Wednesday, August 4, 1993 -The Mhg Daiy SummerWeedy-5
ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER
VIEWPOINT
Do you believe in God?
I do. I'm a Christian, I'm Baptist and I I don't believe in God in this society.
go to church. I've grown up with The God we all know is being
church and I know there is a God. I suppressed and that is why we have
don't believe in evolution. so many problems today.
- Kim Nan-Hee, 1st year LSA - Grizelda Zriakelbaum, Law school
Yes, actually I do, on i
most of the time. 1ljus
church this morning, I
going often. Yes, toda
God. - Kris Flautner
Yes, I think the only reason to believe in God is not through
facts or through science but through things that can't be
stated or just spiritual things; looking at nature and looking
at art. - Ruth Jeyaveeren, Art senior
I believe in something. I'm not sure. I guess
it's more or less based on faith. There is so
up there, I'm not sure. I don't know what it
answer to a big question. - Ryan Essenbur
Israeli High Court metes
out justice to Demjanjuk
By MARC SPINDELMAN
Facing overwhelming public opposition, the
Israeli Supreme Court last Thursday overturned
the conviction and death sentence of John
Demjanjuk. Demjanjuk, a 73-year-old native of
the Ukraine, hadbeen convictedofhbeing Ivan the
Terrible, "the notorious gas chamber operator at
the Nazi death camp of Treblinka."
The evidence whichpromptedtheIsraelicourt
to acquit Demjanjuk was comprised of "state-
ments to KGB interrogators by former camp
In a case full of surprises, the Israeli high
court's ruling was hardly a surprise. Over ayear
ago, for example, The Washington Post reported
most days, that before the oral arguments in Demjanjuk's
t went to appeal ended, Justice Aharon Barak, in an "out-
have not been burst'directedattheIsraeliprosecutor,exclaimed:
y I believe in "Unless you have proof eyond a reasonable
rEngineering doubt that Deijanjuk was at Trebinka, there is
no point in proceeding."
A number of people have misunderstood just
what the ruling meant. Though the high court
held that the new evidence created a "reasonable
doubt" that Demjanjuk was guilty of being Ivan
the Terrible, the court did not entirely exonerate
Demjanjuk of that crime.
One is tempted to say that Demjanjuk's guilt
or innocence was not what was principally at
issue in the appeal. In some sense, of course, his
guilt or innocence can neverbe truly known. As
the court put it: "The complete truth is not the
prerogativeof thehumanjudge." TheDemjanjuk
appeal presented theIsraeli Supreme Court with
an issue much larger than Demjanjuk and (if the
two are not the sameman) Ivan the Terrible. The
Demjanjuk appeal forced the high court to an-
swer the question: Can justice be done inthe state
of Israel in a case involving a man accused of
committing the worst kind of atrocities against
mething the Jewish people and against humanity? In rul-
is ... It's a big ing as it did, the Israeli court proved that justice
g, LSA Soph. can be done in such a case.
For a few short days, it was expected that the
court's decision would put an end to the matter.
The Ukraine agreed to allow its native (though
hardly prodigal) son toretumhome. But, even as
scussed in detail on he was preparing to leave Israel, the hands of
ctions may in some justice wouldnotloosentheirgriponDemjanjuk.
the Task Force felt In a surprising twist, the high court blocked
st order of business. Demjanjuk's departure until the Israeli govern-
ment could consider whether it would take new
I.D., F.R.C.P. (C) legal action against him.
Cootrinator The decisionnot toletDemjanjukleave Israel
W and Other Drugs temporarily delays the resolution of some ques-
tions which the acquittal had raised, such as
whether the United States, "which stripped him
by complex of his citizenship in 1981 and extradited him to
Israel for trial five years later," shouldrestore his
citizenship and allow him to return.
