4A - The Michigan Daily - Monday, September 20, 1999
420 Maynard Street HEATHER KAMINs
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
daily.letters@umich.edu ,Et nCe
Edited and managed by
students at the
University of Michigan
JEFFREY KOSSEFF
DAVID WALLACE
Editorial Page Editors
Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of the
Dailys editorial board. All other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect
the opinion of The Michigan Daily.
FROM, T HE DAILY
sS
Surfing and saving
More local book stores should go online
1
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Do whatever you have to, just don't tell my mom
admit that I have not always been kind fication policy. And. recenty, the presi- old ire adults.sho bear the Sa
in my treatment of our rival Michigan dent has asked MS's sndergraduate stu- mnseqiiene ndI rspionsibili
State University. In fact, I've been down- dent gosernment to draft a set of recom- their icicuns si the rest of the adu
right obnoxious. Last year, I unfairly por- mendations to deal with the issue. No ihe legal system has already s
trayed the Spartans as reckless drinkers, matter how you look at it. it appears that sions and penalties for underage{
violent rioters and the school is gearing up to make a defini- and drug users. Colleges and uni
- my personal tive decision on the issue. should let police handle issues of
favorite - brutal And if MSU wishes to maintain a posi- ment and focus on the business o
thugs. But today is tise relationship with its students. the tion. After all, if our provost sei
different. Today I school should decide to find other ways to abusing drugs, would any Uniser
come in peace. tackle underage drug and alcohol abuse, cial e en think of callig up he
Students and admin- On the surface. the policy seems rea- Somehow I doubt it ... because
istrators have an sonable and sensible. After all. most of us adult.
important decision ' are still closely attached to our parents. There is es idence. though, that
before them and this whether we are still financially dependent ent notification policy might
is no time for my on them or not. Though we are technical- lessen substance abuse probl
cruel, yet well-craft- ly adults, they wield authority over us. University of Delaware officialt
ed attacks on the They can cut off our funds: they can often last year that binge-drinking dr
school. SCOtt decide where we can attend school: and if percent and that residence hall v
Until October of Hunter none of that works, they can always take fell 31 percent after the school ad
last year, federal law Roll Thtough us over their knee for a good old-fash- parent notification policy. Whi
prohibited universi- theSol ioned whoopin'. But the seemingly easy numbers appear to speak favorabl
ties from informing and quick fix to the problem has its flaws. policy, we must remembert
parents of students' Perhaps the biggest problem with promise of a mild abatement
drug and alcohol violations if the students adopting a parental notification policy is enough reason to throw out ret
were over 18, unless the parents claimed the relationship it will establish between students or to jeopardize the in
the student as a dependent on income tax students and their university. Rather than student relationship, which wi
returns. But revisions made last year to becoming a concerned student ally. the nearly all aspects of collet
the federal Family Educational Rights and school will be an adversary - an entity Universities must explore other
Privacy Act - an amendment to the that is out to punish, not out to help. before immediately resorting t
Higher Education Act - now allow uni- In addition, the policy is debasing to notification.
versities to inform parents if students students. Adoption of the drug-control After all, if an MIP a whopp
under 21 violate university drug or alco- tactic will necessitate that students over potential Jail time or expulsion
hol rules. 18 - a group that has attained the age of enough to dissuade a student fro
Currently, MSU policy dictates that par- majority - are treated as a second-class ing substances, calling his or he
ents only be notified if drug or alcohol set of adults. Granted, we college students will probably not prove a muc
abuse results in a medical emergency. But are much different from the majority of deterrent. MSU - and uni
since the federal policy change, The State legal adults. We may pierce ourselves in around the country - must keep
News reports that MSU's president M. the most unlikely places. We may tattoo ful eye on their relationships w
Peter McPherson has been receiving pres- ourselves all over the place. And we may students. Colleges should not be{
sure to decide whether the State should walk around listening to Jay-Z or Britney enemies,
follow other schools - like the University Spears all the time. But the fact remains Scottl tnteir cn he riea
of Delaware - in adopting a parent noti- that in the eyes of the law. 18- to 21-year- e-ntil at schunter ta
ties r
ilt world.
et prosi-
drinkers
5 ersitIes
punish-
f educa-
re found
sitv offi-
r mom?
she1
the par-
actually
ems. A
reported
opped b
andalism
opted its
le these
y for the
that the
is.
pect for
iversits-
ll affect
ge life.
options
O parent
ing fine,
are not
am ab ^
:r par.
h greater
vefsities
a mind-
ith their
students'
ttith.edu.
