10The Daily Tar HeelThursday, October 26, 1989
(Genilemen, with this STA si-y llllflllT)
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97th year of editorial freedom
Sharon Kebschull, Editor
WILLIAM TaGGART, Managing Editor
MARY JO DiJNNINGTON, Editorial Page Editor
JUSTIN McGuiRE, University Editor
KAREN DUNN, State and National Editor
TOM PARKS, Business Editor
Dave Glenn, Sports Editor
MELANIE BLACK, Design Editor
TAMMY BLACKARD, Editorial Page Editor
JENNY CLONINGER, University Editor
Jessica Lanning, City Editor
CARA BONNETT, Arts and Features Editor
Kelly Thompson, Omnibus Editor
DAVID SurowiECKI, Photography Editor
Julia Coon, News Editor
Spangler strikes out
UNC-system president should resign
board
opinion
After a long battle, -UNC
Board of Gov
ernors member
Samuel Poole this
week released the report his commission
compiled last semester on athletics at N.C.
State University. UNC-system President
CD. Spangler had, in the manner of anyone
but the president of an entire university
system, agreed to keep the report from the
public until Poole released it in the face of
a lawsuit over his violation of the Public
Records Law. Spangler has made a mess of
this affair and embarrassed the universities
by hiding information from the system's
governing board. Given his apparent dis
dain for his job, in this and other incidents,
and his lack of appropriate background, it
is time he resign.
Poole, a lawyer, said it was not a viola
tion of the law to keep the report private
although it was paid for with $40,000 from
taxpayers and he admitted he was
trying to circumvent the law by only giv
ing Spangler an oral report. The written
report released Saturday to Board of Gov
ernors members none of whom had
seen the report before, despite the fact that
they control the system went into fur
ther, disturbing detail than had Spangler' s
report to the board in September.
President Spangler spent this entire
episode cowering behind Poole, doing
whatever he said. These past few weeks, in
which BOG members have had to beg to
see the report, have been an embarrass
ment to the entire system. When Spangler
spoke to the board, he gave few concrete,
practical initiatives to clean up academic
abuses at NCSU and protect the system
from future NCAA violations. The BOG
adopted his mostly vague recommenda
tions but has done little since then. Part of
the problem, of course, is that board
members had little to go on in deciding the
future of our system.
Understandably, BOG members like a
president who does as they wish, giving
. them more power. But even they should be
frustrated at this latest episode, and they
should be tired of a president who shows
inadequate concern for education and the
system he should be leading.
This is not the first time that Spangler
has embarrassed ths system and shown a
real disdain for its members. Last year,
students at the N.C. School of the Arts
were upset with their chancellor. They
came to Chapel Hill to discuss this with
Spangler; he ignored them and they were
forced instead to protest on Franklin Street.
Spangler may have disagreed with their
complaints, but to act as though they were
not his concern was unacceptable.
Spangler also has continuing ties to the
business world that distract him from
education. Clearly, business is his first
love, but when he ignores the problems
facing this system and they are numer
ous he hurts many people in the process.
Everyone makes mistakes and deserves
forgiveness, but for too long now, Span
gler has put students' futures and faculty
and administrators at a clear disadvantage.
Spangler's business background obvi
ously did not prepare him to lead a public
education system. Anyone connected to
the system should be disappointed in the
way this has been handled, in the way
Spangler allowed himself to be led by a
lawyer who had little regard for the law, in
the way the system's integrity has been
compromised. Spangler has done nothing
thus far to redeem himself, to show that he
has learned from all this. And until this
issue arose, he was practically been an in
visible leader, forcing other leaders such
as Chancellor Paul Hardin to call for new
initiatives, to lobby the General Assembly
for financial freedoms.
The decline in the quality of the system
may not be screaming at us yet, but within
a few years, the lack of leadership at the top
will be evident. Spangler cannot set policy
that is up to the BOG but he can take
the initiative on academic and athletic is
sues, leading the board down the path to a
bright future. We have the right to expect
this from our leader, to expect strong, bold,
even radical initiatives that will keep the
system at the forefront of education.
The last thing this system needs is more
upheaval, as would result from a search for
a new president, but that seems to be the
only way out. Spangler should return to his
business interests and leave the General
Administration office to someone who
cares about this system and the future of
education as much as students and faculty
do.
A just punishmen
Televangelist abused religion's power
The decision is in, and the earthly judgment
day of televangelist Jim Bakker has finally
come. But a mere jail sentence and fine seem
trivial next to the years of lying, cheating and
adultery which he committed in God's name.
