The Michigan Daily -Thursday, Merch 14, 1991 - Page 3
Black military
members will
discuss racism
Debate arises
over forum
sponsorship
by Purvi Sh~ah
.by Jesse Snyder
Daily Staff Reporter
In wars throughout U.S. history,
African Americans in the military
have. fought and died for a nation
that hasn't always returned the fa-
vor.
Tonight, three Tuskegee Air-
,men, members of the respected
gall-Black fighter squadron of
World War II, will describe their
struggles with racism in the mili-
tary, and comment on the past and
.current situation of Blacks in the
armed forces.
"We are going to address the
history, with stories and vignettes,
on how far we've come. We mean-
ing Americans," said former
fighter pilot Richard Macon, one
of the speakers. Macon was shot
down and held as a prisoner of war
in Nazi Germany for nine months.
"All Americans should know
about the contributions made by
all Americans. The textbooks don'.
cover it," he said.
Members of the squadron la per
named themselves the Tuskegee
Airmen, in reference to their seg-
regated training base near
Tuskegee, Alabama.
The Arnold Air Society (AAS),
an honorary community service or-
ganization affiliated with the Air
Force ROTC, is sponsoring the
symposium, entitled "African
Americans in the Military: Three
Tuskegee Airmen Speak Out."
"Many people didn't expect
African Americans to even be able
to fly. But they set records and
were more decorated than many
white pilots of the World War II
era," said LSA sophomore and
AAS member Dan Littman.
The all-Black 332nd fighter
agroup - which fought over North
Africa, Sicily, and Eastern Europe
- came home with 150 Distin-
guished Flying Crosses, a Legion
of Merit, and the Red Star of Yu-
goslavia.
"Not enough has been said
about African Americans in the
history books. There has been a lot
of recent debate about the over-
representation of African Ameri-
cans in the military, but it took
place not just in the Gulf war or
Vietnam, but every war. "P ..i, the
Revolution," Litt'a said.
He 'efended the military, offi-
.,ially desegregated in 1948, for
opening doors to African Ameri-
cans at a time when most were
closed.
'Many people didn't
expect African
Americans to even be
able to fly. But they
set records and were
more decorated than
many white pilots of
the World War II era'
- Dan Littman, LSA
sophomore
"The military has set the stan-
dards and practice in terms of in-
tegration. But we were segregated
at one time and we have im-
provements to make," he said.
"It's important that people real-
ize the success the military has
had with all races. We should ex-
amine what the military has done
to apply to other factors of civilian
life," he added.
The symposium will be held
from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, in MLB lec-
ture room 2.
Daily Staff Reporter
Debate has stirred even before
the introduction of Student Soap-
box - the new open forum pro-
gram sponsored by the University
Activities Center (UAC).
The first Student Soapbox will
tackle the issue of abortion. The
two speakers in the program will
be Sarah Weddington, the victori-
ous attorney in the Roe v. Wade
decision, and Phyllis Schlafly, the
woman Ronald Reagan credited as
the force behind the defeat of the
Equal Rights Amendment.
Before finalizing the program,
UAC needed a letter of sponsor-
ship to use Rackham Auditorium,
which is reserved for graduate-re-
lated activities.
A student organization can use
the building, however, if a Univer-
sity department is willing to write
a letter of sponsorship.
Viewpoint Lectures, the UAC
committee responsible for Student
Soapbox, originally asked the
Women's Studies program to spon-
sor the event. The Women's Stud-
ies program denied the request.
Event organizers believed the
request was denied because
Women's Studies did not want to
sponsor an event including
Schlafly - a charge Women's
Studies denies.
"The fact that they didn't ap-
prove of this because they didn't
approve of one of the views is
wrong. They don't have the right to
determine what's right or wrong in
an issue," said Viewpoint Lectures
co-Chair Mark Bernstein.
"While I respect the Women's
Studies department, I question the
wisdom of their espousing one par-
ticular viewpoint. While I realize
that Mrs. Schlafly's views are not
in vogue with the majority of stu-
dents today, it is nonetheless our
responsibility to present both sides
of the coin," added Ben Bass,
Viewpoint Lectures co-chair.
Women's Studies Director Abi
gail Stewart denied opposition to
Schlafly led to the refusal.
