4A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, February 7, 2000 ilbe 3{drtgrx {{lg Racism doesn't always hide behind a white hood 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109 daily.letters@umich.edu Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan MIKE SPAHN Editor in Chief EMILY ACHENBAUM 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. When the Ku Klux Klan makes its regu- lar trek to Ann Arbor, I encourage my peers to refrain from protesting. The Klan members come to Ann Arbor because they want to elicit that angry reaction from a group of liberals. I doubt they're here for the er outstanding UMS con- certs. Ignoring the KKKh would hurt them more than protesting them. The KKK is a pathetic group withK little power. Acknowledging its presence only vali- dates its existence. But not all groups Jeffrey are worth ignoring. On Kosseff Friday, the Center for S Individual Rights spoke at the Law New Style School, switching from its typical attacks on affirmative action to anti-gender-equality rhetoric. CIR, which filed two lawsuits against the University on behalf of rejected white applicants, poses a far greater danger to the country's race relations than the KKK. CIR is trying to reverse all the progress our country has made toward racial equality since 1964, and it has succeeded in Texas. CIR, like all affirmative action opponents, promotes a racist agenda. I don't like to casually toss around strong words like "racist" and diminish their mean- ing and power. But any attack against affir- mative action is a direct step backward in time - to an era of segregated schools, "colored" water fountains and slavery. Affirmative action opponents claim any admissions system that uses race as one of many factors is discriminatory. Maybe it is. But what system within our society doesn't discriminate based on race? Are all the other racial inequalities and injustices simply coin- cidences? Is it a coincidence that I've never been pulled over in my car, but I don't know a black person who can go a few months without the police stopping them? New Jersey's police chief even admitted to and defended racial profiling. Is it a coincidence that minorities are rarely seen on mainstream network television shows? Is it a coincidence that vast income gaps separate races? Is it a coincidence that the Senate Majority Leader is an active supporter of a white supremacist group? What about the Senate's ranking member, who ran for president 50 years ago on the segregationist platform? These are not coincidences. They are injustices that date back to slavery. Even though Abraham Lincoln won and Martin Luther King Jr. spoke, we have not reached equality. We're not even close. While affirmative action is far from per- fect, it's a start. I hope there will come a time when we don't need it any more. But we haven't reached that point yet. I've fought my own internal battles over affirmative action. Last semester, as I consid- ered my summer plans, I saw many minority- Embattled Athletic D A midst the latest round of basketball upheaval, news of University Athletic Director Tom Goss' impending resignation hit the surface. Goss' departure from his position is the right decision by the administration, whose pressure is forcing the decision. But as athletic director, this is not the first time Goss has felt tremendous pressure -his tenure has been plagued from day one. Goss has made some errors, such as the department's deficit and the hike in price of student hockey tickets, but those errors alone are not enough to let a director go. They are mistakes that are magni- fied when factored into the bigger picture: Goss was terribly unfortunate to inherit a hurt- ing department. He was handed a mess far beyond the repair of almost anyone - himself included. It was naive to think Goss and his pledged "core values," would be a panacea to an ailing department, He was unable to take control - but who can play Superman to the athletic department's sprawling metropolis? After three years, Goss has not been suc- cessful in resurrecting the basketball team or the athletic department as a whole. Although he will be leaving the department in shambles, Goss should resign. But what will that really solve - who could do differently? As the press and the public scrutinize Goss, we have to ask: How much can be expected from an athletic director? Goss, like athletic directors at the handful of schools with famed programs such as Michigan's, are given an extremely challenging mandate: Run a professional pro- gram with amateur rules. Administration and alumni alike demand a clean reputation with champion teams - and why shouldn't they? Yes, it's idealistic. But it's not impossible, and the next athletic director must be acutely aware of this pressure and be able to handle both the business and public relations components of the position with equal skill. Goss did make the right decision early in ept. must clean house his tenure by firing ex-basketball coach Steve Fisher. Much of the scandal associated with the basketball team occurred before Goss took over the department, and he seemed to be cleansing the team's tarnished reputation. He was unsuccessful applying these "core val- ues," and as athletic director, Goss is ultimate- ly, if not at times unfairly, responsible for integrity and accountability of the entire department. Perhaps whether Goss should or shouldn't be forced to resign isn't the issue - he is merely a symptom of a larger problem. It is foolish to think his resignation fixes the com- plex problems that plague the athletic depart- ment. But University President Lee Bollinger and the administration taking over aren't the answer either. The administration has the right to be skittish - Goss' tenure lasted only 29 months, making him the fourth athletic direc- tor in the past decade. The administration and the athletic department have clearly been thorns in each other's side, struggling for power when it is not clearly defined just how much autonomy the athletic department should have. The athletic department is a downed, wounded animal, but