4 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, February 17, 1998 U 1E iriTgux Dai g 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan j NyyJM r '. YGYAaa '. t k" X.X LAURIE MAYK Editor in Chief JACK SCHILLACI Editorial Page Editor 'Our national interest is in preventing him (Saddam Hussein) from threatening his neighbors once again, trying to take control and dominate that region.' -- National Security Adviser Samuel Berger, on the US. willingness to initiate militaty action against Iraq YUKI KUNIYUKI (GRoVND ZERO 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 Raising voIce Voter registration program will benefit students IROM/ TMEY Wow~b OL VEP ,ACA OPALS !N ;.rDARK AGc,&. C ollege-aged students have a notorious reputation for low voter turnout. In order to boost political participation among students, the University will send voter reg- istration cards with lease agreements to incoming first-year students for the next academic year. The University should be commended for this action and should extend the plan and encourage greater voter registration among all University students. The program is largely due to the efforts of Voice Your Vote, a campus group dedi- cated to boosting the number of registered student voters. The groups efforts registered approximately 6,500 students during the 1996 presidential campaign. While this number shines on a nationwide scale, the results dim when compared to the University's student population of 36,000. Clearly, many students were not taking advantage of their precious right to vote. By sending the cards with leases, stu- dents will be more apt to register because of the added convenience. This eliminates any special effort a student currently would need to make in order to become a regis- tered voter. As a collateral benefit of the program, the number of student voters reg- istered here in Ann Arbor would also increase. Students will have their Ann Arbor addresses listed on their lease agree- ments, eliminating an obstacle that may prevent them from registering in the city. Since students spend the majority of the year in Ann Arbor, they would be able to play a greater role in events that directly affect them by voting in local elections. The University's next priority should be to register current students, first concentrat- ing on students who will be in their sopho- more year next fall. The great majority of these students just missed participating in the last presidential election and subse- quently missed the efforts to stir political participation. In between these quadrennial elections, the initiatives to register new vot- ers tend to slip. Students may not feel it is important to register until the year 2000 election. The quest to attract student voters should take inspiration from the tremen- dous effort put forth on campus in the fall of 1996. During that semester, the campus became inundated with volunteers seeking to increase student. Tables of volunteers were commonplace in heavily trafficked campus buildings, such as the Michigan Union and Mason Hall. MTV's Rock the Vote bus tour stopped by for a day on South State Street. As the registration deadline drew within a week, students could not walk across campus without someone presenting them with the oppor- tunity to register. In comparison, the drive to register students last fall was smaller. Convenience is such an important factor in getting students to register that the oppor- tunity to fill out a card during a break between classes must be available and well advertised. In this way, registration becomes a task of virtually no effort - lit- tle more than simply filling out a form. For the democratic process to work properly, a large number of people must actively participate in elections. Students have a tendency to neglect this usually newly acquired right - hurting the popu- lace as a whole and student interests specif- ically. Sending registration cards with lease agreements should encourage students to vote in larger numbers, an act that can only benefit the University and its students. [ I IW---- 4 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Expensive seats Excessive spending A year of congressional pressure prompted Attorney General Janet Reno this past Wednesday to investigate Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt. In question is his department's rejection of an American Indian gambling proposal in con- nection to generous campaign contributions to the Democratic National Committee by rival tribes. This inquiry reveals some prob- lems that arise with the current system of campaign financing. Personal wealth and contributions dominate the American elec- toral process, making the system more like- ly to grind down in corruption and less accessible to average candidates. It is imperative that lawmakers enact reforms to reduce the costs of campaigns and allow government to operate without a continual risk of impropriety. An independent counsel's investigation of Babbitt will not include an inquiry into cam- paign finance issues. The more narrow prob- lem arises from the appearance of inappro- priate influences on the Department of the Interior's termination of the Chippewa casi- no project. These suspicions center on con- tributions to the Democrats totaling $230,000 from rival tribes, which stood to lose business if a permit was granted. Republican lawmakers believe campaign solicitors improperly influenced Babbitt, though he insists that the department's action was indeed based on the applicant's lack of merit. Since the 1998 election season is now underway, this scandal should remind the electorate about the current campaign finance system's problems. Political campaigns today, especially national races, require huge expenditures. An excellent example is this year's damages democracy campaign in American history, Democratic and Republican nominees will spend mil- lions of dollars on advertising and publicity. Al Checchi, the millionaire Democratic front-runner, admits that a serious con- tender must have a considerable treasury to adequately disseminate