4 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 22, 1999
Cbe £iigrn t ig
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
Generous g
'U' should warily accept Turkey's offer
'Teaching is indeed my joy. It's what I love
to do, and it's what I always want to do.'
- Prof Brenda Gunderson, 1999 recipient of the
Golden Apple Award.for teaching excellence
CHIP CULLEN GRIN DNG THE IB
THW
D H
LETTERS TO THE EDiTOR
The Turkish government recently
offered the University a $1 million
grant to fund a professorship for Turkish
studies at the University's Center for
Middle Eastern and North African
Studies. With the University's only
Turkish studies professor retiring in May,
the administration needs to find a
replacement. It is especially important for
the University, which values cultural
diversity, to find a new professor to pro-
mote a diverse curriculum. Without a
replacement, Turkish studies at the
University could easily become a relic of
the past. That the Turkish government is
offering to foot the bill makes this pro-
posal quite appealing, as long as the
Turkish government refrains from trying
to influence the curriculum.
Critics of the proposal fear the Turkish
government may be sponsoring the pro-
fessorship to influence not only what is
taught, but also how the Turkish govern-
ment is portrayed. Of great concern, espe-
cially to Armenians, is the possibility that
the Turkish government is seeking to
revise history.
Specifically, they fear a potential con-
flict of interest could arise in teaching
about Turkey's role in the massacre of
more than one million Armenians
between 1915 and 1917. In short, critics
say the Turkish government is not only
Time ar
attempting to fund education on Turkish
culture but also trying to influence the
content of those studies.
But University officials insist the
Turkish government will have no say in
what is taught. The Armenian genocide
will not be whitewashed, and the Turkish
government will have no say in the selec-
tion of the professor, administrators said.
Instead, the University will select the pro-
fessor, who will decide on the material to
be covered.
The University currently has two
endowed chairs of Armenian studies, but
no endowed chairs of Turkish studies.
This proposal could actually improve the
balance between Turkish and Armenian
interests. Moreover, this issue can help
the Armenian cause by exposing more
people to both the region and its historical
significance.
Indeed, as long as the Turkish govern-
ment abstains from imposing conditions
on what is taught, the University should
accept this generous gift to help build a
diverse curriculum. But the University
must take all steps necessary to ensure
that the Turkish government does not have
any control over the courses taught by the
professor. Were Turkey to have this con-
trol, the University would be hurting one
of the most crucial values of academia -
intellectual freedom.
id again
00
O Su
Roe v.
the rig
stated
ed in
cept
enoug
wheth
cy.
The
forwa
1973,
mobili
Using
legal
andp
strateg
some
premiE
regula
aged -
concei
revisio
lost th
had, a
risk of
Th
tion m
aborti
has er
legal
have
passe
banne
unless
Since
were f
amend
numbe
discrin
poor.
The
has re
Specif
sions
for un
tions,
tody
Suiva
Abortion rights under siege since 1973
OTwenty-six years ago today, the rule that prohibits counselors and physi-
preme Court's landmark decision in cians at federally funded family-planning
Wade won women across the nation clinics from providing information and
ght to a legal abortion. The decision making referrals about abortion. The reg-
that "the right of privacy ... found- ulations require that all pregnant women
the Fourteenth Amendment's con- be referred to prenatal care providers and
of personal liberty ... is broad be told abortion is not considered an
h to encompass a woman's decision "appropriate method of family planning."
er or not to terminate her pregnan- The erosion of support for legal abortion
is serious because of these sorts of con-
e Court's decision was a giant leap tinuous attacks. Reinstating spousal con-
rd for women's rights. But since sent and prohibitions against the use of
pro-life forces began a serious public facilities for abortion services
ization to overturn Roe v. Wade. have made the procedure less accessible
a variety of tactics to eliminate and more difficult for increasing numbers
abortion, such as political lobbying of women.
