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September 22, 1998 - Image 4

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The Michigan Daily, 1998-09-22

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4 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, September 22, 1998

UlIe £rIdlimrn ?O&IUQ

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

NOTABLE QUOTABLE
'It is a time for introspection, a time to ask who you
were, what you have done, who you want to be. It is a
giant spiritual stop sign.'
- Rabbi Rich Airschen of the University
Hfllelc hapctr speaking about Rosh Hashana.
THOMAS KULJURGISTIA

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
Stcking it to students
Athletic Department raises hockey ticket prices

n response to Michigan hockey's sec-
ond national championship in three
years, one would assume that Athletic
Director Tom Goss would want to allow
more students a chance to experience the
frenzy and excitement of Michigan hock-
ey games at Yost Ice Arena. But instead of
increasing students' access to the pro-
gram, Goss has opted to more than double
the price of season hockey tickets for stu-
dents.
Weighing the penalties and benefits of
the price increase, there can' only be one
"onclusion: This ill-informed decision
will tremendously hurt the athletic pro-
gram and the students who love Michigan
hockey.
Michigan hockey fans are a different
breed. They swear, taunt and cheer until
--their throats and bodies ache from
exhaustion. The Athletic Department
should recognize that students are the dri-
ving force behind Michigan's firm home-
ice advantage.
Athletic Department officials who
were selling tickets said that there are
usually long lines. But this year, the $155
season ticket price has kept hundreds of
students from purchasing tickets. While
the Athletic- Department allotted 2,200
tickets for students, only 1,600 students
had secured seats for the upcoming sea-
son with one day left until they stopped
selling on Friday. Since students just had
' to spend hundreds of dollars on books,
how can the Athletic Department expect
most of them to drum up $155 and still
pay their bills? Just as professional arenas
have lost their blue-collar spectators by
raising prices and catering to skybox-
seeking businessmen, so will Michigan
hockey as it is making it harder for the

non-affluent to participate in a rich
Michigan tradition. In addition, very few
first-year students will purchase season
tickets at such a high price, thus breaking
the tradition that upperclassmen hand
down to the first-year students at Yost.
Last year, each individual ticket prices
ranged from $4 to $5; this year, it will be
$9 to $10, with some tickets costing as
much as $17. Why would an already eco-
nomically healthy athletic department
make such a change? Officials say they
just realized, out of the blue, that other
comparable teams like Wisconsin, charge
their students more than Michigan does.
These officials travel to road games and
certainly have seen other schools' prices.
It appears to be a greedy attempt to bring
in more money for a department that
hardly needs financial help.
If inflation were out of control or the
hockey program were bankrupt, one
could forsee a $85 increase. But in reali-
ty, inflation is the lowest it has been since
the 1970s and the hockey program is
thriving. Thus, there seems to be no valid
excuse as to why students have to shell
out twice the amount to attend games as
they did last year.
While Tom Goss and the Athletic
Department have tried their best to enable
all students to attend football games, they
have done the exact opposite in this case.
Many believe that hockey games are the
most exciting events a student could par-
ticipate in at the University. If anything
can be done to return students' money or
make tickets more affordable for students
in the future, the Athletic Department
owes it to students to do so in exchange
for their long-lasting dedication to the
program.

..PtNCARE HOW I1
4 STAR YOU ARE, tMR.
JREMY. MY REPORT
1S O FOR 5AL.
AS AN APUVT
FILM SCRiP11
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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Made public
Committee should not have released tapes

