1981-10-16; Central Michigan Life

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Central Michi
LIFE
Vol.63   No.20
©1981 CM LIFE
Mount Pleasant, Mich. 48859
16 pages
Friday, Oc"t. 16,1981
SBAC tightens up SGA's purse strings
by DAVE ELLIS3
LIFE Staff Writer
The Student Budget Review and Allocation
Committee cut an additional $6,011 from Student
Government Association's proposed budget
Wednesday, eliminating the group's "Awareness
Drive" —one of SGA's top priorities — and cutting a minority speakers series.
Just after he learned of the cuts, Student Body
President Kel Britvec called the SBAC a "puppet
organization" saying Vice President for Student
Affairs James Hill wanted the cuts and the SBAC
made them.
But Hill said the group acts in a "recommendation role" and SBAC Chairwoman Karen Pickering said the cuts were made because other campus groups did not support the areas where the
money would have been spent.
The cuts have pared the budget to $20,377,
down from the group's original request of almost
$30,000. The original request was cut to $26,388
Sept. 30.
The Ethnic Minority Relations speakers series
was cut from $2,700 to $300.
Hill said he reviewed the budget request and
was concerned about some of the spending. He
then asked the SBAC to review the budget and
consider his concerns, two of which were the
awareness drive and the speakers series, he said.
Britvec said by making the cuts, the SBAC was*
"making policy decisions for student government" and the SBAC has said the SGA cannot get
its messages to students and cannot have minority programs.
"They can't seriously expect you to run a
speakers series on $300," Britvec, Battle Creek
junior, said.
Britvec said the SBAC did not want the SGA
(See "SGA"—page 2)
Wires downed
A 21-year-old Warren man was cited for reckless driving Thursday night after the car he was driving collided with
another, parked on Douglas Street just north of Clayton Street. Michael S. Webster, a CMU senior, was northbound
on Douglas when he swerved to avoid hitting two unidentified people standing in the street, according to Greg
Orlowski, Ithaca senior and a passenger in the Webster vehicle. The collision also knocked down a utility pole cutting
off electrical power for at least three others, according to a Mount Pleasant police official on the scene. A "hot wire"
landed on the Webster vehicle and sparked for a few seconds before Mount Pleasant firemen removed the potential
hazard. The parked car was owned by Greg Acessi, Pontiac senior, who was visiting friends at nearby 914 Douglas St.
Mount Pleasant Police Officer Therm Looman said the Webster vehicle was traveling at more than the 25 m.p.h.
speed limit. The accident occurred at about 8:45 p.m. Although an ambulance was dispatched to the scene, no injuries
were reported.
Moral Majority vs ACLU
Debate centers on TV
by SHEILA GRUBER
LIFE Ass't. News Editor
Representatives from the
Moral Majority and American
Civil Liberties Union agreed on
one thing Wednesday—there is
an increasing emphasis on sex
and violence in television.
What impact that emphasis
may be having and what should
be done about it, however, are
points the two did not agree on
during a panel discussion before
"a standing-room-only crowd in
the University Center
Auditorium. *    ,
Harold Ford, chairman of the
Flint ACLU, said the problem is
"complex and requires a complex solution."
"Censorship is totalitarian,
like Nazi Germany A .. it's too
simplistic," Ford said.
"The FCC's (Federal Communication Commission)
prerogative and responsibility
to regulate goes as far as curbing free speech," responded Mac
Brake, financial director of the
Moral Majority of Michigan.
Brake said he and members of
the Moral Majority are concerned about the "psychological
danger of moral desensitization"
created by the "river of sex and
violence that floods into my living room."
"We are so insensitized to
violence as far as human life is
Mac Brake
concerned, nothing shocks us
anymore," Drake said at the
event co-sponsored by Student
Government Association and
Journalism Department.
The effects of violence and sex
as presented on television are
difficult to guage, Ford said.
"The evidence is mixed and .confusing, there is data to support
both sides."
