The Michigan Daily -Tuesday, March 12,1991- Page
Kevorkian calls
for protection of
patient suicides
Parental law
'U
hearing begins
Minors' access to abortion at stake °
by Laurie Pert
The man they call "Dr. Death"
spoke to a crowd of about 70 last
night at Hutchins Hall. Jack
Kevorkian, the famed inventor of
he suicide machine, explained
by he believes the right to die
sfiould be an individual decision.
Eight months ago, Alzheimer's
patient Janet Adkins chose to die
before her disease made life un-
bearable. Kevorkian used the ma-
chine to assist her suicide.
Kevorkian was recently acquit-
ted in an Oakland County court on
murder charges.
Kevorkian said his project has
ne goal. "The aim is to extract
the maximum benefit from death,"
he said. "I want to make death
positive."
He said people should allow
themselves to be used for science
should they choose to die. "If the
law was not insane in this society,
Adkins could have saved six or
seven others by donating her or-
pans," he said.
Kevorkian prides himself on be-
ing the world's first "Obitiatrist."
"I'm qualified in this residency,"
ite said. "I've trained myself for a
long time." By his definition,
mercy killing can be mediated by
anyone. His practice, "medicide,"
is administered by a medical doc-
tor. He believes if living wills are
allowed, his practice should also
be permitted.
Kevorkian insists that patients
take all of the available options
before he will do the treatment.
For example, he doesn't believe a
cancer patient who didn't go
through chemotherapy is qualified
for his project.
Geoffrey Fieger, Kevorkian's
counsel, who also spoke last night,
explained that the significance of
the Kevorkian case was that it was
not based on any statute. It was
based solely on morality.
"The judge would decide what
was legal based on morality - it
was unheard of," he said.
Fieger also stressed the right to
die should be a personal decision.
He said he couldn't comprehend
that anyone in a rational society
could make terminally ill individ-
uals suffer.
"I am convinced that the only
people in this society who are op-
posed to making a terminally ill
person suffer are religious fanatics
and lunatics," he said. "There's no
other organized opposition."
Fieger said the appeal of
Jack Kevorkian, inventor of the "suicide machine," and his lawyer
Geoffroy Fieger speak at Hutchins Hall yesterday.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) -
A two-day court battle over a law
requiring minors to have a parent's
consent for abortion is less about
abortion than about the state con-
stitution, lawyers said yesterday.
The American Civil Liberties
Union and Planned Parenthood Af-
filiates of Michigan will try to per-
suade Kalamazoo County Circuit
Judge Philip Schaefer to grant an
injunction blocking enforcement of
the measure in a hearing starting
today.
While federal courts have up-
held parental consent laws under
the U.S. Constitution, state courts
in Florida and California have
tossed them out under state consti-
tutions, said Elizabeth Gleicher of
Detroit, attorney for the ACLU.
"This is not an abortion case.
This is a case dealing with consti-
tutional issues involving parental
rights and responsibilities to guide
and protect their minor children,"
said Jon Curcio of Lansing, attor-
ney for Right to Life of Michigan.
The parental consent law re-
quires girls 17 and under to have a
parent's consent for abortion. As an
alternative a girl may petition a
probate court judge for a waiver
permitting the abortion if the judge
finds the waiver
terests or that
enough to make1
sion herself.
The measure is slated to take
effect March 28.
A Feb. 20 Michigan Court of
Appeals decision overturning a
state law banning Medicaid abor-
tions will boost pro-choice forces'
chances of success in this case,
Gleicher said.
But a brief filed for the state by
Thomas Casey, assistant solicitor
general, and Thomas Nelson, as.
sistant attorney general, argues
that ruling is wrong.
The brief said a 1973 Michigan
Supreme Court ruling overturned a
state law banning abortion only
because of federal court ruling
and stated that Michigan's public
policy still was to forbid most
abortions. ;
Gleicher said, "We hope to
prove that the statute does not
serve any significant or compelling.
interest in terms of protecting ei
ther adolescents, parents or fami
lies and as a corollary of that ac-
tually will do much more harm
that it will do good."
is in her best inT
she is mature
the abortion deci-
Kevorkian's Mercy Machine is
control. "Among all of us we need
to feel in control. It makes life
more worth living," he said. "Fear
is loss of control. Kevorkian offers
a way that they'll never be out of
control."
Fieger said those opposed to
what Kevorkian is doing do not
understand what suffering is all
about because they remove them-
selves from it.
There have never been statutes
on assisting suicide, said
Fieger,who expressed hope that a
congressional bill making
Kevorkian's practice illegal will
be stopped. He said he believes
the only regulatory laws necessary
would be those to prevent abuses
of the suicide machine.
Fieger concluded by saying that
Kevorkian has opened the way and
that lawyers and doctors will dis-
cuss the ramifications of the right
to die into the future. "Kevorkian
pulled an unwilling word out of the
shadows and into the light," he
said. "We're living in the legacy."
