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One /undredfive years of editorial freedom
Monday
October 9, 1995
,6r
* a" A
rown opens
AFE House
shelter
y Laura Nelson
r the Daily
At the dedication of Washtenaw County's new SAFE
ouse - believed to be the country's first publicly funded
elter for battered women - Denise Brown, Nicole Brown
impson's sister, emphasized that education is key to stop-
ing domestic violence.
"I'm here under unfortunate circumstances," she said, to
ommunicate "how important it is to become educated about
omestic violence."
"This dirty little secret needs to come out of the closet."
Brown spoke on behalf of the Educational Campaign on
omestic Violence, a foundation she created recently to aid
attered women. The dedication also featured choral groups,.
urs of the facility and a presentation of plaques and awards
donors.
Brown said that education needs to start with the young
nd mentioned a program called "Hands are not for Hitting,"
hich is designed to teach elementary school children about
omestic violence.
It is also important to educate public officials like judges
nd police officers about domestic violence, Brown said,
ecause they are the people battered women turn to for help.
"Write your senators, write your congressmen," Brown
rged the crowd, "education should be funded."
Before she began speaking, an audience member gave
rown a framed copy of a poem titled, "Tribute to Nicole
rown Simpson." When she reached a line that implied O.J.
impson was guilty of committing the two murders despite
is acquittal, Brown stopped and said, "I can't read this."
However, she did continue reading the poem, the last lines
f which stated that O.J. Simpson "need only find a mirror,
find the killer."
On the subject of her sister's murder, Brown said that it
takes a tragedy to open people's eyes ... to realize, 'Hey, we
ave a problem here.'"
"It's time forthe battererto hide in shame and battered women
be protected by the community," Susan McGee, executive
rector of SAFE House, said in a speech following Brown's.
The 30,000-square-foot facility features a 30-bedroom,
0-bed shelter, an education center and a children's center.
Washtenaw County voters approved a $3.2 million special
roperty tax increase over two years in November 1992 to
inance the construction. The facility's operating expenses
re paid through donations and other private funding.
Pointing at the recently completed shelter, McGee said,
there is the symbol of your trust in the future."
Brown's appearance attracted hundreds of people to the
edication of SAFE House. She also brought "attention to
omestic violence nationally, and now here locally," said
SA senior Rachelle Smith, who helps organize educational
rograms that focus on dating violence.
Ginny Doolittle, a Rochester Hills woman who attended
e dedication, said her daughter died as a result of domestic
.iolence. She said that she came "to support the shelter and
let the public know my daughter has been done wrong."
Greater public awareness might have helped her daughter,
oolittle said: "She wouldn't have thought it was such a
isgrace to be abused."
NAACP at 'U
reopens after
2-year absence
By Katie Wang
For the Daily
This fall, the University chapter of the
National Association for the Advance-
ment of Colored People is reopening its
doors. After a two-year absence, the
NAACP has reorganized and has a new
agenda for the upcoming year.
President Loren McGee said she and
several other students decided to restart
the NAACP because they felt that there
was no campus organization that really
addressed the concerns of black students.
"We want to start a new group to imple-
ment the great ideas we have for the black
student population," McGee said.
One of the first activities planned is a
silent sit-in for affirmative action on the
steps of the Michigan Union on Thurs-
day.
McGee also wants the organization
to focus on increasing the number of
registered voters on campus.
"We hope that the 'Get Out to Vote
Campaign' will prompt students to take
an active role in the voting process,"
McGee said.
According to the NAACP mission
statement, one of its goals on college
campuses is to "coordinate and develop
a program to increase youth participa-
tion inthe civilrightsmovement as well
as provide a training ground for future
leaders of the black community."
Other black student organizations,
such as the Black Greek Association,
welcomed the return of the NAACP.
BGA President Patrice Petway said,
"BGA and the NAACP are going to
work together. I think it's going to be a
positive step forward."
The NAACP has a rich history on
campus. Members of the NAACP
played an important role in the 1970
Black Action Movement, which virtu-
ally shut down the University to protest
for increased minority admissions and
more financial aid to minorities.
After the second Black Action M .xve-
ment in 1976, the NAACP disappeared,
but resurfaced in 1985. Suffering from a
lack of interest, the group disbanded in
1993. This is the third time the NAACP
has organized itself at the University.
Petway said she thinks the re-emer-
gence of the NAACP will "strengthen
and unite the black community even
Detroiters
march for
racial jIce
DETROIT (AP) - Thousands
of people from all over Michigan
took to the streets of Detroit and
Highland Park yesterday as part of
Focus: HOPE's annual Walk for
Justice.
The Rev. William T.
Cunningham, Focus: HOPE's ex-
ecutive director, state and federal
legislators and community leaders
gathered before the march at the
Focus: HOPE bandshell to thank
the 25,000 participants who either
joined the 8-mile walk or sent a
donation.
There was no immediate esti-
mate available on the number of
people who walked, said Ann
Slawnik, assistant manager of Fo-
cus: HOPE's volunteer department.
The walk, in its 25th year, is
billed as reminiscent of peaceful
demonstrations organized by Mar-
tin Luther King Jr.
