4
6The Daily Tar Heel Tuesday, February 18, 1986
(If e
(Mr 1
.year o editorial freedom
Jim Zook, foor
STUART TONKINSON, Associate Editor
GRANT PARSONS, University Editor
Bryan Gates, News Editor ,
KERSTIN COYLE, City Editor
JILL GERBER, State and National Editor
Scott Fowler, sports Editor
DENISE SMITHERMAN, Features Editor
ROBERT KEEFE, Business Editor
Elizabeth Ellen, Am Editor '
DAN CHARLSON, Photography Editor
RANDY FARMER, Production Editor
. , MEuifO(oills
Brady for SEP with reserve
Both candidates on today's ballot for
student body president have consider
able strengths and weaknesses. This
campaign has been so overshadowed by
controversy that debate on the specifics
of the candidates' platforms and abilities
has been sparse.
After lengthy debate, The Daily Tar
HeeTs endorsement board has voted by
a 3-2 margin to support David Brady
support ridden with reservations.
When hashing out the pros and cons
of the two, the board summarized the
race as pitting an experienced but
overconfident candidate with bes
mudged credibility against an articulate
idealist who has offered attractive
overall themes but few specifics during
the campaign. In the end, experience
won a narrow victory.
Brady's term as chairman of the
Campus Governing Council's Finance
Committee began with observers wond
ering about the capabilities of a fresh
man in handling the infamous budget
process. Little more was heard about the
process in the D TH because it was one
of the smoothest in recent memory.
H asset's experience in campus activ
ities is broad, including involvement in
Students for a Student Voice, the
Campus Awareness Network and par
ticipation in the reinstatement of George
Gamble. However, when questioned on
how he would organize his administra
tion, Hassel lacked the in-depth knowl
edge expected from a student body
president, This ignorance of Suite C's
infrastructure is a flaw in the Hassel
plan.
. It appears Brady wisely used his term
on the CGC in formulating realistic,
tangible ideas that will appeal to the
Jones for RHA presiden
average student initiating long-range
plans for a South Campus parking deck,
forming a meal plan co-op, devising a
minimum-use textbook policy. Brady's
campaign pamphlet does have one
glaring omission his ideas on a Black
Cultural Center.
Hassel's basic theme of empowerment
is admirable, but it is a refrain of themes
that students have heard in elections
past, one that neglects the needs of the
average student. The main points
advocated in Hassel's campaign state
ment that appeared in the DTH two
weeks ago stresses intangibles "a
Student Government that will be truly
responsive to your concerns, a maj'or
reorganization of Student Government,
a new type of leadership to Student
Government." Hassel's platform offers
solutions to improving Student Govern
ment; Brady's gives ways to improve
student life.
The most positive analysis of the T
shirt scandal for Brady is to say he has
faced adversity and persevered. In the
eyes of the endorsement board (and
apparently those of the Supreme Court),
Brady's evasive testimony during the
trial raised many questions. Student
perceptions of Brady's "willful blind
ness" and "flagrant disregard of both the
spirit and the letter of the campaign
spending laws" has certainly weakened
his ability to elicit participation from the
student body. Any weakening of his
ability to generate support will be tested
today.
Brady and Hassel both have the
potential to be fine student body
presidents. But today, Brady has the
approach and experience that will best
help Student Government meet its
challenges.
A crucial aspect in the race for
Residence Hall Association president is
how the winner will work with the
University administration, particularly
the Department of Housing. Will the
new president be naive, or will he
responsibly react to the decisions of
Director Wayne Kuncl? He must rec
ognize the realities of the job and never
forget why he is in office - to serve
the students. Ray Jones possesses the
willingness and savvy to constructively
work with administrators throughout
the University.
Following this train of thought, the
endorsement panel of The Daily Tar
Heel has voted 4-1 to support Ray Jones
for president of the Residence Hall
Association.
Jones rests his candidacy on the belief
that RHA's major role is to fight for
what students need and want to enjoy
dormitory life. As president of Avery
dormitory, he demonstrated a rapport
with the residents. But he also showed
the resolve and initiative to act on his
ideas.
The other candidate, H.F. Watts, has
shown he has more experience in RHA
than Jones, but that experience may not
be an asset. RHA has become stagnant
and its current president, Tim Cobb, is
involved in the seamy politics of endors
ing a candidate in the middle of a run
off election, without a majority vote and
without properly screening, and inter
viewing the candidates. Watts has tried
to separate himself from this bland
RHA, which he ironically has been so
much a part of in recent years. The fact
remains that he voted to endorse himself.
