions dating back
to 1850) gives sole
administrative power over
the University's
operations to the Board of
Regents. Article 8, Section
5 provides: "Each board
shall have the general
supervision of its
institution and the control
and direction of all
expenditure's from the
institution's funds."
Because the power of the
Board of Regents is
constitutionally derived,
legislative action alone,
without a constitutional
amendment approved by
the voters, would be
ineffective.
The authority of the
regents is broad, exclusive
Rivers represents Michigan's
53rd District and Schroer
the 52nd District.
and comprehensive. It
extends to all aspects of
the operation of the
University and its
property. Various attempts
over the years by the
Legislature to impose
policies on the University
over its objection have
failed because of this
extensive authority. These
have included attempts to
limit the numbers of out-
of-state students, to set
out-of-state tuition rates,
and to limit building
construction (Regents vs.
State of Michigan, 1973).
Our courts have also ruled
that the constitutional.
authority of the regents
extends to sole authority
over tuition and
determination of residence
(Schmidt vs. Regents,
1975).
The grant of "general
supervision" and
"direction and control of
all expenditures" includes
non-educational spheres as
well: Michigan United
Conservation Clubs vs.
Trustees of MSU (1988)
upheld MSU's prohibition
on hunting or fishing on
non-campus property
owned by the university
over objections that such a
policy conflicted with
legislative acts and
Department of Natural
Resources policy; Regents
vs. State ofMichigan
(1988) struck down the
law precluding University
investments in
organizations operating in
South Africa because it
violated the constitutional
autonomy of the Regents.
Just as these legislative
attempts to direct
university policy over
property management and
investments have failed
because they invade the
regents' sole authority
over "direction and control
of all expenditures," so,
too, would legislation to
impose salary increase
caps.
The regents have
sidestepped the issue of
their responsibility for the
raises by laying the blame
for them at President
Duderstadt's doorstep.
Whatever administrative
authority the president has
is derived solely from the
constitutional authority of
the regents, and what the
regents have given the
president the regents may
also take away. Should the
regents so desire, there is
no question that a decision
by them to impose a
administrative pay raise
cap would be enforceable.
And it is to those regents
that faculty and students
should direct their
concerns.
Hollywood
meets the
Holocaust
Lately, there has been
growing interest in the
Holocaust. From the opening
of the Holocaust Museum in
Washington, D.C., to Bradley
Smith's Holocaust revisionism
bullshit to Steven Spielberg's
"Schindler's List," many have
begun showing increasing
interest in the massive genocide
of over six million Jews,
gypsies, political prisoners, etc.
known as the Holocaust.
I saw "Schindler's List" a
few weeks ago. I went with my
friend Kevin Weiner, who's
Jewish. We're both taking a
history course entitled "The
Holocaust" taught by Prof. Todd
Endelmen.
With what little general
knowledge I have about the
Holocaust I expected some not-
too-nice scenes. However,
nothing prepared me for some
of the scenes, many of which
are still burned into my memory.
The sobering aspect of the
scenes is that these things really
happened. People, young and
old, were shot, beaten, degraded
and humiliated by Nazi soldiers
in this movie, and all this, and
hideously much more, really
happened just over a half-
century ago.
What really amazes me is
that for all the rich special
effects utilized to make this
movie as realistic as possible,
not even Hollywood could
capture this event in full. None
of the usual Hollywood
"embellishments" were even
nearly realistic enough when
compared with the stories of
Jews who lived, and
miraculously survived, the true
nightmare of the Holocaust.
A Holocaust so hideous that
its progenitor, Hitler, will be
forever looked upon as Satan
incarnate, so destructive that it
leaves scars upon the hearts of
men never to be healed, so
inhumane that God Himself
cried sweet tears of cooling rain
and Mother Earth shook from
the weight of her sobs.
I remember looking away
from the movie screen many
times, overcome by the
gruesome scenes before me. I
also began to worry about my
friend, Kevin. If I couldn't take
looking at these scenes then
surely he couldn't either. But,
he was watching. Eyes
unblinking, Kevin watched
every scene. I don't remember
seeing tears, but I do remember
the blank expressions on his
face. It was as if he were trying
to rationalize the inhumane
destruction of an entire
generation of people - his
people.
For all the facts which
support the Holocaust, there are
still people who stubbornly
refute the Holocaust's
existence. Perhaps these people
are going through a very strong
case of denial and can't yet cope.
Perhaps they are just really
bored and have nothing better
to do. Whatever the reason(s),
all I can say is pray for them.
The Holocaust is a painful
reminder, also, of the holocausts
of many different ethnic groups,
including Blacks, Native
Americans, Asians, Latinos and'
women. The Holocaust is also a
symbolic reminder of the
tortures, both physical and
mental, and many times rivaling
the ordeals of Auschwitz and
Dachau, which have affected
these groups as well.
