4A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 14, 1999 lya Sidigau &iilg aynard Street -. __ ~ *'>HEATHE Brooklyn art debate stench seeps beyond the museum 420 M R KAMiINS Ann Arbor, MI 48109 daily.letters@umich.edu Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan Editor in Chief JEFFREY KOSSEFF DAVID WALLACE Editorial Page Editors A ge old question -- What is art and what crosses the boundaries into indecency ? It's a debate so controversial and ambiguous that even the U.S. Supreme Court skirted the issue of decid- Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority ofthe Daily's editorial board. All other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily. ing what passes beyond the blurry line of "decent" artistic ambition into pornography. The justices' reigning stance: They'll know it when they see it. Fine. And fine, the government has no obligation to fund art. But everyone agrees government officials have no right to censor expression and free thought, even if they find it dis- agreeable. Top of the world Prize shows scientific excellence of 'U' Heather Kamins "N'' museum its S7 million city subsidy, send- ing both sides to the courtroom to decide. No, the government does not have to fund the museum, but to take away funding based on the content of a specific exhibit clearly is censorship and a serious blow to the Constitution. Is Chris Ofili's "The Holy Virgin Mary," an African-style depiction of the most painted woman in history, surround- ed by elephant dung and magazine cutouts of genitalia, a work of art or a col- lage of trash? I'm not sure. I haven't seen it. But it sure has succeeded in achieving one aim of art - forcing the audience to consider what, if anything, makes it art. Much of 20th Century art has aban- doned the notion of skill or technique in favor of a deeper thought, asking the viewer to question the nature of art, the role of the institution (the museum, the patron, the government) in determining what can be defined as art and how essen- tial is the relationship between the artist and the work of art. Guiliani has succeeded in helping Ofili reach this aim. Just as shocking as the work may be to the sensitive viewver, it is disturbing that we must continue to have a debate on whether the government can censor with the removal of funds based on content. It is even more disturbing. though, that a politician would seek out such a debate and take the pro-censorship position, to gain political favor. It scares me because it means Guiliani believes that he sway votes by trampling First Amendment rights. That means he believes the majority of his voters support the suppression of free speech and free expression in the case that viewvs, opinions or paintings offend their sensibilities or moral and religious standards, As a history of art major and fervent supporter of the arts. I find this scary, but I think the deeper implications of the issue are much more dangerous. If the government is allowed to with- hold public funding to that which offends or bruises the moral fabric of the nation then who know when the state's House and Senate appropriations committees o@ higher education, which allocates money to the University each year. could decide to cut funding because a class on human sexuality or a philosophy professor with controversial views is "offensive." What if federal research funding to the University is one day denied because a scientist's study does not fit into the ten- ants of an accepted religion? It is a slippery slope that could allow some misled legislators to slide into yon classroom and pounce on your academiW freedom. Do you want politicians, even the ones you vote for. creating your college cur- riculumf? I don't. Do you xant to risk stifling scientific research just to protect to the govern- ment's authority in pulling funding to a painting that one finds dirty or disgust- ing ? I hope not. Guiliani wants to make the Brooklyv Museum of Art exhibit a political issue _ one side fighting for artistic freedom, another claiming immunity from funding offensive works. Perhaps Guiliani has stepped into more than just a debate about elephant feces. - Heather Kamins can he reached over e-mail at hbk(a umich. edit. GR.NDING THE i he Nobel Prize for physics was award- ed this week to University Prof. emer- itus Martinus Veltman, marking the first time a University professor has been so honored. Veltman and his colleague, Gerardus 't Hooft, were recognized for their work on theoretical machinery for predict- ing the properties of sub-atomic particles. Veltman's award demonstrates the high quality of University faculty and the impor- tance of research being done here to the global scientific community. Although it should be well know by now, this achievement helps solidify the University's reputation as a world class research institution, making recent attacks on the University's state and federal funding all the more troubling. The Michigan House of Representatives, with the support of Gov. Engler, made large cuts to the growth of the University's funding in the last appropria- tions cycle and only after a difficult fight in the State Senate was much of the funding restored. Questions were raised about why the University required so much more research funding. than Michigan's other public universities, showing startling indif- ference on the part of some lawmakers to the significance of work being done here and the importance of University research to this state. They did not realize that in addition to making important contributions, to science, having one of the world's finest research universities in the state attracts numerous high tech and medical jobs to the area and benefits the economy. The University