4 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, March 13, 1995 Ulhe 3idijgzu 1atg 420 Maynard Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan ' MICHAEL ROSENBERG Editor in Chief JuLE BECKER JAMES NASH Editorial Page Editors JAMEs R. CHOBBENEATH THE PALIMPSEST Defining the family- 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. Abuso power MSA meeting puts politics over governance Tuesday's MSA meeting was a fine ex- ample of bad behavior by our elected student officials. From the political grand- standing of certain representatives to the repre- hensible behavior of President Julie Neenan of the Michigan Party, the members of the as- sembly proved to their constituents that they have few qualms about putting politics be- fore governance. At the meeting, two resolutions were pro- posed by assembly members. One condemned participation in Leadership 2017, a leader- ship training seminar that Neenan attended this summer. The other attempted to recall former MSA president and Michigan Party stalwart Craig Greenberg from his position as chair of the Student Regent Task Force. MSA members sponsoring the proposal ac- cused Greenberg of neglecting his duties as chair by failing to call a meeting within the required four-week period. Neenan initially refused to hear debate on these proposals and, when assembly members tried to over- rule her ruling, adjourned the meeting. There was so much wrongdoing on both sides that it i difficult to assign degrees of blame. First and foremost, Neenan's attempt to suppress debate was completely out of order. She neglected to follow assembly pro- cedure of putting discussion to a vote, and refused to hear an appeal to reopen debate. Neenan clearly demonstrated that she has little regard for the democratic workings of MSA. Her suppression of open debate was clearly political, as both resolutions were aimed at the actions of Michigan Party mem- bers. This behavior represents a blatant abuse of the power of the office. However, Neenan is not the only one who deserves criticism. The proposals - spon- sored mainly by Students' Party representa- tives - were as politically motivated as Neenan's behavior. Leadership 2017 is hardly apressing issue at this point. To dredge itup on the eve of the general election was mudsling- ing of the highest order. As for Greenberg, he has proven himself hard-working and well- versed on the issue. Attempting to recall him on a minor technicality such as not calling a meeting in the prescribed period was an undeserved jab at the Michigan Party. The events of this meeting tell a particu- larly uninspiring story of our current govern- ment. They speak of an assembly intent on putting political posturing before student in- terests, and of an executive who clearly does not fathom the limits of her power. Tuesday's proposed resolutions were malicious, but at least the sponsoring representatives remained within the letter of the law. Of greater con- cern was Neenan's abuse of power. The student body deserves better behavior from its elected officials. These officials need to realize that they were elected to serve their constituents, not advance their political ca- reers. Emily Decker's youngest daughter has no qualms telling her kindergarten class that she has two moms. Emily and her domestic partner, Fran Dunaway, have lived together for more than a year with Emily's three young children from a pre- vious heterosexual marriage. Emily teaches an undergraduate seminar on indi- vidual identity at the University. Fran works at home as a freelance writer. Both take the time to pick up the kids after school and listen to the eldest son recount stories of playing "Smear the Queer" in the schoolyard. In Ann Arbor, Fran and Emily are registered domestic partners -- together they're a family. A revolutionary idea to heterosexual people, gay marriage has always seemed right for gay couples. For years gay men and lesbian women have been denounced and spat upon. They've been denied the right to raise legal families, as many view a same-sex partnership as unnatural and unhealthy. Yet people such as Emily and Fran value the traits that characterize tradi- tional families - the loving commitment between two adults and the nurturing of their children."Being a parent is a hard job. You need to have your shit together. Not all heterosexual parents have it together. It's about providing a loving environment for children," Emily said. When same-sex couples set out to make that commitment, they encounter serious barriers imposed by an ignorant and homophobic society. For same-sex couples, health insurance coverage does not extend to an uninsured partner. Simi- larly, they receive neither joint tax returns nor survivor's benefits from Social Secu- rity. Nowhere in the United States does the government recognize gay marriages. In fact, most states have deemed homosexual marriages illegal. In Ann Arbor, couples can register for domestic partnership as proof of cohabitation, but this is merely symbolic with no legal protection. The gov- ernment continues to drag its