vol_10_no_14 by Michigan Review

MTS Abuse Haunts U-M University Computer System Used to Malign U-M Personnel by Chetly Zarko Big Brother may be watching the next time you sign on to the Michigan Terminal System (MrS). Well, at the very least, some midJevel University bureaucrats in the Information Technology Division (ITO) seem to have taken such power upon themselves in politically selected cases. The recently revealed contents of a privileged, private conference called NEWHAVEN appear to reveal the existence of an "invisible University" operating in the absence of any oversight Evidence from several sources suggests that ethical and perhaps illegal conduct has been plaguing parts of the University's computer networking system for several years. Allegations have been made that an ITD Diversity Facilitator Selection Committee member enters his own "Why I hate Person-X" items; that computing employees have been illegally reading private electronic mail; that University employees are transferring control of their University accounts to 'people not affiliated with the U-M; and that ITD is selectively enforcing regulations based on

politics. All of this has transpired, interestingly, under the cover of a private MTS conference and in abject disregard for responsibility and the rules governing MTS usage. "A (group) which is final and. unreviewable needs more careful scrutiny than any other. "Unreviewable power is the most likely to self-indulge itself and least likely to engage in disp~()~ate self analysis. "In a counby like our own, no public institution, or the peopte' who operate it, can be above public debate," Warren Burger, 1968, nine months before he was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. The story begins with the University computer conierencing system. Originally created by U-M's own Robert Pames, Confer II TM, as the conferencing system is named, represents a relatively new form of communication. The advantage of Confer lies in its ability to bring together large groups of people in a written forum for debate and discussion, as well as in its ability to store entered information permanently for easy future access.

There are two types of conferences, public and private. Public conferences are accessible by anyone who has a computer account on MTS. Access to private conferences is subject to exclusionary club admissions, blackballin~ or, positively-to academic projects. Students, staff and flculty can all obtain MTS accounts

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by request through ITD. Members of the general public can purchase accounts for a set fee. These conferences are used for a wide variety of constructive purposes, including social interaction, inter-<iepartmental communication, classes, communicaPlease See Page 21

Tempers Flare Over 'Bitch' Remark

derstand how, in the midst of a tense by Doug Thiese . situation, Lowry could make such a stateIn an extremely controversial inciment. dent, J. William Lowry, then a Michigan Student Assembly (MSA)representative ./_'" ..rrUring MSA's constituents' time on March 24, Khalid stated that MSA was a and candidate for the Michigan Moose '10hn Birch Society," and told MMP that Party (M11J», berated Network for Equal "when you sleep with a dog [ConservaEconomic Development (N.E.E.D.) Sertive Coalition (cq1you catch his fleas." vice Advisor Safiya Khalid during an Khalid then accused the Assembly (speMSA meetin~ asking her, "Have you cifically CC and MMP) of "malicious ever heard of slander, bitch?" Although destruction of property" resulting in a this incident has.been widely discussed, most students have yet to read or hear loss of $87,125 for N.E.E.D. Service. She also accused the Assembly of colluding what actually occurred. While nothing with a "high administrator at this Unicould pOSSibly excuse the utterance of versity" in order to carry out "racist" and such a derogatory comment by a repre"sexist" practices against N.E.E.D. Sersentative to a constituent, knowing what vice (such as denying office space and really took place could help students unMSA fundin~ and breaking office equipment) over a two-year period beginning in September, 1990. During the course of her comments,

Coursepack Copyright Controversy Continues

Please See Page 19 by Joe Coletti . Three publishers have gained an injunction against Michigan Document Services, Inc. (MDS) compelling the shop to cease reproducing materials for which any of the publishers have a copyright without first receiving written consent. The injunction was issued by Judge Barbara Hackett in U.s. federal court on April 1. St. Martin's Press, Princeton University Press, and Macmillan/Free Press are being represented by the.same law firm which handled a similar case involving Kinko's. The present suit is being coordinated by the American Association of Publishers (AAP), which also organized the KinkD's case. The suit against Kinko's, Basic Books tis. Kinko's Graphics Corporation, was decided in US. District Court last March. In

even hoped for the suit. Smith's policy that case Kinko's was found guilty of had been not to seek permission beforecopyright infringement by Judge hand, but instead to send checks to pubConstance Baker Motley, who ruled that lishers based on a one-cent-per-page Kinko's was printing coursepacks for fee. He claims that this is a much more profit-making, not educational, reasons equitable way to pay for use than the and therefore did was not protected under the doctrine of "fair use." The result systems some publishers have in place now. of the case has been that all makers of In response, Carol Risher of the AAP coursepacks must first receive permission from publishers before reproducing . said, lilt's ridicu lous for Mr. Smith to decide not to g~t permission." In the any material. Kinko's ruling, she added, Judge Motley The present suit stems from the alstated that the two main sources of revleged inclusion of works from these pubenue for publishers are books or journals lishers for which MDS neither requested and the rights to print them. Risher also nor obtained permission to copy. The noted that many companies and organiinjunction against MDS is the first part of zations are now acting as middlemen to this suit, rumored since last October and gain permission for individual shops. originally filed on February 27, charging MDS with copyright infringement. Please See Page 7 MDS owner Jim Smith expected and

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

April 15, 1992

Serpent's Tooth After the success of our first single, "Smells Like Catherine MacKinnon," Feminana has decided to release a follow-up. We have dedicated the song to our favorite campus activist-turnedcriminal, and called it "Smells Like Pat Maurer." We had to plagiarize the song from a popular late night television show, but the words were so appropriate, we just couldn't resist: "A lot of people say who's that/It's Patl A lot of people ask who's he/Or she/Madame or sir/ Accept him or her/Or whatever it may bel It's time for androgyny / Here comes Pat." In its quest for politically correct diversity, the University of Minnesota's College of Liberal Arts recently decided to wipe out two blatantly Eurocentric language departments: French and German. The classes were condemned for following a "European inteUectual model" and failing to satisfy "university initiatives in diversity." Students must now learn either Swahili sign language, or Morse code. A group calling itself the Advisory Committee for Curricular Transformation at Middle Tennessee State College has asked professors there to complete questionnaires in order to evaluate the prevalence of sexism in the classroom. According to the questionnaire, one evident sign of sexism is when males interrupt classroom discussion more frequently than females. Such a phenomenon, we hear, is called classus inkrruptus. During the debate in which Jerry Brown accused Bill Clinton of funnelling Arkansas' legal business towards Hillary Clinton's law firm, Clinton responded to. Brown, "You ought to be ashamed of yourself for jumping on my wife." The operative word, of course, is "jumping" and you're one to talk, Slick Willie. Bill Clinton recently admitted to smok-

We couldn't help but notice how much SAPAC's Sexism in Advertising ballot smacks of contradiction. First, SAPAC complains that too many advertisements are "sexist" and "degrading." But then, in their quest for pseudo-sensitivity, SAPAC bemoans the fact that "women of color are absent, showing the way the media has hidden and silenced oppressed groups." So what do they want, women of color to be objectified so they can cry about that, too? By the way, SAP AC, did you notice the fact that two no)Jlinated advertisements'~ on your ballot' contained these suppos:' edly "absent" peQple of color? We'll assume that if either one wins, the voters are inherently raCist. A flyer posted around campus recently advertised a dialogue session entitled "Hate Speech vs. Free Speech." The ad invites students to "come share your experiences and feelings about hate speech" and "talk with other people of color about our side - the side that never get<; heard." Considering freshman orientation, the diversity requirement, the content-based interim speech code, mandatory "sensitivity" seminars in residence halls, and the Michigan Mandate, we find that rather difficult to take seriously. "Fight Racist Cop Brutality" declares a flyer distributed by the fountainheads of Ann Arbor communism, the Revolutionary Workers League and the Ann Arbor Committee to Defend Abortion and Reproductive Rights. The flyer offers the same old line about fascist cops, and then ironically calls for the establishment of

MICIDGAN REVIEW "defense squads" and "tribunals." In other words, we don't want a police force, just a police state.

Printed on Brand-New, Bleached, Non-Recyclable Paper

In attempting to defend their position on free expression, the Maoists recently pointed out in some propaganda that ''The Cultural Revolution in China (19661976) underscored the need for free expression in socialist countries. Hundreds of independent newspapers sprang up, as students, workers, and peasants confronted the abusers of power in their socialist system. In a mass movement of hundreds of millions of people, the people of China created a new society of unprecedented equality." Hmmm. Can you say "Tienanmen Square?"

The Campus Affairs Journal of the University of Michigan Elf King ..... ..... ... ........................ Adam DeVore Mother Nature .................. Karen S. Brinkman Deerslayer .......................Andrew Bockelman Arch Druid ..................................Tony Ghecea Swamp Thing ..................... Kishore Jayabalan Dark Elf ............. ..... ..........................Joe Coletti Hobgoblin ..... ... ... ... ... ...................... Corey Hill Dr. Satyr.................................. ...Jay D. McNeill Eco-Terrorist............ .... ..........Tracy Robinson Pixie ........ ............................ ....5tacey L. Walker

Following the Wolverines' defeat of Cincinnatti in the national semi-finals, three members of the Review were running up State Street yelling and laughing like everyone else in anticipation of the ensuing celebration. They did, however, take the time to listen to the wise words of a gentleman who had obviously Spet).t. his entire day at the Hash Bash: "Hey, man, if you smoked reefers, you'd feel this good everyday."

Sprite .........................................Ryan Boeskool Sylph......................... .....................Beth Martin Waste Water Sludge..................Brian Schefke

..f.an. .................................................Chris Peters ~

Rumor has it that the recent tear gassing on South University was actually undertaken as a clever cover-up for an exceedingly flatulent Ann Arbor Police Department - a donut-fest gone bad. Recently overheard at a press conference: When former California governor Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown, was asked whether he had ever smoked marijuana, Brown denied ever doing so. A reporter at the conference quipped, "Well, at least not on this planet."

In the April 9th issue of the Daily, Forrest Green III wrote in his tragically-hip "Notes From The Underground": "I've always believed the truth needs no defending." Really, Forrest? Then why do you continue to write your column every week? Well, we forgive you, and in your honor, we have asked our printer to color our nameplate forest green.

by Joe Martin

to YO..) I=IND 11-IEM ENV~I~ E3ECAUss- m::Y USE E.\I~INb AND NOTHINb ~ -m WAST/;?l

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ing marijuana, but proclaimed "I didn't inhale and I didn't like it." As political humorist Harry Shearer points out, ''That's about as likely as having sex with Gennifer Flowers for 12 years and not ejaculating."

Mister Boffo

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Halfling................................. Adam Garagiola Dryad .. ................................ .......Shannon Pfent Nuclear Fallout.. ......... ..... ...........Doug Thiese Ewok. ....................... ............Peter Daugavietis Acid Rain Man ...............................Chet Zarko Nymph........................................ .Jenoifer Weil Gremlins Eddie Arner, Christopher Bair, Mike Beidler, David Boettger, Mister Boffo, Michele Brogley, P.J. Danhoff, James E. Elek, Joe Epstein, Frank Grabowski, Chuck Hugener, Nate Jamison, Ken Johnston, Mary the Cat, Peter Miskech, Bud Muncher, Crusty Muncher, David J. Powell, Mitch Rohde, Charles Rousseau'\:, Ed Sloan, Dan Spillane, Jay Sprout, Perry Thompson. Jim Waldecker, Matt Wilk, Tony Woodlief.

Evil Gnome ................................... .... .. Jeff Muir Tree Sloth .................................Brian Jendryka Hobbit-at-Large ........................ ,John J. Miller Druid Emeritus......................... Marc Selinger 1be Mi chigan Rroiav is an independent" non-profit, student-run joumal at the University of Michigan. 1be Rroiew is not affiliated with any political party. We neither solicit nor accept any funding from the University of Michigan. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the editorial board. Signed articles represent the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of the Review. We welcome letters and articles and encourage comments about the joumal and issues discussed in it Our address is: SUITE ONE

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NORTH UNIVERSITY AVENU E

ANN ARBOR, MI 48109-1265

TEL (313) 662-1 FAX (313) 936-2505

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

April 15, 1992

Roving Photograp!1er Visits Hash Bash What do you think of Hash Sash? by Karen S. Brinkman and Adam DeVore

Derek, Ted, Mike, East Lansing: It's pretty cool. It's a great way to get ideas started. The cops suck.

Molly Quinn, Toledo, OR: I love it. There's really no proof of marijuana's supposedly bad effects, but it is good for your heart - it clears the arteries. , I like it.

Mark, Defiance, OH: I think it's great. This is my third Hash Bash, and I hope it keeps going strong for another twenty-odd years.

Leo Heatley, Department of Public Safety and Security: No comment.

Robert, Ann Arbor: What the speakers say about the effects of hemp for people receiving chemotherapy is true: it stops the nausea and ~ncreases your apetite. It was tough to smoke in the hospital, but...

One of the first patients in the U.S. government's program for the medicinal use of marijauna urges the crowd to fight for it's return as a prescriptive drug. i.

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April 15, 1992

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

From Suite One: Editorials

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Students Battle U-M's Divisive Diversity Despite the U-M's unconvincing lip service to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "dream" coalition of groups representing students from a myriad of backgrounds thwarted the of a community free of racial antagonism, wherein it is the content of people's divisive effects of "diversity" and overcame their differences by making a concerted characters that serves as the basis upon which they are judged, the U-M has (perhaps effort to bring Spike Lee to the U"'":M. Regardless of whether one understands Lee's unwittingly) built a community which thrives on separatism and focuses on the message as a call for racial separatism (a la Malcolm X) or m~rely an emphatic differences among people rather than the things they have in common. While the admonition of the need for racial self-awareness, his visit to U-M served as a catalyst resulting cultural Hmelting por has brought together an amazing variety of students, for group cooperation, and in that respect it was an overwhelming success. Lee's visit true integration in the student body has not come so easily. The prominence of .was the ~d result of, to quote the flier heralding his speech, lithe collaboration of an ethnocentric minority groups on campus speaks vol~es about the state of campus unprecedented number of student groups," including such erstwhile antagonists as integration: the Black Student Union (BsU), ostensibly a socW.reformistgroup meant the Black StUdentUni9llithe B~n:aiBrithHiUelFoundation, the Interfraternity Council, to promote equality, frequently excludes whites from its. meetings; th~ I/SOcially and Kuumba.~ite their ~rences/aI\d i,n. ~iteof a campus atmosphere which is Active Latino Students Association (SAlSA)" pr"9vi$1es a racially-exdusive",terna.. noHM'least bit conducive to student ooOperation,th~ ,groups worked together to tive to what should be all stud~ts woddrig together for social p~; an4.,pemaps .... fulfil,la common,goaI, Cll\d f~rthatthey ,mel'ita gOod ,dealof,praise. most hypocritiCal of alt·insteaclofall stud~tnuUtin8to achieve a (~'gqal~ we . . .',Rather '~ha~i;being the notable excepti~howev~r, .sut!h ~dentcooperation have ~ority Youth StriVingTo~at~Cohesiven~(MYSnC);'!,Coh~ve- .,' shO(d(l'b ethe ~ablenOm1;iit ;woUldheraldtf\e,advenrof'8n intelle<.1ual openness ness? To this campus, cOhesiveness iSfor:eigh word~ '. . ' ' , . , WJUCh~ramp~shaSlong lll~' IUs unf~tethatthetJ-M 'has m<>seil to put Instead .of unifying anduriiting our mUl,tif8c~ed~y of studen~,~e .U.::.M's •...'.J Mhitsbtand Of .Idiv:ersity" .in a manner Which p~ys .mQr¢.heed to emphasizing version of diYen!ity has cOnsisttmtly dlyidedit Instead of t~cuingdoWllth:e,w:ClUs;(,f . . ,,:' ,$tUde.nt'diff~c~~' it.does to insuril1g theit\lm;r,ation ptstudent li(e. But, as the misunderstanding betWeen different ~p8 of people, NdlyersitY"·,has stre~E!4 ,,~.:,~~ftolmrigSpIk~ l~to,the t),.MilIustra~ ~d"Sbidet)tUnificatioo IS by no means thoee walls by emphasiDng collectiviSt thinking: the black,pOpuiation isoften~~. ' ·,: ~ble -difficull, :perilapseven paiJ)fQl,'~uUomething to work for nonetheless. . as a monolith of donn, histOricalJyo.ppressed people; the whitepopulatiOnisoften",,; " rM:U"-M~~, unrea,dYas yet torelinquisbthe str~lehoid on student relations viewed as a umtaterai group of 0Pfte6S0t8;the femalep()~ati~n is ~. as~ng . . whicllit ntain~fl:Sthr?u~h sUch counterp~~ve. in~~nts as .the "Interim perpetually ~ted by male geXlSll\; and the male,~tion lslookedupon .a St ..· , CcKle,"th~"Uvmg at Michigan Credo," an,dpQliticized ~divel'Slty" requn:emen~, and reservoir of regressive prejudice and hatred. U~'s diversity ~am propagateStl\e· ... untilit~ews theSe relics ofcoliectivistthif.tldn:g it will fail mits effQrl to create a myth that different peOples haveinMrently '(e. g., race-:basecior gend~) ·differ.o. .harmoniousmulticultutal C()iJUnuruty~ But that does nOt .meanthat open-minded ent perspectives which are products of their race andgender;individum varosh into .studentscannotlead the way. • . . . ,"'" . pre-defined identity groups, the agendas of which are alrriosfalways at odds. By . ''1'vei>een told ~ has never~~ on this campUS,H said Lee at a pres; exalting our differencesovet' Our similarities as members oIa single h\lltW\ race, . ... cOn£erence earli,erpnth~dayofhis ~I/It really Shooldnot be the exception. I just "diversity" has main~ and .reirlfOl'<:ed bamers betwee.n students clnd.hindered . •.hope it ~tinu~ilfter lleave~ because when I'm gone, you still have to continue togo nearly every opportunity for mutual understanding ana ~ation between groups. . .to school here arid,try to live, study, and learn in harmony; Maybe this will be the The recent effort to bring Spike Lee to camp~however,repreSents an unoommon beginning ofthAl~ Maybe itwill.ltappears, at the very le~t,to be a step in the right departure from this disheartening.nonn. Over the (()Urse of the past few ·months,adi.rection.· ( .

. Gradu....ng'senlorsl ·

.seniors:·Onward and Upward

You can still \Jl8ke a difference. Your days of protesting.on the Diag maybe . over, but as alumni ofthe UniverSity you still have the power to influence the administration's decisions ..Send a message to President Duderstadt and the rest of the U-M bureaucracy. Hit the University where it hurts: NO SENIQR PLEDGE PROGRAM OR ALUMNI DONAnONS UNTIL THE UNIVERSITY ABOLISHES THE CODE.

