Letters to the Editor

Faculty asks 'U' to disassociate itself from Michigamua

To the Daily:

As members of the University's academic community, we object to the University's support of the Michigamua Society, a closed organization long engaged in the appropriation and misrepresentation of Native American objects, imagery and practices.

Granted exclusive use of a privileged space in the Michigan Union, the Michigamua Society links the University to practices demeaning to Native Americans and their histories. The Society's meeting space decor, songs, graphics, hazing and pseudo-Indian names utilize stereotypical images of Native American people and cultures to promote Michigamua's identity.

These images and actions have been integral to the Society's history as an all-male (until 1999) and predominantly white organization representing itself as being the best of Michigan student leadership.

The Michigamua Society has long been aware of the Native American community's objection to these practices. It signed an agreement with University officials in 1989 to cease these activities and free itself of all objects associated with them, an accord which it has violated despite minor changes.

In recognition of the principle that university support for any organization debasing another culture is objectionable, we ask that the University dissociate itself from the demeaning practices and privileged position of this group.

Fernando Coronil

Anthropology and History depts.

- This letter was also signed by a total of 94 faculty members from the following LSA departments: Anthropology, American Culture, Women's Studies, Psychology, Residential College, History, English, Romance Languages, Classical Studies, Sociology, Near Eastern Studies and Economics.

Sen. Rogers insulted students

To the Daily:

I'd like someone to tell me when I cut class to get tickets to see the Backstreet Boys. Our lovely State Sen. Mike Rogers was quoted in the Feb. 25th Daily saying "If a student can cut class and wait in line overnight to buy tickets to see the Backstreet Boys, they can certainly go to the Secretary of State's office and change their voter registration."

No, he did not suggest that we are interested in anything better than the Backstreet Boys. He doesn't respect us that much. Nor does he seem to think that any of us work our butts off at this school. Apparently we all are getting these grades just by paying our ridiculously huge tuition.

Oh, and he doesn't seem to see past time being the only issue keeping us from the Secretary of State. How about a car? Are you going to drive me there, Sen. Rogers? Like I could trust being in a car with a man who has as little respect for students as he does. If that's what he'll say about me in public, I'd hate to see how he would treat me if we were alone.

After reading Sen. Rogers' ignorant and demeaning quote, I decided to look up his homepage. One of his proud updates was titled "End Hash Bash." He doesn't mention why we should deter people from smoking marijuana, just that he thinks the state should decide what communities do, not the communities themselves. Here's to big government! There seems to be an overall lack of thought in all of his statements.

Check out his homepage at http://www.gop.senate.state.mi.us/senator/ rogers/, and register to vote. Let's vote this jerk out of office.

Debra Kay

University alumnus

SCC's actions are 'hypocritical and irrelevant'

To the Daily:

I fail to see why people in the University community are willing to lend their support to the SCC, whose methods and arguments have been incredibly hypocritical and irrelevant, respectively, thus far:

The SCC want objects of cultural importance removed from what they perceive to be a sacrilegious setting. Do they petition for removal and work with the system? No, they instead resort to breaking and entering and overt thievery. And people are supporting this behavior for what reason?

The SCC want equal representation and freedom of speech. So they decide that completely cancelling University President Lee Bollinger's speech at the Alumni Center by forcefully overtaking the podium and harassing him verbally are the best ways to secure their own goals. What? Did everybody miss something here? They not only demonstrated how completely base and infantile they are by interrupting an unrelated speech of Bollinger's, they also essentially negated his right to speak (interruptions, haggling, name-calling) at the same time.

The SCC want Michigamua kicked out of the Union tower, among many other things, because they find the group offensive. Are people seriously supporting this completely untenable argument? "Equal representation" happens to do things like allow for the presence of groups that other people find offensive. If I were to get out on the street and say that I find (and I'm just randomly picking a visible group to illustrate the hilarity of the situation) Jews offensive to me and that I don't want Jewish groups to meet in certain buildings on campus, people would chop me up for spare parts. Yet the SCC is doing ... the same thing?

The SCC argue that their claims of racism are legitimately based because Michigamua's traditions offend Native American culture and the words "racism" and "genocide" have been used as support. Do the SCC fail to realize how vastly out of context they are? Where exactly does Michigamua promote or celebrate past genocide or racism? Hmm? Oh, maybe in their special charter, line 67, "Avidly hate Native Americans." Or maybe all those "Up with Eminent Domain" posters I see around campus. Yeah right.

Next thing you know, the SCC will be protesting against the entire racist state of Idaho, because you know those bastards are growing "redskin" potatoes!

David Richter

Lsa senior

Campus groups have little influence

To the Daily:

I would like to thank the Daily for putting their newspaper online every morning. It's very well done and helps me keep up to date on campus news. I especially like hearing about the latest whacky protests. The acronyms may change, but their means and intentions are pretty much the same (SOLE, SCC, BAMN, BORE, RANT, etc.)

Does anyone think occupying a University administrator's office will end sweatshop labor around the globe? How about protesting some small group because they are "secret" and may be saying some things (in private) which may offend some people. My roommates and I were pretty "secret" (no one came by to monitor the discussions we had) and I'm sure that some of our conversations would have offended someone. However, our house was never occupied by an acronym (what a shame!).

I used to find MSA especially assuming. I'm sure foreign countries and large organizations really care when they are condemned by a student government. A five hour debate about furniture organization has to be riveting.

I recommend just laughing at most of these groups, getting a few beers and having a good old time. You won't be in school forever. Enjoy it.

Mark West

University alumnus