6The Daily Tar HeelWednesday, September 28, 1983
t Satlu ufar 1-Irrl
91st year of editorial freedom
Kerry DeRochi. Editor
ALISON DAVIS, Managing Editor JEFF HlDAY, Associate Editor
Influence for the
LlSAPULLEN, University Editor JOHN CONWAY, City Editor
Christine Manuel, state and National Editor
KAREN FISHER, Features Editor
Jeff Grove, Arts Editor
CHARLES W. LEDFORD, Photography Editor
MIKEDeSISTI, Sports Editor
BILL RIEDY, News Editor
creation is here
Kudos
Jefferson Corrmunications. Inc. 1982
y 'w v i f
Congratulations are due Campus Governing Council members and
other Concerned ' elite who like skilled protesters have found a UNC
controversy. His name is Yure Nmomma and his offense was winning a
Homecoming queen beauty pageant. As a joke candidate, he by winning
has failed in his established campaign role; the concerned students began
writing letters to The Daily Tar Heel, calling for change. They talked
amongst themselves and in closed-door meetings, anxious to rid this cam
pus of future joke candidates so that tradition and the status quo would
be safe.
Any sense of perspective on Homecoming had disappeared just as
soon as the hairy-legged Teague resident walked away with the bouquet
of roses. By arguing that a joke candidate was a slap at UNC tradition,
these concerned students began degrading the central principles of this
University. Homecoming is an event held in an oval stadium once a year.
How can that compare to 190 years of academic excellence?
It's safe to say that the group of students has become so caught up in
the issue that they have forgotten what they're fighting for. They have
begun talking of amendments to the election laws that would disallow,
joke candidates to run in any election, neglecting to see that the problem
is with Homecoming, not joke candidates. And they've failed to realize
that what Yure Nmomma's election has done is prove to students that if
they want a strong Homecoming, they will have to work for it by showing
some support.
All this has been lost, however, in the concern over an alleged tradi
tion. CGC members and other officials see only the threat against what
has gone before. They say they are the few who take their jobs seriously,
but is that such a bonus when at the same time they've become afraid of
someone who could challenge tradition, someone with the nerve to say "I
want changes." Their fear of joke candidates lies not in the people
themselves, but in the realization that students may vote for them.
As the clamor over the male Homecoming Yure Nmomma ends, so
should the Student Government pursuit of a culprit. To bar future joke
candidates from elections would be restricting the freedom of expression,
certainly a more important tradition at the University than a weekend
beauty pageant. Homecoming does have a place at the University; it's
time for students to consider just where that place should be.
By KELL Y SIMMONS
The editor of the Treetop Tattler in the nationally
syndicated cartoon "Shoe" still wears tennis shoes and
smokes cigars, dines in greasy spoons and rejects his
reporters' work. But Jim Shumaker no longer does. "I
used to," he said recently, "until 1 cleaned up my
act."
Though he won't directly admit to being the famed
P. Martin Shoemaker in the cartoon, all evidence
points toward him, and his eyes twinkle as he talks
about his connection with Jeff MacNelly.
Shumaker was editor of The Chapel Hill Weekly in
1970 when MacNelly worked as a cartoonist there:
"We used to have a routine," Shumaker said, leaning
back and propping his feet up on his desk next to
wooden blocks spelling out the word Shoe."He'd
come shamblin' in and I'd say, 'What do you want to
do today? v
. "And he'd say, 'Oh, I don't know, what do you
want to do?'
"I'd draw him a few stick figures to give him an
idea about what I wanted he'd take it and run with
it. Hes a damn genius."
MacNelly took political cartooning and ran with it
all the way from The Daily Tar Heel and The
Chapel Hill Weekly to the Chicago Tribune, grabbing
two Pulitzer prizes along the way.
Jim Shumaker has .since left the Chapel Hill paper
and is now an instructor of journalism here at
University. :
They haven't seen each other in years, but the two
have nothing but praise for each other. In talking to
them both, it's difficult to determine which one im
pressed the other more.
The importance of humor
"He was fast I'd give him an idea arid it seemed
like only 15 minutes he'd be back with the finished car
toon," Shumaker said. "They were undoubtedly the
finest things in the paper."
MacNelly took his work at the newspaper seriously,
much more so than his classes. Studies weren't
MacNelly's main concern; his effort went into his art.
He never graduated from UNC, though he spent four
regular years and two summer school sessions here. He
did some sports cartoons for the DTH before begin
ning work at The Chapel Hill Weekly., .
He regrets not taking his schoolwork seriously but
said that, instead, having a good sense of humor and
quick wit were the marks of a good journalist. He
learned this and a lot more about journalism while
working with Shumaker.
"He could really put it down on paper," MacNelly
said. "He was tough, but he had a great sense of the
absurd he basically raised hell in print.
