4 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, September 24, 1996

clbhe Midtijgttn mItg

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 ofthe majority of the Daily ' editorial board. All
other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily relect the opinion of The Michigan Daily
FROM THE DAILY

Dars

se" nse

NOTABLE QUOTABLE
'You live where you slept the last two or three
nights in a row. You should vote where you live.'
- The Rev. Jesse Jackson, encouraging students to vote in Ann Arbor;
during a speech at Mary Markley Hall on Sunday night
YUKI KUNIYUKI GROUND ZERO
E EEOU
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

MSA should pass proposed budget
The Michigan Student Assembly may requested, the detail of the chairs' proposals
never completely erase the negative and the direct effect they would have.

reputation it earned in the 1980s when the
student fees it collected were misspent on
exorbitant trips, and self-serving commit-
tees. However, MSA President Fiona Rose
and Vice President Probir Mehta are trying
to set that reputation aside. This year's bud-
get, which Rose and Mehta proposed last
Tuesday, favors prudent and student-cen-
tered policies.
MSA has approximately a $205,000
budget, primarily derived from the collec-
tion of a fee of $2.69 per student per
semester. That leaves MSA with the heavy
burden of showing 36,000 students the
large sum collected was used efficiently.
This year's budget should increase the
direct benefits to the average student.
The budget would raise the funding for
the Budget Priorities Committee - the
group in charge of funding student groups
- by about $7,000, giving it $90,000. If
this year's BPC chairs Karie Morgan and
John Lopez deliver on their pledge to avoid
the poor planning and administration that
plagued last year's BPC, the budget should
allow increases in the number of student
groups funded and the amounts they
receive. BPC creates MSA's most tangible
benefit to the University community - it
funds hundreds of programs and involves
thousands of students.
While the proposed increase acknowl-
edges the importance of funding student
groups, BPC needs to ensure, through
improvements in fund management, that
student groups have the opportunity to
maximize the added money.
Several other MSA sub-groups are slat-
ed to receive increases in funding. Rose and
Mehta said they solicited budget proposals
from all of the committee chairs and took
into account the viability of the amount

Some groups benefiting in this year's
budget are Minority Affairs Commission,
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered
Issues Commission and the Women's Issues
Commission. All of these groups have
begun student outreach programs and
scheduled speaker series. The chairs of
these committees turned in detailed funding
requests, and therefore should receive the
full amount outlined. Should other MSA
groups need additional funding, they will
be able to request money from the
Committee Discretionary fund.
The Ann Arbor Tenants Union is slated
to receive an additional $1,000. In past
years, funding the AATU divided the
assembly along strict party lines. The
AATU has consolidated its operating costs
in recent years, while continuing to meet its
commitment to student renters, who get
about 60 percent of AATU's resources.
AATU directly helps students; MSA should
vote for the proposed increase.
The increased funding to many groups is
a direct result of Rose and Mehta's cam-
paign promise to streamline the day-to-day
expenses of MSA. The administrative oper-
ations costs, which included office supplies,
expenses, bills and cleaning and mainte-
nance, has been reduced by $1,400.
Also, the budget would reduce the MSA
payroll by $15,000. The money would come
from a reduction in office and election com-
mission staff, and the joining of several
staff roles.
The assembly needs to stand behind this
budget, averting the derisive debate that tra-
ditionally has surrounded its yearly
approval. Passing this budget would be
precedent-setting, cementing a commitment
to efficient government - and to student
groups.

Abortion showdown
Senate must uphold Clinton's veto

Spelling woes
undermine
credibility
TO THE DAILY:
Why are there always
spelling errors in the Daily?
Do you guys ever edit your
paper? Even worse, they are
often in the headlines.
For instance, last Friday
(9/20/96) on Page 3 the head-
line was "Some students,
staff missing credit cars."
I was wondering what a
"credit car" was so I read the
article and found out that you
meant credit card.
The liberal Daily loses
what little credibility it has
when it makes those idiotic
errors.
TIM POHANKA
ENGINEERING SENIOR
Conservative
revolution is
beginning
TO THE DAILY:
(Dean) Bakopoulos' piece
from last Thursday ("The
right revolution is dead,"
9/19/96) necessitates a
response, if for no other rea-
son than the fact that it is
grievously flawed.
Bakopoulos asserts that,
"People are sick of men who
are against women who hap-
pen to be opinionated, intelli-
gent, talented ...
While these sentiments
may indeed be valid,
Bakopoulos demonstrates
great ignorance in implicat-
ing conservative men as bear-
ers of these sentiments.
Hillary aside, I am an
opinionated, intelligent, tal-
ented and undaunted woman,
and you cannot convince me
that women such as myself
are affronted by Republican,
conservative men. If any-
thing, their honor, moral con-
viction and work ethic per-
fectly complement things that
I believe in and strive for as
an ambitious, single
American woman. The mutu-
al respect created by these
attributes is unmatched in
any other circle of political
philosophy.
I also wish to address
Bakopoulos' assertions on
hardship. I certainly sympa-
thize with his example of a
single, working woman striv-
ing to do the best she can
within very limited means.
I am an out-of-state stu-
dent here at the University,
receiving absolutely no
financial aid of any kind. I
am often frustrated by these
circumstances, but I choose
to act productively, rather
than vent my whining
through a logically-flawed

