The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, June,10, 181-Page 5
Illinois village
bans handguns;
battle expected
Doily Photo by JACKIE BELL
A sign saying "U.S. Out of El Salvador," which has been in a window of the
Natural Science Building for two months, has been the cause of much
dispute among Biology faculty and administrators.
Political sign causes
internal dispute
(Continued from Page 1)
it was inappropriate and asked
(Chairman) Dawson that it be
removed."
KEMP SAID he thinks the University
is doing everything it can to have the
sign removed, and that Vandermeer is
acting in defiance of the ad-
ministration.
"He's essentially opposing the
authority of the University, defying the
request of the Department Chairman
and the Dean of the Literary College,"
said Kemp. "He won't concede to sim-
ple gracious requests to remove his
sign, even though he knows it's an un-
popular move and his colleagues don't
approve of it."
Kemp said everyone he has had con-
tact with is "violently opposed to that
sign," and that he thinks Vandermeer
is the only one who insists on keeping it
posted.
KATHERINE YIH, a graduate
research associate in Vandermeer's of-
fice, said two main issues have arisen
from the controversy: the issue of the
sign's content, and the issue of whether
it is proper procedure to "go into a
professor's office unauthorized to rip
down asign.
"I agree with the content of the sign,"
she said. "And I believe that in many
ways the University already takes
political stands. It's a farce for the
University to maintain they are a
politically neutral 'forum for free
thinking,' so as to use that neutrality to
prohibit posting statements on a
building is inconsistent," she added.
Vandermeer said that as yet no one
has contacted him with any arguments
"let alone cogent ones," about why the
signs should be removed.
"Not only was I not asked to remove
it, I was never even warned that it
would -be removed against my will,"
Vandermeer said in a memo, adding,
"These procedures are not, in my
opinion, appropriate at a University,
whether the sign says 'U.S. Out of El
Salvador' or 'Support the Moral
Majority'."
The U.S. presidential residence was
damaged by fire in 1812. It was painted
white during repairs and has been
known as the White House ever since.
MORTON GROVE, Ill. (UPI) - A
gutsy town is taking on some powerful
forces - even President Reagan -in a
move to outlaw handguns.
The suburban Chicago community of
24,000 people began a revolt Monday
night when village trustees voted 5-1 to
ban the sale of handguns and 4-2 to banr
possession of handguns. The ordinances
were effective immediately.
BUT THE action was just the first
shot in what could be a legal revolution
- a constitutional fight against the
powerful National Rifle Association.
President Reagan has repeatedly sided
with NRA in opposing any handgun
ban.
"As far as we know, it's the first
village in the United States to ban both
the sale and possession of handguns,"
said village Trustee Neil Cashman, who
sponsored the ordinances. "I'm talking
about any municipality. Many have
tried but it has not passed."
Officials said they expect a battle
from.the NRA and the Illinois Rifle
Association.
"But we'll fight right back," Cash-
man said.
HE SAID between 60 and 70 percent
of the village's residents oppose han-
dguns.
"Municipalities around the country
have the right to make their own laws,"
said Trustee Greggory Youstra. "We
are simply saying let it begin with us.
We may be wrong. Let the Supreme
Court of the United States adjudicate at
that point."
And, he added: "The Constitution of
the United States and the Constitution
of Illinois are not chiseled in granite.
There's no reason in the world why such
a document such as the United States
Constitution cannot be amended."
HANDGUN OWNERS were given 90
days to get rid of their guns - store
them in a club, move them out of town
or sell them outside Morton Grove.
Exe'mptions were provided for police,
prison and military personnel, security
agents and collectors. Businesses
selling handguns were given 90 days to
eliminate their inventories.
The law makes sale of handguns a
misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up
to $500 and revocation of business licen-
ses.
Possession is punishable by a fine of
$50 to $500 on the first conviction. A
second conviction carries a minimum
fine of $100 and a maximum penalty of a
$500 fine and six months in jail.
"IF SUCCESSFUL, it will show
people that you can have courage,"
Corporation Counsel Martin Ashman
said.
The village hall was swamped with
telephone calls from municipalities
across the country wanting copies of
the ordinances.
"We are hoping that other villages
will jump in with us and start enacting
the same ordinances," Cashman said.
"And maybe it can be county, state and
federal - maybe it'll end up there."
Reporters that go
where the story is at:
Read the Daily today!
Alvin Neff discusses 50
' years at Nickels Arcade
(Continued from Page 3)
and they give me the old story that
they're getting Playboy for their
boyfriend," he grinned.
Glancing at the skin magazines on his
rack, he explains, "I've got to sell what
people want." Alvin is very religious,
as is his wife, Lillie. "She's a doll," he
smiles.
They have been married since 1967,
and -Alvin says Lillie is a very special
wife, "especially considering .my con-
dition. There aren't many like her."
Alvin was stricken with polio at age
14, and it left him with a mild limp and
speech impediment.
If he weren't selling magazines, Alvin
says he doesn't know what he'd like to
do. He says it's hard work, but he really
enjoys what he's doing, and likes
working in the Arcade and seeing all
different kinds of people. He could
- retire tomorrow, but, he says matter-
of-factly, he doesn't know that, either.
STOLY DRIVER NIGHT
ENTERTAINMENT AT 9 PM
STREET LIGHT NIGHTS