4 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 12, 2001


GIble Li)4au: ?&iillg


Where we're going,
S o there are no flying cars. I doubt I'm
the only one who feels like he was
duped by every pop reference, like, ever.
From Robert Zemeckis to Hanna-Barbara


we don't need roads


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.

to Arthur C. Clarke,I
was preparing me for
revolutionary. Curse
you T.V.! The future,
to be perfectly blunt,
sucks.
If that seems like a
naive, immature and
ridiculous statement,
allow me to remind
you of a few things
that TN., through the
brilliant prophecy
that was "The Jet-
sons" taught me dur-
ing my more
impressionable years.
The speed limit
that George failed to
obey time and time
again was 500 m.p.h.
His car folds up into

the future that T.V.
seemed exciting and

David
Horn

Students need to embrace MLK Day

his many brief stints out of the job market.
Clearly, the Republicans are in the White
House in Hanna-Barbara's vision of the
future. (Take that W!)
The Jetsons seem to be American. They
use the metric system. And that's probably
the most ridiculous thing of all. We'll have
flying cars before we have the metric sys-
tem.
That all being said, there are some
aspects of "The Jetsons" and other popular
shows set in "the future" that have, in some
fashion, become true.
I find one of the funniest things about
these futuristic visions is how excited
everyone became once space exploration
began. Because NASA made leaps and
bounds in the years following its inception,
it must have seemed as if technological
developments would grow exponentially.
Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick, in
their shared vision of "2001: A Space
Odyssey," were scientifically accurate in
depicting the challenges we would face in
exploring the heavens, but overly opti-
mistic.
So these days NASA doesn't quite have
its act together. I don't really trust those
boys to operate Windows, let alone build
space colonies and send the Jetsons vaca-
tioning around the galaxy.
But what has worked out? We all know
that our society has accomplished great
things with computers. Hand-held electron-
ics - cell phones, palm pilots, etc. - are
probably the coolest thing we've got "in
the future." The visual phones never took
off, but they really ought to. We're never
going to end up like the Jetsons unless we
start utilizing the visual phones.

There are moving sidewalks, but they're
only in airports. That always seemed a little
ridiculous to me. Why on earth are there
moving sidewalks in the airport, but not
outside to take you the 10 miles out to the
parking lot and to your car? Why aren't
there moving sidewalks in big cities? On
the actual sidewalks? Why isn't there a
moving sidewalk from my house to the
Diag?
But we're just so far from flying cars. I
think that once flying cars start to get popu-
lar, people like me will stop bitching about
how miserable the future is. Or the present.
Television and movies have built my
expectations up for these flying cars, and if
that doesn't materialize, I may have to stop
living my life according to the predictions
of those media.
When I was a little kid, 2001 seemed like
the real deal. It seemed like the future. It
seemed like the time when at least some of
the predictions of science fiction would
become reality.
Some have, I guess, but not the right
ones. Sci-fi has the capacity to inspire great
things, and "The Jetsons" and "Back to the
Future" aside, good sci-fi does just that. It
is a remarkable study to consider what pre.
dictions were made in the past, of the pre-
sent. The 2001 reality is a far-cry from
"2001 of A Space Odyssey" but so it goes.
Technological progress has been extraordi-
nary, and I think that with patience, we'llO
get our flying cars. And maybe even our
Rocky 912.
-- David Horn can be reached via the
use of a flux capacitor, some plutonium and a
DeLorean that can go 88 m.p.h. Or by e-
mail at hornd@umich.edu.

