4- The Michgan Daily Summer Weeldy--Wednesday, May 19,1993
EDITOR IN CHIEF 420 Maynard Street
Hope Calati Unsigned editorials present the opinion of a Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
majority of the Daily's editorial board. All other 76-DAILY
OPINION EDITORS cartoons, signed articles and letters do not Edited and Managed by
Sam Goodstein necessarily reflect the opinion of the Daily. Students at the
Flint Jason Wainess University of Michigan
niversity of Pennsylvania student Eden ethnicities. It helps to crush the xenophobic,
Jacobowitz will never forget his collegiate Eurocentriccurrculumthatfosters division, mis-
experience. understanding and even hatred. But educating is
Unfortunately for Mr. Jacobowitz, his mostra n a very different from forcing thoughts down other
prominent memory probably won't be of astuffy people's throats. Taking punitive action against
fraternity party, mustering together the next individualsfor their words, as seems to be hap-
monthsrent,azanyprofessoror anyoftheother Free speech and multiculturalism can work together peninginthePennsylvaniacase,setsadangerous
concerns college students typically face. precedent. This is not to say that harassment isn't
Jacobowitzhasbecomeaguineapigintheraging punishable. If a teacher or employer singles out
debate between free speech and harrassment on seminars and have it noted on his transcript that can send off a domino effect of knee-jerk reac- an individual and uses threatening words to in-
college campuses. He is being punished not for he broke the university's harrassment policy. tions. This is what happened in the Pennsylvania timidate a student, that is harassment. But two
physical force, but for words. Knowing that his rights were being com- case.WhetherJacobowitzisaracistornotdoesn't citizens, acting as peers, have the right to say
After some African American students con- pletely violated, Jacobowitz - with an influen- matter.Whatdoesmatteristhathe wasexercising anything and everything without fearing Big
gregated noisily outside his dorm room late one tial history professor athis side-challenged the his right to free speech as a U.S. citizen. Since Brother.
night, Jacobowitz - who was working on an university. While the outcome of Jacobowitz's Pennsylvania is a private university, it can im- The problem on college campuses is striking
Englishpaper-yelled down from his sixth floor hearings willnot beknownuntil the fall, valuable pose any restriction it so desires.But that does not a balance between speech and harassment. Re-
window for them to be quiet. When they yelled lessons can be learned from this case in three condone its actions. Sending in thought police stricting free speech hurts everyone in the long
back that they were just looking for a party, he areas - multiculturalism, harassment and free will only serve to close the doors of communica- run and should therefore never be compromised
shouted, "Shut up, you water buffalo. If you're speech. tion that so badly need to be opened on college among peers. While the University of Michigan
looking for a party, there's a zoo a mile from People around the country are up in arms campuses across the country. It is completely continues to foster an unpleasant atmosphere for
here." about theJacobowitzcase. Most civillibertarians understandable that the African American women minorities, the University has shown foresight in
The African American students immediately deride the case as an open and shut case of free felt harassedconsidering the institutionally racist separating speech and conduct. (Actually, the
went to the university administration, calling speech, conservativescallitmulticulturalismrun society they live in. However, punishing thought Universityonly scrappeditsplannedspeechcode
Jacobowitz's comments racial harassment. The amok and others call it a clear case of racial doesn't build bridges, it demolishes them. last summer.) The University must continue to
administration, acting in accordance with the harassment that needs to be punished. But it Universities must learn that multiculturalism promote multiculturalism through requirements,
University of Pennsylvania's conduct code, told seems all of these positions simplify a complex and free speech are completely separate entities. seminars and recruitment while concurrently in-
Jacobowitz all charges would be dropped if he issue. College campuses today have become so Multiculturalism allows students to learn about suring that free speech is protected. Nothing less
would agree to enroll in extensive race relation racially divided that the most innocentcomment the cultures and contributions of all races and than our most fundamental freedoms are at stake.
I
I
The just war?
Pointless and costly drug war must end
U nited States law enforcement agencies are enforcement authorities estimate that a confisca-
tightening the circles they run around the tionlevel'bf75 percent would only begin tomake
country's drug problem. As our country devotes a dent in drug use. After 50 years, it is long past
billions of dollars and multitudes of prison space time that a Janet Reno or a Lee Brown has come
tocreatea"drug free America,"theUnited States to point out the ineffectiveness of this system.
is progressively placing less importance on vio- The long prison sentences for relatively mi-
lent criminals in favor of some good old fash- nor drug offenses is causing deep damage. As our
ionedjudicialpunishment. Hopefully, however, prisons fill up with non-violent drug convicts,
this national trend will be taking a new course prison overcrowding is leading to the early re-
under the leadership of Attorney General Janet lease of violent inmates. Taxpayers' dollars are
Reno. Presently, Renoisquestioning the existing not only paying to keep drug dealers locked up,
logic behind drug policing and the drug-lifer butareresponsible forletting rapists andmurder-
laws, which provide mandatory sentencing for ers walk the streets again.