icketing abortion clinics, their Equally destructive is the illegal
;ies have unfortunately resulted in onslaught on reproductive rights. Anti-
successes. And Roe v. Wade's abortionists are taking the law into their
se limiting the ability of states to own hands - and acting above it. In
te abortion services is being dam- recent years, the nation has witnessed a
- and the Court has shown little startling, violent trend - the murder of
rn for the severe impact of state doctors who perform abortions and the
rns on abortion. Roe v. Wade has bombing of abortion clinics. More than
e vitality and legal influence it once 80 percent of all abortion providers have
nd in today's political climate, is at been picketed or experienced other forms
f being overturned. of harassment such as property destruc-
e long-range goal of the anti-abor- tion and invasions of facilities.
ovement has always been to outlaw The Constitution that protects
on. Women's right to an abortion women's right to an abortion is the same
oded over the past 26 years in both one that protects the right to free speech
and social realms. Major setbacks by anti-abortion activists. Attacks on
included the Hyde Amendment, abortion doctors by activists are not only
d by Congress in 1976, which illegal but wildly hypocritical. As much
d Medicaid funding for abortions as some people may believe that a fetus
the woman's life was in danger. has a right to live, they do not have the
more than one-third of all abortions right to decide that doctors who perform
unded by Medicaid before the Hyde abortions must die. "Pro-life" cannot
Iment, it is impossible to count the refer to the idea that some humans are
-r of women who were harmed and more deserving of life than others; if anti-
ninated against because they were abortionists define abortion as murder,
some of their extreme supporters are also
Constitutional right to abortion committing the crime they so vehemently
ceived several other severe blows. protest.
ic states have passed various provi- A woman's right to safe, accessible
including two-parent notification and legal abortions must be protected.
iderage females who desire abor- Those who believe in safe abortions must
even if they do not have legal cus- be active in the political battle for acces-
of the young woman. In Rust v. sible abortions as part of the struggle for
2n (19911 the Court unheld the gag renroductive freedom for all women.
Photograph
was in poor
taste
TO THE DAILY:
I would just like to com-
ment on the utter disrespect
the Daily demonstrated by
having a photographer at the
recent memorial service for
Sarah Metzger and Celia
.Zwerdling. It was one of the
most disruptive additions to
the mourning ceremony and
was totally uncalled for.
The purpose of the
memorial service was to
allow the friends and family
of the two young women to
gather and grieve - but the
photographer was one of the
most garish examples of dis-
respect. The noise of the
camera going off in the mid-
dle of the traditional ceremo-
ny added nothing but annoy-
ance to my experience. It is
nice to include an article
about the service in order to
inform others about it
("Service marks loss of 2
LSA first-year students,"
1/20/99), but the accompany-
ing photograph is a terrible
addition to the article.
Many of the friends of the
two women are going
through their own grieving
period and did not need or
appreciate being reminded of
the tragedy every time they
saw the front page of the
newspaper.
Unfortunately the photo
cannot be retracted, but I
hope the Daily shows a little
more tact if they have to
report on similar situations in
the future.
LAURA GLUHANICH
LSA FIRST-YEAR STUDENT
Language
was offensive
to deaf
community
TO THE DAILY:
In reviewing "At First
Sight,' Bryan Lark illuminates
his own gross deficiencies in
judgement ("'Sight' better left
unseen," 1/19/99). By using
the terms "deaf" and "dumb"
in the same breath, Lark per-
petuates stereotypes embraced
by eugenic apologists such as
Alexander Graham Bell. Yet
the problem is not just the one
writer. The Daily has editors,
and they too should shoulder
responsibility and immediately
and unconditionally apologize
to all deaf students, deaf
employees and the deaf com-
munity of Ann Arbor.
RICHARD ECKERT
RACKHAM
Parking lot
needs to be
inconspicuously small
Fletcher Hall parking lot. But
the price tag is laughable
upon observing the condi-
tions of the Fletcher lot and
the roads surrounding it.
