1992-02-24; Central Michigan Life

              Central
Michigan
MONDAY
February 24, 1992
VOLUME 74, NUMBER 63
MOUNT PLEASANT, MICHIGAN 48859
c;    1992 CM LIFE
(517) 774-3493
16 PAGES
1
Student found holding gun
Football player says, 'I was in wrong place at wrong time'
By Crystal Harmon
LIFE Staff Writer
and Rick Lubbers
LIFE  Sports Fditor
A male CMU student was
arrested and arraigned Sunday
for carrying a concealed weapon
during a dance at the Bovee
University Center.
Curtis Cotton. Ohio senior,
was arrested at approximately
12:23 a.m. when Department of
Public Safety officers found him
in the bathroom attempting to
conceal a nickel-plated Colt .45
automatic pistol, DPS Director
John McAuliffe said. The gun
was identified as stolen from St.
Clair County.
Cotton, a
wide receiver
for the Chippewas.    was
arraigned
Sunday afternoon and
released from
the Isabella
County Jail
on    a   $5,000
personal recognizance bond. He
was charged with carrying a
concealed weapon, a felony
punishable by up to five years in
prison.
The  incident   was  a  case  of
being in the wrong place at the
COTTON
wrong time. Cotton said.
"Myself and my friends found
a gun in the bathroom," he said.
"I was going to take it to the
police.
"I started to walk out of the
bathroom with it in my hand,
and then I thought, 'I can't walk
out with a gun in my hand.*
"So I slipped it into my coat
with my hand and then the
police came in and saw me with
it. They walked in and they
thought something was going
on."
Cotton said he was with a
friend when he found the pistol
but declined to give the names
of any witnesses.
The incident occurred during
a dance sponsored by fraternity
Omega Psi Phi. a member of the
Black Panhelenic Council.
Steve Grenus. assistant
director of Student Life, said his
office investigates incidents
involving crimes at on-campus
events sponsored by student
organizations, but could not
comment specifically on the
weapons charge.
"DPS is investigating and we
currently have no information,"
he said.
Cotton has senior athletic eligibility. CMU Athletic Director
Dave Keilitz declined to comment about the incident saying
he did not know the case specifies.
'Japan bashing' at minimum
But trade battle
keeps local eyes
open to situation
By TJ Bucholz
l IFF Assistant News Fditor
Recent trade conflicts with
Japan seem to have rekindled a
desire to keep money at home in
the United States.
In other words. "Buy American."
One local businessman supports this axiom to the fullest
extent. Using the sign in front of
his business. Paul McMullen
has literally displayed his
viewpoint to all.
"I've always been for supporting your own town and your
own country for years," said
McMullen. owner of Paul's
Mobile Home Repair, 5275 E.
Pickard. "I don't believe in buying foreign products unless I
can help it."
The sign outside McMullen's
business says: "Tf its foreign —
forget it. If it's Jap — junk it."
However, McMullen said it's not
just Japanese products which
should be boycotted.
"Here in America, you can
find a lot of Canadian beer, but
try to find any American beer in
Canada," he said. "Today,
everything you buy has a foreign label on it."
Following President Bush's
recent visit to Japan, politicians
and automakers from both
countries engaged in verbal
sparring.
Many Americans have turned
the diplomatic dispute into a
cultural confrontation which
condones "Jap bashing."
Thaddeus Zolty, associate
professor of political science,
said Americans may be looking
for a scapegoat.
"I've shown a videotape to my
classes entitled 'Faces of the
Enemy'," Zolty said. "In the
tape, psychologists present a
theory that Americans always
needed to have some sort of
scapegoat for their (economic)
problems."
Zolty doesn't subscribe to the
scapegoat theory. But, he said,
it's easy for Americans to blame
Japan for a sagging economy.
"It's always easier to blame
others for problems, when the
reality is the problems are your
own doing," he said.
No racial incidents against
Japenese students have been
reported on CMU's campus. But
the situation could get worse,
said Angela Haddad, CMU
Affirmative Action officer.
"They're haven't been any
incidents so far," she said. "But
that could mean that it hasn't
»~-"V'gAt<
S275 I. PltKArlD
iiliir
^1.    NN^*~*Nfc~—    "*
LIFE Photo Brent Henderson
This sign reflects some people's beliefs that American products   are better than foreign items.
caught up to us here in Mount
Pleasant yet.
"It's more prevalent in urban
areas. People have been killed
in some of the larger cities."
Politicians and media have
wrongly portrayed Japanese
businesses as a direct threat,
Haddad said.
"Politicians, especially the
Reagan administration, and
automakers haven't helped 'the
foreign trade situation) at all,"
she said.
The dispute apparently has
sparked the American consumer. But one Mount Pleasant
auto dealership has yet to see a
change.
"There's been some of (the
buy American push)," said Jim
Sisson, president of Heritage
Chrysler, 4650 E. Pickard.
"Some people are really adam
ant about buying something
American, but I don't see the
majority of people coming in
with that attitude.
"Our sales were really decent
in December and January, and
they're also beginning to come
up this month."
