8
Friday, March 19, 1999
Nahal Toosi
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR
DeVona Brown & Ashley Stephenson
UNIVERSITY EDITORS
Jon Ostendorff
CTTY EDITOR
Board Editorials
Forgive and Award
Elia Kazan's contributions to the movie industry, not his actions
during the Cold War, make him worthy of an Oscar.
To the disgust of many in the entertain
ment industry and beyond, legendary direc
tor Elia Kazan will receive a lifetime achieve
ment award Sunday during the 71st annual
Academy Awards.
Critics say Kazan doesn’t deserve the
honor because he ratted on Communists
during the 19505. Nonsense. Viewers every
where should stand Sunday and applaud a
man whose body of work is deserving of
such high praise.
There’s no denying that Kazan’s accom
plishments warrant the lifetime achievement
award. From 1940 until 1976, he directed 20
films, including classics such as “On The
Waterfront,” “East of Eden” and “A Streetcar
Named Desire.” He helped develop such
stars as Warren Beatty, Marian Brando and
James Dean. Kazan also wrote eight novels.
But that’s not the legacy critics tend to
remember.
From the 1940s to the 19605, when the
Communist scare reached its height,
Hollywood blacklisted hundreds of artists on
the basis of their left-wing political views.
Kazan, a former Communist who grew to
detest communism, made what many critics
call an unforgivable transgression in 1952.
He testified before the House Un-
American Activities Committee, where he
named eight members of the Communist
Party working in the film industry.
Afterward, he even took out newspaper ads
boasting about what he had done, an act that
sealed his reputation as a traitor.
Kazan might have cooperated with the
An All-Around Benefit
The Special Olympics World Games are coming this summer to the
Triangle. But where are the volunteers?
The biggest sports event of the summer,
the Special Olympics World Games, will take
place in the Triangle from June 26 tojuly 4.
With three months to go, organizers are still
searching for volunteers. Here is a chance for
students and residents to make a difference.
By volunteering for the games, students
and town residents have an opportunity to
do something good for themselves, the com
munity and some truly special people.
Estimates are that 35,000 volunteers are
needed to assist approximately 7,000 athletes
from 150 countries competing in 19 events.
The contests will be held at several area uni
versities, including UNC-Chapel Hill.
Asa requirement, volunteers must be able
to work at least three six-hour shifts. But, the
benefits involved with participation far out
weigh the time commitment required.
Volunteers work direcdy with athletes, so
they get to see firsthand the products of their
much-appreciated efforts. A smile from an
appreciative athlete would warm the heart of
anyone willing to offer his or her time. It is
Barometer
Tourney Time
The NCAA tournament continues
this week without UNC's men,
whose shocking upset by Weber
State single-handedly ruined office pools across the
country.
Alderperson?
The Carrboro Board of Aldermen is
debating whether to assume a more
gender-neutral name. How about:
Board that Debates Meaningless Changes?
Tar Heei Quotables
“They’re a hate group. All Communists are
anti-Christians.”
Conservative Activist G. R. Quinn
On members of the National Lawyers Guild.
There's nothing quite like Christian brotherly love.
“In North Carolina there’s a frickin’
building on every comer.”
Greensboro Coliseum Director
Scott Johnson
Concerning the competition among venues for booking
acts. Scott, you’ll find buildings in a lot of states.
Don’t travel much, do you?
Shard Durhams
EDITOR
Office Hours Friday 2 p.m. -3 pan.
Trisha Dabb & Courtney Weill
STATE & NATIONAL EDITORS
Jonathan Cox
SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS EDITOR
Brian Murphy
SPORTS EDITOR
committee for fear of being barred himself
from making films. But in the process, he
destroyed the careers and the reputations of
many of his colleagues. Without a doubt,
Kazan’s actions were reprehensible.
But not unforgivable.
Kazan made a mistake. A big one. But the
Communist-fearing post-war society in
which he lived dictated Kazan’s actions. His
own government expected his testimony.
Only when he complied did he become a vil
lain in the eyes of many. But that doesn’t
mean his professional accomplishments
should be ignored because of his actions
nearly 50 years ago.
Look at football great Lawrence Taylor,
who entered the National Football League
Hall of Fame based on his performance on
the field, not his crackhead tendencies off it.
Or perhaps Michael Jordan. Should he never
join the National Basketball Association Hall
of Fame because of his past trouble with
gambling? No. In sports, that’s a ludicrous
idea. It should be in Hollywood, too.
Still, resentment over Kazan’s testimony
has overshadowed many of his crowning
achievements. Just as Kazan alienated those
colleagues he testified against, so too has
Hollywood turned its back on him for half a
century. And it shouldn’t. Not any longer.
Nearing 90-years-old, Kazan is long overdue
for the Academy’s highest award.
