4A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, Match 8, 1999
1w l hdjigrn &tig
420 Maynard Street HEATHER KAMINS
Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Editor in Chief
daily.letters@umich.edu3
3. V
Edited and managed by JEFFREY KOSSEFF
students at the DAVID WALLACE
University of Michigan Editorial Page Editors
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.
Monica and Barbara: Too hot for TV, the outtakes
Hsh bashing
Bill would restrict municipalities' rights
Barbara Walters: Thank you, Monica, for
inviting us into your lovely home for this
important ratings-grabbing interview.
Monica Lewinsky: Oh, no problem,
Barbara. I want to do
anything I can to make
you feel comfortable.
Can I offer you a
cigar?
BW: Why, yes, cer-
tainly ... Do you have
a light?
ML (bewildered): A
light? For what?
BW: Anyway,
Monica, you've been
through quite an ordealH
during this last year to SCOtt Hunter
say the least. Besides Roll Th ugh
losing every shred of the Soul
your dignity, you have
been ridiculed, teased, threatened and basical-
ly screwed.
ML: Hee hee.
BW: So, it seems to me that the last thing
you would ever want to do is appear in front of
a camera before millions of people and talk
about your affair with the president. Why did
you agree to do this interview?
ML: Well, Barbara, I wanted a chance to
set the record straight about this situation.
Plus, I wanted the public to see that I am a
real person - not just an infamous pair of
lips.
BW: (under her breath) Harlot! Tramp!
Heifer! Strumpet!
ML: What?!? Listen, Babs, I don't have to
do this interview with you! I can have Ricki
Lake or Jenny Jones over here with a snap of
my fingers.
BW: I'm sorry, I'm sorry ... Now, Monica,
I don't know if you've been reading the head-
lines. But your story has received the most
media attention of any story during the last
year - that's more than the Arab-Israeli con-
flict, more than the dragging death of the guy
in Texas and more than the African embassy
bombings.
ML: Yes, Iknow.
BW: So, how do you feel about all these
serious journalists and shameless Michigan
Daily columnists wasting valuable newsprint
on your story when there are more important
things going on?
ML: I think they all need to go out and get
lives ... seriously.
BW: I agree. Well, Monica, you've received
quite a bit of flak over this past year from all
sides. And, truthfully, it's not very surprising.
You're only 24, yet this is not the first affair
you've had with a married man. You were dat-
ing another man during your affair with the
president. Plus, you aborted this "other man's"
child.
ML: Yes. So?
BW: So, how do you respond to all those
people who say that you are morally depraved
and that you have stomped all over every shred
of "family values?"
ML: This is just not true! I really recognize
the importance of family. In fact, if it weren't
for my parents and friends, I could not have
made it through this past year. I completely
respect the importance of families.
BW: Just not the president's family?
ML: Um ...
BW: Let's move on ... Now, your life has
completely changed since this whole ordeal
began. You've lost all sense of privacy in your
life, haven't you, Monica?
ML: Yes.
BW: How has it felt to go from Monica
Lewinsky, meek White House intern, to
Monica Lewinsky, the First Tramp, in a matter
of months?
ML: Well, Barbara, it's been just awful. The
life of the First Tramp is a hard one. Just look:
It killed Marilyn Monroe.
BW: I know.
ML: My biggest problem is this: Before I
had ever said a word on camera, America had
made up its mind that I was a total depraved
airhead. Now, I admit, I made a big mistake,
being young and naive. But no person should
ever have to go through what I went through.
'And, anyway, why does Bill get high approval
ratings while I get ridiculed? Double standard,
maybe?
BW: True. Now, Monica, let's talk about
Bill Clinton for awhile.
ML: Yeah, let's.
BW: How do you feel about Bill Clinton?
ML: Well, I'd like to say one thing about
him. It's really not fair that he will go down in
history as being this horrible lecherous man.
BW: Um, and why not?
ML: Well, look at the other presidents. If
Abe Lincoln, George Washington, JFK and
Dwight Eisenhower can have affairs and still
go down in history as being great leaders, why
should Bill Clinton be any different?
BW: So, what you're trying to say is that his
romps with a 23-year-old intern should not in
any way overshadow the good job he's done as
president?
ML: Exactly.
BW: So, Monica, the story's just about over.
The President is on his way out of office, and
the country's worn out the Starr report. What's
next for Monica Lewinsky?
ML: Well, Barbara, between the interviews
and the tawdry book, I don't think I'll ever
have to work another day in my life. But, when
all's said and done, I'd like to go back to the
White House.
BW:HYou want to go back there?! In the
same capacity?
ML: Hell, yeah! Have you ever checked out
Al Gore?
- Scott Hunter practices sensational st
journalism. He can be reached
over e-mail at sehunterdjumich.edu.
A LOOK B.sRACK
T he city of Ann Arbor - a liberal play-
ground in the otherwise staunchly con-
servative state of Michigan - is being
specifically targeted by a recently proposed
bill that would crack down on the city's
lenient marijuana laws. Home of the notori-
ous Hash Bash, Ann Arbor's $25 fine for
marijuana possession is not nearly as strin-
gent as the $100 fine - and up to 90 days
in jail - that other offenders around the
state face. The proposed bill, introduced by
state Sen. Beverly Hammerstrom (R-
Temperance) would prohibit local govern-
ments from enforcing lesser penalties than
those mandated by state laws. Senators,
always eager to make easy political gains by
cracking down on drugs, are overreaching.
