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One /uwidred six years of editon7alfreedom
Thursday
December 5, 1996
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8 DAYS OF LIGHT
A2gay
praise
couples
Hawaii
Neo-Nazi
fliers planted
hi 'U' books
By Ann Stewart
Daily Staff Reporter
Student leaders say they are concerned after learning that
white supremacist fliers have been found in books at the
Undergraduate Library.
Rackham student Paul Lefrak, a member of the Free
Mumia Coalition, an extension of the Anti-Racist Action net-
work on campus, said the group is trying to gather informa-
* about the distribution of hidden neo-Nazi materials at
the University.
"This is something we take very, very seriously," Lefrak
said.
Lefrak obtained a copy of a neo-Nazi flier proclaiming
"Hitler was right'" after another student found it tucked inside
a book about the Holocaust at the Shapiro Undergraduate
Library on Nov. 22.
Head of Communications and Public Relations for
University Libraries Janis Giannini said a number of such
i cidents have come to the library's attention over the "past
weeks."
But she said similar incidents occurred as long as two
years ago in the graduate library, and students said they saw
right-wing or racist fliers in the undergraduate library earlier
this school year.
"(These are) the kinds of things that do happen periodical-
ly," said Bill Gosling, assistant director for technical services
and library systems.
Giannini said students come across the fliers accidentally
marriage ruling
By Ajit K. Thavarajah
Daily Staff Reporter
After years of being unable to marry. Ronni
Sanlo and Kathy Lindblad may soon be able to
realize their dream of a same-sex marriage,
following Tuesday's historic decision in
Hawaii.
Hawaii Circuit Court Judge Kevin Chang said
the Hawaiian state government had failed to estab-
lish a compelling state interest to justify prohibit-
ing same-sex marriages.
Yesterday, Chang granted a stay, putting the rul-
ing on hold for at least a year, while the state
appeals to Hawaii's Supreme Court.
Sanlo, director of the University's Lesbian, Glay
and Bisexual Programs Office, said she anticipat-
ed the decision with caution.
"I had anticipated Judge Chang's decision to be
in favor of the marriages. When I heard the deci-
sion I felt overly joyed but was cautious because of
the appeal process that will probably take place for
at least another month," she said.
Sanlo asserted that Chang's decision will not be
overruled.
"I strongly feel that decision will hold up.
There will be opposition in other states who
passed laws recently, like Michigan, but they
will most likely be ruled unconstitutional.
With that in mind, I decided to ask my partner
to go to Hawaii to get married. Hopefully it
will happen very soon."
Sanlo stressed the importance of being recog-
nized in society as being married for legal and per-
sonal issues.
"It's a little scary thinking about what could
happen without being recognized to be married. If
I died tomorrow, my partner has no legal right to
claim the children that we have raised together. We
also are forced to pay higher taxes that married
couples are exempt from. That simply isn't fair,"
she said.
"It's very important we have children, we have
grandchildren that includes us as part of the fami-
ly. There is no way to legitimize our relationship.
For this law to pass - it gives us hope to finally
have the opportunity to have a recognized com-
mitment in society."
Ryan LaLonde, a member of Queer Unity
Project, said he couldn't believe Chang's deci-
sion.
Flier Contents
I e fliers left in
niversity Library books
included a list of ways
"Hitler was right," such
as:
"when he sought
peace among the peoples
of Europe and the world"
* "when he raised the
'nner of Aryan truth"
N "when he showed
mankind a better way"
some materials over to the
when checking books out
because the information is
stuffed inside the pages "so
they don't stick out." She said
library staff responded by
seeking material out in books
and removing it when found.
"The library's standard
practice is to remove the
material," Gosling said. "It
doesn't belong iii the books."
Giannini said the fliers
were found throughout the
undergraduate library but par-
ticularly in books on the his-
tory of the Holocaust.
She said the library handed
Department of Public Safety and
JOE WESTRATE/Daily
Rabbi Aharon Goldstein, director of the Chabad House, places lanterns on the 1S-
foot Menorah on Hill Street yesterday.
Studen11ts prepare
for Hnukka
JENNIFER BRADLEY SWIFT/Daily
LGBPO Director Ronni Santo displays a photo of
herself and her longtime partner yesterday.
l was a little skeptical about the'idea of same-
sex marriages ever occurring during my lifetime. I
had the idea that it was something so unattainable
in present society," LaLonde said. "Hopefully the
appeal of the decision will not change Judge
Chang's decision."
LaLonde also said he believed the prejudice that
plagues the gay community will only be alleviated
when future generations take over.
"For us to have true equality, we must wait
till the older generations pass on. I look at the
future generations and see the ideas that they
have and am very impressed with their knowl-
edge and maturity with these subjects,"
LaLonde said.
Bob Edwards, president of Ann Arbor Parents,
Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, also
said "he feels the decision will be met with little
opposition.
"At work yesterday, the general response to the
decision has been overwhelmingly positive.
See MARRIAGES, Page 2A
has worked with DPS in dealing with the problem.
Giannini said no single group or person has been positive-
ly identified by staff as circulating the fliers.
The flier in Lefrak's possession identifies an organization
called "New Order" and gives a Milwaukee post office box
number. He said he found through research that the group
may have sprung from the American Nazi Party.
efrak said the FMC/ARA has taken steps to find out
more about the possible existence of neo-Nazi activity in the
community.
