8
Friday, August 30,1996
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Jeanne Fugate EDITOR
Office Hours. 2-3 p.m. Fridays
Graham Brink managing editor
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JL Established 1893
103 Years of Editorial Freedom
BOARD EDITORIALS
Senseless Dollars
■ However tempting he finds $1 billion, Louis Farrakhan only stands to lose
if he pursues Moammar Gadhafi’s questionable donation.
Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam
should have acted responsibly and rejected the
$1 billion offered them by Libyan dictator
Moammar Gadhafi. Instead, Farrakhan has
vowed that he is ready for a “showdown” with
the Clinton administration over the legality of
accepting the funds.
Farrakhan only stands to lose in this debate.
All financial dealings with Libya have been
prohibited since 1986. The Nation of Islam
would have to be granted a special, legal excep
tion to conduct such a transaction. Because
Gadhafi has vowed the money will be used to
“enter this (American) fortress and confront it,”
it is unlikely our president will pave the way for
an exemption to normal policy.
Farrakhan’s representative in his drive to re
ceive permission for accepting the cash is Marion
“Rex” Harris of Fayetteville, a self-made busi
nessman and former member of the state Board
of Transportation.
Harris argues such a huge sum of money
could be put toward developing the economic
power base of black America. While Harris
remains a sympathetic figure with plausible goals,
he overlooks a stumbling block: the source of the
money has been implicated in international ter
rorism.
EDITORIAL NOTEBOOK Devons Brown
Look beyond Hillary vs. Elizabeth
Call it Y ear of the Woman 11, call it another feminist
movement. Just don’t call it the Hillary Rodham
Clintons vs. the Elizabeth Doles.
The ’96 elections are a major example of women
crashing through political glass ceilings. Five thousand
candidates running for office, 1500 in state legislatures
and 28 in the N.C. General Assembly all check the
gender box marked “female.” An estimated 54 percent
to 56 percent of registered voters are women, making
the female vote an important asset to candidates in
upcoming elections.
Face it, baby, we have come a long way.
We lose our way, however, when we side with
either Hillary Rodham Clinton or Elizabeth Dole.
Rather than celebrating their positions as women who
are visible in politics, we divide ourselves based upon
how we feel women should act. Such divisions only
hinder our common goal of striving for acceptance in
a male-dominated society.
We must realize that a woman known for strongly
voicing her opinions on major issues is no less of a
Tar Heel Quotables
“We would like to understand the relationship
between smoking and disease.”
DONALD DEBETHIZY, vice president of product
development at ILJ. Reynolds Tobacco Cos.
Explaining that the company's development of a 'safer
cigarette" is not an admission that cigarette smoking is
unsafe.
“It’s such an example of‘Wal-Martization,’
the big guy trying to put out the little guy.”
DORRIT 6ISHURI, Co-manager of Internationalist Rooks
Protesting Student Stores' obtaining textbook titles
carried exclusively by Internationalist Books until this
semester.
“It’s like the biggest circus you’ve ever seen
it’s better than the circus.”
LAURA EDWARDS, delegate to the Democratic National
Convention in Chicago
Trying to explain the party atmosphere permeating the
convention. Between the policy juggling and
presidential spin, it must have been quite a show.
Businou and Advertising: Kevin Schwartz.
director/general mangager; Chrissy Mennitt
advertising director; Leslie Humphrey, classified
ad manager; Lisa Reichle, business manager;
Megan Stephenson, advertising manager.
Claasified Advertising: Rachel Lomasz.
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Assistant Editors: Amy Cappiello and Angela
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Sport Saturday; Adam Gusman and Susan
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state & national; Sharif Durhams, Marva Hinton
and John Sweeney, university.
Ans/Diversions: Todd Gilchrist musk editor;
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Thayer.
Cartoon: Eric Bishop, Sean Gillespie, Tommy
Harris, Brian Kahn and Paul Kendall.
City: Luther Caldwell, Tom Conradt Mary-
The editonals are approved by the majority of the editorial board, which is composed
of the editor, editorial page editor and eight editorial writers.
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If Farrakhan and top Nation of Islam officials
were to rethink the situation, they would see they
would gain more by refusing the funds outright.
The current image of Farrakhan’s sensational
leadership agenda does not sit well with most
Americans. His anger-diriven image has
illegitimized him in current political circles, and
many wonder about his intentions.
