it I4an t rnR Wwather Tonight: Mixture of rain and snow, low around 30*. Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy, ligh snow, high in the mid'30s. t One /uwidred six years of editon7alfreedom Thursday December 5, 1996 MIk si/-. ;J~ M.. ?. ..~a n : ..5 rS4..'~i Y .: L . :; '6S¢ o ' Ah N'2+: 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