4A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, April 8, 1999
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Gen. X-hausted: Return of Mom and Dad, '90s style
420 Maynard Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
daily.letters@umich.edu
Edited and managed by
students at the
University of Michigan
HEATHER KAMINS
Editor in Chief
JEFFREY KOSSEFF
DAVID WALLACE
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
Time limit
One study day is not enough before finals
Forget the Internet, cell phones and lap-
tops. This is just silicon veneer masking
the tragedy of imitation in our culture. Our
fashion and arts have become slick millenni-
al homages to the once and now future past.
We've boiled madly
in the bellbottom'
craze, the flimsy hal-
ter, and the tease of
tank tops. Now we've
simmered into a zoot
suit riot. While
corsets, frocks and
capes have been con-
fined to goths, I antic-
ipate a return to hoop
skirts, and men in
tights. Black horn rims
pass as glam, but Michael
when Buddy Holly's Nagrant
plane crashed, he took
more than music with °°
him, that was maybe °l
the day fashion died.
It's not even a case of mimicking our parents
which worries me, it's self parody. The new
Spin mag has a fashion spread entitled: '80s
styles revisited. I see more Jordache than I did
in junior high. Levi's has their nice tie-in with
the new Mod Squad movie where they offer a
"very limited collection." The only thing lim-
ited is the creativity of offering two color tight
tees, faux leather waistcoats and acid wash
blue jeans. Levi's probably spent the last year
trying to get back all the '80s production
overruns they donated to the Salvation Army.
The problem was, all the homeless people
anticipated our little retro craze and snapped
up the fashion gold, leaving Levi's with only
a few pairs of buttonfly jeans for our very lim-
ited fashion senses.
With the return of the Mod Squad, we also
have old wily intellectual hipsters. We got
"Big Willy Style" Shakespeare, Charles
"don't make fun of my last name" Dickens,
and Jane "got no pride" Austen raging at the
cineplex. While we had the forethought to
veil some of these movies ("Clueless"), we
pretty much just gave up with others
("Emma"). In fact, the increase in civil suits
probably stems from copyright infringement
related to the use of plotlines from Dangerous
Liaisons. We don't need tort reform, just
more dead authors to rip off who can't sue.
Musically, Glen Miller, Louis Prima et al.
can eat the Squirrel Nuts and Big Bad Voodoo
Daddy for lunch. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy?
Isn't that George Clinton's real name? He
should sue them. I'm personally holding out
for a Poison comeback, because as we keep
listening to the Doors and the Stones, it's
more evident that our moms and dads can
rock and roll, and I wanna hear what Bret
Michaels has to say about that. C'mon, Talk
Dirty to Me.
Hip hop may be the new thing on the block,
but I recently read that Puffy and Fat Boy Slim
might be working together. What do you call
a sample of a sample, appetizer music? Right
about now, we got no funk or soul, brother.
Just as in music, visual arts have become
pathetic. I consider myself an intellectual, I
read "Catcher in the Rye'" but post mod-
ernism is questionable. There is no art in a
canvas with one dot. I know these representa-
tions are supposed to evoke the alienation of
living in the post industrial society of which I
speak, but how does a silkscreen reproduction
of a photograph you didn't even take do any-
thing but reinforce the ideas of mass produc-
tion and the destruction of the individual?
Last year, I was at the Chicago Institute of
Arts, and a docent was leading a group of
children through the post modern exhibits.
She stopped in front of a totally black canvas
and went into a rant, about how this painting
Theoretically, grades measure a pupil's
comprehension of the course material
given a particular academic subject.
Adequate understanding at the college level
often requires highlighting stacks of
coursepack pages, attending lectures, par-
ticipating in weekly discussions and filling
binders with penned notes. So when finals
come around, plenty of reviewing is needed
to ensure sufficient knowledge and of
course, good grades. The current winter
semester schedule limits students' capabili-
ties, because this year the set calendar
grants only one day of study before exam
week begins.