The decisionthattheIsraeliGovernmentmust
erkcountry, physical now make is an extremely sensitive and difficult
nhaes oult hsan one. Exactly what crime to charge Demanju k
taxes to bulletsand with having committed is an open question. The
ntrol man's life, will Israeli Supreme Courtnoted that there was strong
tates part of mans evidence that Demjanjuk had been a guard at a
unalienable right to Nazi death camp called Sobibor, where aquarter
fhappiness. Govern- of amillion Jews wereput to death. But the court
rs do not believeinor also cited evidence that Demjanjukserved at two
this concept perpetu- other prison ramps as well.
Itis reasonable to expect that the Israeli Gov-
who understand and ernment will proceed in a new Demjanjuk pros-
dvidual rights using ecution. The democratic sentiment in Israel has
tercent on objective reached something of a fevered pitch over this
a chance to solve the issue. Politiciansfindsuchpblicoutriesnextto
m t Clinton can help impossilt ignore.
If Demjanjuk is again brought to trial, those
losophy to guide our concerned that justice be done may rest assured
that he will be dealt with fairly in the state of
Paul L Gruchala Israel. That the Israeli Supreme Court will have
Inkster, Micha the final say in the matter guarantees as much.
Alchohol policy result of
'U' task force
To the Daily:
In your editorial regarding "Alcohol Policy"
on Wednesday, July 14th, a lack of clarity is
indicated (sixth paragraph) about why the Office
of the Vice President for Student Affairs is devel-
oping an alcohol policy. The development of the
policy is in direct response to the recommenda-
tionsof theUniversity ofMichigan TaskForceon
Alcohol and OtherDrugs, which were published
in May, 1991. The relevant recommendation is:
"The Task Force recommends that comprehen-
sive and consistent policies concerning alcohol
anddruguse be adopted across allunits within the
University, and for all groups that are apartof the
University" (p. 22).
Thus the development of such a policy is not
unique to Student Affairs but is part is part of a
University-wide effort that has been in progress
for more than two years. Many other University
units, such as the Medical Center, the Office of
Development, the Alumni Association, and the
College of Literature, Science and the Arts have
already completed their policies. They are de-
signed to cover all members of the University
community including faculty and staff as well as
students. To avoid having multiple policies im-
pingeuponundergraduate students(forexample,
a housing policy and an LS&A policy) they will
be covered by a single policy formulated by
Student Affairs, while school, college, and other
policies will cover faculty, staff, graduate stu-
dents and events.
Inkeeping with the decentralized structure of
the University, unit policies are by design not
uniform but are varied to meet the unique situa-
tions and needs of each unit. Students were in-
volved in the original Task Force and have been
involved in the formulation of all unit policies.
There is prominent student representation on the
committee that is formulating the policy for the
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.
Nor should there be any "mystery"about why
the policy will cover off-campus drinking at
University sponsoredevents.Afundamentalprin-
ciple of the Task Force was that "policies insti-
tuted with respect to alcohol and other drugs
should include all persons on University prop-
erty, members of the University community at
University-sponsored events and all organiza-
tions officially recognizedby the University" (p.
17). The rationale for this recommendation rests
upon the Task Force's view of the University as
a community, in which the actions of any part of
the community significantly effect the commu-
nity asa whole (see esp. pp. 23-24).
The editorial closes with an expression of
concern regarding sanctions. The Task Force
recommended that "the usual institutional re-
sponse to a person experiencing problems in
performanceorconsistency withkeynormsshould
bethe provisionofassistance with problems with
aclearstatementofproceduresandconsequences
should such problems continue" (p. 27). The
provision of assistance is dig
pp. 41-48 of the report. San
instances be necessary, butI
that the assistance was the fir
Frederick B. Glaser, M
UM Initiative on Alcd
Balkan war caused
problems
To the Daily:
In the Balkans or any oil
force used in any form, frog
bombs, in any attempt to co
always fail because it vio
nature - his desire for his
life,liberty and thepursuit o
ments whose political leader
know of and/or understandi
ate the violence.
Only Balkan leadersm
implement the concept of in
a philosophy based 100 p
reality and reason will have
Balkan's problems; Presid
only by using the same phi
own country.