On Sunday, he finally will receive it.
Here’s hoping that it will be to the sound of
applause instead of the grumblings of disap
proval.
a chance to improve per
sonal skills, see how a
large sporting event is run,
and dispel stereotypes
about mentally disabled
people.
The games are proof
that volunteer efforts can
benefit both athletes and
the people who help run
the event.
Also, because they live in a town hosting
events, Chapel Hill residents’ actions reflect
upon the area as a whole. A strong volunteer
showing will enhance Chapel Hill as well as
the Triangle’s image. Volunteering for the the
Special Olympics World Games can bolster
the development of the Triangle as well as
the development of the men and women
who participate in the events.
Right now is a good time to give some
thing back to the community and to person
ally gain something invaluable in the
process.
Can't Stop Science
Scientists recently found that the
urine of pregnant women contains
a protein that fights HIV. Dying of
*r%
AIDS or being urinated on tough choice.
Got Bread?
The Great Harvest Bread Cos.
will give customers a fresh loaf of
bread for old bread. Contrary to
bread will be used to feed
) cut campus dining hall costs.
x k£
rumors, this old i
livestock, not to
“We’ve got to have a nominee who can
win.”
Former Sen. Bill Bradley
On Vice President Al Gore's entrance into the Democratic
race for the presidential nomination. How about settling
% a nominee who doesn't move like the Tin Man in the
"Wizard of Oz"?
“At any rest stop or truck stop, you can find
what you’re looking for.”
Truck Driver Keith Hayes
On prostitution in North Carolina. Maybe that's where
President Clinton should have looked first.
(Tit? iatlg Itel
Established 1893 ■ 106 Yean of Editorial Freedom
Kaitlin Gurney
FEATURES EDITOR
Will Kimmey & Erin Wynia
akts/diversions editors
Carolyn Haynes
copy desk editor
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In -the. -footsteps o-f H'.lltrj, OTHER
politicians cons'4e.r running -For Congress
in places t-jKere- -kKeg cton’-fc beJong*
Officials’ Non-Response a Disservice
Imagine for a moment that the University
appoints anew men’s basketball coach
(and I am in no way suggesting that it
needs to).
After holding the requisite introductory
press conference, this new coach announces
that he would rather not speak to the press or,
for that matter, the fans, after that date.
Besides being awfully silly (why come to
the nation’s most prominent basketball pro
gram if you wish to avoid the spotlight?), the
announcement would probably offend fans.
Sadly, that hypothetical coach’s attitude is
the same many public officials seem to take
toward their constituencies.
More and more, reporters are discovering
that the dictates of professional courtesy and
accountability to one’s community do not
count for much.
Public officials justify their lack of commu
nication on the grounds that the media is
obviously biased. “Why bother offering up
information,” they ask, “when reporters will
likely twist it however they like?”
It’s a legitimate question: reporters at any
news outlet have a knack for finding contro
versy in even the most mundane stories.
But it ignores one important point: the
media offer the most effective means of com
municating with the community. Public offi
cials avoid them at their own peril.
Despite the relatively small size of the com
munity it serves, The Daily Tar Heel is not
immune to such problems.
University administrators, for instance, are
elusive animals, capable of avoiding reporters’
phone calls for weeks at a time.
A graphic on Monday’s Op-Ed page tried
unsuccessfully to convey this idea. It featured
a map of campus complete with satirical
descriptions of alleged “Hooker Sightings.”
The execution on the graphic could have
been better, but the point its author sought to
make was valid: his present illness notwith
standing, UNC’s head honcho has long been
a tough guy to locate.
While working on the editorial board last
semester, I witnessed it firsthand. I tried for a
week to speak to Hooker for an Op-Ed piece.
Lend a
Hand
To volunceer for
the Special
Olympics this
summer, call
1-888-767-1999.
Readers' Forum
Writer’s Comparisons
Insult Islamic Beliefs,
Make Assumptions
TO THE EDITOR:
Luke Meisner’s recent attempt to
draw cultural similarities between
western and Islamic women led to a
very insulting assumption.
Meisner made the statement dis
cussing “the recent trend for Islamic
women to veil themselves ...” and
later in his passage went on to say,
“The veil in Islamic countries ...
went out of style.” The veil is an
Islamic tradition that is embedded in
its holiest book, not something wom
simply when a woman has the urge.
The assumption that this form of
Islamic expression is simply a “style”
is an insult to Islam.
His conclusion discussing the
“return to their own cultures” again
demonstrates an obvious lack of
understanding with respect to Islam.
The lack of a cultural identity for
Editorial
www.unc.edu/dth
hundreds of years, as this passage
attempts to imply, is simply false.
Drawing a comparison between
revealing clothing and a fundamental
religious tradition is doing a grave
injustice to the significance of the veil.