Continuing with fhegradilation theme, we ~ldlike to tDke this opportunity to recognize aU the.hard work ourgr.aduatingsenicrs havecontributid to the Review. We . ··· wish tliim well in the.ir future endeavors. WUliam F. Buckley, Jr., who has ~n writing under the pseudonym John J. Miller for the.past several years, will be taking over as head of the African-American Studies Department at the City College of New York. He will also be co-chairing the Department of Deconstruction. Jeff Muir is currently being considered for the position of director of U-M's Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center. He is also running a crisis hotline for victims of psychological rape at 1-800-HOf-BABE. (No heavy breathing, please.) Brian Jendryka has become an expert in several Slavic languages while at the UM. He will be utilizing these skills in the upcoming months while travelling as a roadie with Spinal Tap on their already sold-{)ut Polish national tour. Kishore Jayabalan, who has been waiting for the results of his intense job search for over two months (and will go back to Charles Moody for some boneheaded assistance.if he remains unemployed), has decided to live at home with his mom and dad (and a year's supply of "Rolling Rock" beer). Mike Beidler will be attending Navy flight school in preparation to defend the United States of America, including all the misguided liberals protesting on the Oiag, should there be any threats to national security.

•• R

Dave Boettger has sUccessfully completed his training on the Review's assault photography team an~ will now open an anti-rnaniage counSelling center in Salt

. LakeOty, Utah.

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April 15, 1992

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Letters,,路to the Editor Reader Attacks Mask

justifications were as disingenuous as if Lee Atwater had said, "What? You mean Willie Horton is Black?" The Review had to have known that more than just a few alarmists would be insulted; otherwise it would not have looked forward to playing a joke on a multitude of offended readers. Furthermore, the Review claims to be anthropologically sophisticated enough to see the refined nuances of specific types of ritual masks; why then would its staff select the mask because it looked like a "dumb" person? I do not mean to say that DeVore spoke for all of the Review's writers, nor do I mean to suggest that any member of the paper's staff is a racist. Nonetheless, the Review has won over its fans by keeping its tongues in its collective cheek and pissing off as many people as possible. Playing a racist prank could only help its image. StilL whether or not it is meant in jest, racism in print is not funny - you might check out some of the anti-Semitic cartoons that ran jn 1930s Germany if

I am writing to complain about your February 12 challenge to Forrest Green III to prove that the Review is a White supremacist paper [as he asserted in his February 6 column]. I believe that you are well within your rights to demand evidence, and I am not offended even by the vemal insults you sling at Mr. Green. I am, however, vilified by the accompanying graphic of the mask, which, despite the Review's hyper-rationaJized justifications, is inescapably racist in its slant Political satires frequently use inaccurate visual stereotypes to identify ethnic and political groups. Editorial cartoonists represent all OPEC members in robes and hlfiyahs, even though only those nations on the Saudi Peninsula wear them. When The Clash wanted to portray the Israeli government on the cover of its uRock the Casbah" album, it used the image of a Chasidic Jew; despite this, Chasidic Jews believe only the Messiah ~ ." can form the Zionist state, and thus refuse you think it is. ./ .. to recognize the Israeli government. .'" Gabriel Feldberg The standard satirical icon for AfriR.c. Junior. cans still living in tribes is the bonethrough-the-nose, loin cloth-wearing "Native." Since the mask accompanied a Mr. Feldberg claims I told him that the tirade against a journalist of African deReview'sstt#"waS loddngjorward to chuckcent, its context brought to mind similar ling ironically when it told complainants stereotypical images of Africans. As those that they were not sensitive enough even to images imply tribal Africans are stupid, tell the difference between two radically difvicious, and invariably savage, the mask ferent cultures. " The point I tried to convey recalled the hateful attitudes behind the to him, perhaps unsuccessfully, was that th~ stereotypes. Whatever its intentions, the who would camplain would do so under the iconic weight of the mask effectively assumption that the mask was of African called Mr. Green a jungle bunny. origin. VVhen people ccmplained, we informed The publicatiOI\'s apologists may say them of the mask's Iroquois origin and our that I used that term before they did, but reason for printing it - its clueless, dazed Review Editor Adam DeVore's spurious expression. Several individuals retracted their explanations have led me to believe that criticism. Others simply changed their reathe Review in fact wanted the graphic to sons for calling the Review racist: the graphic, be a slur. Mr. DeVore pointed out that the as used, was an insult to the Iroquois people, mask was not actually African, but from they said. Wrong. The 11UlSk was chosen bethe False Face Society of the iroquoiS cause it was not African and for its expresConfederacy. According to him, the Resion. That does not mean that we think that view chose it because the face had a dazed Iroquois look clueless. That the mask comes look, implying that Green wru; "in a stufrom the False Face Society makes it irresistpor" when he attacked the Review. The ible. - Adam DeVore Review, DeVore claimed, also liked the loaded metaphor of a false face mask. Flabbergasted Fundee DeVore said that the Review knew that some people might be offended by I am writing in response to your the mask, but that enough people would article in the March 18,1992 issue of the understand its allegOrical meaning to Review entitled "MSA funds: The Sordid merit printing it. He said that the Review Papertrail." While I admire your efforts calculated irate readers would call to in attempting to enlighten the student chastise the paper for its cultural insensipopulation as to where their money is tivity, and admitted that his staff was going, I would like to draw your attenlooking forward to chuckling ironically tion to a grave error. Under "MSA's when it told the complainants that they Heavyweight Spenders," your paper were not sensitive enough even to tell the listed the Earth Day Committee. I know difference between two radically differfor a fact that we were allocated $70 from ent cultures. MSA. After working together with other I __ ... __ I cannot .___ __'help _,____ feeling___ Mr._..DeVore's '_,_______________ student organizations ,'-__ _______ to plan ___ '_an_,day __,,. of j

events in celebration of Earth Day, our budget does not come close to the figure you printed. After reading falsehoods such as this, it is no wonder that many students form unreasonable expectations from student groups. While we are working extremely hard to plan exciting events for Earth Day, they will be nowhere near the magnitude of an event that could be organized with a budget of almost $7000.

Jennifer Hurta LSAJunior The "Michigan Student Assembly of the University of Michigan, Inc., Student Legal Services and Ann Arbor Tenants' Union Schedule of External Allocations" for the "Year Ended Dec. 31, 1990" lists "Earth Day Committee (ENACT-UM)" as having "reimbursed expenses" of "$6,929." If what y~ say is true, then perhaps MSA needs to explain where the remaining $6,859 went. Ed.

~'; Solomon 1:5 and 5:11, Daniel 7:9 and 10:6, John 8:32 Of course you will deny this challenge. Please, next time you decide to make some ignorant claims about something you have no knowledge of, don't.

Richard G. Mack LSA Freshman The Review. accepts ycrnrchpl~ge, Mr. Mack. As per our discussion, we will set up a topic for a Review forum in September. Ed.

Elvis Stamp Feedback

I would very much appreciate it if you would kindly correct a couple of misprints that appeared under my name in Mitch Rohde's "Elvis Stamp" (Roving Photographer, Review, March 4, 1992). First, the name itself. It's Leonardo de OLIVE' Ferreira Secondly, the caption should read: "Stamp B, because Stamp A's PHASE Put Up or Shut Up WAS (rather than 'face is') very disappointing. I think the ALBUMS from W.ell, welL well: .. I'm upset, but not Stamp B's era WERE much better, and surpnsed. The RevIew has taken up ~_..- -m5re representative of his career as a offensive position against me. Not my路; wholeP ,c',,' article, or its specifiC content, but me. It Leonardo de Olive' Ferreira has been shown that the writer of the Engineering Grad Student article in Serpent's Tooth, April 1, 1992, (few people saw this article, because of a lack of readers), has not matured much from grade school. Instead of addressing PC-Language Respectful the specifics of a disagreement, this boy / Though I often do not agree with the girl has chosen to throw meaningless insults, avoiding the topiC. It seems that views held by your writers, I frequently college has not expanded his/her mind pick up the Review to hear "the other for different ideru;, but not only expanded side" of issues on campus. Nevertheless, his/her vocabulary for different insults! I felt compelled to comment on your So I, Richard G. Mack Jr., cordially "Politically Correct Vocabulary" crossinvite you to a debate. I challenge and word puzzle in the March 18, 1992 issue urge you to find fault or misinformation of the Review: '. " . ,. c, . with anything, anything in my article," Ifseemsru; if this crossword is again which you refer to as "unsubstantiated attempting to cloud the real purpose of and bogus." Realizing that you may be politically correct speech. Sure, no one ignorant of such a topic ru; Afrocentricity, likes to be labelled "sexist," "racist," or I shall supply you with a "handy-<iandy" "homophobic." White heter9sexual list of books and scriptures: males are often the targets of such labels. -How Europe Underdeveloped Africa by W. On the other hand, white heterosexual males are not the target d physical threats Rodney - African Origin to Civilization by C. A. or degradation on the basis of their sexuDiop ality, race, or gender. They are not called -Civilization or Barbarism by C. A. Diop "fags," "chicks," or "niggers." - A History of the Modern World by R. Politically correct speech is simply a Palmer matter ofshowing respect for a group of - Before the Mayflower by L. Bennett people who are called something they do -Introduction to African Civilization by J. not want to be called. A white male Jackson shouldn't be called a "sexist" if he is not - Black Talk by B. Sidran one, just as I don't enjoy being called a -Mother of Us All Was African in the New "girl" because I am a woman. Is that so York Post, September 27,1991 much to ru;k? -Africa, the Bible, Jesus ofNamreth in NSBE March 1992 . Katie Page ",'>'

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April 15, 1992

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

The Fortnightly Federalist: Paper No. S

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U-M Reneges on Free Speech Vows by Michael David Warren, Jr. "[AJ bill of rights is what the people are entitled against every government on Earth," declared Thomas Jefferson during this nation's founding. Our bill of rights exists to protect the political minority from suppression by the government or an intolerant majority. Perhaps the most fundamental right recognized by our charter of liberty is the freedom of speech. As Student Rights Commission (SRC) Chair of the Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) this year, I was entrusted with the duty of vigorou::;ly enforcing and protecting the free spe{.'Ch rights of students. The greatest affront to such liberties put forth by the U-M is the current speech code. The mandate of the SRC compelled me to lobby against the code to protect our rights, regardless of the popularity of that position. Moreover, as the representative of MSA, the student-elected government, I accepted the dictates of MSA and SRC, without questio~ as the voice of the student body. A fundamental principle of representative government is that the positions of duly elected governments speak for the people. For instance, when Congress passes a law, no one seriously challenges the legitimacy of that decision, although some may doubt its wisdom. Yet the U-M, and now the Michigan Daily, have onc~ again ignored both the principle of con»titutional rights as well as the nature of representative government. The U-M's position on the current speech policy, as elaborated below, is another in a series of blows to not only the Constitution but the wishes of students as well. In light of this betrayal of student trust and rights, I resigned last week as the Chairman of the SRC. Printed below is the speech' which accompanied my resignation.

Dear Students of the University of Michigan: Since September of last year, the Student Rights Commission (SRC) of your Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) has been fighting the unconstitutional speech and conduct code on campus which bars discriminatory speech and conduct. In January, after extensive legal analysis, the SRC issued an investigative report which condemned the speech policy as an unconstitutional infringement of students' First Amendment rights. Moreover, we discovered that the University's enforcement of the speech code violated students' due process rights by ~~n}l!,!~ et;X~~~o/i ~

to Stalinist show trials than the American administrators and students had read an judicial system. We also noted that only Ann Arbor News story regarding the SRC's unfettered free speech could further the efforts, and had conveyed to Harrison goals of self-government and protection that they felt they were being shut out of of politically un~~ '.$: the process. popular mes' ·~"'t· &. "I.~ Al th oug h .. • this position may sages. Finally, we . ; seem reasonable, reaffirmed our r e - / 'J the SRC, after exJection of hateful ideas, including l' tensive dealings with this Adminracism, but recognized that free istration, underspeech helped exstands this repose the moral r, sponse to be the bankruptcy of end of the process those ideas. for altering the

Immediately I .... . . . . following the . SRC's presentationofthe42-page ~. ·.f report to MSA,tlw ' '''';'7 , , assembly un ani- . ~~.; • " mously endorsed .. _ W d f ds NORML' F' tAm d I ti hich arren e en s llS en ~~du ~rw the ment rights at this year's Hash Bash.

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abandonment of the speech code based on the principles noted above. This resolution was endorsed by a 75 percent margin last week in a referendum by the student body during the MSA elections. Last Friday, after months of substantive negotiations with the Administration, Maureen Hartford, the Vice-President of Student Affairs and the "point person" for the Administration as deSignated by [U-Ml President Uames) Duderstadt on this issue, accepted an SRC proposal which would have replaced the current speech and conduct code with a policy which would have preserved all students' free speech rights while regulating discriminatory personal and property damage, as well as verbal threats. Walter Harrison, Vice-President of University Relations, Maureen Hartford, and leaders of SACUA (the faculty senate) all assured us that if this compromise was endorsed by the SRC that the SRC proposal would be adopted. They have all personally and publicly stated that the current speech code was a horrible idea, and that the SRC was correct in its assessment of the code. On Friday, Hartford assured Peter Mooney and me that she would lobby on the SRC's behalf to ensure the passage of the policy on the next Tuesday. Within 72 hours that promise was broken. Walter Harrison, via electronic mail, notified me that the Administration would be unwilling to go much further with the proposal without more input from faculty, staff, and students of color.

speech code, as well as a betrayal of trust. First, the Administration's professed concern regarding African- American minority input is

disingenuous. For instance, the origina.l. speech code created by the University, later struck down by the Eastern District Court of Michigan as an unconstitutional abridgment of free speech, was created with no student input. The current speech policy, adopted within two months after the first code was struck down, was again adopted without student input. In fact, student minority leaders have professed that although they believe that racism must be fought on campus, that they never wanted a speech code. Although the current speech code actually states that the purpose of the code is to gather student input in order to revise the policy, no such input was ever gathered. Only ... [when] the SRC brought forward the issue did it appear on the University agenda. More startling, during the recent hearings regarding deputization on campus, hundreds of African-Americans protested and begged that the University speak with them. The University responded by locking out African-Americans from the hearings. Indeed, the only African-American student ever present at an Administrative meeting regarding deputization was brought to the meeting by SRC. The University's plea, then, is hypocrisy in its finest form. Second, the complaints Harrison cites arose from [the] Vice-Provost of Minority Affairs. Once the Vice-Provost read the Ann Arbor News story, he confronted the Administration demanding to know why he was not included in the on-going negotiations. He, in turn, electronically

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complain about being shut out of the process. Obviously the SRC has no control over whom the Administration decides to incorporate within ... [its] internal decision making processes; we simply dealt with Hartford, with whom President Duderstadt directed us to. deal. Moreover, this issue is a student code, not a faculty or staff code. The Administration should only concern itself with the student reactions, not faculty and staff. Furthermore, the SRC has been in constant contact with SACUA,; [which] encouraged our efforts. The Administration, however, is willing to betray the students' trust and scuttle the process when some staff members are disappointed with the wishes of the students. Third, most students read the Daily and the Michigan Review, not the Ann Arbor News, hence others complaining to Harrison were most likely staff or faculty. The student publications, of course, have been covering this issue in-depth since January, and I, for one, have been sent only a few negative reactions, while receiving many, many more supportive ones. Fourth, the MSA, in a rare show of unanimity, endorsed the SRC's findings in January. The MSA, of course, is composed of many political factions, races, religions, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Students of color serve on both major parties. Moreover, the SRC is the representative body of the students with regard to student rights issues. Inherently, the positions of the MSA and SRC should be respected as the voice of the students. Typically, however, the Administration only respects those bodies when they agree with the University. Fifth, students, during the MSA elections, approved a referendum demanding that the Administration abandon the speech code and endorse free speech on campus. By a 75 percent margin, the students affirmed their commitment to the efforts of the SRC. That referendum is binding on the MSA. That student vote, alone, is enough of a mandate to abandon the speech code. No Single issue on campus all year has garnered a more unified response from students than this issue. Sixth, all political parties in the recent MSA elections opposed the University's speech code. In fact, the president-elect, an African-American woman, has expressed her distrust of any University-run speech policy. Seventh, even the Daily opposes the speech code. Eighth, the SRC is open to any and all stuc;l.~1}t$~ The,~C; ~r9Q.gly ,eJl~Q~as~ ';'~;'''''S''''_''~,(",''_._'"_.~''''~~'-''~~'I''i{''i0~~'I<:mttl,''i;I;~~

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

April 15, 1992

students of all backgrounds to join the commi&sion during the investigative report stage as well as while we drafted an alternative. We were composed of a dozen men, women, Jews, Catholics, and other minorities. Unfortunately, we did not have any persons of color. Yet, Peter Mooney, the co-chair of the SRC's subcommission on the speech code, and myself, personally invited many to join the SRC, including the leaders of the law school minority groups - such as the Black Law Student Association, the Hispanic Law School Association, among others. I also discu&~'<i the issue in-depth with the minority-led Law School Senate and with the leader of Students of Color Of Rackham. And the SRC contacted, via mail, over 50 other minority student organizations. In a recent article in the Michigan Daily, minority leaders of student organizations, such as the United Coalition Against Racism, were quoted as op-

Coursepacks Continued From Page 1 The National Association of College Stores (NACS) is one such organization serving print shops who sell through college bookstores. Scott Bullard, director of NACS' copyright servite, said that NACS has contacts at some publishers and has some blanket permission agree. ments with other publishers. A number of permissions that NACS receives do not require royalty payments, Bullard added, "because we're trying to keep costs down." " I have mixed feelings" about the MDS case, Bullard said, because "Jim [Smith} believes that what he is doing is right," adding that '''publishers obviously disagree." Bill Arlinghouse, President and CEO of Digicopy, agreed with the as.sessment that Smith "thinks he's right." Nonetheless, he stressed, "1 completely support the ruling in Basic Books v.

than waste it on an unresponsive bureaucracy. As a law student, Conservative Coalition member, and rational human being, I hoped to secure those liberties that the University had ripped from the students; instead I received a slap in the face. Thirteenth, the Univers ity is untru stworthy . I urge that future MSAs and SRCs not bother talking with this Administration, and that students not give alumni donations until it respects students' rights. Therefore, I regretfully resign as Student Rights Commission Chair.

are the kiss of death for any project ... [it posing the current code. ". Ninth, the SRC publicly distributed is] working on. Such tactics are simply used to shield the Administration from over 2,000 flyers describing the findings of the SRC Report, as well as sponsored having to reveal the true decisions it has dorm .forums to di scuss the issue. The ' made. I would much rather have the SRC also sponsored a debate regarding administration state that the University the issue [which drew al is not going forward with the new policy standing-room-only [audience]. than hide behind "input." Tenth, we were assured by the UniTwelfth, after working over 300 hours versity that the proposal which we pre- . each on altering the Code since Septemsented to Hartford last Friday would, in ber, Peter Mooney and I believed that we were on the brink of success. If massive all likelihood, be adopted by the end of amounts of research, time, meetings, the semester. We gave them everything, MSA votes, student referenda, debates, EVERYTHING, they asked for. Obviliterature distribution, student outreach, ously they have backtracked on that comand press support are unsuccessful, after mitment. an entire year, and dealings with the Eleventl\ further "input," in U-M-ese or Administrative-ese, is a code word for Administration are thrown in the trash in an eleventh hour reversal by the Unidelay and turning their back on students. versity, then no students can ever su'cOver and over again, this Administracessfully alter University policy. Mooney tion this year has stated that ... [it] needed and I are third year law students and we more "input," "time" and "discussion" - when these words are uttered, they· have better things to do with our time

Michael David Warren, Jr. is a third-year law student, Vice President of the Federalist Society, and ex-Student Rights Commission Chair.

make the situation easier in the future.

tual property. This is especially troublesome due to the Kinko's case. Since the ruling last year, it has become more difficult to have anything photocopied without permission, even for personal or educational use. Perhaps, if nothing else, the Michigan Document Services case will

cause delays in getting it to trial. Arlinghouse, however, claims that this is as much the faultp~tint shops as it is of publishers. . Another complication in a case that involves access to information is the concept of monopoly control over intellec-

How about a little Glasnost at Michigan?

