Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / June 11, 1987, edition 1 / Page 15
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The Tar Heel Thursday, June 11, 198715 Editorial Ignore the bigoted marchers when the Klan comes to town The Klan will march in Chapel Hill. For the first time since 1964 the Ku Klux Klan will bring their hoods, paramilitary uniforms, and pernicious ideas to Chapel Hill's streets on Sunday. These self proclaimed white patriots will scream their usual bilge. They will try to incite reactions from observers. They want to draw attention to their cause. Do yourself, Chapel Hill, and North Carolina a favor. Stifle your curiosity don't watch these contemptible "patriots" demonstrate. Take a road trip. Go to the beach. Go home. Study. Sleep. But don't watch these ignorant, hate-filled men and women as they rant and rave. If you feel compelled to protest the Klan's march, channel your energy into a more productive effort than exchanging insults with ignorant Klansmen. Support the NAACP, Urban League, or similar groups devoted to making America a more inclusive society. Help monitor Klan activities. Contact your elected and appointed officials and urge them to support legal efforts to counter the growing violence of the Klan. Political emasculation has caused Klans men to reorganize themselves into numerous paramilitary groups. These paramilitary groups compose the Klan's threat to society. Stock-piled weaponry and paramilitary training indicate that Klansmen hope to use terrorism to divide Americans. Violent acts of terrorism may push citizens to demand governmental action that violates the Constitution; the result might be a witchhunt reminiscent of McCarthyism. The Klan chose to demonstrate in Chapel Hill because of its reputation as North Carolina's bastion of liberalism. The Klan expects and will welcome anti-Klan dem onstrators. Angry invectives will not open one closed mind, but the vituperative exchange will provide television stations with eye-catching footage for the evening news. No matter who "wins" a brief verbal exchange, the Klan gains the most television will beam its activity and violent message into thousands of homes. Ignore the Klan's march in Chapel Hill, but do not ignore the Klan. The march in Greensboro and the planned marches in Chapel Hill and Durham signal a recrudes cence of Klan activity. Klansmen have the right to demonstrate and fulminate; we have the right and the duty to stop them from killing and burning. The Klan deserves contempt and warrants concern. Show your contempt by ignoring the march on Sunday. Show your concern by striving to end prejudice and racism. The Iran-contra confusion: ronnds for impeachment? In all his years in office, the greatest political challenge that Ronald Reagan has faced has been the Iran-contra affair. As this complex tale of international arms dealings, international money laundering and deliberate dis-information to Congress and the American people is gradually being unwound by the special congressional committee, many new questions are being asked. The most crucial question being asked is, when did President Reagan learn of Lt. Col. North's Central American activities? This is important because if Reagan knew in detail of North's activities with the contras when they were occurring, then it is possible that Reagan could be impeached. Whether or not Reagan will be impeached, of course, is another matter entirely. The grounds on which Reagan could be impeached would be that congress had passed a law, commonly referred to as the Boland Amendment, which outlawed any assistance to the contras on the part of the U.S. government. North certainly knew that he was violating the will of Congress and it is highly probable that he knew he was violating the law. If Reagan knew of North's activities, the implications become very serious. If Reagan knew the full story, then he flouted Congress' amendment and shamelessly abused the power of his position. If Reagan knew the truth all along, it follows that the Congress' wishes and the wishes of the American people that Congress represents meant very little to him. However, until Oliver North testifies before the congressional committee later this summer, the truth about what Reagan knew and when he knew it will remain unknown. North has been granted limited immunity by the committee and may testify as early as mid-July. In September of 1987 America will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Constitution. If it is discovered that President Reagan has violated the Consti tution by ignoring the authority that the Constitution has vested in Congress, no matter what his reasons were, and then no action is taken against Reagan, then there is little point in having a celebration for a document that no longer has any real power or meaning in the American political system. (Htj? Star Mni Sally Pearsall Editor Stephanie Beard Managing Editor Lisa Lorentz News Editor Ron Crawford University Editor Mike Berardino Sports Editor Joanne Gordon Arts and Features Editor Steve Matteson Photography Editor Staff Tom Ballus, Chip Beverung, James Burrus, Susana Dancy, Eric Fullagar, Edward Gilgor, Sarah Glowacki, Alecia Holland, Michael Jackson, Lauren Joyner, Gary Kayye, Alex Marshall, Laura Patterson, Paul Russ, Karen Smiley, Sherrie Thomas, Marie Thompson, Nancy Waldrop, Wendy Widener, Judy Wilson. Off the Record How to find anew meal ticket Warning: This column was written after many candid and in-depth interviews with other angry and disgruntled males. Some material may be offensive to females who have dinner dates this weekend. Okay girls, it's week four of summer school and you're start ing to run a little short of money. What will you do? Get a part-time job? No. Start that diet a little early and miss a few meals? Not yet. Skip He's Not Here tonight? Never. You know that there is no need to panic. The Campus Meal Ticket is waiting to help. He is the person sitting behind the best-looking guy in the class. And if you play your cards right, hell be more than happy to help finance your summer. First, youll smile at him and start small talk. Let him believe you're interested and hell be sure to ask you to dinner. Of course youll go. And (much to your surprise) it will be fun. Hell be nice, polite and good company even if you aren't the least bit interested in him. Then hell be hooked. Youll only have to call him occasion ally and laugh at his jokes to be assured of two or three free meals (and maybe even a movie) every week. But eventually a check will come in your mail or the Meal Ticket will start to get on your nerves. Then it will be time to have the Big Talk. This is when youll sit him down and tell him that you are "just friends" or that he is "just like a big brother to you." You won't see the Meal Ticket much after that. And when you do, youll wonder why he doesn't seem very interested in your problems with men. After all, you used to be such "good friends." And one more reminder . . . this is the time of year to remember your original meal ticket. That's right next Sunday, June 21, is Father's Day. This is when you thank that special person (whether it's your actual father or anyone else) who pushed and badgered you for the first 18 or 20 years of your life. And you are probably just now beginning to realize how much you needed to be pushed and badgered. So use next Sunday as an excuse to thank someone who deserves more. We're giving you an early warning so you can go ahead and get those cards and letters in the mail early. Iff C-h,w w-4 frt , in i i, -- - 1 CROWN OF THORNS
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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June 11, 1987, edition 1
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