4 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, September 27, 1994
c be £idiwn Ouilg
'Republicans have their eyes on taking over Con-
gress, and gridlock is a weapon.'
- Michigan Democratic Sentor Carl Levin, speaking Sunday to the College
Democrats
420 Maynard
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan
Jessie Halladay
Editor in Chief
Samuel 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.
Christmas at the Union
Students must demand fairness, participation
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.Upon a Christmas season during his Presi-
y, Ronald Reagan once said that he'd like
to see a large Menorah standing beside the
Christmas tree in Lafayatte Park to celebrate
the Passover season. It wasn't that big a deal
- an honest mistake in which the President
confused Passover with Hanukah. Nonethe-
less, it highlighted an important problem that
all Americans deal with as they attempt to
enjoy the season's festivities. How can we
celebrate the holiday season in a society as
multicultural as ours?
Here at the University, the Michigan Union
is attempting to deal with that same question.
Last year, a wreath on the front of the Union
and bare displays of Hanukah and Kwaanza
on North Campus sparked controversy among
the student body. And this year, in an effort to
rectify the controversy, the Union is allowing
students to express their opinions in open
public minutes. This attempt alone does not
suffice, and this holiday season could very
well see a repeat of last year's controversy as
a result.
Christmas is the main reason why the month
of December is so festive. Most of the people
in this country are Christian, and the celebra-
tion of the birth of Christ is central in the minds
of most Americans. Thus it is easy to take for
granted those who, for religious and cultural
reasons, choose not to participate. The cel-
ebration of Christmas is also deeply embed-
ded in our culture so that it touches most
Americans in one way or another. Who hasn't
walked along the main street of Downtown,
U.S.A. on a December night and not seen the
whole street lit up? The problem is that there
is a large and growing number of Americans
who don't celebrate the holiday and would
prefer not to see outward displays of it taking
the center stage in public places. Maybe it goes
against their religion, perhaps their culture, or
even their personal belief system.
Sensitivity toward all Americans must be
exercised in the decoration of public places
during the holiday season. Most particularly,
in the case of the University, the Union must
be decorated in a way so that no one is of-
fended by others' enjoyment and celebration.
That's a tall order. One solution that has
often been employed in the past is that which
President Reagan suggested: simply put a
Menorah in the corner. This only serves to
ignore a host of people of other faiths. A better
solution would be to designate space in public
places for all those groups who wish to display
decorations for any religious or cultural cel-
ebration they choose.
The Union, in handling the situation, comes
close, but not close enough to this ideal. When
reached for comment, Audrey Schwimmer,
the director of the Union, said the Union
would "be very interested in speaking with
those individuals" who would like to put up
decorations for a holiday other than Christ-
mas. That seams fair, but it tends to take
advantage of the fact that at this time of year
Christmas is not prominent in most peoples
thoughts. Meetings concerning this topic have
been getting poor attendance, and why not?
The best solution for the Union to follow
would involve student participation. First,
public display windows should be set up in-
side the Union to showcase symbols of holi-
day festivities throughout the entire year. Sec-
ond, students and student organizations should
be the only individuals to submit decorations
to be placed in these displays. Finally, no
holiday should have any prominence over
another - consequently, there should be no
decoration on the front of the Michigan Union.
In this way, students and the University can
have a chance to showcase all holidays,
throughout the year.
Unless the Union listens to students and
considers this proposal, don't be surprised to
see a wreath hung outside the building again
this year. When it comes to recognizing
everyone's' beliefs, the Union again seems to
fall short.
MSA VP responds to AATU editorials
To the Daily:
Over the past few weeks,
the Daily editorial staff has
written on the battle between
the Ann Arbor Tenants Union
(AATU) and the Michigan Stu-
dent Assembly (MSA). These
editorials have not considered
all sides to the issue.
First, why does the AATU
have such a special funding situ-
ation with MSA? No other
student group on campus has
this special right of a line item
in the MSA budget with "no
strings attached." AATU's
claims to such a special budget
line item are no better than those
of Project Serve, Volunteer In-
come Tax Assistants Group
(which helps over 1,000 people
with their income taxes) and
the Woman's Lacrosse Team,
or any other student organiza-
tion for that matter. All of the
above groups as well as the
other 650 student groups which
register with MSA are vital to
this campus. They bring diver-
sity and a wealth of resources to
the University of Michigan. My
point is that many other student
groups on this campus provide
students with services in addi-
tion to the AATU. By specially
funding the AATU, the Assem-
bly is saying to all of these other
student groups that the AATU
is better and more valuable than
your student group, a claim that
is totally untrue.
Additionally, this year,
MSA does not have a large
surplus as in previous years.
Last year, with a $35,000 sur-
plus, it was easy to fund an
outside organization over
$20,000. This year, with only a
$9,000 surplus, it is not fiscally
possible to fund the AATU.