Twenty-four hours of preparation time
is inadequate for students who care about
maintaining a competitive academic stand-
ing. This year's exam period spans April 22
to 29, leaving the prior Wednesday as the
only date allotted specifically for finals
study. Thomas McElvain, the University
registrar, leads the committee credited for
the existing exam policy. The dates chosen
by the committee and approved by the
University Board of Regents were basical-
ly predetermined, because of the short
winter term. A minor extension of the
school year would likely produce signifi-
cant benefits; as it now stands, the semes-
ter lasts less than the summer vacation. If
officials extracted some days from the
break between winter and spring term, bet-
ter grades and lower levels of stress would
probably result.
Cramming a few months worth of mate-
rial the night before an exam provokes
anxiety. In contrast, last semester a week-
end came between the last day of classes
and the first day of finals. But this semes-
ter, the restrictive schedule refuses stu-
Media ai
East Lansing police je
dents proper closure from the hustle and
bustle of a regular week of classes and pre-
vents necessary rest. Due to the fixed time
constraints this year, students should
remain focused and'plan ahead to diligent-
ly prepare for finals.
The effects of the one-day study period
extend beyond the University. While com-
petitive institutions across the nation gener-
ally give more time for exam study, students
elsewhere remain rivals in the race to
acquire graduate school admittance and
enter the job market. Ivy League schools
customarily offer at least a week free of
classes so that pupils may arrange their pre-
exam agendas without feeling over-
whelmed. For example, Harvard allows two
entire weeks for exam preparation and even
neighboring public institution Michigan
State University has at least a weekend
before finals. Only in the experimental
1992-93 year when MSU modified their
exam schedule to the University's shortened
mid-week study period, did students experi-
ence academic unrest. The following year,
Michigan State returned immediately to
their prior Monday to Friday plan and com-
plaints ceased.
McElvain's committee and the regents in
charge of the University exam policy should
consider altering the restraints posed by the
current system. Extending the academic
year at the University can alleviate the con-
flicts of rushed studying. Rather than dread
spending time in cramped libraries across
campus, students deserve some freedom in
setting their personal studying plans.
Longer hours designated for exam study
may provide a more conducive atmosphere
for earning the grades that dedicated
University students deserve.
A 4
itonomy
,opardize a free press
What is undeniable is that the measures
taken by the city are abusive and irrespon-
sible.
Law enforcement and journalists have
always worked closely with one another.
Police have cooperated with the media to
solve crimes and apprehend criminals
innumerable times and in various ways.
Despite their intercommunication, each
sector maintains a fierce independence
that is beneficial to society. The result of
interaction between the authorities and
reporters is often positive so long as it
remains symbiotic. By bullying television
stations and newspapers into providing
information that will aid their investiga-
tion, East Lansing seriously violates the
sacred autonomy of the press.
Ultimately, it is the job of the police is
to catch criminals and maintain the rule of
law. The role of journalists is to report the
news impartially. Public trust is vital to the
basic functions of the press and law
enforcement. If their respective roles
become blurred, the credibility of both
parties is seriously damaged. The police
must continue to solely bear their respon-
sibility to bring criminals to justice. The
role of the press is not to be a crutch for
frustrated detectives.I
East Lansing's legal assault on the
Lansing State Journal and area television
stations should not be tolerated and initia-
tives must be taken to ensure that future
subpoenas and search warrants cannot be
issued against the press. The integrity of
the press and the apprehension of crimi-
nals are equally vital to the preservation of
does have different texture and brush tech- 4
nique in certain places, blah, blah. Then she
asked the children what they saw. A timid
hand wavered in the crowd. A first grader
says, "It's just black, I don't get it." Neither do
1.
Even with politics, in the age of term lim-
its, old rich white males still rule the estab-
lishment. Sure instead of make love, not war,
it's think locally and act globally, but our
activists still sling nostalgia of the '60s. I
don't question the stance or commitment of a
group like SOLE, but did they really need a
sit-in? I think they just wanted to sleep in
Bollinger's office, because it was cool, in the
style of Tom Hayden and the Chicago Seven.