Or n friday, during its analysis of, the
charges leveled against President
Clinton by Independent Counsel Kenneth
Starr, the U.S. House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee voted to make public
almost the entire videotape of the President's
grand jury testimony. While as much infor-
mation regarding the alleged misconduct of
the president should be available to the public
as possible, the release of this testimony to the
American people is a poor decision.
The nature of grand jury testimony in
criminal proceedings lends itself to be highly
confidential. This sort of testimony is only
used to establish that there is enough evidence
to charge the accused with a particular crime.
It is one-sided; although the prosecutor is
allowed to make a case for criminal indict-
ment, the accused must wait until the actual
trial to be given the opportunity to defend his
or herself. Because of this, grand jury testi-
mony is highly prejudicial and generally can-
not be used in an actual trial with rebuttal by
the defense.# Thus, releasing the tapes and
transcripts gives the public a biased account of
the president's testimony.
While Congress has every legal right to do
what it sees fit with the information submitted
to it, the release of grand jury testimony to the
general public sets a dangerous precedent.
Testimony of this sort must legally be kept
confidential by all of those involved in the
case except the accused, who has the sole right
to publicly repeat what he or she might have
said under oath to a grand jury. And there is
good reason for such strict confidentiality -
cases in the past against organized crime and
drug kingpins have used the testimony of indi-
viduals who later felt compelled to enter the
Federal Witness Protection Program due to
perceived threats against their safety and the

safety of those close to them. In such cases, if
grand jury testimony were to have been pub-
licly released, the exposure to potential harm
of those who testified would have skyrocket-
ed and consequently, most witnesses would
probably choose to remain silent. Thus, for the
sake of future cases, the secrecy of grand jury
testimony must be preserved. But this act of
the committee does nothing but counter such
course of action.
Additionally, with the vote on this matter
divided along party lines, the stench of
Congress playing politics in a system of law
and order is strong. The president's testimony
includes graphic references of his sexual
behavior. Its release causes the President
much embarrassment and most likely will sig-
nificantly affect the standing of the
Democratic Party in nationwide elections that
are less than seven weeks away. Starr's politi-
cal sympathies are well-known and any
attempts by him to remain ideologically
impartial have been fleeting. Consequently,
claims of objectivity made by the Republican
members of the judiciary committee appear
suspect.
The American public has a right to know
about matters involving the president. This
right becomes even more important if such
information may lead to impeachment pro-
ceedings against him. Yet in the pursuit of
granting the public access to all available
knowledge about a particular set of events, it
is important not to step on important legal
customs that guarantee the viability of the
criminal justice system. Releasing the presi-
dent's testimony threatens these important
protocols and may further threaten the future
ability of the legal system as a whole to act
decisively against those accused of criminal
activity.

Retiring DPS
head
deserved
criticism
To THE DAILY:
I find it a shame that in
last Thursday's article about
the head of DPS retiring
("DPS head announces retire-
ment"), no mention was
made of how DPS attacked
students at last year's Ohio
State football game. The arti-
cle only mentioned his posi-
tive accomplishments and I
feel he deserves some form
of scrutiny.
This guy was the head of
DPS last year when students
were pepper sprayed and
beat senseless for trying to
rush the field after the
Michigan-Ohio State game.
Due to his position, he must
have had a hell of a lot to
do with that. I'm upset that
no actions were taken
against those officers and
anyone responsible for their
orders.
The University needs to
realize that we are college
students, and we like to
stand and yell and rush
fields at football games. We
only get a few years to do
this before we either move
away and can't attend games
or have to sit on our asses
so the 80-year-old $1 mil-
lion donor behind us can
see. Seeing the ushers at
Notre Dame help students
onto the field after they
beat us two weeks ago made
me even more pissed off
about DPS's actions last
year.
DPS officials argued that
students would be hurt
because of the drop onto the
field, yet no one was injured
from the drop.. Notre Dame's
stadium has the same drop,
so instead of macing kids,
they helped them down.
Leo Heatley did not
deserve to be portrayed as
such a great man just
because he's retiring. He
should have been held
accountable for the brutal
actions of his officers.
MIKE KHOMUTIN
ENGINEERING SENIOR
Daily article
advocated
underage
drinking
TO THE DAILY:
I wanted to give a hearty
thank you to the Daily.
Thanks for encouraging all
of the U of M's new stu-
dents to drink and try to get
away with it ("No RA In
Sight," 9/17/98). Not only
that, but thanks also for
encouraging them to avoid
their resident advisor no
matter what. Thanks also
for brazenly displaying pic-

