4 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, February 10, 1995 ,dfw d ia - ail MICHAEL ROSENBERG RosEs ARE READ 420 Maynard Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan MICHAEL ROSENBERG Editor in Chief JuLiE BECKER JAMES NASH Editorial Page Editors Forgotten in the fray: Jake Baker's hidden victim 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. S Aai Safety first 'U', city deserve praise for safet efforts n these frigid weeks of winter, cold may be the utmost concern for students traveling on and around campus. But the University and the student body cannot ignore the persistent con- cern of campus safety. Much progress has been made recently in making campus safer. Safewalk has expanded its hours, and new lights have been installed. However, problems persist, including broken lights and icy sidewalks. More work needs to be done. With its recentexpansionofhours, Safewalk has become even more successful in meeting the needs of the student body, and volunteers should be commended for providing this im- portant service. It is important now that stu- dents meet the demand for volunteers that has been created by the longer hours. Safewalk's existence does not guarantee its success - it needs to be adequately staffed. The student body must be diligent in maintaining this im- portant program. Another safety concern on which progress has been made is,campus lighting. Many new lights have been put on University streets and for this, the University deserves praise. Still, a major problem exists: The lights are not al- ways working. Maintanencemustbeimproved. If a student leaves home for Central Campus at night, he or she deserves the security of know- ing that the lights will be on. Lights on campus are not enough - they need to be reliable. A hotline was recently established to report non-, functioning lights, a good step toward better maintenance and increased safety. In addition, the Ann Arbor City Council convened a task force last month on the issue of improved safety in Ann Arbor. Comprised of representatives from the University and the city, the Commission on Increasing Safety for Women is an example of a city-University partnership needed to ensure safety for the University population. There are other issues of concern, as well. The persistence of ice on the sidewalks is an important one: Cold weather will always be a source of discomfort, but it should not imperil pedestrians. It is legally negligent to fail to clear a sidewalk of ice. On the whole, the ice and snow situation on campus is not too peril- ous -- but just one patch of ice is enough to cause a serious injury. And there is more than one patch of ice. Overall, excellent progress has been made over the past few months in making campus safer. Perhaps the apprehension of a suspect in the serial rapist case has done more than any- thing else to make students feel safer. Safewalk has expanded. New lights have been installed. Yet work remains to be done - the issue of campus safety is one that will never disappear. Students must work with the University and the city to maintain their commitment to a safe community. n what appears to be the first three- car pileups on the new Information Superhighway, the FBI recently arrested University student Jake Baker for sadistic comments Baker made on the Internet. That's about all anyone can agree upon. Among other things, Baker either wrote a story using the name of another student or he wrote a story about another student. There's a huge difference in those words. If Baker was merely using the name, as he claims, then he is nothing more than a sicko with a warped sense of humor. But if the story was about the student herself, and Baker was telling people stories about him raping and torturing a classmate, that's an entirely different matter. That's a cause for serious concern. Right now, it seems, nobody knows what Baker was thinking. The story he wrote was beyond vulgar, so disgusting that the few printable parts don't even represent how horrific the story is. Is it obscenity? Is it harassment? Is it just free speech? These are the issues that have been debated. They are interesting, these ques- tions about Jake Baker's story. But none of them involves the woman. Imagine, for a moment, how she must feel. She has to walk around campus know- ing a classmate of hers fantasizes about raping and torturing her -- or, at least, he fantasizes about raping and torturing some- one with her name. She must wonder who else has seen the story, who else has vi- sions of her being humiliated. She must wonder what others think of her. Do they see her as a person like any other? Or do they see her only as a shadow of a woman, hanging by her hair, beaten and helpless? How many people know she is the woman in the story? She must think the unthinkable: There may be more like Jake Baker out there. Baker says his story is just that - a story. He says he picked the woman's name because he liked the woman's name. Really? It's difficult to believe he just happened to write a story about his inhu- mane treatment - and ultimate murder - of another woman, and just happened to use the name of a woman who actually exists. Maybe Baker is telling the truth. Maybe he is innocent. That's why we have a justice system. He deserves