4 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, May 11, 1998
Edited and managed by CHRIs FARAH DAVID WALLACE
students at the ' + Editor in Chief Editorial Page Editor
University of Michigan
Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the
420 M ay nar d Stnreet majority of the Daily'seditorial board. All other articles, letters and
Ann A yrbor, M 48109 cartoons do not necessarily refect the opinion of The Michigan Daily.
An.AboMI480
The state House Tax Policy committee
recently approved a bill that, if
passed by the Michigan Legislature, will
allow Washtenaw County residents the
opportunity to vote in favor of taxing
themselves to support the arts. This bill,
similar to ones passed for Wayne,
Oakland and Macomb counties, is an
excellent medium for residents to contin-
ue and expand their support of the arts.
The Michigan legislature should approve
this bill and allow Washtenaw County
residents to lend their support through
local funding.
Rep. Kirk Profit, D-Ypsilanti
Township, proposed this bill, which
would enable Washtenaw voters to tax
themselves up to 1.5 mills. The bill
seeks to create a 12-member council,
comprised of one representative from
each county commissioner district. The
council would suggest a millage, and
voters would accept or reject the millage
in a special election.
The proposed legislation should
New supplies
Proposed bill would help funding for the arts
strengthen the community's arts pro-
grams by allowing residents to increase
funding toward cultural activities on a
local level. Provisions in the bill should
ease the concerns of wary voters in
Washtenaw county about abuses of their
tax money. The council that proposes
the millage would also oversee the dis-
tribution of funding to permit only non-
profit cultural organizations, function-
ing for at least 18 months, to receive
support. As Barry LaRue, president of
the Washtenaw County Council for the
Arts states, "It's only providing a legal
mechanism or framework for. taxing
authority." Possible beneficiaries
include science centers, museums and
performing arts groups. The funding
could also support the building of facil-
ities necessary for the these arts to
thrive.
Continuing to support and cultivate
artistic development is important to the
well-being of the county. Art is an
essential component in forming a cul-
tural identity, and it serves as a powerful
reflection of the values and ideas of a
group of people. Great works of art
often come from unexpected sources,
and funding those who wish to con-
tribute their unique gifts to society is a
noble undertaking. Funding has always
been a difficult obstacle for artists, and
even masters like Monet experienced
shortages of money for more than sup-
plies. Contributing money in the name
of art is also an affirmation of one's
individual rights, as the ability to create
art is a direct result of the First
Amendment. Continuing to exercise the
right to artistic expression keeps these
freedoms present in the American con
sciousness.
If this bill passes, the council must
distribute funding in such a way that it
does not restrict the content of proposed
artistic works. Censorship often threat-
ens artistic integrity, and restrictions on
funding due to content should only arise
if a proposal includes illegal activity. The
council must recognize that those artists
who push the envelope are the ones that
society may later recognize as great
innovators.
Washtenaw county's special flair and
appreciation for the avant-garde help
create its unique identity. With its cen-
ters of higher learning anchoring its
recognition of the arts, Washtenaw coun-
ty will continue to strongly support cre-
ative efforts. This bill will help
Washtenaw extend its appreciation of
culture and art even further.
Misplaced emphasis
School violence overshadows other issues
W hen two Arkansas boys opened fire ported the bills and has called for legisla-
on their middle school classmates tion to mandate the expulsion of students
and teachers in March, news reports of found assaulting teachers.
the monstrous assault ignited America's A 1995-1996 Michigan Department of
fears about the safety of the nation's Education survey revealed, however, that
schools. The country's anxiety only less than one percent of students were
intensified last month when a 14-year- expelled during the school year. And of the
old Pennsylvania student fatally shot his expulsions, less than five percent stemmed
teacher at a school dance: In the wake of from aggravated assaults. The study also
the tragic stories, some Michigan law- found that no expulsions resulted from
makers have begun a crusade to tighten homicide, kidnapping or sexual assault
school safety. during that year.
