4A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 2, 1998
G E SidituIug EDatig
What's next?
The Bill Clinton
4
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by
students at the
University of Michigan
LAURIE MAYK
Editor in Chief
JACK SCHILLACI
Editorial Page Editor
Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the 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
Adgocade for 'U'
Editorial page stands for students' ierests
'Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press,
and that cannot be limited without being lost.'
- Thomas Jefferson
KAAMRAN HAFEEZ As IT HAPPENS
E T ERSANKY) T r TEEDTR
oilf
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The student voice is a unique and ever-
changing thing. Over the years, stu-
dents have changed the methods they use to
express their views and beliefs.
Technological advancements, such as the
proliferation of e-mail and the World Wide
Web, have ushered in an entirely new arena
in which students can express themselves.
But with each step forward, there appears
new regulations to squelch the freedom of
expression.
Thirty years ago, University students were
known for their riots, protests and sit-ins. The
Fleming Administration Building was
designed to withstand the wrath of angry riot-
ers outside. The attendees of a University
Board of Regents meeting once had to escape
through the underground tunnels because
they feared a group of student protesters who
awaited them outside Fleming's walls.
But tumultuous student rebellion is not
as common as it once was. The regents no
longer flee from their meetings in fear of
angry students. While the Diag is still a
hotbed for political rallies and demonstra-
tions, student activism in 1998 is a lot dif-
ferent than it was 30 years ago. But this
does not reflect student apathy. Students
simply have found new ways of expressing
their opinions.
The Michigan Daily is here to serve the
University's student body. The main goal of
the editorial page is to be the voice of stu-
dents - promoting their interests above all
else. While student activism and expression
have changed greatly over the years, the
Daily remains a strong advocate for students.
One hundred and seven years after its gene-
sis, the Daily remains a strong defender of
civil liberties, human rights and justice.
Above all, the editorial page belongs to
students. Whether it's a bill in Congress, a
vote by the regents or a Michigan Student
Assembly resolution, if it effects students,
the editorial page will respond, serving -
through printed words - as an advocate for
students. From increasing financial aid to
threats on individual civil rights to ending
discrimination and promoting diversity, the
Daily's editorial page will comment, backed
by 107 years of editorial freedom and
precedent.
One of the backbones of a democratic
society is a free press. While it is the respon-
sibility of the government to work in the best
interests of the people, it is the press that is
responsible for letting the people know when
they are not fulfilling their duties. Through
the editorials printed on this page, the Daily
hopes to check the governing powers of the
University, the state and the nation. It is our
goal to make sure that student interests are
addressed at all levels of government.
But the backbone of the open discussion
and commentary that we at the Daily seek is
ensuring that all voices are heard. The edito-
rial page serves as a forum for public dis-
cussion of important issues at the University
and beyond. Belief in the value of this dis-
cussion is why a portion of the page each
day is dedicated to readers' letters and view-
points. In addition, we cull cartoonists and
columnists from the University community
- trying to represent an optimum balance
of individual beliefs.
It is our job to represent the student
voice as best we can. But students should
keep watch on the Daily. Tell us what you
think and when we are wrong. The benefits
of the Daily's editorial freedom extend to its
readers - students must continue to take
advantage of it.
-- Jack Schillaci
Editorial Page Editor
Poorly statde
Higher education should come before tax cuts
S tate Gov. John Engler gave his eighth
State of the State address last
Thursday. During the speech, he discussed
many areas of concern for residents, such
as efforts to clean up pollution and a health
insurance program for children whose par-
ents lack employer-provided coverage. But
one of the main thrusts of his speech
involved a new tax plan and changes to
public school spending.
As part of the speech, Engler unveiled a
tax-cut plan that he
claimed would save tax-
payers $3 billion begin-
ning in the year 2000.
The problem with this 4
proposed tax cut is that it
comes with severe conse-
quences - there would
be fewer funds available
to support the state's Engler
higher education institutions. Similarly,
budgetary estimations for the new fiscal
year - which begins Oct. 1 - suggest
that there will be a small allocation to
state-supported colleges and universities
this year. The reason for a minimal
increase in spending is the implementation
of a $300-million tax cut that will tighten
the state's budget - putting an unneces-
sary strain on important programs.
Tax cuts at the expense of higher educa-
tion are not good for the state in the long
run. With tuition already high and the desire
to attract high-quality faculty members con-
tant, small increases in state funding will
hurt students pursuing higher education. If
fer. If the choice is between tax cuts and
maintaining higher education, the cuts are
an irresponsible choice. Families will ulti-
mately give back money saved from the tax
cuts if they have to pay higher college
tuitions. Tax cuts should only be considered
when resource-deprived programs have
been allotted their necessary appropriations.
In addition to his lack of vision for the
University and others, the governor tried to
change his image concerning the public
school system by proposing an activist edu-
cation agenda similar to the one President
Bill Clinton offered in his State of the
Union address. Some changes include an
increase in K-12 spending, an effort to
decrease class size and a new summer
school program for students who are not
reading at their grade level. While these
proposed initiatives would address some
problems in public schools, Engler's track
record with public schools places his state-
ments in _ a different perspective.