I'M SICK ASOUT IT,

Over 30 years ago, in Moscow, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev jabbed hisfinger into the chest of then-Vice President Richard Nixon and said, "Your grandchildren will live under communism." Nixon replied, "Your grandchildren will in freedo m. "

BUT IT LOOKS LIKE

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Joe Coletti is a junior in Asian studies and a contributin~ editor of the Review.

BUT T~~Ri: ARE

COMMUNISM IS D~AD IN THE

Looking at college and university campuses in America today, it seems that they were both right!

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In the wake of the tremendous political, economic, and social upheaval in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc, the American campus is about the only place the Marxists can call home. While it may not be communist,

Kinko's." Arlinghouse said that the case "will level the playing field" aplOIlg those printing coursepacks. He added that he is "hoping for a positive outcome," which he defines as an upholding of the copyright law. He feels that this is the best way to ensure continued creativity among writers. Arlinghouse expects to see the establishment of a "compulsory license" board similar to the music industxy's American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in the near future. He stated that under this system, "publishers and students get the benefit of reasonable royalties." Until that happens, students will be faced with more expensive coursepacks, and could file a class action suit against publishers. A class action suit, said Smith, wou1a. 'rotrtpli~e ·the ' ca5e·'aild! c:19vJd.

the indoctrination and tactics of "political correcmess" that some students are forced to endure is similar to the old systems cast aside by the people's revolutions against communism. You can help in the student's revolution here in America by joining Accuracy In Academia. Through our monthly newspaper Campus Report and campus chapters, we are trying to instill fairness and open debate where some have chosen to use the lecture stand as a bully-pulpit for their own political views or the rights of the few are being unfairly imposed on the rights of the many in the name of diversity and multicuturalism. Won't you join us?

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I I'd like to join in the fight against "PC" and indoctrination on the Michigan campus. I I can [ ] distribute Campus Report. [] help fonn an AIA chapter. I I Name: Year:

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April 15, 1992

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Essay

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Biodiversity at Any Cost? by Shannon Pfent In 1973 the Endangered Species Act

make decisions as to when and which as the bald eagle, the Peregrine falcon, species are imminently threatened with and the pelican as well as the promising extinction. progress of red wolves and black-footed (ESA) declared that plant and animal But such an analysis of the specifics species are of U aesthetic, ecological, eduferrets provides some evidence.for the of "endangered" determinations presupsuccess of the act. It seems to some that cational, historical, recreational and sciposes that there is actually a need to more funding could only improve reentific value to the Nation and its people." preserveecosyssults. In light of this act, the U.S. Fish and tems and bioThose who oppose broadening the Wildlife Service may now put certain logical diversity. species (which scientific review has deact and increasing the budget of the U.s. Some people, Fish and Wildlife Service, however, questermined to be in danger of extinction) on like biologist tion the wisdom of such an action. In the an endangered" list and take measures Norman D. to promote the species' recovery. Such first place, members of the economic coaLevine, feel that measures may include protection, for lition are opposed to the cost to society protection is not example, which the ESA defines as the which such a funding increase would necessary to the entail. Furthermore, they and those oplill'jtation of habitat destruction on pripreservation of vate as wen as public lands. posed to the ESA doubt the truthfulness biodiversity. Levine points out that perof broad assertions about the extinction As the ESA is due for reauthorization haps 95 percent of the spedes that once of various species being made by many this year, the pros and cons of species conservation have become the subject of environmentalists. Hence, they think that ~xisted no longer exist. He suggests that a complex debate. The two dominant "extinction is an inevitable fact of evolua budget increase is unnecessary . voices in this debate have been environIn the April....t992 issue of Reason, ' tion," for which attempts at prevention mentalists and scientists on one side, may only be made in vain. Charles Oli~r wrote an article tha" If extinction is largely a natural, inwhose interests lie in protecting and prodelved into.asserti..ons made in the 1980 moting biodiversity, and, on the other Global 2000 Report to the President. Oliver evitable process, it is not surprising that side, a coalition of developers, timber noted that although environmentalists some people question why we strive to prevent it, since the protection and re-, companies, and others whose interests "all agree that the rate of species extincare economic in nature. tion is tremendous," examinations of the covery of species is so difficult and Controversial topics which are adpredictions of the Global Report 2000 by Even people like biologist David dressed in the debate include how a speeconomist Aaron Wildavsky and politiEhrenfeld, who personally thinks that cies is to be defined, methods for assesscal scientist Julian Simon have shown protecting species and biodiversity is ing which species are endangered, questhat such assertions are simply "not supimportant, agree that doing so may not tions as to the necessity (or logic) of interported by hard facts." Oliver noted that be practical. In his article "Why Put a vening in order to promote biodiversity, some scientists and conservationists are Value on Biodiversity?" Ehrenfield says and the social and economic costs of proworried by "the lack of data" supporting that many species which are rarely and tecting endangered spe- r,- - - - - - - - - - - - - - , these asservery narrowly distributed "were never des. tions. common or ecologically influential." This Sim0 n Tim Hortor evaluonly adds to doubts as to whether the ated many facets of the and other conprotection of such species should be enESA debate in an article cerned parties forced, under the guise of ecosystem profrom the MarchI April question the tection or research value, at the expense 1 issue of Audobon enaccuracy of esof economic development and industrial titled ''The Endangered timates of the progress. number of Species Act: Too Tough, But the argument over Too Weak, or Too Late?" species on whether every species is According to Horton, different groups Earth due to vague definitions of what worth saving is a mere have different answers to this question. actually constitutes a "species." Simon subplot of a larger controOne problem with the act, say conalso questions estimates of the number of versy over what to do, if servationists, is that it limits the ability of a particular spedes believed to be existanything, about the ESA the U5. Fish and WildWe Service to proing, since he and others find that such in 1992. Members of the tect species adequately. According to estimates are most often the result of economic coalition eagerly "pure guesswork." The most accurate Peter A. A. Berle, Chairman of the Board accept scientific skeptiof Directors of the National Audobon statement would be to say that no one dsm over the urgency of Society, there is a need to eliminate "the can be sure of the number of species or the environmental cause. backlog of (3800] candidate species within the number that are threatened, considThey add that the cost of 10 years" so that highest priority can be ering the environmental lobby's history protecting these habitats given to the most threatened species. of inaccurate or incomplete counting will be particularly heavy Berle also believes that inadequate fundmethods. for individuals living near ing makes this goal unattainable and sugFor a working definition, the ESA a protected area since gests that a $20 million increase in the stipulates that "[a] 'species' includes any people may lose jobs, investments, or U.s. Fish and WildWe Service's budget, subspecies of fish or wildlife or plant, development opportunities as land use bringing it up to $50 million, could imand any distinct population segment or becomes restricted or building of new prove the efficiency of the current recovany species or vertebrate fish or wildlife workplaces becomes prohibited. Enviery and protection. Others have sugthat interbreeds in nature." This definironmentalists, however, ignore this fact, ~ed. even,greater inc!"eaS,eS. . '. . .,. " tion is ~road"and thereby gives enmc:n-(3 and'instead emphasize the·desirability of l)'ifiIittI~,.~A.V!9Jt.m'i\.tl~.~!l.~ praserYipg'species fotJtheinmique Cbn"· U

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tributions to ecosystems and potential utility for scientific research. Mark Rey, executive director of the American Forest Resource Alliance and long time lobbyist for the timber industry, discussed the endangered species debate in Tom Horton's recent article in Audobon. He put the problem in simple terms by noting that "In the 70's we were usually concerned with relatively small numbers of creatures on relatively small pieces of real estate, usually threatened by some new activity like an airport, a dam ... But now we are running into species spread over large areas and conflieting with activities that are the economic mainstay of a region." Rey saw "years of agony. ahead unless" different sides of the issue "reach some compromises." ....~.. ~ Voters must attempt to make heads or tails of these varying views of endangered species if they wish to let their representatives know how they should vote on environmental legislation. Should the listing of species which merit protection be based solely on sdentific and biological information, or should it inelude economic considerations, such as an individuals' right to choose how to use private property and a region's employment considerations? Those opposed to the ESA, such as representatives James Hansen (R-UT) and William Dannemeyer (R-CA) for instance, feel that human protection is more important than spedes protection. The premise for this argument is that homo sapiens are a "species" and have at least as much of a right to flourish as others. Furthermore, if the destruchon of other species impedes humans from flourishing, a certain amount of the ecosystem's biodiversity must be sacri£iced for the sake of free and full human development. Supporters of the ESA, however, contend that protecting species in as many different locations as possible should be the goal. Neither of these viewpoints, however, prOVides a solution to the real problem. The argument over how to fund spe~ j

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

April 15, 1992

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Apocalyptic Thinking Clouds Eco-Oebate by Brian Schefke

In recent years, environmental issues have seized center stage in the American media. A number of concerns, from toxic waste to ozone depletion, have consistently been in the public spotlight. Many reports in the popular press have been rife with foreboding omens of the dangers which humans are exposed to every day. A great deal of public fear has been generated by these reports, often before much scientific evidence has been compiled. Yet when new contradictory or less sensational scientific evidence is brought to light, the public is often left uninfonned of its existence. These tactics of selectivity play right into the hands of the panic brokers who influence the environmental establishment. The Case of Dioxin Dioxin, per St, is not a single chemical but rather the name of an entire a family of compounds, the basic structure of which is two oxygen atoms linking a pair of benzene rings (ring-shaped compounds consisting of six carbon atoms and six hydrogen atoms) - hence the name dioxin. The dioxin compound of concern in most cases is 2,3,7,8tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, which is generally abbreviated to TCDD. This particular dioxin is a by-product of the manufacture of the chemical trichlorophenoi, a component of many herbicides, most notably Agent Orange, used as a defoliant in the Vietnam War. TCDD has been involved in several industrial accidents as well the contamination of Times Beach, Missouri. TCDD has also proven to be highly toxic in laboratory animals. For example, the L050 dose (the dose of a substance that kills half a test population) in guinea pigs is .6 millionths of a gram per kilogram of body weight - an extramely low dose. The LDSO dose, however, varies with the organism. In hamsters, the LD50 dose is 1,900 times as high as in guinea pigs. In addition, TCDO has been linked to cancer and reproductive defects in animals. There have been several studies conducted to detennine the chronic effects of TCOD on humans. As a result, humans have been found to show various short-term symptoms of exposure to TCDD, including chloraOle, a skin eruption resembling "natural" acne, digestive disorders, and aches and pains of muscles and joints. For the most part, these symptoms disappear over time. Yet, as Fred Tschirley noted in the February 1986 issue of Scientific American, "(N]one of the many studies directed at this questi~~ve denoosttated that

TCDD causes severe chronic human efwarming and its causes. The primary data have been skewed. Urban areas tend fects. Moreover, not one human death culprits are generally thought to be carto be warmer than rural areas, so surface has been atbibuted to TCDD, even though bon dioxide and other so-called" greenmeasurements may record temperatures exposure has been high in a number of that are artificially high. That problem house gases" such as methane. These cases." Tschirley dtes the case of Seveso, gases can trap heat within the atmosphere having been noticed, satellite data have Italy as long term evidence, for in 1976, been incorporated into more recent studinstead of letting it dissipate into space. an acddent involving TCDO occurred at Thus, a buildup of these gases could ies. The satellite data suggested, to the the ICMESA chemical plant. Of the estisurprise of some and the chagrin of othresult in higher mean temperatures. Since mated 37,000 people who were exposed ers, that no global warming actually octhe combustion of gasoline and coal creto TCDD, there have been "184 cases of ates carbon dioxide, a virtual panic over curred during the 1980s. This evidence is chloracne, headaches and digestive uphow we use these fuels has been in the more accurate because satellites can cover sets, but no long-term effects such as making over the past few years. much larger areas of the planet than land birth defects and chromosomal damage Unfortunately, these Warming estistations, and their readings are not afhave been identified." Furthennore, "the mates have been found tl) neglect imporfected by urban warmth. overall death rate [in the region] was tant data. In the November 1989 issue of Weather records kept over the past nonnal." Scientific American, it was reported that 100 years are also used in global warm"clouds seem to have a net cooling effect, The difficulty in determining the efing studies. Most studies agree that there fects of TCDD lies in the uncertainty - or has been a long-term warming effect of so itdoud cover increased it might partly impossibility - of learning the amount about 0.5 degrees Celsius. But the effect offset any warming brought on by the to which humans have been exposed in --buildup of carbon dioxide." Furthermore, of greenhouse gases depends on what such uncontrolleei;c!sffi. In animal tests, ~ the earlier reports did not make use of time interval is studied. According to the March 30, 1990 issue of Science, "There the level of TcOD is known, and the evidence suggesting that "Oceans, for their part, act as a vast heat sink, dissipatresults have tradition<1l1y been extrapowas substantial increase in temperature lated to humans. Yet in a group of 60 from 1880 to 1940. However, from 1940 ing and drculating heat." volunteer human subjects, no symptoms Warming studies have also been criti- , WlDtthe 19605, temperatures dropped so were found when the subjects were exposed to small doses (.2 to 8 millionths) of a gram per kilogram}. As Tschirley explained, "The second experiment involved 10 volunteers who were treated with 1Cf7,OOO billionths of a gram of TCDD per kilogram (a much larger dose). Eight of them developed chloracne, but no other symptoms were noted ." More recent evidence has moved the EP A to reassess the risks of dioxin. In the case of dioxin, the EPA uses a "linear" With graduation just around model, that is, the EPA assumes that risk begins with exposure to a single molthe corner don't forget that ecule and increases in proportion to dose. Ulrich 's Bookstore carries a Research at the Banbury Center laboracomplete line of invitations, tory in Virginia, however, suggests this announcements and model may be wrong. The research group undergraduate caps, gowns and tassels from ... discovered that dioxin must bind itself to a certain amount of chemical compounds in the body before it can be linked to any effects. According to the May 17, 1991, issue of Science, such bonding results in Remember the University of Michigan "a practical 'threshold' for dioxin expowith a college class ~ing from Jostens. sure, below which no toxic effects ocStop by our store to see the display of cur." the complete line. A $25.00 deposit is Worrisome Warming? requ ired when ordering. A more recently exaggerated environmental issue has been global warming, also known as the "greenhouse efMain Bookstore: fect." Many reports have stated that the 549 East University earth is currently experiencing a warmArt/Eng in..ring Store and ing trend, and that this trend will conElectronics Showroom: tinue into the next century. Most early , , , 7 South University computer models predicted a mean temPhone: 313-662-3201 perature increase of 3 to 5.5 degrees CelMonday-Friday 9:0G-6 :oo sius by the next century. Saturday 9:30-5 :00 Sunday Noon to 4,:00 These highly,-repQrted,studies hav~ . . generated. .. mud\ con(QfI\) o¥e~ -S,lolPal.-.I

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April 15, 1992

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Greenhouse,Scientists Full of Hot Air by Tracy Robinson Nearly everyone has heard of the "greenhouse effect" - the theory which asserts that small partides in the air, many of which are produced by man, contribute to the warming of the earth by trapping heat in the stratosphere and preventing it from escaping into space. Scientists today often clamor for the government to take immediate action to stop this alleged problem such as limiting the consumption of fossil fuels, prohibiting the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in aerosols and air conditioners, and halting the destruction of Brazilian rain forests. With so many "experts" demanding increased government regulations, the average person may not dare to disagree with the demagogues. Uving in an advanced technological age, we tend to put a great deal of faith in science's ability to interpret and explain the earth and propose solutions to man's various problems. But how responsible are today's scientists, and how accurate are their predictions? Considering the

scientific establishmenr s dismal record of forecasting global climate changes, one can safely say that many scientists have acted irrationally and that many of their forecasts are not accurate. As recently as the 197Os, the consensus among scientists was that global cooling would soon begin to threaten the Earth's climate. The subject was taken up by the popular press in a number of . articles warning that a "New Ice Age" was imminent - articles similar to those which appear today as harbingers of our impending doom that, this time, will supposedly result from overheating. For example, Peter Gwynne wrote in the April 28,1975 issue of Newsweek that "the central fact is that after three-quarters of a century of extraordinarily mild conditions, the earth's climate is cooling down.~.• At the t\m~;many seemingly pIau; sible reasonS were given for this sudden cooling: man-mad'e air pollutants as well as volcanic ash were supposedly reflecting the sun's light and heat away from the'earth; regular variations in the earth's

