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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW Volume 12, Number 13

The Campus Affairs Journal of the University of Michigan

March 30. 1994

Hash Bash,Once More BY

ERIK ScHNURSTEIN

years, the University has denied U-M NORML's request for a permit. This decision is made by the Office of Frank Cianciola, Dean of Student Affairs .

Repeatedly, U- M NORML has re-

formed by U-M that a permit could not be issued because of an outstanding debt of $850 for security and clean-up . fees from last year's Hash Bash and a depof!it for this year. According to Adam A'''lI..~'' ~ " . . . . . "'>'.:09 Brook, former president of and current spokesman for U-M NORML, this fee is unnecessary because no clean-up was . ne~ed : 'J'he group yacatedthe Dia;g after one ~~ ltour,moviilg the re·ri,iairider of the festiVi-

F

OR EACH OF THE PAST 22 years in April, supporters of the legalization of marijuana have flocked to the Diag for the annual Hash ~ .~. ·l . '" Bash rally. The prime focus of the demonstrators, most of whom are not University of Michigan students, has simply been to assemble and smoke marijuana, gaining attention through their massive numbers. .

For the past three years, however, another feature has become the focal point of the event. In 1990, the University of Michigan chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (U-M NORML) held a , ". . ' . rally on the Diag during Hash Bash. . spon4e4 ~th lawsuita against the UFor anyone to hold such ademonstra. .. .M. '!be court system.lUis consistently tion on U-M property, the Univtnity ·· .... ruled in favor of lJ-M NORML, citing must approve a request for the use of constitutional law. the Diag. In each of the past three This year, U-M NORML was in-

ties to FUllef ·Park.

FUr·

tbennore, Brooltclaims that a federal court de. ... 'da&d that ~ty fe.e s could not'b.e ~ed to his organization. 'The Vniv~ty'maynow be wiU· ing to admit eti'Ol'in the billing of the See HASH BASH, page 10

. .

Hun

BY MOHAN KRISHNAN

T

HIS FRIDAY, CHRISTIANS

around the world will celebrate Good Friday, the holiest day of \ the Christian year.

Christians United (CU), a group of leaders from numerous Christian fellowship groups on campus, will be hosting events collectively to promote their religious beliefs. '!his week, Christian· ity Awareness Week, is funded by CU and the various groups it represents, and by private donatiou&.

'This is the first year in which an entire week of activities was planned, but the rally on Good Friday bas taken place for three or four years and will be the week's finale . It will be held on the Diag from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. CU predicts that turnout will be between 1,500 and 3,000 people. Joe Cox, public relations manager of the project, said

that attendees come from many parts est ~'tbe events. of the state, and even other states, as . As CU contains representatives wen at from the U-M. from m,any campus Christian groups, Under theDiag Pbli~. ~lJ41. Ol!! orth~effarts ~i'9~1i ~ter only allows groups to use eI~ty. on . ~\ of~t;y,among. ~.'They .want the Diag for one hour, and Ct,J,PlaIu. to. . : th~ a¢;lvities,to ~;for alLwho arem~r­ make the most of it, From noonuIitii ' estE;x( not. ~tfor:mehiliezjJ of~s~c one p.m., the rally will fea~; ~ltita, f~llO,.~.$ll.ip . . CO)(, . a ' inember of speeches about evangelism aI)d.Qhrlst':s ' Pl~~tyChris~F~liowehip (IV), resurrection, and Top PriOIjty, ,an., a, . ~~, ~~ ~wldle he.enJoyait. "the only cappella singing group. Befo:reaJ)d aI., · · J:'t)~~~J'm : ill [IV) inStead ofano~er ter this time, the rally will present group is' becaqae I met someone in [it] group singing and fellowship . first." By promoting Christianity rather CU has been pleased with the supthan individual fellowship groups, CU port the community has offered them. hopes to attract more participants.

Cox mentioned that the U-M, through CU hopes to make the activity, the Office of Ethics and Religion, has ··.unique to the U-M campus, a nationbeen very valuable to them. Jt1u1;herreCognized event, dtawing even more, he said that student iriterest has more participants. They want to reach been encouraging. Among those with out to pf:lople, Cox said, and to show whom he spoke, he said that all the them what Christianity is really about, Christians were very supportive, and as opposed to the questionable ways in many Qther students displayed interwhich it is popularly seen. Mt

ally

3 What's Going On?

4 From Suite One

5

Don't let the U-M harass you into giving them money.

The Code should not be amended ; it should be abolished.

The Left makes another attempt at suppressing free speech.

Campus

Leftists

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9

'Irresponsibility' Results in Funding Loss forMTU BY

F

AILURE TO COMPLY WITH the conditions of an amendment to the 1993-94 Michigan Student Assembly (MSA) budget resulted in the loss of $11,000 to the Ann Arbor Tenants' Union (AATU) last week. On Tuesday;.Mareh 22, $11,000 which was allocated to the AATU in September reverted back into MSA's internal budget, releasing the As$embly from ita earlier ~greement to tra.nsfer the money to the AATU this academic y~. Any funding reque'sts ·tnadebyfue AATU will now require a vote in favor by a niajority of the Assembly.

'The lost funding represents a significant portion of the AATU's annual operating budget; '!he AATU is a tenant advocacY organization which proVides counseling for U-M students and Ann ~r:residents, generally free of clw'ge. MBA has provided the vast majOrity of the organization's funding for mum/oftha AATQ's25-year existence, prompting MSA representatives over the last several years to question the general f9.ilure of the organization to raise outside funding, The fund transfer of March 22nd occurred according to guidelines laid out in an amendment to MSA's Annual Budget passed by the Assembly on September21, 1993. The transfer took place because the AATV failed to meet the reform-oriented requirements of the amendment, Any new funding requests by the AATV would now require a vote by a majority of MSA Such a vote would likely fail or be extremely close because of the political views of the Michigan

Libertarians or Libertines?

Leam why the Libertarian Party hurts the cause of freedom.

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TRAcy RoBINSON

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See AA TU FUNDING. Page 10

12

Music Reviews

The Ramones are still performing their own brand of punk music.

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

2

March 30, 1994

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o SERPENT'S TOOTH

~~.A'

The Campus Affairs Journal of the University of Michigan "Bill Clinton must go' EDlTO~N-CHIEF:

Disney is planning to open yet another tlleme park in central Florida. Among its expected attractions are Dinoland - featuring archeological digs - and Beastly Kingdom - featuring Chelsea Clinton.

Recently at Bursley Hall, a Native American dinner was served. Among the entrees was buffalo meat. Guess the multiculturalists beat the animal activists this time.

The Detroit News reported on Christian Marcillo, winner of the Grand Award in the 37th Annual Metropolitan Science and Engineering Fair by listening to cockroaches at night. Give us a break! Anyone can watch C-Span.

LaToya Jackson and Lee Greenwood have plans to release a coWltry-western album together later this year.

Jackson's husband said, "She will be

the new OOUIltry-Westanheart throb."

Not too tough when "Achy-Breaky Heart" topped the charta.

Last week, the custodial staff of Chrysler Auditorium sent a letter to the Dean of Engineering in regards to the excessive amount of food, drink, and paper consistently left on the .floor after a chemical engineering course. In response to the letter, Chemical Engineering Chair Johannes Schwank spoke at length to ilie class. He told iliem iliat ad.mi.iustrators were referring to them as, "ilie bad boys ofNorili Campus" and "those unruly chemical engineers." In addition to ilie speech, Schwank threatened to send letters home to the parents of each student. And if that doesn't work, he'll personally spank each and every one of iliem.

Roger Clinton finally tied the knot last week. Our advice for him: avoid state troopers, .floW'6is, and women ten times smarter and sneakier than yoursell'.

Howard Stern anr.ounced his candidacy for govern":' of New York. His slogan for reinstating the death penalty, "A volt for every vote," shocked journalists and electrified his current constituency.

Bill Clinton finally released papers concerning ilie Whitewater Development scandal. He claimed, to his surprise, that he just came upon some documents. You !mow, he lied a whole lot better during the campaign.

Warner Bros.' new laser-disc of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? contains some frames of Jessica Rabbit wearing no Wlderwear. 'Thanks to high technology, viewers can watch one frame at a time and get a perfect glimpse. Does Marge Simpson turn these men on too?

Michigan hockey coach, Red Berenson, Florida legislators will soon vote on a bill to ban topless womEmtimn~<:hes.

We only hope that this applies to retirement resorts.

was arrested for public urination and ~ driving. l:le,y Red, you'rf1 sup" : posed to drop your gloves, not your" pants.

..

