Wednesday, May 21, 1997 - The Michigan Daily - 5 OTABLE QUOTABLE "The University believes that faculty, staff and *sstudent personnel records should be kept confidential. They have a right to privacy." - Associate Vice President for University Relations Lisa Baker; referring to the Ann Arbor News 'lawsuit against the University for violating the Freedom of Information Act by withholding a letter to basketball coach Steve Fisher LETTERS TO TH E TR mokers olate others' rights, safety 0 THE DAILY: Now that the weather is finally warm and the stale inter air is moving out, are students coming out of hiber- nation to smell the fresh air? N, to pollute it with cigarette 9ke. Now I have two prob- lems with smokers. The first is obvious - the disgusting stench that stays in your clothes and hair, not to men- tion the eye-watering smoke that is chock full of more than 100 carcinogens. Smell that spring air! Yeah, secondhand smoke! Now I don't want to h r, "Oh we've given up Uaurants and airplanes ... We have rights!" Do I have the right to spray people with an aerosol can of "101 Carcinogens?" No. But appar- ently smokers do. My second problem is the "flick." Where do smokers think these butts are going? Out the car window or over their shoul- der? The flick is called littering! I t about children? Little kids pu things in their mouths. Show me a public beach that isn't full of cigarette butts! Smokers want rights? Well, the world is already their ash- tray. JASON RUNNELS ENGINEERING SENIOR Jeans Day garnered false support TO THE DAILY: In response to this year's Jeans Day, many students either did not know - or care - enough about it to change their attire to express their opinions. Many students felt that the day was somewhat of a joke. "Why choose a symbol of support that nearly everyone wears?" This was a question I heard many people ask and such a symbol makes it difficult to distinguish those who support the Queer Unity Project and those whose only clean clothing happened to be denim. What's next, Shoe Day? Anyone wearing shoes on this particular day supports the Greek System. We'll make sure to have this sometime in mid- January. No one"would go out saying, "I really don't support the Greek System, so I don't think I'll wear any shoes today" This symbol gives QUP a false sense of security. Seeing so many individuals wearing jeans does not mean all support their cause. In Douglas Barns' letter to the editor ("QUP spon- sors 'Jeans Day,"' 4/17/97), he suggests that the reason for Jeans Day is to "find out who isj not wearing jeans" - meaning those who don't support QUP.. Everyone who is not wearing denim is not necessarily against gay and lesbian rights. The sentiments I have heard on campus suggest that QUP should choose some other sym- bol that would truly identify those who do support QUP and those who didn't care enough either way to change their daily routine. Why not have some- thing like Pink Shirt Day? With a a unique piece of clothing like this, QUP would separate the men from the boys. Supporters would easily be identified and we could get a real count of how many there are - not the exaggerated number we are usu- ally told. On Jeans Day, I was wearing jeans; not because it was Jeans Day but because that is what I like to wear. I support QUP's efforts, not because they are gay but because they are human and shouldn't face discrimination. JUSTIN RECKARD LSA JUNIOR Thirty dollar smocks do not a hippie make T love the band Phish, yet as my boyfriend once Instead, you have to make your way through leloquently stated, "I hate everything about mobs of twirling, tripping pseudo-hippies - Phish except the music itself." who drove to the show in daddy's Jeep Grand Call me closed-minded, but the past few Phish Cherokee - just to get to your seat. Yes, I do shows I've attended made my stomach turn. The like having a seat at Phish shows. Last summer, last two shows I've seen were in big-ass stadiums some pseudo-hippie friends of mine laughed at inundated with a new breed of pseudo-hippies. me when I refused to get lawn tickets for a And I might be mistaken, but it seems show. Sorry I don't want to spend three they (and possibly Ann Arbor's squir- hours amidst a pot-smoke-filled crowd rels - I'm certain they're up to some- of stinky hippies, but I'm here to see a thing) are taking over the world. show, not to prove how die-hard a hip- Generally I don't stereotype people, pie I truly am. but every person fitting the genre of Speaking of die-hard hippies, what's the barefooted, smock-wearing, hemp up with people into bootlegs of shows? jewelry, vegetarian, granola hippie Granted. some tapes are actually well never ceases to amaze me with their recorded and enjoyable to listen to. But hypocrisy. You know they were crimp- many people acquire bootlegs because ing their hair, tight-rolling their jeans, they were too wasted and don't remem- and amassing a collection of jelly KRISTIN ber the shows they attended. Asking a bracelets while jamming to Wham on AROLA hippie acquaintance of mine how a par- their pastel purple boom box a few DANI NG I- ticular show was, she actually said to years back. Yet now they've supposed- CEILING FANS