"We're basically monitoring it," Lefrak said. "We've been
aware that racist fliers were distributed in neighborhoods in
Ann Arbor."
Hillel's Governing Board Chair Anthony Scaglione called
the placing of such fliers in library books a "depraved and
deplorable act" and said it is a sign that racism remains close
by.
'It shows how far the University still has to go before we
a truly open, tolerant and multicultural community,"
See FLIERS, Page 2A
By Bram Elias
Daily Staff Reporter
There's no place like home for the
holidays, and for Jewish students at the'
University, that's too bad.
In past years, Hanukkah has over-
lapped somewhat with winter break.
giving students the option of returning
home to celebrate. This year, Hanukkah
coincides with final exams.
Jewish students are observing the
holiday in a number of different ways,
and while some look forward to a tradi-
tional celebration, many said they are
finding it hard to prioritize Hanukkah
ahead of school commitments.
"It's more difficult (to celebrate) this
year, because it's so near finals" said
LSA senior Jessica Kirzner. "In a way,
we have to take time out of our sched-
ule to celebrate, and it's a little tough"
The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah
begins tonight at sundown. Because the
Jewish calendar changes in length from
year to year, holidays move around on
the Gregorian calendar.
Strict observation of Hanukkah lasts
for eight nights and concludes Dec. 13,
but is more cultural than religious, said
Rabbi Naftali Kirzner, the assistant
director of the Jewish Resource Center,
located on Hill Street.
"Families get together, and eat potato
pankakes, or latkes, and oil-cooked
donuts, or sufkafiyot," he said. "Of
course, they also light candles. These
traditions stem from the story of
Hanukkah."
The actual story took place in the
year 165 B.C., Rabbi Kirzner said.
"The Greeks overtook the second
Jewish temple, and kicked out the Jews
patrolling the area," he said. "The Jews,
led by Judah Maccabee, fought back
and beat the Greeks. The Jews used to
light a pronged candelabra, or
Menorah, every day, but when they
returned to the temple, the sacred oil
had been defiled by the Greeks."
See HOLIDAY, Page 9A
'U' cops, community join for.safety
Court tackles debate
on 'English only' issue
Los Angeles Times It was immediately challenged in federal court
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court's long- in a lawsuit filed bya Latino state employee who
awaited argument over whether the voters can handled medical malpractice claims. The plaintiff,
force the government to use "English only" turned Maria-Kelley Yniquez, said she often had to speak
instead into an hourlong debate yesterday in a lan- Spanish and write settlement orders in Spanish for
guage familiar to lawyers only. residents who did not speak English.
The justices and the opposing attorneys argued While the initiative allowed the use of other Ian-
over whether anyone in the case had "standing" to guages in medical or police emergencies, it did not
be heard in court. They discussed whether the case appear to allow the use of Spanish in routine deal-
had become "moot" years ago when the original ings with Spanish-speaking residents.
plaintiff quit her state job. And they argued over Nonetheless, the state attorney general said he
whether any court now had "jurisdiction" to rule would not enforce the measure against employees
on the constitutional issue. such as Yniquez who were doing the day-to-day
In the end, three conclusions seemed apparent. business of state government.
First, the justices will not issue an opinion on Rather than simply dismiss the suit as the state's
the far-reaching question of whether "English lawyers suggested, a federal judge in Phoenix
only" laws violate the First Amendment rights of declared the entire initiative "void and invalid on
Spanish-speaking public its face (because it is)
employees. in violation of the First
Second, the court will Why didn't this end? Amendment."
toss out on procedural State officials chose
grounds a liberal deci- Why didn't that resoil e not to appeal.
sion of the U.S. appeals However, the citizens
court that struck down a it?" group- that sponsored
1988 Arizona "English- the imitiatwve,
only" initiative. The - Ruth Bader Ginsberg Arizonans for Official
appeals court should not Supreme Court justice English, did appeal.-
have ruled on the matter, In the meantime,
the justices seemed to agree. Yniquez quit her job -- a development that could
Third, and perhaps most important, the justices have rendered the case moot. But the 9th U.S.
may reinstate the Arizona initiative, the nation's Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said she
strictest "English only" measure. still had standing because Yniquez could have
If so, it will likely reinvigorate the heated debate been awarded damages. A three-judge panel of the
over the extent to which the government should or court then agreed, in 1992, that the measure was
should not accommodate people who do not speak unconstitutional, and the full appeals court
English. It also will mean still more litigation. affirmed this conclusion on a 6-5 vote last year.
Eighteen states have laws on the books that say The Supreme Court, more inclined to uphold
By Meg Exley
Daily Staff Reporter
Representatives from all over campus held a
last night that focused on campus safe-
ty, highlighting South Quad Council's Safety
Week.
This was the first organized discussion
panel on public safety held on campus this
school year. South Quad's Safety Week was
created at the request of Coordinator of
Residence Education Ellen Shannon, follow-
ing a sexual assault that occurred in South
Quad's Gomberg House earlier this semester.
"After the Gomberg incident, the whole
*lding was placed on a high alert status," said
Albert Garcia, vice president of South Quad
Council. "In a cooperative effort with Housing,
the Department of Public Safety, Housing
Security and Shannon, South Quad Council
aims to increase overall student awareness."
Garcia said that after the assault at South