Newspapers / University of North Carolina … / Nov. 7, 2000, edition 1 / Page 6
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THE Beahawk/November V, ZOOO ^ the -r ^ c^>sairaNX7"Jc ''Excellence Through Truth and Dedication” Since 1948 Bfn Jones - Sports Editor Jamf:s Flint - Photo Editor Tony Sumner - }^ebmaster Kevin Knight Bill DiNomk • Student Media Coordinator Thomas M. Ruylk - Editor-In-Chief Lyndsf.y M. Bland - Managing Editor Merkdith M(M)re - Advertising Director Heidi Bing • News Editor Megan O’Brien - Features Editor Sarah van ScHACiEN -A&E Editor Staff Writers'. Todd Volkstorf, Somer Stahl, Rachel Cruz. Wes Melville, Jessie Nunery, Erin Henderson, Kelli Matthews, Christy DeSantis, Heather Grady, Ryan Jessup, Katie Trapp. Jessica Berkowitz, Amy Lowder, Erin Henderson. Bradley Hutchens. Dan Guy, Evan Swink. Will Rees, Erica Harbatkin, Chelsea Givens, Ben DcFoe, Aubrey Elmore, Chad Elmore Photographers: Kathryn Schley, Molly Handler. Eliza beth Kidd Layout/Production: Lisa Williams, Lindsay LaClair, Elena Adinovich. Ryland Fox Cartoonist: David Bird Advertising Staff: Kim Byrd, Jigna Patel. Keith “Huck” Huxley, Shane Santini, Craig Hewett Distribution: Josh Willis (Manager), Jeff Grissett, Jeff Durham TTw Seaftflrt* Is published lay the students 9ie Unlvefsty of North Cait^ at Wftningion, as a soitfce of news for the Ur^rsity Old ajfrowTting comfTwnlty. As a forum for free expression, TTteSeo/WH^and Its staff opaate with canji^eiBediftxt^ freedom; t)e views contained within The Seshawk are those of its safi and do rwt repres^it those^ the University. Material r tie paper e produced, selected, and edted by iha ecStorial staff and al The Se^wk. Unsigned editorials r^>resent the m^orfty opinion of editorial bovd. S^ned editotels are the opinioi of the ajttw aid do not necessarily repr^er^ tf» views of The editors aid staff. Advertising content does not constitute an endorsement of fte by manbers at The Seahatvk staff. TheSeartart'^risamembwcrftheAssoci^CdleoiatePress. Some irxiivkij^ staff members »e affiliated wilfitieSodety of Profession^ JoumaBsts. JlTe Seahawk utilizes flie Trfeune Me(ta Service for porBons of contwit Ben Jones VIEW FROM THE SPORTS EDITOR’S DESK Who came up with “The lesser of the two evils”? Editorial Viewpoint Our Edorsement for President I do not know how to decide who I want to become president. In this day and age of media biased reporting, I find myself in search of the “true” facts coming out of the political par ties. What are the candidates’ plat forms? This search for the knowledge makes me feel like the people in search of answers in the “Two-minute Drill” commercials on ESPN. The answer-seekers are running after the little answer-gnomes, which are chant ing their prized knowledge. In search of these answers, I sup pose I must first try to answer the fol lowing questions. Do I stay with my current affiliated party? How about a pro/con list to decide who gets my en dorsement? Alternatively, maybe I should focus on one debatable issue and pick the corresponding candidate. Let’s start with death. I do not think humans should have the choice whether or not to kill another human being. Therefore, I could not choose Albert Gore because he sides with the pro-choice division concerning the is sue of abortion. Wait a minute... I cannot pick George W. Bush either then because Mr. Bush is a significant contributor to the death toll of the State of Texas, via capital punishment. Skip death then. What about taxes. Nobody really likes them, so let’s try to reduce the extortion. Maybe we can elect a group of efficient leaders who can work with less to gain more. I know, I am dreaming. How can we as Americans raise our level of education and health welfare for all citizens without money? Oh yeah, no need to worry about that when it comes to our president-elect. Based on our Founding Fathers and the Constitution, those issues are state- level responsibilities. No federally- elected official will ever be able to make a difference about a state-con trolled plan. The big questions are directed in dividually at each of our leading can didates. Mr. Bush, are you just a pup pet that says what the men behind the curtain tell you to say? Mr. Gore, are you a liar who will say or do anything to become our president? Based on my findings thus far, I have no candidate. No one will get my vote this election, unless there is a drastic change over the next few hours. After spinning in these questions on numerous issues, where can I turn? Who has the answer? Question is, am I seeking a chanting gnome? Today, students will vote in one of the clos est presidential races in our country’s history. At press time, polls showed A1 Gore and