4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday. November 3, 1999 420 Maynard Street HEATHER KAMINS Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Editor in Chief daily. letters@umich.edu JEFFREY KOSSEFF Edited and managed by JEFFRY KOSSEF students at the DAVID ALLACE 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. Jump ship Hazing is an avoidable source of trouble any Greek institutions use hazing The threat of hazing is a great burden as a way of initiating new members for new students to deal with. The fear of to their house, and it .is widely believed hazing may cause students not to join that younger members of varsity and club clubs that would otherwise interest them. athletic teams endure treatment of a simi- And while hazing has technically been lar nature. In reality, the hazing that exists banned at the University, it still does in these institutions is not beneficial for occur - though not at the same extremes any of the people involved. It is not the as it formerly did. To not scare prospec- Lflbst effective means for new and old tive members and follow Greek rules, nmbers of these groups to form bonds. many institutions do not disclose that Many other issues arise from having to hazing occurs. If hazing occurs in moder- .perform unwanted tasks just to be part of ate proportions, it should not be kept a : 7a group. secret. Disclosing this information will While the University hasn't publicized not eliminate prospective members deter- any incidents of hazing in athletics, many mined to join such a club regardless of rumors have circulated about new mem- obstacles. bers having to endure initiation. This Hazing furthers the case to eliminate should not occur in a setting that requires first-semester rush. At the beginning of a all members to work toward a common school year, many:students, particularly goal. Additionally, while joining the first-year students, endure a substantial Greek system is a choice, often playing period of transition. While being a mem- sports is not. Athletic recruitment and ber of the Greek system helps students scholarships serve as a means by which meet people, it also may limit their scope an individual can attend the University. of University experiences. By having to This does not make team members feel commit to a particular chapter so early, they are part of a unit, and it takes a great their social life focuses on the house. deal away from a positive experience. Also, students adjusting to campus may There is a belief hazing initially not be mentally ready to deal with haz- appeared as a way for members of these ing. Students who would normally not 'institutions to form common experiences submit themselves to humiliation or that all members both new and old abuse may do so to feel they fit in at the endured. But there are more effective University. -ways for people to bond. In the Greek Students should feel like they can be a system, instead of hazing, members could part of the community in many ways. be required to participate in community When putting together valuable experi- service, athletic or social projects togeth- ences outside the classroom, hazing er. This would be more productive, enjoy- should not factor into a students' able and rewarding. extracurricular activities. n= the closet Public medical records could discriminate An open letter to Mr. Complainer: Shut up you brat N o one likes a Complainer. You know I recently read a complaint from a right. they will get points every day and the type. If something bad happens, guy who was totally distraught about the the first person with 1.000 points will they are the first to bitch and moan fact that women could use Ms. Miss. or win first prize, a real tank. Amazingly, about it. "Did you hear that we're all Mrs. before their names. but men could he manages to shelter his son from all going to have to get Meningitis shots so only use Mr. No kidding here. "Why the the nastiness and suffering of the that we don't get hell do women need three freakin' titles Holocaust happening around them. sick and die? That for their names? Women should just Coming back from a day of hard labor. sucks. I'd rather die. have Mrs. as there title. And Ms. is the he brags about how he and the men Shots are horrible." stupidest. Who the hell had the speech played hopscotch and laughed all day. "I just got bumped impediment that brought that title into Soldiers are referees. The sudden disap- off my flight. What the English language? From now on, pearance of all the children turns into a am I going to do I'm going to call all women Mrs. (their hide and seek contest. He manages to A tonight? I'm stuck last name here.)" use every single circumstance .of their here. I just want to At least the Complainer seems to situation to further develop the tall tale. be home. Why can't believe in some sort of Right and The story is a true celebration of the you just let me on Wrong. A true moral relativist would human spirit. my plane?" have nothing to complain about. When I walked out of the theatre, I Complainers are I guess that's the Complainer's sav- wasn't about to complain about any- good at making bad Mike ing grace. It's just too bad that the thing. Compared to a lot of people on situations worse. Lopez Complainer has to make everything into this earth, my life is beautiful. Imagine but this is not their something wrong. There is a lot of good how the Complainer sounds to a gift. A out there and even the stuff that is actu- Holocaust survivor? The Complainer Complainer's true ally wrong could be handled in a better says, "I haven't eaten since noon. I'm so talent lies in his or way. hungry. If I don't eat something soon, her ability to make a neutral or good sit- This weekend, my wonderful girl- I'm going to die." The Holocaust sur- uation seem horrible. Complainers love friend and I watched Life is Beautiful at vivor's