There must be more effective ways.
Even in the technology world, the Atan
2600 and the SWATCH watch are back, and
VW bugs infest the streets.
The self parody of our childhood and the
imitation of previous generations indicates
that we are looking for a time when every-
thing was easier or better, when our moms,
the government and Ford Motor took care of
us. The fact is social security isn't gonna be
there, and barring a Balkan war, our children
aren't going to college on the G.I. bill. They
may not even go to college, as no one will be
able to afford it. We may not make as much
money as our parents did, but we will have no
one to blame but ourselves. Imitating the past
in the theatre of the future is nothing but
tragedy, and the Greeks have done that
already. Wake up from the cryogenic deep
freeze of fear and push forward, not because
it will be easy, but because it will be hard.
- Due to graduation, this is my last col-
umn, so e-mail me at mjnagran@umich.edu.
Until Ifind a homefor my writing elsewhere,
starting next week you will be able to
find Life Serial online at
www umich.edu/-mjnagran.
ALONE GANNoT 1* A WAM...
THOMAS KULJURGIS
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n the wake of East Lansing's embar-
rassing riot two weeks ago, the city has
understandably taken extra measures to
ensure that at least some of those who
were responsible for the rioting are
brought to justice. The city has set up a
"Hall of Shame" section on its Webpage
with the pictures of suspects. The city and
Michigan State University have also put up
:$50,000 to distribute to tipsters with infor-
mation leading to suspects' arrest and con-
viction. But some of East Lansing's recent
efforts have gone way too far. In an act of
desperation, the city seems to have traded
intensive police work in favor of strong-
arm tactics against the media.
This past Monday, the Lansing State
Journal lost a court challenge to a subpoe-
na for unpublished photos. The court's rul-
ing has been suspended until Thursday
pending the Journal's decision to appeal. A
person or organization that is issued a sub-
poena is legally bound to provide the
requested information or items at a certain
place and time. If the Journal does not
comply with the subpoena their newsroom
is subject to search and seizure by police.
Print media is not the only outlet that is
being targeted - search warrants have
been issued to several area television sta-
tions as well.
East Lansing officials and MSU admin-
istrators are no doubt working frantically
to repair the tarnished reputation of their
city and university, but passion and haste
are winning over common sense and
ethics. Whether East Lansing is stepping
over the very thin legal line between the
City council's Iraqi
resolution promotes
activism.
TO THE DAILY:
On Monday, April 5, the Ann Arbor City
Council passed a resolution commending
Bishop Thomas Gumbleton's trip to Iraq.
This trip was more than symbolic in its vio-
lation of the murderous sanctions - he
took with him medical supplies which
would hopefully alleviate the suffering of
some Iraqis.
In response to the "deaths of one and
one-half million Iraqi civilians, mainly chil-
dren, due to lack of food and medicine over
the past eight years," the Ann Arbor City
Council took an initiative similar to the
Michigan Student Assembly's back in
January. Both, when confronted with the
United Nations-provided facts, took action
against this United States/United Nations
sanctioned humanitarian disaster.
Statistics such as the "six-fold increase
in the mortality rate for children under five"~
and that "the majority of the country's pop-
ulation has been on a semi-starvation diet"
(World Health Organization, March 1996)
provide a solid basis for reasonable people
to decry the policy of sanctions.
The Michigan Student Assembly, which
was criticized for the resolution by many
including the Daily, has been joined by
three other universities, and now the city
council. These resolutions signify the reali-
ty of the sanctions that is not completely
represented by the mainstream media here.
I suggest that individuals critical of these
resolutions and the anti-sanctions activists
consider the same evidence brought to these
representative bodies.
The question of focus or purview never
arose in these instances, although it was the
basis for criticism of the MSA. These are
irrelevant with such an extreme and urgent
issue.
