Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Oct. 17, 1994, edition 1 / Page 8
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8 Monday, October 17,1994 (Ttyr iailg Qlar Bwl Kelly Ryan EDITOR (S> JU Established 1893 mm 101 Years of Editorial Freedom It’s time for the University to pay up. For the last decade, the state has not upped the amount of money it gives the town to pro vide the University with fire protection. UNC must start acting like a responsible resident and foot more of the bill for the fire services it has gotten almost for free. The state only pays $290,000 to cover fire protection. Protecting the University actually costs the town $600,000. The Chapel Hill Town Council for a long time has asked die University to supplement the money the state provides. Chancellor Paul Hardin and Wayne Jones, vice chancellor for business and finance, have been receptive to the idea —but it’s already long past time for action. Jones said last week that he thought UNC couldn’t make a lasting commitment to the Chapel Hill Fire Department, even though the department fields 30 percent of its calls from UNC. Maybe one day Chapel Hill fire fighters will choose not to commit 30 percent of their time to protecting more than 22,000 students without getting funded for it. Of course the University doesn’t have money lying around; however, there is no excuse for skimping on its responsi bilities. UNC must have fire protection, and adminis- Put Self in Service Recent challenges to Chapel Hill High School’s community service requirement have highlighted the need to make the otherwise sound proposal more flexible in its definition of community service. CHHS has taken a nationally recognized ini tiative by requiring all students since the 1993-94 school year to perform 50 hours of community service during their four years of high school. But the school and the school board should change the requirement and recognize any com munity service performed by students during their time at CHHS, not just the service per formed through school-recognized channels. School Superintendent Neil Pedersen, who proposed expanding the projects that can count toward graduation, has said the change is not being used to ward off the federal lawsuit two parents have filed against the school system. But the issue is really that a bureaucratic holdup violates the spirit of the community service re quirement. As the plan stands now, students who do The decision of the Nobel Prize committee to award the annual, highly coveted, Nobel Peace Prize to Yasser Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres can only spark hope in the hearts of the world’s terrorists. The Nobel Peace Prize recognizes individu als or groups who demonstrate the leadership and courage inherent in the quest for world peace. In the past, the recipients have ranged from world statesmen to the politically op pressed but were always those whose principles of peaceful human interaction had never been compromised. For Arafat at least, compromising principles has been a way of life. During the course of his leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organiza tion, Arafat has consistently drawn on terrorism as the means to highlight his struggle for interna tional recognition. It was only when Palestinian terrorism appeared futile and Arafat’s political popularity was waning that he determined peace talks were the way forward. And more recently, as greater sacrifices are demanded by the PLO, Arafat has turned his back on former political alhes in Palestine to maintain his improving world image. Although the peace prize rein- More Voices, More Progress The new campus chapter of the NAACP will bring much-needed energy to the struggle for racial equality at UNC. The National Association for the Advance ment of Colored People has the resources to build an inclusive membership that will end eras of division between whites and blacks on cam pus. Lee Richardson, president of the campus chapter, should capitalize on the group’s poten tial. The campus NAACP chapter was active in the 19605, until its growing conservative stance made the group unpopular. The Black Student Movement formed to give black students a dy namic, political voice in campus affairs. Now, almost 25 years later, the siiuauon nas been reversed. Because the BSM receives funds from Student Congress, the group is rot allowed to be Pay or Burn trators should stop acting like it’s an affront to their sensibilities to have to pay for it. Just last week, a fire broke out in Ehringhaus Residence Hall. Without the help of Chapel Hill fire officials, even more damage would have been done to the fifth-floor lounge. And more students who were dilly-dallying inside the build ing might not have realized the fire wasn’t a false alarm. South Campus residence halls are famed for the high incidence of false alarms. Every time one rings, the Chapel Hill Fire Department must respond to it, keeping fire fighters from handling real emergencies. If the University had to pay the town for fire protection in the form of taxes like other resi dents, the state would surely be billed for signifi cantly more than $200,000. It’s not too much to ask for UNC to supplement the state’s payment. The University should start paying the town in proportion to the services it receives. Paying now won’t make up for the years of being sym pathetic and actually paying nothing. But it will make it clear that UNC appreciates that it’s getting a good deal. The University can’t expect to bolster town gown relations when it is obviously taking ad vantage of available services it can’t provide itself. service on their own or perform clerical tasks cannot count these hours toward their service requirement. Proponents of the service require ment want students to give back to the commu nity they live in and learn whether community service is something that interests them beyond the time demanded in order to graduate. Fifty hours over four years is a minimal time commitment; students who fulfill the minimum requirement will get a mere taste of community service. Some students might find they enjoy doing useful work for others in their community, and will go on to give more of their time. Others will meet the requirement and call it quits. But there’s absolutely no reason for the re quirement to punish students who already are giving work to their community simply because their type of community service doesn’t fit the school’s definition. The high school administration should recog nize all service work that is unpaid and within the communities of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, whether it’s physical labor or clerical work. Ignoble Nobel forces his continued tenure ofPalestinian leader ship, there is nothing to suggest that this switch hitting terrorist has changed. The Nobel Prize committee’s decision is, at best, premature. To reward a peace process that has existed (tenuously) for little more than a year, in a region of the world that has seen conflict since the formation of the state of Israel in 1947, smacks of hastiness, if not zealotry. To think of Arafat, Rabin and Peres resting on the laurels of a media-touted peace prize and a shaky peace agreement leaves one concerned for fu ture stability in the Middle East. How much confidence can the people of Israel and Palestine have in leaders who are reassured by meaning less titles and skeleton peace agreements. The search for peace lasts far longer than a lifetime and is still unrealized. The Nobel Prize committee has recognized three men who have only recently shown a cursory dedication to an ideal that lies far beyond the negotiating table. The essence of peace is not in the achievement of nebulous international acknowledgement. Not until Palestinians and Jews can accept one an other as equals and their states as sovereign can we reward their leaders for their efforts. “political.” The NAACP, independent from inane con gress funding rules, will be able to assert itself as a strong political group, tying UNO’s black com munity to the local NAACP. Having both the NAACP and the BSM on campus will broaden the black community’s representation to help dispel the myth that die campus black community is of one mind and needs only one voice. The Rev. Gene Hadey, president of the local NAACP chapter, has welcomed the campus group to open the community’s eyes to what’s at issue for the student black community. Despite the sluggish and reactive nature of the national NAACP branch, this new campus group can take its own initiative to bring action to divisive race-related issues. HilßlMifi Camkani* EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR Amy Pmiak university editor Quia Nichols CITY EDITOR Jenny Heimen state & national editor Steve Robblee SPORTS EDITOR Jon Goldberg features editor Wendy Mitchell arts/diversions editor Hofly Stepp special assignments editor Kathryn Sherer COPY DESK EDITOR Jennifer Neckvfarow copy desk editor Katie Cannon PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Job Caseita DESIGN EDITOR Robert Anderson graphics editor Kelly Peacock iayout editor Jake MacNellv editorial cartoon editor Justin Scheef SPORTSATURDAY editor EDITORIAL W'.fv.stu - . Feminists Have Abandoned Quest for Equality I’ve tried. Honest. Nevertheless, I just cannot understand the point of the modem feminist movement. The education of a Southern man on such a topic is quite a difficult process. Recently I even read a Gloria Steinem book to make me more sensitive. 0 for 1. My gender awareness further heightened when I decided to rent an artistic film named “Sirens.” Ostensibly, this move was to broaden my aesthetic horizons. Realistically, I know that seeing Elle Macpherson without clothes served as my true motivation (an aesthetic impetus in itself perhaps). Upon seeing the film, my general confusion about the direction of today’s feminism became more pronounced. The complexity of the movie’s mixed mes sage is enough to frustrate the most enlightened male, much less the traditional Southern boar which I undoubtedly am. The patriarchal hier archy apparently failed to teach me the subtle ties of gender messages while growing up in Coweta County, Ga. My mystification stemmed from a seeming contradiction in the film. On the one hand,"Sirens” is definitely a femi