W e've all stood in long lines at Shaman
Drum Bookshop for an obscure copy
of "The Grapes of Wrath" only to find it sold
out. They may, however, have more in at the
end of the week. The thought of spending the
last fleeting days of summer standing in a line
trying to look cool is enough to bring cold
sweats to even the most salty English major.
But students tolerate the system because there
is no alternative to buying required texts. That
is, until now.
A startling influx of Websites target the
college book-buying public. From big-
words.com to varsitybooks.com, the chances
that you'll find the book you need for Intro
Composition are pretty good. Students must
choose between cost and convenience. Are the
few dollars and minutes saved worth more
than the convenience of having our books
right now?
Many students overlook the importance of
supporting a local bookseller. Independent
stores like Shaman Drum have played an
important role in the University community
over the years. These same independent busi-
nesses stand to lose a substantial amount of
money to the Internet-based companies.
Because the vast majority of bookstores in
and around Ann Arbor rely on the student
population as their core customers, students
defecting to online booksellers could serious-
ly hurt the bottom line. The Internet-based
booksellers haven't quite found their niche
with students yet, but that may change as they
respond to student comments. Many still pre-
fer the ease of returns and credit card security
that local stores offer. But if the Internet book-
stores adjust their sites to meet student cri-
tiques, the implications to local stores are
staggering.
Local booksellers routinely sell their wares
at retail prices, allowing them to pay workers,
cover the huge overhead intrinsic to carrying
college textbooks and maintain a profit. The
online stores, which sell to multiple campus-j
es, are able to keep both overhead and number
of workers low. Thus, even when the sites
don't charge for shipping, online stores can
charge less than local stores -albeit only by
a few dollars.
Student loyalty can be fickle at best.
Merchants who have provided excellent cus-
tomer care to students and support to faculty
face a serious threat. The tide is, it seems, irre-
versibly turning to the Internet.
But don't expect traditional bookstores to
stand idly by and let fate take its course. To
better compete with Internet booksellers,
Shaman Drum and Ulrich's have also added
online services. Students can reserve books
on Ulrich's Website so they can pick up books
and head to the checkout while Shaman Drum
is offering another option. Students can actu-
ally purchase books with a credit card at
shamandrum.com and pick them up the next
day without waiting in line.
Other book stores should follow their lead.
Although they face pressure from increased
competition, book stores have stepped up ser-
vices to give students more options. Online
options will help preserve stores' customer
base. In the end, the seller that provides the
best customer service will most likely reap the
most student dollars.
i ."A
LETTERS To
TH EE DiTOR
Sanz insulted
women in his
THOMAS KULJURGIS
Wait for what?
Abortion waiting period has no merit
column on re
TO THE DAILY:
Wow. I am so glad that
like Branden Sanz is aroun
me if some guy picks on me
hotbed for conversation
9 17 99i. 'Witliout his tuase(
might have never known th;
Please. Sanz apparently
stands rape because somec
to pick up two women at
And although he had goo
naivete shines through: doe
that rape and assault will et
walking home alone?. PerI
realized that rape exists, hi
lation comes off as insulting
Furthermore, his claim
easy" to see sexual assault
the proper setting is insult
and plainly ignorant. Hef
myth that rapists hide in b
ing to attack a swoman walk
this sort of assault does
majority - 85 percent -
is committed by acquain
instead of giving advice
might want to give some ad
rapists. But I guess that'si
telling women to be fearfu
ipe
a big strong man
d to take care of
e (Ann Arbor: A
and assault.'
Ulitie guidanice. I
at rape existed.
thinks he under-
creep was trying
Village Corner.
,d intentions, his
s he really think
nd if women stop
haps he has just
it his great rese-
g toward vomen.
ithat it's "quite
can occur "given
ting. uninformed
falls prey to the
ushes. just wait-
tug by. Although
occur. the vast
of sexual assault
itances. Perhaps
to women, he
vice to would-be
not as simple as
. is it?
ANNIE TOMLIN
LSA SENIOR
WkO CAN BE. $UE1)FOR BEING RESPON$YSLF.
FOR THIS CRIME?
