Page 2, The Carolina Journal, 1969
Editorials
What About That
Viet Nam War?
What Is A Lounge?
Lounge: to pass time idly or indolently, a place for lounging esp. a large room.
This is the way in which Mr. Webster defines “lounge”. We at-UNC-C seem to
have come up with a different definition - i.e. a large room with sofas that cannot
be reclined upon, a carpet for looking at, wall space for plaques, and no place to
play cards or listen to music or just make oneself at home. Did you ever go into
the formal living room of a large mansion? Strictly for looks, right? You must have
felt a little uneasy, especially if you sat on a sofa while the hostess stared at you.
This is the feeling that UNC-C students get when they go into the lounge in the
University Union.
Our lounge is nice, it has all the comforts of a middle class American home in
the suburbs. But that s not what we want. We want a place to make ourselves at
home, a place that we can furnish with objects that are meaningful in our lives.
That s exactly what we don’t have right now.
Many people walk through our lounge as they go back to the Parquet Room and
they look at the checkered sofas and comfortable chairs and cool green rug and say
Ism t it nice the way that the students keep this area in good order. You don’t see
a bunch of sloppy kids hanging around or playing rock music or cards or chess or
arguing about that nasty existentialism stuff.” The people who come in from the
community are favorably impressed - but by something that isn’t really us. Students
from other colleges are not so easily fooled. They ask, “Where do you cats go to
really relax? And we have to confess. Home.” It’s fine to use the lounge area as a
showcase area, but let s at least be honest. Let’s show what we really are not what
someone wants people to think we are.
Students are not allowed to play cards in the lounge, because they “make such a
mess on the rugs and things.” It’s their damn rug. Somebody has to be in charge of
keeping it as clean as possible, but when this drive for cleanliness eliminates the
actual function of the area, then someone has knocked our system of values off
balance.
Students are not allowed to play loud music in the lounge, because it disturbs
people in the lobby and in the cafeteria. Why not move our stereo to the back of
the lounge, or even into a room in the back of the Union that could be kept open
at all time? Sure, the music should be turned down, if it begins to annoy other
students, but let’s let the students themselves Judge when they are and when they
are not being disturbed. A person working behind the Union desk has no special
insight into when the music gets too loud, so why should he hold the responsibility
or having the stereo turned down.^ Maybe a listening room is high on our list of
needs. If so, then let’s get one.
While we’re talking about music, where did those tapes that are piped through
the Union come from? Let’s hope that they were donated; we’d hate to find out
that our money was spent lor them. Most of the music is well-suited for
middle-aged lotharios or overgrown prufrocks, but it is not the music of the
generation that is now in college here. We are an active generation. We depend on
the active pleasure of soul, the involvement of current rock, the humanism of folk
the excitement ot theme-music; or the restful contemplation of pop or bossa nova
lor our musical enjoyment. This music is almost contraband in our Union; one has
to sneak to put it on the intercom. This should noi be.
It IS our suggestion that the President-elect and the Union Chairman appoint a
committee to investigate the immediate alteration of the STUDENT lounge to fulfill
the S'l UDIlNT needs. What’s wrong with posters on the walls or sculpture that is
relevant.^ lo run the risk ol invalidating our argument by employing a much
misused quote, “We can’t relate to the lounge as it stands at present.” Even the
maga/ines that are placed there are not meeting the demands of students.
I his aiea is one that could certainly stand active reevaluation, and we challenge
Mr. Stewart as a president who is “a dreamer” and who sees this year as “a time of
progress and, hopefully, ot change” to start showing us all why we should have
elected him. This area of exploration is one that is certainly dear to the hearts of
the students. Will we have action?
Why Are Campus Politics the
Way They Are at UNC-C?
We have two or three hundred more students at UNC-C this year than we had
last year; yet, the vote in the SGA elections was almost cut in half from last year’s
turnout. Less than four hundred votes were cast for the chief executive office this
yi,!!. I he vote last yeai was about seven hundred and titty. Percentage-wise the vote
dropped from about thirty-five per cent to less than twenty. We used to be proud of
our large turnouts in comparison to the other branches of the University. We can
forget that now. Maybe this is one of the symptoms of a particular brand of
bigitis that seems to be catching on here.
In order to avoid a repetition of this unfortunate lack of voter response, we need
to pinpoint the causes and guard against them next time. During the daytime, there
was only one poll for voting It was downstairs in the University Union, and how
many students are^ enrolled here who might not have even been in the Union while
the poll was open? Well over a thousand. There was a poll in t” building for night
students, but not all night classes are in ‘C’ building,
I he election was a short one. scheduled to coincide with mid-semester
examinations. The afiitude prevailing was “let's get it over with.” Even some of the
candidates were anxious to see a de-emphahization of the election - that way none
of them really had to face any ot the issues. This was a good move, politically.
I hat is. it was a good move if winning is the only important thing in politics. We
tend to teel that a good, healthy competition in which the issues are aired and the
voters are allowed to see what they’re getting is also very important. With Mr.
