Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Oct. 13, 1986, edition 1 / Page 3
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w i iinl ii ii ui, .inn hi m i mm mm i The Daily Tar Heel Monday, October 13, 19863. peakeirs By RANDY FARMER Managing Editor The nation's liberals have a prob lem: The rising tide of conservatism, attributable mainly to the Reagan administration, has liberalism in a tailspin. In essence, the conservatives have forced liberals to be on the defensive in economic and political matters, and they have rendered liberals virtually ineffective in blocking conservative legislation and nomi nees for various positions, panelists said at a conference on "The Crisis in American Liberalism" in honor of former UNC President Frank Porter Graham. In an attempt to understand liberalism's recent decline, the conference was held in the audito rium of Hanes Art Center Friday and Saturday. The conference exam ined the successes and failures of American liberalism and gave a look to the future of that ideology. Once-vital liberal movement no longer attractive to youth By RANDY FARMER Managing Editor It's not surprising that the graybeards dominated the makeup of the audience at the conference on liberalism this weekend. The conference w as the Crisis in American Liberalism. The low student turnout no more than a dozen in an audience of about 200 is perhaps a symptom of the times, and it offers insight to the character of today's college student. One thing is for sure: among the principal failures of the liberal agenda in the 1980s is its failure to recruit the young. Once upon a time, college students were among the most liberal of voters. That political climate to a certain extent seems to have changed in 1986. College students, in general, view the topic of liberalism with indiffer ence. In fact, many students have replaced liberalism with the Rea gan ideal of economic prosperity and military strength. Students, like much of the nation, want a return to nor malcy. And liberalism seems to be uncomfortable with the nature of normalcy because it is essen tially a doctrine of progress and forward movement, not status quoism. To be sure, the students who were once a vital force of the liberalism are gone. Just as the late 1960s and the 1970s were a time of student protest and a struggle for equality, the 1980s could be labeled a time of hed onism and apathy. OPEN HOUSE t School of Public Health 1 200 Rosenau Hall Tuesday, October Information will b$ available for students wishing to consider an undergraduate major in: Biostatistics Environmental Protection Health Education Health Policy and Administration Nutrition 4? ' W 1 A "6 1$ Spirited Clothes For Men And Women navigate The conference featured live panelists, each of whom spoke for about an hour on an aspect of liberalism, and then f elded questions from the other panelists and members of the audience. About 200 people attended the conference, including former UNC-System Pres ident William Friday and current president CD. Spangler. The con ference was sponsored by the Pro gram in Humanities and Human Values, the Division of Extension and Continuing Education and the Frank Porter Graham Fund for Human Values in Public Life. William Leuchtenburg, a history professor at UNC, led off the conference with an examination of liberalism from the time of Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency up to the present. "The history of liberalism in America over the past century has been the history of the Democratic Party," Leuchtenburg said. Leuchtenburg outlined liberal News Analysis The Franklin Street party-turned-fracas is telling evidence of that. Serious doubts can be raised if so many students would have turned out to protest, say, the raising of the voting age to 21, or would have done so with such ardor. Noticeably void and ironic in the panel members' discussion was the question of how to bring back the youth. The answer in large part, I think, lies in w hom the conference honoree was Frank Porter Graham. The former UNC pres ident was loved by students as teacher and president because of his selfless interest and devotion to them. He had a brilliance that challenged, not indoctrinated, students to think of world, national and state matters beyond dollar signs and short-term gains. He believed in freedom and dignity for all people and consi dered democratic and moral ideals as ultimate weapons against tyranny. He also had faith in the people because, as he said, if things fall against you then "youH always have the power of the people behind you." There is not a more critical task facing the crisis in American liberalism than the recruitment of the people especially the young. For if liberalism fails in this task, it is in for even darker days. 14th, 12-2 pm j .Ji-fA::::-yJi wmmm 4 V WvS ivl mmmmmmmmm - tlnroeglhi the dire straits off liberalise! successes civil rights legislation, welfare, public housing - - within the Democratic Party. But those suc cesses saw a demise, he said, around the time of the Vietnam war, which "undercut credibility of liberals who for years supported the war." Leuchtenburg said the origin of the term liberal comes from a political congregation in the Man chester School of Economics around the 1830s that advocated a limited role of government. "If you look in the 1930s for a well articulated exposition of liberal thought you will look in vain," he said. Liberal got its contemporary meaning from The New Republic, a political magazine, in 1916 as a means to distinguish the magazine's outlook from the Teddy Roosevelt progressives, he said. Liberalism today, he said, is viewed as the political thought that favors pornography, supports the Political science professor dies By GRANT PARSONS University Editor When UNC visiting professor Patrick Hagan ran for student body president of West Virgina University in Morgantown a few years ago, he did it a little differently. "He ran for student body president on the 'apathy ticket,' " recalled Richard Richardson, chairman of UNC's political science department. About 20,000 students attend WVU, and only about 4,000 of them voted, he said. "So when 16,000 students didn't vote, he claimed victory on the basis that his voters didn't turn out," inley, benefactor of N.C. colleges, dies at age 90 By JEAN LUTES Assistant University Editor It could have just been a conver sation between close friends having a few drinks and discussing their golf games but it resulted in the donation of Finley Golf Course. "One night we were together, and after about the second drink I had no more sense than to tell them I'd give them a golf course," philanthro pist Albert Earl Finley once said of his contribution. Finley, who donated millions of dollars to UNC-system schools, died Friday at the age of 90. The donation of the golf course was typical of Finley, who never revealed the amounts of his contri butions. He donated money to the UNC business and medical schools, as well as N.C. State University, Duke University, Meredith College and Peace College in Raleigh, and Campbell University in Buies Creek. Informational Meeting UNC YEAR IN MONTPELLIER Wednesday, October 15 3:30-5:00 Video Presentation 4:00 Student Panel (4th Floor To fly is one thine. To fly with the 0 mm else. They'll show you the meaning of wings. From the wings of the F-18 Hornet to the wings you this is flying at its best. And your ticket to fly is your college diploma. If you'd like to be up there, contact your local Marine Officer Selec tion Officer. 