feet in extend- ing benefits and recognition to gay couples. Fortunately, this is changing at the Uni- versity. Last year the regents approved an amendment to regents' Bylaw 14.06 - an anti-discrimination policy - to include sexual orientation. In accordance with the bylaw change, the University made same- sex couples eligible for family housing as well as health and life insurance benefits. The benefits kicked into effect Jan. 1. Emily and Fran are among the estimated 70 couples who have signed up to receive benefits. Fran, who previously did not have health insurance, was then able to get a timely checkup. Doctors discovered a fibroid growth on Fran's uterus that they will continue to monitor. Undetected, the growth could have led to further compli- cations. "We now have the peace of mind know- ing that we have the support and can afford (medical help) on the income that I make," Emily said. "We were one medical catas- trophe away from having no money at all." The bold initiative taken by the regents is a step in the right direction because it protects gays and lesbians fromharassment and discrimination at the University. More important, it recognizes that same-sex couples can indeed anchor a nurturing fam- ily. Parenthood is blind to whether parents are gay or straight - it is the cooperation of two loving parents. Children yearn for sup- portive and loving parents rather than indif- ferent, abusive ones. The world is hard enough as it is for heterosexual parents, both single and in partnerships. Regardless of their sexual orientation, two committed individuals who want to provide a loving atmosphere for their children should be encouraged and not scorned. We should embrace com- panionship and not pass discriminatory judgment on partnerships just because they are unconventional. 9 JIM LASSER SHARP AS TOAST I At Z WE. EVEoDo iS EAT z. OW)LTE I AT '$REPNUR/'.S $A EL$! /SAM1WATCH "PUJLP FICT1/ON / FOR THE '23 rd TI MF.. . "AZEiV ANO N2 SD ( f Ann Arbor is a diverse and thriving city which offers many entertaining outlets for the U-M student. NOTABLE QUOTABLE "I don't care. He can come back, stay and play baseball or go and play golf.... He's another man. He puts his underwear on just like I do." - Detroit Piston Oliver Miller, on Michael Jordan's return to professional basketball Wrongful expulsion Notre Dame errs in ban of homosexual group n a reversal of previous university policy, the administration of Notre Dame Univer- sity has removed the right to meet on campusfrom the Leaders of Gays and Lesbi- ans of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's College (GLND/SMC). This action denies the group official recognition after nine years of being on campus and effectively expels the group as a student organization. According to Father Peter Rocca of Notre Dame's Office of Student Affairs, the deci- sion was based on the group's advertisement of its meetings during the fall 1994 semester. According to CNN reports, other groups that have held protests in defense of GLND/SMC, such as Amnesty International, also face the risk of expulsion as a group. Members of Notre Dame's administration have been quoted as unwilling to "condone homosexu- ality," thus demonstrating a clear misunder- standing of the group's purpose on campus. While Notre Dame may be a private insti- tution with the inherent right to admit and exclude whomever they please, the decision to ban the GLND/SMC is nonetheless mor- ally abhorrent. By allowing the group on campus in the first place, Notre Dame dem- onstrated at least some tolerance for homo- sexuals. Revoking that permission nine years later under the guise of a technicality involv- ing the right to use university facilities is masked homophobia and is reprehensible. This action in many ways underscores the need for gay, lesbian and bisexual offices at colleges and universities around the country. The past few years have witnessed an in- creasing undercurrent of intolerance toward the rights of homosexuals. Decisions not to provide for centers such as the GLNDIMC underscore their need in the first place: to provide a place of support and understanding in what can otherwise be a climate of fear and hatred. The intention of campus gay and lesbian centers is not to provide a recruitment center for homosexuality, as Notre Dame officials claim. Rather, it is to provide a venue for community and support. The pre- cedent that Notre Dame may be setting is no doubt a chilling one for private schools: Students paying upwards of $20,000 a year to attend school are being told by its admin- istrators that they have no place at the school and are viewed as morally corrupt. The show of support from students and faculty alike at Notre Dame in continuous rallies and protests during the past month demonstrates sufficient support for the uni- versity to recognize them as a legitimate student group. The ensuing uproar from other student groups and faculty over the decision to ban the GNLD/SMC shows that Catholic universities should not be strong-armed into an atmosphere of intolerance. Notre Dame, and universities across the country, need to realize that is not possible to provide a comfortable atmosphere for stu- dents while forcing them from university facilities. Colleges and universities, be they private or public, should make every attempt to be all-inclusive to students, not exclusive. LETTERS Accusations fly as MSA elections near.