has not been singled out in that manner on the national level, but Congress seems poised to make broad reductions to federal funding of research at all universities and to all other scientific research as well. These indefensible budget cuts, coming at a time of unprecedented fis- cal health for the government, are being made in an effort to stay within federal bud- get caps imposed in 1997. But Congress has been circumventing the caps by declaring billions of dollars in various programs as emergency spending, thereby moving them off budget. Unfortunately, no one has both- ered to employ such budgetary gimmicks on behalf of scientific research. These attacks on science funding have been a recurring event in Washington for the past several years and are utterly inex- plicable. Politicians love nothing more than singing the praises of this country's current economic success and the high tech indus- tries that have fueled it. That so many of them then turn around and try to slash the funding of the research that created many of those high tech industries is a disgrace. Congressional leaders claim their planned 12.5-percent cut in research fund- ing is necessary to keep the budget bal- anced. They are failing to realize that what keeps the budget balanced is the strength of the economy and that the relatively small amount the government spends on scientif- ic research is one of the most effective ways of maintaining economic health, to say nothing of medical health. This year, Congress has found the molhey to send many times what it spends on research to member's districts in the form of pork projects, lavish upon the mili- tary every frivolity they could dream of and raise their own pay. If they wish to have the money to fund such luxuries in the future, attacking the tiny portion of the budget allocated for scientific research is a big mistake. For the University - and the United States - to continue to generate Nobel laureates, research funding must be a top priority. The current controversy surrounding the "Sensation: Young British Artists From the Saatchi Collection" exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum of Art has received very vocal criticism from conservative groups and excessive political attention because of an over-exposed Senate race in New York. Discussion of First Amendment rights is always important and should be encouraged, but the misguided motives driving this debate have done little good besides probably tripling the number of visitors to this museum. After the exhibit elicited objection and picketers from some influential groups, including the Catholic League, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani denied the CHIP CULLEN The intolerant society Campus must challenge homophobia Letters made assumptions about affirmative action TO THE DAILY: I am writing in response to two letters that appeared in the Oct. I11 Daily. Mike Dauber's "SAT is accurate method for com- paring students" and Dustin Lee's "Affirmative Action Detrimental to U." Dauber. I am relieved that you are an Engineering senior and wish you the most lucrative career upon your graduation. I also pray that you never dream of a profession in politics, social reform or education because you lack something very important called vision. This is the ability to imagine and take action in creating something better. While l may not agree with the "Strive for Equality",article which you are beseeching. I certainly disagree with your belief that "it is time we put a stop to this fairy tale world that some people wish to create and wel- come everyone to reality." I'm glad that this country isn't founded on fairy tales like freedom of religion and speech. And its unfortunate that you believe "the system isn't always fair. That's the way it is". But .1 am glad that people like Mother Theresa. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. were naive enough to believe otherwise As for Lee, I plead with you to stop assuming. Why do you assume that "since its inception. affirmative action has done nothing but detrimentally affect the University?" What makes you qualified to make such a statement: is it your curved grade in economics. or perhaps your degree in sociology or is it the fact that. as a sophomore. you know the effects affirmative action has had on those that have graduated? Why do you assume that "many of the students you and I attend class with everyday are only here because they took spots away from more qualified applicants?" You must work in admissions and were able to compare and gather sta- tistics on the students that were and were not admitted based on affirmative action. because this an extremely inflammatory statement to make purely on speculation without evidence. I am neither advocating nor denying the affirmative action policy; I am gaining an T he campus should use National Coming Out Week as a chance to educate each other and prevent mindless discrimination. The University's office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs put together a comprehensive pro- gram of events to allow LGBT people, family members, friends and allies to share in their pride. This week's events happen to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the brutal torture and mur- der of a gay college student at the University of Wyoming, Matthew Shepard, and the start of the jury trial in Wyoming of one of the defendants in that murder. And given an anti-homosexual incident that occurred on campus last week, education is more important than ever. Because LGBT issues have been heav- ily publicized recently, people who are opposed to LGBT lifestyles, are often heard being very vocal against the com- munity. It is part of a healthy society for citi- zens