4 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 7, 2003
OP/ED
Ule Ittn hrI
420 MAYNARD STREET
ANN ARBOR, MI 48109
letters@michigandaily.com
EDITED AND MANAGED BY
STUDENTS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
SINCE 1890
LouIE MEIZLISH
Editor in Chief
AUBREY HENRETTY
ZAC PESKOWITZ
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.
NOTABLE
QUOTABLE
The law was
intended for activities
related to terrorism and
not to naked women."
- Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on using the
PATRIOT Act in a Las Vegas public
corruption probe of strip clubs,
as reported by the Las Vegas
Review-Journal on Wednesday.
SAM BUTLER THE SOAPBOX
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Conspiracy theory
DANIEL ADAMS I WIN
hen Hillary According to the network, the series was spared the Reagan legacy from being tar-
C 1 i n t o n pulled because it didn't, "present a bal- nished at the hands of CBS. By all
f a m o u s 1 y anced portrayal of the Reagans." accounts, the Right can destroy, create and
blamed her husband's Balance? Television, fictional or other- save a presidency at the push of the but-
legal problems on a wise, doesn't have to be even remotely com- ton. At this point, the Left can't even pro-
"vast right-wing con- passionate, much less balanced. The gram a VCR.
spiracy," the collective miniseries wasn't inaccurate (according to Second - fight back. Something has
boos from conservative CBS, the producers have sources to corrobo- got to give, lest the Right continue to rule
pundits resonated rate every scene), but accuracy wasn't even the playground. When Sen. Rick Santorum
across the land. its aim. This wasn't a documentary, and was (R-Pa.) picks Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) last
William F. Buckley of intended to take some artistic liberties with in two-hand touch, Daschle should get his
the New York Post wondered, "How did its portrayal of Reagan and his family. boys, punch Santorum in the face, then
the American right conspire successfully No, the series was pulled because, after take his sack lunch.
to cause Bill Clinton to engage in illegal weeks of attack from Conservatives, CBS Third - form vast left wing conspira-
fund-raising practices, wrongful adulter- buckled under the pressure. They got cy. When the chips are down, the Left
ous acts and subversive attempts to sup- responses in the form of thousands of letters should be able to get just as fired up as the
press testimony?" I suppose he has a point and criticism from dozens of conservative Right over significant issues. More impor-
- Monica didn't just fall on that cigar. media personalities that gasped at the thought tantly, it should be able to bring to bear
But that doesn't mean Hillary was of Ronald Reagan being presented in a less enough political clout to bolster liberal
wrong. While "conspiracy" may be the than positive light on national television. causes. And the next time a Republican
wrong word to describe it, there can be no The vast right wing conspiracy strikes president dips his pen in the company ink,
denying the powerful forces that allied to again! Has Rush Limbaugh taken over said left wing conspiracy should be able to
bring down the 42nd president and his first Viacom? Anyone else getting the feeling see that every stained dress, every cigar
lady. The brand of partisan politics made that the Left is being pushed around like a and every spent condom is pulled out of
infamous during Andrew Johnson's high school quiz bowl team? A few sug- the trash and made into front page news.
administration reached new heights with gestions for the Democrats: You see, politics isn't a game, and the
Bill Clinton, as his personal indiscretions First - politics isn't fair. Did you hon- fact that CBS buckled under pressure is fur-
became fair game for a bitter Republican estly expect the Reaganites to allow their ther proof that no one should expect equity in
Congress. Republicans across the land ailing deity to be made to look even the system. There are no rules, and no refer-
took righteous satisfaction in the destruc- remotely flawed? Not a chance in hell, for ees. It is the responsibility of the left to see
tion of the Clintons, and, right or wrong, it while there may not be a right wing con- that it gets some punches in, because no one
seemed at the time to set a new standard spiracy per se, there can be no doubt that on the right is going to give them a free shot.
for how we are to treat past, present and as of now, the Right is pulling all the As the saying goes, "The strong do what they
future presidents: no holds barred. important strings. For example, three years will - the weak suffer what they must." It is
Democrats hoping for the tables to turn ago, the Right got a man posted to the time for there to be two parties again in
were disappointed on Tuesday, when CBS highest position in the land, without any America, not just 1.5.
announced that it would be pulling its experience, intelligence or even the popu-
miniseries on Ronald Reagan, choosing lar vote. Five years ago, it cut the legs out Adams can be reached
instead to broadcast it on Showtime. from under Clinton. And this week, it at dnadams@umich.edu.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
0H
g
Art school should broaden
curriculum, increase
appreciation by students
To THE DAILY:
In response to the article in the Daily on
Nov. 5 entitled, One year later, Art School still
adjusting to new curriculum (11/05/03) it seems
the "new" curriculum is not the real problem
for students. Rather, the fault lies in the overall
philosophy of the School of Art and Design
which continues to focus on the goal of produc-
ing professional artists. Given the fickle nature
of the art world, the odds of becoming a profes-
sional artist are extremely low, as opposed to
becoming a doctor, for example. The prescrip-
tive nature of the SOAD's curriculum is trying
to match that of other professional schools on
campus, however unlike nursing or law, there
is no set curriculum that has been proven to
produce a professional artist.