While Bakker will forever remain a disgrace to
. religion, and mankind for that matter, we can
gain hope in the precedent that his pathetic case
Sets People who attempt to deceive others,
especially in the manner of Bakker, are not
beyond the law mortal or divine. Most
importantly, the entire affair sends another
message to the innocent souls in America who
believe in these impos-
Bakker may have
caused thousands to
lose faith in God and
his clergy.
tors: folks, it's time to
wake up and smell the
coffee.
Bakker was sen
tenced Tuesday to 45
years in prison and fines
of $500,000 not a
bad deal for Bakker,
who faced a maximum
punishment of 120 """"""""""
years and $5 million in fines. The PTL founder
must also serve a minimum sentence of 10
' years before possible parole, by which time
Bakker undoubtedly will have attempted to
"preach" his way to freedom on good behavior.
Some friendly advice, however, for Bakker to
keep in mind: 10 years is 10 years, but hell is
. eternal, and you won't receive any monetary
favors for this ministry.
Too harsh for someone only convicted of
fraud? Take the words of U.S. District Judge
, Robert Potter, who handed down the decision:
"Those of us who do have a religion are sick of
being saps for money-grubbing preachers and
priests. Worst of all, it appears that Mr. Bakker
feels he was deserving of his gains from the
little people who sent in their savings." Bakker,
as he was escorted from the courtroom in hand
cuffs and ankle chains, even had the nerve to
acknowledge the crowds with his devilish ear-to-ear
grin.
The fact that Bakker cannot express remorse
or admit his wrongs simply demonstrates the
greed and drive for power which have com
pletely enveloped the man. Mocking his re
sponsibility of spiritual leadership to millions
of PTL viewers, Bakker "preached" for seven
years following an adulterous affair with the
now infamous Jessica Hahn, to whom he paid
$265,000 to keep silent. But this facade of
integrity was only the beginning of Bakker's
downfall.
As a part a PTL fundraising project, Bakker
promised "lifetime partnerships" including
three nights of free lodging for life at Heritage
hhuhh USA, PTL's ministry
resort to all those
followers who donated
$1,000 to the PTL
"cause." Bakker was
charged with taking a
cool $3.5 million for
himself and his extrava
gant lifestyle, and $ 1 54
million more was at his
""" disposal. Meanwhile,
innocent viewers many of whom have trouble
supporting themselves were making offer
ings to Bakker's god and guiding spirit
money.
Bakker and others who mix greed and reli
gion are nothing more than cult figures in the
worst form. Both Bakker and Jim Jones, for
example, used charisma to beguile and ma
nipulate unsuspecting followers. Although one
made hundreds commit mass suicide, another
may have caused thousands to doubt their faith
in God and his clergy.
Those masses who seek religious happiness
through their televisions must be cautious and
even consider taking their faith and money
elsewhere; indeed, the possibility of another
Jim Bakker springing up always exists. As for
Bakker himself, let us be thankful the man is
finally off the air and out of North Carolina.
Wise citizens in any state, wherever he finally
lands, should ride him out on a rail. James
Burroughs
Rusty infiltrates the campus animal testing labs.
Proclaim religion without shouting
eligion has been on my mind lately.
r Frankly, I'm a little concerned with
K, the behavior of some of our campus
religious activists.
A friend of mine was Pit-sitting a while ago
when a young woman approached and asked
him to take part in a survey. My friend agreed.
First the woman asked about his favorite Top
40 song. Then she asked about his favorite sort
of music and then his favorite rock band.
Finally came the kicker: Are you familiar with
the Bible? Would you be interested in joining
a Bible study group?
My friend was irritated. He felt he'd been
manipulated, and rightly so. Clearly the woman
wasn't interested in his views on pop music;
she simply wanted to blindside him with an
unsolicited religious pitch. Of course, such
occurrences aren't uncommon. If you stand
still long enough on this campus, someone
will decide you look lonely or homesick and
thus ripe for conversion.
I'm sure the people who came up with this
survey had the proverbial good intentions.
Their reasoning probably goes something like
this: "People don't think enough about reli
gion, and so they don't realize how relevant
our religionthe Bible is to their everyday
lives. Therefore, it's up to us to back them into
an informal religious conversation and get
them thinking."
So these people mean well, even if they are
a little pompous in assuming that the rest of us
can't think about religion without their help.