Sisson said people are beginning to see an increased quality
in American automobiles.
"The American cars are definitely closing the gap in regards
to quality," Sisson said. "The
serviceability for both is just
about the same?. I remember a
time when the Japanese cars
were just rust buckets. But the
American car industry is really
beginning to catch up.
"People come in and say that
Japanese cars are of better
quality and I say, 'prove it.' It
may have been  true once,  but
not anymore."
Sisson said he doesn't mind
having Japanese cars sold in
America as long as trade restric-
tions are the same in Japan and
the United States.
"The whole crux of our problem is the lack of trade restrictions," he said. "The playing
field should at least be fair."
In fact, the U.S. government
is working on legislation to give
the American auto industry
some breathing room.
A new trade bill, proposed by
Sen. Max Baucus ( D-Mont.) will
limit LIS. sales of Japanese
automobiles for up to seven
years, giving the domestic
industry time to become more
competitive.
See BASH Page 2
CMU, others ask
state for what it
hasn't got - cash
By Jennifer Chrisman
I IFF Assist.mt News Fditor
The state's well of money
apparently is dry, but Friday
CMU asked legislators to come
through with a funding increase.
Gov. John Engler didn't do that
for Central — or any of higher
education — in his Feb. 7 budget
recommendation.
"The executive budget this
year has in it dollars that are
essentially the same as last
year," said John Schwarz
i R-Battle Creek >, chairman of the
Senate Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee.
The hearings Friday were the
second in a series of four scheduled by the subcommittee —
made up of Schwarz, Vernon
Ehlers 'R-Grand Rapids i and
Jackie Vaughn (D-Detroit > — on
university campuses.
President Leonard E. Plachta
and Gordon Lambie. Board of
Trustees vice chairman, presented CMLT's report.
"I think Central Michigan is
one of the state's best-kept secrets." Lambie said.
"I've seen the University grow
and change and become more
sophisticated." Plachta said. "We
have a growing number of
programs ... to  meet the  needs
of the state of Michigan."
Plachta said CMU wants to
help meet the state's needs and is
working from within to do it.
"We are attacking our problems here. We want to be efficient
and effective." Plachta said. "We
will be successful."
Central is recovering from
morale problems, but added the5
University can't do much without
additional resources. Plachta
said.
"(CMU> cannot respond to
needs of bargaining team members when funds are so limited."
said Plachta. who added he is
trying to spread a new theme of
optimism and enthusiasm on
campus.
The University's now building
projects — such as the Park
Library addition and the new
music building — could become
sources of pride and enthusiasm,
if CMU gets money to fund them.
Lansing is considering moving
to a 50-50 cost-sharing plan on
new campus facilities, something
most schools say they can't
afford.
Plachta told the senators CMU
already embarked on fundraising
programs and reached out to pri-
See FUNDING Paa<   5
1992 Ms. Ebony has
future goal in mind
By Shawn DeMaagd
LIFE St.iff Writer
Dionne Redmond wants to be
an example for all students. And
her Ms. Ebony crown may allow
her to do just that.
Redmond, Southfield junior,
was crowned Ms. Ebony 1992 Friday night. Dana Johnson, Detroit
freshman, was first runner-up.
"I wanted to be a role model,
and wanted to really set a good
example for other college-bound
students to follow," Redmond
said. "Being Ms. Ebony lets
others know you don't have to be
another face in the crowd."
Bernard Causey, Red ford
sophomore and a Ms. Ebony commentator, said Redmond will
receive a $100 award, a trophy
and numerous gift certificates
from various local businesses.
More than 300 people attended
the 8th annual contest in the
Bovee University Center Auditorium sponsored by the Organization For Black Unity and the
Office   of Minority   Affairs.   The
McJames
dies from
leukemia
By Russ Adams
t IFF St^ff Writf.-r	
Although CMU student
Sheila McJames lost a 14-year
bout with leukemia Thursday,
her memory will live on through
the help donating of her body to
science might bring others.
McJames, a 20-year-old Mount
Pleasant freshman, died at Mid
Michigan Regional Medical Center in Midland from acute lymphatic leukemia.
No funeral services are scheduled because her body was
donated to science through
Michigan State University,
Sheila McJames' mother Marianne said.
See MCJAMES Page 2
DIONNE REDMOND
event was part of Black History
Month.
Lolita Martin, Detroit sophomore, and Mashavu Rogers, Flint
freshman, also competed for the
Ms. Ebony crown.
Causey    said   the   pageant    is
geared toward select ing the black
femaie    who    best    represents
See MS. EBONY Page 2
INDEX
News  3
State. Nation. World  3
Opinion  4
Arts, Entertainment  N
Sports  10
Full-Court Press  1 1
Crossword  19
Comics  14-1 5
C lass if led Ads  14-15
Police Log  lb
WEATHER
Cloudy on Monday with a
chance of snow. High in the mid-
to upper 30s. East wind 5 to 10
mph. Chance of snow 40 percent. Cloudy with snow likely
Monday night. Low 25 to 30.
Chance of snow 60 percent
'-4