nist piece. It’s anti-men, anti-church, anti-marriage, pro bisexuality and argues vehemently about how women’s sensuality has been repressed by male urges through the ages. On the other hand, Elle and the other four women in the movie ran around n-a-k-e-d halfthe time leaving little to the imagination. I was taken back to my UNC movie criticism course. Week after week, ad infinitum, the men in the class were subjected to sermon after sermon about the sexist and exploitative manner in which the Hollywood camera looks at women’s bodies. And, lo and behold, now along comes a feminist film in “Sirens” which commits this very same crime! What’s a man to do under the strain of such a dichotomy? Facing the Legal Ins and Outs of Underage Drinking Let’s face it. The legal drinking age in North Carolina is 21. The majority of college stu dents are not 21. Three-quarters of college students drink at least once a month, according to the U.S. Office of Substance Abuse Preven tion. Consequently, underage drinking is bound to be a legal problem for students, as are the com panion problems, such as fake identification and the purchase of alcohol for a minor. First and foremost, let me say that the easy way to prevent these problems for yourself is to wait until you are 21 to purchase and/or con sume alcohol. If this is not an option for you, then the best that can be done if you are caught is legal “damage control.” If you are 19 or 20 years of age, the purchase/ attempted purchase of beer or wine without the use of false identification or possession of beer is an “infraction” (a noncriminal violation of the law). The fine can be no more than $25, and there are noother legal consequences. Basically, that’s a $25 beer. If you are 18 years of age or under, purchase/ attempted purchase or possession even without the use ot false identification is a misdemeanor. It will become part of your criminal record and could subject you to court costs, fines and imprisonment. Plus, that purchase or attempted purchase of an alcoholic beverage will result in a one year revocation of your driver’s license. This beer is getting more expensive by the misdemeanor. At this point, you might be thinking, “I’m not underage because I have this great fake ID that makes me 25.” That reasoning is just the tiniest bit faulty. If you are underage and get caught purchas ing/ attempting to purchase alcohol with a fake ID, great or otherwise, you are facing a misde meanor and the suspension of your license. And if you are the supplier of the identifica tion to the minor, that is also a misdemeanor and will result in the suspension of your license as well. So now you might be thinking, “Hey, I’ll have a friend who is legal buy my booze.” Maybe so, but if you are 21 years of age or older, aiding or abetting in the purchase of alcohol is a misdemeanor that includes fines up 0. Jfr v RIGHT ON TARGET I did what I al ways do in times of stress. I decided to pay a visit to my guru, Sir Ralphie Billy Bob Waldenbrook. The great one had never failed to an swer my questions about my life and was very eager to help me with my problem. After explaining my confusion regarding “Si rens” specifically and feminism in general, I anxiously awaited for the answers I most desper ately sought. Slone were forthcoming. “Let me do some more research” was the only response I received. I sadly watched as a perplexed Sir Ralphie Billy Bob Waldenbrook slowly walked away. Never before had my disappointment been so great. Never before had my mentor let me down. Had the feminist juggernaut claimed yet another victim? I was crestfallen. Fortunately, Sir Ralphie returned the next day with a smile on his face. He cheerfully stated, “Lance, my boy, a solu tion has been found. Research indicates that your dilemma isn’t as difficult as previously thought.” Whew. I released a huge sigh of relief. “Do you believe in equal rights and opportu nity for women?” Sir Ralphie asked me. “Of course,” I replied, somewhat offended that he had to ask. “Well, ” he proclaimed, “Then you are a femi nist an equity feminist!” This label I didn’t like at all. What would the guys in the bowling league say? Putting aside this discomfort, I inquired about the relevance of such information. “Well,” the great one began, “It isn’t relevant because 99 percent of Americans share the equity view. But what it does show is the extent to which today’s to s2oooand impris onment up to two years. This gives a IENNY KELLER I PRESUMED IGNORANT whole new definition to a college student’s “beer money.” Since legal terminology can be vague and confusing, let’s take a practical look at the “mis demeanor.” A misdemeanor is a criminal violation of the law punishable by a fine and/or up to two years of imprisonment. A conviction becomes a per manent part of your criminal record and may affect employment prospects, entrance into graduate programs, and professional schools and licensing. Assuming that there are students who are going to engage in underage drinking despite my sincere efforts to strike fear in their hearts, they should know how to behave once they get caught to ensure that they do not act in a way that will