O nce again, demagoguery has over-
shadowed facts in the abortion debate.
Last Thursday, the U.S. House of
Representatives voted 285-137 to overturn
President Clinton's veto on a bill banning
intact dilation and evacuation abortions -
the "partial-birth abortion." The vote was a
mere four votes more than the necessary
two-thirds majority needed to override a
presidential veto.
To complete the overturn of the veto,
abortion opponents must now gather
enough votes for a two-thirds majority in
the Senate. This must not happen or else
conservative forces will have been success-
ful in limiting a woman's right to choose by
banning a specific type of abortion.
Last April, amid a lot of publicity and
truth-bending, Congress voted to ban the
"partial-birth abortion." Conservatives
called the procedure grisly and inhumane;
they tried to make Americans believe the
procedure was common.
Lost in all the emotional rhetoric were
some important facts. The actual procedure
is disturbing in description. The fetus is par-
tially delivered feet-first through the birth
canal before the brain is removed. The pro-
cedure is done in the late months of preg-
nancy. Opponents of the bill asserted that
the procedure was in wide-spread use and
that mothers who had carried a fetus for
nine months just then decided to have an
abortion - a change of heart or a form of
birth control.

abnormalities with the fetus that would
threaten life outside the womb or when the
mother has serious health problems that
would negatively affect a safe delivery.
Clinton was correct to veto the bill last
April. Women have the right to an abortion
- a freedom that is protected by law.
Republicans have resorted to demagoguery
and to purporting falsehoods. Republican
stories of women having this procedure
when they discover the fetus has a cleft lip
are nonsensical. Women who have this pro-
cedure could be endangering their lives, or
the lives of the unborn, if they carry the
child to term.
This bill, like most political issues, has
fallen prey to election-year shenanigans.
Republican congressional leaders decided
to wait five months - and six weeks before
the election - to vote on whether to over-
turn the veto. Republicans believe this issue
sets a clear difference between the two can-
didates, which it does.
But, through trickery and deceit,
Republicans are trying to steal the moral
highground. Already, leading Republicans
describe Clinton's actions as "defending the
indefensible." The veto is not indefensible
- instead, it is imperative.
Clinton showed conviction last April by
resisting the rhetoric of the debate and veto-
ing the ban. Conservative forces are facing
an uphill struggle in the Senate, where the
bill passed last April 54-44, well short of
the two-thirds needed to override. The
enaite shouild he mocre sensible thani the

tion in this country has only
just begun, due to the impas-
sioned actions of like-minded
youth, who are adamantly
opposed to maintaining the
status quo.
Bakopoulos, get used to
us, because we are not going
anywhere.
Finally, Bakopoulos, I
must say that I was amused
by your closing thoughts on
how to best deal with the
College Republican's campus
chalkings; you see, these are
the differences between you
and us: decency and good
taste.
AMY M. PAULSEN
LSA SOPHOMORE
Columnist
degrades
Republicans
TO THE DAILY:
For the second column in
a row, James Miller has
unjustly and quite blatantly
perpetuated the stereotypes
of Republicans and conserva-
tives alike, without regard to
accuracy or truth
("Republican bullies target
the most basic of freedoms,"
9/18/96).
Now, if you replace
Republicans, with say, blacks,
and replace their stereotype
with the one you use against
Republicans, what do you
have?
The same thing. I know
that Republicans are not a
race, but I am sure I speak
for many Republicans and
others alike that your rhetoric
is shameful and unjournalis-
tic.
Why must you blame all
of your problems on the
GOP?
In case you didn't realize,
there were Democrats who
were in favor of the Defense
of Marriage Act, but why do
you choose not to recognize
them?
Members of the
Republican Party are
nowhere close to living up to
the stereotypes you have cre-
ated.
Republicans believe in
rugged individualism, in that
everyone and anyone has the
right to achieve on their own.
For the sake of the Daily,
I hope you choose to vary
your column topics in the
upcoming semester.
And if you choose to prej-
udicially bash Republicans
again, please make a valid
point instead of spewing off
your hate message.
To quote you, your "stu-
pidity and immoral (column
writing) is born from fear
and opportunity."
Well, Miller, you hit the
nail right on the head with
that one.
DAVID TAUB

