4- The Michigan Daily Summer Weeky - Wednesday, May 26,1993 rNN [ EDITOR IN CHIEF Hope Calati OPINION EDITORS Sam Goodstein Flint Jason Wainess Unsigned editorials present the opinion of a majority of the Daily's editorial board. All other cartoons, signed articles and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Daily. 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 76-DAILY Edited and Managed by Students at the University of Michigan 4 I E verybody knows that politics makes strange bedfellows, but who could have guessed the latest marriage of convenience - Gov.Engler andtheMichiganEducational Asso- ciation(MEA).SeveralmonthsafterMEA mem- bers wielded buttons comparing the governor to the devil because of his failure to save Kalkaska schools from premature closure, MEA officials are working with Engler to promote the passage ofProposalA-theJune2ndballotproposalthat would constitutionallyraiseMichigan's sales tax to 6 percent, lower property taxes and set a minimumamountofper-pupilfunding forschool districts at $4,800. In order to begin the promo- tion of investment in our financially-strapped state and alleviate some of the vast inequities in school funding, we urge aYES vote on Proposal A. Opponentsof ProposalA, themostprominent being Detroit Mayor Coleman Young and the AFL-CIO,notethatuppingthesalestaxshiftsthe tax burden from businesses to the individual. On opening day at Tiger Stadium, Young told the governor that Proposal A would be regressive and wouldn't help the city of Detroit. He said he Vote YES on ,A' Proposal A would promote investment, schools wouldconsiderbacking ProposalAonly if Engler would back bringing casino gambling to Detroit. Young couldn't be more misguided. In fact, Michigan is currently a high property, low sales tax state -a combination that discourages busi- ness from investing in the state, especially in Detroit. Proposal A would begin to turn this skewed system around. While a sales tax is regressive, casino gambling has been proven to be regressive as well, and raise crime. Mayor Young, therefore, will only endorse a regressive sales tax increase if the governor will endorse a detrimental, and regressive, casino. For instance, examine the financial effects Proposal A would have on a low-income renter earning $10,000peryearinDetroit. According to a1992U.S.BureauofLaborStatistic,anew sales tax would cost thelow-incomerenter $105 while yieldingnoproperty taxsaving.Atthesame time, however,any children thelow-incomerenterhad would each receive about $30 extra in their schooling.Atthesame time, therenter'slandlord would be paying lower property taxes and, there- fore, could lower rent. In addition, the lower property tax could open up more, or perhaps better, job opportunities in the renter's area. But Proposal A does more than simply create a friendly environment for investment. It would help bridge the inequalities that exist in school funding throughout Michigan. The closing of Kalkaska schools earlier thisyear was a harbin- gerofthe problems tocomeifthesystemdoesn't change. Until basic equality is reached in shool funding, one's position in life will continue to be a product not based on merit, but on inheritance. This is not to say that Proposal A is the solution for reaching equality in school funding. Tax-based sharing is the only fair system in a meritocratic society. However, Proposal A is the best compromise that has been put forward. If it doesn't pass, most likely Gov. Engler and the conservativelegislaturewillrailroadpropertytax cuts through anyway - without a vote of the people.'This would be devastating ifschoolswere not compensated. Unfortunately, distrust of politicians has led many to oppose Proposal Abecause they say the legislature will probably just waste the new rev- enue andnot spend itin the schools-as was the case with the lottery a few years ago. These concerns are understandable, but unfounded as schools wouldbe constitutionally guaranteed the increased funding. Proposal A is not perfect, but it is a compro- mise thatcan help Michigan.Everyone involved in its shaping should be commended for putting politics aside for the good of thepeople. Finally, a proposal has been put forth that would begin to end reliance on the property tax and begin to put schools first. A vote for Proposal A is a vote for the state of Michigan's future. Back to the future Military's new policy mirrors oppression of 1940s L nfortunatety, basiness as usual has per- lucid parallel, Sen.Nunn, military leaders, and a aded Washington once again. Instead of a plethora of members of Congress fail to realize fresh, new Congress led by a president eager to that they are advocating blatant discrimination. promote equality for all, we find ourselves laden The stereotypes that far too many people have with politicians intent on perpetuating stereo- concerning homosexuality are only furthered types andrmaking politically expedient compro- when politicians and military personnel argue mises - not promoting positive change. This over whether or not a gay person will court a week, advocates of lifting the ban lost a major heterosexual during a tour of duty. It is, frankly, battle when a deal was worked out that would rather pathetic to watch supposed leaders bicker allow homosexuals to serve in the military, con- oversuch aridiculous situation, and itis demean- tingent on the fact that they do not reveal their ing to homosexuals and heterosexuals alike. sexual orientation - and the military does not The raging debate over homosexuals in the ask. military has gone hand in hand with a more This deal, principally orchestrated by Sen. general debate over homosexuality and its rela- Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) and Rep. Barney Frank (D- tionship with the Christian faith. Fundamentalist Mass.), is absurd for myriad social and political Christians have decried homosexuality as im- reasons. It is a step backward in the continuing moral and against the teachings of Christ, and struggle