4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, October 22, 1997 IIIE £it1ign ilg 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan JOSH WHITE Editor in Chief ERIN MARSH Editorial Page Editor Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of the Dailys editorial board. All other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily. FROM THE DAILY Reno.uing rhetodc NOTABLE QUOTABLE,, 'We've known that many of the men who batter their wives and girlfriends are also abusing the children. We can't treat one problem independent of the other.' - Lynda Baker director ofthe Wayne County Coordinating Council to Prevent Domestic Violence JORDAN YOUUNG N5E UP rra \. ? ("" /,}( +T> ;,Qt,,,1 S Tt ^&" Y 4 "C-H -A n!O V istwL4 o- 11 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Symposium must W ith the recent class-action lawsuit filed against the University, debate over affirmative action continues to rage on campus. This means that all too fre- quently, debates about affirmative action amount to little more than accusations of racism on both sides. However, discussion about the way affirmative action actually works is frequently overshadowed by emo- tional debate. The Michigan Student Assembly plans to shift the focus to information - by sponsoring a much-needed symposium on affirmative action. The goal of the sympo- sium, which is scheduled to take place in November, is to teach students about affir- mative action through a series of lectures presenting both sides of the issue. MSA's plan should prove very helpful. It should allow students to form their own opinions on affirmative action based on factual information. Because affirmative action is such a hot topic, unbiased opin- ions can be difficult to find. Many people feel very strongly about it, but too often the opinions they put forth are rooted in misrepresentations. The symposium should allow students to learn about affir- mative action in an environment free of political posturing and angry debate. It is important that the lectures remain objective; anything else would defeat the purpose of the symposium. It is also nec- essary for MSA to use discretion in plan- ning the symposium and selecting its focus on the facts speakers, to make sure that what should be an educational experience does not degen- erate into a shouting match. The goal is instruction, not confrontation. It is important that students learn more about the specific issues of affirmative action. The debate over diversity is one that must be won by reason, not through emotion and shouting. The fate of affirma- tive action at the University should not be decided based on widespread misconcep- tion - knowledge is the best way to ensure that it is not. It is encouraging to see that some effort is being made to educate the public about affirmative action. As long as MSA's sym- posium meets its goal of objective instruc- tion, it should be a good way of teaching people about the issues at hand, as well as opening up a reasonable debate on diversi- ty. And it is clear that reasonable discus- sion about affirmative action is necessary. If the question of affirmative action is ever to be resolved, some sort of consensus on diversity must be reached. But this cannot occur if people are not well informed. Finally, it is important that students attend the symposium, or else MSA's effort will be wasted. If students wish to continue in the debate, it would serve all parties well to supplement their education with academic discourse on affirmative action. If diversity is to succeed, it cannot be struck down by ignorance. The riit to die State should legalize physician-assisted suicide C urrently, the U.S. Supreme Court refuses to recognize assisted suicide as a constitutional right, delegating legisla- tive power on the issue to the states. Of the states, only Oregon has legalized assisted suicide, while 35 states have banned it - including Michigan. Although legislation and debate on this matter is bouncing around legislatures nationwide, the popular consensus is not being heard. The U.S. Supreme Court must realize that the diffi- cult issues surrounding assisted suicide should be reconciled by individuals, in concurrence with the medical profession - politicians have no right to interfere. The Oregon law states that patients age 18 or older, who have an incurable illness that doctors conclude will lead to death within the next six months, have the right to seek medication for the purpose of end- ing their lives "in a humane and dignified manner." The patients must undergo a 15- day waiting period, during which a psychi- atric analysis is administered, before they may receive a prescription. This law was passed by a state voter referendum in 1994 and is up for repeal on another referendum next month. But according to a poll in The Portland Oregonian, 63 percent of those surveyed opposed repealing the assisted suicide law. The Oregon legislature should be commended for delegating the lawmak- ing power on this issue to the people, as well as setting an example for other states. The law is a stride toward further protec- tion of individual rights. The 14th amendment to the U.S. Constitution grants the right to liberty. Denying individuals the right to die, under circumstances where death is inevitable and pain is extreme, violates their 14th amendment rights. The U.S. Supreme Court, by not inter- fering in Oregon's assisted suicide law, makes it apparent that debate over this, issue is far from over, and that there is still question over the constitutionality of assisted suicide rights. States need to embrace the court's decision with open debate as the door has been left open to enact "death-with-dignity" legislation. In Michigan, lawmakers are divided over putting the assisted