Nate Jarrison PUBLISHER: Aaron Steeinan CAMPUS AFFAIRS EDITOR: Rachel cardone MANAGING EDITOR: Jarres A. Roberts, II FEATURES EDITOR: Eddie Arner ASSOCIA lE PUBLISHER: Eric Larson ASSISTANT EDITORS: Gene Krass, Greg Parker COPY EDITOR: Chris Barrett MUSIC EDITORS: Chris Peters, Drew Peters ClRCULA llON DIRECTOR: Paulo Uma FUNDRAtSlNG DIRECTOR: Erik Schnurstein CARTOONIST: Terry Lorber STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: Dan Krauss

EDITORIAL STAFF: Robb Alley, Dean Bakopolous, Dave Bogue, Tolly Brevitz, Mille Bums, Kevin Costello, Marie Fox, Frank Grabowski, Stephen Hessler, Chauncey Hlchcock, Shea Karrrner, Mohan Krishnan, Brent Lever, Nina Misuraca, Crusty Muncher, Nathan MJrphy, Trenl Reynolds, Peter Schweinsberg, Perry ~ EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Tracy Robinson EDITOR EMERITUS: Adam DeVore The Metrgan Review Is an Independent, bi-weektf student-run journal allhe Universlly ~ ~an . We neither soIc~ nor ~ rrone1aly donations from the Univelsly ~ Michigan, and have no respect for anyone that does.

CortrWIons 10 the,Mch/gaf1 RrtItJw are tax-deductllle IJldef SecIIon 501 (c)(3) 01 the . emal Reveu Code. We alIo have no respect Q the flS (Or It1'f OIlIer IIegiImIIe , i department a the federal QCHemment). The Review is not aIfiliaIed wtil 8!rf pofiIicaI party 01 UnNersily poltical group, or the electoral proce$S il general

I

~

DROVING PHOTOGRAPHER

by Eric larson

What is more embarrassing than being \ arrested for public urination?

Matt Page Senior, History «Being arrested for public defecation. "

Alfonso Duran Sophomore, Engineering "Puking on a cop while getting a breathalizer."

Steve Kozup Junior, Engineering "Getting knocked unconscious from peeing on an electric fence. "

Wendy Hsiao Sophomore, History "Having your mom get caught for public urination."

Unsigned edlor\aJs repJesent the opinion d the e<lt0l1a1 board. Ergo, they are uneq\ivocably correct and just. You needn't alleJ11)l to dlsprO¥e the k9c that went ilIo thei formali>n, lor you cannot Signed articles and cartoons represerd the opinions 01 the author and ~ necessarily those a the Review. The opinions pJeserded in this pub1ication are not necessarltt those 01 the advertisers or the Unlvmty d Michigan. We we~ letters and articles and encourage comments abol4 the joIKnal.

Please address all subscrl~1on Inquiries to: Associate PublIsher c/o the MchIgan Review. AI adv8!lising inquiies should be direc1ed k>: Publisher clo the Afchigan Review.

EDITORIAL AND BUSINESS OFFICES: SUITE ONE 911 N. UNIVERSITY AVENUE ANN ARBOR, MI 48109-1265

TEL (313) 662-1909 FAX (313) 936-2505 The_Michlgan_Review@um.cc.umich.edu Electronic discussions on ~EV:FORUM on MrS Copyright C 1994, by The Michigan Review, Inc. Alf rights reserved.

Left and Right Health Care is a right.

Bill Ointon Those losers woo can't afford their own health am don't deserve it.

Robert Novak

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March 30, 1994

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

3

o WHAT'S GOING ON?

I'm Poor, Leave Me Alone TRAcy RoBINSON

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BY

I. I'M CALLING ON behalf of the Senior Pledge Program. How are you do-

ingtodayr Some of you have received this call, and many probably reacted similarly to the way I did: ''rm not interested in giving any money right now, thanks."

For those who are not juniors or seniors (they begin working on the juniors a year early), the aforementioned tactic is used by the University ofMichigan Senior Pledge Program., a largescale harassment campaign designed to extract as much money as possible out of graduating students in the name of "Maize and Blue Pride" and "Michi· gan Spirit" The program solicits donations from seniors and their parents through letters, postcards, and phone calls. For those who do not have the suggested amount for donation - $100, $50, or a symbolic gift of $19.94 - the repeated contacts by representatives of the program can be embarrassing. For those students like me who do not want to give money to the University for ideological reasons, the repeatedrequeata . are an annoyance.

The other day I was thinking of justifications to tell the next Pledge Program representative who calls to beg for money. I had no difl,i.culty coming up with the following list: - My family and I have already "given" the University over $80,000.

Aa an out-of-tltate stutlent, I already ' , pay an outlandish amount for my tuition, in addition to other expenses such as books and housing. The fact that representatives ofU-M call me and ask for more money after my parents have gone into poverty over the last four years is ludicrous. With all the debt my family has incurred during my time here, I can't even afford to donate five bucks. It would be more effective to ask for money after I have had a job for a few years and once again have some disposable income.

-The University doesn't need my money. With its recent M Campaign, which raised over one billion yes, one BILLION - dollars from alumni and corporate donations in less than 2 years, the University doesn't need my symbolic gift of$19.94. Ifthey had no problem raising one billion, then' why not two or three more? Asking for money from financially established Tracy Robinson is a senior in political BCunce and editol'-at-large of the Re-

view.

guistics 410: Language and Discrimi· during summer orientation. Many of alumni is a much more effective and nation: Language as Social Statement; painless way than asking for it from the seminars and exercises held during English 317, Section 7-Going to Mipoor, indebted students; any gift I could orientation do little more than try to give would be small by comparison. ami; and Women's Studies 343: Gender make white middle-class (often Chris· -The Statement of Student Consciousness and Social Change. In tian) heterosexuals feel guilty for being who they are, by exposing them to "alRights and Responsibilities (a.k.a. addition to the questionable value of The Code). Since 19~n, the University many of these courses, one objection ternative lifestyles" that they need to not only admit exist, but that they need haR been working on creating a code of heard against the creation of this reto enthusiastically accept or be branded nVJ1-academic conduct under the guise quirement is that it causes more sched· as "racist, sexist, and homophobic." of necessity as well as student support uling headaches for undergraduates.

Until the University reevaluates this The ROE requirement forces students for one. The argument that a code is program, I don't want them to fund it to waste valuable time and credits tak· required by law is inexact; only rules with my donation. governing sexual assault and alcohol ing courses that probably would not In addition to the above reasons, I and drug abuse are requirements for exist if there was no such requirement. could easily add the poor quality and Considering that the University reo federal education aid. The argument low emphasis placed on undergraduate which stated that students wanted a quires no courses in American history, teaching at the U-M to my list. I could great books, mathematics, or the hiscode 80 they could more easily under· also add all of the names of the professtand and predict what punishments tory of Western civilization, the ROE sors I have had who are historical revi· they would receive for violations is pa· requirement is ridiculous. Students can sionists or cultural relativists, who don't graduate from the University having tently false; students from many differ· believe in objective reality, or who are ent segments of the university joined taken op!y two weak courses in writing soclaiists. In fact, for all of the lectures and nocoUl'86S in computers - skills together two years ago to oppose the I have had to sit through by those that are imperative in the modem work· code and then to change it when it professors, I think the University shOuld became a fait a;ccompa." . place - yet they may have taken En· pay me, so I can go out and reverse their So far this year, three amendment gliah 319: Us. Writers on the Left from attempts at liberal brainwashing. hearings have been held, qut no dlanges the 19308 to the 196Os. Maybe I should tell that to the next have been .suggested to the Regents In addition to the diversity requireperson who calls to ask me for money. I because not enough student jurors ment, I am opposed to the way the Uwonder how they would respond.m. showed up. Instead of acknowledging M indoctrinates incoming freshmen that the amendment process ma,y be Ii ____ - - - - - fta1lred, the adririnistiation bas merely I proposed another hearing for the Fall. I .

I The process to amend the Code is I I faulty and needs to be changed. The I -I best way for this to occur is for all I I seniors and alumni to refuse to make I donations to the University until the IS "OU I Code is sufficiently modified, or prefer· I I ably abolished. By taking away one of I • .

I the University's main sources of in· I I come, maybe the administration will • I take notice of students' opinions on this : I issue that greatly affects them. !leck, if . . . ,..... • ?

I I didn't receive one billion dollars that I I had been counting on to pay my bills, I Pattrice Maurer, AATU Director and Notorious leftist I would want to know why, and I would I modify my behavior somewhat Maybe I the University would do the same.

I In the same vein, the Diag Policy, I For a t:ax:Ieductible ~nt:rlbution .of $20 ~r ~ore, youll re:eive a o~e-year enacted in 1991, places some restric· I subscnption to the Mlch'8.an R~vzew, which mcludes ~3 ~1.we7kly Issues tions on free speech on campus by creand the 1994 Summer Onentation Issue. Your subscnption will keep you ating excessive procedural rules and I posted on the state'ofleftist activists at Michigan, the continuing erosion of regulations for holding events and pro- I traditional academic standards, and the politicization of the classroom. .. . tests on the Diag. Although not as re- I pressive nor extensive as the Code, I I Please send my subscnption to. would like to see this abolished before I I write a check to the U-M. I Name: _____________________

-,.

Do you ' think U-M d stu ents h ld b e forced to gIve money to thiS W()man ·

Neither Do We

-The Race or Ethnicity Requirement. All students new to the University since the 1991-92 academic year must meet a "Diversity Requirement," which entails taking a course focusing on another culture, race, or misunderstood group. Some of the . t d' classes that fit the reqUll"6men unng th Wi te te f 1994 . Soci 1.

