6The Daily Tar HeelFriday. S- 'ember 13. 1985
93rd year of editorial freedom
READER FORUM
Throckmorton has eyes, but he cannot see
ARM: RlCKLRT AND DAVID SCHMIDT
Editor Editor
Stuart Tonkinson
. Bun Pcrkowski
Dick Anderson
Janet Olson
AmyStyers
AndyTrincia
Maturing Editor
Associate Editor
Associate llditor
Vnixxrsity Editor
News Editor
State and National Editor
Leigh Williams
Mark Powell
Lee Roberts
Frank Bruni
Sharon Sheridan
Larry Childress
City Editor
Business Editor
Sports Editor
Arts Editor
Features Editor
Photo Editor
Legisnomenclature
They're trying to change their name
but not to "CGC Lion."
Not since those common grocery store
commercials of a few years back has a
name-change merited so much attention
and received so little. Except maybe
when "service" became "plan" in regard
to on-campus meals.
Anyway, the Campus Governing
Council approved a referendum by
Speaker Wyatt Closs on Wednesday
that, if passed by the student body in
the February election, would rechristen
the council as "Student Congress."
The idea is a good one. Student
awareness of the council and its duties
are poor enough without the burden of
a name that few can identify with the
legislative branch of Student Govern
ment. Student Congress gets the point
across and, being just two words, doesn't
lend itself to cryptic abbreviation. Unless
our headline space is too narrow.
But, as David Brady (Dist. 12) said,
"Student Congress is, like, so blah." Hits
the nail on the head. What this campus
needs is some spirited debate among
students about such important issues as
. . . alternative names. Well throw out
a few to get things started.
Representative Council: Just two
words, but this one is better if abbre
viated, with RC signifying so much.
Such as Roll Call, a member-by-member
vote that the council has often used to
put representatives on the spot; they
usually kept former member Doug
Berger on a roll.
Then there's the jingle "Me and My
RC," a proud campaign anthem for
when the name-change referendum's
time nears: "What's good enough for
other councils, ain't good enough for me
andmyRC."
Upstairs 226: The council's actions in
Room 226 of the Student Union on
Wednesday nights can be just as enter
taining as anything on East Franklin
Street.
Representatives Enacting Acknowl
edged Documents: Merely acknowl
edged, that is. The acronym, READ,
might remind council members of what
they're supposed to do with the bills,
long before voting on them.
Finally, SC of the Hill: Only a hint
of the congressional in "the Hill," but
since it was good enough for The Happy
Store ...
A comet ary on our age
Man's quest to satisfy his insatiable
desire to explore the unknown, to
uncover historic legends, has been
splashed all over headlines recently.
Although some kind of "age of explor
ers" may have hit a peak during the days
of Columbus and Magellan, modern
day discoverers are finding gold mines
of valuable information and history in
all spheres of life.
Treasure hunter Mel Fischer last
month salvaged $400 million in sunken
treasure off the Florida coast, as well
as a wealth of memories for everyone
who as a kid dreamed they were
swashbuckling heroes on the high seas
with chests of gold and jewels. Earlier
this week, a team of French and
American oceanographers culminated a
search of the murky north Atlantic by
finding the Titanic thus closing the
book on what was perhaps the greatest
mystery of this century only to pay
homage to the 1,500 victims by leaving
their icy cold gravesite undisturbed.
These explorations have not been
contained to our planet, either. Scientists
Wednesday released the first pictures of
Giacobini-Zinner. No, this isn't the
result of some Italian-German collabo
ration. It's a comet, the first one to be
seen up close and personal (well, only
5,000 miles from the comet's nucleus,
if you call that close).
Remember when Captain Kirk and
the rest of the crew of the Enterprise
would rocket through some kind of
galactic turbulence, everyone hanging on
for dear life? That's probably what the
International Cometary Explorer, a
half-ton wonder of a spacecraft, went
through Wednesday as it whizzed
through G-Z's tail at a cool 46,000 mph.
