4 --The Michigan Daily - Friday, March 22, 1996 $Iw £1d1!aN Dalig 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan RONNIE GLASSBERG Editor in Chief ADRIENNE JANNEY ZACHARY M. RAIMI 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. FROM THE DAILY Get out the vote Students should exercise right in Ann Arbor "NOTABLE QUOTABLE 'The '80s, and so far the '90s, have been an age of repression, an age of conformity.... I look to the newer generation because that's where the brains lie, that's where the hopes lie.' - Film director Oliver Stone, speaking at Hill Auditorium on Wednesday Jim LAssE RSHARP As TOAST START( NG -"o c'MONto... 6. 0 ~ S //, 7200 AM W BOB DOL E 's CAMMIGN L rTUTE LETrERs To THE DffoR Earlier this week, Bob Dole (R-Kan.) clinched the Republican nomination for president - and he did it without the input of mostUniversity students. While student turn- out in the Michigan primary on Tuesday may have been low because only Republicans were on the ballot, it is indicative of the larger problem of University student voting. Stu- dents and the city should work together to better involve students in the democratic process in Ann Arbor. However, the ultimate responsibility for solving the problem of low student turnout rests with students. They should register to vote early, and go to the polls and cast ballots. One ofthe biggest decisions for students who do register to vote is where to register. Many students retain their hometown registration for good reasons. These students remain ac- tive in the politics of their hometowns, even while in Ann Arbor. However, many other students retain their hometown registrations but consistently neglect all but the largest elections, and sometimes they even fail to vote in these. For students who are not regis- tered to vote, they should register in Ann Arbor. Students who are registered at home should consider switching their registration. Ann Arbor politics greatly affect students - the city government deals with issues from crime to off-campus housing. Clearly, students should have a say in these matters, and should take the initiative to exercise their opinions. Furthermore, students are more likely to have contact with their elected rep- resentatives in Ann Arbor than in their home- towns - the University community is con- ducive to student interaction in politics and government. In addition, nearly all students spend the majority of a given year in Ann Arbor. The city should also do its part to foster student voting. At the local level, electoral districts often have a pattern drawn that di- lutes student power. For example, ward lines for City Council seats divide students into several wards. Ann Arbor officials ignore the fact that students live within a fairly well- defined area of the city. They should try to ensure that the student vote is not needlessly diluted by questionable electoral districts. Students comprise an integral part of the Ann Arbor community. They should take the initiative to become more involved in city politics. While some students have a good reason to be registered to vote at home, many others would be better served by voting in Ann Arbor. And the city ofAnn Arbor should make an effort to integrate students into local government, particularly by redrawing dis- trict lines to avoid diluting the student vote. Locals may believe that students are just passing through the city, but the University remains an important part of the community. Wedding vows State should not ban same-sex marriages Many Michigan lawmakers are attempt- ing to pass legislation that would se- verely restrict homosexuals' civil rights. Two bills before the state Legislature would ban same-sex marriages in Michigan and pro- hibit the legal recognition of such marriages performed in other' states. The debate sur- rounding these bills is highly charged with emotion - but emotional arguments must not overshadow common sense, civil rights or the Con- stitution./ Much of the legislation stems from a 1993 Hawaii Supreme Court decision, >? which stated that the denial , ofmarriage licenses to same- sex couples was discrimina- tory, unconstitutional and a, breach of equal protection' under law. Furthermore, the Supreme Court has ruled that marriages taking place in one j state must be recognized in all ofthem. Since the Hawaii decision, conservative groups nationwide have taken up the issue, in an attempt to ban gay and lesbian marriage under the guise of "family values." Proponents of the bills claim the laws would prevent added economic strain to in- surance companies andpension plans. Oppo- nents argue that huge financial costs are associated with same-sex marriages. Just as heterosexual spouses get benefits from their marriage partners - like health insurance, Social Security coverage and joint tax re- turns - advocates believe it is wrong for same-sex marriage partners to receive the benefits. However, same-sex marriages would be treated as equal to heterosexual marriages; anything less is unequal treat- ment and an MATT WIMSATT/Daily infringement on people's civil rights. Rep. Deborah Whyman (R-Canton) introduced the bills before the Legislature ostensibly for economic con- cerns. Yet her words indicate she is mixing messages of hate and fear within the eco- nomic concerns. She said, "Insurance is what's driving their marriage fascination. Because of