Most University students today are
eagerly anticipating their upcom-
ing extended weekend and are grateful
for the small break from classes it will

march at noon where students can show
support for making King's vision a real-
ity.
The most important reason for

his suitcase. Earth-

provide.
But Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day
should be more than
just a chance to relax,
go skiing or to do
homework. It is a
memorial to one of
this nation's most
important figures and
the causes of civil
fights and social jus-
tice that he champi-
oned. The University
community is provid-
ing a huge array of
activities for MLK
Day, as it does every
year.
To honor the mem-
ory of King, students
should take the time to
attend at least some of
these events.
This is a great
opportunity to learn
about the importance

MLK Day is to
MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR. DAY EVENTS
Visit www.mlksymposium. org
for a complete listing of MLK
Day related events in January
and February. Below is a sam-
pling of Monday's activities.
N The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. Memorial Lecture
EDwARoJAMES OLMOS
f 1se0 A.MM
HLL .AUDITORIUM
0 Martin Luther King Day March
and Rally
12 P.Mi.
STARTS ATINTERSECTION OF SOUTH UNIVERSITY
AVENUE AND Sour- FOREST AVENUE
0 Film Screening and Discus-
sion of"E eson thePrize" and
At the Rfer I Stand." 1
1. P.M>.
MICHIGAN RooM
MicHGAN LEAnGUE
5 What is Really Going On?
Part III: Diversity at the Univer-
sity of Michigan
RACKHAM DEAN EARL L.EWiS
i P.M.
PIERPONT COMMONs, EAST RooM

get students, staff and
faculty more inter-
ested in issues sur-
rounding diversity
and civil rights. And
now that a lawsuit
challenging the Uni-
versity Law School's
use of race in admis-
sions will go to trial
on Tuesday, MLK
Day events will be a
perfect opportunity
to learn more about
the issues surround-
ing affirmative
action in higher edu-
cation.
Anyone who has
an interest in working
on preserving and
building diversity on
campus and in the
nation can learn
about what they can
do to help keep

lings of the 21st Century (that's the one
we're in now) vacationed on Venus.
Elroy's supersonic skateboard travels
1,000 miles in 1,000 milliseconds. My
1990 Civic travels 1,000 miles in, well,
much more time. Probably closer to 1,200
milliseconds. Maybe more.
They're up to Rocky 912. We've only
got, like, "Rocky 5." There should be more
Rocky movies. In fact, there should be
more movies with Sly Stalone in general.
There's crazy inflation and very little job
security. George collects $1,000 a week
from unemployment checks during one of

'They need it ... the equipment is pretty
crappy right now'

- LSA sophomore Harvard Parker on the announcement of
new fitness equipment coming to campus recreation centers.

of diversity on

campus and about King's legacy. MLK
Day is also a great chance to see musi-
cal performances, lectures by speakers
like Edward James Olmos and attend
discussions on diversity and civil rights.
There will be a pro-affirmative action

King's dream alive on Monday.
MLK Day is a day off from classes
but it should not be just a day to sleep
in. The best way to remember King is to
help keep his legacy alive. Take part in
some of the activities offered at the
University on Monday.

Firt the Code
'U' policy disregards students' rights

he Office of Student Conflict Res-
=J olution is inviting students to a
training session tomorrow. At this
meeting, the office will familiarize stu-
dents on the contents of the Code of
Student Conduct and offer training for
those students who wish to serve on its
arbitration panel.
Do you trust your University? Do
you feel safe as you go about your daily
business? Do you know the conse-
quences of your actions?
Tread carefully, for there is an expe-
dient means of ruining your academic
future - the Office of Student Conflict
-Resolution. It seeks to uphold the
ideals of the University as stipulated in
the Code. Although these values in the
first paragraph are defined as "civility,
dignity, diversity, education, equality,
honesty and safety," the legal system
that emerges in the following para-
graphs opposes such
values.
veThe Code
The Code of Stu-
dent Conduct is a sub- distinct a
jective instrument of over the I
moral homogenization
whose duties essential- does not i
ly involve causing itself to
inconveniences for
students and ruining
their academic futures.
Students agree to abide by the
Code's procedures upon entry into the
University. At this time each student is
required to keep himself or herself free
from rumors, speculations and contact
:with law enforcement officials.
The Code has two paths to prosecu-
tion: Intra-University conflicts and
,legal conflicts. In its procedures, the
"'Office of Student Conflict Resolution

