LETTERS TO THE EDITOR #'apster steals from artists TO THE DAILY: In response to "Napster's fall won't be the end of MP3 apping" (5/30/00) it solutely amazes me that the Michigan Daily, creators of intellectual property, would encourage users to "keep down- loading MP3s and let the record companies bleed." Do artists and record com- panies that market and nurture these artists not deserve to be compensated? What if it was your money that was being _reatened? What if I told you sat I'm going to steal your piece of intellectual property and give it away for free to mil- lions? You probably would feel the same way that thousands of musicians are feeling right now - violated. If you think you are screw- ing the record companies, think ain. You are in fact hurting very musician that makes his or her living off of their work. Inevitably, Napster and other file sharing programs are going to hurt you, the consumer, when top artists decide it's not worth it to create new music. If you really don't believe in copyrights, how about taking down the one you have on your mast head and website? I thought so. JONATHAN FELDMAN ALUMNUS Nationhood creates war machines TO THE DAILY: After spending some time reflecting on the meaning behind one of those teary-eyed Memorial Day services I attend- ed this weekend I couldn't help but comment on the article "Memorial Daze" (5/30/00). I appreciate Mr. Wickerham's comments as being illustrative of the inexperience of some today's youth and trust that reality will eventually catch up to him when he departs his academic playpen for the real world. Twenty-two years ago when I drove away from Ann Arbor, I too hoped to enter a better world where we could leave behind the specter of Vietnam. I discovered, however, a world bright with hope, yet with many very dark corners. I have spent these 22 years as an officer in the U.S. Navy, first as a Cold Warrior staring down the Soviets and more recently as an instru- ment of the world's sole remain- ing superpower. Mr. Wickerham speaks of the 'myths of nationhood" and that "wars are no longer fought over land.'" I recommend that he spend just one hour, as I have, talking with a Kuwaiti or Kosovar Albanian. Wars are indeed fought over land. and nationhood is not a myth, but the driving force behind the engines of war. Nationhood is what causes coun- tries that cannot feed their people to spend millions on war machines. Mr. Wickerham says that "the establishment" perpetuates fears of a "bogeyman, but he isn't there" Sorry to interrupt your dream but the bogeyman is there all right. When Mr. Wickerham finally sees Ann Arbor in his rear view mirror, he should do so with his eyes wide open. Base your con- cept of the world on empirical evidence rather than some intel- lectual vision. As for me, I'll still be standing watch at one of those dark corners of the world. Keeping the bogeyman at bay. RON RAYMER ALUMNUS Monday, June 5, 2000 - The Michigan Daily - 5 Snakes to the left of me, rats and chauvinists to the right L ast Wednesday, I sat on my couch with a bowl But that is where the utopian equality ends. Last fttll of Ben and Jerry's, my cordless phone (for week after losing an obstacle course to the cross- increased slugishness) and my remote control island foes, one tribe had to vote one of their cohorts (more slugishness), and I thanked god that I wasn't out of paradise. Surprisingly they got rid of the long- on the South Pacific island where CBS has set up its ago-post-menopausal woman in her late 60s. most recent ratings-catcher "Survivor" Not that I CBS tried to heighten the suspense at this thought that the show was bad, but that I could def- moment by having each of the eight-member tribe initely do without waking up next to a look in the camera and explain who they deadly sea-snake (all Freudian values voted for and why. By far the best (most included). cave-man-like) comment was that the The basic premise of the show is sim- elderly woman was the "weakest link in ple: It's the true story of 16 strangers in the chain." two "tribes" of eight who are put on a Really? At my family's last reunion, my deserted snake and rat infested island grandmother left the rest of the fam in the for three weeks, have every moment of dust during the potato sack race - what's their lives taped (and find out what hap- wrong with that "Survivor" woman? pens when people stop being polite and There's something really appealing about start being real). the dog-eat-dog (or rather man-eat-rat) It is much like MTV's "The Real AARON world of "Survivor" though. Somehow the World" but kicked up a notch. Every RICH blind chauvinism really inspired me. I few days, the ghost of San Francisco's ToUC' iF enjoyed how two-faced the show was - Puck floats around the very heavy hand- v .S casting a very politically correct group and ed "tribal council" (a south seas version then letting those people's biases and gov- of a voting booth) while one of the contestants is ern each other's fates. (It will be very convenient for voted off the island. The last one remaining is given