WILL YOUMANS
BUSINESS JUNIOR
Hate crime laws
are discriminatory
TO THE DAILY: '
After reading the Daily's editorial
"Unequal protection: Hate crime legislation
ignores LGBT people," (4/6/99) I was cer-
tain that I needed to respond. This editorial
was incredibly misguided. The Daily urges
students to help ensure that LGBT rights
are considered in the formulation of hate
crime legislation. Thereal problem, howev-
er, isn't the exclusion of LGBT interest
from the legislation. The problem is that
such legislation even exists!
Hate crimes legislation is simply unfair
and un-American. It prioritizes victims,
"ranking" one's suffering according to one's
ethnic background. It belittles the serious-
ness of a crime and attempts to measure its
"political significance." Why should an
individual face stiffer penalties for throwing
a rock through someone's window if it has
the "N-word" inscribed on it? Destruction
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support for hate crimes legislation. The
point, however, is that it simply doesn't mat-
ter that Byrd's death was racially motivated.
A man was brutally murdered in a disgust-
ing, horrible manner.
This is the real tragedy! On the same
token, the fact that Shepard was attacked
because of his sexuality is completely irrel-
evant. What is more important is that a
human being, whom people cared for and
loved, was beaten to death.
Hate crimes legislation demeans anyone
who has ever been victim to a crime. It says
that you as a victim must now justify the
sociopolitical importance of your tragedy in
order to gain equal consideration under the
law. How can such legislation logically
spring forth from the concepts of equality
and justice?
ANDRE GHARAKHANIAN
LSA SENIOR
Sanz's column told
it like it is
TO THE DAILY:
Regarding Branden Sanz's latest col-
umn, ("Meat - It's not just for breakfast
anymore," 4/6/99) I'm glad to see that there
are at least one or two people left there at
the Daily who have the integrity and
courage to call them like they see them, as
opposed to the majority who seem to find
praise for even the most far-fetched and idi-
otic events.
And I'm glad to know that I made the
right choice when I decided to miss the
event he reviewed ("The Sexual Politics of
Meat"), an event which apparently fell into
that dubious category. Thanks Branden!
CHRISTOPHER GODWIN
RACKHAM
Vegetarian diet is
not an unhealthy
Sifesftyle
TO THE DAILY:
In regards to Branden Sanz's article,
"Meat - It's not iust for breakfast any-
er, that if I were a meat eater, the lecture
would not have convinced me to change
my ways. But as a vegetarian, I was
offended by many of Sanz's ignorant
comments.
I want to especially draw attention to
his comment, "I suppose if I like the
thought of going through life as a 90
pound stick figure (sort of like Kate Moss
with a penis) then being a vegetarian
might have some appeal." Well, I used to
be a 90-pound stick figure of a meat eater.
it was only when I stopped eating meat
that people stopped asking me if I am
anorexic. As a vegetarian, I am much
healthier than I've ever been. I have much
more energy, which I use for working out
at the gym - and I've certainly never had
a limb fall off, let alone torn a muscle
The stereotype of malnourished vegetari-
ans is frankly not the case at all.
My vegetarian diet definitely allows4
me to have, "a healthy,active lifestyle and
do the things that I love doing." A vege-
tarian diet could offer anybody that
lifestyle if he or she chooses it.
JENNIFER HEFFERAN
.SNRE JUNIOR
Students, as well as
alumni, are hurt by
ticket price hikes
TO THE DAILY:
It is amazing that when enough alumni
complained about the ticket increase. the
Athletic Department reduced the increase..
"Michigan football has been around for 100
years and we have very loyal fans ... their
message was that the percentage increase
was heavy" for the time period, Goss said.
People are more receptive to increases in
"smaller bites,"he said.
Mr. Goss, I don't know exactly how long
Michigan hockey has been around, and I can
tell you the fans of that sport are just as loyal.
People who are now working professionally
are less able to absorb price increases than
students in school struggling to live month to
month? I don't think so. Students are just as
receptive to increases in smaller bites as well.
Where were you for the student hockey
ticket increase, Mr. Goss? Are the students
just not important enough to listen to?
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