"Nobody approached us about
what would be a forum or event
which Women's Studies would
want to sponsor. Once the format
and speakers were decided upon,
we were asked to sponsor the proi-
gram," she said. "Abortion is x
very complex social, ethical, anal
legal problem. We would have
created a very different forum for
those type of issues."
If the department were to con-
duct the forum, it would encon-
pass other aspects of the issue,
Stewart said.
"We didn't want to polarize an
already polarized issue. There was
no planning to include the voices
of women of color in the forum.
That seemed to us to be a very se-
rious omission," she added.
Bass responded the purpose of
Student Soapbox is to present two
opposing sides of an issue by po-
larizing the forum with two antag-
onist speakers. He added, "Race
doesn't seem to figure into the
abortion debate as a primary moti-
vation for who our speikers should
be. We went to the heart of the is-
sue and Weddington and Schlafly
are two women who epitomize the
conflicting views that we wanted
to represent."
UAC President Sarah Jackson
said she respected the depart-
ment's right to make its own deck
sions. "I really think the Women's
Studies department has decided rit
wasn't good for their department;"
she said. "It is the Women's Stud-
ies right not to sponsor an eveint
that they do not want to sponsor."
The forum, which will be held
March 21 with authorization from
the Communications Department,
allows students to speak during an
open-mike session.
Tastes great!
Alexandra Rose, a Residential College senior, mixes a strange brew in a
painting class for non-art majors.
segregation in U.S.
r s
THE
LIST
What's happening in Ann Arbor today
Meetings
ACT-UP Ann Arbor, weekly meet-
ing. Group not affiliated with Revolu-
tionary Workers' League. Call 665-
1797 or 662-6282 for info. Union, Rm.
~2203,17:30.
Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry,
,weekly mtg. Hillel, 7 p.m.
Tagar, weekly mtg. Hillel, 8 p.m.
College Life, weekly meeting, spon-
sored by Campus Crusade for Christ.
Dental School, G005 Kellogg Aud., 7
p.m.
Persian Gulf Mutual Support,
weekly mtg. 3100 Union, 12-1.
Amnesty International, weekly mtg.
MLB, B-116, 7 p.m.
In Focus Filmworks, weekly mtg.
Angell Aud D, 7 p.m.
°Ultimate Frisbee Club, weekly mtg.
Fuller Park, lower fields, 5 p.m.
Homeless ActionsCommittee,
weekly mtg. MLB B 124, 5:30.
Hellenic Students Association, mtg.
Call Christine 764-9866 for info.
Union, Welker Rm, 8 p.m.
Journey Women, women and
spirituality group mtg. Guild House,
802 Monroe, 7:30.
Speakers
"Molecular Beams," Norman Ram-
sey, Nobel laureate in physics. 335
West Engineering, noon.
"Kamakura Court Memoirs by
Women," S. Yumiko Hulvey of the
University of Florida. Lane HaIl
Commons, noon.
Marc Sheehan reads from his poetry.
Union, Kuenzel Rm, 12:15.
"Multiple Pathways in Policy-
Related Careers: The Roles of
Research and Policy Training,"
Lindsay Chase-Lansdale of the
University of Chicago. Mason,
Developmental Psychology Lounge,
3rd floor, 1-3.
"Theoretical Approaches to the
Protein Folding Problem," Teresa
Head-Gordon of AT&T Bell
Laboratories. Chem Bldg, rm 1640, 2
p.m.
"Facile Redox Framework
Chemistry in Transition Metal-
Substituted Aluminophosphate
Molecular Sieves," Inchan Choi.
Chem Bldg, rm 1640, 4 p.m.
"Molecular Dynamics Based on the
Density Functional Theory," Shimin
Xu. Chem Bldg, rm 1640, 4 p.m.
"Meaning, Reference, and In-
tentinnallty In the Cammunkction
Martha Seger, former Federal Re-
serve Governor. Angell Aud. D, 4 p.m.
"The U.S. Forest Service: A
Historical Perspective and Future
Vision," Jeff DeBonis, executive
director of the Association of Forest
ServiceEmployees for Environmental
Ethics. MLB Aud. 4, 5 p.m.
"Privatizing Ann Arbor," David
DiGiuseppe of the Mackinac Center.
Union, Wolverine Rm, 7 p.m.
"Changes in Eastern Europe: What
Can These Tell Us About the
Future of China?" Liu Bin Yan.
Rackham Amphitheater, 7:30.
