OPINION Tk m AAirkinnn nnav J Ir ivneminiou'm 0 -rE GCtt G F OP LE4N0N Edited and managed by students of the University of Michigan Vol. XCIX, NO. 5-S 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, M 48109 Unsigned editorials represent a majarity of the Daily's Editorial Board. All other cartaons, signed artidces,and letters da not necessarily represent the apinion of the Daily. Remember Stonewall: Fight homophobia JUNE IS the 20th anniversary of the and published an editorial telling ev- Stonewall Rebellion, the event that ery member of the lesbian and gay sparked the fight for gay rights in population at PCHS that they were this country. However, during Gay 50% expendable, that their murders Pride month, which is supposed to wouldn't matter as much as the mur- be a celebration of lesbian and gay der of a straight person, and that identity, many lesbians and gay men "with the recent AIDS scare, these still fight for their basic rights. men were asking for trouble and they One example of this on-going deserved to be shot." struggle occurred in this state. On The Lesbian and Gay Men's January 19, the Plymouth-Canton Rights Organizing Committee High School (PCHS) newspaper ran (LaGROC) wrote a letter to the an editorial titled "Homosexuals PCHS administration expressing its Forfeit Judicial Rights." This edito- concern over this issue. LaGROC's rial commented on a case in the Oak demands included holding a gay rap, Lawn section of Dallas, Texas in an educational program in which gay which a man and his friend got into men and lesbians talk about their a car with two gay men, drove to a experiences and answer questions secluded place and shot both of about being gay, and printing an edi- them. Judge Jack Hampton's ra- torial in response to the school tionale for handing down alighter 30 newspaper's homophobic piece on year sentence (instead of the life sen- the Texas incident. The lack of re- tence requested by the state of Texas) sponse on the part of the PCHS ad- was because he "didn't much care for ministration and their refusal to ad- queers cruising the streets picking up dress LaGROC's demands in any teenage boys." substantive way perpetuates homo- The author of the PCHS editorial phobia and heterosexism in the heartily agreed with Judge Hampton classroom and the community. Lebanon: The other Israeli occupation SEVEN YEARS ago this week, the that in the West Bank and Gaza" Mirroring white South Africa's state of Israel launched a full-scale (Palestine Focus, 5/89-6/89). Israel's use of cheap Black labor from nomi- invasion of Lebanon which left subjugation of southern Lebanon is nally independent "homelands," 20,000 Lebanese and Palestinians another graphic demonstration of its Israel's labor policies demonstrate dead and more than 30,000 civilians expansionist and annexationist poli- that their own version of apartheid is wounded. The number of Lebanese cies. operating in Lebanon. For the last left homeless as a result of Israeli These motivations have led fifteen months Israel has been ex- aggression during the summer of Butterfield to conclude that Israel's ploiting the labor force in southern 1982 has been calculated to be at plan for the territory currently occu- Lebanon in an attempt to replace the least 300,000. The barbarous inva- pied in Lebanon seems to be "to im- Palestinian laborers who are sion concluded with the siege of pose a de facto annexation with land presently boycotting Israeli industry Beirut, during which the Israeli army and water resources diverted to during the intfada. indiscriminately shelled the city's Israel's use" (Palestine Focus, May- most populated sectors with phos- June 1989). The forty-one year The conflict in Lebanon is com- phorus bombs, napalm, and cluster dream of a "greater Israel," espoused plex and Israel is far from the only bombs. by Israel's Zionist leadership even villian in the region. However, as After being confronted with thou- before the state's inception, is be- the world community recognizes the sands of resistance operations, the coming a sad reality. destructive nature of the Syrians and Israeli army was eventually forced to Since 1967, Israel has periodically the Maronite Phalange regimes in withdraw from most' of Lebanon. annexed portions of Lebanese terri- the north, Israeli atrocities often go But today the Israeli Defense Force tory, claiming "minor" border ad- unreported and are rarely seen on the (IDF) still occupies a large strip of justments were needed to ensure its evening news here. Lebanon, ranging in width from 10- "security." The danger of southern 30 miles, along the Israeli-Lebanese Lebanon becoming another Golan As the situation in occupied border. Heights (annexed by Israel in 1981) Palestine and Lebanon worsens for Since the Israeli invasion, little increases with every day that the both indigenous peoples, the Bush has been reported in the United Israeli army remains. administration must establish as its States about Israel's continued pres- Continued Lebanese resistance is goal an end to U.S. financing and ence in Lebanon. Instead, the mass quickly quelled either by the IDF or support, which makes Israeli occupa- media has chosen to concentrate on its Christian Lebanese proxies led by tion and oppression possible. Lebanon's 15 year civil war in a way Antoine Lahad. Entire villages are American taxpayers must make it that denies Israel's large role in its often collectively punished for indi- known to their elected officials that perpetuation. vidual acts of resistance, travel is the four billion dollars they supply According to Middle East scholar limited, and curfews are common. annually to Israel will cease if Israel Jeanne Butterfield, the Lebanese oc- Presently, more than 600 prisoners continues its blatant forms of ag- cupation "is every bit as vicious as are being held without trial. gression, expansion and domination. ONE MILuoIl OWEJ S 3LOOM&N 1TAN A4 M 5UARE. On June 4, 1989 Chinese sol- diers armed with bayonets and assault rifles-some riding in I .fIIIEi Is1P4 military tanks-stormed Tiananmeri Square in an obvi- ous act of aggression, killing and wounding an unknown number of peaceful student demonstrators. Labeling this incident as "the June 4th Massacre" Chinese students at the University held a two hour memorial service and rally on the following day in support of their slain relatives and friends. Although U.S. intervention is BUSH W WlIIEtN&M N VJSN(ioN..C. hardly encouraged, the reaction of the United States govern- ment has couched this incident in almost surrealistic terms. In the distant past and present, this country is by no means in- nocent of committing similar acts of aggression and degra- ""* -ation at home and abroad. The PCHS administration must respond. LaGROC is organizing a protest at PCHS commencement exercises. Meet at the fountain by MLB at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 11 to support lesbian and gay male presence and the objectives of their demands. 6 0 0