I do not want to be the one
who watches them become
permanently brain damaged
or perhaps even die. I've seen
it happen.
As an RA myself (hav-
ing also been a freshman in
the residence halls not so
long ago), I feel it is my
responsibility not to get
people in trouble but to
ensure the health and safety
of residents in the hall. I
don't want to catch people
in the act, but I also don't
want to have things get out
of hand. I also don't want to
find people trying to hide
their drinking. Basically, I'd
rather people watch out for
their health and safety. If
that means one less night of
drinking per week, so be it.
What I am also saying is
that by the Daily advocating
ways of getting away with
drinking, it is also advocating
ways of continuing alcoholic
habits. And the more people
feel like they can get away
with something, the more
they will do it. Eventually,
one of three things will hap-
pen.
One: Someone they know
personally will get seriously
hurt, and that will cause them
to rethink their own habits.
Two: They will get caught
and perhaps slow down their
rate of drinking. Three: They
will end up in a hospital for
any number of reasons.
That said, I again want to
thank the Daily for advocat-
ing underage drinking. By its
actions, perhaps we will see
more people in the emer-
gency room. Perhaps, also,
we will see RAs more con-
cerned about their residents
and more likely to keep a
watchful eye.
Who knows? All I know
is that the Daily's article was
careless and unfortunate.
LUKE H. KPP
LSA JUNIOR
Palestine
discussion
was poorly
timed
TO THE DAILY:
I am writing in response
to the numerous posters I
have seen around campus
from a student group called
the Palestine Catastrophe
Committee. The posters
advertised an event to view
a film by a Palestinian
activist as well as stating
various statistics that criti-
cize Israel's dealings with
the Palestinians. The
posters also claim that after
the showing of this film
there would be an "open
discussion" with the audi-
ence. Unfortunately, this
film and open discussion
was closed for most Jews
on campus as it took place
on Sept. 21, the second
night of Rosh Hashana, one
of the holiest nights of the

debate.
The group limited a fair
dialogue about this matter by
presenting their views under
the guise of an open discus-
sion when many (but defi-
nitely not all) of the people
with a different perspective
on the situation observed a
religious holiday. This is sim-
ply ridiculous.
There are many students
on this campus who have
strong views on both sides
of the debate regarding
Israel and the Palestinians.
There is no reason why they
cannot be discussed when
neither side has a religious
obligation to fulfill. Ichal-
lenge members of both
sides to get together and
discuss these pressing
issues of our time and not
to limit fair discussion by
excluding the other side.
MICAH PELTZ
LSA SOPHOMORE
Daily
misinterpreted
statistics
To THE DAILY:
The editorial "Affirmed"
(9/17/98) is filled with misin-
terpeted statistics.
The editorial exerpts a
study on affirmitive action
at 28 highly selective col-
leges. According to U.S.
News and World Report,
there are only about 35
"highly selective universi-
ties," so the study has no
adequate control. The sec-
ond problem is that the edi-
torial doesn't address the
fact that affirmitive action
occurs in at least as great of
numbers in graduate
schools, most specificly
business, law and medical
schools. If these schools
continued to give minorities
an edge in admission, their
enrollment numbers should
be inflated.
If the Daily is going to
write in defense of affirmi-
tive action, it has to find a
defense, not create one
through misused statistics.
CHARLES BURHANS
ENGINEERING FIRST-YEAR
STUDENT
An ideal use
for higher
hockey
revenues
To THE DAILY:
In response to the article
"Hockey ticket prices hit
all-time high" (9/17/98), 1
have an idea for the Athletic
Department.
Now that the University
will be making thousands of

