The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 13, 1994 - 3
Visiting prof-.
gives picture of
strife in Bosnia
By ROBIN BARRY
DAILY STAFF REPORTER
A panel discussion at the Michigan Union last
*ight gave students an opportunity to hear first-
hand accounts of what is taking place in Bosnia.
Husein and Mihra Taljanovic, two of the panel-
ists who testified in front of about 100 people,
described an existence without water, food or elec-
tricity.
"In Sarajevo, we are happy when it rains be-
cause that may be the only way to have water to
clean dishes or to wash yourself," Husein said.
His wife, Mihra, agreed, saying, "People resort
0o burning their furniture to make a fire to cook
food."
Husein said his father was killed as a result of
random shooting in Sarajevo.
"No family is without killed or injured per-
sons," Mihra said. "More than 11,000 civilians
have been killed in Sarajevo, and more than 50,000
injured."
Naza Tanovic-Miller, a visiting professor from
Sarajevo, said while the destruction may have stopped,
Sarajevo is still besieged, without freedom.
4 After giving a brief summary of the history of
Bosnia, Tanovic-Miller said relations between dif-
ferent religions and ethnicities in.Bosnia were not
always so strained.
"People had lived together in peace for centu-
ries," she said. "The different religions had re-
garded each other with mutual respect for hundreds
of years."
Naza's husband, Harry Miller, was born in
Chicago but moved to Sarajevo to teach math in
969. He said that before the war in Bosniahe did
not need to know how to use a gun. But when faced
with the need to protect his family, he learned how
to use one.
The panelists also criticized the lack of action
from the United States and other world powers.
"They claim that what is going on in Bosnia is
a civil war," Tanovic-Miller said. "But the things
that are being perpetrated against the people of
Bosnia are leading to, the destruction of an entire
ulture and civilization."
W Miller furthered his wife's point, using the
racial problems of the United States as an analogy.
"Do we live in tolerance or do we live with
century-old hatred?" Miller asked. "We live in
both. Does that mean we should separate into
different states according to race and ethnicity? Of
course not."
Race plays factor
in environmental
waste problems
By APRIL WOOD
DAILY STAFF REPORTER
Racism.
The word itself represents a
thought-provoking and delicate sub-
ject that exists in many forms. Nu-
merous elements of life are touched
by this issue, environmental factors
included.
Environmental racism is defined
as "the inequity in exposure to haz-
ardous waste
material among
various ethnic
groups," in a
1987 study con-
ducted by the
Commission for
Racial Justice of;
the United
Church of
Christ.
Reports indi-
cated that EARTH WEEK 1994
Blacks, Latinos April 1115
and Native
Americans, among other groups, were
more likely to be exposed to hazard-
ous waste than whites.
Socioeconomic standing may ap-
pear to be the primary factor in the
placement of toxic dumping sites, but
the study reported that race is truly a
more prominent element in these de-
cisions.
Three of the five largest U.S..land-
fills holding hazardous material are
located in primarily minority com-
munities, and the higher the concen-
tration of a minority group in a given
area, the greater the amount of dump-
ing sites, according to the report.
"If you don't have as much money,
you don't have as much political
clout," said Inteflex junior Neal
Waechter, who is with the student
group Environmental Action at UM
(ENACT).
Two University professors,
Bunyan Bryant and Paul Mohai, have
researched environmental racism for
many years and have co-authored a
book titled, "Race and the Incidence
of Environmental Hazards: A Time
for Discourse." The book discusses
an SNRE conference held to gather
support for the fight against environ-
mental racism and to debate future
action on the issue.
Bryant will be teaching a class in
the fall titled, "Small Group Organi-
zation and Advocacy Planning."
SNRE senior Amy Stoner said,
"It's an issue that not too many people
are aware of and it needs to be publi-
cized more." She will be teaching a
class in the fall titled, "Inquiry into
Environmental Justice."
"Environmental racism does exist
and we're trying to get more students
aware," she added.
Information issued by ENACT
said environmental racism is a criti-
cal element to current environmental
problems. Residents of areas affected
by hazardous waste material have
higher cancer rates and more water
contamination problems, it reported.
Residents of these areas may be
exposed to dangerous chemicals
through air pollution, ground leakage
and surface spills that can run off into
water supplies.
Several areas around the United.
States suffer from exposure to toxic
material and the problems stemming
from it. Leakage from uranium min-
ing plagues the Havosupai Indians of
the Grand Canyon. They face con-
tamination of drinking water and sa-
cred burial grounds.
Environmental racism is one topic
debated during Earth Week, which is
focusing on subjects such as ecosys-
tem preservation, population growth
and pollution as ENACT's letter-writ-
ing campaigns in the MUG continue
through Thursday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
JONATHAN LURIE/Daily
Visiting Mathematics Prof. Naza Tanovic-Miller describes the conditions in war-torn Bosnia.
The discussion was sponsored by the Bosnian
Relief Effort, a campus organization. The audience
asked questions and donations were collected for
Bosnian refugees staying outside Detroit.
Denis Butkovic explaining how students could
make a difference by contacting or writing govern-
ment officials to promote action.
Students attending the discussion commented
that the event was very moving and informative.
"When you're reading about what's happening
in Bosnia in the newspapers you still can't get a
real feel for it," said LSA senior Jomana Dababneh.
LSA sophomore Mike Denardis agreed. "It
was interesting to hear the different viewpoints.
.Mitchell withdraws.
from consideration
Seniors consider options for the future
WASHINGTON(AP)-President
Clinton's Supreme Court search was
scrambled yesterday as Senate Major-
ity Leader George Mitchell abruptly
withdrew from consideration. Mitchell
said he was convinced taking the job
might hurt the chances of health care
reform passing this year.
