SUMMER
WEEKLY1%4
Oot alfrnd
One hundred and one years of editorial freedom
Opinion 4
Keep a weather eye...
Students remaining over
the summer should be wary
of eny decisions made by
MSA end the administration.
Shock to the system
The Rodney King verdict
and the ensuing violence
are tacit evidence of the
failures of the American
judicial and law
enforcement systems.
Killing our criminals
For the first time in 25
years, a California inmate
was executed. B the
death penalty is
problematic both in theory
and in execution.
Arts 8
99th Annual May Fest
Neeme Jrvi, Derek Francis
and the rest of the DSO are
perfectly suited for the
University Musical Society's
biggest event of the year
the 99th Annual May
Festival
Morose? Never.
Annette Petruso gives us a
look at Buffalo Tom, coming
to St. Andrew's Hall Friday
night with the Jon Spencer
Blues Explosion opening.
Sounds a Little Phishy
Phish was in town recently,
and Andrew J. Cahn greeted
them with a resounding
yawn.
Sports 11i
Women's Hoops Coach
Last Thursday, the Athletic
Department named former
Maine coach Trish Roberts
as the new women's
basketball coach. Roberts
succceeds Bud VanDeWege
who resigned after eight
seasons with the
Wolverines.
Tennis Team Stumbles
The Michigan men's tennis
team finished eighth at last
weekend's Big Ten
Championships.
Michigan Sports Roundup
Odds and ends about
rent events in Michigan
athletics.
Simpson notes violence in address
by Gwen Shaffer her son why Black people would
and Purvi Shah riot and destroy their own neigh-
Daily News Editors borhoods perplexed her. "They
Hope and dejection fused say it doesn't make sense and it
last weekend as nearly 6,000 doesn't," Simpson said.
University graduates celebrated "But it also doesn't make
commencement andbemoaned sense to me that 25 years after
the repercussions of the recent the passage of civil rights laws,
Rodney King decision. many Americans are stilldenied
Combined with the usual opportunities,jobsand equaljus-
litany of cheerful 'You can Lice under the law."
change the world' messages, in Simpson said many Black
light of King's case and Los people are still judged by skin
Angeles rioting, graduation color, asshe was nearly 30 years
speakers urged 'You must ago,constituting oneof65Black
change the world.' students attending the Univer-
As dark clouds and strong sity. "Several admissions coun-
gusts of windthreatened tosoak selors told me I would never be
nearly 35,000friends and fami- able to get a job in journalism,"
lies of LSA graduatesat Michi- she said. "I thought, 'I'll show
gan Stadium Saturday, com- you.'"
mencementspeakerstoldgradu- Simpson told other minority
ates it is their responsibility to graduates not to give up their
correct injustices stemming dreams, asserting, "I hope you
from race and gender discrimi- know you can still achieve your
nation. dreams despite the obstacles
Carole Simpson, an ABC thrown in front of you."
news anchor and 1962 Univer- At Rackham's graduate ex-
sity graduate, said she was put- ercises, honorary degree recipi-
ting the final touches on her ent Toni Morrison cautioned
commencement speech when graduates to meticulously reex-
she heard the King verdict, amine the past to identify what
"Like millionsof Americans she called distortions and lies.
I was.shocked and outraged," "Thisis theurgententerprise,
shesaid."This is not the speech these days, when blood and rage
I wanted to give today, but it is bubble together in the streets,"
the reality of the world today Morrison said."My pointis,you
which you will be entering." are not bound by the future, and
Simpson said deseribing to more importantly, you are not
March protests
Kingacquittals
bound by the past."
Information and Library
Studiesmastersdegreerecipient
Natalie Welch said she agreed
with Morrison,especially in ref-
erence to the Los Angeles upris-
ing.
"It's important to interpret
the past in ways which are rel-
evant to yourself," shesaid."I'm
glad some of the speakers re-
ferred to (the Kingcase and riot-
ing). These are scary times."
Helping the world become a
better place framed the Engi-
neering commencement theme,
"EngineeringQualityintoLife."
University President James
Duderstadt said at the Univer-
sity Graduate Exercises, "It's a
commitment to learn in order to
serve others that we need most
of all."
Anothercampus administra-
tor, Engineering Dean Peter
Banks, noted that the world has
created more gizmos in current
times than ever, "Yet I wonder,
is the world a better place than it
was before?"
Current Massachusetts Insti-
tuteofTechnology Presidentand
former Engineering Dean
CharlesVestremarkedtheworld
was at the threshold of a new
age,buteven with the Cold War's
clinching, "History would not
declare us the winner" if the
See GRADUATION. Paso 2
T K;
L
HEATH ER LaWMAN/ Say
ABC news anchor and 1962 University graduate Carole
Simpson speaks at last Saturday's [SA commencement
ceremony at Michigan Stadium.
B-school
seminars
focus on
by Victoria Kuohung
As countries become more
4 cdosely connected by trade, cul-
ture, and communication,
Amnericanuaiveraitiesmust train
AP PHOTO students how to cope with a
erdict on Church St. Friday. changing social environment,
we can say the system is work- University officials said.
ng," Cleaver sad. Beginning today at the Busi-
Salvation City resident ness School, the symposium
RhondaSweedcriticizedthe Ann ."HigherEducation inan Increas-
Arbor City Council proposal to ingly International World," will
und $4 million for sidewalk re- emphasize the need to prepare
asirs. "We are here to fight. We students for aglobal workplace.
ire here to win ... If it takes one "All jobs will have moreand
if s rnnig fr cty ounilmoreinternationalcomponents,"
f u runin fr cty ounilsaid Interim Associate Vice
hen that's what we'll do,"' she President for Internationa Aca-
i.
SeC ew PROTESrPage192U SiesEMINARSate ae7
by Hope Calati
Daily Staff Reporter
No justice, no peace,"
chanted an estimated 300 com-
munity members who marched
through Ann Arbor last Friday
to protest the acquittal of four
police officers in the beating of
motorist Rodney King in Los
Angeles.
Thebeatingrecordedonvid-
eotape, has been touted by mi-
nority groups as evidence of
widespread police brutality, es-
pecially against people of color.
"This rally is not just about
Rodney King. It is about police
repression in general. We are
trying to makepeoplerealize the
need to find a better way to re-
verse that (decision). The
struggle is the creation of mas-
siveunemployment.Itisnotjust
race,butclass,"saidhistory Pro-
fessor Robin Kelley.
Rackham student Kathy
Pence said the decision reflects
"disillusion with thejudicialsys-
tem."
"There is the idea that there
is nowhere where people can
turn,that thereisnowherepeople
like Rodney Kingcan turn when
there is a breakdown of the sys-
tem," Pence said.
"Peoplearepretty pissed off,"
said Ann Arbor resident Joseph
Krugler. "They had the video
tapes.I don'tknow how they got
off."
Speakers at the rally tied the
verdict to issues of racism and
homelessness.
Richard Cleaver of the
AmericanFriends Service Com-
mitteespokeatSalvation City,a
Ann Arborites protest the King v
downtown tent city of homelessv
people. i
"We have seen the racism
and hypocrisy of this situation I
laid bare.Thequestion is:Where
do we go?" Cleaver said. "There fi
is a continuing legacy of brutal- p
ity to oppose people of color in a
the system which George Bush c
says works so well. d
t's theWhite House s
intolow-incomehousing--then