"Talking about poetry and
something else..." Tato Laviera.
Trotter House, 7:30.
"Focusing on Human Potential,"
Duncan Wyeth. St. Thomas Parish
Hall, 530 Elizabeth, 7:30.
Furthermore
Safewalk, nighttime safety walking
service. Functions 8-1:30 a.m. Sun.-
Thurs. Call 936-1000 or stop by 102
UGLi. Also at the Angell Hall
Computing Center 1-3 a.m. Sun. -
Thurs. Call 763-4246 or stop by the
courtyard.
Northwalk, North Campus nighttime
safety walking service. Functions 8-
1:30 a.m. Sun.-Thurs. Call 763-WALK
or stop by 2333 Bursley.
ECB Peer Writing Tutors available
to help with your papers Sunday-
Wednesday, Angell/Haven Comput-
ing Center, 7-11:00. 611 Church St.
Computing Center, Tuesday, Thurs-
day, 7-11, Wednesday, 8-10.
Free Tax Preparation. Sponsored by
VITA until April 15. Union, 3rd floor,
9-5.
Russkij Chaj, weekly Russian con-
versation practice. MLB 3rd floor con-
ference rm., 4-5:00.
U of M Shotokan Karate Club,
Thursday workout. CCRB Small Gym,
8-10:00.
The Yawp literary magazine.
Submissions accepted until 3/22 in
the box at 1210 Angell.
Russian Song Fest, informal group
singing, all levels. Call Dave 761-
2694 or Kelly 971-3175 for info. 310
Thayer, #1.
Michigan Prison System, weekly
seminar. MLB B135, 7:30.
"THEM," film. Discussion with di-
rector, producer, and writer to follow.
Call Michael 662-8481 for info.
Angell Aud. D, 7:30.
by Shalini Patel
Daily Staff Reporter
Dr. Ana Santiago discussed the
patterns of residential segregation
between Puerto Ricans, African
Americans, and European
Americans last night as part of the
first Michigan-Puerto Rican
Winter Term Celebration.
"It's very clear that Puerto Ri-
cans, and you could add other mi-
norities, do not have equal access
to housing (as whites)," Santiago
said. "So they face barriers to the
kind of services and amenities that
non-Hispanic whites pretty much
take for granted."
This segregation leads to in-
equities which are manifested in
poor schools and inadequate police
protection, she said.
A Postdoctoral Research
Fellow at the University's
Population Studies Center,
Santiago addressed what she
called the "Puerto Rican Para-
dox." While Puerto Ricans occupy
a lower socioeconomic position
than Blacks, she said, they are
less segregated from non-Hispanic
GEO
Continued from page 1
negotiations will last, both the
University and GEO spokespersons
said they were uncertain.
"It could end at anytime," said
University bargainer Colleen
Dolan-Greene.
"I'm hopeful that with continual
pressure by broader membership
we can have significant move-
ment," said GEO bargainer Alan
Zundel. "The fact that they made a
small step gives us hope for the fu-
ture, but it still isn't enough," he
said.
whites. However, higher status
Puerto Ricans are also segregated
from non-Hispanic whites.
"There has been a resurgent
interest in Puerto Ricans in
general in terms of research and
scholarship over the past five
years," she said, a trend she
attributed in part to the continuing
decline of their economic state.
Forty percent of Puerto Rican
families live in poverty, she added.
In a study of 59 metropolitan ar-
eas, 60 percent of Puerto Ricans
and 69 percent of African
Americans would have to move to
different areas to achieve
residential integration with whites,
she said.
Sponsored by the Puerto Rican
Association, the winter celebration
is intended to increase awareness
about Puerto Ricans and Latinos
and the problems they face in the
United States.
"We also hope to build a coali-
tion with other Latino groups and
work together to overcome our
common problems," said Associa-
tion President Raul Medina.
If the University and GEO can-
not reach an agreement, they
might use a mediator from a state
labor union, said Roberson. How-
ever, he was uncertain about the
timing of such a move.
"It is a ways off. We don't
know for sure if we will because
we hope to resolve as much as we
can before we go to any kind of
mediation," Roberson said, adding
that a strike is unlikely.
Plans are underway to mobilize
GEO members through an informa-
tional picket Friday from 10:30 to
12:30. A rally is scheduled for 1:00
in front of the Fleming Building.
F o Ud -uys
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