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orbit were apparently resulting in a Kevin Trenberth of the National Cenchanging distance between the Earth and ter for Atmospheric Research wrote in the sun; sun spots and solar storms were the 1989 report Global Temperature Trends, also thought to be altering the amount of "The global surface temperature trends heat and light the sun radiates. The ultithat have been computed are weighted mate consequences of these changes were toward the Northern Hemisphere for the to include drought, shorter'growing seaearlier years. Surface data coverage in sons (which would cause world-wide the Southern Hemisphere before World famine), and glaciation. War II was only about half the present Concerned scientists in the 1970s, coverage, and there were no useful antlike their counterparts today, proposed arctic data prior to about 1945." Because solutions for the government to implethey virtually ignore half of the globe, ment, including banning of air pollutcomputer models based on this data ants such as CFCs, deliberately melting would obviously be inaccurate. Jeny Mahlman of the National Ocethe polar ice caps in an attempt to induce heating, and hoarding several years' anic and Atmospheric Administration 'worth of food supplies in order to outlast agreed with Trenberth. In 1989, he wrote, /the expected famine. 0.5. Halacy, Jr., in "To put together a stratospheric model his 1978 book Ice or Fire?, even suggested that does not 'cheat' ... requires an exthat "one solution might beto exploit the tremely long and strong commitment of 'greenhouse' effect by intentionally an interdisciplinary team convinced that pumping carbon dioxide into the air." spending a de.cade on the problem is As strange and ironic as some of worth it. As a result, there have been few these solutions may sound today, they sustained participants in comprehensive were taken very seriously at the time. For ~.~atospheric modelling." Because such example, the suggestion of storing complex computer modeling has only tons of food to save humans from the existed for about 15 years and individual ensuing famine was called the "Genesis projects have a high turnover rate among Strategy." It was loosely based on the researchers, one is led to wonder just Biblical story of Joseph's interpretation how accurate computer model s which of the Pharaoh's dream of famine and the predict a warmer Earth can be, solution that Joseph proposed. The glaAnother problem with computer cial survival "solution" based on this modeling is that extensive data is often ancient story was actually submitted to left out of the simulations altogether, A the government during a Congressional collection of scientists including Robert hearing on climate in 1976 by climatoloJastrow, formerly of NASA, William gist Stephen Schneider, (It seems as if big Nirenberg of the Scripps Institution of government has always been trying to Oceanography of University of Califorcreate more regulations - and it seems nia at San Diego, and Frederick Seitz, as if scientists have always been coming former preSident of the National Acadup with theories in support of governemy of Sciences, claimed in the book mental regulatory action.) Scientifc Perspectives on the Greenhouse When looking at the prevalence of Problem that computer simulations fail to ice-age theories in the 19708, it is obvious consider that as the temperature of the that scientists are fallible; yet with the earth increases, the amount of heat abgrowing variety of new methods of colsorbed by the oceans could also increase, lecting data and readily improving comcausing temperature readings to be puter technology, it seems as if climate skewed. predictions should be much more accuIn addition, many programs rely on rate than they were 20 years ago. Despite regional data that consist of average temthe large amount of time and money peratures for areas of over 500 square which have been sunk into the problem, kilometers. Averaging temperature over however, global climate forecasters still areas that large is comparable to assumexperience many difficulties. ing that upper and lower Michigan have One problem is that many predicthe same weather patterns and yearly tions are based on incomplete or suspect temperature averages. data. Computers are fed complex equaAccording to Jastrow et. al, these tions that include millions of variables in models frequently discount cycles of the order to make one prediction.. These equaearth and sun which cause natural temtions, furthennore, were constructed and perature fluctuations because they are calculated using data that has been colSimply too difficult to predict and prolected since the 1880s, when the methods gram into equations. Each computer cliof collecting temperature.data wererela- " mate simuJationalso takes roughly ;three tivelyicri.lde. ,: ili 'I' I / ,; .!,' , : \,.; IS:; ', ' ; yeai'!Hclcompiet« iAs'1'reMerth'Poirlted:(l

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April 15, 1992

out, "one of the problems with temperanecessary for life on Earth, but th~y tits: agree over the amount of C02 that the ture trends is the difficulty in detecting them." earth's atmosphere can absorb. Many of So, do the "experts" know what they our activities increase the amount of C~ are doing? Robert White, former chief of in the atmosphere and supposedly cause the U.s. Weather Bureau, does not think the Earth to heat up at a rate which many so. As he wrote in the July 1990 Scientific claim is out of control. Amtrican, "The atmosphere is so comThe main source of atmospheric C02 plex that it is impossible to represent it in today seems to be the burning of fossil very great detail in these mathematical fuels such as oil and gasoline, as well as models." With all of these problemsof the burning of wood. The concentration prediction, it is no wonder that Halacy of C02 in the atmosphere has increased incorrectly interpreted climate trend data in 1978 and, fearing the worst, wrote, "Perhaps we ... , will be fortunate and the coming of the next ice age will take it.", .. .~ a century." :.'\:~ .i:\;:\~~;:._ The third major problem ~-=--~~';:;"" affecting greenhouse predictions is also the one which could have the greatest effect on public policy and the American popuby 20 percent in the last 100 years, a lation. It is the problem of carbon dioxide statistic often touted as a reason for the (Cav. Regularly cycled through the atgovernment to encourage the use of almosphere, C~ is exhaled by animals ternative energy forms, including and turned into oxygen through the pronuclear, solar, hydroelectric and wind cess of photosynthesis in plants. C02 power. The mainQdWback to shifting acts as a greenhouse gas while in the away from fossirfuels, however, is the atmosphere, trapping heat near the surhigh cost. ,,face of the earth. Without this function A problem with many scientists' correlation of C~ concentration in the atperformed by C~ and other greenhouse gases, the stratosphere would not be able mosphere to temperature increase, however, lies in the fact that most of the to absorb any of the sun's heat and the earth would be a frozen planet with little earth's recent temperature rise occurred or no life. Scientists know that C02 is before 1940, when C02 was being pro-

duced at a much lower rate than today. centration in the air surrounding the trees. There was also no increase in global temIn fact, the trees were grown in nutrient perature from 1940 to the 1970s, when poor soil, which should have inhibited the production of C~ and other greengrowth. Instead, because of the increased house gases increased exponentially. C02 concentration, the trees grew faster, "Socially aware" scientists who deand even displayed a delay in the process mand government action on the C~ of shutting down photosynthetic action problem often fail to recognize the earth's in preparation for winter. In short, bigger plants with longer growing seasons were adaptability. They discount, for example, created . the theories of many oceanographers who believe that the earth's oceans will be Though these experimental results cannot be applied to all species of trees able to absorb more C~ as its percentand plants without further experimentaage in the air increases. In addition, Teeri's work shows that there are tion, the population of microscopic plants that live near the some scientists who are studying the facts, ocean's surface could increase in not just relying on outdated statistics and ill-prepared computer models to predict propOrtion to the increase of C~ the path of nature. More experiments are in the atmosphere. needed, however, in order for scientists New research conduded by to accurately predict our planet's future. Professor James Teeri at the UniAs can be seen from the over-blown versity of Michigan's Biological ice age scare, sometimes scientists, in Station at Douglas Lake in norththeir quest to gain recognition by influern lower Michigan shows that some encing government policy, make hasty types of trees increase their growth rates predictions which do not withstand the wheJt exposed to twice as much C~ as is test of time. Since scientists playa large present in the atmosphere today. In these role in the public's and government's f!xperiments, as outlined in LSA perceptions of facts today, more experi}1agazine's Spring 1992 issue, Teeri exments time, and p~dence should be deposed the pine, maple and aspen trees to voted to the question of the greenhouse 700 parts per million of C02 - the proeffect. jected level of C~ that will exist in the atmosphere by the year 2050, assuming ,.. ,.,.n '>P C02 concentration continues to grow at / "tracy Robinson is a sophomore in poits present rate. litical science and a contributing editor of the Review. Teeri gave the trees no special treatment other than the increased C~ con-

Apocalyptic Environmentalism Continued fr'om page 9 much as to lead to predictions of a coming ice age." Thus, using data collected over a short period of time can be misleading in trying to prove a greenhouse effect. As an article on global warming in the August 10,1991 issue of Science News states, "Without such confidence, it is impossible to tell whether the long-term warming results from a natural fluctuation in the climate or from greenhouse gases accumulating in the atmosphere." A Pattern Emerges Although the dioxin and global warming scares are but two examples of the apocalyptic thinking that has come to dominate modem environmentalism. Acid rain and the Alar scare also fall into this pattern. The actual danger posed by such problems are, or have been, fiercely debated within the scientific community, yet the apocalyptic environmentalists would have us believe that scientific unanimity exists on all environmental concerns. Americans are constantly being told ,hQ~ Ultt W9l'ld .wiU ,b~ pp.or. .be;com~ tQo,pq~ tOfPfYEJ ~i~'~~"

progress made in reducing cancer or dior testimony on acid rain provided any It is understandable that many people oxin poisoning. credible scientific evidence to justify the are concerned about the environment Humans are an integral part of nacreation of or raising of air quality stanand work to see that it is not destroyed. ture, and as such we must treat it with a dards." But overestimating the gravity of envidegree of respect, if only for our own Reducing coal energy plants in order ronmental hazards can be just as destrucsake. But the harbingers of environmenreduce acid rain and the greenhouse to tive as underestimating them. In the case tal doom do a disservice to the American effect seems a wise course of action. Yet of global warming, for example, most people by advocating radical action beAmerica has the largest carbon-based evidence indicates a long-term warming fore sufficient evidence has been taken energy system in the world. America trend of 05 degrees Celsius at most. While into account. The high economic costs of would thus be forced to use other energy this could potentially be dangerous if such environmental protections are ofsources; one of which, ironically, is sustained over a long period of time,any ten not justified. Americans need to innuclear power, another bite noire of envilikely scenario is still considerably less vestigate a scientifically respectable volronmentalists. All this for questionable foreboding than many of the predictions ume of evidence on environmental hazbenefits to the environment. publicized in the media. An increase of ards in order to make informed deciThe hysteria, however, does not stop this magnitude can be held in check much sions. Unfortunately, they cannot neceswith acid rain. The Alar scare almost easier than, say, a five degree Celsius sarily rely on the popular press for such created a ban on that helpful growth increase. information, since it is more likely to hormone, a restriction which could have Many of the measures recommended spout the hyperbole of apocalyptics than reduced apple yields and cost consumby environmentalists do not reflect the the reasonable discourse of research sciers and farmers millions - all to elimidebates that have transpired among ennate an infinitesimal cancer risk. The same entists. vironmental scientists. They assume the may be said for dioxin, which is a by-------------worst, and work to enact draconian meaBrian Schefke is a sophomore in chemproduct of some important industrial sures like the new Clean Air Act (see istry and an assistant editor and an MIS processes. A complete ban, based on data page 14). Such measures end up costing editor of the Review. that is now being questioned, could end billions, while reaping only minimal benthose industrial processes and end up efits in the environment. The EPA's Sci, ence, Adyiwry. Bo~ ,in U)~ Spring 1991. . , costing more dollars in futile alternative dd ' hoii . w ·th 'rlUaU II ' ' .. " , 1 ,' . • t . .. ' issue of Orbis, "never found that .studi~ , ! pr c_U5!19!.' _f!l~t._._~ __l~ _ ~ _ • • ~,_ _()_~ _' ,;; ~ : ._ '_._: ~..::: : ::::;::. _ '. : '., ._ '.... ___ _ _ _ _ __ .. 1. I

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Interview: Andre Marrou

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Libertarian ,Candidate DefendsLaissez Faire On April 11, 1992, Adam DeVore at\d Stacey L Walker of the Reuiew inter-viewed Andre Mmou, the Libertarian presidential candidate. Mar:rou. a graduate of MIT, was elected in 1984 to the Alaska State Legislature. Mariou was al80 Congressman Ron Paul's ~ mate in 1988. , Review: The UberWian Party often calls itself the -Party of Principle." Could you explain what is meant by that and why it is important? Marrou: Our principles are the correct principles. They parallel the basic tenet of individual liberties as opposed to governmental power. We stand on principle, and in some cases this has been to our detriment because people refused to , ch,ange their position and therefore did not get elected. In the long run, however, it has been good. We have developed a reputation for sticking to what we believe and not comprising for transitory or spurious reasons. Hence the name Party of Principle, which is somethinQI try to upllOld. Review: How would the Libertarian Party go about reforming government? Marrou: Ultimately, we have to get el~ to office. Simply educating people, wl\ich some libertarians recommend, is 'Certainly laudable, but it isn't enough. In order to change the rules by rewriting the laws, we have to get elected to office. Democrats and Republicans want govertunental power to control the people. We want gov~tal power ,to control the government. There is only one thing that can control the government, and that is the government itself. It's far larger than anything else in our society. In ord~ to control it, ,oon, we literally have to ge\ into it by getting into power. Review: Many politicians get into office on catchy slogans and then change their tune entirely after the election. Why would libertarians be different? Why would you be different? Marrou: First of all, the situation on the inside is a lot worse that it appears to the outside observer. Once in office, no matter what the expectations, it's always worse. Members of the government are mucH more egregious, much more venal than you thought, making you much more dedicated. The second thing is that when you get elected you spend so much time explaining the philosophy to what I

and if you put all these restrictions on call the three P's: the public, the press, depression. It seems to be getting worse what she cannot do, in return she beand your peers in office that you become and not better, despite signs that some comes a slave of the system in order to much more articulate as a libertarian. things are improving. Economic rights continue to receive aid. No one should be Others have made it so much worse than are what we need to restore, and libertarsurprised, therefore, to see individuals you thought it was, thus you become ians are the only candidates talking about remain on welfare all their lives, as did _ _ _ _._, actually doing away more of a libertarian their parents, and in some cases, their in office, not less. I've "with income tax and grandparents. These programs hurt those never known a liberthe IRS. Others aren't whom they are designed to help and tarian who became even talking about should therefore be discontinued. less of a libertarian that, and yet to us it's or compromised very important Review: What about the environment? their position. A lot of environmentalists advocate Review: What's the regulations and zoning laws to save the connection between Review: Some have economic rights and environment suggested that the cutting taxes? proper way to view Marrou: Well, it hasn't saved the envipolitics isn't on a Marrou: If we cut ronment, and they've been working at it left-right division, personal income for many years. I think anybody with an but on an axis of autaxes, the average I.Q. above a chimpanzee's can figure that thoritarian and nonAmerican would out. It just doesn't work. The EPA has not authoritarian. .,.1' have 10-20 percent cleaned up the environment. What they Marrou: 'I would ~ ~_ . more money to have done is succeeded in making a lot of even go further and 'm .: spend. That money bureaucrats wealthy. When the EPA was liken it to a straight would be spent here established in 1969, nearly a quarter cenline with governmental powers at one in Ann Amor, as opposed to being sent to._._tury ago, your right to sue in federal end of the spectrum and individualliberWashington. If we could also eliminate court for pollution was removed. That right should be restored. A right should ties at the other, which is more equivasome of the state taxes, there would again lent to the authoritarian/ non-authoribe more capital to spend locally, instead also be established that has never really tarian axis. Governmental power and inof sending it to Lansing. Local funds been exercised in the courts, a right to sue dividualliberties are, in our view, diawould most likely be spent on things that federal bureaucrats for causing or permetrically opposed. I like to view them make a lot more sense for the commumitting pollution. If a bureaucrat causes as two sides of a balance beam: the more nity. For example, if you send the money pollution through the government or pergove!!llllental power, the less individual to Washington, part of it invariably goes mits a corporation ,to pollute the environliberties, and vice versa. You cannot inoverseas as foreign aid. It might go, ment, then the bureaucrat should be held crease both or decrease both at the same frankly, to support Saddam Hussein. personally liable. I see nothing wrong time. If you want more individual libTwenty-six billion in arms was sent over with this. If people outside the governerty, there is only one way to get it, and to Hussein in the 12 years prior to the ment can be held liable, why should buthat is to decrease governmental power. war. We feel that this money should be reaucrats be protected by this screen of On that speroum, authoritarian verkept and spent locally on things that governmental authority? make more sense. The temporary restraining order sus non-authoritarian or governmental power versus individual liberties, the lib(fRO) should also be extended from the ertarians are much closer to a non-auReview: What about the good things norrna13 to 10 days up to 6 months or a thoritarian, individual liberties end of the government does, the social services year. Obviously this would stop polluthe balance beam. The Democrats and for example. Doesn't that money come tion for a much greater length of time Republicans are side by side closer to the back to the community? than the standard IRO allows. other end, favoring an authoritarian, govAnother thing that can be done to ernmental power axis. Marrou: The government does very little help the environment is to put all govgood. Charles Murray, in Losing Ground, ernment-owned land into private hands. Review: Which liberties would you seek determined that, over the course of a 20 There is nothing in the Constitution that to protect first if elected? Where would year period, the so-called "good governsays the federal government is supposed you start? ment programs" actually hurt the people to own or control land. All of the clearthey were designed to help. After 20 cutting that is done in old wood forests is Marrou: The problems we have currently years, of these programs, there is more almost always on federal land. All the in our society have mainly to do with poverty, welfare, illiteracy, illegitimate over-grazing is almost always done on economic, as opposed to, personal rights. federal land. There isn't supposed to be births, crime - everything has worsThere are some problems with personal ened. Murray clearly explains the reaany federal land. That land should be rights, especially with regard to the use sons why these programs fail to help transferred to the private sector through of drugs. But people's liberties are being their recipients. If you pay a woman in a sales or homesteading. Sales to groups trampled mainly now in the area of ecoghetto to have illegitimate children, she'll such as the Sierra Club would allow ennomics. For example, we are currently in do it. If you say that you cannot get an vironmentalists to purchase land which the worst recession since WWIl. Some education or the payments will stop, she they feel is environmentally sensitive. areas of the country, such as Southern won't get educated. Similarly, she doesn't Some of the land will have to go to minMichigan, have already entered a virtual get a husband, a job, or leave the ghetto, eral companies because we still need oil

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April 15, 1991

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and gas. All of it, though, should be in private hands. Private owners will always take better care of land than the federal government will.