I

I Address.______________________

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Please make check or money order payable to: THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

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THE MIcmGAN REVIEW

4

o FROM SUITE ONE "

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The Code Must Go

T

~ STATEMENT OF STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

(the Code), an interim non-academic code of oonduct, is not yet a University policy. Nonetheless, students seem to think they have no say in changing I it, as demonstrated by the third. failure of the judiciary panel to reach a quorum.

For this reason, along with the basic tenets of the interim policy, the Code must be abolished. Packaged under the mask of doing what the administration deems best for the academic community, the Code can be used to stifle freedom and pursue the ulterior motives of the governing administration.

The Code claims to "protect the freedoms guaranteed by the United States Constitution. .. Do studenta need this protection? That is the government bureaa'acy's job. Cal'eful examination of the Code implies other motives behind its existence. In IV B, the Code explains that a student can be tried for a criminal action not only by local, state, or federal laws, but also by'the University judici.alsystem, regardleaa of where the crime occurs. While the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution states, "nor shall any person be BUbject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb," the Code - maintaining that it upholds the ConsUtution -allows a student to be tried twice for the same crime.

The U.S. Constitution, the law of the land, does its job relatively well; the University should not have to create a second set of rules to govern the stuqent body. In fact, the Code maintains many of the same laws that are oommon to the United States; it only reapplies them to the student body. If a student oommits a ' crime, U.S. laws abould punish the student accordingly. When the administration creates ita own set of rules, it implies that the Constitutipn does not wolk. How can the adminiatrationjustifiably take the place of the COnstitution? This UniveRrity should rely on the eatablishedjustice system to enforce laws. Thus, the Code is unnecessary; it merely establishes a needless UniversitY bureaucracy.

By establishing the Code, the University the role of parents. But part of going away to college involves leaminghow .1:<> su:rvive in tb.ereahvodd.. .This happens as students become more independent. '!he administration seems to regard an education at the U- M as a $10,000 to $20,000 per year day camp, in which their rules apply to all students, living on or off campus. Safety wiWo University Housing is not a reason; Housing has a separate code of conduct: %e University has no real reason for the Code beyond what is required by federal law.

Recently, the administration declared all University judicial records closed to the public. Thls intolerable move leads us to question the real motives of the administration. There is little reason that the University should want to hide judicial records. It might not be the University's intention, but with an internal judicial system and the right to withhold trial documents, it would be easy to frame an individuhl or group of individuals. Since the administration's arbitrary values of oommwrlty define the jurisdiction for the Code, this is not such a far. . fetched idea. It would be easy to place someone on trial for harming the acade~c oommunity - as detennined by the arbitrary standards of the University. It,would be a severe violation of the First Amendment and acadenuc freedom in gen:eral, if an individual reeeived a suspension due to an ideology. But because all judicial reoonis are now closed to the public, it would be hard to oppose the judicial system's decision. Another problem with the Code is that it CIllTently allows for only one appeal by the accused. '!he Code is obviously detrimental to the student body; so it would be logical to change it. But the administration makes the process difficult: a 26 person quorum out of 50 randomly selected students who are not required to attend the Code amendment hearings, only a training seminar. '!his weak system promotes apathy. Apathy aside , it should hold that any number oftha 50 random students be present to have amendment hearings. If only three students show up, then obviously those three care enough to change the Code and should have the right to do so. '!he administration should not. make the process to amend the Code so arduous and dependent on so few .

'The University of Michigan's Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities must be abolished. 'The University does not have the best intentions of the students in mind. The administration is paid to govern the academic community here in Ann Arbor and make a student's education worthwhile, not slap codes of conduct and superfluous policies on their freedom . Non-academic matters are handled well enough by the state and federal judiciary processes, Students must have more responsibility and freedom. '!he administration has no right to act in loco parentis, and thousands of parents would agree, if they knew what was really going on, We shall say it again. '!he Code must be abolished. Ml

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o COMMENTARY

Bill Clinton:

American Disgrace

assum.es

D

URlNGTHE .1992 PRESU1ENltAL ELEC'llON, SERIOUS QtJEST.[ONS were raised about Bill OlintOn'scltaracter. From.~ .ofwomatlizing '. to draft. dodging, there seemed to be an endless number of skele' Arkansas governor's closet. One of these was the Whitewater affair, but little attention was paid to it at the time. Unfortunately for the President, this has not remained so. Whitewater has rocked the administration to its oore.

Much ha~ been said about the ooverage of Whitewater. '!he general consensus among leftists, a growing minority of the press corps, apd the administration, is that it has been blown far out of proportion. While one can question the coverage of Whitewater (why it wasn't covered effectively during the election, when much of the information was already known), to say that the charges have been blown out of proportion is utterly ridiculous.

Whitewater, coupled with all of the other allegations leveled against Clinton, should ruse serious questions about his fitness to be president. Indeed, if Clinton were tobe'Criminally charged and oonvicted of all the current allegations, he could be sentenced to 178 years in prison and more than $2.5 million in fines. This is a story which under any circumstances and by any measure ofjournalistic integrity should be covered and critically analyzed.

Bill Clinton, his ideological misgivings aside, has proven to be a disgrace to the United States and the office of the presidency. With little experience in foreign affairs, he was already at a serious disadvantage when he took office, Now, from his incredible mishandling of affairs in Bosnia (threatening to use air strikes and ground forces and then never doing so) as well as his buffoonery in Somalia, he has lessened his already weak position. 'The last thing he needed was to make himself appear even weaker to foreign leaders from some domestic scandal; yet scandals seem to follow Slick Willie wherever he goes.

Concomitantly, Clinton has made the task of governing domestically - which he was already having a hard time with due to dissension among members of his own party - impossible for himself While this is a positive thing for all who oppose the creeping hand of the state, it is not a positive precedent to set. 'The office of the executive must command respect. Clinton simply does not oommand respect and never will be able to do so with Whitewater lurking in the shadows, . This leads us to ask, "What does the future hold for Clinton?" At this point it is hard to tell what he is going to do; although judging from past performance one can oonclude that he will cling to the office until his death; no one loves the state and holding an elected office more than Comrade Clinton; As for what he should do, there seems to be no alternative at this point: Bill Clinton should resign as President of the United States. He has disgraced himself, the office of the president, and the United States, Ml

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

5

o OPINION

Should Doctors Deal in Death?

BY STEPHEN HEssLER

T

HE ISSUE OF DOCTOR-

a.ssi.sOOd suicide is one of the most

controversial in our country today. At the forefront of this complex debate over the legality of a physician's role in suicide stands Dr. Jack Kevorkian and his attorney Geoffrey Fieger. Both former students at the University of Michigan, Kevorkian and Fieger recently spoke on campus to explain the goals of their movement and to gather petition signatures for their proposed constitutional amendment. This legislation seeks to prohibit the state of Michigan from passing any law that would prevent an individual with the intention of ending their life from consulting a doctor.

Fieger, who earned a B.A in theater from the U-M, was at his hyperbolic best. He lambasted a myriad of forrea that he believed BOught to oppose his efforts. From Governor Engler to the National Rifle Association, Fieger spared no person or organization even remotely right-wing. He invoked images of the Scopes Monkey Trial, the Civil Right's movement, and even the struggle for democracy in pos~m­ munist Russia as even~ closely resembling his tight for justice.

Kevorkian, who has assisted in over twenty suicides, was a bit calmer in his arguments. He stated that because this is not a religious issue (attributed to the "fact" that religion is inherently irrational), neither his amendment nor any other law should be based on religious doctrine. Contihuing this line of reasoning, Kevorkian Istated we cannot consider life sacred, because sanctity is a theological concept, apparently nullifying its credibility.

Despite Fieger's bluster and Kevorkian's generalizations, the two are actually minor characters in a much larger drama. The debate over assisted suicide is both complex and emotional. '!be significance is that we are faced with yet another effort to place defining limits on the importance of human life.

Roe v. Wade established the legal concept of when life begins, and now we are being asked to determine when it can end. Instead of Kevorkian's debate on semantics, we need to examine how dangerously close we are to devaluing human existence even further than we already have.

Certain liberal factions would have us believe that our freedoms are being

Stephen Hes81er is a sophomore in p0litical lICienee and a (ftatT writer for the Review.

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assaulted by a fanatical "Religious Right" that seeks to impose an unwanted faith upon us. 'Th.e fact remains, we are a religious society. Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian ideala. Most Americans believe in the presence of some type of god. What is irrational would be to not base our laws, which in reality are merely extensions of our morality, on the collective faith of the majority of our population.

Suicide is a socially unacceptable practice. '!be taking of one's life is looked upon with disgrace. 'Th.ink seriously for a moment Is this really a bad thing? Do we actually want to codify any legislation that would contribute to the legitimacy ofkilling oneself? The Kevorkian amendment may intend to aid only mentally competent, terminally ill patients, but any step in this direction cannot be taken without contemplation of a precedent being set.

Look closely at Kevorkian's criteria for physician assistanse. 'Th.e individual must have a terminal disease, be in constant pain, and be, certified by 6 psychiatrist to be in fun possession of their intellectual faculties. Accordingly,

legalize every social ill simply because we think the problem too difficult to handle.