1-800-423-2600. J 1 Were looking for a See Capt. Cariker Oct. 14-16 1 - 800 - criminal's rights over the victim's and indifference to family values. Tom Wicker, associate editor of The New York Times and a UNC graduate, gave a fiery speech on liberalism and foreign affairs. "So the Reagan doctrine, like the Tru man doctrine and all in-between versions, is really anti-communist rather than pro-democracy," Wicker said. "Are we so sure anyway that our inordinate fear of Soviet puppets in Central America isn't just the same old anti-communism reinforcing the same old U.S. interventionism that we have been practicing in the region for better than a century," he said. The United States should not intervene, even in the name of freedom, Wicker said, except when we are asked to or are forced to by acts of war. Wicker does believe in a strong military position and advocated liberal support for that, he said. Richardson said. That's the same sense of humor and insight that Hagan, 31, brought to his temporary teaching assign ment with UNC's political science department. Hagan, who taught constitutional law and political science theory at UNC, died Friday in an automobile accident. He was 32. "He was a wonderful, wonderful teacher," Richardson said. "He was extremely popular and very commit ted to education." Hagan was killed about 5:30 p.m. Friday while driving on U.S. 15-501. While he was traveling north, a During his career as an entrepe neur, Finley helped found over 10 companies, from the Pines Restau rant and University Motel in Chapel Hill to Finley Farms, a citrus grove in Ocala, Fla. "He was just a great person to work for," said W.C. Calton, current president of the N.C. Equipment Co., which Finley founded. "He taught me everything he knew, that 1 could learn. He was like a daddy to me, and he would tell anyone who worked for him anything to help them out." Chancellor Christopher Fordham i said Finley was a "quiet, generous American Heart Association WE'RE FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE Dey Hall) Marine Corps is something wear as a Marine aviator, few good mm. at the Student Union or call 722 - 6715. Julius Chambers, director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, spoke on liberalism and civil rights; he essentially stated that the past victories for liberals should be no cause for a relaxed attitude in pursuit of further civil rights goals. "As we look at the state of black America, we see an increasing number of high school dropouts; we see a decreasing number of minority enrollment at universities and colleges." He said he viewed the Senate approval of William Rehnquist for Supreme Court justice as setback for civil rights. "In looking at the history of not only Chief Justice Rehnquist, I don't think anyone, despite his cloaked academic achievements, can support his nomination as chief justice of these United States." Chambers asked: How would you feel as a black American, if the southbound 1976 Oldsmobile crossed the center line and struck his car, according to the State Highway Patrol. Hagan was pronounced dead at N.C. Memorial Hospital. The driver of the Oldsmobile, Mary Edwards Price, 46, of Route 3 in Chapel Hill, received minor injuries. She was treated and released from NCMH. Price was charged with driving left of the center line and misdemeanor death by vehicle, police said. Hagan, who was scheduled to return to WVU after this semester, received held doctoral and master's degrees in political science from benefactor." The goll course has been a major asset to the University, Fordham said. "He has enabled us to beautify the course through more recent dona tions he was dedicated to beauty," Fordham said. John Swofford, UNC director of athletics, said Finley was extremely generous to many people. "A lot of alumni, students and faculty are indebted to him for his contribu tions," he said. Present this Coupon When Ordering mail kryf 5 A TRULY SPECIAL LEADER : KaLLY PIT M on so?" On"" ENTERTAINMENT BY Also Featuring David Price 4th Congressional District Candidate Sponsored By Students For Sandford Supreme Court justice, even before he came to office, told you that he was against everything you had been fighting for the past two decades? Chambers said he was optimistic, however, that liberalism would come through, scoring civil rights victones as it had in the past. " Frances Fox Piven, professor of political science at The City Univer sity of New York, gave a speech on the welfare state and liberalism. Piven said the welfare state has had achievements in aiding the poor and elderly, but it still has not done enough for those groups. Nathan Glazer, professor of edu cation and sociology at Harvard University, spoke on the liberal frame of mind. He said liberalism was in essence individualism. The failure of liberalism in recent times, he said, can be attributed to liberals being "too cavalier" in their recruit ment of the conservatives. in crash UNC in 1986 and 1982, respectively. He also held law and bachelor's degrees from WVU. The Charleston, S.C., native was a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Amer ican Civil Liberties Union. Richardson said the University was lucky to have a visiting professor of Hagan's caliber. Not only did Hagan have the legal training and education, but he also had practical experience. Hagan's classes, taught by another professor, will continue as scheduled, Richardson said. Finley's annual contributions to the golf course allowed the Univer sity to install cart paths, improve the course's irrigation system and bujld a concession stand. Finley's portrait hangs over fjie clubhouse fireplace, above a bronze tablet inscribed, "In appreciation for making golf available to the students at the University of North Carolina" N.C. State's Carter-Finley Sta dium and A.E. Finley Field House also bear his name. "v In CTi&Tvrt : : 'it NTH : : : : : : .. - : - Nlooini THE CLEFHANGERS: s V.,4 eft. Monday-Saturday 9:30-6:00 Sunday 1:00-5:00 929-7332 171 E. Franklin St. 929-7332 And UNC Young Democrats
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Oct. 13, 1986, edition 1
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