Wednesday, June 12, 1996 - The Michigan Daily - 5
acism plagues the
world outside
Ann Arbor
The further away I get from Ann Arbor, the
more open-minded I
become. Not because my
orld view or my politics
ange in any way, mind
you. It's just that everyone
else I encounter seems much
more closed-minded than I
am.
That sounds like bragging
and I wish it were, but unfor-
tunately, it isn't. I'm not any !
more open-minded than any TONY
Ann Arbor resident who has GHECEA
used a few years of campus
e to learn about the world. But the world outside
nn Arbor is nowhere near as open-minded as the
enlightened little nook that U-M students call
home.
I was reminded of that the other day while
skimming a local newspaper. I came across an
article on a rash of fires destroying Southern
black churches; 30 such churches have appar-
ently been ravaged by arsonists since January
1995. Some states have had up to five churches
.9urned. As many as four have burned on a sin-
e day.
My reaction to the article, besides disgust,
was to wonder who might be committing the
crimes.
But just when I began to dismiss the story as a
"southern problem," I noticed another article.
This one came from Michigan, from a small town
just west of Grand Rapids. Two men and two boys
were accused of harassing a family whose moth-
er is biracial and whose father is African-
American. Their crimes allegedly included burn-
g a cross on the family's front lawn and break-
ig a window on their house.
Outside Ann Arbor, racism comes easy. To
some extent, it is the status quo. It is as easy and
as natural as sitting down with friends, having a
few beers, and talking about the weather. It offers
a natural frame of reference for people, a common
ground. It defines the set of assumptions by which
most people view the world.
That isn't to say that racism doesn't exist in Ann
Arbor. But here racism is shunted aside, rooted out
id berated. Outside Ann Arbor (and other centers
of "liberal thought"), it seems to be accepted.
Frowned upon, joked about perhaps, but still
accepted.
It is accepted in the snide remarks friends
make about people of different races. It is
accepted in the cordial laughter given guests
who joke about an athlete's race during basket-
ball games.
Everyone knows racism is wrong, but everyone
seems to condone it. It is, for lack of a better
'hrase, the way things are.
Racism arises out of fear, ignorance, anger or
some other motive. What makes it problematic is
that we allow it to persist. Like the cough you
neglect to treat that turns into a nasty cold, racism
allowed to persist turns into the racial violence
that makes the news.
Ann Arbor isn't perfect, but it offers an envi-
ronment where racism can be treated. Here, soci-
ety tries to cure the cough before it becomes a
cold. Elsewhere, we consider ourselves lucky to
void the flu.
A word of advice: Enjoy the relative open-
mindedness while you can. Maybe enough will
rub off on all of us to spread somewhere else.
- Tony Ghecea can be reached over
e-mail at adghecea@umich.edu.
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
"This is the national pastime. We have the
responsibility of leadership. Clearly, as a sport,
we have to condemn ethnic intolerance."
- National League president Len Coleman,
commenting on the League's condemnation of remarks
made by Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott
LETTERS.
Editorial correctly
endorses regental
approval of student
programs
TO THE DAILY:
Your recent editorial encouraging regental
approval of increases in the student fee (6/5/96,
"Services students want") is right on the money.
Student Legal Services is long overdue the addi-
tional funding which would allow its employees
to continue the quality services for which SLS
has been known for seventeen years. The pro-
posed $5.08 which each student would pay once
per term guarantees him or her professional
legal consultation, and stands in stark contrast to
the $75-$100 hourly fees common in attorneys
offices across Washtenaw County.
Similarly, the child care fee - $1 per stu-
dent per term - will aid student parents in
defraying the high cost of infant and child care
tuition.
Again, I applaud the Daily editors in endors-
ing this fee. However, I wish to clarify my
"impression of the regents' stance." The quote
attributed to me ("If you can't come here
because you have a child, find another school.")
refers not to the current regents but to the his-
torical view of the University's highest govern-
ing board. The current board of regents has
shown total support for ameliorating the plight
of student-parents.