Finally, the proponents of doctorassisted suicide speak of the right to die with dignity. Why is it that we must equate dignity with a person's physical condition? Does the individual in a wheelchair not have any dignity? What about the person who has a facial deformity, or stutters? Dignity has never been about someone's appearance, and never should be. Dignity is determined by a person's strength of character, by the family they raised, and by the way they touched other people's lives, not by the disease that afflicts them.

During his speech, Kevorkian asked the crowd what value is placed upon a ton of coal today. Certainly less than that of fifty years ago, he said, his obvious point being that the importance we place upon things can change.

Human life cannot become one ofthese objects. Although this is a tough, painfulissue, do not be misled by the sound bites and press conferences of Fieger and Kevorkian. '!be value with which we regard life is far too important. Mt

these are people whose quality of life has eroded to a point where they no longer want to live. However, does this include mentally retarded individuals who are in constant pain due to terminal illness? What about the leukemiastricken middle aged mother of young children, or the teenage boy with multiple sclerosis? Can we honestly make a checklist of qualifications as to who is best deserving of a doctor to facilitate their suicidal desires?

Another flawed argument is that people are going to commit suicide anyway, and the government has no right to regulate what individuals can or cannot do to their bodies. Is this the argument we should take towards drugs? Crime? Should we just give up?

We need to lose this mentality of a defeated people. We have laws to ensure that people act within accepted norm~ of conduct that are in the best interests of the nation as a whole. Of course the government can stipulate that you cannot inject heroin into your arm. Why? Because a nation of drug addicts adversely affects us all. We cannot hide behind these excuses and

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ELCOME TO ANOTHER installment in the Michigan Review's attempt to wipe leftist extremism from the face ofilie Earth (or at least, this campus). Last month, I exposed MIM for what it really is. A few weeks later, Aaron Steelman and Eric Larson did a number on SPARK. This time, the focus is less on any individual group that has more letters in its acronym than members. Instead, the "no free speech for fascists" movement will be this issue's dartboard.

Part One: The Trotskyist League From what I've heard, the Trotskyist League broke off from SPARK Keeping in mind that SPARK consists of only three members, I couldn't resist a trip to the Crowfoot Room ofilie Union to see what merited the advertisement in the Calendar box of the Daily.

Gene Kros8 is a sophomore in English and p8yChorogy and an a.ssistant editor ofthe Review. He wiu never dye his lcng hair green but really wants a lipring.

Trotskyist League had all but two representatives while NWROC had one the other two probably random leftists hoping to violently let out some steam at the expense of the First Amendment 'Th.e lady with the short moustache representing NWROC started the meeting by commending earlier counterprotests that resulted in violence (Hooray!). '!be plans themselves included nothing but making a few phone calls to lesser-known groups, telling them what time to show up to prevent free speech. Parker and I remained silent, except when he pointed out to me how frequently the word "shit" was being used, especially in the context of beating it out of someone. I left at the end of the ten minute meeting, promising the little Lenins that there will be no "beatings-out-of~hit" at the rally. They were left dumbfounded (dumb, anyway).

'Th.is turned out to be nothing more

than a study group that discusses current events from a Marxist viewpoint.

About ten people, few of whom are UM students, discussed the history of the former Yugoslavia and how it led to the current situation in Bosnia. Aside from the word "imperialism" being uttered with unusual frequency, and the Bosnian crisis being blamed on capitalism, nothing special 0CClllTed. What caught my attention was the announcement that the neo-Nazisl KKK were scheduled to march through Ann Arbor. Inevitably, the Trotskyists, NWROC, and several other leftist groups were going to plan a violent counterprotest and smash their opponents to freedom. I decided to continue my journey.

Part Two: The Planning Meeting This time, I did not go alone. Greg Parker, my fearless Review colleague, accompanied me to East Quad (what a surprise!). I expected at least twenty people to be there with hammers and sickles in hand.

Parker and myself included, the total attendance was seven. '!be

Part Three: The Rally I met Parker and one ofhis friends at the main entrance to the Union.

From here the fascist-smashers

See LEFTISTS, page 10

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THE MIOHIGAN REVIEW

6

March 30, 1994

o INTERVIEW: JON COON ./

Libertarian Defends,'Freedom

O

N MARCH 24, GREG PARKER of the Review interviewed Jon Coon, LiberlarUm candidate for U.s. Senate. Coon, 34yet:tnold, ruida in Hendereon, MI, where. ~ ~ «Jle pro. prietor ofHendertion Land and Timber.

Coon is al¥J Vice-Chair oftlu Libertarian Party of Michigan.

MR: How does your campaign differ from other Senate candldat.. such 18 Spencer Abraham, Roma Romney, 01' Lana Pollack?

COON: Those candidates are running with the two political parties in this country that have had control of the country for over one hundred years. I'm running with the party that represents the political alternative. Not only a political alternative, but the number one political alternative in the country.

We've got 23 years of experience; we knew that the country was not going well back. in 1971 when we fonned this party, and events to date have proven us correct, I believe. We have a track record; we have over 100 elected or appointed Libertarians around the country, We're different because we represent a real alternative; people are losing faith in those two parties, as they rightly should.

When[the constituents] elect the next Senatm- next November, they want to know they're electing someone who cares about this country deeply, who's going to do what he says he's going to do and has principles. And they're not confident ~t they can get that from the Republicans or Democrats anywhere.

MR; Why did you choee to 1\11 for Senate 18 • UberIIriIn? Many woWd say 1hIl you have • better chance of getting elected under the DernocfatIc 01' Republcan pardee.

COON: I voted Democratic when I was young, I voted Republican after I had established myself in business and learned a little bit more about economics. I became a Libertarian when I learned that there was no fiscally conservative party represented in Washington, and there hasn't been for 20 years. There's also no party of the working people represented in Washington.

No such parties would ever saddle the people of this country with $20,000 a piece, and that's what the national debt represents today.

What we need. in this country is less government, lower taxes, less regulation, more freedom. To sum it up, we need government to be out of our lives and out of our pocketbooks.

MR: Many people •• not fImIlllr with the main prlnclpIea of the Ubtrtariln Plrtyi In your words, whit •• thole principles?

COO N: Increased personal liberty along with responsibility.

MR: Many think that the Ubertarlan party being an Independent party - has little influence on the outcome of an election. Is this necessarily true?

COON: Of course not. Ross Perot certainly had an impact; I don't think he had an effect because he drew evenly from both parties, but nonetheless he had an impact His success is an indication of the frustration that exists today in this state and across the country.

And we're going to see more of that.

We're going to see more three-wayraces, and we're going to see some fourway-races; people are frustrated and they're looking for solutions; they're looking for political alternatives. bu~ pact - we;re running this race to win.

That's a fair impact, isn't it?

MR: What YIOUId be the first issue you would pursue If you were eIeCted1: COON: Balance the budget witho-qt raising taxes. . .

MR: How do you propose to do this?

COON: We have had three Republican administrations in the past twenty years, we have had two Democratic administrations in the past 20 years; at any time in the last 20 years we could have balanced the budget by a president veto and the votes of 34 senators and it hasn't happened once. There is no fiscally conservative party in Washington. You don't need a program, you just need the guts to just say no, as someone once said. The only thing you need to do to balance the budget is to hold what you're spending to what you're taking in; you can do it without raising taxes, that's the only requirement to balance the budget. Why haven't we done it? What's my plan for getting it done? Maybe 111 get up there and embarrass some Republicans into acting like Republicans, if that's possible.

MR: Some challenge that Ubertarlanism as a philosophy Is a breakdown of human morals; Is this 8O? COON: Of course not. 'Ibis country was founded on the basis of freedom of religion. Where do they get the idea that a Uberta:rian philosophy is a break-

down ofhumanmorals when the teachings of Christ - and·1 assume this is probably coming from Christians follow more closely with Libertarian philosophy than they do with the phi10sophy represented by conservatism as its practiced today or liberals. The New Testament and the teachings of Christ follow consistently with Libertarian political philosophy. We have many Christians in this party who realize that Christ never taught you to use the government to beat up on your neighbors to force them to behave, never did he teach that. Even in the Old Testament, the Ten Commandments are written to you individually; it doesn't say "thou shalt not allow thy neighbor to steal"; it says "thou shalt not steal."

Those laws are between an individual and God; they're not political, they never : will be and Christ never taught that.

MR: Abasic Ubertarian principle is that humans have the responsibility and the Intell!gen~ to govern themselves. Can people really be trusted to do this? Do they really have the ability to govern themselves and use the free market as 11 tool for freedoms?