ITD offers
many options
TO THE DAILY:
Thank you for the support
you expressed in your Sept.
20 editorial "Get in line: ITD
is working hard to fix com-
puters." The Information
Technology Division is
indeed making every effort to
keep the equipment at
Campus Computing Sites up
and running smoothly.
The Angell Hall
Courtyard Site, although only
one of many sites, is the most
popular, and we haven't
abandoned our waitlist poli-
cy. We expect to have a new
queuing system ready in two
weeks in time for the mid-
term crunch. When all sta-
tions are in use, those waiting
for a machine will be given a
number. Floor monitors will
assist in identifying available
machines to the front desk;
front desk monitors will call
out numbers as machines
become available. Let us
know what you think of this
new system once it's in place.
The Angell site is crowd-
ed around mid-terms and
finals. Students should
become familiar with the
many other computing sites
available to them. Housing
residents can use any of the
ResComp Sites in residence
halls; all students can use any
of the 15 Campus Computing
Sites on Central Campus
(Michigan Union lower level,
1000 NUBS, 3010 School of
Education, second floor
Shapiro Undergraduate
Library, 110 Dana, 2065
Frieze, B344 Dental School,
3950 Taubman Medical
Library, G442 School of
Public Health II, 4210
School of Nursing, 120 West
Hall, Angell Hall Courtyard);
and on North Campus
(Media Union, 2016 Art &
Architecture, 2231 School of
Music.) Although the number
of machines down at any one
time is a little higher than
last year, this average is
expected to decrease; one of
our three technicians has
moved to another position
and our new technician is
still in training.
Also, it should be noted
that the former lTD computer
repair center serviced equip-
ment outside the division;
ITD continues to maintain
technical staff for servicing
equipment at Campus
Computing and ResComp
Sites. As all central
University units, we operate
on a limited budget, so we
always appreciate hearing
your realistic ideas for
improving our systems.
Please send your sugges-
tions through e-mail to
sites.suggestions@umich. edu.
Liz SALLEY
OPERATIONS MANAGER,
ITn r (A Aft IC C(0nxa11 TN

QtAND ILIMSION
A generation a1
risk: Youth and
HIV infection
aren is an honors student at a Big
asTen university. majoring in jour-
nalism. Raised in an upper-class sub-
urb of Chicagzo she was valeditor~
and a star tennis player in high scho
In college she
studied a little,
drank a little, and
had a little sex.
Sound pretty
much like you? "
Well it is, pretty
much. The differ-
ence is that Karen
is HIV-positive.
Straight, upper-
middle class and
HI V-positive. SAMUEL
Every genera- GOODSTEIN
tion has a defining
issue. My generation's is destined to
be AIDS. Anywhere between 40,000
and 80.000 people in the United States
are infected with HIV each year, and
fully one-quarter of them are between
the ages of 13 and 21. In other wor
one under-21 American becomes HI
positive between every half-hour and
hour of every day. Long considered a
disease for gay men and drug users
alone, AIDS is spreading into the sub-
urbs and the heartland with a
vengeance, redefining who is at risk:
Now, it is our entire generation, gay or
straight, black or white, male or
female. Indeed, the demographics of
the disease have changed since its out-
break in the early 1980s - whileo
14 percent of adolescents with AlIP
were females in 1987, that number is
43 percent today, and rising. The dis-
ease, of course, is a worldwide crisis,
with over seven million infected peo-
ple between the ages of 15 and 24.
I don't have the eloquence to
describe what this disease means to
the people who have been personally
touched by it, and the facts alone,are
more powerful than any words I coi.
write. I can only express a hope, a faint
hope that things may turn around -
without some hope, how can you think
of the millions upon millions who Will
die'? Fortunately, this summer was the
most hopeful time since the outbreak
of the epidemic. A worldwide AIDS
conference in Vancouver served as the
stage for scientists to promote the
development of new protease
inhibitors, three drugs used in com
nation that have been so successful
some patients that the virus has gone
down to levels of undetectability. The
conference also allowed researchers
and policy makers from around the
world a chance to share information
and brainstorm.
I am not a scientist, and I don't know
a thing about biology. I do know that
there are a few common-sense things
that could easily be done to reduce
transmission of AIDS. First of a,
Congress and the president - whoev-
er it is - should continue to raise
funding for medical research, espe-
cially given the hopeful news about
protease inhibitors.
Second, prevention and educatin
should be given dramatic increases in
federal funding. Currently, an embar-
rassing 1 percent of federal spending
on AIDS goes to education and pre-
vention, even though this is the o4
way to prevent new cases. Local

schools should have mandatory AIDS
education, and condoms should be dis-
tributed for free to high schoolers.
While conservatives -may whine that
this signals the decline in western
morals, they should wake up and real-
ize that three quarters of high school-
ers have sex before they graduate, and
only one-half of sexually active hi
schoolers use condoms.
Third, the federal government
should initiate a nation-wide clean
needle program, whereby anybody can
get free clean needles from local clin-
ics. Such a program was tried out in
New York, and it was conclusively
demonstrated that it saved a signifi-
cant number of people from being
infected with HIV Again, those who
cry that this will promote drug use
should know that a heroin addict
going to shoot up until the day he or
she is cured, regardless of the needle
available. Besides, if you can buy a
bong at your local drug paraphernalia
store, why can't people get needles to
stay alive?
Fourth, funding should be increased
for the promotion of vaginal microbi-
sides, which would allow females to
protect themselves from HIV infe-
tion. Currently, females can't prot
themselves; only the male wearing a
condom can ensure safe sex. Finally,
better resources are needed in many
areas for HIV counseling and testing.
For too many people, there is a lack of
access to voluntary and confidential
4'A"t'N .L+ Y' . O.,. 1Ydln,^ ~tr