Geoiige Bush deadlocked with approximately 45% of the popular vote apiece. Unfortunately, the two candidates are not tied because they are equally qualified. In stead, it seems that the similarity between these two candidates and the catch 22 of choosing between a “liar” and an “idiot” ac counts for the quandary. Considering our coverage of election 2000, the Seahawk editorial board endorses A1 Gore for president. Gore’s notable intelligence and experience combined with his solid stance on the issues of abortion, foreign policy, the environment, surplus spending and educa tion make him the stronger candidate. While this choice does not reflect a “lesser of two evils” decision, it is not wholehearted. The controversy stirred during the debates combined with claims of Internet invention, misquoted figures, bad grammar, and DUI’s have blurred the issues in this campaign and each candidate seemed to grow less appeal ing as the process progressed. These dis tractions have left many voters basing their choice on the vices of an opponent rather than the virtues of the candidate they support. Unfortunately, Bush is a nice guy. Hell, he’d be the clear choice if we were deciding who to invite to an upcoming keg party. But the though of him serving as the leader of our country is scary. Granted, the coherency of his speeches should not be the main de ciding factor in whether he is elected, but when one combines his numerous vocal slip ups with the vague nature of his answers during the debates (what exactly is “affirma tive access” anyway?) it is difficult to deter mine the extent of his knowledge on the rel evant issues in the campaign. It is even scarier to examine the issues where Bush’s stance is clear. It is hard to imagine any woman casting a ballot for a candidate whose prochoice stance under mines a women’s right to choose. This issue is especially important considering the like lihood the next president will appoint Su preme Court justices who have the authority to alter Roe Vs. Wade. Additionally, Bush poses a potential threat to minority voters considering his vague stance on affirmative action and his refusal to sign the hate crime bill designed to im pose strong penalties on perpetrators of crimes that are motivated by prejudice. Aspects of Bush’s terms as governor of Texas also cause concern as the state has consistently been rated as the worst state in terms ofpollutionandl34 people have been executed thanks to Bush’s firm stance on the death penalty. Ultimately, Gore seems like a much more solid candidate who has a true passion for the issues he supports. He is very concerned with investing in the future, which is enticing to college students. His stance on environmental issues and push for a worldwide effort to halt ozone layer depletion, show a strong concern for future generations of the world as a whole. Unlike his opponent. Gore does not want to spend the surplus, and he has made eariy education programs such as Head Start a key componant in his educational goals. Gore has also confirmed many times that he is in favor of affirmative action and a woman’s right to choose and has taken a proactive stance on issues of both media violence and censorship. Gore entered this campaign with several factors working against him. He was widely known as a boring, vanilla politician whose experience as vice president were discounted in light of the fact that he served during a presidential temi dominated by moral cor ruption. However, Gore has emerged from this campaign as a dynamic individual; a moral advocate who maintains a clear stance on the issues affecting the country today and generations to come. ;j&uiRE So ashamsd of -fhe pResiDe/vrr- YoOR CfitMPAi^ DoeSN T evfiN vSvrr ’ You SEEN W/TH HiMr! VS440 The Seahcnvk encoumges all readers to sidmu! letters to the editorfor possible publicalioiL Plea.selimitmmspondeiKettiSOOwords. Use Set^mvkmay edit letiersfor space. 7heSeaha>i’k resen'es the right m re/kie puhUcatitm ofaiiy tetter. Uhelotvi.false and misleading material will tun be. considered for puhlicatkm. All letters must be .'signed fn the rntthor. letters to the editor tm the huUvidm! opinioits cf the aii0tur, and do iu>f neceessarrily tvflect the optuions of the Seahawk stt^or the Vnivenitiy cf North Catrdma at Wilmingkm, letters can he .mbmitted in person attheSeahawkfJ^e. University llnitm momlOSE; hymailatTheSeahaa'kNew.-papet: miS.Q)lkgeR(i rnimutefim.NC2MB;orbvemaO.at.'ihkeditormhotmaiLmm. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POUCY
University of North Carolina Wilmington Student Newspaper
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Nov. 7, 2000, edition 1
6
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