COON: We're talking about greed and corruption and the lust for power. Most people know that there is a tendency out there for people to be greedy and to take advantage of others , so ifthia is so, why would you want to create a system like the bureaucratic nightmare we have today for them to inhabit? Where would you rather they worked, down at the 7-11, where you can take your business elsewhere, or at the Environmental Protection Authority where they're going to use their position and authority to crush you and you're not going to be able to touch them? Where would you rather have them, managing McDonalds or inspecting meat for this whole state? Would you rather have them at your local bank - where you can take your business elsewhere, or at the IRS? You're not going to get rid of greed - it's there and it's going to stay there forever - we're going to deal with it, the market deals with it very effectively. You can only get so much advantage over your competition before your customers go somewhere else, but when you work for the IRS there is not much of an escape, is there? Where would you rather have a greedy, corrupt personwhere you can take your business elsewhere, or working for some government agency? You see, we set up many of these agencies to protect ourselves from people who take advantage of us, but in doing so we've created. the perfect environment for them to take ad-

vantage ofus. Who is going to move into those positions as often as possible? If you were a greedy, corrupt person today, where would you go? The free enterprise system is the best one we've got, the best ever devised, and, by the way, we have laws against fraud, and we should. They ought to apply to Congress, too.

MR: What is your opinion of the current state of the U.S. Senate?

COON: Basically the same opinion of most of the people in this state. Fed up.

MR: What do you think of the involvement of the Libertarian party on college campuses?

COON: We have a pretty active campus organizing program! I'd like to see it stepped up more. There is no one in this country affected more by what we do today in government than the generation that is going to be graduating from college and who is in college now.

Those will be the most affected by the utterly suicidal economic policies this xmtiollhas pursued. We need to restore this colUltryto fOrmer .freedom, propserity, and greatness. We can do it, but we can't do it unless people are aware. Young people who haven't arrived at set opinions yet, who are much more open minded - they are the ones we have to reach. They're also the ones with the most to gain or lose.

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MR: If one wanted to find out more information on the Ubertarian party, what could one do? Is there a certain book?

COON: The best book would be Libertarianism in One Les8on; go from there.

There are many of them. Anything by Ayn Rand is also good.

MR: Is there anything you would like to add?

COON: Just a general comment people are getting increasingly frustrated with politics as usual in this country. It has been evident for several years. They're seeking political alternatives. The Libertarian party is the proven alternative. We have elected officials, a proven track. record, and we're ready. Incidentally, rm the only candidate in this race right now who we know is going to be there in November. Right now I have a better chance than the rest of them; they have to do well in the primary. ltR

Ii Hey Pattrice, do you like your ,I picture being plastered on page 81 If not, write the Review.

March SO, 1994

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

7

o INTERVIEW: SPENCER ABRAHAM .f:

Leaning Towards 路Conservatism O ~

N MARCH25,SHEAKAMMER ofthe Review intero~ Spencer Abraham, Republican can-

for U.S. Senate. Abraham served

cu Chairman of the Michigan Republi-

can Party for eight yet1J'8 and lo.ter served Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee .

Abraham hcu high hopes for the upcoming 199-1 senate election.

M

MR: How has the campaign been going?

ABRAHAM: It's going well. We've passed the three quarter of a million mark in terms of fundraising, which was a big accomplishment for us and a good indication of the strength we've got as a campaign. We've also had a lot of success with organization and recruiting volunteers. We've passed the seven thousand mark and are well on our way to a goal we set often thousand by the summer. So in both the organizational and fundraising contexts, it's going well.

MR: What was it that convinced you to run fof Sena1e?

of health insurance without resorting to a big federal bureaucracy and. a universal health care system~ fve put forward a plan that would use the free market to solve the problems in health care today and I think it can work.

There are a lot of other issues, too.

We've put out a position paper on crime.

For all the talk about solving the crime problem, the bottom line that has to be addressed immediately is that something like seven percent of the criminal element commit about 70 percent of violent crime. Unless we take action to apprehend, convict, and incarcerate that seven percent, we're all at great risk. The cost of having those violent repeat offenders in society day in and day out is huge to us both as victims, in the case of people who are victimized by crime, and also as a society. I think it undermines our school systems, it lUlde:rmi.Iies our communities, it costs us a fortune in insurance costs and personal damages that are inflicted. We have to address that first. 'Ihetop priority is taking violent repeat offenders out of society.

whole faring In the upcoming election?

Harvard influenced decisions that were made by appellate courts at the federal ABRAHAM: I think we have a great as well as the state level. When I realopportunity. Historically, the party out ized that my tuition dollars were helping to shape the direction of the law and of the White House has gained ground in off-year elections, and that should move it away from the direction that I thought was appropriate, I felt there be the case in 1994. In addition, I think the direction that America is now needed to be some balance. I went to headed under a Democratic president the Dean of the Law School with some friends who shared my opinion, and we and a Democratic Congress will be reasked for some Harvard dollars to start jected by voters this November. It's a conservative law review. We were been twelve years since the public saw what would happen if the Democrats . 路 turned down. We became very committed at that point to starting a journal controlled both the Capitol and the whether we had Harvard funds or not.

We began a small corporation and had a one-room office totaling about 120 square feet. We found about fifteen students who wanted to be editors of this joUrnal and I was able to raise enough venture capital to get the first volume published in 1978. We had a very emall sub8cribenhip of law libraries aroW'l.d the COlBltry in that first year 路 bec8usewe were an unknown publication. But slowly as people learned about 路 the journal, more subscribed and it has continued to grow. Today it is the second'-nlost widely read law review in . the country. Vtbatmakes us especially proud is that the amount of s.t udent interest has mushroomed smee'webegaIl, and today there are typically over a hlUldred law students who work on our journal each year.

ABRAHAM: I've always .b.ad a strong MIt: What do you thln~ .ar~ some of the philosophical interest in public pOlicy . . major differences betw8en you lind the , other Republican primary candidates? and have looked for different ways to pursue and sUPpOrt the things I cared ABRAHAM: I know there are some about; and for the most part, I did that issues we've disagreed on, but I don't by helping people get elected. Here in think youll see a lot ofphilosophical Michigan, that was a good thing to do differences on the Republican side. because we elected a lot of people like Senatorial Candidate Spencer Abraham I think what the major measuring John Engler who have accomplished White House, and the feedback I get as stick should be is who can not only go to great things for what, I consider to be I travel around Michigan is that they Washington and vote the right way but the right political philosophy. In Washdon't like it very much. They don't like who can go to Washington and win the ington I don't think that we've had to seethe. highest tax hike in history fights.

I think I'm the only Republican quite as many people as in Michigan passed:' They aren~t , aIWous to see a candidate with a proven track record who have carried forward with their verydntrusive federal health care syson the national level of fighting and ideas and fought the fights strongly tem imposed on them and have the winning the battles, whether it was at enough and compellingly enough to win. quality and access to health care limHarvard Law School taking on the acaI kept seeing defeats in Washington on ited. So I think that we'll have a lot of demic establishment and starting the issues I cared about; and my wife and I issues working our way that will make first conservative law review, or in the decided that part of the problem was a difference, also. I think that at both national legal community where I that advocates for our philosophy were the congressional and the ,U.s. Senate helped co-found the Federalist Society either not strong enough or strategilevel we'll make gains inNovember. which has become the principle voice of cally not doing things the right way and conservative legal thinking in America, that there maybe was a role for someMR: In law school you founded the Harvard or here in Michigan as chairman of the body like me to play in the elected side Journal of Law and Public Policy, which was Michigan Republican Party, where I of this business. one of the first conservative univefsity newshelped lead the fight to restore conserpapers in the country. What were some of your vative Republican government to MichiMR: What issues do you believe will domimotivations behind this? gan. I've been on the front lines winnate this campaign? ning those fights, and I think that in ABRAHAM: I got to Harvard Law the Senate it is going to take that kind ABRAHAM: I think health care will be School in 1975, and quickly discovered of experience and success record if we're a very important topic in the months that every publication that Harvard going to prevail in the fights ahead. ahead. I've come out against the subsidized, using our tuition dollars in President's program in favor of a free part, was a very leftr-wing publication MR: As former chairman of the National Remarket set of solutions to our health offering very liberal views on legal publican Congressional Committee, you have care problems. I think we can: address policy. I also recognized the degree to a lot of expertise on congressional elections. the issue of access to health insurance which publications that came from How do you see the Republican party as a and the problems with the growing cost

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MR: Large universities have historically been overwhelmingly liberal institutions. However, they seem to be becoming more and more tolerant of conservatism. 00 you see ttis vend continuing?

ABRAHAM: Well, academia, Hollywood, and the media tend to be the main outposts of people with very liberal philosophies. But as some of those liberal leaders have pushed things so far to the left, I think it has created a certain moderation in response. I saw it at Harvard Law School. After I was there, the whole critical legal studies movement developed. These were professors who were pursuing even more lett-wing views than the ones that had traditionally prevailed at Harvard. And the further left they tried to move the faculty, the more moderates and conservatives on the faculty they produced, because people who had always thought of themselves as liberals realized that they were really in fact more on the conservative end of the spectrum. I see the same thing happening with the PC thing. It's making people realize that they're not as liberal as they thought Mt -

-

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

8

March 30, 1994

o EsSAY

Trying to Make ,Cents of Financial Aid BY

RACHEL CARDONE

T

HE

UNIVERSITY

OF

Michigan, the most expensive

public school in the nation, pr0vides the least amount of financial aid among public universities across the country. Additionally, tuition increases at an average rate of 11.4 percent per year, making a U-M degree a severe financial burden. Tuition, board, and modest living expenses for the '93-'94 year were $11,900 for upper-level instaters, and $22,900 for upper-level out-of-staters. In four years, it will cost $13,566 and $26,106. respectively.