suicide legislation on the ballot. Dr. Ronald Bishop, a retired University physician who received the third annual Jerome Strong ACLU award last Friday for his work on attaining the right to physician-assisted suicide, believes in civil liberties and the rights of the patient. He spends much of his time col- lecting signatures to get the issue on Michigan's ballot. It is people like Dr. Bishop, well-respected members of the medical community, who should be decid- ing the intricacies of assisted suicide. The result of Oregon's vote on whether to repeal the 1994 law will set the prece- dent for future state legislation on assisted suicide. If it is passed, the state will be a laboratory for nationwide study. Oregon, by granting basic civil liberties to its citi- zens, has accomplished what the Supreme Court needs to realize - individuals should have the right to make personal decisions concerning physician-assisted suicide. Campus needs more bike hoops TO THE DAILY: The amount of land that is already devoted to car parking on North Campus is ridicu- lous - especially when one considers the fact that very often there is no space left at mandated bike-locking hoops. This forces bicycle users to lock their bikes to street signs, parking meters, trees, etc. This is clearly unaccept- able. Many students cannot afford a car; many (students and otherwise) want to avoid the hassle of using one and still others see the bicycle as a greener alternative to the automobile. Whatever their reason, it is clear that more bicycle hoops are needed on North Campus. TODD GEE UNIVERSITY STAFF Affirmative action is 'finished' TO THE DAILY: I must say that your edito- rial of Oct. 16 ("Under attack") represented a dying gasp of breath for racial pref- erences at the University. Devoid of any true justifica- tion for racial preferences, you decide to question motives rather than debate the issue at hand. To accuse Rep. Jaye (R-Macomb) and his legislative colleagues of political grandstanding is not only petty, but shows your lack of knowledge about the work of these legislators. The state representatives working to change University admis- sions policies have been long time opponents of affirma- tive action. It has taken them years of effort to come to this point, an amount of time no political opportunist would be patient enough to wait. The Daily will complain about the reasons why people oppose affirmative action for years to come, because you simply cannot justify why racism against whites solves years of racism against blacks. Racism is wrong regardless who is performing it. This is a concept the over- whelming majority of Americans understand, but as usual, University administra- tors think they are above and better than the common American. I attended Rep. Jaye's hearing on racial preferences, and while some would like to suggest otherwise, the fact is that the supporters of affir- mative action were responsi- ble fAr hintal and offenive ter get used to it, it is only a matter of time. MARK FLETCHER UNIVERSITY ALUMNUS Maun misses the point TO THE DAILY: In the Oct. 17 issue of the Daily, Tim Maun wrote a touching defense for a fellow male student accused of sexu- al harassment ("Code hearing was biased against accused man"). Maun wrote, "It is troubling to me that a woman with a history of passing out drunk at a frat house can up and decide she was harassed, and bring very serious charges against another per- son." I agree with Maun that the story is troubling. It is troubling that the accused man felt he "was justified" in grabbing the complainant by the hand and physically pulling her out of the house. Regardless of whether or not she had been "banned" from the house, this man had no right to touch her. Personally, I have serious concerns about Maun if he considers this behavior "healthy flirting." It also trou- bles me that Maun feels that this woman, "doesn't sound like one who would be able to accurately recount the partic- ular evening's events." The Daily explicitly stat- ed that both parties had been drinking and neither were drunk. So why is the man deemed more credible than the woman? Was she too emotional to evaluate the situ- ation clearly? Was she overre- acting? Was she jealous? Was she PMSing? Or does Maun simply feel that women do not tell the truth? Finally, I am disgusted by Maun's insinuation that the accusa- tion was fabricated and by the accused's claim that the woman made up the story for "a women's studies project." While I am sure that they are both dutiful students, I cannot imagine that Maun or the accused would consider risking personal humiliation, public disbelief, invalidation, fear of retaliation and possi- ble injustice for the sake of an 'A.' SARAH NICKELS LSA SENIOR Daily should have covered Nike protest To THE DAILY: I am writing because I was looking at your Daily Online Sunday morning, and was extremely disappointed that vAn fuaied tn ver what tarnished! Whoever it was within the administration who decided on Nike as our outfit- ter made an unwise choice. Funny enough, Nike was there too, and I also got one of their handouts - but I have a hard time believing them over the students. I have to say that I am dis- appointed that the Daily, which I remember as quite a solid student paper, missed coverage of the anti-Nike protest. There was a large number of students there, and I think that what they had to say was definitely noteworthy. .