But while they may think they're serving their
religion by seeking recruits, I think they are
actually cheapening the very faith they hold so
dear, by using the trappings of business sales
manship to "sell" their faith.
Many of us have encountered the religious
activist. He seems like a great guy, and he
listens to you talk with an intense look on his
face. He's got a huge smile and a firm hand
shake. He nods a lot while you talk. You think
you've found a new friend. But beware
before long, he'll have managed to work God
into your friendly chit-chat, and then it's, "Did
I mention, a bunch of us get together for Bible
study every Friday?" And unless you attend
that Bible study group, it's unlikely you and
your new "friend" will see much of each
Matt
Bivens
Rat Salad
other; in fact, inside of a month he'll probably
be positively cool towards you.
I don't like this high-pressure sales ap
proach to religion. Clever sales tactics and
firm handshakes are better suited to selling
soda pop or breakfast cereal, not a life-guiding
philosophy. Religion isn't a product, and it
shouldn't be treated as such. Those who really
care about the truth, whatever it may be to
them, know instinctively to avoid sneaky
arguments and coy games. If they have the
urge to discuss their faith, they go about it
honestly.
Choosing a religion even if it means
simply sticking with your parents' choice
is a deeply private decision. Many of us have
strong personal convictions about religion
too personal to discuss with some overly
friendly stranger in the Pit, especially when
we think that stranger is only humoring us by
pretending to listen to what we think. I know
when a religious activist asks for my views on
God, he's not interested in a true exchange of
ideas. He already knows the truth, he talks to
God, so if my views differ from his he'll seek
to correct me. Uggh. Just thinking about it
frustrates me. If such a stranger approached
me, I'd sooner discuss my finances or love life
than my private religious convictions.
It's bad enough that religion is treated so
callously. Far worse than that, it's seen by
some people as something to scream about or
to threaten with. These people demand un
questioning fealty to their view of God; they
use the twin fears of death and hell as bludg
eons to ensure mindless devotion and obedi
ence. In past years, campus religious activists
have distributed pamphlets with covers that
read: "What you miss by being Christian,"
and, on the inside, "HELL!" Attitudes like
these scare me. Why is this necessary? This is
the sort of behavior one would expect from the
Ayatollah, not from a UNC sophomore.
The shouting also concerns me. Why shout to
people that they're going to burn? Are these
people shouting, as some say, out of love and a
desire to "save" that person? Or is it self-righteous
elitism?
Even worse, is it a thinly disguised brand of
hate? Masquerading as concern for another's
soul, such hate would let a campus zealot screech
furiously at a Jew for being a Jew. If a Mormon
is going to burn in the afterlife anyway, how
much value needs to be placed on his human
life? Isn't someone with a doomed soul some
how less human, less deserving of respect? It's
an easy conclusion to reach. In fact, it's the same
reasoning some people have advanced in argu
ing that AIDS is God's tool for punishing gays
and drug abusers.
Religious tolerance was one of the founding
principles of this country. But this tolerance
seems to be slipping away from us. When Duffy
Stroud, North Carolina's child street-corner
preacher, leapt out of his chair on the Carson
show to screech and wave his Bible, it was sort
of amusing. The same goes for the protesters
who attended the Union showing of "The Last
Temptation of Christ," to shout their views at the
closing credits. It's all sort of funny. But it's also
disquieting. Christianity, like many religions,
has so much to offer some people; it's a shame
to see its message reduced to intimidation, to
shouting down other opinions and beliefs.
Clearly some of us need to change the way we
think about and act upon our religious beliefs, if
religious tolerance is to have any future in this
country. People who use salesmanship to push
religion bother me. But people who shout about
religion worry me far more.
Instead of bothering so much about the rest of
us sinners, these religious activists ought to
engage in a little introspective soul-searching of
their own. If they really care about the truth, they
should have the courage to confront it in them
selves. And while they're at it, they could do us
all a favor and ask themselves where the intimi
dation and shouting fit in.
Matt Bivens is a senior political science major
from Olney, Md.
Readers'
Forom
Justice wasn't served
for battered woman
To the editor:
I am so glad someone finally
wrote in complaining that the DTH
had entirely overlooked the mur
der of Dawn Jolly ("Woman's
murder overlooked by DTH," Oct.
20). I regret that I have not written
in sooner and would like to ex
press disappointment in my own
and their negligence.
