Monday. May 18. 1998 - The Michigan Daily - 5
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NOTABLE QUOTABLE
"Even Kroger needs computer people."
- Ann Ford, University lecturer and computer science concentration advisor;
on the large number of job openings available for computer science majors.
LETTERS TO O
KKK rally
raises serious
questions
TO THE DAILY:
I was disturbed at the fram-
ing of the rally against the
KKK in Ann Arbor. As an
tivist I am apparently vio-
nt. The police, most of the
press and the Peace Team said
I should "hug my neighbor" or
"turn away" and ignore the
KKK. This makes for some
very serious questions.
Just rho did the Peace
Team - so heavily endorsed
by the Ann Arbor News and
the police department - speak
r? They acted as a human
barrier between activists and
the fence they were bent on
taking down. How did this
group get carte blanche access
to the compound where the
KKK was speaking while all
others had to be searched
before entering? Who paid for
their t-shirts? Where did they
get their walkie-talkies from?
[ho were they getting recom-
endations for action from on
these walkie-talkies? Clearly
some are committed activists,
but do they have crowd riot
response training? I doubt it.
Maybe more importantly, did
they ever look up and see the
police laughing at the peace
team and the activists as they
struggled with the fence? Did
they not see that they were
played so perfectly, as were the
activists, by the police and the
city of Ann Arbor - pitting
one against the other while
they stood on the balconies of
city hall and enjoyed the show,
took our pictures and taunted
us? The police knew full well
that ifa Peace Team member
was injured by an "activist"
member, it would be far better
press against the "violent"
activists than if the police were
the front line. The rally would
deflect attention from the fact
that Ann Arbor spent a consid-
erable amount of money, again,
on the KKK's visit to ensure
their safety and freedom of
speech. This is not a privilege
they grant to an other group
that visits, so why the KKK?
The police, and the city, pitted
the good guys against the good
guys.
But most fundamental
remains the spending of any
money and the adaptation of
public property to meet the
protection needs of the violent
bigots that are the KKK -
regardless of where that money
came from, be it public, city or
private. Ann Arbor should be
ashamed at such ludicrous con-
cessions. Moving firetrucks,
telling businesses that it is dan-
gerous to open and spending
thousands on police and other
expenses is absurd. This would
not be done for any other
group.
ANDREW TIMLECK
SCHOOL OF PuuLIc HEALTH
Lawsuit
comes down
to talent
TO THE DAILY:
After much serious thought,
I am suing the University for not
accepting me into their basket-
ball team. Let me introduce
myself. I am a 5-11, 145 pound,
skinny-boned, punky-looking
Asian student. I played center,
averaged 2.6 points and shot
about .235 from the field. I
believe I can add tons of diversi-
ty to the basketball team. I
mean, when was the last time
the University had a small center
like me? Isn't it about time that
we have some sort of diversity
on the basketball team because I
don't see my race being repre-
sented? Obviously, if I start at
center, we won't even make the
NIT. Now the final thought that
I would like to pose to everyone;
what is more important: diversi-
ty or talent?
MANNY WONG
LSA SENIOR
Campaigning lacks the substance of important issues
O nce upon a time, politicians kissed babies to been proven guilty.
suck up. Now they plant their lips on the Yes, credibility problems can be important, but
collective asses of America through the TV and what about poverty, health care and all that other
by claiming to defend our nation from the horri- stuff that both sides of the political fence say are so
ble moral attacks that threaten to end the important? They end up getting kicked to the side-
American way of life. line while our elected representatives complain
To launch his re-election campaign for yet anoth- about how the president's actions are endeic of the
er term as governor of this fine state, collapse of American values and the dread-
John Engler cranked out a 30-second ed "breakdown of the family."
snippet and smacked it into one of the Oh mercy, no! With the demise of the
many long commercial breaks during nuclear family, who knows what horrors
the last episode of "Seinfeld" True to will strike our nation.
form, Engler's spin doctors filled the I think American values are doing just
spot with images of the relaxed 50-year- fine. As for the family, I just want to know
old Republican and his lovely wife what the hell said "breakdown" is. The
Michelle lounging about then home. Oh, definition of the family is changing, yes.
what a warm, squishy feeling that gives There are many more single parents tak-
me. Add in a few images of the family ing on the roles of two than ever before,
dog or a backdrop of the governor's JACK and the image of a mother, a father and
summer home on Mackinac Island and I SCHILLACI 2.5 children has become outdated.
doubt even Norman Rockwell could "',s, IT T1 But every other year, politicians roll
come up with something as wholesome. n TIE E' out the same old crap to get themselves
During the 1996 campaign season, re-elected. That they believe in protect-
Ann Arbor Mayor Ingrid Sheldon's re-election ing the family as the fundamental building block
machinery distributed pamphlets that showed her of American society. That we must try to weed
holding a small child. A quote from Sheldon out politicians that don't jive with the strong
reaffirming her belief in the sanctity of the fami- moral traditions that our great nation was found-
ly was on the back. ed on. The sad thing is that people buy into it, and
And I can still hear Bill Clinton remembering Engler will probably get himself re-elected.
