OPINION
The Michigan Daily
Vol. XCV, ' No. 20-S
95 Years of Editorial Freedom
Managed and Edited by Students at
The University of Michigan
Editorials represent a majority opinion of the
Daily Editorial Board
Low priorities
E YEBROWS ARE being raised once again over the
city's illegal lowering of Barton and Argo ponds
last month. Changing the water level of the Huron River
doesn't appear to have been malicious. But this is the
second time in two years that the city has lowered the
water level without notifying the Department of Natural
Resources.
Last year during the construction of the Gallup Park
livery, the water level was lowered. This year's shift was
caused by a large leak that developed while construction
workers were renovating the Barton Dam.
The city plans to start up hydroelectric power stations at
Argo and Barton Dams. The city bought the dams from
Detroit Edison in 1969. This is part of the city's $3.2 million
renovation plan. Once the generators are started up again,
the city hopes the dams will produce an annual income of
$420,000.
But one must question if all of this renovation near the
area of the Huron River will eventually do more damage
than good. The conversion of the water into hydroelectric
power is beneficial to the city. But at what cost? Will they
restock the fish every time it's more cost effective to lower
the river and raise it back up again? The city is not
treating the river as a living ecological environment, but
rather as a source for profit.
It's hard to place a price on the ecological environmen-
ts. There may come a time when the city permanently
damages the river by lowering the water level. The river is
not a water line. The city not not simply turn off the spigot
for a few hours and then turn it back on once the construc-
tion has been completed.
According to the DNR, controlling the Huron River
water level has been a problem for about ten years. Not only
has the DNR had problems with Ann Arbor but also with
Ypsilanti.
The dams along the Huron River are generally good for
the ecological system of the river. They provide a habitat
for fish to develop while keeping water pests from
creeping up the river from the Great Lakes. The dams also
trap dirt and sediment.
The DNR has forced the city to restock the ponds with
fish. The $7,000 needed to restock will probably come from
the budget for dam renovation.
The bureaucratic problems connected with the two in-
cidents Appear to be solved. City Manager Godfrey Collins
now requires his personal approval before the river level
can be lowered.
The bigger problem of development costs versus en-
vironmental costs is unanswered. The efforts of the city to
improve the use of the Huron River may kill it one day.
Saturday, June 15, 1985
Page 5
Arms race generates fear
By Laura Bischoff young children and is scares the hell
out of me."
I sat on the blue and white couch in
the TV room last April watching a
movie on cable when the screen went
blank and a beeping signal started. In
the few seconds that followed I was
absolutely panic stricken. "No! They
have no right," I instantly thought.
My heart raced. Then I thought of my
parents and brothers and sisters and
if I would ever see them again.
Finally a voice announced a tor-
nado warning and relief washed over
me. Thank God its only a tornado. But
for that instant, panic, anger and
despair overwhelmed me. I thought
for sure the missiles were leaving
the silos and everything would be
finished.
I never thought in a million years
I'd be worried about the possibility of
nuclear war. But now I do and I can't
seem to help it. The fear is real. It
creeps into my dreams at night every
once in a while and awakens me in a
cold sweat. When I open my eyes to
find that me and the rest of the world
are still functioning I thank God it
hasn't happened... yet.
I'm not the only one who is scared
by the possibility of nuclear war. I
talked to some ten and twelve year
olds that are frightened too. "It could
go off at any time and your loved ones
would all die," said ten year old
Heather Ackerman. She said that in
her nightmares another country fired
a missile that killed all her friends
and family, leaving her alongto star-
ve or choke on contaminated air.
Ackerman believes that Russia
would be most likely to use nuclear
weapons but Julie Owens, an eighth
grader at Clague School, said, "I
think any country that had nuclear
weapons could use them." Owens is
afraid that missiles might be fired
accidently or wind up in irresponsible
hands. "Loonies could get ahold of
them and set them off and the whole
world could be destroyed," said the
twelve year old.
Joan Horton, director of Pound
House pre-school, commented, "It
(nuclear war) is very frightening for
BLOOM COUNTY
Every week there is something in
the news about the arms race and this
escalation terrifies me. I can't help
but consider the possibility of not
making it to the next decade.
Most recently in the news was the
issue of whether Reagan would honor
SALT II. Because the Soviets has
been violating certain treaty
provisions, the Americans felt that a
comparable violation was justified.
This is like ten-year-olds arguing,
"You cheated so I'm going to get you
back." Such childish behavior con-
cerning powerful weapons is par-
ticularly disturbing since it is so
widely accepted.
SALT II. It quells my fears a little to
know we have at least honored an
agreement to regulate this insanity.
I'd like to see more than this
though. I want to see serious efforts
and actions toward a bilateral freeze
on the arms race and eventual reduc-
tion of nuclear weapons, perhaps
leading someday to a nuclear free
world. Only then would the night-
mares stop and my fears be abated.
Realistically, we will not stop the
arms race unless we voice our fears
and concerns. We must insist that our
government leaders go many more
miles to reach the goal of nuclear
disarmament.
The arms race is a dangerous game
that no country can afford to play, for
the simple and obvious reason that no
one can win.
But I must commend Reagan for Bischoff is a Daily reporter.
"going the extra mile" and honoring
Letters to the Daily should be typed,
triple-spaced, and signed by the in-
dividual authors. Names will be withheld
only in unusual circumstances. Letters
may be edited for clarity, grammar, and
spelling.
Greater sensitivity
To the Daily:
Safety, particularly the safety of
women, has been an important issue
on campus this year. Numerous ar-
ticles and editorials about the topic
have appeared in the Daily. Most
recent was an editorial against sexist
advertising. This is a significant con-
cern, as culturally ingrained sexism
supports an environment in which
violence against women is tolerated.
I found it sad and ironic that the day
following your editorial you chose to
display a large picture of a women
sunbathing (Daily, June 11). More
accurately, the photograph showed
the legs and crotch of "an uniden-
tified women" behind the bars of a
balcony. Clearly advertsing is not the
only area in which women are
demeaned and depersonalized.
I would strongly urge the Daily to
show greater sensitivity in the way it
depicts women.
-Fran Gerken Foster
June11
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