a trial. But to tuck everything he wrote under the um- brella of free speech without serious in- vestigation is not only irresponsible but potentially deadly. How would you feel if these things were being said about you? Or your mother? Or sister? Or girlfriend? This is an awful situation, a sick game in which everybody loses. Baker deserves a chance to prove he had no malicious intentions. There must be concern for his First Amendment rights. He should be treated fairly. But the woman also has to be treated fairly. She, by all accounts, has done noth- ing wrong. Steps must be taken to ensure that she is not in danger. Those steps involve investigating Jake Baker. There are those who point out that three weeks passed between when Baker published the story and his suspension from the University. During those three weeks, they say, he did not go near her, proving that it was just a story, not a plot. Three weeks. So what? Since when did three weeks become the statute of limitations on ha- rassment? Does this prove that Baker is definitely not dangerous? The FBI arrested University student Jake Baker yesterday because of com- ments he posted on the Internet. You can argue that the FBI violated Baker's First Amendment rights. You can argue that free speech is free speech, period. But while you argue, keep your eye out for a terrified young woman. The FBI may have saved her life yesterday. I JIMASSER . .fi , SHARP As TOAST Some newly commissioned battleshij US.S. RONALD REAGAN pS.. FTI a ii lii u..~t> ~ 6r- ..-- U.S.S.HARRY TRUMAN Dressed for arrest Gang ordinance violates free expression " t L U.SSH A RRY TR UMAN USS RFAGAN U.S.S BILL CLINTON --- ~1 \ N ~~/ -~ > 1,~ NOTABLE QUOTABLE "Maureen Hartford let me read a part ... I was absolutely appalled and disgusted after I read the first two pages. I had to stop reading." - MSA President Julie Neenan, speaking of the message posted by Jake Baker on the Internet re there any students who own a Dallas Cowboys jacket, a Star of David, or per- haps even - shocking as it may seem - a Michigan baseball cap? If so, they should be sure not to wear them around Harvard, Ill. These items and others are considered "gang symbols" by the authorities of this Midwestern town. In fact, it is illegal "for any person within the city to knowingly use, display or wear colors, emblems orinsignia" that suggest "sym- pathy toward" gangs. Wearing such items in this town can be grounds for arrest, up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500. This ordinance is a deplorable violation of the First Amendment. Unfortunately, these laws are not limited to the town of Harvard. They are a threat to free speech rights across the nation. Freedom of expression? That's one of the cornerstones of this country's democracy, right? Maybe so, but that has not stopped officials of this town and many others from completely ignoring it. Notonly are such laws flagrantFirst Amend- ment violations, but the basis for arrest under them lies entirely under the discretion of a city's police force. Indeed, one young man recently was stopped for wearing a Star of David given to him by his girlfriend. "They wanted to bust me, but they let me go because my girlfriend proved to them she was Jewish. She told them about Passover." This story is nearly unbelievable-but, unfortunately, true. The law enforcement ofarural town in America has been reduced to spot checks - given on the basis of one's looks. Evidently, to step into Harvard, Ill., is to relinquish one's civil rights. Harvard's law is an alarming indicator of the vigilante mentality that can grip communi- ties who feel - rightly or wrongly - under siege by gang violence. The presence of this law anywhere in the United States is distress- ing-there is an atmosphereof hysteriain this country that all too often leads citizens to ignore civil liberties in their efforts to ensure order. Some of these fears arise from legiti- mate concerns: There is too much crime in this country - drugs and guns are problems that cannot be ignored. Moreover, there is no doubt that street gangs are a threat to the security of this nation's citizens - gang warfare is de- stroying the lives of many city youths and is making people afraid to walk their streets. It is in times like these when some of the most dangerously repressive measures are deemed acceptable. But is this country going to allow anxiety to dictate all of its actions? In attempting to protect its citizens, many Ameri- can cities end up denying them their constitu- tional rights. Has the First Amendment been reduced to a relic - stirring and impressive, but completely without weight? This town ordinance is a direct and particu- larly frightening attack upon the right to free expression. The town of Harvard has, effec- tively, dictated the clothing that its residents may wear. Moreover, it may not stop there; in time, additional forms of expression may be threatened by different laws in other towns. Freedom of speech is part of the foundation upon which this nation was built. This country must not run, at the first sign of trouble, from all that it holds dear. LErinis3 ,. LSA-SG disputes candidate statements* Review action before judging To the Daily: In reference to the Feb. 7 ar- ticle concerning LSA Student Government ("Michigan Party reaches for LSA"), the below- signed Executive Board mem- bers of the student government wish to address its accusations and the ignorance with which the quotations were made. We understand and appreci- ate enthusiasm for bettering the government, and we recognize that there is always room for im- provement. However, in order to improve somthing it is impera- tive to be aware of what has al- ready and is currently being ac- complished. In the article a concern was raised regarding the "unfulfilled potential" of the government in its failure to give students a say on an academic level. The cur- rent LSA Student Government agrees that this is an important issue, and in fact has numerous programs in place to gather and evaluate student concerns, sug- gestions and opinions. Over the past year we have established a computer confer- ence (ConferU LSASG) in order to facilitate communication re- garding concerns about the Col- lege of LSA. The academic is- sues of the pass/fail option, the foreign language requirement, ROE requirement and grade in- flation have been discussed ex- services, and offered an avenue for the expression of concerns. Not only has the current gov- ernment made strides in our at- tempt to reach out to students, we have also re-established ties with the adminstration through ap- pointments and cooperation with the LSA Curriculum Commit- tee, the Joint Faculty-Student Policy Committee and Academic Judiciary. These committees now work hand in hand with student government in an attempt to ef- fectively solve problems and ad- dress concerns. Our upcoming public forum on the pass/fail issue, which will take place Monday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. in the Kuenzel Room of the Union is a direct effect of the efforts we have made to hear student voices. To further hear student concerns, a survey will be administered at the forum and through Confer in order to gauge students' opinions on the issue. We are determined that the re- sults of the survey and the con- cerns presented at the forum will be heard when the faculty votes regarding the future of the pass/ fail opion. Besides our effort to gather student input and voice student concerns, we as a government hold ourselves 100 percent ac- countable toourconstituents. The hallmark of this accountablility is our money-back guarantee. Not only does this program make stu- dents aware of our accomplish- ments, it demonstrates our con- stant desire for improvement. Candidates uninformed To the Daily: As a member of the LSA Stu- dent Government I would like to clear up some misconceptions about the government that arose in the recent "Michigan Party reaches for LSA" article (2/7/ 95). It was expressed by the Michi- gan Party presidential candidate, Rick Bernstein, that he and his running mate, Steve Madhavan, feel that student government is something students should be involved in. Iagree with this state- ment; students should be involved in the government representing them. However, I believe Mr. Bernstein overstepped his bounds when he said, "Right now (LSA- SG) nas not fulfilled its possibili- ties. We need to make sure stu- dents have more say." Anyone who has read your publication may have noticed the numerous advertisements we have submit- ted concerning the various ac- tivities LSA-SG has and is work- ing on this year. Presently, LSA-SG is offer- ing a money-back guarantee in which students who feel we are performing unsatisfactorily may receive their LSA-SG fee back. We have initiated a successful LSA-SG e-mail conference on the ConferU and have an LSA- SG news group on Telnet, too. We have been taking several steps versity landscape: Diag boards, bus advertisements, the LSA-SG confer, etc. Following this forum we will be distributing surveys to students on this and other aca- demic concerns. In past years, LSA-SG has had few solid ties with othercom- mittees within the University.We have now substantilly increased our communication and coop- eration with several committees, including the Joint Faculty-Stu- dent Committee, the LSA Aca- demic Judiciary and the LSA Curriculum Committee. We have also continued to supply funds to as many student groups as pos- sible and will continue to do so in the future. The LSA-Student Govern- ment has increased its member status from 17 to a total of 21 members. This action was taken to better represent the diversity and vast number of students within our college. We have sub- mitted an advertisement to the Black Student Monthly for those* readers who are interested in ap- pointment to the LSA-SG. We have also passed new bylaws to increase our own internal effi- ciency and to solve unnecessary bureaucratic conflicts. Therefore, I feel that although Bernstein and Madhavan have the right to their opinions, they should at least have current and* correct information to base them on. I have yet to see either of the attend even one of our LSA-SG general meetings. It surprised me that they are so disappointed in a How TO CONTACT THEMe U.S. Congress Sen. Carl Levin (D) 459 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-6221 Sen. Spence Abraham (R) B40 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-4822 Rep. Lynn Rivers(D) 1116 Longworth House Office Building Washington. D.C. 20515 I