The only way the Assembly
could fund the AATU would
be to cut our other funding to
student organizations orcutour
direct student services. If ei-
ther of these scenarios were to
occur, then every other student
group that comes to MSA for
funding beside the AATU
would suffer; this is clearly an
unfair solution. Also, our ser-
vices to student should not be
forced to be reduced because
they are too important to cut.
Some of these services include
administering a student health
insurance plan and aiding our
3,600 subscribers with their
problems, helping student or-
ganizations receive funding
and register with the Univer-
sity, and providing a very inex-
pensive fax service to the stu-
dents.
I, like other members on
the Assembly, am more than
willing to help the AATU write
a referendum for the Novem-
ber ballot. I think it would be a
good way to see if students
really valuetthe services of the
AATU. However, until such a
vote, we must allow ourelected
student representatives to leg-
islate in the best long term in-
terests of the student body; this
interest includes ending the
AATU's special budgetary sta-
tus with the Michigan Student
Assembly.
Jacob Stern
MSA Vice President
College World
"So," my father said. "Why do
you want to go to college?"
Not where, not when, but why. It
is a question that doesn't get asked
much anymore.
In the beginning, college was the
privilege (or the curse) of young
men who wanted to become priests.
Until very recently, colleges were
still bastions of white, upper class
men; the percentage of people over
50 with a college degree, in fact, is
less than 15%.
When my father asked me why I
wanted to go to college, the first
thing that came to mind was "Be-
cause that's what you're supposed to
do if you're smart." Other common
thoughts would probably be "To
make more money" or (if the survey
ofnew students iscorrect)"Toparty."
After my first year at college, how-
ever, I decided that there is only one
good reason to go to college: to
learn.
This is what was thought in the
past, when college students studied
Latin, Greek and the classical phi-
losophers - despite their protests
that it wasn't relevant to anything in
the "real world" (and they weren't
talking about the show on MTV).
Now there's a phrase familiar to
many college students - the "real
world." If looms out there beyond
the campus, sneaking into conversa-
tions about "graduation" and other
such tortures. Students in nursing or
engineering can rest easy, knowing
that their degrees will lead directly
to jobs, but what does a degree in
psychology or history prepare you to
do?
At least in my somewhat cynical
view of the "Real World," college
does not prepare you for life in the
mainstream of American culture: it
unprepares you. As I discussed last
week, high school teaches you to
obey rules, accept what you are
taught, and fear people different from
yourself. This prepares you to enter
the business world and obey rules,
accept what you are taught, and fear
people different from yourself. If
you're lucky enough to attend a uni-
versity, thecollege experience comes
in and throws a monkey wrench into
the works of that training.
There are rules in college, but
they do not compare to the hall pass,
the bells and the don't-chew-gum-
because-we-know-you'll-stick-it-
under-the-desk. (Or, for that matter,
to the time clock or the corporate
suit.) You can eat in a college class
and no one will blink, and the clothes
you wear are your choice.
A good liberal arts education does
not teach you to accept what you
learn; it teaches you to question ev-
erything. The inscription on the
Gothic walls of my college library at
the University of Chicago reads,
"Read not to accept, nor to contra-
dict, but to weigh and consider." The
study of history lays bare cherished
myths about our saintly forefathers,
who weren't so saintly after all. Phi-
losophy leads us to question the
meaning of life and death. The social
sciences make us realize that the
customs, fashion, and morals we
were taught are products of our soci-
ety, not present in all cultures and
not necessarily built on logic.
For many people, college is often
the first time they live, study, and get
to know people who are different
from themselves. Although the
groups don't always work together
as they should, college still exposes
the kid from the lily-white suburbs
to gay people, people of color, and
women who aren't afraid to call
themselves feminists. In the Stanford
documentary "Frosh," the first-year
students in a dorm meet an African-
American woman whose mother is
addicted to crack; they argue over a
campus newspaper picture depict-
ing two men kissing and deal with
having a gay dormmate; the guys
bend gender roles to put skin masks
on their faces. "If only my father
could see me now," one of them
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DoctorAssisted Suicide
Recent survey begs for repeal of state law
D efying logic and more than half of the
state's doctors, the Michigan Legislature
clings to a law banning all forms of assisted
suicide. The law dates back to February 1993,
but its logic is rooted in an anachronistic
mindset that was dealt another blow last week
when a University study showed that more
than half of the state's doctors oppose the ban.
The timing of the study is no accident, as
the current blanket ban on assisted suicide will
expire in December. Michigan lawmakers
would be wise to consider the survey's find-
ings, none of which should be too shocking.
Two-thirds of the public and more than half of
doctors want the Legislature to lift the suicide
ban, according to the study.
In place of the current ban, the authors of
the study proposed legalizing physician-as-
sisted suicide for terminally ill patients who
suffer from extreme pain. The plan is a wel-
come alternative to the all-encompassing ban,
which forces patients to endure unbearable
and unnecessary pain in the name of a slippery
moral standard.
