4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, November 11, 1998 (Ibe ,irbigatn uit g Are you a 'hot prospect? 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 'The truth is, the vote is In.' - US. Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Calif), talking about US. Rep. Bob Livingston (R-La.) succeeding Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) as Speaker of the House Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of the Daily's editorial hoard. All other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily. FROM THE DAILY 'U' students should donate and save lives A LOOK BACK MATT WIMSATT While the Michigan football team gears up to play Ohio State University in two weeks, the entire student body is also preparing for battle - the Blood Battle. Every year, students at the University and OSU compete for bragging rights over which university can collect the most blood dona- tions, and this year the competition has already begun. Kicked off last Friday with the Michigan Marching Band and the raising ofa banner over the steps of the Michigan Union, the blood drive will continue for two weeks until Nov. 20. While the battle is a fun and competitive challenge between two old and steadfast rivals, it is also benefits an important cause. S Today: Mosher J Blood banks L nge from I-7 p nationwide are finding U TomrrOW Piert1 their blood stores in 9 a.m. pm; Busii short supply. Hospitals Room from 12-6 p usually prefer to keep W Friday: Mary M" a three-day supply of Lounge from 1-7 p blood available, espe- 1 Nov. 15: South Q cially for emergencies American Lounge fi and blood transfu- 0 Nov. 16: Micihig sions. But because of Room from 1-7 p.i the blood shortage, 0 Nov. 17 and 18: especially in Southeast Pendelton Room f Michigan, hospitals U Nov. 19: Michig are forced to ration from 9 a.mI-7 p.m. themselves to a one- soer: Campit aini day supply. Not only is this a dangerous alternative, but it could also affect doctors' decisions regarding large pro- cedures. In the Southeast Michigan area, 1,000 pints of blood are used every day and the supply needs constant replenishment. Giving blood is an easy and convenient way to help save lives. The Red Cross will be stationed at many places on campus, making it easy for students to donate. Along with donations, the Red Cross needs volunteers as well. Giving blood requires a pre-screening procedure that checks a donor's blood for any disease or abnormality that would make a donation impossible. Further, after the blood is drawn, volunteers are needed to help donors relax and replenish their bodies with juice and cookies - just some of the many benefits one reaps from giving blood. To schedule an appoint- ment to donate or volunteer, call 1-800- GIVE-LIFE. The Red Cross, students and all involved should step up its commitment this year and - make every effort to 1 collect 1,500 pints of rdan, Jordan blood - the goal for , I this year's Blood Mt Commons from Battle. OSU has won :ss School, Phelps the battle for the last 1. six years, but this kiey, South should be the year for r. the maize and blue. act Afican Students should take im 12-6 p.m. advantage of the ease x Union, Anderson and convenience of having the Red Cross lichigan Union, on campus, and if n 1-7 pm. able, donate their LETTERS TO THE EDITOR blood. The donation r>>_ process takes about an hour and to donate, one must be at least 17 years old and weigh 110 pounds. While medical conditions such as low blood-iron levels and infections prevent many from taking part, all other students who fit the guide- lines should sacrifice an hour of their time during the next two weeks. Saving lives is only this fun, easy and competitive once a year. AUg dri tis nt Underage drinking stirs national attention n the wake of several alcohol-related deaths on college campuses nationwide - the most recent at Michigan State University this past Thursday - the prob- lem of binge drinking among students has been very much in the national spotlight. In fact, a national teleconference on the sub- ject will be hosted this Friday by Washington State University. A study con- ducted by Harvard University recommends regulating alcohol use on campus, limiting student access to alcohol and enforcing the minimum drinking age law. But while binge drinking is a serious issue, it is important that any kind of national effort to combat it does not become a witch hunt aimed at underage drinkers. Although the end of abusive drinking habits is a laudable goal, it is important that the effort concentrate on education about alcohol abuse rather than attempting to monitor the activities of underage stu- dents. Acting as a sort of police force is not an effective way to stop binge drink- ing, and it undermines the feeling of per- sonal responsibility that students deserve. The vast majority of college students are at least 18 years old and should have the right to drink in moderation without a universi- ty task force looking over their shoulders. The proper role of universities is that of educator, and that is how they should act with regard to binge drinking. In addition, any national task force on binge drinking needs to examine the accept- ed definition of what binge drinking actual- ly is. The current definition is five or more drinks in a row one or more times during a two-week period for men, and four or more drinks in a row one or more times during a two-week period for women. This defini- tion is rather narrow and does not take into account differing reactions individuals have to alcohol nor the amount of time the bev- erages are consumed in. Instead of having a crackdown on college drinking based on this definition, universities need to reassess what constitutes binge drinking and make an effort to inform students about the seri- ous risks involved. It is also true that the battle against binge drinking is unfairly focused on