Salem Shubash
Freshman
International Studies
Coach Doing Fine job,
Critic Lost Credibility
Through His Letter
TO THE EDITOR:
As Franklin Hurley aptly demon
strates in his March 17 letter, anyone
stupid enough to state in print that he
came to Carolina just for basketball
tickets loses any credibility that his
comments about the basketball pro
gram at UNC will reflect even a mod
icum of intelligence.
Bill Guthridge is certainly the kind
of person who should be at the helm
Rob Nelson & Leslie Wilkinson
MANAGING EDITORS
Cara Brickman
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Thomas Ausman
DESIGN EDITOR
Brad Christensen
CARTOON EDITOR
■
JOHN SWEENEY
OMBUDSMAN
I had only a few questions; the whole ordeal
might have taken 10 minutes.
But the chancellor’s assistant informed me
that he would be in town for only a few hours
Thursday morning.
In an almost comical twist of fate, I missed
Hooker’s call Thursday morning because I
had gone to the bathroom. Worse, he had
phoned from his car, on the way to catch a
flight at Raleigh-Durham International
Airport, so I could not call him back.
Hooker is an important man, and I am sure
he was doing important things that week. But
were they so important that he couldn’t have
found 10 minutes to schedule an interview
and answer my questions?
If I sound like a frustrated, helpless child, it
is because that is the way journalists often feel.
Reporters depend on sources for information,
and if sources do not cooperate, the reporters
cannot do their jobs.
And all too often, the sources do not reply.
It has become a daily ritual. After trying to
reach a source for several consecutive days,
editors decide to run a story without the
source’s input. Once the story has run, the
source calls back, offering to speak to anyone
with questions or complaining that he had no
say in a “problematic” story.
The big question is “Why?” Do public offi
cials live in fear of the press, cowering
beneath their desks any time that the phone
rings? Or do they see some hidden agenda
behind every question?
It is true that dealing with the press can be
a disconcerting experience. Sources provide
information, but reporters decide how it is
of the team at a university like ours. I
was disappointed by the losses to
Weber State and Puke (sic) University.
But the results of this season were bet
ter than I had anticipated, especially
given the team’s youth and inexperi
ence, so I hope “Coach Gut” will stay.
As for Hurley, there is no point
wasting paper to give him a diploma,
given that he doesn’t seem to value a
degree from UNC very much.
Instead, provide him with a lifetime
pass to games between UNC and any
Division II school on the schedule.
Then he won’t have to suffer through
seeing Carolina lose and have those
coveted seats in the Dean Dome for
which he came to Chapel Hill.
On second thought, I wonder what
would entice the Athletic Department
to “lose” his application for tickets
next year? Now, wouldn’t that be a
damn shame?! Sniff.
Tom Sorrell
Professor
Chemistry
Shu iatlij Sar Muul
Kyle Hanlin
ONUNE EDITOR
Amy Cappiello
WRITING COACH
John Sweeney
OMBUDSMAN
presented to the public. That is a scary posi
tion for an official to deal with, and many
have been burned.
A DTH board editorial earlier this semester
unfairly criticized John Jones, the director of
Student Stores, after he was mentioned in an
article about the N.C. Umstead Act, a law
governing market competition between pri
vate and public entities.
Fortunately, Jones called the newspaper on
the mistake. But the damage was done;
University administrators who saw the error
were bound to be a bit more wary the next
time a DTH reporter called.
In truth, it needs to work both ways.
Reporters should be careful to place quota
tions and information a source provides in the
proper context, to avoid factual errors and to
respect the wishes of a source regarding what
is and is not on the record.
If there are genuine concerns about the
way information comes across in the newspa
per, sources need to speak to editors about
them. Keep in mind that the DTH is run by
student journalists and, much as it pains me to
say it, mistakes happen. The important thing
is to correct them. But cutting off contact with
the media is dangerous.
No journalist chooses the profession under
the assumption that it will be easy. The vitriol
directed toward this nation’s media is not a
well-kept secret. But no amount of ill will jus
tifies ignoring the Fourth Estate.
I do believe that the community’s leaders
are doing their jobs and doing them well. And
I do not believe that they intentionally ignore
every media phone call that comes their way.
But I also believe the adversarial relation
ship between government (and, in the DTH’s
case, University administrators) and the media
has gone too far.
Like it or not, public officials should
respond to the press because it is in the best
interests of their constituents.
John Sweeney is a senior history and
anthropology major from Jacksonville. Reach
him with your comments about The Daily Tar
Heel atjsweenel@email.unc.edu.
P
Letters to the editor should
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words and must be typed,
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signed by no more than
two people. Students
should include their year,
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teed. Bring letters to the
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to P.O. Box 3257, Chapel
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