drug offenses. As the current system pours The Reagan andlBush administrations can be
billions of dollars into efforts to stop the produc- blamed for continuing to wage this unwinnable
tion and transportation of narcotics from abroad, war. The infamous Willie Horton advertisements
RenoproposesthatU.S.effortsanddollars should were just one prominent example of conserva-
be concentrated on prevention, rehabilitation, tives like Reagan and Bush deriding liberals for
treatment and education. One only needs to being "soft on crime." Unfortunately for the
juxtapose our recent history in legal drug policy American people, conservatives have managed
with national statistics to see that Reno is taking to distort the fundamental truth - legislation is
a step in the right direction. not a substitute for education.While Reagan and
In the last 50 years, states have begun adopt- Bush were spending twice as much money on
inglawsassigning mandatory prison sentences to drug law enforcement as they were on treatment,
drugoffenders. (Michigan, incidentally, hasone they ignored the institutional problems that
of the strictest policies in the nation.) According brought about increasing drug usage. Ignoring
to Lee Brown, President Clinton's director of the potential solutions such as decriminalization of
Office of National Drug Control, each year, the drugs because they weren't politically smart,
governmenthaspoured moremoney and energy Reagan and Bush bredajusticesystem that takes
into enforcing drug laws, and each year, more people who are down and pushes them down
people have served time in prison for drug of- even further. Or at least far enough that the
fenses. It seems that this hard line policy would government doesn't have to deal with them.
slow, or at the very worst maintain the drug The United States has come to a crossroads.
problem at a constant level. Unfortunately, this Priorities need to be redirected and rethought.
has not been the case. In fact, each year, there TraditionalAnglo-Saxon values cannotcontinue
have beenmoredrugsonthestreets.Thestatistics to dictate how the government acts or what it
on national interdiction in drug trade are equally makesillegal.Abandoning the pointless drug war
disquieting. According to Janet Reno,at best our would not only garner needed revenue, it would
country is able to confiscate 25 percent of the open up prison space that could house violent
drugs entering the southeast United States. Law recidivists. It is time to take a fresh approach.
Rules of the game
Packwood's fate should lie with voters, not Senate
Last week, the Senate Rules Committee him there. Yet by turning the issue over tc
heard testimony as to whether Sen. Bob Senate, they have, in effect, asked that the
Packwood(R-Ore.)shouldbeunseatedongrounds taken care of like children, incapable of exe
that he lied about accusations of sexual miscon- ing power over their own elected officials. Is
duct during last fall's campaign. The senator, paternalistic power one we really want our
who wasre-elected by anarrow margin, has been tional government to possess?
accused by more than 20 women of making There is no doubt that Sen. Packwood's
unwanted sexual advances in Senate offices. It duct has been questionable. The Senate Et
has further been charged that he lied in order to Committee is looking into the charges of se
delay publication of these accusations until after harassment. This investigation should cont
the November election. The Rules Committee is with the utmost energy, and if the allegation
considering Packwood'sexpulsionnotongrounds proven true, immediate and harsh action sh
of the sexual misconduct allegations, but rather be taken against Packwood. For now, if Or
on grounds that an election won on a lie is voters wantPackwoodremoved from office,
fraudulent and should be declared invalid. must find another way of accomplishing it.
The Rules Committee is treading in danger- election of a senator is a matter strictly betm
ous water with this consideration. First, to nullify the candidate and the states' voters. The nati
an election simply because the winner is proven government need not - and must not - i
to have lied would open up, in the words of fere.
committee member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.),
a "Pandora's box" for future campaigns. Losing Goodbye "Cheers"
candidates would begin to comb their opponents' After11hilarious,beer-drenched years
records, looking for any small statement that later NBC, "Cheers" will air its final episode1
proved to be untrue - assaulting the Rules morrow night. While we will surely se
Committee with requests for hearings to unseat plethora of spinoffs less exciting thant
the winners. Furthermore, campaign-season un- exploding truck plots on "Dateline NB(
truths are - depressing though it may be - as never again will Americans get to enjoyt
much a part of the electoral system as flags and gang doing what Americans do best-drii
30-second television spots. One need only re- ing beer, eating pretzels and having so
member Bush's "read my lips," or Clinton's good laughs - in prime time.
pledge of a middle-class tax cut, to understand Why do college students flock to th
this. televisions on Thursday nights to tunei
However,themostimportantargumentagainst Because "Cheers" captures the essence in
expelling Sen.Packwood's is that todoso would of us, namely the fact that oftentimes noth
undermine the democratic process in the worst beats just kicking back, relaxing, enjoyin
possible way. In asking the Senate to nullify cold beer and hanging out. So in honor of t
Packwood's election, Oregon voters have given landmark week, we encourage all of yot
up their privilege as citizens of a democracy. If put down those textbooks and head on ove
the voters valued this privilege, they would have the place where no one knows your name
initateamcll~emoing~ckwodfompwer they're only glad you came if you pay fait.
initiated arecalremoving Packwoodfrompower -the Fleming Administration Building.
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