TAe bill would take legislative control out
of the hands of the city and would be inef-
fective in taming its allegedly rebellious
action.
the same class as harder drugs such as LSD,
heroin and cocaine. Gang wars are not
fought over the drug; people do not commit
violent crimes after smoking it. Classifying
marijuana as a hard drug overshadows the
drug's positive aspects. Shown to have med-
ical benefits, marijuana has been used as an
antinauseant for cancer and AIDS patients
and to relieve intraocular pressure in glau-
coma patients, as well as to treat people suf-
fering from anorexia, multiple sclerosis,
epilepsy, paraplegia and quadriplegia. But
despite the fact that it helps alleviate these
patients' suffering, most states outlaw even
medicinal use. It is unfair and illogical to
punish the sick for therapeutic use of a drug
because of the over-moralization of the
issue by legislators.
Many marijuana offenders receive stiffer
sentences than those arrested for violent
crimes. This is a waste of taxpayers' dollars
Lotter to the MATT WIMSATT
Editor Policy
For starters, the law would have little and shows a misdirection of the govern
effect on the way the Ann Arbor Police ment's priorities. Otherwise law-abidin
Department and Department of Public citizens who choose to use marijuan
Safety officers patrol the Hash Bash, as the should not be punished so severely for suc
event takes place on University property, a minor offense, particularly when violen
which already follows state laws on man- crime plagues the nation.
juana possession. Ann Arbor has done a In addition, legalizing marijuana woul
fine job regulating marijuana as its public take away some of the risks involved wit
officials, elected by citizens, see fit - even its use. It would decrease the likelihood tha
though it has drawn disapproval from the people will smoke marijuana tainted wit
state. Focusing negative attention on mari- more harmful substances. Legalizatio
juana use is a waste of legislators' time - would also take away the thrill of using a
the drug has not been proven to be physi- illegal substance, one element that no doul
cally addictive, unlike nicotine and alcohol, draws many adolescents to marijuan
both of which are legal. Also, there are no Marijuana use is a matter of person
recorded cases of a fatal marijuana over- choice, and the government should n
dose. Marijuana should not even be put in interfere if adults choose to use it.
Practice as you preach
Engler must reveal expense account charges
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*The Michigart Daily wel tmes ees
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k9q All p o/C9 0
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U.S. sanctions against Iraq must end
G ov. John Engler is a frugal man. He
prides himself on slashing state
expenditures, which leads to income tax
cuts for the state's citizens. But there is
one area in which Engler has not yet dis-
played such such parsimony - his
$50,000-a-year expense account.
The Lansing State Journal reported
Friday that 63 percent of the $106,478
taken from the account during the past
three years was charged to credit cards,
and most of that was simply attributed to
"hospitality," without any more descrip-
tion of the charges.
Engler's office refuses to release the
receipts. Engler spokesperson John
Truscott told the Associated Press that
"once everything is paid, after a couple of
months, (the receipts are) tossed."
As governor of the nation's eighth
largest state, he has a responsibility to
entertain visiting dignitaries, and the
expense account is intended to help him
pay for those costs. An expense account
of $50,000 a year is reasonable for the
chief executive of Michigan. But his lack
of willingness to disclose his expenses is
unacceptable.
For a man who prides himself on fiscal
conservatism, Engler should be ashamed.
Out of respect to the state's taxpayers, our
governor should let everyone know where
their money has been spent. That is not
-w -~ w m ..w-- a -
asking too much.
In Engler's introduction of his budget
proposal for fiscal year 2000, he boasted
that the state has "exercised fiscal disci-
pline and kept our state budgets in line."
It appears that Engler has had trouble
keeping his own budgets in line, so it is
difficult to believe his claims about the
state's budget.
In his fiscal year 2000 budget propos-
al, which the state House and Senate must
amend and approve by July 1, Engler
applied his conservatism to many other
parts of the state government, including
higher education funding.
The University, under Engler's propos-
al, would receive a 1.5-percent funding
increase - a rise that is likely to be lower
that the Consumer Price Index of infla-
tion. That would cause the University to
either raise tuition or cut valuable pro-
grams that give the University its world-
class reputation.
Engler's budget proposal seems to sug-
gest that all state agencies - except the
Department of Corrections - must exer-
cise fiscal discipline and conservatism.
Unfortunately, Engler is not personally
showing the state his commitment to
responsible spending. By obnoxiously
refusing to disclose his expenditures, he
is placing himself at a higher level than
everyone else in the state.
For more than a century, student move-
ments have had an important place among the
agents of social change. Students have a his-
tory of fighting for peace and justice. In the
1960s, students spurred debates in Congress
about the war in Vietnam and led the protests
for peace.