information. The importance of money in elections also dis- courages able, deserving candidates from entering high-profile and important cam- paigns because few can secure sufficient contributions. Additionally, wealthier politi- cians have immediate advantages over more experienced, and perhaps better qualified, competitors. Steve Merksamer, former chief of staff to a Californian governor, observes that past wealthy politicians ran for lower offices before pursuing national positions. But now that large campaign budgets almost directly correlate to electoral suc- cess, candidates without experience or even basic political skills believe their amassed or inherited fortunes automatically qualify them. Some states, such as California, have passed laws to limit the amount of a single contribution, but this invariably benefits the wealthier candidates - one law will not solve this problem. Legislators ought to understand that the current trend corrodes the essence of American democracy. Although some legislators claim restricting campaign spending is unconstitutional, the central role of money in politics threatens free and fair elections - the foundation of true democracy. Congress should find ways to diminish the role of money in politics, such as organizing town hall meetings, coordinating election advertising and limit- ing spending in campaigns. In doing so, the 'U' community should reject tobacco ads TO THE DAILY: I am writing in response to a request by the Senate Assembly - the elected gov- erning body of the faculty. At its Jan. 26 meeting, the assem- bly expressed deep concern over practices aimed at distrib- uting "free" tobacco products to members of the University community. Tobacco, whether smoked or chewed, is highly addictive and has been directly linked by overwhelming evi- dence to a variety of cancers. In fact, it holds the dubious distinction of being a product that kills people when used strictly as intended. Because of this risk, people are less likely to purchase tobacco pur- posefully for a first encounter, and some parts of the tobacco industry have apparently adopted the unacceptably aggressive marketing practice of luring students with free samples. The University of California at Los Angeles' Higher Education Research Institute recently reported that tobacco use is at the highest level in 30 years among sur- veyed students, and university campuses can expect contin- ued aggressive efforts on the part of the industry to take advantage of what they view as an experiment-prone, lucra- tive market. All members of the University community are urged to recognize the magni- tude of this threat, to exercise good judgment in rejecting and speaking out against sam- ples of any addictive sub- stance, and to exercise respon- sible judgment by not facili- tating the distribution of mate- rials related to this kind of practice. LOUIS D'ALECY FACULTY SENATE CHAIR U.S. policies hurt innocent Iraqi people To THE DAILY: I am writing to urge every- one to oppose any and all efforts to initiate a military strike against Iraq. The United Nations estimates that 1,000,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the sanctions against the country. Yet U.S. President Bill Clinton and United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair brandished the use of American and British force before the international press. What can become of this? The Iraqi infrastructure has been largely demolished by the Gulf War bombing. Iraqi medical facilities are find it outrageous that the inspection teams have searched convents and churches while seeking chem- ical and biological weapons. Churches are a place of sanc- tuary. In the United States, we would be aghast at the search- ing of religious institutions for political reasons. I find it intolerable that Iraqi religious institutions are expected to allow themselves to be searched. As a person of faith and a human who values lib- erty, I find this conduct repugnant. As to the sanctions and the ensuing starvation, death and misery in the face of an incompetently implemented "oil for food" program, I must question the ability of the Iraqi people - the recipi- ents of damage from the sanctions - to significantly influence the policy of their government. Much less do I expect them to greet U.N. policy with open arms. Saddam lussein has indeed committed atrocities upon his people, especially the Kurds and the Shi'a. But I do not believe that sanctions will stop this. I expect that they will drive him to desperation. Chemical and biological weapons already exist in Syria, Israel, Libya, Egypt, the United States and other countries (despite interna- tional law). Nuclear weapons already exist in the United States, Russia, France, Britain, China and Israel and are dispersed throughout the world. Given this large num- ber of weapons of mass destruction throughout the region and the world, I must believe that significant deter- rence exists to prevent the use of biological weapons on the part of Iraq, even if they ever were developed. Yet U.S. measures provide significant impetus for Iraq to take mili- tary action. Could a starving nation do any less? It is past due for us to oppose any attempt by the mil- itary to in any way injure the people of Iraq. Given our pur- ported dedication to human rights, I can expect no less. CHAD BAILEY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH New cafeteria should be on South Campus TO THE DAILY: I would like to identify myself as a disgruntled South Campus resident. I was humored to find out that there is a plan to build one large cafeteria in the Hill area. The most obvious ques- tion is: Why waste $14 mil- lion to build a cafeteria so close to or inside of Fletcher Hall. This may sound like an incredulous negotiation, but it seems that headlines forget the smaller residence halls. I am challenging University President Lee Bollinger to take my plea under consider- ation. Building a cafeteria on South Campus would be in the best interests of the stu- dents of South Campus. NIKHIL KuMAR LSA SOPHOMORE Error was a 'harsh blow' to sorority TO