any, licensing laws for businesses, .md and the Japanese in the United States viously not a political scientist. If he were, very few permits are required to do what': he would understand that for the first 40 du.ring,WWIIw~re pE:q>etrated by g6,,~ ever it is you want to do. $witzerland, . ernl1'leqt. W'l)epjt I:!appens, hoWdoxol1 or 50 years 路of this republic'S existence determine what or how much therestituwith regard to foreign affairs, is more or there were no political parties - for a less libertarian. They don't get involved, good reason: we don't need them. Politition should be? How much damage has Review: On what principles would you they're neutral, they conduct business been caused itself? If we can find the cal parties become vechides to suppress base a national government? with anyone, and yet they are very well people who are responsible, they should minority opinions of other people who do not belong to the parties in power. defended. Even Hitler had enough sense be required to set it right. Murou: The national government should not to invade Switzerland. We ought to With programs such as affirmative Historically, speaking that's what political parties have done. They squash disexist to protect its citizens against force model ourselves after the Swiss. The action, for example, to say today that or fraud. Under the Democrats and Re. country hasn't had a war in four or five black people should be given certain adsent. We should do away with them. publicans, this principle has been percenturies, and I defy anyone to tell me vantages over me because their great, Review:'sOme'politi~al parties ~ to verted perverted to the extent that the what's wrong with.that! great, great, great grandparents were think that they are actually on a mission slaves is just plain wrong. I was not pergovernment has become the main perpeofsorts to do the "'right thing." These sonally responSible for that, and neither trator of force or fraud. It is thereby doing Review: A lot of people would say that include protecting the oppressed and we must also protect ourselves economiwere my parents or grandparents. It is the exact opposite of what it should be victimized people who are especially cally. They suggest that protectionist wrong to punish people today for crimes doing. According to the Constitution, we sensitive and need sensitive speech reneed a national defense system, but it trade barriers are a way to do this, main- I that occurred 130 or 140 years ago. Even sulting in speech codes. The justificawrung that if we don't have some kind if it were right, how long must we make should be based upon the defense of the tion then becomes in 'IDeo parentis and up for transgressions that occurred in of protection, Americans wiUlose jobs. United States, not Japan, Germany, Kufor the greater glory of the University. How would you handle that problem? another century? People should be alwait, Saudi Arabia, and a host of other lowed to get ahead on merit, and the countries around the world. It should Manou: That kind of thinking in its exgovernment should not be involved in Marrou: Trade barriers are a precursor to also be based at home, which is why treme led to the concept during the Vietwar. As a French philosopher and econothis fcquisition at all. libertarians advocate bringing the troops nam War that in order to save the village, home to defend the United States. We mist said about 150 years ago "if goods you had to destroy it. It is also the same Review: Why are libertarian ideals not do not cross borders, soldiers will." If also need a court system for criminal and kind of thinking that the Nazis used, recognized in college and university civil cases at both the federal and state you look at the hist~ most if not all of namely, "we know what's best for you." the major wars, such as WWll, there will "faculties? levels, and at the state and local levels we There really is no suth thing as the greater need a police force. Again, the police always be a diminuti0!l of trade prior to good. There is only individual good, Marrou: I suspect its for the same reason the war, and in some cases an actual should be going after the bad guys: the sometl;ting that can be good for the indithat Congress does what it does. Political cessation of trade. In 194041 the United murderers, rapists, robbers, and con men. Right now, 83 percent of all murderers States kept diminishing its trade with science professors are also part of the ,/viaU'~ human being. The more power get off scott-free and 95 percent of all Japan, and finally in mid-1941 FDR cut establishment, and share in its money, that we put into the individual human rapists walk away from their crimes be. off all petroleum exports to Japan. Six power, and prestige. Professors get in.,. being, the better off we are all going to be. cause the police are not chasing the bad months later they bombed Pearl Harbor. vited from time to time to participate in guys. They are instead chasing speeders, Review: What book or books would This is pretty typical. If you really want Washington at very highly paid posiprostitutes, gamblers, drug users peace and prosperity around the world, you recommend for students to read tions. They may simply be trying to get people who aren't hurting anyone exover the summer? ./ you need free trade. Goods and money the attention of the people who are in cept maybe themselves. Yet it is much should be able to cross borders without power in Washington. I don't fully know easier to catch a speeder than a murinterference. The lower the tariff barriMarrou: The first book I would rEfomwhy they aren't more receptive to the derer. Under a libertarian administraers, the better the situation. Any tariff mend is P.J. O'Rourke's Parliament of libertarian philosophy, because to me it tion the police would be re.-directed and W'hores. Not only is it a hilarious book, embodies the basic American philosobarriers you erect will end up hurting I guarantee that the ipcarceration rates but it illuminates the follies of governyour own people. phy: let us alone, you get what you pay for real criminals would go up dramatim~nt. It is very entertaining. Also Losing for, you pay for what you get, live and let cally. Ground by Charles Murray is very schollive - that sort of thing. It's all basic Review: Are there any circumstances arly and extremely informative: under which the government can legitiAmericanism. Why they are so enamReview: What makes you think prinored with more and more governmental mately intervene in the economy, such ciples would work in the real world? Review: Is there anything you would power is a mystery to me. as breaking up monopolies or busting Doesn't the U.S. need a more practical like to add? trusts, perhaps? approach? Review: Political science departments Manou: Yes. I've been saying now for Manou: No. There just aren't. Monoposeem hostile to or ignorant about lib.ef.. Manou: Principles based on individual years that the Libertarian Party is the lies only exist with government intertarian ideas. next major party. It will become the maliberties do actually work. They did in vention. The government is the one that the United States until 1913. With a few jor party pOSSibly early in the next cencreates monopolies. Hamburgers are a Marrou: Many political science profesexceptions the United States was more or tury. perfect example. McDonald's is certainly sors seem to be wrapped up in the paraIt's also inevitable that we will elect less libertarian until 1913. At that point, the colossus of fast food, but not the only dig ll1 ofso<;ialism which just doesn't a Libertarian president and Congress. the Democrats and the Republicans gave one. Without government interference, work, and yet they refuse to let it go. It's simply a matter of when and whom. us the income tax, the IRS and the Federal McDonald's will never be able to sell out I recently read about a political sciIn fact, I will go even further by saying Reserve System. They also changed the ence professor who maintains that the the market, regardless of how big it gets. that it's not only inevitable, but necfS"' way senators are elected, and the next two major political parties, the Demosary. If we do not elect a Libertarian to year established the first drug laws, which Review: What about in cases of historicrats and Republicans, should be enoffice, then, this slide into oblivion will created the problem of drug crimes. Since shrined in the Constitution. This to me is cal oppression? Is some kind of special continuE:. The federal government althen, we have become more and more almost as bad as the constitutional treatment required to set the scales of ready takes more money out of the socialistic and less libertarian. There are justice right again? amendment proposed by John Andereconomy that it ever has before. This other countries that have adopted porson to declare the United States a Chriscannot continue. And the only people tions of a libertarian philosophy, for extian republic. These things are so Marrou: The people who have been talking about doing anything about it are ample, Belize and Ciskei, much more so antihetical to the basic American ideal wronged are almost always wronged Libertarians. Thus, it is imperative that that it's hard for me to believe that these than we have. Domestically, they are sort because of the government. For example, we elect them, ' people are seriOUs. This professor is obof libertarian in that they have few, if the crimes against Jews in Nazi Germany

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Essay

April 15, 1992

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Clouded Thinking-and the Clean Air Act by Klahore Jayabalan "The Oean Air Act of 1990 was the classic illustration of environmentalism run amuck and probably will make the environment somewhat worse," noted the late Warren Brookes, a writer known for his coherent interpretations of environmental issues. The Clean Air Act (CAA) was signed into law November 15, 1990 by President George Bush. By catering to the hysterical demands of the so-called "greens," Bush has managed not only to increase federal regulations, an anathema to any conservative, but has also succeeded in placing the burden of immense funding for environmental care on thetaxpayers of this nation. According to a report by the Cato Institute, a public policy think-tank, the CAA is "easily the most expensive and wide-ranging environmental law ever passed in the western world. Regulations stemming from the act alone are expected to fill about 7,000 Federal Register pages." Cost estimates range from $28-40 billion annually in addition to current U.S. environmental costs. While only one regulation has been implemented so far, over 400 new regulations can be expected in the next two years. The CAA contains eight titles or chapters which deal with various controls designed to produce "cleaner air." One title deals with motor vehicle emissions, alternative fuel sources, and other such controls. Th~ mandates, like all the other structures imposed by the CAA, will affect small businesses most severely. Small businesses are generally regarded as entities which employ fewer than 50 people and lack the technical or legal staff to guide them through the maze of regulations. The myth of "clean" fuel permeates the CAA. While drafting the act, Congress was given it choice between implementing tailpipe emission standards on new cars (which would raise the cost of new automobiles) or demanding that special equipment be placed on fuel pumps (which would increase gasoline prices). Congress, in its infinite wisdom, opted for the worst of all possible options: it adopted both. In effect, consumers will incur two sets of costs to achieve one set of expeced benefits. Brookes noted that the total impact of such emission standards addresses about one or two percent of the "precur_ sors of ozone" problem, while 90 percent of the pollution comes from 10-15 percent of the cars 00 the road. By increasing the cost of new cars, the CAA has the perverse effect 0{ keeping oI.dB, less fuel>

quired to purchase "polluting permits" erful men inside the Beltway, has also and may trade amongst themselves any been a critic of the CAA. An unnamed surplus or shortage of state licence. The aide to Dingell said that Dingell opposed federal government has mandated that the "more extreme proposals," and that states issue and make sure that all sources many environmental groups have been purchase such permits. Economists have enraged by this opposition. While admitlong advocated a ting that the regulations have yet to be permit system befully implemented, the aide suggested cause it provides that its costs will outweigh its benefits, incentives not to especially when "the price of a car would pollute and rebe raised $700." The aide further blamed wards the most Bush for the CAA and its implications on cos t- e ff ic i en t business. sources. If a business were to neglect these burdensome federal dictates, the punYet the Cato Institute has calcuishment would be harsh. The penalty for lated that comoperating without a permit includes fines bined costs from and possible imprisonment for a "negliMACT and permit gent" paperwork error, while a "knowfees will range ing" violation will be considered a felony, subject to a maximum of $250,000 in fines from $95-154 billion over the next and imprisonment of up to 5 years for "" TIte EPA's ideal mode of transportation to ten years. each day of violation counting as a sepafive / Many large firms rate act. Apparently, according to the gallon by 1995. Nearly half of America's may be able to cover these costs, but, EPA, conducting a business has come to once again, small businesses, the .91les路""'~路involve risking the commission of a maoil refineries, moreover, can be expected jor crime. to dose down due to the heavy capital without high-priced legal staffs and bilcosts of redesigning plants to produce A wide array of industries in addilions of dollars in assets, will suffer trecleaner" gasoline. A Consad Research mendously. tion to the auto industry are sure to be report estimates that 4.6 million to 7.72 The permit provisions of the CAA affected by the CAA regulations. The million jobs will be lost because of the have also caused strife among the buCato Institute estimates that electric utilCAA, with the majority coming from the ity rates will increase, depending on the reaucrats who created this monstrosity. already hard-pressed industrial MidThe Environmental Protection Agency region, from 1.5 to 30 percent. One-third west (EPA) has sought to force states to take of the steel-making coke industry, totalThe Cato Institute has assessed that full control over the act, its enforcement, ling 5,000 jobs, may also be lost. A U.S. the increased costs of fuel to refineries and the punishment of its violators. The Chamber of Commerce study indicated will result in both the exportation of jobs national EPA, however, has been interthat the EPA will deem some products and capital and a diminution of economic feting with its regional, and state Depart"nonessential," and will restrain the progrowth. "Even Ralph Nader's Citizen ment of Natural Resources agencies, induction and use of these products. ChloAction Group has 'serious reserverations, truding on the jurisdiction of the indirofluorocarbon-propelled plastic party because this agreement ... will undoubtvidual states, and foisting its agenda on streamers and horns are among these edly result in a dramatic decrease in the the agencies, many of which are conproducts. number of refineries and marketers of cerned with the administrative cost of Many involved with business are gasoline.'" issuing and enforcing permit provisions. understandably concerned, especially if Other sections of the CAA attempt to A source within a business-advosuch regulations are ultimately imp lecontrol air toxins, acid rain and other cacy group has also said that tension is men ted. Richard Sigman, associate diforms of air pollution. The act singles out rising within the Bush administration rector of the air program at the Chemical small businesses, including dry cleaners, regarding the EPA and permit proviManufacturers Association, admitted gasoline stations, funeral homes, printsions. The EPA has argued for public that cost estimates can be difficult to ers, auto body repair shops and metal review of permit violations, a process make because the EPA is constantly finishers, among others. The act manthat would allow environmental groups changing its standards. "There's a lot of dates that new businesses must comply and business competitors to disrupt a uncertainty which makes it hard for busiwith Maximum Achievable Control Techcompany's operations and competitiveness and industry to plan ahead," said nology (MACT) standards, which insist ness by staging a lengthy court battle. Sigman, commenting that the MACT that sources employ state-of-the-art standard will definitely damage the orVice-President Dan Quayle's U.s. Counequipment, regardless of the pollution cil on Competitiveness has strongly opganic chemicals industry. problem in the area. This absurd stanThe perceived benefits of the CAA posed public review, and White House dard is akin to prescribing the maximum Chief of Staff Samuel Skinner may have are dubious at best. Advocates say that amount of amphetamines to someone to play the role of mediator. At stake is the increased regulation will make busiwith the sniffles. Not only does MACT ness "responsible," lead to less air polluthe cost and administrative burden of the disregard common sense, it is also expermit provisions and where it will be tion, acid rain and smog in the long run, tremely bad public policy. placed and thereby save the ozone layer. These The CAA also establishes permit proCongressman John Dingell (D-Ml), vi~<?l)al,-.unQer.w~$.b;u,slne~ !ll'ere;:- , long.r~og$ed as on\\ ~{ the,mostpow~ ,PkaseS,e,e ,p,age ~ 6 J, \ 1:1,:

efficient cars in operation. Thus, the CAA will make the environment even dirtier. Numerous studies have estimated that car prices will increase $200-1,000 in response to the CAA' while gasoline prices will increase by 3.5 to 15 cents a

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Aprit 15, 1992

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW.

Essay

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The Case for Free Market Environmentalism realize is that a promising compromise fishermen an objective measure of how Robert J. Smith observed in his Policy In the Spring 1982 issue of Policy lies in the inherent potential of the capimuch damage Exxon really caused. How Review article that, "Self-interest drives Review, Robert J. Smith rhetorically retalist system when properly utilized, to do Alaska's 13,000 fishermen know the private property owners to careful flected, "Why do people litter public correct and diminish environmental damthey've received a fair settlement?" Bemanagement and protection of the reparks and streets, but not their own yards? age. cause the water is publicly held, no indisource [which they own]." Minitet simiWhy do people dump old refrigerators vidual fisherman can claim that a specific Based on recognition of the superior larly noticed that, "Increased individual and rubber tires in the public or common maintenance of private versus public amount of his property has been harmed. responsibility and ownership spurs indistreams, rivers, and swamps, but not in viduals to voluntarily adapt their activiproperty, and the fact that economic ex- .Miniter further notes that the presence of their farm ponds or swimming pools?" property rights would have guaranteed pansion and environmental protection ties to meet the changing needs of.modThe answer to these questions, says Smith, fishermen a fair settlement on direct losses ern society, thereby lessening the cost to are vital to the health of the nation, a new can be found in the intrinsic nature of paradigm called free market environmento their property, and the risk of paying planet Earth. Those who waste resources ownership. out direct settleshould pay directly, not pass the cQSt on talism has emerged. Private ownership induces owners ments would have to innocent taxpayers." Muchpf free Economist Fred prompted Exxon to to accept responsibility for their propmarket environmentalism is based on Smith explained the erty, and creates a vested interest in mainfree market apact more responsithis "polluter pays" principle. . bly and enact greater Free market environmentalists betaining its well-being. Public ownership, proach in a book precautionary mealieve that polluters should be charged on the other hand, dilutes personal republished by the sponsibility, because the full costs of sures, such as according to how much pollution they Competitive Enterdouble-hulled tankcause, for everything from factorygenercleaning up a polluted public park or prise Institute eners. ated smoke to automobile emissions. Not river, for instance, are dispersed amongst titled Readings in Free Market Envi~effmen The wetlands only does the polluter pays principlepnr . the public, rather than being directly or talism: I~'market con troversy also vide a mechanism for individual victims solely incurred by the polluter. People acting out of private interest have a to hold individual polluters directly acprovides a prime exbased approac~es ample of the need to countable, but it also provides polluters environmental obgreater incentive to preserve an environdefine propert~,,,,,/-with an incentive to reduce costs and ment which is, in effect, their own private jectives as better obrights. Wetlands, which do have. ur11que emissions by seeking a more efficient, property, than those acting out of public tained by relying on the extension of interest, who are far more likely to abuse ecological value, now make up approxinon-polluting means. The polluter pays private property rights, free markets, and an environment in which they have no targeted pollution liability rules. The mately 275 million acres of the United principle is encountering some d'lficul-· vested personal interest. States, or 25 percent of the natibn's availties in determining proper implementaapproach focuses fiscal and legal responable surface area. tion strategies, mostly regarding methConcern for the environment has sibility on property owners and pollutTo qualify as a wetland, according to lately moved into the forefront of popuods to measure pollution levels.Scieners." Smith argues, in fact, that environlar social concerns. Unfortunately, at the "an tists such as Donald Stedman of th~ Unithe National Wilderness Institute, mental problems stem almost entirely root of many of the popular environmenfrom a failure to apply markets rather <1!ea must be inundated only one week versity of Delaw,are are exploring I11notalist movements, there tends to be a per year," even if its ecological worth as vative and efficient means of measuring than a failure of the market system. a wetland is minimal to nonexistent. deeper motive of weakening capitalism. pollution. While methods of implemet:lThe need to recognize property rights Such sophistry, threatens individual libControversy over the issue stems from tation still require further developlllent, is a key focus of free market environmentwo problems which are directly related they are certainly worth investigating. erty and the free market system with talism. Smith earlier wrote, "Economists to property rights: first, people who in Free market environmentalism has recognize that if it were possible to asfalse claims that capitalism has produced any way alter wetlands (even if it is an the current environmental crisis, and that been experimented with to only a limited sign property rights to environmental improvement to their own private propextent, but has been successftd where exclusive government control of the engoods, such as air and water, people erty) can be subject to jail tenns of up to implemented. For example, private OWl1vironment is the only recourse for ensurwould be more careful in protecting three years; second, federal seizure of ership programs have been implemented ing an unspoiled environment. them." This idea is approached relucareas designated as "wetlands" often to revive the catfish population·in MisEnvironmental doomsayers often use tantly, largely because of its seemingly sissippi. The catfish population th~re'has conflicts with the takings clause of the the alibi that it is impossible to have a unfeasible nature. Smith, however, points Fifth Amendment. The latter difficulty increased by 500 percent over the last out that "[s}uch aSSignment of property prospering free market economy based decade because private owners have arises when the government classifies a on property rights, "and, at the same time, rights is difficult because air and water privately owned piece of land as a wetmore of an incentive to care for their maintain a healthy environment. While are impossible to fence, so it is hard to land and proceeds either to confiscate it stock. Private owners have developed it is true that some profit-motivated firms monitor trespasses. Nevertheless, the or prohibit its owner from developing it, ponds with plentiful oxygen levels, food have damaged the environment in their property rights paradigm does suggest i.e. altering it in any way. supplies, and disease protection. Pro.. quest for profits and expansion, the capiways [damage} might be better traced." Such conflicts of interest between grams such as Operation Stronghold are talist system itself cannot be blamed. If we consider the option of private land owners and the federal govmade up of private landowners who are Because environmental neglect emerged privatization in such a difficult case, howernment are creating an influx of court working together to improve five million ever, we can see both how privatization as a problem in capitalist countries, it is cases regarding the ambiguous legal staacres of land for wildlife. easy to accuse this system of neglecting may indeed be plausible and how it could tus of wetlands and consequently soakTurning to statist, governmental the environment, and suggest socialist . be applied with enormous simplicity to ing up valuable public resources. Only agencies for solutions would be a misreform. other causes, e.g. public parks and grazthrough an adequate definition and astake, as the government's appalling track ing land. Current examples of the need Abandoning either economic expansessment of property rights will the conrecord on environmental protection resion or environmental protection, howfor property rights can be found in the troversy ever be fully resolved. veals. Public sector mismanagement and ever, would certainly cause a decline in Exxon Valdez incident and the recent The advantages of defining property neglect of the environment has contribthe standard of living. A compromise wetlands controversy. uted significantly to the degradation of rights arise from the resulting delineaposition is then reqUired, one which alAs environmental policy analyst Rition of responsibility. Private ownership the environment. The Tennessee Valley lows simultaneous economic expansion chard Miniter has written in the Vassar of property provides the incentive to care and protection of the environment. What Spectator, "By not acknowledging prop" ;..~. I Plea$t SUPagt116 i . , 'c· " (: erty rightslin' water, 'Uncle Sam' denied i for 'it lViselyand' irhprov~ its quality. ecologists and pOlitIdatlS'dfien fail to

