The Blue Banner
October 25,2001
Opinions
An awareness of domestic abuse
October is Domestic Violence
Awareness Month. One in three
American women suffers abuse at
the hands of her intimate part
ner.
These women are beaten, verbally
abused, isolated, kicked, raped,
locked in closets, told they are worth
nothing, and even killed, often with
children in the house.
In fact, women are more likely to
be killed by their male partner than
by all other types of perpetrators
combined, according to a 1998
study by Neil S. Jacobson and John
M. Gottman.
It is therefore not surprising that
half of these women develop de
pression, and an estimated 25 to 40
percent attempt suicide after expe
riencing abuse, according to a 1993
study by Lisa Goodman.
Furthermore, children who wit
ness domestic violence are more
likely to be victimized or become
abusers. They are also at risk for
psychological disorders.
“My earliest childhood memories
are of watching my mother being
violently abused,” said Daniel
McCamish, a UNCA student. “It
has haunted me ever since. The
abuse robbed me and my mother of
the loving attachment that normally
exists between a mother and achild.”
Abusive relationships involve far
Caroline Mann
Columnist
more than physical violence. Ob
sessed with power, abusers may
control victims through intimida
tion, public humiliation, isolation,
sexual abuse, threatening to com
mit suicide, damaging property,
manipulating children, threatening
divorce, withholding financial re
sources, harming animals, threat
ening to take custody of children
and stalking.
Why doesn’t the woman leave? As
many times as I’ve heard this ques
tion, it still disturbs me. A more
reasonable inquiry might be, why is
the abuser allowed to stay?
Regardless, there are many rea
sons why a woman doesn’t leave an
abusive relationship: because she is
afraid; she has no financial resources
and no support system; she feels
helpless or ashamed; she is reluc
tant to take her children away from
their father; she loves her partner
and wants to believe him when he
apologizes and says he will never hit
her again; she has learned to be
passive; she blames herself for the
abuse; and perhaps the most com
pelling reason—because women are
most likely to be killed by their
abusers after they leave the house.
Despite these terrifying obstacles,
most women do leave. An increas
ing number of domestic violence
agencies, such as Helpmate, pro
vide support and resources for these
women.
Through community awareness
and education, societal views about
domestic violence are gradually
changing. In 1968, 20 percent of
the population thought it was okay
for a man to hit his wife. In 1994,
only 10 percent agreed with this
statement, according to a 1997
study by Murray A. Straus.
However, we should wonder why
one out of every 10 Americans still
think domestic violence is accept
able.
In the struggle to eliminate abuse,
knowledge is power.
“It is important that we educate
ourselves, not only for our own
safety in relationships, but for that
of those we love,” said Sarah Raskin,
outreach and volunteer coordina
tor for Helpmate. “It is the respon
sibility of everyone to know the
signs of domestic violence, and what
resources are available to help a
loved one make the difficult and
brave transition from ‘victim’ to
‘survivor.’”
“The more resources and support
that a victim... can access, the more
likely she/he will be able to create
safety in her/his life,” said Raskin.
There are many ways you can help
eliminate abuse: educate yourself
and those around you, speak out
against domestic violence, and sup
port a violence-free community by
attending Domestic Violence
Awareness Month events such as
the Candlelight Vigil on Oct. 25,
5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the City-
County Plaza, and the Clothesline
Project, which will be displayed on
the UNCA quad Oct. 26 through
29.
What can be done on a large scale
to end domestic violence? Perhaps
the government could sponsor do
mestic violence awareness programs
that were half as extensive as the
campaigns against drugs.
Community organizations are of
ten silence about domestic violence.
Perhaps church groups, parent-
teacher associations or fraternities
could sponsor domestic violence
awareness events.
“Ultimately, any attempt at solv
ing the problem of abuse must ac
knowledge that the power imbal
ance in intimate relationships re
flects the power imbalance in our
society,” said Margaret Matlin.
Perhaps gender roles need to be
questioned.
If you or someone you know is being
abused, call Helpmate’s 24 hour cri
sis line at 254-0516for support and
information.
“Why doesn't the woman leave? As many
times as I’ve heard this question, it still
disturbs me. A more reasonable inquiry
might be, why is the abuser allowed to stay?”
‘Media frenz/ causes mixed views
Sean Clancy
Columnist
I was watching the VH1 concert
for New York City, and I became
agitated because of the media frenzy
we are having in our country in
regards to terror.
Here’s what’s terrifying me more
than anthrax.
During the show, Richard Gere
was booed for trying to inspire
“compassion,” whilejim Carey was
holding up pictures of victims that
relatives in the crowd would hand
up to him.
He seemed more like he was sign
ing autographs and giving shout
outs to victims than honoring them.
As he did so, saying, “Here’s a real
hero,” moments before following
with “hey, catch me” as he stage
dove and crowd surfed in a truly
tear-jerking display of remorse.
Finally, Paul McCartney came out
and sang, “How can you laugh when
you know I’m down?”
I almost cried because the music
was so bad, but then the irony of his
words made me laugh at the in
sanely distorted view of all the
people enjoying this bizarre event
must have.
Later, I saw P-Diddy on some
other show wearing what appeared
to be a slightly altered four-star
general’s uniform.