That most doctors oppose the current ban
on assisted suicide is strong testament to the
need for a new law. Doctors pledge under the
Hippocratic Oath to act in the best interests of
their patients - a purpose that is clearly
violated when terminally ill patients suffer
without hope of recovering. While one retired
pathologist - Jack Kevorkian - has stolen
physician-assisted suicide, many other Michi-
gan physicians are working behind the scenes
to discard the ban. Their voices deserve to be
heard.
But will they? According to the authors of
the study, state legislators will consider the
survey when deciding whether to change the
assisted-suicide law. Lawmakers currently are
split almost evenly on whether to leave the ban
intact.
The study may tip the balance. In addition
to outlining the public's disdain for the current
ban, it suggests an alternative, dubbed Plan A.
Under Plan A, physicians could aid in the
patient's suicide if the patient was in unaccept-
able pain. The study's authors wisely incorpo-
rated several safeguards into the plan: second
opinions, exploration of management alterna-
tives, and two witnessed requests for assisted
suicide, separated by a one-week waiting pe-
riod.
Physicians surveyed found Plan A more
palatable than the current ban or a no law on
assisted suicide. Forty-one percent of doctors
favored Plan A, compared to 37 percent for no
law and 17 percent for the status quo.
The survey, conducted by the University's
for Social Research, has a 5 percent margin of
error.
The survey should be a clarion call for a
repeal of the current ban on assisted suicide.
The doctors have spoken, the general public
Sportswriter is
not true
Michigan fan
To the Daily:
This letter is in regard to
Chad Safran's article "Defen-
sive Collapse Leads to Wolver-
ine Demise" in the Sept. 26
Daily. Chad, did you grow up
in South Bend? Does Joe
Paterno write your tuition
checks? Did Bo Schembechler
steal your blanky when you
were a baby? Whatever your
problem is, for whatever rea-
son, maize and blue definitely
does not run in your veins. Af-
ter reading your article, I am
convinced you have lost your
love for the University of Michi-
gan (if you ever had any). I am
also convinced you might seri-
ously want to think about trans-
ferring to Colorado to cheer for
the Buffaloes.
I don't want to be Kordell
Steward, and I definitely don't
want to be Michael Westbrook.
I am proud of who I am and
where I go to school. I am a
Wolverine fan, and no matter
what the scoreboard reads Sat-
urday, I do not change my alle-
giance on Sunday. I played high
school football; I know what it
means to give your all to wine
and come up short. Obviously
you have absolutely no under-
standing of what it means ei-
ther to be a true player or a true
fan. Yes, you begrudgingly
wrote a blurb about how Michi-
gan blanked Colorado for thirty
minutes, shrugging off this
amazing accomplishment in a
few lines. The rest of the article
however is as dismal as your
subtitle, and I am really getting
tired of reading it. Jarrett Irons
had sixteen tackles, eleven solo.
Our entire team, defense in-
cluded, played their hearts out
for themselves, their school, and
the probably 110,000 people
crammed into Michigan Sta-
dium Saturday. Do you really
think anyone wants to read an
article from a fairweather fan?
You act as if they stopped try-
ing. You go even further to
condemn our coaches for their
tactics. You directly blame our
defense for not playing a whole
game. While I am sure when it
comes to the last play, every
defender may blame himself
and give anything to be back on
that field for a few precious
seconds, for me it is over. Win-
ning, God forbid, is not every-
thing. I was devastated when
the ball floated into
Westbrook's arms, but at that
moment I did not change from
a Wolverine to a Buffalo.
Many different things could
be blamed for our loss, and in
your article you seem to cover
them all. I understand that you
are just a sportswriter, and you
must report the facts, but there
are ways to report a Wolverine
loss (even one such as this) in at
least a somewhat positive man-
ner. Whether we win or lose is
not the entire point. Your pride
and love for you school, if you
choose to express it, should
overcome any scoreboard. Ob-
viously you have chosen to ex-
press yourself as a sportswriter,
and this is fine. However if you
even have a minute understand-
ing of what it really means to
be a fan, it rarely shows in your
writing. Maybe I am "insane"
for still wanting to be a Wol-
verine, but at least I have a little
heart.
Tony Lake
Engineering Junior
Computer
Racism
To the Daily:
I would like to notify the
University community of
something I found somewhat
disturbing. During the evening
of September 25, while log-
ging onto a Macintosh in the
Dow Mezzanine at North Cam-
pus, I was treated to a back-
ground screen of mini swasti-
kas in red, white and black.
Although not the first time see-
ing this symbol of hatred, I still
found myself trying to figure
out what kind of person has the
motivation to do such a thing.
Although I do not believe the
entire University community
is filled with hatred, it does
seem to contain unmistakable
signs of intolerance. WhatI am
hoping for is to have the person
responsible for the swastikas
to consider why he/she feels
compelled to act in this way,
and to perhaps realize that do-
ing so is unacceptable to me
and hopefully many others.
Robert Chen
UMAASC Programming
Director
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