by Andrew Bockelman

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into account the most significant conenvironmentally pristine." Dilorenzo noon strolJ costs but 50 cents. tributors to the problem. For examplE~, of points out that this is simply not the case. .Without a specific owner, there is no Authority, a power plant monitor ope~ all automobiles currently in use, 25 perInadequate government monitoring incentive to care for something. As an ated by the federal government, has recent of are producing 90 percent of the of the environment in the former USSR alternative, Dilorenzo determined in his peatedly lobbied to avoid environmental pollution. The Clean Air Act mandates has caused extensive damage to much of report, "Coupled with sound liability regulations. Heavy logging on behalf of that expensive modifications be made to that region's environmental resources. laws that hold people responsible for the US Forest Service in the Rocky Mountheir actions and the enforcement of prinew vehicles, thus discouraging people , As a result, many rivers and bodies of tains has damaged this already frangible who own old cars to replace' them with water have either disappeared, or have vate-property rights, markets will proregion. These are certainly not confined newer, cleaner running vehicles. become contaminated beyond repair. vide more cost effective 'regulation' of examples. The inability of the state to act as an Eastern Europe has been called the the environment when such regulation is The dubiously named Environmeneffective steward of the environment is most polluted region on the Earth's surindee4 needed." tal Protection Agency clearly exemplicase enough to avoid government conface by the United Nations. Recent scienGovernment mismanagement of the fies government management of the entrol of environmental protection, in fatific estimates point out that pollution environment, coupled with the "tragedy vironment gone awry. Witness the Envivor of private stewlevels in Eastern Euof the commons," has obViously preronmental Protection Agency's recently ardship. rope are seven times sented a problem for those who wish to released standard for industrial benzine No where is the those of the United protect the environment efficaciously emissions, which have been determined failure of state conStates. Public ownwhile still ensuring economic growth. It to cause cancer. The cost of controlling trol more apparent ership of the enviis precisely this concern that is influencthese emissions is estimated at $100 milthan in the centralronment is the culing a movement toward advocacy of free lion per life saved. As Thomas Melnick ized environmental prit. Garret Hardin market environmentalism. remarks in the MarchI April 1990 issue Free market environmentalism is programs of Eastern delineated the reaof Philanthropy, "In a country with more Europe and the soning behind this in gaining more credence as an alternative than 35 million people without health his acclaimed essay to popular environmentalism. As an ideformer USSR. In a insurance and with a rising infcu;tt morreport entitled "Does Capitalism Cause entitled "The Tragedy of the Commons." ology, itis constantly developing as furtality rate in inner cities, this is a strange Pollution?")lrdmas Dilorenzo notes that "Ruin is the destination toward ther research is conducted. Political conway to spend money on health." "If [government control) is correct,<me which all men rush, each pursuing his siderations often stand in the way, howThe EPA has also been criticized for would expecUhe communist world own best interest in a society that beever. Groups such as The Nature Conserbacking policies such as the Clean Air where profit making has been outlawed lieves in the freedom of the commons," vancy, the National Audobon Society, Act, which mandates expensive measures and government has laid claim to virtuHardin wrote in the 1968 article. Hardin _,_ Ducks Unlimited, and the National Wilto reduce air pollution without taking argued that without individual acOOt1h(: . demess Institute have advocated both ally all productive resources - to be ability, there is an incentive to abuse that environmental protection and expansion of the economy through free market conwhich is public, such as the environment. When responsibility is divided up in procepts. Economists such as John Baden portion to number rather than in prop orand Richard Stroup have been develoption to use, excessive use and abuse by ing detailed strategies for the implemenindividuals becomes profitable. Compare tation of fr·ee market environmentalism. two recreational parks, one of which is Because it can promote a healthy envifunded by a uniform tax on local resironment while maintaining a robust dents, the other of which thrives on voleconomy, free market environmentalism untary memberships and user fees. A promises to become a Significant factor visitor to the former has no rational inin the debate over environmental protec• Learn to AnJicipaJe the Exam ~ Thinking centive to keep the park clean - his taxes tion in years to come . • lmpro~e Your Reasoning & Logic SkilL'i will not change. He can litter to his heart's delight without fear of penalty, unless he Andrew Bockelman is a freshman in • Develop Compre"ensi~e Exam SlraJegies is caught by a ranger, which he recogeconomics and an executive editor of • Review Videotapes for Additional Practice nizes is improbable. Patrons of the latter the Review. He typed this article with park, in contrast, pay according to how his invisible hand. they use the park: campfires might cost $5, picnics might cost $2, but an after-

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Ccmtinued From Page 1~ benefits would not only be aesthetically pleasing, but could also increase life expectancy and worker productivity. Yet these effects are almost impossible to quantify and have not been scientifically proven. Fortunately for the economy, implementation of the CAA has barely begun. The environmental elite has made it an act of heresy to criticize the "green" movement - after all, how can one be against" clean air" or the environment? Environmental legislation is often ad~

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vanced through emotional appeals or mere sophistry, as its costs exceed its benefits by far (Brookes estimated by a 1000:1 ratio for the CAA). If the act is fully implemented, it will do irreparable damage to the American economy in the form of increased costs to business, higher prices for consumers, and lost jobs for many. With the U.S. economy already suffering from the heavy burden of many officious regulations, it would be a pleasure to see the Clean Air Act go up in smoke. Kishore Jayabalan is a senior in economics and political science and an execUtive editObJf the Revitw: . ' ; ,I •.' i .. .

April 15, 1992

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Campus Affairs

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Can Spike Lee Make Malcolm X a Role Model? by Andrew Bockelman problems, as well as scathing criticism Having been labelled everything from the media. According to Lee, the from a rebellious iconoclast to a pioneer $33 million film is already $8 million over of cinematography, Spike Lee has gained budget and 50 minutes too long. Ultimately, however, his concerns as a direca reputation for generating controversy virtually wherever he goes. Yet after his tor mostly revolve around portraying recent speech at the University of MichiMalcolm X - the man and his message gan, the independent filmmaker from - in an accurate manner. Lee acknowlNew York rl------~--~------------------~ proved that edged the difficulty si mp I isti c of portraying caricatures Malcolm X's charcannot suffiacter on screen, noting that he was ofCiently de~ scribe his f' ten left to his own j u - dg men 1. unique style and indi"[Malcolm] was vidual apmany different proach to people, with many filmmaking. different political W hi Ie thoughtsJ;'be said. addressing a capacity crowd at Hill Au"What we tried to do in the.film is show the transformation Malcolm went ditorium on April 3, Lee focused on the through. The Malcolm that wi; in the significance of both his films and the Nation of Islam was not the same Malcolm message he attempts to convey through who came back from Mecca." the visual medium. In particular, he discussed the varying approaches he took to In a press-conference earlier in the directing each of his five previous films, day, Lee stated that "We [black Ameriand he told the story behind his upcomcans] cannot let anybody else determine ing portrayal of the life of Malcolm X. who our role model., are going to be, and Throughout the speech, Lee stressed that's the problem -letting other people the importance of creating films which dictate what you should dictate yourcombine substance with purpose. In genselves." In this light, Lee is dearly ateral, his artistic style aspires to create art tempting to fortify Malcolm X's position which not only entertains, but also conas a black role model. As for Malcolm X's veys a message, most often one Iconcernmessage of racial equality, Lee observed, ing his own apprehensions ab~ut soci"Malcolm is at his all-time zenith as far ety. His upcoming film will be no excepas popularity. The reason for that is betion. cause he is needed now more than ever." "Malcolm X is the most important Through his film, Lee hopes that film I've done," Lee said regarding the Malcolm X will gain increased respect picture, which will be released Novemand become a figure of admiration for all. ber 20. The film, entitled X, has taken 20 He also noted that film is an appropriate years to plan and produce, with numerway of communicating this message: ous directors, cast "The story members, and needs to be scriptwriters contold. For tributing to the final the most product. Lee has aspar t , sumed the responsipeople bility of guiding the don't read film through final anymore. production. uWhen M 0 r e we decided to do this I people will film, in order to porprobably tray the complexity see this film of Malcolm's life, it in the first had to be done on a grand scale - an epic two weeks than those who read the book scale," stated Lee, acknowledging his con[Malcolm X's autobiography} in the last cern that the leader's story should "not 20 years." be trivialized or demeaned." Lee then concentrated on his previBut an epic film is expensive, and ous filmmaking endeavors, beginning money has not come easily for Lee. X has with his earliest directing experiences as been plagued.bJ I'!lJIlWr.o~s pRQ9.u<;tio,I)- ~ a stt,l~~n! flt t'/er< )'.9t~ ,l.f~v;e~i!YAl14~

besides racism." chronicling his career up to his most recent film, Jungle Fever. This exhaustion eventually led to the 1990 film Mo' Better Blues. In this particuIn his final year at NYU, Lee first gained recognition as a filmmaker for lar film, Lee sought to explore what hapJoe's Bed-Stuy Barbershap, which earned pened to a person whose career was sudhim a student academy award. The film denly rendered obsolete by an unfortunate occurrence. He depicted this scewas made in collaboration with fellow nario through a trumpet player who lost student-turned-director Ernest his main means of earning a living after Dickerson. Despite his success, Lee was surprised that Hollywood failed to embeing punched in the lip by a friend. Despite the fact that his latest film, brace his talents. "I was very dumb back Jungle Fever, was "very misinterpreted," then," he quipped. Lee nevertheless has called it his best With his next project, Lee felt he film to date. His goal was to contrast the "made up for [his previous] mistakes." motivations behind a romantic relationHis 1985 film She's Gotta Have It, filmed in ship between a black man and a white 12 days on a $175,000 budget, went on to woman. This particular portrayal also make $75 million and win him the award garnered Lee much criticism from the for best new filip. at the prestigious Cannes media, criticism which he once again Film Festival. ~hile discussing the film parried skillfully: in a 1986 interview, he told the New Yark "The film is not saying that blackTimes, 'Tne whole point is that you can white love relationships aren't possible," take an unknown, all-black cast and put he explained. Rather, it attempts to exthem in a story that comes from a black plore a "relationship based on sexual experience, and all kinds of people will mythology." Lee discussed the prevacome. to see it if it's a good film. I wish lent mYJhs otsexuality in our society, Hollywood would get that message." delineating a Lee charmyth in black acterized his culture that 1988 film Sc1wol white females Daze as "a miwith blonde hair crocosm of and blue eyes are black society." the epitome of In this film he beauty, while the depicted the dark-complexexperiences of ioned black students at a woman with fictional black short hair is relacollege based tively unaccepton recollecable. He contrasted this perception with tions of his own undergraduate experia prevalent myth in white society about ence at Morehouse College. He specifiblack men, which he described only by cally wanted to address the sensitive isstating, "We all know what that myth is." sue in the black community regarding Referring to one of the film's characskin shades, and "try to mirror the superters who had a crack addiction, Lee clarificial and petty differences that divide fied his intended message by explaining [blacks}." In addition, Lee recalled the that, to him, "the real story of Jungle Fever disdainful reactions he received from is the destruction of the black family members of the black community for through crack." attempting to deal with a sensitive issue Responding to concerns about the on film. difficulty of Simultaneously making a In 1989, Lee wrote, directed, and statement and creating a work of art, Lee acted in Do the Right Thing, a film which concluded, "I don't think that messages was made to "reflect the country at large." have to be separated from the art." Spike Inspired by an attack on three black males Lee, through both his speech at the U-M in the Howard Beach section of New and the success of his work, has certainly York City, Lee wanted to deal with the turned that belief into praxis. tense racial climate of New York City and relate it to the country as a whole. Andrew Bockelman is a freshman in The media, however, harshly criticized economics and an executive editor of both Lee and his film for inciting animosthe Review. In his spare time, he talks to ity. As he later remarked, "We were redogs. ally worn out by the flack Do the Right Thing created, and we wanted to just do som1Qing that dealt with another issue .J ~ I

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

Essay

April 15, 1992

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The Corrosive Politics of Acid Rain by Chat Zarko What happens when you combine all the evils of bureaucracy with the apparently positive goals of environmentalism? EPA bureaucral" and special interest groups have answered this question empirically vis auis their manipulation of scientific evidence regarding the effects of acid rain. Acid rain first became an ~xplosive issue in the late 19708 when some scientists and environmentalists claimed to have discovered a link between sulfur dioxide emi ssions from coal-burning power plants and the acidification of Northeastern lakes and forests. Congress r~l'0nded to this perceived threat in 1980 by commissioning a $500 million intra-agency governmental study known as the National Acid Precipation Assessment Project (NAPAP). NAPAP's primary goal was to document the extent of damage that acid rain was causing to lakes, rivers, streams, crops, forests, and buildings. The issue was so politically charged, however, that legislative action was taken before Congres.<; had even authorized research to determine the level of damage resulting from acid rain. According to Robert CrandaU, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, amendments were attached in 1977 to the Clean Air Act of 1'J10which "required Western and Southwestern utilities to install expensive stack-gas ~crubbers on all new boilers, even though enormous deposits of very clean coal were nearby." The economic reality of the situation was that coal burning power plants already were shifting to cheap, low-sulfur coal mined in the Western US. Even with transportation costs, Eastern and Midwestern coal plants found it more economical to buy low-sulfur coal to reduce sulfur emissions than to install expen~ sive scrubbers. Once companies were forced to instaU scrubbers, they no longer had any incentive to pay the extra transportation costs for low-sulfur coal, since the only way to meet government standards w~ to install scrubbers. The switch back to Eastern high-sulfur coal was so substantial that by W79 estimated emissions of sulfur actuaUy rose. Apparently, the higher sulfur content more than offset the cleansing effect of scrubbers. Why was such a shortsighted policy adopted? According to Crandall, "the environmentalists struck a deal with Eastem, high-sulfur coal miners." It was this policy that "kept several thOQSand Eastern miners at work in potentially dangerous underground mines" (Western mines

are generally at the surface). Special ining the acidity of lakes and str~ams. It terest groups cobbled together a policy was the acid contribution of plants and that was both economically and environother natural substances that resulted in mentally counterproductive. the acidification oOakes and streams, not As the 1980s wore on and further eviacid rain. dence from the NAPAP study was colKrug and Frink pointed out that the lected, the need for further acid rain legexistence of fish in most of the Adirondack islation increasingly came into que&iion. lakes is just an historical aberration. Core samples taken from the bottom of these The "mineral titration" theory, as summarized by William Anderson, Profeslakes show that they were acidic and sor of Economics at the University of fishless before the 1800s. According to Tennessee, was the key to environmenAnderson, fish survival in the late 1800s talists claims that acid rain was a serious and early 1900s was attributable to "exthreat. The theory asserted that acidic tensive slash-and-burn logging. Elimisoils "have little buffering capacity nating the acid vegetation caused the soil against acid rain. Because much of the to become more alkaline (a high pH), reducing the acid flowing into lakes and soil in the Northeast and Eastern Canand~ is acidi" many scientists simply assume4 streams. In turn, the lakes became more that acid rain ran off directly into streams hospitable to fish. After' forever wild' and lakes and made them acidic ... Scienlegislation stopped the logging in 1915, tific mode,lweased on the mineraftitrathe watersheds reverted to acid soils and tion theOry predict that eliminating half vegetation, and the lakes became acidic of the acidity.of rain could raise the pH again." Krug also pointed out that the level to a more neutral and life-supportIroquois word' Adirondack' means 'bark ing" level over 50 years. eater: A review of Indian history reveals>.." The theory also predicted that the sulthat the lakes of the region prod1Jked fur-dioxide in acid rain was destroying __ fish. forests by stripping soil of nutrients, erodTo conclude his study, Krug also ing tree bark, and leaching soil metals showed that lakes in Florida, Australia, into the groundwater. and New Zealand all have pH levels The NAP AP study, headed by Edbelow the average 5.0 of Adirondack ward Krug. a specialist in soil chemistry, lakes. These areas all have similar soil quickly dismissed all of these assertions compositions and have experienced al(with the exception, according to Andermost no acid rain. The region with the son, of a less than one-tenth of one perhighest rain acidity in the u.s. was the cent effect on red Ohio Valley, and it spruces in the SoUthhas no acid lakes. em Appalachians). By 1987, when The study found NAPAP released its that soil composiInterim Assessment, Krug's theory of tion was independent ofthe acidity of acidification had rain, that tree deaths gained widespread on a massive scale acceptance in the sciwere often caused entific community . by disease and inThe report, however, sect damage, and created a political that acid rain might controversy, and was even "act as a mild attacked by some fertilizer." Congressmen, inKrug, questioneluding Rep. James ing the validity of a Scheuer, (D-N.Y.) as theory with no pre"intellectually disdictive power, went honest." The EPA, on to challenge the entire mineral titrafeeling the heat as well, had both Krug tion theory. In 1983 Krug and colleague and the original NAPAP director, Charles Frink published a paper in SciLawrence Kulp, removed from their jobs. mce entitled" Acid Rain on Acid Soil: A Krug was later attacked by William New Perspective." Rosenberg, the EPA assistant adminisKrug and Frink studied the historical trator for the Office of Air and Radiation, land use patterns of the United States, as being "on the fringes of environmenCanada, and Scandanavia and found that tal science" and of "limited scientific credibility." According to Anderson, these the composition of soil was more import<mtthan.the pH leyel of,raindn. det~ attacks were based on '~s~leded damn-

ing quotes from raj secret review." The EPA's allegations were off-base since Krug had not only gained acceptance from the majority of the scientific community, but he had survived the traditionally rigorous public peer review that is typical of the scientific process. After encountering considerable opposition to this stance later in 1991, Rosenberg' s spokesman, David Cohen, retracted the attacks. Along with these personal attacks on Krug, the EPA moved to cover up the NAPAP report. According to Anderson, "NAPAP was ready to release a final findings document in 1989. Under congressional mandate, the document was supposed to guide priorities for the Clean Air Act" The EPA, under the direction of William Riley, "refused to approve it. After much revision, the EPA finally allowed the document to be released on July 27, 1990 -long after President Bush, who in his 1988 presidential campaign had prOmised to be the "environmental preSident," signed the new Clean Air Act. Perhaps Riley summarized it best when he declared the Clean Air Act of 1990 "the environmental flagship of this administration" and said that "we will do nothing to embarrass it." As Anderson astutely points out, "they won't do anything to 'embarrass' the act because the cost/benefit provisions written into the law could force its repeal." The only improvement in the Clean Air Act of 1990 is a more flexible system of transferable pollution reduction credits which allows the industry to utilize the most efficient pollution control techniques. Yet the EPA cover-up of the NAPAP reports and the delay of its release until after the signing of the Clean Air Act clearly show how the politics of environmentalism can work to the detriment of the nation. Crandall estimates that the cost of the Clean Air Act will be over $4 billion annually. A problem obviously exists when Americans pay that much for no other reason than to keep "environmental votes" coming in. Both Congress and the President ignored the facts when considering this legislation, and as usual their mistake will be paid for by the people.