THE DAILY: My name is Suki Kuang and I am a member of the gamma class of Alpha Kappa Delta Phi, the only Asian- American sorority on campus. I, along with the rest of my sisters, are incredibly upset at the misprinted letters of our sorority in the Jan. 28 Daily ("Ethnic Greek organizations build cultural awareness"). Each and every one of us went through a pledge period to earn our letters. To see what we have painfully earned misprinted in the widely cir- culated and read Daily was a harsh blow to our pride. We are honored to be mentioned in the Daily, but the fact that our letters were misprinted in this way was dramatically painful. Printing a miniscule correction in the future will not change or undo the damage. The Daily should correct its mistake as soon as possible. SUKI KUANG LSA FIRST-YEAR STUDENT Reviewer was not paying attention TO THE DAILY: Normally, I would never write a letter to the Daily in fear that it will serve to pro- vide some validity to the Daily as an actual work of journalism, but I could not resist pointing out a glaring error in the "Replacement Killers" review ("Forgettable 'Killers' could be replaced," 2/9/98). Matthew Barret mentions something about Chow Yun- Fat's character having a change of heart and not being able to kill the police officer. Was Barret paying attention to the movie at all? The char- acter never had to kill the police officer. The assign- ment was to kill the officer's son. Hence, the whole sav- ing-the-son aspect of the plot. Additionally, if Barret is Superfan needs your heo to earry on his tradition W hen fans stod and started to chant "Superfan, Superfan," during Friday night's hokey game against Miami (Ohio), all MYi Holzhausen could do was raise his arms up and bask in the attention - his expeed noise was abat ed when a police officer confiscated his coveted cowbell and stick for the duration of the game just minutes earlier. ; Holzhausen said that hearing the cheers "was just the greatest ... that was the best." While Superfan calls the Miami OSH game one of his WHITE greatest because he tUMING rearly got ejected 1 .UN from the stadium for getting up into a Miami fan's face, it was just a small marker on a long career. After years of chanting, cheering, ranting and jeering, Superfan's days are numbered - and he's looking for a replacement to fil his mask and cape. Superfan, aka Jeff Holzhausen, who will receive a masters degree this May and end his years as a University student, seems as much a part of this University as anything else I have known - a constant part of football Saturdays and a vital cog in the rambunctious Yost wheel. He seems like he should be here forever, like he should be taunting refs and helping cheerleaders for an eternity. As he looks to pass the torch to, he hopes, a "very young student, possibl' a freshman," he too looks to start a tradi- tion the likes of which this University should not abandon, a tradition of deep- seeded love for the maize and blue. Holzhausen has missed just one foot- ball game in recent years, attending both home and away contests regardless of their location. His lone absence was in Colorado last season due to a wedding he attended: "Looking back, I should have gone to the game," he said. He has seer4 three national championships in person - swimming, hockey and football - and has been attending Michigan Stadium since the ripe age of three weeks, when he "was there" for the Ohio State-Michigan tie of 1973. ("I don't remember it, but it must have been a good one," he added, smiling.) He said his Superfan days start- ed a few years ago when the cheerleaders gave him the name after spotting his cape and mask - but Holzhausen has been thg Superfan since birth. At Holzhausen's high school in Chelsea, they have named an award after him, giving praise to the "most spirited junior" at the high school. He said his high school officials want him to return to present the award this year - something he considers an honor but not much of a surprise. It seems he evokes spirit in the meek and turns the average student into a raving lunatic; and all with raw ability. * At Friday night's game, an usher who is a regular at the upper-level Section 16 entrance (where Superfan sits) and was a party to having Superfan's bell removed, said his antics rile up the crowd to a point of being "intrusive" to others in Yost, and the usher pointed out the opposing team's fans, the elderly and young children who hear a constant barrage of swears, lewd comments and jeers throughout the game. "It has gotten to a point where kidD are repeating the chants at home and in ;chool," the usher said. "One recently >ot in trouble at school for saying what he students say after a penalty - you :now, with the chump, dick, wuss, etc. - and then people point to Michigan nd think badly of it." But Superfan says he usually doesn't ppear in costume at Yost "because the ins don't need me here," despite hi isual role in most of the traditiona deers and his ability to lead the crowd. I am just being me, that is what is hard- 6t for most people to understand." And that is what will be hardest for the ext Superfan, and undoubtedly the most inportant challenge: to be him or herself. Iolzhausen said some of his friends truly nderstand that his antics are for fun and ast a part of the way he is, but others pink that he goes too far, that his screams .nd derision should have a breaking point H -le said people accuse him of being intox- cated at games (he doesn't drink alcohol), >f being too loud (at Yost or Michigan tadium?) and that fans often threaten to ;et ushers to control him (he has been jected from one football game "for get- ing up on the wall" in his early years as a ;tudent, but now is quick to assure you hat the field director for the Department if Public Safety has an autographed pic-< ure of Superfan on his office wall.) Thi 4l seems way too much for it to be an act. Superfan has been on every major sorts network and has been an unofficial nascot for the University since he started t(don a cape, a mask and those Michigan snglasses he wears - even at Yost. He