"So many people take themselves too seriously."
MacNelly never had Shumaker for a class, but he
said he imagined he'd be the same in class as at the
paper. "He'd be the same if he were selling cars," he
said, and laughed. ' - - x
Drawing funny pictures
MacNelly has the same sense of humor he described
in Shumaker. From his Chicago Tribune office, he
participated in an interview while simultaneously
watching a Cubs game. He's only in the office for a
few days every other week. Other times he works out
of his home a farm in Jetersville, Va. Or he's off on
speaking engagements. He likes getting out and talking
?Jefferson Communications. Inc.
to college students. "Otherwise I'd just stay in my
room and draw funny pictures," he said.
The laidback attitude and sarcasm Shumaker pos
sesses carried over into MacNelly's strip "Shoe," the
antics of cynical newspaper editor P. Martin
Shoemaker.
"I didn't mean to really call it 'Shoe,' " MacNelly
said in defense. But the name has stuck.
"He hasn't threatened to sue me. . . not yet."
Problems with popularity
While the Shoe character, MacNelly admits, is
based on Shumaker, the others are basically autobio
graphical. MacNelly draws from his personal ex
periences to develop the plots used in the cartoon. "Ir
ving is pretty much me on a daily basis," he joked. His
only problem with the strip, he said, is that someone is
always trying to dig too deeply into it to find hidden
meaning. And there just isn't any.
Once someone told him they'd figured out that the
professor was Henry Kissinger and the tree was the
Western civilization. "I've created a monster," he
lamented.
Shumaker has also had some problems with the
popularity of "Shoe." For a while there he did
nothing but sit in his office and wait for people to call
him up and ask about MacNelly.
"I was intrigued at first," he said. "But I got sick of
walking down the street and having people say, I saw
you in the paper this morning.'
"I'd say where?
"And they'd say, 'On the funny pages.' "
Kelly Simmons, a junior jounalism major from
Reidsville, is an editorial writer for The Daily Tar
Heel.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Aussie conquest
Monday was a day of firsts for the New York Yacht Club and the
United States. For the first time in 132 years, the America's Cup was won
by-another..country. Also, for the, first time in the history of the race, it
took-the entire seven-race sequence to establish a winner. The loss marked
the end of the longest winning streak in sports history and broke the
record of being the only international trophy never to change hands.
The Australians who gathered in Newport for the race burst into tears
of joy at the outcome. The champagne flowed freely and they hoisted a
green flag with a yellow kangaroo in red boxing gloves up the mast of the
yacht. Jubilant also were the Australians at home who had been up since
2 a.m. their time to watch the televised race.
The Australia II had come a long way since the early summer contro
versy when the crew refused to uncover a mysterious keel which they felt
sure would increase their chances for a victory. New York yachters tried
to outlaw the radical keel, a beam on which the frame of the boat rests,
but the Aussies won that fight too, remaining in the race with their keel.
It wasn't until after the final race Monday that the Australians lifted
the yacht from the water to let spectators view their "secret." Apparently
the winged keel gave the boat the ability to turn faster and accelerate
more during the crucial inward legs. The prized cup has been directed to
the land Down Under where it will remain until 1987 or 1988 when the
race will be run again - this time in Australia, and with the Americans as
the challengers.
The Aussies should rejoice in their victory, after all it took six tries and
21 years to win it. For the U.S. team, it's all water under the bridge. Be
sides, the race will still be called the America's Cup; the Australians have
agreed to let that tradition remain.
Homecoming: a hallowed tradition?
The Daily Tar Heel
Editorial Writers: Frank Bruni, Charles Ellmaker and Kelly Simmons
Assistant Managing Editors: Joel Broadway, Tracy Hilton and Michael Toole
Assistant News Editor Melissa Moore
News: Tracy Adams, Dick Anderson, Joseph Berry hill, Angela Booze, J. Bonasia, Keith
Bradsher, Amy Brannen, Lisa Brantley, Hope Buffington, Tom Cordon, Kathie Collins, Kate
Cooper, Teresa Cox, Lynn Davis, Dennis Dowdy, Chris Edwards, Suzanne Evans, Kathy
Farley, Steve Ferguson, Genie French, Kim Gilley, Marymelda Hall, Andy Hodges, Sue Kuhn,
Liz Lucas, Thad Ogburn, Beth O'Kelley, Janet Olson, Rosemary Osborne, Heidi Owen, Beth
Ownley, Cindy Parker, Donna Pazdan, Ben Perkowski, Frank Proctor, Linda Queen, Sarah
Raper, Mary Alice Resch, Cindi Ross, Katherine Schultz, Sharon Sheridan, Deborah Simp
kins, Jodi Smith, Sally Smith, Lisa Stewart, Mark Stinneford, Carrie Szymeczek, Liz Saylor,
Mike Sobeiro, Amy Tanner, Doug Tate, Wayne Thompson, Vance Trefethen, Chuck Wall-.
ington, Scott Wharton, Lynda Wolf, Rebekah Wright, Jim Zook, Kyle Marshall, assistant
state and national editor, and Stuart Tonkinson, assistant university editor.