TtaER~g'E'RNt5ARID 'nN NR (
NINito4o) AsID1TO COHMNlE6SE
A g E E(RE.E PRXW O goy WIL
$EcGA. ICOMPANY) Fo?, CGIGS wrr N SOME
MAKING A v T4EMoNE;L
ha.NIE, FoRMAKINGi RuiMIm(*
SHOES fIATMHELP 1HM ET AWKAv'
Gov. John Engler must be rejoicing this
week. With a new law requiring a 24-
hour waiting period before having an abor-
tion, the state of Michigan will give a lot of
"irrational" women more time - and more
anti-choice propaganda - to realize they
can't make an intelligent decision about their
own bodies.
The new law, which was put on the.books
last Thursday, forces women to sign a form and
wait 24 hours after talking with their doctors
before making the decision to have an abortion.
The law also requires the clinic to provide state-
issued information to each woman.
These pamphlets are essentially anti-
choice propaganda, including black-and-
white pictures of the fetus at various stages of
growth and pamphlets about making an
"informed decision" One of these pamphlets
states, "responsible adults step forward daily
and make a lifetime commitment to children.'
A possible additional appointment to go
over the mandated information and sign the
forms will give women another chance to
walk through crowds of screaming anti-
choice protesters. This bill does not allow time
for women to make an "informed decision,"
but it gives the state and protesters more time
to make the experience as unpleasant as pos-
sible, and unjustly prevail upon a woman in a
fragile time.
This law will cause not only extreme emo-
tional problems but also logistical barriers.
There is a lack of clinics and hospitals willing
to perform abortions, so many women travel
considerable distances for help. Choosing to
get the information directly from the clinic
and talk with a nurse or doctor about it -
rather than impersonally via mail or fax -
could add hotel bills to a total cost many preg-
nant women struggle to afford.
Often anti-choice activists use the argu-
ment that women are "too emotional" at such
a time. But the question to ask is how legisla-
tors think they can quantify and judge such a
situation without taking emotions into
account. Many legislators justify their opin-
ions by focusing attention completely on the
fetus rather than the mother. They want to dis-
miss the woman and ignore that a fetus is part
of that woman's body. What happens to the
fetus affects the woman in a profound way.
Fortunately, state clinics were able to pro-
cure certain amendments before the law went
into effect. The woman may choose not to
look at the material given to her, and the wait-
ing period may be waived if the situation
threatens the life or health of the pregnant
woman. As the law passed before, the 24-hour
waiting period would still be in effect if the
woman's health, but not life, was at stake. It is
unthinkable that far-off legislators, believing a
woman is making the wrong choice about her
body, would put her health at risk.
This law is one of many recent attempts to
place barriers before a legal surgical proce-
dure. Already Michigan has passed a law pro-
hibiting funding for abortions through
Medicaid, which provides healthcare for the
poor. The state has also made it illegal for girls
under 18 to have an abortion without a written
consent from a parent or guardian, and are in
the process of banning certain types of late-
term abortions.
Polls show that more than 80 percent of
Americans believe abortion should be legal in
some or all cases, but their complacencies for
what are considered "small restrictions" allow
right-wing legislators to regulate and suppress
the procedure to increasing - and for some,
devastating - extents. If this process of
restricting and digging away at abortion rights
continues, we will soon find there will be no
choice left.
Dominick's is an
important part of
campus life
TO THE DAILY:
After reading the article about
Dominick's nine-day suspension
("Dominick's forced to close doors,"
9/14/99), we would like to express our pro-
found gratitude and support for Dominick's.
Throughout our last two years at Michigan,
Dominick's supplied us with a tremendous
atmosphere for socializing and a welcome
respite from our coursework. Although the
beer and sangria we consumed there has
long since left our system, Dominick's is
still with us in our fond memories, credit
card debt and beer guts. What Dominick's
provides to the University and larger com-
munity cannot be adequately expressed in
words.
As alumni of Michigan and appreciative
customers of Dominick's, we write in out-
rage against the injustice of this suspension.
To show our support for Dominick's, we
pan to drink heavily at the establishment
throughout homecoming weekend.
HUGH SMITH JR.
JEFF KosIOREK
UNIVERSITY ALUMNI
Michigan fans must
close hands in
'Hail' cheer
TO THE DAILY:
On football Saturdays, University stu-.
dents partake in many traditional fan activi-
ties at the stadium. Marshmallow throwing
and "The Victors" are both traditional
Michigan things. But there is one cheer that
is anything but traditionally Michigan, and
every time it appears at the stadium the real
Michigan fans hold their heads in disbelief,
agony and embarrassment for their mis-
guided fellow Wolverines.
The cheer I am referring to occurs when
the Michigan defense forces a punt, the
band plays the traditional song, and fans
move their arms in a chopping motion iden-
tical to the chop of Florida State Unisersity.