Jones' lack of experience with RHA,
then, could be in his favor. He promises
to bring some much-needed fresh insight
to RHA and is committed to his beliefs,
'two traits that can only benefit on
campus students.
No one can dispute Watts' diligence
, in investigating the history of dorm
enhancement funds, a focal point in his
campaign. The referendum students
approved two weeks ago, which he co
wrote, will put the enhancement funds
back in student hands where it
.belongs.
The overriding concerns facing the
next RHA president will include work
ing to solve the parking shortage, settling
the fate of Old East dormitory and
helping residence areas use their enhance
ment funds. Ray Jones' sensible and
down-to-earth approach to these prob
lems makes him our choice for RHA
president.
Malcmg
cases for the final ffoeir
i A p.
it
For SBP, Brady
To the editor:
During the past week and a
half, David Brady has been
under extreme pressure concern
ing the T-shirt controversy.
Some parties have persistently
tried to eliminate David from the
student body president election
despite the fact that he has been
cleared again and again. Under
similar circumstances many
other candidates would have lost
their composure, become vindic
tive and possibly given up their
campaign altogether, yet Brady
did just the opposite. He held on
to his integrity, remained level
headed because he knew in the
end he would be absolved. We
need a student body president
who can react positively to such
difficult times.
David can act with such "grace
under pressure" because he has
the experience and wisdom of
many years working in student
government. From his beginning
as Morrison Campus Governing
Council representative to his
Finance Committee chairman
ship, where he had the respon
sibility of allocating hundreds of
thousands of dollars, David has
shown his abilities to be a
responsible representative of
students.
David Brady is a candidate for
the students. He knows what the
students need: better food servi
ces, tighter security, more park
ing spaces realistic goals that
directly affect the students of this
campus. Student concerns have
been and always will be top
priorities for David and he will
be persistent in presenting them
on campus.
David Brady is a fresh alter
native for the student body. For
the past 10 years, most of the
student body presidents have
lived off campus and have come
from one particular group. How
can the president of the student
body that lives off campus know
the immediate concerns of the
students better than one who
lives on campus? David lives on
campus now and plans to live
on campus next year. Further
more, David is coming in with
no presidential tradition behind
him to restrict or influence his
idea and plans. He is coming in
with a greater spectrum of the
student body that would be more
representative of the students.
Because David will have such
a close touch with the students
he can deal with issues before
. they develop into campuswide
problems. Unlike student body
presidents before him, David
Brady goes directly to the stu
dents arid the sources' of the
problems. "Going door to door"
- and taking a personal interest in
each student is proof that David
Brady is genuinely concerned
with student needs.
David has the experience, the
motivation, the leadership abil
ities, the close contact with the
students and the realistic goals
to make an excellent student
body president. David Brady can
make the difference between a
student government without the
students and one with the stu
dents. David Brady is working
for you.
Bradford Barefoot
Sophomore
Economics
Frank Kevin Yoo
Sophomore
Chemistry English
kDGffi?s ft ffifD 0d! oteir
For RHA , Watts
To the editor:
This year's race for RHA
president provides an important
crossroads for RHA, yet it
appears that much of the signif
icance of this race has been
glossed over by both The Daily
Tar Heel and the voter. One
candidate represents expe
rienced, realistic, strong and
energetic leadership. This candi
date is H.F. Watts, and he stands
head and shoulders above his
competition. My support of H.F.
Watts stems from more than my
disappointment with Ray Jones;
more importantly, my support of
Watts comes from what he is,
what he represents and his ideas.
Watts has the required expe
rience to make a good RHA
president: Teague Hall represen
tative, Scott College social It.
governor, governor of Scott
College, member" of RHA
Governing Board and inaugural
member , of the RHA Finance
Committee, twice Scott College
Orientation area coordinator
and a member of the Orientation
Commission. Watts experience
is not only impressive, it is also
meaningful. His experience will
give him the capability to effec
tively lead RHA in the right
direction. Watts knows his con
stituency on both the area and
University level. Put simply,
Watts knows RHA, and if
elected, he coould immediately
begin to implement his ideas.
Such is not the case with his
opponent.