Sports: Frank Kennedy and Kurt Rosenberg, assistant sports editors. Glenna Burr ess, Kimball
Crossley, Pete Fields, John Hackney, Lonnie McCullough, Robyn Norwood, Michael Pers
inger, Julie Peters, Glen Peterson, Lee Roberts, Mike Schoor, Scott Smith, Mike Waters,
David Wells, Eddie Wooten and Bob Young.
Features: Dawn Brazell, Clarice Bickford, Tom Camacho, Toni Carter, Margaret Claiborne,
Karen Cotten, Cindy Dunlevy, Charles Gibbs, Tom Grey, Kathy Hopper, Dana Jackson,
Charles Karnes, Joel Katzenstein, Dianna Massie, Kathy Norcross, Jane Osment, Clinton
Weaver and Mike Trucll, assistant features editor.
Arts: Steve Carr, Ivy Milliard, Jo Ellen Meekins, Gigi Sonner, Sheryl Thomas and David
Schmidt, assistant arts editor.
Graphic Arts: Jamie Frands, Lori Heeman, Ryke Longest, Jeff NeuviDe, Zane Saunders and
Lori Thomas, photographers.
Business: Anne Fulcher, business manager; Tammy Martin, accounts receivable clerk; Dawn
Welch, circulation 'distribution manager; William Austin, assistant circulation alstnbution
manager; Patti Pittman, classified advertising manager; Julie Jones, assistant classified adver
tising manager; Debbie McCurdy, secretaryreceptionist.
Advertising: Paula Brewer, advertising manager; Mike Tabor, advertising coordinator; Laura
Austin, Melanie Eubanks, Kevin Freidheim, Patricia Gorry, Terry Lee, Doug Robinson and
Anneli Zeck ad representatives. -
Composition: UNC-CH Printing Department
Printing: Hinton Press, Inc. of Mebane.
'DTH' too hard
on Baxter
To the editor:
We in Teague would like to express our
disappointment with The Daily Tar Heel
editorial "An Open Letter" (Sept. 26)
concerning Carolina Athletic Association
President Padraic Baxter.
We resent the implication that the letter
was written by members of Teague Dorm
or "Yure Nmomma," as the article was
signed. We reserve the right to use "Yure,
Nmomma Sleeps in Teague" and all its
derivatives. This editorial was not the place
for it.
Furthermore, we apologize for the tone
of the editorial and hope that the DTH will
follow in doing the same.
We believe that the editorial, though not
intended, was cruel and undeservedly
harsh on Baxter. Even though Baxter was
not overwhelmingly enthusiastic initially,
"Yure Nmomma's" candidacy was finally
officially recognized.
We realize that Baxter does not have an
easy job and that it was further com
plicated by the entrance of a male can
didate. We also realize that he is the one to
whom all upset students and alumni will
direct their complaints.
We now apologize for further com
plicating his job and for any harsh feelings
or words that have resulted, but not for
our actions in drawing attention to
Homecoming at UNC.
For all the people upset that a male in
drag won, let us pose one question: "Did
you vote?" If the answer is no,, stop com
plaining. It took more than Teague,
Padraic Baxter or Scott College to elect
"Yure Nmomma." Heshe was elected by
the entire student body. It is there that all
criticism should be leveled.
At most institutions, Homecoming is an
event; here, it has become a mere formali-
ty. Homecoming 1983 will definitely be
one to remember. Maybe next year it will
be approached a lot more enthusiastically
and seriously by the student body.
Steve Latham (Yure Nmomma)
" . Pete Field?
Steve Potter
Vince Credle
Alan Haseley
Teague
Insulting garbage
To the editor:
I was appalled when I read Yure
Nmomma's "An open letter" (DTH,
Sept. 26), addressed to Carolina Athletic
Association President Padriac Baxter. His
"open letter" was nothing but a childish,
slanderous, personal attack. It made me
think of a spoiled brat saying "nanny nan
ny boo boo" after he has played a trick on
another child. Maybe that land of insult
ing garbage should be expected from a
cocky Homecoming queen, but it should
never have appeared in any kind of newspaper.
What happened to your judgment,
DTW. Were you desperate for editorial
page copy? If you have nothing better to
print than personal insults, I suggest you
leave blank space. .
.Mary-Benton Hudgens
Hinton James
Editor's note: "An open letter" was the
editorial opinion of the DTH and was not
written by Homecoming queen Yure
Nmomma (Steve Latham).