My conversations with each of the members
of the board have been positive, with sincere
interest on his or her part in aiding "non-tradi-
tional" students at the University of Michigan.
The student voters have spoken. Now, it's on
the June regents meeting.
FIoNA ROSE
MSA PRESIDENT
Hospital layoffs
irresponsible to
community
TO THE DAILY:
I find it hard to believe, as you reported on
June 5, that the U-M Hospitals are laying off
over 500 employees, as Associate Medical
School Dean Lloyd Jacobs put it, as part of "an
on-going attempt to respond to societal needs."
In fact, I think the opposite is true. The U-M
hospitals are acting irresponsibly in laying off
needed nurses and support staff, while adminis-
trative costs go untouched.
If U-M hospitals wanted to act in a way
responsible to the society that has paid for U-M
hospital, they would reconsider what they are
doing to their staff and to their patients.
RUSs OLWELL
ANN ARBOR RESIDENT
SOUND AND FURY
Dean crashes GOP
It's the middle of June, and I still have no job.
It's the middle of June and the Republicans
have not announced a vice-presidential candidate.
Do you see the connection here? I sure do.
That's why last week, I toted my resume to a
secret meeting in Washington D.C. with GOP
bigwigs, where I promptly
applied for the position.
I was greeted at the door
by a group of fellows in
matching navy blue sport-
coats, white shirts, maroon
ties and grey slacks:
College Republicans - the
GOP equivalent to
stormtroopers - who look
alike, dress alike and think
alike. These young fellows DEAN
promptly informed me of BAKOPOULOS
their anticipated income
after graduation, and then ushered me down a
long dark corridor
They opened a door and I saw Pat Buchanan
leading a choir of men wearing white sheets on
their heads.
"Uh sorry, wrong room," said the lead
stormtrooper, and slammed the door shut.
The next door they opened led to a dark
smoky room. After hearing a flourish of stam-
mering and coughing, the noises subsided and
my eyes got used to the dark. At a long table in
the front of the room sat all the Republican big
guns. Strom Thurmond, Jesse Helms, Rush
Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich and the man of the
hour, Bob Dole.
I took a seat. The interview began.
DOLE: Son, why did you apply for the position?
ME: Uh, I like, need a job or something.
GINGRICH: Son, you are not Dan Quayle,
are you? You sound like Quayle.
ME: Oh no, sir. Not me.
GINGRICH: Are you gay? A racial or ethnic
minority? A Communist? Did either of your
parents vote for George McGovern in 1972?
ME: You can't ask me those kind of...
THURMOND: Shut up, son. We do whatever
the hell we please. We're rich white guys.
ME: Sorry.
DOLE: Now, son, I don't have a prayer of win-
ning this thing unless I get myself a good, solid
ruining mate. Were you in the war, son? Because
I was, and if I remembered any of it, I'd say...
ME: I've never been eligible to fight in one.
HELMS: Good grief? Someone declare war
on someone quick and get this boy drafted.
DOLE: Are you even a Republican, son?
ME: Is anyone still a Republican?
HELMS: You smoke, son? (Holds out a RJ
Reynolds carton.)You really should, you know.Take
some of these to the schoolyard and give 'em...
THURMOND: How do you feel about porno?
ME: Pardon me?
HELMS: Pardon? Oh shit, son, Republicans
can get pardoned all the time. I don't care what
you did, we'll get you a pardon if you can get us
in the White House.
LIMBAUGH: Son, do you know who I am?
ME: Unfortunately.
LIMBAUGH: Have you ever tried Snapple's
new Lime-Ade flavor? It's delicious and...
GINGRICH: Rush, please.
DOLE: I'm going as fast as I can. I'm old.
GINGRICH: Now the job has plenty ofroom for
advancement. Bobby's ticker ain't so good and...
DOLE: Basically, son, I don't have a prayer.
What can you bring to the GOP ticket in '96 that
can push us over the edge?
ME: Let's see. Honesty. Integrity. Compass...
ALL: Sorry, son. Next!
- Dean Bakopoulos can be reached
over e-mail at deanc@umich.edu.
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