4- The Michigan Daily --Wednesday, November 16, 1994
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420 Maynard
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan
JessieHalladay
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.
'If you're not running this term and you haven't
signed up for any election work, vultures will be
eating your dead carcass. For more details on how
this will happen, see me after the meeting.'
-Paul Scublinsky to MSA members at the MSA meeting Tuesday night.
OuiT R You HEARDW -hi EPj-E ! TC EY WANT
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TED STATE 5
CONG R E S
cYftOr'
Rally in Lansing
Legislature must revive sexual assault bill
Sexual assault among students, and be
tween students and professors is a grow-
ing problem on university campuses across
the country. In Michigan, unfortunately, our
legislature has yet to provide an effective
solution. It is for this reason that the Women's
Issues Commission of the Michigan Student
Assembly is sponsoring a rally to be held at the
State Capital in East Lansing on Thursday,
November 17.
The purpose of the rally is to persuade the
Michigan State Senate to pass the Campus
Sexual Assault Assistance Bill. The bill would
force all public universities in the state to
come up with a policy on sexual assault which
would include several important provisions to
protect victims. Among these, it would man-
date that all victims of sexual assault are
provided with counseling, literature, and other
informative and therapeutic assistance. Addi-
tionally, the bill would allow the victims to
leave their living environment, classes, or any
other situations in which they might come into
contact with the assailant, with no academic or
financial penalties levied. Provisions in the
bill would apply to all students who claim to be
victims of sexual assault, regardless ofwhether
they choose to name their assailant.
The bill, which passed unanimously in the
State House of Representatives, is currently
being held up in the State Senate by the Sub-
committee for Higher Education.
Although it takes place on a weekday and
therefore conflicts with many students' sched-
ules, it is extremely important that all who can
attend this important event do so. It is critical
that it be made crystal clear to the State Senate
that passage of this bill is vital to the security of
all university students in this state.
Moreover, with the current lame duck ses-
sion preceding the inauguration of the new
legislature, now is the only chance students
will have to get this bill enacted any time soon.
If the bill is not passed by the end of this
legislative term, it will have to be scratched and
reintroduced, repeating an already long and
arduous process.
A caravan will meet at the Crisler arena on
Thursday at 9:30 a.m. to take all interested
students to Lansing for the event, which will be
held on the steps of the state capital. State
Senator Lana Pollack, Senator elect Alma
Wheeler Smith, and a survivor of sexual as-
sault, will all be speaking. Transportation will
be provided for all who need it, however, as
there is a limited amount available, all who can
provide their own are encouraged to do so.
Interested students may contact Emily Berry,
one of the event organizers, at 668-4874, for
more information.
This event could help to influence the safety
and security of college students across this
state in the near future. It is up to all those who
want to see something done about sexual as-
sault to make every effort to attend.
Vote for the Students' Party for MSA
To the Daily:
It never ceases to amaze
me at the amount of hypoc-
risy that the Daily displays.
For the fourth straight semes-
ter the Daily has decided to
endorse the Michigan Party.
The ironic part of this endorse-
ment is that the Daily has con-
tinually criticized the Michi-
gan Party and rightly so, on the
issue of the Ann Arbor Ten-
ants' Union the Michigan
Party has used every under-
handed dirty politic trick to
keep the AATU from getting
any form of funding. As the
Daily said last year, it is too
bad that the Michigan Party
hates the AATU but vote for
them anyway. This is com-
pletely idiotic to support a
group of individuals that want
to cut student services. The
Michigan Party this year alone
has cut funding to student
groups $12,000. Is this the type
of people that we, the student,
should have representing us? A
party that continually ignores
the wishes of the student and
cuts funding to their groups.
Another thing that I would
like to dispute is the issue of
experience and credibility. The
Students' Party has eight people
running for office who are ei-
ther on or have served on MSA
but the Daily seems to feel that
the Michigan Party's three ex-
perienced candidates are bet-
ter. We have Roger DeRoo who
is probably the most experi-
enced individual on the assem-
bly, Emily Berry who is help-
ing to organize the Campus
Liberalism is elitism
The lesserknown agenda
The GOP's plans for a few important fields
R eaganomics is one of those catch words.
To many, it is a term to be used pejora-
tively, summoning visions of income
maldistribution and budgetary smoke and
mirrors. But to the majority of legislators in
the 104th Congress, it is a guidepost, an indi-
cator of economic growth and stability.
Forget Reaganomics for a moment; forget
the political and emotional baggage of the '96
midterm elections. And take a look at some of
the less talked about results of the Republican
sweep.
Education. Soon-to-be Speaker of the
House Newt Gingrich has called on the Con-
gress to rework student loans, changing the
current structure into one where interest would
begin accumulating while students are still in
school.
This would result in immediate Federal
savings, but it would also almost surely inflate
the cost of student loans 20 to 30 percent. In
addition, Nancy Kassenbaum, who will be a
key player in formulating education policy
next year, has criticized the direct student loan
program pioneered by the president, and has
questioned the importance of provisions for
handicapped and retarded children in educa-
tion legislation.