Chetly Zarko is a junior in economics and political science and is a Business Manager for the Review. Every night he enjoys a glass of bottled rain water with a pH 0 and has reported no ill effects

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

April 15, 1992

MSA Tempers Continued From Page 1

after which, according to Khalid, valti-I,:'< able papers and computer disks concerning government" grant proposals" were mistakenly left in the room. Khalid added that the Union staff "threw [the papers and disks] away and shredded [them]." She alleged that this destruction was due to MSA's "adVising the administration .,. as to what procedures they should take against the N.E.ED. Service." Green, Davies, Gast, and Kanfer all have denied

Khalid handed out thick envelopes addressed to MSA President James Green, Vice President Julie Davies, Treasurer Andrew Kanfer, and Health Issues Commissi<mChainnanScottGast,allofwhom were then CC members. Inside the envelopes were 7 to 8 sheets of paper, all blank except for the top sheet which read, "The next time you're served with a summons and comOne could quite plaint, it will be real." While • • Khalid must eIther Khalid was passing out the

man of MSA's Budget Priorities Committee, and Colleen Tighe, MSA's Office Coordinator, recommended to MSA that N. E.E.D. Service not be allocated an office after having occupied a space in the Union the previous year. According to the minutes from the October 15, 1991 MSA meeting, Tighe (who refused to comment on the subject) justified the recommendation on the fact there is a limited number of offices, and that there had been complaints about easily conclude that KhalidfromCICand50AS • • [Student Organization Acsubstantiate her clatms counts Service]. Tighe also

envelopes, she stated that against MSA or apologize for falsely ac- noted that 1/99 percent of she and other members of . ' [N.E.E.D. Service's] sera coalition of 10 groups (the cusing CC and MMP. vices are community renames of which she did lated" (i.e. are non-student not reveal) would "file a c1a<;s action l<l~ever advising the administration to befocused), and that she had "in the past suit" against the Assembly (for the dehave in such a manner towards any stutwo years, never seen a student associsiruction of property and discriminatory dent group, including N.E.ED. Service. ated with N.E.E.D. [Service]." At that behavior) "if they ICC and MMP1 were According to Audrey Schwimmer, same meeting, however, at least 12 constill in office two weeks [later]." Michigan Union Assistant Building Distituents had introduced themselves as When she concluded her remarks, rector for Sched uling and Operations, student~ working for N .E.ED. Service. an uproar ensued within the Assembly Khalid's organization recently had a room MSA later voted to allocate to N.E.E.D. scheduled in the Union for an evening Service their old office by a 17-6 vote partly because Khalid had not offered meeting. Frank Cianciofa; the Union's wit.b 5 members abstaining. It is also specific or substantiah.'<1 evidence to supBUilding Director, stated that, "accordnoteworthy that MSA allocated $700 to port her allegations. It wa" in the midst of this chaos that Lowry then put the infaing to our building staff'~'~who had to N.E.ED. Service on February 4, 1992. mous question to Khalid. Immediately, clean the room since another Regarding the charge that her comMax Weintraub, a Rackham graduate stu~ organization's meeting was scheduled ments'to MSA on March 24 were nothing dent attending the meeting, grabbed there "first thing in the moming"), Khalid more than a pre-election stunt to assist and her staff had only left behind flyers the Progressive Party, Khalid responded Lowry's arm and attempted to take him into the hallway outside the MSA cham~ and miscellaneous papers which the staff (at both the presidential debate and in a assumed were abandoned materials. ,letter distributed at voting sites ), "I never bers. As Weintraub had later wrote in a letter to the Michigan Daily, he did so When she came to the Union around 9 ran, am not currently running, nor plan o'clock that morning to retrieve the mato ever run as any political party candiwith the "intention of ... explaining to him how an MSA representative should terial, Khalid then learned that it had date. But I am a 'Progressive Woman' behave towards his constituents." When already been disposed of. (sic.)." Lowry resisted, Weintraub pushed hi~ Cianciola added that there were no Several other disturbing questions backwards, and appeared ready to fight calls by Khalid to the Union inquiring about the denial of a pre-election stunt him within the MSA chalilbers. The alabout the materials' status during the on Khalid's part remain. First, why vow tercation was then broken up by John night any time after N.E.ED. Service's tosueMSAonlyiftheConservativeCor Vandenberg, an engineering representameeting. Cianciola noted that if sometition and the Michigan Moose Party tive. Green thereu pon called the Assemthing which appears to be valuable (such "were still in office two weeks from March bly into recess, thus ending the incident. as computer disks, notebooks, or any24," especially when $87,125 of property thing with a binder or a briefcase) is left was ~upposedly "maliciously deKhalid later explained in an inter~ view that in alleging that MSA had caused behind, it is routinely taken to the Camstroyed?" Second, why did she not critinearly $90,000 of malicious "destruction pus Information Center's (CIC) lost and cize and threaten MSA when Jennifer found. Van VaIey was president (and a coalition of property," she had been referring to an incident which had occurre~ approxiThe charge that CC conducted office of liberals and radicals controlled the mately two months earlier. At that time, allocations on a discriminatory basis reAssembly) during the first year of the Khalid and N.E.E.D. Service had held a lates to the allocation process of October, two-year period of discriminatory pracmeeting in a room in the Michigan Union, 1991. Initially, Andrew Kanfer, then chairtices that supposedly began in Septem-

Species Continued From Page 8 cies protection is, in the end, a no-win dilemma. Environmental protection will surely incur economic costs for society, but whether the overall costs outweigh the benefits to biodiversity and scientific research is a difficult estimate to make. Perhaps legislation undertaken at the regional, state, or local level could better addr_es& specific ~OI}c.efl)S which ~"d. tct

vary according to an area's physical and economic geography. Tom Horton noted that the issue goes "beyond endangered species and beyond the ecosystems that support them. It goes to ways of living and farming and getting energy that are simply insupportable in the long run." In other words, the environmental problem is not just over what to do about the ESA - whether to increase or decrease its strength or to change it completely - but rather involves the question of whether sustaining human progress '.and

biodiversity are two compatible goals. If environmentalists remain opposed to absorbing a good deal of ESA's funding costs, and if the economic coalition continues to refuse to suffer some losses for the sake of preserving unique parts of our world, the environmental debate will remain irreconcilably deadlocked. If we are to make any headway in determining the best means of preserving our environment; interest groups and legislators will have to help educate people'@n the full range ofenvironh'lerfw

ber, 1990? It is also incomprehensible why Khalid criticized CC for Lowry's "bitch" comment when he was a candidate for the Mt..1P. It is similarly nonsensical and evidently unprincipled to threaten to sue the Moose Party for "malicious destruction of property" and discriminatory practices when the party had only existed for 15 days - as of the March 24 MSA meeting - and the party was not involved in any denial of office or funding allocation towards N.EED. Service. In a phone interview last week, Ede Fox, the new MSA President from the Progressive Party, stated that she had "just met Safiya Khalid two days before the [March 24 MSA] meeting." Fox added that although she "had spoken numerous times with {KhalidJ the day before the meeting," and had known of Khalid's plans to address the Assembly, she "did not knowH what Khalid was going to say at the MSA meeting. Khalid's words and actions, as well as those of her defenders and apologists, reveal that they are operating under a double standard. They first claim that it is wrong for an MSA representative to "verbal[ly] rape" a constituent (as Khalid describes the "bitch" comment in her Je.,tt~rr;-but they never decry the . constituent's decision to shove an MSA representative. Moreover, why is it slanderous to use the term, "bitch", but acceptable to use the terms, "Hitler Youtl\" "fascists," and "racist dogs" (as Todd C. Shaw labels CC an MTS message providing an admittedly "second hand" account of the incident)? Similarly it is equally inappropriate to accuse CC and IvfMP of causing nearly $90,000 worth of "malicious destruction of property" and discriminatory behavior without proof asit is to call someone a bitch. One could,quite reasonably conclude that Khalid must do one of two thlngs: either substantiate her claims against MSA, or apologize for falsely accusing CCandMMP.

Doug Thiese.is a junior in political science and an MTS editor of the Review.

tal choices and how each will affect our standard of living. Only in this way will the nation be able to decide how to build an environment in which a maximum number of fish, plant and wildlife species can coexist with the human species in a prosperous industrial world.

Shannon Pfent is a junior in English and copy editor of the Review. )

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

April 15, 1992

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Book Review

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AI Gore's Unbalanced Green Agenda ~

In the BaIIfnce: Ecology and the

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AI Gore Houghton Mifflin

HMicover, $22.96 4CrT pga.

a brief history of man and climate in order to convince the reader of the power nature once held over man, but holds no more. In cases of man' versus nature, Gore seems to be rooting for nature. In his mind, man needs to be taught a lesson so as to regain a sacred respect for the earth, an attitude which he daims only American Indians once possessed. "1 believe that our civilization is, in effect, addicted to the consumption of the earth itself." he writes. The price of this addiction, he argues, is both physical and spin-

by TFIICY RobIn8On Senator AI Gore's Earth in the BalIl1ICt, which 8iU Moyers called an "eloquent and unusual memoir" and Carl Sagan has dubbed a ulandnwk book," amounts to little more than a superficial investigation of the history and possible future of environmentalism. Gore, a selfproclaimed environmental expert, began his save-th~ crusade in 1Cfl6. In his uniquely meandering and mealy~ mouthed style, Gore attempts to teach laymen about the environmental problerns that our planet faces, and offers what he sees as the only viable solution: a radical transformation of mankind's relationship with the earth. From the start of the book, Gore tries desperately to gain the sympathy of the environmentally unconscious reader by explaining that he, like the reader, has "been wrestling with these matters for a long time," and has reached his condusioo after thoroughly and carefully studying these "difficult environmental is.. sues." This heavy-handed attempt to gain the trust of readers who associate govtual; humans no longer respect the earth, eroment ~vironmental regulation with which symbolizes a kind of self-hate. serious e<iOnomic consequences is ultiAfter introducing the reader to the mately um::onvincing. Gore makes it aphistory of the environment before man pear as if he is going out on a political began to alter it, Gore devotes one chapter each to air pollution, water contamilimb by authoring Earth In the Balance; he portrays himself as a moral crusader for na_tion, deforestation, waste disposal, and the earth, stating that "the integrity of the one of today's hottest topics, "genetic environment is not just another issu~ !o erosion." be used in political games for popularity, ' In the second section of his book, votes, or attention." Gore discusses the historical roots of the The book, jacket notes describe this modem environmental problem. He cites example of Gore's work as "illuminating the shallowness of political discourse and and deeply personal." Despite this promthe lack of leadership by the United ise, precious little is revealed about Gore, States as two of the major causes. Gore his life, his position in the Senate, or his also addresses the economics of environmental regulation and management. He brief bid for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination.. Instead, all the reader advocates integrating the depletion of learns is Gore's position on the "environnatural resources into the calculation of mental crisis," its early roots and its poour GNP in order to redefine the paratential future. digm that considers trees, minerals, and When Gore does discuss his personal the fossil fuels as "limitless free goods." and political life, the book is quite engagHe also advocates government regulaing; he is a knowledgeable government tion in manufacturing and the" encourinsider who could potentially make imagement of appropriate technologies," portant observations about the state of which he defines as anything that does not pollute or drastically change the local international relations and the U.5. govemment. Unfortunately I Gore barely ecosystem in a developing country. One of the recurring features of the touches upon these subjects. As Gore begins his journey into the book is Gore's vacillating, apparently am__~!~<!L~,C!l~t,. ~fu'st ~J~ __ J!iY~.!mt ~t!iNq~ t(m:l!rdJ~lQgjca.L

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society. He struggles with the acceptance of technology as we possess it today, and seems to desire a return to a simpler time, when man could not utilize the earth as efficiently. In this vein, Gore advocates restraint in the practice of transferring technology to developing countries. He justifies this belief on the grounds that lesser developed countries cannot afford the aid, and will therefore remain in debt to the West for a long time to come. He also suggests that the West has often sold "inappropriate" technologies to Third World countries. He deemed such aid "inappropriate" either because it depletes natural resources, or because it increases the local standard of living at the cost of altering the prevailing aboriginal lifestyle. In the midst eX his analysis, Gore attempts to justify the backwardness of developing countries as well as discourage any future development of them. One wonders if Gore is unintentionally trying to better the position of the United States and her allies by k~_ ing other countries disadvantagM:' The book has another disturbing tendency as well: it attacks all traditionally male things in this world. He attacks the archetypal male "destructive" view of the world, and writes that "part of the solution for the environmental crisis may well lie in our ability to achieve a better balance between the sexes, leaving the dominant male perspective with a healthier respect for female ways of experiencing the world." Gore bases his argument on an experiment by Erik Erikson which investigated the differences between the kinds of structures male or female children built with toy blocks. The analogy he attempts to draw between children at play and society' s view of nature, however, is at best confused and infantile. Upon this muddled basis, he attacks the "adolescent," immature, and unconnected view of the planet which developed countries current display. Gore metaphOrically compares the destruction of the earth not only to sexism and immaturity, but to alcoholism and dysfunctional families as well. He weaves a complex analogy which compares an alcoholic's insatiable appetite for whiskey to modem society's addiction to the complete consumption of resources. Rather unimaginatively, Gore suggests education as a means to ending the stage of denial many humans presently face. He sees businesgnen and many political and intellectual leaders as "enablers" who" elaborately justify what __we cueAomg.,w bileJuming a blind eye to

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the consequences." The solution, he says, is to confront what we have done, and begin to heal our dysfunctional relationship with the natural world. If nothing else, Gore proves himself to be quite the master of cynical sophistry. In contrast, Gore glorifies the relationship that some American Indian tribes once held with the earth. He apparently feels the need to take the reader on a guided tour through the philosophical and religious roots of envirOnmental disr~ect. He traces its origins to the philosophy of Plato, which maintains that the soul is separate from the body, or, more generally, that an immaterial spiritual realm exists which is independent of the physical world. The next step was the separation of science and religion - this is a gulf which needs to be healed in order to save the planet by reuniting science with morality and ethics. Gore, although Christian, reveres a time in prehistOriC Europe when religion essentially entailed worship of an Earth goddess. He also evaluates the relative merits of the religions of Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Baha'i, all of which he sees as being better than Christianity because of their views on the relation of man and the earth. So as not to offend any atheist readers, however, Gore includes a stirringly profound disclaimer: "there is no doubt that many believers and nonbelievers alike share a deep uneasiness about the future." Gore discusses many of the abstract reasons that he feels are at the root of the Earth's problems. To his credit, he lists some concrete steps that governments can take to solve these problems in the final section of the book. Unfortunately, many of the solutions would be very costly and nearly impossible to implement - especially his first main goal: the reordering of all world priorities to make the environment the main global concern. His solution to the world's problems is a "Global Marshall Plan," which would be'funded by the u.s. and provide environmental enlightenment to other countries, especially those of the Third World. Gore's ideal plan would stabilize world population, create" environmentally appropriate technologies," and reorder all world priorities according to their possible impact on the environment Gore also recommends the creation of new international environmental agreements, the implementation of educational programs to teach the world , abOut tM probl~m.s ,we now fa(:~, :andthe' "

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April 15•.1992

T HE MICHIGAN.REviEW

;21

"" "

allOw. governments tofocUs available the u.s. in .his "Strategic Environment , ' this rejuvenation. - " ..... - ....' -.' .' . capacityfbr clear thinking, and can be resources on the environmental prob- .Initiative" and "Global Marshall Plan" .-" . '. It ha!; l<>ngbeen }mowtl that AI GOres . .used against him should he ,decide to nm lern. Gore, unlike many other public sersimply.b~ause "the United States has s~ty and subject offOcus while in.the for the DemocraticpresidentiaInomipationag~n. · . vants today, feds that "aU spedfic poli- long been the natural leader of the global .Senate has been the enVironment Many, community of nations," a naive position however, were probably unaware ofthe .'. cies should be chosen as part ofserv'ing , the central organizing principle of sav,. , which Simply ignores the state of the U.S. extremity of his views' on the subject. . Tr~cy Robi.llSOn isa sophomore in poingtheglobal environ.ment."Despitesuch . econoiny~ While he admits that there may Fortunately, he has written this book, . litical science and a contd})uung editor " .views,Goreiloes not see himself as hold- be economic costs to his plans, he feels which. although it is not especially infQr"- forthe-Reuitw. ing radical beJjefs. . that these would be offset by the longevmative on matters concerning the enVi- . Gore advocates a leadership role for .ity the Earth would regain as a result of rorunent, sheds light on Senator Gore's . .... " ..

. .../

M,T SAbuse ' ' Con tinlled From Page 21 lion between axnputing <XnIl1Ital~ ald prj..: .

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vatepenmal carm.mi<ations \~ the~ .ticipants may oonsider seMtive.

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.. -'University pOOcies have been sufficiently vi<> lated to warrant such investigation.

Recently, in USER:FORUM, a co-«gaRizer, Maya Bernstein, used her position d cxrierence a>-<rganim" to "crash" the anerence for over 24 hours in reaction to material entered in one c:i the items.

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

MTSAbuse Ccmtinued From Page 21 that he not read the message's cootents, only its header, ((' add.I'e$ 'Ire MIS po;:tmaster in question, however, not only read the a:ntents ci a private message but evm went 9) far as to have the contents translated from a fOreign ~ge.