ICE, originally designed to explore the
sun, was reprogrammed by National
Aeronautic and Space Administration
scientists to make this pass. The mission
confirmed a lot of conclusions about
comets made from ground-based obser
vations made by astronomers and
aroused new questions about their
nature.
This mission is sure to arouse even
more excitement for the arrival of
Halley's comet, which will make its
closest pass to the Earth in April. A fleet
of satellites is fast-approaching Halley's
comet, but none of them are American.
NASA claims it ran out of funds in 198 1 ,
when construction of a satellite needed
to begin to be ready on time. So while
billions of dollars is going into defense
systems that will be obsolete before they
are finished, we are letting a piece of
history fly right by us.
Oh, well, that's an entirely different
tail.
To the editors:
In the past week, since the DTHs
printing of the now-infamous
Nietzsche quote, "God is dead," 1
have seen response after response
and not one has prompted me to
anger. That was until I had to read
the babblings on of one Ken Throck
morton ("Christians must fight the
good fight, 'DTH,' " Sept. 1 1), who
believes that all of us Christians
should begin a war on funding for
the DTH. Such foolishness cannot
go unanswered.
Throckmorton states, and this is
the clincher of his idiocy, "When
you (the DTH) print a quote on the
front page in big, bold letters, you
are making a statement that reflects
your attitudes about life, attitudes
that you hope others will think are
Card games
To the editors:
For years, the UNC card section
has performed a variety of stunts
at home football games in Kenan
Stadium. Not only can we be proud
of how impressive the section looks
when it spells out "Go to Hell State,"
but we should remember that it is
one of the few card sections still
active today. To keep this tradition
alive and to keep the UNC card
section looking great, student coop
eration is a must.
If you find yourself sitting in
Section 17 tomorrow, you should
remain in your seat at the end of
the second quarter. By this point,
a packet of four brightly colored
cards should have found their way
to you. After youVe greeted Bob,
the mikeman, he will proceed with
detailed instructions on how to hold
the big cards, which stunt youll be
doing, etc. Finally, we should all
remember not to throw the big
cards. These laminated cards can
really hurt someone if they fly in
the back of some unsuspecting Tar
Heel fan. So please be considerate
and don't ruin anyone else's good
time. With your cooperation and
some good old school spirit we can
keep the card section a living
tradition at Carolina.
Pat Callaway
UNC Card Section
Don't blame us
To the editors:
When I joined Students For
America last year, I was under the
impression that it was a group of
people that espoused Judeo
Christian values and worked for
them in a consistent, democratic
manner.
I now question this assertion.
SFA chapter members had no input
concerning the dismissal of one of
the officers for his support of the
Carolina Gay and Lesbian Associ
ation. The decision was made
entirely from the national office
without consulting any of the
members or calling for a vote on
the issue. How the vote would have
turned out is immaterial; the point
is that the local SFA should not be
blamed for the national office's
action, especially in light of the fact
that at least one other officer
resigned in protest to the action. I
personally expressed misgivings to
David Fazio about the nature of the
dismissal. Please understand, then,
that it was not the SFA chapter here
that operated with "dual morality,"
but the national office and its
members.
Charles Balan
, Chapel Hill
novel or true, and will take on as
their own philosophy." Ken, I don't
know where you got this from, but
you are obviously a fool. You do
not understand the purpose of a
daily quote or of a newspaper itself.
The daily quote is simply that
a daily quote, food for thought. To
say that it is a statement of DTH
doctrine and belief and to propose
that it is the atheistic battle cry of
DTH legions out to destroy the
spiritual world is ridiculous.
The purpose of a newspaper,
beyond reporting the news, is to
provide a forum for ideas a
means by which anybody
members of the DTH staff, other
students, or irrational students like
yourself can express their views.
Surely the fact that the DTH printed
your column in such grand style
proves this point.
You claim that the DTH wants
"students to believe that things are
the way (the DTH) says they are."
Nietzsche said "God is dead," not
the DTH, Ken.
You compare this Nietzsche
quote dilemma to "missionaries (in
this case, us UNC Christians) being
buried up to their necks in sand,
and then told to reject Christ or die
by a spear to the head." C'mon, Ken.