Not only was the Jolly incident
in the headlines for days in Chapel
Hill, it is still receiving substan
tial coverage in area papers and
on television. I was highly sur
prised that there was no mention
of it on campus, not even of the
candlelight vigil held at the post
office where at least a hundred
people showed up in memory of
Dawn.
Christine Wicher's letter men
tioned some critical facts about
battery and urged us to take Dawn
Jolly's case as an example of
something of which we all could
become a victim. Being from
Hillsborough and knowing some
of Dawn's friends and having met
her, I have had the unfortunate
privilege of hearing the history of
her problems with her husband a
long time before they came to a
head. Her death hit home for me in
a big way.
The battery of women not only
makes the battered woman a vic
tim, but her friends and family as
well. Dawn Jolly's predicament
seems to have become even more
heated when she tried to seek ref
uge with her friends, making them
active participants in her struggle
to be free.
Along with many others, I am
incensed that the Orange County
courts were not "able" to do any
thing more to protect Dawn. I feel
that here is yet another example of
how the legal system did more to
protect Randy Jolly as an assumed
innocent (even though he had been
brought in on warrants for assault
against Dawn before) than Dawn
as a victim. She appealed to her
friends, to the police. It still didn't
do any good. All she wanted was
for him to leave her alone.
CYNTHIA SATTERFIELD
Senior
English
Students must avoid
plastics to save earth
To the editor:
It's 6:55 p.m., and you've just
gotten out of your Math 242 class.
With your eyes glazed and you
brain muddled, you mechanically
plod into Lenoir for some vict
uals, only to realize that you have
a SEAC (Student Environmental
Action Committee) meeting in
five minutes. Your churning stom
ach compels you to order a cheese
burger to go, and out you dash
with a squeaky white foam box in
your hand. An hour and a half
later, your eyes have focused, your
brain is cleared, and your stomach
is satisfied, but your conscience is
raging over the crumpled box in
the wastebasket that will take
centuries to disappear if it ever
does. This is the morally disturb
ing predicament that many environmentally-aware
students have
been befuddled by as a result of
the Carolina Dining Services' use
of styrofoam cups and boxes. What
can be done about it? According
to the DTH ("RHA seeks end to
Styrofoam use in dining service,
Oct. 2"), Marriott, the company in
charge of the Carolina Dining
Services, has been working to
ward switching their foam prod
ucts to paper products. I think that
they should at least have a trial
period of using cardboard boxes
and cups, if not in all the dining
areas, then maybe just in Lenoir.
This idea was already tested last
year in The Pit Stop and was met
with much enthusiasm, but, un
fortunately, The Pit Stop was
closed and nothing more was done
with the idea of using cardboard
cups and boxes.
So what's wrong with using
foam products instead of paper
products? Foam may be cheaper
than paper now, but in the future it
will probably cost much more to
use foam cups than paper cups,
just because the disposal of styro
foam is such a problem. OK, so
you can't leave your Coke in a
cardboard cup for days on end.
Who wants to drink two-week-old
Coke anyway? And maybe
paper does transmit heat more
readily to your hand, but having
warm hands should be an advan
tage in the cold mornings in win
tertime, which is when most
people drink hot beverages any
way. So your lasagna seeps
through your cardboard box a
little, just wipe it off people
have endured far worse things.
All these little inconveniences
now can prevent a huge inconven
ience later, when all your Lenoir
takeouts haunt you in the form of
swejtering heat and rampant skin
cancer the result of ozone layer
depletion caused by the chemi
cals in styrofoam. And you may
even have your very own dump
site in your backyard when all the
nation's landfills are chock full of
garbage, which, incidentally, will
probably be within the next couple
of decades. Not only that, but that
foam box you just chucked can't be
burned, because burning it produces
a toxic residue, the disposal of which
poses another problem. The other
major alternative would be to re
cycle the plastic, and even though it
helps, recycling alone is not enough
to reduce the huge amount of styro
foam being used and produced.
That is why Marriott should at
least try to switch from foam prod
ucts to paper products and maybe
even recycle them as well.
Marriott's support is needed to help
combat our plastics problem and
so is yours. Maybe you don't think
that it's worth your trouble. Maybe
you don't think you'll make a dif
ference. You're wrong. If everyone
does a little, those little things will
turn into something big and
something big is what we need to
save this earth. This earth that we
have abused and taken for granted
for so long. We need to save the
earth not only for ourselves, but for
our children, before it is too late and
there is not an earth to save.
YU-YEE WU
Freshman
English
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