escalate their problem. Students should be aware of the proper de meanor to adopt when confronted by the police. Keep in mind that the very fact that you may be intoxicated when confronted is going to de crease the likelihood that you behave responsi bly. When the police approach you, whether or not it is to arrest you, make no statements, because you have a legal right to remain silent. Anything you say at anytime to anyone, in cluding friends, police and cellmates but exclud ing your attorney, can be used against you in the future. You also have the right to a lawyer. You do not have to sign anything, even a waiver, without having an attorney there to assist you. The Don’ts: ■ Do not be rude. ■ Do not verbally or physically resist arrest. ■ Do not pull away or refuse to be frisked for weapons. ■ Do not make any sudden movements. ■ Do not consent to a search of you, your home or your car, and state that clearly, but politely, to the officer if he requests one. How ever, do not use force to resist the search. Now let’s assume you have been charged with one of the aforementioned alcohol-related misdemeanors. You have options. If you feel you have been wrongly charged, you may hire an attorney and ®ljr Saily ®ar Hrel women’s groups have deviated from mainstream society.” I didn’t understand. “Well, it’s like this. Everyone believes in equal rights. So the feminist movement must necessar ily develop other issues in order to survive and feed itself. And the reason you are so easily confused by “Sirens” and everything else is because today's feminists simply don’t make sense.” Affirmation. “For example, a wonderful ideal is the notion that a woman should be able to become anything she wants, right?” Sir Ralphie asked. “Absolutely,” I assented. “Well, consider this quote from Simone de Beauvoir, the founder of modem feminist phi losophy: ‘No woman should be authorized to stay at home and raise her children ... Women should not have the choice, precisely because if there is such a choice, too many women will make that one.’” “She didn’t say that," I responded. Wrong. Sir Ralphie went on to note that today’s femi nism has become a hostage of the Left, especially in college classrooms. As evidence, he cited a University of Ne braska class entitled “20th-Century Lesbian Novels” and the end of the semester assignment in a Duke womens’ studies class: a paper on the topic “Menstruation and Me.” Idarednotaskhowanymenintheclass might answer that one. Seeing a nude Elle Macpherson notwithstand ing, this whole episode proved disconcerting. The successful battle for equal rights has degen erated into the ideological nonsense of feminazism. One suspects that the career feminists and others who make their living (and a very nice living at that, mind you) off fostering conflict between the sexes will never acknowledge true equality. To do so would be admitting that they are just not needed or wanted. Lance McMillian is a senior political science major from Coweta County, Ga. go to court. Student Legal Services is not authorized to represent you in this case, but an attorney there can look at your specific case and advise you how to proceed. If, indeed, you are guilty of the offense, then there is a method of disposing of criminal charges and keeping a conviction off your record which may be available to you. The district attorney may agree to defer the prosecution of your case if you will perform community service. Once you have completed the service, and paid the fees for participation in the program, the charge is dismissed. However, this does not mean that the charge is removed from your record. If you have no previous convictions or ex punctions (a court order which removes all offi cial records of a criminal matter from a criminal record), the charge itself can be removed from your record through the expungement process and you may deny ever being charged. This column will discuss the expungement process in more detail at a later date. Deferred prosecution is generally only avail able for first offenses, and it will depend on the circumstances of your case. It is always in the discretion of the prosecutor. You can ask for a deferred prosecution on your own or through an attorney. Also, you are only eligible for one expungement in your entire lifetime, so use yours wisely. It’s worth reiterating that, despite the wide spread disdain among college students for the drinking age requirement, 21 is the law and there can be serious ramifications for violating that law. Weigh the consequences for yourself, and whatever your decision is, be aware of the law before you act. The information contained in this article can be found in “Presumed Ignorant,” the pamphlet put out by Student Legal Services (SLS). If you are currently facing a legal problem of the sort discussed in this column, please do not hesitate to seek the advice of one of the attorneys in the SLS office, Suite 222 in the Student Union or call 962-1303. Jenny Keller is a UNC graduate and a legal assistant at Student Legal Services.
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Oct. 17, 1994, edition 1
8
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