Although Jack Frost has
been gnawing at our ears
over the past few weeks, the
lot has gone without repair.
In addition to many drivers
getting stuck in their spaces,
no snow had been removed
from the lot since the end of
the gargantuan snowstorm.
Yes, Parking Services cannot
help the weather, but they
could have sincerely prepared
for it, years, months or even
days in advance.
Here's an idea: Pave the
road behind Fletcher Hall! It
is possibly the only unpaved
road on campus. Even farms
in Niles have paved roads!
Although there is nothing
drastically wrong with the
area, other than the mud, it
seems an awful waste of
$120 per car not to have a
normal parking lot.
But instead of simply
complaining about the prob-
lem, I have come up with a
suggestion for Parking
Services. Purchase bags of
salt from Meijer -10 bags
would cost about $30 - and
plow the Fletcher lot. Once a
year would suffice.
The day the University
stops listening to its students is
the demise of our how-much-
worse-could-it-get parking lot.
NIKHIL KUMAR
LSA JUNIOR
Students
need more
choices when
buying books
TO THE DAILY:
I take pen to paper, or in
this case electron to screen,
to complain about a continu-
ing problem here on the cam-
pus - the Shaman Drum
Bookshop. As one of the
forced members of its major
customer base, I must lodge a
public protest about the poor
service and second hand sta-
tus that University students
receive at the hands of this
business.
First, allow me to state
that this is not primarily the
fault of the store itselfy
Shaman Drum is a fine busi-
ness and I recommend stu-
dents go there for textbooks
or general shopping. The
fault of the poor service at
Shaman Drum must be laid
in the laps of the
University's professors, who,
in an effort to aid this busi-
ness, have given it a monop-
oly on textbooks for many
LSA courses.
How many students have
stood freezing in long lines
stretching around the block
because their professors
gave Shaman Drum an
exclusive list of books? How
that means funneling your
textbook dollars into
Shaman Drum, the profes-
sors are ready to make you
do your part.
Professors, allow me to
speak for the students of this
University. We respect your
interest in social issues and
your desire to keep a lovely
bookstore alive. But if you
feel so strongly that this store
needs to be saved, do so with
your own resources. By giv-
ing Shaman Drum a monop-
oly you are forcing us to use
our money against our will,
and by eliminating choice,
you use the same tactics as,/
the "evil mega corporations"
you oppose. More to the
point, some of us on campus
are tired of waiting in long
lines, tired of freezing in the
cold, and tired of having to
shuffle through an area too
tiny to handle the crowds.
If you want to keep
Shaman Drum alive, fine.
Give them textbook lists and
encourage us to buy there. If
you state your reasons, you
might find that the students
of this campus are willing to
visit Shaman Drum on their
own. By forcing us to do so,
you only infuriate us and
drive us away from future
business with the store. I
have no intention of ever
buying books on my own in
that store because I feel they
have taken enough of my
money for a lifetime. And if
Shaman Drum cannot survive
without forced student dona-
tions, perhaps a simpler tactic
will work for everyone. On
the first day of class, order
all students to hand over a
certain sum to keep Shaman
Drum alive - or fail the
course. If that sounds unethi-
cal, keep in mind that by
forcing us to shop at Shaman
Drum, that is precisely what
you are doing anyway.
EDWARD CHUSID
LSA SENIOR
Letter was
not funny
TO THE DAILY:
I am a first-year student
here at the University, and I
want to share a list of reasons
why I thought Adam Wilson's
letter ("Reasons to enjoy
winter," 1 /19/99) was the stu-
pidest thing that I had ever
read in my life. He did "want
to know what we think."
10. The only way people
could have been warmed by
your humor was to burn the
paper it was printed on.
9. What the hell is trash-
can-that-catches-water bas-
ketball?
8. If you didn't read his
letter, thank the good Lord.