You insist that our spiritual lives are
in danger, but if a century-old
philosopher's three-word quote,
which I'm sure we've all heard
before, is going to destroy our lives,
then what kind of Christians do you
think we are? Obviously weak ones.
I am a Christian, firm in my
beliefs. Did I feel my spiritual life
threatened in any way by the
Nietzsche quote? No. Did I see it
as an attempt by some scheming
atheistic journalists to wage war on
Christianity? Are you kidding? And
lastly, does anyone really feel that
because Friedrich Nietzsche felt that
the power of religious morals would
be non-existent in the ideal individ
ual philosophy, that we should do
away with our student newspaper
here in 1985 a newspaper that
provides all students with a chance
to express their views as they see
fit? I hope not.
Throckmorton, he gave you eyes,
yet you cannot see.
Dave Bernath
Chapel Hill
AS IfHTHfcPAiLi
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AAA
So Arne says to Dave, 'I've got this idea .
To the editors:
Ah, controversy.
Last year, The Daily Tar Heel
had no trouble looking for controv
ersy. Between Frank Winstead,
Doug Berger and Reverend Jed, the
campus got into about as big an
uproar as it will ever get. But now,
a year later, Reverend Jed isn't
preaching in the Pit, campus elec
tions are over and Frank Winstead
is well, I don't know what Frank
is doing these days.
So there really wasn't anything
really controversial happening
around campus. And no controv
ersy means that DTH editorial
writers have nothing to write about,
and no controversy means no letters
to the editors for the DTH. That's
when Arne and Dave had a great
idea: create a controversy of their
own!
What a great idea! D TH editorial
writers would have something to
write about, the Back Page would
be filled with a bunch of letters, and
most importantly, everyone would
be talking about Arne and Dave and
the DTH. What a great idea, Arne
and Dave said to each other as they
shook hands. Just imagine, the
whole campus talking about us!
So they began searching for a
quote to run at the bottom of the
front page, a quote that would be
sure to stir the masses. Oh they
looked at hundreds; such classics as
"Black holes are filled with peanut
butter" (the light sticks to the roof
of the hole), or "Opus eats mackeral
quiche," or "Madonna is a good
singer." But in the end they chose
one of Nietzsche's all-time favorites:
"God is dead."
With that quote, Arne and Dave
felt they had a sure hit. Just look
at what happened to the Beatles
when John said they were more
popular than Jesus. People burned
records and did all sorts of nasty
things. Can you imagine people
burning DTHs in the Pit and doing
all sorts of nasty things? Arne asked
Dave. Boy, that'd be great! Dave
exclaimed. And people with peti
tions and Ghostbusters-style T
shirts; you know, pictures of the
DTH with a red circle and slash.
Arne and Dave knew that people
would be talking about this for
months!
Well, I congratulate the DTH for
its ingenuity. They set out to create
a controversy, and by golly, they
succeeded in grand fashion. The
letters page will be crammed for
months maybe all the way up
to election time! Keep up the good
work, and I hope you guys have
already figured put how to top this.
Thomas W. O'Brien
Carrboro
First Amendment hypocrisy befalls GIANT
To the editors:
I have several problems with Ken
Throckmorton's column attacking
the DTH ("Christians must fight the
good fight, 'DTH,' " Sept. 1 1).
Point 1: Your beef is with the
editors, not the DTH in general.
Attacking the paper is akin to
attacking Nietzsche's descendants.
Point 2: By attacking the paper,
you are attacking the First Amend
ment the same amendment that
gives you the right to practice
religion. It shouldn't be necessary
to attack freedom of expression to
prove you don't practice "easy
Christianity."
Point 3: Saying there is no middle
ground in religious beliefs is ludi
crous. Many if not most people are
unsure of God's existence, or have
been at some point. There are many
differences as well in Christians'
beliefs. Most, hopefully, are strong
enough in their faith to allow other
people's opinions to be heard.