Mitchell said Clinton had told him
Monday night he was inclined to nomi-
nate the 60-year-old Maine Democrat
for the vacancy created by Justice Harry
A. Blackmun's retirement.
Mitchell said Clinton "reluctantly
,accepted" his assessment that he might
iot be able to undergo the demanding
confirmation process and keep his
promise to shepherd health care reform
through the Senate this year.
Mitchell served briefly as a fed-
eral judge in his native Maine, and
his political skills were viewed as
an important asset on a court nar-
rowly divided on many controver-
sial issues.
Clinton accepted Mitchell's judg-
ment that nominating him now "would
have had an adverse impact on their
shared agenda," said White House
press secretary Dee Dee Myers.
"We've always maintained some
flexibility," Myers said.
By REBECCA GORDON
FOR THE DAILY
What thoughts go through the
minds of seniors when they buy their
caps and gowns?
"Should I start my job search now?
Or should I go on vacation? Where
am I going to be next year? Am I ever
going to see these people again?"
These are questions that constantly
run through LSA senior Robbie
Lazarus's head.
"It is a very difficult time for those
of us who are faced with no options
after graduation day," Lazarus said.
Many seniors never thought they
would be jobless after having received
a degree from such a large, presti-
gious university. Unfortunately, a
college degree for this generation is
often described as the equivalent to a
high school degree a generation ago.
However, other students do not
share Lazarus's misgivings concern-
ing a permanent job.
David Leitner, an LSA senior, is
'A couple of my friends and myself are touring
Europe for five weeks.'
David Leitner
LSA graduating senior
content with only temporary plans for
the near future.
"A couple of my friends and my-
self are touring Europe for five
weeks." When discussing the possi-
bility of a job, Leitner just smiled and
said, "In (architecture), I don't think
it will be so difficult to find a job."
Many students agree with
Leitner's statement that the availabil-
ity of jobs depends upon which field
one enters.
. Malcom S. Cohen, director and
associate research scientist for the
Institute of Labor and Industrial Re-
lations, offered a multitude of options
for college graduates. Cohen ranks
occupations according to many indi-
cators, such as rate of employment
growth.
The occupations Cohen ranks
highest include: natural scientists,
physicians, registered nurses, speech
therapists, chemists, computer pro-
grammers, airplane pilots, college
instructors and clergy.
Cohen also listed occupations that
do not require a college degree, such
as typists and recreational workers,
The news concerning jobs for those
graduating is hopeful and even a bit
surprising. "The job market this year
is definitely more optimistic than last
year," Cohen said. "In about five more
years there might even be a labor
shortage."
Mitchell
Posby found guilty ofI lling 'U' doctor
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A jury yesterday found a 70-year-
old man guilty of first-degree murder
in the killing of a nationally known
ear doctor at a University Hospitals
linic.
Chester Posby faces an automatic
penalty of life imprisonment without
possibility of parole when Washtenaw
County Circuit Judge Kurtis Wilder
sentences him May 12.
A jury began deliberations April 4
in Posby's trial on charges in the June
25, 1992, shooting death of Dr. John
Kemink. It found him guilty but men-
tally ill, meaning he is to receive
mental health treatment while in
prison.
In 1992, Child magazine named
Kemink among the top 10 pediatric
specialists in the nation. He special-
ized in head and neck surgery and
pioneered the use of cochlear im-
plants in children.
During the trial, Posby said
Kemink was part of a conspiracy of
doctors to cripple him. His defense
contended he was insane when he
killed Kemink.
Washtenaw County Public De-
fender Timothy Niemann last year
called his client "the poster child for
insanity."
,The hospital tightened its security
following the shooting, spokesperson
Joan Siefert Rose said.
"The department is still upset,"
Rose said. She said Kemink's col-
leagues sat through the trial.
EwiASY AS PI
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3:00 a.m. last night! Cool P11 kel sh the grading curve
How'd she dog all this? Color spent a fortune!frtereto s
. 11.*
Group Meetings
Q Association for Campus Ma-
chinery, 3166 Dow Building,
12:30 p.m.
Q Archery Club, Coliseum, 5:30
p.m.
Q East Quad support group for
lesbians, gay men, & bisexual
people, call 764-3678 for info.
Q ENACT, Mosher-Jordan, Jordan
Lounge, 8 p.m.
Q Ninjutsu Club, IM Building,
Room G21, 7:30-9 p.m.
Q Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Club,
beginners welcome, CCRB,
Dnn~m ?.7C52R-1(_-9.0 n m _
Events
U "Asia in the 21st Century: The
Challenge for Sustainable
Development," Ken Lieberthal
and Tim Titus, sponsored by
the Population-Environment
Dynamics Project, School of
Public Health, third floor fac-
ulty lounge, 7 p.m.
Q Bosnian Counterpoint, Shaman
Drum Bookshop, 313 S. State,
4-6 p.m.
U Golden Apple Award, Brian
Coppola, Rackham, 7 p.m.
U Law School Admission Semi-
nar- Mirhigan Uninn AndTer-
Q Undergraduate Research Op-
portunity Program, spring
syposium, School of Business,
Hale Auditorium, 5 p.m.
Student services
U 76-GUIDE, peer counseling
phone line, , 7 p.m.-8 a.m.
Q Campus Information Center,
763-INFO; events info., 76-
EVENT; film-info., 763-FILM.
U Free Tax Assistance, 3909
Michigan Union, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
U North Campus Information
Center, 763-NCIC, 7:30 a.m.-
:30 nm.
11