North Campus parking meters annoy stu
tv Joshua Meckler - d . .-.-
dents
U
__
w ,. . w i+r ae ter: ,n. w 1
Many art, architecture and mu- 3uaens complain ofj
sic students who use several Uni-
versity parking lots on North Cam- roll of quarters in my pocket," said any paid time
pus say computerized parking me- Stephanie Milton, an architecture spot.
ters are inconvenient, too expen- junior. Maxwell
save and should be changed. Milton said that she and other Manager oft
The University replaced indi- commuters often spend long days Services, said
vidual meters with one or two at the Art and Architecture build- to be a feature
computerized mne- w ingt
ers per lot during 'In the morning, the line of people waiting to
last year's winter pay the parking meter is often long, causing
semester. Stu- students to be late to classes or miss
dents said this rehearsals" - -
itnes, prices and underused staff-only lot
left for a particular
Smith, Assistant
University Parking
this was not known
of the computerized
meters when
they were pur-
chased. Changing
the machines so
they could show
remaining time
would require
change created
inconvenient
lines.
"In the morning, the line of
people waiting to pay the parking
meter is often long, causing'stu-
dents to be late to classes or miss
rehearsals," said Music Student
Council Representative Jeanie
Iee, in a recent letter to Parking
Operations.
Students also said the comput-
erized meter parking was too ex-
pensive - 30 cents for 50 minutes
and was designed for the con-
venience of parking enforcement,
not commuters.
,&"I'm tired of trying to keep a
- Jeane Lee
Music Student Council representative
ing. Some find it cheaper and eas-
ier to take the three dollar ticket
than drop coins in the computer-
ized meter.
Art junior Suzanne Lalonde
said, "There's enough to worry
about in school without having to
deal with parking and getting
change."
Art senior Colleen O'Rourke,
who regularly drives to school,
agreed. "I once got a ticket com-
ing in to get change."
With the computerized meters,
it is not possible to tell if there is
extensive repro-
gramming, Smith said.
The key reason for replacing
the individual meters with the
Parkmaster computerized meters
was cost, Smith said. Each indi-
vidual meter cost $200 while a
Parkmaster went for $8,000. It was
much easier to repair a Parkmaster
than to spend $200 to replace each
damaged individual meter.
Smith said Parkmaster meters
are actually less convenient for en-
forcement officers because they
have to use a printout from the
central meter to check individual
spots.
But Smith said the Parkmasters
provide "better revenue control,"
making it easier to keep records of
meter collections and to collect
the money from the meters.
Smith said Parking Operations
is a self-sustaining department,
and has to set its prices accord-
ingly.
"The funds are used to build,
maintain, and provide parking,"
Smith said.
Parking operations gets about
$500,000 a year from the meters,
Smith said, and the city of Ann
Arbor receives all
revenue from 'There's e
tickets. without h
"The Univer- without l
sity gets no ticket getting c
money at this
time," Smith
said. When asked
if this situation might change,
Smith declined comment.
However, with the deputization
of Department of Public Safety
and Security officers, the Univer-
sity may start collecting the fees.
Sgt. Vernon Baisden said that
when deputization was discussed
last June, "the focus was in that
direction."
Smith said he knew of student
complaints about lines, but added
that he has never seen a line
longer than four people.
Meanwhile, the Fuller Lot near
Mitchell Field has been converted
from free to staff-paid parking.
"I think the only reason they
changed it was we were parking
free," said Stan Harvey, an archi-
tecture senior.
nough to worry about in
aving to deal with parkin
hange - Suzanne
junior
The Fuller lot is now only used
by four or five cars each day, sev-
eral students said.
Smith said the lot is not widely
used right now, but said that will
change in the future. He said th(
lot was converted because change:
in the Hospital's parking systen
prompted the need for 319 new,
spaces. The Fuller lot contains 473
spaces.
But the question of student"
parking permits for the metered,
lots is not being considered, he-
said, because lot space is too,
scarce to have both student an&
visitor parking in the same lot.
The Architecture school's Stu-
dent Advisory Committee (SAC).
brought students' concerns to they
school's faculty last Decembers
said Architecture chair Kent'"
Hubbell.
SAC member and architecture
junior Michae
i school Thue added, "We'
ng and decided there's
nothing we can
B Lalonde do about it."
.m oSmith said
art mafor North Campus
drivers should
appreciate what they have.
"North Campus students have a
hell of a lot better parking situa-
tion than Central Campus stu-
dents," he said.
THE LIST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Leftist coalition favored in El Salvador vote
Meetings
Recycle U-M, weekly mtg. 1040
Dana, 7 p.m.
Kaffeestunde, weekly German con-
versations. MLB third floor conference
room, 4:30-6.
German Club, weekly mtg. MLB,
Rm. 2004, 7:00.
Anthropology Club, weekly mtg.
bominick's, 7:30.
Time & Relative Dimensions in
Ann Arbor, weekly mtg. Call 971-
2072 for info. 2439 Mason Hall, 8:00.