Throughout his two terms in office, Engler
has been unfriendly to public schools with
his constant threats to cut back funding if
schools do not maintain standardized test
scores and his backing. of public-school
alternatives like charter schools.
If the governor wants to change his rep-
utation regarding education, he must follow
through on his proposal to improve K-12
education, and he must not cut taxes at the
expense of higher education. State universi-
ties need funding from Lansing in order to
stay competitive nationally and remain fis-
cally sound. Engler needs to put his words
'Bear Bones'
objectifies
women
TO THE DAILY:
I am asking the Daily to
stop running David
Berenson's cartoon, "Bear
Bones." I have remained
silent after reading the major-
ity of Berenson's negative,
androcentric drawings. But
his Jan. 29 cartoon was more
than I could bear. Let me
make my message clear: It is
unacceptable for women to
be to portrayed as sexual
objects. To represent women
as anything less than dynam-
ic, intelligent and powerful
should not be tolerated with-
in the University community
nor anywhere else. Further, it
is wrong of Berenson to
imply that a woman who has
sex with a man does so
because she is stupid, rather
than because she has made a
conscious decision to do so.
And to all who believe
that a cartoon is "just a car-
toon," let me draw you a lit-
tle picture of my own: In
Berlin during the '20s,
Joseph Goebbels - who
was soon to be the Nazi
Minister of Propaganda
under Hitler - organized an
entire anti-semitic campaign
in the form of a comic strip.
The result was an over-
whelming sense of hatred
that non-Jewish Germans
developed toward Jews. The
Germans were unaware of
the impact of the cartoon
and thought it was funny.
By depicting women in a
passive, victimized and
objectified manner in which
he has, Berenson is perpetu-
ating sexism, stereotypes
and violence within our
community - a community
that values equality and
diversity.
The Daily boasts of 107
years of editorial freedom.
Perhaps the paper would be
better suited if it chose to
employ editorial judgement.
If the Daily continues to sup-
port David Berenson, it will
find that is has far fewer sup-
porters itself.
CAMILLE NOE
LSA SOPHOMORE
Religion is
important to
American
society
TO THE DAILY:
I am writing to respond to
"Self-reliance and piety are
'contradictory"' (1/26/98).
Andrew Dempz makes sever-
al uninformed attacks against
religion, specifically the
for the power and presence of
God in all situations.
"Christianity ... is not
conducive to ideas of self-
reliance or individuality."
The history of the United
States alone refutes this dis-
torted view. It was "the cow-
ardly masses before us" who
molded a republic that
affirms the unique potential,
ingenuity and autonomy of
the individual. Considering
the piety of our own
school's founder, it is no
coincidence that the plaque
above Angell Hall lists "reli-
gion" foremost among the
prerequisites for "good gov-
ernment" and the "happiness
of mankind."
It is comparatively easy
to develop perceptions of
right and wrong according to
one's own whims. It is much
more difficult to maintain
standards that do not permit
compromise or may not
seem personally advanta-
geous. Is it truly horrible to
uphold a "voice of absolute
authority" that instructs us
to place others before our-
selvesand to aid the
oppressed?
In an apparent attempt to
highlight our conformity,
Dempz states that many
Americans share the same
cars, food and homes. It
seems rather shallow to label
ourselves by what model car
we drive or by the design of
our house. We should define
ourselves by what we believe
and what we do. Faith does
not require that one relin-
quish all semblance of self;
rather, believers affirm both
their uniqueness and their
common bond as children of
God.
JOHN CX
LSA SOPHOMORE
Small
correction is
inadequate
TO THE DAILY:
I would think that being
the sole paper to serve the
University campus for many
years, The Michigan Daily
would be characterized as
professional. But what I read
in the Jan. 28 edition proved
me wrong.
An article located on the
third page of the Daily was
about ethnic Greek organiza-
tions on campus. I was excit-
ed to see that my sorority, the
only Asian Pacific American
sorority on campus, finally
got some time in the spot-
light. When I read the article,
not only was I surprised to
find many incorrect state-
ments, but I was also infuri-
ated by the carelessness and
the lack of professionalism of
the article. We are not Kappa
Alpha Theta Phi. We are
Alpha Kappa Delta Phi. To
have a mistake of this magni-
tude cannot simply put as a
"simple mistake" or even an
"honest mistake."
As a communication
studies major, I am truly sur-
prised by the lack of profes-
sionalism found in the Daily.
You would think that after
going through the author,
Rachel Edelman, and two
other readers, the basic
information for a story
would be checked and
rechecked. When I spoke
with someone from the
Daily, he informed me that
"the editor has enough trust
in the reporter that she
would at least get the facts
right." Well, she didn't.
Being the only four-letter
sorority on campus, in my
opinion, is enough reason
for an editor to check and
verify the information given
to him by Edelman.