underage students. Excessive drinking is as dangerous to a 21-year-old as it is to an 18-year-old. In addition, because 18-year- olds are considered adults in nearly every other aspect of life, they should legally be allowed to consume alcohol. And decrim- inalizing drinking by people between 18 and 21 would actually help to solve many of the problems caused by underage drinking. Eliminating its illegality and negative social stigma would end the thrill of doing something forbidden and take away the mystique of turning 21 - something which leads many to drink too heavily and dangerously in a short amount of time. Although alcohol abuse is a serious problem at universities throughout the United States, it is also important that university officials do not overstep their boundaries in the effort to fight it. In addition, the guidelines for what consti- tutes binge drinking beg for revision with consideration of the different ways alco- hol affects different people and the focus on underage drinkers needs to be scaled down. Rather than policing the activities of students in order to prevent excessive drinking, universities should take steps to educate students about its dangers. Baron missed sarcasm and irony of letter To TlE DAILY: How brilliant! The mass extermination of women in the service of creating a mas- ter race of men! 1 can see now, Dror Baron, the error of my ways ("feffer's letter did not help women" 11/9/98). 1 cannot imagine why it was that I originally targeted issues such as wage disparity, violence against women and the unequal distribution of power in society as the back- bone of gender inequality. Admittedly, these are not real issues at all. I am ashamed of my letter and realize now that my beiefs parallel those of Hitler's (which is, of course, what Baron was truly trying to make ear to that damn feminist I used to be). If after reading my letter, dearest Mr. aron you have surmised that what I really want is a society of men and the systematic annihilation of personal choice, you must have a deep- er insight than my own. I agree with your implicit assumption that men cannot- an will not change and so we should simply create a homo- geneous society. Although I do have some deep fears about the insecurities that such a society will provoke within the darkest and deepest recesses of his psyche. But really, let's get down to it I want to make this clear so that those who do not understand deeper mes- sages embedded within sar- castic irony (read: Dror Baron) can process my point. Choice is relative and informed by gender (as well as race, class, sexual orienta- tion and ability). It is not my choice to be paid less than men, raped, battered or over- looked as a viable presiden- tial candidate. I do not, nor have I ever, felt that the solu- tion to this lack of choice and opportunity is to "become" men. This, of course, is a sophomoric "solution" to a globa and timeless problem. I do not understand the logic that asserts that those who wish to create opportunity and greater choice for women are actually out to minimize choice. These are the asser- tions of the ignorant and privileged. I guess it just boils down to the question, Baron, of which one of these groups are you? If the ques- tion overwhelms you, I sug- gest you check "both." CARLA PEFFER LSA SENIOR Confidential adoption laws hurt adotees To THE DAILY: The Daily's editorial "P ma ad he n ents whose insecurities about their own shortcomings have led to the continued pain and anguish of adoptees. These people who either didn't want or couldn't have children of their own are the only social- ly accepted remnants of slave trading in the United States. The ability of an adoptee to find their biological parents is important not only in med- ical emergencies, but also for their day-to-day mental health. Adoption is one of the most traumatic events that can happen to a child, and it has been shown to adversely affect the adoptee throughout their life. Many grow up believing they were unwanted and develop difficulties maintaining relationships. I can say from personal experi- ence that finding one's birth parents can go a long way in resolving those issues. There is absolutely no valid reason to keep adoption records confidential after the child turns 18, when the duties of the adopting parents are, in the eyes of the law, over. Just because some unfit parents don't want their child to know they exist is not a good reason to keep other parents from being able to contact their child. And to argue that this loss of confi- dentiality eliminates adoption as an option for young unwed mothers is absurd. It only means they don't get a clean slate, that they might actually have to take responsibility for their actions, god forbid. In conclusion, if the Daily is going to argue that laws should be enacted to save a few people from embarrass- ment then it should discon- tinue reporting anything that might be construed as embar- rassing so that everyone can "close those chapters" of their lives and we can all live happily ignorant. CAMERON CHAPPELL ENGINEERING JUNIOR LSA-SG helps students in many ways TO THE DAILY: Susan Port's article in the Daily on Oct. 5 ("LSA-SG against administration on Fleming move") was a mis- representation of what tran- spired in the government's meeting on Nov. 3. While it is true thatLSA-SG is taking a stand on this issue, the arti- cle is incorrect in two impor- tant ways. Port writes, "for the first time in recent years, members of the Literature, Science and the Arts Student Government are publicly expressing opposi- tion to the University adminis- tration's actions' The Student Government has and will always be committed to the voicing student concerns regardless if they are in oppo- sition of the administration. We have worked hard to advo- cate for academic change and have succedd in nur attemnt stereotype unfounded TO THE DAILY: We live in