Stewart exckiiming that he hael a bunch ot ideas’ and Mr. Rillian screaming
“Down with the ruling clic(k)!" we surely didn’t have a healthy competition. The
lack ot a leal two paity system hurt, also. I here was not an election-wise individual
on campus who would have bet against Mr. Stewart any time after the nominations
were clov ! Sure, UNC-C’ does have a ruling "Clic” ,-\nd the officers from this
(Continued on page 7)
By Barbara Jean Smith
Last week, THE JOURNAL
conducted a survey on campus
because of the prevailing interest
in serving in Vietnam in the
military. THE JOURNAL asked
two questions of the males
interviewed—“What is your
opinion of serving in the
military in Vietnam'.'”, and
“Why” : No one asked, was
hesitant in voicing their opinion,
nor were they hesitant in having
their name printed. The
seventeen answers are as
follows:
Denny Andrews-“We’re there,
whether right or wrong, 1 feel
it’s my duty as an American to
go. I have just as much
responsibility to go as anyone
else. I’m not a concienscious
objector so I should go and do
my part. I should support my
country.”
Phil Wilson-“I wouldn’t want
to, but if I had to I would. But
it would have to be a matter of
having to go.”
Darrell Reichert-“I would
not serve over there. It doesn’t
strike me as serving for my
freedom. It doesn’t seem to be
endangering my freedom enough
to serve. I would use failure to
adjust to military life in order
not to serve.”
Doug Kietzman-“If they send
me I’ll go, but I can’t find it
right in my heart to serve
because I don’t think they’re
getting anywhere. If there was
something being accomplished it
would be different.”
Skip Milton-‘T’d go if I had
to go. But if we keep having
riots, I won’t have to go-I’m in
the National Guard!”
Bruce Harris-‘Tve been. I
felt I was serving a purpose. I’d
go again, for the money, and
serving more of a military
service.”
Dunnie Keistler-‘T’d go if I
had to. I’m not wild about the
idea but I feel I owe it to my
county. 1 don’t exactly agree
with what’s going on over there
though.”
Art Gentile-I’ve never been
there. But Td go if 1 had to
but only to avoid the
consequences of not going. I
don’t support the war effort or
anything else this country does
unless I agree with it.
Jonathan Dudley—“I’ve
already been in the service and
I volunteered to go. S.A.C.
Headquarters got me first
though. I would have gone, but
it's a ridiculous situation.
Steve Patterson-“Frankly I
will serve in Vietnam because I
feel it’s my duty to protect the
country. I don’t necessarily
agree with the war but it’s my
responsibility.”
Jesse Connell-“I volunteered
three times while I was in the
service because I feel it’s my
duty, besides, the money goes
further and the women are
more fun.”
John Dabbs-‘T’d serve but
since we have the power and
weapons to wipe out the North,
I think we ought to do it, to
keep the American deaths
down.”
Richard Dedmon-“I don’t
care to, because I don’t want to
be killed. I feel I should make a
contribution in some way but I
can’t see getting killed when I
can serve my country better
alive.”
Ed Wayson-“I don’t want to
go. First 1 don’t want to get
killed and second I don’t see
that it will stop the spread of
Communisum or any other form
of Government that will hurt
our prestige in the world. I feel
we should help them but not
militarily.”
Dave Taylor-‘T’d gladly go.
If I get drafted. I’ll volunteer
for Vietnam. I feel we have a
legal commitment and I will
support it.”
Bob Ellington-‘T’m against it.
I would try every way to avoid
it legally. But I would probably
serve as it stands now,”
There were only five men
asked, that both supported the
effort and were willing to serve.
Most said that they would serve
if they had to (to avoid the
consequences), and a few were
vehemently against both the war
and serving.
Quote
Of The Week
+ **♦ + ♦ + +*♦*;*:*
”The streets of our country
are in turmoil. The universi
ties are filled with students re
belling and rioting. Commu
nists are seeking to destroy
our country. Russia is threat
ening us with her might. And
the republic is in danger. Yes,
danger from within and with
out. We need law and order!
Yes, without law and order
our nation cannot survive...
elect us and we shall restore
law and order.”
— Adolf Hitler
Hamburg, Germany, 1932
There will be a meetingof the
staff of THE CAROLINA
JOURNAL this Sunday at
4:00. Photographs for this
year’s ROGUES ’N RASCALS
will be taken and plans for
next year will be discussed.
THE CAROLINA JOURNAL
EDITOR R. T. Smith
Copy Editor Sherry Drake
Feature Editor F. N. Stewart
Sports Editor Mark Klafter
.'artoonist Art Gentile
Photographers Church Howard
Art Gentile
Business Manager Wayne Eason
STAFF Walt Sherrill, John Lafferty,
Donna Raley, Barbara Jean Smith. Rod White, Mike
Combs, Gayle Watts, Tim Britton, Eileen Auerbach, Anna
Bullock, and W. I. T. (?)
THE CAROLINA JOURNAL is a student publication of the
University of North Carolina at Charlotte, published weekly at
Mullen Publications, Inc. in Charlotte and under the sponsership of
the UNC-C Student Publications Board. THE JOURNAL welcomes
contributions from students, faculty, administrators, and members
of the Charlotte community.