Watts is conscientious enough
to avoid the rhetorical promises
that sound good to both the press
and to voters. His integrity may
have cost him the election. Watts'
opponent, on the other hand,
makes promises that he knows
he cannot keep. Of all people,
Jones knows that parking is
under the jurisdiction of the
Student Body President. Yet,
time and time again Jones has
made promises that are literally
impossible for him to keep.
Perhaps worse than the misre
presentation of facts is the way
Jones has stolen ideas from
Watts and presented those ideas
to voters as his own. The idea
of inter-area mixers is already
instituted in RHA, and it was
Watts, not Jones, who first
suggested a large all-campus
party before the drinking age
changes. In this community,
Jones' activity is not only pla
gjaristic, it is despicable.
Another major asset that
Watts carries with him is those
of us who endorse him. He has
been endorsed by Jack Zemp,
governor of Hinton James;
Courtney Saunders, governor of
Granville Towers; Allen Gleitz,
governor of STOW; Jeff Ward,
governor of Henderson Resi
dence College and Jimmy
Greene, former Campus Govern
ing Council speaker.
Ultimately, the choice of RHA
president, and thus the future of
RHA, lies with the voter. How
ever," as current RHA president,
here is my advice: if you want
experienced and realistic leader
ship, vote H.F. Watts; if you
want strong and practical lead
ership, again vote H.F. Watts;
lastly, if you want leadership that
will not make impossible prom
ises but will effectivley work for
all residents, then I encourage
you to vote H.F. Watts for RHA
president.
Tim Cobb
Senior
Business administration
leadership who commands the
respect of administrators. As a
Resident Assistant for two years,
I have seen University Housing
inside and out. The only way to
reverse the Housing policy that
results in no trash cans and high
room rents is to elect a leader
v with the determination and the
willingness to stand up for
students in the face of Housing,
a leader who will work to make
dorm governments strong again.
It means getting concerned about
our own student affairs; it means
electing Ray Jones. Vote Ray
Jones for RHA president.
Again. . .
Jerry Blackwell
Second year
Law
.7.
For RHA, Jones
To the editor:
In his campaign for RHA
president, something Ray Jones
often said was, "Ask the people
of Avery what kind of president
I have been for them." They
know his strengths and wea
knesses and his abilities as a
leader in dorm government. Last
Tuesday in Scott College, where
Ray lives and where H.F. Watts
is governor, residents made their
choice for the better leader. They
overwhelmingly chose Ray, and
I encourage the rest of the
campus to make the same choice.
Ray's ideas are concrete and
sensible; his leadership is pro
gressive and responsive.
Tough issues confront RHA
this year, issues which place
major responsibilities upon the
RHA president in protecting the
interests of residents. For exam
ple, this month the Board of
Trustees will consider a further
reduction in the number of
student parking spaces. In the
same meeting they could decide
to raise the mandatory meal plan
minimum. Ray has dealt with the
administration and the trustees
extenxively in performing his
duties in Avery government and
in directing the Student Govern
ment Committee on Parking. He
knows what it takes to make
progress with the administration,
and he knows what it takes to
make the student voice heard.
Why trust such important stu
dent concerns to someone else
who is simply not capable?
The RHA presidency requires
a person with solutions and
For SBP, Hassel
To the editor:
Students should elect student
body presidents who will repres
ent their best interests. While
many of those interests are the
same from year to year, there are
major issues that change as
frequently as Suite C adminis
trations. Consequently,' the
office demands a leader with the
abilities to handle these issues.
Bryan Hassel is that candidate.
The student body president at
UNC is repeatedly sought out to
give his or her opinion on
differing concerns. Invariably, he
will find himself balancing his
attention between campus issues
and those local and national
affairs that directly influence the
campus. Students often do not
realize the impact of the consol
idated college student voice in
the nation. Bryan Hassel is the
person to fill and perform these
needs.
I know fully the duties of the
student body president by having
served in that office, 1983-84. I
feel confident both candidates
for this office could perform
adequately. However, Bryan
Hassel has the foresight, leader
ship abilities, and ideas charac
teristic of the type student body
president the campus needs at
this time.
When voting today, please
keep in mind the importance of
the divergent roles the student
body president must perform
trustee, spokesperson, adminis
trator and advocate of student
interests. Keep in mind those
matters which we as students
must address which are relevant
to this campus and the UNC
system. Remember also that we
as students have a responsibility
to exert our influence in shaping
our environment. Speaking as
someone who knows the office,
Bryan Hassel will serve us well
as student body president and in
the many accompanying roles.
