Review a "Beacon of Intelligence"

Dear Michigan Review staff,

I just want to thank you for being the only paper I have found thus far as a freshman in the College of LS&A to provide intelligent and clever analysis of, and commentary on, the U of M. I have read every one of your papers front and back and cannot say that I can think of anything I disliked profoundly. Naturally, I disagree on some points, but overall, the Michigan Review is the only beacon of intelligence at the U of M when it comes to politics, society, philosophy, or ideas in general.

One of my favorite articles is Jacob Oslick’s attack on SAPAC (“SAPAC: Sex, Lies, and Statistics,” Oct. 28, 1998). Since its first appearance, I have read the letters to the editor that followed and must say that they have failed to address what I feel to be the most important aspect of the article: the turning of an unfortunate fact into a political tool for a certain group’s interest — specifically, the turning of all men into predators and rapists by paranoid, afraid, and insecure ultra-feminists. What I think Oslick was trying to say, and what I agree with, is that abuse of women is a problem but not all men, in fact very few men, are culpable and we should therefore not be villainized or feared. As for the elections, what do you expect? I haven’t heard one person yet say “Hey, maybe responsibility, pride, independence, and individual rights are important!” I have heard only “That isn’t fair, how can the people/public/ethnicity/race/gender/ be expected to do that?” Thanks once again and keep up the good work.

Geoffrey T. Stanton
LS&A Freshman

Reader “Sick and Tired” of SAPAC

I am sick and tired of reading the nonsensical letters in which women of the SAPAC ilk are whining about the Review’s “sexist” staff and bragging about their victory at the staff meeting. Sadly, these women actually think that they represent the female population at U of M. Instead, they are noxious to this environment. Members of SAPAC portray women as rude, boisterous, and irrational. They base their arguments on subjective whim, and lack a coherent philosophy. While it is true that SAPAC members are the most vocal of the female population, it is also true that another female voice exists, one that can be found in religion. Many women are rational conservatives, but they exist in churches, synagogues, and temples. Take Roman Catholicism for example. Women, especially Irish women in the early twentieth century, are responsible for the development of the Catholic Church in America. Unlike the explosive SAPAC women, these women value courage, morality, discipline, and the family structure, something devoid in America today. Not only do these conservative women lead the American family, but they have opened the doors for women in fields such as medicine, law, business, and politics. They have earned respect and are still progressing in these fields because of their dedication to truth and hard work, not from screaming on the Diag. The next time women make another advance in society (which they will), we should credit the rational, proud, and courageous women in religion, and not the clowns in SAPAC.

Scott Behnan
LSA Freshman

Daily Parody “Highly Amusing”

To the Editor:

Thank you for the highly amusing parody of the drivel that Michigan Daily columnists put out every day (“How To Be a Daily Columnist,” Dec. 9, 1998). I had to plow through that stuff way too many times a week when I was in school. Thanks for the laugh. Keep up the good work.

Oliver Freeman
University Alumnus

This article was published in the 20 January 1999 edition of The Michigan Review (Volume 17, Number 6).
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