I thought this was funny, since
millionaire P-Diddy’s only front
line experience has been in night
clubs. But hey, the people love it.
As long as he supports our troops,
nothing else matters.
On another station, some very
enthusiastic gentleman is trying to
sell me a $200 knife-and-sword set
that consisted mostly of weapons
suitable only for Klingons and se
rial killers.
It also had three swords that caught
my eye, the “United States Marine
Corps” sword, the “Starship
Trooper” and the “Conan.”
I would normally try to say some
thing funny right here, but it’s just
too frightening that there’s a mar
ket for this stuff
What is even more frightening is
all he has to say is “any hesitation
could cost you the chance to own
this beautiful set,” and people get
worried.
This country is on some kind of
politically and economically moti
vated crack that we are freebasing
from our televisions.
The thinking individuals who
make up this country have united
to become one big brainless mob,
incapable of rational thought above
a third grade level.
I saw a ventriloquist with a puppet
in United States army fatigues on
her lap, singing a prayer or a psalm
to Old Glory.
On the heels of the “We Still
Pray” bumper stickers, combined
with the boom in the trendiness of
American flags, there is a big surge
in red, white and blue “God Bless
America” bumper stickers.
Yeah, God created Americans and
Satan created Afghanis, it’s in the
Bible somewhere.
I know that people are upset about
the little glimpse of what the rest of
the world is like every day, but
treating President George W. Bush
like some strange cross between
Jesus and Rambo really doesn’t seem
like it could be all that productive.
There are people over there get
ting bombs dropped around them
who probably haven’t even heard
about the World Trade Center at
tack, much less been behind its
destruction.
Action must be taken to stop ter
rorism, but bombing the bejesus
out of them isn’t going to stop
terrorism.
They already hate us, so why kill a
bunch of them to see if that will
change their mind.
This tragedy has been a strange
and mysterious answer to Bush’s
prayers. He could declare that ev
eryone has to wear all purple cloth
ing because Taliban hate that color,
and retailers wouldn’t be able to sell
purple clothes fast enough.
Since this started, Bush has gotten
a pseudo-Cold War cooking. It
started as the war on terrorism,
which worked out well because ap
parently, terrorism only grows in
Afghanistan.
If revenge is a good reason to go to
war, then I guess Hitler did the
right thing after that nasty treaty of
Versailles devastated what was left
of the war torn fatherland. His only
mistake was that he went after the
wrong ethnic group.
Our president is a money-grub
bing politician, using patriotic pro
paganda to create an environment
in which dissent with the govern
ment makes you a friend of terror.
I don’t like Osama bin Laden, and
I don’t like innocent people dying.
I don’t limit the word “people” to
describe only Americans with a slid
ing scale for other people based on
their economic status or their level
of industrialization.
Whatever you believe, you have to
remember that the U.S. govern
ment is not God.
Our lawmakers are the least suit
able people to make ethical deci
sions in the country. The coveted
and almighty Constitution was writ
ten by a bunch of wealthy white
male slave owners.
The forefathers were undeniably
smart, but definitely not profits
bearing the seeds to Eden.
In case you haven’t noticed, our
perfect country is riddled with prob
lems, and we are at the top of the
food chain, economically speak-
ing.
Poor people in Afghanistan are
not living in projects or living off
welfare. They are in tents and
handcrafted shelters, doing what
we would call camping, except it is
every day life, not just a vacation.
There are rational reasons why ev
erything that is happening is hap
pening.
Ask, “why is this” about every
thing. They hate us why? Most
people in poor countries either hate
us or want to move here. It’s not as
simple as we are better than them,
so they’re envious or jealous.
I don’t really care how you feel
about any of this, but it would
make me feel safer to know that at
least you do feel something.
If all you know is that the people
of the Taliban are “screwed,” then
you should do some more research.
Take the “for sale” sign off your
face so you can see the simple truth:
reality is a lot more complicated
than George W. Bush and the presi
dent ofhis fan club, Criag Lovelace,
would have you think.
“Treating President George W. Bush
like some strange cross between
Jesus and Rambo really doesnk seem
like it could be all that productive”
The Blue Banner Staff
Editor-in-Chief
Lena Burns
News Editor
Luke Knox
Features Editor
Rachel Grumpier
Sports Editor
Deleon Dendy
Photo Editor
Walter Fyler
Copy Editor
Sarah Wilkins
Online Editor
C.J. Eland
Assistant Online Editor
Holly Koss
Advertising Manager
Emily Schell
Business Manager
Dearborn McCorkle
Circulation Manager
Matt Deal
Photo Technology Manager
J.R Ammons
Computer Consultant
Breandan Dezendorf
Faculty Advisor
Mark West
Reporters
Lori Brenner, Hollie Childers, Lana Coffey,
Megan Fazekas, Ed Fickle, Lynne Fox, Stuart
Gaines, Sachie Godwin, Sarah-Vance Goodman,
Jenna Lahmeyer, Margaret Lee, Ben Martin,
Alison McKone, Rae Stephens, Sarah Wilkins,
Ryan Wilson
Photographers
Ian Baillie, Jon Basirico, Lou Horton,
Erik Jacobs, Drea Jackson,
Sean Stevens
Columnists
Sean Clancy, Justus D’Addario, Caroline Mann
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