4 The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 15, 1998 tIz idignailg 420 Maynard Street F Ann Arbor, Ml 48109 LAURIE MAYK ____ Editor in Chief Edited and managed by JA students at the JACK SCHILLACi University of Michigan Editorial Page Editor Onless 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. 'She's a person who has had a lot of experience and gone through a lot of things fighting apartheid. The students and faculty are very honored to ... see her.' - Education professor emeritus Charles Moody, speaking about Spring Commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient Mamphela Ramphele KAAMRAN HAFEEZ As I tr HAPPENS FROM THE DAILY ti Scilenltif I Research is key to groi recent years, programs of scientific research have been losing government fu ding. Last year, the House Committee off"Science recommended that the presi- dent's budget for fiscal year 1999 increase fluiding for scientific and social research. While President Bill Clinton's 1999 budget has allowed a slight increase in research and development funding, it is important that the government increase its support of sci- entific, medical and social research. Although the budget provides for a three-percent increase in total research funding, real spending would only be 1.4 percent more than it is now, and proposed spending amounts for research and devel- opment would actually fall below the cur- rent levels. Instead of cutting back on its funding, the government should devote more resources to research. Moreover, organizations devoted to sub- jects other than medical research often receive fewer federal funds. It is important that less well-known branches of research are not overlooked; the benefits of scientif- ic research far outweigh the costs. Another flaw within the government's scientific research funding legislation is the requirement that each applicant must out- line specific goals before funding is grant- ed. This limits creativity and ignores the fact that many scientific discoveries and breakthroughs are made while researchers seek something else. Requiring a particular aim of researchers limits the freedom to seek alternative conclusions and hinders the scientific process. Scientists and researchers also do not have a very strong voice in the govern- ment because they do not wish to be involved in politics, unless of course their 'C cents wth and development funding is cut. While this is somewhat understandable, becoming a stronger political force - through stronger lobby- ing and more vocal support for research - would help the scientific community gain more federal funding. If researchers can show the government that it is a force to be recognized, it could be easier to gain more funding. The University's Institute for Social Research is a nationally recognized cen- ter. This type of institution relies heavily on government appropriations and the government's belief in not only scientific, but also social research. The ISR stands as an example of what research in all fields can accomplish. Not only does this institute boast world-renowned faculty, but it also caters to a student population that can only become more knowledge- able with an enhanced understanding of where research fits into the national char- acter. The 1999 budget does show a slight increase in research and development funding, but research is important and scientific development should be strongly encouraged and supported by the govern- ment. It is also important that scientists develop a stronger political voice. Only with increased lobbying efforts can the research community gain the respect and attention it deserves. In addition, the gov- ernment should not determine the alloca- tion of funds based on specific goals, as research projects do not always achieve their intended aim, but yield results that are useful all the same. The federal gov- ernment should acknowledge the impor- tance of scientific research for the better- ment of society. tt lt &;lCv lY T /j ~{5A CA&tc.A r0' 7 ii ~5I~FgbM~$tWELLM' +fo ; YffawAMSr$A bli cNP ITlO fCAN'' 1W~ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 4ARTi t fu Ati v + Children first Mlchild program offers a helping hand Families that currently cannot afford health care for their children received good news last week when the U.S. Health Care Financing Administration approved Michigan's MIChild program. Designed by the state's Department of Community Health, this program will specifically target the state's 156,000 uninsured children. The lack of health insurance for many Americans received a great deal of attention during the 1992 presidential campaign, and during President Bill Clinton's first term. With the failure of Congress to pass a compre- hensive health care bill during that peri- od, most recent health care reform attempts have focused on alleviating health insurance problems for specific groups of people. The children targeted by MIChild do not have insurance because their families earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but their incomes are at or below 200 percent of the poverty level, or about $32,000 a year for a family of four. Once families begin to enroll in the MIChild program at the end of this month, they will pay $5 per month for a total of $60 per year, with no co-pay- ments. Compromises in the state Legislature decreased the amount of the original pro- posed premium - $8 to $16 a month - significantly. Under this plan, children under the age of 18 will have their cover- age paid for by managed-care companies with state contracts. Some of the services covered are doctor visits, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, prescription drugs. mental health services, dental ser- ings. At its full capacity, MIChild will ensure that 97 percent of Michigan's uninsured children will have access to adequate health care. Much of the credit for this program should be given to the U.S. Congress and the Michigan state Legislature. Created by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, with bi- partisan Congressional support under the leadership