Now is the time to elect a person
with Bryan's qualifications.
Kevin Monroe
Senior
Political science
U.S. must own up to responsibilites in South Africa as violence mounts
Note: Tonight is the fourth of the eight-part
Great Decisions foreign policy lecture series,
sponsored by the Office of International
Programs. The Rev. Motlalepula Chabaku, a
black South African minister in exile; will address
the topic "South Africa: Is peaceful change still
possible?" in the Hones Art Building auditorium.
As if February and the fju season weren't
depressing enough. I'd like to consider the
chances for peaceful change in South Africa and
the role that the United States has been playing
there. I warn you that neither of them appear
very uplifting.
. Recent events in South Africa have demon
strated the moral bankruptcy of the minority
whites' doctrine of apartheid, which mandates
racial discrimination as a fundamental principle
of society. The majority blacks are denied the
right to vote, the right to choose where to live,
and even the right to citizenship in their own
country. Particularly painful are the economic
and human tolls of apartheid on the majority,
who may lose as many as one in four of their
children to malnutrition and disease before their
first birthday.
The non-whites have been striving peacefully
to change this racist society for nearly eight
Marshall Mills
Guest columnist
In yet another example of the University's disdain for student
input, four years of student protests and referendums in
favor of divestment . . . have met with rejections and
smokescreens.
decades, but frustrating rejection by the white
authorities has increasingly channeled this desire
for progress into violence. Police massacres of
blacks at demonstrations, often peaceful ones
(many victims are shot in the back), have been
recurring since 1960 and have culminated during
the past 16 months in a low-level race war that
has claimed nearly 800 lives. Matters have gotten
significantly worse since President Botha
declared a state of emergency last July. Images
from South Africa of burning cars, stone-hurling
youths and trigger-happy policemen were
common on American television until the South
African government banned cameras from riot
torn areas. ,
So what does this have to do with America?
The United States js closely involved with South
Africa both economically and diplomatically. In
fact, most black Africans perceive that the United
States is supporting South Africa beacuse of the
Reagan administration's policy of "constructive
engagement," which involves cooperation with
the government, diplomatic opposition to
international punishment of South Africa and
full economic cooperation. Despite recent
retreats due to domestic opposition, U.S. policy
still fails to pressure South Africa or curtail either
our contact with the repugnant system or U.S.
corporations' profits from the oppressive
economy.
Yet many Americans are upset with the stain
of the U.S.'s apparent support for apartheid.
Proposals have circulated in Congress for harsh
economic sanctions against South Africa anmd
support for the focus of change there. The stain
even extends here, Carolina Blue Heaven, as our
Endowment Fund's investments include corpo
rations extracting profits from the racist
oppression in South Africa. In yet another
example of the University's disdain for student
input, four years of student protests and
referendums in favor of divestment from these
corporations have met with rejections and
smokescreens. In a move typical of the American
establishment's reaction to South Africa, the
University has made the cosmetic change of
investing only in corporations adhering to the
Sullivan Principles, which merely call for the
unverified "equal treatment" of the highly
unequally treated blacks and whites. Hardly
justice. These same corporations, many in key
industries such as automobiles and computers,
pay taxes and provide American technology to
the racist government's machine of oppression
(e.g., American computers enable the police to
keep track of pass law violators). Hardly
constructive.
Meanwhile, the racial violence is mounting.
Prophets of nonviolent change, such as Bishop
Desmond Tutu, preach on, but the sermons are
being increasingly drowned out by police guns
answering rioters' rocks. Black youths have been
heard to ask, "How many bullets can they have?"
Recently, an unarmed crowd overcame two white
policemen at great loss to themselves. If the
prospects for peaceful change are not to die in
these hate-filled massacres, then a substantial
alternative to violent change must be offered.
One essential ingredient of a peaceful alter
native is forceful action by the United States and
other Western countries. The current reaction
of the American establishment, from the White
House to South Building, is disturbing in its
cooperation with racist South Africa. What's
behind the complacency? The profit motive?
Fear of change? Ideological similarities? If 800
dead are not enough, the price paid lor this,
complacency can only increase. South Africa is
changing, one way or another. Let's hope that
the prospect for peaceful change has not yet been
the high price paid for our complacency.
Mai shall Mills is . r innrnuinmil Miuin s
man r ' m ( .