to be able to express their views, but when those words become actions that hurt others, it cannot be tolerated. The hate that occurred a year ago in Wyoming exists at the University. With the publicity of "Coming Out Week," a hateful person or group of people placed anti-homosexual propaganda in Alice Lloyd Residence Hall. This is not just a national issue - homophobia can even be seen on a seemingly tolerant college campus. While we may not agree with every- one at the University, this is our home and our community. It's sad when your neighbors are fearful because of what others may think about them. Instead o: being destructive through ignorance, educate yourself. Find out about those who are different from you rather than hating them. An open dialogue can only be created if persons from both sides o: the issue agree to come together to dis- cuss it. Use the University's vast educa- tional resources to learn more about an issue. This week's "Coming Out" activities have been successful, said Frederi( Dennis, the director of the office o: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendei Affairs. More than 100 people attended Monday's rally on the Diag, and Tuesday's presentation on "What's Morally Wrong with Homosexuality" was both entertain; ing and thought provoking. Tonight, the "Coming Out Week" activities come to an end with a free Drag Show in the Vanderburg Room of the Michigar League at 8 p.m.. This is an event that affirms other people's expression of iden- tity in an enjoyable and sometime humor- ous event which all are welcome tc attend. Outside of the University, there are fewer opportunities for intergroup education. If we all take advantage of them, we can try to prevent future hateful acts. education that many will never experience, and for that I am extremely grateful. I am urging the necessary use for vision and sen- sitivity: when arguing over an issue as triv- ial as why Michigan is better than State, it is acceptable to throw out snappy unsupported comments: "The Spartans are just dumb. that's it" But when discussing an issue as intense and explosive as this one, where personal issues of race and intelligence lay at the foundation and historical scars still remain, it is of dire importance that we exercise respect and poise in every single comment we make. This is the true mark of an intellectually diverse unixversity. JONATHAN Liu LSA SOPHOMORE Rivalry trash talk makes Spartans hypocrites TO THE DAILY: This letter is in response to the com- pletely ridiculous letters written by Michigan State students about this whole rivalry situation. I am personally tired of reading these letters about how Michigan students are hypocrites for complaining and how we don't have school spirit because we don't guard our campus from Spartan attacks. It has to be easy for these Michigan State people to ask "Can't you take a litti joke?" when our campus is the one th. suffers the most damage. I say this because it becomes a little bit difficult to "attack" the beloved "Sparty" statue when the East Lansing Police guard it. That's right, myself and a few friends stopped by this pathetic landmark last Friday night only to find a police van with it's headlights shining on "Sparty." Now, I'm all for rivalry and trash-talk: it makes things interesting. But are Michigan State students that helpless that they cai@ fend for themselves? It's no wonder they like the rivalry so much - they have the police on their side. Nobody in Ann Arbor would alloxefor such a ridiculous waste of tax dollars. Maybe that's why it was so easy to vandalize the Diag, we didn't have the police guarding it! If the Spartans are gonna "talk the talk" they better stand up for themselves and tell the police to go look for the pe pie who keep lighting things on fire. An one more thing - Michigan State played well Saturday, but a loss to State once every five years isn't that hard to deal with. See you next year and the year after that and the year after that. GO BLUE! JASON CUMBERS ENGINEERING SENIOR Loans can carry expensive consequences By The Daily Universe Brigham Young University A college education guides students to suc- cessful futures - and often leaves them locked in the bondage of debt. Those who consider loans as a means to college degrees have much to contemplate. College students nationwide are spiraling into more debt than ever before. Student loans totaling more than S37 billion were distrib- uted to college students in 1998-1999 - an 18 percent increase since 1981. That places millions of students in the United States with- in the clutches of creditors. Office has is the students who get into too much debt. Some students don't even seem concerned they are in debt and may not realize how difficult it is to pay back loans, Olsen said. Others succumb to the temptation of having an instant sum of money to spend and end up pur- suing a more extravagant lifestyle. For those students who have serious prob- lems with debt (or just want help planning repayments), accredited financial counselors are available to help. This is a free service, and one that students with loans should take advantage of The rising cost of college tuition nation- - a generous increase for a four-year educa- tional investment. Not only is education beneficial to each student, it bolsters the national economy as well. An estimated 30 percent of the growth in national income this century has resulted from increased education. Students who le* more and earn more are likely to save more, pay more taxes and put less strain on the economy. Students who seek financial support in their quest for college degrees owe it to them- selves to contemplate the consequences of debt and the benefits of education. While stu- I