Hillary Rodham
Clinton for
president in '00
n January 21, 1993, with Fleetwood
Mac blaring "Don't stop (thinkin'
about tomorrow)' in the background, the
Clinton administration got of to a peppy
at a sort of rally innaugura gala with
wife H illary and daughter Chelsea there
to strengthen the traditional-yet-hip fam-
ily image spin doctors wished to portray.
But the Clinton
administration was ar
departure from the
traditional image of
the first family for a
variety of reasons
What many people ~*~
noticed the most -
both the traditional
ists incensed by it
and those adamantly
thrilled by it - was JACK 0
that the new first SCHILLAC
lady, Hillary >
Rodham Clinton,.
defied the tradition-
al mold that had previously defined what
role first ladies played in the White
House. First of all, Rodham Clinton was
the first professional to be betrothed to
the commander in chief; she was the first
to be appointed by her husband to hel
develop a significant, though unfortu 0
nately unsuccessful, piece of legislation
with the Task Force on National Health
Care Reform.
Gone were the days of pill-box hats
with matching Chanel suits, nomes de
plume like "Ladybird," and the mousy-
yet-ingratiating public characters that
might easily be nicknamed something
adorable like "muffin." Hillary demand-
ed her own set of nicknames, most of
which I can't print in good conscience.
And there was quite a reaction - to
this day, the backlash against the first
lady can still be found by watching
CNN as "average Americans" (most of
whom are usually from somewhere in
the Bible Belt) announce their disgust
of "that Hillary Clinton," blaming her
for such things as far beyond her control
as the bombings of Sudan and
Afghanistan.
But there was also an outpouring of
support. The Hillary Rodham Clinton
Fan Club - which has its largest chap-
ter here in Ann Arbor - cropped up to
fawn over the new first lady. On top of
that, dozens of Websites spot the digital
superhighway vowing support of the
first lady.
But about midway through her hus-
band's first term as president, the for-
merly vocal Ms. Clinton became more
publicly sedate, more content to sit on
the back burner as the "big boys" wor-
ried about such things as national policy
and economic development. When her
husband signed the Welfare Reform Act
into law in a clear showing of election-
year ass-kissing, White House spin doc-
tors played Hillary's former vocal oppo-
sition to the bill down, further pushing
her away from the spotlight and closer
to the role of the first housewife.
But there's nothing like a scandal to-
bring out the guns fully ablaze. After the
revelation of the Lewinskygate, she
went on national television to announce
her belief in "a vast right-wing conspr-
acy." Since then, she has continued to
stand steafastly by the president
throughout his troubles, causing many
pundits to consider her anti-woman.
Some believe that she should burn her
bridges and move away from her philan-
dering husband.
But I view it differently. I have no
doubt that her feelings for the president
have long since passed out of the range of
love. What with Gennifer Flowers, Paula

Jones and Monica Lewinsky all knocking
at the gate to her conscience mind, I doubt
anyone in her position could still hold any
amorous feelings for Billy boy.
But even the administration's greatest
enemies have to admit that the president
and his wife make an excellent team. She
has as much invested in his presidency as
anyone. They say politics makes strange'
bedfellows, and in the case of Hillary
Rodham Clinton, they couldn't have
been closer to the truth. She probably
realizes that to split with him now would"
not only damage him but would also hurt
the progress of many of the policy perog-
atives that Hillary wants just as much as
her husband.
She also probably realizes another
chilling reality of American politics.-
that women (or minorities, for that mat-
ter) don't get elected to the highest office,*
in the land. It's become something of a
normative political reality - evidenced
by the fact that even in our "enlightened"
times, no major political party has ever
even nominated a woman to run for pres-
ident under its auspices.
This is really a sad commentary. Fora
government that claims to be represen-
tative, you'd think that women and-
minorities would have broken throegh
the "glass ceiling" by now. Indeed 4he
only break our country has ever had
with WAS P-y male domination was., by
the election of JFK, a Catholic. y-
Through her husband, Hillary has had
the opportunity to work in as close to a°-'
capacity as president as any woman
ever. She has had the chance to shape

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