But what should—and should
not—be done about it is
something the ACLU has some
definite ideas about, according
to Ford.
"The ACLU is opposed to censorship," he said, outlining the
group's contention that there is
no definite casual relationship
between obscenity and antisocial behavior.
Further, Ford said there is no
legal- substitute for parental
responsibility and suggested
one solution to the problem lies
in "asserting ourselves more as
parents."
"Children are being compelled
to handle things beyond their
maturity   that   they   are   not
capable of handling," Brake said.
Although the option of changing television channels is there,
Brake said he is "concerned
about whether or not the public
fare has any choice during prime
time. I'm not sure my son or
daughter would pull the plug,"
he added, contending parents
(See "Debate"—page 15)
.^^*s_PSBB8->
Harold Ford
Handicapped are
often forgotten
by CHRIS STEVENS
LIFE Staff Writer
A mass of humanity blocked
the only entrance into the
building. Students were
scrambling —pushing and
shoving—to get first in line at
drop and add.
The students flooded through
the door trampling anything or
anyone that got in their way.
Left behind in the confusion, a
woman in a wheelchair.
No one bothered to spend 10
seconds to open the door to let
her in.
The handicapped person is
either completely avoided or
pitied, according to Dennis
Mertel, graduate assistant to
Career Development for Handicapped Persons.
"When people hear the words
'handicapped person' they immediately think of a person being in a wheelchair or blind,"
Mertel said, "but a person wearing glasses is also considered
handicapped."
Mertel, who is 70 percent
deaf, said there are two types of
handicaps — physical and emotional.
"Physical handicaps physically prohibit a person from doing
something," Mertel said. "An
obese person or senior citizen
can be considered physically
handicapped."
Mertel said emotional handicaps are most prevalent with
persons he calls "temporarily-
abled bodies."
"TABs, 'normal people,' will
eventually be handicapped," he
said. "They will get older and
become senior citizens and won't
be able to do the things they
once did."
According to Mertel, TABs
are emotionally handicapped
because of their "bad attitude."
They give physically handicap-
CM UFE/Chuek Socket
do"
ped   persons   the   "can't
stigmas and labels,' he said.
"Some people look at handicapped persons as lower class
citizens because they are unable
to do something or another," he
said. "I hate stigmas and labels."
Getting rid of these stigmas
and labels and educating the
public on the affairs of handicapped persons are two of the major
goals for CDHP, Mertel said.
Other organizations also are
(See "Handicap"—page 15)
'Irks the hell out
of your body'
byNEDRASTALTER
LIFE Staff Writer
Mike Gray was a typical CMU junior in 1980.
He took an average of 15 credit hours a semester, participated in
extra-curricular activities and basically knew what he was going to
do with his life when he graduated.
But, on April 12, Gray's entire life changed. On the way home
from a wedding reception Gray's Volkswagon station wagon slid off
an exit ramp through the railing ahd into the gully below, rolling
three or four times before it came to a stop. When it did, Gray was
laying across the floor of the car, totally conscious—and paralyzed.
Now he is in a wheelchair.
"You can't even begin to imagine what it's like. It kicks the hell
out of your body. I find myself still thinking 'this can't be happening*," Gray said.
After spending six hours in surgery at Bay City Medical Center,
Gray, of Freeland, was rushed to the University of Michigan
Hospital in Ann Arbor where he spent the next four months trying
to put his body, and his life, slowly back together.
After more surgery to his spine, Gray was strapped to a flat bed-
(SeeVGray"—page 15)
In Brief
The School of Graduate Studies will again
have funds to assist in student research activities* Application^, due Monday, can be obtained at the School of Graduate Studies, Warriner 107.
Campus
Mount   Pleasant's
"Boss of the Year" has
been announced.
pageS
Financing for abortions faces a tough battle.
page 5
Sports
Central's    football
team    faces    Toledo
Saturday on ABC TV.
page 8
Index
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