for equal rights. The fact is that homo- have propelled the issue to the forefront of the sexuals currently serve in the military, and are public's attention. Their claims that allowing forced to hide their sexual orientation. The new homosexuals in the military would be wrong for policy hardly improves the situation at all. Fur- religious reasons are simply inappropriate. It thermore, the homosexual community has been appears that they do not realize that the United let down by President Clinton, whom it has States is not a Christian nation. Instead it is a supported and trusted, because he allowed Con- nation that should, although it often fails to, gress tointimidatehimoutof forcing themilitary embrace allpeople.Whether or not homosexual- to change its neanderthal-like policy and he was ity is immoral according to Christian morality unable to work out a positive compromise in should be irrelevant when the issue is the inclu- Congress. sion of homosexuals in the U.S. Armed Forces. Military leaders claim thatpermitting homo- After all of the politicalbickering is over, and sexuals to openly serve in the armed forces will a new issue embraces the front pages of our debilitate morale. They cry that openly gay men newspapers, what will have changed? Nothing. and women will intimidateheterosexualsoldiers As before, homosexuals will be forced to hide and disturb the unity so pivotal to the military. their sexuality. The arguments for this policy are Ibis argument is, for lack of a better word, ridiculousandunfounded,butnotsurprising con- nonsense. In the 1940s, under pressure to allow sidering the struggle African Americans were African Americans in the armed forces, many forced to endure in integrating the armed forces military leaders vociferously claimedthatallow- 50 years ago. ing African Americans into the army would de- Rep.Frank, ahomosexual,made the compro- stroy morale and ruin the very same unity that misebecausehe feltit was the only alternative to currentmilitaryexpertsclaimwouldbe disrupted blatant oppression against homosexuals in the by the inclusion of homosexuals. Obviously, military. Unfortunately, for all of us, he is prob- these claims proved to be untkue. Despite the ably right. Dr. Death still alive Judge abolsihes new and future assisted suicide laws 0 .Death received yet another reprieve rom the Michigan state judiciary last week asWayneCounty Circuit JudgeCynthiaStephens struck down alawbanningassistedsuicide within the state on procedural grounds. The law was rushed into effect on Feb. 25 by the state Legislatureina feeble attempt to halt the handiwork of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. The previous week Kevorkian assisted in the suicides of three terminally ill patients. The legislation made as- sisting asuicide punishable by up to four years in prison and a $2,000 fine. Although the law was abolished on the basis ofproceduralgrounds alone,thestatementsmade by Judge Stephens pertaining to conceivable futurealterationstothebillpaintableak future for this legislation. IfStephens had struck down the law solely due to a technicality, the possibility of governmental meddling into individual rights would remain a distinct possibility. The ruling, however, cited the fact that legislation of this variety infringesupon anindividual'srightto self determination. This statement thus links theright to assisted suicide to other self-determinedrights such as religious freedom, free speech and due process. The message obviously did not come through loud and clear to the state capitol in Lansing. A spokesperson for Gov.JohnEngler said the state had not yet decided what its next course of action would be.'The words modify and appeal were heard emanating from the capitol building. An appeal or amodified bill would represent yet another attempt by government to override the courts insteadof protecting the citizensofMichi- gan. Now that the courts have clearly stated their intent to protect assisted suicide, Engler and company wouldbe better off attempting toregu- late the availabilityof assistedsuicidethroughout the state. It is far more important for the govern- ment to protect people from improperly per- formed assisted suicides than to continue to fight a losing battle with the courts. The ultimate goal of assisted suicide is to make a painlessdeath possible for people suffer- ing from terminal illnesses. Assisted suicide left to physicians and medical personnel trained in the artof preserving life,notending it peacefully, could be apotential threat topatients.The state of Michigan would be better off becoming a leader in regulating and training its medical community in the artof performing assisted suicides with the highest degree of competency. Judge Stephens made abold statement as to the concreteness of therighttoself determination in the future. The availability of her ruling as a beneficial alternative for those suffering from painful terminalillnesses remains in the handsof the govemment in Lansing to execute. Instead of further hindering the implementa- tion of Stephen's ruling, legislators could truly protect the people of Michigan by educating the medical community so that they are able to per- form their job with the greatest proficiency. Protest peacefully According to a study released this week by the environmentaladvocacy groupZeroPopu- lation Growth, Ann Arbor ranks second best among all cities in quality of life for children. This should not bode well in the minds of University students. While our friends in resi- dential Ann Arbor enjoy one of the most beautiful, enchanting cities in the nation, stu- dentsareburdenedby therestrictivepoliciesof an oppressive administration -the Code, the Diag Policy, Deputization, all examples of an administration attempting toquellthe voiceof its students. We should tolerate the Dude and hismerrybandofenforcersnolonger.Take the spirit that makes Ann Arbor so desirable and use it to exercise your most fundamental right -the right to peacefully protest.