This mistake is a major
one. One that I will not easily
forget. It stabs at the very
essence of our sisterhood.
Our letters represent us, these
30 women at the University.
We have more than 700
members nationwide that are
proud to be members of
Alpha Kappa Delta Phi.
For the Daily's lack of
accuracy, we only ask for
what is fair. We do not
believe that a tiny blurb of an
apology in some random cor-
ner of the paper's next edition
is adequate. What is neces-
sary is a correction as large
and noticeable as the mistake
itself. We are not asking for
too much, just what is right-
fully ours. Respect for our
sisterhood, respect for the
Asian Pacific American com-
munity and most of all,
respect for Alpha Kappa
Delta Phi.
NIDHI JAJOO
LSA JUNIOR
Tobacco
articles were
'amusing'
TO THE DAILY:
I just wanted to say how
amusing it was to find a huge
color ad for chewing tobacco
on the same page with two
articles about lawsuits and
investigations into the tobac-
co industry and related
research. Intentional? Either
way, the Daily should take a
bowl
CAROL KAMM
UNIVERSITY STAFF
School ofSexual
Ethics Studies?
E ven though its NBA franchise
recently changed is nickname
from the Bullets to the Wizards, the city
of' Washington, lD.C.st rangely remains
one of the great fortresses of irony in
this country. After
all, how can you
explain a city
whose major land-
mark is a slender,
555-foot monument
that was erected in
honor of a sterile
president?
To many readers,
Washington may be
the place where you JOSHUA
went with your RICH
eighth grade class, Ji;1.
or the city where 1l.'
you can snag a cool
internship on Capitol Hill. To me, it is
the place where I was born;, it is my
home.
Surely, ironies have always existed in
the nation's capital. Founded as the sea4
of government for a democratic republic
where all people are created equal,
where there is supposed to be no taxa-
tion without representation, the town
itself has no representatives elected to
serve it in the U.S. Senate or House of
Representatives (save a non-voting del-
egate in the latter). That's nearly a quar-
ter of a million American citizens need-
lessly taxed by a government that is not
necessarily of them, for them or by
them.
When I was younger, it took me a
while to understand that, even though
various congressmen lived a stone's
throw away from my house, they were
there essentially only to serve the rest of
the country - not me. Worse, they had
complete authority over how my home-
town operated. If, for example, it
snowed and we needed the streets to be
plowed, the D.C. government had to as4
representatives from places like Florida
and Hawaii for the appropriate funding.
I'm sure my bankrupt city could have
gotten greater amounts of money over
the years; unfortunately, we don't usual-
ly have hurricanes or erupting volca-
noes in the District of Columbia.
Then there are certain formalities that
make Washington stand out from the
rest of the nation. Many would agree, I
think, that D.C. is virtually unrivaled a
one of the most physically beautifhe
cities in America. It is also one of the
most violent towns around, its mayor
has served time in prison for smoking
crack-cocaine on national television -
and he keeps getting re-elected
And what about our football team, the
Washington Redskins? Without a doubt,
the best organization ever to grace the
gridiron. This squad is so damn formi-
dable that it has put the Detroit Lions t
shame in every single game the two
have played for more than 30 years!
Even this season, the Redskins smacked
the Lions so badly that Detroit missed
the playoffs ... again. And the 'Skins
have been victorious even without a
2,000-yard-per-season running back.
Indeed, the ironies never cease.
Take, for example, the almost-com-
pleted Ronald Reagan Building, which
sits on a huge parcel of land o.
Pennsylvania Avenue, between l 3th an
14th streets, N.W. When it is finally
opened after almost a decade of con-
struction, the structure will be the sec-
ond largest government building in the
nation, after the Pentagon. It will also be
the most expensive, a great testament to
the excess of the '80s and the tremen-
dous debt Reagan left for us to suffer.
Rumors suggest that the Ronald Reagan
Building will house movie theaters
food courts, shops and organizatioI
such as -get this - the Environmental
Protection Agency, certainly one of
Reagan's all-time favorite groups.
In addition to this farce, there is a cur-
rent congressional initiative to rename
the newly renovated Washington
National Airport after our 40th presi-
dent. Friday is Reagan's 87th birthday
-judgment day for partisan politicians
who, in an unprecedented move, are
pushing for the name change in spite o
vehement oppositionfrom thelocas
government and constituents - almost
100 percent of whom are either
Democrats or unrepresented minorities.
I heard some of Reagan's old pals, the
former airttraffic controllers in particu-
lar, aren't too amused by this prospect.
Of course, the more I think about it, the
more I realize that, although it is a shame-
lessly fascist move, this act has some
twisted merit to it. After all, Reagan oni4
spent about half of any given year actual-
ly in Washington; the airport is probably
the one single place in the D.C. metropol-
itan area that he knew best.
What's particularly insulting about all
of this nonsense is that Reagan isn't
ECTING 'U' Tis WEEK
MONDAY
City Council Meeting
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