"a place called Hope." (His hometown in I'm glad you have such a beautiful family with
Arkansas; cute, huh?) your wife and triplet munchkins, Mr. Engler, but
Why do politicians think it is acceptable for them what do you plan to do about the horrible air qual-
to dodge the issues - the important political issues ity in this state? I'm glad you feel that we should
that should be guiding the populace lhrough their be able to say we have the best schools in the coin-
electoral decisions - and change campaigns into a try, but why is it, then, that you take every oppor-
battle of advertising teams and moral beliefs? tunity to screw them over?
The whole Monica Lewinsky situation is a Never mind, just sit there with Michelle and
classic example of silly issues polluting the world smile. I'm sure everything will work out fine for
of politics. Amid accusations and slander, right- you.
wing fanatics have taken the opportunity to decry - Jack Schilluci can be reached
the president for something of which he has not over e-msail at jschillanuim mih.edmn.
Going to the gym is a ridiculous part ofAmericana
B ack when we were us grade school, I used to go to the gym with my brother. Needless to say,
have a lot of fun with my younger brother. I've experienced a bit of culture shock.
Sure, we played sports and video games and I thought my brother was large. The weight room
watched TV and did all the wholesome brotherly is filled with mutants three-times his size. Some
things anyone could possibly dream of. kind of tattoo seems mandatory, and a shaved head
But most of all, I had fun beating the crap out is preferable. Sleeves on shirts are a definite no-no,
of him. although I'm sticking with short sleeves in a des-
He was only three grades behind me - perate attempt to cover as much of my
close enough to my age to warrant phys- two-inch pythons (wrestling lingo for
ical abuse, but young enough to give him biceps") as possible.
an obvious size disadvantage. I'd gel him Theyre obsessed with size. The
in headlocks, pin him to the floor, bitch- whole room is surrounded with mirrors
smack him (though we probably didn't so they can stare at themselves while
call it "bitch-smacking" back then) and < they strain to lift gigantic hunks of
pretty much try to copy all the moves of metal. When they spot each other, they
my WWF white-trash wrestling heroes. make comments like, "lookin' big,"
I may have been thin as a wire, small .. whie reminiscing about how small they
and unathletic, but pounding on my used to be before their weight-lifting
brother made me feel as tough as Rowdy CHRIS epiphanies.
Roddy Piper (who I actually thought was FARAH Haven't I heard something in an intro
Scottish, until his WWF trading card set F AR A1's psych class about compensation for a
me straight. The Piper really comes from sA ( UCEI lack of size in other areas? We'll just let
the rolling green hills of Detroit). that issue lie ...
Then something happened to my brother. He The exercise equipment has as much personal-
grew. And I didn't. He worked out. And I didn't. ity as the weightlifters. Jumbled contraptions of
He's 6-foot-3. I'm 5-foot-9. He's strong. I'm weak. twisted metal, chains and rubber menace like
Now, our wrestling matches are a joke. I can still giant, mechanical spiders, seeming more like
get in a solid bitch-smack here or there, but over- medieval contraptions of torture than workout
all, he dominates. Even when my adrenaline gets machines.
pumping, he barely moves a muscle to counter my But for some reason, these weird people sub-
attack and punish me for years of past abuse. ject themselves to this torture willingly. They go
Luckily, I escaped his wrath for most of this to these places, they strain, groan and grunt, they
year - he went to Indiana University for his lift until their veins almost pop out of their skin.
freshman year of college. But now he's back in And why? To "look big?" To make some attempt
Ann Arbor for the summer. at male bonding? To show off their tattoos or
At first I was scared, but now I have a plan. I'm newly shaved heads?
going to beat him at his own game. I, Chris Farah, Ridiculous. Simply ridiculous.
pencil-necked geek and intellectual pansy, have Now if I can only put on another 20 pounds of
decided to (gasp) work out. Even better, I've decid- muscle at the gym, I'll have my brother right
ed to use my brother's fitness expertise against him. where I want him ...
I've gone over to the enemy's camp, and now I -Chns Fmhnan be macedatcj famhamichedm.
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-PEN
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