response is, "I once went without to drone on and on about petty, stupid the Fox Village. If you haven't had a food for two weeks. I had to bear the things. When your class receives a chance to see the movie, we highly rec- pain in silence, for anyone who cried for homework assignment over the week- ommend it. It is about the unbreakable food was shot." I don't know about you, end, Mr. Complainer is the first to say, spirit of an Italian Jewish man living the but thinking profoundly humbling. It "My gosh, this class sucks so hard." hell of a Nazi concentration camp. We certainly makes me stop and wonder If the professor gives you the week- meet our friend, a quick witted, loud how often the Complainer's shoes were end off, Complainer squeezes out a mouth with a penchant for telling tall my own. "I've got nothing planned. My life is so tales, as a free man who gets into tons of Anyhow, heed these words Mr. boring." If the Complainer is single, trouble, but never lets it phase him. Complainer. Be thankful for the life you "No one cares about me. I'm going to be As the story develops, the strength of have. You've been given a gift far alone for the rest of my life. I'm a his spirit is put to the test. He and his greater than many on earth will ever loser." When they have a significant small son are sent to a concentration receive. Remember the old saying, other, you hear, "My partner doesn't camp. Unwilling to tell his son the hor- "Don't complain about thorns among care about my feelings. I feel stifled. I rible truth of their situation, he makes roses: be grateful for roses among need to- be myown person" In a up a story about a game. He tells the boy thorns." Complainer's life, something is always wrong. that for his birthday. he has enrolled them in a contest. If they play the game Mike Lopez can be reached via e-mail at manatlargeaurmich.edi. THOMAS KULJURGIS IL'PTAM 'G Columnists promote selves, fends TO THE DAILY: Every day to and from classes for two years I have read the Daily. Most people agree that the opinion page is the most popular, perhaps because it's the most entertaining. But I have a bit of a problem. It seems as though your columnists, Branden Sanz in particular, use their column spaces to promote themselves and friends. Sanz is great at making an issue out of something he feels the need to brag about (sav- ing girls in grocery stores, being a tough army guy.) Sanz is only part of the problem. Take for example Jennifer Strausz's piece on killing centipedes in the name of her and her best friend! Hurrah for you two. I love you guys! Come on! Can we get some more obvious 'friend' plugs in a campus publication? It's too bad Scott Hunter and Jack Schillaci don't have more time on their hands or they could write in place of the aforementioned duo. I guess we don't live in a perfect world: if we did, there would be a "Man Day," wouldn't there ? ADAM WILSON ENGINEERING SOPHOMORE Recycle bin article clearly wrong choice TO THE DAILY: I wish to take this opportunity to congrat- ulate the Daily on its continued excellence. Never have I felt so secure that my campus newspaper is bringing me all the information I need to be aware of the important events of the University. In that respect, it's good to see that the Daily is well on top of today's news. I was at first somewhat worried that the issue of green versus clear recycle bins would not receive enough coverage. Luckily. it received the ban- ner headline of last Tuesday's issue: "Green Bins Clearly Wrong Choice" (10/26/99). I actually have been losing sleep over the idea of green recycle bins in Michigan Stadium. Clearly the most important on-campus news You LSO ALL TE FUeSSovaJt ms v> L.FN~t~qJUMPD 11Ei' ''t*. A'.WAG~. P E+ %AJFU. YY. flY i i -l ?I ME1'4)ITr(OSS %KCLIKEC £fco4T CENTS "AE PAA- CF ?IM 4OVS~g. 7'MEN 7i 4YC.3A.e ME iZO S UC*KS1(WHAT cdt> $' E MOM Couri2AGCOUS?' j4~t'1~c resident Clinton proposed federal regulations strengthening medical privacy last Friday, after Congress failed to meet the Aug. 21 deadline for legislat- ing new protections. The plan would restrict the use of patients' private health information to employers, marketing firms and others. This restriction requires the written consent of the patient to release the files. Anyone releasing a patient's files without their consent faces a $50,000 fine and a year in prison. Clinton's proposal is a giant step in the fright direction. One of the most cru- cial facets of the plan'is its emphasis on the electronic transmission of medical information. Currently, anyone that wants to obtain a patient's records through a computer would be able to do so with ease. This situation violates the individual's right to privacy. For instance, an employer could deny an applicant a job simply because he or she has a sexually transmitted dis- ease listed under his electronic file. Most STDs do not affect on-the-job perfor- mance, and the individual should deter- mine whether to disclose the informa- tion. Along with employers, marketing firms who have the use of private med- ical records could skew a patient's data to their own advantages. Sensitive infor- Pmation such as blood tests, surgery and other operations may hinder a person's ability to obtain or keep employment when made public. Patient's have every reason to worry about their medical records falling into speech last Friday that more than a third of all Fortune 500 companies check med- ical records before they hire or promote individuals. Though insurance companies require some medical information to grant a claim, they need not know of non-life threatening medical conditions. With the ease of electronic information, a compa- ny could refuse to fund an individual, or raise premiums so high that they become unaffordable. If one company has access to this data, then all others could as well, creating a dead-end situation for the