Welfare. The welfare debate has suddenly
lurched to the far right. Some Republicans
want to impose strict time limits on welfare,
ignoring the fact that the most comprehensive
studies of Aid to Families with Dependent
Children show that if you offer unwed moth-
ers jobs with health benefits, they will join the
workforce.
Other prominent Republicans are advanc-
ing the radical notion that even young mothers
willing to work should no longer be entitled to
benefits. Missouri Republican James Talent
takes it a step further, and has sponsored a bill
that would permanently deny benefits to all
children with unmarried mothers under the age
of 26. Around 3.5 million children would be
impacted by such a move.
Tobacco. Democratic Henry Waxman, who
currently chairs the Health and Environment
subcommittee, has spent many years aggres-
sively investigating the tobacco industry, and
has turned up startling evidence of shreddings,
untruths and deceptions. Waxman is likely to
be replaced by Virginia Republican Thomas
Bliley Jr., who vows to end such investiga-
tions, noting that he doesn't think "we need any
more legislation regulating tobacco."
The environment. The end of the last Congress
saw the death of mining reform - at the hands of
a Republican filibuster. Now, it is certain that for
at least two more years, industries can dig up
Federal property - for free. Moreover, polluter-
pays laws stand to be weakened, and the Endan-
gered Species Act could find itself endangered.
And clean water reform, which had bipartisan
support a few years ago, has now fallen to partisan
bickering. With a Republican Congress, that is
sure to remain. Fortunately, Rhode Island Repub-
lican John Chafee is the ranking member of the
Senate Environment Committee, and he has never
been just a Republican rubber stamp.
Foreign policy. In all likelihood, the rock-
ribbed conservative Jesse Helms will take the
leadership post in the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
Helms has advocated rethinking whether
Russia deserves foreign aid, and would swiftly
expand NATO to Russia's border - moves
that almost all foreign policy analysts agree
would antagonize hardliners in Russia, and
cause the Yeltsin government to shift away
from reform. Republican leaders also seem
bent on reducing contributions to the World
Bank, cutting back the Agency for Interna-
tional Development, bringing back Star Wars,
holding up the General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade and taking a hawkish stand in
North Korea.
To the Daily:
The letter written by Prof.
Mel Williams in the Nov.' 1
edition of the Daily is replete
with the usual failed socialist-
liberal bilge. Mr. Williams
seems to think that Clinton's
low approval rating is a result
of being "associated with the
low in classes." I would sub-
mit that Clinton suffers from
an association with the low in
moral integrity, honesty and
competence. The man simply
refuses to listen to the voters,
and bulls ahead with his so-
cialist agenda. 60's liberalism
has been tried, has failed mis-
erably and has been soundly
and dramatically rejected by
the people of this great coun-
try. Ever increasing numbers
of people are opting for less
government, less taxing and
spending, and stronger en-
forcement of our laws - con-
servative cornerstones for
years. People are fed up with
the excuses, the dependence
on government to solve prob-
lems, the lack of responsibil-
ity. Anyone who can't hearthe
conservative rumblings of the
voters (such as, oh, Democratic
congressmen, must have their
ears, along with the rest of
their head, buried in the sand.
I'm sure Prof. Williams and
his liberal cadre feel they know
what's best for the unwashed
masses; their intellectual elit-
ism surely superior to our silly
"democratic elections." Will-
iams implies that the people
have been duped by Republi-
can candidates; the politicians
preying on their simple minded
fears and prejudices. This sim-
ply is not true. We, the voters,
do not need Prof. Williams to
explain to us what we really
want, to cut through all this
high-falutin' speechifyin' and
translate down to all us simple-
tons the underlying truth
(Democrat good Republican
bad, presumably).
As for Rush Limbaugh -
the man warrants a little criti-
cism, granted, but the attacks
that Mr.Williams makes on
him and all conservatives are
nothing less than irresponsible.
Conservatives do not have a
secret agenda to keep minori-
ties and the impoverished
down. We do not attack these
groups, nor do we look down
upon them. Conservatives wish
to help the poor rise above their
lot; to promote equality. It's
just that we have different ideas
on how to go about reaching
these goals. It's conservatives
who believe in true equality;
that all men are created equal,
that each has an individual re-
sponsibility and that each must
live with the consequences of
his or her actions; reactionary
views, indeed. Though I dis-
agree with President Clinton's
policies, I don't doubt for a
second that his intentions are
honorable. As the saying goes,
however, "the road to hell is
paved with government inter-
vening policies," or something
like that. I would expect this
same courtesy from Prof. Wil-
liams, but apparently he feels
that conservative policy is
"wrong" and only liberals, such
as him, are "correct."
The American voters are
embracing conservatism in
record numbers. And, despite
Mr. Williams' wishes, I'm
sure, we still live in a democ-
racy, where the will of the
majority is done.
On Nov. 8, the people spoke
loud and clear, and they sent a
new, conservative Congress to
Washington --yet another nail
into the coffin of government
gone awry, the legacy of the
60s liberalism.