Fewe- than 19minutes.Taylcr p<Ned the revealing quotatioo from NEWHAYEN on USER:JORUM, the cooference's co--<l'ganizer, Maya Bernstein, a policy consultant with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in Washington D.C., issued a command which "~' the a:n£ereoce 9) that it coold nct run f((' over 24 hours. During this time period, Bernstein contacted Virginia Rezmierski, the Assistant to the Vice Prov<.N fa- Infoonatioo TedmoIogy, Bob Parnes and the conference co-organizer Al Andem:lO all via e-mail. Although Bernstein was an authorized ocgani2Er ci USER:IDRUM, she had a pctentiaI ronfiict ci interest. Bernstein was a participant in NEWHAYEN, tlnJgh net the <rganizer, and a major voice in the conversation about the MIS Postmaster stuation. It may have been more prudent to allow her oo-organizer, AI Ander.:oo, to handle the Stuatioo.. Rezmierski was ooeci ~ UniWlSty €!11ployeEs who ~ theauttuity IlE.'CeSfJaty to judge whether ((' ret arftnn:e matl'riaI does

((' does rrl amply with thecch:litions ci Use and/ or Proper Use Poliaes~ 9~Jhe U-M. Rezmierski and Bernstein argu~ that since the quoted material originated in an exdusiooary, and thus private, conference, it may only be released by an individual with-proper aco:ss. Taykr was sent a printed hard-a:py ct NEWHAYEN. ThusNEWHAYEN in its entirety became public. After USER:FORUM was crashed" on March 19, Rezmierski sent Taylor a letter clearly demarcating what ct the criginal material she thought was in violation ct rID policy. Even before that letter was sen~ however, Taylor himself voluntarily deleted information relating to personal identities from the NEWHAVEN quote posted on USER:FORUM and requested that a User Advocate render judgment The User Advocate said that the new version ct the quote was no looger in violatioo of rID policy. As Taylor suggests, "COU and Proper Use Policy -all read as marvelous documents, yet they are enforced inconsistently." In a recent interview, Rezmierski agreed that many users are unfamiliar with the guidelines and ' that tha3e who axnmit vioIatioos in igncrance iare typically afforded a '1eaming opportu- . 'ty" n. /.Taylq-~ved asecood letter on March 28, this time signed by ITO User Advocate Manager l.aurie'L "Burffi The letter infooned Taylor of the romplete revocation of his MrS U

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sub-di\'i<iicn" [Ed. note: ~ identification deidt:l1j aM her bad PR moves lately. I want to makea voodoo dbn and prick her in the head. It can't poolibly be true that they will hork the 9790 out of UNYN, can it? I even heard she wants to dale d<M'll UNYN!

access, consequently prohibiting him from . defending himself in a public hum - even though the right to such def~ appears to be guaranteed by the COU and Proper Use Policy. The U-M appears to be exerciffilg prioc

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restraint.

4:436) Mark: I've heard that some pecple used to think

your Ccnfer pemmaIity was akin to that of the volcano Taylor was the only participant on of vomit known as Victim One HWlCired Forty-four USER:FORUM who purchased his accoun~ (WHO I HADlOTALKlO1WAY ONTI-IE PHONE all other participants in the discussion used EEEEW!) (AND WHO WENT ON AND ON ABOUf accounts funded by the U-M HOW HE WAS GLAD I SENT HIM A PRIV ATE MESSAGE TELLING HIM A MESSAGE HE SENt Nowhere in the secood letter is there any FROM ONLINE CONSULTING WAS COMPLITELY reference to ~t policy violationsarnWRONG lNSITADOF FIRING IT BACK AT ONUNEmitted by Taylor since the first letter sent by CONSULTING 1HE WAY Victim One HuMred FcrtyRezmierski. That tends to indicate a double Five ALW AYS OOES WHEN Victim One Hundred Forty-Si.x FUCKS UP BAD.) penalty h a voluntarily cocrected error. In the interview with Rezmierski, an exSep12/89 20-.38 4:2(6) Mark: Victim Nine is the biggest asshole I know_ planation was ctfered that Taykr had created He smells. There is no redeeming feature about him. He a public file 00 the system after he had received is a consultant and sends all his mail to VB for some the March 19th warning. That statement is unknown realOI\ (which apparently is valid, though I false; the file SX4H:Y (the public file in quescan't imagine why.) And the latest is that he went to a MeeT:Students party at Uno's and came out saying. '1 tion) was created on March 18. When asked if just attended my first FrP!" specific evidence existed which would estabToo bad heist't data Thm maybe we c:oold FTPhim to lish a file creation date, Rezmierski seemed TmIDuktu and delete him from MIS. uncertain. Tayloc re-released the incriminating conversatioos in a dean<3ed format which Howard Chu wms at the Jet Propulsion no looger allowed individuals to be identified Labocatocy in Pasedena, California and the pointer to the SX4H:Y file went back Jan14/9122:10 into MEETSIUDENIS at 2:15 pm 00 March 4:!OO) howard chu: Plant something iruriminating on him and get him fired. That'd be slick. 19. The COl! pobcy attempts to "respect UncIa Place, Organizerd NEWHAYEN others' privacy" while at the same time atand a:mpurer COI'\Sllltan~ admits to knowing tempting to prevent "harcNrnenl" ((' "bel\ilVof misused accounts and ~estionable em"that intimidates ((' cifends." NEWHAYEN ployment practices in her favor. ~ intimidates, and offends in ~· of" ·-<~ Grega)' Diamond is an Assistant Profesitself, as will be shown later. According to SOl' d political ocience at University of Illinois, Rezmierski, it also vigorously supports the Cltanpagne-Urbala: right to free speech. A moment's reflection reveals the potential incompatibility of these Junl5/'A 1~ go~s.

So why was Taylocs releage d this infor... mati on from the private conference NEWHAYEN so critical? NEWHAYEN's rontent appears to be so vitriolic, so full d violations d COO, so full of ethic:al and professiooal abuses d power, that its rontent threaIm> many University arC nD peq>le professionally. Those who are to be named as culprits have been verified as members of NEWHAYEN through basic MrS operating axnmands. Taylor brought numerous aIlegatioos up through the appropriate channels all the way to Douglas van Houweling, head of rID, and ~ roncems would not be entertained. Taykr then brought the dwges to the Reviewmly after ha~ been trtaJly excluded from MIS. He has been told that he would have to find another forum besides MIS. Taylor has, to date, refused to release any persooal infonnatioo as well as the names ct the victims d the vitriol Me8tirooically, ~ Davi<rGait; MIS Postmaster and member of ITO Diversity Facilitator Selection Committee, has entered items devoted to hate:

4.-687) Greg: Yeah. they1l take care of those people who have acrounts 'legitimately', Brian, but what d thcee of U') who saun them? Who looks out for 'U')' in ITO?

Jun17/9111:17 4:688) Linda: duh.. Aug30/~I4:40

3:39) linda: Hmmm...5omehow talking about job p0s-

sibilities here makes sense if they are COO1plI1a" related, they fit into the 00ealsi0n description. Victim One HWldred Seventy-Seven. my "Victim One Hundred Seventy-Nine" stopped me while I ~ working today. [Ed. note: ntrme deleted] ... wanted to know if I would be interem:l in a pesmanent paitKn in css. (Ed. note: na_ deleted) thought I would be a great, regular "shift manager" (essentially in charge of all ronrultants during the \\Uking day, operating out d CRQ [Ed. n~ ~tion currently held by another person I Why not? .. , At any rate, it sounds rather hopeful for at lea-ot 'some· type of permanent position which might serve current~. We'll see .

Dedl1/91 23:37 4:170) Linda:.. . I got several ... statements of support from ... managers which have helped me to feel better about the job application with CSS. . .. DeclO 191 15:26 4:178) Linda: ... I'm interviewing ... for the CSS job. Curious. One of the managers who is doing the interviews keeps telling me all sorts of info like I don't think I'm supposed to know. And now we'll see just how much I can trust Victim One Hundred Seventy-Eight.. [Ed. not~ personal information de· leted}

ltem.Z2 ~NCN28/'Xl lline 10 respooses Mark

Chetly Zarko is a junior in economics and pobtical science and a business manager of the Review.

(nlvi&-Craig]

The: Why I baR (Ed. nck name deldd) jam. JwU2/891 C;.25 4:173) MaIk: I have heard more dippy lUIIlCI'8 about Vactim One Hundred-Nine ilRf the way sherurs "lID

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

April 15, 1992

. ~(

Music Reviews

!\t;.

,~ , .....

A Few Words on Arrested Development by Crusty Muncher Lots and lots of mediocre rap music has flooded the radio and record stores in the last year or two, and most of it has been either a take-off on the dreadlocked and fashionable East Coast scene, or a cheap imitation of the pQ,.<;eur gangster thing going on out west. Now, out of the Georgia countryside comes Arrested Development. Led by a rapper who calls himself Speech, A.D. have relea~d their Chrysalis debut 3 Years, 5 Months, and 2

mercial and contemporary, but very much in the traditional old-school style. "Tennessee," the album's debut Single and most moving track, is Speech's "symbolic journey for truth" after the passing away of his brother and grandmother within a week's time. The result of Speech's "spiral of thoughts" on his own life, the lyrics are stirring and beautiful. But it is Speech's melodic rapping that hits the heart and sends the chills. Finally, someone is rapping with soul. People have been harping for years about a lack of heartfelt delivery in a genre dominated by horny and pissed-oÂŁf males and aggressive, thumping computerized

rhythms. Soulll Soul combined soulful arrangements with urban beats, but they were not making hip-hop music. Hammer, Salt n' Pepa, and countless others have included vocal melodies as a chorus or a bridge in their tunes, but they are singing with some sort of soul, never rapping with even a slight hint of it. On songs like "U" and "Give a Man a Fish" the 24-year-old rapper belts it out like a contemporary Sam Cooke. "Fishin' 4 Religion" is an ironically gospel-influenced critique of the Baptist faith. Speech raps, ''The reason I'm fishin' for a new religion I Is my church makes me fall to sleep I They're praising a God

that watches you weepl And doesn't want you to do a damn thing about itl When they want change, the preacher says, Shout it!1 Does shoutin' bring about change? I doubt it." Does Speech have a problem with gangster rappers like NW A and OJ Quik? "In a sense I do. The music should tell a story of a people' s past, present, and future. But, in my opinion, it must also uplift the people. If the music only tells the story but does nothing to uplift, then it is useless to the listener," he says. "I'm not saying that I've got the answer, 'cause I don't, but I do have suggestions."

Jesus & Mary Chain, Cracker "

The Jesus and"Mliry Chain Honey's De8td .,' De1 American

Days in the Life of.. and are already out on their Vagabond Tour in support of the album. The group calls their brand of music "life music." Gospelesque in both structure and lyrical content, life music mixes experimental, reflective, traditional, and critical forms. "We like to make music that moves people. I don't just mean dancewise," explains Speech. "We'd like our music to move embtions, stir a person up." Speech, born Todd Thomas, and Headliner, the group's DJ, met at a very "Fame-like" music school called the Arts Institute of Atianta.They started making music along with other members who have come and gone over the years. The group is now six members strong, and after 3 years,S months, and 2 days of writing. recording, and living penniless they finally landed a record deal. When asked about musical favorites, Speech and Headliner mention, among others, !v1iriam Makeba, Fishbone, Tracy Chapman, Publk Enemy, and traditional jazz artists. The influences poke through on the album, but blatant imitation doesn't enter the picture. "Mama's Always on Stage," with its Cuban bass-loop and atypical rhythm pattern, and "Washed Away" are in the progressive vein of other acts not affected by the coastal scenes like Dream Warriors and PM. Dawn. "Mr. Wendal," a future single, revolves around a stripped-down beat and a bassline that is very light on the ear. The song is com't

by John J. Miller At their blistering best, the Jesus and Mary Chain come inches away from total cacophony. The grating, mechanical drone which marks most of this British group's material hedges toward a rough industrial sound, but the dominance of scalding guitars, featuring walls of distortion and feedback, prevents them from earning such a label. The Chain are often pigeonholed, however, and frequently criticized for haVing an unvarying sound. They rip and tear their way through most of the 12 tracks on Honey's Dead, the band's first album in three years, but they try to mix it up a bit on this new release. The upbeat, almost jangly "Far Gone & Out" and the relatively quiet "Good For My Soul" provide an occasional break in the action. Most of the album, however, sounds a familiar and satisfying call. This is music that clutches the jugular and refuses to let go. The lead track, "Reverence," follows a groovy bassline reminiscent of Love and Rockets' hit version of "Ball of Confusion ." The tune was quickly banned from the BBC due to its lyrical content: The first stanza begins with the irreverent "1 wanna die just like Jesus Christ," the second stanza with the topical "I wanna die just like JFK." The brooding "Teenage Lust" immediately follows and contains the album's best melody, but never develops into anything special. It's a fine start, but could have been much more. "Sugar Ray" is a g~od e.x.aIl\pl~ ()f wh~t. ~e .ban~ can

do when it actually wants to construct a song, as it features bridges, tempo changes, and more than just a few words. The brothers Jim and William Reid have recorded a worthwhile album with Honey'S Dead, their third effort since the"" spectacular Psychocandy. Catch them this summer on Lollapalooza II.

Cracker Cracker Virgin Records

by John J. Miller The world will forever mourn the day avant-rockers Camper Van Beethoven parted ways, but now it can rejoice at the birth of Cracker, which features David Lowery on vocals and I

Cracker features David Lowery (left) from Camper Van Beethoven.

cheap Camper spin-off. After Camp~r' s demise, Lowery hitched up with high school buddies Johnny Hickman and Davey Faraghar fr9M his hometown of Redlands, California. The group later added Joey Peters on drums and has since embarked on an American tour. They are scheduled to drop by the Blind Pig in early May. Cracker's sound approaches a sort of grassroots rock, although this is not folk music. As Lowery croons on the album's catchy and quirky first Single, "Teen Angst," "What the world needs now is another folk singer I Like I need a hole in my head." Such offbeat humor finds its way onto most of Cracker's 12 songs. "I remember you, you drive like a P.T.A. mother," complains Lowery on "Happy Birthday to Me." He demonstrates the ability to tum cliche into aphorism on the semi-soulful"I See the Light": "I see the light at the end of the tunnel now I Someone please tell me it's not a train." A song like the upbeat "Don't Fuck Me Up (With Peace and Love)" needs no explication. Strangely enough, the best track seems a bit out of place. "Another Song About the Rain" is a minor masterpiece and features Hickman on vocals. Acoustic guitars create a graceful veneer, but despair rumbles beneath, and by song's end Hickman's placid voice manages to ache and plead without ever changing its essential tone. A few of the numbers drag. such as the slow and esoteric "Dr. Bernice" and the backwater satire "Can I Take My Gun to Heaven?" but Cracker is a mostly appealing album. Camper fans will not be disappointed.

guitar. His signature drawl flavors Cracker with a familiar sound, but this is a_~~d in, it~ ?~,n, ~~~~ al1d~?~ :~:)I~e, ___ .. _ ,

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April 15, 1992

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

~f~

Crusty's Terrorization, Henry-Rollins Style Corner \'

Music Review

•

by Joe Epatein

f .'-

In his senior class yearbook, Henry Rollins wrote HSymptoms: Terminal Gonzolitis; Future plans: National Terrorization." As vocalist for the Rollins Band, he easily fulfills his prophecy with The End of Silence on Imago Records. Rollins started out with hard core demigods Black Flag, but after the band's demise in 1986, he hooked up with old friend and guitarist Chris Haskett to cut a solo album called Hot Animal Machine.

~r'"

moting an album or not. According to Rollins, a tattooed Jna$ of muscle, lilt doesn't matter where you put us on the bill, or who 'You put us on the bill with, the result is always the

In the spring of 19ffl Rollins, Haskett,

.; ,

bassist Andrew Weiss, drummer Sim Cain, and soundman Theo Van Rock formed the Rollins Band and recorded LiJtTimt. Fugazi's Ian MacKaye produced. Rollins and his heavy-hitting crew have since toured the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand numerous times. This past summer, they were the opening band on the Lollapalooza Tour. With four other albums under their beltS, the Rollins Band is on the road constantly, whether pro-

Henr,.J(otlins is one big tatoo. ,

same. When W1? work, you get destroyed. That's just the way it is. " Additionally, Rollins has toured alone, giving spoken word performances

in America, Canada, and Europe. He even participated at 1984's One World Poetry Festival in Amsterdam and now runs his own publishing company, 2.13.61 Publishing. With help from producer Andy Wallace (Slayer, Nirvana), The End of Silence unleashes an immense ocean of aggressive, stick it to you rock that will make you nervous. Rollins' screams and fits of rage are vocally brutal, while his band mates produce polished, tight, and aggressive hardcore. Despite the "Rallins Band" name tag, both the meat-grinding sounds and the hard edged vocals are collaborations by the entire band, which is, according to Rollins, 1/ always tight and on the attack mode." . The Rollins Band will terrorize Detroit'sSt. Andrew's Hall Friday, April 17. Performing beforehand wiu be Ann Arbor's Slot, who recently opened for L7 at the Blind Pig last month. Joe Epstein is a sophomore in commury:::...,*~, cations and a staff writer for the Rdfiew.

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8!Wl.

by Crusty Muncher Looks like Tori Amos will dethrone Edie Brickell as the artsy-tomboy queen of the airwaves. Her debut Little Earthquakes features 12 soft and catchy ditties, usually centered around her voice and piano. A top-notch release. Also, Tori's new lullaby-ish "Winter" CD single includes covers of the Stones' "Angie," Zeppelin's "Thank You," and a ballad version of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Melissa Etheridge sounds like a female version of Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart on her Never Enough album ... Tanita Tikaram's fourth album Eleven Kinds of Loneliness has grown on me. She sounds like a blend of Van Morrison and Roy Orbison. Hopefully she'll get the respect stateside that she gets in Europe... Everybody was down on Vanilla Ice because he cheapened the rap genre, but Ice-T has done the very same thing to hard core with his new band Body Count like Vanilla, Ice-T completely misunderstands the genre. First of all, Body Count make mid19805 heavy metal, not hard core, like the rapper-turned-headbanger claims. The songs are lame and the lyrics are laughably dumb. ''The Winner Loses" sounds like a White Lion tune. Come on, Ice, stick to what you're good at... The Ramones' new album, Loco Live, is a collection of 32 of the band's 1950s-influenced punk classics recorded live in Barcelona, Spain. These New Yorkers have penned tons of great tunes over the years, and they're all here... Def American has remixed and reissued Barkmarket's Vegas Throat album. The stuff is messy and sounds like a bluesy Sonic Youth or a Soul Asylum-meets-the Melvins. Low Pop Suicide's Disengagement EP features some cool and aggressive pop tunes. Ex-Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro will join the band for the recording of a full-length album due out by the end of the year ... Eye &d's debut is safe, polished, and ooriIlg R&B / rock. They're opening for Ziggy Marley next Friday at the State Theater... Both Spin and Rolling Stone have been hyping Michael Ivey and his band, Basehead. Play with Toys, the rereleased debut, defies categorization. Featured are lots of hip-hop beats and a crafty amalgamation of Hank Williams, Cheech & Chong, Barry White, and George Clinton on the vocal end .. . 9'II'i"