By refusing any association with Gadhafi,
Farrakhan could send a positive message to the
public that he will not tolerate the terrorism and
underhanded diplomacy embodied by Libya
Instead, Farrakhan worsens his already poor
image by associating with the terrorist state —a
declared enemy ofboth the United States and the
United Nations.
Practically speaking, the ability of the Libyan
government to provide the Nation of Islam with
such a huge sum is also questionable. Libya’s
total oil export income amounts to only $9 bil
lion per year, one-ninth of which would go to
Jihad-minded philanthropy?
The Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan and
Rex Harris are all being taken for a ride. The
United States stands for principles that would
bar its citizens from illegally laying their hands
on a heap of dirty money—money that probably
doesn’t even exist.
woman than one known for standing behind her hus
band, advocating his beliefs. The same is true for
housewives, single women and those working their
way up corporate ladders.
Understand that our differences are all a part of our
beauty as women.
To continue the progression of women’s importance
in politics and government, we must follow the ex
; ampleofthosebeforeus. According to Hillary Rodham
i Clinton, women opposite Jane Addams overlooked
her Republican party affiliation simply because she
was a woman.
i We must do the same to avoid unnecessary divisions
among us.
> Instead of allowing ourselves to be characterized by
i our differences, we must come together and celebrate
' each other. Rejoice for the various types of women that
i we are.
Look towards what we can become when we unite
’ Republican to Democrat, housewife to working
i mother, woman to woman.
“It’s frightening, though. Sometimes we’re the
only exposure students will ever have to
Shakespeare.”
ERIC RERCHHER, member of the North Carolina
Shakespeare Festival
Lamenting the fact that many students in North
Carolina have never seen a live theater performance.
“It’s wrong for the federal government to
suggest our farmers are growing a drug. These
good tobacco farmers, growing a drug?”
Gov. JIM HUNT
Blasting President Bill Clinton and the Food and Drug
Administration for approving stringent measures on
cigarette marketing and advertising.
“The main problem is finding time and
expertise.”
JANIE KILBOURNE, speaker of student congress
Pointing out the greatest obstacle to creating a student
government, err... government web site, that is.
THE DAILYTAR HEEL
Business & Advertising Stuff
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Editorial Stiff
Kathryn Craft Todd Darling. Kate Harrison,
Gibson Pate and Lou Ruhgliano.
Copy; Catherine Blair. Elizabeth Gardner. Kendell
MecQueen and Dana Sircy
Design: Leslie Wilkinson.
Editorial: Jenny Blasdell. Devona Brown. Susan
Hazeldean, Leslie Kendrick. Tara Powell, Ban
Storey and Scott Syfert
Features: Tom Acrtelli. Kevin Degon, Sara Frisch,
Branna Pearson. Nakita Rowell. Jennifer Maloney.
David Sihrerstein and Dana Wind.
Photography: Erik Perel. senior photographer
Emily Adcock. Katherine Borwn, Kelly Brown,
Celeste Joye and Kristin Rohan.
mpr
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0™ Ylta EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
Jsmie Grilwold UNIVERSITY EDITOR
Laan Godwin city editor
Erica Beahean state a national editor
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Robbi Piekeral sports editor
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Special Assignment!: Lou Rurigliano
Sports: Beverty Morgan, copy. Jack Chaney. Craig
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and Mika Sundheim.
Staff Development: Sandy Alexander. Sara
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State and National: Melissa Steele, senior writer.
Andrew Rosa and LeAnn Spradling.
University: Rick Conner, Jim Nicks. Aru Panda,
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Editorial Production: Stacy Wynn, manager.
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Printing: Triangle Web.
Distribution: Triangle Circulation Services.
EDITORIAL
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Of Smurfs and men: UNC’s inter-sexual history
What do we all search for in life?
Happiness? A pen that works? A
reason to go to class? While these
are all acceptable answers, we were looking
for a more specific response: a mate, a lover, a
significant other.
Now you can accept the fact that humans
have innate physical cravings or you can lan
guish in denial. Regardless, this is obviously a
subject that merits special attention. Hence,
this piece is the first in a two-part series on
men, women, dating and the ever-evolving
dynamic of sejcual politics. Well, whatever.
The first piece will frame said social phenom
enon in a historical civic center ... uhh, we
mean historical arena, while the second will
examine, to be a tad blunt, why we’re all out to
get a piece —and then why we’re never fully
satisfied when we do.