the administration should not head in for the kill. It is not their role to take it over. The administration's plate is already full without a multi-billion dollar organization to manage. The athletic depart- ment needs dramatic action, but caution is more important than speed. Replacing direc- tors or coaches every few years repeatedly lurches the department to an embarrassing tailspin. But we need a new athletic director who can handle a very unique and taxing position -they will have to be someone truly exceptional. For the sake of the University's reputation and the world of college athletics, the athletic department needs to start over, no matter the cost. only internships. That upset me. What if I'm more qualified? I deserve that internship, and they shouldn't judge me by the color of my skin. I had to step back and realize I'm judged by the color of my skin every day. When someone isn't afraid to ask me directions because they think I'm a criminal. When a professor doesn't assume I speak English as a second language. When I can walk into a store without the clerk following me. Some narrow-minded and greedy people call this white liberal guilt. I call it facing real- ity. I am where I am because of both my per- sonal ambition and my starting point in life, which was higher than most people's starting point. But I don't plan to make any personal sac- rifices to solve the societal problem of inequality. I still plan on drawing blood in the professional world to get to the top. I'll feel a lot better when I'm on top, however, to know that everyone else had an equal chance to get where I am. It's pretty easy to climb one flight of stairs when everyone else has to climb 20. But to ascend those 20 flights and still beat everyone else is much more satisfying and impressive. So I feel comfortable and justified in call- ing affirmative action opponents racist. They're either too selfish - or too ignorant - to see the awful injustices and oppression in our country. Affirmative action opponents, much more than the KKK, have the danger- ous potential of increasing the gap of racial inequality. - Jeffrey Kosseff can be reached via e-mail atjkosseftaumich.edu TENTATIVELm SPEAKING THOMAS KULJURGISP Keeping watch Despite advances free n a victory for radio enthusiasts nation- wide, the Federal Communications Commission created new rules for the use of pirate radio or Low Power FM radio last month. LPFM radio works at a lower wattage than FM radio stations and broadcasts over a radius of about seven miles. The FCC will only permit use of LPFM for non-commercial uses. Previously, the FCC saw micro-radios as a problem and frequently raided the homes of pirate broadcasters and prosecuted them under strict federal broadcasting laws. The adoption of the new LFPM rules allows many more Americans to broadcast their opinions to a wide audience. Any law or rule that broadens and strengthens the scope of First Amendment rights ought to be welcomed. Legalizing LPFM will give more indi- vidual citizens the opportunity to express themselves. The Internet has become the new medium for speaking and investigating the world, but maintaining an Internet site can be costly. LPFM provides a cheaper alternative to the Internet. Even in light of these types of promising developments, the right to speak freely should never be taken for granted. There have been and continue to be government intrusions on citizens' First Amendment rights in the name of some sort of "greater good." The clarification on the White House guidelines for anti-drug program is a good example of how censors attempt to protect citizens from themselves. Last month, the White House was forced to make changes speech is still in peril government used financial incentives to get the major television networks to include anti-drug messages in their shows and sometimes even edited and revised scripts before programs aired. This type of government manipulation is indefensible. Television should not be a forum moderated by the federal govern- ment. The thought of a bureaucrat censor- ing the content of episodes of Seinfeld and Friends ought to appall anyone who values their First Amendment rights, regardless of their stance on the value of the drug war. Free speech is currently under fire in Oregon in the name of "good taste."A contro- versy arose when the video version of the book the "Final Exit" by Derek Humphrey was broadcast on public access television. Humphrey founded the Hemlock Society, the oldest and largest right-to-die organization. The video was meant to bring awareness to attempts by the federal government tocontin- ue the prohibition of physician-assisted sui- cide in Oregon. Legalizing LPFM radio may not enable individuals to reach listeners for miles and miles, but it is still a victory for free speech amid continual efforts to silence individuals and causes. Grass roots censorship move- ments like the one against the Hemlock Society's broadcast or the effort to ban Harry Potter from libraries will probably never die off. It is equally unlikely that gov- ernments will put an end to their own cen- sorship efforts. Given that free speech will always be under attack, any law protecting NCAA rule prohibits kindness TO THE DAILY: In light of all the bona fide mud-slinging that is being directed towards Jamal Crawford, a voice of reason needs to be heard on his behalf. What I question is not whether he did indeed violate an NCAA regulation, but more importantly the legitimacy of an NCAA rule that forbids the type of genuine kindness Barry Henthorn extended to Crawford. While acting as his mentor, Henthorn ensured that Crawford both completed high school and experienced higher education. With alternatives like a life of crime and/or meaningless employment awaiting a healthy percentage of high school dropouts, it seems wrong to punish Crawford for accepting aid that facilitated a better and more enjoyable life. With regards to his infamous Mercedes, if Henthom can afford to buy him such a car. who are the NCAA to say he can't. Don't let scandal-loving journalists persuade you to mistake Henthorn