The Student Newspaper of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Volume XVI, Number 24
Charlotte, North Carolina
Monday, October 27, 1980
Carter’s
Staff Chief
Defends
Record
By Chip Wilson
Carolina Journal Staff Writer
The Carolina Journal joined six col
lege newspapers recently in a
telephone interview with White
House Chief of Staff Jack Watson to
discuss the past record of the Carter
administration and the forthcoming
election.
Staff writer Chip Wilson joined col
legiate journalists from Memphis
State and Louisiana State Univer
sities; along with the Universities of
Florida and Texas at Austin and the
College Press Service.
Below are Watson's remarks, edit
ed for brevity and clarity.
Wilson: Under what circumstances
would President Carter institute a
draft and who would be exempted if
the draft were reinstated?
Watson: As you know, the Presi
dent proposed draft registration be
cause he felt it was better to be
prepared, in light of the Afganistan
invasion.
However, you also may know that a
draft reinstatement would have to be
authorized by an act of Congress, just
as the registration measure was. Car
ter himself can’t take the next step.
To answer your question, in the
event of an armed conflict we would
assess our manpower situation relat
ing to the military action. If, God for
bid, we were placed in a military
emergency, I think our regular forces
could handle it, so a draft would be
unlikely. However, I cannot state un
equivocally that there would be no
draft.
There were too many exemptions in
the Vietnam war to the draft require
ment. It was unfair to poor and
minority men who could not attend
c °llege. I don’t know how any 19 or 20
year-olds would feel about this but I
think it is a fair approach not to ex-
e mpt college students from the draft.
Gilson: Why has the President not
Seated John Anderson as a viable
candidate, in not debating him and
through White House pressure on
anlis not to loan him money?
First of all, I think we need to
efine ‘’viable candidate.” John
nderson did not win one primary or
a ucus the Republicans had in any
ate. The showing in the polls proves
Photo By Rick Monroe
A small but cold crowd of students turned out for the Student Association’s ‘Rocktoberfest’ Saturday afternoon. The lack of response was at
tributed to the cold, and no free beer. The concert, held under the Parking deck because of poor weather eariler Saturday, featured the George
Hatcher Band and George Otto.
Report Reflects Lack Of
Knowledge of Greek Activities
By Rick Bryant
Carolina Journal Staff Writer
Freedom of expression on campus
has become an issue, as a result of
conflict between some residence stu
dents and other students participat
ing in the pledging activities of
predominately Black Greek organiza
tions.
Recently, as students have been en
gaged in the pledging activities, such
as walking in lines and singing in
unison, other students have been ver
bally harassing and throwing objects
from dorm windows at them.
Representatives of these organiza
tions believe this is caused by a lack
of understanding of the purpose and
meaning of the activities. Chuck Ly
nch, Dean of Students, said, “The
hostile acts directed at these groups
of students are creating a lot of ten
sion, but this is only the surface
issue.”
In a recent meeting, member of
Residence Housing Association
(RHA), Residence Life staff, Lynch
and leaders from the six predominant
ly Black Greek organizations on cam
pus, discussed why these groups were
being treated inconsiderately, and
how to alleviate some of the resulting
tension.
The committee decided the best
way to solve the problem, was to ex
plain the pledging activities.
The pledging process goes back to
the beginnings of some of the organi
zations. Such activities expose the
prospective members to the ideals of
brotherhood and sisterhood.
A report stemming from the meet
ing says “The pledging activities last
from 6-8 weeks in length, as the
pledges must progress through
phases to ever higher levels of worthi
ness to the ideals of brotherhood and
sisterhood.
“It is also important that all
pledges progress at the same pace in
order that they will develop as a
group, as well as individuals in solidi
fying the bond among them.
“In addition, the symbols which
the pledges carry around with them,
or which hang around their necks,
represent the various values of the
organization at the different pledging
phases.”
Singing in unison represents solid
arity, the report said. It is also used
to teach the history of the organiza
tion. The songs are based on tradition
and they demonstrate commitment of
the pledges both to the organization
and the community, according to the
report.
All of these organizations are
dedicated to public service:
Alpha Phi Alpha which provides a
sickle cell anemia test and an ex
amination for UNCC students each
year; Alpha Kappa Alpha which spon
sors a national reading program
teaching anyone that wants to learn
how to read from 7 to 70-year-olds;
and Delta Sigma Theta which
winterizes homes in the Charlotte
community.
Also: Omega Psi Phi which is heavi
ly involved in the Big Brother pro
gram in Charlotte: Sigma Phi Rho
which works with the Jerry Lewis
Muscular Dystrophy telethon, and
Kappa Alpha Psi which sponsors a
tutorial program at Mt. Carmel Bap
tist Church in Charlotte.
This is only a partial list of the
group’s service activities.
Reaching a middle ground on
freedom of expression for these
organizations and the privacy rights
of others was not easy.
The special committee report says,
“After all, the very nature of a univer-
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