Michael Judson
LSA sophomore
Sexual Assault rally and many
other extremely qualified indi-
viduals. As to the Michigan Party
adding credibility to MSA, that's
ridiculous, election results still
languish around nine percent af-
ter three terms of the Michigan
Party in office and the adminis-
tration still thinks we're a joke.
The Michigan Party also has
repeatedly gone back on it's
compromises whether they are
with the AATU or with the lob-
byist. The lobbyist was meant to
be a student or someone who
had just graduated as agreed on
by Craig Greenberg, Brian
KightDevon Bodoh and Conan
Smith. Instead MSA hired some
age old person to represent the
youthful students here at UM.
The Michigan Party alsowanted
to have closed meetings to talk
about the lobbyist. I personally
had to argue with Andrew
Wright for an hour to open up
the meetings.
The Students' Party has
shown its leadership in a variety
of different ways bringing mi-
norities into MSA, helping to
organize the Campus Sexual
Assault rally, fighting for stu-
dent groups and student rights.
All the Michigan Party has
brought to MSA is gridlock and
the same past MSA problems in
adifferentform. Vote forchange,
vote for the Students' Party!
Jonathan Freeman
LSA candidate for MSA
Vote YES on
AATU
funding
proposal
To the Daily:
The AATU is a student
service that provides educa-
tion and counseling concern-
ing renting and the landlord/
tenant relationship. Cur-
rently, we offer free phone
counseling, free personal
counseling and free informa-
tion pamphlets to students, but
this may not last long. MSA
has cut funding to the AATU,
and we may haveto start charg-
ing students for our services.
We don't want to charge stu-
dents, so we are putting the
decision into students' hands.
Proposal 1 on the referendum
during the MSA election is
one way that students can help
the AATU help them. Pro-
posal 1 would raise the student
fee by a mere 25 cents for the
sole purpose of funding AATU
services to students. VoteYES
on Proposal 1 and save the
AATU.
Race, IQ,j
genetics and the'
New York Thnesi
The Bell Curve, by R. Herrnstein
and C. Murray, recycles an old
pseudosciencethis time with ashal-
lowness surprising even for conser-
vatives. But what an enormous pub-
lic fanfare - glowing reviews in
the New York Times, cover stories
in national newsmagazines, inter-
views on all major PBS talk shows.
True, all the subsequent op-eds
have been negative, but the critics
get the editorial page, while the
purveyors of this balderdash are
treated to the front page of the NYT
Magazine one Sunday and the NYT
Book Review the next.
The book's key claim, the
one creating all the stir, is that scores
on IQ tests are partially determined
by genes. This idea is usually sup-
ported by identical twin studies.
These studies were discredited long
ago, and the only new twin informa-
tion cited is the famous Minnesota
Twin study in which damn near
everything was found to be deter-
mined by genes - even political
affiliation. Admittedly, after the
last elections it is a hopeful idea that
a eugenics program might reduce
the number of rabid Republicans.
But hopeful ideas are not science.
Reducing the birth rate of Republi-
cans is not likely to reduce their
influence - damn.
The most negative impact of
this book is likely to come from its
assertion that the difference in IQ
scores between blacks and whites is
largely due to genetics. No new
theory or data types are presented to
bolster this wild assertion. The view
of almost all contemporary biolo-
gists is that the notion of black and
white races is a social construction
in the first place, and that any differ-
ence between the two groups con-
cerning something as complicated
as cognitive ability is almost cer-
tainly not attributable to genetic ef-
fects. But the conservative warriors
who write The Bell Curve are
unswayed by counterevidence. Sev-
eral studies in which black and white
children were raised in similar envi-
ronments and no difference was
found in their IQ scores or, fre-
quently, the blacks actually scored
higher, are virtually ignored.
The mode of argument of
Herrnstein and Murray is seductive
for the innocent. It is based on "the
weight of the evidence." That is, no
one study, no key observation, no
critical experiment stands as testi-
mony to their thesis. Consequently,
a large number of studies, all saying
more or less the same thing, are
cited as cumulatively arriving at the
truth. Since, by their own assess-
ment, the authors choose to concern
themselves with the literature writ-
ten by people who believe in their
results in the first place (the "classi-
cists" according to their introduc-4
tion), it would be rather surprising
to find the weight of the evidence as
anything other than what they ex-
pected in the first place. It's like
trying to prove there are ghosts by
asking the people who believe in
ghosts if they saw any last year.
Yet the critics may have fo-
cused on the wrong thing. As a
piece of scholarship this book is
rather silly - on this there is little
debate. But as a political tract it has
served its purpose already. Why
was it given lavish front page cover-
age in one of the country's agenda-
setting newspapers? The corporate
media seem to find it appealing that
the very large problems of inequal-
ity in this country might be due to4
something inherent. With this in
mind, the critical question is not
about The Bell Curve per se -that
is relatively open and shut. The ques-
tion is why did the media decide to
make it an issue again? Would they
0.
'--I
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Kimberly Freese
LSA junior
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