Students also struggled against discrimi-
nation and racism - both in the civil rights
movement in the U.S. and in the fight to end
apartheid in South Africa. Now, in the 1990s,
there is another war we must end; another
struggle for peace and justice in which we, as
students, must make our voices heard.
For more than eight years our government
has been waging a silent war against the peo-
ple of Iraq. This month, the U.S.-led sanctions
will kill 4,500 infants and toddlers, according
to UNICEF reports. Today, this policy will kill
250 people in Iraq, as it did yesterday ... and
as it will tomorrow. Since 1991, more than
one million people have died due to the
scarcity of food and medicine and the spread
of water-borne diseases - all direct conse-
quences of the sanctions.
Since 1991, United Nations agencies and
independent human rights organizations have
been reporting on the devastating impact of
the sanctions on human life in Iraq. Four years
ago, UNICEF reported that "Sanctions are
inhibiting the importation of spare parts,
chemicals, reagents and the means of trans-
portation required to provide water and sani-
tation services to the civilian population of
Iraq. What has become increasingly clear is
that no significant movement towards food
security can be achieved so long as the embar-
go remains in place."
And what is our government's response?
When asked on "60 Minutes" about the death
of half a million children in Iraq - more chil-
dren than died in Hiroshima, Madeleine
Albright responded "we think the price is
worth it."
We say NO! The death of one child is a
death too many.
As Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn,
Edward Herman and Edward Said recently
stated in their national call for action, "The
time has come for a call to action to people of
conscience. We are past the point where
silence is passive consent - when a crime
reaches these proportions, silence is complic-
ity."
We refuse to be silent in the face of this war.
We denounce the trade sanctions against
the people of Iraq as immoral, illegitimate and
contrary to fundamental principles of human-
ity and human rights. We demand that
Congress and the President immediately end
the ongoing sanctions war against the people
of Iraq.
We support the Michigan Student
Assembly, which passed a resolution in
January condemning the sanctions against the
people of Iraq.
We call upon all students dedicated to
peace to join the growing movement to end
the war against Iraq. Get more information on
how you can help end the war by sending an
e-mail to studentinfo@leb.net. Check our
Website at at http://leb.net/iac/students.html.
It was the collective voice of the students
that woke our nation to the horror of the
Vietnam War. We must once again issue the
wake up call to the conscience of our nation.
- This viewpoint was submitted by
Business junior Will Youmans, Rackham stu-
dent Jessica Curtin, LSA senior Amer Ardati,
LSA senior Micah Holmquist, LSA sophomore
Jenny Schlanser, LSA junior Aiman Mackie,
LSA junior Michael Mosallam, LSA senior
Rahul Shah, LSA junior Anuj ohm, LSA
junior Neha Singhal, Rackham student
Stephanie Lindemann, SNRE senior Deana
Rabiah, Rackham student Andrew Freeman,
Engineering sophomore Nadia Salibi, LSA
sophomore Nasreen Syed, LSA sophomore
Christna Guirguis, Rackham student Salih
Mahameed, Student Adviser Dahlia Petrus,
SNRE sophomore Norah Rabiah, LSA senior
SaladinAhmed, Rackham studentAnnemarie
Toebosch, LSA junior Sairah Saeed, LSA
senior Tyler Currie, BusinessjuniorAmi Patel,
LSA senior Eric Pbttenger and LSA junior
Khaled Beydoun.
Monica's interview was like Bill's trial - empty*
By Jeffrey Kosseff
Daily Editorial Page Editor
Along with 70 million other Americans,
I tuned into ABC Wednesday night to watch
everyone's favorite cigar aficionado discuss
her sexcapades with the nation's 42nd presi-
dent. I knew this would not provide any
important new information on the scandal
that led to President Clinton's impeachment.
Like many of my fellow Americans, howev-
er, I wanted the dirt on the world's most
famous intern. As I watched Monica
Lewinsky discuss Clinton's sensuality and
her laundry habits, I realized the great trivi-
ality of the scandal that almost caused the
removal of our president.
Clinton's Senate trial and Lewinsky's interview were
about sex and television ratings - and not much else.
Clinton and Lewinsky that amounted to no
more than a poorly written Harlequin
romance novel. But most romance novels
don't cost $40 million.
Clinton was not innocent in the scandal.
His misunderstandings of the definitions of
"is" and "sexual relations" were embarrass-
ing to the nation. I was shocked to hear that
he was engaged in "improper" relations with
Lewinsky as he spoke to a Congress member
about Bosnia. But that was something I wish
I didn't know. Unfortunately, it was spoon-
fed to me by Starr, Hyde and the national
mate" with the commander in chief (Like,
oh my god, that's so cool). While Lewinsky
spoke about her "affinity" with Chelsea, I
gawked at her choice of lipstick shade.
While Walters bombarded Lewinsky with
her trademark dull and unoriginal questions,
I wondered what new dirt would be unveiled
in Lewinsky's book. But throughout the
whole interview, I wondered why our
Congress was at a standstill for months to
investigate this affair.
The nation was not harmed by Clinton's
sexual encounters with the woman who
JOHN ENGLER
MICHIGAN GOVERNOR
P.O. Box 30013
LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909
(517) 335-7858