4- The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 22, 1994
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420 Maynard
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed
by students at the
University of Michigan
JEsSIE HALLADAY
Editor in Chief
SAM GOODSTEIN
FLINT WAINESS
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.
The Michigan Party
Neenan and Stern offer credibility and know-how
'We don't hate the code in its present form; we don't hate
anything. We're not extremists.'
-MSA presidential candidate Trevor Moeller, speaking
to the Daily Editorial Board
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Today and tomorrow are momentous days
on campus for the Michigan Student As-
sembly and students, as elections are being
held for president/vice president as well as 24
open representative seats on the assembly.
We urge students to vote for the MICHIGAN
PARTY candidates: Julie Neenan for presi-
dentandJacob Sternforvicepresident. Neenan
and Stern have proven throughout the cam-
paign to be the most experienced, profes-
sional candidates. Moreover, they offer the
promise of building on the credibility that
current Michigan Party leaders have estab-
lished this year.
Not only do Neenan and Stern have a
strong dedication to enhancing safety on cam-
pus, fighting the Diag policy and implement-
ing the proposed All-Campus Constitution,
but they also are the most qualified candidates
to fight the Statement of Student Rights and
Responsibilities, or the code - a requisite
skill for any effective campus leader. Their
mission is two-pronged: While they com-
pletely disagree with the code's purposes and
goals and wish to abolish it, they also have a
pragmatic plan to work with students, admin-
istrators and the regents to amend the code -
to lessen its infringements on students' rights
in the short term. The Michigan Party is also
a strong advocate of a non-voting student
regent - a pivotal issue regarding student
representation on campus. Regents easily dis-
card student concerns, and a non-voting stu-
dent regent would empower students with a
needed voice. We support their devotion to
this issue and believe that their well-estab-
lished working relationship with the regents
could help bring this idea to fruition.
Unfortunately, despite being the mostquali-
fied candidates, there is one major concern:
their plans for the Ann Arbor Tenants Union
(AATU). Neenan and Stern believe that
AATU should be regarded as just another
student group - a move which would drasti-
cally cut funding for the tenants union. While
AATU does take up a considerable amount of
MSA's budget, it is a worthwhile organiza-
tion that provides important services to stu-
dents - a service that, contrary to Michigan
Party claims, cannot be adequately dupli-
cated elsewhere. Everybody knows someone
who has had problems with a landlord or a
dorm, and AATU gives free legal advice from
an experienced staff in such situations. AATU
does more for students than the average stu-
dent group and must be funded accordingly.
While we differ with the Michigan Party
on its stance toward AATU, this does not
erode our support for the party. They still
offer experience, professionalism and dedi-
cation to lead MSA into next year.
The Students' Party also showed promise
throughout much of the campaign. They have
experience with MSA and are knowledge-
able about important student issues. How-
ever, they showed inconsistency and a total
lack of judgment in their stance on the code.
Claiming that they disagreed with much of its
current provisions, they nonetheless argued
that a conduct code is necessary on campus.
But then they often appeared unsure about
their stance, and their inconsistency on the
issue made us hesitant about their ability to
work against the code - the defining issue
for students. They also advocate a verbal
harassment code to be implemented Univer-
sity-wide-a frightful notion that could pose
an ominous threat to academic freedom. Of
course, MSA has no authority to implement
such a policy. But the lack of understanding
of what harassment is - the Students' Party
unconstitutionally defined it as inclusive of
non-threatening, verbal slurs --and the fail-
ure to differentiate between student and fac-
ulty behavior in a letter the party submitted to
the Daily Editorial Board shows that they
cannot be entrusted to run with the baton of
student rights.
Finally, Saura Sahu of the DO Party must
be commended for his strong stance on diver-
sity; it is refreshing to see such charisma and
motivation devoted to bringing this critical
issue to the forefront. His party serves to
remind us of the pressing need to end racism
and sexism, as well as to remind us what
student representation is all about. But in the
end, this small party doesn't have the experi-
ence to take over MSA at this crucial date.
We must commend all of the candidates
for their efforts in making this a very interest-
ing and competitive campaign. Their varying
interests and specialized focuses were re-
freshing. Although everyone offered great
ambition and perseverance, we see the Michi-
gan Party as the most practical and promising
party - capable of fighting restrictive Uni-
versity policies, and returning credibility to
MSA. We feel that they will continue to
expand those ideals that this year's Michigan
Party has.already initiated.
Student Power Slate
Students must fight for
rights
To the Daily:
The members of the
Student Power Slate are both
disgusted by the politics of the
other candidates for MSA.
We've been hearing these
junior high style politicians
speachify about
"communication with
students," "moving forward,"
and "the students have the
answers" for years. Boring,
boring, boring. No wonder
most you don't vote - these
opportunistic candidates never
mean a word they say.
The University is in bad
shape and getting worse.
MSA has failed to mount
decisive struggle against the
administration's policies.
Cops have been brought onto
campus and armed. Minority
enrollment is still not up to
the levels of the population.