* To the Daily: The Students' Party proposal to increase funding to student groups is flawed. Under this proposal, presidential and vice- presidential candidates Brian Elliott and Fiona Rose would apparently eliminate the fund- ing for ADVICE Magazine and redirect it toward the Budget Priorities Committee. They jus- tify their actions by explaining that ADVICE can be produced just as effectively as an on-line service. They are misinformed. The staff of ADVICE Maga- zine has been working with ITD since the beginning of the year, in an attempt to create an AD- VICEeon-line service on GOpherBLUE. While this pros- pect holds much promise, such an on-line service would only be able to complement the actual publication. Students using such a service on GOpherBLUE would not be able to browse and com- pare courses in the same manner as the magazine allows. If the Students' Party were to implement this drastic proposal and eliminate the budget for ADVICE Magazine, course evaluation at the University would surely suffer. ADVICE Magazine, which has been evaluating courses for more than 15 years, should be above elec- tion politics. Elliott and Rose should carefully consider all the facts before making such rash proposals. Ih SI afanhl conducted Tuesday's meeting in the absence of Vice President Jacob Stern. President Neenan, during the meeting, asked that all mem- bers refrain from "politicking" in MSA chambers and during meetings at this time, two weeks before MSA elections. Near the end of the meeting, two resolu- tions came be- fore the as- "in light c sembly; the first involved Nee eliminating unden MSA partici- actions, v pation in Leadership our ablill 2017, in this resi which presi- dent Neenan (to stul herself par- sev, ticipated. The second in- COmpr volved recall- - Eight MSA ing former "It Is MSA presi- dent and unfortuna, Michigan Students Party member Willingt C r a i g wingti Greenberg such le from the posi- attempt ti tionofStudent Regent Task Michigan Force chair. me to, President Neenan ruled upcoml both of these elect resolutions - Craig G; out of order. Several MSA representatives objected and appealed the deci- If i 'It t Iie ti To the Daily: Over the past two years, no one has worked harder to ad- vance the cause of a student regent than MSA President Julie Neenan or myself. Because I passionately care about this is- sue, but was unable to achieve this goal while MSA president, I accepted the position of President chair of the ian's MSA Task Force on Stu- DcratiC dent Repre- e feel that sentation on the Board of Vto fulfill Regents last Dnsibility year because ents) is I felt I could do a very rely good job fur- nised." thering this cause. Over epresentatives the past year, truly I believe I e trulhave; the stu- e that the dent body is Party is closer to hav- stoop to a repre- vs In an serve in some trash the official ca- P and pacity than party n ever before. vin the Unfortu- g MVISAnately, I now am resigning ion." my chair, not enberg because I have done a poor job, but because I do not wish to give the petty political my recall for an absurd reason. It is utterly horrific that the Students' Party is politicizing the issue of a student regent, for such partisan banter will cer- tainly lead to its detriment. It is an idea they say they support, yet their actions prove other- wise. First, at last month's re- gents' meeting, a Students' Party leader incomprehensibly rambled through a poorly writ- ten speech supporting a student regent. The speech was so bad that it prompted one regent to tell MSA President Neenan, "There went your issue." Now, two weeks before the MSA election, three weeks be- fore my one year-term as chair ends, and the night after Presi- dent Neenan and I began a new round of negotiations with the regents on our latest proposal, they amazingly decide I am no longer doing a good job. There is certainly room for partisan politics in MSA. Yet on this issue, which has the near- unanimous support of all stu- dents, there is no such room - partisan politics merely hurt this cause, rather than further it. It is truly unfortunate_ that the Stu- dents' Party is willing to stoop to such lows in an attempt to trash the Michigan Party and me to win the upcoming MSA election. Such tactics show they are more interested in playing the politics of destruction than working to construct a more ef- fective student government. HOW TO CONTACT IEM University Regent Daniel Homing (R-Grand Haven) 600 S. Beacon Blvd. Grand Rapids, MI 49417 University Regent Nellie Varner (D-Detroit) 771 East 8 Mile Rd., Suite 223 University Regent Rebecca McGowan (D-Ann Arbor) 2210 Melrose Ave. Ann Arbor, MI 48104 University Regent Philip Power (D-Ann Arbor) 412 E. Huron, P.O. Box 7989