Point 4: As Throckmorton him
self said, "God is not taken seriously
anymore." If someone doesn't take
God seriously, then God is not a
force in their life; because of this,
God is indeed dead to him or her.
Perhaps you would accomplish
more by talking to and trying to
help someone in need instead of
trying to destroy a newspaper that
printed a three-word quote from a
long-dead philosopher.
And by the way, I do think that
all this is much less serious than
running a spear through someone's
head.
Russ Clegg
Bolin Heights Apts.
The Daily Tar Heel
Editorial Writers: Keith Bradsher and Jim Zook
Assistant Managing Editor: Anjetta McQueen and Cathy Cowan
News: Brian Adler, Crystal Baity, Lisa Brantley, Darlene Campbell, Loch Carnes, Kerstin Coyle,
Randy Farmer, Charles Fernandez, Katy Fridl, Jill Gerber, Edward Mark Gilgor, Todd Gossett,
Loretta Grantham, Mike Gunzenhauser, Kenneth Harris, Denise Johnson, Robert Keefe, Scott
Larsen, Lana Lewin, Mitra Lofti, Guy Lucas, Dora McAlpin, David McCullough, Anjetta
McQueen, Yvette Denise Moultrie, Linda Montanari, Kathy Nanney, Beth Ownley, Rachel
Orr, Grant Parsons, Gordon Rankin, Rachel Stiffler, Rachel Stroud, Joy Thompson, Jennifer
Trotter, Elisa Turner, Laura Van Sant, Devi Sen, Rhesa Versola, Kim Weaver, Lorry Williams,
Laurie Willis, Katherine Wood and Karen Youngblood.
Sports: Scott Fowler and Tim Crothers, assistant sports editors. Rick Beasley, Mike Berardino,
Scott Canterbury, Kimball Crossley, Paris Goodnight, Tom Morris, James Suroweicki, Buffie
Velliquette, Mike Waters and Bob Young.
Features: Marymelda Hall, assistant features editor. Mike Altieri, Nancy Atkinson, Louis
Corrigan, Kara V. Donaldson, Heather Frey, Matthew Fury, Keith Griffler, Wayne Grimsley,
Jane Mintz, Mary Mulvihill, Peggie Porter, Tara Reinhart, Laurie Rodgers, Liz Saylor, Denise
Smitherman and Martha Wallace.
Arts: Elizabeth Ellen, assistant arts editor. Mark Davis, Jim Giles, Aniket Majumdar, Alexandra
Mann, Alan Mason, Sally Pont, Deanna Ruddock and Garret Weyr.
Photography: Elizabeth Lamm, Charles Ledford and Jonathan Serenius.
Copy Editors: Roy Greene, Gina Little, Cindy Parker, Kelli Slaughter, Jami White and Vince
Vargas.
Artists: Adam Cohen, Bill Cokas and David Sumner.
Business and Advertising: Anne Fulcher, general manager; Paula Brewer, advertising director;
Angela Booze, student business manager; Doug Robinson, student advertising manager; Alicia
Brady, Keith Childers, Alicia Susan D'Anna, Stacey Ferguson, Kellie McElhaney, Melanie
Parlier, Stacey Ramirez and Scott Whitaker, advertising representatives; Milli Neal, classified
advertising manager, Rob Patton, classified assistant, and Cathy Davis, secretary.
Distributioncirculation: William Austin, manager.
Production: Brenda Moore and Stacy Wynn. Rita Galloway, assistant.
Printing: Hinton Press Inc. of Mebane
Throckmorton deals students losing hand
By STUART TONKINSON
It's the season when the nuts are falling from
the trees. And in Chapel Hill, all the nuts seem
to congregate in the Pit.
Ken Throckmorton says he doesnt like the
idea of being forced to pay for a newspaper that
presents views he doesn't agree with. How
charming. This is a capitalist society, isnt it?
Capitalism says that consumers should consume
only those goods they want. Why should students
be forced to subsidize an activity that they say
threatens their world view?