CBS to wash their hands of the racism come the last $1 million. week of the show when the million-dollar race is In the days, rather than getting a bogus job at a between two white 30-year-old men.) radio station, the contestants have to work to build In an age when many fear the end of Social their shelters, catch whatever food they can (mostly Security as we know it, I witnessed the most clear rats and fish), hunt for drinking water (convenient- example of one old woman getting her retirement ly provided by CBS in an underground barrel) and money snatched away from her by younger, faster participate in various games of strength and cun- whippersnappers not willing to share their wealth. ning (much like E!'s "Search Party" sans Red It is how unapologetic the contestants are that Team's Carol Grow.. damn it). makes the show worth watching. They talk trash It is clear that the producers made a strong effort behind the others' backs because "he asked me to to have a diverse cast, including young and old, lift too much bamboo," or "she can't start a fire by black and white, men and women, gay and straight. rubbing two sticks together,"all while sitting under Similarly, their professions are all over the map: the shade of a palm tree in sarongs and sandals. One man is a former Navy Seal, one is a pastor, one I can't wait to see who's booted next. woman is a truck driver and one is a white water --Aaron Rich can be reached via e-mail at rafting guide. arichdwnichedu Milking a cause, missing the point ft sprang ip rather innocently last Thursday in Drunk Driving until the ads were dropped at col- z the Brookfield Central High School student lege campuses. newspaper in suburban Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rather than make people question milk, PETA's Mocking one of the most recognizable advertis- ads have made people skeptical about just how ing monikers of recent years, a new ad effort from salient its arguments are when it chooses to skirt People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals the issue in favor of an anti-zit message. (PETA) irreverently pokes fun at the "Got Milk?" As a leading activist group, PETA's concern for ad campaign. animals is an admirable one, but its tac- A smiling teen with a face full of acne tics, unfortunately, at times undermine and that all-too-familiar milk mustache the strength of its argument and the cause appeared gleefully in the pages of the it fights for. Promoting animal rights student run TYRO last week, much to education while fostering an atmosphere the chagrin of dairy farmers in that milk that encourages stimulating debate over making state. Under the girl's pimple- the issues that the activists believe in laden picture a rhetorical "Got Zits?" would serve the group far better than replaces the more traditional pro-dairy some of the tactics it currently supports. slogan in an ad that PETA hopes will Indeed last week was a busy one for make people question milk consump- PETA as America saw a series of events tion by suggesting that dairy products GEOFF stain the public image of an organization lead to acne. GAGNON with noble intentions but misguided It may be a slick parody worth some A efforts. Proud PETA member Arathi laughs, but the campaign seems to con- ____ HANG Jayaram of Mansfield Ohio disrupted a fuse what PETA is fighting for Even in government nutrition summit in its own press release announcing the ad campaign, Washington to hurl a tofu cream pie at Agriculture the group admits that its real aim isn't an assault Secretary Dan Glickman. After storming the stage, on acne but rather a battle against the way cows are the enraged extremist missed Glickman with his treated in dairy farms. Isn't that a large enough pastry before being dragged away screaming. In problem to demand attention? good nature Glickman laughed off the protester Scaring teens off of milk for concern of their the way that some have begun to laugh off the skin merely makes PETA's real arguments seem message. trivial, and lost in the debate over whether milk And that was the sentiment this week after PETA does or does not cause acne is the point of the spokeswomen Alicia Silverstone told TV Guide group's message. why she won't drink milk. But more than simply taking away from the "I mean, its like pure mucus. Its just creepy," the weight of its claims, PETA's bizarre methods have "Clueless" star said. "No other species drinks milk been cited as irresponsible. Not out of earshot from any other species. Its completely mental. Do from the inauspicious debut of the parody cam- you know what I mean?" paign, PETA just recently pulled the plug on The fact is, few know what PETA means when another anti-milk effort that drew criticism nation- their message is trivialized and they undermine wide. PETA's attempts to discourage dairy con- their own argument. .sumption by arguing that beer is much healthier Geoff Gagnon can be reached ria e-mail at than milk came under fire by Mothers Against ggagnon@umich.edu. DANE BNDU DE tF #Y 5 ft. v :W-49 t $e 4w(1g.}a vio'