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OPINION


Page 6
Vol. XCIV, No. 28-S
94 Years of Editorial Freedom
Managed and Edited by Students at
The University of Michigan
Editorials represent a majority opinion of the
Daily Editorial Board
End the quotas
N THE PAST few weeks, the Reagan
administration has made it clear that it is
willing to cut a deal with the UAW and the
nation's automakers. Restrain yourselves in
the current contract negotiations, the ad-
ministration has whispered, and we'll make
sure the import quotas on Japanese-made
automobiles continues.
The deal is a sellout. It plays to the interests
of the administration, the automakers, and the
auto unions, yet quietly ignores the interests of
the American auto consumer and, ultimately,
the whole of American industry.
Continuing the trade quotas means that con-
sumers, because of an artifically restricted
supply of cars, will have to pay more for
automobiles. It also means that all the factors
which go into American automobile manufac-
ture will have an incentive to become even
less efficient. In the short term, it may mean
larger profits, higher wages, and more votes
for its political proponents, but it eventually
could spell disaster.
The current auto contract talks do not need
hushed reassurances from the U.S. trade
representative that a restricted market will
continue to operate. They need, instead, the
assurances of the government that the in-
dustry will have to improve its productivity if
it is to survive.

Tuesday, July 24, 1984

The Michigan Daily

Williams: The issues and illusions

40

By John Critchett president of the United States, If so, then the same st
was an unfaithful husband. It true on a commercial en
Vanessa Williams, this year's may also be that in the Should we expect busin
reigning Miss America, has generations to come, we will follow the same standard
agreed to relinquish hercrown reassess sexual purity as an ideal for ourselves, or sho
hecauseshe posed nude for Pen- to strike toward. marketplace look no fart
because magazine As r cam- But there is a more disturbing its income statementsI
thouse mg factor, she just happens issue here. Penthouse is. a par- legislate ethics, but
plct in first black Miss America. ticularly explicit magazine of the choose to register our c
to be here are many areas of concern type which is frequently labelled ces with our pocketbook
in this story, ut these must e pornography. It is reported that successful boycotts
stryfbomthenon-issues Williams appears in a suggestive resulted from such af
separated from the non-ies photo with another woman. An Unfortunately, in this c
evuai o obsche an objective obviously intelligent person, next issue of Penthouse
First of all, the decision to ask Williams cannot claim to have to be a sellout.
or her resignation had ab- been exploited. But the woman's This brings us to the
sorte nothing to do with the movement has never been a fan question: How do w
fact that she is black. This is one of Penthouse magazine, and this Vanessa herself? Was sh
time when a black woman has not incident will be a source of em- to create a sham? Did s
been discriminated against. barrassment both for the ble with the good nam
Although she was the first black movement and for the Miss pageant by knowingly
Miss America, she was not the America pageant. after the pictures ha
first black woman to have posed There is a final issue here taken? Only Vanessa k
for amen's magazine. which, in the short run, will cer- sure, but I believe that sa
Secondly, personal liberty and tainly be missed by themedia. It bright youn woman des
freedom of choice are not at is the decision of the magazine to trying to be recognized
issue. The pictures were taken allow the pictures to be printed. It process, she didn't take
before Miss Williams decided to would have been very easy to to stop and ask herselfw
enter the contest when, as a non- simply destroy the pictures and was trying to be recogn
public figure, she was at total save a lot of faces. The magazine By voluntarily relinquis
liberty to make a personal already has a large enough cir- crown, Vanessa may ha'
decision. As an unknown, she culation that it doesn't need to the first step toward co
could not have been tryingshe resort to sensationalism. The her mistake.
make a statement about beauty question is one of ethics. Most
sexuality, or anything else. When people would agree that it would
she entered the contest, she be unethical - or at least in ex- Critchett is a g
voluntarily signed a contract trml ad tate r o in- student in the Sch
which included a "morality" the photographer o rase Business Administratio
clause, stating that she had not the photographs in his own name.
and would not do anything incon-
sistent with the "image" of Miss
America. LETTERS TO THE DAILY
There are some live issues
here. One of them is the inherent Prostitution's vicims
symbolism of the title. Miss
America, as an institution, has To the Daily:
always stood for sexual purity (Regarding " Lega i zing things? How about psyc
and "womanly virtue"; a Prostitution," Daily, July 15) treatment for abused we
married woman is subject to few can deny the fact thai will the programs be
disqualification. Whatever else it legalization would help eliminate with screening devices a
may stand for, Penthouse does some of the degradation which only "nice guys"?
not symbolize sexual purity. The accompanies prostitution. But I ,fIt's sad that so man
two symbols are in conflict. seriously doubt it's an answer to look to elicit sexual pleas
Allowing Williams to retain her the problem. Consequently this perversions as a source
title would have weakened the means support and promotion piness for something el
Miss America image. As a sym- from the state with regard to is missing in their lives.
bol like the Statue of Liberty and prostitution-as if there weren't that serious drug abuse,
the Queen of England, Miss enough emphasis on sex in our beating, and even death
America has no political power society already. pany prostitution indica
or authority. If the title loses its Shall we set up prostitution these individuals need so
symbolism, what else does it training programs as well? And other than support from t
have? who should pay the birth control They obviously need hel
It may be that sexual purity is costs that these young women we need to do is el
an unattainable virtue, and this will need-the government I sup- prostitution, not support
unrealistic as a qualification for pose? And what about treatment. you think that those wo
our public figures. The world was for syphilis, herpes, and gon- happy with their lives thi
more than a little dismayed when norhea? Won't you be overjoyed again. Be real.
it found out that John Kennedy, to know that your taxes are -Susan We(
the first Roman Catholic paying for all of these wonderful
Unsigned editorials appearing
on the left side of this page
represent a majority opinion of the
Daily's Editorial Board.

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demeyer.
July 21

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