Instead, the SOAD could offer a broader
curriculum that helps people enrich their lives
through art, with a wider variety of self-select-
ed courses and scheduling options and plentiful
offerings for non-art majors as well. And yes,
perhaps a small percentage of these students
will go on to have careers in art, but all of them
will have a greater appreciation and under-
standing of the critical importance of art in
their lives and in society.
In making the art courses more accessible
to all by eliminating the prescriptive nature of
the curriculum, the SOAD could teach more
students on their own terms and help transform
generations of students who will become
admirers, supporters and patrons of the arts for
the rest of their lives. What better gift to give a
larger number of students rather than perpetuat-
ing the art career myth to a relatively small
group of art majors.
MARK TUCKER
Art instructor, Lloyd Hall Scholars Program
Muslim terrorists greater
threat to free world than
India-Israel alliance
To THE DAILY:
In yesterday's viewpoint, Aliya Chowdhri,
Rahul Saksena and Irfan Shuttari criticize the
emerging alliance between Israel and India
(With blood on their hands, 11/06/03). According
head of state, is also a Muslim.
One only needs to look at the Freedom
House map that measures countries' economic
and political freedoms to discern the reality of
the situation. Both Israel and India are complete-
ly free while every single neighbor of these two
countries is not. Perhaps Chowdhri, Saksena and
Shuttari should instead focus on the gross negli-
gence of women's rights, the targeting of inno-
cent civilians, the hatred taught in Islamic
madrassas and the lack of basic political and
economic rights that takes place in Pakistan and
the Middle East.
There is already an existing alliance that is
far more dangerous than the emerging Israeli-
Indian one. This alliance, which stretches from
Palestinian-controlled areas to Pakistan, breeds
terrorism, marginalizes the voices of moderate
Muslims and disrespects fundamental human
rights. Such an alliance has already shown itself
to be a threat not only in the Middle East and
South Asia but tothe entire free world.
NucHIL SUDAME
LSA senior
Reader upset Pakistani
opined about Israel
To THE DAILY:
When someone asked me this morning if I
had seen the viewpoint about Israel in the paper
With blood on their hands, (11/06/03), my first
thought was "Oh no, here we go again." After a
year and a half here at Michigan, I have grown
used to the tiresome back and forth that takes
place on the Daily's editorial page. As an
avowed moderate and advocate of peace, I rarely
bother to write back. I usually find that I want to
remain as far removed from the vitriol that flies
back and forth as possible, so I often don't even
bother to read the pieces. Today is different.
Today's viewpoint lit a fire under me, and I feel
compelled to step up and shout out my now-
boiling over frustration and anger.
What was so different about today's article?
Let me tell you, it certainly wasn't the accusa-
tion that "the governing coalition ... (is) dominat-
ed by right-wing religious nationalists who use
tactics of fear" to rule, or the nonsensical asser-
tion that "it is the policies, statements and beliefs
of Israel ... that generate terrorism." Those and
similar statements are old hat. It's not the what
that was different, but the who!
At first I thought it was written by an unhap-
py minority at the Indian American Students
Association, and I considered asking one of my
TnrlnAt. C4,..Ar +ntorwrita,- inand omnw ornnnrt
very complex and cut very deeply through one's
political and emotional consciousness. But
please, can't we recognize that we are all decent,
caring human beings. At the very least, can't we
be mature enough not to go out of our way to
pick a fight with others? Please?
CHAIM SCHRAW
LSA sophomore
Co-chair, Hillel Religious Life
Pakistan oppresses women,
uwse than India
To THE DAILY:
Ignorance is not bliss. To pretend that any
issue is one sided and that blame for a conflict
can be assigned to any one side of a problem is
not only ignorant but dangerous. In response to
the fairly one-sided viewpoint featured in the
Daily Thursday I would like to point out a few
things (With blood on their hands, 11/06/03).
First, India is not Israel, Pakistan is not Palestine
and to make this blanket analogy with meager,
underdeveloped reasoning is to perpetuate igno-
rance. While the actions of Hindus in Gujarat in
early 2002 were indefensible it is equally inex-
cusable to condemn these acts without placing
them right next to the list of atrocities committed
against Hindus by Muslims in India. In the last
fifteen years Pakistani insurgents have driven
400,000 Hindus from the state of Kashmir
through murder, kidnappings and intimidation.
Since 1989 more than 20,000 people both Hindu
and Muslim have been killed in this insurgency
by these terrorists. Every month Hindu pilgrims
are murdered while trekking to Amarnath.
Yet through all of this Muslims in India
continue to participate and excel in every facet
of the so called "right-wing Hindu" state.
Muslims have held every high office possible
in India from president to Supreme Court jus-
tice, not to mention numerous cabinet posi-
tions. While the events of early 2002 were
tragic, to label them as a sign of the systemat-
ic oppression of Muslims in India is simply
wrong. Could relations be better between Hin-
dus and Muslims in India? Of course. Is the
problem a one-sided case of oppression? Most
certainly not. If one were to start making com-
parisons based on such specious reasoning let
me make my own comparison. I would like to
point out that it is neither India nor Israel that
oppresses its populations, but Pakistan that
oppresses its population in a much worse
manner, one truly deserving of divestment.
Only in this country the apartheid is not prac-
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