The UNC campus has seen a great shift in
population makeup and, likewise, dating pat
terns. It’s a read-it-and-weep fact that only 30-
odd years ago, the University’s undergraduate
population was more than 90 percent male.
Needless to say, this statistical bubble-burster
put a crimp in the social scene for less-than
poster-pin-up quality guys looking for a few
good dates. Were sorry to play myth-destroy
ers again but believe it or not, there were
and still are —some borderline undesirable
men here at UNC. We can hear thousands of
shrilly, Diet Mountain Dew-powered voices
uniting in passionate protest, but for the sake
of argument, let’s just accept the statement as
truth.
Duringthe ‘6os, many lucky ladies were the
subjects of intense bidding wars and could
often auction their acquiescence to a swinging
soiree for as much as SSO, full expenses, a
signed promissory note of good manners
plus a percentage of the overall gross. This is
all to illustrate that with such a decidedly
estrogen-starved general population, dating
woes and sejcual flailings were more pervasive
than drunken gropings at present-day frater
nity houses. And speaking of sexual frustra
tions, what better way to convey our point
than to draw upon a certain Saturday morning
cartoon as a supplementary metaphor?
It isn’t exactly easy being three apples tall,
socially dysfunctional, and constantly having
Humor, truth spin together in
columnist's 'Dirty laundry 1
TO THE EDITOR:
I am a freshman here at UNC and am just
starting to get used to the new lifestyle.
However, as I read Richard Harris’ col
umn, “Airing Dirty Laundry” (Aug. 27) I
realized everything he said was absolutely
true. I think he should be commended on a
truly insightful and well-written article.
I found the article humorous due to the fact
that everything he observed concerning the
separation between different groups on cam
pus was correct.
Mr. Harris, I’m glad you spoke up concern
ing this matter.
Coming from a small town in North Caro
lina, this type of behavior is not at all new to
me and I wish it didn’t have to be this way.
Growing up around this type of behavior,
which was a little bit more discriminate than
here, infuriated me.
I did as you said though.
I openly corrected anyone making deroga
tory remarks and continue to do the same. I
think everyone needs a course in getting along
with others despite their differences.
I might just take your advice and enroll in
an African-American culture class next se
mester.
Ido have one bone to pick with you though.
I am, in fact, white and 90 percent of my tapes
are hip-hop, one of which is Nas.
Danny Wyatt
FRESHMAN
BUSINESS
Consumer freedom, choice
important when buying books
TO THE EDITOR:
I am writing in response to the Aug. 27
letter concerning the supposed unfair policies
DRIVEN BY A STRONG PLAY ETHIC
to escape a balding, would-be serial killer bent
on terminating the existence of your species.
The Smurfs had to deal with all of this, plus a
painfully disturbing male/female ratio. The
one and only Smurfette came along courtesy
of Gargamel, but you’d think the Smurfs
would’ve eventually put their homy little blue
heads together and come up with some clon
ing technology.
As one of a handful of Smurfs capable of
growing hair, Smurfette was an enigma, a
nonpracticing lesbian skilled in the exploita
tion of her status as the only legitimate
nonphallic individual in Smurf Village. She
had Handy doing pointless housework and
Hefty lugging around huge stones for no ap
parent reason. And she was forever charming
her way into free Smurfberry pies from Greedy.
But, for some reason she could never finagle
anything except white cotton summer dresses
from Tailor Smurf. Fed up with her ironclad
piety, many Smurfs eventually headed over to
Peace College.
Some people have pointed to the Smurfs as
a subversive example of communism and com
munal living, but let’s examine this a little
more closely. It’s true that Papa Smurf wore
red, encouraged cooperation and the division
of labor, spotted that Karl Marx-lookin’ beard
and could drink everyone under the table. But
there are some definite class distinctions and
social rumblings that are far too often brushed
under the rug at the National Smurf Forums
we often attend.
For instance, many people are unaware that
there was in fact a small but vocal extremist
faction that splintered from the original clan in
KEADEmORUM
The Daily Tar Heel welcomes reader comments and
criticism. Letters to the editor should be no longer
than 400 words and must be typed, double-spaced,
dated and signed by no more than two people.
Students should include their year, major and phone
number. Faculty and staff should include their title,
department and phone number. The DTH reserves
the right to edit letters for space, clarity and vulgarity.