7. He said nothing warms
people up like a good laugh,
but I personally wanted to
shoot myself in the head
when I read his letter.
I am not going to suck the
Dole'
candidacy is
good, but still
developing
S tting in the Michigan League n
late November, Elizabeth Dole
gave the keynote address at a confer-
ence on the evolution of women in
American politics.
"I can remember
a time when the
idea of a woman
equal to her male
counterpart in poli-
tics was as unlikely .
as, well, a profes-
sional wrestler
being elected gov-
ernor of a state,"
she said.
Ironically, within MEG
minutes of each SCHIMF
other on Jan. 4, Pv*mss nir
Jesse Ventura took
the oath of office as Minnesota's gover-
nor and Dole resigned as president of
the American Red Cross amid specula-
tion she would aim for where no woman
politician has been.
As Dole leaves her post this week,
she has generated more talk than
male counterpart ever did. As true g
ernmental process falls by the impeach-
ment wayside, Dole is stirring mot
interest in the future than any othr
politician.
That is because she is a woman.
But it is primarily because she is the
first eminently qualified woman to ever
seriously evaluate a run for the coun-
try's highest office. With a resum that
includes a Harvard Law degree, two
Cabinet posts, work in six administ
tions, the Red Cross and a fountain
experience in politicking on a national
scale, Elizabeth Dole has, if nothing
else, made the first step in the journey
toward there ever being a Madame
President.
Regardless of whether she runs, wins
or accepts a vice-presidential nomina-
tion, Elizabeth Dole has already won for
women politicians of the future.
But do not cast a ballot for her
Support her candidacy, but examine it
before supporting her for president.
November 2000 is still about 22
months away, and other serious candi-
dates - including the odds-on favorite
for the GOP nomination, Gov. George
W Bush of Texas - have yet to declare
their intentions. Many of the parameters
of the race will be set during the next
several weeks and years under the
Capitol dome.
Yet Dole is hailed as the savior of p
itics and government, the perfectly
organized, prepared and motivated one
who will restore order to what remains
of the Constitution and the people's
faith in government. New York Times
columnist Maureen Dowd compared
Dole to Nurse Ratched, the details-ori-
ented "antidote to the most undisci-
plined President in history."
Her resignation gave her a boost
other candidates only dream for, scon
articles in every newspaper, broadcast
and Website dedicated to news, along
with live CNN coverage of the speech.
Both The Washington Post and The New
York Times put top political reporters
on the story; Democrat Bill Bradley's
declaration of candidacy for president
earned him a note in a column of stories
pulled from the Associated Press.
She is already at least the second-run-
ner to Bush in early polls for the G'
nomination and leads the "race"
vice-presidential choices. She is pro-
jected to attract voters who have not
voted in years and women who have
voted for Democrats. She could tap into
untouched volunteer and campaigning
resources. She is an insider who stepped
outside for just long enough.
But Elizabeth Dole has no prescribed
ideology, platform or program. She has
never herself been elected to office.
has raised money for the Red Cross, but
a presidential campaign is different. We
have seen some biographical sketches
of her as a candidate's wife.
But we have no idea who Elizabeth
Dole, candidate, would be.
Right now she stands as the ultimate
example of an image-driven campaign.
Articles speak of her personality, her
"Oprah" speech at the 1996 GOP con-
vention, her husband. People like the
idea of Dole running. Pundits like 1
new look to the campaign. Republicans
like all the new votes - and ironically
being the party that could change the
all-male look of the executive branch.
Everyone likes that she has no impeach-
ment vote and seemingly no hidden
scandals.
Now, before an ideology emerges,)we
can shape her campaign how we choose.
Dole seems to representaher own po
cally neutral party, one as varied as l°
background: women, Republicans,
human-rights supporters, Christian con-
servatives and people looking for some-
thing new in government.
Dole has said the country is ready for
a woman to seriously contend for the
nr A v Ad he rintr , hac elected