-C.B. RICHARD UNIVERSITY ALUMNUS New policy for RA selection is not fair To THE DAILY: I am writing in regard to the University's new policy that candidates applying for resident staff positions must take Psychology 402. Because of this new policy, resident staff candidates and next years' incoming first- year students are going to be the ones hurting. University Housing praises itself as hav- ing a diverse staff in the resi- dence halls - this should also include academic back- ground. However, as a result of this class, Engineering and Nursing students that want to be on staff will be left out in the cold. As an engineer, most of our humanities and social science requirements are fin- ished by the middle of our sophomore year. Because of this, the psych class would count for nothing toward our major. It is hard enough to graduate from Engineering in four years without having to take classes that will not count towards your major. What is the point of hav- ing free room and board when you have to pay the University a few thousand dollars in tuition to be on staff? Also, candidates will not find out if they have been chosen until the middle of February. Housing is nice enough to let candidates know before the drop-add deadline if they have been selected, but what if you are one of the unlucky people not to be chosen! If you drop the class, you might fall below the minimum number of cred- it hours to keep a scholarship, or receive financial aid. So how does this affect next year's incoming stu- dents? Well, because of this new requirement, the number of applicants is down signifi- cantly from last year. Not only will there be less quali- fied applicants to choose from, the backgrounds of the ,api'c rzhi' l i4e eirve Taking a stand for the swoosh Ideology has a habit of stuffing a :1.person into strange positions. Libertarians stick up for pot smokers, Bill of Rights advocates stick up for KKK members, Miller sticks up for Nike. There was an article in last Friday's Daily about The Shoe Pimps and their involvement with the athletic depart- ment. Among the more entertaining quotations was that of a student who said the repeated appear- ance of the Nike logo in sporting events and on ath- letes was "scary." That's a strong word. We are a cynical and relent- JAMES lessly ironic cul- MILLER ture. Not much MILLER scares us. "The ON TAP Shining" and IRS horror stories, maybe, but it's a small pool to choose from. And this is not a minority opinion. Lots of people feel a vague sense of uneasiness about Nike having a such a prominent place in our academic pan- theon, even if they are sneaking in through the athletic department. Why? College athletics is a pricey under-' taking. If the bills for uniforms, trips to South Bend, Ford Explorers and-" other sweathog expenses had to be paid out of the general, tuition dollar fund. there would be no end to the' complaining. The armpit hair types would be shaking their Naomi Wolf books in the air, screaming for the sep- aration of athletics and atate. If the athletic department has the ability to be self-sufficient and financially inde- pendent, let it. What is it that people think Nike is trying to extort from the football team? All they want is their logo to be seen, for the benefit of the three or four Pentecostal hermits who don't have a swoosh burned into their retinas. By way of comparison, the total amount for the 1994-2000 contract with Nike is $7 million. More than $1 billion has already been raised for campus renovation, with another $79 million on the way from the state of Michigan. The phrase drop in the bucket seems to fall short. More like shot glass in Lake Michigan. But there is something else here, and I can smell it like a fart in a car. It's the offended sensibilities of the guilty, wealthy, suburbanite community. (Before I get e-mail from rabid, wild- eyed, Alternative Spring Break bunny huggers about how their years at the Buffy and Todd Prep School opened their eyes to the plight of The Common Man, do me a favor and shut up. I'm an Ann Arbor native. My par- ents bought me a car when I was in high school. I used to donate to Greenpeace. My closet looked like a Banana Republic storeroom. Attention pampered yuppie larvae: I am not your prosecutor, I am your king.) And as guilty liberals on the verge of affluent lives and over-education, money makes us very nervous. We are supposed to be good, little proto- socialists and thumb our noses at cap- italist institutions like Parke-Davis, Nike, Microsoft, Pepsi-Co and the Rolling Stones. That is, capitalist insti- tutions that don't pay our tuition and put on our Ani DeFranco concerts for; us. Nike is a private, capitalist entity, therefore cruel and vile. The- University is a public institution that, teaches us about Oppression,' Marxism, Pity, The Evils Of The, Phallocracy and How To Succeed In The Humanities Without Really Trying. This has nothing to do with Nike's human rights violations, or the, shrinking and screwing of the middle class at the hands of a corpulent, CEO. worshipping culture. It has everything- to do with trying to burn off our sense of guilt over being born privileged,:. wealthy (relatively) and into the easy lifestyle of academia and the whit collar job market. "I'm sorry! I really wanted to be poor, oppressed and cool. It's not my fault - dad's a podiatrist and morn spends her days deciding which hat to wear to the racquet club and which cabana boy to ogle. I tried to join the. Maoist International Movement, but their meetings were at the same time as my field hockey practice. Here, I'll make snide comments about Nike and- The Man. All power to the people, dig? We shall overcome. Right? Muffy and I will help." I am not quite so stupid and priggish in my moralism that I don't think pri- vate money perverts the public on a daily basis. In fact, this is a problem that is being played out before our eyes, in the form of campaign finance reform. But until it can be shown to me that Nike wants something else 0 I 0 I 0 oll How TO CONTACT THEM MAUREEN HARTFORD VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS 6015 FLEMING ANN AROR. MI AR1O-1340 I