Bring letters to the DTH office at Suite 104, Carolina
Union, mail them to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel Hill, NC
27515 or email forum to: dth@unc.edu.
of Student Stores towards the Internationalist
bookstore ("Internationalist book store not
threat to UNC Student Stores”).
I am a graduate student who has been buy
ing books for many years now at many stores,
and I am surprised by the self-righteous and
cavalier attitude of many professors at UNC
toward their students in terms of the textbooks
required for courses.
The professor is not a customer in this
situation.
The professor is a facilitator, an intermedi
ary, between bookstore and student. The stu
dent is the customer.
The convenience, economy and service
ability of the University toward its customers,
the students, is obviously not foremost in the
minds of some professors when ordering text
books.
Here are a few examples of issues large and
small which students could find objectionable
about the “monopolistic” practices of the In
ternationalist bookstore.
slSail)} (Tar Hml
the late 19605. Many Smurfs felt cheated in the
title department. Instead ofbeing Hefty, Brainy,
Painter or Jokey, they had to suffer under the
considerably less cool monikers of Waving
Smurf #ll or Nondescript Crowd Smurf.
Others, like Janitor Smurf and Libertarian
Smurf, began to demand equal exposure and
ballot access. Ensemble Smurfdom just wasn’t
cuttin’ it. Finally, led by Angry & Disillu
sioned Y oung Politico Smurf (who would later
become Smurf X), several of the more aquati
cally-inclined Smurfs stapled rubber tubing to
their heads and took up residence under the sea
with the Snorks. Those who couldn’t swim
drowned.
While those that followed Smurf X left of
their own volition, others were booted from
the comfy compound simply because they were
deemed “socially undesirable.”
Nauseated Smurf, Chemically Dependent
Smurf, Islamic Fundamentalist Smurf, Open
Sore Smurf, Sexually Ambiguous Smurf
(Vanity’s cousin) and Dennis Choi Smurfwere
only a few of the ones asked to leave and never
return. At this point, we can hear the cry rising
from you, massive readership: What does it all
mean?!
While you may question the sanity of our
comparing UNC’s inter-sexual history to a
society where a stork and a blue moon took the
place of fertilization, the point is that the Smurfs
were all outfora little action. While they didn’t
reproduce sexually, they did have sex drives.
But the sad gender imbalance of their village
forced most Smurfs to throw themselves head
long into their work. This fostered fierce com
petition, dissent and eventually the splintering
of which we spoke.
This sort of mad jockeying for sexual atten
tion is certainly quite normal and characteris
tic of not only UNC past and present, but also
society as a whole.
While the situation here at UNC, thank
fully, has not reached quite a comparable crisis
level, we shudder to think that the dating scene
at this university 30 years ago was nothing
more than a glorified Smurf village.
Brent Simon is a senior communication studies major
from Greensboro. Ryan Hollander is a junior
journalism major from Miami, Fla.
Suppose I am a poor student (this isn’t a
difficult supposition to make).
I would like to purchase used books, insofar
as it is possible for me to do so.
I would also like to get the best price on any
book through bargain shopping.
The Student Stores and Carolina University
Bookstore and RAM Book and Supply give me
that option.
The Internationalist does not.
Suppose I am an athlete, or a disabled stu
dent, with a grant that pays for my teTrtbooks
through a University grant.
If the Internationalist, or my professor, has
not informed Student Stores that I must pur
chase these certain books, then I cannot take
advantage of my grant.
Those certain books will not be available at
Student Stores (how could they be, when Stu
dent Stores does not know they are required for
this course and therefore did not order them?).
I must pay for these books from my own pocket
at the Internationalist.
Suppose I am a politically conservative
student. My professor is not just recommend
ing that I and my fellow students support the
Internationalist’s political positions by opting
to spend my money at the store.
My professor is, instead, forcing me to buy
books at that store and therefore to give my
money to support issues which are objection
able to me, but are espoused by the professor.
That professor, by not making his or her
textbook order information available to the
other bookstores, has limited both my political
and economic freedom by making me a cap
tive consumer of the Internationalist.
Perhaps the “39” faculty members who wish
to “send a little business” to a worthy book
store should remember who are the real cus
tomers in this situation and consider the
student’s convenience and rights when order
ing textbooks.
Jennifer Malady
GRADUATE STUDENT
ART HISTORY