Racist, sexist, and anti-
lesbian/gay harassment not
only occurs on a daily basis,
but is actively covered up by
the administration. Rape is on
the rise. Tuition is an
outrageous $11,000 ($22,000
out-of-state) and increasing.
The administration is trying to
control the student's "non-
academic" conduct with the
infamous Code. Diag use
rights have been chipped
away.
The Student Power Slate is
building a movement to put
the control of the University
into the hands of those it
should serve - the students
and the workers. We must
The Student Power
Slate is crazy
To the Daily:
Lately around campus, a
great many signs and posters
have been going up regarding
MSA elections. Many of them
are innovative, odd, or both,
but I thought this wasra joke
when I first saw it.
There is a group calling
themselves the Student Power
Slate, apparently made up of
dangerous radicals who have
no care or comprehension of
public safety, monetary and
budget constraints, or the U.S.
Constitution. Their platform
consists of eight major points,
all of which are astounding,
idealist at best and easily
refutable. The first is a call for
free tuition/open admissions.
They say that education
should be a right not a
privilege.
Point two is disarm and
disband campus cops/build
student-worker defense
patrols. Well, thank God that
have free tuition and open
admissions so that everyone
who wants a decent education
can have one.(Free tuition has
been won before through
student strikes at the City
University of New York!)
These demands will allow
Black and working class
students who have previously
been excluded from the
University to obtain a decent
education. Education is a
right, not a privilege!
We must reject the code
and all the restrictions on
student's rights. No
amendments, no
compromises! A student
movement could disarm and
disband the campus cops to
end the racist violence
committed by them. Elected
student/worker patrols will
really protect us. Once
students and workers have
control of campus, the
administration could be
ousted. Student/worker
tribunals will be set up to
investigate accusations of
sexual harassment and rape.
Students and workers must
build a movement to shut
down KKK/Nazi organizing
on campus and everywhere
else to prevent recruitment to
their genocidal movement.
We call on all students to
be on the steps of the Union at
10:30 Saturday morning to
shut down the S.S. Action
Nazi rally!
JODI MASLEY
President
JESSICA CURTIN
Vice President
The Student Power Slate
recommend an economics or
accounting course for these
people? Michigan does not
exist to provide free housing
for college kids. If you would
like free housing, work hard
in high school and get a
scholarship, or become an
RA. Since the Student Power
Slate objects to any non-
academic code of conduct by
the administration, I'm sure
that they'd probably object to
leases and codes of
responsibility for student
housing as well.
Point four: Set up student
worker tribunals to investigate
sexual harassment and rape.
Fine, as long as they are legal,
unbiased, impartially chosen
juries. Also, what do they
mean by "tribunal?" I'd like a
definition.
Point five: FIRE THE
ADMINISTRATION AND
REGENTS - STUDENT/
WORKER/TEACHER
CONTROL OF HIRING,
CURRICULUM, AND ALL
ASPECTS OF UNIVERSITY
LIFE! This is where the line
Injustice for whom?
To the Daily:
A.M. Caroline's March 9
article, "Hebron coverage
displays Daily's anti-
Semitism," was replete with
misinformation, making
several simply wrong, simply
racist, anti-Arab statements.
First, Caroline falsely claims
that Hebron "became a
Muslim-dominated city in
1929 when the Arab
population rioted and
massacred the Jews." The fact
is that in 1929, Hebron had a
population of 20,000 Arabs
and only 1500 Jews.
Moreover, Caroline fails to
mention that while 64 Jews
died in the Hebron riots of
August 1929, 116 Arabs were
killed in response.
Furthermore, Caroline
laments the supposedly anti-
Semitic (though Palestinians
are also Semites) media
coverage of Baruch
Goldstein's murderously
bloody plot, condemning the
"media's attempt to
extrapolate the deeds of one
madman and impose them on
an entire nation." Yet Caroline
commits this same folly
without hesitation, referring to
the shooting of four Jewish
students in Brooklyn not as an
act of "one madman" or a
single lunatic, but as an attack
by the proverbial "Arab
terrorist." How convenient.
Finally, more deeply
disturbing than Caroline's
maligning of facts is the
assertion that Jewish and Arab
terrorism are unequal, that
they operate in different moral
spheres, and that the former is
defensible, while the latter is
reprehensible. If, as Caroline
suggests, to "compare them
(Jewish and Arab terrorism) is
an absolute injustice," I wish
to ask: an injustice to whom?
To the more than 1300
Palestinians murdered by the
Israeli government since the
uprising began in 1987? To
the 20 percent of those killed
who are under the age of 16,
armed only with stones in the
face of Israeli gunfire? To the
one in five Palestinians
illegally jailed or detained by
the Israeli government since
1967? To the 39 worshippers
in the Hebron mosque
slaughtered on their knees,
and the numerous Arabs slain
in the subsequent protests?
Yes, there is injustice indeed.
SUZY SALIB
LS&A senior
So what's
your
major?
"Oh, so you can tell me if I'm
crazy, right?"
So said the guy next to me on the
airplane when I told him I was
studying psychology. And my friends
from back home. And most of my
relatives at the last family reunion ...