I dedicate this, my first
column, to myfrienddKevin. I
dedicate it to Prof. Endelmen in
hopes that his teachings of the
Holocaust may pass from the
200 in his classroom to the 4
billion of the world. I dedicate
it to the. 6 million dead. victims
h°
S0,
Blockading clinics
Court rules against violent
The National Organization for Women
(NOW) and the Clinton administration
savored the sweet taste of long-awaited vic-
tory last week as the Supreme Court im-
parted a landmark decision endorsing the
progress of abortion rights. After fruitless
attempts with the lower courts, who had
thrown out the class-action lawsuit that at-
tempted to indict the pro-life forces from
Operation Rescue and other militant anti-
choice groups under anti-racketeering leg-
islation, the high court ruled that protesters
who block access to abortion clinics or in
any way conspire to stop women from hav-
ing abortions may be sued under an already-
existing racketeering law.
The decision, satisfying the anxious an-
ticipations of the nation's pro-choice advo-
cates, permits federal courts to terminate
illegal protests at practicing clinics. Con-
trary to the moot free-speech concerns
brought up by some anti-choice supporters,
this is not a case about curtailing activism.
This is a case that centers on whether lawful
citizens should be able to exercise their legal
right to have an abortion, free from physical
harassment.
According to the Supreme Court's deci-
sion, anti-choice groups and individuals sued
successfully for their actions can be forced
to pay three times the price of their conse-
quent damages. The leaders of anti-abortion
groups successfully sued for illegal conduct
can be singled out and sued as conspirators
even if they are physically absent when
felonious acts occur.
The decision also means that federal
judges may enforce federal Racketeer Influ-
enced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO)
legislation in order to cast injunctions against
the blocking of access to abortion clinics or
conspiracies to prevent women from obtain-
ing abortions.
"pro-life" conspirators
disturbances, rioting and protests that have
become both verbally and physically vio-
lent. Abortion seekers, clinic workers and
medical professionals have been made tar-
gets of attack by the voices and hands of
rallying abortion opponents. Last year, Dr.
David Gunn of Pensacola, Fla., was gunned
down by an anti-abortion extremist because
of his involvement in abortion practices.
These events catalyzed NOW's fervent push
for the criminalization of such anti-abortion
actions, actions that maliciously infringe on
an individual's rights.
An enraged opposition to the court's
decision comes from members of Operation
Rescue and similar organizations who be-
lieve that the government is attempting to
stifle their cause by denying them the op-
portunity to protest freely. Angered, they
accuse the government of trying to elimi-
nate "pro-life" ideology by outlawing forms
of their civil disobediences.
The court's decision has not impounded
"pro-life" activities and by no means has
outlawed a "pro-life" ideology. This is sim-
ply a progressive move to protect individu-
als who have the lawful right to obtain an
abortion. The decision does not constitu-
tionally violate personal rights or dictate the
conformity of a civil ideology. It is merely
the line that needed to be drawn between
making a point and going too far. Anti-
choice disciples have every right to express
and no one is telling them they can't.
However, they now have guidelines that
they are required to follow in order to guar-
antee an individual's protection against ver-
bal and active violence.
It is a sign of hope for our nation that the
judiciary can place a roadblock in front of
the imposed morality certain special inter-
est groups wish to promote. The ruling was
not only a victory for NOW, it was a victory
I wanna be on Jean's team
By ROBERT WRAY
Regardless of papers,
exams and research, I grab
the Daily every Tuesday
and Thursday. On
Thursdays I plan my
weekends with the paper
(thankful for Cinema
Guild) and, on Tuesdays, I
look for Jean Twenge.
It could be simply
because we both migrated
from similar places (states
that begin with the letter
'T') to the urban North
and then to Ann Arbor at
the same time, but, since I
read the first one last
September, I have enjoyed
Twenge's columns - and
her insights. I recognized
her dismay in finding
home a place that really
isn't home anymore. Or
the joy of escaping the
confines of academia for a
fleetingsbut liberating
weekend. And especially
closely, I thought her
observations were
consistent with my own --
the media, fueled by our
society's voracious
fascination with
perfection, does seem
ready to crucify anyone
who challenges
conventional stereotypes
(just take a look at what
Michael Jackson has had
to endure). But the
responses to her column
seemed particularly
severe.
Football may have
rules 'against intentional
injuries but I doubt there
are many coaches (and
players and fans) who
would lose sleep over a
clip that took out an
opposing team's star
player fortthe rest of the
game. Twenge doesn't
display a lack of.
knowledge of football's
involved" in Kerrigan's
attack.
However, by accusing
Twenge of intolerance and
hypocrisy (admittedly less
directly than the byline
suggests), it was actually
Mr. Jacobs' letter that
induced me to respond. In
the columns I have read,
Twenge has always struck-
me as a keen observer and
a seeker, asking why
instead of proposing
inviolate rules, searching
for explanations in a
confusing world rather
than forcing her own
interpretations upon her
readers. Her openness to
wonder rules out
intolerance; her
willingness to search for
answers instead of
pulpitting someone else's
makes the accusation of
hypocrisy almost
laughable.
"