This cheer first appeared at the Big House
in the early '90s shortly after No. I FSU
came here and taught No. 2 Michigan how
to play football 51-31. In the eyes of the
public and any real Michigan fan that cheer
is theirs, not ours, and just because the
crowd did it at your first game does not
make it a Michigan tradition. At the
University, we make tradition, we don't bor-
row it. What's next - the Texas Longhorns'
"Hook 'em Horns" hand thing? The Florida
Gators' gator mouth cheer? Wearing skirts
like Notre Dame's Irish Guard?
The solution is easy. If we simply closed
our hands into a fist while doing this cheer
it would more resemble our beloved "Hail"
motion. Same song, same time, same arm
motion -- just more Michigan. When
points are put on the board we "Hail" our
team with raised fists to "The Victors:"
when our'defense does its job we should
also "Hail" them with raised fists. So at the
next game I ask that all real Michigan fans
make this small but symbolic change and
"Hail" our defense with fists held high and
encourage your neighbors to do the same.
Together we will reclaim this cheer for
Michigan.
TONY DIGOOVANNI
RACKHAM STUDENT
DAAP must stop
using MSA for
activism
TO THE DAILY:
MSA PresidentuBram Elias should be
commended for pushing an investigation
into the Defend Affirmative Action Party
and BAMN for their numerous abuses of
power on the assembly. Unlike the past
MSA president and some members of the
Students' Party, the current administration
appears dedicated to bringing MSA back to
the students and away from Marxist dema-
gogues. Recent allegations like misrepre-
senting MSA in an activist newsletter, run-
ning up bills on the MSA copy machine,
stealing student money for leftist rallies and
using MSA as an outlet for left-wing politi-
cal schemes while ignoring the student
body all warrant utter condemnation from
everyone.
The University has a long history of stu-
dent activism, intelligent discourse and ide-
ological diversity. Sadly, BAMN rejects
open minded discussion in favor of intoler-
ance - they have been known for inciting
riots, pulling fire alarms, denying Ward
Connerly the right to free speech and false-
ly portraying all opponents of affirmative
action as "racists."
Fortunately, the tables have turned, and
even The Michigan Daily refused to endorse
Jessica Curtin in the winter MSA election.
Hopefully, students will reopen the doors of
free speech and discussion and likewise
slam the door on Curtin for good.
$CoTr BEHNAN
LSA SOPHONE
WCBN offers a
diverse selection
TO THE DAILY:
I am writing in response to Mike
Kegler's letter'"'U' radio station needs com-
plete makeover" (9 13 99). As aWCBN' ,
listener and avid lover of music, I find is
comments to be false and offensive.
He suggests WCBN embrace locaf
music rather than "obscure jazz, rockabilly
and God knows what else," when in fact
much of the local music scene is comprised
of precisely these genres. Music which,is
generally "not popuilar enough to make the
playlists of corporate radio stations."
We welcome all local music with on
arms not only by having local music s
play live on the air, but also by setting up
and sponsoring many events, including our
annual Benefit Bash, which featurg local
artists.
He also suggests that we don't support
"independent/local rap and hip-hop." Chill
Will has been bringing Ann Arbor the very
best in hip hop every week on the-Prop
Shop for several years now. Also, I can
remember earlier this year, Bacardi & Rose
had several local rappers and hip hop s
featured on their show.
While the closing of Wherehouse
Records and Schoolkids Annex is a blow to
the local music scene, WCBN is hardly to
blame. It's my understanding that they
closed due to financial reasons (i.e. rent
increase), and not the ennui of the coinmu-
nity or WCBN's freeform programming.
We are definitely sad to see them gou, but
there are several other excellent local bi
pendent record stores. PJ's, Encore d
Wazoo, just to name a few.
I would think that freeform, the mani-
festation of artistic and intellectul pen-
mindedness in a broadcast medium, would
be encouraged in an academic atmosphere.
Alas. Kegler feels inclined to destroy that
which is here to serve both him and the
community.
Finally, WCBN is a student run ra4io
station. Most of us are volunteers who fel
the same way he does, that the comm *
needs a place where good music that would
otherwise go unnoticed can be heard, If be
feels that we are neglectibg
"independent/local rap and hip-hop" I urge
him and anyone else who shares his opin-
ions to come to the station and become; a
DJ. The training ,simple, and we can
always use the help.
AIDAN DYS T
LSA SE
J