These figures are terrifying.

In 1992, Congress passed the Higher Education Amendment, which changed the way financial aid is provided. The law guarantees anyone who applies for aid either a grant, loan, or work-study award. This was an attempt to make the system more fair, because under the old system, middle Rachel Cardoneu a (re8hman in LSA and campru affairs editor of the Review.

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class applicants often didn't qualify for aid even though they needed it.

The problem with the Higher Education Amendment lies in one of the fundamental problems with Congress.

Although the bill passed into law with positive measures (like increasing the amount of the average loan to students), a separate act to fund this altruism had to be passed by the House Appropriations Committee. It failed, and as a result, the law and reality are entirely two different things.

In an effort to collect as much outside money as possible, students often apply for merit or need-based scholarships from private or hometown organizations. While winning one of these awards should ameliorate the financial burden of an education, it does not, because any amount of money won is deducted from the university's aid pack- . age.

In addition to applying for scholarships, stud~anticipating college Dills often holdparl-time jobs during ltigh school to help. defray the soaring tuition rates. Law-abiding employers deduct social security, or FICA taXes (currently at '1;65 ~nt);which ,appear on the tax forms that are evaluated by Financial Aid. AB a hypothetical eXaffiple, Jolw.. an out-of-state student, earned $5,.50 an hour while he was a senior inlUgh school. He worked"fift.een hours every week throughout the year, and in eight months, he earned $2438.08. Over the summer he earned an additional $2000, After subtractfug expenses, he h~d about $3500. Being fiscally responsible, he deposited his money into a sa'(ings account at Mainstreet Bank.

While this behavior is conducive towards boosting the economy, it isn't for receiving aid. The Office QfFinahcial Aid looks at John's income tax

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ation of a parent's assets. Other factors include the number of children in college and a parent's age; the older the parents are, the more money a student will receive. '!be total amount expected to be paid by the parents is divided by the amount of children currently attending college.

Despite the changes in the system, the cost of attending college forces many students to borrow money from a bank.

The Subsidized Stafford Loan, ineluded in a standard aid package, is capped at $2600 dollars per year and him). , renewable for four years. The government pays the interest while a student One of the basic problems with calculating tl,1ese figures lies in the fact attends school full time (12-18 credits). that the fiscal year ends in June, taxes Many students need more money than are due in April, and tuition bills are this loan provides, so they turn to the paid in September, October, January, next best option, the PLUS loan.

The PLUS loan carries an interest and February. By not coinciding with the academic year, earnings from last of 6.64 percent, making it the lowest on year and summer that were applied to the market Also, any amount up to the this year's tuition check will be taxed full cost of tuition may be borrowed, a this year. AB a result, Financial Aid good thing, for in the past, it was posmakes a blatantmisjudgement, because sible that students would deal with several different agencies just for their those earnings were already spent. AB a result, it is in John's best interest to tuition. The conditions of the loan, like get a job that pays cash, off the books. ",the Stafford Loan, are that it must be 'lbisaBme ~pt appliee u astu:'·'fullypaid off ten yean a&r a student dent possesses assets of any kind graduates and the student must retain (stocks, bonds, savings accounts, and full-time status. the like); those also appear on income Because both the Stafford and tax forms. Financial Aid determines PLUS loans are only renewable for four that students can pay 35 percent of years, a student who borrows must their assets towards tuition. On the only take that amount of time to graduate. With the trend of five-year degree other hand, only 5.6 percent of parent's assessments are calculated to be spent plans. the best interests of the students on education. AB a result, by placing are not met. Also, students who plan to double major may be pressed for time, assets in a parent's name, a student will receive a better package. and may not be able to receive the best education available within the departThere are several factors involved in detetmining parents' expected conments of their concentrations. tribution.. Unlike the old system, eqAll of the literature recommends that students borrow as little as posuity in a home or farm and Individual Retirement Assessments (IRA) acsible, for the payments from previous years carry over each year, and by the counts are not factors towards the evalufourth year, loan payments are quite large. Yet with an average tuition hike ~4) I?EE~§ of 11.4 percent, loans are inevitable.

Because the financial aid system Ashley's bas BOught out great beers from around the was reformed only last year with 1500 world to bring you the best selection possible. A1J the amendments, many kinks still exist explosion in microbre. . continues we will seek out that hinder maximum benefits being the best of the best to add to our iilieady outstanding distributed to the maximum amount of list at Ashley's. people. Yet without cooperation from Congress, a murky future exists for the Look for 4 new arrivals comimg in MarchI thousands of students struggling to pay their bills. And. we all know the history of Congress reforming itself. Consequently, individual schools must try §£()T£1i ~AL T§ harder to keep tuition at a reasonable Ashley's has greatly expanded our line of fine Single level for all students, not through price Malt Scotch Whiskies including The Macallan 18 year discrimination and financial aid packages, but through cuts in administraold Come ezperience the taste of fine Scotch Whisky tion and sincere attempts to keep suand try lOme samples! perfluous budget expenditures at a minimum. Ml

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forms and immediately sees that he possesses a considerable amount of money. By using a formula that subtracts estimated living expenses, they determine how much John can afford to spend towards tuition. According to Elaine Nowak, ABsistant Director of the Office of Financial Aid, students are exempt from this part of the formula if they earn less than $2000$2500. But John, because he earned more than t\lat amount, will be expected to pay 50 percent ofhis available incOme (which is not determined by

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THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

March 30, 1994

9

o EsSAY

Libertarians··'o r Libertines?

BY AARON STEELMAN

I

RECENTLY RECEIVED IN THE mail an invitation to attend the

Libertarian Party of Michigan's annual convention. Though I am not a member of the Libertarian Party, I was not surprised that I received such an invitation, for it looked more like a solicitation; check off the events you want to attend and send in the appropriate entrance fees. This missive should have just dispensed with the formalities and read: 'We Need Money."

The Libertarians were not so blunt to do this, however. Yet, when I looked at the materials accompanying the solicitation, blunt was one of the first words that popped into my mind.

One of the flie1'8 enclosed was an advertisement for an event to be held at the convention. It read: "'The Libertarian Party ofWashtenaw County Invites You to Spend A NIGHT IN LIBERTARIA for AN EVENING OF DECADENCE," flanked by a picture of a scantily clad woman and the words "18 And Over Welcome," emboldened at. the bottom. I began to wonder if this was an ad for Deja Vu, until I remembered with whom I "at dealing~ '1ll.e Libertarian Party. while it has purported to be a party ofprinciple since in, inception, had finally come full circle in announcing what it was: a collection of freaks who speak of liberty and personal responsibility, yet devalue such virtues through their very actions.

Last year, I read a critique of the Libertarian Party by philosopher Peter Schwartz. He said, "The Libertarian interprets liberty to mean the license to do whatever he feels like doing. Since he dismisses reason and philosophy, he has no way to even define force. To him, the pseudo-definition of 'force' is that which intereferes with somebody's desires; to him any obstacle in the path of people's whims is undesirable. People ought to be 'free' to act on any random impulse they feel. That is Libertarianism. That is not liberty."

At the time I thought this interpretation was a bit short-sighted and harsh. After all, the Libertarian Party was fighting for people's freedom and recognized the responsibilities that went along with these freedoms, right?

Yet after watching the actions of the Libertarian Party and Libertarians with a big "L" over the last couple of years, I have rome to a different conclusion. Most people join the Libertarian Party because they want to do what

Aaron Steelman is a sophomore in economics and publisher of-the Review .

they want whenever they want, Mt potheads and rednecks didn't join the because they value freedom. While the Libertarian Party because they identiLibertarian Party does have some genufied with the integrated philosophy that ine libertarians as membe1'8, the vast the party supposedly offered, but rather majority can be lumped into three catdid so as an act of opportunism . egories: sixties leftovers (many of whom "Libertaria," too, is an act of opportunlike the LP's stand against conscripism. The people planning it argue that tion), potheads (who, of course, think they are doing so because it is a true act that drugs should be legal), and rednecks (who Most people join the Libertarian don't want the government Party because they waHt to do what to take their guns away).

These people are prithey want whenever they wa1lt, not malily single issue voters , because they value freedom. who couldn't care less about how the issue that • liS I concerns them fits into the larger conof freedom and display of liberty; the text of fighting for liberty on all fronts. state can't tell them what to do. 'This is They should and would be shunned by completely disingenuous; they are planany legitimate political party but inning "Libertaria" because they are esstead are welcomed with open arms by sentiapy libertines, not libertarians.

They want to indulge in some debauch- . the Libertariarl. Party establishment.

One wonders why this is. After all, a ery and have a good time, not display to minor party searching for legitimacy the world what freEldom entails. surely wouldn't want' to discredit them" Indeed, they say so, albeit in a veiled way, to keep the appearance of respectselves .in this way. Howe.ver, when you look at it, these people' very similar ··ability. On the back of the "Libertaria" flier they mock those libertarians who to the Party leadel'8h.ip who are planactually believe that liberty is a virtuning such things as "Libertaria." The

are

Do Review M'e etings really begin with the Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer to Barry Goldwater, and the chant "Greed, Money, Freedom'~' ?

oua goal and can only be attained through rational discourse as "ivory tower, Libertarian Debating Society, old-time1'8." By doing so they have essentially cut themselves off from a long history of thought, a history that include s s uch figur es as Th omas Jefferson, Herbert Spencer, J olm Locke, and Milton Friedman and r epla ced them with Cheech and Chong.