an age of stereo- types. Now, however, it's not just enough to stereotype based on race, religion, gender and age, we must also have stereotypes based on our geo- graphic origin. Such is the conclusion of Ken Galica's let- ter ("Michiganders should leave the 'U,"' 11/5/98) con- cerning the arrogance of New Yorkers. Ken, I hate to clue you in, but it's not like Michigan residents are that much less snotty and high- falutin'. Just witness the obnoxious female undergrad, late for class and desperate for a parking spot, honking up a storm behind me in her Range Rover because I refuse to mow down the helpless pedestrians who are crossing the street in front of me by the Modern Language Building. Guess what? She had Michigan plates. Is that what you call friendly? I think not. Snotty? I think so. I could cite kids from New Jersey as examples too, but my Dad owns stock in Nissan and I wouldn't want to upset the consumer group responsible for buying half the Pathfinders made in the United States. (Hey, Michigan winters are rough, I know you guys and girls need four wheel drive to get to class!) The point being, this type of arro- gant behavior is pervasive and not just a product of one geo- graphic region. Arrogant stu- dents here are more the result of them having parents who felt that buying them nice stuff was more important than hir- ing tutors to get them through remedial math classes. I would hesitate to attribute such arro- gance to a specific geographi- cal influence. So stop giving New Yorkers a hard time. I, for one, have never owned a Jeep Grand Cherokee but am con- tent to drive around in an old resulting in a diminished quality of advising given to students because of the lack of privacy and inadequate room and resources. We also recognize that the relocation of Honors as well as the Registrar's Office will tem- porarily inconvenience some students. We are committed to working with the adminis- tration to ensure that LSA students are not adversely affected by these changes. While it is important that students know what their stu- dent government is doing through Daily coverage, I do want to voice my concern about this prematurely writ- ten article. SANGEETA BHATIA LSA SENIOR LSA STUDENT GOVERNMENT PRESIDENT New York (Author's note. This column is dedi- cated. in spirit if not subject matter. to Sen. Daniel Movnihan, the last of the Roosevelt Democrats.) There are certain things in American life that we treat as cultural curren- cy. That is to say, things we're so famil- iar with, that are so common to all of us, that everybody uses them with varyin degrees of fluency. Books of green stamps at the gro- cery store used to be like this. Jukebox records too. For people of, our time, we have big wheels, braces, Mr. Rogers and piano lessons. There are ones AME that are a bit more jILLER risque, even sinis- ter. Sneaking beer at a high school party, for example. The discrete on- the-way-to-school cigarette in your "thanks mom and dad"junior year car. On the sexual side of things -I won't get into a lot of the interesting stuff because my parents read this every week. So I'll stick to things tha I haven't done. The quizzes in the back of Cosmo. It could be any magazine for young ladies, really. "Rice Cake Quarterly" "The Bra Stuffer" or "WHEN!? GOD, WHEN!'?" are all big sellers, as is "Safe Male Fantasy Magazine." Guys don't realize that a very high percentage of the with-it, mature, col- lected, self-possessed college coed females we know and love used to be blushing adolescents who read "Seventeen" and "YM" with zeal and enthusiasm. Yes, even girls with plan- ners and coffee mugs once cared way too much about articles like "Ten Tips for Terrific Lashes." We see this in daily life more often than we think; the ravages of the Cosmo quizzes, I mean. If you haven't spent your hideous formative years pouring over multiple choice tests that deter mine everything from your "impulsive ness rating" to the infamous "Are you two compatible?" you just can't under- stand the horror. Fortunately I'm here to help. For us guys who have never had the pleasure of being scrutinized, prodded and pinched by the popular media, grab a pen, a pint of Ben & Jerry's (whatever flavor is your fav), put on that facial mask and take this short quiz: Are you a hot prospect? 1) The hottest girl from my discussio section asks me to a party she and her housemates are having. She tells me "Oh, it's kind of formal - wear some- thing nice." This means: a. blazer or a suit, maybe without a tie b. polo shirt or sweater with a collar. underneath c. turning the Blues Traveler shirt inside out 2) Girls like to be treated with respect, like they're special. To make an impression on the lady at the above- mentioned party, I: a. compliment her on her dress/make- up/hair b. wait until she's not looking when leering at her friends c. don't spill anything on her. 3) The general condition of my house or apartment is: a. a little messy toward the end of thP I week, but we run a tight ship b. usually a good-natured mess, but hey, it's college c. on a good breezy day, you can't' smell all the stains, especially on the couch cushion we flipped over 4) I finally have her alone in my bed- room, I walk over to the stereo and put on: is a. b. c. Sam Cooke Sammy Hagar Sam Kinison 5) My favorite author: a. William Shakespeare b. William Styron c. William Shatner 6) I address my ex-girlfriends by: a. first name, with a smile b. "Satan" c. restraining order 7) Which of these statements most accurately describes my attitude toward sex? a. the physical expression of love b. the blessed union of souls c. what to do when you've run out of things to talk about 8) SportsCenter is: a. a funny show with great highlights b. an institution c. the blessed union of souls 9) A man is a homosexual if he: a. has sex with other men b. wants to have sex with other men l UW40E &WVAU MA [AI.. A& 50 -0 "1