the increased cases of AIDS in that com- munity, the survivors want the insurance, health and re- tirement benefits." Whyman and others have taken fears Schor is competent leader TO THE DAILY: I am writing in response to your rather uninformed editorial concerning Andy Schor's presentation before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education ("70% representa- tion: MSA reps. slight out- of-state students," 2/23/96). Incredibly, your editorial came to the conclusion that Andy is unconcerned about out-of-state students. This is erroneous for two reasons. First, Schor is an out-of- state student. Obviously, he understands the needs of these students - particu- larly their financial needs. Secondly, Schor was never solicited at all for his opinion regarding this matter. At the time, he was busy representing the needs of all University students before the National Associa- tion of Students for Higher Education, an organization that represents student interests at the federal level. I can only wonder in amazement at the journalis- tic standards that were involved in crafting this piece. Schor has worked extensively to represent the needs of all students, both in state and out of state. Frequently and often without assistance, he has lobbied local, state and federal governments to preserve financial aid programs for students, which are a crucial component necessary to the education of all students. In an atmosphere of apathy, the University community should applaud the hard work of Schor and his tireless efforts on behalf of the entire student body. It is largely because of the leadership of Schor that the MSA External Relations Committee has grown in respect and become a powerful voice representing students on this campus. Andy is a student leader of the highest caliber, and his efforts deserve both the support of the Daily editorial staff and the students of this University. MATT S. CURIN SCHOOL OF PHARMACY MSA REPRESENTATIVE Hockey coverage is sparse TO THE DAILY: I was shocked at the knew that the basketball team, not to mention the football team, just wasn't good enough this year. Yet the Daily spends more time on these sports than on hockey, which is our best chance at winning a national title (not that I am ignoring swimming or other varsity teams, but it's just not the spectator sport that hockey or basketball is). So why don't you start giving credit where credit is due and show a little support for our hockey team! Good luck, guys, in the NCAA tournament! TAMARA SLOAN LSA JUNIOR Michigan Party leaves legacy of nothingness TO THE DAILY: The time has finally arrived. With the warm winds blowing from the west come change and a new perspective on campus politics. The Michigan Party reign will end. Oh, yes it will. Like every ineffective government in history from the dictatorships of Sulla to Stalin, its structure will collapse, revealing that its base was simply a house of cards waiting to fall into ruin. No one will miss (Michigan Student Assem- bly President) Flint Wainess when he steps down, just as no one missed (former presidents Craig) Greenberg or (Julie) Neenan. He and his party with him will be remembered as do-nothing administration kiss-ups, who were in it for themselves. And does Flint care? No way. He's got his recom- mendation letter from the regents, and he is off to the grad school of his choice. Did he ever care? Maybe. Does it matter anymore? You, as the potential voter, will be approached at some point in this campaign by the Michigan Party. They will come to your frat, e- mail you, or even have the gall to talk to you. What you have to realize is that it is up to you to keep the institu- tionalized party in. If you want things to change, you vote for the candidates interested in change. I just want to inform you that the Michigan Party tells the same story every year, and things just get worse. Tuition hikes, dorm hikes, restriction of civil liberties, increasing incidences of crime and assault, and a MSA needs to improve its image To E DAILY: I've heard that only about 9 percent of the student body votes in Michigan Student Assembly elections. The most probable reason people don't vote is apathy. Why are people apa- thetic? It's not because voting is difficult. Students don't vote because they don't see any purpose in voting. Very few people (if even 9 percent) on campus know what MSA does and how voting can change anything. Sure we know that MSA distributes money back to student groups, but what else does it do? People will not vote or take an interest in something that doesn't affect them. Assuming MSA is important and does affect students, who's at fault for the student's apathy? MSA public relations and The Michigan Daily. If MSA public relations does anything, I don't know much about it. I think I saw one newsletter that described what's going on. I've seen a few advertisements. That's about it. Lately, all I read in the Daily about MSA is gossip. Freedom of expression gives you the right to print bad and useless coverage, but it does not excuse you from responsibility for it. All you print in your paper are discussions of who's being recalled from what position and who failed to be recalled and who is running for what and who doesn't like who. Who cares? Tell me what the issues are. Tell me what candidates stand for. MSA is only a joke because you treat it like a