student charged with a violation of the
Code is denied legal consultation for
the Conflict Resolution procedure.
The Office of Conflict Resolution
can also use police reports, arrests and
indictments as grounds for violation of
the Code of Conduct. No trial is neces-
sary; the Code of Student Conduct con-
 siders itself competent in determining
guilt and innocence in legal matters.
The Code has a distinct advantage over
the law - it does not confine itself to
objectivity. It even goes so far as to
attach additional punishment to that
determined proper by our legal system.
In some cases, especially concerning
alcohol violations, the punishment can
be identical. The Code has no provi-
sions for double jeopardy.
To combat these obvious infringe-
ments of student rights, the Michigan
Student Assembly has submitted a
number of suggestions
has a for revision of the
Code. However, the
ivan tag University administra-
SW - it tion has been consider-
ing these amendments
confine for over a year and a
biectivitvy half and has yet to
comment on them.
These students will
be part of the lucky few who are able to
understand the secret procedures of the
Code. Student participation, however,
gives the Code legitimacy and allows it
to function. Without student support,,
the Code would whither. Any student
considering attending tomorrow's event
should put principles of justice ahead
of their petty pursuit for an attractive
resume.
Students must call for the abolition

Ellerbe deserves
support, respect
To THE DAILY:
It is a shame that Superfan Reza Break-
stone ("Ellerbe should be replaced by Pitino,"
1/10/01) and his Ellerbe-hating posse can't
look in the mirror and realize that the biggest
problem the basketball program has to deal
with these days is his attitude toward the
team and the coaching staff, despite his
claims of oh so valiantly "try to maintain
high spirits and good faith in our sports
teams."
Breakstone openly admits he doesn't nec-
essarily think Ellerbe should be fired because
he is a bad coach, bad recruiter or doesn't
have the program moving in the right direc-
tion.
It's for the disgustingly selfish reason that
he probably won't ever get to go to the Final
Four or celebrate a Big Ten title while a stu-
dent here. Cry me a river!
Riddle me this Reza: Exactly where do
you think Ellerbe has erred so wrongly that
he should be fired and what exactly do you
think any other coach could have done differ-
ently in the last four years to make us that
much better?
Recruiting? Certainly not. After doing an
admirable job recruiting amidst rumors of
probation and the death penalty for the pro-
gram, Ellerbe is working on his third consec-
utive top 10 class and has finally stolen a
highly touted Flint-stone from under Sparty's
nose.
Preventing player defections? Let's face
it, Brandon Smith wasn't happy since Fisher
left and his injury coupled with reduced play-
ing time drove him away. You don't honestly
expect me to believe that you shed a tear over
Leland Anderson's defection? Kevin Gaines
was just being a stupid teen, something I'm
sure you and I have done more times than we
can count, only he got caught. And the Jamal
Crawford saga was out of anybody's hands.
As for Pitino coming here, take a step
back and look at what you're saying. First of
all, itino will likely be the highest paid
coach in college basketball next year. Michi-
gan basketball coaches have and will never
be the highest paid coaches in the country.
The reason?
Dare I state the obvious, but this is a foot-
ball school, and in case you haven't heard,
Pitino has already said that he will go where
basketball is number one.
It's bad enough that Ellerbe still has to
work with the Ed Martin scandal still hanging
over our shoulders, but to also have to coach
on a divided campus is ridiculous. The only
thing you or anyone else can do to help this
team is to lend it your support and realize that
whether you are here or not, Ellerbe will have
this team back on top sooner than you think.
Don't make things harder than they
already are. Changing coaches now would
only set the program back a few more years,
just like it did the first time.
Dismiss your illusions of Pitino grandeur
and don't waste your time or the University's
time by faxing University Athletic Director
Bill Martin. My pride in being a part of the
Maize Rage has taken a hit this year.
Drop your selfishness and get behind this
group of youngsters with half as much effort
as they give on the court every day and