of President Clinton, the federal government has set aside $24 billion over the next five years to pay for targeted health care programs like this one across the coun- try. MIChild will receive $27 million in fed- eral money this year and $92 million next year. Gov. John Engler and Michigan state legislators deserve a lot of credit because they have committed $13 million this year to MIChild and $44 million to the program next year. These efforts by both the federal and state government show a genuine desire by politicians to address an aspect of one of our nation's greatest problems - the exis- tence of almost 40 million Americans with- out health insurance. Now that the U.S. Health Care Financing Agency has given this benefi- cial program a green light, state bureau- crats in charge of implementing the pro- gram must make sure that Michigan resi- dents know of its existence. The state should set -up a toll-free number for citi- zens to obtain information on MIChild. Too often, government programs designed to help people fail because the people who they are intended to help do not know of their creation. The process has been long and enduring, but state officials must not stop pushing the pro- gram or MIChild will not be utilized to its 'U' students should get hockey seats TO THE DAILY: For four seasons, I have dropped everything to trek out to Providence, Cincinnati, Milwaukee and Boston to cheer for Michigan's fantastic hockey team. Tice, the reward has been a national championship. Three years ago, I screamed from the third row during the heart-breaking loss to Maine. Two years ago, I screamed from the fifth row, along with the rest of the students, while Brendan Morrison, Marty Turco and crew were crowned the best in the nation. The students' chants echoed across the ice in full support of their team. Then something went drastically wrong. University students arrived in Milwaukee last year to find themselves releated to a distant corner of a cav- ernous arena. And guess what? The same thing hap- pened in Boston. After 400 seats were delegated to Michigan fan by the NCAA - 300 in the lower section near the ice and 100 in the upper-upper deck, somewhere close to Valhalla - the Athletic Department got to assign them. The team got a nice block of 160 seats. That left only 140 lower-deck seats for super- rowdy student fans, right? Nope. Students didn't know until they arrived that they had been duped again. The 140 seats went to the Victor's Club, alumni and similar types while the 100 nose-bleed seats went to the students. The Athletic Department short-changed the team of its raucous fan base, those who had driven 12 hours to see Michigan kick some ass. Some students impro- vised, storming an unoccu- pied lower section for the last two periods against New Hampshire. The team knew its fans were there and the UNH goalie knew it too - taunted him the whole second period. Muckalt and Turco were smiling as they heard the fans familiar voices. But Michigan wasn't so lucky for the final, and the Victor's Club and alumni simply could not substitute for stu- dents' loud, obnoxious, con- tinuous chanting. Try as they might, the students were just too far away to be heard well on the ice. I hope Athletic Director Tom Goss wakes up and returns the student fans to the better seats they deserve for future Final Fours. That said, Michigan is the national champion again. Red's boys have been spec- tacular. I would like to thank them for four wonderful Monday's Daily by Mike Nagrant and Olga Savic. Their list of "accomplish- ments" is a joke on many stu- dents. For instance: Dispersing funds to student groups is not an accomplishment - it is their job. What is so wonderful that we should congratulate the Michigan Student Assembly for taking our money, and then giving it back to us'? ® Kicking Wok Express out of the North Campus Commons was an accomplish- ment? How is decreasing the choice of where to eat for North Campus students by 30 percent during the day and 50 percent at night a good thing? While the Wok admittedly had fairly standard fake Chinese food, at least you could get rice there - and now there is noth- ing to replace it, leaving stu- dents to wait more than 20 minutes for a slice of pizza or a cup of coffee. Reduce printing costs and enhance computing packages'? No, this isn't an accomplishment either - not since the Information Technology Division changed their computer package so that students have less choice while pay- ing mnore money. A word of advice to Trent Thompson, Sarah Chopp and MSA: Please look at Mike and Olga's list carefully. If you really want to affect stu- dent lives, talk to them more, and pad your resume less. KRISTEN GIBBS COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING Affirmative action is not such an 'easy question' than pure merit would be shamefully unAmerican. Something then occurred to me that might happen to you if you would turn thenvolume of your voice down for a moment: I acknowledged the problem. You have yet to acknowl- edge that there is a problem with imbalanced racial repre- sentation. You refuse to accept the countless social, legal, economic and hateful injustices that have led to the present state of imbalance. You also seem to feel that you (the "individual") are vastly more important than the scores of underrepresent- ed racial groups to which affirmative action offers opportunities - and you feel that your niche in the world would be jeopardized by the policy. I concede that affirma- tive action is an imperfect solution to an imperfect world's problem. Unfortunately, it is the pre- sent solution. I would love to see a way to solve America's racial stratifica- tion that would protect all citizens while it cleared the path. Interestingly, Derrow doesn't seem to care about that. You need to acknowledge the problem. Then you need to calm down and realize that your opinion is nothing unless you offer a construc- tive solution to the problem in our society instead of say- ing (let me paraphrase) "I don't give a sh** about the country's problems, I just