The punishment for getting a
college education seems to be having
the same conversation over and ove4
again with countless Well-Meaning
Adults (WMAs):
WMA: "So, where do you go to
school?"
You: "The University of
Michigan."
WMA: (Nods. If you're from in
state, he'll give "a well, of course"
look; if you're not, he'll ask, "Why
did you decide to go there?" An
then the fun begins:) "So, what are
you studying?"
The rules of social interaction
dictate that the Well-Meaning Adult
will have to react in some way.
Unfortunately, many of their
reactions involve either a) a total lack
of knowledge about what the major
actually involves, orb) an amazingly
lame attempt at humor. Thus, I am
perpetually asked to evaluate th4
WMA's apparent mental health. Just
about all majors evoke some kind of
set WMA response:
Psychology - For some
reason, everyone is sure that
psychology deals solely with drooling
people in straight jackets who think
they're Napoleon. Either that, or
they're positive you can read their
minds at will. One of these times, I'
going to squint at someone and just
say, "Yes. You are crazy," and walk
away.
w English or History - "So,
what are you going to do with that?"
is the question the English or history
major will hear over and over.
Translated, this means "How the hell
do you expect to find a job?" If you
finally get fed up, you can always
reply like one friend of mine did4
"I'm going touse my degree as a
fucking coaster."
Math - Pity the poor math
major who always has to figure out
the bill at the restaurant and divvy up
the phone bill in the apartment. What
most people don't realize is that
college math majors haven't seen a
number in years. They usually aren't
any better at figuring out the bill thai
anybody else - unless the bill is in
base five.
Pre-med - A female friend of
mine mentioned she was pre-med to
a man who said, "Well, I know if I
was sick I'd want a pretty little nurse
like you taking care of me." Either
that or they say, "Well, see, I've got
this pain right here ..."
Communications - Heaven
help the student who's majoring in
communications because they
actually want to go into journalism.
The usual reply to this major is "So,
what sport do you play?" (The
Kinesthetic Science majors are
usually sparedfrom this because no
one wants to admit that they don't
know what "kinesthetic" means.)
Chemistry-A friend of mine
who's a chem major always gets
asked if he can get grease out of
clothes. Either that, or they want to
know if he knows how to make a
bomb.
Anthropology - "So you
wanna find dinosaur bones? You seen
Jurassic Park yet?" Do not attempt to
explain the difference between
anthropology, archeology and
paleontology, because they'll still end
up asking you how they cloned the
dinosaurs in the movie.
Physics-No, no, not physical
education, physics. If they knowwhat
it is, they'll be impressed. Of course,
they might also ask you how you
expect to make a career out of sliding
blocks down planes.
Engineering - Unless they
think you want to drive trains for a
living, most people think this is an
OK major. Of course then they'll ask
you to fix their broken typewriter and
fool with the electrical outlet in the
corner.
Sociology - "Oh yeah," the
personwill begin, raising your hopes.
"I have a cousin who does social
of
I.,
Go vote. Go vote. Go vote!.
Spring is approaching, and with it comes
another MSA election. And just as the
new season brings with it hopes of new begin-
nings, we hope that this year's election will
also be the marker of a fresh start for students.
Hopefully, the 10 percent (it hasn't always
even made it that high) voter turnout rate that
has plagued this campus for years will reverse
itself, and students will turn out in full-force to
elect a new president, vice president and 24
representatives to the Assembly. It is critical
that students inform themselves and revive
their interest in MSA by voting.
Voting booths will be open today and
tomorrow, as one of eight presidential candi-
dates will be elected. Hopefully a high num-
ber of candidates will lead to a high number of
votes. Along with the positions to be filled,
the ballot will also consist of a number of
questions, surveying students' opinions about
the implementation of a new constitution, the
need for a non-voting student regent and
whether or not MSA officials should be per-
mitted to receive tuition waivers. We must
remember that these controversial issues were
placed on the ballot in order to survey student
opinion-if only 10 percent of students vote,
this would hardly be representative of student
sentiment. Let's not repeat the past.
Alreadv., we have a seen a nositive change
Furthermore, candidates - with a few igno-
minious exceptions - have kept the debate
focused on the issues. We hope that this trend
toward increased participation will result in
increased student support. This year, students
have more options than ever, as this large
number of candidates has resulted in varying
and specialized platforms. And, hopefully,
the introduction of eight new platforms has
also caused students to research and to be-
come more informed about the issues at hand.
Year after year, students have had little
knowledge about MSA, and MSA has in turn
done little to truly represent students. Ulti-
mately, however the power to end this cycle
lies only partly with MSA itself; the burden of
change rests mainly in the lap of students.
Among this year's key issues are the Diag
policy, the code, campus safety and funding
for AATU - issues that directly affect each
and every student on this campus. MSA has
many resources-money, power, leadership
- with which to initiate change. It is impor-
tant that we realize their strength - and then
take advantage of it.
By breaking down the acronym-M.S.A.
- we remind ourselves of MSA's true mis-
sion, an assembly for the students, designed
to be representative of their interests. This can
only hannen if students take a few brief
IJ
VOTE!
VOTE!
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