Vyy f j If. 6
, --Y-;,.;s
i Jllilllll
WUimmmtrK Ml i i n ill A i ft - '
Today: queen, tomorrow: Chi O
To the editor:
I would like to congratulate "Yure
Nmomma" on her victory as the 1983
Homecoming queen. It is a victory that the
"guys" in Teague can be very proud of.
I do not think this victory earns you an
Intramural Champion shirt or contributes
points toward an all-around IM cham
pionship though, Steve Latham. Maybe
you should try sorority rush next year!
John Huf fines
Morrison
Latham a statement, not a joke
To the editor:
In all of the flurry surrounding the
election of a male running under a
pseudonym of questionable taste as
Homecoming queen, a couple of
essential points seem to have been
missed concerning the whole weekend.
The first of these is that somewhere
along the line the meaning of
Homecoming seems to have been lost.
The word "homecoming" itself em
bodies the whole purpose of the event,
which is to welcome alumni "home"
to Carolina to see the changes to the
campus and reminisce about their
days in school here. From that stand
point, Steve Latham's election both
enhances and . detracts from the
meaning of the festivities. On the one
hand, the alumni were more vividly
reminded of the fun involved in col
lege pranks, but on the other hand
they may have, felt that their return to
campus was not welcome. -
The second, and more important,
point which has been overlooked is
that the relative success (or failure) .of
the weekend resulted from a lack of
cooperation among the several parties
responsible for planning and executing
the activities, Being in a position' to
watch the. planning from more than
one angle, I saw breakdowns in com
munications which were largely
responsible for the less-than'
satisfactory outcome this ; past
weekend. The Carolina Athletic
Association submitted incorrect infor
mation to The Daily Tar Heel without '
verifying it with the Alumni Associa
tion, which was sponsoring the par
ticular event. The Alumni Associa
tion, the Carolina Athletic Associa
tion and the Athletic Association ar
bitrarily chose the opponent for
Homecoming without asking for
popular student opinion and without
explaining the choice. This later led to
misunderstandings and negative feel
ings on the part of residents of Teague
Dorm, our new homecoming queen ,
among them. The early date of the
Homecoming game also left little time
for the students to prepare to welcome
the alumni to Chapel Hill, which is a
tremendous amount of work and
which the CAA is expected to pull off
by itself with relatively little assistance
from the other concerned groups,
either in manpower or money.
In the future it would be advisable
'to form a Homecoming steering com
mittee consisting of a representative
each from the Carolina Athletic
Association, the Alumni Associa
tionOrder of the Bell Tower, the
Athletic Association, Student Govern
ment and The Daily Tar Heel. This
committee would be responsible for
overseeing the entire weekend from
the choice of an opponent to the post
game dance.
If interest in Homecoming is going
to continue the upswing it has taken in
the past few years, then an interest in
coordinated planning toward a unified
purpose must also take an upswing.
Perhaps then, frustration with the en
tire weekend will not culminate in the
election of a Homecoming queen who
does not appear to be the actual
popular choice of the student body.
Sharon L. Moylan
Northampton Plaza
Outside the ivory tower
To the editor:
To Doc Droze. Jim Swofford, Kevirt
Monroe and the 49,000 offended people:
My heart simply breaks for the poor
senior girls who can never again "run for
queen" (unless they manage someday to .
charm the pants off a gullible Prince) and
also for the poor girl who "would have
won" had it not been for Yure Nmom
ma's conquering beauty. And yes, it's,
such a shame that the Homecoming tradi
tion seems to have gone the. way of
Studebakers, bobby sox, and the hula
hoop. I spent all day Tuesday sobbing
over the lack oif respect given to such a
sacred tradition as Carolina's . annual -beauty
contest.
However,.! am even more distressed"
over the fact that a male Homecoming
queen is the major concern of so many
people at this University. I guess Carolina
really is an ivory tower. But out in the real
world, folks, you might find some issues
a trifle more important than the UNC
Homecoming. For instance, people are
dying in Lebanon. The United States is
still involved in El Salvador, where
children are taking lessons in guerilla war
fare. The 1984 election is right around the
corner. Racial discrimination still exists,
even on our beloved campus. But, of
course, problems like these are trifling
compared to the outrageous jocularity
aimed at such a longstanding
tradition.. .aren't they?
Look around, folks, and get your
priorities in order. I always assumed (and
perhaps it was presumptuous of me) that
we were here to get an education, to learn
how to better address and maybe even
- solve some of the terrible problems star
ing us all in the face. But naturally,
educated minds such as yours are concern
ed with more pressing problems than war,
. the economy and prejudice. Next week I
expect letters decrying the deplorable
demise of another "bastion of
tradition" beach music.
Robin Fuliilove
Townhouse Apts.