an Oasis" (1/10/01).
Until last week, I was the only non-
Catholic tenant in this project. In fact, I was
the only Baptist, the only African-American,
and the only graduate student in the Oasis
House - not because they wanted me there,
but because they could not lawfully deny my
application for residence based on those
facts.
I endured four months of disrespect for
my Christian doctrine and cultural differ-
ences. After repeated unsolicited offers to
release me from my lease by a house leader,
careful consideration and a conversation with
my pastor, I chose to move out and leave
them to their own exclusionary beliefs and
values.
An important piece of key information
about the Oasis House was missing in this
article. The Ave Maria Foundation, which
was spearheaded by Tom Monaghan, former
owner of Domino's Pizza, owns the house.
Monaghan has been known more recently for
his outspoken views against abortion and pro-
motion of strict adherence to traditional
Catholic doctrine.
Over the past four months, I observed this
group and their behavior toward those who
were "different," or did not hold their beliefs.
One specific instance occurred prior to the
presidential election. I was ordered to remove
a pro-Gore advertisement (taken from The
Michigan Daily) from my door because it
"was offensive" and "promoted abortion."
Meanwhile, common areas of the house were
full of pro-Bush ads and anti-abortion pam-
phlets that were acceptable under Catholic
doctrine.
Another instance occurred when I invited
a group of African-American friends over.
My guests were in the house for more than
four hours, but not one of the house's tenants
greeted them. Many of these guests were
appalled of their lack of courtesy.
Their actions illustrate a particularly con-
servative and intolerant sect of practicing
Catholics.
My intention is not to criticize or catego-
rize all Catholic Christians. However, my
experience shows that this project is definite-
ly not for everyone.
If you are a young woman who is interest-
ed in learning about and practicing conserva-
tive Catholicism, the Oasis House may be
what you are looking for in your spiritual
development.
However, if you are a Christian woman
who is looking for a more liberal and cultur-
ally diverse group with which you can
explore your faith, try one of the campus
ministries or a local church.

Improvements to
student busing are
required
TO THE DAILY:
Tuesday afternoon I was asked by a friend,
who goes to Western Michigan University and
writes for The Herald, their student paper, what
I thought about the busing system at the Uni-
versity. I didn't exactly sing praises about it, but
I said that it was good, and the stops seemed
convenient, and that if you missed one bus
another was sure to come along soon. Tuesday
night, after the men's basketball game, I wish I0
could have taken what I said back. Now, I
understand that it must be tough for buses to get
through the traffic leaving Crisler's parking
lots, but this was ridiculous. My two friends and
I left the game after the game had ended. We
didn't rush to the bus stop, but got to it at a rea-
sonable time after the game.
Two people were already waiting for a bus.
As we watched the cars leaving the lots, 10
minutes passed, more people came to wait and@
there was no bus. Finally, 40 freezing minutes
later, a bus came. I think something should be
done to make sure that students have a ride
from the game, or at least a bus to wait on until
the traffic clears out.
MATT DARBY
LSA SOPHOMORE
BAM N should not
make presentations
during lectures
TO THE DAILY:
Wednesday, in my Psychology Ill class,
some students from the Coalition to Defend
Affirmative Action By Any Means Necessary
came in to discuss the present status of affirma-
tive action. They proceeded to discuss this issue
in a repetitive manner, taking up an hour of a
two-hour lecture. Personally, I do not think it
fair to take up more than an hour of my class
time that my family is paying for. On top of
that, BAMN related several incorrect "facts"
such as stating that the regents of the University
of California system resolved to end affirmative
action when, in fact, it was the voters who
affirmed Proposition 209, thereby ending the
policy. I highly encourage any students who
encounter the same outrages as I to write to
University President Lee Bollinger to end this
waste of our learning time.
STEPHEN LUND
LSA SOPHOMORE

Ii

KIMBERLY COLEMAN
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

DANE BARNES DISTURBED SLEEP
C \ -
~~- 7 7I I

0