me, "It was good ... I think." You think? ly "found themselves." I fail to see Put the joint down, girl, and take a step how finding yourself consists of becoming like back into reality. everyone else whom you deem cool. Another thing that gets me is my assumption A new local store sells items to these wander- that people looking like free-loving spirits are ing souls. I took a peek one day at their stickers, friendly. Maybe they are, but only to their own. clothing and smoking accessories. My visit solid- At most Phish shows you will find the zombie ified my bad attitude. Old jeans with patches will hippies smiling and laughing amidst one another; run you between $30 and $40. A smock made out but if you try to break into their world they won't of two pieces of material costs $35. Come on, give you the time of day. Okay, so they don't wear people! Real hippies make their own clothes. watches, but besides that these people are down- Even I can sew patches on my jeans (well, I usu- right stuck-up. I'm sorry I'm not wearing a $30 ally do it for necessity, not to look cool so I can smock, I'm sorry I'm not tripping balls and score some dank nugs). twirling around the parking lot, I'm sorry I'm I admit some people are bona fide hippies. wearing shoes, but dammit, I'm being myself and They are not adhering to some mysterious stan- isn't that what the whole hippie attitude should dard of cool in the world of granola, they simply embrace? Love everyone, including a cynical are who they are. Yet when I go to Phish shows bastard such as myself. (yes, back to the topic long forgotten), true hip- - Kristin Arola can be phound and pies are few and far between. e-mailed at arolak@umich.edu. Trips abroad can be more than students bargainfor T his summer it seems like more of my friends scheme of a criminal genius who just needed an will be treading on foreign soil than will be engineering intern to monitor the purity levels strolling down South U. Off they go to chase of the nose candy headed to the East Coast. He their dreams, find a little adventure or just get a will also be responsible for making sure Motley really boss vacation while Ma and Pops are still Crue's shipments arrive on time. footing the bill. One bonus: There might be additional travel - Several people I know are screaming "Rule overthrow a neighboring dictator on the week- Britannia" - heading to Oxford and end, pay off a few customs officials, Cambridge to enlighten themselves last summer's intern even appeared on with the best Western Civilization has "C.O.P.s." to offer. One thing to remember before I wonder what happened to that last running off to the sceptered isle, folks intern? He probably disappeared after - it may be home to several great uni- accidentally" wandering into rival ter- versities, but the average glass of ritory or after an unsuccessful, but London tap water has more taste than "strongly encouraged" attempt at cliff the food or Benny Hill. Not to mention diving. I think the only plastic at this that in 1658, St. Clive ofYorkshire per- firm is in the form of kilo-sized formed the questionable miracle of Ziplocs. rounding up all the dentists and chas- PAUL Despite my own irrational fears, it is ing them into the sea. To this day you $ERILLA true that a lot of people get valuable will not find one tooth-care profession- SERILLA experiences from these programs. al in the home of the Union Jack. So WARFARE There is certainly value in first-hand pack some extra Crest and maybe bring knowledge of another culture or Lan- a sandwich. guage; maybe some will gain insight into the Another friend is off to Egypt and Israel to increasingly global marketplace. But lets face it dig through the sands covering the lost knowl- - one of my friends went to Italy and lived in a edge of ancient civilizations. Maybe he'll find villa in Florence - most of these programs an answer to how the pyramids were built, a lost aren't exactly the Peace Corps. fragment of the Temple of David or a really big Study abroad for most college students is a potsherd. I am not sure, but I still think he way to build college-bound delusions to a glob- might believe that he is going to run into Nazi al scale. A way to extend the comforting battalions and snake pits out there. Two cocoon of university life beyond the borders of reminders to for my friend and the rest of you campus. archeology majors - avoid anyone who sounds College is a safe gig and most of us want to like they are wearing a really loud watch and, keep it going. We are most scared of boring, low- most important, says "we named the dog paying jobs with no future or even worse, not Indiana." being able to find one of those boring jobs. The most questionable venture I have encoun- Come to think of it, I need to call my travel tered is my friend who is convinced he is work- agent. ing a quality-control job for a plastics firm. - Paul Serilla is still in Michigan. You Personally, I think the he fell for the clever can e-mail him at pserilla@umich.edu. C e ('i 4'oar o l S 15 ele dc fr VP d-f t1 A- I/ too . .^- . . , 1- u -~ - / - fo ' Wanna write for Daily Opinion? Call Jack at 764-0552 or e-mail him atl schilla@umich.edu.