Let's look at Throckmorton's (and other
students') reasons for wanting to end constitu
tional funding of The Daily Tar Heel. Let's look
at how self-defeating, immature and empty such
a gesture would be. Let's make a stand for reason,
resisting the emotional ignorance we should have
left behind in grade school.
Throckmorton says students should be able
to decide whether they want to pay for a student
newspaper or not. He wants this option because
the present DTH editors printed what he
considers objectionable material.
With a little bit of thought, it is apparent how
absurd this demand is. In the first place, any
constitutional change this year will not take effect
until the 1986-87 school year, long after the
present editors will have become DTH history.
In other words, Throckmorton's proposal will
have the effect, not of punishing the editors
responsible for the offending material, but a
DTH administration completely innocent of any
wrongdoing.
In the second place, such a proposal seems
to assume that students have no other control
over the DTH. Throckmorton neglects the fact
that the DTH editor is elected by the entire
student body Christians, atheists, fascists,
socialists, etc. No experience is necessary to be
DTH editor, any student can run. How much
more sensible a recourse this is. Student elections
allow concerned students to ask candidates point
blank what material the DTH will print in the
coming year.
The DTH has no control over these elections,
directly or indirectly just last year, the
candidate endorsed by the DTH lost a stunning
defeat to the present editors. In fact, Throck
morton himself could run and be elected editor
of the very paper he wants to castrate.
Furthermore, by cursorily glancing through an
issue of the DTH, Throckmorton might notice
that a number of news pages are paid for in
advertising. The Back Page lacks advertising (at
More than 100 students signed a petition
Wednesday that aims at crippling their news
paper. What motivates them? The answer, I'm
afraid, is not pretty. It's fun to attack authority.
In the 80s, however, students are scared of
attacking "real" authority, like professors, the
administration, the state, etc. So they opt instead
for easy targets like Student Government and
the DTH. It's a way for students exasperated
by a system they find beyond their control to
express their discontent.
This is plain stupid. The newspaper, 111 say
6If a college education means anything, it means testing
your beliefs, challenging your assumptions'
least of the paid sort;. The student fees that
Throckmorton wants to do away with must help
defray a large portion of the costs of providing
students with an open forum. When Throck
morton wrote his column ("Christians must fight
the good fight, 'DTH"") for Wednesday's paper,
he wrote that it was "to be published in its entirety
on September 10, 1985." Well, Ken, sorry we
couldn't oblige you as to printing it on the
requested day, but we did get it in as soon as
possible. Not that we have any obligation,
constitutional or otherwise, to print anything we
receive from students. That's a service we provide
to every member of this University community.
We print anything, however tasteless or offensive.
If somebody felt motivated enough to take pen
to. paper, we print that, even though every day
there are staff-written articles that don't run
because of space limitations.
Which brings up another point. Students
sometimes attack the DTH as being run by a
clique of journalism majors. This is simply not
true. Any student willing to put the time, effort
and blood into the DTH can join the staff. There
are no prejudices regarding race, sex, religion,
sexual preference, political beliefs, undergradu
ate or graduate standing, etc. When students
attack the DTH, they're attacking themselves.
it again, is the students', to make of it what they
will. This destructive urge must have been the
same that motivated the Goths to sack Rome
or the Jews to laugh at Christ's sufferings. Feeling
inferior, the natural reaction of the ignorant is
to strive after feelings of superiority. In this
instance, students seem to want to show that
they can exercise life or death power over student
institutions.
There are students who recognize that silencing
the DTH is hardly a way of strengthening the
united student voice. These people, who make
up the vast majority of the student body,
recognize that if a college education means
anything, it means testing your beliefs, challeng
ing your assumptions, growing as members of
a free society. Tuesday night, Tammy Bakker
asked a nationwide audience at a PTL Club show
why newspapers never printed the good news.
Similarly, Ken Throckmorton might ask why the
DTH prints material he finds offensive. A society
that does not allow challenges to its world view
is a society that will inevitably become stagnant
and bankrupt, morally and intellectually.
Stuart Tonkinson, a senior history and English
major from St. Louis, is managing editor of The
Daily Tar Heel.