UbJetiAidjignu Badig PI NION Page 4 Wed nesday, dune 15,1994t EDITOR IN CHIEF James M. Nash EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS Patrick J. Javid J. Samuel Lichtstein 420 Maynard Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan. 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. The hideouslyrestrictive Diagpolicy-an affront tothe social activismandlibertari- anism of this University and the Ann Arbor community - has been much improved by the work of a review committee of students, faculty and administrators. The old Common Areas Policy limited protests and demonstra- tions to one hour after noon and forced stu- dent organizations to deal with endless ad- ministrative regulations that squelched the free speech and assembly rights of students. Moreover, the former policy barred sponta- neous protests, requiring a waiting period to reserve the Diag. But major changes are in the works that will make this policy at least more workable and less offensive. Although we believe that no Diag policy should exist and the current policy - however much revised - must depart with all possible haste, we must commend the work of the committee and the results it has produced. The participa- tion of students in the revision of the old rules is crucial - it is imperative that the Univer- sity administration be responsive and held Finally, a Better niag Policy Process involves student input accountable to its most important constitu- ency on campus. The committee's changes must still be approved by Maureen A. Hartford, the vice president for student affairs. But the new policy's prospects look bright. Among the changes is a reworking of one its mightiest flaws: the seven-day waiting period before any organization can hold a function on the Diag. Students must be able to react quickly and immediately to political developments that demand public protest. The fact that the revised policy will require a waiting period only for financial solicitation or the use of University equipment is encouraging. Still, the University should be here to facilitate free expression and protest, and should further reform the Common Areas Policy to shorten, or altogether eliminate, the waiting period. Revisions also include the lifting of the prohibition of chalking on the Diag or on adjacent sidewalks. In addition, the new policy outlines rules governing the construction of kiosks in and around the Diag area. But the requirement that permit-holding organiza- tions are legally and financially responsible for all attendees and participants remains ludicrous, and begs for further revision. The Diag is one of the social, cultural a political centers of the University. Peaceful civil protest is the motor of social change. Our Diag must be a zone where students and Ann Arborites are free to demonstrate against the University - for example, against the Diag Policy itself. In the end, a liberal Diag policy is better than a restrictive one - as long as it does not unduly limit, restrict ot regulate basic, inalienable student rights. It would be an immense relief to think tl the infamous Diag Policy will be relegated to the dark ages. The University administration still has much to learn about student rights and student input in formulating policy. But the committee's work is very encouraging, and suggests that the administration canlearn from both its past mistakes and student opin- ions. Now only if it can be this flexible with the so-called Statement of Student Rigli and Responsibilities; pe-haps that is only wishful thinking. Dems: on the defense Morth Corea CTISIS GOP may gain control of Congress Clinton must communicate U.S. resolve W ithallthehooplasurroundingthe splin- tering of the Republican Party, the demise of the Democrats has accelerated in a silent but sure fashion. Since the election of President Clinton in November 1992, Demo- cratic candidates in gubernatorial and con- gressional contests across the land havebeen vanquished by moderate Republicans. True, it is neither unusual nor abnormal for the opposition party to make gains in off-presi- dential election years. But with the Demo- cratic National Committee struggling for an identity and a message, the party of the donkey may lose control of both the U.S. Senate and the House. The Republicans are sure to be in control of more House seats since the mid-1950s. And the GOP only has to win seven Senate seats to lift Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.) to majority leader status - a frightening prospect in and of itself. The Democrats' main problem in 1994 is Clinton's unpopularity and pervasive char- acter problems. Although Clinton is prob- ably the most ambitious domestic policy president since FDR, he has consistently suffredfrometh 'atisses tat ffen th style - a fact well documented in Bob Woodward's new book, "The Agenda." But whatever one makes of Clinton's political past - and his political future - the fate of the party is in jeopardy unless it returns to the 1992campaignmessage that connected with the middle-class: fiscal conservatism, eco- nomic stimulus and a new brand of ethics. What is most petrifying to Democrats is that even moderates in the party are likely to lose their seats, simply because they are associated with the "tax-and-spend" politics of Clinton. But isn't this what the American people wanted? Raise taxes on the rich to lower the deficit? How is it that the GOP may be able to wrest control of the Senate when the deficit will lower than at any point in the Reagan-Bushyears?Andhasn't Clintonsuc- ceeded in passing the 1993 budget and NAFTA? The answer: Clinton is trying too much, too fast and is hurting badly on the character issue. This is why so many Demo- crats battling for re-election this November are distancing themselves from Clinton the politician. Yet ironically, this is why both or over two years, the North Korean governmenthasrefusedtocooperatewith the International Atomic Energy Agency and allow for proper monitoring of its nuclear facilities. This, coupled with North Korea's reluctance to abide by the Nuclear Non- ProliferationTreaty, hasledU.S. intelligence to report that North Korea has the capacity to build up to two nuclear bombs, and is accel- erating plans to produce a larger arsenal. What began as a moderate game of quiet threats has escalated into tense rhetoric that borders on the belligerent. President Clinton must stand tough and let a committed U.S. resolve take hold to defuse this crisis. The war of words reached its apogee this month when North Korea acknowledged that it had diverted nuclear fuel rods from its commercialnuclearfacilities. Moreover, Kim Il-Sung, the North Korean president - the same man who launched the Korean War - has threatened to "burn" South Korean Presi- dent Kim Young-sam. He also insists that any threat of U.N. sanctions is an act of war. By the North Korean standard, sanctions will aut n _tc ly lea~d to anm. as O f Sut President Clinton must address this issue with the immediacy and the seriousness it deserves. He cannot continue to insist that the situation is not a crisis and that talk of war is unjustified. A credible American threat must be communicated to North Korea - a threat that carries the full weight of U.S. resolve to the principles of non-proliferation and the promotion of stability in the Far Ea Without such a threat, North Korea will fear no obstacle in its path toward becoming a nuclear power. We do not advocate, as of now, the de- ployment of troops and weapons to the area, nor do we wish to provoke North Korea into war. The purpose of a firm, clear American commitment would be to stop any such hos- tility before it arises. Sanctions would act as a proper threat and punishment, but only they can be implemented over Chinese and Japanese concerns, and only if they carry the conditions North Korea must meet in order to lift them. Clinton must communicate his threat by acknowledging the seriousness of the cri- sis to both the American people and the mraI)dacomntadhmutwr