a
OPINION
Page 6
1he 3Michigan Bathy
Vol. XCIV, No. No. 5-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
Parking violation
NOT EVERYONE in Ann Arbor who has
endured having their car towed makes a
federal case out of it. Lynn Johnston tried, but
her case got just about as far as a car with a
Denver boot.
Johnston's suit, filed in federal district
court, claimed the City of Ann Arbor had
violated numerous rights by towing and im-
pounding her car after she had received more
than six parking tickets. She asked $500,000 in
damages and alleged that she had been denied
due process, that the Ann Arbor police and the
towing service were "engaged in a regular
conspiracy" to ticket and tow, and accused
state judges of having a conflict of interest in
the enforcement of parking laws.
Perhaps justifiably, federal Judge Charles
Joiner rejected the bulk of Johnston's asser-
tions, thus avoiding invalidating as uncon-
stitutional the city's parking enforcement
procedures.
But although the remedy Johnston sought
may not have been appropriate, her cause has
a certain appeal.
Despite the efforts of various city commit-
tees over the last 50 years, parking in many
areas of central Ann Arbor remains extremely
difficult. Given the practical necessity many
citizens have for owning a car, and the zeal
with which the city's emissaries write parking
tickets, Johnston's frustration with the
parking systm is completely understandable.
Undoubtedly, solution of local parking
problems - through creative zoning and
through continued expansion of parking
facilities and public transportation - will
take years. In the meantime, as Judge Joiner
ruled, the city should have rather broad power
to regulate parking.
That power, however, is not unlimited. The
city has a responsibility to exercise it in a
manner which does not unreasonably intrude
in the lives of its citizens. The problem itself is
not going to be solved by the city's rigorous -
and often heavyhanded - enforcement of
parking statutes.
Unsigned editorials ap-
pearing on the left side
of this page represent a
majority opinion of the
Daily's Editorial Board.
Sunday, May 13, 1984
The Michigan Daily
Sinclair -_ _
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Beware the name drop
casual hello, names would plop news to any of you how much fun
aomi Saferstein like toads from his mouth. "You pictures are, so of course I picked
know Soandso, don't you? Aren't them up and started leafing
k it might be a good idea you familiar with the What'sits?" through long-haired high school
ourselves to one he'd go on. "' sure you're pictures of short-haired college
heard of the Who'sits; how about friends. And amidst the Kodak
Maybe tell a little bit the Who'sits' cousins, the What- borderless glossies I came across
u and about yourself as a chamacallum's?" Sorry, Louis, a polaroid.
Perhaps what author you no dice. A polaroid, in itself, says cer-
what subject matter in- What do you do with a name tain things. A poloroid is always
'ou, whatever you want," that has just plopped into your taken of someone whom you
e professor on the second lap? If this unidentified name is a know very well. Someone whom
that Creative Writing 423 wonderful, talented, bigger-than- you wouldn't feel stupid about
at, I thought. Here I am' life individual, does that mean saying, "Hey, I got an idea, let's
thegooste,sitting through osmosis the person take a picture !" Someone with
n he w of seni and reciting the name shares whom you'd want to capture an
ia medly of seniors and those same qualities? Are we endearing antic and watch it
dents, plus one womanote it supposed to stand up, place our become reduplicated right before
.orneo sound like Ohio.e' hands on our hips, assuming the your very eyes.
Reo o madnik friom first grade "Na-na, get off my AS I HELD the fingerprint-
FTER the woman from property" stance, while we mat- proof border, I was told that the
Borneo, the engineer ch their name with someone person standing to the left of the
ad. That is, I didn't feel bigger and better? Or do we photo was my friend's mother,
intl one woman, whom I humble ourselves in admiration but the man to the right needed
ill Daniella, said her of someone, who knows someone, no explanation. It was Hill
Daniella began byisaying who opened the door for Robert Murray-complete with Bud-
ilro a sate Redford? weiser in hand. Casually, without
und-I thought of my The biggest problem with this blowing my I'm-not-impressed-
the P ole and h father name dropping business lies with by-stars cool, I said, "Oh, is your
ineer. In hermforceful people like myself. People who family friends with Hill
voce hesatsthat don't know Daniella's Mr..... Murray?"
had apencil in her hand from Daniella's Uncle Otis. As "You're looking at the man I
ong as she can remem-,far as I know, they might be one want to marry," she laughed. "I
still have my crayola in the same. There is no way that worked for him for a while, We're
ypack. Pardon me for I would ever remember really not that good of friends
i amk.esrdshe con- Daniella's Uncle Otis even if I though. But I'm still holding my
g names, shear had heard his name before. I breath until he gets a divorce."
-but my father istas tight have problems remembering. ".......(fill in the blank)!" I
picks (or some other names of friends of mine, let exclaimed. "No one has polaroids
phrase of amiability) alone some obscure avant-guarde of people they're not good friends
beat poet who sits in smokey cof- with. You don't capture the
dike. And who in hell is fee houses in the Village, reciting moments of strangers."
.? (As you can see, her versus about tuna cans or cats in "WELL SOMEONE took it at
..?( name drop bore no the window. It took me two weeks my mom's office. She worked
ae to moi.) Therefore I that is, and a lot of embarrassing right next door to him."
nfeeling inferior, my mistakes. "Oh really? What does your
stopped pumping over- . AFTER GETTING plopped mShe doing something dif-
and I realized that upon by the Daniellas and the ferent now, but then she was
's name plop had flop- Louis Dubins of the world, I've doing some work for Dusty."
come to the conclusion that name For the record, "Dusty" refers
Ila, of course, is far from dropping simply doesn't work. to Dustin Hoffman, and after
her attempts at subtly Rather, it has quite the adverse knowing my friend for seven
g about a name or two affect, one becomes unimpressed months through the grapevine I
there. We are all guilty of The people I know who really do happened to hear that her father
gan occasional plop, or at know someone are more than had written "Tootsie." Great
Fh we could be. hesitant to expose, their "im- things have a way of speaking for
;E KNEW this guy Louis pressive" friendships. One friend themselves.
ne.. TTimin y... Louis. . -
0
0
he III, mind you). Louis
rom Chevy Chase,
id, and everytime our
ation went beyond a
of mine is a prime example.
I was sitting in her room one
day and on the floor I noticed a
stack of pictures. I'm sure it's no
Saferstein is a Daily repor-
ter.