Students Concerned about Animal
Rights, weekly mtg. Dominick's, 7:30.
Ultimate Frisbee Club, weekly mtg.
Coliseum, 4-6.
Festival Meeting, weekly mtg. In Fo-
cus Filmworks, MUG, 6 p.m.
Take Back the Night, weekly mtg.
LeagueHenderson Rm, 7:30-9:30.
Speakers
"Why Modern Intellectuals Deny
the Concept of Evil," Dr. Edwin
Locke of the Ayn Rand Institute.
Union, Kuenzel Rm,n8 p.m.
"Early Onset and Considerable
Loss of Bone Mass," Stanley Garn.
N. Ingalls Bldg, 10th level, rm 1000,
noon.
"Transistions: From Student to Col-
league," Grad Students Brown Bag.
Career Planning and Placement, new
conf rm, 12:10-1.
Hisaye Yamamoto, writer. American
Culture Library, 410 Mason, 11:30-
12:30.
ECB Peer Writing Tutors available
Sunday-Thursday, Angell/Haven
Computing Center, 7-11; 611 Church
Computing Center 7-11.
Free Tax Preparation. Sponsored by
VITA until April 15. Union, 3rd floor,
9-5.
The Yawp literary magazine.
Submissions accepted until 3/22 in
the box at 1210 Angell.
U of M Women's Rugby Club,
Tuesday practice. Call 995-0129 for
more info. Sports Coliseum, 8-10 p.m.
Study in Africa, Latin America, or
the Caribbean: U-M Programs for
1991-92. For info call William Nolt-
ing, 764-9310. 111 W. Engineering,
7:30-9.
The Status of Women Around the
World, panel discussion. E. Quad,
Greene Lounge, 6:30.
Deciding Your Career. Career
Planning and Placement, rm 1, 5:10-
7.
Puerto Rican and Chicano/a Stu-
dent Dialogue. League, rm C, 5:30.
sey, Nobel laureate in physics. 335
West Engineering, noon.
"Electrostatic Models and their
Application to Energy and Rate
Constant Calculation," Malcolm
Davis of the University of Houston.
Chem Bldg, rm 1640, 4 p.m.
Furthermore
Safewalk ,nighttime safety walking
service. Functions 8-1:30 a.m. Sun.-
Thurs. Call 936-1000 or stop by 102
TT TI
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador
(AP) - For the first time since
the civil war began 11 years ago, a
leftist coalition appeared to have
won a significant share of Sal-
vador's legislature, preliminary re-
turns showed yesterday.
The dramatic gains by the left
in Sunday's elections were viewed
as favorable to promoting an end
to Salvador's internal war.
"It is very probable that this
was the last wartime election,"
rebel leader Salvador Samayoa
told The Associated Press yester-
day.
As the vote count proceeded
slowly yesterday, it remained un-
clear whether Arena, the Republi-
can Nationalist Alliance of Presi-
dent Alfredo Cristiani, had re-
tained its majority in the unicam-
eral legislature.
Leaders of the rightist party
claimed it had. But independent
observers said the vote was so._
closely split between Arena and
opposition candidates that they
were unable to predict the makeup
of the new Assembly.
No one disputed Arena received
more votes than any of the six
other political parties or alliances
that competed in Sunday's elec-
tions.
The private TV station Channel
12 said yesterday its projections
indicate Arena had received 47
percent of the vote; the Christian
Democrats, who ruled from 1984
through 1989, received 28 percent;
and the Democratic Convergence,
an alliance of three leftist parties,
won 17 percent.
Arena supporters celebrated at
party headquarters. To the accom-
paniment of a mariachi band, they
sang their party anthem, which
says, "El Salvador will be the
tomb where the Reds will end up."
"It's up in the air who will con-
trol the new legislature," said
Ruben Zamora, leader of the Con-
vergence, which had received only
3.8 percent of the vote in the 1989
presidential election.
For the past 11 months, the
U.S-backed government and leftist
rebels of the Farabundo Marti Na-
tional Liberation Front have hejd
peace talks under the auspices pf
the United Nations.
Buinesshii*!III I
Theaters beef up security
around 'New Jack City'
Associated Press
Shootings and rioting arrived
with the Friday release of "New
Jack City," the new Warner Bros.
film based on the life of Harlem
drug lord Nickie Barnes. A man
was killed in New York and distur-
bances erupted in Chicago, New
Jersey, Nevada and Los Angeles.
Warner Bros. spokesperson
Robert Friedman said nationwide
only one theater in Westwood,
California pulled the movie.
Some Michigan movie theaters
increased security for the showings
film, insisted that it doesn't incite
violence and in fact is an anti-
gang movie.
But Las Vegas Metropolitan
Police Sgt. William Reed dis-
agreed: "It's the type of movie that
will draw the gangs to it."
In New York, a teenager was
arrested Saturday for investigation
of murder in the Friday shooting
death of Gabriel Williams, 19, in
frontof a theater showing the
movie.
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