1989_03 The Daily Collegian March 1989

              Page 6     Wednesday. March 1. 1969
The Daily Collegian
LETTERS
Continued from page 2
the approach has been consistently
ineffective, and a new direction might be
more suitable. I do know that Peter has
lobbied, with me by his side, to change
oppression against all minority students.
These changes affect all students, not
only women, lesbians and gay men,
people of color, re-entry students, left-
handed Chinese food lovers, etc. We didn't
achieve these changes overnight or even
in two senate meetings. Through
diligence and perseverence (personally, I
think we played the game better than "the
boys" and beat them), maneuvered,
learned and compromised for the
betterment of all students.
At the western Stales Lesbian, Gay and
Bisexual Students United Conference.
Damn Silveria and Scott Vick sat side by
side lesbians and gay men in a workshop,
discussing how to procure funding for
your student group—not only a lesbian,
gay or minority group. Where were the
other students from the leftist tide? I
personally neither saw them al any of the
workshops (but I could be wrong), nor at
the two entertainment events. Yet, I saw
people there from the Fresno Bee. the
Dairy Collegian and the Lor Angeles
Times. I'm not by any means a supporter
of the Reality Party, but they have shown
a more tolerant side to lesbian and gay
issues than Last year's regime. It's not by
any means equal, but it's a start-
Maybe the leftist tide thinks the fruit
can't fall far from the tree, but then again
perhaps the tree was diseased already.
"Lesbian and gay people, long
oppressed because they have been a silent
minority, are now, through such militant
activist organizations, demanding the
civil rights thr inherently belong to all
citizens of the United
States."—paraphrased statement by Adam
Walinsky, candidate for New York State
Aaorney General, 1970.
Thank you for your patience, time and
space.
Ivan T. Vincent
More on 'Verses'
To the editor,
I felt compelled to write this letter in
response to all of the clamor surrounding
the book "Satanic Verses."
It seems that many of our Moslem
peers have been defending the call of
execution for a man who has insulted the
institution of their religion. These people
would have us believe that death is just
punishment for an artistic endeavor that
they consider offensive. To make matters
a little more interesting, an outrageous
bounty has been placed on Rushdie's
head, by a Moslem leader who considers
the U.S. "the Great Satan" and has
allowed the occupation of sovereign U.S.
soil... our embassy.
Now picture Satan's view. Fust of all.
people like myself will - never "hide
behind the First Amendment" This
nation could not survive if we tried to
hide behind ink and parchment. We stand
proudly   in   front   of   our   Constitution.
defending the Rights of all to worship and
voice their thoughts (providing it does
not interfere with another's Right to do
the same). No one can say that this Right
extends throughout the world, but it does
exist here!
Americans have an abhorrent fear of
censorship. Censorship and illiteracy are
the tools of tyrants and dictators. This
nation was conceived and strives for the
rights of each individual. You, my
Moslem friends, also benefit from these
ideals. I have taken note that all of those
who have written the Collegian have
signed their names. No, I do not live in a
"vacuum." I realize that dissenbon with
popular opinion results in imprisonment
and torture in much of our world—yet wc
can rest assured that this fate will not
befall us for expressing our views.
As for feeling insulted, I regret that a
vast number of people cannot deal with
this emotion in a civilized way. "Satanic
Verses" may be blasphemous trash, I
don't know, but I do intend to read it
In closing. I would again like to say
that a person's difference of opinion is a
basic birthright. The concept of forfeiting
someone's life because of something he
wrote is contrary to the beliefs of
civilized people everywhere. In the U.S..
for some lo enjoy the benefits of free
speech while attempting to silence
another seems akin lo spitting on a man's
feet after he has shared his dinner with
Sincerely.
Jaak R. Sanders
Story misleading
To the editor,
I'm writing in response lo an article
which I found quite disturbing. The
CSSA student lobbying conference was
presented in a glorified yet inaccurate
fashion. The annual conference held at the
capitol building is structured to allow
students to lobby face-to-face with elected
government representives. Students are to
lobby on issues that are of great concern
to the campus community as a whole.
Due to the disorganization and in
adequate distribution of responsibility on
the part of the current administration,
students who were to represent women's
issues, child care, re-entry students and
the faces of color on campus were left
standing in the library parking lot early
Sunday morning. Inadequate tran¬
sportation was provided therefore leaving
three female students on campus before
sunrise without any expressed concern for
their safety or well-being.
Being (hat there were no qualified
students to speak on issues that effect
ethnic minority students, handicapped
students or the re-entry program, the
group of students lobbying for the FSU
student body were highly unrepresentative
of a large percentage of the campus
community.
Tranine Bowen
Arab group claims Jewish racism
College Press Service
An Arab-American group in early February denounced
a prominent campus Jewish group's fundraising efforts
as "racist"
A B run B'rith International fundraising letter signed
by the Jewish group's president, sought money for the
B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundations on more than 400
campuses.
The letter said donations would help the group counter
threats to Jewish tradition posed by anu-Semitism, cults
and Arab influence.
"The Arab presence on college campuses is poisoning
the minds of our young people," the letter said. "While
Arab money is pouring into college campuses all over
the United Slates, B'nai B'nth Hillel is there to combat
the attack upon Jewish tradition and culture."
The Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee,
addressing B'nai Bnlh President Seymour Reich, said the
letter "seems to imply that Arabs and Arab Americans
should not have the nght to study at teach at, contribute
to, or otherwise affiliate with American colleges and
universities." I
A B'nai B'rith spokesman who requested anonymity
said the organization had stopped mailing the letter after
it became aware of the furor. The group does not object
to ihe presence of Arabs on campuses, he said, but to
propaganda that is on the "borderline between anti-Israel
and anti-Semetic."
B'nai B'rith has rewritten the letter, replacing "Arab
presence" with "Arab propaganda." the spokesman said
He added that the group would retract the original
statement in a letter it plans to send to those who
received the first letter.
"We have admitted our mistake and we're willing to
put it behind us," the spokesman said. "We regret the
Arab groups are willing to make political capital out of
it"
"That doesn't even come close to addressing what we
consider the racist content of this letter,' replied Fans
Bouhafa of the Arab American committee
Bouhafa said the organization's assertion that Arab
groups were responsible for the propaganda was
unfounded.
"You've heard the hype, now get the inside information
Bruce Obbink and the Grape Boycott Brouhaha
Monday in the Daily Collegian
WE
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PUBLIC HEARING
For the
Daily Collegian Referendum,
Thursday
March 2,1989
7:00 p.m.
University Student Union
Room 312-314
For more information contact
Donnell Alexander, Daily Collegian, 294-2486
Dr. Greg Wuliger, Department of Journalism, 294-2087
Tom Boyle, Student Affairs, 294-2541
Ron Avedisian, ASI, 2942656