12 - The Michigan Daily - Orientation Edition 2004 OPINION LETTER TO THE EDITOR Please give liberals back their liberalism JASON PESICK ONE SMALL VOCE Jan. 15, 2004 - digress. In fact, I do not think the label of revolution- ideology similarly opposed to civil liberties. M aturity and cool-head- ary socialists fits BAMN all that well; I would charac- But besides these differences in woridview, unlike edness are not words I terize them more as a collection of elitists than civil radical civil rights organizations in the past, BAMN would use to describe rights advocates. Reading what their members and has been unsuccessful in achieving civil rights victo- the level of discourse on campus. supporters have written on this page in the last week ries. In Monday's viewpoint in the Daily, BAMN Universities are supposed to be alone leads me to believe that they feel the state of organizers Kate Stenvig and Cyril Cordor wrote, "We dedicated to the exploration of Michigan would be better off if certain unsophisticat- won this stunning victory for affirmative action and ideas, but certain organizations ed whites did not vote. To be fair, BAMN members do civil rights because we mobilized." They actually do not believe that such discov- not ever articulate this position outright, but the atti- believe BAMN is responsible for last summer's ery should take place here. Chief tude that they know what's best for the state and that Supreme Court ruling in favor of the University. They among those groups is BAMN - but bear with me everyone else is a clueless racist lurks just beneath forget that their lawyers were not permitted to argue for a minute. their "progressive" rhetoric. before the court and that their position that affirmative I don't mean for this to be another mindless attack University alum Jonathan Chait pointed out in The action is necessary to right historic discrimination has against the organization, butI also realize that for American Prospect in 1995 that in these radical never been upheld by the courts. But just ask members what I've already said, I'm going to receive irate e- groups' fight for civil rights, liberal concerns such as of other student groups how they feel about BAMN mails from BAMN members who will in essence call civil liberties, academic freedom and even the Bill of taking credit for the accomplishments of others. me a racist (they will, of course, conveniently forget Rights are expendable. In the late 1980s and early More importantly, BAMN focuses exclusively on to mention that the Black Student Union has had a '90s, the closest parallel to BAMN on campus was the affirmative action and is now leading a boycott less-than-rosy relationship with their organization). Marxist United Coalition Against Racism. During that against Coors Brewing Co. Stenvig and Cordor I'll also likely receive complimentary e-mails from time, the UCAR convinced the University to draw up wrote, "In 2003, the critical civil rights issue facing members of Young Americans for Freedom and writ- speech codes to censor campus debate. One version of the nation was the defense of affirmative action at the ers for The Michigan Review, thanking me for attack- the codes called for punishment for those displaying Supreme Court in our affirmative action cases." And ing BAMN's intimidation tactics, and they will use Confederate flags on dorm room doors, and/or mak- surely it was the most prominent issue, but the num- this column by a liberal editor at the Daily as further ing statements like, "Girls are not as good in this sub- ber of minorities who benefit from affirmative action proof that all their ideological opponents are crazed ject area as men." The federal courts wasted no time in and a Coors boycott is too small to be at the heart of hippies. I write this column, however, to challenge the striking down this code, and the U.S. Supreme Court any effective civil rights movement. Why doesn't most dangerous and vocal opponent of liberalism at later saidthat it wouldnot tolerate such codes. BAMN work to eliminate differences between blacks the University: BAMN. Liberals on campus now fight to preserve English and whites in homeownership rates, health care quali- BAMN volunteer Luke Massie, who is known to 317: How to Be Gay, but just over a decade ago, so- ty, pay, unemployment, U.S. drug policy or segrega- volunteer 60 hours a week for the group despite never called civil rights activists forced the cancellation of tion? These affect millions more people than being a student at the University, has said that BAMN two sociology courses taught by Prof. Ren Farley, affirmative action. is a Trotskyite organization, which by definition who merely quoted from material a student found Maybe my main point of contention with BAMN means that it is not liberal. It has the same mailing offensive in a course on race relations, and Prof. is that I'm still naive enough to think people can dis- address in Detroit as the Revolutionary Workers David Goldberg, who was bullied into canceling his cuss issues in a civil way before resorting to more League, which is an openly Trotskyite organization. course without even receiving a hearing. I have been extreme tactics. Or maybe it's just that I'm a liberal. The RWL in turn, has had an identical membership as unable to confirm any clear connection between the National Women's Rights Organizing Committee, BAMN and the UCAR, but the former's tendency to Pesick can be reached at another group with an interesting history. But I interrupt meetings and press conferences reveals an jzpesick@umich.edu. Pesick's argument against BAMN unfounded TO THE DAILY: Jason Pesick's latest (Give liberals back their liberalism, 01/15/04), is nothing but libel against BAMN. Without offering any evidence, he implies that we are anti-free speech communist extremists. Despite his warming that "(he doesn't) mean for this to be another mindless attack against the organiza- tion," that's precisely what it is ... ... Pesick concludes that BAMN is too narrow in its thinking about racism because we only care about affirmative action - an outright he. Unlike Pesick and pundits of his ilk, who posture about caring about "the big issue,' BAMN has revived the civil rights movement only to be pooh-poohed for it by armchair liberals. It was when the civil rights movement died down that the gap between whites and blacks stopped closing! It's these phony liberals who are afraid of radicals because a unified struggle for peace, justice, workers' rights, gay rights and freedom of speech would be a real threat to the economy. Somehow liberals have sold the idea that killing affirmative action is fine because it wasn't enough to close the race gap by itself. BAMN doesn't hate free speech and ideas. However, I hate people like Pesick who need to tell lies and rumors and then say "Maybe my main point of contention with BAMN is that I'm still naive enough to think people can discuss issues ina civil way before resorting to more extreme tactics.'Yes, Jason, you're quite naive if you think you can have equality without fighting for it. - Jan. 20, 2004 ADAM DE ANGELi LSA senior 0 0 Let the Office of International Programs show you the A A.& u * Over 'O programs in 36 countries * Courses in most fields * Spend a summer, semester or full year * Earn UM degree credit * Use financial aid, scholarships available * For sophomores, juniors 4 seniors Start planning NOW! * Office o Intenantional Programs oip UnveriyofMichigan L A4G513 MichiganUnon " (734) 764-4311 www.umich.edu/-iinet/oip oip@umich.edu Featuring: Frozen yogurt 'Ci L~ider& Sandwiches Pita San wiche& Central Campus Full Service Grocery Serving Ann Arbor Since 1970 Fresh Produce, Meat & Dairy Ice Cream & Frozen Foods Bottled Waters, Juices & Pop School & Household Supplies Magazines & Newspapers Wine Spirits Beer Cigars & Lots More!! 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