The Libertarian Party has di sgraced it.self and in so doing dragged all those who call themselves libertmi ans through the mud. The best solu tion. now that it ha s completely discredited itSelf, is CU disband before it makes the case for liberty even hro'der to sell.

Unfortunately, they have chosen not to do so and opened themselves up . to an act of greater buffoonery, a gubernatorial run in New York by radio disc jockey Howard Stern. 'This, permitting a left-liberal to run for office as a Lib· ertarian, is painful to watch for anybody who respects freedom yet completely appropriate in light of "Libertaria." The Libertarian Party couldn't sell out any more or in any greater style. m

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10

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

AATU Funding

March 30, 1994

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ure of the AATU to comply with the CUITent weaknesses and measures to amendment's conditions proves the mitigate these weaknesses," and ·"An agreement that AATU will veracity of claims made by opponents of qualitatively track students' use of the organization.

"It further illustrates how little AATU, including separate counts of students' use of walk-in services, telethey're following their relations with phone services, and brochures distribMSA and the importance of the money," uted."

Stern said.

The amendment stemmed from Craig Greenberg, outgoing MSA controversy early in the school year President agrees with Stern's assessover MSA's proposed annual budget, as ment. "'This incident continues to show recommended by the organization's the Tenants' Union's irresponsibility executive officers and the chair of the and lack of professionalism," he said, According to Stern, the amendment Budget Priorities Committee, who originally proposed $2,320 for the AATU for and the statistics it required the AATU the 1993-94 academic year. 'The averto compile for MSA were designed to age allocation to the AATU has been spur an "ongoing process of internal approximately $25,000 each of the last review of the AATU., It's frustrating. several years.

'They can't even follow a simple proceA significant portion of Assembly dure." representatives opposed line-item As of TueSday, March 29, none of funding consideration for the AATU in MSNs executive olli""" had infurmed the Fall based on allegations of mis- : the AATU of the money transfer, according to Stern. He believes that the management, duplication of services, improper use of MSA-provided fundfact that the organization failed to foling for politi~-activism instead of low through by providing MSA with the sistance for tenants, and use ofM~A required information proves that the funding to aid ~n-university students.

AATU should not receive the money.

According to Jacob Stern, Chair of "It's $11,000 - you just don't forget about it," he said.Mt the Budget Prioritie~ Committee arid

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Leftists free speech for fascistsl" Cliche! "Build :" . Ii workers' movement to smash fascism!" "Biaek pOwer to smash fascism!"

"Gay and lesbian pride!" Huh? What planned to mareh to the Ann. Arbor City does any of this have to do with stampHall to wait for the Nazis. I stood on ing out fascism? This was single-issue t fptoes to find at least . one activism at its worst. counterprotester without green hair or Well, as some of you may have read a shaved head, noticing how "normal" in the Daily, the NazislKKK never my eighteen-inch ponytail sudderuy showed up. Parker and his friend left at looked. 'The counterprotesters were aU a quarter to one, already 45 minutes searched (who Can blame the pollee?); after the scheduled arrival. Left alone and finally the march commenced. to fend for myself, I asked a gentleman Parker, his friend, and I kept our with four liprings (yes, liprings) the distance as the crowd, dressed entirely latest news about the Nazis. He didn't in black made its way to City Hall, know, so I decided to cross the street to chanting ever so intellectually, "Heyask the lovely, buxom young NWROCite hey! Hc>-ho! Fascist scum has got to (not the one with the moustache) with go!" I was surprised to see how indifferthe megaphone if she knew anything. ent pedestrians seemed. This might She had received no news from the not have been one oftbe milliOlH!trong scout teams, It seems that every van marches on Washington (only a hunand truck that looked like the type the dred or so rommies were there) but free Nazis show up in every year was put speech was nevertheless about to be under surveilLmce. Can you say KGB, denied. '!he three of us waited on the oppo- boys and girls? At 2:00 I finally decided I had better things to do and left. site side of Huron St. as more and more Of course, the leftists claimed the leftists coagulated in front of City Hall victory, thinking their numbers scared 'There was about half an hour left until the Nazis away. I take a different apthe Nazis were supposed to show up, so proach: the Nazis won since they manI took the time to contemplate the aged to waste a lot of people's time. Oh beauty of the signs some of the fascistwell, till next year when, and if, the smashers were carrying. "Death to the forces of evil and evil clash again. )It .r acist, sexist sys1;e,mI" Which one? "No

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March 30, 1994

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

11

o BOOK REVIEWS ~

tj/4"

Prohibition Must End unacceptable abridgement of personal freedom, Friedman comes off as much more the utilitarian in these essays. In Chapter Five, Crime, Friedman proposes that legalization, among other social benefits, would cause a dramatic reduction in crime - particularly violent crime.

He states, 'The hann to us from the addiction of others arises primarily from the fact that drugs are illegal. It has been estimated that from one third to one half of all violent and property crime in the United States is commit· ted either by drug addicts engaged in crime to finance their habit, or by conflicts among competing groups of drug pushers, or in the course of the importation and the distribution of illegal drugs. Legalize drugs, and street crime would drop dramatically and immediately. Moreover, addicts and pushers are not the only on~ corrupted. Immense sums are at' stake. It is inevitable that some relatively low-paid police and other government officials, and some high paid ones as well, will succumb to the. tel:n.ptatio~ to pi~ ~p

BY AARON STEELMAN

W

ITH THE SURGEON General Joycelyn Elders stat· ing that alternatives to the war on drugs should be pursued, much attention has been given to this debate.

While Elders' suggestion smacks of opportunism due to her son's recent arrest on drug charges, there have been

On Liberty and Drugs Milton Friedman and Thomas Szasz The Drug Policy Foundation 171 pages, 1993 two long-standing advocates of a free market approach to drugs, Milton Friedman and Thomas Szasz, who have remained true to their cause.

The Drug Policy Foundation, a Washington-based organization that advances the idea oflegalization within a policy framework, has published a collection of 17 essays by Friedman and Szasz. The book is divided. into two sections, the first devoted to the wolk of Friedman and the latter to Szasz.

While both attack prohibition as an

easy money." . While Friedman should be commended for speaking the truth about the ill. effects that prohibition has reaped

on the inner cities of America, he recognizes the need to declare the right to use drugs, or any other hannful substance, as a basic civil liberty and speaks ofit throughout the book, as does Thomas Szasz.

Szasz, a psychiatrist by profession, argues for legalization on grounds that few have tried in the past. He states that drugs are property and resultingly should be treated as any other property in a free society. Indeed he explains, "Drugs are a species of property, and hence the right to drugs is a form of property right. Accordingly, I maintain that we have a right to grow, buy, and ingest drugs as much as we have a right to grow, buy and ingest food; and that drug prohibitions, epitomized by laws, const\tute deprivations of our fundamental right to own and use property."

Szasz also makes painfully true remarks about the hypocrisy bf drug waniors. While it has often been asserted that ihemajor opposition to legalization has been on the Right, due to a lack of social tolerance among conser·

be permissive to socially disreputable psychoactive drugs, especially when they are used by young and hairy persons; so they generally favor decriminalizing marijuana and treating rather than punishing those engaged in the trade of LSD. They are not at all permissive, however, toward nonpsychoactive drugs that are allegedly unsafe or worthless, and thus favor banning saccharin and Laetrile." A perfect example of this are the health Nazis in the federal government who wish to shape the behavior of the citizenry through increased taxes on tobacco and alcohol, thus displaying their belief that the state can shape the behavior of its citizens in a positive way.

All that is left to show for the eighty years of drug prohibition in this country is an even more expansive state and thousands oflost lives. Fi.na1ly, after all the evidence, people are beginning to realize that a new approach to drugs must be tried. If the debate ever becomes truly sane and it is concluded that a free market approach to drugs

vatlves are not the only ones in opposition to personal freedom.

He remarks that, "liberals tend to

thank. No people over the last quarter of a century have done more work towards this cause.

m

Rogue Warrior Returns

BY EDDIE ARNER

I

N HIS BESTSELLING autobiography, Rogue Warrior, Richard Marcinko chronicles his amazing 30-year Navy career, most of it as a SEAL. Marcinko rose from an enlisted man through the officer ranks and became one of the premier experts on special warfare. He saw combat ac-

Rogue Warrior II: Red Cell Richard Marcinko and John Weisman PocketBooks, 1994 $22.00, 352 pages tion in Vietnam, served as a military attache in Cambodia, an intelligence officer in the Pentagon, and conducted covert operations all over the world. He created and commanded SEAL Team Six, the Navy's version of Delta Force.

In 1984, he was ordered by the Chief of Naval Operations to create Red Cell, a small, elite team of SEAL3, whose purpose w.aeto infiltrate the most secure ,

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Navy installations. Marcinko did his job too well and in the process embarrassed numerous high-ranking Navy officers. Dedication to his job and the men he commanded eventually cost him his job and a year in a federal penitentiary after conviction on one vague and incredible charge of fraud.