But despite the recent surge of media Meanwhile, the state's dropout rate
attention surrounding school violence, hovers around 20 percent. Many school
state statistics. show that the actual fre- districts languish because of underfund-
quency of severe violence in Michigan ing. And, despite improvements this
classrooms is very low. The new move- year, well over 30 percent of Michigan
ment to make schools safer stems more students lack proficiency in language,
from the emotionally charged nature of the math or science. But bills aimed at
student safety issue than from a true statis- redressing these problems will not likely
tical need to revamp security and discipli- materialize in the near future.
nary protocol. In addition, the push for Neglecting these pressing issues will
new regulations likely stems from legisla- continue to cripple the state's ailing edu-
tors' and candidates' intent to use the issue cational system.
of sensational violence as a political The proposals aimed at curbing
weapon during election year. Lansing school violence show that Lansing is
politicians should redirect their efforts working along the periphery of the
toward remedying far more prevalent school improvement issue, sacrificing
problems within the state educational sys- substantial educational problems in
tem, such as low school funding and high favor of sensational, vote-getting
dropout rates. details. Modifications of disciplinary
Over the past few months, members of and safety standards would require no
the state House have labored on a yet- financial commitment, would effect no
unfinished 10-bill package intended to improvement in the actual quality of
protect students, teachers and school per- education and would not furnish the
sonnel. Among the proposals included in educational system with any new
the package are plans to mandate the avenues for change. Consequently, law-
expulsion of students who engage in makers should not expend dispropor-
assault at school. Another one would tionate effort on the relatively minor
establish alternative education programs problem of school violence, but should
for expelled students. Preparing to vie for resolve to address the significant prob-
a third term, Gov. John Engler has sup- lems that affect the state school system.
Controversial definition
Merriam-Webster should not redefine slurs
Anew debate brews over the use of racial
slurs. The focus of concern is not about
who uses these words of hatred, but rather
whether these words should be included
within the listings of America's dictionaries.
A petition exists to have the Merriam-
Webster Company either remove or
rephrase its listings for the word 'nigger.'
The various versions of Webster's dictio-
nary describe the word as being a term for
a black person and an offensive slur.
The groups behind the petition say that
the word's inclusion and current definition in
dictionaries gives the term legitimacy. Ugly
as all racial slurs are, their presence in print
do not give them credence. It is the usage of
slurs in our society that perpetuates them.
The makers of dictionaries have a responsi-
bility to report on our nation's language.
They have an obligation to objectivity, just as
the media is obliged to report on incidents as
they happen, withholding subjective inter-
pretation in favor of reporting the true nature
of events, whatever they may be.
Last week, an Ypsilanti woman filed a
lawsuit against Merriam-Webster for pro-
moting the racist use of the word. "This is
a derogatory word that dehumanizes a race
of people," Delphine Abraham said. Even
the NAACP in Baltimore is moving into
high gear to deal with the corporation in
question. It is good that Americans today
realize the derogatory nature of this slur,
but removing it from a dictionary, or even
listing it as discriminatory and racist does
not remove the problem. Though our
nation is a young one, we have a past that
unjustly treated many groups. The institu-
tion of equal rights under the law does not
mean that America is without faults. The
alteration of a racial slur's definition in a
dictionary will not prevent the innuendoes
from remaining as a part of our language
and culture. Perhaps these groups should
focus their attention on why the word is
really still in use today.
Hliding this problem will not make it g
away. Similar analogies abound. Bannin
crime thrillers from TV will not stop vio-
lence, nor will the suppression of a literary
work like Hucklebety Finn erase
America's racist past. There is no doubt that
if the word were removed from the pages of
all dictionaries everywhere, it would still be
uttered somewhere.
Racial slurs and vulgarities abound in
dictionaries. Although they all have different
meanings, none seem to be entirely accurate4
Merriam-Webster's policy is to print multi-
ple definitions in order of the time in which
they originated. The concerned groups
demand the words' firm assimilation into the
political climate of today, and thus disregard
the objective purpose of the dictionary.
Rephrasing these terms would only be a
meaningless gesture. Unfortunately, the
terms would still be used and their hate-
filled meanings would remain the same.
Ugly words exist because people have bas
thoughts, not because dictionary makers
need to fill up space. Our television shows,
our news shows and our literature merely
reflect our world; they do not create it.
Words are powerful; "manifest destiny'
the catch-phrase by which Americans over-
ran North America, sounds prettier and eas-
ier to live with than "genocide," the term
many Native Americans might favor for the
westward expansion. People who use hate
ful words will keep using them, and wi]
keep finding justifications for their use.
The groups pressuring Merriam-Webster
should reconsider their position on this
issue.