Opinion
Page 6 Wednesday, July 8, 1981 The Michigan Daily

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The Michigan Daily
Vol. XCI, No. 35-S
Ninety Years of Editorial Freedom
Edited and managed by students
at the University of Michigan
HeyMleaders!
A S OUR ADMINISTRATORS ponder the
long-term dilemmas of the University this
summer, a critical lesson from the painful
geography department elimination process
merits review.
Perhaps the most persuasive argument for
cutting the geography department was that its
condition was already terminal, due to gradual
and systematic neglect by the administration.
When the first respected faculty members left
the department-when its decline began-the
response from the University was to cut back
support for it. As its quality continued to slide,
so did its funding. In this sense, the elimination
was a foregone conclusion, made a half decade
ago. By 1981, a massive economic effort was
needed to save the department, which was im-
possible under present recessionary circum-
stances.
The entire process illustrated the need for
early detection. Like a cancer, departmental
deterioration can be checked if noticed in its
earliest stages, and appropriate remedies can
be applied to avoid death.
During the summer, fundamental decisions
are traditionally made concerning the Univer-
sity's future, and a thorough look at the many
departments is needed to make these decisions
effective. If a program looks vulnerable,
rehabilitative measures should be taken before
it is too late.
_Dialogue
WHETHER THESE are the best of times or
the worst of times, these are clearly among the
most complicated of times. As a conservative
tidal wave sweeps this land-amid continuing
economic deterioration and international
disarray-the number of vital issues worthy of
concern is proliferating faster than the arms
race. Now more than ever, dialogue is essen-
tial.
Let us utilize this page to accommodate such
a dialogue. On the right side of the Opinion
Page, you, the reader, are invited to contribute
your thoughts concerning the ever-expanding
list of crucial issues. Take the offer seriously.
As the University attempts to become
smaller-but-better, as the state grapples with
one economic crisis after another, as
Washington, D.C. becomes a frantic bat-
tleground of left and right, and as our fellow
nations battle each other, your observations are
needed to clarify the issues and approach
solutions. A healthy dialogue is imperative if
we expect constructive change.

THNK ofReAGAW
v~e~. -i~e YYu De~cHA -.He's CHARISM1ATiC,
RCW 4IN&5 AE'OUT'ReAAN Get4T eAN4Y, APTICt4A.Te,
PeR5SQNA. 0? ~PeR~vA~le, f4AsD~atvqe
P LpyAL, 1Ruvr'..oR...

A
Editor's note-Ar
has a leash law requ
all dogs be leashed
they are off the
premises. If you ai
owner, make sure
familiar with the I
(Title IX, Chapter 1
when you inquire ab
city hall, tell them;
you. His human frien
Shatz, is a recentL
graduate on his way
law at Cornell.
Dear fellow canines,
Let me relate to you a
that took place four w
when I was walking m
so that you do not suffer
fate.
I was taking my hur
walk down Church Stre
police car pulledi
driveway in front of t
Building and asked if1
boy belonged to m
replying in the affirmE
officer asked to see the;
whistled and he immedi
to me.
IT TURNS OUT I
violation of the law be(
well-behaved human
"under reasonable co
was issued a viola
"Human-at Large" fror
chapter 107 section 9:4
tion i of the Ann Arbort
whichyreads as follows:
The owner of any
[human] or other
animal shall be guilty of
a violation of the Chap-
ter if:

canine's view
a doggone law
nn Arbor (1) the [human] is at was a slow Sunday a
iring that any time not under "was not out to ci
whenever reasonable control; Christians" but that b
owners' (5) "Under reasonable the ticket instead of a
control". A [human] would help "spread
re a dog which is: about the law. TI
you are (a) secured by a leash reassured me that th
eash law held by the owner or the no way prejudice myc
107), and owner's agent; admission to law o
out it at (b) secured by a leash school. I and my pet hi
which is attached to a being made an exampl
Zeeb sent stationary object and The lawyer from
d, Sandy attended by the owner (Canine Legal Servic
University or the owner's agent; or outraged as I was. He
to study (c) on the premises of fight the ticket on ti
the owner or confined in that "it's an outrag
a vehicle. "violation of my civil li
Please note, fellow human The next thing I knew
owners, that this serious violation ding in front of ar
n incident is punishable by not less than pleading "not guilty.'
eeks ago, $25.00 nor more than $500.00. trial date and released
ypet boy, Of course I was never aware of I DROVE to court1
the same this law because I had seen so day, carefully leaving
many humans running free on the tied to a tree.
nan for a diag that I thought the place was The judge presidin
et when a going to the peoples. The officer case, 20251, "theI
into the explained that the law existed, ZEEB," immediatel
he P.&A. that I should go home to obtain a that this was a ridict
the stray leash for the biped, and then He smiled through n
e. After produce identification so that I testimony, instructed
ative, the could receive a violation. what the law said, tb
youth so I Imagine my joy ! out a throaty "GUIL
iately ran THE MAN and I walked home. crime of human-at-lac;
At every corner he waited for me ficerwas patted on t
was in and when I told him "GO!" he doing his duty in enf
cause my bounded across the street, jum- law, while my punishn
was not ped the curb, and waited to suspended fine plus co
ntrol." I discern which way we would In this case all parti
tion for head. By the time we arrived at the foolishness of
m title IX the house, the officer, who situation and the
7 subsec- followed behind in his patrol car suspended. You may
City Code and later stated that my person lucky! Justice preva
"was well behaved," had written case. The miracle h
up a violation. was spared, and celeb
He explained to me that he was many large milk bones
not picking on, me. Almost Sincerely,
apologetically, as he handed me Zeeb and his pet hu
the ticket he acknowledged that it Sandy Shatz

nd that he
rucify the
y giving me
warning I
the word"
he officer
is would in
chances for
r medical
uman were
le of!
the CLS
es) was as
etold me to
he grounds
ge" and a
iberties."
I was stan-
magistrate
" He set a
Ime.
that magic
my human
g over the
people vs
y realized
ulous case.
iost of my
me as to
hen barked
rTY" to the
ge. The of-
he back for
forcing the
ment was a
urt costs.
ies realized
the whole
fine was
not be so
iled in this
appened. I
brated over
S.
,uman,

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