soap opera. The only people that care about the in- fighting are those who are directly involved with MSA. The general public does not care. Want proof? Ask a random person on the street. Chances are, the person will have no clue what's going on in MSA. If there are issues out there, tell us. Leave the personal attacks and gossip to the National Enquirer. DANIEL ROBINSON RC SOPHOMORE Epithet, not To ThE DALY: The subtitle of the March 19 front page story, "Law School react to racial McInoS Cimcsa How to win in MSA, the NCAA andGnek Week Y ou've probably noticed that there are very few people attending your classes lately. There is an explanation. These days, everybody's skipping to get prepared forthe upcoming Michigan Student Assembly election. A couple dozen people are also skipping class to watch the NCAA basketball tournament or to participate in Greek Week, but most are cutting class for the elec-' tion. I've never been in an MSA elec-~ tion. Being an in dependent, I've) never been in Greek Week. For ., some odd reason, BRENT I've never been in MCINTOSH the NCAA basket- ball tournament. These qualifications make me an ideal expert to let you, the reader, in on the secrets to winning these three com- petitions. You may ask what qualifies me to hold forth on the NCAA tournament, with the millions of people who pre- tend to expertise. Remember: Larry Bird, who knows a lot about basket- ball, never won a NCAA title. I, too, never won an NCAA tournament; thus I know a lot about basketball. Of course, winning the NCAA tour- nament is easy. One in every 64 invitees wins it. Winning NCAA tournament pools, on the other hand, is difficult. So, along with Greek Week and MSA elections, I'm going to give you the key towinningtournament pools. Let's get started. U GREEK WEEK: First of all, let's get one thing straight: "Greek Week" is a great name. It rhymes so well. Who- ever decided to change the title from "A Terrific 10-Day Excuse for Frater- nity and Sororities to Skip Class" was not only a masterful spin doctor, but a pretty darn good poet. Forget that few pf those people are really Greek, and that the Week is 10 days long; rhym- ing is crucial. The key to winning Greek Week isnot the Jello Jump, as most Greek Week experts would have you believe. The most important Greek Week event is the Spelling Bee, held today on the Diag. Perhaps you think the whole idea that the Greek system would have a spelling bee is a tad ironic. Banish this thought from your mind: My friends who are Greek assure me that Greeks have higher GPAs on average than independents. True or not, it proves that some Greeks can spell GPA, which is more than I used to give them credit for -- although they may have an unfair advantage, in that GPA is a three-letter word like AX1 or AKE. Before anyone gets all excited, I should assure you that I'm joking. But I can tell you that the best way to win the spelling bee is to inquire ofpoten- tial brothers and sisters during rush, "So, won any national or international spelling bees lately? No? Well, I'm sure I Felta Thigh down the street is still giving bids." U NCAA TOURNAMENT POOLs: Like Greek Week, the NCAA tournament is a great reason to skip class. Greek Week, however, will probably be won by a team from Michigan. Despite that, the tournament can be an obsession. The key to true enjoy- ment is making money off it. And unless your name is CBS, the best way to snag the fat bucks is to win an NCAA tournament pool. The conventional wisdom here is to pick the team with the tougher mascot in each game. This is nonsense. Wer it true, would the Orangemen of Syra- cuse really have beaten both Grizzlies and Dragons in the same week? My tip: Only pick teams that are actually in the tournament. Teams like London School of Economics and Washtenaw Community College are bad choices. N MSA ELECTIONs: The parties here are all highly concerned with our wel- fare - as they post a couple millio tree-killing fliers all over campus. This is most true of the Students' .Party, which has pasted 4,570 copies of Jonathan Freeman and Olga Savic's photo in Angell Hall alone. And what a photo it is! If you haven't seen it, run into the hall and look at it. What comes to mind? Yes -"Wheel of Fortune": Freeman looks every bit like a friendly yet businesslike Pat Sajak, with the Vanna-esque Savic affectionately grip- ping his shoulder. This cutesiness, however, is not the key to winning MSA elections. The key is to lie. A lot. With promises no one could ever keep. For example, promise to abolish the presidency of the University. Then and used them to further intolerance, claim- ing to adhere to "family values." Whyman is calling for heterosexuals to "show their solidarity to the traditional fam- ily unit." Instead, she should call for an upholding of civil rights and an end to intol- erance. Each state shouldrecognize Hawaii's same-sex marriage laws. How TO CONTACT THEM CYNTHIA WILBANKS ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS 6084 FLEMING ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ANN ARBOR, MI 48109-1340 763-5554 ANN ARBOR CITY COUNCIL TOBI HANNA-DAVIES (0-1ST WARD), PATRICIA VEREEN-DIXON (D-1ST WARD), DAVID KWAN (R-2ND WARD), JANE LUMM (R-2ND WARD), JEAN CARLBERG (D-3RD WARD), HEIDI COWLING HERRELL (D-3RD WARD), PATRICK PUTMAN (R-4TH WARD), STEPHEN HARTWELL (D-4TH WARD), ELISABETH DALEY (0-5TH WARD),