"I think it was important to be here
because of all the ruckus lately,"
Karen Griffin said as she hopped
aboard a courtesy van at the midway
point of the walk. "It's greatto see all
these people coming together. We
really can all get along."
Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer,
U.S. Sen. Spencer Abraham, U.S.
Rep. John Conyers and state Sen.
Jackie Vaughn were among those
who kicked off the walk.
more than it already is."
McGee stressed that membership is
open to people ofall colors.'"NAACP is
a student agenda - we are working
toward bettering the student environ-
ment here," she said.
The group's next mass meeting takes
place tonight at 8 o'clock in the Nikki
Giovanni Lounge of MosherJordanresi-
dence hall.
Above: Denise Brown, Nicole Brown
Simpson's sister, spoke yesterday at
the dedication of Washtenaw County's
new SAFE House. Before she began
speaking, an audience member gave
Brown a framed copy of a poem titled,
"Tribute to Nicole Brown Simpson."
Right: Ann Arbor resident Jenny Wood,
a volunteer at the shelter, attended
Brown's speech with Annie Rekshan,
her best friend's daughter. Reckshan,
also of Ann Arbor, said she is
interested in preventing domestic
violence.
Photos by TONYA BROAD/Daily
1st Ward candidates focus on defferent issues
By Maureen Sirhal
Daily Staff Reporter.
Nov. 7 is the day that Ann Arbor City
Council candidates anticipate as 15 residents
from five wards compete for the five open-
ings on council.
In the 1st Ward, Republican newcomer
John Kidle seeks the seat of incumbent Demo-
crat Patricia Vereen-Dixon. The 1st Ward
covers Central and North campuses, but not
most student housing east or south of campus.
Vereen-Dixon said her platform is one of
continuing the current projects and hope-
fully cutting some of the politics out of
council's bi-weekly meetings.
"Everyone is tired of the politics," she
said. "I think we need to put politics aside
and work together."
Parking is a concern for many candidates
and residents of Ann Arbor in this election.
'There is no doubt parking is a major
problem," Vereen-Dixon stressed. "I hon-
estly don't know where we would put more
parking. But we are look-
ing for alternatives, such
as bike shelters and bik-
ing lanes, so people have ound" 1
other ways of getting
around beside cars."V'nt
Vereen- Dixon sai d e
University-city relations
is one area that needs Elections,
more attention.01995
Vereen-Dixon said she
would like to see the
University and Ann Arbor Transit Authority
join forces and more city programs to attract
students for community service.'
Although many Republicans on council
have criticized the Democratic majority for
accusations that candidate city administrator
Roger Crum engaged in domestic violence,
Vereen-Dixon said she believes council is do-
ing a fine job and the administrator hopefuls
were quality candidates.
Kidle, her challenger, has a different pic-
ture of the progress of the current council.
"I really hadn't intended on becoming a
politician," Kidle said. "There were a few
things that bothered me and I wanted to try to
get involved and see what I could do."
Those "few things" include the City
Council's handling of a YMCA lawsuit and
the more recent city administrator search.
Among his concerns, Kidle lists the budget
and public safety as two of the biggest issues.
"There are a lot of places that the city could
trim its budget," he said. "Mostly in the
privatization ofcity services, such as the main-
tenance of parks."
Kidle added he also was worried about
crime in the city. "There are things happen-
ing in Ann Arbor that never used to happen,"
Kidle said. "Especially with the murder of
that young Ann Arbor teen on the city's
south side over the summer."
Kidle is director of administrative services
for Michigan National Bank in Farmington
Hills. He has abachelor's from Michigan State
University and an master's of business admin-
istration from the University.
Peg Eisenstodt, co-chair of the Coalition
for Common Sense in City Governance,
said her group is not looking to endorse
candidates but rather educate voters.
"Too man people in Ann Arbor vote based
on party line or because they have heard the
name," she said. "Our primary goal is trying to
inform people of what is going on so they can
make an educated decision."
JONATHAN LURIE/Daily
mani Toomer and the rest of the Wolverines were tripped
p by the No. 25 Wildcats Saturday.
Northwestern
pusets Blue
TheNo. 25 Northwestern football team,
id something Saturday it hadn't done
ince 1959 - win in Michigan Stadium.
The Wildcats took advantage ofMichi-
an mistakes, while making few of their
Designer of Vietnm wau
unveils meor at'U
By Anupama Reddy
For the Daily
The earth moved, so to speak, when Maya
Lin's sculpture "The Wave Field" was dedi-
cated at the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Build-
ing of North Campus on Friday.
A crowd of curious onlookers, including
students and faculty, assembled around the
earthen sculpture. Music and dance performed
by members of the University community
complemented the interactive nature of Lin's
place we could study outside was the Diag,
but there was rio place to lean on, Now, 'The
Wave Field' (with its undulating mounds) is
a real solution to our problem."
Lin said of her project that "one side is
science, and the other side is of Francois,
who reminds me of the 'Little Prince' in
Antoine de Saint Exupery's book."
The Association of Francois-Xavier
Bagnoud, founded by Boisrouvray, is a hu-
manitarian agency supporting health and
II
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