During that year, Marcinko and John Weisman wrote Rogue Warrior, a nonfiction work, which reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

Rogue Warrior II continue~ ~o's tale as "fiction" as he appa.rent1yreached an agreement with the federal government not to write nonfiction works.

However, this book's nonstandard disclaimer about fictitious content forces the reader to attempt to distinguish which parts are fact and which fiction.

Rogue Warrior II begins with Marcinko acting as a security consultant by playing teITOriSt at Tokyo's Narita airport. He easily infiltrates the compound and on the final penetration he disrupts four North Koreans' attempt to steal some cargo. Marcinko's instincts take over; he charges, wins a short firefight, and "makes a discovery

that plunges him. into a secret war for America's national security. " Marcinko begins to investigate and concludes that a number of traitorous AmEWicanS are funneling nuclear rechnology to North Korea through Japan.

He is subsequently recruited by former Secretary of Defense Grant Griffith, a behind-the-ecenes PQwer in the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill. Griffith thinks that Marcinko is the only man who can stop the smuggling operation and convinces the NavY to involuntarily recall him. to active duty.

Marcinko is given the choice of returning to command Red.Cell and attempt to stop the smuggling or face a closed door court martial and spend the rest of his life in Leavenworth prison.

Being a SEAL, Marcinko loves to attempt the impossible and takes the job.

He is reporting directly to the deputy chief of naval operations for plans, policy, and operations, Pinky Prescott III, Marcinko's nemesis at SEAL Team Six. Needless to say, this relationship was strained from the start and simply gets worse. Further, Red Cell's morale is tenible, their equipment is out-dated

and in poor shape, and the mission profile does not allow enough time for training or money for new equipment.

In response to this situation, Marcinko falls back on his experience and his contacts from his career. He steals sop¥Sticated communications gear from an installation, gets intelligence from one friend, and weapons and equipment from two others.

Marcinko and his SEALs infiltrate Washington's Navy Yard offices, the top secret nuclear weapons depot at Seal Beach, California - where they discover that several nuclear weapons are missing - and a heavily guarded North Korean harbor. After creating mass chaos and more than a few casualties, Red Cell discovers who is responsible for the smuggling and where the weapons were actually headed.

Red CeU moves fast and possesses great characters, as well as a very believable plot. Marcinko is an excellent author and a great literary character; how many works of fiction are written in the first person? Rogue Warrior was a great book, ~ut the sequelleaY~ it in the dust for sheer readability. m, ,

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12

THE MICHIGAN REVIEW

March 30, 1994

o MUSIC

The Song RaInones The Same BY

TRENT A. REYNOLDiJ

HE LEGEND IS WELL known. In 1974, in Queens, four guys formed a band with the intention of playing some of their favorite songs. Finding the songs too difficult for their very limited skills, they started writing two and three chord BOngs that were simple enough for them to play. Calling themselves the Ramones, they began releasing albums and touring, always in their uniform black leather jackets and long dark hair. They kick-started the punk-rock movement and ended up influencing damn near every bit of good music released in the late Seventies and a respectable percentage of the good music made since then.

Now it's 1994, and the Ramones are still around. Yet they have caught a lot offlack from critics who don't think they have a right to be around. Critics know the formula for punk bands: they are supposed to release a couple of great albums .lUUithen <X)mbust, just like the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and any number of other bands between 1977 and 1980. The Ramones don't like this formula; instead, they have preferred to stick. to their own formula - fast, catchy lOngs played in under three minutes - for twenty years now. Orbit MCJ8azine, previewing last Saturday's concert at Detroit's State Theatre, predicted that their perl'ormance would be a «tired, pla~ut, used-to-be-coolso-long-ago,it's-hard-to-remember routine." Why weren't they content to release four consecutive classic albums in the late Seventies and then vanish?

Do the Ramones have a place in the Nineties, or should they hang up their leather and go offin a corner and OD for the sake of keeping the legend intact?

'The Orbit reporter probably skipped Saturday's show. 'IOo bad, because Saturday night, the Ramones demonstrated conclusively why the fans will still come to the shows no matter what critics say. Admittedly, things started out a little shakily with fast but limp renditions of classics "Teenage Lobotomy," "Psycho Therapy," and "Blitzkrieg Bop." But when Joey hit the chorus of the band's latest single, a high energy cover of the Who's "Substitute," the band came to life, connecting with the audience like few other bands can.

This level of intensity didn't decrease one iota during the rest of the set. They songs were played even faster than they are on the album, resulting

T

Trent A. Reyncuu was an extra on the set of Sid and Nancy.

in a barrage of two-minute anthems acrimoniously after that album. That that left the audience eliliausted but should have been the end of the band, exhilarated. As soon as one song was but actually things have been better over, someone would yell "1_23-4" and launch into the next. h., ..,._u .•._ ...u .~.~.

Between-song patter was nearly non-existent. Whenever lead singer Joey Ramone did talk between songs, it was either to thank the audience, or it was a one or two sentence statement of his political beliefs: "Fuck racism and God bless the United States of America!" before "I Wanna Live ," apparently because the song is about freedom ; and "I support the right to die!" before "Pet Sematary," apparently because they put people in cemeteries when they die.

Throughout, the band was obviously having as great a time as the audience. Lead singer Joey When Retro returned, so did the Ramones seemed genmne1y touched by the incredible ' enthusiasm of the crowd, and drwllmer Marky and new since then. For one thing, Dee Dee is bassist CJ could£requently be ~ugM once again getting along with the band. grinning and singillg along. . Though no longer an official member, CJ has stepped admirably into Dee Dee wrote two songs for the last. album, Mondo Bizarro, including the former bassist and founding member single "Poison Heart." Marky confirms Dee Dee's shoes, even paying tribute to that we'll hear more from Dee Dee: the former bassist by doing vocals on "Dee Dee's a good friend ofmine .. .he's "Wart Hog," a song co-written and ~ in a band called Chinese Dragons and

by Dee Dee on the band's aptly named he's writing good songs and he's going Too Tough To Die album. Dee Dee was responsible for some of the Ramones' , to be there when we need him to write with us."Th;ere shquld be about five greatest moments up through Brain Drain in 1989, .but he left the band , songs by Dee Dee on the next Ramones >.,

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FreeSh'ow.; ~You BY

CHARLES ANDREW PETERS

M

ELISSA FERRICK WILL playa free show at Espresso

I

Should Go

MTV betWeen Beck and Danzig.

"I got run over when my record came out in the fall with Juliana Hatfield, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana. It

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album . .

There are no songs by Dee Dee on the band's current album, Acid Eaters, but there is nothing strange about that; there aren't any songs by the other Ramones either. Acid Eaters is a collection of covers of some of the band's favorite Sixties songs - the Ramones displaying their roots.

"We tried to do songs that we thought were representative of the times," says Marky. "We didn't necessarily like some of the bands but we like the songs." All of the songs are done in high-powered Ramones style. The songs range from well-known songs like "Somebody to Love" and "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" to obscurities like "The Shape of Things to Come" from the cult movie Wild in the Streets. Some of the songs covered sound as if they were originally written for the Ramones to play, such as the Troggs' "I Can't Control Myself" Others, such as "Have You Ever Seen the Rain," sound nothing like the Ramones in their original incarnation, but certainly do now. Ev. erything works, and this strong albUm proves that the Ramones are serious about maintaining and building on their legendary status in the Nineties. Both live and on Acid Eaters the Ramones prove that they are not dated or obsolete, because good music is eternal. As Lemmy says in Motorhead's tribute to the band, "Ramones: Bad boys then, bad boys now." 'Ib that he should have added "bad boys forever." M!

If you plan on buying an overpriced coffee this weekend, go to Espresso Royale this Friday. It is a 'rare occasion when someone of Melissa's caliber plays in town for free. M!

University Lutheran Chapel

other generic folk artist; her At· %~ ~: '{ " %{I those bands i lanticdebutMassiveBlur, afresh :, ~;<t; have earned blend of pop, rock and folk that is Iw~:~< that kind of atconsistently impassioned and in- I~·:~~t. tention." ventive. So why is she playing i~1''''ii, With influEspresso before Ann Arbor's F;f.~::~{~):; f~':i~, ~q~-;-' ences like Joan most pretentious?

It , '><.··,A:::\'8F. .V~>::'·" Armatrading "We are trying to play places .~\'f.lV,;h ' and Chrissy Good Friday Services that are as cheap as possible for .

Hynde, Ferrick 2:00 Mid-Day people to get in," said Melissa, can be both T enebrae 7 :00 "and coffee houses seem to work. poppy and powSaturday Vigil 11 :00 erful. The perAlthough there is a band on the Easter Sunday 10:30 album, it's just me and my gui- Melissa Ferrick is one hot babe. fect blend of tar. I've been doing it like that co nsi stentl y 1511 Washtenaw for years." gripping melodies over various moods Ed Krauss Pastor Don't be afraid of the fact that you of music shows that diversity is key for 663-5560 haven't seen a Melissa Ferrick video on Ferrick.

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