want to bask in the rights it grants me." Well? What do you propose to remedy this problem in America? Take your time, write another let- ter to the Daily. This isn't such an easy question to answer. PAUL BHASIN SCHOOL OF MUSIC Daily did not offer ample coverage to Islam holiday TO THE DAILY: As some may know, April 7 was Eid-ul-Adhar, possibly the most important holiday in the Islam faith. Curious to see how the Daily covered this day of celebration for more than one billion Muslims worldwide. I looked through the Daily only to find a brief article in the back of page nine ("Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Adha, honor sacrifice of prophet," 4/8/98). Needless to say, I was upset. It seems to me that while important holidays in Christianity and Judaism always earn front-page sta- tus, the same accord is not given to Muslim celebra- One diva, and four pretenders * to her throne Some of this is my own fault. I've been watching VHI (the thinking man's E! network.) I don't know if everyone else's life is as bankrupt and tragic as mine, but over the past year, I've formed this unhealthy fascination with everything having to do with VHi, with the exception of the fashion program- ming, which is clearly aimed at fat women and men who collect little figurines. This past week, . the "MTV Afterbirth Network" held something called JAMES "Diva Week," mean- MILLER ing that for one week M I1 R they would drop sN 'AP their "Grease" obsession and concentrate on five female musicians of such surpassing talent and inspiration that, in the intellectual esteem of the VH I marketing department, they earned the appellation "diva." And they are: Gloria "You got some 'splainin' to do" Estefan, Mariah "Still a little too much selfrespect to be an actual porn star" Carey, Shania "Mark" Twain, Celine "Patrick Roy" Dion, and the tragi- cally misplaced Aretha Franklin. And people make such a fuss over Jessye Norman. The problem here is not that they wanted to take some time out to honor female artists, a noble effort in itself. Nor is the problem that they wasted a whole week on mostly mediocre, image-driven starlets. Actually, that is the problem. What we have here is a classic case of image preceding talent and merit, or worse yet, becoming synonymous with it. What are we really looking at here? Estefan: Proof that pop singers can take even the most interesting and vibrant kind of music (Cuban) and turn it into a 12-song aluminum turd for 26- year-old investment bankers to listen to on their way to work. She survived a nearly fatal bus accident and still per- forms while Stevie Ray Vaughn dies in a helicopter crash before his flavor saver gets a chance to turn grey. Given this, it would seem Gloria's only reason for existing is to prove that God takes the best for himself, Dion: To be fair, she is starting out with a handicap. She's French Canadian, and as such, is an amalgama- tion of the two most backward countries in the world. 1Fir one redeeming quality is that she still has enough of an accent to conjure up images of some of the more comical post-game interviews on "Hockey Night from Canada." As for her musical qualifications, apart from being the Canadian Barbara Striesand (a joke that writes itself), she is the lucky musician to be dragged along in the wake of "Titanic." Which either means she'll spend the rest of her careerO singing love songs about drowned her- maphrodites or will just fade into that kind of Grace Jones sort of obscurity. Let's pray. Twain: This country star is responsi- ble for singlehandedly coaching thou- sands of Iowa farm boys through puber- ty, courtesy of the CMT all-cleavage policy. Look for her upcoming duet with Buddy Whackett. Carey: Isn't it hard to take a musician seriously when they routinely showi more of their breasts than Cattleman's Meat Market? Again, I'm not basing this on anything empirical, but there is something vaguely unholy about a woman who appears in a video with Bone Thugs and a riding crop. lck. Besides, if you look really closely at her, you can see that she's only a frizzy hairdo and a coat of blue, forget-me-not, Chevette-driving eye shadow from, being a dead ringer for that "Sweetheart of the Bowling Alley" usually seen pulling hair on Jerry Springer. Lady Soul Herself: I'm not sure exact- ly why Ms. Franklin has fallen so far from grace, but respect for her legacy prevents me from commenting on the state of her career and music today. Let's just say that after 1980 or so, things get a little ugly. She is, however, the only one on the list that deserves all of the adulation heaped upon the group as a whole. Blessed with one of the most powerful and emotive voices of the latter half of this century, Aretha can slide effortless- ly between the most authentic gospel and the earthiest Atlantic R&B. She is truly exceptional and worthy of praise and veneration. The other four are ugly, trendy, rapacious usurpers. What chaps me so badly about the use of the world "diva" is that we are equat- ing popularity and physical appeal with * talent, and nobody benefits from some- thing like that. Do you think Mariah Carey would have the same kind of career if she looked like Drew Carey? Do you think a cleavage monster like her does anything to benefit the cause of TO THE DAILY: I'm writing in response to Avi Derrow's "Affirmative action is racism" (4/9/98). Never before have I encoun- tered more bloatedly self- important prose than this half-baked anti-affirmative action attempt. Unfortunately, the blatant ignorance and social maladjustment with which this article barks are two of the main factors that keep the boiling affirmative action debate in the fetal stages of development. The letter itself was dif- ficult to read because I was constantly dis'tracted by the piercing wail of 100 babies crying. Derrow, if you're going to horse through the old "affirmative action is racial discrimination" poop again, then at least have the self-respect to remind your- self, in between shouts, of a few things: The "freedom" in this country you speak of is not a universal right, so I