patient. Recent information suggests that a plan such as Clinton's is necessary for the U.S. A poll by the Princeton Survey Research Associates shows that one-in- six American adults has taken steps that they would not ordinarily take to keep their medical information confidential. These practices include switching doc- tors or paying out of their own pocket foi health expenses. But with the proposal's requirement of the patient's written consent to dis- close records, people's medical records will be safer. Clinton's new plan is only an initial step towards preserving patients' privac) - the plan only covers electronic records and does not allow patient to sue health plans for needlessly releasing their records. Still, this initial step is a welcome change to the status quo. The program, which would go into effect in 2002, will allow Americans to rest easier. Congress should heed Clinton's call and strengthen privacy laws for patients' was brought to the attention of the countless Daily readers. I'm sure this issue inspired more than a "look-over" of the classifieds and an early morning lecture spent on the cross- word puzzle. Personally, when I'm busy aiming for the cameraman with my Absopure bottle, I'm glad that other people won't have to recycle theirs in a bin tinted with Spartan green. I'm eternally thankfuil that next time I watch the Wolverines get stunned by a team like Illinois, I'll be consoled by the fact that at least we don't have green bins. Thanks again for bring- ing this issue to the campus' attention. I'm really sick of hearing about things that don't affect our lives. TIM SLOVIK LSA JUNIOR European students respect alcohol TO THE DAILY: I am writing to offer an international per- spective on our University's preoccupation with under-age drinking. It is well known among international travellers that a legal drinking age of 21 years is particular to the United States. S . Last week, I attended orientation at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, where I will be spending this academic year. At this orientation I learned there is alcohol all over campus, and it's really not a big deal. There are cafes in almost every academic building than serve beer and wine along with other bever- ages, sandwiches and deserts. There is also an independent bar on campus. run completely by students, that serves beer at lunch time, between classes and in the evening. I was shocked and ashamed to compare this to the way the University and its students handle under age drinking and irresponsible drinking in Ann Arbor. The idea of students serving alcohol to other students at lunch time seems so foreign to the interruption of privat4 parties by police, instigated by an administra- tion obsessed with in loco parentis. I know there are cultural differences between the Europe and the United States and that tradi- tions exist in each country that necessitate dif- ferent approaches to alcohol consumption. But I think the trust and respect with which the University of Lausanne treats its students in regards to their consumption of alcohol puts the University of Michigan to shame. W are treated like adults in Lausanne and, soml how, we end up acting appropriately. AARON TRAXLER-BALLEW LSA SENIOR T-shirts? If only eating disorders were that simple V Y I would like to respond to the controversy concerning the production and sale of the t- shirt, "Freshmen girls: Get 'em while they're skinny." As a women's health activist, I find these extremely offensive. Some people see this as a joke and that those offended by this t- shirt should stop being so PC and lighten up. Let me tell you why this is not a joke. As a recovered anorexic and bulimic, I understand the impact messages and attitudes such as these can have on women who are struggling with an eating disorder. After years of dealing with these issues as a high school student and undergrad at the University, I have dedicated a significant portion of my time and energy in the last few years to eating disorder awareness and prevention issues on campus. To say the least, I would not wish an eating disorder on my worst enemy. Contrarv to what manv neonle think; there lems due to electrolyte imbalances and infer- tility. And they have higher mortality rates than any other mental health issue. Even if you don't see the overt message, think about the subversive messages women receive every day - 400 to 600 messages on eating/body image alone. Magazines, TV commercials, billboards, newspapers - they're everywhere. We are fa phobic in this society, with many of us programmed to think, by the diet and entertaiqlient industries, women's magazines and the general media, that fat = bad = sinful = unattractive. Fat is a nutrient that we need in our diets, a fact many of us seem to forget. These diet and entertain- ment industries are making billions of dollars by "feeding off" of women's insecurities. This is a men's issue too. Do you have sis- ters, female friends and girlfriends? Do you intentionally treat them disrespectfully and This t-shirt is more offensive and harmful than if a t-shirt made fun of men because meV are not as affected by this "thin stereotype. Ninety percent of eating disorder cases are women. Bottom line: Men are not judged as harshly on their looks and weight as women. This t-shirt is obviously not going to "cause" someone to have an eating disorder, but it is certainly disrespectful and a small element of larger media messages concerning weight expectations of women. In a broader look at women's issues overall, it's conveying a mes- sage of disrespect, objectification and degra* dation. You may think I am making.a big deal out of nothing, but the woman next to you may not. She may be identifying with this letter even though she's never told anyone about her body image/food issues and wondering what she can do to get better. It's for these women, A I i