for a dirtball like Ed Martin whose every action is inherently suspect. Henthorn seems like a genuinely kind man who helped an adolescent in need and I will operate under that reasonable assumption until I am informed otherwise. Before you condemn Crawford in your own mind, seriously question the legitimacy of the NCAA regulation which is root of why he is being condemned. VAUGHN KLUG LSA SENIOR Non-students are responsible for quiet games TO THE DAILY: I am writing in response to Mark Outslay's letter ("Fans disappoint at MSU game" 2/3/00) which expresses his disap- pointment in the Wolverine fans. While Ii agree with Outslay that the MSU fans were on average louder than Michigan fans in last Tuesday's catastrophe, I disagree that the lack of noise was the fault of the student section. How can the students be blamed for the fact that nearly the entire last 10 to 15 rows of the arena were full of raucous MSU fans? Allegedly it was supposed to be difficult for MSU fans to get a ticket given the media attention prior to the game about the ticket situation. The real problem is not the student section,hwhich I felt was loud for the majori- ty of the game even though there wasn't much to cheer about. The problem is that alumni, parents and non-affiliated fans just aren't rowdy. Historically Michigan home games have been on the quiet side. The "Big House" has held over 111,000 fans - the "biggest crowd to watch a football game anywhere." Yet the "Swamp" at the University of Florida, which holds only 83,000, is considered a much tougher place to play than the Big House. This is because our alumni that occupy sec- tions 20-24 don't talk about anything except their stock options during the game (I am awr f the irnv tat I will be an almni Gay' should not be a derogatory word TO THE DAILY: I want to thank Ethan Johnson for recog- nizing the problem with using the term "gay" in reference to something negative in his Feb. 2 column, "Time to get something straight: It's not gay." Everyday I hear peo- ple tossing this adjective around without even a thought to the people they may be offending. To be honest, I was surprised to encounter such closed-mindedness in a place full of young, well-informed people, but sure enough I noticed it as soon as I entered this school. I understand that the majority of people who use these words do not think about their actual meanings, but that is not an excuse. Rather, it is part of the problem. People do not give enough thought to what they are saying or doing and how those things will effect the people around them. Homosexuality is not something to be ashamed of, yet using gay asa synonym for bad or stupid gives it a negative connota- tion that it does not deserve. The same thing could be said for the use of "retard- ed" to imply stupid. I am neither gay nor mentally retarded, yet I am still troubled by the casual and thoughtless usage of these words. As a member of the Straight/Gay Alliance in high school, I saw first-hand how detrimental the use of these words can be, even if they are not meantto hurt anyone. Coming out of the closet is a very hard deci- sion, and living in an atmosphere in which one does not feel safe to be openly gay can cause immense emotional damage. Johnson is correct when he says that if someone were to use the word nigger in the same manner, it would not be considered acceptable. Society needs to stop looking for a minority to pick on. One would think that slavery and the Holocaust would teach us to be more tolerant of others. Yet it seems that instead of learning acceptance, we have just found a newgroup to target. As young, intelligent men and women we have a responsibility to change these simple-mind- ed views and create a tolerant society, free of persecution and hate. JESSICA GUERIN LSA FIRST-YEAR STUDENT Off-campus housing CAH?u$ Tous ARC- 3A4-K 114 UL. SW(I46...7 7' ,I .' 7 7 " /E T,770f o 7'E "y7.' 7 . neighborhoods demonstrate reprehensible greed and not the faintest glimmer of cus- tomer service. The already grim commuter parking situation on campus makes living farther away that much less attractive. Meanwhile, most on-campus houses are so old that the city does not require them to meet the codes applied to new construction; my last two houses have been examples of exploitation of these loopholes by landlords. The fact is that these houses and apart-@ ments are a gold mine to these landlords, and students compete so fiercely for these properties that they have no incentive to cater to student needs. Any leasing compa- ny that advertises itself as friendly, courte- ous, responsive, or caring certainly need not do so, because all their campus properties will probably lease quickly anyway. The University should make a commit- ment to provide more conveniently-located, affordable housing available to students or. arrange with the city to rein in the uncon- trolled greed of the owners of central cam- pus area rental homes. DAVID JORDAN ENGINEERING SENIOR Don't blame frat for others' actions . TO THE DAILY: I don't mean to sound heartless, but in reference to "Delta Sig may face charges for party" (2/2/00) I hope AAPD officers wrote MIP's (minor in possession) violations for the two teenage girls that were taken to the hospital. I am tired of the fraternities taking all the heat for every incident that occurs on fraternity grounds - the blame should be shared. The girls should be blamed fo0 drinking excessively enough to have neces- sitated an ambulance because that takes effortfor even the most inexperienced of drinkers. Secondly, the parents of the 17-year-old high school student should be reprimanded for either knowingly or unknowingly allow-T ing their daughter to be in attendance at a fraternity party. In their defense, I know how easy it is to leave parents in the dark. I do give the Delta Sig's credit for calling the ambulance, as they knew they would endure the consequences of the incident. In closing, I would just like to reiterate that I hope the two girls are punished along with Delta Sigs. To the 17-year-old girl, just because you can go to R-rated movies with- }